Barca visit lowly Malaga with Chelsea firmly in mind
MADRID: Barcelona enjoy breathing space again at the top of La Liga and Ernesto Valverde can afford to keep one eye on Chelsea when his side visit bottom club Malaga on Saturday.
While the Catalans´ 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid extended the gap at the top to eight points, their advantage over Chelsea in the Champions League is more precarious. Barca take a 1-1 draw, and an away goal, to the Camp Nou on Wednesday but Chelsea controlled much of the first leg in London and will fancy their chances of an upset.
With Andres Iniesta already nursing a hamstring injury and Denis Suarez out with a groin strain, Valverde will be wary of further damage against a Malaga side without a win in 15 attempts.
It means key players are likely to be rested and others given the chance to stake a claim, particularly in attack, where the third spot next to Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is yet to be established.
Anything but a comfortable win would represent a major shock. Malaga were, in fact, the last team to beat Barcelona in La Liga, with a 2-0 victory in April, but few players from that win are still at the club while the coach, Michel, was sacked in January. His replacement, Jose Gonzalez, has overseen six defeats in a row.
BALE “FUNDAMENTAL” TO REAL, SAYS ZIDANE
Zinedine Zidane insists he has no problem with Gareth Bale despite dropping the forward for Real Madrid’s win over Paris SaintGermain on Tuesday. Zidane also labelled praise given to him for the victory at Parc des Princes as “bullshit” because the French-
man said criticism will soon return if his team’s form dips.
Real crushed PSG 5-2 on aggregate to book their spot in the Champions League quarterfinals but Bale was named as a substitute in both legs of the tie.
Overlooked for Real’s two biggest games of the season so far, the indication is Zidane does not trust Bale when it matters most.
Asked what Bale lacks, Zidane said on Friday: “He does not lack anything, he’s in a team where there are a lot of players, and he’s doing well. With Gareth I have no problem, he’s a fundamental player for us, very important, and he’s going to play until the end of the season, like the rest.”