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24.10.2007 17:01
Puyol returns to his roots
Marc Guillén
Carles Puyol was asked to step into a familiar role against Rangers on Wednesdayas the FC Barcelona defender was employed at right-back, five years after moving into the centre of defence.
The Blaugrana captain produced an outstanding performance in Ibrox on Wednesday evening after being surprisingly named on the right side of the defence. With his marauding runs up the flank, Puyol looked at home in the role and could well have snatched a winner if he had been able to convert one of two good chances he latched on to.
Previous form
In his nine season in the Barça first team, Puyol has been
employed as a central defender for the previous five, but he played at right-back for his first
four campaigns at the highest level and made his debut there.
On October 2, 1999, Louis Van Gaal gave Puyol his first official game for the club against Valladolid and he was not asked to switch positions until the middle of the 2002-03 season when Raddy Antic tried him in the middle. The Serbian coach was the first to test Puyol in the central position and he impressed so much that he stayed there.
Rijkaard put Puyol right
When Frank Rijkaard took over as coach of FC Barcelona he tried Carles Puyol at right-back. The
skipper had finished the previous season in the centre of the defence, but th new boss tested back
in his old position, but he only stayed there for six games. For the first time since then, Puyol
was back on the right for the Champions League draw with Rangers at Ibrox.
