Ex-Barça: Javier Saviola joins Málaga
Former FC Barcelona striker Javier Saviola (31), who was with the club from 2001 to 2007, has joined Málaga from Portuguese club SL Benfica.
International call-ups for next week
Following this weekend’s match against Valencia on Sunday, several of FC Barcelona’s players will join their national teams for various qualification matches and friendlies. The largest contingent will feature for Spain in two matches, with nine FC Barcelona players named in Vicente del Bosque’s latest squad: Valdés, Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc, Pedro, and Villa.
Video of the Day: Iniesta wins UEFA Best Player in Europe Award
Receiving the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award on stage from the hands of UEFA President Michel Platini, FC Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta said: “I’m very happy to receive such recognition. I am privileged to be here with two such great footballers as Leo and Cristiano. As I always say, such awards for one individual can’t be achieved without the whole team.”
Later, in a short interview for UEFA.com, Iniesta added that “it’s a sensation that I want to share with my teammates at the club, and in the national team. It’s recognition for the work that you have done well, and that people are proud and have faith in what you do. And that is really nice, and very important for a player.”
OFFICIAL: Ibrahim Afellay to Schalke 04 on loan
German club Schalke 04 has announced the signing of FC Barcelona attacker Ibrahim Afellay (26) on loan for one season.
Thursday training, Thiago cleared to play
There was good news awaiting FC Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcántara following training on Thursday. Three months after being diagnosed with swelling in his right tibia, which caused him to miss Barça’s preseason and the Olympic Games in London, Thiago has received his medical clearance.
Barcelona ease through Champions League draw
FC Barcelona emerged from today’s Champions League draw with a relatively simple set of fixtures. The same can not be said for rivals Real Madrid who have arguably been drawn into this season’s Group of Death. Barcelona will face Benfica, Spartak Moscow and Celtic in Group H while Real Madrid will face off with Manchester City, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund in Group D. The full draw is provided below:
Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris St-Germain, Dinamo Zagreb
Iniesta beats Messi and Ronaldo to claim UEFA title
FC Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was named UEFA’s Best European Player in Europe for his performances across all competitions last season. In taking one of the highest honors the sport has to offer, Iniesta beat out fellow cule Lionel Messi and arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. The competition, based on a poll of 53 journalists from across Europe, had narrowed the field to these three finalists. The final results were made public during Thursday’s draw for the initial phase of the Champions League. In the end Iniesta received 19 votes, compared with 17 for both Messi and Ronaldo.
What do you all think: did the best player win out this time?
Match review: Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona
Real Madrid drew first blood this season, taking back the Spanish SuperCopa after a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeau on Wednesday. But don’t let the tame scoreline fool you: this was a night full of high emotion, individual failure and collective triumph. And although it was the Madrid players who hosted the trophy at the end of the evening, the spirit and resourcefulness of Tito’s squad, just as the team was staring into the abyss, should give Barcelona fans reason for optimism. Continue reading »
The Ratings: Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona
Barcelona have lost the first trophy of the season with a 2-1 away defeat to Real Madrid, after a 3-2 home win; away goals ended up being the deciding factor. Barcelona played a horrible first half today at the Bernabeu and ended up paying the price. The team fought back admirably after Messi’s stunning goal, but with only 10 men on the pitch they weren’t able to score the tie winning goal.
Here are the ratings for today’s match:
The Goals: Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona
Watch the goals from last night’s game between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona after the jump.
Special Live Chat: Champions League group stage draw
Please join us for a special Live Chat as the teams are drawn for the group stages of the Champions League and the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award winner is announced. The three finalists for the award are Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi, who won the inaugural honor last season, along with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
The ceremony, which begins at 17:45 CET (convert to your local time) can be watched live on UEFA’s website.
FC Barcelona Chat: http://apps.facebook.com/fcbarcelonachat/ (direct chat through Facebook)
Tactical Points: Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona
Other than Jordi Alba making his Clásico debut by way of the late scratch of Dani Alves, the starting elevens were as expected, with either Gerard Piqué or Javier Mascherano replacing Carles Puyol for Barcelona and Marcelo replacing the suspended Fábio Coentrão for Real Madrid.
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (30.08.2012)
NO REWARD
Barça, playing with 10 players, was superior and deserved to be luckier during a great second half
The blaugranas suffered due to their own mistakes during the first half and Madrid won the title
Barça starts the way to Wembley (III)
Two matches ban for Tito
The Front: Sport (30.08.2012)
LIKE MOURINHO SAID, IT’S BETTER TO WIN LA LIGA THAN THE SUPERCUP
Barça gave away the first half and were not able to win the title despite their epic second half
Now it is time to focus on more important titles
Barça ARE a good losers. Unlike Madrid did last season, Barça players stayed on the field to congratulate the champions
A two matches ban for Tito Vilanova
Barça will know today their Champions rivals
Live Match Chat: Real Madrid CF vs FC Barcelona
totalBarca welcomes you all to the 2012-13 Spanish Super Copa finals at the Santiago Bernabeu against our eternal rivals – Real Madrid CF!
(Wednesday August 29, 2012 @ 22:30 Barcelona time – Convert to local time)
FC Barcelona Chat: http://apps.facebook.com/fcbarcelonachat/ (direct chat through Facebook)
Click here to chat!
Messi to make his debut at Madame Tussauds London
FC Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi (25) will be making his debut at the world famous Madame Tussauds museum in London according to the museum’s official website.
Club to appeal two match ban for Vilanova
This Wednesday, Spain’s Competition Committee (Comité de Competición) has sanctioned FC Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova with a two match suspension for his expulsion from last Sunday’s match against Osasuna at the Reyno de Navarra stadium.
Vilanova will serve the two match suspension during League matches, and it will not apply to tonight’s Super Cup second leg since his offence is not classified as serious.
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (29.08.2012)
INVICTUS
1.573 days since the last defeat in Bernabéu
R.Madrid – Barça (22.30h)
Barça will try to keep their winning streak in Madrid by winning the Supercup, first title of Vilanova’s era
Bojan, loaned to Milan
The Front: Sport (29.08.2012)
LET’S WIN THE FIRST TITLE!
Barça, who have not lost a match played in Bernabéu for the last four years, will fight for the Supercup since the very first minute and try to celebrate the victory in Madrid
El Clásico’s keys:
July 29th 1993. Mourinho chanted Barça’s hymn in Bernabéu
Barça will play offensive: “We must score if we want to win the title”
Mourinho, provoking: “Winning this Supercup is not important”
Puyol travels along his team mates
Blaugrana Library: Team Spirit and La Masia
Welcome to the next part of our Blaugrana Library series, where we will continue sharing with you good books about FC Barcelona and its players, coaches, and tactics. Today we will get to know the secrets of FC Barcelona, its unique atmosphere created by the players of the first team and the philosophy of La Masia.
Afellay will not travel to Madrid
FC Barcelona officially announced via Twitter on Tuesday evening that Ibrahim Afellay has met with Tito Vilanova and asked permission to not travel to Madrid on Wednesday for the Super Cup. The Dutchman has asked to remain in Barcelona to allow him and his agent to resolve his future, confirming the hints given by his agent earlier this week.
Spanish Super Cup Match Preview: Real Madrid CF vs FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona has a finger on its first title of the season, the Supercopa de España, a title the team has lifted more than any other club—a stunning ten times (Real Madrid has managed 8). Both clubs sit pretty with a streak of three consecutive Copas under their belts in the past, but Barcelona could make it an unprecedented four with a victory or a draw Wednesday at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
The uncomfortable defeat sustained by Jose Mourinho’s men last week puts them very far from out of the competition. An impressive two away goals means a fast break and 90 minutes of sitting ugly will allow him to lift the trophy for the first time in his silver-studded career. Tito Vilanova, however, certainly has other ideas and plenty of tactical options to keep the Portuguese from getting smug at such an early stage of the season.
Ex-Barça: AC Milan put their faith in Bojan
Gerard Piqué tweeted earlier this evening words of congratulations to his best bud Bojan Krkic on his move to Italian club AC Milan. Bojan, celebrating his 22nd birthday as well, himself announced this on his Facebook page today, “I’m already in Milan, tomorrow I will be presented [as a] footballer of AC Milan!! I’m ready for everything and cannot wait to play the first game. Thank you all for the welcome and for the birthday wishes. See you tomorrow, Forza Milan“.
Tuesday training focused on the Super Cup
On Tuesday afternoon at the Camp Nou, beginning at 19:00, Barça’s first team held its final training session before tomorrow’s match at the Santiago Bernabéu, the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup. For this match, as is usual when there is a title at stake, Tito Vilanova has decided to travel to Madrid with all the members of his squad, except for Abidal and Muniesa.
Analysis of Barça’s 2012-2013 squad – Part 2
Following the first part of Barça’s squad analysis, published on Martí Perarnau’s blog, below we take a look at the engine of this team: the midfield, as well as alternatives for attack. The original piece, written by Rafael León, is available here.
Video of the Day: Messi the defender
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj9g8ENW5pQ
Video Credit: HeilRJ02
The Front: Sport (28.08.2012)
42 MILLION EUROS TO HIDE THEIR SHAME (to draw attention away)
Modric, a smokescreen
Madrid brought forward his signing after their KO against Getafe
They payed more than the amount agreed in order to close the signing as soon as possible
Florentino did not want to sign him since Mourinho asked for him “on a whim”
His nickname is “Cruyff from the Balkans”
Puyol will wear the mask again. Confirmed the cheekbone fracture and he will have to play with protection again
Piqué: “To be five points ahead them is a surprise”
Madrid wanted to sign Jasikevicius
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (28.08.2012)
LEO THRASHES CR7 4 – 0
This is the best Liga starting speaking about goals scored for Leo since he became a Barça’s first team player
The crack is the first player ever to score a “double” (two goals in each match) in the first two matches
Superclásico.
Real Madrid presented Modric, a converted culé
Piqué: “It’s suprising that they are five points under us”
Quote of the Day: Jose Enrique on FC Barcelona
“The best team in the world is the best example - Barcelona. You could see against Real Madrid a few days ago, how when they have the ball it is amazing and when they lose it, within three or four seconds they have it back. This is the way we try to play. We can’t compare with Barcelona they are different, but we are trying to play like this. We are starting to learn but we are learning well.”
- Liverpool FC left-back Jose Enrique (26) while speaking to ESPN
