Barcelona will look to silence the critics when it takes on Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
The team has been perfect this season, but talks about its new style have created controversy. It all started a few weeks ago when defender Gerard Pique mentioned that the team was employing new tactics to avoid being "slaves" to the system. People started criticizing the player's commitment to the Barcelona tiki-taka passing style. Since then the fire has been redirected toward coach Gerardo Martino as many are claiming that he is "betraying" the team's identity.
However, assistant coach Jorge Pautasso defended Martino.
"The idea is to keep playing the same way as Barcelona have done in recent years," Pautasso said, according to ESPN. "We are not here to betray Barca's style. We have come here to add things, not to take away from what Barca have done in recent years. We are here to get the team playing well again; that does not mean we are changing to a counterattacking side."
Barcelona is coming off a 4-0 win against Ajax in the first group match of the Champions League season and is getting tremendous play from its top two superstars Neymar and Lionel Messi. Messi scored three goals in the match against Ajax, while Neymar created numerous chances.
Prediction: Barcelona is clear-cut favorite in this matchup and should have no problem dispatching Rayo Vallecano in a 3-0 win.
Start time: 2 p.m. EST
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
