الأحد، 31 ديسمبر 2017
Barcelona rumors: Christensen wanted, Man City to make Umtiti offer and Real Madrid eye Oriol Busquets
Time to check out all the latest hot gossip
Barcelona eyeing Christensen
Today’s rumors start in west London and with Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, who has apparently been catching Barcelona’s eye.
According to the Mirror, Barca are “long-time admirers” of the defender and are monitoring his progress as they seek to strengthen defensively.
Christensen has become a regular for the Blues in recent months, since replacing David Luis in Antonio Conte’s starting XI.
Barca to seal £125m Coutinho deal
Over at the Daily Express, they have a hot new ‘exclusive’ which tells us that Barcelona are hoping to finally land Philippe Coutinho next week for £125 million.
A meeting is set for Wednesday where the Catalans are hoping to reach agreement with Liverpool owners FSG.
Apparently both parties are now keen to get the deal done as soon as possible to prevent it dragging on throughout January.
Guardiola to offer £50m for Umtiti
Meanwhile, The Sun are reporting that Pep Guardiola is set to offer Barcelona £50 million for defender Samuel Umtiti.
Having missed out on Virgil van Dijk, Pep is ready to spring Umtiti’s release clause as he looks to add another defender to the ranks.
A centre-back is apparently a priority for City this winter as the club aim to continue their brilliant form and end the season with four trophies.
Mina offer rejected
Barcelona’s hopes of brining in Yerry Mina in January are the focus for Sport, who reckon that the club have offered Palmeiras an extra €2m to sign the defender this winter, but it’s been turned down.
Barca want to bring forward the defender’s move so he can cover for Javier Mascherano who is off to China.
Barca have already agreed a €9m deal and are willing to go up to €14m to get their man.
Real Madrid keen on Oriol Busquets
And finally today we end with news that Real Madrid quite like the look of Oriol Busquets, who is yet to renew with Barca.
According to AS, Barca have been in contract negotiations with the 18-year-old midfielder for some time but are yet to find an agreement.
Barcelona are said to be relaxed about the situation, despite interest from Madrid, but need to get a move on if they are to avoid losing another promising talent.
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FC Barcelona News: 31 December 2017; Looking Back at 2017 as Training Resumes
First session after the Christmas holidays | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona's first team returned to training this Saturday. After a week of rest for the Christmas holidays, Ernesto Valverde oversaw a session with the players available on pitch number three of the Ciutat Esportiva. The coach, who also had Barça B’s Arnaiz and Aleñá join in, greeted every player one by one. They didn’t include Messi, Suárez and Mascherano, who are not due back until January 2.
VIDEO: Goals from the first team players when they were children | FC Barcelona
Ever since they were at La Masia, some of the current first team squad at FC Barcelona have shown great quality. And in this video, the likes of Leo Messi, Gerard Piqué and Andrés Iniesta are seen scoring goals in the days long before they were household names around the world.
Barca plan Umtiti renewal? | Football Espana
Barcelona are reportedly planning to offer Samuel Umtiti a new contract in order to ward off any interest from Premier League clubs. The English Press reported on Saturday that both Manchester United and Manchester City were ready to activate Umtiti’s €60m release clause.
Vermaelen: Not made of glass! | Football Espana
Thomas Vermaelen believes his recent resurgence for Barcelona has proved he is not “made of glass”. Vermaelen put three years of playing as a backup and struggling with injuries to start Barca’s last six games following an injury to Samuel Umtiti.
Did Nike leak Coutinho's move from Liverpool to Barcelona? | Goal
Barcelona are seemingly preparing for the arrival of Philippe Coutinho as Nike appeared to confirm the Liverpool star's signing on its website on Saturday night. Liverpool fans were left sweating when the giant sportswear manufacturer and Barcelona apparel sponsor appeared to leak the blockbuster transfer via its online store.
Angel Di Maria to Barcelona talk grows but ex-Real Madrid man is not needed | ESPN
Coutinho, as both Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo scream at us every day, is still the club's priority. Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, out of contract in the summer, is a "low-cost" option, too. But Di Maria is still lingering, with some reports suggesting Barca will go to €45m initially and are prepared to top that fee up with €15m more in add-ons in the case they don't land their other objectives.
Top stories of 2017: Neymar to PSG, Ronaldo beats Messi, World Cup shocks | ESPN
Usually, when a megastar moves from one mega-club to another for a mega-fee, the deal is months or even years in the making and by the time the contract is signed it is old news. But when Neymar was unveiled as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Aug. 4 -- and spoke to ESPN FC about the move beside the Parc des Princes pitch -- it was just 18 days after the first news about the transfer had emerged and the football world was still in disbelief.
FC Barcelona's 2017 in stats | FC Barcelona
Some top stats and figures from the year that is just coming to an end with Leo Messi as top scorer and top assist provider.
The best training moves from 2017 | FC Barcelona
We’ve reached the end of the year and it’s time to take a look back at the most outstanding moves from the first-team’s training sessions. Some are actions that we don’t normally see, but which demonstrate the great individual quality of Ernesto Valverde’s men. Incredible nutmegs, back heels and a great atmosphere are the highlights of this video. Don’t miss out on the fun!
Top ten most watched videos of 2017 on YouTube | FC Barcelona
We take a look at the most popular FC Barcelona videos on YouTube.
The 10 most liked posts of the year on Facebook | FC Barcelona
We take a look at what the most popular FC Barcelona posts were for users on this social media platform.
The most liked Instagram posts of 2017 | FC Barcelona
See what the most popular photos were on the Blaugrana's official profile this year.
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The Coutinho to Barcelona circus continues as Nike ‘confirm’ deal
Somebody make it stop now please
The Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona saga has taken yet another twist after an apparent leak from sportswear giant Nike.
Nike published an advert on their website for personalised kit saying “Philippe Coutinho is ready to light up Camp Nou. Get your 2017/18 FC Barcelona kit with the Magician’s name on it.”
Oops! Have @Nike just let slip that Philippe Coutinho will join Barca this January? #Barca #LaLiga http://pic.twitter.com/uXFFhnsmtX
— La Liga News (@LaLiga_News_en) December 31, 2017
Clicking led to a dead link and unsurprisingly the text was very quickly removed, however not fast enough to whip up something of a storm.
The initial suspicion was that it was a hack, but the fact it was translated into several different languages makes that look doubtful.
Have Nike simply got ahead of themselves or did someone simply push the wrong button?
The most logical answer is that Nike have the copy ready to go in case the deal goes through, and that it was accidentally published by mistake.
However, it’s a move which will only strengthen belief that Coutinho will move to Barcelona this January.
Reports in Sunday’s UK papers are claiming Barcelona will try to get a £125 million deal done this week.
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السبت، 30 ديسمبر 2017
Inter director discusses potential moves for Barcelona duo Deulofeu and Vidal
Gerard Deulofeu and Aleix Vidal have been linked with moves away during the transfer window and Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio has been asked about the Barcelona duo.
Speaking ahead of Inter’s clash with Lazio on Saturday, he addressed the speculation, although he didn’t give much away about either player.
“Deulofeu and Aleix Vidal on loans? We are evaluating many different options but I want to repeat myself, we have a very strong team.
“On the transfer market we will look for things that we don't have right now but let's see if the price is right.”
Source | Premium Sport
Deulofeu seems to have really fallen out of favour after a promising start and he hasn’t featured since November, although he did also pick up an injury that ruled him out of action.
The return to fitness of Ousmane Dembele also spells bad news for Deulofeu who is yet to prove he has what it takes to star at Barcelona.
Vidal, meanwhile, has been utilised more frequently by Ernesto Valverde in recent weeks and scored the third goal in the Clasico.
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Barcelona return to training after winter break with Celta Vigo up next
Welcome back!
Barcelona have returned to training after the winter break as they start to step up preparations for the second half of the season.
The Catalan giants headed into the Christmas break in good spirits after a fantastic 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Clasico at the Bernabeu.
The available first team players, along with Aleñá and Arnáiz of Barça B, returned to training on Pitch 3 of the Ciutat Esportiva.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 30, 2017
# ForçaBarça http://pic.twitter.com/Lhy29mbVkX
However, the players are now ready to start preparing for their first game of 2018 which takes place next Thursday against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey.
That match is swiftly followed by a Liga clash with Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday.
Barcelona are still without Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano, and the trio are not expected back until 2 January.
De vuelta ⚽️ #ForçaBarça http://pic.twitter.com/u1h7iA07kB
— Ivan Rakitic (@ivanrakitic) December 30, 2017
That allowed Barca B youngsters Jose Arnaiz and Carles Alena to train with the first team and they will be hoping to see some action against Celta.
Another player who we should catch a glimpse of next week is Ousmane Dembele who should hopefully make his long-awaited return from injury.
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La Liga Considering Changing Format - Report
Matches may not be played in the same order again
La Liga President Javier Tebas wants to change up the format of the league, according to a report from Diario SPORT. The current format consists of two halves, which are exact mirrors. The matches from round 1 are repeated in round 20, except the home and away sides switch. Round 2 mirrors round 21, and so on. Barcelona played Real Betis at home in round 1, and will play them away in a few weeks.
Tebas wants to switch it up, and follow what the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League do: make both halves of the schedule random. That way, matches are not mirror copies all the way through, instead, there is unpredictability.
La Liga is worried that the Premier League is getting close to them in terms of quality, and they want to increase excitement for the league. Would this switch help?
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Barcelona rumors: Goretzka wanted, Coutinho house hunting plus David Luiz and five to leave in January
All the latest hot gossip is right here
Barca battling for Goretzka
Today’s rumors start with Marca who reckon Barcelona are in the running for Schalke’s Leon Goretzka, along with Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
Barca are big fans of the German but there is a fear they may be outbid when it comes to wages.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are in need of a replacement for Emre Can and Bayern Munich have long been linked with the 22-year-old.
Coutinho house-hunting in Barcelona
Over at Mundo Deportivo it appears we have reached the part of the Philippe Coutinho transfer saga where he has been spotted house hunting in Barcelona.
Apparently the Brazilian is so confident he will soon be heading to Camp Nou that he has started looking for property in Spain.
Coutinho quite fancies living near either Luis Suarez or Paulinho and is hopeful Liverpool will let him go in January.
Sergi Roberto renewal stalls
Over at AS they go with news that Sergi Roberto’s contract renewal talks have stalled, although there is optimism that they will eventually get a deal done.
Apparently Barca could offer the 25-year-old a lifelong contract which would see him commit this future to the club.
Roberto has previously said he wants to stay at Barca “forever” so it seems pretty clear this is one deal that will get done sooner or later.
Barca not interested in David Luiz
Heading over to France and El Pais claim that Barcelona are not interested in signing Chelsea’s David Luiz.
Apparently the Brazilian was offered to Barca, but Ernesto Valverde’s sign are not interested and instead want only to bring in Yerry Mina for Javier Mascherano.
Barca to axe FIVE players
And finally today we end with Sport who reckon that Barca could axe five players in January.
Rafinha, Aleix Vidal, Gerard Deulofeu, Arda Turan and Javier Mascherano are the players who could depart with the club needing to reduce the wage bill.
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FC Barcelona News: 30 December 2017; Holiday Break Ends, Juventus Looking at Sergi Roberto
FC Barcelona training resumes on Saturday 30 December | FC Barcelona
Since ending the year with a fantastic win at the Santiago Bernabéu, Ernesto Valverde and his squad have been getting some well-earned rest with their families, but they are due back at the Ciutat Esportiva at 6.00pm CET on December 30.
How many kilometres have Barça travelled in 2017? | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona have done no less than 53,398 kilometres on the road this calendar year spread over 36 trips. Starting back on 5 January with an away game in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey in Bilbao and ending with the victorious trip to the Santiago Bernabéu to take on Real Madrid which saw Ernesto Valverde’s men take a 3-0 win that left them nine points clear of their nearest rivals in the league at the turn of the year, the squad have travelled around the world to great success.
Juve eye Barca star, if Can plan fails | Calciomercato
Juventus are said to admirers of Liverpool midfielder Emre Can and their tactic of signing players once their contracts expire will help them sign the German. But Liverpool’s resistance means that the Old Lady could be forced into looking at possible alternatives. One of them happens to be Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto.
FC Barcelona's Most Viral Tweets of 2017 | FC Barcelona
See which Twitter posts on the Club's official account were the most heard 'round the world over the last 12 months.
Coutinho ‘looks for Barcelona home’ | Football Barcelona
Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho is reportedly looking for a home in Barcelona as he continues to be linked with the Catalans.According to Mundo Deportivo, Coutinho is confident he will become a Barca player in January and has consequently “given orders to his most trusted people” to find him a house nearby.
The most liked Instagram posts of 2017 | FC Barcelona
See what the most popular photos were on the Blaugrana's official profile this year.
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الجمعة، 29 ديسمبر 2017
Liverpool don’t have to sell Coutinho to pay for Van Dijk, says Klopp
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down speculation that his club will have to sell Philippe Coutinho to help pay for Virgil van Dijk.
The Reds have splashed out an eye-popping £75 million on the Southampton defender but Klopp says they don’t need to balance the books.
“No,” he said. “Nobody told me that.
“We have good player and we don’t have to sell anybody because of that. So fair play to our owners that they are ambitious.”
Source | The Mirror
Barcelona continue to be linked with Coutinho in what is turning out to be yet another tedious transfer saga that shows no sign of being resolved any time soon.
Reports claim Barcelona will land the Brazilian in January but it’s still difficult to see Liverpool selling one of their best players midway through the season.
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Barcelona told they must pay €50m for Arthur
The club want full value for their star man
Barcelona have been warned they will not be able to land Arthur on the cheap and will have to pay his full release clause if they are to bring him to Camp Nou.
The Brazilian appears to be one of Barca’s top targets with reports claiming the club are keen to negotiate a fee, but Gremio are having none of it.
"Gremio renewed Arthur's contract for three years, his clause is €50 million and we do not plan to sell for less," said Gremio vice-president Odorico Roman.
"If Barca come with an offer of 25 or 30 million euros, Arthur will not go for that money.
"From the press, we know that there is also interest from Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid."
Source | Cope
It’s no surprise that Gremio want as much as they can get for Arthur, and it’s unclear if there is interest from other clubs, or if they are simply trying to drive up the price.
However, if Barca really do want to bring him in, it seems they may have to spend more than they thought.
Would Arthur be a good signing for Barca? Is he worth €50 million? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
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A Fan’s Perspective: Half a season without Neymar at Barcelona
Has the Brazilian been missed?
Barcelona endured a difficult time this season when they bore witness to the most expensive transfer ever.
Neymar left for PSG for an eye-watering sum and many had expected Barça to struggle in the absence of the Brazilian. But have Barcelona actually suffered, if at all?
The answer is a murmured no. Yes, the Blaugrana have coped incredibly well and even thrived. Players like Jordi Alba have found their form, and Paulinho has added the necessary Samba into the mix. However, it’s not been as rosy as some would paint.
The club is struggling to score goals on a consistent basis and we all know that there was no force that could have contained an in-form MSN. Messi has flourished in the absence of the Brazilian. Suarez, on the other hand, has been hit-and-miss.
Neymar may have departed but his absence is not felt despite the obvious gap. Why? Ernesto Valverde.
The Basque has dealt with the Neymar-problem brilliantly. How? He got rid of the position altogether. No left-wing, no problem. Yes, Barcelona have not been as productive offensive, but they have evolved.
An unbeaten run has numbed the loss, and at this point, most of us perhaps do not care for the Brazilian. Besides, Messi is still here.
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Barcelona Rumors: Fears over Umtiti, Celta want Rafinha, Deulofeu to Inter plus Pique & Roberto
The window is just days away now
Barca worried about Umtiti
Today’s rumors start with Sport who reckon that Barcelona are worried about Samuel Umtiti’s £50 million release clause, after seeing Virgil van Dijk snapped up for £75m.
Barca are therefore keen to give him a new deal, with an improved wage and a bigger release clause to ward off any potential admirers.
They also claim that Manchester City and United are interested, citing a report from the Daily Mail, which is actually based on something from Don Balon. So, you know...
Celta want Rafinha on loan
Sticking with Sport and they also bring us news that Celta Vigo fancy taking Rafinha on loan in January.
Celta are keen to get the deal done and it could be a good move for Rafinha who has spent time at the club previously and would get to work with Juan Carlos Unzue again.
Deulofeu and Vidal heading to Inter?
Over at Marca they’ve been reading La Gazzetta dello Sport and the word from Italy is that Inter Milan want both Gerard Deulofeu and Aleix Vidal.
Apparently Deulofeu is still well thought of in Italy and the club could take both players on loan with a view to signing them permanently next summer.
Barca must sell to buy Griezmann or Coutinho
Meanwhile, AS bring an update in the continued sagas of both Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann.
The two players remain Barcelona’s main targets but if they are to land both players they are going to have to sell to reduce the wage bill.
Javier Mascherano and Arda Turan should both leave but Barca may need to sell another big player to make the sums add up.
New deals for Pique and Roberto
Back with Sport and they also bring us news that renewals for both Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto are Barca’s priority for the New Year.
Both players’ current deals expire in 2019 and the club want to sort their futures out as soon as possible, before turning to Umtiti.
Four midfielders eyed by Barca
And finally today, we end with a quick look at Mundo Deportivo who have been looking at which midfielder Barca could sign in January.
They say Leon Goretzka is one, but he is concerned about the competition for places at Camp Nou and is unlikely to arrive.
Arthur is another, and is a possible option, while Houssem Aoaur and Kai Havertz are also possible candidates.
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Barcelona tried to sign Saul Niguez last summer, says Atletico CEO
Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Marin has revealed that Barcelona tried to sign Saul Niguez last summer but that a deal fell through for financial reasons.
Apparently the Catalan giants were set to pay his release clause only to discover that it had almost doubled after the midfielder signed a new deal.
“Bartomeu called me this summer to tell me that they needed a player with the characteristics of Saul and that they intended to pay the clause," he said.
"What they didn’t not know is that three days before he had signed the new contract and the clause went up from €80 to €150 million.”
Source | Onda Cero
As we all know last summer was pretty chaotic from a Barcelona point of view with the club also targeting midfielders Marco Verratti, Jean-Michael Seri and Philippe Coutinho but ending up with Paulinho.
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الخميس، 28 ديسمبر 2017
Francesco Totti: “Messi is the #1, But Don’t Tell Cristiano”
The Italian legend said this at an event
AS Roma legend Francesco Totti was at the International Sports Conference in Dubai, where he spoke on the best players in the world.
“Football has changed deeply between my era and now,” he began. “I prefer romantic football from yesteryear, now everything is a matter of business.”
“There are players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar,” he said, “but Neymar is an example of this exaggerated price.”
Totti started discussing Neymar’s record-breaking transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. “It’s too much to pay 250 million euro for a player,” he said, though the fee was actually closer to 222 million euro. “This is beyond what’s real.”
He finished his discussion on the world's top players by saying "Lionel Messi is the number one, but don't tell that to Cristiano."
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Watch out Messi! Barcelona starlet scores brilliant individual goal
We’re all completely used to watching Lionel Messi score dazzling goals for Barcelona’s first team but now the Under-14s are at it as well.
The team are taking part in the La Liga Promises tournament and one man, Cristobel Munoz, is making people sit up and take notice.
Just check out this effort from the youngster
Oh my!!! http://pic.twitter.com/ajSLuAc98D
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 28, 2017
The tournament is taking place in Tenerife and Munoz has also helped Barcelona into the last four of the competition.
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) December 28, 2017
Cristo's 5th goal of the tournament sends @FCBmasia into the semi-finals! #LaLigaPromises http://pic.twitter.com/KX9OWVlG4i
Definitely one to keep your eye on.
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Don’t Be Fooled: “Cristiano Ronaldo to Return Ballon D’Or”
There is a joke article that’s getting picked up as legit.
“Cristiano Ronaldo returns the Ballon D’Or” blares the headline on Mundo Deportivo. It’s outlandish, but apparently believable enough for sites such as CalcioMercato.com to republish.
The “story” is a joke MD is playing on everyone. December 28th is the Holy Innocents' Day in Spain, which is the equivalent of April Fool’s Day in that pranks, jokes and hoaxes are common.
MD hasn’t confirmed this as a hoax, but the report is too crazy to be believed, given that it was published on the 28th. It details that Ronaldo has talked to the director of France Football to return the award after Real Madrid lost el Clasico to Lionel Messi’s Barcelona.
Ronaldo is quoted saying he must return it since he didn’t deserve it.
I rate the possibility of Ronaldo returning an individual award because he feels someone else deserves it more at 0%. Don’t be fooled today.
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Atletico don’t want to sell Griezmann ‘either now or in the summer’
And his release clause is €200m until July 1st
Atletico Madrid have warned clubs they are not interested in selling Antoine Griezmann either this winter or in the summer.
Barcelona are one of several teams regularly linked with Griezmann but Atleti say they want to keep hold of the France international.
Atletico reportedly complained to FIFA about Barca’s pursuit of Griezmann after Guillermo Amor hinted the club had met with the striker and his family.
Chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin has now come out and said they want him to stay, and also insisted his release clause remains €200m until July 1st.
“Atletico doesn't want to sell Griezmann either now or in the summer," he said.
"For us he is a very important player, who has grown a lot and we have grown up with him.
"Our intention is to keep growing all together. Last summer we made an effort beyond the possibilities of the club and we'll do it again next summer.
"Griezmann departure isn't in our hands, but until summer is impossible to leave us.
"Until July 1, Griezmann's release clause is €200m."
Source | Mega
A winter move for Griezmann never looked likely in any case, but a summer move may still be on with reports claiming his release clause will drop down to €100m.
Should that prove to be the case it makes him a far more attractive proposition, although there’s still the conundrum of whether and where he would fit in at Barca.
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Sergio Busquets still leading the way for Barcelona in La Liga
Barcelona’s superb start to the season has seen many players getting the plaudits with Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Samuel Umtiti rightly praised, along with Lionel Messi.
Meanwhile, Sergio Busquets continues to go about being the best in the business in his position, with little in the way of headlines.
However, stats have shown that once again he is simply peerless when it comes to possession football and has been throughout the whole of 2017.
2428 - No player has attempted most passes in Spanish La Liga in 2017 that Sergio Busquets (2.428, 90,24% successful). Organizer #Opta2017 http://pic.twitter.com/fB8QEOXJVY
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 28, 2017
He also ended it in pretty fine style too with his performance in the Clasico, particularly the role he played in Luis Suarez’s opening goal.
We're a bit in love with this passage of play from Sergio Busquets. What a beautiful player to watch. http://pic.twitter.com/atl5mCUzOx
— Tifo Football (@TifoFootball_) December 28, 2017
While Mateo Kovacic will probably be still having nightmares about that one, check out just how crucial Busquets’ play was before he sent Ivan Rakitic scampering free.
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FC Barcelona News: 28 December 2017; Inter Eying Gerard Deulofeu Loan, Rafinha Searching First-Team Football
The month of January is key for Barça | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona are facing a demanding start to 2018 with January a key month for the future of the Blaugrana in both the League and the Copa del Rey. Ernesto Valverde's men have six games confirmed, but if they qualify for the later rounds of the Cup, this could rise to a maximum of nine.
Totti: Messi is world's best... just don't tell Ronaldo | Goal
Francesco Totti believes Lionel Messi is the best player in the world despite Cristiano Ronaldo pulling level on five Ballons d'Or apiece earlier this month. Real Madrid's dual La Liga and Champions League triumphs last season set Ronaldo up to claim world football's premier individual prize but Messi has also blazed a familiarly impressive trail.
Deulofeu set for Inter loan? | Football Espana
Italian giants Inter are closing in on a loan deal for out-of-favour Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu, according to reports. The 23-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan in Serie A with Milan after not being involved in Everton’s first-team action, before returning to the Camp Nou in summer in a €12m deal.
Vidal agent: Roma a possibility | Football Espana
Aleix Vidal looks set to leave Barcelona in January with his agent not ruling out a loan exit and namedropping Roma as a possible destination. The 25-year-old joined the Blaugrana from Sevilla in 2015 but could not play for the former until the following January due to a registration ban.
Rafinha eyes January exit | Football Espana
Barcelona midfielder Rafinha Alcantara is willing to leave the club in January to secure first-team football after recovering from a knee injury. The Brazilian damaged his knee ligaments in last season’s 4-1 victory at Granada in early April and has not featured for the Catalan giants since.
Rivaldo's Betfair Christmas surprise | FC Barcelona
Who knew walking around the Camp Nou area could be so fun? For several fans and visitors this holiday season, that's exactly how it could be described! Take a look at what happened when they were asked to peek inside a large box outside the museum!
U13B side look to secure place in quarter-finals against Roma | FC Barcelona
The U13B side will look to secure a place in quarter-finals of the LaLiga Promises against Roma after a bittersweet opening day. David Sánchez’s side beat Alavés 3-0 in the opening game but they lost 1-0 in the afternoon in a tight and tactical game against Villareal.
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Aleix Vidal’s agent hints at Roma loan
Aleix Vidal could be heading away from Barcelona this winter with several clubs rumored to be interested in his services.
There is reported interest from Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Roma and his agent, Ruggero Lacerenza, has said a temporary move to Serie A could happen.
“He is a professional and trains at 100 per cent, then the technical choices are down to the coach,” he said.
“It’s true, there is interest from Roma. Aleix is a player of a very high level, after all. It’d be nice to reunite with Monchi, as they worked well together at Sevilla and had a good personal rapport.”
“Aleix is happy to play in Spain, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be pleased to test himself in other leagues or other clubs.
“The important thing is that the two clubs agree terms, but for us a loan deal is a possible solution.”
Source | Tele Radio Stereo
Vidal has returned to fitness after some awful luck with injuries and came on and scored Barca’s third in the Clasico win over Real Madrid on Saturday.
So far this season he’s made 10 appearances in La Liga, but only three starts, and it sounds as though he could leave in search of more regular playing time.
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الأربعاء، 27 ديسمبر 2017
Pep Guardiola: Barcelona, Not Manchester City, Are Champions League Favorites
The Man City boss was once again full of praise for Lionel Messi
After 18 wins in a row, Manchester City are being talked about as possible favorites for the UEFA Champions League. But their coach, Pep Guardiola, doesn’t agree.
Guardiola asked if City are favourites for the CL.
— Sam Lee (@Sammy_Goal) December 27, 2017
PG: “Who does Messi play for?”
Reporter: “Barcelona.”
PG: “So they’re the favourites.”
The former FC Barcelona boss said the favorites were the Catalans, who, to be fair, are unbeaten in the league as well. Both City and Barcelona are building nigh-unassailable leads in their respective leagues and have topped their Champions League groups.
But, what really convinces Guardiola that it’s his former club who should be called favorites is down to one man: Lionel Messi. Such is the esteem the coach holds his former pupil in.
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Beşiktaş President: No Move Yet for Arda Turan
The Turk does not figure into Barcelona’s plans
Beşiktaş may not sign Arda Turan from FC Barcelona this winter, after all. The club president has come out and said that “so far,” Beşiktaş has not attempted to sign the Turkish star, despite reported interest.
"I like Arda Turan and I would like to see him in a Besiktas shirt, but we have players in his position," he said. "So far we haven't made any move for him."
The player has yet to feature under Ernesto Valverde, and it’s no secret the club wants to move him and his expensive salary off the books as quickly as possible.
Turan’s agent has said before that multiple teams want his client, but given his massive salary (reportedly nine million euro a year), it’s been difficult to find a willing buyer.
(h/t MARCA)
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Barcelona Transfer Rumors: Coutinho, Di María, and Arthur Are Possibilities
The latest rumors as the winter transfer window opens
Coutinho Deal in the Works?
With Liverpool signing Virgil van Dijk for a world record fee for a defender, £75m, the rumor is that the lane could be opened for FC Barcelona to sign Philippe Coutinho. The sale has long been rumored and it would help finance the Reds’ capture of the Southampton defender. Of course, we have heard many rumors before, so there’s every chance it still won’t happen.
Di María Option Reopened
Barcelona had been close to a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Ángel Di María before, and it could be back on, if the site ParisFans is to be believed. The offer would cost around 45 million euro, plus a 15 million bonus. The winger's sale would help PSG's financial fair play problems, but the question is whether Di María would be sold in the winter of if PSG would only let him go next summer.
Arthur Talks to Begin
According to Diario SPORT, Grêmio midfielder Arthur Melo only wants Barcelona, and the Catalans are sending representatives to Brazil to complete the signing. And Brazilian outlet Esporte Interativo says that Barcelona will be sending negotiators to Brazil in the first week of January to get the deal done.
ATUALIZAÇÃO: Primeira semana de 2018 representante do Barcelona vem para o Brasil conversar com o Grêmio para levar Arthur.
— César Fabris Real (@Reporterfabris) December 26, 2017
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WATCH: Lionel Messi’s Clasico goals for Barcelona at the Bernabeu
Barcelona’s Clasico win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu is still fresh in the memory after a superb game saw Barca win 3-0 and move 14 points clear of their rivals.
Lionel Messi broke yet more records during the game, as he scored Barca’s second goal from the penalty spot, before setting up Aleix Vidal for the third goal.
All-time TOP scorer in #ElClasico history (25) ✅
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) December 23, 2017
All-time TOP scorer in #ElClasico history at the Bernabeu (15) ✅
All-time TOP scorer against Real Madrid in #LaLiga (17) ✅
LIONEL MESSI. http://pic.twitter.com/sDP9lEFDqr
And in the season of goodwill La Liga have very kindly supplied a little video of Messi’s La Liga goals at the Bernabeu, prior to Saturday’s spot kick.
Lionel Messi's goal in #ElClasico on Saturday was his 11th #LaLiga strike against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. ⚽️
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) December 27, 2017
Check out his first ! http://pic.twitter.com/5DlIw7kWjp
So sit back, relax and enjoy watching Messi doing what he does best.
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FC Barcelona News: 27 December 2017; Yerry Mina Talks Continue, Alaves Kickoff Time Announced
Confirmed kick-off time for FC Barcelona v Alavés | FC Barcelona
The match against the Basque team will be the last game of domestic competition in a demanding January, and will follow three League fixtures, the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and, if Barça have qualified for that stage of the tournament, the quarter-finals of the Cup.
Thomas the talisman: Barça unbeaten with Vermaelen in starting XI | FC Barcelona
He was in the starting line-up for the games against Valencia, both legs of the Copa del Rey games against Real Murcia, the Champions League game against Sporting plus the league games aganst Villarreal, Deportivo and Real Madrid all of which, with the exception of the 1-1 draw against Mestalla, have ended with Barça wins.
Coutinho won't regret ditching Liverpool for Barcelona - Paulinho | Goal
Philippe Coutinho will not regret leaving Liverpool for Barcelona should he make the move in January, according to Paulinho. Liverpool rejected the Catalan side's attempts to sign him during the close season, despite the Brazil international's desire to head to Camp Nou.
European Paper Talk: Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde wants progress on transfers | Sky Sports
Ernesto Valverde has asked Barcelona to push on with providing him with reinforcements. Philippe Coutinho is still their top target, but they would also move for Yerry Mina of Palmeiras and Matthijs De Ligt of Ajax if they can't land the Liverpool playmaker.
Barcelona finalising deal for first January signing | TEAMtalk
Sport claim the Blaugrana will replace Javier Mascherano with Colombian defender Yerry Mina. Former Liverpool man Mascherano will be leaving the Camp Nou in the January transfer window as he looks for more game time to seal his place in Argentina’s World Cup squad.
Why Javier Mascherano's China Move From Barcelona Makes Sense For All Parties | The Sportsman
Javier Mascherano has won all there is to win at Barcelona in his seven years at the Camp Nou, but his time there now looks to be coming to an end. He has dropped down the pecking order under new coach Ernesto Valverde, and Saturday’s Clasico against Real Madrid was probably his last at the club.
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Paulinho offers Coutinho advice amid Barcelona rumors
The January transfer window is just days away and Paulinho has been the latest Barcelona player to talk up a move for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.
Speculation linking Barca with the Brazilian continues unabated and it looks as though there’ll be even more over the coming weeks.
Coutinho, meanwhile, continues to shine for Liverpool, scoring again on Boxing Day to take to his tally to seven goals and six assists in 13 Premier League outings this season.
Paulinho has been an unexpected success since moving from China in the summer and has told Coutinho if he does come, he won’t regret it.
"I would advise him to be calm, to leave any anxiety aside. I also went through that when I was in China,” he said.
"You have to think about the decision you are going to make. I think that if he has the opportunity to come, he won't regret it."
Source | Mundo Deportivo
The midfielder also explained exactly what Coutinho would bring to Barcelona should he swap Anfield for Camp Nou.
"He has a way of playing that everyone can see, both for Liverpool and Brazil. He is a very fast player, very agile, with a different technique, which gives many options for those who play in the centre of the field,” he said.
"He also looks for the free space to place the ball into and go for goal. His quality technique is what makes the difference.
"He can play in two or three positions and I think that will also help the coach and the players. Now I just have to encourage it to happen.”
Speculation over Coutinho continues to swirl with the Catalan media remaining optimistic a deal can be done in January.
However, reports from elsewhere suggest Liverpool’s stance is unchanged and any move, particularly in January, will be remarkably difficult and expensive to pull off.
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الثلاثاء، 26 ديسمبر 2017
Rumors: Barcelona to miss out on Van Dijk plus Vidal, Turan, Griezmann & Mina latest
The January window is just around the corner
Barcelona to miss out on Van Dijk
Today’s rumors start in Southampton where Barcelona have apparently decided they like the look of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.
The only problem is, that so do Manchester City and they are ready to spend an eye-popping £60 million on the defender, according to the Telegraph.
Pep Guardiola’s side are already in talks and expect to beat Barca, Liverpool and Chelsea to the Dutch defender’s signature.
Atletico Madrid and Sevilla eye Vidal
Back in Spain and the news is that Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are both keen on a move for Aleix Vidal.
According to ABC Sevilla (via AS) both clubs could move for Vidal this winter as they look to strengthen.
Vidal has recently returned to fitness and scored Barca’s third goal in the 3-0 win over Real Madrid on Saturday.
Arda close to Besiktas deal
Meanwhile, the latest on Arda Turan’s future is that he is closing in on a move to Besiktas, according to Sport.
Coach Senol Gunes has apparently given the move the green light and Arda’s agent Ahmet Bulut will meet with the club to finalise the deal.
Barcelona’s Griezmann deal in doubt
Over at the always entertaining Don Balon, the word is that Barcelona are having second thoughts about signing Antoine Griezmann.
Guillermo Amor’s hint that the club may have met with the Frenchman has complicated the issue but there’s also a suggestion he might not be needed.
With Ousmane Dembele set to return from injury and take his place alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, there’s doubt over where Griezmann would fit in.
Mina gives Barcelona ultimatum
And finally today we end with the latest in the Yerry Mina to Barcelona saga, with the defender becoming frustrated with the situation.
According to Sport, his uncle and manager Jair Mina have told Barca to get a move on and make a decision over the centre-back.
Apparently Barca are still undecided as to whether to bring him in in January or wait until next summer.
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Rate the Barcelona players’ season!
Your chance to rate the players performances’ for the season so far.
Do you think Umitit has been Barça’s best defender? How do you rate Paulinho? Has anyone been better than Messi? Well now is your chance to vote.
Simply fill out the form below and the results will be revealed before Barcelona’s first game of the new year on the 4th of January. The poll closes on New Year’s Day.
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Stats show Lionel Messi spent most of El Clasico walking
It’s fair to say Lionel Messi enjoyed El Clasico on Saturday, distracting Mateo Kovacic for the first, scoring the second and setting up the third while only wearing one boot.
Some pretty revealing stats have also popped up after the game and it’s been shown that Messi spent most of the game at the Bernabeu playing at walking pace.
According to El Periodico, his performance has been analysed and found that he walked for 83.1%, ran for 4.95%, sprinted for 1.15% and jogged for 10.8% of the game.
Infographic: Messi wakled for 83% of the Clasico and ran only 4.95% and yet he ended up creating 9 chances, scoring a goal and providing an assist — implying Messi didn’t have to work very hard to lead Barça to victory #fcblive [el periodico] http://pic.twitter.com/XKWTD58yWp
— Barcastuff (@barcastuff__) December 25, 2017
It’s yet another pretty amazing stat for Messi and shows that it’s not always about how fast and how far players run, but far more important to understand when and why.
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الاثنين، 25 ديسمبر 2017
FC Barcelona News: 25 December 2017
Merry Christmas from FC Barcelona! | FC Barcelona
It’s Christmas! As every year, the first team players have produced a special festive video to wish fans around the world all the very best at such a special time of year. And this year, they’ve brought a truly international flavour to the message by doing it in their different languages.
A Christmas surprise from Sergi Roberto | FC Barcelona
Christmas is a time for delivering happiness to young children, and that’s exactly what Sergi Roberto does in this video. The kids were recording a festive message when they were taken by surprise by the Barça midfielder. And who did he have with him? Ho, ho, ho, it was Father Christmas himself bringing a double helping of festive joy!
Best and worst of 2017: Barca beat PSG, Mbappe stars; Panama ghost goal | ESPN
This was supposed to be the night when the end of an era came to Barcelona. Trailing 4-0 from a first-leg hammering in Paris in the Champions League round of 16, Barca had to create history to overturn the deficit. But PSG simply collapsed in the Nou Camp, with Barcelona scoring six to book their place in the quarterfinals with three goals in the final seven minutes.
Messi deals with Madrid yet again as Barcelona look impregnable | Guardian
The breakthrough came when Barcelona, for once, didn’t look for him – because Madrid did. And while it would be a push to credit him for that, there’s something in it. Then he scored the penalty to make it 2-0. Sure, it’s only a penalty but that’s his 54th goal in 2017 and the man who scored a clásico hat-trick at 19 has got more goals in this fixture than anyone else.
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الأحد، 24 ديسمبر 2017
El Clásico Tactics: Ernesto Valverde Outsmarts Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid
Mateo Kovačić man-marking against Lionel Messi didn’t work
Ernesto Valverde got the better of Zinedine Zidane in revenge for Real Madrid’s Supercup triumph, as Barcelona eased past los blancos with a 3-0 victory. It’s hard to write this down as a one-off when Barcelona are 14 points ahead after half the season gone. Clearly, Barça have progressed a lot as Valverde’s ideas have taken shape.
Valverde picked the lineup we all expected with Thomas Vermaelen in defense and Paulinho as an extra midfielder. The only arguable surprise was Sergi Roberto over Nélson Semedo at right-back, but even then, it wasn’t much of a surprise.
Zidane, for his part, changed it up. He did not pick Isco or Gareth Bale, but instead Mateo Kovačić. Kova’s specific role was to man-mark Messi, which is the most intriguing part of the game tactically.
There is a logic here, which is Kovačić is a player that can defend well and Messi is quite obviously Barcelona’s best player. Barça have relied time and again on Messi making plays, to a fault. If you can successfully neutralize him, you can nine times out of ten, neutralize Barcelona.
Zidane sent his men to use their energy up early and it could have paid off if they scored, which they came close to doing. Barcelona were perhaps second-best, but the narrative saying they were far behind is slightly exaggerated. In truth Barcelona had chances as well, and their two best ones came from Messi (despite Kova’s marking) and ended with Keylor Navas twice denying Paulinho.
Valverde has created a Barça team that is comfortable absorbing pressure, and maybe part of the reason it felt like Madrid were going to win is because we’re not used to Barça defending deep well. Gerard Pique was imperious at the back, and his fellow defenders, plus Marc-André Ter Stegen between the sticks, did well, too.
In the second half, Madrid seemed to tire out. The trip to the Club World Cup may have played a role, but they did have a whole week to rest. Possibly Zidane was hoping to use up energy in the first half, then recharge at the start of the second, and then go in for the win with the likes of Bale and Marco Asensio around the hour mark.
However, Barcelona saw weakness and pounced. Already we had seen signs that the man-marking on Messi had sprung leaks, and the first goal was almost comical in how it showed the weakness of the strategy.
With Ivan Rakitić driving on the ball, Kovačić opted to run away from the ball carrier and towards Messi, leaving Rakitić the ability to pick out Sergi Roberto, who assisted Luis Suárez’s opener. Madrid’s midfield was caught trying to press but Sergio Busquets broke the lines excellently, and was helped by Rakitić ghosting past his marker onto open field, as well as Sergi Roberto’s brave positioning.
Messi created another chance for Luis Suárez, who missed the frame of goal this time, before creating yet another chance for the Uruguayan, which was parried by Keylor Navas but ultimately resulted in a sending off for Dani Carvajal as he attempted to save Paulinho’s rebound with his hand.
After the red card, Madrid had to burn a substitute bringing on Nacho to shore up the defense, although Zidane's blitz with Asensio and Bale for Kovačić and Casemiro on 72 minutes did still take place. Barcelona seemed to ease off a bit, which ultimately resulted in Madrid building a few attacks. However, the defense and the keeper were once again on hand to deny Madrid any dreams of a comeback. This would be an area of concern for Valverde as his men didn’t kill the game off entirely when they had a chance.
However, in the other end, Messi was setting up chances for fun, and it was only a matter of time until Aleix Vidal put the definitive 3-0.
I saw some Madrid fans saying they were happy with Kovačić’s man-marking “working” in the first half, but I have to disagree. Messi still created chances in the first half, and if you look at the total number of big chances Messi created vs. the number Madrid created, it was actually not too far off.
And then saying “it worked until it didn’t” isn’t much of an endorsement, Messi played a role in both the first goal and then the second goal (and then the sending off.) Which means the strategy not working is what, clearly, led to the result. Working until it doesn’t is ultimately just not working.
I know a lot of people have been hammering on about this change, and while it’s true that some of this only comes with the benefit of hindsight, I’d like to point out I tweeted this before Barcelona ever scored:
Not sure man marking Messi with Kovacic is better than having another attacker. Messi is still going to create chances as he did. I'd try to hurt Barça.
— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) December 23, 2017
Clearly Valverde figured out what worked and what didn’t from that Supercup meeting and changed a lot, including the entire formation, since. To compete, Zidane will have to do the same. Perhaps what worked in the Supercup just won’t work anymore as Barcelona have progressed past that version.
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Lessons from the first half of the season for Barcelona
The winter break is here and the opening of the 17/18 season has been an educational one.
Messi has gone up another level
It is hard to think that Lionel Messi had any higher he could reach. Having been Barça’s go-to-man for over a decade, many had thought we had seen his peak but 2017/18 has been one of his best seasons.
He has taken more of the responsibility, sometimes to his detriment, and won games on his own on more than one occasion. Their have been questions over whether Barça are too reliant on Messi but he is smart enough and talented enough to take this burden and excel at it.
His position has become more and more free as he’s aged and now he operates where he likes. Nominally listed as a right forward, Messi will play deeper, operating as the link between the midfield and the attack but he also scores goals too. He is the top scorer in the league by four clear goals and has four more assists than the second placed Iago Aspas.
At a time when many where questioning how good this Barça is there can be no question over how brilliant Messi is.
It may not be the conventional 4-3-3 but it’s working
Ernesto Valverde’s 4-4-2 was seen by some as the work of the anti-christ. Taking Barça away from Cruyff and Guardiola’s 4-3-3 is something that has cost managers their jobs in the past but this switch is more of necessity than a choice. The new manager had the impossible task of replacing Neymar and when he did, his replacement picked up a long term injury.
It required smart thinking. How can I make this team work when I am missing a crucial cog? It turned out that the answer was pack the midfield and use Messi as the glue. The 4-4-2 doesn’t bring out the best of a lot of players, perhaps even Messi included, but it has worked and has set Barcelona up for a very strong second half of the season. One where they have their crucial cog back.
Ernesto Valverde entered the club at a difficult time but has negotiated in wonderfully
Picture this, you’ve just landed your dream job and are now faced with being on the selling end of the biggest transfer in football history. The fans are at war with the board, the squad is ageing and your eternal rivals have just had one of their most successful seasons ever. Valverde’s task could hardly have been more difficult when he set foot in the Camp Not dressing room but he approached it with a calmness that has served him well.
He did not throw strops, he did not demand signings from the board and he did not throw any of his players under the bus. He worked with what he had, set up a Barça team that could win and is now top of of the league.
Paulinho took some stick but now fans are warming to him
Seen as the living embodiment of everything wrong with the current board, Paulinho’s arrival was ridiculed. During his rather scarcely attended unveiling, videos did the rounds of him failing to do a few kick-ups (which everyone knows is an integral part of football) and the question was asked of who is this Spurs reject and why is he now at Barça?
It is December now and Paulinho’s qualities are there for all to see. He offers something different. A directness and a willingness to run into the box that is not available from the other, more technical midfielders. He is powerful too and has become a threat from set pieces, a responsibility that used to solely fall to Gerard Piqué.
He may not be a pass master like the midfielders of Blaugrana past but that is not what Barça signed him for. He offers an urgency and precision that will help his team against the compact sides.
The €40 million transfer fee is looking more and more reasonable with every game.
Marc-André ter Stegen is a top three keeper
When non-Barça fans talk of the best keepers in the world, ter Stegen is rarely mentioned. The notion that because Barça play with a possession based style, ter Stegen rarely has shots to face is one that is true in many outsiders’ heads but for people who watch the games, they know this isn’t the case.
Time and time again this season, ter Stegen has been the get-out-of-jail-free card. A man to bail Barça out when they have pushed too many men forward and are looking likely to be hurt on the counterattack. For as much as Messi has won points at one end, ter Stegen has saved them at the other.
This Barça team is far from perfect but they are still a major force
Predicted as the end of the Barça era, this season was supposed to be a disaster. A chance for Real Madrid to regain superiority, PSG to become the European big boys and Barcelona to sink into the abyss. Here they are at Christmas, top of the league, qualified in the Champions League and their star player in some of the best form of his career. Barça fans will tell you the team still needs work but the future is not as bleak as once foresaw.
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FC Barcelona News: 24 December 2017; Barcelona Crush Real Madrid, Players Begin Winter Break
Real Madrid 0 Barça 3: Messi Christmas! | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona took all three points at the Santiago Bernabéu in a match which saw them win their third consecutive league El Clásico in Madrid, a feat never before achieved. Another clean sheet was the foundation on which the blaugrana built their stunning victory.
25 Clásico goals for Leo Messi | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi continues his record breaking activities. The man who has scored more goals in Clásicos than anyone else reached 25 goals against Real Madrid on Saturday after scoring the second from the spot in the team’s 3-0 win in the Santiago Bernabéu.
HIGHLIGHTS: Real Madrid 0 FC Barcelona 3 | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona continue unbeaten in La Liga and they end the year top of the table on 45 points thanks to their latest win, a memorable 3-0 victory in the Santiago Bernabéu thanks to goals from Luis Suárez, Leo Messi and Aleix Vidal. The blaugranes now have seven wins in their last 10 visits in the league.
VIDEO: Christmas magic at the Bernabéu | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona like to end years in style, but in 2018 they surpassed themselves. A 3-0 win at the Bernabéu, and we’re sure many fans have been watching the goals scored by Luis Suárez, Leo Messi and Aleix Vidal over and over again without the slightest hint of getting tired.
Third Liga win in a row at the Bernabéu | FC Barcelona
There was the unforgettable 4-0 win two years ago, followed by the utter drama of the 3-2 win last season and now this fantastic festive victory to equal the achievement of Atlético Madrid in the 2013/14 to 2015/16 seasons, the only other side to have won a back-to-back trio of games at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ernesto Valverde's postgame reactions following El Clásico win | FC Barcelona
Ernesto Valverde spoke to the media in the press room of the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, shortly after FC Barcelona beat Real Madrid, 3–0, to take a commanding 14-point lead over them in the La Liga standings. Here are the highlights of what he had to say.
Players ecstatic after another Clásico victory | FC Barcelona
Andrés Iniesta, Luis Suárez, Paulinho, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba react after FC Barcelona's third consecutive Liga win at the home of Real Madrid.
Clásico glory by the numbers: 25 games unbeaten | FC Barcelona
After Messi scored at the Bernabéu, he has equalled Telmo Zarra of Athletic Bilbao's tally of 17 goals scored against the all-whites in league matches. What's more, it was his 526th goal for Barça, and meant he has now broken Gerd Müller’s all.-time record number of 525 goals for a single club – in the German’s case for his beloved Bayern Munich between 1964 and 1975.
Zinedine Zidane to blame for Real's costly Clasico defeat vs. Barcelona | ESPN
Well, that's the Zinedine Zidane honeymoon well and truly finished. It was ended by a historic stat, too: Barcelona have never before won three straight Liga clasicos at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was also ended, quite possibly, by the earliest in living memory that Madrid, in the calendar year before the title can actually be awarded, are out of the race to be champions.
Barça back to work on 30 December | FC Barcelona
The FC Barcelona squad are now on their Christmas holidays. The final whistle at the Bernabéu and the 3-0 victory over Real Madrid marked the beginning of the festive break for the players until their return to training on 30 December at 6.00pm CET.
RIVAL WATCH: Nine points clear for Christmas | FC Barcelona
What a way to end the year! A 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu, Barça’s third league victory in a row at the home of Real Madrid. But if that wasn’t enough, the weekend has produced even more positive news for the Catalans’ title challenge.
Architects b720 Fermín Vázquez take over from Pascual-Ausió Espai Barça project for the future Camp Nou | FC Barcelona
The team formed by Nikken Sekkei, Joan Pasqual – Ramon Ausió Arquitectes, creators of the winning project in the competition for the design and construction of a new stadium, have been working together with FC Barcelona in the preliminary stage of the design which includes a putting together a project for the future Camp Nou, integrated within the Espai Barça project.
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Luis Suarez celebrates landmark goal against Real Madrid in El Clasico
After a pretty tough start to the season, it’s fair to say Luis Suarez has been enjoying himself in recent weeks.
The striker opened the scoring against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and now has seven goals in his last eight matches.
His goal against Madrid was pretty special, not just because it sent Barca on their way to a memorable win but also because it was his 400th senior goal.
Muy feliz de poder llegar a los 400 goles como profesional ⚽⚽⚽⚽ gracias a todos!!!!
— Luis Suarez (@LuisSuarez9) December 24, 2017
Very happy to score 400 goals as a professional football player ⚽⚽⚽⚽ thank you all!!! http://pic.twitter.com/Iq0sHQuZbH
The winter break has probably come at a bad time for Suarez, as he’s rediscovered his goalscoring touch and looked like he was getting back to his best.
But let’s hope he has a good rest over the Christmas period and can pick up where he left off in January.
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السبت، 23 ديسمبر 2017
El Clasico: Madrid 0-3 Barcelona: Player Ratings
Marc-André ter Stegen
MAtS was critical in the first half of the game when Real Madrid seemed dominant. The German keeper kept things sharp in the second half, keeping a clean sheet.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Sergi Roberto
Roberto continues to prove his ability. His assist to Luis Suárez for the first goal was unselfish and incredibly intelligent. His play for the rest of the game was incredibly productive as well. He completed five dribbles with a passing accuracy of 92%.
Navjot’s rating: 9
Gerard Piqué
A solid showing from the Catalan who kept out danger and caused chaos in the box during a couple of set-pieces
Navjot’s rating: 8
Thomas Vermaelen
A little shaky, and perhaps gave his mark too much room but still kept things solid and grew into the game.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Jordi Alba
A typical Alba performance where he raced past everyone and cut the ball inside for those with better vision.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Ivan Rakitic
Played wide and put some early crosses into the box.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Paulinho
For the number of times he ran into the box, Paulinho deserved a goal.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Sergio Busquets
His highlight of the entire game was perhaps when he passed the ball to Rakitic and sliced the entire Madrid midfield.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Andrés Iniesta
Was not as influential in the final third, but kept the ball moving and cut inside to connect the full-back and attackers.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Luis Suárez
He bangs them in when it matters. Suárez was clutch for the entire 90 as he harassed and hassled. Could have done better with some chances, but he took the ones that truly mattered.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Lionel Messi
A perfect performance. When you are playing against the reigning European champions and make them look like a Sunday league side, you’ve done something right.
Navjot’s rating: 10
Nelson Semedo
Came on a little late, but kept the ball moving and even had a shot on goal.
Navjot’s rating: 7
André Gomes
Squandered a chance but it was already too late in the game.
Navjot’s rating: NA
Aleix Vidal
The final sub may not have played a lot, but he was in the right place at the right time to bang one in.
Navjot’s rating: 8
Ernesto Valverde
Outsmarted Zinedine Zidane and got his retribution.
Navjot’s rating: 8
The Team
A performance with synergy where the sum was greater than the parts.
Navjot’s rating: 10
Man of the Match
Lionel Messi.
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Lionel Messi sends message to fans after Barcelona beat Real Madrid in El Clasico
Lionel Messi has ensured it will be a Merry Christmas for Barcelona after helping his side beat Real Madrid 3-0 at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
The Argentine scored the second from the spot before setting up Aleix Vidal for Barca’s third, while only wearing one boot.
And after the match Messi took to Facebook to share his pride at the victory that means Barca are 14 points clear of Real Madrid heading into the winter break.
Qué lindo finalizar el año con una importante victoria en el Clásico. ¡Un abrazo y felices fiestas para todos! Great to...
Posted by Leo Messi on Saturday, December 23, 2017
And a very Merry Christmas to you too Leo!
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Valverde: Barcelona’s win over Real Madrid is ‘a lesson for everyone’
Ernesto Valverde said Barcelona’s win over Real Madrid in El Clasico was “a lesson for everyone” after his team gained revenge for a 5-1 Super Cup defeat in August.
Madrid were huge favourites to retain their title after that victory and Gerard Pique even admitted after the game he felt inferior to los Blancos for the first time.
However, fast forward just a few short months and Barcelona are 14 points ahead of their rivals and are celebrating a 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“It’s a lesson for everyone,” he said. “They played very well against us in preseason and we did so today. Football has a lot of twists and turns.
“I don’t think we have one foot on the League title, we’re not even halfway through the season yet. There are two games left to play in the first round.
“There’s still a long way to go. We’re top and by a certain distance, but it doesn’t mean anything. Nothing’s been decided, there’s still winter and spring ahead of us.
“We had problems in the first half because of their high press, so we had to be patient, even if it meant we didn’t see much of the ball.
“In the second half, we had control of the game and ball, and from there came our chances and the penalty, which left them a man down.”
Source | Football Espana
Madrid were pretty dominant in the first half but it was a different story after the break as Barca looked a different side and stormed to a deserved win.
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Barcelona players celebrate Clasico win over Real Madrid
It’ll be a very Merry Christmas in Catalunya
Barcelona players took to Twitter to celebrate Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Real Madrid that leaves the club 14 points clear of their rivals.
Goals from Luis Suarez, a Lionel Messi penalty and a third from substitute Aleix Vidal did the damage as Barcelona head into the winter break still unbeaten.
It was a superb victory for Barcelona and the celebrations are well deserved as they ensured it will be a very Merry Christmas.
Vamoooooos!! Força Barçaaa ! Bon nadal a tothom!!!! http://pic.twitter.com/W9AxmspSoz
— Sergi Roberto (@SergiRoberto10) December 23, 2017
Bon Nadal#ElClasico http://pic.twitter.com/l8cdECohuR
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) December 23, 2017
La mejor manera de terminar el año! Grande equipo! Seguimos!! Força Barça!!!
— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) December 23, 2017
The best way to end the year! Great team work! Força Barça!!! http://pic.twitter.com/TZKOPJZ5N7
VAMOSSSSSSSSSSSS gran trabajo EQUIPO!!!!!
— Luis Suarez (@LuisSuarez9) December 23, 2017
COME ONNNNNNNN !!!!! Great TEAM WORK http://pic.twitter.com/AgMezQgeLy
¡Vamossssss! ¡¡¡¡Partidazo!!!! Orgulloso de este equipo #ForçaBarça http://pic.twitter.com/p7KT7AnBrP
— Ivan Rakitic (@ivanrakitic) December 23, 2017
Great team performance today! #ElClásico #ForçaBarça http://pic.twitter.com/Vlfl6WAW3i
— Thomas Vermaelen (@thomasvermaelen) December 23, 2017
A proud and perfect performance from our entire team to end the year. This #ElClasico victory is for all @fcbarcelona fans all over the world! #ForçaBarça #DesireToWin http://pic.twitter.com/fT4ODbPpS3
— Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1) December 23, 2017
And even Carles Puyol joined in..
Felicitats amics, sou els millors. Visca el Barça. http://pic.twitter.com/jRpzDT9B9A
— Carles Puyol (@Carles5puyol) December 23, 2017
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The stats which prove Messi is the Clasico king
Another game & another record for the GOAT
Lionel Messi was it again at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, scoring Barcelona’s second as Barca moved 14 points clear of Real Madrid after a 3-0 win.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring but Messi made the game safe from the penalty spot after Dani Carvajal’s handball which also saw the defender sent off.
Unsurprisingly it was yet another record for Messi who has become the first player to ever score 25 goals in El Clasico.
Lionel Messi is the first player in history to score 25 goals in El Clasico.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 23, 2017
http://pic.twitter.com/SxJLydjrdO
All-time TOP scorer in #ElClasico history (25) ✅
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) December 23, 2017
All-time TOP scorer in #ElClasico history at the Bernabeu (15) ✅
All-time TOP scorer against Real Madrid in #LaLiga (17) ✅
LIONEL MESSI. http://pic.twitter.com/sDP9lEFDqr
He’s also scored more goals against los Blancos than any other player in La Liga. Ever.
17 - Lionel Messi has scored more goals against Real Madrid than any other player in La Liga history. Nemesis. http://pic.twitter.com/HvMFlDUqOl
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 23, 2017
His goal also means that he’s now scored over 15 goals for the last 10 seasons in a row.
15 - Lionel Messi is the only player to score 15+ goals in 10 consecutive La Liga seasons. Jedi. http://pic.twitter.com/kpaC3iYUZd
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 23, 2017
It’s also his 200th La Liga assist...
200 - Lionel Messi ha logrado su asistencia nº 200 con el Barcelona en todas las competiciones. Extraterrestre. http://pic.twitter.com/EwxnOdZLCl
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 23, 2017
And if that were not enough, he’s also surpassed Gerd Muller’s record with his 526th Barcelona goal.
RECORD!
— MESSISTATS (@MessiStats_) December 23, 2017
Messi scores his 526th goal for Barcelona and overtakes Gerd Müller's record of 525 official goals for a single club in the European top5 leagues! #ElClasico http://pic.twitter.com/IYM03RTrhP
Not a bad afternoon’s work!
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WATCH: Lionel Messi catches Cristiano Ronaldo in the face in El Clasico
It was not the best afternoon for the Madrid star
All eyes were on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo again in El Clasico and once more it was the Barcelona star who came out on top, scoring in a 3-0 win.
Messi also managed to catch Ronaldo full in the face with a free kick at the end of the first half.
Messi targeted Ronaldo head http://pic.twitter.com/oYEQ0yR7Qo
— barca_nations (@barca_nations2) December 23, 2017
It summed up a miserable afternoon for Ronaldo who saw a header correctly ruled out for offside as his side slipped 14 points behind Barcelona.
Messi, meanwhile, ensured it will be a Merry Christmas for Barcelona.
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