Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is considering leaving several stars on the subs' bench for Saturday's game away to lowly Sporting Gijon.
Guardiola was due to examine the physical condition of his players in training on Thursday and Friday, and then decide his starting lineup. Almost all of his players played in Wednesday's international friendlies.
The coach will be tempted to give a rest to stars like Lionel Messi, Xavi and David Villa, with the February 16 Champions League visit to Arsenal just around the corner. In addition, captain Carles Puyol will not the make the trip because of tendinitis in his left knee.
On Tuesday Barca announced that Guardiola had agreed to extend his contract with the Liga chanmpions for another season, which will be his fourth in charge.
Midfielder Seydou Keita reacted to the news by saying: "He (Guardiola) has been here for three years now and he has changed football. We are really content with this extension..I just cannot imagine him leaving here."
Left-back Maxwell, for his part, said: "It is great news. I cannot think of anyone better to guide this team."
Online polls showed, on Wednesday, that the Barca fans are just as pleased as the players with the news, though many of them would have preferred Guardiola to agree to a longer contract, such as club president Sandro Rosell had proposed.
Barca are seven points clear atop La Liga of Real Madrid, who have a difficult trip to Espanyol on Sunday. The whites have not yet scored an away win in 2011.
Espanyol have fallen down to sixth in recent weeks, but coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Wednesday: "If we look at the budgets of the two clubs there is no comparison between Espantyol and Real Madrid. But in football everything is possible, and sometimes hard work and effort are more important than money."
Real are hoping that defender Pepe will be fit to return.
Third-placed Villarreal will be away to struggling Deportivo Coruna on Sunday, fourth-placed Valencia visit troubled Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Another defeat for Atletico will almost certainly spell the sack for embattled coach Quique Sanchez Flores.
Also on Saturday, Marcelino Garcia will return as coach of Racing Santander, at home to inconsistent Sevilla. Marcelino was appointed on Wednesday as replacement for Miguel Angel Portugal.
Sunday's other matches, in addition to the Espanyol-Real clash, are Levante v Almeria, Malaga v Getafe, Hercules v Zaragoza, and Real Sociedad v Osasuna.
On Monday in-form Athletic Bilbao, who are now fifth, are away to Mallorca.
Guardiola was due to examine the physical condition of his players in training on Thursday and Friday, and then decide his starting lineup. Almost all of his players played in Wednesday's international friendlies.
The coach will be tempted to give a rest to stars like Lionel Messi, Xavi and David Villa, with the February 16 Champions League visit to Arsenal just around the corner. In addition, captain Carles Puyol will not the make the trip because of tendinitis in his left knee.
On Tuesday Barca announced that Guardiola had agreed to extend his contract with the Liga chanmpions for another season, which will be his fourth in charge.
Midfielder Seydou Keita reacted to the news by saying: "He (Guardiola) has been here for three years now and he has changed football. We are really content with this extension..I just cannot imagine him leaving here."
Left-back Maxwell, for his part, said: "It is great news. I cannot think of anyone better to guide this team."
Online polls showed, on Wednesday, that the Barca fans are just as pleased as the players with the news, though many of them would have preferred Guardiola to agree to a longer contract, such as club president Sandro Rosell had proposed.
Barca are seven points clear atop La Liga of Real Madrid, who have a difficult trip to Espanyol on Sunday. The whites have not yet scored an away win in 2011.
Espanyol have fallen down to sixth in recent weeks, but coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Wednesday: "If we look at the budgets of the two clubs there is no comparison between Espantyol and Real Madrid. But in football everything is possible, and sometimes hard work and effort are more important than money."
Real are hoping that defender Pepe will be fit to return.
Third-placed Villarreal will be away to struggling Deportivo Coruna on Sunday, fourth-placed Valencia visit troubled Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Another defeat for Atletico will almost certainly spell the sack for embattled coach Quique Sanchez Flores.
Also on Saturday, Marcelino Garcia will return as coach of Racing Santander, at home to inconsistent Sevilla. Marcelino was appointed on Wednesday as replacement for Miguel Angel Portugal.
Sunday's other matches, in addition to the Espanyol-Real clash, are Levante v Almeria, Malaga v Getafe, Hercules v Zaragoza, and Real Sociedad v Osasuna.
On Monday in-form Athletic Bilbao, who are now fifth, are away to Mallorca.
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