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Spain: Primera Liga Saturday Preview [Sat Aug 27th, 2005]
Barcelona start the defence of their title with a tricky trip to Aláves in the evening, while Athletic Bilbao host Real Sociedad in the fiery Basque Country derby and Real Betis travel to Valencia.
Dmitri Piterman’s claim that Aláves have a better player in every position than Barcelona will be put to the test at the Mendizorroza, as Frank Rijkaard’s side arrive.
The Ukraine-born American is known for his outlandish soundbites, but his point was that for the price paid for each player, he has better value for money than the Catalans.
Rijkaard responded to the jibe, by declaring that he respected Piterman for wanting to inspire his players and that he did not consider the statement as an insult to his squad.
Aláves are back in the top flight after a two-year sabbatical in La Segunda and will certainly make the headlines with their mercurial president.
Piterman demoted coach Chuchi Cos to become his assistant in July after he had led the team to promotion and installed the inexperienced Rafa Monfort to run team affairs.
Even the new man performed admirably during the pre-season campaign, Piterman sacked Monfort and reinstated Cos without explanation.
With Enrique De Lucas supplying the ammunition from midfield along with Nene and Rodolfo Bodipo and Rubén Navarro leading the attack, Aláves will cause a stir this term.
Barcelona travel to Vitoria without Leo Messi after the club could not confirm if the young starlet was able to play.
The problem arises from the Argentinian’s non-EU status with the Spanish League stating that players that have played in a club’s youth ranks for a specified number of years are illegible as assimilated players, while the passport authorities do not see him as a European citizen.
Messi is due to receive a Spanish passoprt in December, but Barça are pushing to have the matter cleared up in the next two weeks to enable the midfielder to play in the first team this term.
Rijkaard will once again start with Mark Van Bommel on the bench, employing either Edmilson or Rafa Márquez in the the midfield behind Deco and Xavi.
Meanwhile, Athletic go in search of a record as they entertain Basque rivals Real Sociedad in San Mamés.
José Luis Mendilibar’s side have won the last four matches against the San Sebastian-based club and a fifth would represent a new record betwen the two sides.
The coach, who took over at Athletic at the end of last term following the resignation of Ernesto Valverde, has admitted that his side are taking time adapting to his ideas.
With the home side’s self-imposed ban on any non-Basque players, the club have brought in only one player with Unai Exposito joining from Osasuna, while Fernando Llorente was promoted frm the B team after some impressive display last term.
This match also highlights the ongoing wrangle between Athletic and La Real over the case of defender Iban Zubiaurre.
Athletic presented the player as their new signing in July, but Sociedad said that he had no right to move and have blocked his exit from the club.
The saga soured the relationship between the Mendilibar and José MarÃÂa Amorrortu and a quick handshake will be the best that either side can hope for when the pair meet on Saturday.
Sociedad will be desperate to start the season strongly after flirting with the bottom three in the early stages of last term, before an eventual finish of 14th place.
The fact that they have hung on to Darko Kovacevic and Nihat will give them confidence, but the Turkish international is set to be on the bench for the season’s first match having only just recovered from a long-term knee injury.
Sociedad are without Jeremie Brechet, Igor Jauregi, Oskitz and Juan DomÃÂnguez, while the hosts are missing Ismael Urzaiz and Itor Karanka.
(A report about the Valencia-Betis match is included separately on ISFA)
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