Ahead of tonight’s match between Barcelona and Inter in the Champions League, Corriere della Sera have highlighted some of the problems that tonight’s hosts have faced at this early stage of the season.
The Catalan club have had a faltering start to their season, losing two of their opening matches in the league and also drawing their Champions League opener with Borussia Dortmund.
Gerard Pique attacked the club leadership for leaking information to the media about key players and blamed the club leaders for the number of injuries that the team are currently dealing with, something which Pique believes is as a result of the club’s packed pre-season schedule that saw them play several games in a very short time.
Ansu Fati, Samuel Umtiti and Jordi Alba are all to miss tonight’s match whilst it remains to be seen if Lionel Messi or Ousmane Dembele will play a part having both recovered from their recent injury problems.
Manager Ernesto Valverde has found himself in the middle of the situation and tried to play things down in yesterday’s pre-match press conference stating: “these are things that can happen.”
Antoine Griezmann is understood to unhappy with the position he has played on the pitch, he would like to play on the right but Messi is there and Valverde is therefore obliged to play Griezmann on the opposite side. Relations between Messi and Griezmann are tense.”