FC Barcelona News
Ronaldinho returning to Barcelona!
July 5th, 2010If you’re looking for details of next season’s fixtures then you don’t have much longer to wait.
I’m expecting the draw it at the end of next week and will email you as soon as I have details – I’m in the middle of moving house at the moment so chaos rules, but thanks to the magic of a laptop plus Vodafone I can work from anywhere! You will get that email…
I’ve already sent you details of the Spanish Supercup to be played against Sevilla in August. The home leg will be played on 21/22 August at the Nou Camp:
Spanish Supercup 2010
But I’ve got some more news for you… Ronaldinho is returning to Barcelona!
It’s just for one night though, and it’s with his current club, AC Milan. The Italian club has been invited to play in the annual Gamper Trophy, an invitation event named after the founder of FC Barcelona.
I don’t have prices yet, but you’ll see them at the link below sometime this week:
Gamper Trophy 2010
FC Barcelona Schedule 2010/11
June 27th, 2010We’re getting a number of emails at the moment requesting details of the 2010/2011 FC Barcelona schedule.
The La Liga draw takes place in mid July although we don’t have a firm date yet.
As soon as we know you’ll find full details on the homepage but if you’d like to be kept informed by email then please join our newsletter.
As well as weekly FC Barcelona news you’ll be kept up to date with fixtures in the Spanish League, Champions League and any summer friendlies.
To keep up to date click on the link: FC Barcelona schedule.
World Cup fever
June 21st, 2010Well it looks like England is in a right mess, but certainly not as bad as France. Switzerland beat a Spanish side full of Barça players, so it’s hardly like they aren’t used to playing together. And what happened with Italy against New Zealand?
So far the world cup seems to have underwhelmed most people with football that lacks any kind of excitement – at least on the pitch as off the pitch there are vuvuzelas, confrontations between trespassing fans and David Beckham, players refusing to train and the advent of 3D television (BTW, is it any good?)…
Is this really world class?
But then again I think of Brazil against the Ivory Coast, which certainly lacked no passion, and it definitely was. And Argentina under Maradona – national team of Leo Messi – seem to be doing ok with 1-0 win over Nigeria and a much more convincing 4-1 victory over North Korea and tomorrow a match against Greece.
Anyway, when the circus is over we’ll be back to the domestic competitions, which of course includes La Liga. The draw will take place sometime in mid-July, although I currently don’t have a firm date for it – that’s life in Spain.
As soon as I know I’ll email everyone on the list with dates and prices.
However, FC Barcelona v Sevilla has been confirmed at the Nou Camp on 21/22 August. Matches in Spain are finalised a few days before the match so we can’t be more specific than that at the moment so if you want tickets you can order them now, but make sure you’re here for both of those dates:
Sandro Rosell voted Barça president
June 14th, 2010FC Barcelona’s presidential elections took place yesterday with Sandro Rosell the clear winner on 61% of the vote.
With Joan Laporta’s time in office over after a staggeringly successful time in the role, it is perhaps surprising that Rosell had such support; he was for a time Laporta’s right hand man until they spectacularly fell out.
But maybe it was because he was responsible for bringing Ronaldinho to the club; or simply because it has been clearly had his sights on the presidency for several years and was considered the natural successor.
In his victory speech he said “I want a Barça that will recapture the world’s imagination” – I’m neither pro nor anti Rosell, but that sounds like the biggest load of guff I’ve heard for a long time; Barça already capture the world’s imagination, that’s one of the reasons that we have several thousand people signed up for our mailing list and why people from all over the world buy tickets from us.
And he goes on with more guff; “one that unifies and does not separate while being committed to the country and to the causes of solidarity”.
One of Rosell’s priorities will be to ensure that Pep Guardiola stays as coach. He will also need to finalise the long expected deal with Arsenal to bring Cesc Fabregas to the club that Laporta got under way. The English press is reporting that a deal has gone on behind the scenes involving Rosell.
When he takes over on July 1st it’s at a club that is in pretty good shape. As well as winning the Spanish League he should find the club’s finances are looking much healthier than those of many; Real Madrid and Valencia spring to mind.
Just as well, since he plans on a €150 million development of the area around the Nou Camp rather than remodel the façade of the stadium. Time will tell how he gets on.
FC Barcelona – club news 7 June 2010
June 7th, 2010It’s a while since I sent any kind of news update on FC Barcelona, but with the Spanish League title sealed it seemed like time to take a bit of a break. Meanwhile, the wheels have continued to turn at Barça.
First thing on the agenda today is the FC Barcelona elections. Joan Laporta has overseen a spectacularly successful presidency at the club but it is now his turn to move on to pursue a career in the political arena. At least with the boardroom bust-ups he had at Barça he will be prepared for it.
The election campaigns of Agustí Benedito, Jaume Ferrer, Marc Ingla and Sandro Rosell are now in the final days, with club members voting on Sunday 13th June.
Player news
While the presidential election going on in the background, it’s important not to forget the players. So far Barça has signed David Villa from Valencia and while the long rumoured bid for Cesc Fàbregas was formalised with a €35 million offer, Arsenal have so far rejected it. Laporta has stressed that the lines of communication with Arsenal are still open and so it may just be that they are haggling over the price.
World Cup
Meanwhile the rest of the footballing world is focused on South Africa. Victor Valdes has finally been selected for the Spanish squad along with several other Barça team mates; other national squads with Barça players include Argentina, France, Ivory Coast and Brazil.
It’s a while since I sent any kind of news update on FC Bracelona, but with the Spanish League title sealed it seemed like time to take a bit of a break. Meanwhile, the wheels have continued to turn at Barça.
First thing on the agenda today is the FC Barcelona elections. Joan Laporta has overseen a spectacularly successful presidency at the club but it is now his turn to move on to pursue a career in the political arena. At least with the boardroom bust-ups he had at Barça he will be prepared for it.
The election campaigns of Agustí Benedito, Jaume Ferrer, Marc Ingla and Sandro Rosellare now in the final days, with club members voting on Sunday 13th June.
Player news
While the presidential election going on in the background, it’s important not to forget the players. So far Barça has signed David Villa from Valencia and while the long rumoured bid for Cesc Fàbregas was formalised with a €35 million offer, Arsenal have so far rejected it. Laporta has stressed that the lines of communication with Arsenal are still open and so it may just be that they are haggling over the price.
World Cup
Meanwhile the rest of the footballing world is focused on South Africa. Victor Valdes has finally been selected for the Spanish squad along with several other Barça team mates; other national squads with Barça players include Argentina, France, Ivory Coast and Brazil.
Pep Guardiola celebrates second La Liga title
May 17th, 2010FC Barcelona took the Spanish league title last night in a 4-0 win against Valladolid, while Real Madrid’s hopes evaporated in a 1-1 draw against Malaga. Both Valladolid and Malaga were fighting relegation and had as much to play for as the arch-rivals at the top of the league, but in the event it was Malaga who saved their own skin.
The game started with Barça playing rather nervously and it wasn’t until the 26th minute that the first game came when Prieto put the ball in his own net after deflecting a shot from Pedro; two more minutes and Pedro put the ball in the net for Barcelona’s second goal.
Messi also played a starring role, with his first goal in the 62nd minute off Touré Yaya; he also set up Messi’s second goal in the 76th minute.
With the final whistle blown the crowd and team celebrated in style, while elsewhere across the city fireworks and horns celebrated the success of FC Barcelona; the city; and Catalonia.
1-0 Luis Prieto (min 26)
2-0 Pedro (min 28)
3-0 Messi (min 62)
4-0 Messi (min 76)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
38
|
31
|
6
|
1
|
98
|
24
|
99
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
38
|
31
|
3
|
4
|
102
|
34
|
96
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
38
|
21
|
8
|
9
|
59
|
38
|
71
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
38
|
19
|
6
|
13
|
65
|
49
|
63
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
38
|
18
|
8
|
12
|
59
|
44
|
62
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
38
|
17
|
7
|
14
|
58
|
48
|
58
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
38
|
16
|
8
|
14
|
58
|
57
|
56
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
38
|
15
|
9
|
14
|
50
|
53
|
54
|
|
9
|
Atlético Madrid |
38
|
13
|
8
|
17
|
57
|
61
|
47
|
|
10
|
Deportivo |
38
|
13
|
8
|
17
|
35
|
49
|
47
|
|
11
|
Espanyol |
38
|
11
|
11
|
16
|
29
|
46
|
44
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
38
|
11
|
10
|
17
|
37
|
46
|
43
|
|
13
|
Almería |
38
|
10
|
12
|
16
|
43
|
55
|
42
|
|
14
|
Zaragoza |
38
|
10
|
11
|
17
|
46
|
64
|
41
|
|
15
|
Sporting Gijón |
38
|
9
|
13
|
16
|
36
|
51
|
40
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
38
|
9
|
12
|
17
|
42
|
59
|
39
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
38
|
7
|
16
|
15
|
42
|
48
|
37
|
|
18
|
Valladolid |
38
|
7
|
15
|
16
|
37
|
62
|
36
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
38
|
9
|
9
|
20
|
40
|
74
|
36
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
38
|
8
|
10
|
21
|
38
|
66
|
34
|
The title will be Joan Laporta’s last as president of Barça; the next few months will see club elections and a new era will thus begin; who knows if it will be anywhere near as successful as the Laporta era, which has seen a real renaissance in the fortunes of the club.
Last match of the season to decide La Liga title
May 10th, 2010Saturday night’s match was the penultimate of the season, and with a single point between Barcelona and Real Madrid and could have been decisive.
To ensure no team had any kind of advantage from knowing the result of another match, the Spanish league therefore decided all matches should be played at the same time; therefore at 21:00 across Spain on Saturday, Spanish fans were glued to their own game as well as their rivals. That meant that across Catalonia fans of FC Barcelona were keeping up to date with the Real Madrid match. And while it looked for a while like they were struggling, in the end they scored a decisive 5-1 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Meanwhile Barça were in Sevilla; and while much of the match looked like it was all going their way with goals from Messi, Bojan and Pedro, the last 20 minutes gave them a scare; two goals in the 69th and 71st minute from Sevilla meant that three points started to look far from certain.
The end result was a win from both Barça and Madrid, which means the final match of the league decide the league.
0-1, Messi (min 5)
0-2, Bojan (min 28)
0-3, Pedro (min 61)
1-3, Kanouté (min 69)
2-3, Luis Fabiano (min 71)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
37
|
30
|
6
|
1
|
94
|
24
|
96
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
37
|
31
|
2
|
4
|
101
|
33
|
95
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
37
|
20
|
8
|
9
|
58
|
38
|
68
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
37
|
18
|
6
|
13
|
62
|
47
|
60
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
37
|
17
|
8
|
12
|
57
|
44
|
59
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
37
|
16
|
7
|
14
|
55
|
48
|
55
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
37
|
16
|
7
|
14
|
55
|
54
|
55
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
37
|
14
|
9
|
14
|
48
|
53
|
51
|
|
9
|
Atlético Madrid |
37
|
13
|
8
|
16
|
57
|
58
|
47
|
|
10
|
Deportivo |
37
|
13
|
8
|
16
|
35
|
47
|
47
|
|
11
|
Osasuna |
37
|
11
|
9
|
17
|
36
|
45
|
42
|
|
12
|
Almería |
37
|
10
|
12
|
15
|
41
|
52
|
42
|
|
13
|
Espanyol |
37
|
11
|
11
|
15
|
29
|
44
|
44
|
|
14
|
Zaragoza |
37
|
10
|
10
|
17
|
43
|
61
|
40
|
|
15
|
Sporting Gijón |
37
|
9
|
13
|
15
|
36
|
49
|
40
|
|
16
|
Valladolid |
37
|
7
|
15
|
15
|
37
|
58
|
36
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
37
|
8
|
12
|
17
|
40
|
59
|
36
|
|
18
|
Málaga |
37
|
7
|
15
|
15
|
41
|
47
|
36
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
37
|
9
|
9
|
19
|
40
|
73
|
36
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
37
|
8
|
9
|
21
|
37
|
65
|
33
|
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Tenerife defeated in rain soaked Nou Camp
May 5th, 2010Barcelona extended their lead over Real Madrid last night with a rain soaked 4-1 win against Tenerife last night. Again Messi scored two goals, and while the visitors kept in the game during the first half, Barça was able to outlast them in the second, when three of the goals came in.
While Barça are now 4 points clear of Real Madrid, the galacticos play Mallorca tonight and so may well close up the gap.
1-0, Messi (min 16)
1-1, Román (min 38)
2-1, Bojan (min 63)
3-1, Pedro (min 77)
4-1, Messi (min 93)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
36
|
29
|
6
|
1
|
91
|
22
|
93
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
35
|
29
|
2
|
4
|
92
|
31
|
89
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
36
|
20
|
8
|
8
|
58
|
36
|
68
|
|
4
|
Mallorca |
35
|
17
|
8
|
10
|
56
|
39
|
59
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
35
|
17
|
6
|
12
|
55
|
43
|
57
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
36
|
15
|
7
|
14
|
53
|
47
|
52
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
36
|
15
|
7
|
14
|
53
|
54
|
52
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
35
|
14
|
8
|
13
|
46
|
47
|
50
|
|
9
|
Deportivo |
35
|
12
|
8
|
15
|
33
|
44
|
44
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
35
|
12
|
7
|
16
|
53
|
56
|
43
|
|
11
|
Almería |
36
|
10
|
11
|
15
|
39
|
50
|
41
|
|
12
|
Espanyol |
35
|
10
|
11
|
14
|
27
|
42
|
41
|
|
13
|
Osasuna |
35
|
10
|
9
|
16
|
32
|
42
|
39
|
|
14
|
Sporting Gijón |
36
|
9
|
12
|
15
|
35
|
48
|
39
|
|
15
|
Zaragoza |
35
|
9
|
10
|
16
|
40
|
58
|
37
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
35
|
8
|
12
|
15
|
38
|
52
|
36
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
35
|
7
|
14
|
14
|
39
|
44
|
35
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
36
|
9
|
8
|
19
|
38
|
71
|
35
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
35
|
6
|
15
|
14
|
34
|
54
|
33
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
36
|
7
|
9
|
21
|
34
|
63
|
30
|
La Liga race continues
May 3rd, 2010Barcelona collected three points against Villarreal on Saturday night in a 4-1 win, with goals from Messi, Xavi and Bojan. Meanwhile Real Madrid’s match against Osasuna looked like it would end in a 2-2 draw; however, a last minute goal from Cristiano Ronaldo ensured that Madrid kept hold of the points and are still snapping at Barça’s tail, just one point behind in the league.
0-1 Messi (min 18)
0-2 Xavi (min 33)
0-3 Bojan (min 42)
1-3 Llorente (min 67)
1-4 Messi (min 87)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
35
|
28
|
6
|
1
|
87
|
21
|
90
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
35
|
29
|
2
|
4
|
92
|
31
|
89
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
35
|
19
|
8
|
8
|
55
|
35
|
65
|
|
4
|
Mallorca |
35
|
17
|
8
|
10
|
56
|
39
|
59
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
35
|
17
|
6
|
12
|
55
|
43
|
57
|
|
6
|
Villarreal |
35
|
15
|
7
|
13
|
51
|
50
|
52
|
|
7
|
Getafe |
35
|
15
|
6
|
14
|
52
|
46
|
51
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
35
|
14
|
8
|
13
|
46
|
47
|
50
|
|
9
|
Deportivo |
35
|
12
|
8
|
15
|
33
|
44
|
44
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
35
|
12
|
7
|
16
|
53
|
56
|
43
|
|
11
|
Espanyol |
35
|
10
|
11
|
14
|
27
|
42
|
41
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
35
|
10
|
9
|
16
|
32
|
42
|
39
|
|
13
|
Almería |
35
|
9
|
11
|
15
|
35
|
48
|
38
|
|
14
|
Sporting Gijón |
35
|
9
|
11
|
15
|
34
|
47
|
38
|
|
15
|
Zaragoza |
35
|
9
|
10
|
16
|
40
|
58
|
37
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
35
|
8
|
12
|
15
|
38
|
52
|
36
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
35
|
7
|
14
|
14
|
39
|
44
|
35
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
35
|
9
|
8
|
18
|
37
|
67
|
35
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
35
|
6
|
15
|
14
|
34
|
54
|
33
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
35
|
7
|
9
|
20
|
33
|
60
|
30
|
Champions League dream shattered by Inter Milan
April 29th, 2010Barcelona was full of blaugrana shirts and the sense of excitement ever present during the build up to the big match at the Nou Camp last night. In the stadium the atmosphere was electric, and despite each team’s strong sense of purpose Samuel Eto’o warmly greeted ex-team mates Xavi Hernández and Victor Valdes before going onto the pitch.
From the start it was clear how the two teams intended to play, with Barça purely on the attack while Inter playing to defend their 3-1 advantage from the first leg of the semi-final.
The Catalans had huge possession throughout the match, holding onto the ball for 75%. But try and try and try as they might, the Inter defense just wouldn;’t allow them through.
Early on, in the tenth minute, Ibrahimovic got a yellow card which looked like it should have been a penalty for Barça, his ripped shirt evidence of who the victim really was. And what could have been the pivotal point of the game came in the 27th minute when Thiago Motta received a straight red card – he’d already got a yellow – for a completely unnecessary foul of Sergei Busquets. After receiving his marching orders, Motta was clearly upset, and launched another attack on Busquets showing little respect for his former team or team mates.
Down to 10 men, Inter continued to defend well. Despite some changes – Maxwell for Milito and Bojan for Ibra – time and time again Barcelona was unable to find the space to work their magic; until finally in the 84th minute Pique put it into the back of the net, although replays show he was probably offside.
Barcelona seemed to gain energy with the goal and kept on at it. When Bojan put the goal in the net a few minutes later it looked like Barça had done it; however, the goal was disallowed for a handball from Touré Yaya.
All in all a great match, with Barcelona fighting until the end. It’s a shame they couldn’t do enough to get that second goal, but they needn’t hang their heads in shame at the result.
1-0, Piqué (min 84)
FCB
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