No favourites for Barca coach

BARCELONA • Barcelona coach Quique Setien has not yet decided whether Luis Suarez is ready to return to the starting line-up when they host 19th-placed Leganes behind closed doors in La Liga today.

But given the Spanish league leaders are blessed with an abundance of attacking riches, he does not need to press the Uruguay striker, who underwent what appeared to be season-ending knee surgery in January, back into action.

Setien started Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and February recruit Martin Braithwaite in the 4-0 win at Mallorca on Saturday, while Suarez, who is working his way back to full fitness, came off the bench for a 30-minute cameo in the second half.

The 33-year-old looked rusty in his first appearance in five months and Setien is prepared to keep him wrapped in cotton wool, with 10 league games remaining on top of the Champions League, which is set to resume in August.

On Suarez, who has netted 14 goals in all competitions this term, the Barcelona boss said at his virtual press conference yesterday: "I've not decided if Luis will start tomorrow, I have to talk to him.

"We have to be very cautious, it's normal to have muscle injuries after a long injury layoff."

While Setien's faith in Suarez is assured, it is less so for Griezmann, whose future remains a constant source of speculation after a string of underwhelming displays since his blockbuster €120 million (S$188.5 million) move from Atletico Madrid last summer.

Despite scoring eight league goals this term, the France forward has often looked like a square peg in a round hole, failing to gel with skipper Messi or Suarez consistently.

Even Braithwaite, whom many had dismissed as a panic buy given that Barcelona were given special dispensation outside the January transfer window to trigger his €18 million release clause, looks like a better fit up front.

The Denmark striker made just his fourth appearance and second start at Mallorca. But after nabbing his maiden strike, he looks set to keep his place against former team Leganes, with Setien praising his seamless adaption to life at the Nou Camp.

However, Setien insisted he was still counting on Griezmann, even though he could not guarantee him a spot in the starting XI, week in, week out.

"Antoine has played almost every game," he said. "It's true that there are more players now and the minutes will have to be shared.

"Griezmann will continue to play a leading role, he is an important player. Except in very specific cases due to their hierarchy, I don't consider players to be starters or substitutes.

"I want everyone to participate... Any player can be on the pitch from the beginning."

He added that squad rotation would be key as the fixture crunch - the season is due to end on July 19 - would lead to burnout.

"The idea is to make changes and there will be changes as the games go by," he added. "We will see how fatigue affects the players.

"My job is to try and get them all to the end of the season in the best condition so that the performance is not affected by the minutes."

The Catalan giants lead Real Madrid, who brushed aside Eibar 3-1 on Sunday thanks to goals from Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, by two points.

As Zinedine Zidane's men have not let up so far in their quest for a first league triumph since 2017, Setien believes there is no room for error in what appears to be the tightest title race since the 2015-16 season, when Barcelona won the trophy on the last day of the campaign.

"I don't know what factor will be the most decisive in La Liga," he said. "It's going to be a fight in which we both know that losing is unacceptable."

REUTERS

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