Barca Atletic managed to garner only one point from their trip to Foietes. The reserves went ahead with goals from Benja and Soriano in the first half but Benidorm drew the game with two goals in the second half.
Barca Atletic failed to repeat their away victory of the previous season against Benidorm and had to settle for a draw, despite having entered the break with a comfortable lead (0-2).
Great first half
Spanish news site, ‘Diario El Confidential’, claims that La Masia youngster and FC Barcelona Atlètic central defender, Marc Bartra, has in recent days been offered to Real Madrid. Advisers of the youngster, who turns 19 on January 15, and whose contract expires on June 30, 2011, are reportedly concerned over the club’s future plans for the player and have now taken measures to secure his professional future.
Barcelona Atletic defender Marc Muniesa has overcome the discomfort he has had in his ankle and has been training at full intensity all week. Muniesa is likely to start the game against Badalona this Saturday at 17 hrs CET. Muniesa returned from the Under-17 World Cup that was held in Nigeria with a slight discomfort in his ankle, but was still played in the game against Villarreal Villajoyosa despite feeling a slight pain in his ankle which had thus aggravated and ruled him out of action ever since.
The only other players unavailable for the weekends game against Badalona are central denfender Marc Bartra (18), who was sent off in added time against Orihuela, as he recieved a second yellow card along with long term casuality James Sobregrau (23). Bartra could strengthen the Juvenil A side, who will play this Sunday at 12 hrs CET, in the field of Casablanca Stadium in Zaragoza. In addition to the return of Muniesa, the coaching staff also have Armando Lozano (25) and Ivan Benitez (21), as potential substitutes at the centre of the defense.
FC Barcelona Atlètic have won their last five matches in a row, at the Miniestadi after their latest win against Orihuela (2-0). The goals were scored by Edu Oriol and Bartra.
The reserve team, managed by Luis Enrique, have produced a good start to 2010, despite missing key players such as Jonathan Dos Santos, Thiago Alcántara, Gai and Víctor Vázquez, all of whom have been incorporated into the senior squad by Josep Guardiola.
LIGA 1, WEEK 18:
FC Barcelona Atletic managed only to draw their away game against Valencia Mestalla, who currently occupy the last place in the standings. Luis Enrique’s men failed to achieve victory against a team, that fought hard to earn their single point.
The Barcelona players enjoyed a high possession game, while Valencia were confined to defending for large parts of the game, which was played at their home ground. Despite controlling the game, the Barcelona players failed to create any clear chances in the initial stages of the game.
However, this changed gradually as the game went on, and in the 26th minute FC Barcelona open up the scoring. Fontas unleashed a superb shot outside the box, after a great cross from Rueda, which went behind the Valencia keeper.
Barça Atlètic have racked up their second victory of the week after beating Lleida away. Nolito snatched the winner in the last minute after Soriano had got the first in the 32nd minute.
Barça Atlètic are going great guns in Second Division B and have beaten Lleida 2-1. The side showed they were up for the game right from the kick off as they put pressure on the home team’s goal and continued their run of excellent results.
Barça show superiority
Note: This game was originally to be played on 15th November 2009 but was later postponed to 2nd December 2009, due to a chronic shortage of players due to injuries and international commitments.
Barca Atlètic chalked up their sixth consecutive win with 2-1 victory over Alicante at the Mini Estadi on Wednesday night, which takes them up into the play-off spots and just 2 points behind first-placed Mallorca B.
Luis Enrique and Joan Barberá’s young team are in top form right now, not having lost since the 7th round of games, when they lost to Sant Andreu, and having won their last six games on the trot.
Barca Atlètic continued their rise in the league, after beating second placed Ontinyent 2-0 thanks to goals from Gai Assulin and Benja Martinez in the second half.
Barca started the game very focused and did not allow Ontinyent to get into their stride. For their part, the visitors pressured high up the pitch trying unsuccessfully to stop Barca’s fast passing game.
First chance
Barça Atlètic won their seventh game of the season at Vila-Joiosa thanks to a goal in injury time. They left it late, having squandered several chances to settle the win earlier on.
Luis Enrique’s side are in the top half of the table with seven wins and 24 points, with a game in hand, after this important win on the road at Vila Joiosa.
First threats
Barça went straight onto the attack from the outset. Playing in a well-structured formation, it was Benja (20) who produced the first threat against the Valencia based side by making a penetrating run through the defence, but his one on one with the goalkeeper saw Nico turn the ball behind for a corner.
Barca Atletic chalked up their third win on the road with a hard won 0-2.
Although the host’s early pressing forced Luis Enrique’s team into playing some unfamiliar route one football, they gradually began to impose themselves and begin to roll out their trademark passing game.
Opening goal
Elvis was subbed off 14 minutes after pulling up with a muscle strain and Soriano came on after his own two week injury layoff.
Barca began to create chances with Jonathon Dos Santos creating the first two opportunities and then making the pass to Nolito to score in the 37th minute with a wonderful piece of control before firing past the keeper.
Catalan paper Sport today said that right-back Daniel Alves is virtually an irreplaceable player in the current FC Barcelona squad with only the captain Carles Puyol being able to cover for him as a make-shift replacement. During the summer the club did not invest heavily in searching for the Brazilian’s back-up as he was not deemed to be injury-prone. While Alves and Puyol are the first two options for the right-back position, Jaume Sobregrau (22) from Barca Atlètic is assigned as their cover. The first setback came when the Atletic player ruptured his right knee anterior cruciate ligament and was set to be out for a minimum of six months. His injury has forced Pep Guardiola to fall back on Martin Montoya (18) and Albert Dalmau (17), who, though have shown their mettle during this summer’s pre-season, in all circumstances have only plied their trade with Barcelona’s third tier team, Juvenil B.
Martin Montoya, was however recently inducted into the Barca Atletic, playing in the reserve team’s last two matches and was again brought along by the team to Menorca to confront Sporting Mahonés tonight.
Barca Atletico have have drawn their ninth game of the season against Alcoyano on Saturday at the Mini Estadi.
Many players missing
As has been the case so far this season Luis has again not been able to count on many of his troops. Marc Muniesa (17) and Sergi Roberto (17) were on international duty with the Spain U-17 while Thiago Alcantara (18), Victor Vazquez (22), Jonathan Soriano (22) have being out injured. Luis Enrique decided to replace young Marc Muniesa, Sergi Roberto with Andreu Fontas (19) who himself has just got back from Spanish U-20 duty and Ilie Sanchez (19) respectively.
Alcoyano opens the scoring
Alcoyano opened the scoring in the 2nd minute of the game with a goal by Victor Curto after a defensive mistake due to the lack of understanding between new defensive pairing Fontas (19) and Bartra (18). The reserves reacted quickly and showed first signs of warning in the 7th minute, as Joanthan Dos Santos (19) played Nolito (23) with a great through ball but he could not finish.
Barcelona Atletic have achieved their third victory of the season in their eighth game against UD Logroñés yesterday.
Elvis (22) opened the scoring in the very first minute of the game, when he headed in a cross from the left by Nolito. Barca Atletic could not capitalize the many chances they created throughout the game to take the scoreline to a much higher margin.
Great opportunities
The reserves could not seal the game despite creating many chances. Elvis missed a golden opportunity in the 40th minute, when he controlled the ball superbly and all he had to do was put the ball in, but surprisingly he put it wide. At the end of the first half Sergi Roberto (17) dribbled around most of the opponent defense only to lose the ball to the goalkeeper.
Barcelona Atletic has yestecrday achieved their first home win of the season at the Mini Estadi, 3-0 against Sabadell.
Jonathan Soriano opened the scoring for the hosts in the 22nd min by latching on to a header from Sergio Roberto following a set piece situation and Marc Muniesa scored the second just before half time with a header following a corner. Nolito, who came on as a substitute at halftime replacing Gai Assulin , sealed the victory in the 79th minute.
It was all in all a comfortable victory for Luis Enrique’s lads as the away side were kept at bay throughout the game.
Subscribe to our RSS FEED to receive breaking news as well as receive other site updates or alternatively, feel free to connect with us.
