by mido
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Simao – Messi is better than Ronaldo 9
In an interview with Fifa.com, Portuguese winger Simao Sabrosa gave his opinion on the recurring question of who is the better footballer, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Asked who was the better of the two, the Atletico Madrid player said “If we are talking about current form, they are both playing very well but I think that Messi has the edge at the moment.”
He was then asked. if he wasn’t better than both Messi and Ronaldo, and replied with a laugh “No, no, Messi’s still the best!”
Henry voted third best striker 4
Thierry Henry was voted third in a poll of the fifty best strikers to have played in Britain since the second world war. The poll composed by Four-Four-Two magazine had the Frenchman taking third place, beaten only by Eric Cantona and Kenny Dalglish.
“Barcelona seems to thrive on adversity” 5
“The Barcelona team seems to thrive on adversity. Whenever players are missing through injury or suspension the squad always reacts well,” says Roger Bogunyà in an article at the official FC Barcelona website. “Barcelona is the cleanest side in the Spanish League, having won the Fair Play Award of last season. Nevertheless, the team always responds well whether players are sent off or injured.”
Valdes: “The secret is intensity and work” 3
Víctor Valdés knows that his saves have made him a fundamental component of the team even though the goal conceded against Getafe broke a run of five clean sheets.
On the day that handball star David Barrufet announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season, Víctor Valdés spoke to reporters after training. Valdés has a good few years to go to match Barrufet’s achievements but day by day he is demonstrating just why he is the undisputed king of the Barça goal.
In form
Víctor Valdés doesn’t like talking about himself and usually deflects all the praise in the direction of his team-mates. However, this Monday he told reporters. “I’m happy with my current form”.
Zamora trophy for the squad
Reus and Vicente Calderón centre attention this week 3
The squad take to the road for training again this Tuesday, visiting Reus ahead of the weekend’s game in Madrid against Atletico.
After a break this Sunday, it’s back to work for the squad who face five training sessions – one open to the public- and a trip to the Vicente Calderon this week.
Monday 8: Training session at the Ciutat Esportiva at 11.00. Valdes will talk to the press after the session.
Tuesday 9: Open training session at the Municipal Stadium in Reus as part of the local club’s centenary celebrations. Following last week’s successful exhibition in Palafrugell, the squad face their fans in Reus at 11.30.
Luis Enrique: “I guarantee we will play the playoffs” 7
Barca Atletic could not add another victory during their visit to Denia (1-0) but, despite the setback, Luis Enrique’s boys are experiencing a great season.
The reserves are still working to achieve promotion to the Second Division, and although the defeat has made them drop in the standings from second to third place, Luis Enrique has no doubts that his team will end up playing the playoffs for promotion.
“I’m not at all worried. I’m very confident of my group. I am sure we will qualify for the promotion playoffs, and if not, I will swallow my words. I have hundred percent trust in my team and, at the end of the season will play the playoffs”, said the coach from Asturias.
Liga 1, Week 24: Denia 1-0 Barcelona Atlètic 11
Barça Atlètic conceded an early goal away to Denia and despite controlling most of the game could not find a way through the packed local defence.
Barça Atlètic will go into next weekend’s match against the league leaders with a 12-point deficit. The defeat against Denia combined with Sant Andreu’s victory against Badalona (2-1) means that the Barça reserves are now third with 47 points, a point behind Benidorm in second place.
Early goal
Iniesta: “I want to be better than last year” 13
Andres Iniesta reckons he’s “feeling really good” at the moment and “I’ve been playing really well over the last six weeks or so, regardless of whether I’m scoring or not”.
Iniesta was a fundamental part of Barca’s heroic win over Getafe on Saturday and his form over the recent games has been back to his best. After the game he spoke exclusively to the Barca TV programme ‘El Marcador’.
Feeling good
Iniesta switched from the left to the right of the midfield against Getafe, but wherever he plays, he seems to shine. “I’m feeling good – over the last month and a half I’ve had some good sensations and I’m trying to take advantage of playing every game to get back to my best. It’s hard to make comparisons, but I’d like to be even better than I was last year. I want to get better every year – there’s still plenty of the season to play and I’m feeling good”.
What a move!
Euro 2012: Tough group for Ibra, comfortable for the rest 7
Barca’s European players learnt their country’s fate in the Euro 2012 draw made earlier this morning: Spain and France will start favourites in their groups, whilst Sweden have a tougher draw.
The draw, made in Warsaw, was for the qualifying rounds of the tournament with the finals to be held in Poland and Ukraine in 2012. Barca’s only European player not affected was Dmitro Chygrynskiy whose Ukraine team are automatically through as co-hosts.
Easy looking group for Spain
Iturralde González to referee Atletico-Barcelona game 13
Basque referee Eduardo Iturralde González will oversee Saturday’s contest between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona when the two sides meet next week in the Vicente Calderón in Madrid. The 42-year-old dentist made his official debut in the 1995-96 season, and now referees in the Spanish Primera, as well as taking charge of Champions League and international contests. In his 10 seasons in the first division, he has presided over 169 matches, handing out 918 yellow cards, and ejected 75 players.
Iturralde González has been accused of harboring pro-Barça sympathies, and there is no question that he has emerged as one of the most controversial referees in the Spanish topflight. He is unofficially famous for brandishing the “longest” yellow card in the history of La Liga. This dubious honor was awarded in November of last year when he produced a yellow card against Valencia player Nikola Zigic for diving, and then stood motionless for 13 seconds with the card held high in the air.
Fabregas to reject new Arsenal contract 12
Catalan sports paper Sport reports Cesc Fabregas is set to reject Arsenal’s renewal offer as he has his heart set on a return to Barcelona.
The Sunday Mirror reported yesterday that Fabregas will be offered a new £30 million deal by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger who is desperate to keep hold of his captain (read more here).
Sport suggest that Fabregas’ return to the Nou Camp is based on more than just “economic issues.” He has apparently made his desire clear to his representatives and is simply waiting for both clubs to sort out the transfer.
Quote of the Day: Pep Guardiola, Barcelona coach 4
“I have said plenty of times, the referees don’t enter my thinking, I don’t care if they leave us with 10, 9 or 8 players. Or, if they blow three penalties against us, we will have to score four. What happens is our responsibility. The best thing to do is to look at yourself — and with me that’s what we’ll always do.”
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola at a press conference after the Getafe match.
Ibra: Italy is tougher than Spain 0
Barcelona striker and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (28) says it’s harder to score in Italy than in Spain even though he has found the net just once in his last nine games in La Liga.
In an interview with Spanish news paper El Periodico, Ibrahimovic said:
“In Italy they give you three or four chances in one game and you have to be ready not to make a mistake.
“You can go 80 minutes without touching the ball, but you know that in the end a chance will arrive. And you can’t miss it because they will judge you on that chance. For this reason, Italians hold strikers like Inzaghi and Trezeguet in high regard because they are people capable of scoring with only one goal scoring chance.”
The Front: Sport (08.02.2010) 5
Feb8
CESC REJECTS ARSENAL
NO to the renewal. Cesc was offered 34 million for 5 more years, but the player is decided to not renew.
YES to Barça. Tired of not winning any title, he only wants to play among his friends Messi, Piqué and Iniesta.
Messi, king of la Liga.
They still poisoning saying that the referees help Barça
[Non Barça Related]
Madrid: Obsessed with Barça
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (08.02.2010) 2
Feb8
SICK AND TIRED!
Teixeira allowed Getafe’s aggressivity, but Barça prefered keep displaying its great show despite playing with 10 men.
Pep and the team regret the serious doubts that come from Madrid regarding the work and superiority of la Liga’s leaders.
The defence, with no choice. Piqué, Márquez, Alves and Touré won’t play in Calderón.
Messi “Pichichi”: With 16 goals and 7 assists, he has participated in the 46% of Barça’s goals.
[Non Barça Related]
Madrid: “This is frustrating”. Disappointment in the “white cupola” because of the blaugrana’s good strike and now they beg some help of Atleti.
Good draw for the Champion. Group 1: Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein.
Ex-Barca: Deco announces international retirement 13
Portugal playmaker Deco has announced he will retire from International football after this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.
The former Barça and Porto star (32), who moved to Chelsea in the summer of 2008, said, “I will end my cycle after the World Cup, for my age and because it is tiring, I will say goodbye after the World Cup”. He currently has 71 caps for his adopted country, with 5 goals to his name.
Although he left Barça under somewhat cloudy circumstances, Deco was a crucial part of Frank Riijkaard’s era, making 188 appearances and scoring 28 times for the club, winning two league titles, two Spanish Cups and of course the Champions League in the process