The Hindu : Sport / Football : Will Rijkaard go for the fantastic four?

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Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007
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Will Rijkaard go for the fantastic four?

— Photo: AFP

IT’S RIJKAARD’S CALL: With Thierry Henry joining Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi in the race for a slot in the Barcelona frontline, Frank Rijkaard has a tough job at hand.

EDINBURGH: It looks like a fantasy team formation.

Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry. All in the same line-up.

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard can make it happen for real this season — if he dares.

Rijkaard’s team surrendered the Spanish League title to Real Madrid last season and that hurt everyone who follows the Catalan club. So Barca went out and added Henry to its already special set of forwards, managing to lure the French striker from Arsenal.

Henry could make his debut in the famous red and blue stripes of Barcelona in the unlikely surroundings of Scottish club Dundee United’s Tannadice Stadium on Thursday night when the Spanish team prepares for the league season with some low-key friendlies.

If Henry doesn’t make that game, he could play on Saturday when Barcelona faces Hearts at the 65,000 capacity Murrayfield rugby stadium.

Messi pulls out

Messi is not joining the squad in Scotland because he is resting after Argentina’s Copa America challenge, where the team lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final a week ago.

When he’s back, however, the Barca fans will be screaming at Rijkaard to play all four star forwards in the same line-up.

Will he be listening?

Some of his players would like to see all four starting.

“It depends on the game or whether we’re playing at home or not,” said midfielder Xavi Hernandez. “It’s great to have those four, who are among the five to 10 best players in the world. This range of possibilities is fantastic. It’s the most complete team that I’ve seen here in terms of talent.”

All Rijkaard has said so far is then Henry, who spent much of his final season with Arsenal sidelined with neck, groin and stomach injuries, will play some part in the games in Scotland. No sign yet whether he will give all four a run together when the season starts.

But could it work? Or would it be too rich a mixture with players tripping over each other to get to the same pass or arguing over who should take the free kicks? — AP

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