Barcelona vs Sporting de Gijon preview - Pedro demands a faultless run in

Posted Saturday, March 03, 2012 by PA

Barcelona forward Pedro concedes the Catalan club have no more margin for error in their bid to clinch a fourth consecutive Primera Division title - but is confident their dream remains very much alive.

Coach Pep Guardiola admitted after last weekend's 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid that he could not see the champions overhauling Real Madrid's 10-point lead with 14 games remaining, but his public utterances are unlikely to tally with what he has been telling his players behind closed doors.

Certainly Pedro has not given up hope of closing the gap to Jose Mourinho's men at the summit ahead of Sporting Gijon's visit to the Nou Camp this weekend.

"The truth is that we are 10 points behind. We have to try and not lose any more and wait for Madrid to drop points to cut into their lead," Pedro told a press conference.

"If their lead increases, the league will be very complicated. We won't give up on this title and we'll fight until the end."

Pedro's view was also echoed by team-mate Carles Puyol earlier this week when he refuted Guardiola's assertion that the league title is beyond Barcelona.

"It is his opinion," Puyol told Catalunya Radio. "We are all aware that it is difficult but Pep's words don't end here.

"We will fight until the end of the season and we intend to win all the games."

Barcelona will contest tomorrow's match without the suspended Lionel Messi, who picked up his fifth booking of the campaign at the Vicente Calderon last time out.

Playing without the talismanic Argentinian may be a bleak prospect on the face of it, but in fact Barcelona have coped admirably in his absence down the years, their last defeat without him in the side coming in May 2009.

Add to that the fact that Sporting have won only once in their last 40 visits to the Nou Camp - a 4-0 win back in the 1986/87 season - and the potential impact of Messi's absence is diluted still further.

However, Barca's most recent home win over Sporting was a hard-fought affair, David Villa netting in a 1-0 win last season, and Pedro has warned his team-mates to be on their guard this weekend.

"It has never been easy against Sporting," he said. "They always prove they have a great team when they play against us.

"[Sporting coach Javier] Clemente likes to be aggressive and he makes his teams reduce the space between the lines. I'm sure it will be difficult."

Sergio Busquets is also suspended for the hosts for tomorrow's game, while Eric Abidal (hip) and Thiago Alcantara (leg) both returned from international duty with injuries and will miss out.

Sporting face a potential defensive crisis ahead of their trip to the Nou Camp.

Alberto Botia had to be substituted at half-time in Spain's Under-23 encounter with Egypt in midweek and is doubtful, as is Gregory Arnolin with a knee injury he picked up in training.

Right-back Alberto Lopo is also still making his way back to full fitness after a few weeks out and youngster Alex Galvez has a hamstring strain.