Wazzup with FC BARCELONA?!! (News)

[Classik]

Racing - FC Barcelona: Messi stamps his mark on El Sardinero (0-2)


03/11/2012 19:57
Leo Messi was again on target against Racing de Santander tonight, scoring both goals as the team extended its winning run to six games witha 0-2 win

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
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A goal in each half from the Argentinean was enough to give Barça the points and their sixth win on the run in a game they dominated from the off. Barça controlled possession and showed clinical finishing up front with Leo Messi adding to his five goals in midweek with two more that take him even closer to the Club's all time leading scorer Cesar , who he now trails by just five goals.
The win leaves Barça 10 points off the leader going into a week where they have no game until next Saturday's trip to the Sanchez Pizjuan to face Seville.
Only one team attacking
Guardiola showed his attacking intentions with his team selection, lining up with a three man defence made up of Alves, Mascherano and the fit again Puyol , and with Racing sitting deep andhoping to hold out for a goalless draw, Barça were soon in charge, commanding possession and controlling the game. It looked to be simply a matter of when rather than if the first goal would come.
Messi and Cesc link up
Pedro had the first good chance, with a drive that just shaved the post before Iniesta rattled the woodwork and Cesc was only denied by the busy Mario in the Racing goal. The resistance could only last so long though, and when Xavi set up Cesc on the right, his pinpoint cross gave Messi a simple tap in to open the scoring.
Messi marks his half century
Racing now went even further back into their shell, which simply allowed Barça more time on the ball to find a way through the hosts' packed defence and when Cisma brought down Cesc in the box after the break, Messi made no mistake from the spot for his 50th goal of the season.
With the game done and dusted, Guardiola rang the changes and gave Tello, Keita and Adriano a run out, with Cuenca, Xavi and Pedro coming off.

FCB,

Roger Bogunyà

 

[Classik]

Messi: The goalscoring machine that just doesn't stop


03/11/2012 20:33
Leo Messi has already scored 50 goals this season, 30 of them in La Liga. With 230 goals in official matches, he’s only 5 adrift of the record set by Barça legend César Rodríguez
FC Barcelona’s Argentinian genius is only three goals away from breaking his personal goalscoring record, which he set last year, of 53 goals
Furthermore, with today’s win at El Sardinero, Messi reached his 150 victory in the Liga wearingthe Barça strip

Messi celebrates one of his goals in Santander / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
The Argentinian genius continues to score goals.He grabbed a hat-trick in his last match for Argentina. He netted five times in the Champions League match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen . Tonight, he scored a brace at El Sardinero . With today’s two goals, Lionel Messi has reached 50 goals this season, 30 of which have been scored in the Liga.
On the verge of breaking his personal record...
Messi is only three goals away from equalling his personal best record of goals scored in one season, which currently stands at 53. The Argentine, in all likelihood, keeping in mind thatthe end of the season is three months away, will break his own record.
In the Liga, Messi scored 34 goals in the 2009/10 season, his personal best in the domestic competition. This year, while still in the running for the Golden Boot award, he already has 30.
...very close to breaking César Rodríguez’s record
Every time Messi steps onto a football pitch he edges closer to FC Barcelona’s all-time top goalscorer record. César scored 235 official goals for Barça and Messi in only 5 adrift of the Barça legend with 230. This goalscoring machine just doesn’t stop and he’s only 24-years-old!
The best player in the world
It’s worth taking a look at Messi’s stats to put things into perspective.
- Messi is the player that has needed the fewest games (202) to reach 150 victories in La Liga. Madrid’s Santamaría needed 208.
- Messi is the second player to ever score 50 or more goals in two consecutive seasons. Müller , with Bayern, scored 50 in the 1971/22 season, and 55 the next year.
- In the five big European leagues, Messi is the player the has passed the ball the most in the last third of the pitch (911). Xavi is second with 844.
- Messi has scored 16 goals in his last 6 games (including his match with Argentina). Last season he managed to score in 10 consecutive matches.

FCB,

ALEIX SANTACANA

 

[Classik]

Barça Alusport beats Lobelle Santiago in the final of the Spanish Cup (5-3)


03/11/2012 20:54
The Azulgranas win their second consecutive Spanish Cup title
At the end of the first 40 minutes, both teams were level on two goals
In overtime, two goals from Lozano and another from Wilde secured the title for Barça

Barça Alusport with the Spanish Cup/ PHOTO: RUBÉN DE PEDRO-LNFS
MATCH STATS
FCB ALUSPORT, 5
LOBELLE SANTIAGO, 3
FCB Alusport: Cristian (g), Ari, Lin, Saad, Wilde –starting five- Sergio Lozano, Torras, Fernandao, Igor, Javi Rodríguez
Lobelle Santiago: Ãlex (g), Aixardo, Palmas, David, Chaguinha –starting five-, Raúl Campos, Luis, Barroso, Hamza, Quintela, Rubi, Charlie
Goals: 1-0, Javi Rodríguez,min 27; 1-1, Raúl Campos, min 33; 2-1, Wilde, min 35; 2-2, Rubi, min 36; 3-2, Sergio Lozano, min 42; 4-2, Sergio Lozano, min 43; 5-2, Wilde, min 44; 5-3, Charlie, min 45.
Referees: Gutiérrez Lumbreras i Gracia Marín.
Barça Alusport won their second consecutive Spanish Cup after beating Lobelle Santiago in an intense match. Both teams went to the break with a goalless draw on the scoreboard, the second half finished with a two-all draw. In overtime, Barça beat out the team led by Tomás de Dios thanks to three goals that tipped the scales in the Catalan team’s favour (5-3).
Very even first half
Barça Alusport and Lobelle Santiago started off the match with mutual respect, with a lot of equality in terms of the flow of the game, that lasted throughout much of the first half. Five minutes had gone by and neither Barça nor Lobelle had a shot on goal.
Lobelle’s solid defence didn’t allow the Barça players to enter the area which forced Barça to take most of their shots from outside the box. Barça pressed Lobelle high up the court, where they saw their efforts rewarded on more than onoccasion. The first chance of the game came on six minutes, when Fernandao unleashed a well placed shot close to the left post of the goal guarded by Ãlex . The keeper, however, did well to save the attempt. The Barça team was struggling to construct fluid attacking plays and Lobelle was creating chances of their own, most of which came through counterattacks. However, neither side managed to break the deadlock.
Halfway through the first half, Barça found that it was easier to reach Lobelle’s area. The team led by Marc Carmona started to take control and Catalans started to dominate ball possession. The last chance of the first half came 14 seconds from time when Lozano ’s powerful shot crashedagainst the post.
Nail-bitting second half
It was almost as if the second half was a completely different game. Barça started out with a concerted effort to take the lead, and they showed that they were the better side in the first minutes with multiple goalscoring chances. It wasn’t until seven minutes later that the goal finally came: Torras assisted Javi Rodríguez , from a corner, and Rodríguez unleashed a powerful shot to beat Ãlex.
Lobelle was quick to react. After a time out called by Tomás de Dios where he told his men that “the final starts now,†Lobelle roared back onto the court and harried Barça until they scored the equaliser through Raúl Campo .
From that moment on the game took on a frenetic pace. The offensive plays on both ends of the court were constant. Barça Alusport took the lead once again through a goal scored by Wilde . With four minutes to go until the end, Rubi sent a shot, from the middle of the area, into the back of Barça’s net. In the last minute, both teams toned down the intensity knowing that overtime was looming.
Four goals in five minutes
Both teams had chances to score at the start of the overtime period. Sergi Lozano put Barça in front after only a minute. Despite the exhaustionon both sides, the players kept on pushing. From that point on, a goal was scored every minute. Ball possession was relatively equal, but Carmona’s men made the difference. After a freekick that Ãlex saved, Lozano scored another Barça goal. A minute later, Wilde scored from behind the halfway line.
Even though the goal difference was ample, Lobelle kept on fighting until the end. Charlie scored with four seconds remaining on the clock to close out the game (5-3). Barça Alusport had won their second consecutive Spanish Cup.

FCB,

ITZIAR BRAVO

 

[Classik]

Guardiola: “It was a complete performanceâ€


03/11/2012 21:05
The Barça manager highlighted the team’s attitude and form after today’s match at El Sardinero. Guardiola also said that the game was “a bit complicated†because the pitch was not in optimal conditions

“We’ve been on form for a while. We have two and a half months left [in La Liga] and we’ll strive to have good performances in all of our matchesâ€
“Without the work of the whole team it’s impossible to keep a clean sheetâ€
Even though, in general terms, Barça dominated the match against Racing Santander , Josep Guardiola said that the game required his players to “play a very serious match.†According to the manager, his players had to put in a strongeffort to take the three points seeing that the pitch at El Sardinero was not in good condition.
Guardiola highlighted the good work put in by his team seeing that Barça has a long list of “injured players.†A factor that “obligated†some of the players to “work harder†in order to accomplish the goal of finishing the season as well as possible. “We’ve been on form for a while. We have two and a half months left [in La Liga] and we’ll strive to have good performancesin all of our matches,†he said.
“The penalty wasn’t decisiveâ€
Once again, Lionel Messi , with two goals, one of them from a penalty, was the man of the match. When asked about Messi’s penalty, Guardiola said that his team “controlled the entire match,†the penalty “wasn’t decisive.â€
The Barça manager also highlighted Pedro ’s performance: “he’s an important player. He has been, is and will continue to be important for this Club. He needs to do the work that he did today, he was perfect in every regard. Scoring goals is a matter of time.†He also talked about the good defensive work put in by the team, singling out Sergio Busquets , Valdés and Puyol . “Without the work of the whole team it’s impossible to keep a clean sheet,†said Guardiola.
The Champions League draw on the horizon
When asked about the Champions League draw, which will take place this Friday, Guardiola said that to get to the final in Munich “you have to play against the best teams. All teams have theirstrong and weak points.†He also said that he would prefer to avoid AC Milan in the quarter-final draw, “because we have already playedgainst them†in the group stages. “In the end the draw will decide†who we play against, said Guardiola.

FCB,

VANESSA FORNS

 

[Classik]

Cesc Fàbregas: “In modern football nothingis easyâ€
WWW.FCBARCELONA.CAT 03/11/2012 21:37
Andrés Iniesta highlighted the team’s effort against Racing: “we played a great game in a difficult stadiumâ€
Alves explained that the team’s objective is to “continue improvingâ€

Time off until Wednesday
The FC Barcelona squad will have off until next Wednesday, March 14th. The team will return to training at the Camp Nou at 11:00, Mascherano will give a post-training press conference. Cesc Fábregas said that the team needs a bit of rest: “We’ve practically not had a break since Christmas, I think this break will serve us well to relax and recharge.â€
Cesc Fábregas was pleased with the result against Racing Santander (0-2). “We put in a complete performance, always trying to play easy [balls], generating goalscoring chances andcontrolling the game. There is nothing easy in modern football,†said the Barça midfielder.
Cesc praises Messi
Cesc only had words of praise for Leo Messi : “he’s a different from any other player in the world, it’s a pleasure to play with him, having him in the team, because he gives you that extra confidence that a title winning side needs.†The Catalan player also talked about Messi’s personal side: “he’s a humble player, hard working, he loves football. He deserves everything that’s happening to him.â€
Here are some of the best statements made by the FC Barcelona players after the match:
Andrés Iniesta
“We played a great game in a difficult stadium
“Sometimes the team gets in a rhythm, and this is a good one, we’ll try to keep it up until the endof the season
“The most important thing is winning games, that’s what we try to do
“We’re entering the decisive part of the season and we’re on form, there’s still a lot up for grabsâ€
Dani Alves
“Our objective is to win matches
“It’s very difficult to maintain this level. Each year you have to improve something to reach the objectives
“We want to go out and enjoy football and the beauty of this sport, knowing that we represent the best football club
“The team is doing well, we’re maintaining the equilibrium that we had in previous years, this is what keeps you on form in the competitionâ€
Cristian Tello
“This is always a complicated stadium to play in, they pressure you a lot here
“The team put in a very complete performance, we passed the ball from one end to the other, looking for spaces
“We look to win the three points each week, we’re not focused on the advantage that Real Madrid have over us. We take it one game at a time
“Iâ™ve very pleased with the support people are giving me, I’m living a dream and I’m very thankful for the confidence the boss has shown in meâ€

FCB

 

[Classik]

Sixth win on the run for FC Barcelona
www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/12/2012 11:22
With the victory in Santander, Barça chalked up their sixth win on the run - four in the league against Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Sporting Gijón and Racing and the two Champions League wins over Bayer Leverkusen

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
Here are some facts and figures arising from the game:
• Over the six game winning run, Barça have scored 2 goals and conceded just 5.
• It was the fourth season on the run that Barça had won at the Sardinero – Guardiola has thus won every game in charge there.
• The last time Barça lost in Santander was in the 2003/04 season, when they were beaten 3-0
• The win was the first in which Valdes has kept a lean sheet since the goalless draw with Villarreal on January 28th.
• Valdés had one of the quietest games of the season on Sunday, as Racing only had one shot - and that wasn't on target.
• In contrast, Barça had 23 shots, 8 of which were on target.
• Alves and Mascherano were the Barça players who won back most possession – each making 17 interventions.
• Messi 's penalty was his 50th goal of the season . 22 have come in the first half and 28 in the second.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Messi and Cesc: 65 goals and 47 assists
www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/12/2012 12:06
The two Barça men have so far scored 65 of the team’s 143 goals this season and made 47 assists between them
Messi and Xavi also lead the stats for passes made in the last third of the pitch in the main European leagues

Messi and Cesc / PHOTO: FCB
Messi and Cesc / PHOTO: FCB
Europe’s Top 5 passers
The top five passers of the ball in the last third of the pitch across the top 5 European leagues are:
1.- Messi : 911
2.- Xavi: 844
3.- Silva: 763
4.- Pirlo: 731
5.- Hazard: 704
(Font: Opta Sports)
The connection between Messi and Cesc dates back to the youth teams when they played together and now it's beginning to pay dividends for the first team. Between the two of them they have scored 65 of the team's 143 goals and made 47 assists.
Nearly 50% of the team's goals
Messi, with 50 goals in all competitions so far this season – just three short of his personal best for a whole campaign – is the goal king. The Argentinean now needs just five more to equal Cesar's record as the Club's highest all time scorer.
In his first season back at the Club, Cesc has so far scored 15 goals - 9 in the league, 1 in the Champions League 3 in the Spanish Cup and one more in the European Super Cup and World Club Cup.
Providers too
Both players have shown that they can provide as well as score, with Messi claiming 21 assists and Cesc 16 so far.
Best passing stats
Barça's attacking possession based style is also reflected in the stats for the best passers in the final third of the pitch across the top five Europeaan leagues. Messi and Xavi head the list with 911 and 844 passes respectively, whilst the defender Alves is ninth – ahead of players with atheoretically much more offensive profile such as Verdú, Arteta, Modric, Rooney, Ibrahimovic or Özil.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Iniesta signs the boots he wore in the finalof the South Africa World Cup
www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/12/2012 13:27
The midfielder signed and dedicated the boots he wore in the final of the South Africa World Cup this Monday. The boots are currently on display in the Club’s Museum

After receiving the Barça Players Award , Andrés Iniesta signed the boots he wore in the final of the South Africa World Cup. The boots have beenon display in the Club’s Museum for about a month.
Autograph and dedication
This Monday, the Spanish player, accompanied by his father and by the director of the Museum, Jordi Penas , visited the display where the boots reside and he signed and dedicated the famous footwear to the Club’s Museum. The short ceremony didn’t go unnoticed by the Museum visitors.
It’s worth remembering that Iniesta scored the decisive goal in the World Cup Final against the Netherlands in the second half of overtime on July 11th, 2010.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Iniesta: “Your human values are what you are remembered forâ€


03/12/2012 13:46
The Barça number eight thanked the Agrupació Barça Jugadors for the prize they gave him as the most sportsmanlike player in the 2010/11 season and stressed the importance of transmitting to young people the values the Clubstands for
President Sandro Rosell called Iniesta a great example of “the values we want at this Clubâ€, whilst stressing the role of his family in forming the player’s character

Posthumous recognition for Eduard Manchón
At the start of the event, hosted by the Nou Camp announcer Manel Vich, a posthumous mention was made of the ex-Barça player Eduard Manchón (1930-2010), a player who would undoubtedly have won the award had it been held in his time. According to Vich: "Eduard is another player in Barça's history who left his mark on a human level", explaining to Manchon's family who were at the event: "he was a person who carried the values of Barça with him throughout his life".
The most moving part of the event was when Manchón's widow Roser Marigó, explained that all his family had been waiting for this award and were thrilled for it to be bestowed at the same time as Iniesta: "my husband used to say that Iniesta is a player who always knows where he should be".
At the presentation of the award, Andrés Iniesta explained it was "a privilege" to be so recognised and praised the work of the veteransin "passing on the Club's values to youngsters coming up. When I retire I'd like people to remember me as somebody who gave everything for his club and was also full of respect for his teammates and his opponents alike. In the end, what is left of your reputation is the values you have expressed as a human being".
Rosell stresses importance of family
Iniesta reckons "I'm a grateful person and I havea lot to be grateful for – I'm clear that Barça and Catalonia have given me everything, both to me and my family". It was the family which President Rosell stressed as vital, when after having first praised Iniesta as "representing the values which we want here at the Club", he insisted: "all he's done wouldn't be possible without the great family structure that he has enjoyed. Turning to Iniesta's parents who were attending the event he reiterated "thanks to everything he has learnt from his parents – he is the way he is. God might have given him his talent, but the rest has come from his home background".
The President of the Agrupació Barça Jugadors , Ramon Alfonseda , told Iniesta: "never stop being a person who is close to their family and their values", before defining him as: "someone who never says no, he's a friend to his friends, a leader and a reference point, with more character than many realise and with an enormously competitive spirit". Echoing Rosell, Alfonseda referred to Iniesta as "an authentic representative of Barça's values".
"It's a privilege to work with Guardiola"
When the questions began, Iniesta refused to compare Guardiola with Mourinho : "I don't know Mourinho to judge what he is like. I know my coach and I have known him for a long time and I think it's generally accepted that it's a privilege to be working alongside him. All of us want home to stay for many more years at the Club. Iniesta then explained that incidents on the pitch which the ref didn't see, weren't worth worrying about: "the ref is the judge and we have to trust his work and his criteria. If everybody calmed down, we'd all enjoy the game more".
Iniesta also insisted that the squad were:"focussed on winning our games and seeing if the leader slips up. We are aiming to take all thepoints we can every game and not waste any chance that might come up if Madrid slip up. It's a big gap, but we are going to fight till the end and we hope we can get back into the race. At the end of the season, it's the best team who have done things best that will win".

FCB,

VANESSA FORNS

 

[Classik]

Where the insane becomes the routine


03/12/2012 17:25
Given Barça's disadvantage in the Liga, some sayit's lunacy to expect anything other than defeat, but Josep Guardiola and his men have demonstrated time and time again that nothing is impossible

PHOTO: Miquel Ruiz - FCB
PHOTO: Miquel Ruiz - FCB
Ex-Barça player Abelardo Fernández talks team mentality
“To be able to mount a comeback , like in 1997 or this year in La Liga, the morale aspect is fundamental [for the squad] . In Barça’s case, they have the talent and the skill, in that sense they can win every single game they have left,†said Abelardo , former FC Barcelona player and current Sporting Gijón assistant coach. “In these situations the manager is responsible for making his team believe it is possible. However, the folks that win matches are the players. I always say that the importance of managers is very high in the buildup to matches, but the players are 95% [responsible] in games.â€
"I will not allow this team to give up†- Josep Guardiola
“To be able to mount a comeback the morale aspect is fundamental [for the squad]" - Abelardo
The critics say it’s over; it’s lunacy to believe that being 10 points adrift from the top spot in La Liga with only 36 points left can yield anything other than defeat. By any stretch of the imagination or logical conclusion, the distance that separates FC Barcelona from Real Madrid is insurmountable. It is simply not possible to fight back from 10 points down, it’s insane to think otherwise.
Ray Hudson on FC Barcelona
The silver-tongued Ray Hudson , ex-Newcastle player and current commentator for GolTV , couldonly gasp as the ball buried itself into the side netting of Courtois ' goal. It was midway throughthe second half and FC Barcelona was minutes away from saying goodbye to their La Liga bid previous to Messi 's sublime strike. A rejuvenated Atlético Madrid , under the directionof newly appointed manager El Cholo Simeone , smelled blood in the water. The excitement in the Vicente Calderón stands was palpable; the Colchoneros only needed one goal to see off the La Liga and Champions League holders. To make matters worse for Josep Guardiola and his men, that collective imagined scenario in the Spanish capital was edging closer to reality as minutes ticked off the referee's watch. The red and whites pressed with more ferocity than ever, they were pinning Barça back, the chances were coming, an Atelti goal appeared to be inevitable.However, against the odds, it was a Blaugrana player that claimed the hero’s mantle that night, not Falcao or another Colchonero . When the Catalan team needed a goal to keep their La Liga title hopes alive, Messi produced a flash of brilliance to put his team ahead. As the players trotted back to their starting positions, Hudson, still tickled with delight said, "where the insane becomes the routine." In truth the commentator was talking about Messi, but these words could just as easily been used to describe this FC Barcelona team. The match ended minutes later and Barça had secured three valuable points. Once again Josep Guardiola ’s men dug deep, never forsaking their style of play, to produce a brutal collective effort that usually goes unnoticed when individual performances shine so bright.
The right mindset
Abelardo , ex-Barça defender and current assistant manager at Sporting Gijón, said “the morale aspect is fundamental†for a team that wants to succeed. Talent and skill alone do not earn titles; add drive, desire, and hard work to that powerful mix and success is close at hand. Easier said than done. However, Guardiola’s menhave shown time and time again that this simpleformula is the foundation upon which these players base their trade. If there are any doubts about this team’s desire to win, look no further than the three meetings with Real Madrid this season at the Bernabéu . On all three occasions FC Barcelona had to fight back from a goal down against Los Blancos : the first ended in a two-all draw (Super Cup), the second ended in a Catalan victory after conceding in the first minute (1-3, Liga), and the third ended in 1-2 (King’s Cup).
Guardiola has said on different occasions that he "will not allow this team to give up,†on La Liga. Xavi Hernández , after the convincing ChampionsLeague win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen (7-1), said that the team “feels strong†and Cristian Tello echoed the first-team vice-captain, “the team is great, with high morale, we know that we can’t lose any points.â€
True grit
The critics have slowly but surely joined their voices to the dooms-day chorus: Guardiola's Barça, in its fourth year, is headed straight towards commonality. The insidious trajectory towards mediocrity is evident, they say Barça has been exposed by teams time and time again this season. It's true - Guardiola's FC Barcelona has been exposed this year in ways they weren’tin the past. But what lies out in the open for the world to see isn't a paper-thin team that rests upon past glory, but a group of men that never give up regardless of how dire the circumstances. Goal-induced rampages aside, this team has shown that they have a rock-hard chin, they can grind out incredibly difficult wins ( Real Sociedad , Alético Madrid , Sporting Gijón ), accept defeat gracefully after giving it everything they had ( Getafe , Osasuna ) and still have the drive to pick themselves up and compete seven days later with the same enthusiasm and hunger that they had four years ago.
Guardiola has molded this group of men into a team that believes that there are no limits to where they can go or what they can achieve. This manager, this team, this je ne sais quois spirit is enough to silence the most ardent nay-sayer. Winning 36 out of 36 possible points is a daunting mountain to climb, but not, by any means, insurmountable for a team that has made the insane the routine.

FCB,

Ian MacLurg

 

[Classik]

Messi: “I don't play to be the best player in the history of the sportâ€


03/12/2012 14:34
The Argentinian, who is on the verge of breaking César’s Club-high goalscoring record, said that he plays “for the team, for the people and for myselfâ€
On Guardiola’s possible contract extension, “it would be difficult to find a manager that can accomplish what Guardiola hasâ€

Messi's solidarity
Leo Messi made these statements during the unveiling of a project that aims to renovate the multi-sport facility in Barcelona’s Bon Pastor neighborhood. The project is sponsored by his foundation and EA Sports. The Argentinian is pleased to be working for “children that need it the most.â€
Leo Messi is only five goals away from equalising the Club’s all-time top goalscorer record set by César (235 goals in official matches). Despite being on the verge of reaching this historic milestone, the Argentine is calm and composed, “I’m not setting any deadlines to do it,†he said. Having the ball at hisfeet makes him happy, he simply doesn’t focus on anything else: “I don’t play to be the best footballer of all time. I play to do things well. First, I play for my team, then for the people and then for myself,†said Barça’s Nº 10. He added, “I feel good when things work out.â€
Messi has scored seven goals in four days, five against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and two against Racing Santander. His five-goal performance against the Germans earned him worldwide praise from press and football players alike. “It’s a beautiful thing that colleagues from other clubs talk about me in this manner. From here, I thank them,†said Messi.
“Guardiola is more important than meâ€
When the Argentine was asked who the most important figure was for the first team, himself or Guardiola, the player was clear: “Guardiola is more important than I am for Barça. From the moment he arrived he changed everything for us. He’s won everything that he’s won. For me Guardiola has been fundamental in this FC Barcelona project.â€
Messi also talked about the manager’s possible contract extension. “We want Guardiola to continue for everyone’s good. It would be very difficult to find another manager that can accomplish what he has, what he’s won and howhe’s made this team play.â€
Continue with a winning mentality
Messi knows that it will be very difficult to overturn the 10-point advantage that Real Madrid currently have over Barça, but the player believes that the team needs to remain ambitious until the end of the season: “we have to try and win all the games we have left. There are still important things to play for. For our good, we have to continue with this mentality.â€
The player said that all this talk about referees “has hurt everybody.†He went on to say that the reason Barça has won so many titles is because the team earned them. “Weâ™ve been recognised as the best team in the world, and for some people, the best team in the history of the sport.â€

FCB,

Anna Segura

 

[Classik]

Rosell on Telemadrid's claim: “It is baseless and falseâ€

www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/12/2012 21:09

This Monday, President Sandro Rosell responded to the claims made by Telemadrid. The television channel stated that Josep Guardiola refused to stay on as Barça’s manager if the Club didn’t guarantee to offload defender Gerard Piqué this summer

“All of the athletic decisions are made by Guardiola and Zubizarreta,†said Rosell

Sandro Rosell / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB

Sandro Rosell / PHOTO: ARXIU FCB

President Sandro Rosell talked about the information aired by the television channel Telemadrid this Monday afternoon where the station claimed that Josep Guardiola said that hewouldn’t extend his contract unless the Club guaranteed that Gerard Piqué would be offloaded this summer.

“Obviously, it’s completely fake. It’s obviously slander. This story is baseless. What I can say is that all decisions about players coming in and going out are made jointly by Guardiola and Zubizarreta. Therefore, this story is baseless and it’s completely false. It’s a shame that a public press outlet like Telemadrid has decided to play this game,†said Rosell.

Previous to the above statement, Rosell said: “it’s a shame that in a time of economic crisis that we’re seeing publicly funded communication channels deliberately misinforming people, creating falsehoods and calumny. It’s understandable that this could happen on a privately funded channel, but I don’t understand how a channel that’s publicly funded [can do this]. No one understands it. If I were a tax paying erson in Madrid, in truth, I’d be troubled.â€

FCB

 

[Classik]

Barça hit woodwork 21 times in the league

www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/13/2012 12:00

FC Barcelona and Liverpool are the two teams that have been most unfortunate with shots hitting the woodwork in major leagues this season. It’s happened to FCB 21 times in 26 games

Messi, with seven, and Cesc, with five, are the Barça players that have come so near but so far on the most occasions

Iniesta, en un partit al Camp Nou. FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.

Iniesta, en un partit al Camp Nou. FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.

Andrés Iniesta and Isaac Cuenca ere the latest two Barcelona players to suffer the misfortune, in last weekend’s clash with Racing Santander, of seeing their efforts comes within inches of thetarget.

In 26 games, FC Barcelona have hit the post or crossbar 21 times. The only team in any of the main European leagues to have a similar count isPremiership outfit Liverpool.

TEAM .................... WOODWORKS

FC Barcelona ...................21

Liverpool .................... .....21

Valenciennes ..................18

Betis .................... ..............18

St Etienne .................... .....17

Manchester City ............. 17

Juventus .......................... 16


Highest tallies for Messi and Cesc

Leo Messi has hit the post seven times in this league campaign, the second highest number in Europe. He is ‘beaten’ only by Saint-Étienne’s Bakary Sako, who has hit the post an incredible nine times! There is another Barça player in the Top 20, and that’s Cesc Fàbregas, with five.

PLAYER.................... WOODWORKS

Bakary Sako .................... 9

Leo Messi .................... ......7

Cristiano Ronaldo ...........6

Luis Suárez .................... ...6

Marcus Rosenberg ..........6

Rubén Castro ....................6

Cesc Fàbregas ...................5



FCB

 

[Classik]

Spanish League Round Up, Week 26



03/13/2012 13:28
Bilbao came down to earth with a bump when they lost 2-1 to Osasuna on Sunday, leaving Malaga, who beat Levante 1-0, to take over in fourth spot – just four points behind Valencia who drew with Mallorca

PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
PHOTO: ARCHIVE FCB
At the bottom, Sporting 's win against Seville gives them a glimmer of hope, whilst Zaragoza were back to losing ways, beaten 3-0 by Real Sociedad and Villarreal are still just three points clear of the drop zone after going down 1-2 to Getafe on Monday.
Osasuna expose stretched Bilbao
Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa left Llorente, Xavi Martinez and Hererra on the bench after their efforts at Old Trafford and Osasuna took full advantage by going two up within the first half hour. Bielsa brought on Herrera and Llorente at half time but although the big centre forward pegged one back, it wasn't enough and Osasuna now sit in sixth on 38 points, two behind Malaga and one ahead of Bilbao . Malaga staked their claim to the fourth Champions League spot ahead of next week's visit to the Bernabeu, thanks to a second half header from Rondon which gave them a 1-0 win over Levante.
Valencia let two goal lead slip
Like Bilbao, Valencia seemed to suffer from the after effects of their midweek European game. After leading 2-0 at half time through goals fromTino Costa and Aduriz, they conceded two after the break to let Mallorca take a point and to make matters worse lost Costa to a late red card which will rule him out of next weekend's trip toSan Mames. Real Madrid extended their winning run with a narrow 2-3 win at Betis , where Higuain, Ronaldo (2) got their goals and they arenow a massive 26 points clear of Valencia in third place.
Clemente working his magic
Javier Clemente seems to be working his magic at Sporting , who beat Seville 1-0 to take them level on points with Racing , meaning he has lostjust one game since taking charge – last week's defeat at the Nou Camp – and making next weekend's trip to Granada – just 4 points above them – an even more important clash. Granada went down 2-0 at Atletico Madrid , for whom Falcao scored his sixteenth of the campaign, whilst Real Sociedad easily saw off Zaragoza , thanks to a brace from Agirretxe and a third from Carlos Vela, to lift themselves onto 33 points –only five off a European spot and leaving Mallorca and Betis just above Granada with 30 points each.
Tamudo sets record in defeat
The weekend's biggest winners were Espanyol , who thrashed Rayo 5-1, with a hat trick from winter signing Ulche and a brace from Coutinho, who came on loan from Inter Milan in January, whilst Rayo 's goal was scored by Raul Tamudo, who thus became the only player to score on all three of Espanyol 's grounds – Sarria, Montjuich and Cornella-El Prat. The win leaves Espanyol on 36 points and again within touching distance of a European berth.

FCB,

NICK BEDSON

 

[Classik]

Xavi: “Both Guardiola and Messi are essential”


03/13/2012 14:20
On their Liga possibilities, he said “we’re self-critical. If we are ten points behind, it’s our own fault”
“I think Guardiola’s happy,” he added. “He’s enjoying himself. I think he’ll renew”

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Guardiola or Messi? Who is most important to Barça, according to Xavi Hernández ? "Why pick between the two if they could both still be at Barça for a lot more years?" he asked at a promotional event. Messi had said the day before that he reckons Guardiola is more important to the club, but putting things into perspective, Xavi feels that "Guardiola has given us a lot as a coach, both to the Club and the footballers, while it's Messi who makes the difference." As for the coach's future at Barça , the midfielder believes that "Guardiola is a fundamental part of all this. I think he's happy, he's enjoying himself. He's as competitive as ever, and from here on, it's his decision. I think he'll renew".
Xavi insists that the players aren't even contemplating the possibility of a change of manager. "He leads the squad" he said. "It is himwho orders things, who imposes discipline, and does the tactical and psychological work".
No talk of referees
One of the issues filling the pages of the sports dailies is one Xavi would rather see forgotten. "Too much is being said about referees. We don'twant to talk about referees. We're self-critical. Ifwe're ten points behind it's our own fault. We're doing things well, but perhaps not as well as in previous years."
Valued more highly abroad
Xavi also gets the impression that the successes achieved by FC Barcelona, winning 13 out of 16 possible titles , are not getting the recognition they deserve in the local media. "It seems that the Barça-Madrid war , in footballing terms, doesn't allow our successes to be seen. I think they appreciate us more outside of Spain", he said.
Still in the Liga chase
Xavi also insists that "we haven't given up on theleague and we'll fight until the end, until we have no mathematical hope left. Madrid can slip up in any game. We are both finding it hard to win matches, especially away from home. I thinkMadrid are more likely to drop points away from home".

FCB,

Roger Bogunyà

 

[Classik]

President Sandro Rosell meets with all of FC Barcelona's youth teams


03/13/2012 20:17

Barça’s 20 youth football teams gathered at the Ciutat Esportiva to meet with Sandro Rosell

The event also served as a photo op for the teams to snap their official annual photograph with Rosell

Official photographs

At the end of the event it was time to take official photographs of each team with President Rosell and the directors Bartomeu and Mestre. The board members also took a picture with the Athletic Commission. As a side note, all the keepers from all the youth teams also got a group photo.

The Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper was the venuefor the traditional meeting between the youth football teams of FC Barcelona and Sandro Rosell and members of the board of directors that are responsible for Barça’s youth system, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Jordi Mestre . The event, which also hosted family members and friends, saw 20 football teams on display on Field 7.

From Barça B to the U-6 team and the four women’s football teams, participated in the event. Football director Andoni Zubizarreta and athletic formative football director Guillermo Amor joined Rosell and the directors.

Proud to defend this shield

Speaking for approximately 300 boys and girls, the U-14 player Carles Aleña said, “wearing this shirt with this shield and defending these colours is an honour and we feel fortunate.†The youngster promised that he and his colleagues will work hard seeing that “maybe one day we can be part of Barça’s first team and contribute to this Club’s grandeur.â€

Rosell: “the cantera is the axis of our Clubâ€

President Rosell was very pleased to participate in the event with the young footballers: “they are the essence of the Club, the axis.†The head of FC Barcelona talked about the pride that parents feel when these footballers wear “this shirt, this shield, these values.†He went on to highlight “the human behaviour of our footballers. They need to be examples of an athletic entity like this one, which is more than aclub.†Rosell also said, “the hope and excitement that on day it is very likely these players will be in the Camp Nou defending our shirt.†The President didn’t want to forget the hard work that’s put in by the Athletic Commission: “we’re very proud to have them.â€

Mestre: “we’re a worldwide leaderâ€

The director responsible for Barça B, U-18 and the youth program, Jordi Mestre , congratulated the teams for the results they’ve earned. The director went on to say “not only are we worldwide leaders when it comes to youth football, but also in a human aspect. Besides making great players, we have to make good athletes and good people.â€

Zubizarreta thanked the parents for the trust they show in the Club for allowing Barça to be part of their children’s education. While Amor encouraged all of the players to finish the season on a strong foot.

FCB,

Anna Segura

 

[Classik]

The official photograph of the FC Barcelona first team

www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/14/2012 11:57

This morning, before training, this season’s official photograph of the Barça first team was taken, with the presence of President Sandro Rosell

The team were not only photographed wearing the Barça strip, but also wearing the Saccor Brothers official outfit

Foto oficial del primer equip / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

The activity of the first team moved, this Wednesday, from the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper to the Camp Nou, and before training Guardiola's team had the official photo taken forthe 2011/12 season , with players, coaches, coaching staff, and club President Sandro Rosell all present.

First photo, formal dress

In the first photo the players had taken, on the Camp Nou pitch, they were wearing the official outfit of Saccor Brothers , the Club's official partner, who supply the formal outfits for all the professional teams. First, the players had individual photos taken, and then they all got together so the photographer could capture the image of them all together, in their formal dress.As always this was the moment that generated most banter between the players, as all of them are more accustomed to wearing football kit than a suit and tie.

Eight players make their photographic debut

After the formal photos the players changed intothe FC Barcelona first team strip. In this photo, in addition to every first team player, Marc Muniesaand Cristian Tello , from Barça B, were also present, but these were not the only two debutants in the official photo, as also included for the first time were players like Andreu Fontàs, Isaac Cuenca, and Thiago , who last year were with the B team, and the two new signingsthis season, Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.

Interestingly it is also the first official photo for Ibrahim Afellay , who joined the team in the winter transfer market last year, and therefore was not in the 2010/11 season official photo.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Alexis and Thiago train with the group
WWW.FCBARCELONA.CAT 03/14/2012 12:00
The two players continue to recover successfullyfrom their respective injuries and trained this Wednesday with their teammates in the session that took place at the Camp Nou
Abidal, meanwhile, did some specific recovery work on the pitch, away from the main group
Barça B players Tello and Muniesa also took part in the session

Alexis, en la sessió preparatòria d'aquest dimecres al Camp Nou / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
UEFA doping control
Just after training, a total of 10 players were subjected to doping controls, in this case giving urine samples, that UEFA demand every so often.This time, the 10 players were Thiago, Pedro, Keita, Alves, Mascherano, Abidal, Valdes, Pique, Puyol, and Cuenca.
Having enjoyed two days off, the Barça first team returned to training on Wednesday, with all their efforts aimed at preparation for this Saturday's League match away to Sevilla . This time, the training session was held at the Camp Nou , behind closed doors, and before the session, the first team had the official photo of the season taken.
The novelty of the session was seeing Alexis and Thiago training alongside their teammates. Remember that the Chilean suffered a small tearin the in his right thigh which prevented him from being present in the matches against BayerLeverkusen and Racing Santander. Thiago , meanwhile, is continuing his recovery from the periostitis of the third distal of his right tibia thatdidn't allow him him to play in the last three matches, against Sporting, Bayer Leverkusen, and Racing Santander.
Abidal works away from the group
As for Abidal , who is recovering from a groin strain, he did some recovery work on the Camp Nou pitch, away from the main group. A well as the first team players, Marc Muniesa and Cristian Tello also took part in the session . Barça will be back at training on Thursday, from 11.00, at the Joan Gamper training ground.
Preciado and Davids, present at the session
The training session at the Camp Nou was attended by Manolo Preciado , as well as former player Edgar Davids , who was at Barça for half aseason in 2004.

FCB

 

[Classik]

Mascherano: "Guardiola has unanimous support because of his way of doing things"


03/14/2012 14:11
The Argentinian believes that we must respect the time being taken by Guardiola to decide his future "because he’s managed to get unanimity and support from the fans, the Club, and the players"
He agrees with Xavi: "Which club would be ready for the most successful coach in their history to go?"

Javier Mascherano defended his manager, JosepGuardiola, regarding the time he is taking in his decision to renew or not his contract in charge ofthe first team. "Everyone is free to make their own decisions. He's an adult and we should respect the time he's taking. Very often we players also take our time to decide whether to renew our contracts, and in this case everyone agrees: President, Board , fans, and players all want him to continue" he said.
Mascherano believes that this general support for Guardiola is fruit of "his way of doing things. It's not due to the titles, but by how he's achieved them" he added. In this sense, he agreed with what Xavi said on Tuesday: "It's logical what Xavi said. Which club would be ready for the most successful coach in their history to go?. No one is prepared for it. We hopehe carries on".
In the League, "no margin for error"
Asked about the League, Mascherano is very clear: "We have to continue our work and win the points that we need, and then see if we haveany chance, because we have no margin for error." In any case, he said that maintaining a good run in the regular competition "will help usin the other two competitions" which are the Cup and the Champions League. In this regard, on the draw for the Champions on Friday, he acknowledged having "no preference".

FCB,

Roger Bogunyà

 

[Classik]

SUPPORTERS' CLUBS
Requirements for creating new supporters clubs
www.fcbarcelona.cat 03/14/2012 16:44
The regulations passed last November establish the criteria for forming new supporters clubs

Trobada Mundial de Penyes
Trobada Mundial de Penyes
The new FC Barcelona Supporters Clubs Regulations passed by the Board of Directors on January 23 have established the process, criteria and requirements for creating a new supporters club. In accordance with the points presented by the regulations commission, and validated by the same at the last Congress, the steps for creating a supporters club have been changed considerably.
The aim of this change is to reaffirm the new directions we are taking as established by the new Penyes Segle XXI project. Solid, quality supporters clubs that satisfy minimum requirements that will help take the movement where it deserves to be.
Requirements
From now on, in order to create a supporters club, the following requirements, among others, must be satisfied:
● The president of the supporters club must be an FC Barcelona member, or must have a commitment card. Also, supporters clubs based in Catalonia must have at least five members of FC Barcelona or holders of commitment cards.
● The supporters club must have a minimum number of members, depending on the number of people registered as residents in the municipality, in accordance with the table that appears in Article 3 of the regulations.
● Two thirds of the members of the Board of Directors must be registered residents, or regularinhabitants of the town or city where the supporters club is based.
● The supporters club must have a clubhouse, which cannot be a private apartment or propertydesigned for use as a home. If the clubhouse is open to the public, the owner or proprietor of the business cannot be a member of the board ofdirectors.
● Each supporters club must have its own clubhouse and address, and cannot share either with another supporters club.
● Only one supporters club shall be accepted in municipalities with less than 25,000 inhabitants.
Application process
The process to constitute a supporters club can be viewed in full by clicking here , and consists of four stages:
1. First of all, the applicant must properly fill in the Supporters Club Name Application form and send it to the Department.
2. If the Club provides a positive response, FC Barcelona will report this and send a second form, the Provisional Recognition form. This must be returned to the club within 90 days along with the foundational deeds, the proposed model for the statutes, a certificate confirming that the future supporters club satisfies the requirements, and a proposed identity symbol.
The Club will forward the documentation to the delegate of the Advisory Council in order for this person to produce a favourable report.
3. If the delegate does provide a favourable report, the supporters club will be authorised to continue its application, and will have a period of 90 days to provide all the documentation to the corresponding registry of entities and to provide the Club with proof of the same.
Once the supporters club's statutes have been validated, it must provide a copy to the club for them to be made official.
4. Once the Club has the statutes as accepted by the corresponding body, the supporters club will be ready to go to the Board of Directors for approval.
It is compulsory for all these stages to be observed, and no documentation will be accepted for processing unless all of the preceding stages have been complied with.

FCB