Calling upon the Camp Nou Gods & Cats: Barca VS Valencia CDR Preview

Camp Nou Cats in Motion

As a Barca fan, 2012 has not been the kindest so far. Looking around at my fellow Cules, there’s a sense of despair, agony, misery, and disbelief. A player scores 23 goals in 20 games and he’s in crisis? A squad close to extinction with 15 first team players available for selection; including 2 goalkeepers and a newly promoted reserve player, are underachievers when they’re still fighting on 3 fronts?

This preview will be quite different to my usual previews. I want to try something different and I want you to bear with me.

So we drew at the Mestalla, big deal! We’ve gone 7 games without a win at the Mestalla since 2008, what were you expecting?! The 1-1 draw is a fantastic result for us. Given that we complete the job at the Camp Nou of course. As a believer in the team I love, I can only see us doing that!

It might be a big statement but this is really how I feel. Yes, probably Mathieu and Alba will tear our right hand side, again. But who would say that the spirits of the Camp Nou won’t be on our side? As explained at the time by Pep, the first leg showed massive performance improvements than previous visits. Had it not be to lady luck and some poor finishing from Alexis and Cesc, the game could have easily finished in Barca’s favor.

What’s sickening however is the fans reaction to recent events and injuries; all of which contribute to the notion that Barca are doomed. Some stupid statements like Pep should not have started Puyol as a RB and Alves as a second striker or right wing forward, or Tello should have started instead of Adriano. As valid statements as they might be, where the heck were you when Barca needed you when Van Gaal was the manager or when Rijkaard lost his mojo? You’re actually taking turns shooting down the coach and his team that have won 13 titles out of a possible 16? Really?!

Fans now scream their heads off for Tello. The same fans that a couple of months back were calling for Cuenca to start every match. Exactly the same group that now wants to kick out the now useless Cuenca and play JDS, it’s absurd! What happened to supporting your team, sticking by your players when they are in a bad patch of form? If Messi continues his “below par” performances, will you be calling for his head now?

Is Pep God? No, he makes mistakes. Does he intentionally get his players injured? No. Are the players not committed enough? No, they wouldn’t be injuring themselves if they were not trying to push themselves beyond their limits. Are they low on confidence? With the luck they’ve had do you blame them? So what should we do? Stick by the team! Whether Iniesta, Pedro, Alexis, or Busquets manage to play is irrelevant. Yes it would definitely ease our fears, but deep down we need to believe that this TEAM will fight till the end on all fronts.

So for all you bandwagon fans please leave us in peace. We’re more than glad to see the back of you. I trust Pep and the team, they’ve earned it. So when I predict a 3-1 win for Barca at the Camp Nou against Valencia in the second-leg of the 2011-2012 CDR semi-final, I’m confident that we can achieve it.

Predicted lineups

Barca: Pinto – Alves – Puyol – Pique – Abidal – Xavi – Mascherano – Thiago – Messi – Tello – Alexis.

Valencia: Diego Alves – Miguel – Rami – Ruiz – Alba – Banega – Albelda – Feghouli – Jonas – Mathieu – Soldado.

Predicted score line:

Barca 3 – 1 Valencia

Visca Barca!

Some Related Barcelona Posts:

• Valencia-Barca Preview: Scraping up against the Emery Board
• Valencia CF 1 – 1 FC Barcelona: A Battered & Bleary Barca Squad Settles for a Tie
• Barcelona 0 – Sevilla 0: Zeus sends Hercules to Camp Nou
• This Particular Mare: Barca vs. Sevilla Preview

Category: Team News