Time for a magnificent seven from Barcelona

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

There are a big few weeks ahead

Thank God another international break is over.

I mean, the boredom... come on!

League action returns with a bang this coming weekend, and it heralds an important period in the season for the Blaugranes.

Before the next international break in November (I know, I know), Barca have seven games to play in 21 days.

Never has there been a better time to make them a magnificent seven. Starting at Eibar in the early Saturday kick-off.

Ipurua is a ground that suits us and one where we’ve never lost. Frankly, we should never have drawn there last season but the title was in the bag so I guess there’s no point being picky.

Three points there means we head into El Clasico with the opportunity to lead the table for the first time this season by beating Real Madrid at the Camp Nou.

Xabi Alonso explaining why it was so hard to defend Lionel Messi in the false nine role whenever Real Madrid faced Barça in El Clasico. Top class analysis. pic.twitter.com/HkGW6Yhvz1

— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) October 12, 2019

That’s always assuming that demonstrations don’t kybosh the one game in each season that every single cule wants to win.

However, there’s no point in looking that far ahead because Slavia Prague represent a difficult enough assignment a few days beforehand.

In order to push hard for top spot in the group, Ernesto Valverde doesn’t really have the option to rotate too much, whilst Zinedine Zidane’s side should have a comfortable enough night against Galatasaray.

The time for mixing and matching should come three days after playing Los Blancos when Valladolid come to town, and perhaps at Levante the following weekend. Mind you, we have come unstuck at the City of Valencia Stadium before now.

Another date with Slavia could, potentially, see us into the knockout stages of the Champions League if results have gone our way, and then, finally, come Celta Vigo, a side who’ve often caused Barca problems but aren’t at their best as yet.

— Barcelona have gone four years without winning the Champions League.. This year it's not an option. It is a must. pic.twitter.com/hzGA39uBD9

— Barca Universal (@BarcaUniversal) October 12, 2019

Given how things looked just a few short weeks ago, and the lengths supporters were going to in order to suggest that Valverde’s Barca had finally been taken as far as they could - even with over three-quarters of the season remaining, it’s entirely possible that come mid-November, things could’ve turned full circle.

Of course, nothing is won before Christmas, but it would be a huge boost if the Blaugranes were back where they belong after Celta, and taking on all comers once more.

There’s still much work to be done, that much is clear. The signs were there against both Inter and Sevilla, and on another day Barca might well get taken to the cleaners.

But there are still reasons to be cheerful, and in seven games time we might well be humming an entirely different tune from the one doing the rounds at the beginning of the campaign.

Source: barcablaugranes.com