Mallorca-Barcelona
By: Jeremy | May 10th, 2008
With two weeks left, our boys from Palma sit in seventh place and have Racing Santander in their sights who occupy the final UEFA Cup spot in sixth place just three points ahead of us. In recent weeks we have gone from looking at relegation to the Intertoto spot with a real chance at gaining European football. This is all thanks to Dani Guiza, who currently leads the race for the Pichichi, and some key plays by other team members who have helped us win games easily and with some last miniute dramatics.
However this week is a different animal as we travel to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona who will be playing their final home game of the year, Rijkaards final home game as coach, and a game that means nothing in the standings to them. The fact they will also be fielding a depleted lineup with up to six regulars missing also will make a difference. These factors could be to our advantage or could cause Barcelona to play an inspired game to hopefully help their fans forget, atleast temporarily, that they have now gone two years without a major trophy.
While it is unfortunate the schedule is set up to where we have to face Barca in their final home game of the year, you have to face them some time and Id rather face them under these circumstances where they might be distracted and ready to pack it in and we are in form and a win could have a dramatic effect on us for next year.
The goal at this point is to do everything we can to achieve European football for next year. While the Intertoto is still a way to slide in, sixth place locks us in and it may cause some of our stars from leaving as they all want to be on a team that plays in Europe next year. No matter how the team finishes, Guiza is gone, but its players like Arango and Ibagaza that might think twice about leaving if they can play in the UEFA Cup for us next year. We have everything to play for and this is the best time to go to the Camp Nou and hopefully steal points.
If this was a normal match where Barca was at full strength and needed a win to remain in the hunt for La Liga, even as well as we are playing, points on the road would not be realistic. However with all these side issues, we can get points this week.
Guiza will be out to prove that Barca lacks the kind of finishing he can provide and will want to show he can work with his teammates and finish the chances they create. Barca will be bidding huge for him next year and I personally think he will be playing for them next year. He is still a Mallorca player and has made it clear he wants them in Europe so his teams goals, his individual goals, and his desire to show himself in front of his potential home crowd for next year, will make for a big match with atleast one goal and maybe two from him.
Any team wants to go out on a high note in their last home game of the year and Barca will have some young reserve players who want to show their talent for the new coach. This makes their performance this week very unpredictable. The end result will be a wide open match with lots of mistakes on the back line, especially with Marquez not scheduled to play.
Mallorcas defense is not their strong suit and they will have their problems with teams like Barcelona who even with some offensive players missing, will run Mallorca to death.
Mallorca is no Real Madrid but they play similar football so Barcelona can be beaten like Madrid beat them last week. We could end up with a Mallorca blowout or a Barcelona blowout, but it will be a great game to watch. As much as I want to think we can pull a huge upset on the road, I think a wide open draw is the best we can hope for.
Prediction Barcelona 2-2 Mallorca
Category: Mallorca Team News
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