الجمعة، 31 مارس 2017

Off-the-radar: Manolo Lucena, Granada's match delegate

Sarthak Kumar talks about the player who most represents Granada - both the city and the club

In light of Barcelona's upcoming fixture against Granada, this is a story about a former captain of Granada.

This is a story about Granada's match delegate.

As the 2012-13 season came to an end, there were emotional goodbyes - Eric Abidal, Andrés Palop, Manuel Pellegrini, and Juan Carlos Valerón.

But one goodbye went under-the-radar, and that was Granada's captain and center-back Manolo Lucena, who had played for the club in all four levels of Spanish football - the Tercera, Segunda B, Segunda and La Liga.

Manuel 'Manolo' Lucena was born in Granada, and after a year at Imperio Albolote, he joined Arenas Armilla in 2001. A year later, he joined hometown's Granada CF, at the time in the Tercera.

In 2002-03, Granada depended on itself to get promoted to the Segunda B, but an unfortunate own goal by Juanjo against Quintanar del Rey at home tore the dream to shreds. The following season was excellent, but in the play-offs, a theoretically inferior rival - La Roda - would eliminate them. In that year, players, including Manuel, were forced to lock themselves in the stadium as a protest for not receiving their wages.

So after two years as a starter, in 2004, he would sign for Marino de Luanco in Segunda División B, being first-choice in his only season as the Asturias club narrowly avoided relegation. In the 2005 summer Lucena moved to Sporting de Gijón, in Segunda División. In January of the following year, after only three league appearances - seven minutes in total - he returned to Granada, being an essential part of the team - even scoring five goals - as the team was promoted from the fourth level.

And good thing that happened, since at the time Granada was in the worst sporting and economic position in its history. Lorenzo Sanz arrived and acquired the club, relegating the presidency to his son Paco Sanz. The promotion to the Segunda B was gained after winning against Guadalajara 3-0 in a Los Cármenes packed with 18,000 angry fans.

In the following three division three campaigns Lucena remained a key player for Granada, never appearing in less than 32 league games and occasionally pitching in at defensive midfielder, for which he was dubbed "el 'controller' rojiblanco".

But the economic problems at the club began to resurface, and the club couldn't pay its players again. And on January 25, 2009, at the beginning of a match against Melilla, the players showed T-shirts with the slogan "Paco Sanz, you need to pay now". Sanz resigned and a new management board was formed.

In 2009, Gino Pozzo arrived, along with his partners Quique Pina and Juan Carlos Cordero. The Italian, owner of Udinese, took over the debt and convert Granada CF into an SAD. The economic situation cooincided with a great season for the club. Overcoming the play-off against Alcorcón, the team would return 22 years later to the Segunda. And team captain Manolo Lucena was the center of it all.

In late June 2011, after a second consecutive promotion for Granada, after defeating Celta and Elche in play-offs, and with him as the club's only player from the region of Granada, Lucena renewed his contract for a further two seasons. He made his La Liga debut on 27 August in a 0–1 home loss against Real Betis, but featured in only nine official contests over the course of two seasons combined, serving more as an experiences member in the dressing room.

Lucena retired at the end of the 2013–14 campaign at the age of 31, after 12 competitive appearances with CD Mirandés in the second level. In February 2015 he returned to Granada, as match delegate.

Lucena achieving three promotions with Granada in itself is amazing. But what makes the feat even better is that he was from Granada - not since Pepe Millán in the 1930’s and 1940’s has a local boy played at every level of the league for Granada.

Manolo Lucena stayed at the club when the players were not being paid. He stayed at the club when they reached La Liga even though he knew he would only be a backup player. He stayed at the club even when every other player from Granada left.

And he still hasn't left his home-town club. As match delegate, Los Cármenes will always be honored with his presence.


This article is reproduced from a series on the faces of Spanish football. You can read it here.


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FC Barcelona News: 31 March 2017; Granada Game Inching Closer, Argentina to Appeal Lionel Messi Ban

When and where to watch Granada v FC Barcelona in Week 29 of La Liga | FC Barcelona
This Sunday, at 8.45pm CET, FC Barcelona return to the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes in Granada, where on the final matchday of last season they clinched the La Liga title. For Barça, the encounter is the opening salvo in an April schedule loaded with big-time matches.

Granada happy hunting ground for Luis Suárez | FC Barcelona
Luis Suárez is a goal machine, of that there is no doubt. The man who has won the European Golden Shoe on no less than two occasions as the continent’s top goalscorer travels to Granada this weekend in his side’s 29th league game of the season.

Barcelona and Real Madrid ready to sprint to the finish in La Liga title race | ESPN
Summing up many things and setting fire to many others, igniting the league, as if it needed igniting. Spain had played, one of Europe's biggest stadiums packed full, so it was all about them. "Them" being Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, of course.

Barcelona's Neymar 'can't be an example to our children' - DIS chief | ESPN
DIS owned a substantial stake in Neymar when the Brazil No. 10 was sold from Santos to Barcelona for upwards of €86 million in the summer of 2013, but were shorted in the deal because part of the fee was concealed by Barcelona, Santos and the company run by Neymar's parents.

The magical month of March, on Twitter | FC Barcelona
The last 30 days at FC Barcelona included an unexpected goodbye, an epic comeback, and a pair of new milestones from the indomitable Leo Messi.

Argentina to appeal Messi ban | Football Espana
Representatives of Barcelona and Argentina have come out in support of Lionel Messi after he was handed a four-game international ban. On Wednesday, Barca released a statement expressing their "surprise and indignation" at the sanction, while the Argentine FA confirmed they were working on an appeal.



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الخميس، 30 مارس 2017

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho rules out Neymar transfer "It's absurd"

It's just speculation, which we all knew

The summer transfer window is rapidly approaching, and the Yearly Idiotic Neymar Rumors have come back with full strength.

The Brazilian superstar is constantly linked with a move away from Barcelona, and the two clubs talked about the most as possible destinations are Paris Saint-Germain (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA THEY LOST 6-1 TO US HAHAHAHAHA) and Manchester United. The Red Devils apparently have wanted to sign Neymar since before he was born, and their interest continues to surface again and again in the media.

This time it was Catalan newspaper Diario SPORT who came out with a report that claimed José Mourinho was "crazy about signing Neymar", and his "plan" to sign the Brazilian included a €200 million transfer fee and a €30 million per year salary. It's obviously a bunch of B.S., but the English press went NUTS and shared the report everywhere.

So a Brazilian reporter went and asked José Mourinho himself about Neymar, and the United manager was quite clear in his answer:

"It's mere speculation. I always look to objective and pragmatic with the clubs I work for and always ask the club for something that can be given to me. Asking for Neymar is absurd.

"A club like Barcelona cannot and will not lose Neymar. Even though Messi is still young with good years ahead of him, he is almost 30 and Neymar will be Barcelona's great player after Messi. Trying to sign him is like trying to break into a vault. It's impossible."

Source: ESPN Brazil

It's quite refreshing to see José Mourinho being so honest and realistic, but he is right. Neymar just signed a new contract and will be paid boatloads of money to be Barça's superstar for the next decade or so. There's no reason Barça would sell him, he loves the club and doesn't want to leave anytime soon.

You can cross United off the list of potential Neymar buyers.



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FC Barcelona News: 30 March 2017; Internationals Continue to Return, Arda Turan Out Three Weeks

[MEDICAL ANNOUNCEMENT] Arda Turan out for three weeks | FC Barcelona
This means that the Turk will miss the next few Barça matches following the international break in which he featured in all 90 minutes of his country’s 2-0 victory over Finland in a World Cup qualifying match but sat out Monday’s friendly with Moldova.

Barça internationals 1x1 | FC Barcelona
With club football about to resume, we take a look back at how the different players got on in this week’s World Cup qualifiers and friendlies.

More internationals return to training | FC Barcelona
The FC Barcelona squad is slowly taking full form after the return of the Spanish internationals, plus Cillessen, Umtiti and André Gomes all returned to training on Thursday. Luis Enrique oversaw the session at Ciutat Esportiva as preparations for Sunday's game against Granada continue. The workout was also joined by Barça B players Carbonell, Cardona, Nili, Kaptoum and Aleñá.

What it's like to be Neymar | FC Barcelona
The Brazilian striker, now in his fourth season donning the Blaugrana jersey, enjoys a special relationship with Lionel Messi and has been an integral part of the team’s most recent successes — including his lead role as Lord of the Comeback in the final minutes of Barça's historic win over PSG at Camp Nou — all the while his play with the Brazilian national team continues reaching dizzying new heights, inviting all sorts of comparisons with his countryman, the great Pelé.

Neymar move to Man Utd 'impossible', Jose Mourinho says | Sky Sports
The Brazil international last week revealed a love of Premier League football and said "any player would like to work" with Mourinho or Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. But Barcelona tied the forward to a five-year contract in October, and a release clause starting at £181m increases incrementally over the course of his deal.

Neymar keeps pace with Pelé | FC Barcelona
After his goal stellar performance in the 3-0 win over Paraguay that has led Brazil to a place in next year’s World Cup in Russia, Neymar, at the age of just 25, now has a total of 52 goals in just 77 appearances for the national team. One of the greatest of them all, Pelé, reached a total of 52 goals for Brazil also at the age 25 before going on to record a grand total of 95 during his illustrious footballing career.

FC Barcelona, the only club still alive in three Champions League competitions | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona remain the only club on the continent who are still in the three different formats of the Champions League. FC Barcelona Women’s historic passage to the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday means they, along with Luis Enrique’s men and the U19s, remain in Europen’s premier competition.

Barca defend Pique, RM ponder legal action | Football Espana
Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner has defended controversial comments by Gerard Pique referencing fierce rivals Real Madrid. Marca reports that the 30-year-old’s comment of those in the "Real box seat pull the country's strings" could provoke legal action from the Bernabeu.

FC Barcelona around the world! | FC Barcelona
In July, FC Barcelona will travel just over 6,200km to New Jersey, in the USA, to begin a preseason tour of the country, which will take place in three cities with games against three of European football´s biggest clubs. The excitement surrounding Barça´s first visit to the United States in two years has become a feature of its preparations for a new season, with the Club taking in new countries and making new friends around the world.



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الأربعاء، 29 مارس 2017

Barcelona Keen on Buying Back Gerard Deulofeu from Everton

He currently is on loan at AC Milan, a club that wants to keep him.

Gerard Deulofeu is reestablishing himself at AC Milan and he was boosted by a great showing for the Spanish national team in a 2-0 win over France.

FC Barcelona maintain a buyback option, and all signs point to the Catalans bringing him back home.

Deulofeu came through the Barcelona youth system and was loaned to Everton in 2013. When Luis Enrique arrived, Deulofeu alongside Rafinha were brought back at the same time, and there was the expectation they would both be squad players that season.

Insatead, Deulofeu was loaned out to Sevilla at the last minute, where he struggled. Meanwhile Rafinha remains a part of the first team.

After a middling season at Sevilla, Deulofeu returned to Everton, this time on a permanent transfer. But he struggled to make his mark with Roberto Martinez not in charge anymore. Thus, his loan to Milan in the middle of this season.

Now, things have been looking up lately, and his linkup with Barcelona players in the national team is a major boost. He won a penalty and scored as he was absolutely vital to La Roja’s triumph.

Still just 22 and loaded with talent, Deulofeu is an attractive option for many clubs. Barcelona are looking more and more assured to use their 12 million euro buy option to regain his rights.

The question is: will Deulofeu stay at Barcelona after they use that purchase option? Milan are already trying to negotiate for him. Reports suggest the Catalans are not yet completely sure if there is a spot on the first team reserved for him.

But Barcelona are in the market for a wide player and Deulofeu could be an answer...



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Barcelona B 2013/14: Where Are They Now? (Part 3 - Fullbacks)

Barcelona B have faltered since finishing 3rd in La Segunda in 2013/14. Here, we take a look at how the fullbacks of that squad has fared since then.

There has been much consternation over the state of La Masia and the perilous path youth players dream of walking from Mini Estadi to Camp Nou. The last great Barça B side - which finished 3rd in the 2013/14 Segunda División - contained a plethora of highly-rated youngsters. In five parts, we'll take a look at how players of that year's Barça B squad have fared since then. Parts one and two looked at the goalkeepers and centre-backs. In part three, we'll review the fullbacks of that squad.

Carles Planas

Carles Planas trod the conventional path to Barça B. Starting out at his hometown club Sant Celoni, he joined La Masia at the age of nine. Moving through the youth ranks, an 18-year-old Planas was promoted to Barça B in 2009. The Catalan defender was a stalwart on the left of the Barça B defence for 2013/14, featuring in 35 of the 42 league games. He scored once and made 1 assist. He started a majority of those games (33 starts). Impressively, he was booked only on only four occasions throughout the whole Segunda División campaign.

At first team level, Planas appeared twice - his debut in the Copa del Rey against Alavés in November 2012, as well as a dead rubber Champions League group stage game against Benfica a week later. He was a regular for Spain at youth level, playing for the U17s through to the U21s. After five years at Miniestadi, Planas left Barça in 2014. He signed for Celta de Vigo on a free transfer, becoming a rotation player for the Galician side in La Liga.

Alejandro Grimaldo

The most promising of the crop, Alejandro Grimaldo was sold to Benfica in January 2016. It was to much disappointment for Barça supporters, with him having debuted as the record youngest appearance maker for Barça B - 15 years 349 days on 4 September 2011. After joining from Valencia at the age of thirteen, Grimaldo swiftly rose through the Blaugrana ranks. An ACL tear in 2013 brought to an abrupt end his gradual assertion in the Barça B squad. In the second half of 2013/14, Grimaldo made 14 Segunda División appearances and provided 2 assists as he made his comeback from the aforementioned ACL injury.

An adept set piece taker, Grimaldo had gained senior status as one of Barça B's four captains before his departure. Currently a Spain U21 international, he was regular for Spain's younger age groups. He has since done fantastically well at Benfica, after usurping Eliseu's place in the starting line-up. Currently well-regarded as one of the best young left backs in the world, Alejandro Grimaldo looks set to be one that got away for FC Barcelona.

Lucas Gafarot

After years with his hometown side Sant Just, as well as fellow Catalan outfit UE Cornellà, Lucas Gafarot joined La Masia in 2012. He was promoted to Barça B in Summer 2013. In 2013/14, the Catalan was a rotation player, making 7 appearances. Throughout his time at Miniestadi, Lucas has not been a regular fixture in the team.

In Summer 2015, he returned to Cornellà on a two-year loan deal. He has been a regular starter for Cornella in the third division. With his contract expiring at the end of this season, it is likely Lucas Gafarot will be released by Barça.

Patric

Patricio Gabarrón Gil, known simply by the moniker Patric, joined La Masia as a 15-year-old in 2008. He had previously spent two years with his hometown side Murcia Real Murcia, and two years in the Villarreal cantera. In September 2012, Patric made his Barca B debut with a substitute appearance in an away win (1-3) against Hercules. He had been converted from a defensive midfielder to a right-back.

In 2013/14, Patric made 35 appearances in the league. He played the full ninety minutes in 30 games, being subbed off in the second half of 5 matches. Scoring once and making 1 assist, Patric incurred 7 bookings. He was sent off once, in a home defeat (0-2) to Eibar. In November 2013, the Murcia-born defender made his senior debut, coming off the bench in an away defeat (2-1) to Ajax in the Champions League.

After clearly having no place in the first team, Patric signed for Lazio on a free transfer in Summer 2015. He has been a rotation player for Lazio, featuring in either fullback positions.

Joan Campins

A native of Mallorca, Joan Campins signed for Barça B in Summer 2013. He had spent twelve years with his hometown club Poblense, and another two years at local giants Real Mallorca. Campins made his Barça B debut as a substitute in an away draw (2-2) to Tenerife. A week later, the right-sided defender played the full ninety minutes with the Juvenil A side in the UEFA Youth League, providing an assist in a 4-1 win against Ajax. He was subsequently sidelined for the rest of the 2013/14 season with muscle injuries. Campins made his Spain 19 debut in 2013, following that with another games that same year.

After 15 appearances in two and a half years with at Miniestadi, Campins was loaned to then-fellow Segunda División side Real Zaragoza in January 2016. Joan Campins currently plays for Catalan outfit CF Reus in the Segunda División, after joining them in Summer 2016.

Xavi Quintillà

Xavi Quintillà joined La Masia with his older brother Jordi in 2009, after some time with local side Lleida. Swiftly moving through the ranks, Quintillà was a regular youth international with Spain. He featured for Spain's U16s through to the U19s. At club level, Arsenal tried to sign him in 2011 - the same period they signed Hector Bellerín and Jon Toral.

After a few successful years for the age group sides, Quintillà was gradually integrated into Barça B. He was an unused substitute in the final matchday in 2012/13. In 2013/14, the versatile defender featured on the bench on 3 occasions. He spent the majority of the campaign as a key player for Juvenil A, going on to win the UEFA Youth League in 2014. He scored once and made an impressive 5 assists en route to a 3-0 win in the final against Benfica. After three years featuring on the bench for Barça B, Quintillà made 8 appearances in the third tier, after the side's relegation from the Segunda División in 2014/15.

Xavi Quintillà rejoined his hometown club Lleida on a loan deal in Summer 2016. He has been a regular for Lleida in the Segunda División B this season. With his contract at Barça expiring in Summer 2018, it remains to be seen what role Quintillà will have upon his return to Barça B this summer.



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Barcelona Femení Seek to Create History

The women’s team, which was founded in 1988, is looking to reach their first Champions League semi-final.

A first half stoppage time goal from Leila Ouahabi was enough to win it. The defender pounced on a mix up in the Rosengård defence and slotted the ball past the keeper. The goal was a crucial one as it gave Barça the lead in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie and gave them a sight of a place they had never reached before.

Since the competition’s inception in 2009 and Barcelona’s first appearance in 2012, the Catalan club have never reached the semi-final. Twice losing in the quarter final stage with a 5-0 aggregate loss to Wolfsburg in 2014 and a 0-1 loss to PSG last year. This year, a 1-0 away win over Rosengård has given Barça Femení a strong chance of reaching that promised land

The team is coached by Xavi Llorens and the veteran is currently in his eleventh year at the helm. Under Llorens, the team has tasted plenty of success, winning four of the last five league titles and three Copa de la Reinas. This season they trail league leaders Atlético Madrid by just two points and are in line to take home the treble.

The Copa de la Reina works a little different to its male counterpart in that it is usually contested in a two week period at the end of the season. The top eight teams in the Primera División compete in the tournament and Barcelona will be aiming for their fifth title.

The Champions League remains the missing link however. Taking a 1-0 aggregate scoreline back to Barcelona is a great advantage to the club but not one that they can solely rely on to secure progress into the semi final. Barça will have to produce a similar performance to the first leg and restrict Rosengård’s chances to a minimum if they wish to come away with a positive result.

If Barcelona do get through, there are plenty of strong teams left between them and the trophy in Cardiff. Bayern Munich and PSG play each other in another quarter-final and a repeat of last year’s final, Wolfsburg - Lyon, is currently 2-0 in favour of the French side. Manchester City are also a fancied team who are looking to get their hands on the trophy for the first time as well with the help of World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd.

Llorens’ women head into tonight’s game confident of their chances but a new page in the history books is not assured just yet.



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Barça Balugranes Q&A: The Answers

Luis, Navjot and Sarthak answer your questions.

Will there be another chance for writers to join?

And also, do you guys get paid or is it voluntary? - Alex Song

I'm one of the most recent recruits on the site. And BB is always looking for more writers to contribute with the coverage. When I first applied, I had to provide content voluntarily for a while, before I got on the payroll. And to put it in Bostjan's poetic words, "It's beer money". - Navjot

I think there's always a chance for people to join, you just have to go through the process. Some get paid, some don't, but it's not all that much. I think most people do it for reasons other than money. - Luis

There are times where BB gets off topic(of which I'm a leading offender).

Is it alright if I create an off topic thread that is renewed weekly(similar to that of the Daily Hilario on our sister site WAGNH) - et tu, brute

Well this is something the writers have to decide as a group. I think it would be OK. However I think the daily news article is an OK space to go off topic since it's not about a single topic. - Luis

What was your favourite moment as a Barcelona fan? - Smntr_Brnj

My favourite moment as a Barcelona fan, has to be Sergi Roberto's CL goal this season against PSG. While I'm sure there are people who will have some amazing memories to share, this moment probably reminds me of why I love this club so much. Never will I see a match like that ever again! - Navjot

Ah what a timely question! Recency bias says the 6-1. But all four other Champions League finals are big. The 5-0 over Real Madrid with Pep at the helm. It's hard to pick one favorite. - Luis

What countries visit BB the most? - TimmyC105

We have gotten visits from nearly every country, including North Korea. - Luis

What do you think of the new Camp Nou design? Specifically not having outer walls, to show "openness to the world". Personally, the poetic cliche I don’t buy, and the exterior design is quite ugly. I’ll miss the old Camp Nou. - Vlad Bobe

While I love the Camp Nou as it is, I am all for structural renovations. The club is growing and the stadium needs to grow too. However, I do hope the naming rights aren't sold. - Navjot

It's beautiful. However, I still think it's money being spent on something beautiful but unnecessary. There are teams in the Segunda B who still haven't received their Copa del Rey prize from the federation, which was due in August, and in Spain's current economic climate this kind of spending by Barcelona is in my opinion shameful. - Sarthak

It looks a bit weird to me to be honest, but maybe I'm just not used to it. - Luis

Do you think Barça made a mistake by buying Gomes?

Like should Barça not purchased him or instead if Gomes they should bought a world class midfielder or will Gomes blossom into a world-class midfielder and continues to play as a mid for Barça in the coming years? Ajmain faieq

Gomes is often subjected to criticism due to his performances or his work rate. However, if possible, I think the fans should be patient with the settling of all our new recruits. They're young, in foreign waters. They might blossom or they might fail. But today isn't the day to judge them. - Navjot

When he was signed I always thought it was a bit weird. He had a good season at Valencia but he didn't strike me as an essential player to sign. I had the opposite reaction when Barcelona signed Rakitic, for example. I thought he was totally brilliant for Sevilla. Obviously Gomes isn't having a good season. That said, I don't think it's totally fair to just say "well he's worthless." Obviously he's talented, he's young, and he's adapting. It could happen that he blossoms. I mean look at Arda Turan or Aleix Vidal, or even Luis Suarez. It took them a bit to really hit their stride. Still, I personally wouldn't bet on it. I think they could have saved the money from last year to buy someone this year - like Marco Verratti or Thiago Alcantara or someone of that caliber. - Luis

Can BB have Rival watch articles? - nape23

Yes! Comment below if you are interested in a "preview" of the team Barcelona faces each week for next season, and I'd be happy to do it. Will it have an off-the-radar style to it?

Of course. - Sarthak

Well, we could. The question is what exactly is meant? Articles that scout opposition? Or just threads when Real Madrid are playing, for example? Every week? Or only when they lose? - Luis



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FC Barcelona News: 29 March 2017; Neymar Leads Brazil to World Cup, Internationals Start to Return

Neymar leads Brazil to qualification with win over Paraguay | FC Barcelona
Neymar lead Brazil to qualification for the World Cup in Russia next year with an excellent performance in the 3-0 for la canarinha over Paraguay in São Paulo. The Barça striker captained the team for the first time since March of last year and scored the second in Brazil’s first win over the visitors for almost eight years.

Mixed day for Barça's internationals | FC Barcelona
Spain earned a 2-0 win at the Stade de France on Tuesday night, in a match containing five Barça stars. Jordi Alba, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta started for Spain, against Samuel Umtiti at the heart of the French defence.

FC Barcelona official statement regarding Leo Messi suspension | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona expresses its surprise and indignation at the decision by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to suspend Leo Messi following the FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture between Argentina and Chile. The Club considers the four-match suspension imposed on the Argentine player to be unfair and totally disproportionate.

Rakitic and Mascherano return to training | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona returned to the training field on Monday evening after three days off, which also saw the return of Ivan Rakitic and Javier Mascherano, the first two to come back from international duty. The session took place on Pitch 2 at Ciutat Esportiva, which was joined by Barça B pair Kaptoum and Carbonell.

Barça continue laying groundwork for rendezvous with Granada | FC Barcelona
With various clusters of FC Barcelona’s stars still spread throughout the footballing universe— only Ivan Rakitic and Javier Mascherano have reentered Barça’s orbit — the team forged ahead towards its goal of reaching optimal physical preparedness ahead of this weekend’s tête-à-tête with Granada CF.

Neymar Jr: Messi was a great help when I first arrived | FC Barcelona
Neymar Jr has been one of the biggest centres of attention during the international break, and most especially for his superb goal in the 4-1 win in Montevideo that has thrown Brazil way into the lead in the South American qualifying zone.

Clásico kick-off times around the world | FC Barcelona
There’s nothing like a good Clásico, and there’s one coming up very soon in April! FC Barcelona travel to Real Madrid for the biggest fixture not just in this league but probably in any league in the world, and it’s a Sunday 23 kick-off at 8.45pm locally, while this page should help you work out what time the action gets going where you are.

Barcelona's Gerard Pique slams values of those in charge of Real Madrid | ESPN
Barcelona's Gerard Pique says he would "never" work for Real Madrid, speaking out against the values of people in charge of his club's chief rivals. Talking to reporters in Paris following Spain's 2-0 win over France on Tuesday, Pique alleged someone at Real Madrid has been causing troubles for his Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar, possibly referring to the duo's recent legal troubles.

‘La Liga wants VAR, but…’ | Football Espana
VAR came to Spain’s rescue in their 2-0 win against France on Tuesday, having correctly adjudged a Bleus goal offside and awarded La Roja their second of the evening. “[RFEF President Angel Maria] Villar accepts VAR in a friendly match for the national team, but he won’t let it be used by La Liga, which has been requesting it for some time,” he tweeted.



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الثلاثاء، 28 مارس 2017

Barcelona Ace Lionel Messi “Angry and Hurt” By News of Argentina Ban

How can they only tell him hours before the game??

Lionel Messi will be banned from playing 4 games for the Argentine national team for insulting the referee in the 1-0 win over Chile.

This, despite the referees not reporting it. Rather it was based on video review.

But the worst part of it was how it was handled: namely, not telling Argentina until hours before kickoff. What’s more, FIFA did not tell the Argentine federation directly. Instead, FIFA published the announcement on their website.

According to a report in Sport, Messi was angered, surprised, and saddened by the decision. He had traveled to La Paz thinking he would play against Bolivia. He was hurt but not defeated, as the team tried to rally in time for the important World Cup qualifying match.

Regardless of whether the punishment was appropriate, not telling the player until hours before kickoff is outrageous. Messi should be in Barcelona already, not in La Paz waking up to find out he won’t be playing.

Jorge Miadosqui, secretary of the Argentine federation, said he was confident the ban would be reduced. He blasted FIFA for the way it was handled, saying “they cut our legs off.”

There are many now wondering whether there is an element of South American football politics at work here, and especially if the Argentine FA has lost clout after the death of their former chief, Julio Grondona.



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Barcelona's Lionel Messi suspended for four Argentina matches

WHOA

Things aren't going well for Lionel Messi when it comes to his national team.

In the same night where he won the World Cup qualifier against Chile on a controversial penalty, Messi insulted one of the assistant referees with a phrase we'd rather not repeat here. Leo was charged by FIFA because of the incident, and the ruling on his punishment came in on Tuesday.

It is a very heavy punishment:

Footballer Lionel Messi has been found guilty of violating art. 57 of the FDC for having directed insulting words at an assistant referee.

As a result, Lionel Messi will be suspended for four official matches and sanctioned with a fine of CHF 10,000. The first match for which the sanction will apply is the next fixture in the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ between Bolivia and Argentina, which will be played today, 28 March. The remainder of the sanction will be served over Argentina’s subsequent FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

Source: FIFA

Argentina will obviously appeal the ruling, but the chances of getting out of the suspension are very small. Messi has carried Argentina to the third place in the South American group, but if he's indeed out for the next four games, the chances of Leo not being in Russia next year are quite significant.



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Off-the-radar: Ramón de Quintana - the unluckiest player in Spain

Sarthak Kumar talks about the player who has suffered a record eight relegations

It's a national record - a record of how unlucky a player can be.

Ramón de Quintana, a center-back, holds the record for the most number of relegations as a player. Eight, to be exact - and one of them wasn't even a sporting relegation.

The Girona native graduated from CF Damm and made his first team debut with UE Figueres in the Segunda in 1991. In 1992, the team came 3rd - a record high for the club, qualifying for the promotion playoffs but losing to Cádiz. But it is there where the heroics end.

In 1993, Figueres went down on goal difference, tied with Eibar on head-to-head. Subsequently, Quintana went to La Liga club Osasuna, but was relegated again after the Navarrese club finished last.

Subsequently, de Quintana moved to Madrid's Rayo Vallecano in the Segunda, earning promotion in his first season but being relegated in his third. With his following club, CP Mérida, he would suffer two relegations in three years, although the last one in 2000 was due to financial irregularities, as the Extremadura team had finished in sixth position in division two.

In the 2000 summer, de Quintana returned to Rayo, helping the side reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in his debut season – after they had been granted a spot in the European competition via the Fair Play ranking – but was again relegated in 2002–03, after which he left at the age of 31.

De Quintana's last club was Cádiz CF, where he played for five years, winning the second tier in 2005 but being immediately relegated back. After only appearing in nine league games in the 2007–08 campaign, with the Andalusians dropping to Segunda División B, he retired from football at the age of 36, amassing totals of 458 matches and 14 goals in 17 professional seasons.

His luck as a manager seems to be going the same way - he was Recre's assistant as they finished eighth in the 2013-14 Segunda, but his success with Sergi Barjuán ends there. In April 2015, Sergi was appointed manager of Almería with Quintana his assistant, but they were relegated from La Liga.

The fate of the clubs after Ramón left them seems to show signs of bad luck too - UE Figueres never returned to the Segunda, were literally made to disappear by an investor and had to start all over again in the ninth division, Osasuna took six seasons to return to La Liga, CP Mérida were relegated to the Tercera in 2000 but never played again, Rayo went on to suffer a consecutive relegation and returned to La Liga after an eight year absence, and Cádiz have only played two Segunda seasons since 2008.

Moreover, Recreativo were relegated the very next season and underwent serious economic problems, for which they had to organize a campaign to raise money (Liberos del Decano), and Almería nearly got relegated consecutively the following season, and are fighting relegation right now.

Funny how a center-back who has scored some of the most important goals for teams in La Liga and the Segunda will forever be known for taking teams down with him.



This article is reproduced from a series on the faces of Spanish football. You can read it here.


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الاثنين، 27 مارس 2017

Barcelona B in Strong Position to Earn Promotion

Five points clear at the top of their group

Barcelona B are in a good position to win their group in Segunda Division B, the third tier of Spanish football, giving them a spot in the playoffs that could result in promotion back into the second tier.

That’s because they’re 5 points clear at the top after a run of good results, most recently and perhaps most notably, a 4-0 thrashing of third-place Valencia Mestalla.

Meanwhile, second-place Alcoyano lost to relegation scrappers AE Prat, and have the opposite feel about them overall: while Barcelona B are beaming with confidence, Alcoyano are sinking.

While winning the group doesn’t mean automatic promotion, it gets you in the group winners’ playoffs. Teams placed second through fourth still get a chance to earn promotion, but it’s a much more treacherous path.

The four group winners are drawn into two ties, two legs each. The winners of each tie are promoted.

Meanwhile, the second, third, and fourth place finishers of each group play round robin ties as well. The group winners who lost their ties are parachuted down into these playoffs, and eventually, two of those 18 teams are also promoted.

The system is a bit complicated but the key takeaway is that winning your group spares you a lot of trouble, and even if you lose your initial tie you get a chance at redemption. No such luxury exists for the runners-up.

Barcelona B are on their way to that easier path, thanks to a team that’s a mix of serviceable players and young promises managed by Gerard López.

They’re stable at the back and have an impressive goalkeeper, Jose Suarez. He’s being talked about as Barcelona’s third choice keeper next season if Jordi Masip leaves.

He’s protected by a back four that includes Sergi Palencia, who captains the team, and Marlon, a prospect that has gotten his debut for the first team already.

In midfield, the man to watch is Carles Aleñá. He is considered one of the best prospects at Barcelona at the moment.

Upfront, it’s a group effort as Dani Romera, Marc Cardona and Alberto Perea all score a fairly even share of the goals.

This team was built with promotion in mind, trying to balance young stars with players who are good for the division even if they don’t have a future as first team members. They’re well on their way to their goal, but it’s far from assured.



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FC Barcelona News: 27 March 2017; Robert Fernandez Talks Hector Bellerin, Camp Nou Set for Milestone

One more win to make it 800 at the Camp Nou | FC Barcelona
The Camp Nou is a sanctuary for blaugranas and in the next league match against Sevilla the Catalans could secure their 800th home Liga victory. Since Barça’s current stadium was inaugurated almost sixty years ago the fans have witnessed 1,056 first division matches and have been able to celebrate a win in 75.66% of them. That translates into 799 wins, 164 draws and 93 defeats.

Andalusian triple-header: Granada, Sevilla and Málaga | FC Barcelona
Andalusia. The hottest and most southernmost region of the Iberian Peninsula, and perhaps the region that’s most in keeping with the typical image that outsiders have of Spain, with its flamenco, bullfighting, Moorish architecture and sun-soaked beaches.

'Neymar is better than Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi' - Milan legend Costacurta | Goal
Neymar, though, has been billed as their equal for some time now, with the Brazilian fulfilling the potential that he showed in his younger years. He has become as important to Barca as any other member of their star-studded squad, with big performances delivered on the grandest of stages.

Bringing Hector Bellerin to Barcelona 'very difficult' - Robert Fernandez | ESPN
Asked about the possibility of Barca signing Bellerin, who joined Arsenal in 2011 from Barca's youth team, Fernandez said. "Of course Hector is a good player. He is well known. He is playing at a great level but there are also other players that have good characteristics."

Isco hits out at media 'invention' after being linked with Barcelona | ESPN
Real Madrid playmaker Isco said the media "have to invent things" after reports suggested he could join Barcelona on a free transfer next year. Isco, 24, has just over 12 months left on his contract and indicated that he will consider his future at the end of the season amid a lack of regular playing time.

Real Sociedad's Eusebio Sacristan not interested in Barcelona manager job | ESPN
Real Sociedad boss Eusebio Sacristan has said he would turn down the chance to succeed Luis Enrique as coach of Barcelona, where he spent seven years as a player. Eusebio is among four former Barcelona players shortlisted by El Mundo Deportivo to succeed Luis Enrique, who will step down at the end of the season.

Monaco's Kylian Mbappe will join Real Madrid, Barcelona eventually - Fabinho | ESPN
Kylian Mbappe will move to a club like Real Madrid or Barcelona at some point in his career, according to his Monaco teammate Fabinho.Mbappe, 18, has caught the eye this season after scoring 19 goals for Monaco, with a host of Europe's top sides reportedly interested in signing him this summer.



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الأحد، 26 مارس 2017

FC Barcelona News: 26 March 2017; Barcelona B Hammer Valencia Mestalla, Juvenil A Crowned Champions

Barcelona to honour Johan Cruyff with Nou Camp statue | Sky Sports
The Dutch great, who won 13 trophies during his time playing and managing the club, died a year ago from lung cancer. Barcelona unveiled a series of planned tributes on Saturday and as well as building a "commemorative sculpture" they revealed will name a new stadium at their training complex in memory of the man who helped them to their first European Cup.

Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'The Barça-Cruyff story will last forever' | FC Barcelona
On Saturday at the Auditori 1899 the Club and the Cruyff family presented the memorial events planned for Johan Cruyff. Josep Maria Bartomeu, Jordi Cardoner and Jordi Cruyff, representing the family, spoke glowingly about the agreements reached to help honour the Dutch legend.

Final sprint for LaLiga title with four teams in the mix | FC Barcelona
We are into the LaLiga run-in. After 28 fixtures FC Barcelona are in second place on 63 points, two points behind the league leaders. Therefore, in Barça’s last ten league fixtures they will play half of them at the Camp Nou and the other half away from home. The blaugranas still have two games against direct rivals Sevilla and Real Madrid.

Which footballers have played for Barça and Juventus? | FC Barcelona
There have been nine players who have turned out for the two Champions League quarter finalists, from Michael Laudrup right through to Dani Alves.

VIDEO: Tic-tac-toe, Barça style | FC Barcelona
There never a dull moment at Barça training sessions, and aside from more traditional exercises, the coaching staff also organise all kinds of activities that are designed to encourage team-work, quick reflexes and strategic thinking. We’ve got a great one for you in this video. It’s tic-tac-toe (or ‘noughts and crosses’ if you prefer). But with a difference. No pens. No paper. It’s a football pitch with Messi, Piqué and Neymar taking on Iniesta, Sergio and Denis.

València Mestalla 0-4 Barça B: Big win in top of the table clash | FC Barcelona
Barça B made a huge statement with a 4-0 win away to third placed Valencia Mestalla on Saturday thanks to goals from Alberto Perea, Gumbau (penalty), Marc Cardona and Martínez. It wasn’t all good news though, for goalkeeper José Suárez got hurt saving a Eugeni strike after 21 minutes and was replaced by Varo for the rest of the game – just the second experience for the youngster in the reserve team nets.

U19A crowned champions of División de Honor | FC Barcelona
Barça are champions of División de Honor Group 3 following a 1-1 draw against Cornellá at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. They are the first academy team who have won the title this season. Gabri Garcia’s team could potentially add another three trophies before the season is up as they are into the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League against Salzburg, and are still in the Champions Cup and the Copa del Rey.



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Round-Up: Rafinha, Denis Suarez, Coutinho and more.

السبت، 25 مارس 2017

FC Barcelona News: 25 March 2017; Internationals Star in Qualifiers, Barcelona to Name Stadium After Johan Cruyff

Triple victory in Friday's international matches | FC Barcelona
The Barça players in action today all started for their national teams and won all three of their qualification matches for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta, with the Lopetegui’s Spanish national team, Rakitic with Croatia and Arda Turan with Turkey were all in action. All six of them started and a lot of them played the full 90 minutes.

Lionel Messi court date three days prior to Barcelona-Real Madrid Clasico | ESPN
Spain's supreme court scheduled a hearing for the appeal of Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father against a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud on April 20, three days before the Catalan club are to play Real Madrid in the Clasico, Spain media reports.

The stadium at the Ciutat Esportiva will be named after Johan Cruyff | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and the family of Johan Cruyff, represented by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, first vice-president Jordi Cardoner, and Johan’s son Jordi Cruyff, appeared at a ceremony this morning in the Auditori 1899 to publicly announce the mutually agreed actions to forever honour the memory of a man who was both a Barça player and manager, and is now and eternally will be a club legend.

A year without Johan Cruyff | FC Barcelona
On 24 March 2016, the world was stunned by the news of Johan Cruyff’s death. From the moment that his family announced the loss, expressions of grief started coming in from every corner of the planet. Barça was bidding a final farewell to one of the most important figures in its history, and the football world was losing one of the greatest players and managers of all time. The Flying Dutchman, as he was known in his playing days in Catalonia, changed the way we see football.

Horacio and Johan: The Documentary | FC Barcelona
The documentary, directed by Johan Kramer, provides a series of unseen images of Cruyff’s time in Barcelona as a player and it even has some photos from a mostly unknown trip to the Catalan capital before his time here as a player and coach.

FC Barcelona statement concerning TV3's incorrect information | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona roundly dismiss having requested permission to speak to Athletic Club's coach Ernesto Valverde over the future vacancy at FC Barcelona as was stated by Televisió de Catalunya. The Club also deny that their Technical Secretary Robert Fernández had any contact with Ernesto Valverde in the last few days to negotiate his arrival at FC Barcelona.

The Neverending Rondo, starring Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto | FC Barcelona
While the lion’s share of Barça’s international stars have been jetting off to foreign lands for a 10-day hiatus and a mélange of friendlies and World Cup qualifiers with their respective national squads, the homebodies who stuck around have continued training — and enjoying themselves, too, like during the run-up to February’s La Liga match against Atlético Madrid.

What is Neymar's net worth and how much does the Barcelona star earn? | FC Barcelona
Neymar might not have even touched the halfway point in his footballing career but is already among the best-paid and most marketable athletes on the planet. The Barcelona star only turned 25 last month and has scored over 200 goals at club level and another 51 for his country, recently signing a lucrative new contract at the club he joined as the most in-demand player in world football back in 2013.

Barcelona deny Rafinha will leave amid reported Arsenal, Liverpool interest | ESPN
Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has played down speculation that Rafinha will leave for a new club this summer. El Mundo Deportivo claims on Friday that Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus are all interested in the Brazil international midfielder, while pointing out that no offers have been made yet.



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الجمعة، 24 مارس 2017

What’s the Deal With Barcelona President Meeting With Tottenham Hotspur Coach Mauricio Pochettino?

Was it just a friendly meeting?

Josep Maria Bartomeu met with Tottenham Hotspur coach Mauricio Pochettino at a restaurant in Barcelona, amid conflicting rumors about whether he is being considered as a potential replacement for Luis Enrique.

Pochettino has been mentioned by some as having an outside shot of getting the Barcelona job, and this meeting has probably made his betting odds get even stronger.

But Mundo Deportivo says the meeting was a coincidence. Both men just happened to be there and, since they know each other, spoke cordially.

Pochettino does not meet the only requirement Barcelona have revealed publicly for getting the job: having “Barça DNA.”

In fact, he has almost the opposite DNA. Pochettino played for and managed crosstown rivals Espanyol.

So, will Poch manage Barça? It’s possible, maybe, but it doesn’t look especially likely even after the meeting.



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Barcelona Tactics: Should Jordi Alba Get More Time in Midfield?

Alba seems to be itching to play, but where does he fit in the 3-4-3?

Jordi Alba has dropped hints he’s not exactly happy with being left out of the starting XI as Barcelona have switched to a 3-4-3 formation. But regardless of form, there is a good reason for his exclusion: he doesn’t quite fit the new system, which eliminated his natural position from the teamsheet.

Luis Enrique has used Alba primarily as a left-sided centerback in this formation, though more than that, Alba has just been on the bench.

As a center-back, Alba covers a lot of territory but he’s clearly not as good in the air or as solid defensively in general as the man he replaces, Samuel Umtiti.

Alba is used to starting, and in a 4-3-3 he probably does still, but in a 3-4-3, he’s a poor fit. Lucho prefers Umtiti, and on occasion has even preferred Jeremy Mathieu AND Lucas Digne to the flying squirrel in that left-sided CB spot.

So does Alba have a role in the team beyond occasional ill-fitting LCB?

Maybe he needs to play as a midfielder more often - essentially, as an Andres Iniesta substitute. It’s a new role, but one that perhaps suits him better in the 3-4-3 formation.

Sergi Roberto has moved from right-back to midfield, which has made him a bit more comfortable. OK, midfield was always his preferred spot, but it shows you that the switch isn’t that radical.

Alba is a good passer and his stamina and speed can help Barcelona in transitions. Of course he’s no Iniesta, but he does bring something different to the role in that he is blazing fast. Considering Barcelona have sometimes been overrun on counters, a player with good recovery speed could be a help.

The sub for Iniesta lately has been André Gomes quite often, and he’s not exactly lighting the world on fire (though he did bag his first goal in the last game.)

Alba is not a particularly great defender, he’s more of an offensive-minded fullback. And his aerial ability compared to Mathieu or Umtiti is like comparing a crop duster to a bomber. That’s especially a concern considering how many goals Barcelona have been shipping on corners lately. No, having taller players is not as important as organizing better, but hey, taller players do make a big difference.

The left side of defense in a three-man line doesn’t seem to suit Jordi at all, and it suits Mathieu, Digne, and most especially Umtiti much better.

Granted, the midfield is already packed with great quantity if not great quality, but some competition wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.



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الخميس، 23 مارس 2017

Barcelona in For Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez - Report

What are the chances of this happening?

Strap in, folks, because we’re about to get a lot of rumors as it seems Barcelona’s management is starting to rev up plans for the upcoming transfer window.

This one comes from Diario Sport: Barcelona are keen on Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez for next summer.

Last year, FC Barcelona apparently were interested in the Algerian-born winger, but Leicester asked for a fortune and the Catalans backed off.

Mahrez could be back on the market, though he won’t be cheap. Sport says that despite Mahrez having a bit of an off year, Barcelona expect he will command a price in the range of 35 to 40 million euros.

Barcelona may be in for a winger who has good one v. one skills, and Mahrez could fit the bill.

Leicester will not let him go cheaply, but the player himself may want the move. He’s been pictured wearing Barcelona shirts and has praised the team in the past. That could make a difference as well.



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Barcelona B 2013/14: Where Are They Now? (Part 2 - Centre-backs)

Barcelona B have faltered since finishing 3rd in La Segunda in 2013/14. Here, we take a look at how the centre-backs of that squad has fared since then.

There has been much consternation over the state of La Masia and the perilous path youth players dream of walking from Mini Estadi to Camp Nou. The last great Barça B side - which finished 3rd in the 2013/14 Segunda División - contained a plethora of highly-rated youngsters. In five parts, I'll take a look at how players of that year's Barça B squad have fared since then. In part two, we'll review the centrebacks of that squad.

Edgar Ié


A €1.75m signing from Sporting CP's Alcochete academy in 2012, much was expected from Edgar Ié. The former Portuguese youth international made 13 appearances, providing 1 assist, in 2013/14. He had spent the first half of that season struggling with muscle injuries. Little was seen from Ié since debuting in the Copa del Rey in December 2014 for then-first team coach Tata Martino.

After his release from Barça B, Edgar Ié joined Villarreal B. Released eighteen months after signing a three-year deal, Ié joined Portuguese Primeira Liga outfit Belenenses in December 2016.

Sergi Gómez

Sergi Gómez was regarded as one of the more promising centrebacks during his time in La Masia. Joining La Masia at the age of fourteen, Gómez steadily rose through the age groups. With just a handful of games in his first professional season (2009/10), the Catalan defender gradually became important to the team. He made his first team debut under Pep Guardiola, playing the full ninety minutes in a 3-1 away defeat to Sevilla in the 2010 Spanish Super Cup. In 2013/14, Gómez made 36 appearances, providing 1 assist. Most impressively, he only had 2 yellow cards to his name that season.


With Spain, Gómez was part of the bronze-winning side at the U17 World Cup in 2009, and the U19 side which won the 2011 U19 European Championships. After a lack of first team opportunities, the former Spain youth international left Mini Estadi for Galician side Celta de Vigo in 2014. Sergi Gómez has since established himself as a regular for Celta.

Macky Bagnack

Another product of the partnership with the Samuel Eto'o Foundation, Macky Bagnack joined La Masia in 2008, at the age of thirteen. His promotion to Barça B came ahead of the 2012/13 season. The Cameroonian made 24 appearances in 2013/14, scoring once and incurring 7 yellows, playing a rather major role in the team's defence.
In January 2016, Macky Bagnack rescinded his Barça contract to join French side FC Nantes. After six months in the Nantes reserve side, he returned to Spain, signing for Real Zaragoza in the Segunda División. He is currently a first team squad player in Zaragoza.

Sergio Juste

Sergio Juste spent seven years with Gimnàstic de Tarragona after leaving La Masia, at the age of ten. His path in football came full circle upon signing for Barça B as a 20-year-old in 2012. His three-year deal included a 12m release clause. Juste missed the whole 2012/13 season through injury. In August 2013, he suffered an ACL tear which mean he ended the campaign with just a handful of minutes and what was his belated debut for Barça B. In August 2014, Juste was named as captain of Barça B despite making one appearance in two years.
Sergio Juste, also known by the moniker Chechi, left Barça B in 2016. He is currently a regular in the Segunda División B with another Catalan side, Hospitalet.

Sergio Ayala

Sergio Ayala was converted by former Masia coach Sergi Barjuan from an attacker to a defender whilst under his tutelage at Juvenil B level. After joining La Masia aged 11 in 2001, Ayala was promoted to Barça B after signing a new contract in 2012. He spent 2012/13 and 2013/14 on loan at Alavés and Valencia Mestalla respectively, playing no part in the achievements of the 2013/14 season with Barça B. He joined Valencia Mestalla on a free transfer after his loan deal ended in 2014. He currently plies his trade for Valencia's B side.

Robert Costa

Aged 12, Robert Costa joined La Masia in 2006. After seven years with the various age groups, Costa was promoted to Barça B ahead of the 2013/14 season. He was immediately loaned down a division to Segunda División B side Badalona, hence not featuring a single minute in what was a fantastic season for Barça B. After a lack of progression opportunities at Barça, Robert Costa signed for Celta de Vigo in 2016. He currently plays for Celta B.



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FC Barcelona News: 23 March 2017; Marc-Andre ter Stegen Holds Clean Sheet, Former Barca President Dies

Germany 1 England 0: Lukas Podolski bows out with signature thunderbolt to light up his final match | Telegraph
New England; old Germany. Gareth Southgate’s first game in charge after being appointed England’s permanent manager ended in defeat, a loss inflicted by Lukas Podolski who scored his 49th and final goal as he retired from international football.

Messi, Mascherano and Neymar in action in South American qualifying | FC Barcelona
The marathon that is the South American qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia judders back into action on Thursday evening with three Barça players potentially involved. In the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, venue for the first ever World Cup final back in 1930, a Uruguay side without the suspended Luis Suárez take on a Brazil side led by Barça striker Neymar.

Barça and the I-95 corridor are already well-acquainted | FC Barcelona
The orderly calendar of events for this summer moves along, quite fittingly, from north to south, with sojourns in America’s financial capital (New York), its political capital (Washington, D.C.), and its beach/nightlife capital (Miami), where a date with history awaits as Barça and Real Madrid will go toe-to-toe in the first ever El Clásico held on U.S. soil.

Former FC Barcelona president Agustí Montal dies | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona expresses its sorrow for the death of Agustí Montal Costa (1934-2017), president of the club between 1969 and 1977, who left us on Wednesday at 82 years of age. FC Barcelona wishes to convey its deepest condolences to the family, with whom they are sharing these moments of pain, along with members, supporters of the Club and the world of football.

FC Barcelona will open a memorial on Friday in memory of Agustí Montal | FC Barcelona
Following the death of former FC Barcelona President Augustí Montal, the Club has announced that a viewing will be held at the Les Corts Funeral Home on Wednesday at 6.00pm CET. The funeral will be on Thursday at 1.00pm CET at Saint Vincent's Church in Sarrià.



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Barcelona Star Wants to Play in Major League Soccer

Busquets also said he could coach Barcelona one day.

Sergio Busquets has revealed that he would like to play in Major League Soccer one day, in an interview with Spanish radio station COPE.

The Barcelona midfielder was asked if he thought about one day playing in Qatar, the United States, or China. Busquets said: "As things stand today, I would like to go to the United States later on in my career."

He also said he spoke with David Villa, an ex teammate who now plays for New York City FC. "He loves it there, it's going very well for him."

Speaking of future plans, Busquets said his former teammate Xavi would one day coach Barcelona, though perhaps after Busquets’s own retirement.

He also said to have Xavi as general manager, Gerard Pique as president, and Busquets himself as coach "wouldn't be bad, right?"



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Bayern Munich Star Rejects Barcelona Transfer, Reports Catalan Radio

The door may have just been shut.

Barcelona were keen on getting Thiago Alcantara back from Bayern Munich, but they may have just been shut down, at least according to SER Catalunya.

According to their show La Graderia, Barcelona has gotten in touch with Thiago, but the player has informed them he doesn’t want to return and in fact, is poised to renew with Bayern.

Thiago’s contract runs out in 2019, but if it were extended, the chances of a return would drop considerably.

Thiago’s situation was fumbled by Barcelona in 2013, as they did not play him often enough to prevent a clause in his contract from being activated which temporarily lowered his buyout fee.

Bayern pounced, and the rest is history.

Some still wonder if there is a chance at a return given his brother, Rafinha Alcantara, still plays at the Camp Nou. Until there is formal news about a renewal, fans will hope...



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Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin Drops FC Barcelona Transfer Hint

Bellerin seems open to a move.

Arsenal fullback Hector Bellerin, a Barcelona native and former La Masia graduate, has dropped the biggest hint yet that he’s ready to move back home.

"It's nice there are a lot of big clubs that are interested in me, but if one of those is Barcelona that's special,” he told Sport. “I don't forget I grew up there and I will never forget my stay at Barcelona."

Bellerin played eight years in the Barcelona youth system, before joining Arsenal in 2011. He has emerged as an important part of the Gunners’ starting XI.

"Any player would have interest in Barcelona. They are the best club in the world and that is something really special," he said, in a later interview to Mundo Deportivo. "The fact that I grew up in Barcelona's academy also gives the idea even more a bit of being special.”

Drama surrounds the Emirates Stadium as longtime manager Arsene Wenger could be on his way out.

Bellerin seems very much #WengerIn, saying: “The loyalty one has to Wenger is worth more than money, it is something that is very important for me. And him being there carries a lot of weight for me.”

If Wenger leaves, does that open up a door for Barcelona, even if Bellerin is on a long-term contract?



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الأربعاء، 22 مارس 2017

Barcelona Target Marco Verratti’s Agent Hints at Possible PSG Exit

“He has to make a decision.”

Barcelona continue their hunt for a world class midfielder, and today we see an encouraging sign from the agent of one of the top targets, Marco Verratti.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the Paris Saint-Germain player’s agent, Donato Di Campli, talked about his client’s future. And he couldn’t have put it in more stark terms: “He wants to win and with PSG as they are, he cannot win.”

Woof! Do you think the 6-1 lingers in his mind?

“He’s been in Paris for five years and now has to make a decision,” Di Campli continued, “to earn a lot without winning or earn and become a champion?”

Considering PSG won Ligue 1 four times, as well as various other domestic cups, in Verratti’s time, this clearly is referencing the Champions League.

“It’s not a question of money – anyone who buys Verratti would be paying a lot,” Di Campli said. “Because at least one thing for sure – he leaves PSG, it will be for a top European club.”

What big club would that be? Well, certainly Barcelona would be in the mix, as would Chelsea...



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The Goleadores: Barcelona vs. Valencia, La Liga 2016-2017

Inefficiency in set plays again hurt us, and could be a major problem in upcoming games.

I was elated when Mangala scored for Valencia off a set piece. Trust me, there's nothing I want more that for Barcelona to win every single match they play, but I needed that set-piece goal against us to happen. The reason being that the cynical in me needed at least one more instance of screwing up before finally admitting that this team is, without a doubt, one of the worst I've ever seen when it comes to set plays. I've been stewing over this for a while now, and Mangala's goal allows me to validly discuss it in this article. It isn't really a problem of height either, as two of our tallest players are the worst offenders. Busquets and Pique are regularly awful at heading the ball. And I'm not just arguing they're awful just on set-pieces, but all around.

I've seen Pique, more than once, be completely alone and primed to head a ball coming his way, only to then do some weak-ass finicky clearance that usually ends up being a flop going to the other team instead of the start of a good counter for us. Busquets is no better. Basically, the only tall player that excels at heading the ball in any situation is Umtiti. Shocker. Dude is basically good at everything he does. Coaches have come and gone, but none has been able to really fix the whole set-piece situation. Is it just terrible coaching? Or maybe the coaches have the tactical acumen but lack the player talent? We've already seen set plays harm this team on more than one occasion this season in important scenarios.

The other side of the set-pieces is what we could be doing with them; the offensive side of the whole deal. It really grinds my gears how inadequate this team is at corners. Because of our style of heavy attacking play, we usually get a hefty number of corners per game... anyone remember the last time we scored one? On average, Barcelona get 6.46 corners per game in La Liga. Since that’s an average it means that some games have more, some less. But say you only scored one goal out of every six chances, in 28 games you would have already scored around 26.88 goals more. And that’s just corners. I absolutely detest the player, think of that what you will, but look at Sergio Ramos’ set-piece scoring and what a valuable weapon that is. How many games were Madrid on the edge of losing or tying before a set-piece goal from this dude? None other more infuriating than the one against us in the first Clásico.

Irish Goat’s Gamboling Goleadores!

1st Goleador: Messi

Had a bit of a slow start but then settled in and started tearing Valencia apart. We were again treated to another magical performance from this man. Although this game was important to keep pressure on in La Liga, players seemed to be having fun out there and making tremendous, entertaining plays and passes, the center of which was mostly this genius.

2nd Goleador: Iniesta

If he plays every remaining game this season as he played this one, then if I were an opposing player I would be terrified every time Iniesta had possession. What vision. Truly breathtaking.

3rd Goleador: Sergi Roberto

Y’all thought I was kidding, didn’t cha? HALL PASS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. I don’t care what he does.

Visca Barça!



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Spanish Journalist: Barcelona Have Made an Offer to Real Madrid’s Isco Alarcon

Diego Torres on RAC1 dropped a bombshell.

Barcelona have made an offer to Real Madrid midfielder Isco Alarcon, according to influential Madrid-based journalist Diego Torres on radio station RAC1, a pretty reliable Catalan radio station.

However, Torres said Isco has not yet decided whether to accept or not.

We have seen several rumors linking Isco to Barcelona over the past few weeks, and while any Madrid-Barcelona transfer is complicated, this one could be picking up steam. Supposedly, he would cost 35 million euro.

Isco doesn’t play as much as he wants to at Madrid, and it has been the case for a while now. His contract is up in 2018, meaning Madrid will be eager not to lose him for free.

Could he be the heir to Andres Iniesta? Or is it too difficult to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Luis Enrique and go from Madrid to Barcelona?



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FC Barcelona News: 22 March 2017; 2017 Preseason Tour Finalized, Training Continues Without Internationals

FC Barcelona to make 2017 preseason tour to the USA | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will face Juventus, Manchester United, and Real Madrid in the fifth edition of the International Champions Cup (ICC) United States, a competition organized by Relevant Sports. Both the matchups and their respective dates were announced this Tuesday in an event held in New York, where the Club was represented by former player Juliano Belletti, as well as by Francesco Calvo, FC Barcelona’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Leo Messi scores 40 goals for eighth year running | FC Barcelona
The goals from Leo Messi keep coming thick and fast, and his latest pair in the 4-2 defeat of Valencia on Sunday mean that he has now achieved the incredible record of registering braces in 100 different games for Barcelona. And, of course, that’s not counting the times when he has scored three or more, of which there have been plenty!

Training continues without internationals | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona continued training on Wednesday, despite the absence of a large number of the squad due to the international break.With so many away with their respective countries' duties, Luis Enrique oversaw the session with the remaining available first-teamers as well as Barça B contingent Varo, Marlon, Kaptoum, Carbonell and Cardona.

Robert Fernández to decide next FC Barcelona coach | FC Barcelona
Barça are focused on the final few months of the league campaign and behind the scenes work is also going on with regards to the Club’s future. The technical secretary for the first team Robert Fernández spoke to Catalan radio station SER Catalunya on Monday where he touched on the topic of Barça’s next coach following the departure of Luis Enrique at the end of the season and contract extensions for key members of the squad.

Sergio Busquets confident Barcelona will pick right Luis Enrique replacement | ESPN
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is confident the club will find the right man to replace coach Luis Enrique this summer. El Mundo Deportivo reported on Wednesday that former Barca players Ernesto Valverde, Juan Carlos Unzue, Ronald Koeman and Eusebio Sacristan are the final contenders to succeed Luis Enrique and that the Catalan club will not make a decision until next month.

Neymar slammed as ‘greatest actor in football’ in bizarre dig from opponent | Eurosport
Neymar may be part of the famous MSN strikeforce at Barcelona, but he should also be in a stage show, according to a defender he has come up against over the years. Celtic’s Mikael Lustig told reporters while on international duty with Sweden exactly what he thought of the Brazilian, whose antics infuriated him during a Champions League clash between the two sides in November 2016.

WATCH: Ronaldinho's goals & skills for Barcelona | Sky Sports
Barcelona legend Ronaldinho turned 37 on Tuesday. To celebrate his birthday, we've compiled some of his best goals and skills. The flamboyant forward scored 70 goals in 145 league appearances for Barcelona between 2003 and 2008. But focusing on the numbers would only serve to ignore the Brazilian's flair.

Best five goals of the week from the FC Barcelona Academy | FC Barcelona
U14A squad member Marc Pelaz scored a great effort in his team’s 5-2 win over Gavà. In the same game Alejandro Ginard also came up with another gem to add to this weekend’s list. The U10A side got in on the act with a goal from Lamine Yamal in the 7-1 victory over Manresa. Dani Romero from Barça B made his contribution with a well taken effort in the 4-0 win over Llagostera with Joel Roca from the U12B squad rounding off the quintet with his strike in the 3-2 win over Damm.



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الثلاثاء، 21 مارس 2017

Is Jordi Alba Throwing Shade at Barcelona Manager Luis Enrique?

Some interesting quotes today.

Jordi Alba isn’t playing as much as he’s used to as Luis Enrique has switched to a 3-4-3 formation.

Despite not playing in that famous 6-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain, Alba was upbeat in late February, saying: “The relationship with Luis Enrique is the same as always. We've had three wonderful years with him. He's clear with all the players. He is the best coach Barcelona can have right now. I stand until death with Luis Enrique.”

But he’s only featured in three of the last six games, and things could be changing. There were rumors on Cadena COPE, the radio station in Spain, that Alba was miffed.

And today we might have gotten the closest thing to an actual implied barb from Alba to his manager.

At a sponsor event, the defender said: "I'm not having minutes at Barcelona like I would like, and to come to the national team, and having the confidence of the manager Julen Lopetegui gives me strength.”

And then adding: "In the national team, I do what I do with Barça, but it's true, I do it with something extra because I notice the 100% confidence the coaching staff has in me.”

Is this a comment aimed at Luis Enrique?



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FC Barcelona News: 21 March 2017; El Clasico Kickoff Date Confirmed, Internationals Set to Begin Action

The Clásico to be played on Sunday 23 April at 8.45pm CET | FC Barcelona
The next El Clásico now has an official kick-off time. The meeting between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will take place on Sunday, 23 April at 8.45pm CET, coinciding with Sant Jordi’s day, the patron saint of Catalonia. The clash comes in Week 33 of La Liga and will take place in the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid.

Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta will sign new deals, says Barcelona sporting director | FC Barcelona
Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez is confident Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta will sign contract extensions. Messi's current contract expires in 2018, having last signed an extension in the summer of 2014, while Iniesta's deal also runs out at the end of next season.

Lionel Messi magic: Enrique and Pique can't bear to think of Barcelona without Argentina icon | Eurosport
Messi put Barca 2-1 up just before halftime from the penalty spot and then latched onto a pass from compatriot Javier Mascherano to slam the ball beyond Diego Alves' near post and hit his 25th league goal of the campaign.In addition, he has scored 11 times in the Champions League, four in the King's Cup and one in the Spanish Super Cup - with his tally currently standing at 41.

A closer look at Leo Messi's 100 career two-goal games | FC Barcelona
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner reached another milestone in Barça's victory over Valencia on Sunday night. Take a look at this infographic that details his century of braces, including when he achieved them, in which competitions, and the teams which have become his favourite victims

FC Barcelona’s win over Valencia, by the numbers | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona earned a 4-2 win over Valencia on Sunday evening (Highlights, Match Report), with goals from Luis Suárez, two from Leo Messi, and one at the death from former Los Che man André Gomes. The Portuguese international is now the 19th different Barça man to get on the scoresheet, leaving just Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano the only outfield players yet to get off the mark.

FC Barcelona's international brigade in action | FC Barcelona
After 28 games the domestic league in Spain comes to a halt for the fourth and final international break of the season. A total of 15 Barça players have been called up for action for a mixture of Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers and friendly fixtures. You can find all the details of who could be playing where and when [by clicking the link].



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الاثنين، 20 مارس 2017

FC Barcelona News: 20 March 2017; Barça defeat Valencia, Juventus manager linked again

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Barca tame stubborn Valencia | Football Espana
Barcelona cut their deficit on Real Madrid in La Liga back to two points with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over 10-man Valencia on Sunday.

Iniesta: Title race still alive | Football Espana
Barca closed their gap on Madrid back on two points after a return to winning ways against Valencia, and Iniesta commended his teammates for "a great game", which they controlled "at all times".

Lucho: Gomes important to Barca | Football Espana
Gomes came off the bench to round off Barca’s 4-2 victory over his former club on Sunday, prompting Enrique to declare that the Portuguese’s contribution was his "highlight" of the evening.

Defenders question Barca tactics | Football Espana
Barcelona defenders Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti have admitted their side’s new 3-4-3 formation leaves them vulnerable at the back.

Luis Enrique WAKES UP journalist who falls asleep during Barcelona press conference - Mirror Online
This is the hilarious moment Barcelona boss Luis Enrique woke up a journalist who fell asleep during his press conference.

Antoine Griezmann not ruling out playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona | Diario Sport
Antoine Griezmann came out with some surprising quotes in L'Equipe, while with the France squad. Asked about a hypothetical move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, he replied: "Why not? It's a dream to play at the biggest clubs and those two are on an equal footing with Bayern and the English sides."

Italy reports: Barcelona offer Allegri deal to replace Luis Enrique | Diario Sport
The name of Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach, as a possible subsitute for Luis Enrique, is growing with force in Italy. According to Premium Sport, the Blaugrana have made contact with the coach of the Old Lady, Barcelona's Champions League rivals.



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الأحد، 19 مارس 2017

FC Barcelona 4-2 Valencia CF, 2017 La Liga: Match Review

La Liga still on?

After having had the week to mull over the loss against Deportivo, the Blaugrana returned to La Liga action as they squared off against Valencia. Would Barça continue to build pressure on Madrid, or would they save their energy for competitions with better odds?


First Half:

Kick off.

Great attack from Barca in the opening minutes. A beautiful through ball finds Suarez who slips it between the defence towards the far post, but Gaya reaches the ball before Neymar.

Some early signs of urgency from the Catalans lead to dangerous moments which only fell short in the finish. Valencia on the other hand, seemed content to counter when they could–which wasn't saying much.

Despite ten minutes of play, and some exciting moments here and there, neither team had really impressed so far. Both teams were playing to their strengths but Barcelona had already pinned Valencia in their own half.

A great play between Suarez and Messi almost resulted in a goal at the 14th minute but Alves was calmer than ever in the box, as he held on to the ball, despite chaos.

Luis Suarez had looked exceptionally motivated in the first quarter hour of the game.

However, Valencia were not ones to sit behind quietly. After another fifteen minutes on the clock that involved erratic play, Eliaquim Mangala was the one to put the ball in the back of the net past Ter Stegen, after a wonderfully delivered cross. After plenty of chances, the Blaugrana would have been upset to have conceded.

0-1 at the Camp Nou.

Most of the chances for the Catalans had come from long balls over the defence of the Bats. However, with Centrebacks like Mangala and Garay, the home side were having trouble breaking down a well-drilled, strong defence.

Valencia began to open up in their shape after the opening half hour, where they had been compact, and would compress lines, to squeeze space out.

Moments later however, this very space would play into the hands of Barcelona as Luis Suarez used it to great effect, cutting in from the left, before burying his shot into the bottom corner from an acute angle.

1-1.

A free kick right at the edge of the box made plenty of fans nervous, as Messi got brought down by Mangala in clutter. With both Messi and Neymar standing on the ball, expectations were running high. Messi’s strike however, was a touch too strong, and his curler sneaked past Alves, for a goal-kick.

With two minutes left in the first half, Mangala tugged at Luis Suarez’s shirt in the Valencia box–the referee did not hesitate to show the Frenchman a second yellow before sending him down the tunnel.

Lionel Messi was the man to step up against Diego Alves for the penalty. While Alves had an exceptional record of saving penalties, Messi did not intend to add another accolade in the Brazilian’s ledger. A powerful penalty through the middle gave Barça the lead. calm and composed from the best player in the world.

2-1.

However, the final kick of the half, came from Munir el Haddadi as the Spanish international, and La Masia product showed brilliant composure to finish off a Gaya cross into the back of the net to equalise, before apologising to the Camp Nou in a show of respect.

2-2 at half time.

Second Half:

The half began with a change for Valencia as they brought on Abdennour on to the pitch, in order to defend with purpose, having gone down to ten men in the opening half of the match.

The Catalans were on the front-foot as expected.

A beautiful play between Iniesta and Suarez led to a good chance for Neymar, but the Brazilian’s strike was straight at Valencia’s defensive wall. The Blaugrana needed a goal, and Neymar almost came close for the second time, as he slipped past his marker with a wonderful touch, before failing to make contact with his attempted volley.

Within a minute of his previous two attempts, Neymar got another chance to score as the Brazilian found the ball at his feet in a one-on-one situation against Alves, after a miraculous Messi through-ball. Alves’ save however, was better than the Brazilian’s shot and kept the score-line intact.

Messi however, was probably unhappy about the situation, as the Argentine blasted his shot from the following play, straight past Alves into the back of the net, from a difficult angle towards the near-post to give the Catalans the lead.

3-2 for the Blaugrana. Inspired moment from Lionel Messi.

Munir el Haddadi would nearly score on the counter for the Batsw as the former Barça man found himself in acres of space. The young lad however, would fail to get past Gerard Pique, who somehow managed to use his frame against the nimble Munir. If Munir continues to display this kind of brilliance with consistency, then the forward definitely has a future at the Camp Nou.

After finally getting ahead, the Catalans began to hold Valencia hostage, as they continued to probe and tease the Bats, looking for openings in the visitor’s defence

At the hour mark, Rakitic got taken off for Sergi Roberto.

With twenty minutes on the clock the triumvirate of Neymar, Messi and Suarez nearly doubled Barça’s lead but Luis Suarez sent his strike wide. Moments later, Andre Gomes stepped onto the pitch for Rafinha, to face his former side.

The tie had settled into a steady rhythm, characterised by the home side controlling the ball, while the visitors struggled to maintain shape against Barça’s controlled play.

A free kick from Neymar nearly did the trick, as the Brazilian’s curler smashed into the goal-post for a goal-kick. The Brazilian has been earning himself quite the reputation from dead-balls this season.

Another good piece of attack, as the Brazilian directs play, setting up plenty of player’s for shots, before being the one to pull the trigger. Diego Alves however, had been brilliant all night against his country-man and this time was no different.

With two minutes of normal time left, Andre Gomes put his name on the score-sheet after a brilliant ball from Neymar. Calm finish from the Portuguese midfielder.

4-2.

The Catalans did well to play out the final moments of the game without taking their foot off the gas, till the referee blew his three pips.


In an exciting game of football, with an imposing score-line unlike the reverse fixture, the Catalans beat Valencia in convincing fashion, to bounce back from a disappointing loss last week against Deportivo.

It’s not going to be easy for the Blaugrana to catch up with Real Madrid in the league, but if this performance is a measure for anything, it is the heart of the players, and their competitive spirit.

Plenty to do still, but the Catalans will be happy with a dominant win over a quality side.

Onward and upward.



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FC Barcelona 4-2 Valencia CF, 2016/17 La Liga: Match Review

La Liga still on?

After having had the week to mull over the loss against Deportivo, the Blaugrana returned to La Liga action as they squared off against Valencia. Would Barça continue to build pressure on Madrid, or would they save their energy for competitions with better odds?


First Half:

Kick off.

Great attack from Barca in the opening minutes. A beautiful through ball finds Suarez who slips it between the defence towards the far post, but Gaya reaches the ball before Neymar.

Some early signs of urgency from the Catalans lead to dangerous moments which only fell short in the finish. Valencia on the other hand, seemed content to counter when they could–which wasn't saying much.

Despite ten minutes of play, and some exciting moments here and there, neither team had really impressed so far. Both teams were playing to their strengths but Barcelona had already pinned Valencia in their own half.

A great play between Suarez and Messi almost resulted in a goal at the 14th minute but Alves was calmer than ever in the box, as he held on to the ball, despite chaos.

Luis Suarez had looked exceptionally motivated in the first quarter hour of the game.

However, Valencia were not ones to sit behind quietly. After another fifteen minutes on the clock that involved erratic play, Eliaquim Mangala was the one to put the ball in the back of the net past Ter Stegen, after a wonderfully delivered cross. After plenty of chances, the Blaugrana would have been upset to have conceded.

0-1 at the Camp Nou.

Most of the chances for the Catalans had come from long balls over the defence of the Bats. However, with Centrebacks like Mangala and Garay, the home side were having trouble breaking down a well-drilled, strong defence.

Valencia began to open up in their shape after the opening half hour, where they had been compact, and would compress lines, to squeeze space out.

Moments later however, this very space would play into the hands of Barcelona as Luis Suarez used it to great effect, cutting in from the left, before burying his shot into the bottom corner from an acute angle.

1-1.

A free kick right at the edge of the box made plenty of fans nervous, as Messi got brought down by Mangala in clutter. With both Messi and Neymar standing on the ball, expectations were running high. Messi’s strike however, was a touch too strong, and his curler sneaked past Alves, for a goal-kick.

With two minutes left in the first half, Mangala tugged at Luis Suarez’s shirt in the Valencia box–the referee did not hesitate to show the Frenchman a second yellow before sending him down the tunnel.

Lionel Messi was the man to step up against Diego Alves for the penalty. While Alves had an exceptional record of saving penalties, Messi did not intend to add another accolade in the Brazilian’s ledger. A powerful penalty through the middle gave Barça the lead. calm and composed from the best player in the world.

2-1.

However, the final kick of the half, came from Munir el Haddadi as the Spanish international, and La Masia product showed brilliant composure to finish off a Gaya cross into the back of the net to equalise, before apologising to the Camp Nou in a show of respect.

2-2 at half time.

Second Half:

The half began with a change for Valencia as they brought on Abdennour on to the pitch, in order to defend with purpose, having gone down to ten men in the opening half of the match.

The Catalans were on the front-foot as expected.

A beautiful play between Iniesta and Suarez led to a good chance for Neymar, but the Brazilian’s strike was straight at Valencia’s defensive wall. The Blaugrana needed a goal, and Neymar almost came close for the second time, as he slipped past his marker with a wonderful touch, before failing to make contact with his attempted volley.

Within a minute of his previous two attempts, Neymar got another chance to score as the Brazilian found the ball at his feet in a one-on-one situation against Alves, after a miraculous Messi through-ball. Alves’ save however, was better than the Brazilian’s shot and kept the score-line intact.

Messi however, was probably unhappy about the situation, as the Argentine blasted his shot from the following play, straight past Alves into the back of the net, from a difficult angle towards the near-post to give the Catalans the lead.

3-2 for the Blaugrana. Inspired moment from Lionel Messi.

Munir el Haddadi would nearly score on the counter for the Batsw as the former Barça man found himself in acres of space. The young lad however, would fail to get past Gerard Pique, who somehow managed to use his frame against the nimble Munir. If Munir continues to display this kind of brilliance with consistency, then the forward definitely has a future at the Camp Nou.

After finally getting ahead, the Catalans began to hold Valencia hostage, as they continued to probe and tease the Bats, looking for openings in the visitor’s defence

At the hour mark, Rakitic got taken off for Sergi Roberto.

With twenty minutes on the clock the triumvirate of Neymar, Messi and Suarez nearly doubled Barça’s lead but Luis Suarez sent his strike wide. Moments later, Andre Gomes stepped onto the pitch for Rafinha, to face his former side.

The tie had settled into a steady rhythm, characterised by the home side controlling the ball, while the visitors struggled to maintain shape against Barça’s controlled play.

A free kick from Neymar nearly did the trick, as the Brazilian’s curler smashed into the goal-post for a goal-kick. The Brazilian has been earning himself quite the reputation from dead-balls this season.

Another good piece of attack, as the Brazilian directs play, setting up plenty of player’s for shots, before being the one to pull the trigger. Diego Alves however, had been brilliant all night against his country-man and this time was no different.

With two minutes of normal time left, Andre Gomes put his name on the score-sheet after a brilliant ball from Neymar. Calm finish from the Portuguese midfielder.

4-2.

The Catalans did well to play out the final moments of the game without taking their foot off the gas, till the referee blew his three pips.


In an exciting game of football, with an imposing score-line unlike the reverse fixture, the Catalans beat Valencia in convincing fashion, to bounce back from a disappointing loss last week against Deportivo.

It’s not going to be easy for the Blaugrana to catch up with Real Madrid in the league, but if this performance is a measure for anything, it is the heart of the players, and their competitive spirit.

Plenty to do still, but the Catalans will be happy with a dominant win over a quality side.

Onward and upward.



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