MADRID, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Primera Liga Champions FC Barcelona and rivals Sporting Gijon are the last two sides in Spain to kick off their respective league campaigns when they meet on Monday night.
The game kicks off 24 hours late because Barcelona played in the European Supercup final in Monaco against Shakhtar Donetsk on Friday night.
A goal in extra time from winger Pedro Rodriguez gave Barcelonaits fifth trophy under coach Pep Guardiola's guidance, but now attentions must turn back to domestic duties.
Guardiola will make few changes to his side, although left back Maxwell could make his Primera Liga debut after arriving from Inter Milan this summer.
Meanwhile record signing Zlatan Ibrahimovich looks likely to remain in attack, despite having not yet scored a goal for the club.
"I'm still not in the best of shape and I am not yet fully fit," the Swedish international told Sunday's edition of sports paper El Mundo Deportivo in reference to his recent wrist operation.
"Barcelona plays a different type of attacking football and it is a different philosophy to what I am used to, but soon I will be 100 percent," he added.
Barcelona will still be without midfielder Andres Iniesta and defender Rafael Marquez. With the international break next weekend, Guardiola has opted to allow both players and extra fortnight's recovery time.
Sporting meanwhile travels to the Camp Nou as underdogs. The team coached by Manuel Preciado only survived relegation on the last day of last season and has made few signings over the summer.
Preciado's side will sit deep and look to surprise Barcelona on the break. However, goalkeeper Juan Pablo, one of the club's new signings, is optimistic his side can avoid a repeat of the 6-1 and 3-1 thrashings they suffered at the hands of Barcelona last season.
"No game has ever been lost before it even kicked off. We are traveling with the aim of trying to win and maybe we can cause a surprise in the Camp Nou," said Juan Pablo.
Last season the goalkeeper played for Numancia, a side that despite being relegated, began the season with a 1-0 win over Barcelona.
没有评论:
发表评论