Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Real Zaragoza would be interested in a loan deal Barcelona defender Gabriel Milito (29). Milito hasn’t yet completed his process of recovery, but he has already attracted interest from Zaragoza for his services. Milito’s agent, Eduardo Gamarnik, confirmed this to RAC 1: “Zaragoza has probed the possibility of a loan deal.” However, Milito himself has only one goal in mind: “Gaby just wants to be well and recover to play for Barcelona,” Gamarnik said in an interview.

In this case, there is another circumstance, the unconditional support of the coaching staff that has spent months stressing the need to bundle up Milito during his recovery from knee injury. “Pep understands it and I repeat that we play with Barcelona.” Gamarnik was categorical and cleared all doubts and speculations about the future of the Argentinian defender. “The transfer has already been flatly ruled out by the club.”

Continue reading »

Answering a few questions during a press conference yesterday, FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Piqué said he believes the Champions League match against Inter Milan next Tuesday is “more important” than the following Sunday’s league match against Real Madrid.

“Of course winning el Clasico is very important but against Inter, it is our future in Europe that is at stake,” warned Piqué, who believes that “a team that desires to win titles must size themselves up against the big teams,” hence why Barcelona must win these two crucial matches, especially as both are to be contested at the Camp Nou.

Queried further about those two matches, Pique would not entertain them, preferring to talk about this weekend upcoming league match instead: “Ask me about Athletic Bilbao please,” emphasizing on the side’s strength, “There are a team that plays direct football, with a very good height advantage. We have to be vigilant against their high balls”.

Continue reading »

IBRA, KO

He won’t play in San Mamés

The discomfort he feels in his ischiotibials muscles prevents him from travelling to Bilbao

He may not play against Inter and Madrid, either

Henry takes the lead role

Piqué’s opinion: “It’s more important to win against Inter than Madrid”.

[Non Barça Related]

France – Ireland match won’t be played again.

“WE WILL GO FOR IT” “We won’t let you (the fans) down”

Messi gives an optimistic message to all culés.

He wants to win the Club World Cup “to close a wonderful year” but he doesn’t forget about this important week against Athletic, Inter and Madrid.

Milito rules out being loaned to Zaragoza until the end of the season.

Ibrahimovic will only miss the Athletic match.

Henry apologizes for his goal

[Non Barça Related]

We discovered the “Portuguese connection” (Cristiano Ronaldo wants Scolari as his coach)

Playing in his third season with FC Barcelona, Bojan Krkic could reach his 100^th matches played if he was selected in the Athletic Bilbao match this weekend. Catalan sports paper Sport yesterday interviewed him about his achievements, goals and other matters.

One hundred matches. You are the youngest player to reach this figure in Barcelona.
It is a very important figure. At 19 years old, to be in a club like FC Barcelona and to be able to enjoy that many matches is significant.

The centenary could be achieved in Bilbao, against a special rival and on a special pitch. (Copa del Rey final win when Bojan scored against Bilbao, and Spain’s Super Cup final first leg pitch).
It could very well be that I can reach them in that stadium. That would be very good.

Continue reading »

Gabi Milito was visibly delighted after playing in the friendly match against Bolivar yesterday after one year and a half sidelined due to his knee injury. The Argentinian stressed that the best thing to come out of that match was that “there was no pain. It has been a very special day. I have recovered that good old feeling even after being out for so long”.

The Blaugrana central defender said he felt “very well” during the 45 minutes that he played but admitted that the Bolivar match is just another step in his recovery process: “A lot of things have changed lately. I have gained much more confidence, security and optimism. I am making great strides, though I’m only just in the throes of full recovery. I still have time left to play in the team’s official matches. I do not know exactly when but (I’m sure) it won’t be long”.

Continue reading »

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo today claims FC Barcelona centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a severe muscle pain yesterday, possibly a recurrence of the injury (pulled muscle) or an extension of the injury he suffered during the match against Real Mallorca more than a week ago. The Swede is said to have felt the pain to his ischiotibial (back thigh) muscle.

The paper made the claim after receiving the news from its source at the Ciutat Esportiva, although it has yet to be confirmed by official sources.

Continue reading »

Barcelona’s centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his mark while playing in the Italian Serie A and his agent is not ruling out his return to the ‘calcio’ in the future.

“Do not rule out his return. With Zlatan, you cannot exclude anything,” the striker’s agent, Mino Raiola told Italian radio station ‘Radio Radio’.

“Zlatan is an honest guy, and he has always said that he will not play in one club his whole career. If one day he’s stagnating in Barcelona, he will return,” he said.

Continue reading »

Right after the signing of Rafael Marquez’s contract extension next week, FC Barcelona Technical Secretary, Txiki Begiristain is set to work on the contracts of three of Barca Atletic’s main jewels; midfielders Thiago Alcantara (18), Jonathan dos Santos (19) and forward Gai Assulin (18), whose contracts are set to expire on June 30, 2010, reports Catalan sports paper Sport.

Thiago and Jonathan’s contracts have already been prepared for weeks without any major hiccups in the negotiations, and only need to find a suitable date to make them official.

Continue reading »

FC Barcelona’s Thierry Henry became the first French football player to have qualified to four consecutive World Cups after France achieved the ticket to South Africa next year in the playoffs against Ireland (1-1, aggregate 2-1), according to Madrid based paper Marca.

The player, 32, was in the finals in Germany in 2006, Japan and South Korea in 2002 and France in 1998.

Midfielder Patrick Vieira has also played in the three World Cups, but could not secure his place with the current France squad.

Continue reading »

Speaking to the media yesterday, Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés says he wants Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo to be play in el Clasico on November 29 at the Camp Nou: “Big players must play in big matches. Personally, I have always liked playing against the best there is, and I hope Cristiano will be there to help his team”.

Valdés said the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch “helps Real Madrid beyond just his footballing qualities but the fact having such an integral player back is always a very good sign for the team and for the club”.

Continue reading »

UNTOUCHABLES

Messi and Ibra, a reference for League and Champions League

Guardiola thinks they will make (all) the difference against Athletic, Inter and Madrid.

Messi’s talent and Ibra’s goal are the best “insurance” against the teams Barça will have to play.

Iniesta, Puyol, Henry and Touré will be rested in San Mamés.

Milito, almost ready to play

[Non Barça Related]

2010 World Cup: Cesc leads the rout(Austria 1 – 5 Spain). 11 Barça players in the World Cup (Abidal and Henry, qualified; Chygrynskiy, did not).

Cristiano wants Scolari (as Real Madrid’s coach)

IBRA, IN DANGER!

The Swede complained about a feeling of discomfort in his ischiotibial muscle (Back thigh) and may miss the Inter match and ‘el Clásico’

Gabriel Milito: “I’ve been feeling good”

2010 World Cup:

“La Roja” danced another waltz in Vienna.

Spain will play against the best in South Africa:

Portugal qualified and Cristiano won’t miss that match.

Scandalous qualifying of France.

Greece avoided Chygrynskiy to play in the World Cup.

Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama was presented with a team scarf of FC Barcelona at the end of a news conference in Rome yesterday.

Continue reading »

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that  Barcelona have returned to training at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper on Tuesday, marking the start of a thirteen day period of frantic activity – 9 scheduled training sessions, 3 official games, and a friendly game against South American team Bolivar La Paz.  The squad reportedly would be training until Friday in preparation for the match against Athletic Bilbao the next day, the first fixture in what would be a gruelling month for the Catalan side who are facing competition on three fronts – La Liga, Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Continue reading »

According to Spanish radio program Cadena SER, Barcelona and Real Madrid would both be interested in Olympique Lyonnais wing back Michel Bastos (26). Barcelona’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain and Real Madrid’s general manager Jorge Valdano have both asked for detailed reports from their scouts on the Brazilian. Asked to respond, Bastos’s agent, Duro Ivanisevic said: “I am not aware of anything, but you know, when he was at Lille, many big clubs followed him and it has not changed since he joined Lyon.”

Michel Bastos is known to be a free kick and penalty kick specialist, and he has a good scoring rate. He scored 25 goals for Lille in 97 matches. Bastos signed for Lyon this summer with 18 million euros, and has already scored three goals in nine matches for them. He is also a recent debutant in the Brazil national team. He was called up in October to play friendly matches against Oman and England.

British newspaper The Independent claims that Barcelona midfielder and Ivory coast international Yaya Touré (26) is ready to leave Barcelona, with Chelsea or Manchester United his favoured destination. Touré attracted plenty of interest from Premier League clubs during the summer and, having now suffered under coach Josep Guardiola’s rotation policy, the brother of Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is ready to move on.

Toure’s agent, Dimitri Seluk said in an interview: “We had offers from big clubs, I don’t think there is a top side that does not want him, but Barça wanted him to stay. This season, though, he is not playing enough and he is not happy with the situation. He plays in the big games but this is not enough and he wants more consistency.”

Continue reading »

The last time Barcelona’s defender Gabriel Milito played an official match was on April 29th, 2008 when the team lost 1-0 to Manchester United, in the season 2007-08 Champions League semi-final second-leg match when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. Since then he had to undergo two surgical operations on his knee as he still complains of pain after the first.

Returning to training for the first time last September, his recovery has been one of Pep Guardiola’s stated objectives, reports Catalan sports paper Sport. “The day I can summon Milito to play a match will be a fantastic day,” the FC Barcelona coach declared a few months ago.

Continue reading »

Catalan sports paper Sport today reports that Barcelona centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has recovered from the pulled muscle he suffered in the team’s last league match against Real Mallorca more than a week ago.

He has been training separately from the group ever since the injury under the supervision of physiotherapist, Juanjo Brau focusing on his muscle recovery, but is now scheduled to join group trainings tomorrow. It is predicted he will be given the green light by the medical staff on Friday, in time to be included in Josep Guardiola’s squad list for the match against Athletic Bilbao.

Meanwhile, midfielder Seydou Keita, who has a swelling (edema) in his left knee’s medial collateral ligament (MCL), also suffered during the Real Mallorca’s match, has also been training away from the team ever since.

Continue reading »