This might be a disappointing night for us Barca fans because we didn’t grab the 3 points. But be happy we at least got one point, and Keita for pichichi!
Barcelona has played 16 official games (9 in the Liga, 3 in the Champions League, 1 in the Copa del Rey, 2 in the Spanish Super Cup and 1 in the European Super Cup)
It is the 500th day since Pep Guardiola took over as Barcelona’s coach; according to Catalan paper El Mundo Deportivo. Besides winning titles, he has perfected Barcelona’s playing style into an art and has revolutionised the way the players treat their training sessions.
“I ask for nothing (from anyone), not even the 100-day grace period. I would like to promise titles, but that would be a mistake. Some people are with the project from the beginning and others we will have to be convinced. We know that the journey will be hard but believe me, we will persist,” he said in his very first press conference. Yesterday marked 500 days since Pep Guardiola uttered those unforgettable words on 17 June 2008, his appointment date. Today, its 501 days since he started a project that generated doubts, rather than hope in the minds of many, considering his inexperience as a top-level coach.
But five titles later, an awesome average of a trophy every 100 days, spectacular football and an exemplary attitude is enough to convince everyone. Art and hard work go hand in hand through the persistence promised by Guardiola and his assistants. He has now reached not only his 500-days of grace period gracefully, but of giving grace (thanks). He re-instilled belief in the team and at the same time made sure they enjoyed themselves, which they continue to do. Pep Guardiola is the man who made all that happen.
We can all remember the joy we felt, when Iniesta scored that goal against Chelsea. Someone probably laughed at the kid in the stands, who was crying his heart out. I’m that kid right now.
Osasunsa was, as Pep had foretold, a well organized opponent. Some would call it “anti-football” but one cannot deny the effectiveness of their strategy against a better opponent. As usual, FC Barcelona enjoyed the most of the ball, but were lacking firepower in the last third of the pitch. The clock ticked faster, and it seemed like FC Barcelona would have to settle for a draw, as Ibrahimovic and Messi had left their shooting boots at home.
After 72 hard fought minutes, Keita managed to break the deadlock after a cross from Puyol. It was a marvelous taken goal from the on-form midfielder. As Keita celebrated the goal, it was even possible to see Guardiola smile.
They done it. Won the three points against a very difficult opponent. Gone were the Rijkaard days were this would have been a draw or a loss. Or so we thought.
In the last minute of injury time, Marquez mistimed a challenge which led to a cross into the box. Disaster. An otherwise picture-perfect Pique made his first mistake of the game as he tried to clear the ball, but instead it deflected off Valdes’ chest and into the goal. 1-1.
Despite the setback, FC Barcelona still leads La Liga, with 23 points, one more than Real Madrid.
Catalan sports paper Sport reports that FC Barcelona is looking for a new theme song. Last season the song “Viva La Vida” by British band Coldplay, which became an anthem that echoed wherever “Blaugrana” went. Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola, a big fan of the group led by Chris Martin, found this song as the perfect tool to motivate players and identify them to victory.
Finally, Guardiola got his players to accept this song as a symbol of the treble year, despite acknowledging that more than one style of music that was not his favorite. In the famous video of the Champions League final was included in the soundtrack, alongside the aria “Nessun Dorna” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Aida.
FC Barcelona – Club Atlético Osasuna
(Saturday October 31, 2009 @ 20:00 Barcelona time – Convert to local time)
Chat Link: http://fcbarcelona.hopto.org/
Facebook Application: http://apps.facebook.com/fcbarcelonachat/ (direct chat through Facebook)
Have you ever sat in front of your TV or computer while you were watching a FC Barcelona game and hoped you could share your excitement, feelings, and opinions with other fans LIVE as it happens?
Not even two days have passed of the embarrassing loss of Real Madrid against Alcorcon in the Copa Del Rey and they are already selling a ridiculous T-shirt of it. “Shirtcity” has customized a shirt with numbers 4 and 0 and the phrase: “Earthquake in Alcorcon”, referring to the late barrage that Alcorcon put to the white side on Tuesday in the first round of Copa Del Rey.
Nobody would believe that the ninth round of the la Liga could acquire such importance. The pressure was self imposed by Real Madrid in their desire to replicate the strength shown by Barcelona in capturing the Triplet last season, but with their eternal rival continuing their good form, their own match against Getafe will now carry with it a significance that no one can predict just two months ago, when the season starts, especially with the investment that they have made. By contrast, the Blaugrana’s difficult duel against Osasuna is an opportunity for them to reaffirm the lead they hold over everybody else.
Four months and €250 million after the start of the second ‘galacticos’ project, Real Madrid’s coach Manuel Pellegrini is facing the derby against Michel Gonzalez’s Getafe with “water up to his neck” (in deep trouble). The hammering received by the ‘merengue’ in the Copa del Rey against Alcorcón (4-0) has left the Chilean coach completely exposed.
500 DAYS TOGETHER
Pep transformed doubts into exits since, 500 days ago from today, took control of Barça.
Henry is called again to play and Guardiola defends him: “He’ll silence many people”
6 Barça players apply to FIFA World Player award: Henry, Iniesta, Messi, Xavi, Puyol and Ibra.
Puyol 2013. The captain signed yesterday with a 10 million clause.
MORBID SATURDAY Football and show evening in TV
[Guardiola's photo]: He risks the leadership (Osasuna-Barça, 20h in Gol-TV and C+ Liga)
Ibra and Messi will be in first XI, Henry is completely recovered.
[Pellegrini's photo]: He risks his head. (Real Madrid-Getafe, 18h in Gol-TV, C+ Liga)
Bernabéu (refering to all madridistas: fans and staff) sentences Pellegrini, who didn’t call Guti to play this match.
Six blaugrana are in the fight for the FIFA world Player. Only 3 madridistas apply to the award.
The signs of improvement shown by AC Milan in recent matches have a mole in it and it is none other than the Brazilian Ronaldinho, according to Italian papers.
“Ronaldinho, the eternal thorn in Leonardo’s side”, headlined the prestigious newspaper ‘La Repubblica’ seeking an explanation as to whether the former Blaugrana still fits into the tactical scheme of the ‘Rossonero’. La Gazzetta dello Sport rated his performance at 4.5, the worst among the 28 players who played in the match between AC Milan and Napoli. ‘Affaritaliani.it’ meanwhile gave him a 3 and emphasised that “with him on, it seems Milan played with only ten men”.
Reprimanded by his coach, Leonardo, for his first-half performance, Ronaldinho ‘Gaucho’ failed to follow his instructions and continued impassively. Substituted at the hour mark by Flamini, he left the pitch disgruntled. “It is always a positive sign when a player wants to stay on the pitch. I have spoken with him, and we have a good relationship. He is feeling good and it is good that he wants to be on the field,” Leonardo said, trying to extinguish the controversy.
Barca Atletic yesterday saw the return of its five players who traveled to Leon on Wednesday to play in the first leg of the knockout stage of the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leonesa. For one player, Andreu Fontas Prat (19), happy news awaited him at the club’s offices; an improvement to his contract, Catalan sports paper Sport said.
The Banyoles-born player signed an upward revision to his current contract, corresponding with his new status within the team. A year ago, Fontas barely featured in Luis Enrique’s plans but he is now seen as a regular for Barca Atletic, and is being valued by Pep Guardiola as a serious cover for his defense.
Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Rafael Marquez (31) has confirmed that he will renew his contract for two more seasons until June 2012, after coming into an agreement with the club over the last few days.
“There will be no problem on my part,” adding, “Some issues need working out but both sides have already recognised what we want,” the player said.
The duration of the new contract “is one of the key points of deal,” although he conceded that he will renew “for this season and two more”.
Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola has stated that tomorrow’s match against Osasuna will be “a good acid test” for his team before the new league break in November, according to Catalan sports daily El Mundo Deportivo. “We’re going to a venue that is historically a hard place (to win) and they are having their best moments this season. Camacho (Osasuna coach) saved their season last season and are currently doing very well,” he said.
Guardiola has reminded the press that Osasuna have only lost to Sevilla this season, and emphasized on the contributions made by Walter Pandiani, a player “with 14 years of scoring goals experience.” He also mentioned the team’s “aggressive” attitude when playing: “Facing Osasuna will demand a lot from us. If we don’t take the initiative early, we could fall for their rhythm and they are very difficult to stop. Their wings are very aggressive and (their forwards) Aranda and Pandiani are doing fine. Their midfield (Camuñas and Juan Fran) meanwhile are tricky and very direct. They can do you harm,” insisting, “It’s an important game, a difficulty test for us before our match in Russia. Getting into a good dynamic will only be good for the decisive match against Kazan,” Guardiola said, recalling how last year, Barcelona “was in danger of losing (to Osasuna): “This is a match that carries with it (a lot of) risk”.
Cultural Leonesa coach, Yosu Uribe yesterday has admitted to have “virtually” written off his team’s chances of overturning the two goals deficit against Barcelona and will from now on focuses their effort on their promotion “fight” from Segunda B, according to Catalan paper El Mundo Deportivo.
Disappointed with the two goals he said, “they were avoidable individual mistakes, which upsets me,” adding, “with our journey in the Copa ending, the players will now be calmer, but (then again) if we are to qualify to the next round, (of course) we wish to carry on,” acknowledging the difficult task ahead of them.
FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, however, believes Cultural Leonesa still has the opportunity to reverse the tie as “ninety minutes in the second leg at the Camp Nou is still very long time”.
Osasuna winger Juanfran (24) was interviewed by Spanish sports paper AS, where he said that Barcelona are the favorites and that they look forward to the game. He was asked if their victory in the cup last week, gave them a moral victory for the coming game against Barcelona:
“It is clear that we will try to win. Tomorrow we have a big game, complicated, and we are looking forward to it. We’ll go for the three points because we play at home, where we have more chance to win.”
Is it a motivation for itself to play against Barcelona?
Osasuna coach, Jose Antonio Camacho, yesterday acknowledged that to beat Barcelona, every team needs to push themselves harder while assuring that his charges will maintain their playing style, according to Catalan paper Sport.
“To win against Barcelona, every team has to do a lot of work on the pitch and (need to have a dose of) good luck,” insisting his players need to be at their best on both ends of the pitch.
The Osasuna coach also said that Barcelona, which still has not lost a league match “is not untouchable” and recalled that last year his team came close to beating Barcelona at home.
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Cules worldwide will remember that foggy encounter last season. It was the Reyno de Navarra hosting Barcelona who had well and truly hit their best form yet, the match started with Barcelona dominating as Samuel Eto’o scored right on the brink of half time. However, after the first interval, disaster struck. Miguel Flaño struck gold in the 62nd minute with a looping header before Pandiani did the unthinkable and put Osasuna into the lead with a mere 18 minutes left in the match.
Not to worry though, in the 79th minute Xavi put his body on the line to – whilst injuring himself in the process – score the equalizer, before, despite the marking, the conditions and the forever expiring time left, Lionel Messi unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards into the top right hand corner to give Barcelona a flabbergasting 3-2 win.
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