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Setien finding his feet as Barca look for lift-off against Valencia
MADRID, Jan 24, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Barcelona’s new era has started with two
wins out of two but Saturday’s trip to Valencia will provide Quique Setien
with his first true test and an opportunity to make his mark.
After squeezing past Granada 1-0 and scoring two late goals to beat Ibiza
2-1, Barca are still without a convincing victory to give their new coach
some thrust.
Against Granada, there were clear signs of intent, in the 83 per cent
possession and 1,005 attempted passes, both the most seen by a team in La
Liga since Pep Guardiola’s in 2011.
“I saw a lot of things that I liked today,” said Setien.
But dominance did not convert into goals and the winner, scored by Lionel
Messi, only came in the 76th minute, after Granada had been reduced to 10 men
following the sending off of German Sanchez.
On an artificial pitch and with a weakened team facing inspired, albeit
third tier, opposition, Ibiza in the Copa del Rey perhaps always offered
little up-side.
But a 94th-minute winner from Antoine Griezmann, who had scored the
equaliser too, spoke less of control and more a narrow escape.
When Setien was appointed last week he admitted it was unusual to take over
a team top of La Liga and, despite a longing for a change of style, the sense
was he might introduce his beliefs gradually.
Yet already Barcelona look like a side committed to change, perhaps because
Setien knows no other way or even because the players were craving something
different too.
“I was surprised to see their willingness to work and to accept some of the
changes,” Setien said last week. “They have to understand everything you
say.”
Aside from the passing, Barcelona are also pressing higher and attacking
wider.
Against Granada, Jordi Alba was playing like a winger and against Ibiza,
both of Griezmann’s goals came after Alba was brought on as a substitute, his
second from a direct assist.
But there could be a danger of too much too soon, not least because it
remains to be seen whether this group of players are even suited or capable
of playing the football to which Setien is so devoted.
He has already shown faith in youth but Riqui Puig’s excellent showing off
the bench against Granada preceded a dip against Ibiza, where he was at fault
for the goal and taken off in the second half.
Valencia, sitting seventh, have won only two of their last six but the game
at Mestalla will provide a better gauge of where Setien’s Barcelona are ahead
of an important few weeks.
They play Napoli away in the Champions League next month before facing Real
Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1.
Madrid have looked the sturdier proposition for a few weeks but have been
unable to pull away, instead sitting level on points with Barca at the top of
La Liga and below them on goal difference.
Zinedine Zidane’s team are 18 games unbeaten, a streak they will be
confident of extending on Sunday against a Real Valladolid side that have won
only once in 11.
“We dont have to change anything, we just have to keep going,” Zidane said
last week.
They may again be without Gareth Bale, who went off with an ankle injury
after scoring in Madrid’s Copa del Rey victory over Unionistas de Salamanca
on Wednesday.
“He sprained his ankle a little,” said Zidane. “I don’t think it’s much but
we’ll see.”
Atletico Madrid’s pursuit of Edinson Cavani will likely come too late for
their own title challenge, even if they can persuade Paris Saint-Germain to
part with the 32-year-old striker this month.
Eight points is now the gap between them and the top two and while Cavani
could certainly alleviate their problems in front of goal.
Atletico host struggling Leganes on Sunday while Sevilla, in fourth, play
at home on Saturday against Granada.
Atletico could do with a win after being shocked 2-1 by third division CD
Leonesa in the Spanish Copa del Rey on Thursday.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0945 hrs