Let’s Try That Again

By: Al | January 5th, 2009

That “good start to the year” thing.

However, the challenge this time is greater as we face FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Why oh why did we have to draw Barcelona? Obviously, they are the best team in the world right now and killed the shit out of us back in October with a 6-1 smashing at the Camp Nou (I’m still shaking). “Revenge” is the word being thrown around in rojiblanco circles but against this Barcelona team, can we do it?

There’s that saying that anything can happen in cup tournaments, and I’m hoping that’s as true as ever for tomorrow’s match.

Oh yeah, the Valencia match….

In a way, we suffered the wrath of The David Silva and have nothing to fret about. It still means that we’ve won only one point from playing Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Villarreal and Valencia. How the hell are we in 4th/5th place right now after we sucked ass against these top teams? Basically, Atlético proved how they’re the best of the “rest of La Liga”. I don’t want that.

Valencia absolutely schooled Atlético, with two disallowed goals only being a foreshadow of the beating that they would give us. I mentioned that both teams have the similar sense of pizzazz and it’s true. Valencia was flashy, connected well, and rightfully defeated us. It was almost a pleasure to see a team play like that, in the same way it’s a please to see Atlético school teams 4-0 at home.

Obviously I feel bad because Atlético lost, but Valencia also deserve every bit of success considering how well they’re coping after all that debt/president fiasco in 2008 (and before that). I’m no professing any love for Valencia (okay, maybe for David Villa, his hair is so cool) but if any team should snatch that CL spot from us, I would rather have it be them. Well played, amigos.

Now, onto Barcelona…

A quick look at the Barcelona list:

Pinto, Jorquera,
Alves, Víctor Sánchez, Piqué, Cáceres, Abidal, Sylvinho,
Keita, Touré, Busquets, Iniesta,
Pedro, Messi, Bojan, Henry

At first glance, one must think that this squad isn’t at full power because of some absences (Valdes, Xavi, Marquez) but once you see “Messi” on the list, forget that assumption. Messi is the one that makes a difference. Barca can play without him, but he adds that little “something” to the team, so if you can shut him down (you can’t) then you’re a bit safer.

Barca will be going into the game with about half of the team as regular starters and the rest being youth products/players who haven’t played all that much. I highly doubt that we’ll be seeing the Barca of the 6-1 only because 1) it’s a Cup match, they’re usually more intense in the later rounds or in second legs and 2) it’ll be a more even matchup. A slightly watered down Barca squad is equal to a full-powered Atletico squad.

Atletico will have a full squad for the match:

PORTEROS
1 Coupet.
25 Leo Franco.

DEFENSAS
2 Seitaridis.
3 Antonio López.
5 Heitinga.
17 Ujfalusi.
21 Perea.

CENTROCAMPISTAS
11 Maxi.
12 Paulo Assunção.
18 Maniche.
16 Banega.
19 Miguel de las Cuevas.
20 Simão.

DELANTEROS
7 Forlán.
10 Kun Agüero.
14 Sinama-Pongolle.

I can’t really make a prediction for the match. I’ve said this maybe twice already, but you never know what can happen in a Copa match. I expect anything but a Barcelona victory. Not because they can’t do it, because they absolutely can, but because I actually think the match could turn out to be boring, a 0-0 or a 1-1 at best. Sorry for being Captain Putdown.

No fear and plenty of confidence should be enough to get us through this round, in a competition that we have a more likely chance of winning.

I’ll throw in a Kun Aguero interview that I translated from AS, from New Years Eve.

This is your third year with Atlético and you already know how it is to play in the Spanish league and how you must play in a club like this one. How do you value the moment that the team is currently in?

We ended the year how we wanted to, in a Champions League spot. The match against Espanyol was nothing easy but we knew how to control the match and we won three points that put us in 3rd place. Our objective before the Christmas break was to be withing the top 4 and we achieved that.

In the past two months, the team proved to be unstoppable being undefeated in 15 matches, but it’s true that near the beginning you were in a bit of a slump in La Liga.

It’s logical that many teams have bad periods in the Liga, but you can’t forget that many of us teams are in three competitions. We were indeed in a bit of a slump in the beginning of the season and now we’re undefeated in 15 matches. Little by little we have been collecting points to inch closer to those teams above us. Now we must keep our confidence in ourselves and keep up with the streak.

One of the keys in the good performance of the team is the sweet period where you’re among the top teams. What do you have to say about your attacking partners?

Maxi is in a good moment. Simao shines in every match and by luck Cacha (Forlán) and I score goals, also thanks to the labor of the defense, who is proving to be very strong in these matches. We know each other very well and that’s important. Us four are playing many matches and every time you can see an understanding between us, something that undoubtedly helps things go better.

There’s talk about this team having one of the best attacks in Europe. Do you agree?

Everyone says that what shines in this team is the attack, but people must remember that if we had a bad defense we wouldn’t be undefeated in 15 matches. The defense being strong helps the forwards to attack with confidence and tranquility.

What objectives do you have from now to the end of the season? Do you think it’s possible to win a title?

As a team we’re doing very well right now. We can go far in the Champions League; we know that it’s nothing easy, but we’re confident in our possibilities and anything is possible. If we believe that we can make the quarter finals, we definitely will. Confidence is what makes you better. In the Copa del Rey we are matched up with a difficult rival, with Messi in a good moment, but we want to move forward.

It seems like that it’s time for Atlético to be within the big teams. Has the team recovered its feeling as a big club?

Atlético de Madrid has always been a big club, mostly from the players who have played for them. This club has had players with much quality that have ended their careers here and have never left for another team. Day by day Atlético has a competitive roster and players of huge quality within its ranks.

You have received many awards in 2008. Can you say that this has been your best footballing year?

The truth is that 2008 went very well. I’m very grateful and happy for all the awards that have been given to me in the course of the year. I know that the club receives invitations for me from everywhere and it’s an honor for me, and I feel the caringness and presense of the people, not only those of Atletico.

After your good performances there has been much speculation about the interest of many big teams….

I know about the things that are said in the press, but like I’ve always said I never listen to those rumors. I don’t give a damn; I’m only thinking about Atlético de Madrid, and no other club. I work so that we can be happy in June when we look back at what he could achieve. Since I’ve arrived, everyone at the club has treated me well and all I have is words of praise. I’m very happy at Atlético and that’s how it is.

You had to have a short period in which you needed to rest to prevent injury. How did you take it?

I took it well. Both the manager and I knew that I was playing many matches and in any moment there would be a risk of injury. He decided to rest me for a few matches only for safety. During these weeks I trained separately with Oscar Pitillas and now I’m well physically, and I expect to keep that up.

Do you feel responsible for being one of the main players of the team?

I’m just an extra player in Atlético Madrid, I have no more responsibility to play or make things better for the team. I’m sure that the bigger responsibility belongs to other players. I’m having a good moment only because the team is strong and you can see that on the pitch. When a player is happy at his club, it’s reflected onto the pitch.

How has your life changed since you arrived in Spain?

When I arrived in Madrid it was the first time that I left my country, Argentina, and I was very young. Since that day many things have happened and they were all good. This club has given me the possibility to learn much not only on the pitch, but outside of it, but there’s still a long road ahead and I want to overtake it. I want to experience much right now because I’m still young.

What do you think about the future stadium and sport city that is being planned?

This club will be first in these kinds of things, within the best in the world, with everything that it’s proposing. I think that it’s proving that with these two ambitious projects. It will be spectacular. Us as players must play well in order to reflect ambitions like these. Hopefully we can all enjoy this.

I assume this was a pleasant vacation because the team was in a good position. Where and how did you spend your Christmas?

It was the first time I stayed in Spain for Christmas Eve and Christmas, because I always went to Argentina. I’m happy to have spent these feasts in Madrid, although I admit that I thought much about Valencia, because it’s the first match after our vacation is over. We want to begin the year where we left things off…

What do you ask for in 2009?

I hope that we can go far into the Champions League and I’d like to fight until the end in other competitions.