FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.03.2008 13:09

A decisive month

www.fcbarcelona.cat

There may be a fair amount of the season left to go, but the month ahead will be of major importance for FC Barcelona in three different competitions.

Four league games, the return leg of the Copa de Rey, and the Champions League quarter final. Quite a lot ahead then for FC Barcelona over the next few weeks in which they are battling ahead in no fewer than three different competitions.

12 important points

In the league, Rijkaard’s side travels to Almería and the Juegos del Mediterraneo stadium and to Betis at the Ruiz de Lopera and will receive Valladolid and Michael Laudrup’s Getafe at the Camp Nou. Barça got 7 points off these four teams in the first half of the season, beating Almería (2-0) and Betis (2-0), drawing with Valladolid (1-1) and losing to Getafe (0-2). But this time they really cannot afford to drop any points as they need every one they can get to keep up the pressure on the league leaders.

One step from the final

We will also find out this month whether Barça will be on their way to the cup final. On March 20 they travel to Mestalla to take on Ronald Koeman’s Valencia, who drew 1-1 at the Camp Nou, and would even have won had it not been for Xavi’s last second equaliser.

More European football

Barcelona also have the Champions League quarter final ahead, although they will not know until Friday who they are playing. The first leg will be played on April 1 or 2 and the return on the 8th or 9th of the same month. The draw will also determine whether Barcelona will play the first or the second leg in their home stadium.