La Liga: FC Barcelona vs Villarreal CF: Match Preview

A preview of Barcelona's difficult La Liga clash with Villarreal at the Camp Nou

FC Barcelona will be aiming to register their eighth successive victory tomorrow evening as they return to the Camp Nou to take on high-flying Villarreal CF. With both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid cruising to easy wins in their Saturday fixtures, the pressure will be on Luis Enrique and his Barcelona side to follow suit, even if they are up against one of the best sides in La Liga. With 38 points, the Yellow Submarine currently occupy sixth place and still harbour dreams of challenging for a UEFA Champions League qualification berth.

Indeed, if that is their end goal, they are on course to put up a serious fight; Villarreal are unbeaten in their last ten La Liga fixtures and that run extends to 18 matches if you consider their form in all competitions. Their defense is the second best in the league and they are only team in the division to have only lost once away from home. The trouble is, they’re facing FC Barcelona.

In the past seven matches, FC Barcelona haven’t just put their crisis behind them, they’ve eradicated all memory of it with a slew of impressive performances. After Bayern Munich were humbled last night, Barça’s position as the world’s "form team" was solidified – at the moment, we simply cannot do anything wrong. Play the reigning La Liga champions three times in a few weeks? No problem! We’ll beat them three times, each time in a different fashion.

From their comprehensive domination in the first La Liga fixture, to their patient approach in the Copa del Rey first-leg and then their high-octane, frenetic style in the second-leg a few days ago; we’ve won in just about every imaginable way, reacting and adapting perfectly to our opposition in each and every instance. It’s a far cry from what we have seen at times under Luis Enrique, perhaps the clearest sign yet that Lucho has finally found his feet as Barça head coach.

Yet, at the same time everything is so fragile; one bad result and the narrative changes completely. Plus, it’s entirely possible that even one slip-up could be the difference between success and failure at the season’s end. And that is why this fixture concerns so many Culés; Villarreal are high in confidence, have buckets of ability and talent at their disposal and are looking to claim a big scalp as they chase fourth spot.

Both teams want a win. Both teams think they can win. The question is: who wants it more?

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

No official team news has been released as of yet, although there’s little reason to expect many surprises. It’s possible that the birth of his second son may rule Gerard Piqué out of contention, but on the flipside, this is of course an important match and we need our best players in the line-up. Jeremy Mathieu might have annoyed some people with his recent media comments about the Messi-Enrique incident, but it’d be a surprise if he was left out of the squad as a result. And with no new injuries or suspensions to contend with, Enrique has a wealth of options at his disposal.

Claudio Bravo will start in goal looking for his third successive clean sheet and will likely be supported by a full-strength backline featuring Dani Alves, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano. As mentioned previously, Piqué may or may not be part of the squad – so there’s an outside chance that Mathieu might make his first start since returning from injury, or maybe that Marc Bartra will feature again.

In midfield, I suspect that Xavi will return to the starting line-up and that Ivan Rakitić will retain his place to partner the veteran Catalan midfielder in the centre of the park. Sergio Busquets is a virtual lock at pivote, and of course, it would naive to rule Andrés Iniesta out of contention simply because I have a suspicion that it’s Xavi’s turn to be rotated in. In fact, there’s not even any reason why Rafinha Alcântara won’t be challenging for a starting berth either; the Brazilian has been in impressive form as of late and on that basis, it might just be a matter of time before we start including him in these conversations more often.

Oh and there’s the small matter of an attack featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. Last time out against Villarreal, we needed a "pure nine" in B team striker Sandro Ramirez to break their resolve at El Madrigal and pick up the win. Is that a suggestion that this could be the kind of match in which Luis Suarez can thrive, or is it an indication that we simply need him to be at his best in front of goal, as opposed to the wasteful and anxious Suarez that we’ve seen since his arrival? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see...

VILLARREAL

In the build-up to this match, the one name I’ve heard and seen the most is Denis Cheryshev – tipped as "Denis the Menace", the man most likely to cause FC Barcelona problems tomorrow. Perhaps they are right, yet for me the biggest threat is not going to be contending with Denis; it’s Luciano Vietto who worries me as a Culé. With nine goals to his name in what has been his debut season not only in La Liga, but in European football in general, Vietto has scored as many as Karim Benzema, and more than Mario Mandzukic.

Skilful, yet clinical, Vietto has all the attributes to succeed as the next great Argentine striker and despite his impressive goalscoring record, he’s been doing this all "under the radar". What better way to boost your profile than by grabbing a goal or two at the Camp Nou? Barça will have to be at their best defensively to keep him quiet.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WWWWWW

Villarreal: DDWWWW

LAST MEETING

Villarreal CF 0-1 FC Barcelona – 31^st August 2014 – La Liga

Super substitute Sandro Ramirez broke the deadlock with a late goal to succeed where Barça had previously failed and get the goal needed to secure the three points.

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Bravo; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Rakitić; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Villarreal (4-3-3): Asenjo; Gaspar, Musacchio, Ruiz, Costa; Bruno, Trigueros, Jonathan; Cheryshev, Vietto, Giovani

MATCH PREDICTION

Make no mistake, this could be one of our toughest matches thus far this season and I think that will be reflected in the performance it inspires from our players – I see a statement victory on the horizon, 3-0 Barça.

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FC Barcelona News: 31 January 2015; Neymar, Sergio Busquets Set for New Contracts, Preparations Continue for Next Match

Squad prepare for Villarreal | FC Barcelona

The squad continues to prepare for Sunday evening’s visit of Villarreal with a training session at the Ciutat Esportiva on Saturday morning. All the available players were present, whilst Douglas trained apart and worked on his recovery.

Neymar & Busquets set for new deals? | Football Espana

Barcelona have been handed a boost with reports that both Neymar and Sergio Busquets are set to sign new contracts. According to Sport, the Brazilian forward has agreed a new deal in principle until 2020 worth €12m a year, putting him on par with Luis Suarez and just behind Lionel Messi.

Neymar's two goals against Villarreal | FC Barcelona

Recent matches have served to show that Neymar is in great form ahead of the visit of Villarreal to Camp Nou in the league this Sunday in a game that kicks off at 9.00pm (CET). The Brazilian star now has 21 goals in all competitions this season and has scored four goals in his last two matches (against Elche and Atlético Madrid). He will be keen to that total against the weekend’s visitors.

Xavi optimistic, happy with team's performance | FC Barcelona

The midfielder wanted to put an end to any controversies and said: "We're united and hungry. Things always happen in the locker room, they'll continue to happen, and I think it's good that they happen.The team has moved on and doesn't care about it anymore," he added.

Sasha Piqué is born! | FC Barcelona

Gerard Piqué and Shakira are the proud parents of their newest child, Sasha Piqué, born in Barcelona. The new arrival is the couple's second boy after Milan, who was born on 22 January 2013. The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means "defender of mankind" and "warrior."

Villarreal - dangerous visitors | FC Barcelona

Villarreal visit Camp Nou this Sunday with some impressive numbers coming into such a big game. The blaugranes’ rivals have had an excellent first half to the league campaign and have only lost once away from home so far this season. That defeat came at the start of November against Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán when two late goals gave the home side a come from behind 2-1 victory.

Jonathan Dos Santos excited about return | FC Barcelona

After leaving FC Barcelona after 12 years at the Club, Jonathan Dos Santos will face his old team on Sunday evening when Villarreal visit the Camp Nou. In an exclusive interview with www.fcbarcelona.com he tells us how he’s settled in at Villarreal and gives his views on Luis Enrique’s team’s progress.

Celso Borges penalty gives Deportivo 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano | Sky Sports Football

Borges hit a rising spot kick past home goalkeeper Antonio Tono after Abdoulaye Ba was booked for a foul on Sidnei in the box. Borges had opened the scoring for the visitors in the 10th minute when he forced home a shot from six yards but the hosts equalised 11 minutes later when Alberto Bueno fired home.

Bruno Zuculini joins Cordoba as Manchester City trio leave on loan deals | Sky Sports

The 21-year-old midfielder arrived at City from Racing Club in August 2014 and shined on the club's pre-season tour of Scotland and the United States, scoring his first goal against Kansas City. Argentine Zuculini has also had a loan spell with Valencia alongside City striker Alvaro Negredo, and will now try to impress at the Spanish side who are 16th in La Liga, two places above the drop zone.

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Report: Sergio Busquets to Sign Contract Extension with Barcelona

One of the most consistent pieces of Barcelona's glorious era, Sergio Busquets is set to have a new contract.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana and the 26-year-old midfielder will sign an extension that will keep him as a Barça player until 2020, with a player option for one extra season. Busquets will also see his bank account get bigger with a significant increase in his wages. Plus, it will get tougher to buy him out of Barça, with his release clause getting raised from €150 million to €175 million.

Despite his consistency and high level of play year after year, Busquets is always a controversial figure in the eyes of Barça fans. Some point to his lack of defensive skills; others point to his lack of passing skills; others point to his lack of offensive skills; however, the reality is Sergio is one of the more complete players in his position in all of football. Being forced to cover a lot more ground due to Luis Enrique's crazy new tactical system, Busquets took some time to adjust to his expanded defensive role, but has now settled into a rythm and has returned to his usual All-Star form.

Busquets is getting paid, and few players in the current Barça squad are more deserving than him.

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Barcelona Locker Room Reportedly Upset at Jérémy Mathieu

After the loss at the Anoeta, the world found out that the relationship between Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique was not the best, which resulted in a crisis that is thankfully part of the past now. But, as always, #TheCrisis returned because of something somebody said. But, surprisingly, the guy putting more gasoline on the fire is an inside source.

A few days ago, 31-year-old center-back Jérémy Mathieu revealed during a radio interview that Messi and Enrique actually had a heated discussion before the match against Real Sociedad. It happened during a training session, when Leo went after Lucho for a hard tackle from a teammate that wasn't called a foul. Enrique then gave a surly response and they had to be separated before things got even more heated.

The revelation of an actual beef between the team's best player and the coach was the last thing that needed to happen after the two reportedly forgot the problem and didn't let it affect their professional relationship. Thanks to seven straight wins by the Blaugrana, Mathieu's remarks didn't cause much problem externally, but they didn't go well internally. Enrique, Messi and the rest of the captains have not talked to Mathieu since the interview, sources told Barça Blaugranes.

It's unclear to this point whether Enrique will punish Mathieu in some way, but the most discrete way would be to leave him out of the squad for tomorrow's La Liga encounter with Villarreal. He hasn't shown much improvement on his physical condition even though he has received the medical green light, so excluding him from the lineup under the official label of "medical reasons" would be the easiest way for Enrique to show Mathieu he's not happy with the player's actions.

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Getting to Know: Jeremy Mathieu

A look into Jeremy Mathieu's career as a football player.

Full name: Jérémy Mathieu

Squad No.: 24

Position: Defender

Date of birth: 19 October 1983

Place of birth: Luxeuil-les-Bains, France

Height: 1.89 m (6 ft 3 in)

Weight: 84 kg (185 lbs)

Born in the commune Luxeuil-les-Bains in eastern France, about the same distance from the borders with Switzerland and Germany, Mathieu first encountered professional football in the largest club in the region, FC Sochaux. There he was a highly regarded young left-back who made a strong mark on the club's reserve team, FC Sochaux B.

Moving up to the first team Mathieu made his first team debut in the 2002-03 season. Despite his young age he was entrusted with a spot in the starting XI more often than not in his first season with the first team. Mathieu responded by putting in a good performance after a good performance, quickly becoming a key member of a team that earned a place in the EURO cup. Mathieu maintained his good form over the remaining two seasons he spent with Sochaux, helping his team to the club's first major trophy since 1938, not counting two Ligue 2 titles in between. In three season for Sochaux Mathieu appeared in 108 games, during which he scored an impressive 14 goals.

Then, in the 2005 summer transfer window, Toulouse opened their checkbook and secured Mathieu's services for €5 million. Now in the south of France, Mathieu continued to impress. He immediately became a key member of the team, appearing all but two games in his first season with Toulouse. His second season was similarly successful, but he struggled the following year as he missed half of the campaign with a fractured foot. Regardless of the health problems Mathieu started attracting bigger European clubs, but Toulouse refused to sell him, even though Mathieu was in the last year of his contract. Mathieu had yet another strong season and with his contract over he was able to leave the French club under the Bosman rule. In four seasons Mathieu played in 117 games, scoring five goal for Toulouse.

Valencia were quick to sign Mathieu to a three-year deal. Mathieu started his Valencia career as a left-back, but as injuries riddled the team Mathieu was forced to move to the heart of the defense. He immediately looked comfortable there so for the remainder of his time in Valencia he played both positions, depending on the opponent and the defense's health situation. After a couple contract extensions Mathieu stayed five years with Los Che, making 182 appearances, scoring seven goals in the process.

Desperately needing defensive reinforcements Barcelona decided to meet Mathieu's buyout clause set at €20 million, making the Frenchman the most expensive defenseman over the age of 30. Mathieu quickly became a member of the starting XI in Catalonia, but a couple of nagging injuries have often forced him to watch games from the stands. In roughly half a season's worth of football Mathieu has played in 19 games. He also managed to score one goal.

Profile

Mathieu is a very physical player who can play as a left-back or a center-half. He provides aerial stability regardless of which position he plays at because of his height. Mathieu is also a very strong tackler. Despite his size Mathieu possesses very good speed which is why he was able to spend most of his career playing as a full-back. Despite scoring many goals as a left-back, Mathieu nowadays isn't as much of a threat offensively as he was in his early days.

Honors

FC Sochaux

• Coupe de la Ligue (1): 2004

Mathieu is currently in the first year of the four year deal he signed upon joining FC Barcelona, a contract that will run out in 2018. The contract includes an option for a fifth season.

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La Liga: FC Barcelona vs Villarreal CF: Pick the Lineup

Let's play Lucho! Miss that?

Seven straight wins, including three strong victories over Atlético Madrid. A place in the Copa del Rey semifinals, and a team that's rolling and looking better and better with each game. Not bad for a club that was living a crisis just a month ago.

Barcelona will look to keep the momentum going this Sunday, when they welcome Villarreal to Camp Nou for their next La Liga match. The Blaugrana are only one point behind Real Madrid in the standings, albeit having played one more game, and they could continue to put pressure on the Blancos by beating a very strong opponent in the Yellow Submarine, winners of four straight.

Coach Luis Enrique will finally have a full week of practice following Sunday's match, which probably means he'll use the strongest possible lineup against Villarreal. Thomas Vermaelen and Douglas Pereira are out with injuries. Jérémy Mathieu is possibly returning to the starting lineup, now that he's completely ready to go.

So how about playing Lucho and deciding whether or not Mathieu will play on Sunday? It's simple: please fill out the attached form below and select your favorite lineup for the game; first decide your starting eleven, then name the seven players you want on the bench. Don't forget to also use the comment section below to state why you chose a specific squad, so we can all have a nice conversation. Have fun!

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FC Barcelona News: 30 January 2015; Barça to Face Villarreal In Copa del Rey Semi-Final

FC Barcelona to face Villarreal in Cup semis | FC Barcelona

Barça will face Villarreal in the Spanish Cup semi-final after Marcelino García Toral’s team beat Getafe 0-1 on Wednesday to win the tie 2-0 on aggregate. Villarreal beat Real Sociedad (1-0 and 2-2) and Cádiz (1-2 and 3-0) in the previous rounds.

Back to the practice field | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona, after having the day off on Thursday, returned to training on Friday morning to begin preparing for the this weekend's game against Villarreal on Sunday at 9.00pm (CET) at Camp Nou. Tito Vilanova Field at the Ciutat Esportiva was where all available players trained. Douglas did individual work as he recovers from an injury to his left leg.

Atletico Madrid Barcelona serve up epic chaotic Copa del Rey clash by Sid Lowe - ESPN FC

Dazed and confused, at the final whistle one question got asked repeatedly: What the hell happened? The answer was simple even if the analysis wasn't: pretty much everything happened. Fernando Torres scored after 38 seconds and Neymar scored after eight minutes. There were 11 yellow cards, 5 goals, 2 penalties and 2 reds, not that anyone realised: The first of them whipped out and waved in the players' tunnel at halftime. Jordi Alba was felled by a flag. And Arda Turan threw his boot at the linesman.

Neymar Jr: One goal every 87 minutes | FC Barcelona

‘La Copa del Ney’ proclaimed Sport newspaper on Thursday morning, a play on words that should require no explanation. And after adding two more goals to his personal account against Atlético Madrid in the cup, the Brazilian striker really is the man of the moment.

'Neymar will have problems for his whole career' - Atletico Madrid midfielder Cani - Goal.com

Atletico captain Gabi branded the Brazilian "irritating" after the match, claiming the 22-year-old attempts to wind up his opponents throughout games. And Cani has now fired a warning to the former Santos star, telling reporters on Wednesday: "He'll have problems for his whole career. Neymar has a style of play. One day he'll have a problem as he did today, but if he likes it...

Copa del Rey: Villarreal set up semi-final clash with Barcelona, while Athletic Bilbao and Espanyol also progress | Football News | Sky Sports

Gerard Moreno scored the only goal of the game on Wednesday night as Marcelino’s side repeated the 1-0 scoreline from the first leg to set up a meeting with Barcelona in the last four. It’s the first time in the club’s history they have reached the semi-finals of the competition, and they travel to Camp Nou to take on the Catalan giants in the first leg on February 11.

FCBEscola Istanbul AVEA a success | FC Barcelona

Following the success of a number of campuses in various Turkish cities, FCB Escola and AVEA have opened another centre in Istanbul, which has already aroused a lot of interest throughout the country and had a great response to its first entry tests.

Arda Turan to avoid punishment for shoe-throwing incident " Inside Spanish Football

But rather than put his shoe back on and run after the ball, Turan threw it at the touchline and hitting the linesman. Arda was believe to be facing sanctions, other than the yellow card he received, but the referee’s notes did not mention the shoe-throwing incident and the Competition Committee are not likely to hand down any punishment.

‘Illarra rejected Athletic offer’ | Football Espana

Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Asier Illarramendi turned down the opportunity to join Athletic Bilbao. The Basque midfielder had been expected to join Los Leones if the offer presented itself, but the Coach denied this to be the case and stated that the €32.2m man would start for Los Blancos against his former club Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Villarreal replace Gabriel with Bailly | Football Espana

Villarreal have succeeded in their efforts to replace Gabriel Paulista after completing the signing of Eric Bailly from Espanyol. The 20-year-old has signed a contract with the Yellow Submarine until 2020 and joins the club for a reported fee of €6m, less than half the sum paid by Arsenal for the Brazilian.

Ivan Ramis released by Wigan and signs for Levante | Sky Sports

The Spanish defender had been at the DW Stadium since 2012, when he joined from Real Mallorca, but he was limited to 49 league appearances due to injury. He suffered a cruciate ligament injury in early 2013 that ruled him out for the best part of a year, meaning he missed out on the run to FA Cup final glory and the club's subsequent Europa League campaign.

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At Least for Now, Martín Montoya Stays

When the January transfer window opened a month ago, it was a certainty that we had seen the end of Martín Montoya's stint as a Barcelona player. The La Masia product was very unhappy with the lack of minutes and opportunities under new coach Luis Enrique, and his agent stated publicly that the possibility of Montoya leaving Barça was "close to 100%".

Well, that did not happen. With two days left in the winter window, no team has made an offer that includes paying Montoya's buyout clause, of €20 million. Sources told Barça Blaugranes that the interest from teams like AC Milan, Inter Milan and others disappeared after the 23-year-old was inserted in the rotation by his coach, and they don't plan to acquire the player.

Also, with the imminent departure of Dani Alves, it appears that Lucho gained trust in Montoya and wants to give him the starting job next season. Since the Catalan club is under the transfer ban in 2015, Martín would be a no-brainer to replace Alves once he goes to England. If he underperforms, then Barça would look for another right-back once they're free to buy again. But for now, Lucho is willing to trust his squad and give Montoya a real chance to show he's the right man for the job.

Montoya has started in five of Barça's last ten games, and he has performed well in all of them. If he continues to play at a high level, maybe he's not leaving after all.

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Who is the Most Influential Person in FC Barcelona’s History?

With over 115 years of club history, picking a single individual is tricky but there are a few candidates that stand out from the rest.

Joan Gamper

Where better to start than with the man who started the club. Gamper was a swiss businessman who founded many clubs in his homeland including FC Basel and FC Zürich, in 1898 he traveled to Barcelona. The city was meant to be a layover on his journey to Africa but Gamper fell in love with the Catalan capital. He stayed and on the 22nd of October 1899 he placed an advert in Los Deportes, stating his intention to form a football club. A group of Swiss, British and Spanish football fans responded to the advert so they met at the Gimnasio Solé on the 29th November and FC Barcelona was born.

Gamper started as club captain and a member of the board before being elected president in 1908. During his presidency, Barcelona started to become a dot on the footballing calendar. He established the club's first stadium, signed legendary player Paulino Alcántara and is widely credited for being president during Barça's first "golden age".

Despite the tragic end to his life in 1930, Gamper is still a familiar name to any Barça fan thanks to the annual Joan Gamper Trophy. Gamper also has a street named after him in the Les Corts district and his membership number has been retired. Although many influential men have come to the club since Gamper, there can be no denying that without him this club wouldn't be what it is today.

J ohan Cruyff

"If the 175,000 FC Barcelona members, or socios, queued up in an orderly line, night after night, to massage his tired feet, cook his dinner and tuck him into bed; if they carried his golf clubs round Montanya's hilly 18 holes; if they devoted 50 per cent of their annual salary to him ... it still wouldn't be anywhere near enough to repay the debt that those who love this club owe Johan Cruyff" Graham Hunter

When talking about Barcelona's success, it is hard to have a conversation without including Cruyff's name. A lot is talked about Barça's DNA, about the kids who come through La Masia, all of this stems from Cruyff. He changed the idea that small footballers are useless, not only that but he convinced the world that they were the way forward.

The Dutchman began his career at Ajax, winning eight league titles and three European cups. Barcelona came calling and he won European Footballer of the Year in his debut season along with the league title. After he hung up his boots he returned to Ajax as coach before again switching the windy city of Amsterdam for the heat of Barcelona.

He set about assembling the dream team. Cruyff brought in Txiki Begiristain, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romário, Hristo Stoichkov and Pep Guardiola. Barça won four league titles in four years and reached the pinnacle of European football by winning the club's first European Cup at Wembley.

For any other manager this would be the showpiece of their career, the best thing they ever achieved. But for Cruyff, the trophies come a mere second. His greatest work was the creation of La Masia. Cruyff's brainchild of establishing a fully-functioning youth system that parallels the ideologies of the first team was an idea that has benefited the first team since its creation 36 years ago.

No Xavi, no Iniesta, no Valdés, no Busquets, no Messi without Cruyff. All of these world beaters were formed in La Masia and without Cruyff they would've been deemed too small, not strong enough for the physical game.

Cruyff revolutionised Barça's philosophy. He set the wheels in motion for the plan that would see Messi, Iniesta, Xavi et al under Guardiola's guidance become one of the greatest teams to ever play the game.

Pep Guardiola

When Guardiola's promotion from B-team coach to the first team was announced, there was understandably doubts. This was a man with only a year's coaching experience under his belt being given one of the biggest jobs in world football.

The story of his appointment is a familiar one to most culés. The board faced a decision between Guardiola and José Mourinho, they chose Pep and the next four seasons was the most successful era of the club.

Guided by Cruyff's philosophies, he installed a new team ethic, reintroduced a total football like style of play and showed an unrelenting desire to win. League titles followed as did Copa del Reys and two Champions Leagues along with plaudits claiming this to be the best team the game had ever seen.

Guardiola's influence was most noticeable after he had left the club. The team retained the league but have since had a new manager every season and haven't been able to replicate the success they enjoyed under Pep's leadership. While it's true that the players were naturally going to decline, the absence of a skilled man motivator and tactician such as Guardiola is paramount.

The evolution of Bayern Munich from a counterattacking side to a possession based one is a key example of the kind of impact the Catalan coach can have in a short space of time.

Ronaldinho

"Playing for FC Barcelona was my magic moment" - Ronaldinho

The Brazilian superstar was the iconic player of Frank Rijkaard's reign and the team was formed around him. A man who was originally bought as a consolation prize for the loss of David Beckham to Real Madrid, quickly established himself as one of the best players to ever wear the shirt.

During his time in Catalunya he won two Ligas, one Champions League, two Spanish Super Cups and three Catalan Cups. However what speaks most of his greatness was being applauded by the Santiago Bernabéu crowd during a 3-0 victory in one of the most memorable Clásico moments of all time.

While Ronaldinho can't claim to have reformed the club from the ground up, he is a true superstar and the tactic to run the team through him was a blueprint that opened doors for Messi.

Lionel Messi

"Don't write about him, don't try to describe him. Just watch him." - Pep Guardiola

When you are riding a wave, it is impossible to fully understand the size of the wave until it is finished. This is the perfect analogy for Messi's career. Most players are finally accepted into the pantheon of the greats after their playing days are over, it shows how good Messi is that he is already being considered as possibly the greatest ever at the tender age of 27.

There is no doubt that Messi has already had a huge impact on the game. Winning four consecutive Ballon d'Ors, becoming Barcelona's, La Liga's and the Champions League's all-time top scorer was unlikely to go unnoticed. His influence has spread across the world and we now starting to see kids professionally playing and citing Messi as their role model.

The true measurement of Messi's influence is unlikely to be clear for a few decades yet. When we see kids growing up imitating Messi and those kids going on to play on the world's biggest stages then we will start to understand the phenomenon that is Leo Messi.

Other Notable Candidates:

Xavi Hernández

Rinus Michels

Hans Gamper

Ladislao Kubala

From looking at the list, it becomes increasingly clear that Cruyff stands head and shoulders above the rest. It was his idea that revolutionised the Barça style and has since become the blueprint for their success. While we are yet to see the full extent of Guardiola's or Messi's influence, for now only Cruyff can boast such an influence in the club's history.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 January 2015; Barcelona March Into Copa del Rey Semi-Final

Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona (2-3): Triumphant march into semis | FC Barcelona

Never was the old adage of a ‘game of two halves’ more appropriate than it was tonight. A non-stop first half produced five goals, with Barça going behind twice but eventually leading 3-2 at the break. After Atlético were reduced to ten men at half-time, all the fire went out of the game, with Barça’s qualification for the last four of the cup never really looking in doubt.

Six out of six in the Cup | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have won all five games where Alves, Piqué, Mascherano and Alba have started in defence. The other were the 5-1 defeat of Espanyol, 3-1 against Atlético in the league, 4-0 at Deportivo and both legs against Atlético in the cup.

Luis Enrique happy with everything the team did | FC Barcelona

Following a thrilling game against Atlético, especially the first half, Luis Enrique was delighted with everything he had seen as his team qualified for the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup.

Rakitic hopes winning form will continue | FC Barcelona

After FC Barcelona beat Atlético 3-2 at the Vicente Calderón, Ivan Rakitic said that "we played a very complete match. It is not easy when you have to come from behind twice like we have done in their stadium. We didn’t beat Atlético at all last season and we’ve done it three times this year, so we must be doing things right. I hope things continue like this."

Eight Spanish Cup semi-finals in nine years | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have beaten Atlético Madrid 4-2 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup, continuing their great form in the competition in the last decade. In the last nine years, only Sevilla in 2009/10 have managed to prevent them from reaching the final four. Barcelona’s opponents this time will be either Getafe or Villarreal, with the latter defending their 1-0 lead from the first leg on Thursday night.

Neymar and Messi keep cool as Atletico lose theirs - Goal.com

Gabi and Mario Suarez were sent off, while Arda Turan faces a ban for throwing a boot at the assistant referee in what was anything but a magnanimous loss. The moment summed up the evening's events. Atletico Madrid's recent signing Cani clipped Lionel Messi's legs with a cynical foul and the Vicente Calderon crowd called for more: "Otra, otra, otra!"

FC Barcelona squad share same celebratory photo | FC Barcelona

Whenever the first team win, it’s only normal for them to want to share their joy with their fans on social networks, often in the form of pictures taken in the dressing room or travelling home, with the hero of the game in the centre. The 3-2 defeat of Atlético at the Calderón to ensure passage into the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup was no exception.

Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique argued in Barcelona training reveals Jeremy Mathieu - ESPN FC

"It was when we got back from holiday," Mathieu said to RMC of the incident that occurred at the La Liga club's training centre on Jan. 2. "Suddenly, for a foul that wasn't given, 'Leo' blew his top. Things got tense, they said a few things to each other. "The coach came to speak to him in the dressing room afterwards and that's that. It happens at every club, but because it's Barcelona, it's made out to be a huge thing. That's the problem."

FC Barcelona B v Beijing Guoan: Chance for the subs (0-0) | FC Barcelona

Barça B played a friendly on Wednesday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper against FC Beijing Guoan, the Chinese side coached by Spaniard Gregorio Manzano that is currently touring the country. The game offered a fine opportunity for some of the less regular players and others returning from injury to get a run-out.

FC Barcelona Museum tops Picasso and Dalí once again | FC Barcelona

The FC Barcelona Museum has once again finished the year as the most visited in Catalonia. In 2014 it welcomed an incredible 1,530,484 visitors, a 1.62% increase on the previous year. That was enough to beat the Dalí Museum in Figueres, with 1,297,311 visitors, into second place, with the Picasso Museum in Barcelona third with 919,814.

Two-match ban is far too lenient for lucky Ronaldo - Goal.com

Ronaldo is better than every player in the league. Maybe he believes they are all beneath him but the rules exist for him as for anybody else. Players are jostled around the box before corner kicks all the time. Feet are left in to let the opposition know that a game will not be easy. Most players have developed a skin thick enough to keep their emotions in check. Not him, not Ronaldo. His reaction to being touched suggests "How dare you."

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo receives two-match ban following red card against Cordoba | Sky Sports

The Spanish league has announced the Portugal winger has been suspended for Real's next two La Liga matches against Real Sociedad and Sevilla but will be available for the derby with Atletico Madrid.

Valencia close in on PSV winger Zakaria Bakkali | Eurosport

The 19-year-old, who is of Moroccan descent and made his international debut for Belgium in a World Cup qualifier against Wales in October 2013, has refused a new contract at the Philips Stadion and has not made a first team appearance this season.As a result, it is understood the Dutch outfit have agreed to sell him and Valencia are in pole position to secure his signature.

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Copa del Rey: Atletico Madrid vs FC Barcelona: Live Game Thread

Live game thread for the 2nd Copa del Rey quarter final leg between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona.

Copa del Rey: Quarter-Final 2nd Leg

1st Leg Result: FC Barcelona 1-0 Atletico Madrid

Vicente Calderón, Madrid

Kickoff: Wednesday, 28 January 2015; 21:00 CET

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano

Line-ups:

Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): 13. Jan Oblak; 20. Juanfran, 23. Miranda, 24. José Giménez, 3. Guilherme Siqueira; 10. Arda Turan, 4. Mario Suárez, 14. Gabi, 8. Raúl García; 7. Antoine Griezmann, 19. Fernando Torres

Substitutes: TBA

Coach: Diego Simeone

***

FC Barcelona (4-3-3): 1. Marc-Andre ter Stegen; 22. Dani Alves, 3. Gerard Pique, 14. Javier Mascherano, 18. Jordi Alba; 5. Sergio Busquets, 4. Ivan Rakitić, 8. Andres Iniesta; 9. Luis Suarez, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Neymar

Substitutes: 25. Jordi Masip, 21. Adriano Correia, 15. Marc Bartra, 24. Jeremy Mathieu, 6. Xavi, 12. Rafinha, 7. Pedro

Coach: Luis Enrique

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FC Barcelona News: 28 January 2015; Jeremy Mathieu Returns to Match Squad, Granada Kickoff Time Announced

Mathieu back in squad for Calderón | FC Barcelona

Luis Enrique has called up Jérémy Mathieu for the 18-man squad for tonight’s game at the Vicente Calderón after the French defender recovered from his Achilles tendon injury. Claudio Bravo, Martín Montoya and Sergi Roberto all miss out, as do the injured Douglas and Vermaelen.

Luis Enrique expecting Atlético to be at their best | FC Barcelona

On Tuesday, the day before Barça travel to the Vicente Calderón to defend their 1-0 lead in the second leg of their Spanish Cup quarter-final, Luis Enrique described his impressions to the press, underlining the fact that he expects to face "a very powerful version of Atlético Madrid."

Luis Enrique can end crisis talk at Barcelona by securing win over Atletico Madrid - ESPN FC

With just one defeat in 18 matches, the last thing a coach would expect would be to see his job in question, but this is Barcelona. The spotlight has focused on the coach-player dynamic involving the Barca boss and Lionel Messi, who has hit seven in five games since he was rested at Sociedad.

Neymar's first FC Barcelona goal came at the Calderón | FC Barcelona

Neymar returns on Wednesday to the Vicente Calderón in excellent form. The Brazilian star is second top scorer this season at Barça with 19 goals in all competitions. Furthermore, Neymar returns to the stadium where he scored his first ever goal as a blaugrana. His equaliser in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup Final against Atlético was enough to give Barça a 1-1 draw.

Diego Simeone: Playing FC Barcelona makes you a better team | FC Barcelona

Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone revealed in his press conference before his team’s Cup quarter-final second leg clash with Barça that he likes to measure himself against the best teams because it make his team better. For the Argentinean, intensity will be the key as his side will have to "play every minute like it’s the last one" if they are to progress.

FC Barcelona's league game at Granada at 4.00pm (CET) on Sat 28 February | FC Barcelona

Barça now know the kick off times for all their league games in February. On Tuesday it was confirmed that their last fixture of the month against Granada will be played on Saturday 28 February at 4.00pm (CET). It is worth remembering that the first game of February will come this Sunday 1 February at 9.00pm (CET) against Villarreal.

FC Barcelona's recent tours of the Americas | FC Barcelona

The announcement that this summer Barça are to embark on a trip across the Atlantic to tread American soil brings to mind previous visits to the continent. The blaugranes’ history is replete with games and anecdotes with the Club aware that it is a key area for Barça as a global brand. The relationship between FC Barcelona and the American continent goes back to 1928 when their search for new opponents and new experiences in the New World began.

Ten legendary FC Barcelona goalscorers to keep you entertained during the blizzard | FC Barcelona

If you are unfortunate enough to be stuck on the East Coast of the United States in the middle of the blizzard, we sympathise but that doesn't mean there no fun to be had. Here at fcbarcelona.com, we have put together a playlist of videos containing goals from various legendary players from the past to help keep you entertained until the sunshine comes back.

Ticket requests for Manchester City v FC Barcelona from Monday, February 2nd | FC Barcelona

From Monday, February 2nd at 10.00am (CET) until Tuesday, February 3rd at 7.00pm (CET), Barça members may request tickets for the first leg match of the second round of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and FC Barcelona, set for Tuesday, February 24th at 8.45pm (CET) in Manchester, England.

Ronaldo red card should be judged fairly and not because of his star power - ESPN FC

First came his howl of rage at Gareth Bale when an assist wasn't served up. Then came that pretty cringe-worthy howl at the moon when he was awarded the Ballon d'Or in Zurich. No goals in the World Club Championship, defeat at Valencia, elimination from the Copa del Rey which, thanks to a red card and then an injury, he's not won since 2011. A relationship break-up.

Tebas accepts Ronaldo apology | Football Espana

LFP President Javier Tebas maintains that while Cristiano Ronaldo acted 'unsportingly' against Cordoba, he has accepted the Real Madrid forward's apology. The 29-year-old was shown a straight red card for slapping and kicking opposing left-back Edimar to the ground during Los Blancos' 2-1 victory at Nuevo Arcangel on Saturday.

Paco Alcacer signs new five-year deal with Valencia - Goal.com

Paco Alcacer has pledged his future to Valencia by signing a new five-year contract. The 21-year-old academy product burst on to the scene in the Europa League last season and has recorded eight goals and six assists in all competitions in 2014-15, despite suffering a hamstring injury in November.

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Copa del Rey: FC Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: Predict the Score

A chance to predict the score of tonight's Copa del Rey quarter-final second-leg clash between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid

In six matches last season, FC Barcelona did not pick up a single victory against Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid; tonight, the Blaugrana are looking to make it three wins out of three against the reigning La Liga champions to secure their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. It's been a dramatic turnaround, especially when one considers that Barça are probably at a worse stage in terms of league position than they were at this point last season. Still, appearances can be deceiving as few would argue that Barcelona have improved under Luis Enrique, particularly over the past few weeks.

Six wins on the bounce, including two against the best team in Spain; Barcelona have been in sensational form, scoring 23 goals in those six matches, conceding just once along the way. That's simply incredible no matter which way you look at it, and in this case, the statistics have been backed up by performances on the field. With Bayern Munich currently on a winter break, Barcelona are surely playing the best football in the world at present and other teams simply cannot cope.

Atletico Madrid tried last week, setting up shop in a defensive set-up, but even they failed in the end. Eventually, Barcelona's incessant pressure and individual quality, coupled with a few tiring legs in the Atleti defense combined to gift Barça a deserved victory. Will history repeat itself tonight, or will Atleti avenge their recent run of bad form against the Blaugrana?

Predict the score of tonight's match by commenting with your prediction below. Best of luck!

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FC Barcelona Squad Named for Copa Del Rey Quarterfinal Second Leg

Coach Luis Enrique selected 18 players to form the squad for the decisive clash with Atlético Madrid

It's matchday! Barcelona will travel to Vicente Calderón for a battle with Atlético Madrid to decide which team will advance to the Copa del Rey semifinal. It's a decisive game, and coach Luis Enrique has named his best possible squad for the big one.

Ivan Rakitic is back, and he is part of the selection for this one. His knee problems that made him miss the last La Liga game are all gone, and he's expected to start tonight. Jérémy Mathieu is also back from injury. Douglas Pereira and Thomas Vermaelen, on the other hand, will miss the match due to injuries. Claudio Bravo, Sergi Roberto and Martín Montoya are out per Enrique's decision.

These are the eighteen men named by Lucho for tonight's battle:

Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 25. Jordi Masip

Defenders: 3. Gerard Piqué, 14. Javier Mascherano, 15. Marc Bartra, 18. Jordi Alba, 21. Adriano, 22. Dani Alves, 23. Jérémy Mathiu

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Xavi Hernández, 8. Andrés Iniesta, 12. Rafinha Alcântara

Forwards: 7. Pedro Rodríguez, 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Neymar Jr.

Expected Starting Lineup (4-3-3):

ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar

The match starts at 21:00 CET, and you can follow and comment all the action right here, at Barça Blaugranes.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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FC Barcelona News: 27 January 2015; North America Summer Tour Announced, Jordi Roura Named Director of Youth Football

FC Barcelona to tour the USA and Mexico in the summer | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona will go on a tour of the United States of America and Mexico in the summer four years after their last pre-season tour of the region. Despite dates not yet being confirmed, the Club has made official the news that the blaugranes will be returning to American soil for the fourth time in the last ten years.

Jordi Roura is the new Director of Youth Football | FC Barcelona

Jordi Roura has been named as the new Director of Youth Football at FC Barcelona. In a board meeting on Monday, the Club Board decided to give the former assistant coach of the first team the responsibility of overseeing the youth set up from the very youngest level all the way to Barça B.

Final session ahead of Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona in the Spanish Cup | FC Barcelona

Barça exercised on Tuesday morning at the Ciutat Esportiva, where Luis Enrique and his squad finalised preparations for Wednesday’s cup return leg at Atlético Madrid. Jérémy Mathieu was once again able to train along with his team-mates despite not having being officially declared fit, while Douglas worked out in isolation. The first team were joined by Munir of the reserves.

Neymar feeling better than ever at FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona

Speaking at today’s presentation of the Baruel agreement, Brazilian striker Neymar said that "this is my best moment at Barça. I am getting better all the time but there is still a lot left for me to do here. I want titles and many other things … I am very happy with my season and hope to continue like this."

Ten key points about Neymar's goal spree | FC Barcelona

Neymar has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season, which is already four more than the 15 he scored in his debut season at FCB. Those goals make him the team’s second highest goalscorer. Of the nineteen, fourteen were scored in La Liga, three in the Champions League and two in the Spanish Cup.

Camp Nou: The mysteries of the FC Barcelona stadium’s name | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona’s stadium is one of the most iconic sports venues in the world. Inaugurated in 1957, it held as many as 120,000 spectators when it was expanded for the 1982 World Cup. Since being converted into an all-seater, it now holds ‘only’ 99,354 people, which still makes it the biggest sports stadium in Europe.

Guillem Balague looks at Lionel Messi and Neymar's burgeoning Barcelona relationship and tackles Ronaldo's bad temper | Sky Sports

However, in the last year, Neymar and Messi have developed in tandem and now have an understanding which can rival, if not better, the previous one at Barcelona. When you look at the goals they have scored so far, and in terms of assists, it’s incredible. Now we are talking about two South American friends at the Camp Nou, a relationship which mirrors that of Messi and Cesc.

When and where to watch Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona

The local times and channels for watching Wednesday's Spanish Cup match at Vicente Calderon.

Pique hit with €2.5m tax bill | Football Espana

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is the latest footballer to fall foul of the Spanish tax authorities and has been hit with a €2.5m bill. A report in La Vanguardia claims Pique has been ordered to shell out unpaid tax for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, whilst he has also been given a €9,000 fine.

Victor Valdes starts in goal for Manchester United Under-21s - Goal.com

Victor Valdes got his first run out in Manchester United colors as the club's Under-21s beat Liverpool 2-1 Monday night. But the Spain goalkeeper will be disappointed to have conceded a soft goal in what was essentially the only time he was called into action in the full 90 minutes.

FIFA confirms Madrid investigation | Football Espana

"FIFA is currently gathering information and documents to be able to correctly evaluate this matter. "For the moment no formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened. We are unable to provide any further information at this time," a spokesperson for the organisation told German press agency dpa.

Real Madrid: We are not breaking FIFA rules - Goal.com

Real Madrid is adamant that it has fully complied with FIFA rules despite world football's governing body opening an investigation. FIFA has requested information from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on all of the underage players representing the Spanish giants, as well as clubs which have collaborations with the Champions League holders.

Lucas Silva paraded at the Bernabeu after moving to Real Madrid from Cruzeiro | Football News | Sky Sports

Real Madrid presented new signing Lucas Silva to hundreds fans at the Bernabeu after his move from Cruzeiro. The 21-year-old midfielder passed a medical with the La Liga leaders early on Monday and signed a contract until June 2020. Silva, who is yet to represent Brazil, said: "I felt butterflies in my stomach as I stepped on the field.

Ex-Rayo Vallecano, Nigeria goalkeeper Wilfred Agbonavbare dies of cancer aged 48 - ESPN FC

Wilfred played at Rayo from 1990 to 1996 and was also a member of the Nigeria squad which won the 1994 African Cup of Nations and reached the second round while playing their first World Cup that year in the USA. More recently he had worked as a goalkeeping coach, in business and as a porter at Madrid's Barajas airport.

Getafe end winless streak with 2-1 win over Celta Vigo | Sky Sports Football

Pablo Sarabia spared Diego Castro's blushes as Getafe finally ended their nine-game winless streak in La Liga with a 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo. Sarabia blasted home a late winner to end Getafe's barren league spell, after midfielder Castro had struck the bar with a penalty.

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Ivan Rakitic Set to Return for Copa Del Rey Quarterfinal Second Leg

The Croatian has been dealing with a knee discomfort that caused him to miss the last Barça match, but he is now fully recovered and ready to go

Good news from the Monday training session at Barcelona's facilities: Ivan Rakitic is set to return.

After missing the La Liga match against Elche due to a knee discomfort, the Croatian trained with no problems and he is now fully recovered and ready to play against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday. It is now up to coach Luis Enrique to decide whether or not Rakitic will be featured in the starting lineup.

Since joining Barça, Rakitic has had an interesting ride. His start to the season was sensational, and he became a fan favorite right away. However, he struggled badly for a few matches before bouncing back and playing great football in the month of January. This irregular set of performances is a little worrying, but it's understandable because of the pressure of having to perform great every night. He looks more comfortable on the pitch now, and his play should become more consistent.

He played an important role in both wins against Atlético Madrid, and he'll once again be fundamental in tomorrow's game. Hopefully his knee doesn't bother him anymore, and we can get the best Rakitic on the most important game of the season so far.

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Report: Lucas Silva was offered to Barcelona before signing with Real Madrid

Missed opportunity?

Real Madrid announced last week that they have completed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, confirming the rumors that had been growing for a while in terms of a big club acquiring the newest star from the land of Jogo Bonito. And, as it turns out, Barcelona could have also signed the 21-year-old.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana were actually the first European club contacted by Silva's agents when the Cruzeiro star was put on the market. That happened because Silva's agent is actually a former Barça marketing director, Esteve Calzada, that became a player representative after leaving the Catalan club. Calzada is a respected man in the world of football, and he offered his biggest asset to Barça first.

At the time (around March of 2014), former sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta took note of Silva and promised Calzada that he would evaluate the player. Then, he sent a Barça official to Brazil before the World Cup to watch a few Cruzeiro matches and provide him with a report on Silva. Zubi decided not to move on with any sort of negotiations and never contacted the Brazilian club to show his interest on the player.

In light of the transfer ban that is now in full effect, it would have been difficult for Barça to sign Silva anyway, especially with Madrid reportedly tracking him since 2012, when he was still at Cruzeiro's youth system. He is now with Barça's biggest rival, and only the future can tell whether or not it was a good decision by the Blaugrana not to sign him when they had the chance.

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Neymar: "This is my best moment at Barça"

The Brazilian striker is feeling better than ever at the Catalan club

He's a subject of media scrutiny every time he takes a breath. His arrival at his favorite club is still the subject of debate regarding how much money did it really take to land him. His first season was not as spectacular as expected, and that led to more speculation and doubts about how good this Brazilian kid really was.

Now, 24 games played into his second season as a Blaugrana, Neymar Jr. has answered all the questions. He's a mature young man, both on and off the pitch, and his performances wearing number eleven have been nothing short of amazing. He practically carried Barcelona in the first two or three months of the season, showing a fantastic chemistry with Lionel Messi and filling up the stat sheet with goals and assists. Messi is currently playing at a superb level, but Neymar has not lost a step either. In fact, he's probably better than he was at the season's start given that he's not the center of attention since Leo has returned to his usual superhuman form.

There's no doubt that the soon-to-be 23-year-old is enjoying his best moment in the Catalan club. And he doesn't mind letting people know about it. In an interview during a commercial duty, Ney shared his feelings on his personal moment at Barça, his relationship with his partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, and he was clear about this being the best time of his young career.

"This is my best moment at Barça. I am getting better all the time but there is still a lot left for me to do here. I want titles and many other things … I am very happy with my season and hope to continue like this.

"I feel important here. I think all players need to feel that way. When you score you feel much better with yourself. This is my second season here and I feel great both on and off the pitch.

"I had to learn about everything in my first season. A new language, a new country, a new culture … In a year and a half I have matured both personally and professionally. I have learned from the players around me and it is a pleasure to be able to train with them.

"We [Messi and I] are feeling better and better together. If you have a good relationship off the field then you have a good relationship on it. It’s much easier playing next to the best players in the world.

"Me give advice to him [Luis Suárez]? He’s older and more experienced than I am There is nothing I need to say to help him! He’s doing fine for us, scoring goals and making important passes. He’ll help us to win titles."

Source: FCBarcelona.com

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FC Barcelona News: 26 January 2015; Jeremy Mathieu Return to Training, Juan Román Riquelme Retires

Mathieu, without medical clearance, joins training session | FC Barcelona

The FC Barcelona first team gathered at 11.00am (CET) on Monday morning on pitch 1 at the Ciutat Esportiva training ground to get back to work after having Sunday off. Although he has yet to be declared fully fit, Mathieu was able to train normally after doing specific exercises on Friday. Douglas, however, continued to work out on his own.

Decisive week ahead with Spanish Cup quarter-final clash | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona will begin a week of training on Monday to begin preparing for Wednesday's Spanish Cup quarter-final return leg against Atlético Madrid at the Calderón at 9.00pm (CET). Barca will head to the Spanish capital with the advantage after last week's first leg 1-0 victory at Camp Nou.

FC Barcelona v Man City right around the corner | FC Barcelona

The hype is palpable. With just under a month remaining until the highly anticipated heavyweight bout between FC Barcelona and Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, the Citizens find themselves second the Premiership, five points behind leaders Chelsea. But in the last two weeks, City have been unable to capitalise after briefly being co-leaders

Juan Román Riquelme announces retirement | FC Barcelona

The attacking midfielder was always highly regarded for his sublime skill, his reading of the game and his wonderful shot from medium distances. He was always a somewhat shy, introverted character, and after making his name at Boca Juniors, who he had led to the Intercontinental Cup title in 2000, there were high hopes when he was acquired by FC Barcelona at the start of the 2002/03 season.

FC Barcelona and Baruel sign sponsorship deal | FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona has reached a sponsorship agreement with Tenys Pé Baruel to make the number one foot deodorant used by Neymar Jr and the Brazilian national team an Official Club Sponsor in 2015. The agreement continues the Club’s policy of forming partnerships with some of the world’s leading brands, in this case incorporating its first ever Brazilian sponsor.

FIFA investigates Real Madrid over transfers of young players report says - ESPN FC

Real Madrid are being investigated by FIFA as it tries to determine whether the Champions League winners have followed rules relating to the transfer of young players, Spanish newspaper AS has reported. Officials at world football's governing body want to establish whether Real have breached article 19 of its regulations on the transfer of players.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo set to learn red-card punishment - ESPN FC

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will learn his fate on Wednesday following his red card for violent conduct against Cordoba's Edimar. La Liga's Competition Committee meets on Wednesday and will decide the sanction, which is expected to be a ban of between one and four games, according to AS.

Malaga take a point at Athletic Bilbao | Sky Sports Football

Javi Guerra's strike 12 minutes from time ensured Malaga claimed a 1-1 draw at Atletico Bilbao, whose four-game losing streak in the Primera Division was brought to a halt. Guerra's strike came just eight minutes after defender Mikel San Jose had given Bilbao the lead. It was the second time the teams had drawn against each other in a week, following on from their stalemate in the Copa del Rey at La Rosaleda.

Christian Stuani double inspires Espanyol to win over Almeria | Sky Sports Football

Stuani struck twice in the space of three minutes towards the end of the first half and then after the break substitute Caicedo hit a fifth goal in four matches to put the game beyond doubt and seal a fourth consecutive home win for the Catalans in all competitions.

Granada strike late for 2-2 draw at relegation rivals Deportivo La Coruna | Sky Sports Football

Piti had given Granada a sixth-minute lead but Depor turned the game around with two goals in the space of five minutes from Jose Rodriguez and Lucas Perez, and they seemed well set for the three points. However, Robert Ibanez struck with seven minutes left and Depor finished the match with 10 men after Luis Farina was sent off in the closing stages.

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Bayern Munich Executive: "We will never sign Messi because Barcelona will never sell"

#TheCrisis is all over by now, and the rumors surrounding Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona have slowed down as the end of the January transfer window rapidly approaches. Thankfully the silly talks of Messi wanting to leave his only team are part of the past, at least until the next Barça loss.

Amongst the sea of speculations of a possible destination for Leo, one of the often mentioned landing spots was Bayern Munich, and there's a solid number of reasons for that. Bayern is one of the most successful clubs today, and they have enough money to buy every single player on the planet, including Messi. Plus, their current coach is Pep Guardiola, one of Leo's closest friends, and the architect of possibly the greatest team in history, the 2008-11 Barça that destroyed the world of football and became a simbol of titles and sporting beauty.

However, it is clear by this point (if it wasn't before) that Leo is not leaving Barça, and even if Bayern has the resources to acquire the best player in the world, they won't be able to accomplish such incredible feat. And the club's general manager, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, gave a very good reason why he can't lure Messi into coming to Germany.

"Messi and Barcelona are like a lifelong marriage. They'll never break up, no matter how many problems they face in the relationship. It's the same thing as Phillip Lahm and Bayern. I know Barça's executives well enough to know they'll never consider selling him. He has a €250 million release clause. He has to stay at Barça forever."

Source: Kicker via MD

That's a nice response. Sometimes we tend to believe the rumors, especially when things aren't going as well. But Messi and Barça are married for life, and we can all be happy with it.

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Getting to Know: Marc-André ter Stegen

A look into Marc-André ter Stegen's career as a football player.

Full name: Marc-André ter Stegen

Squad No: 1

Position: Goalkeeper

Date of birth: 30 April 1992

Place of birth: Mönchengladbach, Germany

Height: 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)

Weight: 85 kg (187 lbs)

Marc-André ter Stegen was born in Mönchengladbach, a city located near the very western edge of Germany, only about 15km from the border with the Netherlands. Marc-Andre started playing football at a very early age, joining the youth ranks of local club Borussia Mönchengladbach at the tender age of four.

From an early age ter Stegen was regarded as a very talented goalkeeper that has a bright future ahead of him. The youngster kept working hard and made his way through the youth ranks of the German club. For the 2009-10 season he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach II, the club's reserve team, where he spent parts of two seasons, but he only appeared in 18 matches for the team. The biggest reason behind that low number, however, were not poor performances, but the fact that he spent many games sitting on the bench of first team.

Ter Stegen made his first team debut 20 days before his 19th birthday, replacing usual starter Logan Bailly for the match against 1. FC Köln. Not only did the young goalkeeper not disappoint, but he impressed to the point that he started all remaining five games of the season, keeping a clean sheet in four of them. He had to deal with high pressure situations very early in his career as after this six game stretch, in which he gave up only three goals, he led Borussia Mönchengladbach through a successful campaign in the relegation playoff.

Ter Stegen cemented his place as the No. 1 goalkeeper in the next season, a spot that he never came close to relinquishing over the next three season, and in each and every season he showed why he was regarded as one of the most promising young goaltenders in the world. Many teams started closely following his progress with Barcelona being one of his strongest pursuers.

The pursuit lasted a long period, but by the time ter Stegen played his last game for his hometown club his transfer was made official. It was a very emotional game for the young German who sent a winning, and tearful, goodbye to Borussia Mönchengladbach. A €12 million transfer fee was required for Barcelona to complete the transfer, making ter Stegen just the second German goalkeeper in history to wear Blaugrana colors. In the few months since joining the Catalan club ter Stegen has made 10 appearances, all in the Champions League and in the Copa del Rey.

Despite being only 22 years old ter Stegen has been long present on the international stage, playing his first game for Germany at the U-16 level in the 2007-08 season. The following season he was part of the winning squad at the U-17 European Championship, starting all five games in the tournament, allowing only two goals. Ter Stegen also represented Germany at the U-18, U-19 and U-21 age levels. Despite facing fierce competition ter Stegen has already been capped four times at the senior level, making his debut in a friendly match against Switzerland in 2012.

Profile

Ter Stegen is a tall goalkeeper who is very strong in all facets of the game. He is known for his strong aerial ability and reading of the game, as a result of which he rarely gets caught in no man's land on high crosses. His reflexes are very sharp, but one of his best areas of the game is his passing, where he has confidence in playing the ball with both feet. Goalkeepers of his youth are prone to mistakes, but because ter Stegen already has considerable experience those are few and far between.

Ter Stegen is currently in the first year of the five year deal he signed upon joining FC Barcelona, a contract that will run out in 2019.

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FC Barcelona News: 25 January 2015; Barça Earn High Win Against Elche, Xavi Celebrates Birthday

Six of the best! | FC Barcelona

Elche fans are no doubt grateful that their team won’t have to play Barça again this season, or indeed this month, as Luis Enrique’s side ran riot at the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium to chalk up six goals - that’s 15 in the three January games against Fran Escribá’s team. Gerard Piqué opened the scoring in the first half, with Messi and Neymar getting a brace each after the break before Pedro made it a round half dozen in injury time.

Five key points from the Elche win | FC Barcelona

The Chilean keeper has now conceded just 9 goals in 20 league games this season and his early saves from Faisal - with one particularly fine stop on 24 minutes - set the foundations for the avalanche of goals later on. After Ter Stegen’s excellent performance in midweek, Bravo again showed that the keepers’ gloves at Barça are in -and on- good hands.

Neymar loving every minute | FC Barcelona

The Brazilian explained: "Elche started strongly - they were at home and wanted to play well, but we got a good win. Playing with Messi, the best player in the world, is very simple. For me it’s an honour to be playing alongside him – he’s my hero!"

Luis Enrique very satisfied with performance | FC Barcelona

Not surprisingly perhaps, Luis Enrique expressed himself "very satisfied" with Barça’s 0-6 win at Elche – their biggest away win of the season: "these games are always hard to get going, but after the first goal we broke free and took control".

Messi and Neymar are two peas in a pod | FC Barcelona

Leo Messi has now scored in three consecutive games, his second best streak this season. He had a five-game streak earlier this season and scored the same number of goals—six—as in the last three matches. Neymar is second on the team in scoring and, on Saturday at the Martinez Valero, he got his first double wearing Barça colours away from Camp Nou. Before the Elche match, he had four doubles and two hat-tricks, all coming at home.

Losing Ballon d'Or to Ronaldo, Barca elections and learning to live with Luis Enrique - how Messi got his motivation back - Goal.com

The relationship between player and coach had become so tense that Luis Enrique told the Barca board he did not think the pair could coexist any longer. Suddenly, however, all of that has been confined to the past and Messi has returned to his brilliant best in recent weeks with some superb performances and six goals in his last four matches.

Happy Birthday to Xavi! | FC Barcelona

Xavi Hernández is celebrating his thirty-fifth birthday this Sunday. This is Xavi’s first season as Club captain and he is the Barça player who has made most appearances for the side (477), after joining the first team squad in the 1998/99 season.

Middlesbrough knock Man City out of FA Cup | FC Barcelona

Manchester City, who entertain Barça on February 24 in the Champions League second round, have crashed out of the FA Cup after losing 2-0 at home to Middlesbrough. There was simply no way through the Championship side’s tight defence and manager Aitor Karanka was able to celebrate an unexpected victory at the home of the Premiership champions.

Gareth Bale earns Real Madrid 2-1 win at Cordoba despite Cristiano Ronaldo seeing red | Sky Sports Football

Gareth Bale’s late penalty earned Real Madrid a dramatic 2-1 win at Cordoba, after Cristiano Ronaldo had been sent off for kicking an opponent. The former Manchester United star received his marching orders after kicking out at Cordoba’s Brazilian defender Edimar Fraga in the box as the score was tied at 1-1.

Lucas Silva gave up cash to join Real Madrid from Cruzeiro - ESPN FC

Lucas Silva has told Marca he waived his right to 10 percent of his transfer fee to secure his move from Cruzeiro to Real Madrid. Madrid finally completed the signing of the Brazilian midfielder last week after long negotiations, with a fee reported to be in the region of 14 million euros.

Nuno confirms two more exits | Football Espana

Nuno Santo has confirmed that Joao Pereira and Bruno Zuculini will leave Valencia before the end of January. The Portugal international has been demoted to Los Che’s third-choice right-back under his compatriot this season, while the Manchester City loanee has failed to break into the side’s midfield.

Straightforward win for Atletico | Sky Sports Football

Antoine Griezmann scored a brace - and somehow missed out on a hat-trick despite a string of second-half chances - and, although Roberto Trashorras pulled one back before half-time, an own goal from Alberto Manucho put Atletico back in firm control early in the second half. After wins earlier in the day for Real Madrid and Barcelona, Atletico could not afford a slip against a Rayo side who arrived having won five of their 10 away games in the league this season.

Luciano Vietto scores winner as Villarreal beat Levante 1-0 | Sky Sports Football

Villarreal kept the heat on the teams at the top of the Primera Division standings with a 1-0 win over neighbours Levante as visiting goalkeeper Diego Marino suffered a forgettable return to El Madrigal. On a night which saw Villarreal announce they had reached an agreement to for centre-back Gabriel Paulista to join Arsenal, Luciano Vietto netted a 56th-minute winner for the Yellow Submarine following a bad mistake from Marino.

Villarreal announce Paulista is joining Arsenal with Joel Campbell moving on loan to Spain | Sky Sports

Sky sources reported last Tuesday that the Gunners had begun talks to sign the 24 year-old Brazilian, which was confirmed by manager Arsene Wenger on Thursday. Paulista has agreed a long-term deal, with a fee believed to be £11.2million agreed between the clubs, and Villarreal pay Arsenal £700k to loan Costa Rica international Campbell.

David Moyes' Real Sociedad back to winning ways with 1-0 victory | Sky Sports Football

Xabi Prieto's second-half goal ensured Real Sociedad returned to winning ways in the Primera Division on Saturday evening. Prieto headed home the game's only goal at the Anoeta to see off Basque neighbours Eibar 1-0 and earn David Moyes' side a welcome three points after last weekend's late home loss at the hands of Rayo Vallecano.

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La Liga: Elche CF 0-6 FC Barcelona: Match Review

A recap of Barcelona's emphatic 6-0 victory over Elche CF at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, as a brace apiece from Lionel Messi and Neymar and an injury-time goal from Pedro added the gloss to a victory that was ultimately secured by Gerard Pique's first-half opener

FC Barcelona may have been conserving energy, but they remained far too strong for lowly Elche CF on Saturday evening at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, dismantling the side from Alicante for the fourth time this season in a comfortable 6-0 win. For a while at least, it appeared as though Elche were going to challenge the Blaugrana but after opening the scoring through a Gerard Piqué volley, Barça cruised to victory with a brace apiece from Lionel Messi and Neymar, followed by an injury-time strike by Pedro only serving to emphasis the gulf in class between the two sides.

	Elche	Barcelona
Possession	27%	73%
Total Shots	6	12
Shots on Target	3	8
Corners	2	3
Fouls	18	12
Offsides	3	1
Yellow Cards	6	2
Red Cards	1	0

So close, but yet so far. For a while it appeared as though FC Barcelona might be kicking off with a chance to climb to the top of La Liga as Real Madrid struggled against Cordoba CF, alas a late Gareth Bale penalty secured the victory for Los Blancos and now Barça could merely hope to maintain the gap. They simply couldn’t afford to lose ground, and even with a difficult trip to the Vicente Calderon to contend with on Wednesday, Luis Enrique named a strong starting line-up.

Yes, there were changes – Martin Montoya, Marc Bartra, Xavi Hernández, Rafinha Alcântara and Pedro all rotated into the line-up compared to last weekend’s win over Deportivo La Coruna, but Lionel Messi, Neymar, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba and Gerard Piqué remained in the starting XI. If the kids could claim an easy victory at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, surely this selection would coast to a win, right?

***

Cordoba nearly claiming a point against Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City crashing out of the FA Cup, Saturday afternoon had already produced a few surprises and FC Barcelona were keen not to be added to the list. They started the match against Elche well; in spite of the changes, they settled into their usual rhythm relatively quickly, utilising the pace and trickery of Neymar on the left-wing to give the home defense an early test or two.

To their credit, Elche held firm. They were perhaps close to "crossing the line" in terms of their physicality and aggression in the tackle, but really there was nothing wrong with their approach. It gave the Blaugrana a sense of the challenge they were up against; Elche might not have the quality of an Atletico Madrid, but they could still employ similar tactics in hope of picking up a result.

And in doing so, they forced Barcelona out wide and away from goal. Perhaps it was the loss of Luis Suarez, but Barça weren’t looking quite as dangerous and were a little more predictable in their approach. Longer passes were being played by Javier Mascherano as opposed to the usual shorter, snappier passes played by Sergio Busquets and Elche’s defense wasn’t really being stretched or tested in any way.

When it appeared as though they might, Elche quickly stepped into the challenge and often left their mark on the Barcelona frontline; the visitors tried to make the most of the dead-ball chances, but they were often from a wider position which made it harder to make an impact. A smart play from the training ground created a chance for Jordi Alba on the volley from our first such free-kick, before Messi went for goal from our second free-kick. Both efforts were close, but ultimately off-target.

Elche on the other hand were coming closer with their chances on the counter-attack. Jonathas was playing well in attack, holding the ball up where appropriate and feeding his teammates who were anxious to race forward in support. One such move ended in a shot on goal, the first of the match, which was well parried by Claudio Bravo. The second followed moments later from a free-kick by Fayçal Fajr again, who nearly found the bottom corner from distance, only for Bravo to again spring to one side and palm the ball out of danger.

Half an hour played in Alicante and Elche were in control. Of course, Barça had more possession but they had had fewer chances and few could argue that the tempo of the match was favouring the hosts.

But then Elche lost their concentration; Barcelona, with a set-piece no less, capitalised. It was a bad challenge from Sergio Pelegrin on Pedro that earned the free-kick, and in a moment of brilliance, Xavi took it quickly. Pelegrin was yet to get back in position and even worse, wasn’t in line with his colleagues. He was playing Gerard Piqué onside at the far post, and Xavi’s well-directed cross found Piqué in space, with time to chest the ball down and volley at goal. It took a deflection, but no-one could keep it out and Barça were ahead.

Just like that, normal service had been resumed at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.

All of a sudden, Elche’s "smart" tactics were looking awfully stupid; by half-time, half of their outfield contingent had earned themselves a yellow card and the complete lack of tempo was now only playing into Barcelona’s hands. It was far from vintage, but with that one-goal lead, Barça were cruising at half-time.

***

The second-half was a mere formality on paper, and indeed it turned out like that in reality as well. Barça weren’t at their best, but were still far too good for Elche. Neymar’s skill was too much for the defense to handle and in one particular run into the area, the Brazilian was tripped by Pelegrin, who was having a terrible night in defense. The referee duly pointed to the spot and mercifully kept his cards in his pocket when a second yellow could have easily been produced.

So, Messi stepped up after his penalty miss in midweek and dished out the punishment himself; cool and composed, he sent Tyton the wrong way with a superb finish and this game was now as good as over. Two goals down, Elche were dead and buried. Then it got worse. The referee may have been merciful earlier with Pelegrin, but he was in no mood for a repeat when minutes later, Fayçal Fajr made a clumsy, late challenge on Rafinha. A second yellow card was shown and Fajr was on his way down the tunnel.

Pedro nearly added a third around the hour-mark as Barça established their superiority but as ever this season, Tyton was in fine form in the Elche goal to help keep the score down. Momentarily at least. Sometimes though there is nothing that even Tyton can do to keep Barcelona at bay. Neymar had been in impressive form all game long and after taunting Damian Suarez with a few skills, he played a one-two with Messi, was clean through on goal and coolly slotted the ball into the far corner of the net.

Impossibly good football by two of the best players in the world, and with the third, Luis Enrique started to make some changes: Adriano Correia and Sergio Busquets were on, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano were off to rest their legs with the Calderon in mind.

Not that the changes impacted the flow of the match too much; Messi and Neymar were at it again. Is there a duo in world football better than these guys? Probably not, at least on the evidence of this second goal for Neymar. A pass into Messi, who instinctively knew to lift the ball over the Elche defense first-time; Neymar ran into space and onto the pass, finishing with aplomb. Two goals in two minutes for Neymar. A fourth of the evening for FC Barcelona.

Sergi Roberto entered the match in the following break of play, replacing Xavi as Enrique looked to close the game out with some fresh legs in midfield, reuniting Roberto with Rafinha for the first time since they tore Elche apart a week and a half ago.

Barça slowed the tempo of the match even further with that change, and one might have been forgiven for thinking that the scoring was over. Not with Lionel Messi on the field. A simple pass from Marc Bartra found Messi, and after a shimmy of the hips, he was past his man and of course, the finish was pure perfection.

Still, Barça weren’t done yet. It was injury-time and the game was coming to a close, yet still Barcelona pressed forward in search of another. In fairness, Elche were making it easy for them as Neymar somehow managed to dribble into the final third virtually unopposed before selflessly squaring it to Pedro for a tap-in. A professional performance, and six goals to boot. This was another great night for FC Barcelona.

Next up, FC Barcelona travel to Madrid for the second-leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie with Atletico. After a tense 1-0 win in the first-leg on Wednesday, this one promises to be a cracker – don’t miss it! Until then, Visca el Barça!

Roll Call Info
Total comments	619
Total commenters	35
Commenter list	Abdul95, Abohabiba, Anders Thomassen, Anirudh_Kul, Antonio Moreira, AraibKarim, BarcaBarca, Daxterflames, Delano Heerkens, DraganChe, FCBMessi, FCBMo, FCB_Z8, IheartFCB, KiwiBarca, NoImagination90, Piquénbauer, Ragnar_Lothbrok, Rajesh1101s, Richzorz, Sarim097, Som-i-Serem, Staralfur, Steven Cordero, Tokjee, VarkeychanT, Willis1984, abdulla0207, ade fox, avyator, craig00000, dinoh, footballfordoze, luck-ycoltsfan19, milesbarca
Story URLs	http://ift.tt/1uHxnuk

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	Delano Heerkens	77
2	ade fox	63
3	Anders Thomassen	46
4	KiwiBarca	43
5	craig00000	41
6	Anirudh_Kul	36
7	NoImagination90	31
8	Willis1984	29
9	FCBMo	28
10	FCB_Z8	26
11	luck-ycoltsfan19	21
12	Staralfur	21
13	Som-i-Serem	21
14	milesbarca	19
15	Richzorz	17
16	AraibKarim	11
17	Ragnar_Lothbrok	11
18	Abdul95	10
19	Sarim097	10
20	Tokjee	8
21	Rajesh1101s	8
22	dinoh	7
23	Daxterflames	6
24	Antonio Moreira	5
25	avyator	4
26	Abohabiba	3
27	abdulla0207	3
28	Steven Cordero	3
29	VarkeychanT	2
30	FCBMessi	2
31	DraganChe	2
32	Piquénbauer	2
33	IheartFCB	1
34	BarcaBarca	1
35	footballfordoze	1

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