Barcelona need to shake off Champions League exit and other

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ช่อง ทาง เข้า sbo  Barcelona host Valencia on Saturday in their first game since they crashed out of the Champions League in midweek. The shocking nature of that 3-0 loss to Roma has soured the mood at the Nou Camp, even though they return to La Liga action with a chance to make history. 

If they avoid defeat, the Blaugrana will have gone unbeaten for 39 games – a new La Liga record. 

Here are three talking points ahead of Saturday’s game. 

HOW DEMORALISED ARE BARCA? 

The critics have been out in full force since Barcelona’s shocking collapse in Rome. Relinquishing a three-goal lead was an unfathomable failure for everyone involved with the club and Spanish football – not least the media, where the reaction was equal parts glee among the Madrid press and horror in Barcelona. 

Players usually trot out lines about how they avoid paying too much attention to the media, but it’s hard to imagine that the reaction hasn’t permeated the Catalan side’s camp. Even if it hasn’t, there’s the obvious fact the players themselves will still be digesting the three-goal loss, possibly still going through a period of disbelief. ช่อง ทาง เข้า sbo

All things considered, it’s hardly the best mood in which to be approaching a game like Saturday’s, against an intense Valencia side ready to pounce on any weaknesses. Ernesto Valverde has a job on his hands to get his side out of the doldrums. 

INVINCIBLES A WORTHY GOAL 

Amid all the doom and gloom of their European exit – all of which is fair and understandable, given the value the Champions League holds for all of Europe’s leading clubs – Barcelona can still accomplish something special this season. 

No team has ever gone a full season unbeaten in a 20-team La Liga, and failure in Europe won’t diminish that. After all, Arsenal were dumped out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals during their famous Invincibles season, same as Barcelona, and Juventus weren’t even in Europe when they went unbeaten in Serie A in 2011-12. 

Would it have been even better if Barcelona could have clubbed together an unbeaten season with a third treble? Of course. Does that make an unbeaten season any less of an accomplishment? No. Valverde and Barca deserve criticism for the manner of their Champions League exit, but becoming Spain’s first Invincibles would still be historic. 

VALENCIA’S STRONG SEASON NEEDS EXCLAMATION POINT 

Valencia are a creditable third in the table at the moment, and could even finish an impressive second. What their season has lacked is one signature result, a statement win that says, “we are here.” 

They’ve come close – they had the lead against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu this season before drawing 2-2, and similarly saw a 1-0 lead slip against Barcelona in the reverse fixture. So far however, the only results that would qualify are their wins over Sevilla, and the Andalusians’ poor form this season takes the sheen off of those victories. 

They’re more or less guaranteed of a top-four finish, which is a stunning turnaround in fortunes given how low the club had fallen in recent years, battling relegation two seasons in a row. Now that they’re back whey they belong in the top four, on Saturday, they can tie a bow on their season. ช่อง ทาง เข้า sbo

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3 Reasons why Liverpool can make it past AS Roma in the Champions League semi-finals

sbobet asian Three Reasons Why Liverpool Can Make It Past AS Roma In The Champions League Semi-finals

Liverpool will host AS Roma in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday at Anfield. The Reds cruised into the last four after brushing aside Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate. Roma, meanwhile, recorded one of the most astounding victories in Champions League history, overturning a 4-1 first leg deficit to dump Barcelona out of the competition. While it is going to be a mouthwatering contest, here are three reasons why Liverpool can beat Roma and secure a place in the Champions League final.



Liverpool’s Deadly Front Three

Liverpool’s display against Manchester City in the Champions League must have worried AS Roma. That opening 31 minutes at Anfield when the Reds tore apart City underlined the credentials of their attackers. The reason for their eye-catching, blistering and rampant attack is the Reds’ formidable front-three: Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. Salah, in particular, has been a revelation since returning to England. The Egyptian has been a brilliant player with incredible speed and dribbling abilities, wreaking havoc at will this season. Mane has equally been a devastating player, while Firmino continues to be a vital cog in Liverpool’s machine.



The Other Players Peaking At The Right Time

In all competitions, Liverpool have lost just once in 15 matches. Apart from the front-three, the other players are peaking at the right time too. James Milner has been a stellar performer in the last few months, with the midfielder having been one of the keys to Liverpool’s European success this term. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain now appears to be a different beast in the midfield, while skipper Jordan Henderson has stuck to his task well.



In the full-back department, Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to come of age and has been delivering the goods consistently. Andrew Robertson has excelled at left-back after enduring a slow start to life at Anfield. The matter of fact is that if these few players can play like they have done throughout the competition, Liverpool can certainly make it past Roma. sbobet asian



Liverpool Can Defend

Under Jurgen Klopp, defending has been Liverpool’s Achilles heel. On one day, the produce the best performance to defeat the unbeaten Manchester City and on the other, they get dumped out of the FA Cup by West Brom. Such has been the case with Liverpool as Klopp’s tactics make them tailormade for facing the big boys. The best thing about Liverpo is that they have the ability to break down defences and score past literally any team on the planet. However, what has haunted Liverpool time and again is their defending, with the most recent one coming at West Brom where they squandered a two-goal lead.



Nevertheless, the defensive frailties have considerably reduced following the arrival of Virgil van Dijk in January. The towering Dutchman has brought some much-needed calming presence to the back-line. Van Dijk’s signing has also helped in getting the best out of Dejan Lovren, who has thrived alongside the Dutchman. While Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have performed admirably well in defence, goalkeeper Loris Karius has been very good for the Reds of late. The matter of fact that Liverpool have conceded only 7 goals in the Champions League this campaign says it all – Liverpool can defend. sbobet asian