الأربعاء، 31 أغسطس 2016
Report: Sevilla make Deadline Day offer for Barcelona midfielder
Rafinha on the way out?
Barcelona is not signing anyone in this Transfer Deadline Day, but they might be letting a player go.
According to reports in Spain, the Catalan giants have received an offer from Sevilla to sign midfielder Rafinha Alcântara on a season-long loan. Manager Jorge Sampaoli has guaranteed Rafinha will be a starter for him if he does accept the offer, and the Brazilian is apparently keen on accepting the bid and playing for the Sevillistas this season.
Rafinha joined Barça's first team two seasons ago as one of Luis Enrique's favorite players thanks to their relationship at Celta Vigo. After a good debut campaign for the Blaugrana, Rafinha suffered a serious knee injury that limited his participation to less than 10 games last season.
With the signings of André Gomes and Denis Suarez this summer, Rafinha fell to sixth midfield option (behind Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Gomes, Denis and Sergi Roberto), and he said in a radio interview he would be open to a loan this season to get regular minutes elsewhere. That would help raise his stock as a player and give him a chance to play for the Brazilian national team.
Sampaoli is reportedly a big fan of Rafinha and is seriously interested in bringing the player to his side today. The two clubs are in serious talks, and a deal could be agreed before the deadline.
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FC Barcelona News: 31 August 2016; Barcelona Confirm Paco Alcacer Signing, Rafinha Open to Loan
Paco Alcácer signs for FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
The buy-out clause in Alcácer’s contract is set at 100 million euros. The striker has passed his medical and has now signed a contract with FC Barcelona, will be presented once he returns from international duty with the Spanish national team after having joined up with the squad on Monday.
Paco Alcácer 'thrilled' to join FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
"I’m happy to be here at such a big club" said the Spain international. "I am here to provide hard work, humility and professionalism." And he’s also promising what is required most of a player in his position – goals. "Forwards live for goals and I hope I’m lucky in that respect" he says. "I want to offer my grain of sand by doing good things at Barça."
Youth, goals and experience | FC Barcelona
Francisco 'Paco' Alcácer García, born on 30 August 1993, arrives at FC Barcelona following his trajectory at Valencia CF, the club where he grew up and where, despite his youth, he has been on the first team for years now. It’s been almost six years since Paco Alcácer made his official debut, which came under head coach Unai Emery on 11 November 2010, in the second leg of the Copa del Rey last 32 against UD Logroñés.
Paco Alcacer to Barcelona 5 things to know about Luis Enrique new signing - ESPN FC
It takes some players time to refine their finishing, but not Alcacer, who spent his teenage years bulging nets all over Europe. He scored 14 times in the 2009/10 European Under-17 Championship including qualifying -- a record that still stands. Spain lost in the final to England but Alcacer made his mark on successive U19 European Championships.
Agreement with Valencia for Munir loan | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Valencia CF have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Munir for the season 2016/17. The club from Valencia will take over the player's contract for the season at the end of which Valencia CF will have the option to buy the player for the figure of 12 million euros. FC Barcelona would be elegible for a percentage of any future transfer away from Valencia due to an agreed sell on clause.
How Marc Andre ter Stegen beat Claudio Bravo for Barcelona goalkeeper job - ESPN FC
Marc-Andre ter Stegen celebrated his mini-coup and forced his club to choose between him and Manchester City-bound Claudio Bravo with a record-breaking display. Not only did he make a record number of passes (62), but he also accurately completed a Liga keeper all-time record number of them (51). The German played more passes than any Athletic player, and only three men in his team (Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti) used the ball more than Ter Stegen.
Barcelona's Rafinha open to loan move if he struggles for first-team football - ESPN FC
Barcelona midfielder Rafinha is open to leaving the club on loan if he does not feature regularly under Luis Enrique this season. Rafinha, 23, has seen the competition for a place in the Barca starting XI increase this summer following the signings of Denis Suarez and Andre Gomes.
Big World Cup qualifying matches in store for FC Barcelona internationals | FC Barcelona
Barça have no games until they host Alavés on 10 September, but there are plenty of chances to catch the players on international duty over the next few days. Most of the European nations are in action twice, first in friendlies and then in the opening round of matches of the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The South American teams have already completed six of their 18 qualifiers – and games seven and eight will be played this week.
Luis Enrique attends UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique Martínez will be on hand Wednesday at the 2016 UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum in Nyon, Switzerland. The annual meeting brings together coaches from the major European clubs to exchange views on various issues affecting European club competitions, as well as to make proposals to UEFA, football's governing body on the Old Continent.
Asensio: I had the chance to join Barcelona before moving to Real Madrid - Goal.com
Real Madrid breakout star Marco Asensio has revealed he could have made the move to arch-rivals Barcelona. Asensio has quickly established himself in Madrid's starting XI after excelling and impressing coach Zinedine Zidane in pre-season.
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La Liga News: 31 August 2016; Sevilla Sign Samir Nasri on Loan, Arsenal Capture La Liga Duo
Real Madrid chance for Mariano Diaz born of Castilla success with Zidane - ESPN FC
"Staying here at Madrid is a dream come true and I have until December to work hard and earn my place in the team," the Dominican forward said after making his Liga debut in the victory over Celta last weekend. "I've got until December to earn my place"
Malaga president hints at Isco move - Goal.com
Malaga president Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani has hinted that Isco could return to the club. The midfielder has heavily been linked with a move away from Real Madrid after finding first-team opportunities limited at Santiago Bernabeu, with Malaga and Tottenham interested.
Diego Simeone needs to turn Atletico Madrid loose on offense - ESPN FC
Few things in football are a given. But if you have a wonderfully mean defensive unit and midfielders full of enterprise who are tough in the tackle and you set them up with the sole purpose of not losing a game the chances are you will succeed in that objective. This, however, does not by any stretch of the imagination mean you stand a greater chance of winning it.
Griezmann apologises for relegation comments | Football Espana
Antoine Griezmann has reportedly apologised to Atletico Madrid for suggesting the club could end up in a relegation battle. The French forward made the comments immediately after the Rojiblancos’ goalless draw with Leganes last Saturday, claiming the 2014 La Liga champions would face a fight to stay up if they continued to play as they had done.
Arsenal complete deal to sign defender Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia | Sky Sports
Mustafi follows Lucas Perez, a £17.1m capture from Deportivo La Coruna, in moving to the Emirates Stadium and takes the Gunners' number of new summer arrivals to five. Arsene Wenger said: "He is at the right age. He has good experience. He is a very focused player who can play with the ball as well. We have taken a great player but have prepared well for the future."
Arsenal confirm transfer of Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna | Sky Sports
The 27-year-old has joined the club on a long-term contract for a fee understood to be £17.1m. "I was really happy and flattered when I heard about Arsenal's interest. I was very hopeful to get the chance to come here," Lucas said.
Manchester City's Samir Nasri to join Sevilla on loan - Sky sources | Sky Sports
The 29-year-old former Arsenal midfielder is heading to the Spanish club for a medical ahead of the deal, according to Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. Sky Sports News HQ had previously reported Man City were willing to sell Nasri this summer, although Balague understands there is no option to buy the player on a permanent deal.
Emmaunuel Riviere leaves Newcastle for Osasuna in loan deal | Sky Sports
Newcastle United striker Emmaunuel Riviere has joined Spanish side Osasuna on loan for the rest of the season. Osasuna will have the option to buy the 26-year-old Frenchman on a permanent deal.
Official: Granada bring in Atzili | Football Espana
Granada have confirmed they have signed Omer Atzili from Israeli side Beitar Jersualem. The 23-year-old forward arrives in Andalusia for a fee of €750,000 and has signed a four-year contract with his new club.
Aguero brother joins Cadiz | Football Espana
The brother of Sergio Aguero has completed a loan move to Spanish second division side Cadiz. Gaston del Castillo arrives in Spain in a temporary switch from Argentine outfit Independiente. It is the 19-year-old’s first foray into European football and he will hope to use the experience to gain valuable game time.
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Transfer Deadline Day 2016: Live Open Thread
The craziest day of the year is here!
Welcome to transfer deadline day!!! Europe's transfer window closes today, so all the teams who still want to sign/sell players have to get their deals done with very little time left.
It's an insane experience for everyone involved, even if we're just watching it unfold. Imagine the actual negotiators and players who are dying to find out what their futures will be like this season.
The Premier League is where things get most hectic. After a few league games already played, the English teams have a pretty good idea of what they need to reinforce their squad (or even the players they're okay with selling), and news are popping up by the minute in England. But the other big leagues are quite busy as well, so it's certainly a frenetic day.
Barcelona are done with their business after signing Paco Alcácer, and Barça fans will probably watch the rest of Europe trying to sign the players they need. This is the place where you can discuss the latest transfers, what teams are getting stronger, make fun of Real Madrid for losing De Gea... It's perfect!
Please feel free to use the comment section below, but keep it clean and respectful, please. Have fun with Deadline Day!
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Will Barcelona do any business on Transfer Deadline Day?
The transfer window cloes on Wednesday. Does Barça need anyone else?
The craziest day of any transfer window certainly is Deadline Day. When we're in the summer window, then it gets insane. Every team on the planet (actually, just Europe) is trying to get their business done before the clock hits midnight and it's September 1st, and unless teams want to be like Real Madrid and lose David De Gea because they couldn't register in time, they need to get things done quickly.
But it looks like Barcelona will not take part of the madness of Deadline Day. After completing the signing of Paco Alcácer on Tuesday, the Catalan giants have officially closed their business. No one else comes in, and Robert Fernández and his team can have a little office party while watching the rest of Europe punch each other's faces to get their deals done.
This has certainly been a spectacular transfer window. Not only did Barça make five fantastic signings, they got rid of the dead weight: players who weren't important and just chilled on the bench while taking money are all gone, and only the real key pieces of the squad are there today.
A few important players were sold or loaned as well, but Luis Enrique is now satisfied with what he's got, and no one will leave. Unless Rafinha Alcântara decides to ask to leave on loan, something he hinted at during a radio interview on Tuesday:
Rafinha: "Best thing for a footballer is to want to be on pitch. If it doesn't happen, there is no problem in me going on loan". [cat radio]
— Barcastuff (@barcastuff_real) August 30, 2016
Rafinha might not be as key as before with André Gomes and Denis Suarez joining and jumping ahead of the young Brazilian in Lucho's pecking order. Rafinha is a great talent, and that talent might be wasted if he spends too much time on the bench.
IF Rafinha leaves — and that's a big if, given Lucho loves him and would be pissed if he left —, that will be the only Deadline Day business from Barça. No one comes in, no one goes out.
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Why did Barcelona take so long to announce the Paco Alcácer transfer?
A few fascinating details on the transfer give us an idea
Barcelona announced the signing of Paco Alcácer on Tuesday, and Blaugrana fans are certainly excited to see one of the best prospects in Spain join the club as the fourth forward and backup to the 'MSN' trio, which makes the Barça attacking front perhaps the strongest in the world.
But the road to the announcement was certainly a nervous one. Barça waited until the penultimate day of the summer transfer window to make the signing official, and quite a few fans are asking themselves what took the club so long. After a discussion with sources close to the situation, we got a few fascinating details.
According to sources, the deal between Barça and Valencia was already agreed on Thursday night, and both clubs began to draw up the paperwork to make the transfer official and send it to the FIFA system for registration. Barça was obviously quite quick to do their part as the happiest part of the business, but Valencia stalled a little bit.
Why? While owner Peter Lim was ready to sign the papers and announce everything on Friday, the board did not allow it because they would not let the deal go through unless they had a guaranteed replacement for Alcácer. There was risk of the transfer not being completed because of this, so Barça went to work on Munir El-Haddadi.
The young striker was ready to join Celta Vigo on loan, but as Valencia's attempts to find a striker failed, they wanted Munir. Not as part of the Alcácer deal (that was already agreed upon and done), but as Alcácer's replacement. It took a little bit of convincing, but Munir finally agreed with Barça to move to Valencia. He rejected Celta, Schalke 04 and Tottenham Hotspur, who pursued him during the weekend, to join Valencia and help Barça complete the Alcácer transfer.
Munir's confirmation came on Sunday after the La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao, and the paperwork was finally signed by all parties involved (Alcácer, Barça, Valencia, Munir, everyone).
Then Monday came, all medicals were done throughout the day, and the clubs were able to announce both deals early Tuesday.
Transfers are really fascinating.
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الثلاثاء، 30 أغسطس 2016
OFFICIAL: Barcelona, Valencia agree loan deal for Munir El-Haddadi
It has nothing to do with the Paco Alcácer deal, but it does too
You're probably still celebrating Paco Alcácer joining Barcelona, but something else happened on Tuesday.
The club announced that Munir El-Haddadi will be joining Valencia on a season-long loan deal. Here's more details on the agreement, which includes something important:
FC Barcelona and Valencia CF have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Munir for the season 2016/17. The club from Valencia will take over the player's contract for the season at the end of which Valencia CF will have the option to buy the player for the figure of 12 million euros. FC Barcelona would be elegible for a percentage of any future transfer away from Valencia due to an agreed sell on clause.
Source: FCBarcelona.com
The last few sentences are key here. First of all, there's a buy option in the contract, which means Valencia can take Munir on the cheap if he plays well this season. The second pice of news is also important: if Valencia buy Munir for €12 million and then sell him to another club later, Barça will get a percentage of it. That is good news financially, but it also could mean that we never get to see Munir again if he absolutely kills over at Valencia, gets bought and then is sold to, say, the Premier League.
Just to be clear: this loan is not part of the Alcácer deal. That was a totally separate negotiation between Barça and Valencia, but once Paco left, Valencia needed a replacement, so the easiest option was to get Munir. The deals are sort of connected, but they're not one deal. They're separate. Got it?
Anyway, good luck, Munir! Thank you for your services so far, and may you come back some day! And if you don't, get us some sweet cash!
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Paco Alcácer speaks for the first time as Barcelona player, promises goals and hard work
Nice talk, Paco!
Paco Alcácer has finally signed for Barcelona after a two-week saga that had many twists and turns, but came to a happy ending for the Blaugrana. And also for Paco.
The former Valencia striker gave his first interview as a Barça player after signing his contract, and speaking to Barça TV, he gave his first impressions on joining the team, what he'll bring to the table, and the prospect of playing with the 'MSN' trio:
“I’m happy to be here at such a big club. I am here to provide hard work, humility and professionalism. Forwards live for goals and I hope I’m lucky in that respect. I want to offer my grain of sand by doing good things at Barça.
“Coming here is a huge thrill – I’ll find it easy to adapt because I already know some of the team.
“Messi, Neymar and Suárez are the three best players in the world. It will be a privilege to play next to them.”
Source: FCBarcelona.com
Welcome, Paco! Please don't get hurt playing for Spain and come back to kick butts with the best in the world.
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Official: Paco Alcacer is a Barcelona Player.
WOOOHOOOO!
It's official! Paco Alcacer is a Blaugrana!
After weeks of negotiation, Barcelona have concluded the transfer of Valencia forward Paco Alcacer, who will join the team, as the fourth forward. The initial transfer fee is €30million, with €2million in variables. The player has signed a five year contract, with a buy-out of a €100million. Munir el Haddadi will move in the opposite direction for an year long loan.
BREAKING: @FCBarcelona have confirmed an agreement with @valenciacf_en to sign Paco Alcacer on a five-year deal. http://pic.twitter.com/y8FfpW8KRd
— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) August 30, 2016
After several reports suggested that the player had already gone through his medical, the news comes as little surprise to the fans, who have waited all summer for the elusive fourth forward after several key targets chose to move to other clubs, not expecting to get any minutes, behind the power-house that is MSN.
Alcacer, however, has made his choice, and this ends Barça's summer on a high!
Boy, what a summer it's been!!!
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FC Barcelona News: 20 August 2016; Lionel Messi Injures Hamstring, Munir El Haddadi Passes Valencia Medical
Left hamstring trouble for Leo Messi | FC Barcelona
A report on tests performed on Monday, and as approved by the FC Barcelona Medical Services and the Argentinian Football Association, has confirmed that Leo Messi has hurt his left hamstring. The player is travelling to Argentina to join the national team for World Cup qualifying matches at home to Uruguay and away to Venezuela, and his presence in those matches will depend on how the injury develops.
Ivan Rakitic: FC Barcelona's deadlock breaker | FC Barcelona
Ivan Rakitic signed for FC Barcelona in the summer of 2014 and took no time at all to seize a central role in the first team. He’s been a regular starter practically since day one and his stats confirm what a brilliant contribution he has made to the side. In his first two seasons, Rakitic made 51 and 57 official appearances, and he has yet to miss out on a place in the starting XI in competitive games this term.
By the numbers: FC Barcelona's 1–0 victory over Athletic Club | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona needed to give it everything it had to eke out a 1–0 win over Athletic Club at the San Mamés. Ivan Rakitic's lone goal kept Barça in a three-way tie for first place on points. UD Las Palmas, however, lead the standings based on goal differential. Multiple golden opportunites for Barça on Sunday night were not enough to give them a wider margin.
Limited numbers as training resumes at FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Following the victory at Athletic Bilbao, the vast majority of the FC Barcelona first team have left for international duty. But for those that remain and following a welcome rest on Monday it was back to work as usual on Tuesday morning as Luis Enrique gathered his diminished squad for training on the Tito Vilanova field at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
Munir passes Valencia medical | Football Espana
Forward Munir El Haddadi has passed a medical ahead of completing a loan move from Barcelona to Valencia. It emerged on Monday that the 20-year-old had opted to move to the Mestalla over Celta Vigo, who were also interested in taking him on a temporary basis.
Bartomeu: Barca will discuss new contract with Messi - Goal.com
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said talks are already underway for Lionel Messi to sign a new contract. Messi is under contract until 2018 but Barcelona are keen to offer him fresh terms, following reports in July that a new deal had been agreed.
Woops! Barcelona run signed Paco Alcacer shirt competition… forget they haven’t signed him - LE BUZZ
’s widely accepted striker Paco Alcacer will swap Valencia for Barcelona, with the player reportedly undergoing a medical on Monday. However, as the summer transfer window trundles to a close, we’re still awaiting an official announcement. Unfortunately, the Barcelona media team didn’t get the memo and awkwardly featured a competition on their website which had a signed Alcacer shirt as a prize.
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La Liga News: 30 August 2016; Yevhen Konoplyanka Set for Schalke Loan, Borja Viguera to Join Sporting Gijon
No new Atletico signings | Football Espana
Atletico Madrid will not attempt to make any last minute signings despite their poor start to the La Liga season. The Rojiblancos have looked decidedly off-colour in their opening two matches of the campaign, drawing with newly promoted teams Alaves and Leganes. They also failed to score from open play in either game.
Can Diego Simeone develop Atletico Madrid's style, asks Guillem Balague | Sky Sports
Champions Barcelona maintained their 100 per cent start to the season thanks to a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while Real Madrid matched their rivals' impressive form by beating Celta Vigo 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu 24 hours earlier.
Konoplyanka loan | Football Espana
It is reported that Schalke are set to sign Yevhen Konoplyanka on an initial loan deal from Sevilla. The Ukrainian has been linked with several clubs over the course of the summer transfer window, but it appears the German side have won the race for his signature.
Sevilla call-off Sunderland's £7.7m deal for Vicente Iborra - Sky sources | Sky Sports
The clubs agreed a fee in writing last week and the 28-year-old midfielder was due to have a medical after the agreement of personal terms was also reached. But it is understood the Spanish club have had second thoughts and Iborra is expected to remain with the Europa League champions.
Borja Viguera to join Sporting | Football Espana
Borja Viguera is set to complete a move from Athletic to Sporting Gijon on a two-year contract. The 29-year-old has spent two years at San Mames since joining from Basque rivals Alaves but does not feature in Coach Ernesto Valverde’s plans.
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الاثنين، 29 أغسطس 2016
Thanks to Arda Turan, Neymar finally has competition at Barcelona
An Opinion Piece on the left wing situation
Barcelona won their second La Liga game of the season after overcoming a tough Athletic Bilbao team at the Nuevo San Mamés this past Sunday night. It was an intense game with Athletic applying pressure on the Barcelona defence as the Blaugrana tried to play on the counter. The only goal of the game came after Arda Turan received the ball on the left-hand side and provided a beautiful cross with enough pace for Ivan Rakitic, who headed the ball into the back of the net. Barça had more chances later in the game but failed to capitalize on any of them, with Luis Suárez squandering two very good chances. Atheltic's only main chance was a free-kick by Beñat that went just wide of the post.
One of the players who had an amazing performance in the Basque Country was Arda Turan, who continues his fine form at the left-wing position. Arda had a poor first season with Barcelona due to his inability to play in the first six months thanks to the transfer ban, but has now transformed into a different player this season. He cut his holidays short and joined the squad early in preseason to improve as a player and help the team the best way he could, and that is exactly what he has done so far. After a great preseason, he played a big part in the Spanish Super Cup (two goals + one assist) and already has one goal and one assist in two La Liga matches. With Arda in such form, Luis Enrique has headaches regarding team selection.
And that's where Neymar enters. The Brazilian superstar had a torrid spell towards the end of last season as he failed to connect passes, made needless dribbles and was unable to covert his chances. And due to the absence of Pedro, Rafinha’s injury and Munir’s poor form, Neymar could not be substituted or be given a rest because there was no one available on the bench who could perform at a high level. This is no longer the case this season, as Arda Turan has rediscovered his form and has adapted to the Barça way.
Playing in the left wing has brought the best out of Arda and he now provides a healthy competition for Neymar in that position. Turan creates chances, connects well with his teammates and scores goals, something he was unable to do in central midfield. Considering the fact that he has a different playing style than Neymar, he is now a true alternative on the left wing for the Catalan giants.
Neymar will return to the squad after the international break and I believe that he should be gradually eased into the team instead of blindly selecting him in the starting eleven. I am not saying that Neymar should not be in the starting line up but rather Luis Enrique should pick the player who is at the best shape at the moment, and right now Turan is ahead of the pack. Arda and Neymar competing for the same spot will only make both players better, which is a win-win situation for Barcelona.
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Valencia - Barcelona Transfer News: Paco Alcacer and Munir Deal Looks Done Amid Photo Leak
As if it wasn't obvious already, the deal for Alcacer looks a sure thing now that a leaked photo of the player wearing a Barcelona shirt leaked.
The rumors have been swirling for so long that they may not really be called rumors anymore, just leaked details of a sure thing. Paco Alcacer is leaving Valencia to join Barcelona for 30 million euro, plus variables, while Munir El-Haddadi is going the other way on loan, with an option to buy, with an option for a buy-back (got all that?).
But the biggest leak yet has come from the FC Barcelona official site. It seems that today, the site accidentally published a picture of Alcacer wearing a Barcelona shirt, with text promoting a contest to win a signed shirt. "Welcome Paco Alcacer!" it read, adding: "The young Spanish forward is the sixth signing of the 16/17 season and we want to celebrate his arrival by drawing for a shirt he has signed exclusively for Barcelona fans."
Of course, once word spread, the page was deleted, but the internet never forgets.
Barça have already let an image of Paco Alcacer slip on to their website - may speed up the announcement http://pic.twitter.com/GNzTAtgSSe
— Sam Marsden (@samuelmarsden) August 29, 2016
Now it seems, it's just a matter of making an official announcement.
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WATCH: Brilliant Lionel Messi Pass Against Athletic Club de Bilbao
Messi played a crossfield volley pass that needs to be seen.
Barcelona earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Athletic Club with Lionel Messi having a fairly average game by his standards. Still, Messi is Messi, and the magic just... happens sometimes.
Take this volleyed crossfield switch. You may miss this one in the game summaries, but it's an amazing piece of skill.
Let's take a second to appreciate the vision and technique necessary to do this. It's the type of pass most players will never complete in their careers. Think about it.
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Barcelona find it all too easy, pump excitement into game by purposefully not scoring.
F.C. Barcelona vs. Athletic Bilbao Gamboling Goleadores.
Barcelona played arguably one of the toughest games they will have all year in an extremely hostile environment, against an incredibly difficult team. Athletic Bilbao have been consistently, for the past few years, one of the toughest opponents the Culés have to face. They are relentlessly aggressive and quick to capitalize on any mistakes the opposition makes. Luckily for us, when those mistakes happened, and they did indeed happen, the whole team stepped up to prevent Athletic from scoring. On the offensive side of things, our own guys were less than effective. Nonetheless! It is with great pleasure that I present you with this match's
Irish Goat's Three Gamboling Goleadores!
1st Goleador: Sergi Roberto
Second straight game I write about Sergi, but then again, how could I not? Outstanding game from the youngster which continues to prove more and more he has a place in the starting eleven. He continues to improve! How much ceiling does this guy have? When first employed in the right flank, he wasn't necessarily spectacular in defense. He was solid, sure, but not spectacular. And in offense he still had to polish his final passing a bit more. In the game against Bilbao, both those aspects of his game were significantly better. Athletic hardly attacked down the side manned by the Spaniard, and his attacking prowess was much improved. More and more, his passes in the final third are akin to deadly daggers.
2nd Goleador: Ivan Rakitic
Iván Rakitic was sublime! There was absolutely no chance of Athletic Bilbao players going anywhere near his vicinity without Ivan Rakitic going all Dikembe Mutombo and wrecking everything. A fantastic performance from Ivan, capped by a beautiful goal. Even without the goal, his night was outstanding. Hopefully, we will get to enjoy more of these outstanding performances coupled with more beautiful goals.
3rd Goleador: Gerard Piqué
A defender's job is mostly thankless, as they're hardly noticed when they perform well. This was the case for Gerard. He had a quiet evening, yet he was precisely where he had to be when needed. It is terribly exciting to see the potential this team has in defense this year. Luis Enrique was right, possibly one of the strongest squads in years.
That is it for this match's Gamboling Goleadores! Please, comment on what your choices would have been. Visca Barça!
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FC Barcelona News: 29 August 2016; Barca Survive Athletic Bilbao Scare, Paco Alcacer Passes Medical
Athletic Club v FC Barcelona: Three huge points at San Mamés (0-1) | FC Barcelona
League championships are won on road trips like this. Ivan Rakitic may have put Barça 1-0 up after just twenty minutes but try as they could the Catalans could not add to their lead on a wet and physical night in the Basque Country. A solid workmanlike performance saw them through to the final whistle and confirmation of the 100th win of the Luis Enrique era.
Ivan Rakitic: 'We're ready to compete with the very best' | FC Barcelona
It’s not just the strikers that score for Barça. Today, it was midfielder Ivan Rakitic who was the only man able to get the ball past Athletic keeper Gorka Iraizoz – and his header ensured three crucial points at San Mamés. "It was very important to make them move and wear them down" said the Croat after the game was over. "It’s very hard to come here. Athletic thrive on the pressure that’s created in their stadium. They don’t make it easy at all for you."
Luis Enrique pleased with 'three hard-earned points' | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique spoke to the media immediately after FC Barcelona had won 1-0 against Athletic Club at San Mamés, the 100th victory of his tenure as first team manager. Here’s the pick of the quotes on another happy night for the Asturian: "It took a lot of merit to get those three points: We had to make a massive physical effort."
Barcelona News: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen breaks Liga passing record - Goal.com
In chasing Claudio Bravo, Pep Guardiola made it clear that the Chilean fit perfectly the profile of a goalkeeper equally proficient with his feet as with his hands. But the Manchester City man may just have picked the wrong keeper at Barcelona, as Marc-Andre ter Stegen showed he is also no slouch with the ball.
Luis Enrique wins 100th game as FC Barcelona manager | FC Barcelona
The 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao was special for many reasons, and one of those is the fact that it was Luis Enrique’s 100th victory as FC Barcelona manager. Since taking his seat on the Barça bench in the summer of 2014, the Asturian has reached his century in a remarkably short time – just 126 official matches. Other than the 100 wins, the remaining games of the Luis Enrique era have ended in 13 draws and just 13 defeats.
100 wins up for Luis Enrique - but Suarez & Messi misses show why Barca want Alcacer - Goal.com
It was another impressive performance by Barcelona. Luis Enrique made it 100 wins in just 126 games as his side edged out Athletic Club in Bilbao. But Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Arda Turan all missed great opportunities to close out the match and on this evidence, it is clear to see why the club are pushing to sign Paco Alcacer.
Alcacer passes Barca medical | Football Espana
Paco Alcacer has passed his Barcelona medical ahead of completing a move from Valencia. According to numerous Spanish media outlets, official confirmation that the €30m deal has gone through will come within a matter of hours.
Rival watch: Alavés held by Sporting as Las Palmas go top of the table | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona made it two wins out of two with their 1-0 win at San Mamés, and they are joined on maximum points by one familiar foe and one less expected early leader. The latter is Las Palmas, who have scored an impressive nine goals in their first two games and thus move to the top of the Liga table on goal difference. The Canary Islanders routed Granada 5-1 on Sunday – a disappointing result for on-loan Sergi Samper, who was starting his first game for the Andalusians.
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La Liga News: 29 August 2016; Las Palmas Move to First Place, Celta Vigo Sign Giuseppe Rossi
Real Madrid Barcelona and Las Palmas win Atletico and Valencia struggle - ESPN FC
Former Barca boss Pep Guardiola had to wait until his 139th game to achieve that feat -- a 5-1 win over Ceuta in the Copa del Rey on Nov. 20, 2010 -- and, with Luis Enrique at the helm, Barca have scored more and conceded less goals on the way to 100 wins.
Atletico Madrid devoid of attacking threat in unconvincing draw at Leganes - ESPN FC
Rubbish, plain rubbish. Atletico Madrid got a gift-wrapped opening couple of fixtures against two newly promoted sides, however, they have contrived to stumble to two unconvincing draws against teams many expect will be battling relegation this term. That is four points dropped, no wins and it would not be an overreaction to suggest that any hopes of winning the league title have gone out of the window.
Villarreal 0-0 Sevilla FC - ESPN
Jorge Sampaoli's free-wheeling Sevilla side were held goalless at Villarreal as goalkeeper Sergio Rico was kept busy by the Yellow Submarine at El Madrigal. Sevilla were 6-4 winners against Espanyol last weekend, but the scoresheet was blank this time around as Rico, dropped from the first Spain squad named by new coach Julen Lopetegui on Friday, earned a point with a series of saves, including one astonishing effort to deny Manu Trigueros in the second half.
Celta Vigo sign Giuseppe Rossi from Fiorentina - ESPN FC
New Jersey-born Italy international Giuseppe Rossi has joined Celta Vigo from Fiorentina. The injury-plagued forward made 33 appearances for the Viola, scoring 16 goals, since joining the Serie A side in January 2013.
Las Palmas 5-1 Granada - ESPN
Nabil El Zhar scored twice as Las Palmas made it back-to-back LaLiga victories with a 5-1 thrashing of Granada The French winger buried the ball in the bottom left corner to open the scoring at Estadio Gran Canaria, but the hosts levelled on the stroke of half-time through Jeremie Boga.
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Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: 3 Things We Learned
A few takeaways from a tough road win at San Mamés
Barcelona continued their perfect start to the La Liga season after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés. It was a difficult game but the Blaugrana were more efficient than the hosts and left the Basque Country with a key victory. Here's a few takeaways from what we saw on Sunday:
1 - Luis Enrique is a great manager
Apart from a few mistakes here and there, Lucho always has a great gameplan for every match, especially the tough ones. Sunday was a perfect example: he learned from previous games that Bilbao press high up the pitch for 90 minutes at home, and Enrique found a way to maintain possession and initiate play with clean passes. His goalkeeper and center-backs needed to have a great night on the ball, and the midfielders and attackers needed to be quick to run at Ahtletic's defense and create chances on the counter. It worked to perfection, and Barça deserved the win they got because of how they were set up tactically by the manager.
Luis Enrique became the fastest manager in Barça history to reach 100 wins, doing it in 126 games. You can't have a record like that just because of the players. You need to be good at coaching them. Luis Enrique is.
2 - Ter Stegen's confidence is unbreakable
As said above, the German was going to be a key piece of the scheme. With Athletic pressing high, only Stegen would be "free" to receive and make passes, and his distribution would be fundamental to execute Lucho's gameplan. MATS was simply amazing on the ball. He completed more passes than 16 of the 22 players on the pitch, and apart from one big mistake — which he eventually saved —, Ter Stegen was perfect. He just doesn't care about the pressure of it being San Mamés, having the ball a lot and needing to play well to help the team win.
Stegen is the real deal. He needed a big performance to show he can start every game. He saved shots and passed the ball like a boss all night, and he proved himself once again. We got a damn good goalkeeper, y'all.
3 - Squad depth is real
Think about it: if Mascherano was on the bench and Neymar could not play last season, Luis Enrique would have started Mathieu at center-back (which... yeah), Arda Turan in central midfield (which he is bad at), and Munir El-Haddadi (was still too unexperienced last season, especially for San Mamés) on the wing. On Sunday, he had Sammy Umtiti on defense (another monster game), Denis Suarez in midfield (SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!) and Arda Turan on the wing (fantastic again). And then he brought Mascherano, André Gomes and Rafinha off the bench.
Now Paco Alcácer is set to join, Neymar and Iniesta will come back, and it just seems like Barça can have a strong starting lineup and strong bench for every single game throughout the season. Which is insane. Which is amazing.
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الأحد، 28 أغسطس 2016
Barcelona players react to La Liga victory against Athletic Bilbao
Iniesta, Rakitic, Ter Stegen and others reacted to the hard-fought win at San Mamés on social media
Barcelona had a very tough match against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, but left the Basque Country on top of La Liga after a hard-fough 1-0 victory, with Ivan Rakitic scoring the game-winner in the first half.
Plenty of Blaugrana players reacted to the victory on social media.
We start with Man of the Match Rakitic, who tweeted a locker room photo (which is always tricky, but this one's safe) with his teammates after the game:
¡Tres grandes puntos! Estamos en el buen camino. Y feliz por ayudar con el gol ⚽️
— Ivan Rakitic (@ivanrakitic) August 28, 2016
3 great points! Happy for the goal http://pic.twitter.com/dIkoesFxx9
***
Barça captain Andrés Iniesta missed the match through injury but was obviously watching the game and was very happy with the result:
Gran victoria y gran trabajo!!! Força Barça!!!
— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) August 28, 2016
"Great victory and great job!!! Força Barça!!!
***
Marc-André ter Stegen made his first start as Barça's undisputed keeper, and after a very impressive performance, he was certainly happy:
Always a tough and intense battle at San Mamés. Great win and team spirit tonight! #AthleticFCB http://pic.twitter.com/vjuLcN7ELJ
— Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1) August 28, 2016
***
Ter Stegen's backup and new Barça goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen also reacted to the victory, and he sure loves emojis!
Proud of my new teammates . Great away win tonight ! #FCB #AthleticFCB #MesQueUnClub http://pic.twitter.com/SpvxatoVap
— Jasper Cillessen (@JasperCillessen) August 28, 2016
***
Now we move into the kids. Sergi Roberto, Denis Suarez and Rafinha Alcântara all played important parts in the game, and they also took to Twitter to talk about it:
Partido siempre difícil en este campo, pero gran partido de todo el equipo!! a seguir!! Força Barça !! http://pic.twitter.com/ev0uXh83xK
— Sergi Roberto (@SergiRoberto10) August 28, 2016
"Always a tough match in this ground, but a great game from the entire team!! Moving on!! Força Barça!!
Playing at San Mamés is a luxury but winning here is a challenge. Today we take the 3 points back home. C'mon! http://pic.twitter.com/mBsLpcDPeZ
— Denis Suarez (@DenisSuarez6) August 28, 2016
Tres puntos importantes!!
— Rafinha Alcantara (@Rafinha) August 28, 2016
Y feliz por estar de vuelta. Visca el Barça! http://pic.twitter.com/5I5CC64xtf
"Important three points!! And happy to be back. Visca el Barça!"
*****
Luis Enrique also spoke about the victory, but he's an older fella, so instead of social media, he used a microphone to praise his side on getting a very tough victory, but he knows there is room for improvement in the upcoming matches. Lucho is also very impressed with the competitive spirit shown by the team, even the new signings:
“It took a lot of merit to get those three points: We had to make a massive physical effort. Athletic is a team that creates very deep pressure, and they generate a lot of it, and that’s what caused us to make some early errors. But once we had worked out how to deal with that pressure, we started creating plenty of goalscoring chances.
“We were finding it difficult to get the ball into the opposition’s half, but we were more in control of things in the second half, although it was them who created most pressure towards the end.
“It’s an invigorating result. It’s very hard to play at San Mamés, so we’re really pleased with the outcome.”
“I’d have liked us to have controlled the game better, but they were doing well with long balls and it took a lot out of us physically. We read the game well, although we really should have sentenced the match earlier. But we have a great squad. They truly do want to compete for everything.”
Source: FCBarcelona.com
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Athletic Club 0-1 FC Barcelona: Arda stay on fire, as FCB gets tough road win
In this column, Xoel Càrdenas breaks down FC Barcelona's 1-0 win over Athletic Club Bilbao at the San Mamés on Sunday night. Xoel talks about Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Arda Turan and Sergi Roberto.
FC Barcelona grabbed three of the toughest points the team will earn on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Athletic Club Bilbao at the San Mamés.
Ivan Rakitić grabbed the lone goal of the night in the 21st minute, as a lovely cross into the box by Arda Turan was headed in by the Croatian to make it 1-0.
That's a coach's goal says @RayHudson on @ivanrakitic header #beINLaLiga https://t.co/37K45RsL2O
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 28, 2016
Luis Suarez had a few chances to increase the lead, but his finish was just not there on the night. Athletic Club continued to press throughout the match, causing a few concerns for Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Lionel Messi had a solid match, as he frustrated Bilbao with his great passes and midfield control.
Beñat nearly had the equalizer in the 86th minute, but his free kick went just right of the near post.
Luis Suarez had a chance to make it 2-0 in stoppage time, but a Bilbao defender was there to make the stop on the goal line.
San Mamés is always a tough place for an opponent to win. On Sunday, FC Barcelona earned the three points win a gritty, physical win on the road.
FT: Athletic Club 0-1 FC Barcelona
Xoel's Thoughts
Overall, I felt FC Barcelona played well. Was it pretty? No. A match at the San Mamés is never pretty, but these matches and wins that give a team character as well as build confidence for the long season.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen had a good match, overall, against Bilbao. But there were a few mistakes in the game, including a poor pass out which led to Beñat's shot at MAtS from close range in the 12th minute.
Ter Stegen's brilliant save earlier. http://pic.twitter.com/p3aUyM0xSZ
— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) August 28, 2016
MAtS had to make many, many passes on the night. In fact, Ter Stegen became the first goalkeeper to have completed more than 50 passes in a Liga match since the 2005-06 season.
Ter Stegen became the 1st GK completed more than 50 passes in La Liga since the season 2005/2006. http://pic.twitter.com/vIy5h6m7E7
— The Catalan Giant (@TheCataIanGiant) August 28, 2016
Ter Stegen will be just fine. Sure, he had a few hiccups, but overall, MAtS got the shutout and that's all that truly matters.
Sergi Roberto continues to prove he's confidently the team's right back. Sergi's runs and passes were spot on, allowing Messi and Luis Suarez to make runs on the right side. Ivan Rakitić had the lone goal and several key passes against Bilbao. Young Denis Suarez continues to shows signs of future brilliance.
For me, the man of the match was Arda Turan. The Turk continues to shine at the left wing position. No other player in La Liga has been involved in more goals than Arda (3 goals, 3 assists in all competitions). Against Bilbao, Turan was at his best. His passes were on the mark, his playmaking instincts were there, and when the moment came, he was ready to change the game with one play.
Bugünkü galibiyet sonrası Arda Turan ve Luis Suarez'den selfie @ArdaTuran @LuisSuarez9 http://pic.twitter.com/8h19ixhCuz
— BabaSpor (@Baba_Spor) August 28, 2016
With Neymar and Andrés Iniesta returning to the team, Arda will be relegated to the bench. Turan is on fire and it is a shame he'll go back to the bench. Let's see how Neymar plays returning from the Olympics.
If I'm Luis Enrique, I wouldn't hesitate putting Arda Turan into a match in place of Neymar. Left wing is the Brazilian's spot, but when you have a player who's this hot in Arda, it's tough to keep said hot player on the bench for too long. Plus, it'd be wise to ease in Neymar back to the starting XI. Don't be shocked if Neymar does not play a full 90 minutes next match for FC Barcelona. At midfield, Arda struggled last season. At LW this season, it's been nothing but magic for Turan.
Arda Turan at LW has been on fire, and my hope is that Lucho finds a balanced way to keep him hot with sufficient playing time — preferably at LW.
The international break is here, and let's hope the injury bug doesn't bite any Blaugrana player.
One of the toughest road matches all season ends with a win. Two matches in the La Liga season, two wins for FC Barcelona.
A solid start to defending the Liga championship.
Som-hi!
Xoel
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Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: Match Review
A detailed recap of Barça's first away trip of the 16/17 season, a tough road victory at San Mamés
After a convincing 6-2 win to start the season, Barcelona started their away season with one of the hardest trips in the league. The San Mamés has been a stadium of mixed fortune for Barcelona in the past but the sides' last meeting saw Barcelona walk away with a 2-1 win.
| Athletic Bilbao | Barcelona | |
| Possession | 37% | 63% |
| Total Shots | 9 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 8 |
| Corners | 4 | 4 |
| Fouls | 20 | 13 |
| Offsides | 1 | 6 |
| Yellow Cards | 5 | 4 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
With the rain pouring, the game got underway and before long Barcelona had the ball in the net. Lionel Messi found Luis Suárez loitering on the left of the box. The Uruguayan controlled the ball then slid it across for an Arda Turan tap-in. However, Suárez was flagged offside and the goal was ruled out.
It was the home side that was enjoying the lion share of possession. Pinning Barcelona in their half, they were effective in disconnecting Barça's front three from the rest of the team. With the increased pressure from Bilbao it was looking like a counter attack would be Barça's most effective attack method. Messi continued to look to break away but the persistent rain fall had made getting any pace behind the ball difficult.
One of Atheltic's game plans was to look at getting at Marc-André ter Stegen. The keeper was seeing an increasing amount of the ball due to Bilbao's high pressure and the Basques were hoping that would lead to an error. That plan came to fruition when in the 12th minute ter Stegen gifted the ball to Beñat Etxebarria. However the midfielder chose to power the ball to goal rather than place it and the keeper managed to block the effort.
Arda Turan was continuing his good start to the season and it was through him that Barcelona got the opening goal. Messi rolled the ball to Arda on the edge of the box. The Turkish player burst into the box then cut back to get the ball on his right foot. He looked up then floated the ball to the back post to find a free Ivan Rakitić. The Croatian had timed his run perfectly and rose to head the ball into the net.
Turan's continued form now poses a question of what happens when Neymar returns? Obviously you expect the Brazilian to reclaim his starting position but does that mean Turan joins the midfield three? Or is he to return to the bench?
Another player who has been impressing this season is Denis Suárez. Here, he was regularly picking up the ball and driving towards the Bilbao box. He did manage to get two shots away but they were tame efforts.
The poor conditions had slowed the tempo of the game and was making life harder for the two keepers. Ter Stegen's final test of the half was to stop an attempt from Benat which he did well by catching it low to the floor.
The referee blew the whistle for half time which gave the players a welcome chance to change into dry shirts.
After the break, Barcelona looked to press home their advantage. The possession pendulum had swung into Barça's favour and they were looking to capitalise on it. Lionel Messi wiggled his way into having a shot which was inches wide while Luis Suárez attempted a volley which sailed over. The latter was having an out of sorts game as nothing was really coming off for him.
As the second half continued, Athletic Bilbao grew back into the game which made Luis Enrique even more agitated on the sidelines. All too aware that a Bilbao goal could come at any minute and nullify his one goal lead, Enrique elected to reinforce his back line with the introduction of Javier Mascherano and Andre Gomes.
The game simmered along with Barcelona creeping towards the three points but sensing a late Bilbao attack would be coming.
One of the final scares of the game came in the 85th minute when Benat, who had been a good performer all night, stepped up for a free kick. With the angle it was taken at, you can understand why half of the home crowd and thought he had pulled them level. But, unfortunately for those fans, it was just wide.
Barcelona did manage to hang on for the win and maintain their 100% record in time for the international break.
| Roll Call Info | |
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| Total comments | 447 |
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| Commenter list | #K-DREAMER, Ade Tayo, AllAboutStyle, Anders Thomassen, Anirudh_Kul, Anthony_Stark, Ashraf Arefin, Asrik, Barca For Life, Barca_24, BarcelonaIsHot, Big_Ben, Bithal, BoodHernandez, Charlie-xto, Donnie_Darko, FZBoy, JogoBonito, Kesharthus, KiwiBarca, LEastCoastBears, MMcCoy11_FCB, Macbethcan, Mark Corbin, MayteeA, My Name Is Dennis, Navjot Kasukurthy, Piyush1, Rajeev_1994, Ray hudson, SUMAN2014, Saaket11, Som-i-Serem, SteoFcb94, Steven Cordero, TOAA, TheGodfather21, alimomoney, craig00000, dewoul, fcb.fcb, feeya7, henderick.mitchell, istiaque, knorkinator, michael.olivier, mightyobie, roy_99, syredeathtrooper, venkatesh koka, vireyda |
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| 1 | Piyush1 | 55 |
| 2 | Anders Thomassen | 42 |
| 3 | AllAboutStyle | 38 |
| 4 | Som-i-Serem | 35 |
| 5 | mightyobie | 30 |
| 6 | syredeathtrooper | 25 |
| 7 | Asrik | 22 |
| 8 | vireyda | 17 |
| 9 | KiwiBarca | 16 |
| 10 | feeya7 | 14 |
| 11 | knorkinator | 12 |
| 12 | Bithal | 10 |
| 13 | SUMAN2014 | 10 |
| 14 | FZBoy | 10 |
| 15 | BarcelonaIsHot | 10 |
| 16 | Ashraf Arefin | 9 |
| 17 | SteoFcb94 | 8 |
| 18 | My Name Is Dennis | 6 |
| 19 | Anirudh_Kul | 6 |
| 20 | Steven Cordero | 6 |
| 21 | Mark Corbin | 6 |
| 22 | istiaque | 5 |
| 23 | MMcCoy11_FCB | 5 |
| 24 | Big_Ben | 4 |
| 25 | Saaket11 | 4 |
| 26 | henderick.mitchell | 4 |
| 27 | Kesharthus | 3 |
| 28 | alimomoney | 3 |
| 29 | BoodHernandez | 3 |
| 30 | Navjot Kasukurthy | 3 |
| 31 | Donnie_Darko | 2 |
| 32 | Ray hudson | 2 |
| 33 | Charlie-xto | 2 |
| 34 | dewoul | 2 |
| 35 | Rajeev_1994 | 2 |
| 36 | JogoBonito | 1 |
| 37 | fcb.fcb | 1 |
| 38 | MayteeA | 1 |
| 39 | Anthony_Stark | 1 |
| 40 | LEastCoastBears | 1 |
| 41 | #K-DREAMER | 1 |
| 42 | craig00000 | 1 |
| 43 | TheGodfather21 | 1 |
| 44 | Macbethcan | 1 |
| 45 | michael.olivier | 1 |
| 46 | TOAA | 1 |
| 47 | Barca For Life | 1 |
| 48 | Ade Tayo | 1 |
| 49 | roy_99 | 1 |
| 50 | venkatesh koka | 1 |
| 51 | Barca_24 | 1 |
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Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: Final Score 0-1 as Barça win on the road
Tough game, tough win, vital win
Barcelona have got six points from two games and are the leaders of La Liga heading into the international break after a tough 0-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, thanks to goals from, with scoring for Bilbao. The game was as difficult as usual, but the Blaugrana were better and overcame the atmosphere and the opponent to leave the Basque Country at the top of the table.
FIRST HALF
Before I got into what happened in the first half, a quick note on referee Mateu Lahoz, who ignored a clear penalty for Barça before inventing a foul he didn't even see and booking Busquets and Luis Suarez: it's not a surprise.
Anyway, the first half was amazing. Both teams were intense, defended well and were dangerous with the ball. Athletic pressed high up the pitch during all 45 minutes, but keeper Ter Stegen dealt well with the pressure and his distribution was fantastic, as usual. When Barça did escape the pressing, they created great chances on the counter, and Ivan Rakitic took advantage of a fast break and scored the opener with a header from a great Arda Turan cross. Arda himself had a golden chance just before halftime, but missed the shot and couldn't double the lead for the Blaugrana.
At the half, a highly entertaining football match, and Barça led thanks to their talents and sound gameplan to deal with Bilbao's intensity.
SECOND HALF
The second half started just like the first, with Bilbao pressing high and Barça patiently using possession to escape the pressure and counter attack with pace. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez had very good chances on the fast break, but couldn't find the back of the net.
Athletic made changes to become more offensive and try to find the equalizer. Raul García was one of the substitutes, and he nearly scored with a great shot that went just wide. Iñaki Williams almost found the goal in the very next play, and Bilbao were more dangerous in the second half.
Barça needed a goal to kill the game, but they couldn't and very nearly conceded the equalizer when Beñat played a fantastic free-kick to the top corner, but the ball went just wide of the post. Bilbao continued to pressure and the game was nervous until the final whistle.
In the end, a very tough game that Barça survived by playing good football, a deserved victory and the league lead going into the international break. Perfect plan.
Athletic: Iraizoz | De Marcos, Bóveda, Laporte, Balenziaga | Iturraspe (Vesga), Beñat | Williams, Eraso (García), Susaeta (Muniain) | Aduriz
Barcelona: Ter Stegen | Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti (Mascherano), Alba | Busquets, Rakitic, Denis (Gomes) | Messi, Suárez, Arda (Rafinha)
Goal: Rakitic (21')
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WATCH: Ivan Rakitic’s powerful header finishes off brilliant team goal vs. Athletic Bilbao
Beauty
Barcelona have a 1-0 lead over Athletic Bilbao 20 minutes into their La Liga clash after Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring with a poweful header. The goal came off of a beautiful passing sequence that ended with Arda Turan finding the Croatian at the far post for the header:
While the end product will get the plaudits, the credit should go to Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets for their great passing and movement in the midfield to open up space and create the chance. It was typical Barca brilliance and it result in the typical finish. The ball in the net and Barcelona celebrating yet another fine goal.
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Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona, 2016 La Liga: Confirmed Lineups, Live Game Thread
Live thread with confirmed lineups for Barcelona's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao
La Liga: Jornada 2
San mames, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Kickoff: Sunday, 28 August 2016, 20:15 CET
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz
*****
Starting Lineups
*****
Barcelona:1. Marc-Andre ter Stegen; 20. Sergi Roberto, 3. Gerard Pique, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 18. Jordi Alba; 5. Sergio Busquets, 4. Ivan Rakitić, 6. Denis Suarez; 10. Lionel Messi, 9. Luis Suarez, 7. Arda Turan
Substitutes: 25. Jordi Masip, 19. Lucas Digne, 22. Aleix Vidal, 14. Javier Mascherano, 12. Rafinha, 21. Andre Gomes, 17. Munir El Haddadi
Coach: Luis Enrique
*****
Athletic Bilbao: 1. Gorka Iraizoz; 18. Óscar de Marcos, 2. Eneko Bóveda, 4. Aymeric Laporte, 24. Mikel Balenziaga; 7. Beñat Etxebarria, 8. Ander Iturraspe, 5. Javier Eraso; 14. Markel Susaeta, 20. Aritz Aduriz, 11. Iñaki Williams
Substitutes: 26. Kepa Arrizabalaga, 16. Xabier Etxeita, 15. Iñigo Lekue, 12. Mikel Vesga, 22. Raúl García. 10. Iker Muniain, 19. Sabin Merino
Coach: Ernesto Valverde
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Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona live stream: Start time, TV listings, how to watch La Liga online
The Blaugranes look to win a second straight league game
The race for the La Liga title is already a two-horse one. After two disappointing games ending in a draw, Atlético Madrid do not look strong enough to compete this season, which means it's Real Madrid and Barcelona fighting for the league trophy once again.
Los Blancos won their first two games, and Barça hope to do the same when they travel to San Mamés for a historically difficult match against Athletic Bilbao. After a sensational 6-2 victory in the season opener against Real Betis, the Blaugrana look to carry their momentum into a tough game and leave the Basque Country with a win.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez were fantastic last week, and need to be at the top of their game again to get past the challenge of an Athletic side that will make things hard for the two Barça superstars. This will be a really good match, and you cannot miss it.
Date/Time: Sunday, August 28, 2016, 8:15pm local time (CET), 7:15pm BST (UK), 2:15pm ET, 11:15am ET (US), 11:45pm IST (India)
Venue: San Mamés, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz
On TV: beIN SPORTS (US & Canada), beIN SPORTS En Español (US & Canada - Spanish), Sky Sports 1 (UK), Sony Six HD (India), Movistar+, Canal+ Partidazo (Spain), elsewhere
Online streaming: beIN SPORTS Connect (US & Canada), FuboTV (US, monthly subscription, click here to sign up), Sky GO (UK), elsewhere
(Listings via LiveSoccerTV)
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La Liga News: 28 August 2016: Real Madrid Move Top, Atletico Stumble Again
Alvaro Morata scored his first goal since returning to Real Madrid as he helped his team beat a stubborn Celta Vigo side and go top of La Liga. Morata, who rejoined Real in June after a two-year spell at Juventus, finished after Celta Vigo goalkeeper Sergio had parried Marco Asensio's attempted chip.
Diego Simeone has called for patience after Atletico Madrid drew their second straight match of the new La Liga campaign, 0-0 away at newly-promoted Leganes. After dropping points in a 1-1 draw at home against Alaves in the first week of the season, Los Rojiblancos once again failed to fire against relegation-favourites Leganes.
Atletico Madrid's stuttering start to the 2016-17 La Liga season continued with a 0-0 draw at promoted Leganes on Saturday in spite of Antoine Griezmann's return. The visitors only had to make a short trip south to Leganes but again they were a world away from their usual standard, following up last week's Alaves stalemate with a similarly underwhelming result.
After having won just one league title in the last eight years, Real Madrid's former striker Fernando Morientes believes wrestling the crown back from rivals Barcelona must be Los Blancos' main objective for the current campaign. Although securing the same will be far from easy, La Liga remains the bread and butter for Spanish top flight clubs, particularly the top two or three teams in the division.
Valencia fall against Eibar for second consecutive defeat - Yahoo Sports Canada
Elsewhere, Valencia slumped to a second consecutive loss after falling at Eibar 1-0, while Real Sociedad got on track by winning at Osasuna 2-0. Valencia's latest defeat comes with the club close to selling Germany defender Shkodran Mustafi to Arsenal, and Barcelona negotiating to sign away striker Paco Alcacer. Neither player was on Valencia's team at Eibar.
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FC Barcelona News: 28 August 2016: Alcacer Transfer Moves Closer, Enrique Comments On San Mames
It's no secret that FC Barcelona's Week 2 La Liga match at Athletic Club Bilbao on Sunday night presents a sizeable, early-season challenge. But despite the overtly ominous warnings, the Barça coach said he loved Athletic Club. "It won't be easy," he said. "Not now. Not ever. And my players know that," he continued. But, he said, "professional footballers love playing in places like that."
The Spain international was left out of the squad as Valencia suffered a 1-0 loss at Eibar to continue their slow start to the season. "It means he was not now in the best position to compete," Ayestaran told a news conference. "We will see what will happen in the next few days." Valencia are bottom of LaLiga after two losses to start their campaign and further departures are expected at the club.
FC Barcelona have signed Jasper Cillessen as a replacement goalkeeper for Claudio Bravo, who has left for Manchester City. Signed from Ajax, the 27-year-old international from Nijmegen is the second Dutch keeper to play for the first team, following on from Ruud Hesp, who was at the club from 1997 to 2000.
Newcastle United striker Ayoze Perez feels flattered by reported Barcelona interest, but insists he has not thought about leaving the Magpies. Following Newcastle’s relegation, several important players left his current club, but Perez pledged his loyalty to the Magpies, believing it’s the right decision for his career. "I have always been happy ever since I came here," Perez told The Telegraph.
Gabigol has returned to Brazil, as Santos haven’t yet decided if he’ll join Inter now or in January, while Joao Mario undergoes a medical. The Nerazzurri welcomed two new stars yesterday for a total expenditure of over €70m, though the transfers have not yet been completed. According to Sky Sport Italia, Gabriel Barbosa – commonly known as Gabigol – has flown back to Brazil after passing his medical and discussing personal terms.
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La Liga: Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona: Predict the Score
A chance for you to predict the score of tonight's La Liga clash between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona
With an emphatic 6-2 win over Real Betis last Saturday, FC Barcelona immediately returned to the top of the table, and they will be hoping to reclaim top spot again tonight with a victory against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames. With their narrow win over Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu last night, Real Madrid claimed temporary control at the top of the table, although any win would see the Blaugrana move back into pole position on goal difference.
Naturally, no-one in the Barca Blaugranes community was able to correctly predict our opening night thrashing, which means that you too have a chance to move atop the community rankings with a correct prediction tonight. Matches against Athletic Bilbao are always tough, physical and emotionally draining encounters; a trip to San Mames merely accentuates that -- and if last season is any indication, we could be in for an extremely difficult night.
Last August we travelled to the Basque Country for the Spanish Super Cup, and were emphatically beaten 4-0. The corresponding La Liga fixture ended a little better, as the visitors escaped with a narrow 1-0 victory, even after Lionel Messi had missed a penalty. Bearing in mind that we will be missing our club captain, Andres Iniesta, and one of our talismanic forwards, Neymar, one would expect a similarly stern examination this evening.
Are you backing our boys to maintain their 100% record, or do you think we struggle again on our latest trip to the Basque Country? Predict the score by leaving a comment below. Best of luck!
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السبت، 27 أغسطس 2016
Report: Barcelona complete Paco Alcácer transfer, announcement set for Sunday
Barcelona have a new striker
It's now almost official: Barcelona have a new striker.
The Blaugrana have completed a transfer deal for Valencia striker Paco Alcácer, who will sign a five-year contract with the Catalan club, according to multiple reports in Spain. Barcelona will pay Valencia a €30 million fee with an additional €2 million coming in performance bonuses. The official announcement is set for Sunday after the La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao, sources told Barça Blaugranes. Alcácer will be presented on Monday or Tuesday at Camp Nou.
Alcácer did not play for Valencia on Saturday's league match against Eibar, and manager Paco Ayestarán said he decided to bench Paco because "he wasn't in ideal condition to compete. We'll see what happens in the next few days, you all know the news and it's tough. To give it your best you need to have your body and soul here." That basically confirms the Spanish international will join the Blaugrana.
Paco's arrival means that young striker Munir El-Haddadi will leave Barça on loan. A deal with Celta Vigo is in place, but Valencia are still trying to convince Munir to join the Bats as Alcácer's replacement for the season. If that doesn't happen, they'll search for a replacement. But one thing is for sure: Paco Alcácer will be a Barcelona player.
Excited?
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La Liga: Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona: Match Preview
A preview of Barcelona's La Liga showdown with Athletic Club
FC Barcelona take their title defense on the road tomorrow, as they prepare for one of the toughest matches on the La Liga calendar – an away trip to San Mames to take on Athletic Bilbao. As any who has ventured to the region will know, a visit to the Basque Country is generally quite an incredible and fun experience – the food is great, the wine is excellent and oh, yeah, the football teams are incredibly tough to beat.
The mere mention of the word "Anoeta" is enough to send chills down the spine of any true Culé, and while our record at the San Mames is somewhat better, we know we are always in for a difficult night when this fixture comes around on the calendar. There won’t be any time to enjoy the picturesque surroundings, or sample the local cuisine – instead we will need to dedicate all of our efforts into securing a positive result.
With their opening day decimation of Real Betis, the Blaugrana set down a clear marker for the rest of the division – sending a message that once again, they would be the team to beat in Spain. A repeat of that performance would likely be enough to secure another three points tomorrow, but Luis Enrique is under no illusions that his side await a difficult test tomorrow.
In spite of their faltering start to the campaign, Enrique has commented on the difficulties that travelling to the Basque Country poses, and the strengths of Ernesto Valverde’s side. Will the Blaugrana be in for another nightmare trip, or will this signal the start of a rich vein of form in Northern Spain?
TEAM NEWS
BARCELONA
It’s a brave new world. After a summer of speculation, FC Barcelona finally pulled the trigger and allowed Claudio Bravo to move to Manchester City earlier this week, bringing the Chilean’s two year association with the club to a rather abrupt end. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is now expected to serve as the undisputed number one across the two major competitions, although the arrival of Dutch international Jasper Cillessen does somewhat contradict that notion.
The 27 year old had been Ajax’s number one for three seasons and had started well in his fourth – so it seems odd that he would take the opportunity to move to the Camp Nou without some guarantees about his playing time. Whether this means he will play in more than just the Copa del Rey remains to be seen, but for now he will be back-up to ter Stegen even if he is missing tomorrow’s match at San Mames.
Of course, ter Stegen is back in the squad after recovering from his injury and he is joined by Andre Gomes, who returns from suspension, Rafinha Alcantara, who returns from Olympic duty, and Javier Mascherano who has shaken off the knock he picked up against Sevilla.
Speaking of the Argentine, there is a chance that he may not automatically reclaim his place in the starting line-up for tomorrow’s match; Samuel Umtiti was impressive in the emphatic win over Betis, and as a result, there are calls for him to retain his place in the backline. What we do know is that Gerard Pique will start, and so will both Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, both of whom played starring roles in last weekend’s victory.
The midfield is likely to remain unchanged; Andres Iniesta is not yet back from injury and that provides Denis Suarez another opportunity to shine alongside Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets in the Barça midfield. Andre Gomes is likely to be in contention for that third midfield berth given his return to the squad, but I suspect that Denis will edge it based on the contributions he was able to make last weekend.
And with Neymar on an extended vacation, the triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Arda Turan will once again lead the line for the Blaugrana. All I will mention is that if Lionel Messi can continue in a similar vein to last week, then Athletic don’t stand a chance.
ATHLETIC BILBAO
Surprisingly, Ernesto Valverde’s side slumped to defeat in their season opener last weekend, dropping all three points against Sporting Gijon at El Molinon. Despite boasting the majority of the possession and registering more shots than their opposition, Athletic went 2-0 down courtesy of a quick-fire second half double from Duje Cop and Victor Rodriguez – and while Borja Viguera grabbed a late consolation, the visitors returned home without anything to show for their efforts.
It’s unlikely that Valverde will make many, if any changes at all to that side – so his focus will be on refining his gameplan, and the players will be determined on simply executing better. After all, they know they are better than what they displayed last weekend.
FORM GUIDE
Barcelona: WWW
Athletic: L
LAST MEETING
FC Barcelona 3-1 Athletic Bilbao – 27th January 2016 – Copa del Rey
Inaki Williams put the visitors ahead in the first-half to tie the aggregate score in this Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg, only for the Blaugrana to pull away in the second half courtesy of goals from Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and Neymar.
LIKELY LINE-UPS
Barcelona (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Busquets, Rakitic, Denis; Messi, Suarez, Arda
Athletic (4-2-3-1): Iraizoz; de Marcos, Boveda, Laporte, Balenziaga; San Jose, Benat; Williams, Raul Garcia, Susaeta; Aduriz
MATCH PREDICTION
It’s going to be a close one, but I think our quality shines through in the end. 2-1 Barça.
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