Barcelona vs. Deportivo – Spanish La Liga Review (Part 3)
The front three for Barcelona were totally changed and not a single experienced player featured in the team. Lionel Messi, Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa were all given a rest as their positions were taken by the second best Barcelona strikers.
Villa, Messi and Pedro have scored almost a hundred goals together. Josep Guardiola did not want to play his first choice stars and that is the reason why he decided to replace the front three.
Jeffren Suarez played on the right wing for Barcelona. The original position has been taken by Pedro Rodriguez for most of the season as Lionel Messi played in the centre forward role. The Argentinean now plays as a “false nine” for Barcelona with David
Villa moving to the left.
This season Barcelona signed David Villa. The Spaniard actually plays as a centre forward but he has been playing as a left winger for the Catalan Giants. The Argentinean striker Lionel Messi has taken the role of a centre forward with Pedro Rodriguez moving
to the right wing to replace Messi’s actual position.
All these three strikers were rested by Josep Guardiola as the team faced Deportivo at the Nou Camp. The young Spanish striker Bojan Krkic played as a centre forward. Bojan was returning after an injury that he picked up a month ago. Eric Abidal and Bojan
recovered from their respective injuries together and the Spanish goal scorer was ready to play in the team as Barcelona were to face Deportivo.
Pedro Rodriguez’s right wing position was taken by Jeffren Suarez. Jeffren has done wonders in the first team. The young Barcelona star scored the fifth goal against Real Madrid during the first El Clasico of the season. Jeffren came on during the second
half and scored when Bojan Krkic was able to deliver the perfect ball inside the penalty area.
The left wing role was taken by another recent signing – Ibrahim Afellay. The Dutch star has done wonders in his former club PSV. It was hard for him to settle in the Barcelona team but his assist was crucial to help Barcelona take a goal’s lead against
Real Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi final.
Afellay has a lot of pace and has the strength to easily get past defenders. The Dutchman was played on the left wing as he replaced the best goal scorer in the history of Spanish football – David Villa. Afellay has done wonders in the left wing position
and he feels comfortable as he can cut inside on his stronger right foot to take a shot on goal. However, the Dutchman is still to score for Barcelona this season.
The Spanish Champions were relying on players who aren’t favourites to play in the first team. Javier Mascherano is actually replaced by Carles Puyol in the first team and while facing Deportivo, only Victor Valdes and Eric Abidal were the two first choice
players in the team. Seydou Keita played for Sergio Busquets in the holding midfield position.