Dembele’s debut lifts Barca gloom
HOSTS AIM TO SEE OFF CITY RIVALS ESPANYOL Simeone’s Atletico have a tough test against Valencia.
The most expensive player in Barcelona’s history will take to the field for the first time today as Ousmane Dembele debuts in a Catalan derby against Espanyol.
Atletico Madrid travel to a revitalised Valencia in the headline clash of the weekend, while there is an early start for champions Real Madrid.
The arrival of the €105 million Dembele is a much-needed tonic for Barca in the midst of continuing institutional chaos with ongoing public clashes between the board and leading players. President Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed new contracts for Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, whose deals expire next summer, were a matter of time this week only for Iniesta to flatly deny that claim a day later.
On the field Barca need to ensure they don’t suffer their habitual hangover from international breaks known locally as the “Fifa virus”.
This time last year Barca suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Alaves as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez started on the bench following their international commitments.
With Messi and Suarez only arriving back on Thursday after two crucial World Cup qualifiers in South America, Espanyol will rarely have a better chance for a first win at the Camp Nou since 2009.
It has been a highly promising week for Atletico as inspirational coach Diego Simeone extended his contract till 2020, while the pitch was laid among finishing touches to the club’s new 68 000 capacity stadium.
Since Simeone took charge in Madrid in 2011, Valencia have conversely had 11 coaches. However, their latest hire in Marcelino finally appears to putting Los Che back on the right track.
Valencia took a point from a thrilling 2-2 draw away to Real Madrid before the international break and have since been further boosted by the arrivals of Goncalo Guedes and Andreas Pereira on loan from PSG and Manchester United.
Should Atletico emerge unscathed from the Mestalla not having lost ground on Real after three away games to start their season, a serious title challenge is realistic. – AFP