We could throw Messi-scoring stats at you until we were blue in the face. But Messi’s accomplishments this year really take shape when you compare him to other current superstars in the game. So check out this unique take on his genius:
ONLY TITO
When Vilanova’s illness returned, the dressing room ‘mobilized’ to make it clear that they were with him
The players agreed with the club that they would not look for substitutes
Interview with Jordi Alba: “I want to win it all.”
“Barça is the team that plays the best and can repeat the six titles.”
“When I left, I never imagined that I would return, especially as a wingback.”
Pep was on trial with City in 2005 before playing for Mexico
OFFERS FOR ALVES AND ADRIANO
Roberto Carlos wants to take wingback [Alves] to the Russian Anzhi and would pay 20 million to Barça
Juve and PSG pressure to sign Adri, at the same time his renewal goes backwards
Abidal ‘signs’ Falcao – “He already knows where he has to go. With Barça, he would continue scoring goals.”
Guardiola returns to New York
Rumors are swirling in Spain about the likelihood that Pep Guardiola will accept a job next season managing a top Premiership team. And while no concrete declarations have emerged from Pep’s camp, some signs point to the man’s impatience to return to the limelight.
FC Barcelona will soon welcome their first reinforcement of the winter: Cesc Fabregas. A report on Saturday in Mundo Deportivo claimed that Fabregas, who limped off the field at the beginning of December, will return to group training on Wednesday, after a series of punishing double-sessions over the last week. If true, this means that the player would be available for the Catalan derby against Espanyol on January 6.
Image: Manu Fernandez [AP]
DECISIVE HOURS
Guardiola and Orobitg have been preparing on the last days his arrival to Premier
Today he will travel back to New York after telling his closest friends and family his decision
MD report. Pros and cons of Pep’s three options: Chelsea, City and United
Invictus. They could win the first Liga without losing a match in 80 years
Cesc. The midfielder is ready for the derby
Rosell. The president said that Tito will be back in 15 or 20 days.
TITO WANTS TO BE IN THE DERBY
Vilanova plans to lead the first training of the year, on January 2nd
Rosell assured in Dubai that the coach “will combine his job with the treatment”
Mou: “It has been a fantastic week”
The football experts at The Guardian have unanimously named FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as the top player in the world, beating out Cristiano Ronaldo, teammates Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and former strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic who rounded out the top five. ”The world’s most influential players must now bow to the one and only Lionel Messi of Barcelona,” the editors opined, as they unveiled Messi as their top choice. Sid Lowe went on to justify the group’s decision: “There was only one name and one position on which all 11 members of the panel were in unanimous agreement: the world No1, Lionel Messi. How could we not choose him? The debate has moved to another plane: it is not so much a question of whether Messi is the best player in the world right now, as whether Messi might just be the best player there has ever been.”
Follow this post after the break for the top ten according to The Guardian. And be sure to share your impressions of their rankings in the comments here.
FC Barcelona’s coach Tito Vilanova will return to his post in two to three weeks according to declarations made on Friday by club president Sandro Rosell. Rosell, speaking in Dubai at the Globe Soccer conference, confirmed Vilanova’s positive trajectory, adding that the coach will initially “combine his work with the first team squad and his cancer treatment…the most important thing is his health. At this stage football must come second.” If Rosell’s time frame is correct, it would mean that Tito would miss the Liga derby with Espanyol on January 6 and the Copa match with Cordoba on January 10, but would likely return in time for the Liga matches against Malaga and Real Sociedad later that month. Keep your fingers crossed!
Image: EFE
NO TO CHELSEA
Villa, at Barça until June
Tito and Zubizarreta tag him as “indispensable” and they have already talked with him
The striker will fight to be a starter and will decide when the season is over
Mou will keep punishing Casillas
DESTINATION: PREMIER LEAGUE
Guardiola has almost decided to accept one of the three English offers: Chelsea, City or United
The coach has met with some of their emissaries in United States and his agent and his brother already know what will his future be
Abidal: “I never thought about quitting football”
Cuenca. Valencia try hard but he wants to stay
Iniesta, an idol in Albacete: “For 2013 it’s our turn to win the Champions”
Casillas, “caught” in Barcelona. MD caught the goalkeeper, who seems to be confronted to Mou, walking by in Barcelona
Every week at totalBarca, we bring you results of the top seven youth sides at La Masia: the Juvenil A, Juvenil B, Cadet A, Cadet B, Infantil A, Infantil B and Alevin A sides. We also name the Man of the Match (MOM) performer for each category.
86% – FC Barcelona finishes 2012 with the best win percentage of any team in the commonly accepted top 5 leagues in Europe. No other team comes close at all to that 86%, with 2nd place shared by Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich with a win percentage of 78%. Manchester United are 3rd with 75% while Juventus rounds out the top 5 with 73%.
Source: @BarcaStat; Image Credit: Victor Fraile/Getty Images
The illustrious French sports magazine L’Equipe published today a selection of 11 players that compose their best team of 2012. From that 11, FC Barcelona can boast 4 players, more than any other team in Europe except one. Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi have been chosen for this praise before, but the man at left back Jordi Alba debuts in this honor. It has been quite a year for Jordi Alba.
MESSI SAID NO TO A GREAT OFFER FROM RUSSIA
ALMOST 30 MILLION EUROS PER YEAR
A team from the Russian League sent him the offer and they said they would pay his 250 buyout clause as well
NEYMAR
“Leo Messi is the best [player] of the world”
“I’ve never hidden my dream of playing in Europe and I admire Xavi and Iniesta so much”
Messi’s record, in pairs. To reach the 91 goals scored in a year record he had to score 22 doubles, 21 of them with Barça
Chelsea want Villa to be loaned to them. Neither Barça nor the player are willing to listen Rafa Benítez’s offer
“MERRY CRHIRSTMAS TO YOU ALL”
“For 2013 I wish Tito a quick recovery”
“We will work to win all the titles, this is our aim”
Following Saturday’s victory against Valladolid (1-3), FC Barcelona’s players will take a well deserved break, with the next training session set for January 2. After 10 days of rest, preparations will begin on that Wednesday for the blaugrana’s next match, the local derbi against Espanyol on January 6 (19:00).
The first training session of 2013 will take place at the Ciutat Esportiva beginning at 18:00. The ten players called up to the Catalan national team will be absent, having trained earlier in the day, also at the Ciutat Esportiva. Catalunya will take on Nigeria that evening at 19:00 at the Cornellà-El Prat stadium, with Valdés, Montoya, Piqué, Puyol, Bartra, Jordi Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Tello, and Sergi Roberto in the squad.
Source: fcbarcelona.cat; Image: Miguel Ruiz (FCB)
As announced on the club’s official website earlier today, FC Barcelona has reached an agreement with goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto to extend his contract through the 30th of June, 2014. The new contract will be signed by the player in the coming weeks. His current contract runs through June of 2013.
AT 16!
Valladolid 1-3 Barça
Málaga 3-2 R. Madrid
The players dedicate the victory to Tito, who watched the game from home
Barça gives everything it has for its coach and opens up an historic breach with Madrid
Mou punishes Iker and ignites Madrid
Jersey – “Good sense, chest, and balls,” the blaugrana theme and Real Madrid also shows support
Roura – led with certainty the last battle of 2012 and Messi closed it with 91 goals
Guardiola – is back in Barcelona and will visit his friend shortly
TITO ENJOYED HIS BARÇA AND MOURINHO SUNK MADRID TO -16
Málaga 3-2 R. Madrid – He punished Casillas and failed
Valladolid 1-3 Barça – They dedicated the goal fest to Vilanova
In a short statement on its website, FC Barcelona announced that given his progress following the operation on Thursday, Tito Vilanova has been discharged from the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona this Saturday afternoon.
Atletico Madrid players took to the field for warmups for their Friday match against Celta with an encouraging message for Tito Vilanova. What an amazing gesture!
Image: Marca
WITH TITO’S STRENGTH
Barça play in Valladolid thinking about dedicating their victory to their coach
The players will wear a T-shirt to support Tito
Roura has Rosell’s support
Mou blames the players: “They are the same ones who won La Liga last season”
FOR TITO!
The players want to end the year by winning the match and dedicating the victory to Vilanova
Iniesta will travel, Song and Adriano are unable to play and Rosell will attend the match which will be led by Roura
Valladolid – Barça (18h)
Busquets: “Victory will give Tito more strength”
Vilanova is out of the ICU now and will spend the Christmas days at home
Txiki travelled to Brazil to sound out Neymar
They welcome Madrid in shock. UEFA excluded Málaga from the next European competition
Alex Song and Adriano Correia will not travel to Valladolid. The two players remain injured and will be rested as a precaution against the Pucela on Saturday. The midfielder from Cameroon has a knee injury in his left leg, while the Brazilian defender is nursing a thigh injury in his left leg. In their absence, a total of 19 players will make the trip for this weekend’s match.
TITO, READY TO FACE MILAN
Vilanova was successfully operated yesterday in Barcelona
The players take the reigns and hope that he will be able to coach them in the great Champions duel
TITO, BETTER THAN EXPECTED
A 5 mm ganglion was extirpated with no need of invasive surgery
There was no metastasi so he will undergo a softer treatment
FC Barcelona players were quick to react to Thursday’s Champions League draw where Milan was unveiled as the squad’s next opponent. totalBarca has collected and translated a few choice reactions via Twitter below:
Every week at totalBarca, we bring you results of the top seven youth sides at La Masia: the Juvenil A, Juvenil B, Cadet A, Cadet B, Infantil A, Infantil B and Alevin A sides. We also name the Man of the Match (MOM) performer for each category.
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