BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

I can't see Barca easing off against Osasuna

WATCHING Barcelona is never a non-event but I'm not exactly desperate to tune in to Thursday's Copa del Rey clash against Osasuna.

The Catalans lead 4-0 after braces from Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas in the first leg and their progress looks inevitable.

However, people often expect teams to take their foot off the gas when they have a commanding lead but last time I checked, Barcelona like to score goals and if anyone is going to write off this game, it's Osasuna, so I'll be having a wager on the tasty odds about there being more than three goals.

The hosts have got lots of injury problems and are looking to startsome of their younger players so are hardly entertaining the idea that they can battle back. Even when Barca rotate there are usually at least five players who you could describe as core men, simply because the squad is surprisingly small.

Speaking of which, Santos sensation Neymar was in Barcelona this week, but it wasn't anything to do with a transfer, it was apparently just to film an advert.

I'm suspicious of all these claims about footballers conveniently filming commercials in cities where clubs they are heavily linked to are based, but I suppose there are a lot of ads.

"I did not meet with Barcelona, I keep being a player of Santos," Neymar said.

"It is possible that my father saw them in Zurich."

Hmm, that sounds pretty fishy, but how was his dad to know that any Barca officials would be at this week's Ballon d'Or gala?

Anyway, what do you call someone who says that the Brazilian starlet won't be able to cut it in Europe?

A Ney-sayer.

Sorry.