MADRID MINNOWS FACE TOUGH JOB OF STOPPING MSN
adrid minnows Leganes get their reward for an unlikely promotion to La Liga when the might of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar grace the 11,000-capacity Estadio Butarque today.
Leganes have made a fine start to their first season in the Spanish top-flight, winning at Celta Vigo on the opening weekend and holding Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid to a 0-0 draw at the Butarque.
However, Leganes face an even tougher task in stopping a rampant “MSN” of Messi, Suarez and Neymar fresh from scoring six of Barca’s seven goals in a Champions League rout of Celtic on their first start of the season together. Barca were in no mood for complacency on Tuesday after a 2-1 home defeat to another newly promoted side, Alaves, ended their perfect start to the La Liga season last weekend.
Leganes defender Pablo Insua says the Alaves result gives the hosts hope. “We have to do everything right and have luck,” Insua told Marca. “We saw how Alaves did it and it is clear it can be done, but the circumstances are not the same.”
Barca boss Luis Enrique started Messi and Suarez on the bench for Alaves’s visit to the Camp Nou after their duties in South American World Cup qualifying.
Won’t repeat mistake
Enrique won’t make the same mistake twice, but could rotate in defence and midfield ahead of Wednesday’s blockbuster La Liga clash with Atletico.
Messi scored a hat-trick whilst Neymar bagged four assists and goal against Celtic as the “MSN” took their combined early season tally to 13.
Barca’s defeat to Alaves means they are playing catch-up to Real Madrid after just three games.
Madrid have made a perfect start and can set a club record of 16 La Liga wins with victory at Espanyol tomorrow.
The European champions needed a sensational late fightback to start their Champions League defence with a win on Wednesday as Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata scored in the final minutes to turn around a 1-0 deficit against Sporting Lisbon. “A goal like that, at home, in the Champions League, was a dream since I was a kid,” said Morata, who rejoined the club in June after a two-year spell at Juventus.
Morata is expected to replace Karim Benzema up front alongside Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, should the Welshman shake off a hip injury that forced him off early in midweek. James Rodriguez is also in contention after impressing as a substitute and setting up Morata’s winner.
Atletico face high-flying Sporting Gijon today, while Sevilla travel to Eibar.
Leganes defender