الأربعاء، 1 فبراير 2017
Barcelona - Copa Del Rey: Atlético Madrid Are Vulnerable. That’s What Makes Them Dangerous.
Atlético are not playing up to their standard but are a huge threat.
Atlético Madrid have struggled this season. They aren’t locking the door like they used to. They’re allowing teams to come back and score multiple goals in games where they used to go 1-0 up and stifle the opposition for the rest of the match.
But make no mistake: Atlético Madrid have every chance to knock FC Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey.
Led by their brilliant coach Diego Simeone, Atlético will fight tooth and nail before submitting. They still have brilliant players like Diego Godín and Antoine Griezmann. They’re still a danger to score one goal and steal a result, especially at home.
And they may have the additional motivation that their league campaign might not ever fully recover. This could be their one shot.
Barcelona aren’t exactly lighting it up, either. They’ll have to step it up several levels to win this tie.
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2kSognc
Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona live stream: Game time, TV channels and how to watch Copa del Rey online
The Spanish Cup semi-finals begin, and it's a blockbuster match
The Copa del Rey has reached the semi-finals, and the two favorites for the Spanish Cup title will have to face off before the Final. While Celta Vigo and Deportivo Alavés feel lucky to be drawn against each other and have a much easier path to the last game, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid will be looking to kill the other over two legs in search of a trip to the title match.
These two have been some of the most consistent teams in Europe over the last five years, and have become actual rivals that fight together for all the trophies. The Blaugrana are the beautiful, attacking brand of football that tries to beat teams by playing well; the Colchoneros are a defensive machine, full of hard-working, talented players who can destroy any team with their physical play and counter-attacking power.
The first leg of this blockbuster matchup takes place at the Vicente Calderón, and Barça will be looking for some away goals to get a key advantage for next week's return match at Camp Nou.
This will be SO FUN. Don't miss it.
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 1, 2017, 9PM CET (local time), 8PM BST (UK), 3PM ET, 12PM PT (US), 1:30AM IST (India, Thursday)
Venue: Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea
Television: beIN SPORTS (USA, Canada); Gol (Spain), other listings at LiveSoccerTV
Online Streaming: beIN SPORTS CONNECT, FuboTV (USA, Canada)
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2kVRpNQ
Barcelona Secure Loan of Ezekiel Bassey, Nigerian Winger for the B Team
This is the second signing Barcelona make in the window.
After signing Santiago Bueno, Barcelona have made another move for another highly rated international prospect. This time it’s Ezekiel Bassey, a 20-year-old Nigerian winger, who is being loaned in to earn his place in the B team.
Bassey comes from Enyimba International F.C., one of the Nigerian Premier League’s top teams. He caught the eye of Catalan scouts during a tour the Nigerian league organized. Nigerian all-stars played friendlies against Spanish teams in Europe.
He has been compared to Bayern Munich's Douglas Costa and will become the fourth Nigerian to play for Barcelona, after Emmanuel Amunike, Gbenga Okunowo and Haruna Babangid.
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2jXYuzD
OFFICIAL: Barcelona Sign CA Peñarol Defender Santiago Bueno
He will play in the youth set up.
Barcelona have secured the signing of 18-year-old Uruguayan defender Santiago Bueno. The cost of the transfer will be €1 million, plus variables if the player continues to progress.
Bueno will join Barcelona once he finishes the South American Youth Championship in Ecuador.
He did not feature regularly for the first team at CA Peñarol, therefore this is a signing entirely for the future.
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2kRY2l3
FC Barcelona News: 1 February 2017; 18 in squad for Atlético Madrid trip, Barça sign two players on Deadline Day
A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors
Match Preview: Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Following months of mid-week competition that has whittled what was once a vast sea of 83 Copa del Rey participants down to just four, the two biggest clubs still afloat square off twice in a six-day stretch, when a pair of domestic heavyweights, FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, go toe to toe in a bid to determine which one goes through to the May final.
Rafinha fit and included in cup squad but Digne out with knee trouble | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique has announced his squad for the Copa del Rey first leg on Wednesday night at Atlético Madrid (9.00pm CET) and the big news is that Rafinha has been declared fully recovered from his hamstring injury and has been included in the travelling party.
Luis Enrique says Atlético ‘one of the best teams in Europe’ | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique is in no doubt about the challenge facing his side in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético Madrid which kicks off on Wednesday at 9.00pm CET with the first leg in the Vicente Calderón. “Atlético compete marvelously and they leave you little space when they defend. We know they put you under pressure and try to win the ball back close to your own goal,” reflected the Barça coach before describing Diego Simeone’s outfit as “one of the best teams that there is in Europe.”
VIDEO: Wonderful Copa del Rey memories against Atlético Madrid at the Calderón | FC Barcelona
Barça and Atlético are no strangers to playing each other in the Spanish Cup. In fact, this is the sixteenth time that the Catalans will have made the trip to the Vicente Calderón, or the Estadio Manzanares as it was originally named, to face the red-and-whites in the knockout competition.
30 years since Gary Lineker’s hat-trick against Real Madrid - FC Barcelona
Three decades have passed since the Englishman scored all of Barça’s goals in a 3-2 Clásico win at the Camp Nou
Official: Santiago Bueno is now an FC Barcelona player
According to a statement, Santiago Bueno joins Barça until June 30 2019, with an option to extend his terms by three more years -- although there's been no confirmation of the figures involved in the deal.
Barcelona confirm the signing of Nigerian winger Ezekiel Bassey
FC Barcelona announced a second signing on Tuesday with the incorporation of Nigerian winger Ezekiel Joseph Bassey to Barça B on loan until the end of season.
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2jCihBq
Ter Stegen the matchday MVP after another great performance
The midfield was horrible.
Having to write articles about two games apart gives me the perfect opportunity to comment on some of my own thoughts, and therefore, add some perspective to the whole thing. For example, I was the first one to realize I mentioned our offense could outclass any opposition if our defense was good enough, only to watch the dumpster fire we put on the field on Sunday. You always feel vulnerable as a writer to put your opinions out there, and they backfiring. Oh boy, that was some terrible offense we displayed there, and our difference wasn’t much better.
But then I realized, it was not really our offense, was it? I mean, Lionel Messi was dropping down consistently trying to control the midfield more and spark some offense. Neymar was basically a second left back, and even Luisito dropped down a couple of times. It is easy to say the best trio in the world had an off day, but I can’t honestly fault them for the lackluster performance, as they kept trying for the entire game. It does, however, speak volumes as to the situation in the midfield. All the players in the mid have tremendous quality, with varying degrees of success this season, but in this game, they were terrible. Sure, it is difficult to play out of your natural position and with some sketchy tactics, but players of such qualities are expected to put in decent performances regardless. This was awful.
Irish Goat’s Gamboling Goleadores!
1st Goleador: Marc-André ter Stegen
Our young goaltender is having a massive season, with ample room for improvement. With enough time, and a consistent effort from his center backs, he can be a dominant goalkeeper in the sport. He has had a string of strong performances the past week and a half, and shows no sign of slowing down. Unless he gets body checked by a couple of 6 feet tall 220 pounders, of course, which certainly almost never happens. Just my overactive imagination thinking of farfetched scenarios. Next thing you know, I am going to be spouting nonsense about ghost goals and such…crazy.
2nd Goleador: The Ref’s Leg Muscles
Dude must hit that gym twice daily because you’d need some meaty quads to haul around those massive testicles.
3rd Goleador: The fans.
Pat yourselves on the back if you watched that entire game. Seriously, it wasn’t easy.
As always Visca Barça!
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/2kpXbKT
