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It’s back… This is your chance to prove not only your knowledge about the game of football but also your psychological insight by cracking the code of Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola’s master brain:
PREDICT BARCELONA’S STARTING LINEUP
You can give your starting line-up until 3 hours before the start of the game against Valencia
“Not that I’m proud of what I did. I can understand the expulsion, but if we decide to contest (the ruling) it was because Mr. Clos (referee) and Mr. Gallego (assistant-referee) lied, and they know it,” was the straight-forward criticism made by FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola – a rarity, it has to be said – of the match report submitted by the said match referee (Almeria match on 6th March) to the Spanish Liga Discipline and Appeals Committee that saw the seldom-complaining coach missing the match against Valencia tomorrow night, in the la Liga pre-match press conference today.
In the match report, Guardiola was said to have protested incessantly to the assistant referee, complaining about the referee’s inconsistent decisions using word, among others, such as “you whistle at everything the other way round,” when in reality – according to Sport through a video recording, the coach only protested one event – an incident that involves Messi, complaining “He pushes him (Messi), pushes him! Referee, did you not see that he was pushed?”
Seydou Keita returned to full training on Friday after being given the green light by the Barça medical staff to begin working with the rest of the squad.
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo report that FC Barcelona is following Benfica left winger and Argentine international Angel di Maria (22) as a less expensive yet reasonable alternative to Bayern Munich’s 26-year-old French-born winger, Franck Ribery. With the 32-year-old Thierry Henry sure to leave the Catalan club next season, FC Barcelona is in need of a left-winger to fill in its three-prong attacking line-up.
While the paper claimed Ribery is FC Barcelona’s desired option, other players are also being taken into consideration such as Valencia’s David Silva (24) and David Villa (28) – according to news reports since this summer – should Bayern Munich still be holding out to its expensive asking price, as had happened during the last summer transfer season.
Catalan sports paper ‘Sport’ report that the Blaugrana technical staff are aware that there is another position that is necessary to be strengthened in the squad, the right side of the defense.
Florentino: “This week I have learnt that spending 300 million euros in signings doesn’t bring happiness….”
“…that’s why this summer I’m spending 500 million euros”
Valencia coach Unai Emery will lead his troops into battle against FC Barcelona when the two sides meet at the Camp Nou this Sunday. In many ways, this weekend’s clash represents a duel between two of Spain’s most promising young coaches.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be Chelsea or Barcelona. Preferably a team who are a bit easier to play our own game against. In that sense I’d happily take a bit of luck in the draw. And it would be nice if we had the first leg away as well.”
-Bayern Munich winger and German International Bastian Schweinsteiger (25) in an interview with Bundesliga.de
DI MARÍA (IS AN) ALTERNATIVE.
Benfica’s left forward is cheaper than Ribéry and Barça likes him.
The young (22) Argentinean’s way of playing is quite alike his close friend’s, Messi.
Txiki watched Özil (W.Bremen) playing in Valencia and the player had a profund impact on him.
[Non Barça Related]
Espanyol: Three months after, “Poche” lines Tamudo up again.
Madrid: Valdano blames the players for the Champions’ K.O.
CESC AND VILLA+ “CANTERA”
Definitive: this will be Barça’s signings for 2011.
The catalan is tied so now there’s only left an agreement with Arsenal (to sign the player).
The Valencia player has no doubts: “This won’t be like last year”.
Weekend’s interview: Hristo Stoichkov. “Now is time for me to impose my discipline”.
[Non Barça Related]
To sign Mourinho would cost to Florentino 22 million euros. Adding up Pellegrini’s sacking’s costs and the Portuguese’s clause.
Catalan sports paper ‘Sport’ today claim that FC Barcelona have already decided their plans for the future, so as to work in the coming months to strengthen the squad for the season 2010-11. The technical secretary of the Blaugrana club, Txiki Begiristain, after assessing the needs of the team with coach Josep Guardiola, has set his priority objectives in the market for next summer with Arsenal midfielder and Spanish international Cesc Fabregas (22) and Valencia striker and Spanish international David Villa (28) being on top of the priority list. Their additions would serve to strengthen the depth in the midfield and the forward line due to their versatility and quality.
The central defender prefers to stop the talk about referees and to concentrate on the final stretch of the season, in which they fight against a Real Madrid side who have only La Liga left to compete for.
Belgium-born referee César Muñiz Fernández will blow the whistle for Sunday’s Camp Nou clash between FC Barcelona and Valencia, the 26th round of the present La Liga campaign. Referees in the Spanish league have been under a microscope this season, with most of that attention focused around their performances in FC Barcelona and Real Madrid matches. Given the current climate, Fernández’ decisions in this key match will undoubtedly come under the closest scrutiny.
Valencia CF forward and Spanish international David Villa (28) may miss Sunday’s match at the Camp Nou against Barcelona after landing awkwardly and hurting his shoulder in Thursday’s 1-1 Europa League last-16, first-leg draw at home to Werder Bremen.
Following the changes brought on by the snow, it was all back to normal today with Henry and Puyol training normally and Keita also involved at the end.
ACS* informs. Tonight (for the obvious reasons) the Santiago Bernabéu’s controlled demolition will be done.
*ACS is a construction company
Every week at totalBarca, we bring you the results of the top four youth sides of La Masia: the Juvenil A, Juvenil B, Cadet A, Cadet B sides respectively. We also name the Man of the Match (MOM) performer for each category.
“We have set a very high standard and now we are like slaves to that … but we have to overcome such difficulties … we have to charge our batteries and liven up. If we don’t go full out, we won’t win.”
Daniel Alves, FC Barcelona right back, at a press conference.
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