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Are you taking the time to pray? Christ is the answer in times of need
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
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How are famous preachers sometimes effected by sin?
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
Wazzup with FC BARCELONA?!! (News)
- Thread starter Classik
- Start date
Classik
Member
Barça v Valencia, in statistics
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 11:12
FC Barcelona’s qualification for their fourth final of the season has thrown up some fascinating pieces of trivia, the best of which we present here
L'equip continua fent història / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
- After beating Valencia, Barça have won 24 of the 26 knockout ties of the Guardiola era . Only Sevilla in the cup and Inter in the Champions League have ever managed to put Barcelona out.
- Of the five games that Unai Emery has managed at the Camp Nou, he has lost the lot, with his teams scoring just one goal and conceding 13
- Whenever Barça have beaten Valencia in the semi finals of the Copa del Rey , they have gone on to lift the title
- This will be the fourth final of the season , afterFCB already won the Spanish and European Supercups and the Clubs World Cup
- This will be the twelfth final of the Guardiola era and the third Copa del Rey final in four seasons
- For both Barça and Athletic Bilbao this will their 36th final appearance . Barça have won 25 and the Basques 23. In direct confrontations, Barça have won 4 to Bilbao's two
- This is the highest scoring cup run of the Guardiola era, already one better than the 22 goals scored in the 2010/11 campaign
- After scoring on Wednesday, Xavi has equalled his personal best of 10 goals in a season.
- The other scorer, Cesc Fà bregas , is the top Barça scorer in the cup this season with three
- Guardiola is the third Barcelona manager to guide the team to three Copa del Rey finals, following on from Greenwell and Daucik , who made it into four
- Only two managers have made it to the cup final on three different occasions in the last twenty years: VÃctor Fernández and Pep Guardiola
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 11:12
FC Barcelona’s qualification for their fourth final of the season has thrown up some fascinating pieces of trivia, the best of which we present here
L'equip continua fent història / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
- After beating Valencia, Barça have won 24 of the 26 knockout ties of the Guardiola era . Only Sevilla in the cup and Inter in the Champions League have ever managed to put Barcelona out.
- Of the five games that Unai Emery has managed at the Camp Nou, he has lost the lot, with his teams scoring just one goal and conceding 13
- Whenever Barça have beaten Valencia in the semi finals of the Copa del Rey , they have gone on to lift the title
- This will be the fourth final of the season , afterFCB already won the Spanish and European Supercups and the Clubs World Cup
- This will be the twelfth final of the Guardiola era and the third Copa del Rey final in four seasons
- For both Barça and Athletic Bilbao this will their 36th final appearance . Barça have won 25 and the Basques 23. In direct confrontations, Barça have won 4 to Bilbao's two
- This is the highest scoring cup run of the Guardiola era, already one better than the 22 goals scored in the 2010/11 campaign
- After scoring on Wednesday, Xavi has equalled his personal best of 10 goals in a season.
- The other scorer, Cesc Fà bregas , is the top Barça scorer in the cup this season with three
- Guardiola is the third Barcelona manager to guide the team to three Copa del Rey finals, following on from Greenwell and Daucik , who made it into four
- Only two managers have made it to the cup final on three different occasions in the last twenty years: VÃctor Fernández and Pep Guardiola
FCB
Classik
Member
Xavi: “This is a moment to savourâ€
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 11:18
The midfielder told Barça TV that the team is enjoying fine form and that they should be judged fairly on merit
After their brilliant qualification for the final of the Copa del Rey, Xavi Hernà ndez appeared on the 'El Marcador' show on Barça TV to speak about his team's achievement. "We are very happy to be in the final. We have got through some tough ties and deserve to be here, we believe we were superior to all our opponents and dealt with things well ... The whole squad has celebrated. We are enjoying fine form and sometimes don't appreciate what we have. This is a moment to enjoy".
Back to La Liga
The cup now on hold for a while, it's time for attention to turn back to the league, and Xavi feels that reaching the final "is a turning point, itwill be good for us to carry on competing. We know the league is going to be difficult, but we'll keep fighting". Barça are seven points adrift of Real Madrid, and Xavi knows "they won't make it easy for us."
Xavi for time
Xavi Hernà ndez may have been suffering with calf trouble recently, but insists that he'll still be around for some time. "People are already talking about my retirement, but I'm enjoying myself, and as long as injuries are kind to me, I'll be here for much longer. It all depends on how I feel physically".
He also spoke about fellow veteran Carles Puyol,who he says "sets an example for us all with the way he works and encourages the team. We are lucky to have him as a team mate". As for the renewal of Pep Guardiola's contract, Xavi said"he's giving nothing away, but he is a massive Barça man and he couldn't be better anywhere other than here".
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 11:18
The midfielder told Barça TV that the team is enjoying fine form and that they should be judged fairly on merit
After their brilliant qualification for the final of the Copa del Rey, Xavi Hernà ndez appeared on the 'El Marcador' show on Barça TV to speak about his team's achievement. "We are very happy to be in the final. We have got through some tough ties and deserve to be here, we believe we were superior to all our opponents and dealt with things well ... The whole squad has celebrated. We are enjoying fine form and sometimes don't appreciate what we have. This is a moment to enjoy".
Back to La Liga
The cup now on hold for a while, it's time for attention to turn back to the league, and Xavi feels that reaching the final "is a turning point, itwill be good for us to carry on competing. We know the league is going to be difficult, but we'll keep fighting". Barça are seven points adrift of Real Madrid, and Xavi knows "they won't make it easy for us."
Xavi for time
Xavi Hernà ndez may have been suffering with calf trouble recently, but insists that he'll still be around for some time. "People are already talking about my retirement, but I'm enjoying myself, and as long as injuries are kind to me, I'll be here for much longer. It all depends on how I feel physically".
He also spoke about fellow veteran Carles Puyol,who he says "sets an example for us all with the way he works and encourages the team. We are lucky to have him as a team mate". As for the renewal of Pep Guardiola's contract, Xavi said"he's giving nothing away, but he is a massive Barça man and he couldn't be better anywhere other than here".
FCB
Classik
Member
The world's best team with the Laureus trophy
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 13:02
FC Barcelona’s first-team players posed with the Laureus trophy, the award distinguishes them as the world’s best team in 2011. The Laureus Academy awarded the accolade to Barça on Monday
The first team with the Laureus / PHOTO: MIGUELRUIZ - FCB
Before today’s training session, Barça’s first team posed with the Laureus trophy , the award that distinguishes them as the world’s best teamin 2011. The ex-cyclist Miguel Indurain , member of the Laureus Academy , presented the trophy to the first team.
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 13:02
FC Barcelona’s first-team players posed with the Laureus trophy, the award distinguishes them as the world’s best team in 2011. The Laureus Academy awarded the accolade to Barça on Monday
The first team with the Laureus / PHOTO: MIGUELRUIZ - FCB
Before today’s training session, Barça’s first team posed with the Laureus trophy , the award that distinguishes them as the world’s best teamin 2011. The ex-cyclist Miguel Indurain , member of the Laureus Academy , presented the trophy to the first team.
FCB
Classik
Member
Recovery exercises for the finalists
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 13:16
The players that started against Valencia plus Busquets have done recovery exercises in Thursday’s midday training session
Also involved were Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Espinosa, Lobato and Masip of the B team
L'equip s'ha exercitat aquest dijous al migdia / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
The Copa del Rey finalists got back to work on Thursday at midday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The first eleven against Valencia and Sergio Busquets worked behind closed doors, with the focus being on recuperation from the previous night’s exertions. The others, who included reserve team members Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Espinosa, Lobato and Masip trained as normal.
The session was watched by former cycling great Miguel Indurain, who is a member of the Laureus Academy, and former Italian international Gianfranco Zola.
Thoughts of the cup can be put aside for some time, and attention now returns to the league and the forthcoming trip to Osasuna on Saturday.The team will train again on Friday morning.
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 13:16
The players that started against Valencia plus Busquets have done recovery exercises in Thursday’s midday training session
Also involved were Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Espinosa, Lobato and Masip of the B team
L'equip s'ha exercitat aquest dijous al migdia / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
The Copa del Rey finalists got back to work on Thursday at midday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The first eleven against Valencia and Sergio Busquets worked behind closed doors, with the focus being on recuperation from the previous night’s exertions. The others, who included reserve team members Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Espinosa, Lobato and Masip trained as normal.
The session was watched by former cycling great Miguel Indurain, who is a member of the Laureus Academy, and former Italian international Gianfranco Zola.
Thoughts of the cup can be put aside for some time, and attention now returns to the league and the forthcoming trip to Osasuna on Saturday.The team will train again on Friday morning.
FCB
Classik
Member
Piqué: “Count on us at the end of the seasonâ€
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 15:06
Gerard Piqué says that the team is where they want to be and that they will continue fighting for the Liga. “We’ll give it our all. Other teams will have to win, perhaps the competition will prove a bit too long for themâ€
On the Cup final: “the best thing is being able to play the final and we’ve won the right to play it. the Federation will make the final decision on the venue and we’ll go with enthusiasm.â€
Gerard Piqué in the press room / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB
Guardiola, Cesc and Alexis
Gerard Piqué talk about Guardiola ’s future: “I think he’s more motivated now than he was the first year ... since he arrived the team hasn’t stopped growing. A lot of titles have been won and a lot of youngsters have come up from the reserve side, they’re an asset to the Club.†On theteam’s two most recent signings this year, Piqué was clear: “ Cesc and Alexis are vital. They are very important and without them I’m sure we wouldn’t be where we are now.â€
Gerard Piqué was upbeat when he talked to the press after the team’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva : “If someone told me we’d be here at the beginning of the season, I’d sign on the dotted line. We’ve won the three competitions we’ve played in, we have a fourth final secured, we’re alive in the Liga and we’re about to play in the last 16 in the Champions League . We give it our all every weekend and that’s the most important thing. Count on us at the end of the season ... There’s a lot of Liga left and we’ll give it our all. Other teams will have to win, perhaps the competition will prove a bit toolong for them. People need to have confidence in us.â€
Piqué called on his team to keep up their form ahead of this weekend’s match and he also said that there is no need for the Barça first team to prove itself: “I don’t think we have to prove ourselves. I believe that we always want to do the best job possible. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but the desire is always there. †After a very demanding January schedule, Piqué said: “the load is brutal. You have to be very strong both physically and mentally. We have all participated and we all feel important [within the team]. We feel as though the load is a bit lighter after getting into the Cup final, our schedule isn’t as demanding now.â€
The value of the Cup
The Barça defender considers that his team’s achievement of reaching the Cup final should be highly valued: “it took a lot to get there. Osasuna , Real Madrid and Valencia are all Champions League level teams, it required a lot of work to beat them. It seems as though less value is givento the Cup but our goal is to win everything. We’ve reached three finals in four years, we’ll tryto be victorious and win another title for the Club.†On the Cup final venue, “it’s not up to the players to pick the venue for the final. The best thing is being able to play it and we’ve won the right to be able to play it. The Federation will make the final decision on the venue and we’ll go with enthusiasm.â€
Piqué believes that it’s a positive thing for the team that the final won’t be played until the endof the season: “it’s a positive thing to be able to look forward to a final. We know that we’re a game away from winning a title. Moving forward, that gives us confidence and peace of mind."
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-09-2012 15:06
Gerard Piqué says that the team is where they want to be and that they will continue fighting for the Liga. “We’ll give it our all. Other teams will have to win, perhaps the competition will prove a bit too long for themâ€
On the Cup final: “the best thing is being able to play the final and we’ve won the right to play it. the Federation will make the final decision on the venue and we’ll go with enthusiasm.â€
Gerard Piqué in the press room / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB
Guardiola, Cesc and Alexis
Gerard Piqué talk about Guardiola ’s future: “I think he’s more motivated now than he was the first year ... since he arrived the team hasn’t stopped growing. A lot of titles have been won and a lot of youngsters have come up from the reserve side, they’re an asset to the Club.†On theteam’s two most recent signings this year, Piqué was clear: “ Cesc and Alexis are vital. They are very important and without them I’m sure we wouldn’t be where we are now.â€
Gerard Piqué was upbeat when he talked to the press after the team’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva : “If someone told me we’d be here at the beginning of the season, I’d sign on the dotted line. We’ve won the three competitions we’ve played in, we have a fourth final secured, we’re alive in the Liga and we’re about to play in the last 16 in the Champions League . We give it our all every weekend and that’s the most important thing. Count on us at the end of the season ... There’s a lot of Liga left and we’ll give it our all. Other teams will have to win, perhaps the competition will prove a bit toolong for them. People need to have confidence in us.â€
Piqué called on his team to keep up their form ahead of this weekend’s match and he also said that there is no need for the Barça first team to prove itself: “I don’t think we have to prove ourselves. I believe that we always want to do the best job possible. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but the desire is always there. †After a very demanding January schedule, Piqué said: “the load is brutal. You have to be very strong both physically and mentally. We have all participated and we all feel important [within the team]. We feel as though the load is a bit lighter after getting into the Cup final, our schedule isn’t as demanding now.â€
The value of the Cup
The Barça defender considers that his team’s achievement of reaching the Cup final should be highly valued: “it took a lot to get there. Osasuna , Real Madrid and Valencia are all Champions League level teams, it required a lot of work to beat them. It seems as though less value is givento the Cup but our goal is to win everything. We’ve reached three finals in four years, we’ll tryto be victorious and win another title for the Club.†On the Cup final venue, “it’s not up to the players to pick the venue for the final. The best thing is being able to play it and we’ve won the right to be able to play it. The Federation will make the final decision on the venue and we’ll go with enthusiasm.â€
Piqué believes that it’s a positive thing for the team that the final won’t be played until the endof the season: “it’s a positive thing to be able to look forward to a final. We know that we’re a game away from winning a title. Moving forward, that gives us confidence and peace of mind."
FCB
Classik
Member
Osasuna looking to get winning form back
02-10-2012 09:30
MendilÃbar’s side has not won a game in 2012, but Osasuna are still only two points adrift of theEuropean places
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Without making a big song and dance about it, Osasuna have been quietly picking up points thisseason, and are currently ninth in the table with 28 points, just two shy of the Europa league berths.
Losing form
But at the start of 2012 they were riding high in fifth. Since then they have yet to win a match including some disappointing results at home in January: losing 2-0 to Racing, drawing 1-1 with Valencia and then losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid. That's just one point out of nine at home, in addition to a couple of draws on the road, 0-0 at Real Sociedad and 1-1 at Sporting.
Before this poor run at the Reyno de Navarra, thePamplona based side were unbeaten at home. However, thanks to some good results early on in the season, they are still challenging for places in the top half of the league table, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Cejudo ready to return
Osasuna were missing several key players when they faced Barça in the cup in January. On Saturday they will be closer to fielding a full strength eleven, with only Masoud and Kike Solastill sidelined, while Cejudo and Calleja have both been able to train normally this week.
On Thursday, however, there was almost no training at all for the Osasuna squad due to their Tajonar training ground being frozen. Instead, the session went ahead on an artificial pitch.
FCB,
Roger BogunyÃ
02-10-2012 09:30
MendilÃbar’s side has not won a game in 2012, but Osasuna are still only two points adrift of theEuropean places
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Without making a big song and dance about it, Osasuna have been quietly picking up points thisseason, and are currently ninth in the table with 28 points, just two shy of the Europa league berths.
Losing form
But at the start of 2012 they were riding high in fifth. Since then they have yet to win a match including some disappointing results at home in January: losing 2-0 to Racing, drawing 1-1 with Valencia and then losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid. That's just one point out of nine at home, in addition to a couple of draws on the road, 0-0 at Real Sociedad and 1-1 at Sporting.
Before this poor run at the Reyno de Navarra, thePamplona based side were unbeaten at home. However, thanks to some good results early on in the season, they are still challenging for places in the top half of the league table, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Cejudo ready to return
Osasuna were missing several key players when they faced Barça in the cup in January. On Saturday they will be closer to fielding a full strength eleven, with only Masoud and Kike Solastill sidelined, while Cejudo and Calleja have both been able to train normally this week.
On Thursday, however, there was almost no training at all for the Osasuna squad due to their Tajonar training ground being frozen. Instead, the session went ahead on an artificial pitch.
FCB,
Roger BogunyÃ
Classik
Member
Fair Play leaders in First and Second
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 12:00
Guardiola and Eusebio’s teams are top of the Fair Play charts in both the first and second divisions respectively
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Halfway through the season, FC Barcelona find themselves top of the Fair Play table in both the top divisions. Guardiola's team has 41 points (thelower the number the better in this classification), followed by Malaga (47 points) and Real Madrid (57 points), after 22 games. Theranking is based on the number of cards received in the competition. Barça currently have36 yellows and not one red, and are on course for coming top of the chart for the second seasonin a row.
The team with the highest score is Espanyol, with 100 points, followed by Getafe with 94.
Barça B on 48 points
In the second division, the team coached by Eusebio Sacristán is also flying the Barça flag for fair play. Barça B has 48 points, seven less than Tarragona (55 points) and 16 less than Deportivo and Valladolid (both on 64 points).
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 12:00
Guardiola and Eusebio’s teams are top of the Fair Play charts in both the first and second divisions respectively
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Halfway through the season, FC Barcelona find themselves top of the Fair Play table in both the top divisions. Guardiola's team has 41 points (thelower the number the better in this classification), followed by Malaga (47 points) and Real Madrid (57 points), after 22 games. Theranking is based on the number of cards received in the competition. Barça currently have36 yellows and not one red, and are on course for coming top of the chart for the second seasonin a row.
The team with the highest score is Espanyol, with 100 points, followed by Getafe with 94.
Barça B on 48 points
In the second division, the team coached by Eusebio Sacristán is also flying the Barça flag for fair play. Barça B has 48 points, seven less than Tarragona (55 points) and 16 less than Deportivo and Valladolid (both on 64 points).
FCB
Classik
Member
The Cologne supporters club awaits Barça on Tuesday
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 12:44
It has organised a Barça gathering on Tuesday at15.00 in Cologne
Members and supporters are invited to the gathering
From one bank of the Rhine to the other
Cologne and Leverkusen are bordering cities, divided only by the Rhine. It is less than 20km from city centre to city centre, so the journey takes next to no time at all. By train, it only takesabout thirty minutes to get from Heumarkt Square to the BayArena.
The Kölscher FC Barcelona Fan Club is ready for a huge celebration. The reason is the first team's visit to Leverkusen, and also its third anniversary on Monday.
And the Cologne based supporters will not be alone, for the whole city is preparing to welcome the travelling FCB fans. On the 14th it has organised a gathering of members, fans and supporters clubs to declare their love for Barça inGermany.
Close to the stadium
If Trafalgar Sq is the traditional Barça gathering place in London, Cologne (Köln) will be the spot this time, just half an hour from the BayArena. Barça fans are all invited to come and sing the club anthem at 15.00 in Heumarkt Square , from where a train can be caught to the BayArena.
At 19.00, everybody should meet at Cologne central train station and travel in the direction ofLeverkusen Mitte, the nearest station to the stadium. The journey only takes about half an hour.
It's an occasion not to be missed on an event that will be a demostration of civility and Barça supporting!
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 12:44
It has organised a Barça gathering on Tuesday at15.00 in Cologne
Members and supporters are invited to the gathering
From one bank of the Rhine to the other
Cologne and Leverkusen are bordering cities, divided only by the Rhine. It is less than 20km from city centre to city centre, so the journey takes next to no time at all. By train, it only takesabout thirty minutes to get from Heumarkt Square to the BayArena.
The Kölscher FC Barcelona Fan Club is ready for a huge celebration. The reason is the first team's visit to Leverkusen, and also its third anniversary on Monday.
And the Cologne based supporters will not be alone, for the whole city is preparing to welcome the travelling FCB fans. On the 14th it has organised a gathering of members, fans and supporters clubs to declare their love for Barça inGermany.
Close to the stadium
If Trafalgar Sq is the traditional Barça gathering place in London, Cologne (Köln) will be the spot this time, just half an hour from the BayArena. Barça fans are all invited to come and sing the club anthem at 15.00 in Heumarkt Square , from where a train can be caught to the BayArena.
At 19.00, everybody should meet at Cologne central train station and travel in the direction ofLeverkusen Mitte, the nearest station to the stadium. The journey only takes about half an hour.
It's an occasion not to be missed on an event that will be a demostration of civility and Barça supporting!
FCB
Classik
Member
Barça used to winning after reaching cup final
02-10-2012 13:08
Both times that Josep Guardiola has led his team into the Copa del Rey final, they have won their next league fixture
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Qualifying for the cup final seems to inspire Barcelona to victory in the league too. That happened in the 2008/09 season and also a yearago, which bodes well for this weekend's trip to Osasuna.
1-1 in Mallorca... and 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao
The first cup final qualification of the Guardiola era came on March 4, 2009. That day, Pinto was the hero in Mallorca when his late penalty save meant FC Barcelona were off to the final in Valencia. Three days after that emotional semi final, Barça beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at the Camp Nou in a Liga fixture, with goals scored by Busquets and Messi.
3-0 in Almeria... and 3-0 against Atlético Madrid
Two years later, on February 2, 2011, FC Barcelona once again qualified for the cup final. This time their semi final victim was Almeria, who they beat 3-0 after already having done most of the work in the first leg, where they won5-0 at the Camp Nou. Like in 2009, the team responded with a league win three days later when they entertained Atlético Madrid at the Camp Nou. A hat-trick from Messi decided a 3-0 win against the mattress-makers.
2-0 against Valencia... and in Pamplona?
On Saturday, three days after beating Valencia 2-0 in the semi final second leg, Barça will be hoping history can repeat itself. The circumstances are not quite the same, because this time the cup match was played at the Camp Nou and the league match will be away from home. But despite these two small differences, the challenge is just the same.
FCB,
Roger BogunyÃ
02-10-2012 13:08
Both times that Josep Guardiola has led his team into the Copa del Rey final, they have won their next league fixture
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
Qualifying for the cup final seems to inspire Barcelona to victory in the league too. That happened in the 2008/09 season and also a yearago, which bodes well for this weekend's trip to Osasuna.
1-1 in Mallorca... and 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao
The first cup final qualification of the Guardiola era came on March 4, 2009. That day, Pinto was the hero in Mallorca when his late penalty save meant FC Barcelona were off to the final in Valencia. Three days after that emotional semi final, Barça beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at the Camp Nou in a Liga fixture, with goals scored by Busquets and Messi.
3-0 in Almeria... and 3-0 against Atlético Madrid
Two years later, on February 2, 2011, FC Barcelona once again qualified for the cup final. This time their semi final victim was Almeria, who they beat 3-0 after already having done most of the work in the first leg, where they won5-0 at the Camp Nou. Like in 2009, the team responded with a league win three days later when they entertained Atlético Madrid at the Camp Nou. A hat-trick from Messi decided a 3-0 win against the mattress-makers.
2-0 against Valencia... and in Pamplona?
On Saturday, three days after beating Valencia 2-0 in the semi final second leg, Barça will be hoping history can repeat itself. The circumstances are not quite the same, because this time the cup match was played at the Camp Nou and the league match will be away from home. But despite these two small differences, the challenge is just the same.
FCB,
Roger BogunyÃ
Classik
Member
The Azulgrana Roundup, week 3
02-10-2012 18:30
After another grueling week on the pitch, FC Barcelona, with a King's Cup final berth secured, heads off to Pamplona to face CA Osasuna in the League. Before tomorrow's match against the Rojillos, check out what people outside the Club had to say about Barça
Odd Couple by Dan Leydon
"Juego de hombres, partido de niños, en el que sus bajitos jugadores intentarán demostrar que un nuevo tÃtulo es posible. La duodécima final deuna historia que parece no tener fin" -José CarlosCarrasquet
Here are some of the best articles, videos, and opinions on FC Barcelona made this past week by journalists and fans alike. If you have suggestions for this column, please tweet them to Barça’s twitter account, make sure you tag your tweet with #FCBroundup
Fútbol. Mi Visión . José Carlos Carrasquet. Juego de niños [Child’s play] [Spanish]
“Y creo que ayer Guardiola, regresando a su niñez, y pensando en sus partidos, seguro que pensaba lo mismo. Juego de hombres, partido deniños, en el que sus bajitos jugadores intentarán demostrar que un nuevo tÃtulo es posible. La duodécima final de una historia que parece no tener fin.â€
YouTube . Graham Hunter - ]#4 Barça: The Makingof the Greatest Team in the World [Video]
Graham Hunter, author of the newly released book Barça: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World , produced a series of short videos thatprovide insight into Guardiola’s FC Barcelona team. In this video, Hunter talks about what it’s like to cover Barça as a journalist at the Camp Nou and his curious run-in with Thiago and Rafa Alcántara .
Total Barça . Ivich. Interview: designer Dan Leydon on sketching Barça
Dan Leydon , the art designer for Graham Hunter’s book, sat down with Total Barça earlier this month to talk about his artwork. Leydon told Total Barça that he started following the Catalanteam “when Rivaldo and co. played at Anfield. You just got a sense they were the real deal in terms of what a club is. There’s only a few clubs like that around.â€
YouTube . FC Barcelona. NextGen Series: FC Barcelona - Ajax[/url] [Full match]
FC Barcelona's U-19 squad faced off against theirDutch counterparts midweek to battle it out for a spot in the semfinals of the competition.
What is the NextGen Series:
“The NextGen Series is an international football tournament, where sixteen of the world’s best football clubs showcase their stars of the future in an exciting international knockout competition.†- NextGen Series
ElCentrocampista . Iain McMullen. Who is Cristian Tello? Introducing Barcelona’s latest wonderkid
“Tello is the archetypal Barcelona player. Two footed and comfortable on the ball, he also posses the air of confidence we have come to expect from graduates of their famous academy.Add to these attributes a devastating burst of pace and clinical finish, and you have a very exciting prospect indeed.â€
Twitter . Sergi Cebrián [@sergicda]. The Camp Nou pitch getting covered with a thermal blanket [Image]
The Independent . Musa Okwonga. Barcelona, Messi, and why Gil Scott Heron lied
Musa Okwonga wrote a poem commemorating Barça’s Champions League victory in Wembley. It’s not everyday that you get to read about football in verse form.
Twitter . Barça Stuff [@barcastuff]. Young Messi [Image]
FCB,
Ian MacLurg
02-10-2012 18:30
After another grueling week on the pitch, FC Barcelona, with a King's Cup final berth secured, heads off to Pamplona to face CA Osasuna in the League. Before tomorrow's match against the Rojillos, check out what people outside the Club had to say about Barça
Odd Couple by Dan Leydon
"Juego de hombres, partido de niños, en el que sus bajitos jugadores intentarán demostrar que un nuevo tÃtulo es posible. La duodécima final deuna historia que parece no tener fin" -José CarlosCarrasquet
Here are some of the best articles, videos, and opinions on FC Barcelona made this past week by journalists and fans alike. If you have suggestions for this column, please tweet them to Barça’s twitter account, make sure you tag your tweet with #FCBroundup
Fútbol. Mi Visión . José Carlos Carrasquet. Juego de niños [Child’s play] [Spanish]
“Y creo que ayer Guardiola, regresando a su niñez, y pensando en sus partidos, seguro que pensaba lo mismo. Juego de hombres, partido deniños, en el que sus bajitos jugadores intentarán demostrar que un nuevo tÃtulo es posible. La duodécima final de una historia que parece no tener fin.â€
YouTube . Graham Hunter - ]#4 Barça: The Makingof the Greatest Team in the World [Video]
Graham Hunter, author of the newly released book Barça: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World , produced a series of short videos thatprovide insight into Guardiola’s FC Barcelona team. In this video, Hunter talks about what it’s like to cover Barça as a journalist at the Camp Nou and his curious run-in with Thiago and Rafa Alcántara .
Total Barça . Ivich. Interview: designer Dan Leydon on sketching Barça
Dan Leydon , the art designer for Graham Hunter’s book, sat down with Total Barça earlier this month to talk about his artwork. Leydon told Total Barça that he started following the Catalanteam “when Rivaldo and co. played at Anfield. You just got a sense they were the real deal in terms of what a club is. There’s only a few clubs like that around.â€
YouTube . FC Barcelona. NextGen Series: FC Barcelona - Ajax[/url] [Full match]
FC Barcelona's U-19 squad faced off against theirDutch counterparts midweek to battle it out for a spot in the semfinals of the competition.
What is the NextGen Series:
“The NextGen Series is an international football tournament, where sixteen of the world’s best football clubs showcase their stars of the future in an exciting international knockout competition.†- NextGen Series
ElCentrocampista . Iain McMullen. Who is Cristian Tello? Introducing Barcelona’s latest wonderkid
“Tello is the archetypal Barcelona player. Two footed and comfortable on the ball, he also posses the air of confidence we have come to expect from graduates of their famous academy.Add to these attributes a devastating burst of pace and clinical finish, and you have a very exciting prospect indeed.â€
Twitter . Sergi Cebrián [@sergicda]. The Camp Nou pitch getting covered with a thermal blanket [Image]
The Independent . Musa Okwonga. Barcelona, Messi, and why Gil Scott Heron lied
Musa Okwonga wrote a poem commemorating Barça’s Champions League victory in Wembley. It’s not everyday that you get to read about football in verse form.
Twitter . Barça Stuff [@barcastuff]. Young Messi [Image]
FCB,
Ian MacLurg
Classik
Member
Pedro, declared fit, will travel to Pamplona
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 19:46
The Spanish winger was given the medical all-clear and will travel with the team to Pamplona to face Osasuna. Busquets, injured, was not included in the team
Pedro during Friday's training session / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Pedro RodrÃguez has recovered from the muscle strain in his left leg and he’ll travel with the team to Pamplona with 18 other FC Barcelona players included in Pep Guardiola’s squad to faceOsasuna tomorrow. On the other hand, Sergio Busquets has not recovered in time from the knee injury he picked up last weekend. The other first-team players that will not travel with the team are Villa, Afellay, Fontà s, and Keita, who is currently with the Mali national team.
The squad is made up of 16 first-team players and 3 Barça B players (Tello, Dos Santos and Sergi Roberto).
Training session with three U19 players
Barça trained this Friday afternoon at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The first team, plus Pedro, finalised preparations for tomorrow’s La Liga match. Sergio Busquets trained apart from his teammates. The group was completed by Tello, Dos Santos, Sergi Roberto and three players from the Barça B U19 side: Robert Costa, Pablo Otero and Xavi Quintillà .
Costa is a 17-year-old defender (second year U19 player) and Otero, also 17, plays in the holding midfielder and defensive midfielder positions. Quintillà , a cadete aged player (16), is a left-footed central defender, he can also play in the defensive midfielder position.
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-10-2012 19:46
The Spanish winger was given the medical all-clear and will travel with the team to Pamplona to face Osasuna. Busquets, injured, was not included in the team
Pedro during Friday's training session / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Pedro RodrÃguez has recovered from the muscle strain in his left leg and he’ll travel with the team to Pamplona with 18 other FC Barcelona players included in Pep Guardiola’s squad to faceOsasuna tomorrow. On the other hand, Sergio Busquets has not recovered in time from the knee injury he picked up last weekend. The other first-team players that will not travel with the team are Villa, Afellay, Fontà s, and Keita, who is currently with the Mali national team.
The squad is made up of 16 first-team players and 3 Barça B players (Tello, Dos Santos and Sergi Roberto).
Training session with three U19 players
Barça trained this Friday afternoon at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The first team, plus Pedro, finalised preparations for tomorrow’s La Liga match. Sergio Busquets trained apart from his teammates. The group was completed by Tello, Dos Santos, Sergi Roberto and three players from the Barça B U19 side: Robert Costa, Pablo Otero and Xavi Quintillà .
Costa is a 17-year-old defender (second year U19 player) and Otero, also 17, plays in the holding midfielder and defensive midfielder positions. Quintillà , a cadete aged player (16), is a left-footed central defender, he can also play in the defensive midfielder position.
FCB
Classik
Member
Pep's key to success: “fight, effort and beliefâ€
02-10-2012 20:02
The FC Barcelona manager talked about what his men need to overcome the “extreme situation†in La Liga that the team finds itself in
According to Guardiola, the game at the Reyno de Navarra “is one of the hardest tests we have left this seasonâ€
Pep Guardiola. PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ (FCB).
Cup final venue
When asked about the possibility of the Camp Nou hosting the Cup final, Guardiola said: “I understand that the most logical thing [in this situation] is to have the final in a neutral stadium. I wouldn’t like to play in San Mamés, because it would be an advantage for them. The Federation will decide.â€
"Once we reached our goal [Cup final], the teamtrained well, what I say made me optimisticâ€
"Busquets' wound and stitches need to heal correctly, if not, we run the risk of losing him for two or three weeks"
“We’re in an extreme situation, the only good result is victory. We have to move forward with afighting spirit, effort, and belief,†said Pep Guardiola ahead of the Osasuna match tomorrow. The manager said that he wouldn’t allow his players to “give up†until the end of theseason.
The trip to Navarra comes on the heels of Barça’sKing’s Cup final berth. Guardiola said that securing a place in the final is a reflection of the effort put in by the team since the beginning of the season: “when you get to a final it always reinforces you. We started with six titles; we won three, in the other [competition] we’re in the final and we have two more competitions to close out the season. We have to keep doing our work to maintain people’s faith in us.â€
Reyno de Navarra, a complicated ground
Guardiola is clear: “it’s one of the hardest tests we have left this season ... we went there a month ago to play in the Cup, and it wasn’t easy. In fact, it’s always been difficult for us in that stadium.†The manager said that he won’t be thinking about the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen when he names his starting XI in Pamplona. He also said that his team is ready to compete after a grueling January schedule: “January was a tough month, we played against great teams without much rest. Once we reached our goal [Cup final], the team trained well, what I say made me optimistic.â€
On the other hand, Guardiola talked about Sergio Busquets’ absence in the squad ahead of tomorrow’s match: “he’s not ready. The wound on his knee and stitches need to heal correctly, ifnot, we run the risk of losing him for two or three weeks. He is getting better, w’ll see how his injury evolves and if we can bring him with us to Germany.â€
FCB,
Jordi Clos
02-10-2012 20:02
The FC Barcelona manager talked about what his men need to overcome the “extreme situation†in La Liga that the team finds itself in
According to Guardiola, the game at the Reyno de Navarra “is one of the hardest tests we have left this seasonâ€
Pep Guardiola. PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ (FCB).
Cup final venue
When asked about the possibility of the Camp Nou hosting the Cup final, Guardiola said: “I understand that the most logical thing [in this situation] is to have the final in a neutral stadium. I wouldn’t like to play in San Mamés, because it would be an advantage for them. The Federation will decide.â€
"Once we reached our goal [Cup final], the teamtrained well, what I say made me optimisticâ€
"Busquets' wound and stitches need to heal correctly, if not, we run the risk of losing him for two or three weeks"
“We’re in an extreme situation, the only good result is victory. We have to move forward with afighting spirit, effort, and belief,†said Pep Guardiola ahead of the Osasuna match tomorrow. The manager said that he wouldn’t allow his players to “give up†until the end of theseason.
The trip to Navarra comes on the heels of Barça’sKing’s Cup final berth. Guardiola said that securing a place in the final is a reflection of the effort put in by the team since the beginning of the season: “when you get to a final it always reinforces you. We started with six titles; we won three, in the other [competition] we’re in the final and we have two more competitions to close out the season. We have to keep doing our work to maintain people’s faith in us.â€
Reyno de Navarra, a complicated ground
Guardiola is clear: “it’s one of the hardest tests we have left this season ... we went there a month ago to play in the Cup, and it wasn’t easy. In fact, it’s always been difficult for us in that stadium.†The manager said that he won’t be thinking about the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen when he names his starting XI in Pamplona. He also said that his team is ready to compete after a grueling January schedule: “January was a tough month, we played against great teams without much rest. Once we reached our goal [Cup final], the team trained well, what I say made me optimistic.â€
On the other hand, Guardiola talked about Sergio Busquets’ absence in the squad ahead of tomorrow’s match: “he’s not ready. The wound on his knee and stitches need to heal correctly, ifnot, we run the risk of losing him for two or three weeks. He is getting better, w’ll see how his injury evolves and if we can bring him with us to Germany.â€
FCB,
Jordi Clos
Last edited by a moderator:
Classik
Member
Spotlight on CA Osasuna
02-10-2012 22:37
Osasuna - the name means health in Basque- are the local team in Pamplona and although the city may be more famous for its bull running in San Fermines, the club –which like Barça is owned by its members - inspires fierce loyalty from its local fans
Mascherano against Osasuna / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB
HISTORY
The club was founded in 1920 and although they have only won second division titles and
a Spanish Cup runners-up title (in 2004) in their 80-year-history, they have been a top flight
team since 2000 and as well as their Cup success they also qualified for the Champions League
in 2006 and a year later reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup. Although they ended up
in the bottom half for the next few seasons, Osasuna finished 9th last year after flirting with
relegation – with new boss Jose Luis Mendilibar taking over from Jose Antonio Camacho in
February.
The late 80s saw two ex-Liverpool legends, Sammy Lee and Michael Robinson join forces at
the Sadar – as the stadium was then, and indeed to many still is, known - under Pedro Mari
Zabalza and the pair enjoyed two successful seasons at the club, including a fifth place La Liga
finish and a Cup semi-final.
FORM GUIDE
Osasuna were in fifth spot at Christmas this season, despite losing 8-0 to Barça and 7-1 to
Real Madrid, and only lost their first game at home in the Cup against Barça in January.
Their success has been mainly down to their great form at the Reyno de Navarra – with the
passionate local fans making Pamplona a tough place for any team to visit -and the team,
who lost just three times at home last season, have gone down just twice this time round.
Mendilibar has stayed true to the club’s competitive style and his current squad boasts six
home-grown players.
FOURTH GAME AGAINST BARÇA
Saturday’s will be the fourth meeting between Barça and Osasuna this season: after the
thrashing at the Camp Nou in the league, Mendilibar’s men fared somewhat better in the first
leg of the last-16 tie of the Spanish Cup, going down 4-0, before again getting beaten in the
second leg in Pamplona by two goals to one.
Ones to watch
The Iranian midfielder Javad Nekounam has already scored four goals for Osasuna this season
and his ability as both a holding midfielder and ascorer of goals from long distance has made
him a firm favourite with the Pamplona fans. The Iranian is likely to play alongside local lad
Raul Garcia , on loan from Atletico Madrid and in front of a defence with ex-Barça man Damia
Abella and fellow Catalan Marc Beltran –who was born in the same town as Carles Puyol.
FCB,
Nick Bedson
02-10-2012 22:37
Osasuna - the name means health in Basque- are the local team in Pamplona and although the city may be more famous for its bull running in San Fermines, the club –which like Barça is owned by its members - inspires fierce loyalty from its local fans
Mascherano against Osasuna / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB
HISTORY
The club was founded in 1920 and although they have only won second division titles and
a Spanish Cup runners-up title (in 2004) in their 80-year-history, they have been a top flight
team since 2000 and as well as their Cup success they also qualified for the Champions League
in 2006 and a year later reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup. Although they ended up
in the bottom half for the next few seasons, Osasuna finished 9th last year after flirting with
relegation – with new boss Jose Luis Mendilibar taking over from Jose Antonio Camacho in
February.
The late 80s saw two ex-Liverpool legends, Sammy Lee and Michael Robinson join forces at
the Sadar – as the stadium was then, and indeed to many still is, known - under Pedro Mari
Zabalza and the pair enjoyed two successful seasons at the club, including a fifth place La Liga
finish and a Cup semi-final.
FORM GUIDE
Osasuna were in fifth spot at Christmas this season, despite losing 8-0 to Barça and 7-1 to
Real Madrid, and only lost their first game at home in the Cup against Barça in January.
Their success has been mainly down to their great form at the Reyno de Navarra – with the
passionate local fans making Pamplona a tough place for any team to visit -and the team,
who lost just three times at home last season, have gone down just twice this time round.
Mendilibar has stayed true to the club’s competitive style and his current squad boasts six
home-grown players.
FOURTH GAME AGAINST BARÇA
Saturday’s will be the fourth meeting between Barça and Osasuna this season: after the
thrashing at the Camp Nou in the league, Mendilibar’s men fared somewhat better in the first
leg of the last-16 tie of the Spanish Cup, going down 4-0, before again getting beaten in the
second leg in Pamplona by two goals to one.
Ones to watch
The Iranian midfielder Javad Nekounam has already scored four goals for Osasuna this season
and his ability as both a holding midfielder and ascorer of goals from long distance has made
him a firm favourite with the Pamplona fans. The Iranian is likely to play alongside local lad
Raul Garcia , on loan from Atletico Madrid and in front of a defence with ex-Barça man Damia
Abella and fellow Catalan Marc Beltran –who was born in the same town as Carles Puyol.
FCB,
Nick Bedson
Classik
Member
Osasuna - FC Barcelona: Time to believe in the league
20.00, GolT, Canal+ Liga and R@dio Barça: Havingqualified for the cup final and just before the Champions League gets back under way, Barça’s attention turns back to the league campaign
02-11-2012 11:05
The quest to cut down the seven-point difference on the leaders continues this Saturday in freezing Pamplona. Barça have threekey matches ahead of them in the domestic championship, starting tonight at Osasuna. Valencia and Atlético Madrid will follow. The qualification for the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday was a huge boost for the team's confidence, just as their European campaign is about to recommence.
Favourable history
Where Barcelona really need to improve is in their away form, where they currently have 4 wins, 5 draws and 1 defeat in La Liga. But they have already won at the old El Sadar stadium this season. That was in the Copa del Rey, where they were 2-0 winners, having already won the first leg 4-0. It's three out of three so far for Barcelona this season against Saturday's opponents, for they also thumped the Navarrans 8-0 at the Camp Nou in their league fixture.
Fighting tiredness
But despite facing some tough opponents and gruelling journeys, Barça also need to fight against the after-effects of such a congested fixture list in January and February. The great news is that some of the missing players are finally returning. Andrés Iniesta was able to playon Wednesday night against Valencia and Pedro is about to make his comeback too.
Osasuna well placed
Meanwhile, Osasuna are sitting comfortably in ninth place. However, they have not won for fivematches. Manager José Luis Mendilibar is also close to having his full squad back, now that Lamah and Cejudo have been declared fully fit. The Basque, optimistic as ever, said in his pre-match press conference that "beating Barça is very difficult, but it can be done".
FCB,
Jordi Clos
20.00, GolT, Canal+ Liga and R@dio Barça: Havingqualified for the cup final and just before the Champions League gets back under way, Barça’s attention turns back to the league campaign
02-11-2012 11:05
The quest to cut down the seven-point difference on the leaders continues this Saturday in freezing Pamplona. Barça have threekey matches ahead of them in the domestic championship, starting tonight at Osasuna. Valencia and Atlético Madrid will follow. The qualification for the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday was a huge boost for the team's confidence, just as their European campaign is about to recommence.
Favourable history
Where Barcelona really need to improve is in their away form, where they currently have 4 wins, 5 draws and 1 defeat in La Liga. But they have already won at the old El Sadar stadium this season. That was in the Copa del Rey, where they were 2-0 winners, having already won the first leg 4-0. It's three out of three so far for Barcelona this season against Saturday's opponents, for they also thumped the Navarrans 8-0 at the Camp Nou in their league fixture.
Fighting tiredness
But despite facing some tough opponents and gruelling journeys, Barça also need to fight against the after-effects of such a congested fixture list in January and February. The great news is that some of the missing players are finally returning. Andrés Iniesta was able to playon Wednesday night against Valencia and Pedro is about to make his comeback too.
Osasuna well placed
Meanwhile, Osasuna are sitting comfortably in ninth place. However, they have not won for fivematches. Manager José Luis Mendilibar is also close to having his full squad back, now that Lamah and Cejudo have been declared fully fit. The Basque, optimistic as ever, said in his pre-match press conference that "beating Barça is very difficult, but it can be done".
FCB,
Jordi Clos
Classik
Member
Barça caught cold in Pamplona (3-2)
02-11-2012 22:45
Barça have suffered their second defeat of the season away to an Osasuna side that made the most of their chances and adapted better to the freezing conditions
FCB were two goals down at half time but in the second half looked to have equalised when Alexis’s goal was ruled offside
Decepció al camp de l'Osasuna. FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Barça are further than ever from retaining their league title after losing at the Reyno de Navarra.The visitors struggled to get into their stride in a game played on a freezing evening on a pitch in appalling condition. But Osasuna did a far better job of interpreting the situation, and went 2-0 up early on. Barça came out much stronger after the break and had Osasuna pegged back in their own half for most of what remained of the game. At moments it looked like the Catalans might be able to turn things around, but ultimately they were missing the luck they needed to get anything positive out of a frustrating game.
Deep freeze
Things couldn't have started worse from a Barça point of view, for only four minutes had passed when Osasuna went 1-0 up through Lekić, who converted a wonderful assist from Raúl GarcÃa after a delightful combination move. Barça sought an immediate reaction. Messi, from the right (where the pitch wasn't in quite such an awful state), was the first to threaten goalkeeper Andrés Fernández with a long range effort. Despite the uneven surface and Osasuna advancing their lines considerably, Barcelona still opted to play the ball from the back. But in those conditions, the passing game wasn't always going to be easy.
Osasuna extend lead
Osasuna's second goal came from a textbook play. Raúl GarcÃa, possibly in an offside position, received the ball wide and sent a pinpoint cross to Cejudo, with Lekić finishing the move with his second goal of the night. The home side had onlycome close to the Barcelona goal twice, and had managed to score both times. From then on, Barça did start managing to produce their typicalpossession football, but were making an uncharacteristically large number of unforced errors. However, Messi managed to be as threatening as ever, and could have scored with the best Barça chance of the half, but his low drive was not enough to defy an impeccable Andrés.
Potential comeback
After half time, Pep Guardiola sent on Cuenca and Tello for Puyol and Pedro, while sticking to his 4-3-3 system. And his players clearly felt that the three points could still be won. The first sign of that was a terrific Messi strike that the home keeper just managed to push over for a corner. But moments later, a much more inspired Barça finally hit the target in the 51st minute when Alexis Sánchez slammed home a sensational cross from the right by Cuenca. But for the umpteenth time in this championship, fortune was not on Barcelona's side. A defensive mix-up shortly after the restart resulted in Osasuna restoring their two-goal lead at 3-1, this time thanks to Raúl GarcÃa.
Tello generates hope
But the defending champions refused to throw in the towel. They bravely battled on in search ofthe miracle, and certainly had enough chances toget it. Guardiola threw caution to the wind by sending on Cesc for Pique, and just moments later Tello pulled one back with a beautifully struck goal. Even though Osasuna immediately responded with Puñal hitting the post, the Barcelona goal evidently knocked much of the confidence out of the Navarran side. There was still hope for Barça.
Gripping but unfortunate end
In the 78th minute, Tello was through on the goalkeeper and would have hoped to have scored, and shortly after Alexis had a goal disallowed, although it is doubtful whether Sergi Roberto's head really did touch the ball and therefore leave the Chilean in an offside position. Then , in the fourth minute of injury time, Cesc came frustratingly close to heading home a corner but Andrés was once again there to save the day for Osasuna. It was a disappointing evening in Pamplona for FC Barcelona, made all the worse when Mascherano was shown a red card for a second bookable offence after the final whistle had blown.
FCB,
Jordi Clos
02-11-2012 22:45
Barça have suffered their second defeat of the season away to an Osasuna side that made the most of their chances and adapted better to the freezing conditions
FCB were two goals down at half time but in the second half looked to have equalised when Alexis’s goal was ruled offside
Decepció al camp de l'Osasuna. FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Barça are further than ever from retaining their league title after losing at the Reyno de Navarra.The visitors struggled to get into their stride in a game played on a freezing evening on a pitch in appalling condition. But Osasuna did a far better job of interpreting the situation, and went 2-0 up early on. Barça came out much stronger after the break and had Osasuna pegged back in their own half for most of what remained of the game. At moments it looked like the Catalans might be able to turn things around, but ultimately they were missing the luck they needed to get anything positive out of a frustrating game.
Deep freeze
Things couldn't have started worse from a Barça point of view, for only four minutes had passed when Osasuna went 1-0 up through Lekić, who converted a wonderful assist from Raúl GarcÃa after a delightful combination move. Barça sought an immediate reaction. Messi, from the right (where the pitch wasn't in quite such an awful state), was the first to threaten goalkeeper Andrés Fernández with a long range effort. Despite the uneven surface and Osasuna advancing their lines considerably, Barcelona still opted to play the ball from the back. But in those conditions, the passing game wasn't always going to be easy.
Osasuna extend lead
Osasuna's second goal came from a textbook play. Raúl GarcÃa, possibly in an offside position, received the ball wide and sent a pinpoint cross to Cejudo, with Lekić finishing the move with his second goal of the night. The home side had onlycome close to the Barcelona goal twice, and had managed to score both times. From then on, Barça did start managing to produce their typicalpossession football, but were making an uncharacteristically large number of unforced errors. However, Messi managed to be as threatening as ever, and could have scored with the best Barça chance of the half, but his low drive was not enough to defy an impeccable Andrés.
Potential comeback
After half time, Pep Guardiola sent on Cuenca and Tello for Puyol and Pedro, while sticking to his 4-3-3 system. And his players clearly felt that the three points could still be won. The first sign of that was a terrific Messi strike that the home keeper just managed to push over for a corner. But moments later, a much more inspired Barça finally hit the target in the 51st minute when Alexis Sánchez slammed home a sensational cross from the right by Cuenca. But for the umpteenth time in this championship, fortune was not on Barcelona's side. A defensive mix-up shortly after the restart resulted in Osasuna restoring their two-goal lead at 3-1, this time thanks to Raúl GarcÃa.
Tello generates hope
But the defending champions refused to throw in the towel. They bravely battled on in search ofthe miracle, and certainly had enough chances toget it. Guardiola threw caution to the wind by sending on Cesc for Pique, and just moments later Tello pulled one back with a beautifully struck goal. Even though Osasuna immediately responded with Puñal hitting the post, the Barcelona goal evidently knocked much of the confidence out of the Navarran side. There was still hope for Barça.
Gripping but unfortunate end
In the 78th minute, Tello was through on the goalkeeper and would have hoped to have scored, and shortly after Alexis had a goal disallowed, although it is doubtful whether Sergi Roberto's head really did touch the ball and therefore leave the Chilean in an offside position. Then , in the fourth minute of injury time, Cesc came frustratingly close to heading home a corner but Andrés was once again there to save the day for Osasuna. It was a disappointing evening in Pamplona for FC Barcelona, made all the worse when Mascherano was shown a red card for a second bookable offence after the final whistle had blown.
FCB,
Jordi Clos
Classik
Member
Guardiola: “It's a painful lossâ€
02-11-2012 23:01
The manager is aware that the race for La Liga isa bit more complicated after the defeat in Pamplona, he added that the team “must do their best†until the end of the season
Guardiola believes that “if we were playing wellin the second half on this pitch we could have done the same in the firstâ€
Training session on Sunday
Barça will train on Sunday starting at 11:00 at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, it will be a closed-door session. Carles Puyol will hold a post-training press conference.
After losing to Osasuna, Pep Guardiola said that “distancing ourselves from Madrid is painful ... the reality is that we were already at an important distance and I imagine it will increase[tomorrow].†However, this team never gives up and neither does its coach. “We have to keep on going until the end,†said Guardiola, “we don’t really have many perspectives to work from, we can only play the next game as best we can to dowell.â€
Guardiola, pleased with the second half
Guardiola was pleased with his team’s attitude in the second half where they fought until the last minute of the game to take away a point from the Reyno de Navarra : “Osasuna were better in the first half. We played a great second half, anything could have happened.†After the match, the Barça manager said that he’s shifting his focus to the Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen : “we’ll go to Europe to defendour title. We played a second half that shows us the way to defend a Champions League.â€
The poor pitch conditions, not an excuse
Guardiola admitted that in the first half “Osasuna started off and adapted to the pitch conditions better than we did.†However, after his team produced a better showing in the second half, where the pitch wasn’t as influential on Barça’s play, the manager said, “if we were playing well in the second half on this pitch we cold have done the same in the first.â€
FCB,
Anna Segura
02-11-2012 23:01
The manager is aware that the race for La Liga isa bit more complicated after the defeat in Pamplona, he added that the team “must do their best†until the end of the season
Guardiola believes that “if we were playing wellin the second half on this pitch we could have done the same in the firstâ€
Training session on Sunday
Barça will train on Sunday starting at 11:00 at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, it will be a closed-door session. Carles Puyol will hold a post-training press conference.
After losing to Osasuna, Pep Guardiola said that “distancing ourselves from Madrid is painful ... the reality is that we were already at an important distance and I imagine it will increase[tomorrow].†However, this team never gives up and neither does its coach. “We have to keep on going until the end,†said Guardiola, “we don’t really have many perspectives to work from, we can only play the next game as best we can to dowell.â€
Guardiola, pleased with the second half
Guardiola was pleased with his team’s attitude in the second half where they fought until the last minute of the game to take away a point from the Reyno de Navarra : “Osasuna were better in the first half. We played a great second half, anything could have happened.†After the match, the Barça manager said that he’s shifting his focus to the Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen : “we’ll go to Europe to defendour title. We played a second half that shows us the way to defend a Champions League.â€
The poor pitch conditions, not an excuse
Guardiola admitted that in the first half “Osasuna started off and adapted to the pitch conditions better than we did.†However, after his team produced a better showing in the second half, where the pitch wasn’t as influential on Barça’s play, the manager said, “if we were playing well in the second half on this pitch we cold have done the same in the first.â€
FCB,
Anna Segura
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Players take responsibility for the loss, refuse to make excuses
02-12-2012 00:02
Victor Valdes, Gerard Pique, Isaac Cuenca and Pedro refused to blame the referee’s performance for the team’s loss to Osasuna
The footballers called on Barça supporters to stand by the team ahead of the Champions League match against Leverkusen
After securing a King’s Cup final berth, Barça’s La Liga title chances faded a bit with tonight’s loss in the league at the Reyno de Navarra . The Barça players aren’t giving up on the competition and are basing a possible, albeit complicated, comeback on hard work and effort.
Goalkeeper, Victor Valdes talked about the difficulty of cutting into Madrid’s possible 10 point lead, but he also said that the team will fight until the end. “Being realistic, it will be verydifficult. We didn’t perform today and the Liga just got a bit more complicated. It’s not definitive but it is more difficult,†he said.
The Barça player didn’t blame referee to justify the loss in Pamplona. “I don’t usually talk about the referees. There were [controversial] calls for both teams,†said Valdes.
The keeper also said that his team didn’t get off to a good start against an Osasuna. Lastly, he talked about the decisive Champions League match against Leverkusen: “We play on Tuesday in another important Champions League game, we have to get up [and keep moving forward].â€
Here are the statements made by some of the FC Barcelona players after the match:
Pedro Rodriguez:
“We’re a bit sad, but that’s normal after you lose
“It was a game where we couldn’t afford to lose,we lost the points. It truly was a difficult match.
“We were better in the second half, we even hadthe chance to mount a comeback. Despite it all, we’re disappointed with the final result
“La Liga is possible, but 10 points down is difficult to come back from. We’ll keep on fighting until the end
“Osasuna started off strong in the first half and itwas difficult for us to get into the game. In the second half we had the chance to make a comeback but in the end we weren’t able toâ€
Isaac Cuenca:
“We know what kind of team we are and we must keep on fighting until the end
“The field is small but we knew that coming in. We shouldn’t look for excuses
“We’re going to Leverkusen with a lot of enthusiasm to try and win
“It’s normal that it’s more difficult for us away from home. The Camp Nou is bigger and the ball rolls on the pitch betterâ€
On Alexis’ disallowed goal: “I wasn’t able to see if it was offside or not, it was a really fast playâ€
Gerard Pique
“The referee’s performance isn’t an excuse for losing to Osasuna
“The Champions League is a very attractive competition, the most prestigious; we’ll give it our all to try and win it
“We aren’t giving up on La Liga
“The point difference [with Madrid] keeps growing, but I ask the fans to stay by our side because we need them more than everâ€
Andes Iniesta:
“It’s a painful loss. We reacted but it wasn’t enough, we have to keep on fighting until the end. Now we have to prepare the Champions League matchâ€
FCB,
Sergio GarcÃa
02-12-2012 00:02
Victor Valdes, Gerard Pique, Isaac Cuenca and Pedro refused to blame the referee’s performance for the team’s loss to Osasuna
The footballers called on Barça supporters to stand by the team ahead of the Champions League match against Leverkusen
After securing a King’s Cup final berth, Barça’s La Liga title chances faded a bit with tonight’s loss in the league at the Reyno de Navarra . The Barça players aren’t giving up on the competition and are basing a possible, albeit complicated, comeback on hard work and effort.
Goalkeeper, Victor Valdes talked about the difficulty of cutting into Madrid’s possible 10 point lead, but he also said that the team will fight until the end. “Being realistic, it will be verydifficult. We didn’t perform today and the Liga just got a bit more complicated. It’s not definitive but it is more difficult,†he said.
The Barça player didn’t blame referee to justify the loss in Pamplona. “I don’t usually talk about the referees. There were [controversial] calls for both teams,†said Valdes.
The keeper also said that his team didn’t get off to a good start against an Osasuna. Lastly, he talked about the decisive Champions League match against Leverkusen: “We play on Tuesday in another important Champions League game, we have to get up [and keep moving forward].â€
Here are the statements made by some of the FC Barcelona players after the match:
Pedro Rodriguez:
“We’re a bit sad, but that’s normal after you lose
“It was a game where we couldn’t afford to lose,we lost the points. It truly was a difficult match.
“We were better in the second half, we even hadthe chance to mount a comeback. Despite it all, we’re disappointed with the final result
“La Liga is possible, but 10 points down is difficult to come back from. We’ll keep on fighting until the end
“Osasuna started off strong in the first half and itwas difficult for us to get into the game. In the second half we had the chance to make a comeback but in the end we weren’t able toâ€
Isaac Cuenca:
“We know what kind of team we are and we must keep on fighting until the end
“The field is small but we knew that coming in. We shouldn’t look for excuses
“We’re going to Leverkusen with a lot of enthusiasm to try and win
“It’s normal that it’s more difficult for us away from home. The Camp Nou is bigger and the ball rolls on the pitch betterâ€
On Alexis’ disallowed goal: “I wasn’t able to see if it was offside or not, it was a really fast playâ€
Gerard Pique
“The referee’s performance isn’t an excuse for losing to Osasuna
“The Champions League is a very attractive competition, the most prestigious; we’ll give it our all to try and win it
“We aren’t giving up on La Liga
“The point difference [with Madrid] keeps growing, but I ask the fans to stay by our side because we need them more than everâ€
Andes Iniesta:
“It’s a painful loss. We reacted but it wasn’t enough, we have to keep on fighting until the end. Now we have to prepare the Champions League matchâ€
FCB,
Sergio GarcÃa
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22 in the squad to travel to Germany
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-12-2012 13:13
Pep Guardiola is taking all the first team players available, including Busquets who hasn’t received medical clearance yet, plus five players from the reserves, for the match against Bayer Leverkusen
The team, who worked out this morning at the training ground, will leave early Monday morning for Germany, where they’ll carry on their Champions League campaign with the match in the last 16 stage
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Squad for Leverkusen
Valdes, Pinto, Alves, Piqué, Fà bregas, Puyol, Xavi,Iniesta, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Pedro, Adriano, Abidal, Alexis, Cuenca, Sergio Busquets, Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Bartra and Oier
With no time to feel sorry for themselves after the defeat in Pamplona, the first team are moving on and already thinking about the Champions League . On Tuesday, Barça will resume their activity in Europe's top competition,in Germany, with the first leg of the last 16 roundagainst Bayer Leverkusen . For this game, Pep Guardiola has called up all the available players from the first team, amongst them Sergio Busquets , who is travelling without medical clearance. The Barça midfielder has missed the last two games due to the knee injury sustained against Real Sociedad. This Sunday, though, he was able to take part in the group training session.
Also travelling with the squad are Barça B players Dos Santos, Tello, Sergio Roberto, Marc Bartra, and Oier Olazábal .
Recovery session
The team trained this morning at the Joan Gamper Training Ground, the only session in Barcelona before travelling to Germany. The training was basically a recovery session for the players who started against Osasuna. Also taking part in the session at pitch number 2 were B Team players Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto , who were all present in Pamplona, plus Oier, Masip, Sergi Gomez, Rosell, Balliu, Espinosa, and Lobato.
The players will fly to Cologne on Monday morning at 10.30. They'll stay in Cologne, close to Leverkusen, whilst in Germany. Guardiola's players will train in the afternoon at the Bay Arena stadium, starting around 19.00. Before that, at 18.15, Guardiola and one of the Barça players will attend the media.
FCB
www.fcbarcelona.cat 02-12-2012 13:13
Pep Guardiola is taking all the first team players available, including Busquets who hasn’t received medical clearance yet, plus five players from the reserves, for the match against Bayer Leverkusen
The team, who worked out this morning at the training ground, will leave early Monday morning for Germany, where they’ll carry on their Champions League campaign with the match in the last 16 stage
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Squad for Leverkusen
Valdes, Pinto, Alves, Piqué, Fà bregas, Puyol, Xavi,Iniesta, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Pedro, Adriano, Abidal, Alexis, Cuenca, Sergio Busquets, Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto, Bartra and Oier
With no time to feel sorry for themselves after the defeat in Pamplona, the first team are moving on and already thinking about the Champions League . On Tuesday, Barça will resume their activity in Europe's top competition,in Germany, with the first leg of the last 16 roundagainst Bayer Leverkusen . For this game, Pep Guardiola has called up all the available players from the first team, amongst them Sergio Busquets , who is travelling without medical clearance. The Barça midfielder has missed the last two games due to the knee injury sustained against Real Sociedad. This Sunday, though, he was able to take part in the group training session.
Also travelling with the squad are Barça B players Dos Santos, Tello, Sergio Roberto, Marc Bartra, and Oier Olazábal .
Recovery session
The team trained this morning at the Joan Gamper Training Ground, the only session in Barcelona before travelling to Germany. The training was basically a recovery session for the players who started against Osasuna. Also taking part in the session at pitch number 2 were B Team players Dos Santos, Tello, Sergi Roberto , who were all present in Pamplona, plus Oier, Masip, Sergi Gomez, Rosell, Balliu, Espinosa, and Lobato.
The players will fly to Cologne on Monday morning at 10.30. They'll stay in Cologne, close to Leverkusen, whilst in Germany. Guardiola's players will train in the afternoon at the Bay Arena stadium, starting around 19.00. Before that, at 18.15, Guardiola and one of the Barça players will attend the media.
FCB
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Puyol: "The League is complicated, but not lost"
02-12-2012 14:06
The Barça captain appealled to the pride and professionalism of the team to keep fighting for the League title, until the end of the season
The central defender accepted that Barça didn’t play well in the first half in Pamplona, and believes that the state of the pitch was more detrimental to them than the intense coldLike6Send
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
"The League is not lost. It’s becoming increasingly harder, but this team will not give up"
"We will fight for all three competitions, and who thinks otherwise is mistakenâ€
"Clearly we're not happy with the match at Osasuna, but the League is not lost yet. We must be realistic and accept that it's complicated, but if this team has anything, it's that we will not give up, and we'll fight to the end". In this way Carles Puyol expressed the feelings of the squad after the defeat in Pamplona, but also said how they'll face up to the rest of the season. If one thing the Barça Captain is clear on, it's that this team haven't given up on the League, and won't ignore it simply to focus on the two other major competitions that are at stake. "We will fight for all three competitions, and who thinks otherwise is mistaken".
Win games and hope Madrid slip up
For Puyol, Barca must now carry on in the Leaguethe same way they did in other years, when theywere leading for much of the season. "Before, we were in front and we were forced to keep winning win because they were close behind. Now we must try to win, to put pressure on themto do the same" said the central defender. He added that, although they're dependent on Real Madrid to be able to reduce the distance between them, their objective is " to focus on ourselves. We have to try and win, and if we get there, great, and if not, at least we tried".
The pitch affected our game
Puyol didn't want to make any excuses when talking about the defeat in the match against Osasuna, but did acknowledge that the state of the pitch in the Reyno de Navarra affected their game. "We knew it would be very cold, but the most important problem was the pitch. It took usa long time to get into the game. It was hard to keep your feet, and that's what hurt us most, andtook us a long time to adapt to".
FCB,
Anna Segura
02-12-2012 14:06
The Barça captain appealled to the pride and professionalism of the team to keep fighting for the League title, until the end of the season
The central defender accepted that Barça didn’t play well in the first half in Pamplona, and believes that the state of the pitch was more detrimental to them than the intense coldLike6Send
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
"The League is not lost. It’s becoming increasingly harder, but this team will not give up"
"We will fight for all three competitions, and who thinks otherwise is mistakenâ€
"Clearly we're not happy with the match at Osasuna, but the League is not lost yet. We must be realistic and accept that it's complicated, but if this team has anything, it's that we will not give up, and we'll fight to the end". In this way Carles Puyol expressed the feelings of the squad after the defeat in Pamplona, but also said how they'll face up to the rest of the season. If one thing the Barça Captain is clear on, it's that this team haven't given up on the League, and won't ignore it simply to focus on the two other major competitions that are at stake. "We will fight for all three competitions, and who thinks otherwise is mistaken".
Win games and hope Madrid slip up
For Puyol, Barca must now carry on in the Leaguethe same way they did in other years, when theywere leading for much of the season. "Before, we were in front and we were forced to keep winning win because they were close behind. Now we must try to win, to put pressure on themto do the same" said the central defender. He added that, although they're dependent on Real Madrid to be able to reduce the distance between them, their objective is " to focus on ourselves. We have to try and win, and if we get there, great, and if not, at least we tried".
The pitch affected our game
Puyol didn't want to make any excuses when talking about the defeat in the match against Osasuna, but did acknowledge that the state of the pitch in the Reyno de Navarra affected their game. "We knew it would be very cold, but the most important problem was the pitch. It took usa long time to get into the game. It was hard to keep your feet, and that's what hurt us most, andtook us a long time to adapt to".
FCB,
Anna Segura