Barcelona are eyeing their Champions League opener against Celtic tonight as a chance to make amends for their shock 2-1 defeat at home to La Liga newcomers Alaves on Saturday. Preview: Richard Martin
With many of his players in action with their international sides in midweek, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique rotated his squad, resting regulars Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Sergi Roberto, Jordi Alba and talisman Lionel Messi.
The decision backfired and Alaves, playing in the top flight for the first time in a decade, made the most of their few chances, frustrating the champions even after Suarez, Messi and Iniesta came on.
Ibai Gomez’s 64th-minute strike won the game for the Basques after Jeremy Mathieu had cancelled out Deyverson’s surprise opener.
“We made a lot of changes so the freshest players could play but we were fragile in defence and we have to look at that,” said Luis Enrique.
The Barcelona coach played down talk of a rift with his squad after their surprise defeat.
Spanish sports website Diario Gol reported yesterday that some players responded to a telling-off following the 2-1 La Liga reverse on Saturday by questioning Enrique’s decision to make eight changes to the team.
“We talk after every game to correct things and to reinforce other aspects but what happens in those meetings is only important for the players and staff,” he told a news conference yesterday.
“We always talk with the players to try and put them on the right track to win the game but it is not an exact science.”
Luis Enrique is expected to field his first-choice 11 against Celtic, so Suarez will meet up with his former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers presided over the Uruguayan’s best two seasons in England, compelling Barcelona to pay the Merseyside club €81 million for him in 2014.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is the coach’s only doubt after he missed the Alaves game with a muscle strain.
Celtic head to Spain on a high after thrashing Glasgow rivals Rangers 5-1 on Saturday in the first league Old Firm derby in over four years to stay top of the Scottish Premiership.
Rodgers is still without lead striker Leigh Griffiths through a torn hamstring injury but new signing Moussa Dembele proved more than an able replacement against Rangers, scoring his first professional hat-trick.
Celtic were beaten 6-1 on their last visit to the Nou Camp in December 2013, but Dembele believes they can get something this time.
“We are going there to give everything and try to get a result,” he said.
“When you start a game of football, even if it’s against the best team in the world, you have to go there and show what we can do and give everything to try and get a result.”
Fixtures
Playing Today – 20.45
Group A
Basel vs Ludogorets
Paris SG vs Arsenal
Group B
Benfica vs Besiktas
D. Kiev vs Napoli
Group C
Barcelona vs Celtic
Man. City vs Borussia M’gladbach
Group D
Bayern Munich vs Rostov
PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico Madrid
Tomorrow – 20.45
Group E
B. Leverkusen vs CSKA Moscow
Tottenham vs Monaco
Group F
Legia Warsaw vs B. Dortmund
Real Madrid vs Sporting Lisbon
Group G
Club Brugge vs Leicester City
Porto vs FC Copenhagen
Group H
Juventus vs Sevilla
Lyon vs Dinamo Zagreb