FCBARCELONA.CAT

31.08.2007 12:00

Fresh look for Sunday opener

Míriam Nadal

Barça B’s season gets under way this Sunday against Ricoh Premià. Now playing in the Third Division the side has completely restructured both its playing and coaching staff.

The new-look Barça B’s quest to bounce straight back up to Division 2B level kicks off in earnest at 12.00 in the Catalan coastal town of Premià.

Former first team playmaker Pep Guardiola has taken over from long-serving Quique Costas as the manager of the reserves. But there are new challenges for the team playing at an unfamiliar level. In the third division the pitches are generally smaller and many of the teams play physical tactics designed to break down the opposition. Barça B players are generally encouraged to play the possession game, combining passes and creating lots of chances. That kind of approach does not always work in the lower leagues.

New faces

Only six of last season’s players are still in the squad. These are defenders Marc Valiente and Jeffrey Hoogervoost; midfielders Crosas and Dimas and forwards Víctor Vázquez and Jeffren. Seven new signings (Córcoles, Torres, Espasandín, Abraham, Guerra, Eneko and Oier) plus five players promoted up from Barça C and five former youth players make up the new squad.

Of eight pre-season friendlies, Barça B have won five and lost three. Not a bad start for a team that has yet to get used to playing together and under the orders of a new coach. As things start coming together, it seems Guardiola already has a good idea of what his first eleven is going to be, and that should be the one we see take to the field on Sunday.