Rotation pays off as Barca tops Zaragoza
Source: Agencies |
March 7, 2011, Monday
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BARCELONA'S gamble to rest key players ahead of tomorrow's Champions League game at home to Arsenal paid off when it beat Real Zaragoza 1-0 in La Liga to move 10 points clear of Real Madrid.
David Villa, Eric Abidal and Andres Iniesta played only 29, 19 and 9 minutes, respectively, at the Nou Camp on Saturday as Mali midfielder Seydou Keita, making a rare start, grabbed the only goal in the 43rd minute to give the leader 74 points from 27 matches.
Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets was an unused substitute while goalkeeper Victor Valdes returned from injury before Barcelona attempts to overturn a 1-2 deficit from last month's last-16, first leg in London.
"We will arrive at the match well prepared," said Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova, standing in for Pep Guardiola who has a back problem.
"We rested some players today and improved the physical condition of others," he told a news conference. "I think they will all be able to play on Tuesday without problems."
Important players
"The rotations worked well," said Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano who also started. "We won and some of our more important players will be fresher."
The goal was Keita's fourth against Zaragoza in its last two visits to the Catalan capital following his hat-trick against the Aragonese club in a 6-1 home win in October 2009.
Real can trim the gap back to seven with a win at Racing Santander yesterday, although it will have to do so without joint La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who injured a leg muscle in Thursday's 7-0 drubbing of Malaga.
Also, Pablo Hernandez struck twice to give third-placed Valencia a 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca that put Unai Emery's side four points clear of Villarreal, which lost 1-3 at Atletico Madrid.
Jose Antonio Reyes, Argentina forward Sergio Aguero and Uruguay striker Diego Forlan scored for the Europa League champion to lift it to sixth and boost its chances of a European berth next season.
Valencia is 10 points behind Real on 54, Villarreal has 50 and Atletico is on 38, two behind fifth-placed Espanyol.
David Villa, Eric Abidal and Andres Iniesta played only 29, 19 and 9 minutes, respectively, at the Nou Camp on Saturday as Mali midfielder Seydou Keita, making a rare start, grabbed the only goal in the 43rd minute to give the leader 74 points from 27 matches.
Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets was an unused substitute while goalkeeper Victor Valdes returned from injury before Barcelona attempts to overturn a 1-2 deficit from last month's last-16, first leg in London.
"We will arrive at the match well prepared," said Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova, standing in for Pep Guardiola who has a back problem.
"We rested some players today and improved the physical condition of others," he told a news conference. "I think they will all be able to play on Tuesday without problems."
Important players
"The rotations worked well," said Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano who also started. "We won and some of our more important players will be fresher."
The goal was Keita's fourth against Zaragoza in its last two visits to the Catalan capital following his hat-trick against the Aragonese club in a 6-1 home win in October 2009.
Real can trim the gap back to seven with a win at Racing Santander yesterday, although it will have to do so without joint La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who injured a leg muscle in Thursday's 7-0 drubbing of Malaga.
Also, Pablo Hernandez struck twice to give third-placed Valencia a 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca that put Unai Emery's side four points clear of Villarreal, which lost 1-3 at Atletico Madrid.
Jose Antonio Reyes, Argentina forward Sergio Aguero and Uruguay striker Diego Forlan scored for the Europa League champion to lift it to sixth and boost its chances of a European berth next season.
Valencia is 10 points behind Real on 54, Villarreal has 50 and Atletico is on 38, two behind fifth-placed Espanyol.
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