Barcelona's 'Tourmalet': Seven games await in just 22 days
Every year it's the same, but that doesn't mean it won't be a test for Barcelona. After the international break, Luis Enrique's side face a marathon of games... in just 23 days!
To begin the 'Tourmalet', Barça will play Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on September 12 at 20.30h. It goes without saying that any game against Diego Simeone's side demands the maximum of your players, not just because of their performances in recent seasons, but because of the way they strengthened in the summer.
Without much time to recover, the Champions League will then get underway on September 16. Roma will receive Barça at the Olimpico in, theoretically, the most difficult game of the group stage, along with the trip to the BayArena.
Four days later (September 20), Levante will play at Camp Nou at 20.30 in a game which could prove ideal for rotations. More than anything, because three days after that (September 23) Barça travel to Balaidos to take on Celta Vigo, who won at Camp Nou last season and deserved more than the 0-1 defeat they suffered in Vigo.
On the following Sunday (September 26), there is another game which could serve for rotations against UD Las Palmas at Camp Nou.
More complicated will be Bayer Leverkusen's visit to Catalonia 72 hours later (September 29). Kiessling's height, Çalhanoglu's set plays and Javier Hernandez's goals could cause the European champions problems.
The final stretch of the 'Tourmalet' is a visit to the Sanchez Pizjuan. On October 3 (16.00h), Unai Emery's Sevilla will have the chance to gain revenge for the UEFA Super Cup defeat to Barcelona in August. Until now, though, he's won none of his 20 matches vs. Barça as a manager.
After that, Barcelona will have a week to prepare for the match against Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou.
So, there will be 23 days of non-stop action featuring several difficult games, with the visits to the Calderon, the Olimpico and the Sanchez Pizjuan sure to demand a lot.
Luis Enrique must manage his squad better than ever given how short it is until January.
