The A-League All Stars know they’ll be the underdogs against Barcelona on Wednesday, but coach Dwight Yorke says it might give them “a free shot”
A hastily assembled squad will have just two training sessions before facing a world football powerhouse.
The A-League semi-final results forced late changes to the roster with little time to prepare, and a coach who has never led a club is managing the preparations. Yorke knows the circumstances and isn’t hyping up the possibility of an upset against the five-time European champions.
People don’t expect us to win, Yorke remarked.
Yorke’s vast playing experience tells him he can still score. After finishing their league season in Spain, many of their players would rather be on vacation than playing an international friendly.
After a hard-fought season, Yorke has traveled far for a game.
Lethargy is his best chance of an upset. Yorke encourages his players who want to play in Europe to shine in a big game.
“Many don’t expect us to beat Barcelona, so we have a free shot,” remarked Yorke. I’m sure some of these players want to play abroad against major clubs, so this is a terrific opportunity for them.
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The Catalan giants are taking a nearly full squad to Australia for the first time, with the significant exception of veteran defender Gerard Pique.
Among the passengers is Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets, Brazilian superstar Dani Alves, Arsenal stars Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Memphis Depay, as well as teen phenomenon Ansu Fati and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Barcelona will send a team to Sydney that looks like it belongs in either the Champions League or La Liga.
There was also no place for Pedri and Sergio Dest and Martin Braithwaite in the squad for the trip to Brazil. On Wednesday night, Adama Traore, the Western Sydney Wanderers fullback who shares his name with his A-League counterpart, was named to the side to face the All-Stars.
A record crowd is expected to attend Barcelona’s debut encounter in Australia, which might be the largest sporting event in Sydney since the emergence of the epidemic. More than 70,000 people are anticipated to attend Accor Stadium for the game.
It has already made history, but not for football, with Barcelona’s trip to Sydney. After departing from Barcelona and making a stopover in Darwin, the plane will then continue to Sydney through a refueling stopover in Sydney.
On Monday morning (AEST), the club had merely ended its La Liga season before departing at 10 am. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, they are anticipated to land at Kingsford-Smith Airport.
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