الأحد، 31 يوليو 2016
FC Barcelona News: 31 July 2016; Barca Start Preseason with Win, Adriano Correia Says Goodbye
FC Barcelona open the pre-season with a 3–1 victory over Celtic FC | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona used a cohesive blend of youth academy players, experienced veterans, and international stars in a pre-season opening 3–1 victory over Celtic FC on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.The game was Barça’s first in the 2016/17 International Champions Cup, a pre-season friendly tournament featuring the world’s most renowned clubs.
FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique reacts positively to the win in Dublin | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique was a happy man after the first game of the preseason. Nobody got hurt, and he was able to give run outs to a number of interesting young prospects while also handing valuable playing time to his first team members.Aleix Vidal was the only man who played the full 90 minutes of the friendly with Celtic. "This game was about gradually getting the players’ fitness levels up" explained the coach after it had concluded. "And Aleix was on fine form throughout the match."
Talking points from Celtic v FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona got the summer programme off to a fine start on Saturday evening against Celtic FC in the Irish capital. After spending five days at Saint George’s Park, Birmingham, the next stop was Dublin and a date with the Scottish champions. A 3-1 win was a solid opening to the preseason, and here we pick out some of the key points from the encounter.
INSIDE VIEW: Celtic FC 1-3 FC Barcelona (International Champions Cup) uly 30 took Barça to Dublin to face Glasgow Celtic. They flew from Birmingham to the Irish capital for their first run-out of the 2016/17 preseason and our cameras were there to catch all the action as they were greeted by hordes of Irish fans in the fair city.After a rest in a hotel, the next stop was the Aviva Stadium and date with the Scottish champions. Once again, our cameras were with them every step of the way.
In-depth interview: André Gomes on signing for FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
"I promise hard work, humility and sacrifice, all to help the team" says André Gomes after spending his first few hours as a Barça player. Having just celebrated his 23rd birthday, Gomes feels he still has a lot to learn but also has plenty to offer his new club. And the Portuguese international is coming to Barça with a very important item among his luggage – a Euro 2016 winner’s medal.
Adriano says farewell to FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Adriano Correira has said goodbye to the Camp Nou faithful, as well as to the players, coaches and directors at FC Barcelona, in a message on social networks. The left-back, who has left for a new adventure at Besiktas in Turkey, had the following to say: "Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of becoming a footballer, and wearing the Barça shirt has been the culmination of that dream. Barcelona, this wonderful city, gave me and my family our second child Azhaf, who has Catalan blood".
The soothing sounds of FC Barcelona's training camp at St. George's Park | FC Barcelona
Players cheering on their teammates. Coaches hollering instructions. Words of praise. Exclamations aplenty. These are the sounds of FC Barcelona's six-day training camp at St. George’s Park in Burton upon Trent. Other, less habitual sounds were added to the mix. For the idyllic surroundings in the central England training centre could ably double as a recording stage for a sounds of nature app.
The FC Barcelona week in videos | FC Barcelona
It’s been a week with a bit of everything at Barça. André Gomes was announced as the latest new signing, while the first team was away in Birmingham to enjoy the fantastic facilities at St. George’s Park, where this week’s videos included a peep inside Aleix Vidal’s room and a glimpse of what Denis Suárez gets up to on a typical day. Here’s a look back in video form at what happened from July 25 to 31.
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Barcelona 3-1 Celtic, 2016 Champions Cup: 3 Things We Learned
A few lessons from Barça's impressive friendly win on Saturday
Barcelona kicked off the preseason in great fashion, dominating Celtic FC en route to a comfortable 3-1 victory. The first half was the only competitive part of the match, but we were able to see some great things from Luis Enrique's side throughout the game. Here's a few lessons from the action in Dublin, Ireland.
1 - The new kit is amazing
Nike designed an amazing new shirt, shorts and socks for the best team in the world, and while they already looked great in the photos that were released, there is always a small chance that they won't be that great when we see the players wearing them on the pitch. That isn't the case with the 2016-17 home kit. It's simply amazing, from top to bottom, and even the Qatar Airways won't mess it up when the updated kits are released with the sponsorship. Well done, Nike. What a beautiful kit.
2 - There is hope for Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan
The first six months of the two signings from last season weren't nowhere near as impressive as expected or needed. Vidal and Turan failed to accomplish any type of success or consistency in the team, and Aleix in particular didn't even play at the end of the season. If the Celtic friendly is any sort of indication, there is hope for brighter moments from the duo. Arda looked very comfortable in center midfield, moving better without the ball to cover and occupy spaces and was sharp with his passing. The two also combined for a spectacular opening goal, and maybe they've began to prove all of us wrong. Maybe they will be important pieces of the squad this season, and the vote of confidence from Luis Enrique will pay off.
3 - Barça's future midfield is just fine (actually, is amazing)
Carles Aleñá. Sergi Samper. Denis Suárez. These three young kids shined today, and just put a smile on the faces of every Barça fan who was probably worried about the product coming out of La Masia. Denis was impressive in the first half. He went from left wing to center midfield, looked comfortable and easily adapted in that position. He was dynamic with the ball, linked up with Messi and traded positions with him to add width to the attack when necessary, and covered plenty of ground when defending. Basically, he looked like Ivan Rakitic with a little more flair. Then Samper and Aleñá came on in the second half, and completely bossed the midfield for 45 minutes. Samper was doing everything Busquets does with ease, and there's just something special in the way Aleñá plays. He's so calm for an 18-year-old and he looks like the perfect Barça midfielder.
These kids need time and opportunities to develop, but when Busi, Rakitic and Iniesta start to decline, the future of the Barça midfield looks very bright. And we're not even mentioning André Gomes, who could become something special as well. Yeah, our future has a future again.
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السبت، 30 يوليو 2016
Barcelona vs Celtic, 2016 Champions Cup: Final Score 3-1 as Barça start preseason with easy win
Preseason wins don't matter, but YAY!
Barcelona's preseason is off to a good start, as the Catalan giants beat Celtic FC with an easy 3-1 victory, thanks to goals from Arda Turan, Ambrose (OG) and Munir El-Haddadi, with Leigh Griffiths scoring for Celtic. While the fitness level was still low, the Blaugrana used their supreme talent to overcome a Celtic side with their minds on a key Champions League game next week. Young Barça players got a chance to show their worth, and the big stars are already off to a good start.
FIRST HALF
With a starting lineup with plenty of young players and a few reserves, the expectations of a great performance weren't high, but the Catalans did just that. From the very beginning, apart from a few mistakes at the back, Barça were great in possession, with the midfield trio doing great work to keep the ball, and had help from Messi to create scoring chances.
After ten minutes and a a great buildup, Aleix Vidal nutmegged his defender in a spectacular way and found Arda Turan outside the box, and the Turkish placed the ball perfectly into the top left corner. The Blaugrana continued to play well and dominate, but a freak goal happened when JA Martínez failed to control an easy pass and Griffiths scored the equalizer. Just a minute later, Juan Cámara played an errant cross into the box, and Efe Ambrose scored an own goal to give Barça the lead again.
More control and good use of possession led to the Catalans' third goal, thanks to a spectacular long pass from Messi to Cámara, who found Suárez in the box, and the Uruguayan then gave an easy tap-in goal to Munir.
At halftime, a good performance overall, a promising game from the midfielders, and a comfortable lead.
SECOND HALF
With plenty of changes on both teams, the competitive spirit of the first half was gone. Barça's kids from the academy looked to prove themselves to Luis Enrique, but very few chances were created from two inexperienced sides.
In the end, an easy victory, and a promising first half performance. Barça is still a good football team.
Barcelona: Masip (Jose Suárez) | Vidal, Martínez (Borja), Mathieu (Marlon), Cámara (Gumbau) | Roberto (Alfaro), Arda (Aleñá), Denis (Mujica) | Messi (Samper), Suárez (Carbonell), Munir (Nili)
Goals: Arda (11'), Ambrose (OG, 31'), Munir (40')
Celtic: Gordon (Fasan) | Janko (Ralston), Ambrose (McCart), O'Connell (Ajer), Izaguirre (Fisher) | Brown (Allan), Bitton (Rogic), McGregor (Armstrong) | Roberts (Ciftci), Griffiths (Dembele), Forrest (Christie)
Goals: Griffiths (29')
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WATCH: Luis Suarez sets up Munir to make it 3-1 vs. Celtic
It's a goalfest in the International Champions Cup match between Barcelona and Celtic. The Blaugrana have pulled ahead to a 3-1 lead in the first half. After Arda Turan scored a brilliant goal, Celtic equalized before scoring an own goal to make it 2-1. Munir extended the lead to 3-1 with this tap-in off of great work by Luis Suarez:
It's another masterful piece of passing movement by Barca. Suarez and Messi look just fine without their MSN mate Neymar there to help out.
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WATCH: Arda Turan scores stunning goal vs. Celtic
Barcelona have an early lead over Celtic in the International Champions Cup thanks to Adra Turan. Here's the stunning goal set up by a silky nutmeg by Aleix Vidal:
A sublime finish worth of the piece of skill that started the sequence. It's early in the preseason, but Barcelona already look in midseason form.
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Barcelona vs Celtic, 2016 Champions Cup: Confirmed Lineups, Live Game Thread
Preseason is here! Let's follow and comment Barcelona vs Celtic
Here we are! Preseason starts for Barcelona, as the Catalan giants kick off their International Champions Cup campaign facing Scottish champions Celtic in Dublin, Ireland.
The team has already arrived at Aviva Stadium:
Aviva Stadium #FCBLive http://pic.twitter.com/dOyaiVhjaX
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 30 de julho de 2016
And the lineups are here!
Barcelona starting lineup: 25. Masip | 22. Aleix Vidal, 12. JA Martínez, 24. Mathieu, 20. Sergi Roberto | 6. Denis Suarez, 7. Arda Turan, 18. Juan Cámara | 10. Messi, 9. Luis Suárez, 17. Munir
Celtic starting lineup: Gordon | Janko, Ambrose, O'Connell, Izaguirre | Brown, Bitton, McGregor | Roberts, Griffiths, Forrest
Luis Enrique's first starting lineup for the new season is young and hungry, with academy youngsters (Martínez, Cámara), Denis Suarez at pivote and Munir looking to prove himself as a worthy backup forward. Sergi Roberto is now a full-back, and he starts on the left, as Aleix Vidal looks to become an undisputed starting right-back. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez start, and will look to kick off preseason with some goals.
This should be fun! Use the comment section below to follow the game, and please keep the thread fun and respectful. VISCA EL BARÇA!
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Adriano’s farewell message to Barcelona.
He says his goodbyes, for now.
Adriano Correia had some words to say to the Barcelona faithful after his move to Turkey.
Gracias por tanto @fcbarcelona , esta es mi despedida ✒ http://pic.twitter.com/rFCq7Usu6p
— Adriano Correia (@AdrianoCorreia6) July 30, 2016
Beloved Blaugranas,
As you already know, I’ll be playing next season for the Black Eagles of Beştikaş and the time has come to say farewell to all of you.
I do not have the words to express all of the sentiments that I have flowing in my head. They are overflowing. My gratitude comes with a ton of memories, lots of happiness, and the pain that one has when saying good bye to something they love.
Since I was little I had this dream of becoming a footballer, and to put on the Barcelona shirt culminated this dream. But you have given me much more than that.
During these six years a lot of my teammates at this club have become life-long friends that I will cherish wherever I go.
Barcelona, this beautiful city, it has gifted my family its second son, Azhaf, who has Catalan blood.
I will be forever grateful to the teammates and coaches that I’ve had, both past and present. I have learned a lot from them. They’ve helped me grow to new heights as a professional and as a person.
I also want to give thanks to the President and the governing bodies of the club for always believing in me and giving me the opportunity to become part of the history of Barca.
To you all, the fans of Barcelona, you have made me feel at home from the first day I set foot in the Camp Nou. Without your unconditional support, a lot of these achievements would not have been possible. I hope that I have returned part of your immense affection!
A lot of times in life one finds himself crossing into a new path. For now and always I will have you all in my heart and feel like a part of the Barcelona family.
With all of my love I tell you,
Not farewell, but see you later!
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Barcelona vs Celtic, 2016 Champions Cup: Start time, TV listings, live stream
The Blaugranes begin their preseason against the Scottish champions
The best team in the world is back.
After two months off following another successful season with a domestic double and four total trophies won, Barcelona football returns to our lives, and that obviously is fantastic news. Luis Enrique is still the manager, the squad is even stronger thanks to an incredible month of July in the transfer market, and the expectations are once again sky high for the Catalan giants.
There will be no huge preseason tour for Barça this year. The team travelled to the United States in 2015 with a lot of young players and more time on the plane than on the training ground, and that suboptimal preparation led to an injury-plagued start to the campaign. This time around, all four friendlies are in Europe, against very good opposition and with almost all members of the squad healthy and available.
To kick off the International Champions Cup, Barça travel to Dublin, Ireland to face Scottish champions Celtic at Aviva Stadium. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez are sure to play, so if the return of Barcelona football wasn't enough, you got two members of the 'MSN' trio ready to score from the first preseason game. Yeah, you can't miss it.
Date/Time: Saturday, July 30, 2016, 6pm BST (UK), 7pm CET (Europe), 1pm ET, 10am PT (US), 10:30pm IST (India, next day)
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
Referee: Will Be There
On TV: ESPN (US), ESPN Deportes (US - Spanish), TSN5 (Canada), Sky Sports 1 (UK), Sony ESPN (India), TV3, La Sexta (Spain), elsewhere
Online: WatchESPN (US), SKY GO (UK), elsewhere
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FC Barcelona News: 30 July 2016; Barca Travel to Dublin for Friendly, Martin Montoya Set for Valencia
FC Barcelona are on their way to Dublin | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s time at St. George’s Park has come to an end are now on their way to Dublin for the match of pre-season against Celtic in the International Champions Cup (7.00pm CET)Luis Enrique’s side took off at 11.15am CET and are scheduled to land in the Republic of Ireland at around 12.30pm where they will then go to their hotel to rest before the match.
Match preview: FC Barcelona v Celtic | FC Barcelona
After an intense week of training at St. George’s Park, FC Barcelona are looking to put their practice into action on Saturday when they take on Celtic in their first match of the International Champions Cup (7.00pm CET).At the disposal of Luis Enrique will be the 24 players who were training at the English FA’s facilities, apart from Martin Montoya who has been given permission to leave the camp on Saturday morning.
Andrés Iniesta happy with new signings | FC Barcelona
He may be on vacation, but Andrés Iniesta is still fully aware of the ongoings at the club and weighed in with his opinion in an interview with Barça TV.The club has signed four players over the summer, and the legendary midfielder says that they are "very positive reinforcements because they offer a lot". He recognizes that Denis Suárez, Umtiti, Digne and André Gomes are young, with huge capacity to learn and with lots of quality".
Sergi Roberto and Jeremy Mathieu looking at defensive roles | FC Barcelona
After Friday morning’s training session at St. George’s Park, Sergi Roberto and Jeremy Mathieu spoke to the media briefly in the mixed zone. Having played several matches at right-back last season, the influx of new midfielders and the departure of Dani Alves is seen by Sergi Roberto as a chance to play more football.
Leo Messi and Luis Suárez, head to head | FC Barcelona
Towards the end of the morning session, however, there was a more light-hearted exercise set up by the physical coaches, who got the players in pairs to exchange headers while sitting on inflatable balls.Leo Messi and Luis Suárez paired up and showed the rest how it should be done with an impressive rally of numerous touches, only for the sun, according the Uruguayan, eventually stopping them.
Barcelona defender Adriano Correia completes Besiktas transfer | Sky Sports
The Brazilian defender moved to the Nou Camp in the summer of 2010 from Sevilla for a fee of £8m and has gone on to make more than 100 La Liga appearances for Barcelona. Adriano, 31, has collected 16 titles in six seasons at the club and the move comes after he extended his current contract in March to 2017.
Montoya set to join Valencia | Football Espana
Martin Montoya has reportedly left Barcelona’s preseason camp to complete a free transfer to Valencia. According to Marca, Barca have agreed to terminate Montoya’s contract, with the right-back now travelling to Valencia instead of Dublin, where La Blaugrana will face Celtic in a friendly on Saturday.
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La Liga News: 30 July 2016; Atletico Madrid Defeat Tottenham, PSG Chasing Jese Rodriguez
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's right-hand man - ESPN FC
Even though some of us still hope Real Madrid have changed their signing policy for the better, there might be a different reason behind their low-key summer so far. His name is Jose Angel Sanchez, and he's the club's closest figure to a Chief Executive Officer.
Cristiano Ronaldo out for Super Cup possibly La Liga opener - Zidane - ESPN FC
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo won't play in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla on Aug. 9, and could miss the league opener against Real Sociedad 12 days later. Ronaldo injured his knee early in Portugal's Euro 2016 final victory against France back on July 10, and after being given some time off has been busy rehabbing the injury.
PSG coach Emery confirms interest in Real Madrid's Jese - Goal.com
Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery confirmed his interest in Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez, saying a move is possible. Goal understands the two clubs have discussed a move for the 23-year-old during the two clubs' tours of the United States.
Tottenham 0-1 Atletico Madrid | Sky Sports
Having been overrun against Serie A champions Juventus in their first International Champions Cup tie, Spurs put in an improved performance at the MCG on Friday, with Josh Onomah and Erik Lamela hitting the woodwork in the first half.
OFFICIAL: Vietto to join Sevilla | Football Espana
Sevilla have confirmed that Luciano Vietto will join the club after he passed a medical and was given permission to begin training with the Andalusians. Vietto appeared to have been closing in on a permanent switch to Barcelona, but reports this past week have seen Sevilla overtake the Catalans, to the extent that the striker is already training with Los Nervionenses.
Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli turns down Argentina job | Football News | Sky Sports
Sampaoli only took over at Sevilla last month following Unai Emery's departure to manage Paris Saint-Germain. The Argentina-born Sampaoli was in charge of Chile from 2012 to 2016 and guided them to the 2015 Copa America title on home soil.
Southampton 'keeper Paulo Gazzaniga joins Rayo Vallecano on season-long loan | Sky Sports
The 24-year-old joined Saints from Gillingham in 2012 and has made 23 appearances for the club. But the south coast club are in talks to sign Alex McCarthy from Crystal Palace to provide competition for Fraser Forster.
Official: Alexis joins Alaves | Football Espana
Alaves have announced the signing of former Getafe, Valencia and Sevilla defender Alexis Ruano on a one-year contract. Alexis only joined Besiktas from Getafe at the beginning of the year and helped the Turkish giants win the Super Lig, but the recent political turmoil in the country prompted the 30-year-old to push through a return to Spain.
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الجمعة، 29 يوليو 2016
Barcelona vs Celtic, Preseason Friendly: All Updates
Barça play their first friendly this preseason, and this will keep you updated on all the action
FC Barcelona will be looking to kick-off their pre-season campaign in style tomorrow, as they travel to Dublin to take Scottish champions, Celtic FC at the Aviva Stadium. The match will be the Blaugrana’s opening fixture in the 2016 International Champions Cup, a curious competition that has certainly struggled to endear itself to football fans across the globe since its inception.
Fundamentally, the premise of the competition itself is a lie. While titles are technically handed out to three participating teams, they are awarded somewhat arbitrarily based on the team’s performance in friendlies in a particular region – meaning that there is no one true winner of the Cup. Couple this with an aggressive marketing campaign built around the premise that the ICC is "transforming the traditional preseason tour into something remarkable: a competitive, world-class tournament" and well, it’s easy to see why most fans groan at the mention of their club participating.
But here we are, and as far as participating in the International Champions Cup goes, Barça have probably engineered the best deal for themselves this summer.
Even if it is for one year only, the FC Barcelona road-show is staying on the continent; rather than racking up extra air miles to cash in on the emerging Asian and American markets, Luis Enrique has taken his side to the glamorous Midlands in England. There’s far less marketing opportunities, but there does happen to be a state of the art training facility there and Barça have been making full use of their time to do something that’s so often overlooked at this time of the year: actually prepare for the new season ahead.
It’s clear that this approach is motivating the squad; a number of players cut their holidays short to return to training – no doubt influenced by the fact that Barça are taking preseason seriously, unlike so many of Europe’s top clubs. Would Lionel Messi have returned from his vacations to fly to Melbourne, Beijing or the west coast of the USA?
Don’t get me wrong, these preseason fixtures are still far from being the legitimate competitive fixtures they are promoted as, but at least our focus is on what matters: the football.
At the risk of spoiling it for all the Culés out there, this doesn’t mean that we’re going to learn a lot about our team in this preseason period either. Irrespective of how we line up against Celtic tomorrow, or whether we beat Liverpool next week, we’re not going to be able to use these games to predict what will happen in the season opener, let alone next May. However, we do know that these games will help our players get back into shape and back into rhythm in time to start the season and hit the ground running.
Tomorrow is the first step in what promises to be another exciting season for FC Barcelona and I for one, cannot wait.
TEAM NEWS
BARCELONA
With the Copa America, European Championships and Olympic Games all falling in the same summer, Luis Enrique will see his squad return in stages over the next few weeks. The initial group that started pre-season was soon joined by its talismanic star man, Lionel Messi, who cut his holidays short and bleached his hair blond, presumably because he was so excited to get the ball rolling with this campaign. With other internationals set to return to the fray next week, Enrique has bolstered the ranks with a few B team players and in true preseason fashion, it’s expected that all players named to the squad tomorrow will get a run out at one stage or another.
As such, the whole "team news" section is a little redundant tonight; we know we’re going to see everyone at one stage or another, so does it really matter whether they start or not?
Instead, let’s focus on some of the names you might not recognise, or at least the ones that have the most to prove in the next few weeks.
First up, we have Munir El Haddadi. Of course, everyone recognises Munir so clearly he falls into the latter category of having something to prove, and his story could perhaps be the most important this preseason. There have been a lot of rumours that Enrique would like to sign a "nine" to complete his squad – a player that’s capable of slotting into the team and scoring goals if Luis Suarez is ever injured or in need of a rest. From Mario Gomez to Solomon Rondon to Luciano Vietto, we’ve seen a plethora of strikers linked with a switch to the Camp Nou, almost as if Munir were an afterthought.
Yet, the young Spanish striker may perhaps be the most obvious solution. He is of course intimately familiar with the Barça system, and as he progressed through the ranks at the club he thrived in a more central position. If given the opportunity, maybe Munir will show Enrique that he is capable of filling that role and negating the need for another signing.
Carles Aleña might not be as famous as Munir, but he’s a talent that has had Culés abuzz for years. Heralded as the best midfield talent to emerge out of La Masia since Sergi Samper (we’ll get to him), Aleña is equally adept at tearing through opposing defenses with his quick feet and incredible control as he is as dictating the tempo of the game. Of course, that combination of skills has seen him likened to Andrés Iniesta, but Aleña is of course his own player.
Given game-time under Luis Enrique, Aleña has the opportunity to demonstrate why so many have been singing his praises, and why he is tipped to someday break into the senior squad. Above all else, he has the chance to test himself against a better level of opposition – is he ready for that test? No doubt we will find out.
Speaking of Sergi Samper, this preseason could determine whether or not the talented youngster stays, or whether he is sent out on loan. As yet, Luis Enrique hasn’t definitively ruled out a move away for Samper – and as such, one must assume that he is waiting for Samper to prove his worth and guarantee his spot in the senior squad. I mean we all know he will deliver, but it’s another fascinating subplot to keep our eyes on.
Perhaps most importantly though, will Messi’s new haircut have any impact on his otherworldly football ability? That’s the real question, and I’m anxious to find out.
CELTIC
OK, I know it’s only preseason, it’s my first preview of the campaign and I shouldn’t start making enemies already, but I’m just going to go out and state it for the record: Celtic are a bad football team. A couple of weeks ago, they lost a competitive match to a team from Gibraltar. An actual, real, competitive match of football. While they managed to progress by virtue of a win in the second leg, they subsequently went on to draw with FK Astana, a team from Kazakhstan. The second leg of that UEFA Champions League qualifying tie is this coming Wednesday, so clearly Celtic have more important things on their mind that a preseason game with Barcelona.
New signing Kolo Toure therefore won’t feature tomorrow, and there’s a strong possibility that much of the rest of the first team will also play limited minutes in order to conserve energy for the match that matters. Financially, Celtic almost need to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage in order to remain relevant on the European stage – so don’t expect them to take tomorrow all too seriously.
MATCH PREDICTION
Return with a win: 3-1 Barça.
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Barcelona vs Celtic, 2016 International Champions Cup: Team News, Match Preview
Barcelona vs Celtic: Preview
FC Barcelona will be looking to kick-off their pre-season campaign in style tomorrow, as they travel to Dublin to take Scottish champions, Celtic FC at the Aviva Stadium. The match will be the Blaugrana’s opening fixture in the 2016 International Champions Cup, a curious competition that has certainly struggled to endear itself to football fans across the globe since its inception.
Fundamentally, the premise of the competition itself is a lie. While titles are technically handed out to three participating teams, they are awarded somewhat arbitrarily based on the team’s performance in friendlies in a particular region – meaning that there is no one true winner of the Cup. Couple this with an aggressive marketing campaign built around the premise that the ICC is "transforming the traditional preseason tour into something remarkable: a competitive, world-class tournament" and well, it’s easy to see why most fans groan at the mention of their club participating.
But here we are, and as far as participating in the International Champions Cup goes, Barça have probably engineered the best deal for themselves this summer.
Even if it is for one year only, the FC Barcelona road-show is staying on the continent; rather than racking up extra air miles to cash in on the emerging Asian and American markets, Luis Enrique has taken his side to the glamorous Midlands in England. There’s far less marketing opportunities, but there does happen to be a state of the art training facility there and Barça have been making full use of their time to do something that’s so often overlooked at this time of the year: actually prepare for the new season ahead.
It’s clear that this approach is motivating the squad; a number of players cut their holidays short to return to training – no doubt influenced by the fact that Barça are taking preseason seriously, unlike so many of Europe’s top clubs. Would Lionel Messi have returned from his vacations to fly to Melbourne, Beijing or the west coast of the USA?
Don’t get me wrong, these preseason fixtures are still far from being the legitimate competitive fixtures they are promoted as, but at least our focus is on what matters: the football.
At the risk of spoiling it for all the Culés out there, this doesn’t mean that we’re going to learn a lot about our team in this preseason period either. Irrespective of how we line up against Celtic tomorrow, or whether we beat Liverpool next week, we’re not going to be able to use these games to predict what will happen in the season opener, let alone next May. However, we do know that these games will help our players get back into shape and back into rhythm in time to start the season and hit the ground running.
Tomorrow is the first step in what promises to be another exciting season for FC Barcelona and I for one, cannot wait.
TEAM NEWS
BARCELONA
With the Copa America, European Championships and Olympic Games all falling in the same summer, Luis Enrique will see his squad return in stages over the next few weeks. The initial group that started pre-season was soon joined by its talismanic star man, Lionel Messi, who cut his holidays short and bleached his hair blond, presumably because he was so excited to get the ball rolling with this campaign. With other internationals set to return to the fray next week, Enrique has bolstered the ranks with a few B team players and in true preseason fashion, it’s expected that all players named to the squad tomorrow will get a run out at one stage or another.
As such, the whole "team news" section is a little redundant tonight; we know we’re going to see everyone at one stage or another, so does it really matter whether they start or not?
Instead, let’s focus on some of the names you might not recognise, or at least the ones that have the most to prove in the next few weeks.
First up, we have Munir El Haddadi. Of course, everyone recognises Munir so clearly he falls into the latter category of having something to prove, and his story could perhaps be the most important this preseason. There have been a lot of rumours that Enrique would like to sign a "nine" to complete his squad – a player that’s capable of slotting into the team and scoring goals if Luis Suarez is ever injured or in need of a rest. From Mario Gomez to Solomon Rondon to Luciano Vietto, we’ve seen a plethora of strikers linked with a switch to the Camp Nou, almost as if Munir were an afterthought.
Yet, the young Spanish striker may perhaps be the most obvious solution. He is of course intimately familiar with the Barça system, and as he progressed through the ranks at the club he thrived in a more central position. If given the opportunity, maybe Munir will show Enrique that he is capable of filling that role and negating the need for another signing.
Carles Aleña might not be as famous as Munir, but he’s a talent that has had Culés abuzz for years. Heralded as the best midfield talent to emerge out of La Masia since Sergi Samper (we’ll get to him), Aleña is equally adept at tearing through opposing defenses with his quick feet and incredible control as he is as dictating the tempo of the game. Of course, that combination of skills has seen him likened to Andrés Iniesta, but Aleña is of course his own player.
Given game-time under Luis Enrique, Aleña has the opportunity to demonstrate why so many have been singing his praises, and why he is tipped to someday break into the senior squad. Above all else, he has the chance to test himself against a better level of opposition – is he ready for that test? No doubt we will find out.
Speaking of Sergi Samper, this preseason could determine whether or not the talented youngster stays, or whether he is sent out on loan. As yet, Luis Enrique hasn’t definitively ruled out a move away for Samper – and as such, one must assume that he is waiting for Samper to prove his worth and guarantee his spot in the senior squad. I mean we all know he will deliver, but it’s another fascinating subplot to keep our eyes on.
Perhaps most importantly though, will Messi’s new haircut have any impact on his otherworldly football ability? That’s the real question, and I’m anxious to find out.
CELTIC
OK, I know it’s only preseason, it’s my first preview of the campaign and I shouldn’t start making enemies already, but I’m just going to go out and state it for the record: Celtic are a bad football team. A couple of weeks ago, they lost a competitive match to a team from Gibraltar. An actual, real, competitive match of football. While they managed to progress by virtue of a win in the second leg, they subsequently went on to draw with FK Astana, a team from Kazakhstan. The second leg of that UEFA Champions League qualifying tie is this coming Wednesday, so clearly Celtic have more important things on their mind that a preseason game with Barcelona.
New signing Kolo Toure therefore won’t feature tomorrow, and there’s a strong possibility that much of the rest of the first team will also play limited minutes in order to conserve energy for the match that matters. Financially, Celtic almost need to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage in order to remain relevant on the European stage – so don’t expect them to take tomorrow all too seriously.
MATCH PREDICTION
Return with a win: 3-1 Barça.
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Neymar officially named Brazil national team captain in Rio 2016
The Barça superstar remains the national team skipper
Neymar Jr will be the captain of the Brazil side for the Olympic football tournament in Rio 2016, Brazil coach Rogério Micale announced on Friday.
The Barcelona superstar has been the Brazil senior captain for the last two years under former manager Dunga, and that does not change in the U-23 side, even though Dunga is no longer the coach.
Neymar has been deeply criticized by Seleção fans and analysts for his behavior as captain. The criticism points to Neymar's lack of leadership on and off the pitch, and many had called for the player not to wear the armband in the Olympics.
Players like PSG's Marquinhos, São Paulo center-back Rodrigo Caio, midfielder Renato Augusto and 38-year-old goalkeeper Fernando Prass have all been deemed better choices for the captaincy then Neymar, but Micale sticks with the plan and the armband goes to the team's best player.
Brazil is hoping to win the Olympic football tournament for the first time in the nation's history, and Neymar wants to be remembered as the guy who led a country to glory as captain.
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FC Barcelona News: 29 July 2016; Training Camp Nearing End, Sergi Samper Talks to Press
FC Barcelona wrap up training camp at St. George’s Park | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s six-day working escapade in central England is drawing to a close.Friday is the team’s final day at St. George's Park. Manager Luis Enrique had his men back out on the lush turf of the English FA national football training centre in Burton upon Trent.Friday morning’s workout was the first of two scheduled on the day. Twenty-three players were out on the sod, with the lone absence, Martín Montoya, exercising in the gym.
A day at the office with Lionel Messi | FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi's on-the-field genius is but the final product. It is the beautifully boxed, high-performance device that everyone wants. It's eye-high placement pulls you in and begs you take it home. Entertainment is guaranteed.You, however, will rarely, if ever, see the chain of production that put it all together. You, however, will rarely, if ever, see all the work that went into your new toy.
Messi Suarez and Neymar won't be usurped in Barcelona's fruitless striker search - ESPN FC
Barca were on the verge of getting the ideal candidate for this role when they tried to sign Nolito in January, but they refused to meet Celta Vigo's asking price because they did not want to increase the club's debt ratio. Barca's failure to snap up Nolito when he was within their grasp makes their arduous search for a forward all the more frustrating. Yet it should be little wonder why so many players are thinking twice about moving to Camp Nou.
Barcelona's Andre Gomes deal won't lead to extra sales - financial vice-president - ESPN FC
Barcelona's financial vice-president Susana Monje says the club's record revenues mean they do not have to sell extra players this summer despite going beyond their planned budget to sign Andre Gomes from Valencia this week.
Jordi Masip and Sergi Samper willing to fight for their place at FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Following the morning session at St. George’s Park on Thursday, Sergi Samper and Jordi Masip spoke to the media about how they view their situations at the club.Sergi Samper recently signed a new contract with the club, and there is the chance that he will be loaned out to gain experience.
A review of the economic balance of the 2015/16 season | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona presented on Thursday its economic balance for the 2015/16 season, with a €678.9 million in revenues and €28.7 million profit after tax. Susana Monje, vice-president responsible for the economic area, spoke of the club’s successful year, which has seen a 12% improvement on the year before. This year also managed a ratio of net debt of EBITDA of 1.94, which means that the Club is within the parameters of equity balance for the 2017/18 season.
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الخميس، 28 يوليو 2016
On this date five years ago, Neymar scored the greatest goal of his career
Neymar Jr. is entering his fourth season at Barcelona. He has been nothing short of amazing for the Blaugrana, and all the hype surrounding his signing was more than just justified. Neymar is already one of the five best footballers on Earth, and he still has potential to be even more special.
There is no doubt that Neymar has done great things for Barça, but the greatest goal of his career did not happen with the Catalan giants. Not the most important, like the one he scored against Juventus in the Champions League Final. But the greatest, the one that made the world know that Neymar had arrived.
It was five years ago to the date, in a Wednesday night at Vila Belmiro. Santos and Flamengo were playing a Brasileirão game that would not have any effect in the title chase so early in the competition. Neymar and Ronaldinho were on the pitch, but nobody was ready for what happened.
It was a 5-4 win for Flamengo in a football masterpiece, one of the greatest matches in the history of the sport. Period. Sensational from start to finish, the match featured a passing of the torch from Ronaldinho to Neymar, and the former Blaugrana would see a future Barça star shine bright.
Midway through the first half, with Santos already up 2-0, Neymar would run through the entire defense dribbling everyone on his way to greatness and a Puskas Award:
(via r/Soccer)
Even five years later, having watched this goal probably a million times, I still get goosebumps from seeing this. And to think this guy is now a Barcelona player.
Yeah, we're lucky.
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This video of Lionel Messi in training is just glorious (Luis Suárez nutmeg included)
Lionel Messi is awesome. Not only did he cut his vacation short so he could rejoin the Barcelona squad a week earlier to train with his teammates in England and play every friendly match in preseason, he is also using the training sessions to show just how amazing he is.
A normal day at the office for Leo #Messi❤️ ⚽️ https://t.co/wlATDQC8tt— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 28 de julho de 2016
These are just 140 seconds of greatness. Messi is laughing in the Rondos as he makes his teammates look like fools, he's dribbling Mathieu like he's not even there, and he's even nutmegging his good friend Luis Suárez just because why not. He's also scoring goals on little posts, because every goalpost is big enough
Just wish Messi was not blonde. But hey, you can't always get what you want. Still, Messi, you're awesome. Keep being awesome. Forever. Please. Thanks.
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FC Barcelona News: 28 July 2016; Javier Mascherano to Sign Extension, Barcelona B Lose Friendly
André Gomes: FC Barcelona relates to my personality | FC Barcelona
André Gomes spoke to the press on Wednesday for the first time as an FC Barcelona player, where he expressed his delight at joining "the best club" for his growth.The Portuguese European championship winner had his medical, put pen-to-paper on his contract and wore the Barça jersey in front of his new supporters before speaking to the media.
The most emotional moment from the presentation of André Gomes | FC Barcelona
With André Gomes having already signed his new contract with FC Barcelona, thus becoming the fourth signing of the off season, it was the player's father who became a protagonist in one of the most emotional moments ever seen during the presentation of a new player.
A day of training camp with Denis Suárez | FC Barcelona
With FC Barcelona camped out in central England this week for a six-day pre-season training camp at St. George's Park, some of the players are feeling nostalgic, having already been there with the team two summers ago. But for many, a one week stay in Burton-upon-Trent isn't just off the beaten path; it's uncharted territory.
Javier Mascherano extends contract until 2019 | FC Barcelona
Javier Mascherano will continue at FC Barcelona until 30 June 2019, as announced by Director of Professional Sports Albert Soler during the press conference of Andre Gomes’ presentation .The Argentine will therefore be extending his current deal by a further year with the club, which was due to end on 30 June 2018
Aleix Vidal looking forward to a clean slate | FC Barcelona
What a difference a year makes.Almost 14 months after signing with FC Barcelona — despite knowing he'd have to sit out the first half of the season through no fault of his own — Aleix Vidal is as enthusiastic as ever. "It was more complicated [last year] than now, but I've always believed in myself," Vidal told a troupe of journalists on Wednesday tat St. George's Park.
A look inside Aleix Vidal's room at St. George's Park | FC Barcelona
Albeit just for a week, FC Barcelona’s current home is the St. George’s Park in the United Kingdom, so Aleix Vidal decided to give a tour of the players’ homes.Training sessions are intense at the English FA’s centre, so the players spend whatever free time they get in the games room, which is where Vidal’s tour began.
Barcelona's Luis Suarez won't put pressure on himself to improve - ESPN FC
Barcelona star Luis Suarez has said that he hopes to continue to improve as he gears up for the season. The 29-year-old saw his Copa America Centenario participation limited after sustaining a hamstring injury in Barcelona's Copa del Rey victory to close out the season in May.
Roy Keane visits FC Barcelona training | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona were back in training on Wednesday morning and were paid a special visit by legendary former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane. Currently part of the Republic of Ireland national team coaching staff, Keane stopped by the English training camp to see how Luis Enrique’s men were preparing for the new season.
Barcelona's Martin Montoya and Cristian Tello not part of Gomes deal - ESPN FC
Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has admitted Martin Montoya and Cristian Tello could join Valencia, but that they are separate to the deal that brought Andre Gomes to the Camp Nou. Barca announced late last Thursday night that they had agreed to sign Los Che midfielder Gomes, 22, without giving any details of the fee, and reports suggested that Montoya and/or Tello could be included in a deal.
Atletico & Barca are buying players, so why aren't Real Madrid? - Goal.com
With just over a month to go, it has been a slow window for Real Madrid. So far, only one signing has been made in what seemed certain to be a busy period due to the transfer ban hanging over the club. So while Barcelona and Atletico are busy buying players, why is it all so quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu?
Jordi Cardoner: Barça members watch the best football at the best price | FC Barcelona
The 2015/16 season was the sixth in a row in which the prices of season tickets at the Camp Nou remained the same, FC Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner said.FC Barcelona season tickets are the most economic at elite European football level, and most Primera Division sides.
FC Barcelona and Konami Digital Entertainment sign global sponsorship agreement | FC Barcelona
The presentation of this agreement was attended by Francesco Calvo, the Chief Revenue Officer of FC Barcelona, and Tomotada Tashiro, the President of KONAMI Digital Entertainment B.V. As a result of this deal, KONAMI is set to launch a special Barça edition that will be released alongside the European version of PES 2017 when it launches on September 15th, 2016.
Llagostera edge out FC Barcelona B, 1–0, in pre-season friendly | FC Barcelona
The FC Barcelona B team fell to its first defeat in three games in the 2016/17 pre-season, going down to Llagostera by a score of 1–0 in a friendly that was played in the beautiful Catalan seaside town of Palamós.Llagostera. which were relegated to the Second Division B this season and will be one of Barça B's primary foes in the race to move back up, got a lone goal from Cano in the 56th minute to top the Blaugrana squad, which was playing with ten players from the Club's U-19 team.
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La Liga News: 28 July 2016; Real Madrid Hammered by PSG, Real Sociedad to Sign Fernando Llorente
Real Madrid 1 - 3 PSG Match report - 28/07/2016 International Champions Cup - Goal.com
Real Madrid's pre-season got off to a poor start as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the International Champions Cup. Substitute defender Thomas Meunier scored twice in the first half to set up the win, adding to Jonathan Ikone's opener inside two minutes as PSG stamped their authority on the contest early.
ICC 2016: Real Madrid can't lose like this again, says Zidane - Goal.com
Zinedine Zidane was pleased with elements of Real Madrid's performance against Paris Saint-Germain but realises his players need to get up to speed. Madrid, in their first outing since May's Champions League triumph against Atletico, went down 3-1 in the International Champions Cup at Ohio Stadium.
Atletico & Barca are buying players, so why aren't Real Madrid? - Goal.com
With just over a month to go, it has been a slow window for Real Madrid. So far, only one signing has been made in what seemed certain to be a busy period due to the transfer ban hanging over the club. So while Barcelona and Atletico are busy buying players, why is it all so quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu?
Arsenal must target Raphael Varane from Real Madrid to make a statement - ESPN FC
Football is all about statements now. Manchester United have spent the summer making plenty, whether it's the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or, potentially, Paul Pogba; Manchester City made an early one with Pep Guardiola and now seem off the pace. Meanwhile, Arsenal's £35 million spend on Granit Xhaka in June seems almost a lifetime ago.
James Rodriguez still has a future at Real Madrid - ESPN FC
James Rodriguez joined up with the Real Madrid squad on their preseason tour of the United States on Tuesday, adding to Zinedine Zidane's options for the upcoming friendlies against Chelsea and Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup.
Corinthians confirm Alexandre Pato agreement with Villarreal | Sky Sports
The Brazil striker joined Chelsea on loan at the end of January but scored just one Premier League goal and left the club with Radamel Falcao on July 1. Although Corinthians were expecting Pato to stay at Stamford Bridge next season, they have now confirmed on their official website the 26-year-old will join La Liga side Villarreal after selling their stake in the player.
Lazio sign Sevilla striker Ciro Immobile | Football News | Sky Sports
Lazio have signed striker Ciro Immobile from Sevilla, both clubs have confirmed. Financial terms of the Italy international's deal were not disclosed. The 26-year-old has played 15 times for Italy - two of which came at Euro 2016 - and spent the second half of last season on loan with Serie A club Torino.
Real Sociedad set to sign Fernando Llorente from Sevilla - sources - ESPN FC
Real Sociedad are poised to sign Sevilla striker Fernando Llorente, sources have told ESPN FC. Llorente had been a target for Everton this summer, but Real Sociedad have moved to keep the former Spain international in La Liga.
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الأربعاء، 27 يوليو 2016
La Liga News: 27 July 2016: Zidane Comments On Pogba Move, Atletico Sign Argentine Keeper
One such player is Paul Pogba, who has reportedly been on the edge of a move to Manchester United, with Los Blancos' interest seemingly receding. "I don't know if [Pogba] will come but we have until August 31 to see what happens," the coach told reporters. "Everyone is interested in Pogba as he's a great player and you always want the best to come to Madrid. But he's not a Madrid player, he plays for Juventus and I can't say anything else."
Alaves have signed midfielder Nenad Krsticic on a two-year contract in preparation for their return to La Liga. The Serbia international was released by Sampdoria this summer after spending eight years at the club, which included a loan spell at Bologna last season.
Alexandre Pato is being given a chance to resurrect his career with beaten Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal. Corinthians have confirmed via the club's official website that negotiations are ongoing with the La Liga side. If a deal is struck though, the clubs have agreed to leave the fee undisclosed.
The Argentine club have confirmed that the 20-year-old has joined the La Liga giants ahead of the new domestic campaign but he will not travel to Spain until after the Olympics as he is part of Argentina's squad for the football tournament in Rio next month. It is thought the youngster will feature predominantly in Los Rojiblancos' reserve and youth sides initially from September before hopefully he will eventually challenge established first-choice keeper Jan Oblak at the Vicente Calderon.
Arsenal and Liverpool are set to fight it out over Jese Rodriguez, reports say. The Real Madrid star is keen to leave the Spanish capital after only starting seven matches in La Liga last season. And Zinedine Zidane has advised him to look elsewhere for first-team football, according to Marca.
Real Madrid have already rejected two offers for the player. The first of seven million euros and a further one of 10 million euros from Hebei China Fortune. Hebei have a number of former stars who previously played in Europe in their ranks, including Lavezzi, Gervinho and M'Bia.
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FC Barcelona News: 27 July 2016: Messi, Alena Nominated For UEFA Award, Gomes Presented At Camp Nou
André Gomes is officially an FC Barcelona player. On his second day at the club, the new midfielder had final medical checkups before heading to the club offices. The Portuguese international signed his new contract just before midday at the club’s headquarters alongside president Josep Maria Bartomeu before heading to the Camp Nou Platea for a photo session.
André Gomes is officially an FC Barcelona player. The Portuguese international arrived at El Prat airport in the evening and went to the club’s facilities for a photo session. Speaking to Barça TV, Gomes displayed his delight at joining the club where he hopes to "enjoy nice moments, to learn, play and help in the best way possible". The recently crowned European champion defined himself as "a very hard-working player" who aims to "win everything possible".
Leo Messi and Carles Aleñà have been nominated for UEFA’s Goal of the Season award. The two FC Barcelona stars are among the 25 finalists for the award that will be given in August at the gala for the Champions League group stages draw. Messi’s goal made it 2-0 in the 6-1 rout of AS Roma in the group stages of the Champions League. The no.10 finished in trademark fashion, with a cheeky chip over the keeper. Aleñà, also against the Italian side but representing the Catalans in the UEFA Youth League, went on a mazy dribble before slotting into the corner in a 3-3 draw.
Yet Denis Suárez and Munir El Haddadi, two young players who hope to make a splash this pre-season and win as many minutes as possible, were energetic. "We want to win as many titles as possible," they both affirmed in separate interviews given to the media on the edge of the training pitch. Munir expressed his gratitude for the way he has been "helped, taught, and valued" since his very first day with the team.
'I've never liked talking about myself, but I'll give Barcelona's example,' Neymar said as he looked ahead to the start of the Games. 'We have great players but will we deny we are dependent on Messi? Of course we depend on Messi.' On the five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, Neymar added: 'I'm not ashamed of playing for him or for the fact that he is the man.'
"I spoke with Gabriel Jesus. Not only with him, but also told other players how it feels to play for Barcelona and to live in the city," Neymar told a news conference. "He is a great player. We know lots of clubs want him. He needs to know the right moment to leave, we want the good players by our side. If he comes to Barcelona he will be very happy. Maybe we're the biggest club in the world. The city and the day-to-day are wonderful."
Barcelona winger Cristian Tello is the latest name to be linked with AC Milan, after it was reported that Vincenzo Montella had contacted the Spanish champions over his signature. The 24-year-old, who made 15 Serie A appearances on loan at Fiorentina last season and scored two goals, made his Blaugrana first team debut in 2011 and has represented the Catalan outfit 86 times.
Convincing FC Barcelona B overcome Santfeliuenc FC in second preseason friendly (2-0) - FC Barcelona
Barça B have beaten Santfeliuenc FC 2-0 in their second preseason friendly, three days after setting the ball rolling with a 6-0 rout of Escala. Both goals were scored in the first 45 minutes. The first was the work of new acquisition Marc Cardona after just eleven minutes, who took his first chance of the game with style. Nine minutes later and a fine one-two involving South Korean Paik and his compatriot Lee made it two to the FCB reserves.
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الثلاثاء، 26 يوليو 2016
FC Barcelona News: 26 July 2016; Barca Announce Record Revenue, Training Camp in England Begins
FC Barcelona close the 2015/16 season with record revenues of 679 million euros | FC Barcelona
The Board has approved the closure of the financial results for the 2015/16 season, which showed record revenues of €679million, representing a substantial increase of the figure originally budgeted for this area, with a net profit of €29million after tax.This includes the €30million euros that the club will assume in the reversal of the sale of the land of Can Rigalt.
FC Barcelona in England for six-day training camp | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona's pre-season training regimen moved north on Monday, as the team embarked on a trip to England for a six-day stay training camp at St. George's Park, about 55 km north of Birmingham.The team's flight from Barcelona-El Prat took off at 10.30am CET and landed at Birmingham Airport about two hours later, around 11.30am (GMT+1).
Messi and Arda, new additions at St. George’s Park | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi and Arda Turan have started pre-season training with the rest of the group. The inclusion of the Argentine forward and the Turkish midfielder are the two new additions to the first session at St. George’s Park.The players trained in a far more modest climate than that of Barcelona, with rain gracing the first training session at the training camp.
André Gomes to sign with FC Barcelona and be presented on Wednesday | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona's newest player, André Gomes, will sign with the team on Wednesday morning, followed by an official presentation at the Miniestadi.The 22-year-old midfielder, who won the European Championship with the Portugal national team this summer, will agree to a five-year deal.As part of the transaction, FC Barcelona will pay Gomes's former club, Valencia CF, €35m plus up to €20m more depending on the performance of both the player and the team.
Bacca Barca’s plan B? | Football Espana
Carlos Bacca features highly on Barcelona’s list of alternatives if Luciano Vietto chooses Sevilla when he leaves Atletico Madrid. Mundo Deportivo notes that Barca have a deal with Atletico for Vietto at €22m but the player is concerned about the amount of playing time he’d get at Camp Nou as he competes with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar and it’s reported Sevilla are close to getting him on loan.
FC Barcelona to face Athletic Club at San Mamés on Sunday 28 August | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will face Athletic Club at San Mamés on Sunday 28 August at 8.15pm CET in Week 2 of La Liga, it was announced.In what will be the team’s first away match of the new campaign, Barça will take on Athletic after facing Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup and Real Betis in the league opener at Camp Nou.
Cooperation agreement between FC Barcelona and FC Servette | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and the Swiss club Servette FC have reached an agreement that will facilitate coperation between the two clubs in the area of youth football. The agreement is a demonstration of the good level of understanding between the two European clubs.As a result of this agreement, FC Barcelona's Under-19 team has brought on Jeremy Guillemenot, a player from Servette FC.
Official: Song loaned to Rubin | Football Espana
Alex Song "hopes to make a great impact" at Rubin Kazan after completing a season-long loan from Barcelona. Song has been considered surplus to requirements by Luis Enrique since the latter's appointment in 2014, with the midfielder spending the last two seasons at West Ham United, and he will be managed by former Malaga boss Javi Gracia for the upcoming campaign.
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La Liga News: 26 July 2016; Sevilla Fined for Europa League Incident, Villarreal Sign Porto Duo
Odegaard heading to Germany | Football Espana
Martin Odegaard is expected to leave Real Madrid on loan this summer and a move to the Bundesliga looks most likely. AS notes that Odegaard’s father, Hans-Erik, is scheduled to discuss the player’s future with Los Blancos and the intention is to agree a loan deal away from Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid most important signing is their fitness coach - ESPN FC
Hired from Olympique de Lyon, Italian fitness coach Antonio Pintus has the huge task of getting Real Madrid ready for a very long season. While doing that, Pintus also has to make sure that he fights one of the squad's biggest issues during these last two seasons: the injury plague.
Zinedine Zidane must refresh his squad and rest Cristiano Ronaldo to find success at Real Madrid - ESPN FC
Zinedine Zidane's first six months as Real Madrid's first-team coach did not go too badly, as he quickly resolved issues that brought down predecessor Rafa Benitez, almost caught Barcelona in the La Liga title race, and then finished the season by beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.
Liverpool, Sevilla fined for Europa League incidents - Goal.com
Liverpool and Sevilla have been hit with UEFA fines as a result of incidents that took place at the Europa League final on May 18. Jurgen Klopp's side have been fined €16,000 for an "illicit banner and the setting off of fireworks", European football's governing body said in a statement.
Sevilla, Atleti ‘agree Vietto loan’ | Football Espana
Diario de Sevilla says the Europa League holders will pay €3.5m to take Vietto for a year and a fee of €20m has also been agreed if Sevilla want to make the move permanent at the end of the loan deal, but that isn’t a binding clause.
Villarreal agree a deal with Corinthians for Alexandre Pato - reports - ESPN FC
Villarreal have reached an agreement with Brazilian side Corinthians for Alexandre Pato, according to reports. The La Liga side will pay Corinthians in the area of €3 million for 60 percent of the former Selecao man's rights.
Andres Fernandez and Jose Angel join Villarreal on loan from Porto - ESPN FC
Villarreal have signed Andres Fernandez and Jose Angel on loan from Porto for the 2016-17 season. Goalkeeper Fernandez, 29, spent the majority of his career playing for Osasuna, making over 100 senior appearances between 2007 and 2014, before moving to Porto after the Spanish side were relegated from LaLiga.
Official: Ex-Samp star to Alaves | Football Espana
Alaves have announced the signing of Serbian midfielder Nenad Krsticic following his release by Sampdoria last week. Krsticic appears to have put pen to paper on a one-year contract with Alaves and joins former Levante pair Zouhair Feddal and Deyverson plus Colombia international Daniel Torres among others in making the move to the La Liga new boys.
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Getting to Know: Arda Turan
A look into Arda Turan’s footballing career
Full name: Arda Turan
Squad No: 7
Position: Attacking midfielder
Date of birth: 30 January 1987
Place of birth: Fatih, Turkey
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight: 76 kg (168 lbs)
Arda Turan was born in the town of Fatih, in the Istambul province, Turkey. He started playing youth football at Altıntepsi Makelspor at the age of twelve, but quickly moved to join the academy of Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray. There he quickly progressed through the youth ranks before making his first team debut against Bursaspor on 22 January 2005, eight days before his 18th birthday. He made one more appearance for the first team that season before moving on loan to Manisaspor for the 2005-06 season. For the Manisa-based team he scored two goals and assisted on another two in fifteen games.
Arda returned to Galatasaray the following season and from one season to the next the midfielder started making a bigger name for himself. Each following season he appeared in more games than the one before – only an injury plagued 2010-11 season broke that trend, and goal and assist numbers started to add up as well. Arda’s spell in Turkey ended in the summer of 2011, after 197 games, 45 goals and 76 assists for Galatasaray.
On 9 August 2011, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray came to an agreement, with the Madrid-based club paying €13 million for the Turkish international, making him the most expensive Turkish footballer. Arda’s playing style made him a key member of Diego Simeone’s title winning Atletico Madrid side. Arda proved remarkably consistent over his four year spell in the Spanish capital, closing his Atletico account with 178 appearances, 22 goals and 32 assists.
On 6 July 2015, Barcelona announced the signing of the Turkish star for €34 million. Due to Barcelona’s transfer ban, Arda could not make his Barcelona debut until January 2016, making his first Barcelona the first game he was available for selection – in the Copa del Rey on 6 January, in the Catalan derby against Espanyol. Arda struggled in his debut Barcelona campaign after missing six months of competitive football, but still appeared in 25 games, scored two goals and assisted on another four.
Arda Turan has been a household name on the international circuit since the year 2002 when he made his first appearance for the Turkish U-16 team. Since then he ran out for every under-age team up to and including the U-21, altogether taking part in 73 games and scoring thirteen goals for the Turkish youth teams. Arda made his senior debut on 16 August 2006 against Luxemburg and has since then become the national team captain and one of the biggest stars of Turkish football, gathering 94 appearances, scoring 17 goals and assisting on 25.
Profile
Arda is a powerful football player that prefers to play as an attacking midfielder but also has an abundance of experience on both wing positions. Known for his attacking play, the Turkish international prides himself on his excellent technique and hard-nosed, straightforward play. He brings creativity to any teams he dresses for, especially excelling in the final third of the pitch. Despite being an attacking player, Arda is very strong defensively.
Honors
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig (1): 2007-08
- Türkiye Kupası (1): 2004-05
- Süper Kupa (1): 2008
Atletico Madrid
- La Liga (1): 2013-14
- Copa del Rey (1): 2012-13
- Supercopa de España (1): 2014
- UEFA Europa League (1): 2011-12
- UEFA Super Cup (1): 2012
Arda Turan signed a five year contract upon joining Barcelona, the first year of which has already been completed.
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الاثنين، 25 يوليو 2016
Reports: Luciano Vietto set to join Sevilla, Barcelona ready to sign Kevin Gameiro
The Barça-Vietto-Gameiro love triangle just got a whole lot more complicated.
According to multiple reports in Spain, 22-year-old Argentine striker Luciano Vietto has agreed to join Sevilla on a one-year loan. The Sevillistas will pay Atlético Madrid a €3 million fee for the loan, and will have a buy option of €20 million that could be exercised next summer.
The arrival of Vietto is very likely to end Kevin Gameiro's time with Sevilla, and that's where Barcelona gets in the fun. Barça and Atlético Madrid had a deal for Vietto during the weekend, but the player ultimately decided not to be a backup to the 'MSN' trio and fight for a starting spot with Jorge Sampaoli. With Gameiro's departure now a huge possibility, both Barça and Atlético will fight to sign the French striker.
Sevilla has a formal offer of €35 million from Atleti, but Barça plan to enter the race and snatch the player before the Colchoneros complete the deal. However, given that Sevilla and Atlético just negotiated for a striker, it's very simple to think they'd do it again the next day.
This is a very risky situation for Barça. A fourth forward was a reality two days ago, with both Vietto and Gameiro very close. Now the two are likely to trade teams, and Barça will be left hanging.
Oh, dear.
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FC Barcelona Agree Deal For Swiss Wonderkid
With the majority of Cules anxiously refreshing their Twitter timelines for the latest developments regarding Barcelona's pursuit of a back-up striker, the club has quietly made another interesting move in the transfer market today, securing a year-long deal for one of Swiss football's hottest prospects. The youngster in question is Jeremy Guillemenot, a precociously talented 18 year-old centre-forward who previously plied his trade for newly promoted Servette FC.
The deal has arisen as a direct result of Barcelona's strategic partnership with the Geneva outfit, an agreement that will see the two clubs exchange ideas, and in rare cases, players at a youth level. Despite playing last season in the third tier of Swiss football, Servette FC have a strong reputation for youth development and were the only Swiss side to be invited to the UEFA Youth League in 2015-16, a competition which the Blaugrana are very much familiar with having won the inaugural edition in 2014.
Despite his tender age, Guillemenot scored six goals for the senior squad last season, helping Servette clinch promotion back into the second tier, and he doubled up by featuring for the UEFA Youth League side, scoring four goals in four appearances as Servette reached the second round, only to be eliminated by Anderlecht.
The move will see Guillemenot join up with Barcelona's Juvenil A team, currently coached by Gabri, with the opportunity to be called up as and when required into the B team, where he could feature in the Segunda B. While the deal is only a year-long at the moment, this surely represents an excellent chance for the young forward to impress, and who knows, maybe create a career at the greatest club in the world.
Good luck kid, we're rooting for you!
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FC Barcelona News: 25 July 2016; Conflicting Reports on Forward Target, Adriano Correia Set for Besiktas
RUMOURS: Barcelona agree Gameiro deal - Goal.com
Barcelona are set to sign Kevin Gameiro after reaching agreement with Sevilla, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. Luis Enrique has been searching for another striker to serve as a back-up to the trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
Transfer news: No Barcelona offer for Luciano Vietto, says Atletico Madrid's Cerezo - Goal.com
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo insists they have not received an offer from Barcelona for Luciano Vietto. The Argentine attacker has been struggling to live up to the high expectations at the Vicente Calderon since his move from Villarreal and has been heavily linked with a move to Barca in recent weeks.
Messi returns from vacation early to join St. George’s Park training camp | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi was the big inclusion on the list of players set to travel to the St. George’s Park training camp in the United Kingdom on Monday.The Argentine has cut his holidays short by a week to prepare for the season ahead, despite having permission to remain on vacation until 1 August after competing in the Copa America.
FC Barcelona headed to England | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona's pre-season training regimen moved north on Monday, as the team embarked on a trip to England for a six-day stay training camp at St. George's Park, about 55 km north of Birmingham.The team's flight from Barcelona-El Prat took off at 10.30am CET. The two-and-a-half-hour flight is expected to land at Birmingham Airport around 11.30am (GMT+1).
A look at each of the Barça B players joining the St. George’s Park stage | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona travel to St. George’s Park in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom on Monday as preparations for the new season continue.Much of the squad has yet to return from their holidays due to their commitments at the European Championships and the Copa America, apart from Leo Messi, who has cut his vacations short by a week.Therefore, Luis Enrique has called upon a number of youngsters to join the expedition.
Ten transfers from Valencia to FC Barcelona in history | FC Barcelona
The path between Valencia and FC Barcelona seems to be a comfortable transition for new transfers to the Club. The last one being André Gomes, who played for Los Che for the last two seasons. We take a look back at the nine other players who followed the same route:
The ten biggest stories from the past week on fcbarcelona.com | FC Barcelona
The first week of pre-season training for FC Barcelona was just one of a litany of highly important events that came about in Club circles during the past seven days. The ten most popular of those stories from the past week have been compiled right here for your enjoyment.
Adriano 'joining Besiktas family' | Football Espana
Outgoing Barcelona full-back Adriano says he is "now part of the Besiktas family" after passing a medical with his new club on Sunday. Adriano was due to travel with Barca to England on Monday, but he instead took a flight to Turkey, where he was greeted by Besiktas fans en masse, and the 31-year-old is looking forward to a new challenge.
Nolito: Snubbing Barca for Man City was 'the best decision' - Goal.com
Nolito says he snubbed Barcelona in favour of Manchester City and insists it is "the best decision" he could have made. The Spain forward played for Barca's B team for three years before spending a single season with the senior side, coached at the time by Pep Guardiola, but left for Benfica in search of regular playing time.
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IP UK: Brexit & The Outlook For Sports Law
Regular Barca Blaugranes blogger Ahmed Shahin has a legal-focused day job. IP UK looks at the likely impact of Brexit (Britain's decision to leave the EU) on football club transfers and sports law in general.
Sport is a multibillion-dollar global industry on a permanent growth trend. Football, that opiate of the masses, is the fastest growing sector of all. The European football market, says Deloitte, will exceed €25bn by 2017. While we may gasp at FC Barcelona's record-breaking £120m-a-year deal with Nike, and at the fact that UK television networks Sky and BT paid £5.1bn for three seasons' worth of TV rights for the beautiful game, we know next year there will be another, bigger deal and more companies vying for opportunities to promote themselves across the world. For every sport there is a new record to be broken both on and off the field.
Now Britain has decided to extract itself from the EU, sports law may well find itself at the centre of a global shake-up as clients and firms try to get to grips with the often very complicated matrix of laws, regulations and conventions that govern it. Sport touches on all areas of contentious and advisory legal services, and the weight and complexity of instructions generated by this sector as a consequence of Brexit will have most firms fighting from the back foot.
THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP EXAMPLE
As this is the world's best football fan site, it seems inappropriate to draw examples from anything other than football. The European Championship predates the UK's membership of the European Economic Community by 13 years and the creation of the EU by the Maastricht Treaty by 32 years. England first played in the tournament in 1964 without the need for economic or political union as the price of entry.
The EU has played a key role in sport since the landmark Bosman ruling in 1995. This confirmed the principle of free movement of workers in the EU and essentially enabled players to move to another club at the end of their contract without a transfer fee being paid. More than a decade later, the European Courts of Justice established primacy of EU law over sporting federations. Britain's election to leave the EU will, according to Richard Scudamore, executive chair of the UK's Premier League, change the character of the League -€” 332 players now will not meet the non-EU criteria for work permits and will therefore be unable to automatically join other clubs. Furthermore, the impact on club and individual intellectual property (IP) rights may be immeasurable.
Then there is the issue of fair play -€” Financial Fair Play (FFP), to be precise. FFP programmes, like those implemented by UEFA and the English Premier League, aim to improve the overall financial health of club football through the imposition of financial rules and restrictions. The most notable development in this area over the last five years was the roll out of UEFA's break-even requirement, attracting particular attention in legal quarters. Andrew Mercer, legal counsel at UEFA, commented, ‘All of the statistics indicate the overwhelmingly positive impact that the implementation of UEFA's FFP regulations have had on European club football. With the continued expansion and evolution of the regulations, particularly in the areas of settlement and voluntary agreements, these rules will continue to play a central role in UEFA's drive to protect the long-term viability and sustainability of European club football for years to come.'
OFFSIDE!
It would seem, however, that some rules of the ‘beautiful game', in particular transfer systems and EU law, are uneasy bedfellows. FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players are essentially a set of agreements between FIFA, UEFA and the European Commission, which allow FIFA to self-regulate transfers. The difference between football transfers and EU law is one that is regularly exploited, but not without a drawn-out contractual fight.
One can envision a set of circumstances in which a contract entered into under the assumption that we would remain part of the EU ceases, post-Brexit, to be commercially viable or at least becomes less attractive to one of the parties. The doctrines of impossibility and frustration may come to the aid of a party materially disadvantaged by a change in the law not anticipated at the time the contract was negotiated and/or executed. The law is presently unclear, and both clubs and commerce will need the assistance of experienced lawyers to navigate the next few months and years.
RULE BRITANNIA
Sport is a growth industry. Litigation, arbitration, IP, contracts, corporate and restructuring all have a role to play. Sport needs capable and innovative lawyers able to support the aims and objectives of the sector.
We are part of the global sporting and commercial world. Brexit cannot change that fact and, with or without EU membership, our services, in particular professional services, will continue to be in demand. In an increasingly globalised world, the decision of the British people (or 52% of them) to leave the EU seems peculiar, but even though the days of Empire are behind us, it may yet prove to be a boon that our time as part of a homogeneous economic bloc has come to a close. We offer the world unrivaled excellence in professional and financial services, and our independent status will allow our unique strengths to come to the fore.
Ahmed Shahin, head of research and Mark Husband, managing director, Cogence Search
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