Rubin Kazan-FC Barcelona,Champions league match:Fool me once,good for you;Fool me twice,shame on me!
Kazan kids having fun and lonely Pique sobbing his sorrow
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* This is the Preview I published on Barcelona's page on The offside. Due to temporary technical problems there since last night, we re-publish it here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends, fans of Kazan football!
For the second year in a row our own team "Rubin" participating in the most prestigious club competition of the planet, in the Champions League. And the second time, has the honor to fight on the field with, perhaps, the best team in the world - the Spanish "Barcelona". Last year, the red-green managed to win in Barcelona and played a draw in Kazan, which became a sensation throughout Europe and lifted up the name of our city to unprecedented heights. This season, the capital of Tatarstan will hold that altitude. And each of us can and should become a part of this historic fight against the great Barcelona.
First of all, Kazan fans should be bright and colorful. We ask everyone to come in burgundy dress and attributes of our team to Tsentralny Stadium. Two hours before the game starts pre-match show and a drawing of exclusive prizes. Let's take the best examples from the European championships, when fans are already half an hour before the game singing hymns to the glory of their city and charge players for the upcoming soccer match.
Every fan and admirer of the great game is able to support the native team and transfer his energy to players on the field, and when the stadium is united in a rush, then this support inspires and gives players additional resources in the fight against formidable rivals. However, under our power to prove to skeptics and envious that last year's success of Kazan football was not the case, and to recall to Europe the names of our club and the city - Rubin Kazan!"
That’s the statement Rubin Kazan published on the official website. Yet, the match fever infected players who are no more playing with the club.
Alejandro Dominguez had the following to share with Rubin Kazan fans:
“Before Rubin I have had the experience of playing in the Champions League, and I am very happy that we played more successful than Zenit in 2008. Now I am a player of "Valencia", but, remembering the games between "Rubin" and "Barcelona", I am proud that I took part in the great victory of the Kazan team. We were all buried in advance, everybody was saying that we do not have any chances. And if each of the players of Rubin did not laid out on the field without a trace, these predictions could come true. We understood that one by one we are weaker than the opponents, therefore, the key to success in a collective game with maximum commitment. Most of all remember how, after the final whistle, in Barcelona and in Kazan was a feeling of total devastation, there was not a physical or moral energy. And in the course of both matches, and after I talked with Messi. Leo was astonished by such a serious and desperate resistance, and wondered how we were able to withstand this pressure. I want to warn my former team-mates - this time with Barça will be even harder, they will try to revenge for their failure last year.”
From what’s mentioned above, football weather in Kazan is obviously far from being as cold as a match on the Russian snow may inspire. The heat of enthusiasm is pumping in the veins of Rubin Kazan’s orbit from head to toes.
That’s the first factor that makes such games tricky. For Barcelona, this is an important match against an opponent that forced everyone to show respect. It is a match to qualify into the knockout stages of the Champions’ league.
For Rubin Kazan from owner to fan, this is a chance for a glorious victory that rewrites history.
Not only the mindset and psychological approach is an advantage for the Tatar in this game, even the squad form –especially from the physical perspective gives them another edge. Rubin Kazan played 20 matches already in the Russian League, so they are perfectly fit at this stage without being completely burned. This is the perfect timing for them to meet the European giants.
We all witnessed Rubin Kazan’s performance last season. I watched a match for them through a stream, few days ago. I thought it was live. I left them drawing 1-1. To my surprise I noticed today that their final match ended 1-0. Which match was I watching then, I don’t know! It is a match from this season with Martins and other new players dressed Kazan-ic and playing exactly the same way we saw last season. So similar that I started to wonder again, was it a match from last season with Martins making a hindsight contribution?
Same old mighty Rubins, Sucking the opponent like a black hole then hoofing a long ball to the space in the opponent’s half where a player with ball-hunger, race the light to reach the ball and fold the distance to the opponent’s net so he invades the moment the keeper blink, to take advantage of that blind-keeping glance and plant the ball in the net.
Barcelona
Against Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona played their best match so far this season. One can only hope that players’ functionality in that match was a pep strategy rather than being dictated by the game scenario. That will give a hope that Guardiola is starting to adapt with the squad available with its potentials and flaws.
I am not sure if it ever happened before in Pep’s era but it was great news that the midfield scored all the goals against Athletic. That was not a coincidence.
Messi-less selection meant that the team needed to count more on the system than the individuals’ brilliance. We saw Xavi taking Keita’s role in the midfield so that the dynamic hammer can serve the offense, making his lethal runs to the box. When Keita does so, he either creates threat or creates holes for his teammates to get advantage of. We saw Keita doing a Xavi with some silky passes into the area. We saw Pique moving forward and Busquets covering everywhere and contributing in the buildup and offense just as far as he has to and exactly when he must. That synchronization in movement, positioning and functionality is a must for Barcelona to win anything this season. Static is catastrophic.
Against Rubin Kazan, Barcelona must continue the improvement we saw against the Basques. Abidal’s return is the best news for Barcelona, even though Messi is available for this match as well. Villa’s red card at San Mames may give him another motive to make up for it against the Tatar.
Predicted lineup:
Valdes, Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Mascherano, Xavi, Iniesta, Keita, Pedro, Villa
It is important not to make lot of changes at the backline. Puyol, Pique, Abidal with Mascherano in front can protect the team against counter attacks and give enough security for their teammates to decipher Kazan lockers to the net.
Busquets awesomeness might be missed for this game to give Mascherano the chance to slide on Kazans wet fields. This is a good game for Mascherano to take his chance and adapt. In the champions league, Referees are not as generous with cards as they are at La liga, so he may end up failing to receive more than a mellow yellow in this match no matter how far he tries. I do think this game suits Mascherano perfectly. At least Kazan will change their plan and avoid turning the match to a physical battle. Unless if they decided to wear American football kits to protect their bones. That will make them even more dangerous in set pieces with those helmets plugged on their skulls.
Last season, Keita’s presence to assist the holding midfielder and serve Xavi as an outlet was needed. This season there is a need for Keita to play closer to the Opponent area. This is why I said that this season Keita need to play in front of Iniesta and Xavi more than he plays behind them. Against Bilbao we saw the movement in the midfield that serves that need. Against Kazan that may decide the game. Alright, I know that Pep will not start Keita at all and blow all my assumptions.
Iniesta must play as “whatever he wants”. That’s his best position and every time he plays there he shines. Without Messi in the previous game he had his chance to move across the field and keep himself useful at every moment. Though I hope he plays as “Whatever he wants, and SHOOT! PuulleeaaZZEEE!!!”
Villa’s adaptation period is still unfinished. I said it before and I say it now, he need to start taking responsibilities the way he used to do at Valencia rather than settling to be Messi’s copilot. If Messi doesn’t play against Rubin- and I hope he doesn’t- that will serve Villa, providing him the chance to be the leader of the offense while Pedro creating chaos by running like a Zebra chased by a fire at his behind.
It is all about continuous harmonized movement to create spaces, and then attack the space.
Dont miss our previous posts covering the match, which includes the match records, The first interview with Docent, a Kazan Fan, and our interview with Marat Gilmutdinov who will be at the stadium today.
You can always Follow us on twitter (@BarcaTheOffside) and (@footballmood)
You can always Follow us on twitter (@BarcaTheOffside) and (@footballmood)
Posted by Ramzi
on 05:45.
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