FC Barcelona official website report that the clubs revenue surged by 16 percent to €445.5 million last season compared to the 2008-09 season which was reported as €385 million. Boosted by rising income from marketing, player transfers and loans and the sale of a plot of land.
According to reports this morning published in El Mundo Deportivo, FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has launched a last-minute bid to convince defensive midfielder and Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure (27) to stay with the club next season.
The country of wonder 1 – 0 Each one has his own way to play a match.
Villa: Man, you’re not seen nor able to score* during the important matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Where you can actually see me is in the advertisements, showing off* breathtaking abdominal muscles.
*In this context, “to score” and “to show off” are said both “marcar” in Spanish.
Florentino: It feels so strange to cheer Barça during a whole match…I’m sorry! I meant “the Spanish national team”.
Valencia forward and Spanish International David Silva (24) will not play for Barcelona as of this season, like had been rumoured over the last months.
English Premier League club Manchester City has today officially announced the transfer of Silva. “The player’s advisers and officials from both clubs have finalised the details over a five year contract, which will bring the 24 year old to City of Manchester Stadium.”
Silva is currently in South Africa representing Spain in the World Cup. Upon the tournaments conclusion, Silva will undergo a medical before officially becoming a Manchester City player.
WHAT A WONDER (IS VILLA)
Barça’s new signing qualified the Spanish national team.
Spain 1 – 0 Portugal
The Pichichi of the World Cup’s goal was enough to defeat the defensive Portugal.
Paraguay 0 – 0 Japan. Paraguay, who qualified through penalties, will be the next rival.
Rosell – Guardiola: agreement for the contract renewal. Meeting to talk about signings.
GREAT!
Spain 1 – 0 Portugal
Great match by La Roja, who qualified for the quarterfinals where Paraguay awaits them in the match on Saturday.
Villa gave the victory and became Pichichi with a great goal, result of his connection with Xavi and Iniesta.
Touré could stay.
Inter is interested in Özil too.
Ibra will stay, according to his agent.
It’s never easy being part of management. Given all the speculation (or confirmation) that is out there, what would you do for the following two players? You can even make 2 choices!
With the same starting line-up from the last game against Chile, Spain went on to play their first game of the knock-out round against Portugal. Blaugrana players Pedro and Valdes started on the bench. At this stage, Spain knew they could not play the same way they had in the group stages, for there was no other way but to win the game in order to qualify for the quarter-finals. Portugal, until the game against Spain, had the best defense in the World Cup, with no goals conceded. Once again the Spanish team was put to test as to whether they might qualify for the quarter-finals!
Read some brief notes about the match after the jump, and add your own thoughts on the game.
WC Blaugrana Match Preview: Spain vs. Portugal
Round of 16 – Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Time: 20:30 Convert to local time
Location: Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
Stadium Capacity: 64,100
Translation after the jump!
Serie A club AC Milan are said to be interested in acquiring the services of FC Barcelona striker Keirrison (21) on a one year loan deal, according to Milannews.it.
FC Barcelona forward and Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (29) will not be leaving Barcelona for AC Milan this summer, according to his agent Mino Raiola.
FC Barcelona have officially confirmed that technical secretary Txiki Begiristain will be stepping down from his role after 30th June 2010. The departure of the Sporting director was announced by Barca’s general manager Joan Oliver.
We are in the communication and social network’s era…but Barça’s new president and the honorary president have not been able to talk yet; not even a phone call.
Cruyff: And I’ve really tried (to talk with Sandro)!
The football world, always reluctant to change…
FIFA man: Changing the rock-made ball for a leather-made one? No way, you fool!
FC Barcelona have confirmed French international Thierry Henry (32) and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure (26) are to leave the club. Both players were widely expected to leave the Camp Nou this summer, with Henry tipped to move to Major League Soccer in America and Toure thought to be on the verge of a switch to Manchester City.
LET’S QUALIFY!
La selección wants to break the Portuguese wall and stay in the quarterfinals.
Del Bosque will put in the same starting players as the last match and asks his players for “ambition” against Cristiano Ronaldo’s team.
Özil, for free in 2011. His contract with Werder lasts until June 2011 and Barça’s aim is to “tie” him as soon as possible.
Meeting about Touré – Manchester City in Barcelona.
Madrid: Di María’s signing is official.
VILLA AGAINST RONALDO
Spain, to qualify for the quarterfinals.
La selección hopes to be able to confirm their role as the favourites by eliminating Portugal.
Spain – Portugal (20.30, Tele5, Canal + Liga, Canal +)
Holland 2 – 1 Slovakia. Robben and Sneijder gave the tickets (for quarterfinals to Holland).
Brazil 3 – 0 Chile. Brazil presented their candidacy.
Paraguay – Japan (16h) They both want to make history in the quarterfinals.
Barça’s president’s goodbye. The last interview with Laporta. “I’m leaving feeling happy.” “My maxim as the ex president will be to not cause any trouble.”
Txiki announces that he is leaving his charge. He will not have a meeting with the new president.
Spain U-19 coach, Luis Milla, today revealed a list of 22 players who will assemble at the Soccer City of Las Rozas, Madrid, from July 4th-14th in preparation for the final phase of the European U-19 Championship, which will be held in Caen, France, from the 15th to 30th of next month.
WC Blaugrana Match Preview: Brazil vs. Chile
Round of 16 – Monday, June 28, 2010
Time: 20:30 Convert to local time
Location: Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Stadium Capacity: 55,686
How is the team feeling right now?
Losing against Switzerland definitely hurt us. We had been on a long winning streak and all of a sudden came an unexpected loss. That loss made us much stronger. We were anxious because we knew that if we failed again we’d be out of the competition. We were worried that we’d be the biggest failure of the World Cup. But the team knew how to overcome that problem and from here on out you’ll see the best Spain.
According to the English newspaper The Daily Mail, Barcelona will make a bid for Mesut Özil (21), to avoid his signing for Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. Guardiola would face difficulties to give Özil a place in the starting line-up, but senior figures in Barcelona have been quite impressed by his performance for Germany in the World Cup this summer.
“That comparison makes no sense. For me he is still by far the best. I’m very realistic, I know exactly what I can and can not [do on the field].”
Dutch international and Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben, when asked about the comparisons between him and Lionel Messi.
Lampard’s cancelled goal opens again the discussion about video use.
“If they demand fair refereeing, they’ll spoil football in Spain!”
After Lampard’s cancelled goal, the discussion is open again:
Should FIFA use technology in football?
Rooney: The only technology needed by some referees is this one.
UNBELIEVABLE!
Historic referee embarrassment.
The referee cancelled a goal to England, Capello complained but Germany’s goals prevailed.
Another gift in an offside position made the way easier to Argentina.
“Now you’ll see the best Spain” Interview with Puyol. Xabi Alonso is fit and will play against Portugal.
Argentina 3 – 1 Mexico. Argentina stays firm and Germany awaits them in the quarterfinals.
Barça 2011. Rosell and Guardiola’s meeting will decide the squad’s composition.
ROSELL’S “HOMEWORK”
The new president will start to lead Barça this week.
1 – Guardiola’s contract renewal. The coach will be “free” on June 30th and he wants to sign a short contract.
2 – Technical secretary. Zubizarreta seems to be Txiki’s substitute.
3 – Signing Cesc. Sandro will travel personally to London to close the transfer.
4 – Solve Ibra’s situation. A sell or loan deal could be done, but the club doesn’t rule out giving him another chance.
5 – Strengthen the team. A forward, a midfielder and a right back, the targets.
Messi is already in the quarterfinals. Argentina 3 – 1 Mexico.
Germany humiliates England. Germany 4 – 1 England. The English team fell to pieces when the referee cancelled a goal; the score was 2-1 in that moment.
With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, Argentina faced Mexico in a clash that would pit FC Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Rafa Marquez against each other. In this match, Argentine coach Diego Maradona reshuffled his lineup leaving both Juan Veron and Jonás Gutiérrez on the bench and replacing them with Maxi Rodriguez and Nicolás Otamendi. Read on for a brief match summary. And be sure to give us your impressions of the game in the comments.
As noted by a brief report in Catalan sports paper Sport, midfielder Andrés Iniesta appeared to be very motivated in Spain’s final group stage game against Chile, and part of the reason for his performance was his great friend Víctor Valdés.
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