The Result: Valencia CF 1-1 FC Barcelona
RESULT:
Valencia CF: 1
FC Barcelona: 1
GOALSCORERS:
Valencia CF: Banega (32′)
FC Barcelona: Messi (38′)
LINEUPS:
Valencia CF: Guaita, Joao, Rami, Ricardo Costa, Cissokho, V. Ruiz, Tino Costa, Bernat, Banega, Guardado, Soldado
FC Barcelona: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Cesc, Iniesta, Messi, Pedro
Live Match Chat: Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona
totalBarça welcomes you all to the Liga game between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona!
(Sunday February 3, 2012 @ 19:00 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!
Match Preview: Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona
For a team with an eleven points lead to the nearest competitor, FC Barcelona still looks somewhat uncomfortable recently with only two wins in the last five games. What can this contest tell us further about this? What will be the interesting key points? Find out what we think after the jump.
Cartoon of the Day: Sport
On the field they hit him with kicks, away they hit him with lies …
that anger him, that keep angering him
“They are starting to swell, the balls … of gold”
Cartoon by Caye
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (03.02.2013)
ANOTHER BLOW
Granada 1-0 Real Madrid
Granada breaks Madrid with a brave approach
Madrid left in Granada the slight option they had in the league
Excellent debut for Alcaraz and an own goal by Cristiano
OBJECTIVE +18
Valencia-Barça 19.00h
Barça confronts in top form one of the last hurdles they face for the title with a great Messi ready to answer with football
The Front: Sport (03.02.2013)
MADRID’S RIDICULOUSNESS
Granada 1-0 Madrid – defeat with an own goal by Cristiano
ONLY FOOTBALL
Barça passes over the controversies
The blaugrana team wants to begin the decisive month of February with a victory
Messi 300
The Argentinean crack has 297 goals with Barça and in Mestalla he hopes to get closer to the triple century
Dani Alves: We are the club to beat
FC Barcelona defender Dani Alves (29) spoke to the press on Thursday following the game against Real Madrid. As expected, the issue of racism in football arenas took center stage and Alves shared his opinion, terming the fight against this issue a ‘lost cause’. He also answered questions on the result and conduct of players as witnessed during the Copa del Rey quarterfinal clash.
Jordi Alba: The team was frustrated
FC Barcelona fullback Jordi Alba(23), on Thursday, unveiled his new Adidas boots and in the accompanying press conference shared his opinion on Wednesday’s Clàsico, the conduct of the players and referees during and after the game and the upcoming match against his former club, Valencia CF. The left back also reiterated his belief that the league is not decided yet, giving a special mention to Atlético Madrid’s form. Excerpts from the interview are after the break.
Happy Birthday, Gerard Pique!
FC Barcelona central defender Gerard Pique, in his fifth year playing first team football, turns 26 today. Pique put in a superb performance against Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey game, with several interceptions and a couple of crucial tackles. One of the most beloved and popular players in the squad, Pique recently became a father. His partner, Colombian singer Shakira, who also has her birthday today, gave birth to their son Milan on January 22nd, 2013.
totalBarça wishes Gerard a very happy birthday and a wonderful year ahead filled with trophies and success!
Muniesa to play for Barcelona B
FC Barcelona announced on the club website that defender Marc Muniesa (20) has been enrolled in the Barça B squad, as he faces the final stages of recovery from an injury sustained during preseason. Muniesa suffered a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his right knee in the match against Hamburger SV. Though the defender resumed training with the first team on January 17th, he is yet to receive the medical green signal. This move to Eusebio’s Barça B gives a chance for Muniesa to return to full match fitness. The left footed defender is set to wear the number 21.
Francesc Calvet: An Unsung Hero – Interview with Guillem Gómez
Catalan journalist Guillem Gómez authored Francesc Calvet, El pagés que va triomfar al Barça, a book that tells the story of Calvet, a country man who took part in the mythical team of les Cinc Copes. In addition to being a part of that legendary Barça team, Calvet was also one of the first set of players who can be considered ‘La Masia players’. Gómez took time out to discuss with totalBarça his book and a little bit of blaugrana history. At the moment, the book is published only in Catalan, but a Spanish version is set to come and there is also a possibility for the book to be released in English.
Cartoon of the Day: Sport
Headline: Captivated by Varane
Puyol: “The Frenchman is a clean, noble, talented defender, and because of that I ask myself … what the hell is he doing in Moudrid?”
Cartoon by Caye
The Front: Sport (02.02.2013)
SIGNING NEYMAR
He packs his bags to come in the summer
Barça has everything to a point
The club and the player’s sponsors are already working to exploit his arrival
Tito will continue in New York for all of February
They want to dirty Messi’s image
The Front: El Mundo Deportivo (02.02.2013)
STUPID CAMPAIGN
A sector of the Madrid press intends to smear Messi’s image after the Clásico
Callejón implicates for the white club, Barça ignores it, and other media sectors discount it
This, yes, was seen [in previous games and the past game]
In the Clásicos the Madrid players go all out for Messi and yes there is proof of that
Photos: Pepe stepping on Messi, Ramos kicking Messi, Alonso’s slap
Madrid press targets Messi
The Madrid press released several reports Wednesday following the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona on the conduct of one player in particular. This time they are targeting none other than the best player in the world, FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (25).
According to La Sexta, Messi yelled at Real Madrid Assistant Manager Aitor Karanka immediately following the match at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday. According to the TV network Messi said: “What are you looking at, fool? You’re just a puppet of Mourinho.” The incident remained unconfirmed by actual, named sources until Friday when José Callejón confirmed the comments directed at Karanka during a press conference.
Quote of the Day: Capdevila on Callejon
“For all that he seeks the limelight with his declarations, he will only be remembered with fondness for keeping Cesc onside when he scored.”
-Josep Capdevila [reporter, Sport @josepcapdevila]
How to know if a youth player will go all the way?
I’ve been following youth football at Barça for a while now. And there have been many talents produced, many “safe” stars for the future. However, most of those “safe” future stars, those everyone thought would make it, didn’t. In other words, they didn’t live up to their potential. Instead, a few of those no one really paid much attention to, did make it.
But how can we really know that a youth player will make it? That he will go all the way to the first team or even become one of the best if not the best in the world one day? This task might prove impossible. Because the ball is round and everything can happen in football, and everything can happen in life. Even the most talented lad can drop his focus for one reason or another or get injured or take the wrong decision at the wrong time. We simply cannot predict who will make it big.
Recovery training and Afellay’s visit
FC Barcelona players participated in light training session on Thursday to recover after the 1st leg of Copa del Rey semi final game against Real Madrid.
Zubizarreta: “Barça could have scored more goals”
FC Barcelona’s director of football took some time to answer some questions after their Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid CF. The former “Dream Team” goalkeeper said that he felt “lucky” to have the two teams in Spain competing, adding his feelings about the match and the result. He also responded to some questions over Raphaël Varane and the frequent comparisons between the Copa del Rey and La Liga. Continue on to read the full translation of the interview conducted after the match.
