This year’s Dubai International Film Festival will feature the premiere of a short film, Baghdad Messi, which explores the uplifting power of football in postwar Iraq. The imagery being circulated around the film is at the same time incredibly bleak and mesmerizing. Check out the official site here.
FC Barcelona defender Eric Abidal was officially recognized to have returned to training with the club on Friday morning. Abidal trained with other players recovering from injury, and although no announcement has been made regarding his return to the squad, this can only be an encouraging sign.
Image: MIGUEL RUIZ – FCB
Our very own Lionel Messi led the Argentine delegation out of the Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Messi is in the Middle East for a friendly against the Saudi national squad on November 14. Saudi Arabia’s current national coach? None other than Frank Rijkaard.
Image: Marca
As the current Balon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi was the first player to cast his vote for the 2012 FIFA World XI. The player selected his top eleven from professional leagues around the world. And now the remaining 45,000 other eligible professional players will follow his lead. As usual…
Image: MIGUEL RUIZ [FCB]
Barcelona’s new signing, Alex Dimitri Song Billong in all his glory!
Image: Facebook
Andy García, a famous Cuban-born actor, is staying in the same Bucharest hotel as FC Barcelona’s first team. He met with the squad last night at dinner at the hotel ahead of tonight’s friendly against Dinamo Bucarest.
Image: Miguel Ruiz/fcbarcelona.cat
FC Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes posted this image to his twitter stream with the caption: “Welcome home champion.” Looks like Jordi Alba won’t have many problems integrating into his new team!
Image: @1victorvaldes
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova sported a new, more serious look at Wednesday’s friendly against Manchester United. What do you all think?
Image: Pere Punti
Exhibit One: the bruise caused today by David Villa’s powerful shot on the arm of FC Barcelona reserve keeper Manuel Pinto.
Image: José Manuel Pinto
Mario Balotelli was very nearly an FC Barcelona player. In the summer of 2006, the outrageous Italian at age 16 had a trial with Barca B Cadet: he played three matches, scored eight goals, and uniformly impressed the youth coaches. But his agents made economic demands that scuttled the deal and Mario went on to play for the Inter youth squads in Italy.
Not exactly a typical Barca player, but it makes you think what might have been…
Although each man projects a very different public image, the trajectories of Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone are remarkably similar, both as players and coaches. In the Spanish Liga, they met on the field as opponents six different times, with Guardiola winning three and drawing three. And now as managers, with both men at 41, and with both of them coaching their former teams, they met again on Sunday as opponents.
Photo and details: fcbarcelona.cat
These screws were removed from the leg of David Villa as a normal phase in his recuperation from a broken tibia. If all goes well, Villa’s doctors estimate that he will be able to run and exercise on the field in another six weeks.
Photo & Story: Sport
One of the furry denizens of the Camp Nou decided that it needed a higher public profile and raced across the pitch during Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad. The last time a cat “invaded” the pitch at the Camp Nou, on matchday 2 back in August against Villarreal, it also spurred the team on to victory with the score that evening ending at 5-0.
Photo: @KowsarAwel
Groundskeepers at the Camp Nou battle the intense cold front that has swept the region. This thermal cover helps the pitch alive during the night.
Image: @airllimos
Before the start of Sevilla- Barcelona game, a minute’s silence was observed in respect and memory of the victims of the deadly earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, which reports suggest has claimed over 10,000 lives. Players of both teams held a banner with the message “We’re with you, Japan” in Japanese and Spanish. After Spain, the Catalan club’s second-largest membership presence is in Japan.
Barcelona’s Seydou Keita fights for the ball with Zaragoza’s goalkeeper Toni Doblas during their Spanish first division soccer match at La Romareda stadium in Zaragoza, October 23, 2010.
Ex-Barca striker Samuel Eto’o hugs Bojan during training session in Barcelona on Wednesday, September 13, 2010. The Cameroon international striker surprised the Blaugrana stars as he appeared to watch them be put through their paces just over a year after he left the Catalan club to join Inter Milan.
FC Barcelona striker David Villa celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Spain from the penalty spot during the UEFA EURO 2012 Group I Qualifier match between Scotland and Spain at Hampden Park on October 12, 2010 in Glasgow. It was Villa’s 44th goal for Spain, tying the tally of Real Madrid legend Raul in the all-time record books.
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