UEFA Champions League: Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen - Match Preview
Barcelona get ready to host the Danish side FC Copenhagen in their 3rd match of the UEFA Champions League. Gerard Pique, the Barca defender, has made it clear that his team would not be taking the Danish side for granted
at all.
Copenhagen have been the surprise team of the season in the Champions League: they are currently on top of group D and have a 2 point advantage with two games played. Considering they ended in the bottom of the group in their only
previous Champions League campaign, it is a big achievement.
However, Stale Solbakken's team have been in good form in Europe, having already beaten Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos and are yet to concede a goal. Barcelona are currently in 2nd place and Rubin Kazan in 3rd 5
points behind.
Pique, a former Manchester United player, admitted that Barcelona has not been in great form this season, and they would have to be on guard against the Danes.
Barcelona had been sloppy even in the domestic league and a morale boosting 2-1 win against Valencia did get their title challenge back on track. Pique said that just like the Valencia match they need to treat the Copenhagen match
also as a big match and get their Champions League campaign back on track.
"In the league an error can be rectified because the season is long, but it's difficult to turn around a slip-up at home in the Champions League.
"Copenhagen have won both their games and this tells you everything. It may seem that they aren't as strong as Valencia, but if they've beaten opponents such as Rubin and Panathinaikos, we cannot be over-confident,” he said.
Barcelona started their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win against Panathinaikos but hit a roadblock against Rubin Kazan as they could only manage a 1-1 draw. Pique said that the whole team is charged up and looking
to win their 4th Champions League. He added that last season’s semi-final defeat at the hands of Inter Milan was quite painful and they would love to forget about that and go all the way this season.
The final of the UEFA Champions League this season is at Wembley in England; that is where Barcelona won their first European Cup back in 1992. The World Cup winning defender said that it would be great to repeat history and become
part of it this time.
Pique, who scored in the 2nd leg semi-final against Inter Milan, said that although they are not at the top of the table in the Champions League, there is nothing to worry about and his team need to take every game as
it comes.
Barcelona beat Valencia on the weekend but even that win was not that easy. The champions were behind at the end of first half but managed to fight their way back and won 2-1 eventually. Barcelona is now 3rd in the league
table in the Spanish La Liga and just a point adrift of Real Madrid.
While in Denmark, Copenhagen have been leading the table in style in the domestic league: the Danish side has been enjoying the best ever start to their domestic season.
On the weekend gone by, Copenhagen won 5-0 against Odense BK, and made it 10 wins from 11 games this season. Cesar Santin has been their best player this season and he scored a hat trick on the weekend. Barcelona’s defence will
have to put in an extra shift to keep hold of the front man. On paper, Barcelona should be the favourites, but looking at the season form of both teams, it may be a more even game than initially expected.
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