Wazzup with FC BARCELONA?!! (News)

[Classik]

Cristian Tello: “I’m happy to have the boss’s confidenceâ€


02-05-2012 12:22

With a number of first team regulars missing dueto injury and international commitments, plus the need to rest others to cope with the accumulation of matches, Guardiola has turned to the reserves to take the strain

Cristian Tello enjoyed a dream debut against Real Sociedad, playing the full 90 minutes and scoring a goal

He told us: "I was a bit nervous in the changing room when we were told the line-up but then I felt fineâ€

Tello / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

[highlight]Total commitment to Barça
A couple of seasons ago, Cristian Tello spent some time with Espanyol. They eventually offered him a first team contract, but Tello turned them down: "Espanyol offered me a deal with the first team but I already had an ambitionand that was to make it here. It's hard to get over leaving Barça so when they offered to take me back I didn't think twice and worked hard to take my chances".[/highlight]

Barça B forward Cristian Tello made his first appearance on Saturday and had a fantastic game, scoring Barça's first and proving to be a nightmare down the left wing for the Real defense. The 20-year-old was delighted with the win. Speaking to Barça TV after the match, he said: "It was a hard-worked victory but I'm very happy with my debut and even happier about the win".


Just another teammate
"It was amazing to figure in the starting line-up in this team and play alongside such great players. My teammates are incredible, they're a tight-knit team." He revealed that he had no trouble in settling into the group: "It's not very difficult because in the reserves we try and play in the same style as the first team".

For their part, the older players have given Tello a warm welcome while Guardiola has been keeping an eye on his development: "He told meto go wide and try to go past players. I'm happy to have the boss's confidence". Goalkeeper Valdés posted a photo of Tello on Facebook and Twitter with the text: "A fantastic Tello scores his first goal for the first team! We have the bestyouth system in the world".

Isaac Cuenca the example to follow
Isaac Cuenca , who is now officially part of the first team squad, is a good example for Tello to follow: "He's like a mirror because we have player together since we were kids and now he's arrived and got himself settled in. We all aspire to that".

FCB,

RAQUEL PLANAS

 

[Classik]

Barça – Real Sociedad: Match Stats

02-05-2012 12:22

Thiago made his 50th first team appearance against Real Sociedad. Here are a few more statsfrom this weekend’s win

- Thiago Alcántara has now made 50 senior appearances. 31 in La Liga, 5 in the Champions League, 10 in the Cup, 2 in the Spanish Super Cup and 2 in the World Club Cup.
- He's scored a total of 7 goals, (4 in the league and 3 in the Cup).
- He had the best pass completion rate against Real Sociedad: 89/98
- Barça broke a run of three consecutive draws
- The match showcased a lot of home-grown talent, with Barça starting with 8 players from the academy and Real 9.
- Real Sociedad have not won in the Camp Nou for 21 years.
- Barça had 70% of the possession and more than trebled the number of passes made by Real - 713 to 227.
- Barça produced 18 attempts on goal compared to Real's 8.
- Mascherano (19) and Adriano (15) topped the ball recovery rankings.

FCB,

Jordi Clos

 

[Classik]

A tough week ahead

WWW.FCBARCELONA.CAT 02-05-2012 17:25

This week Barça faces the second leg of the Cup semi-final against Valencia plus a trip to Pamplona to take on Osasuna in La Liga

Training session / PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB

The players return to training on Monday after Saturday's defeat of Real Sociedad . They will befocussing on Wednesday's clash against Valenciain the Camp Nou . Then, hot on the heels of the Cup semi-final second leg comes a tricky away game in the Reyno de Navarra against Osasuna . Then it's just three days to the Champions League encounter away to Bayer Leverkusen .


The first training session of the week will be at 11 am on Monday followed by a press conference with Javier Mascherano . An extra highlight of the day will be a chance for the players to test drive a new Audi Q3 on an off-road track at the Club's sports complex.


Tuesday afternoon session
On Tuesday the players will train at 6 pm. Pep Guardiola will then talk to reporters ahead of Wednesday's Cup match (kick-off Wednesday 9 pm). The last training session before the match will be held behind closed doors on Wednesday morning at 11.30. The players will have lunch together and then go their separate ways until reporting back to the stadium at 7.15 pm.

Regardless of what happens against Valencia , the players will report for training again at noon on Thursday and 11 am on Friday. The Barça party are due to travel to Pamplona on Saturday morning. On Sunday they will be back in Barcelona preparing for Tuesday's game away to Bayer Leverkusen .

FCB

 

[Classik]

Rosell: “Nominations like this motivate us to keep on workingâ€


WWW.FCBARCELONA.CAT 02-05-2012 23:00

The FC Barcelona president will attend the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards this Monday, Feb. 6. Barça has been nominated for three prizes

“The nominations will help us keep on working and thinking about how to keep up this level in the future,†said Sandro Rosell

"The nominations of Abidal, Messi and the Club is an honour, and it will help us keep on workingand thinking about how to keep up this level in the future"

“Barça’s message has reached everywhere, especially because of the team, the manager, how they play, and their athletic accomplishments"

Sandro Rosell will travel to London on February 6th to attend the Laureus World Sports Awards gala. The president is very proud of the Club’s three nominations and he highlights the importance of these awards as an incentive “to keep on applying ourselves and maintain this level [of excellency] in the coming years.â€

Abidal, Messi and the Club could receive awards in tomorrow’s ceremony. “Abidal for overcoming a personal health issue; Messi, because he’s the best in the world, I think that’s indisputable and the whole world recognises it, and the Club because of the institution it represents,†said theBarça president. He added: “the nominations of Abidal, Messi and the Club is an honour, and it will help us keep on working and thinking abouthow to keep up this level in the future.†The FC Barcelona president said, “it’s very hard to achieve things in life, but it’s harder still to maintain that level [of excellence].â€


“Barça has reached the whole worldâ€
Barça’s three nominations are a recognition of the Club’s philosophy that has spread worldwide: “ Barça’s message has reached everywhere, especially because of the team, the manager, how they play, and their athletic accomplishments. But also how everything was won,†said the president. Sandro Rosell highlighted that “the Club has invested in La Masia for 30 years, and thanks to that, homegrown players are coming up [to the first team]. They all learn together, they are brothers,they are friends, they grow up together, and they mature with the values that are taught at home.†Along these lines, he said “this transmits [to the rest of the world], and people from outside see it and it sticks.â€

The president is very pleased with the nominations and the international recognition the Club is receiving, he highlighted, however, that his hope is that the Club’s message reaches children: “I want the Club to be the most appreciated and loved by the children of the world.â€


Travel itinerary
Sandro Rosell will depart from El Prat airport in Barcelona accompanied by the Institutional Vice-President Carles Vilarrubí at 10.00. Betweenfive and six in the afternoon, the president will attend the Laureus Sports for Good reception hosted by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron. The reception will gather the best athletic talents to celebrate the power of sport in the run up to the London Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in 2012.

The Laureus World Sports Awards gala will start at 19.30, it is scheduled to end two hours later. The president will return to Barcelona on Tuesday, February 7, in a private jet that will leave London at 11.05.
*All times given are GMT

FCB

 

[Classik]

Pedro and Iniesta do part of training with squad


www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-06-2012 11:51

Both players are still recovering from injury but were able to join their colleagues for some of today’s session

Sergio Busquets, who injured his right knee in the game against Real Sociedad, also did recovery work

Leo Messi worked out individually in the gym

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB


The first team was back training today as they prepare for the Copa del Rey semi final on Wednesday at the Camp Nou versus Valencia . This was a full session despite being the first since taking on and beating Real Sociedad on Saturday. The good news was that both Pedro and Iniesta were on the pitch. Both are recovering from their respective injuries, but were able to participate in some of the group exercises.


Sergio Busquets is also recovering from the deepcut in his right knee he suffered in the last game and which required stitches. Leo Messi was also missing, for he was doing specific work in the gym.


Seven reserve players
Pep Guardiola also called upon seven players from FC Barcelona B, namely Dos Santos , Tello and Sergi Roberto , who were in the squad for the Real Sociedad game, plus Bartra , Muniesa , Montoya and Gerard Deulofeu.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Mascherano: “We can’t depend on the result we got at Mestallaâ€


02-06-2012 15:22

The Argentinian is aware that the 1-1 draw at Mestalla has settled nothing, because “in the cupyou can score at any time and a tie that looks won can suddenly changeâ€


Mascherano also spoke of the importance of maintaining the same attitude that they show game after game

Mascherano/ PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

[highlight]Welcome visit from INAC KOBE
The Japanese team featuring 2011 Ballon d'Or winner Homare Sawa, as well as the FC Barcelona ladies, came to the training session this morning at the Ciutat Esportiva. Mascherano was pleased about that, saying "we like people to come and watch us train, not just from Japan but all around the world, it's nice. It is good to know people are watching us in so many places. We will try to keep this up so that people can carry on admiring this team."[/highlight]

"Puyol and Piqué complement each other perfectly ... It's as if they had played together all their lives."

Javier Mascherano has no doubt that Wednesday's game, the Copa del Rey semi final second leg at the Camp Nou against Valencia , will not be easy, even though they have a slight advantage after drawing 1-1 away. "We know it'll be a difficult game and that we can't dependon the result we got at Mestalla. In the cup you can score at any time and a tie that looks won can suddenly change."


Wide open
The Barça player feels the semi final is still wide open, and with the team level on aggregate"people are a lot more cautious" than they were before the second leg against Real Madrid , when "everybody was sure we had already qualified ... We knew that Madrid would fight, would throw everything at us, and the same will happen with Valencia, who want to reach the final as much as we do ... We are going to have to maintain the same attitude".

Turning to their league campaign, the South American said "if Madrid win everything they have to win, we'll applaud them and congratulate them as a fair champion. We have to do our job, and then just hope that they drop points along the way. That will be revealed at the end of the season. We can't just think it's all over ... But seven points is a big difference, so there is no room for error." But Mascherano insists that "we'll fight to the end. We have to win our games and hope Madrid stumble, but it'llbe difficult."


Puyol and Piqué, best in the world
The Barça star also spoke about the partnership between Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué , calling them "the best centre back pairing in the world... Both of them are doing well. Puyol has been impeccable in recent matches and Gerard is a great player too. They complement each other perfectly ... It's as if they had played together all their lives."

Finally, Mascherano commented on his compatriot Leo Messi : "He scored the other day and he looks fine to me. The coach decides how much he needs to play. He helps us a lot. For the matter of rest, we have physios and a coach whotake charge of that. He is a player who prefers playing to training. Every physique is different. Ifhe plays every match it's because he's in the condition to do so."


FCB,

VANESSA FORNS

 

[Classik]

Off-road drivers for a day

www.fcbarcelona.cat
Piqué, Cesc, Puyol, Cuenca, Thiago and Adriano were the six first-team players that got behind the new Audi Q3 wheel after training at the Ciutat Esportiva

Adriano in the driver seat / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB


Once the team completed their first training session of the week, six FC Barcelona first-team players tested their driving skills behind the wheel of the new Audi Q3 on an off-road course at the Ciutat Esportiva. The six Azulgrana playerswere Piqué, Cesc, Puyol, Cuenca, Thiago and Adriano .


Teams of two
The players divided up the three cars available to them, pairing up into three groups of two: Piqué and Cesc, Puyol and Cuenca, and Thiago and Adriano. The two-man teams traded off turns behind the wheel of the new Audi Q3. The footballers raced around the track for about 15 minutes.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Laureus Award tops off a year of recognition


02-07-2012 12:29

The award for the best sports team of 2011 is the latest in a long list of awards won by FC Barcelona and its players in yet another fantastic year

It is only the second time that a soccer club has won the Laureus Award for the team of the year

[highlight]Laureus World Team of the Year
Plenty of individual titles
Barça have a great team, but also some truly outstanding individuals, and in recent years it has become a common sight to see them collecting trophies. Messi recently won his third Ballon d'Or in Zurich , where five FCB players, Piqué, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and Alves . were in the All Star XI , while Guardiola was named best manager. UEFA also made the Argentinian the best player in Europe at their ceremony in Monaco last August. In the domestic league, the LFP presented awards to all of Valdés, Abidal, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and Guardiola , while Valdés also won the Zamora Award for the best goalkeeper for the fourth time.[/highlight]

Els Laureus han volgut distingir el Barça després de guanyar durant el 2011 la Lliga, la Lliga de Campions, les Supercopes d'Espanya i Europa i el Mundial de Clubs
FC Barcelona was one of the big winners at the Laureus Awards ceremony last night in London. President Sandro Rosell collected the award for the best sports team of 2011 . This was yet another honour bestowed on Barça in recognition for their amazing football and collection of major trophies, including the third consecutive Liga title and the Champions Leagueat Wembley , not to mention both the Spanish and European Supercups and the Clubs World Cup in Japan . FC Barcelona therefore become only the second soccer team to collect the awardafter Manchester United back in 2000 . The award is more traditionally given to national, Olympic or Formula One teams.

Best in the world
FC Barcelona have won all kinds of honours in recent times. The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IHFFS) named Guardiola's side the best of 2011 with 367 points . Leo Messi was also named top goalscorer, Xavi best playmaker and Guardiola the best coach.


Press distinctions
The global press has also been honouring Barça. Following the victory at the World Clubs Cup in Japan, the International Sports Press Association(AIPS) named FC Barcelona the top team of 2011 , and also gave the club the fair play trophy.

But more local associations have also been honouring Barça. At the 'Festa de l'Esport Català' (Catalan Sports Fiesta), organized by the Unión de Federaciones Deportivas Catalanas (UFEC) and the newspaper ' Sport ', the world champions were named best men's sports team of 2011 , where Víctor Valdés also collected a prize for the best Catalan sportsperson. And at the 'Mundo Deportivo' gala, Carles Puyol collected the Fair Play award and David Villa took the Extraordinary Award.

FCB,

Anna Segura

 

[Classik]

Emery yet to get better of Barça


02-07-2012 12:27

On the four occasions that he has come to the stadium, the first as manager of Almeria and the other three with Valencia, Unai Emery has always lost

The goalscoring in these games is very much in favour of the Catalans, who have scored eleven goals and conceded just one

Guardiola and Emery / PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB

Unai Emery doesn't have a lot of luck against Barça . Whether managing Almeria or Valencia , the coach has never won in ten attempts, with five wins and five draws. His teams have scored 8 goals in this time, while letting in nineteen.

Not only has he never beaten Barcelona, but he has lost every time he has come to the Camp Nou , where he'll be back on Wednesday for the Copadel Rey semi final. He first came here back in 2007/08, when he was in charge of Almeria. He lost then, and then lost three more times as manager of Valencia – all of which were league games.

Goals for Messi
When Unai Emery came to the Camp Nou in 2007/08 his Almeria side lost 2-0 to goals from Henry and Messi . From the 2008-09 season onwards, it was as Valencia coach that Emery came to Barcelona, losing on his first visit by a heavy 4-0 thanks to a hat trick from an inspired Thierry Henry and another from Dani Alves .

Nothing changed the two seasons after that. In 2009/10 his side was the victim of another hat trick, this time from Messi (3-0) . In 2010/11 , Valencia actually took an early lead through Pablo Hernández . But Josep Guardiola 's side managed to turn the game around with goals from Iniesta and Carles Puyol (2-1) . In games at the Camp Nou , therefore, the goals have very much been in favour of the home side, who havehit the target 11 times and conceded just one.

FCB,

VANESSA FORNS

 

[Classik]

Centenary poster, a “magnificent†Tàpies


This was the definition by art critic and historianDaniel Giralt-Miracle of Tàpies work presented in February 1998 to commemorate the FC Barcelona Centenary

Presentació del cartell del Centenari del FC Barcelona

On February 17, 1998 , Antoni Tàpies ’ work to commemorate the Barça Centenary was officially presented at the Club Museum . The event was attended by the president of FC Barcelona , Josep Lluís Núñez , and several dignitaries from Catalan society, led by the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Jordi Pujol . Former presidents Enric Llaudet and Agustí Montal were also present.

During the presentation, art critic and historian Daniel Giralt-Miracle described the Tàpies work by saying: “In this magnificent poster, Tàpies makes things very clear: the colours, the forms and the symbols are at the service of a single idea and work around a main concept: the capital ‘B’ for Barça, the ‘B’ of the city of Barcelona and the year of the Centenary: 1899-1999†.

The original work was on permanent show from February 22 in a special section of the FC Barcelona Museum dedicated to the Centenary, along with other creations and objects related with the celebrations, in which Tàpies ’ work was the main element. The work is now located in a section on the different Barça anniversaries, next to the posters for the celebrations of 25, 50 and 75 years.

FCB,

MANEL TOMÀS

 

[Classik]

‘More than a team’ at the Laureus Gala

www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-07-2012 16:51

The video was shown during the Laureus Gala where FC Barcelona was crowned 2011 World Team of the Year

FC Barcelona - 'Més que un equip' als premis Laureus

Here’s a summary of the best moments of Josep Guardiola ’s Barça, Laureus World Team of the Year , during 2011. The video made its debut during yesterday’s Laureus Gala.

The recap video is accompanied by phrases that go hand in hand with Barça’s values: ‘More than a Club. More than the Camp Nou. More than beautiful football. More than a team. The team of the year.’

FCB

 

[Classik]

Spanish League Round Up Week 21


02-07-2012 16:51
Whilst the top two both won at the weekend, allthe five teams below them could only draw. Seville were unable to take advantage and get back into the top 10 and their boss Marcelino was later sacked and Malaga also dropped back with defeat at Granada

Puyol against Real Sociedad /PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ -FCB

Seville’s 1-2 defeat to Villarreal meant the end of the road for Marcelino, but the three points lifted the visitors out of the bottom three: Sporting and Racing both managed a point, whilst Zaragoza lost again and Betis dropped into the danger zone after their 1-0 defeat in Mallorca.

Madrid maintain winning ways
Real Madrid kept up their winning ways – they’ve won all six games since Barça beat them at the Bernabeu – with a 0-1 win over Getafe thanks to a first half goal from Sergio Ramos, but none of the five teams chasing Barça managed a win. Valencia will probably be happier with the point won in the goalless draw with Atletico Madrid than Levante with their 1-1 draw at home to Racing, whilst Bilbao and Espanyol shared a six goal thriller at San Mames and Osasuna took a point from their trip to Gijon.

Late Albin equaliser
An injury time strike from Juan Albin earned Espanyol a point in Bilbao after Fernando Llorente and Javi Marquez had put the Basques once two goals by Romaric and Weiss had cancelled out De Marcos’ opener for the hosts. Albin was out injured from mid-September to early January and he claimed his goal: “has given me the lift I needed. I gave it all I could and when the ball came to me a million things went through my head. I honestly thought it was going wide, but it touched the bar and went inâ€. The points leaveEspanyol level with Levante on 32 points and Bilbao and Atletico Madrid behind them on 30.


Michel takes over from Marcelino
Villarreal built on last week’s point against Barçawith a 1-2 win at the Sanchez Pijuan which proved the final straw for Seville, who gave bossMarcelino his marching orders following the defeat which leaves them six points adrift of the Champions League spots in 11th place. Despite the return of Kanoute alongside Negredo up front for Seville, Villarreal players got all three goals – Borja Valero and Camuñas at the right end and Bruno through his own net – which lifted them up to 16th place on 23 points. Michel was named new Seville boss late on Monday evening.

Point for Osasuna ahead of Barça game
Osasuna will go into next weekend’s game against Barça in 9th place on 23 points following their 1-1 draw against Sporting in Gijon, but theirCatalan defender Marc Beltran is clear that next Saturday’s game will most likely be a tougher affair: “Barça are probably the best team in the world right now, All their players are spectacular and they can cause you problems all over the pitchâ€. The point didn’t do Sporting, under new boss Iñaki Tejado, much good, with Racing and Villarreal also getting positive results to leave the Gijon outfit next to bottom and four points off safety.


Gloom deepens for Zaragoza
Zaragoza’s gloom deepened with a 1-2 defeat athome to Rayo, with Diego Costa and Michu wiping out a first half opener from Postiga and leaving their hosts 10 points adrift of the third from bottom team and in serious trouble. Real Sociedad’s defeat at the Camp Nou leaves them just two points above the relegation places, whilst Betis are a point below them after a great goal from a free kick by Castro gave Mallorca a 1-0 win in a game which Betis also had two players - Ramis and Casedesus - sent off. Granada moved to 14th with Abel’s second win in charge – a 2-1 victory over Malaga on Monday night, in which the visitors lost Demichellis to a red card late on.

FCB,

Nick Bedson

 

[Classik]

Zola: “The majority admire Barçaâ€


www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-07-2012 18:47

The ex-player and now manager Gianfranco Zola considers that Barça plays “exceptional football.†Despite the difficulty of winning two Champions League titles in a row that “if anyonecan do it, they canâ€

Gianfranco Zola. Image: Barça TV
The Juvenil A training session had a very special visitor today, the ex-footballer Gianfranco Zola . The Italian, who is in training to become a manager, praised Barça’s play: “I believe the same thing that everyone else does, they play spectacular football, very pretty to see.†According to Zola, “the majority of supporters admire Barcelona because of their fantastic football and for the type of players they have.â€


The big challenge
Zola talked about Barça’s chances winning the Champions League two seasons in a row, a feat that no team has been able to accomplish since the new Champions League format was implemented: “it’s a big challenge because it’s not easy to win the Champions League, even more so for a team like Barça, having won so much. However, if anyone can do it, they can.â€

Zola highlighted Barça’s 13 out of 16 titles under Guardiola and said, “for a professional athlete it’s not normal to enjoy so much consistency. Thisis exceptional.†He added: “I’m confident tha Guardiola is one of the best managers of the world.â€

FCB

 

[Classik]

Thuram advocates for respect and tolerance

www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-07-2012 19:33

The Frenchman gave a talk on respect to more than 200 youngsters for FC Barcelona Foundation’s ‘We are what we respect’ campaign

“The colour of skin does no determine the defects or the virtues of individuals,†he said

Lilian Thuram, en la xerrada 'Som el que respectem'. FOTO: ÀLEX CAPARRÓS-FCB.

The ex-FC Barcelona player Lilian Thuram is in Barcelona this Tuesday, Feb. 7th, to collaborate on the FC Barcelona Foundation’s ‘We are what we do, we are what we respect’ campaign. The initiative is supported by the Generalitat of Catalonia’s Department of Social Good.

During the day, the ex-Barça player participated in a series of lectures and workshops with the goal of offering up ways to foment respect and sensitize the public on the importance of this value as a means of living in community with other people.

Talks and discussions
This afternoon, in the Roma Room at the Camp Nou, Thuram gave a talk on respect and tolerance to more than 200 youngsters, all of whom are involved with social cohesion programmes led by the Department of Social Good. The ex-player explained to the youngsters,in an entertaining and down-to-earth way, methods to deconstruct racist behaviours that are present in today’s society.


“Racism is an intellectual and political construct. The colour of skin does not determine the defects or virtues of an individual.†The French world champion went on to say: “football is an international language that helps us live together.†After the talk the floor was open to general discussion, where everyone was invited to share their opinions.


The Generalitat of Catalonia’s Department of Social Good and Family councillor, Josep Lluís Cleries, and the first vice-president of the FC Barcelona Foundation, Ramon Pont, were also present.


Visit to La Masia
This morning, Thuram participated in a talk at the Catalan Women’s Institute with members of the Plataforma Unitaria against Gender Violence and Tamaia. This afternoon, he visited the Joan Slavador Gavina centre. The centre, which is located in the Raval neighborhood, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for infants, children and families. Finally, Thuram visited theMasia to share his experiences in regards to tolerance on the football pitch with the young footballers this evening.


Campaign to foment respect and tolerance
‘We are what we do, we are what we respect’ is a campaign started by the FC Barcelona Foundation. The objective is to increase respect, tolerance and coexistence, especially in younger persons, from an athletic, specifically football, standpoint.

The project boasts various audio visual aids that can be found on the campaign’s official website ( www.somelquefem.cat ), among them are 10 suggestions on how to respect opponents on the football pitch.

The ‘we are what we do, we are what we respect’ campaign was one of the centerpiecesatthe Salon of Infancia of Barcelona from Dec. 27 2011 through Jan. 4th 2012. Cesc, Thiago and Fontas visited the Foundation’s stand and playeda bit of football with the attending children. At the end of January, the ‘we are what we respect’campaign was at the Office of Formation and Employment of Girona and at the start of February it made its debut at the Palau Blaugrana, coinciding with the Barça Regal-Zalgiris Kaunas basketball match.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Barça to play in their 36th Cup final


www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-08-2012 22:58

For Guardiola this will be his 12th final on the Barça bench: up until now he has won 10 and lost only 1 championship match

The first of his 13 titles as manager was the King’s Cup on 2009

Puyol, després de classificar-se per a la final de Copa del Rei / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

FC Barcelona will have a chance to add another Cup title to its trophy cabinet. Barça managed to knock Valencia out of the competition and qualify for its 36th Cup final. The Catalans will face off against Athletic Club, the team with the second most Cup trophies. The final will be a repeat match of the 2009 championship game, where the team claimed the first of their 13 titles under Guardiola by beating the Basque side 1-4.


Three finals in four years
The Club has won 25 of the 35 finals it has played. The first Cup title was won in 1910 and the last one in 2009, in Mestalla. The team, however, also played the Cup championship match last year, where it lost 0-1 to Real Madrid in overtime. This will be the third Cup final in four years under Guardiola’s tutelage.


12th final for Guardiola
For Guardiola this will be his 12th final since he took charge of FC Barcelona. His record is almost perfect with 10 wins (Cup, Champions Leagues, Spanish and European Super Cups and Club World Cups) and only one loss (Cup, 2011). In total, the Barça manager has won 13 out of 16 titles.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Guardiola has led his team to a dozen finals

02-08-2012 23:07

In the three and a half years in charge of the Barça bench, Pep Guardiola has led his team to 12 finals


The King’s Cup final will be Barça’s fourth championship match in 2011/12. The team previously played and won the Spanish and European Super Cups and the Club World Cup
Counting the semifinal tie against Valencia in the King’s Cup, Pep Guadiola’s man have won a total of 24 knock-out ties out of 26.

Barça, celebrating their European Super Cup win in 2011. PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB


Guardiola's 11 finals

2008/09
King's Cup
Athletic Club – FCB (1-4)
Champions League
FCB – Manchester Utd. (2-0)

2009/10
Spanish Super Cup
Athletic - FCB (1-2)
FCB - Athletic (3-0)European Super Cup
Barça – Shakhtar (1-0)
Club World Cup
FCB – Estudiantes (2-1)

2010/11
Spanish Super Cup
Seville – FCB (3-1)
FCB – Seville (4-0)
King's Cup
FCB – Madrid (0-1)
Champions League
FCB – Manchester Utd. (3-1)

2011/12
Spanish Super Cup
Madrid – FCB (2-2)
FCB – Madrid (3-2)
European Super Cup
FCB – Porto (3-0)
Club World Cup
Santos – FCB (0-4)

Barça obtained their ticket to their 12th final since Guardiola took charge of the first team after beating out Valencia in the semifinals of the King’s Cup. As was the case in 2009, Athletic Club is the other Cup finalist. That was the first final out of 11 that Guardiola has played in his three and a half years at Barça. His record isn’t bad, he’s led his team to 10 victories and only 1 defeat (against Real Madrid in the Cup last season).

This will be Guardiola’s third King’s Cup final in four years. It also happens to be the competition that Barça has played the most finals in with the manager at the helm, along with the Spanish Super Cup. With Guardiola, Barça also managed to play in two Champions League finals, two European Super Cups and two Club World Cup finals.

24 victorious ties
To get to these 12 finals, Barça has had to knock out opponents. Of the 26 ties played, they have won 24. Only Seville and Inter Milan have been able to beat Barça in a two-leg playoff. The Andalusians did it in the 2009/10 season in the King’s Cup, where they knocked out Barça in the round of 16. Inter Milan eliminated Barça in the semifinals of the Champions League.

FCB,

Anna Segura

 

[Classik]

FC Barcelona - Valencia: The insatiable Cup Kings (2-0)


02-08-2012 23:16

Guardiola’s team will play the Cup Final against Athletic Bilbao for the second time in 3 years

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB


The Cup Kings get to yet another final. FC Barcelona beat Valencia thanks to goals from Cesc and Xavi, one early on and the other late in the game, in a match that could have been all over before halftime. Such was the Barça superiority that they could only regret their lack of finesse in front of Diego Alves' goal. It was a game where both teams had chances, but Valencia finished the match with 10 players after the sending-off of Feghouli.


So, FC Barcelona end their Cup marathon brilliantly, getting into yet another Cup Final, thetwelfth under Guardiola, which will be played in May against Athletic Club Bilbao, who knocked out the Cup's surprise team, Mirandés.


Cesc strikes first
Valencia's initial threat lasted just 15 minutes. Inthose 15 minutes, they disputed possession with Barça and created some danger in Pinto's area. Then, a fabulous ball over the top from Messi to Cesc changed the game. Fabregas ran in behind Miguel and took advantage of Alves' indecision, who hesitated coming off his line, to chip him to make it 1-0, with practically Barça's first real attack.


The second goal wouldn't come
Moments later, another mistake, this time from Rami, almost cost Valencia a second time, but they survived a double effort from Messi and Cuenca. Emery's players were on the back foot after Cesc's goal. There was no sign of their earlypossession, and they were making too many passing mistakes at the back. From one of those, Cesc let them off the hook, when this time Alves was more inspired and saved well. The match was being played at breakneck pace and at the interval it was looking good for Barça.


Both goalkeepers were decisive
The first chance after the break fell to Valencia when Pinto made a brilliant double save from Alba and Aduriz. Barça woke up after that warning, and Messi had three good chances to decide the match. Alves responded to all 3 chances with flying colors.

Xavi resolves the tie
Towards the the end of the game it was all end to end stuff. Valencia tried and tried again down the left flank, and forced several corners that gave Barça a few scares. The spaces left by Valencia allowed Guardiola's players to counter attack, again and again. With a man extra after Feghouli's sending-off, Barça settled the matter. In the 80th minute, in a swift counter attack, Xavi finished off a great move by Alexis and Cesc. The Cup Final is a reality: number 36 for FC Barcelona.

FCB,

Roger Bogunyà

 

[Classik]

FCB-Athletic Club, three years later


02-08-2012 23:21
Three years after the memorable Cup final in Valencia, Catalans and Basques will once again meet in the King’s Cup final

It will be the seventh time both teams will face off against each other in the championship match of the Cup

Final of the King's Cup in 2009 / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB


Athletic Club and FC Barcelona will meet for the seventh time in the final of the King’s Cup. Barça is the team with the most Cup titles, with 25, andAthletic Club is second with 23.

The first title of the treble
It was May 13th, 2009. Barça was close to claiming the Liga crown and the team had booked a spot in the finals of the Champions League and the Cup. It was the Cup final, at Mestalla, when Barça started its historic treble bid. Athletic Club, their first final in 24 years, scored the first goal through Toquero. But Barça fought back to claim the title with fantastic football and goals from Toure, Messi, Bojan and Xavi. The Liga and the Champions League followed suit soon there after.


The worst memory
Of the six finals that Barça and Athletic Club haveplayed, the worst was in the 1984 final at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was a match to forget, because of the loss -Endika scored the winning goal- and because of the behaviour between thetwo sides after the match. It was the last match for manager Menotti and player Diego Armando Maradona as Azulgranas.


A classic
Much before 1984, however, both the teams dominated the Cup and regularly met in the final. Barça won in 1953 (2-1), 1942 (4-3), and 1920 (2-0), while Los Leones won in 1932 (0-1). In total, of the six finals played, four have been won by Barça and two by Athletic Club.

FCB,

Jordi Clos

 

[Classik]

Guardiola: “We competed more than everâ€


VANESSA FORNS 02-09-2012 00:45

The Barça manager highlights his team’s play in the tie against Valencia and he’s satisfied with having reached the third Cup final in four years

Guardiola is certain that the final against Athletic Club will be “fascinating†and “very attractive†for the spectators

Bartomeu: “We are very please to know in February that we have another finalâ€

The first vice-president said he was satisfied with Barça reaching the King’s Cup final: “the objective was to reach the final and it hasn’t been easy, because Valencia is a very tough rival.We are very please to know in February that we have another final.†Josep Maria Bartomeu publicly congratulated the coaching staff and the players “because maintaining this level of demand and motivation each game is not simple.â€

He also thanked the 69,474 spectators that watched the game in the Camp Nou despite the cold. Finally, Bartomeu is confident that Athletic Club Bilbao will be “a very complicated rival†in the final.


Visibly pleased with his team after the King’s Cupsemifinal match against Valencia , Josep Guardiola highlighted his squad’s performance both in Mestalla last Wednesday and at the Camp Nou tonight: “ in Valencia we played an extraordinary game, and today we did it again . We generated a lot of football, with an almost infinite amount of plays. Save the first minutes of each half, when we could go at them we had the game and we didn’t let it slip away.†Having reached his third Cup final in four years, the Barça manager said, “it’s a great achievement,†and, at the same time, it says “a lot about the players.â€


“When you’re tempted to doubt a player, to say that they are tired or comfortable, count to five or six and think about how some people regard this competition as the least prestigious, the onethat’s least valuable, we’ve reached the final three out of four years,†he said.

Guardiola has no doubts that this Cup final will be a “marvelous spectacle.†He added: “we’re very excited to play against Athletic . We’ve happy to have another final saved away. It’s a final with the teams that have the most titles in the competition. I believe it will be fascinating, because I haven’t seen a team that plays into space like Athletic. They will come for us, and we’ll do the same. It’ll be a beautiful final for spectators that will give prestige to the competition.â€


“Calm happinessâ€
When asked about how his team is doing after tonight’s win, the manager said: “they’re calm. Happy, knowing that they won the tie. I’d say that they are pleased, but calm, they did what they had to do.â€

After highlighting the team’s collective play, Guardiola had special words of praise for Thiago , “he had an extraordinary match, he played like a man. He audaciously played in a position that he’s not used to.†He also talked about Pinto, “hewas impeccable,†especially with his foot work. “In four years he’ll have played three finals, and that says a lot about his personality, his strength,†he added.


Keep the pressure up in La Liga until the end
Finally, Guardiola talked about his team’s situation in the Liga : “it’s normal that in La Liga we’re below a team like Real Marid . We’re in a tough situation in the competition. It’ll be very difficult to reach them. We have to force them to win it. We have put pressure on them. In the end,these players challenge themselves.â€

FCB

 

[Classik]

Cesc Fàbregas: “This is one of the best games I've played since I arrived at FC Barcelonaâ€

02-09-2012 00:48

While the team is pleased with tonight’s victory, they’re focusing on the upcoming Liga and Champions League matches


Alexis on Barça’s Cup final rival: “Guardiola and Bielsa are very similar in how they workâ€


Training session on Thursday
The first team will return to training on Thursday, Feb. 9, at noon at the Ciutat Esportiva Sant Joan Despí. Gerard Piqué will give a post-training session press conference.

Joy was pervasive in the Barça dressing room after the match against Valencia . Cesc Fàbregas ,the man that scored the first goal of the game, said: “this is one of the best games I’ve played since I came here. We too this match seriously and we proved that on the pitch. It has been a beautiful night.â€

The Barça midfielder, who has scored 15 goals this season (not counting his goal in the Gamper), talked about the post-match atmosphere in the dressing room: “we’re happy, very happy. The objective was to reach the final and we achieved that. I’m enjoying the moment.†Cesc, however, went on to talk about the team’s next challenges: “we have to put the final aside and think about the Liga and the Champions League. If we have to celebrate something, let it be at the end of the season with the most amount of titles possible.â€

Here are some of the statements made by the FC Barcelona players after the match:


Isaac Cuenca
“We’re not really aware of the fact that we are in the final of the King’s Cup, but the joy in the dressing room was evident

“I’ve always enjoyed getting to a final and this one all the more, it’s a special match, plus it’s with Barça.â€


Alexis
“We all know that Valencia is a great team and they made it difficult for us. We controlled the game and we scored our second goal.

“I always want to play. I’m never satisfied with what I do, I always want to keep on winning.
“Guardiola and Bielsa are very similar in how they work. Our opponent in the Cup final is a good team and we’ll see what happens.â€

Pinto
“We have to enjoy getting into the final but we’re aware that we still have a long way to go, we especially have a lot of games in the Liga.
“I managed t keep a clean sheet and that gives me a lot of tranquility. I did my small part for the team.â€

FCB,

ITZIAR BRAVO