Why the necessity to assign blame? It’s a psychological function, effectively human nature that, at its most simple is the delegating, even imagining, by people the cause to a complex or inexplicable effect. The world and its infinite parts are so incomprehensible that to keep sane, humans have been conditioned to search for explanations and find comfort in answers. Those answers vary: science, religion, nature, nurture, etc. That does not however mean the blame game is always right, more often than not, it’s entirely wrong and unfair.

Step forward Jordi Roura. I have found the bile and slander done in Roura’s name over the last weeks shameful. Not only shameful, but irresponsible and naïve. Reality check time, Jordi Roura is NOT in charge and he is NOT making the final decisions.

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Every week at totalBarca, we bring you results of 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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It’s hard to imagine Barcelona as a city without it’s famous club, but the city itself, its people, culture and history influence the club and it’s identity as well. The new Nike spot reflects this close relationship featuring  Busquets, Pedro, Thiago and Bartra promoting FC Barcelona Collection.

Andrés Iniesta admitted during Wednesday’s press conference that the squad members are frustrated by their elimination in the Copa del Rey semifinal against Real Madrid. “They beat us and we’re frustrated not to have won and to be missing out on the final. These things need to serve for there to be a reaction and for us to learn that nothing is easy and that we can lose.” He continued with reminding everyone that there is still a lot to fight for this season, saying that “the team has been having some very good years and deserves not to have to suffer for going out in the cup semifinals against a magnificent side like Madrid. And let’s not forget that we’re the league leaders and on Saturday we can expect another tough battle at the Bernabéu. We have to make sure we hold onto our lead.”

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TITO FEELS GUILTY

Rosell travels to New York to cheer him up

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Leo Messi did not train this morning with his teammates at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The Argentine missed Wednesday training owing to illness (a fever and general malaise). Doctors from the first team visited Messi at his home, where he was given the appropriate medication and rest was recommended. The team will have a day off on Thursday, and it is expected that Barça’s ’10′ will be back in training on Friday afternoon, which is the last session before Saturday’s Clásico in La Liga at the Bernabéu.

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This Wednesday morning, club president Sandro Rosell, vice president Josep Maria Bartomeu, and football sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta are traveling to New York to talk about the future of the first team with Tito Vilanova. Vilanova is still in the United States, undergoing special treatment in the fight against cancer that keeps him away from the Camp Nou.

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For Tuesday’s second leg Copa del Rey match against Real Madrid, interim manager Jordi Roura made the decision to ignore recent form and keep David Villa on the bench in favour of Cesc Fabregas, leaving the home side toothless in attack once more. Barcelona has been failing to turn possession into goals in recent games but once again it was decided to field a team very short of attacking options.

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RESULT:

FC Barcelona: 1

Real Madrid CF: 3

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totalBarça welcomes you all to the Copa del Rey game between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid!

(Tuesday February 26, 2012 @ 21:00 Barcelona time - Convert to local time). We also have the return of the Match Countdown Timer at the right side of the main page above the Search bar!

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This Tuesday at midday, Barça held its final training session before the second leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid. The squad trained at the venue for tonight’s Clásico, the Camp Nou. The 23 players of the first team trained normally in the cold temperatures currently being felt in Barcelona.

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Tonight, Real Madrid travel to the Camp Nou to decide the Copa del Rey semi-final, after a hard-fought 1-1 in the first leg at the Bernabeu. In that first leg, a depleted Real Madrid defense, spurred on by a masterclass and tying goal from 19-year-old phenomenon Raphael Varane, managed to hold Barça at bay in a thrilling match. Both sides had plenty of missed chances, but in the end Madridistas celebrated the draw, while cules were a bit disappointed not to seize a lead in the tie while their opponents were vulnerable. Nonetheless, Barcelona might be said to have a slight edge going into this match, having home field advantage and an away goal – but then again, advantages mean nothing in a Clásico, and Barça has not kept a clean sheet for 11 games in a row.

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Message from Roura to Undiano Mallenco

“I’ve simply said the truth … When Undiano referees, our chances to take away the victory diminish … and the chances that some take way bruises on their legs increases.”

Cartoon by Caye

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho responded  with irony to comments made by Jordi Roura about Undiano Mallenco, the referee who was assigned to the Copa del Rey game, who recalled the permissiveness in the Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Portuguese coach, whose presence in the press room of Valdebebas was a surprise to everyone, responded in his style: “I’ll stick with the lessons received in the past from Barcelona, of sportsmanship, not to pressure the referees, not to simulate faults, not to search for cards for opponents … and also to play good football. I prefer to humbly follow this line,” Mourinho said.

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FC Barcelona coach Jordi Roura remains optimistic ahead of facing Real Madrid in the 2nd leg of 2012/13′s Copa del Rey clásico series. The assistant of Tito Vilanova believes that the team has moved on from the fiasco against AC Milan in the Champions League. “The first step was to win against Sevilla on Saturday and from now on every win will strengthen us.” Roura also said that he expects José Mourinho to play with an aggressive and attacking team: “Madrid has to score and from the start they will try to find opportunities for scoring, but we are prepared for every option, also when they will defend and wait.”

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MESSI, MOTIVATED

Barça – Madrid (21h)

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LET IT BE 11 VS 11

Roura complained about the referee saying that the team is always “harmed” when they play with Undiano Mallenco as the referee

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Alberto Undiano Mallenco (39) will officiate the Copa del Rey 2nd leg at the Camp Nou later this evening.

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After the win over Sevilla on Saturday, Jordi Roura explained, “At half-time, I discussed the tactical changes with Tito. We asked the players to stay calm, not to hurry.” Though Tito has presumably been in contact with the coaching staff during each game in 2013, Roura’s comment indicates a new degree of urgency and involvement – whoever actually has the final say on in-game decisions, Saturday’s substitutions were unmistakably Vilanovan in nature.

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FC Barcelona’s Juvenil A side has waved goodbye to the NextGen Series tournament after a painful loss against Chelsea. Jordi Vinyals’ team played against a ten-man Chelsea team during the whole second half, but they wouldn’t find luck in the final third of the field.

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Barça continues to prepare for the second leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid. The team trained this Monday morning at the Ciutat Esportiva at a closed session led by Jordi Roura. The assistant coach was able to work with 23 footballers, including Adriano, who trained with the group after spending the last few days working on his own as he recovers from a hamstring injury in his right leg. The injury picked up during the Granada match has caused the Brazilian defender to miss Barça’s last two games against Milan and Sevilla.

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Macario Karanka is already crying ahead of the Clásico

“It will be news the day we end with 11 players.”

Translation: “Dear Undiano Mallenco, Let’s see if you do the same in a Cup final, and let our player kick the Barça players without expulsions, yours,  Mou.”

Cartoon by Caye

MESSI WANTS VILLA BY HIS SIDE

The statement: “With El Guaje as a striker, the team is able to find more spaces”

The poll: Should David play against Madrid? Yes: 98% No: 2%

Xavi, King of El Clásico

Kaká, their secret weapon

They are leaders…in red cards

“ATTACK!”

24h before a Clásico (Copa del Rey), interview with Dani Alves

“I think that Madrid will give everything they’ve got because they’re risking their season”

“We must improve our defence, but as long as we go through, it’s not forbidden to concede goals”

With Cesc or Villa, Barça want to go through and be able to win, at least, the double

Mourinho is coming with his best starter team to try to fix their year

With Undiano refereeing, Barça’s defeats rate rise from 8% up to 21%

The suspicious incidents of the first leg motivate Messi

In keeping with the programs at FC Barcelona, we wanted to mention a campaign they are currently supporting – the “Quit smoking with Barça” initiative.  One of the agencies working with FCB on this project reached out to totalBarça and we are pleased to spread the word of this healthy campaign.

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Sadly this game will be remembered for the horrific knee injury sustained by Barça’s 17-year-old left back Alex Grimaldo rather than for the football.

Hércules arrived at the Miniestadi looking to prolong Barça’s three game losing streak. The visitors themselves have had an indifferent season and it is easy to forget that just two and a half years ago, this was a team, promoted from the Segunda Division, that inflicted a Camp Nou defeat on Pep Guardiola’s La Liga champions.

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