The Catalan club continues to ease into pre-season against the team that knocked them out of the Champions League last season, Roma.
REUTERS/Albert Gea
03:00 BST, Wednesday 1st August (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, USA)
Barcelona and Roma are both easing into pre-season after playing one game apiece at the International Champions Cup, each against Tottenham.
After leading 2-0, Barcelona were pegged back by the North London team but won on penalties. Roma didn’t fare as well, losing 4-1. Kicking off at 9pm in Arlington, Texas, local fans will miss out on superstars such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho as they rest and recuperate after the World Cup.
Although Roma have traveled with their strongest squad, they will have to adapt to life without Radja Nainggolan and Alisson Becker who departed to Inter Milan and Liverpool, respectively.
Last Time Out
Barcelona 2 – 2 Tottenham (Barcelona win 5-3 on penalties) [International Champions Cup]
Young Brazilian signing Arthur had a debut to remember after extending Barcelona’s lead, scoring a stunning strike from outside the box into the top corner. Munir El Haddadi, returning from a loan at Alaves last season, put Barcelona in front with a header after 15 minutes.
The Catalan giants made a raft of second half changes, with eight players coming on after the break and the game appeared to be drifting to a satisfactory conclusion, before Christian Eriksen rattled the post from a free kick to shock Barcelona.
If it was a warning sign, it wasn’t heeded as Son Heung-min scored shortly afterwards when the ball fell to him inside the box following a blocked Eriksen strike. They leveled two minutes later with Georges-Kevin Nkoudou providing the finishing touch to another scramble inside the area.
Barcelona regained their composure to score all five penalties in the shootout, as Jasper Cillessen saving Anthony Georgiou’s tame attempt.
Roma 1 – 4 Tottenham [International Champions Cup]
With many of Tottenham’s players going deep into the World Cup, Mauricio Pochettino fielded an under-strength team for their International Champions Cup debut, but good performances from fringe players such as Lucas Moura and Fernando Llorente saw them record a resounding victory.
REUTERS/Denis Poroy
Roma initially led after Patrik Schick opened the scoring after just three minutes, but it didn’t take long for Tottenham to strike back with Moura and Llorente each registering a brace before the stroke of half-time.
The ease with which Pochettino’s team carved Roma apart was reminiscent of the thrashing suffered against Liverpool in the Champions League last season, and it might have been more if wholesale changes from both teams in the second half didn’t completely alter the complexion of the friendly.
Barcelona Lineup
With most of Barcelona’s senior players miles away from Texas, still recuperating after a testing World Cup – from the likes of France, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay and Croatia – and Andres Iniesta and Paulinho leaving for Asia, it’s likely that Barcelona field an entirely different XI to the one that remarkably lost 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in the spring.
It will be an experimental first team if the game against Tottenham was any indication. Malcom, a substitute last time, may get his first start against the club Barcelona gazumped to sign him.
Roma Lineup
After so many goals conceded against Tottenham, Eusebio Di Francesco may look his more experienced players in order to avoid another embarrassing defeat.
He could revert to the three at the back that was so successful against Barcelona in the Champions League, and use the same five defensive options again.
New signing Javier Pastore could slot into the hole left by Nainggolan in midfield and Edin Dzeko should lead the line again.
Key Battle: Edin Dzeko (Roma) vs Clement Lenglet (Barcelona)
The Bosnian striker was a key figure in Roma’s stunning 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League, getting in behind to score early before winning the penalty that doubled their lead. With a summer’s rest, and only featuring for half an hour against Tottenham, he’s fresh to cause havoc once again.
But it will be against a different centre-half this time. New arrival Clement Lenglet from Sevilla looked assured against Tottenham, and it was only after he was substituted that Barcelona conceded.
REUTERS/Albert Gea
Roma’s director of football Monchi will know all about the talents of the Frenchman, as he scouted the player at Nancy and signed him for his former club Sevilla.
The 23-year-old stood out despite Sevilla being the defensive shambles surrounding him, and was particularly impressive against Manchester United in the Champions League. This will be an intriguing early test for the player.
Talking Points
Malcom to show Roma what they might have had
After signing the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Seydou Keita, Dani Alves and Aleix Vidal (and Lenglet, too), Barcelona fast-tracked their usual method of paying over the odds for a Monchi gem and going straight to the source.
Malcom was all set to join Roma before Barcelona offered him more at the very last moment. Roma fans were waiting at the airport for his arrival only to be disappointing in one of the most memorable transfer sagas of the summer. The sporting director spoke at length about the situation:
The right winger, signed from Bordeaux, may make his first start for Barcelona, but he could so easily could have been playing in Roma's colours in this encounter. Will he show them what they're missing?
Life after Alisson
The Brazilian shot-stopper was exceptional for Roma last season and one of their most important players as they finished third in Serie A and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Before him, Wojciech Szczesny was a key cog, so they have set a precedent in making effective replacements and they have signed three goalkeepers this summer to that end.
REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins Veteran Italian goalkeeper Antonio Mirante, signed from Bologna, suffered a torrid time against Tottenham, conceding four goals in the first half, though his second-half replacement Daniel Fuzato fared better. The 21-year-old Brazilian has a bright future and is well regarded from his time at Palmeiras.
If neither of them feature, it could see a debut for Robin Olsen. The Swedish international had an impressive World Cup and moves from FC Copenhagen. Between the three arrivals, the goalkeeping position could be up for grabs and this pre-season tournament could help Di Francesco decide his first choice.
Prediction: Barcelona 1-2 Roma
With Roma having comparatively fewer tired World Cup players, they can play a more experienced and senior first team in this game.
Barcelona have quality in reserve, and their new signings will be desperate to impress, but it will be difficult for Ernesto Valverde to craft a side to compete with such a team without his first-choice spine.
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