09/12/2020 - 9:22
Clarín.com
sports
In times when the clock seems to run much faster than usual, that already anthological burofax seems part of an ancient history book.
However, only 18 days have passed since the sending of that document, which shook the football world and threatened to end a 20-year relationship, and just 8 since Lionel Messi confirmed that he would continue to play in Barcelona.
This afternoon, the Rosario will put on the Blaugrana shirt again.
It will be in the first game of the team in the preseason under the command of the new coach, the Dutch Ronald Koeman.
And it will also be the first meeting, even if it is not a friendly, after the catastrophic 8-2 against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in Lisbon.
Barça will face
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
, from the third division of Spanish football, at the Johan Cruyff stadium of the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper from 2:00 p.m., only available to subscribers of Barça TV, the club's new video platform.
And
Lionel Messi will start
.
📍 Johan Cruyff Stadium
🙌 The team is here!
pic.twitter.com/oxJe2FgxUU
- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 12, 2020
Koeman was late in giving the 11th start but he surprised very early when he gave the summoned, among which Luis Suárez and Arturo Vidal were not included, who are negotiating their departure from Barcelona because they do not fit into the Dutch coach's plans.
Nor are there Rafinha Alcántara, Moussa Wague and Matheus Fernandes, who join the injured Marc-André Ter Stegen, Ansu Fati and Samuel Umtiti and the newcomer Miralem Pjanic.
Who is not missing is Lionel Messi.
With just five days of work, you will assume this commitment.
The captain of the Argentine national team returned to practice on Monday, after a week of absence and the harsh conflict he had with the club after expressing his willingness to terminate his contract and leave, something that he finally did not achieve.
With his discontent in the open, he will now have to face a season of reconstruction in which he will continue as captain, as announced this Saturday.
He will share the film with Busquets, Piqué and Sergi Roberto.
© Leo #Messi
© @ 5sergiob
© @ 3gerardpique
© @ SergiRoberto10
The 4 captains of the 2020/21 season 🔵🔴https: //t.co/gtq5y1QgnY
- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 12, 2020
"I always said, Messi is the best player in the world.
He showed it in the last few years and he will show it this season, "said Koeman on Friday, during the telematic press conference prior to this friendly.
"When he is in full physical shape, it is very important," added the DT, who in his first meeting with the footballer had heard from his mouth his desire not to continue in the team and that now he will have it among his own.
Lionel Messi in training this Thursday does a physical routine under the gaze of Sergio Busquets.
(Photo: FC Barcelona Press)
In this first friendly, Koeman's plan, as he explained on Friday, is for the 25 summoned to play, but for none to play for more than 45 minutes.
And in that sense
Messi will start
.
The first 11 that the Dutch coach put together is made up of Neto;
Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba;
Busquets, Aleñá, Pedri;
Messi, Griezmann and Dembélé.
Minutes later, Gimnàstic de Tarragona announced its headlines.
1⃣1⃣ |
Els escollits de Toni Seligrat per sortir d'inici a l'Estadi Johan Cruyff❗ # BarçaNàstic
✊🏼💨 #MotorGrana pic.twitter.com/A4GW29OqiH
- NÀSTIC DE TARRAGONA (@NASTICTARRAGONA) September 12, 2020
Pedri, a 17-year-old from Tenerife, who will share the midfield with Busquets and Aleñá, can be seen from the team announced by Barsa.
While ahead Griezmann obtained the prominence announced by Koeman and will do a double attack with Dembélé.
👥 XI
⚽ # BarçaNastic
🙌 The first starting eleven of @RonaldKoeman pic.twitter.com/wmde10iWjf
- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 12, 2020
So far, Barça has one more friendly scheduled: on Wednesday, also at the Johan Cruyff stadium, they will face Girona, from the second division.
The first official match, corresponding to the third date of the Spanish League, will be the weekend of September 26 and 27 at home against Villarreal.
Later he will have to catch up and recover the matches of the first two days, against Elche and Athletic de Bilbao, which will be postponed.
