FC Barcelona have been crowned champions of La Liga, so what would motivate them against the Valladolid outfit? For some, the chance to chase Madrid’s 100 points last season is one valid reason although it would be a pity if that means Barcelona will keep under-utilizing their youngsters. With Valladolid already safe from relegation at 43 points, this match will be a platform to prepare the next season for both teams.

Miroslav Đukić’s men has won twice, drew twice, and lost once in their last 5 games. The loss came from a 7-goal-thriller against Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabeu. This shows at their current form, they are certainly no pushover. Playing a starting 4-2-3-1 formation, they like to attack from the middle and never hesitate to shoot from long range if the chance presents itself. Their top scorer and joint top assist maker is their attacking midfielder Óscar who has scored 12 and assisted 7 goals.

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The other Madrid went ahead and smashed Málaga Wednesday evening so any ideas of an especially early La Liga party for FC Barcelona were put to bed. Still Barça are eight points clear of Real Madrid, with a game in hand, ahead of either one playing this weekend with four match-days remaining. Mou’s men travel to Barcelona to face Espanyol and dependent on the result there, a fiesta may break out. A victory for Tito Vilanova’s men Sunday against Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid will clinch FC Barcelona’s 22nd La Liga title and hand Tito his first cup as head boss, irrespective of Real Madrid. Yet, while trips to the Vicente Calderón, or any match against Atlético for that matter, are routine visits for Real Madrid, historically this fixture has in general been arduous for Barcelona. Though from a purely footballing standpoint this matchup is usually a proper spectacle with a high tempo, defensive lapses and normally plenty of goals. Atlético have locked the 3rd place spot so in that sense have nothing much to play for, though this Diego Simeone has their manager’s fight to the end spirit. What could potentially play beneficially into Barça’s hands is the Copa del Rey final on Friday May 17th where the Madrid sides square off and provides the only opportunity for Atlético to pick up silverware this season.

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Avoiding the blame-game for the time being, the main thing learned from the previous few matches is that errors cost games. Defensively, there were three errors committed throughout the second leg against Bayern Munich, and they all resulted in goals. Offensively… there was no end in sight. Pedro had a good shot on goal, in a single unexpected long distance attempt. Dani Alves broke through the box with no one covering him, but then hesitated to finish it, waiting for someone to break into the box, to pass it to. The problem is that the Bayern defense recovered during his wait. The rest of the attempts were either similar or less important.

There are many reasons as to why these displays happened, and there are many theories as to how they can be addressed, but the one sure thing is that regardless of the scoreline against Betis in La Liga, Barça will not claim the title on Sunday night.

Real Madrid had battled to a 4-3 score at the Bernabéu against Valladolid, and so pushes our party to at least next week, if we manage to draw and win our next two games (including Sunday’s Betis game). So how will Barça bounce back after the German hammering?

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Let’s keep this one short and simple. Everyone knows the task ahead, everyone knows of the difficulty. What remains is one shot, one opportunity to make history. Realistically, statistically, and perhaps even logically Barça will bid adieu to the Champions League on Wednesday. Yet sport is so often filled with magic, the improbable and unreasonableness. Sport is not scripted, the conclusion is not predetermined so there is always room for hope. “Hope is what makes us strong. It is why we are here. It’s what we fight with when all else is lost.”

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There are many quotes that exist on the subject but essentially the message is: it’s not the falling down that matters, it’s whether and how one gets back up. Tuesday evening’s 4-0 defeat in Munich was a humbling experience but life goes on, competition continues and Saturday at 6pm local time FC Barcelona travels to the San Mamés with the possibility of wrapping up the 2012/3 La Liga crown. Barça currently lead Real Madrid by 13 points, a victory in Bilbao coupled with a defeat for Real in the Madrid derby would guarantee the league. Atlético Madrid trail Real by three points and will look at Saturday’s game as the perfect opportunity to vanquish the demons of not winning in over a decade. Mourinho is without doubt solely focused on the return leg versus Dortmund. He knows the league is beyond him and that his legacy at the club lies solely in an unlikely comeback in the Champions League. The game is at the Vicente Calderón and ‘Mou’ will be without Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo. But a trip to “La Catedral” is never easy and this trip being the very last FC Barcelona will ever play in the stadium (Athletic Bilbao are moving to a new stadium next season), the ever proud “Lions” could put up an extra fight.

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The clock is ticking. FC Barcelona will now begin its quest for 9 points with which the team can win the league. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich is waiting on Tuesday and both Puyol and Mascherano are out with injuries. Can Bartra partner well with Pique? Or will Tito utilize Adriano in the heart of defense once again?

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Everyone is eagerly awaiting the tasty clash of titans in Munich later in the month, but right here right now the priority returns to domestic disputes. There may be a 13 point lead with only 8 games left, yet those 8 games actually have to be played out on the field, not on paper or assumption. Sunday evening FC Barcelona travels 3oo odd kilometers west to Real Zaragaoza to take on former Sevilla manger’s Manolo Jiménez struggling side, currently in 18th place but with aspirations of survival seeing as only a point separates them from safety.

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The circumstance for this UEFA Champions League return leg is drastically different from just weeks ago. A 2-2 draw in Paris is gigantically superior to a 2-0 deficit, yet, the team should approach Paris Saint-Germain not vastly differently to AC Milan. The objective must certainly be to score, multiple times, if not simply because Tito Vilanova cannot plan the match realistically believing the team will keep a clean sheet. More after the jump.

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FC Barcelona’s depth is currently under trial as a lot of first team players are out with long-term injuries. With the important quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in just a few days, can Barcelona afford to divide their attention on today’s La Liga match against RCD Mallorca as well?

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After winning against AC Milan in the Champions League, FC Barcelona now turns its focus back to La Liga. This time it’s Rayo Vallecano’s turn to visit the Camp Nou.

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No team in the history of the Champions League has ever overturned a defeat in the first leg of a knockout tie without the luxury of an away goal, but that is precisely what FC Barcelona intend on doing Tuesday evening versus AC Milan. And while it’s been over 3 years since the Catalan giants have suffered defeat in Europe at the Camp Nou, unfortunately a victory itself may not be enough. 2-0 takes it to extra time, 3-0 or more does the business, but if the Italian outfit score the permutations become far more challenging. Just one goal from the Rossoneri obligates Barça to net 4.

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Will tonight be the dress rehearsal for Tuesday night, or will it be overlooked due to the monstrous anticipation of the comeback on Tuesday that everybody so deeply wants? Do Vilanova and Roura send out a team similar to that which will play against Milan in the hope a big win could boost confidence? Or do they decide to trust in the proven experience and give a run out to the backup players?

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Fresh from the exit in the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid, FC Barcelona square off against the same opponent once again. What can Barcelona do to prevent the Copa del Rey result from happening again? Will Real Madrid be giving their all or will they be satisfied with a draw? Find out what we think after the jump.

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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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Since Wednesday’s defeat in Italy, the talk has been of a comeback. Now this may have specifically related to March 12, but the comeback actually begins tonight at home versus Sevilla. Players and staff will want to banish the un-inspirational 90 minutes from memory as soon as possible, to right the wrongs and prove to all, themselves included, that this FC Barcelona continues to mean business.

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FC Barcelona finds itself in arguably the Champions League Round of 16’s most intriguing fixture against AC Milan. One of the most storied sides in European football, Milan will try to capitalize on recent form, fresh faces, and home field advantage Wednesday in one of the sport’s great cathedrals—the San Siro.

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With 12 points lead at the top, FC Barcelona can afford to rotate and experiment. But should they do it? What should FC Barcelona expect from their opponent, Granada CF? Find out after the jump.

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FC Barcelona will resume the quest for the La Liga title in a match against Getafe CF this Sunday afternoon. The team will look to regain winning form following two consecutive draws, against Valencia CF and Real Madrid. While international breaks have been a bane to the team in the past, this season has proven to be different, with the blaugrana smashing their opponents throughout this campaign following international breaks. Barça’s static lineup in recent matches has garnered much attention and debate. More on the lineup and other team news after the jump.

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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.

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When Queen Maria I of Portugal first came to power in 1777, her first act resulted in the dismissal of the Secretary of State. Within a decade and a half, she was unfit to rule and “Maria the Mad,” as she had become known in Brazil, was declared mentally insane. Francis Willis, the English physician who treated King George III after he lost the American colonies, wanted to bring Maria to England in the interest of her health and well-being, but was ultimately blocked to keep her on the Iberian Peninsula. The ill-fated ruler spent the remainder of her life in perpetual unhappiness, her wails and screams echoing throughout the corridors of the handful of esteemed palaces she would occupy until her death.

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Respond well they did.  The defeat to Real Sociedad was put to bed Thursday evening with a 2-4 victory against a difficult and in patches impressive Málaga.  But perhaps the defeat was not so quickly forgotten as again FC Barcelona conceded the lead, twice.  Nevertheless, the game itself was an exciting affair in which both teams genuinely went out to impose themselves, something Barça opponents rarely do. And while Málaga’s play merited 2 goals, Barça’s certainly warranted 4, with its precise passing, intelligent movements between the lines, creative options, and clinical finishing. (It was also wonderful to see Alves again finding targets with his crosses).  The plan on Sunday at 19:00 hours (local time) will be for that same level of performance, with different performers I suspect, to repeat against Mendilibar’s Osasuna, on paper at least a more favorable opposition.

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As FC Barcelona prepares to take on Malaga CF for the third time in less than two weeks, here are the things to keep in mind as we get ready to watch the game:

1- Malaga is and has been one of the strongest sides in Spain, and in Europe, judging by their Champions League group stage performance this season.

2- Malaga was dangerous in both games so far, including the first of these three matches that they lost 1-3 at home.

3- And as always, it’s Barça’s level that will decide this game.

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Málaga CF can be described as having the least straightforward journey thus far as one of the game’s nouveau riche financial powers. Officially acquired in June 2010 by a member of the Qatari royal family, all seemed well when money was spent both on transfers and wages to attract promising talents like Santi Cazorla as well as veterans including Ruud van Nistelrooy and Argentine Martín Dimichelis. Then highly rated Director of Football Fernando Hierro left in a cloud of mystery and speculation. Then rumors began around failure to pay tax authorities as well as their football players’ wage packets. Reports even emerged questioning the legitimacy of the sale, with stories of charlatans and crooks posing as royalty to defraud the club. Come the summer of 2012 and things really looked like they were imploding. Money appeared frozen, the owner AWOL, and players wanted gone and several did leave, most notably the jewel purchase
thus far Cazorla.

This season however had gone quite well under the steady and reliable stewardship of Manuel Pellegrini, with the team qualifying 1st in its Champions League group in a debut year and its league position remained solid. Sunshine and roses were back, right? Not quite. UEFA first withheld money due to the club then dropped the bomb right before Christmas that Málaga was banned from UEFA competition next year as a result of those outstanding payments mentioned above, the club was fined, and given a 31 March 2013 deadline to pay outstanding debts or face further years added to the ban.

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Happy New Year and welcome back to the Copa del Rey! FC Barcelona continues its domestic cup campaign on Thursday against Segunda División side Córdoba CF at the Camp Nou. The first leg in Andalucía saw the Catalan title holders slide two past keeper Mikel Saizar courtesy of a record-devouring Lionel Messi. With a few key players being rested and coach Tito Vilanova in the United States seeking a second opinion on his unfortunate medical condition, should we expect assistant Jordi Roura to gamble on the youngsters or field as strong a lineup as possible?

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Here’s the derby that defines the Catalan rivalry in la Liga. Will Tito’s return be enough to see off the challenge from Javier Aguirre’s men? Find out what we think after the jump.

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As the world was lucky enough to survive yesterday’s apocalypse, let us proceed with the preview for 2012’s final FC Barcelona football match.  The last game of the year before a 15-day winter break will be on the road versus 11^th place Valladolid.  A break may never have been better timed, presenting the opportunity for Tito Vilanova to recover from surgery and get his treatments underway without his mind drifting to missed matches.  His health is the priority, that is certain, but a man like Tito will never stop thinking about football and the team, so this break is most welcome.

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FC Barcelona will host Atletico on Sunday night, and a lot of interesting battles will take place. Will it be a Messi vs Falcao match, or is it time for some other player to steal the spotlight? If stopping Falcao is possible, how can Barcelona do it? Find out what we think about this and more after the jump.

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The Copa del Rey has entered the Round of 16 stage with Córdoba as our next opponent. This Adelante side is currently on a winless streak of four games, so what line up can we expect? What are the talking points of the game? Find out more after the jump.

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A trip South to Sevilla to face Real Betis Balompié is next on the agenda for FC Barcelona.  Before the rise of the Sevilla team cultivated by Joaquín Caparrós and taken to success by Juande Ramos, Real Betis were always at least on par with Sevilla FC and were the power team in Sevilla (Seville), particularly during the mid 90s.  They were relegated in 2008/9 but returned immediately and have reacclimatized nicely.  The season thus far is going fantastically for the men in green and white, with 25 points from 8 wins, 1 draw, and 5 defeats leaving them in 4^th place, 4 behind Real Madrid and 6 above their city rivals.  They usually draw strength from the fanatic home crowd and playing at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium has recently not been a fruitful experience for Barça.

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The tension and glory of the first half of the UEFA Champions League season come to a head tomorrow for the gladiators of Group G. FC Barcelona sits in prime position for the next round while SL Benfica will battle for a result that will see the 32-time Portuguese champion continue into the knockout stages or parachute into the Europa League.

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