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Seville
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23:00
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Barcelona
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Catalan giant is preparing for a big difficult meeting in for
the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium without Messi scoring touch, who is suffering
from a decline in the level.
Barcelona needs to regain Lionel Messi scoring touches when
they visit Sevilla on Sunday while Coach Gerardo Martino admits that the
inability of the team to take advantage of the opportunities that are available
to them may cost the team the top of the Primera Liga.
And Barcelona achieved sole victory in their last four
games, leaving the summit to Atletico Madrid, which now surpasses it three
points and has 57 points. Barcelona leads over arch-rival Real Madrid who is
third on goal difference.
Last week, Barcelona lost 3-2 at home against Valencia,
while Messi scored a goal from a penalty kick in his first four league games
they have played since recovering from a thigh muscle injury in the background
layoff for two months.
In the middle of last week the team beat at home over Real
Sociedad 2 - zero in the first leg semi-finals of the King's Cup where Messi
once again failed to score.
Martino said "in matches against Real Sociedad and
Valencia got on opportunities to expand the difference, it's true we have a lot
of problems for scoring."
He said at a news conference Saturday, "I'm not talking
about having a hard time making opportunities, we well make, but we do not take
advantage of them."
He continued, "This happened in front of Levante,
Valencia and real, we created six or seven chances and did not take them."
But Martino refused any direct reference to Messi.
He said, "I do not think that it is something in
relation to that. There is much talk of sorts, is it good or bad, they should
leave him alone for a few days, it's the best player in the world and we enjoy
the way he plays."
In turn, the striker Neymar is suffering from difficulties
in his first season with Barcelona, where the failure to repeat the sparkle
provided by in Brazil, and Neymar missed all three games in the league because
of an ankle injury and will not be ready to play against Sevilla.
Martino said "all the players here have a high
capacity, but they need some time to adapt. Certainly not talking about the
players who have grown up here, but for those who are attending from
abroad."
"The other need to be three or four months and some
take a year to adapt but do not doubt their abilities. Barcelona club is very
large it is necessary to get some time to adjust."
Barcelona will face a tough match against Sevilla and Martino
feels wary of the seriousness of this team in kicks.
The Argentine coach said, "I told the players that this
may be the most difficult game for us away from home. Strong team and that it
is making a great effort and playing hard at home.
"They have a very big effective in the fixed games and
may be the only team in the league that wins the majority of its goals, thanks
to assists (Ivan) Rakitic but we need to be wary of them in the
counter-attack."
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