FC Barcelona Blog

Match Report: Barcelona 4-2 Mallorca

2009-11-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

Everyone’s sure to be happy with last night’s result – we know we are. The boys came out to win and they did it, attacking well from the very beginning, with Pedro being surprisingly awesome. Pep was resting several starters for this match, with Xavi, Messi, Dani, Iniesta, Bojan, and Pinto on the bench. And what a genius move too – Messi and Xavi in particular have been exhausted, with Dani and Iniesta also looking like they could use some rest; they got to relax on the side while the subs got some game time, and gave a great performance, only for Leo, Xavi and Andres to come on again in the second half with fresh legs and further dominate the match.

The first goal came when Zlatan was leading an attack and the defenders closed in tight around him, so he kind of swerved around and backhealed the ball off to the right. Pedro dashed after it, caught up and tucked it into the net, then turned around and went on a victory run in the opposite direction as Busi and the rest joined with him to celebrate. Barca had an early lead and you could tell right from that moment, we were going to continue scoring and this was going to be a great match.

Then what do you know - the opposition scored. It was off a shot after a corner that our defense failed to cover, and the even scoreline had us a bit worried. The players got uneasy after that as well and the surefire attacking they had opened up with fell back; until Keita woke up to his surroundings and said, “What are we doing? This is Barca, it’s about time we scored another goal,” and flicked the ball over Mallorca’s defenders and over to the waiting Pedro.

What followed was simply crazy. Pedro shoots, his ball is knocked back by the keeper, over to Henry who shoots again, the shot is met by the keeper again, bounds back to Busquets, who meets it with yet another shot, yet another time blocked by the keeper only to go back to Pedro. Pedro gives it a second go and this time hits home, scoring his and Barca’s second.

It’s really awesome how our players all closed in around the goal with each man ready to shoot when the ball came his way. Props to that keeper for having the reflexes to go at it again and again, but the boys were relentless and managed to beat him in the end.

And we couldn’t be any happier with Pedro. At first, we had some misgivings that with him on instead of Messi, the wings would be unbalanced what with Henry starting on the left for the first time since he got injured. But Pedro was more than up to it, and after that second goal, we were feeling like he’ll definitely get a hattrick. He probably would have too if he hadn’t subbed off.

Not long after that second goal came the third. Barca was up for a freekick and Pedro asked if he could take it, and at this point we’re thinking, well why not? This match has been all about him from the get go. So little Pedro steps up, lofts the ball beautifully up into the air and onto the head of Busquets, who directs it beautifully towards Henry for the Frenchman to header it into the goal, scoring his first goal since last season.

The second half saw Messi come on for Pedro followed by Xavi for Busquets, and coming on with fresh legs, their impact was visible. With Leo to partner up with, Ibra’s game picked up after he was looking rather off in the first half – he blew a couple of great chances because he lost the ball to the opposition when he should have passed it, and we still can’t understand what he was trying to do with that freekick – it was as if he was trying to shoot the ball at the moon or something. Dude, the goal don’t go half that high.

All in all, the boys did pretty great last night. A bit of slacking off towards the end led to a goal for Osasuna, but not before Leo tucked in a neat penalty after Ibra got tackled in the area, moving off a pass from an awesome Messi run. The score ended with 4-2 for Barca, a satisfying result after a great performance from our boys.

As a final note, just a few coif-related remarks: Pique’s hair is growing in beautifully, so let’s hope he doesn’t shave it off again. Titi has a freshly shaved head, and we don’t like. The hair was looking cute on him. Zlatan’s hair is getting a bit longer and starting to curl a bit at the ends over that headband – it’s hot but lose the headband. We’ve never tolerated them on players (think Messi) and Zla is no exception, he’d look much better with his hair down around his face.

Barça 1 Rubin Kazan 2 (Click Here)

2009-10-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

Barca suffered their first defeat of the season as Rubin Kazan shocked the Nou Camp with a 1-2 win tonight. Barca had the lion's share of the ball and hit the woodwork twice, but the Russians proved more effective in front of goal.

On paper Rubin Kazan were the weakest team of the Group F, but they showed that upsets are still a part and parcel of the game with their shock win at the Nou Camp. After a very early goal put them ahead, they defended doggedly and in the end inflicted Barca's first defeat of the season. Barca seemed to have punctured Rubin's hopes when Ibrahimovic drew them level just after half time and with nearly 70% of possession, Guardiola's men certainly dominated, but the Russian team hit them on the break to make it 1-2 and with two posts denying them late on, Barca were left to rue their bad luck on a disappointing evening at the Nou Camp. Early shock After just a minute,Rubin Kazan were one up when Ryazantsev connected with a scorching 35-yard drive that gave Valdes no chance as it shot into the top left hand corner. Barca seemed unperturbed by the goal though and were soon in charge with Ibrahimovic making the keeper Ryzhikov work on 4 and 10 minutes. Packed defence For their part, Rubin tried to sit on their lead, closing down midfield and packing their defence against Xavi and Iniesta's clever probing and with Messi coming deep, Barca found the congested centre hard to break through. It was therefore out on the flanks that Barca got most joy with Alves cutting in and hitting the side netting with a shot on 15 minutes and Pedro heading just wide on 38 minutes, but it was still the Russians who went in ahead at the break. Ibra brings Barca level The second half began as almost a carbon copy of the first, but this time it was Barca who got the early goal. And what a goal it was: Xavi lofting a pinpoint pass for Ibrahimovic in the inside right lane to turn and fire low past the keeper. Now the fans were roaring Barca on as they searched for their second against opponents who were determined to sit back and defend. Second goal killer Despite having nearly 80% of the possession in the second half, it wasn't Barca, but rather Rubin who broke the deadlock as Karadeniz rounded off a lightening quick counter attack on 73 minutes. That second goal was a real body blow to Barca and though there was still time for Ibrahimovic on 79 minutes and Toure in injury time to both hit the woodwork, it just wasn't to be -sometimes there's just no justice in football!

Players Reactions

2009-10-18T13:58:00.001-07:00

Here we have an excerpt of all the player interviews after the game against Valencia as well the quotes of Pep Guardiola and Laporta.

Pep Guardiola

“It was a good point against a good opponent.”

“We came to win, but we did not because we created difficulties for ourselves. We are incapable of winning all 38 games.

“The league is a process, and we are stable. They created problems for us in the first half, but we were better in the second, against a team that causes us problems last year.

“I do not believe that teams know us better now.”

Laporta

“We have a sensational goalkeeper.”

“He made three point blank saves. We played a good game, especially in the second half.

“We are still on top, and a point at the Mestalla is important.”

Gerad Pique

“I do not believe that we lost two points, but rather that we gained one.”

“They pressured us in the first half, but we controlled the game once they got tired.

“The important thing is that we are still leading.”

Bojan

“Although we are never content with anything but a victory, it is a good point considering how the game went. All the games are difficult, and Valencia made life complicated for us.

“All our opponents will try that, but it is important to keep adding points.”

Iniesta

“We should be happy with the point.”

“We continue to climb, and we are the leaders.

“We improved as the game went on, which is a good sign.”

Victor Valdes

“We are not used to defending so many chances.”

“They pressured us very well.

“Now we should consolidate this point by beating Zaragoza at home.”

Dani Alves

“We remain on top.”

“We are one of the favourites for the league, but the key is to keep working with humility. We had better chances, but we did not take them.

“The draw is a good result, because this is one of the most difficult places to come to.”

Valencia 0-0 Barcelona

2009-10-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

FC Barcelona stayed on top of La Primera with their first draw of the season against a determined Valencia side in Mestalla .

The visitors were hoping to make club history by securing their seventh straight league win at the start of the campaign, but had to settle for a share of the spoils in a tight encounter that saw both teams without their first choice strikers both not in the starting sides.

While David Villa was in stands for Valencia, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named on the bench after the knock that he received on international duty and did not make an appearance. For the visitors though Víctor Valdés was at his best, while Andrés Iniesta was asked to play in the front three in the absence of Thierry Henry along with Pedro and Lionel Messi.

Vital Valdés

The first notable chance that came in a game of few clear opportunities and it fell to the home side as Pablo Hernández tested Valdés. Valencia then implemented their well-prepared tactics that were clearly designed to nullify Barça where and when it was possible as they blocked up the midfield and kept seven or eight men back when the visitors ventured forward.

Iniesta close

In the opening half the home side looked confident as the majority of the game was played in the Barcelona as Xavi was unable to find space or time to help his side move clear. It was not until the 35th minute that the away team had their first good chance and it was Iniesta that tested César.

Change of dynamic

Within four minutes of the second half starting Messi had a chance but he was unable to connect properly with his volley and the ball went wide. The game began to open up and Pedro saw César deny him after he had been set up by Xavi just after the midfielder himself had seen a shot deflected behind the goal for a corner.

Few chances

Valencia were still looking like they could spring a surprise and Mathieu sent a rasping drive off target before Pablo looked to chip Valdés only for the Barça keeper to tip the ball over. +

Messi showed glimpses of skill, but in the last 20 minutes chances were at a premium and a goalless draw looked more and more likely.

After winning their first six matches of the campaign and with 13 players having been away in the past two weeks on World Cup duty Pep Guardiola's side can be pleased with a performance against a difficult Valencia team that will no doubt be challenging for the top four again this term

Barcelona

Victor Valdes - 8: Made some vital close range saves, including one within the first minute.

Daniel Alves - 7.5: A bundle of energy as usual, tireless in attack and defence. Should stop taking free-kicks though.

Carles Puyol - 8.5: A commanding performance from the captain, which should put paid to any thoughts anyone at the club may have about selling him on. Was always in the right place at the right time.

Gerard Pique - 7: A decent performance, but did find himself caught out of position up the field on occasions.

Eric Abidal - 7: Improved as the game went on, but was skinned by Pablo Hernandez too often.

Yaya Toure - 7: Shut down Valencia's midfield, but nearly undid all his good work with some errant passes.

Xavi - 7.5: Did all that he could, but the lack of structure in front of him negated his game.

Seydou Keita - 7: Put himself about well, but could have added more in an attacking sense.

Lionel Messi - 5: Clearly still jaded after a hectic international week, barely made an impact.

Pedro - 5: Made no headway against Miguel in the first half, and barely improved in the second.

Andres Iniesta - 7.5: Barca's most threatening player, showed some wonderful touches, but had no support.

Preview: Valencia - Barcelona(Click Here)

2009-10-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

After an extremely gruelling and mentally exhausting session of World Cup qualifiers, League action is back again. And what a way to begin it again! Away at the hostile environment of The Mestalla. Every Barça fans knows that the away trip to Valencia is always a tricky one. Historically, the game at Mestalla has been one of the toughest of the season. Plus add to this the fact that almost all of our starting eleven is coming from all corners of the world after playing 2 games in a matter of 4 days, only adds to the concern.

Squad Concerns

Ok as usual the International Games have bought back tired, exhausted and also some injured players back, increasing Pep’s headache. It is reported that ‘King’ Henry is out for almost 10 days having picked up a knock playing for France. The Blaugrana medical team identified the injury as a hamstring strain, and Henry will therefore miss the crucial match with Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday. We all remember the 2 great games he had against Valencia last term and will be sorely missed against a team he loves playing.

However, there is better news for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede also picked up a knock against Albania, but reports suggest that he has only suffered some bruising to his right knee. While he did not take part in training on Thursday, Ibrahimovic should be fit enough to play against los Che this weekend.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is also suffering from fatigue after taking part in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers but will likely feature on Saturday evening. Even Dani Alves is expected to be suffering from exhaustion having travelled half way around from South America and having played, what is considered the most difficult place to play football on Earth, Bolivia. Brazil struggled in that game and ended up losing the battle after already securing a berth in World Cup Finals.

Coming to the Spanish Contingent from our squad, it is reported that Xavi is struggling big time with his knee injury. Club doctors have assessed the extent of the knee problem that forced Xavi out of the Spain squad at the weekend and announced that he may still be in contention for Saturday’s crucial league clash with Valencia.

Xavi Hernandez abandoned the Spain camp on Saturday evening after the match against Armenia.Puyol, who was suspended for the last match, was also given permission to return to Barcelona. Xavi Hernandez has played every single one of Barça’s matches this season (11) and has formed part of the starting line-up.

Mexico, captained by Rafa Márquez, had no major worries in the North American section, eventually qualifying in second place behind the United States. The Ivory Coast also made it through easily.Touré Yaya’s side were runaway leaders in African Group.

Villa Absent, Valencia Troubled By Injuries Too

One of the most prolific goal scorers of the modern game, David Villa is set to miss this high profile clash with an injury he has struggled to recover from in time for this game.

In addition to the Villa injury, Unai Emery will be without Joaquin, who is expected to miss three weeks, while Carlos Marchena will be out for approximately one month after injuring himself while on international duty. The injuries come at the worst possible time for Valencia, who have been relatively impressive in their first six games.

Need For A Win, A Challenge Indeed

A win on Saturday would create a Club record of consecutive wins at the start of the league season. With 6 in 6 in the bag, we have to keep the momentum going, considering the fact that the chasing pack in Sevilla and Madrid would be vying to catch up with us as soon as possible, waiting for us to drop points. This is the toughest game for us till now this season by some distance and considering the fitness concerns of some of our most important team members, this game could not have come at a worse time. Messi, Ibra, Xavi, Iniesta, Toure, Keita, Abidal, Pique, Dani Alves are all coming back after playing the International games. This is the major concern. And This is the real test for Pep’s team.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Valdes – Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal – Keita, Xavi, Busquets – Messi, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta

Match Prediction

Valencia 1 – 3 FC Barcelona

Report:Robinho In Henry Out

2009-10-15T04:19:00.001-07:00

FC Barcelona’s interest in Robinho is not new. Before the summer transfer market closed on August 31, Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo carried the story, and now, two and half months prior to the start of the winter transfer market, it again reported the news (rumour) that Thierry Henry could now be one of the keys to facilitate Robinho move to the Primera Liga club.

The paper says Guardiola thinks the former Real Madrid player can play a key role for his team in the second stage of this season’s campaign, in the League, Copa del Rey and crucially the Champions League. Robinho is eligible to play in Europe because Manchester City failed to qualify for the continent’s premier club competition.

Another critical factor is the player’s desire to prove himself. Turning 26 next January, Robinho was already not a fixed starter in Mark Hughes squad when injuring his right ankle in September, threatening his place in the 2010 World Cup. Playing at the Camp Nou would firmly secure his place in the Canarinha’s (Brazil national team) starting eleven.

Barcelona has already made the moves since this summer’s pre-season when Manchester City participated in the Joan Gamper trophy. The club repeated its interest in Robinho but the English club steadfastly refused to sell. The only option proposed by the English Premier League club was a swap with another star player and the names of Lionel Messi, Carles Puyol and Thierry Henry was raised. Since then, the Argentine has renewed his contract, until 2016, and is therefore untouchable. Puyol, though still has to renew his contract, is currently still in negotiations. In light of this, of the three names mentioned, the most feasible option for the exchange would be Thierry Henry, who turned 32 last August.

The idea being floated is for Barcelona to gain the services of Robinho on loan from January 1 whilst ensuring an option to purchase for the month of June. Manchester City may not accept that idea for now but Henry could come into play then. The French striker’s contract will expire at the end of next season, and this inexplicably, will pave the way for the (possible) arrival of Robinho.

Manchester City, already has Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez in their ranks, and might see Henry as another famous football star that can lift the status of the club. The owners of Manchester City, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak also wanted John Terry, as a point in case. Henry meets the profile. Barcelona may not contemplate the exchange now, but that proposal could be raised by June 2010.

Transfer Round Up

2009-10-14T15:58:00.001-07:00

The transfer mill continues to run and churn out possible transfer targets for Barca during the January window. The latest names to have come in, in addition to Cesc Fabregas, Robinho (Together known as CR9!), Kompany; are Mohammed Sissoko from the Old Lady and Cicinho from Roma. This only adds to the list of Ex-Real Madrid players that Barca is reported to be vying for in the winter months. The continous rumours linking the blaugrana to Robinho refuses to die down. One new piece of news that came in was from the comments of Txiki, who said that Barca has ‘good’relations with Bayern and if they ever decide to sell their star, Ribery, Barca will be the first to know.

Mohammed Sissoko

According to rumours coming out of Spain, and reported on 24oredisport.com, Tuttojuve.comandNovantesimo.it, the Catalan club are set to offer around €30million in the hope of securing the 24-year-old’s services. 30 Million would be an inflated price for Sissoko but his age is on his side for sure. However with the presence of Yaya and Keita in the squad might deter Barca from paying such a defty sum for a similar player.

Transfer Possibility Rating – 1/10

Cicinho

Sport has reported that the cash strapped side from the Italian capital, Roma may be forced to offload a few players to pay up the debt they have accumulated and it would see the Ex-Real Madrid man, Cicinho move to Catalunya. There was talk of a similar move in the summer too but nothing came of it.

Transfer Possibility Rating – 4/10

Robinho

Now this one refuses to die out but Manchester City have apparently come out to deny the possibility of any such move in the January Transfer window. Enough has been said about this move already which still ranks quite low on the transfer possibility rating.

Transfer Possibility Rating – 2/10

Rotation Policy

2009-10-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has not repeated his starting lineup two matches in a row since he took over the team, according to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivoobservations.

Since taking the helm on July 2008, Pep Guardiola has taken charge a total of 73 official games. In the 2008 – 09 season, he made an average of five changes per game, two more than at present. A system to manage playing times (between players) has won him five titles, which is not bad.

The Barcelona coach had inherited a weary and mentally fatigued team, deprived of a title for the second year running, and blighted by internal problems caused by some players. He needed to clean up the camp and got down to work. He defined players’ roles and distributed playing times, conscious of the need that every player has to feel important. On his second match in charge – the return leg of the Champions League qualifiers against Poland’s Wisla Krakow (In UCL season 2008-09, Barcelona has to compete in a qualifying round by virtue of being placed third in the Spanish 2007 – 08 league) – Guardiola began shuffling his starting line-up with two changes and has not stopped since. On average, in his first year, there would be 5 new faces for each match, but he always sticks with his core players: Valdes, Xavi, Eto’o, Alves, Messi, Puyol, Piqué, Henry and Iniesta. In all, he used a total of 28 players.

As the season progressed, Pep realised that the League and Cup line-up had to be different. Pinto and Bojan assumed a leading role in the Copa del Rey competition. Up to eight changes were introduced in the opening match against Benidorm, days after winning the league match against Almeria. The Champions League was no exception – Guardiola made seven changes to the line-up for the match against FC Basel from the one that faced Athletic Bilbao. The most hectic time was when the Champions League (proper) season was in full swing. Against Shakhtar Donetsk, ten players who had not been part of previous league match against Mallorca and Real Madrid were committed – a completely revamped line-up. Only in the final stage of the la Liga season when they began to decide the title that Guardiola reduces the changes from an average of five players to three. The day the team won the (2-6) El Classico at the Santiago Bernabeu, which was coming off the Champions League semi-final match against Chelsea, Guardiola only substituted Puyol for Márquez. When the league title was already decided, and so as not to risk his line-up for the Rome final against Manchester United, Guardiola began using reserve players.

In the current season, his second, the rotation rate is lower. He still has his backbone of seven players, but with a few changes. Valdes, Xavi, Alves, Messi, Puyol, Piqué and Ibrahimovic (who replaces Eto’o) are common, while Keita, Busquets and Pedro have increased their presence. In all, in the three official competitions that Barcelona currently participated in, the coach has already used a total of 20 players so far.

Injury Report

2009-10-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Catalan newspaper Sport reported today that Barcelona defender, Dymtro Chygrynskiy, took part in the first team training session, two weeks after sustaining an injury. The Ukraina international had recovered from the knee injury that has kept him on the sidelines in recent matches and trained as normal.

Furthermore, the paper reports that all first team players who returned from international duties – Xavi, Puyol, Toure, Keita, Alves and Marquez – did not train with the group and enjoyed a dayoff with the permission of the club.

The paper adds that Xavi, who was injured with Spain’s WCQ match with Armenia, will go through a series of test on Wednesday to determine the extent on the injury. Anyhow, the Terrassa-born midfielder is doubtful for the clash against Valencia on Saturday.

Ibra Interview(Click Here)

2009-10-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

“I do not like the idea of being second, third or fourth. To me this means being last. Either I am first or nothing at all,” sums Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the FC Barcelona striker, when trying to explain why his character is a winner’s character. In an interview with the magazine Barca, Ibrahimovic recalls how his origins have marked him, at a time when he was developing his talent on the field of play. The son of a Bosnian father and Croatian mother, Zlatan grew up in a modest quarter of Sweden.

In Rosengard, the Barca number ‘9’ began forging his strong personality, saying, “In life you have to keep strong and not let anyone step on you. If you respect me, I will respect you. I like people who speak unambiguously and tells it like it is”. Starting his career in the modest Swedish football, it was followed with a journey with Ajax before further consolidating his credential in the competitive ‘calcio’ with Juventus and Inter, and now Ibrahimovic has reached his fourth league. When he speaks of his last team and the differences it has with Barcelona, it is obvious to Ibrahimovic. “At Inter, there were not so many players who can make a difference. When one was not well, the match will be difficult. But at Barca, even if one were to be out, there are others that can make a difference and we win. That’s what makes Barca a great team”.

Based on goals scored and assists, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has ended the comparisons with Eto’o debate. “He has done a very good job at Barca and I have great respect for everything that he has done,” says the Swedish footballer. “He is one of the greats but it doesn’t pressure me to replace him. Quite the opposite, it is an incentive for me. But I think we cannot be compared because we are so different,” he adds. Having trained under Koeman, Capello, Mancini and Mourinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is said to have adapted to the new system of Guardiola smoothly. “He explains to you very well what he wants from you and asks you what you like best, what you want to do … You can always have a very open dialogue. His winning mentality is like mine. And like Guardiola, I like to win with grace and with a beautiful game, and he tells you this very specifically,” he clarifies.

With five goals in the first five league matches, Ibrahimovic has joined the club’s history as the best debutant scorer, but he says he just wants to live up to the traditions of being aBarca number ‘9’. “I remember the times of Romario, and of Ronaldo, who is one of the best players of all time. For me the most complete footballer in history. Players like Stoichkov, Ronaldo, Romario, Eto’o … All have done extraordinary things for the fans. I too want to leave my mark with the club,” he declared, ending the interview.

Medical Report

2009-10-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Barcelona defender Gabriel Milito’s (29) recovery is well under way and he has been able to exercise well. Milito’s doctor, Ramon Cugat said that Milito’s recovery is now much better and he is already doing some training with the team members. He also mentioned, that Milito can’t be rushed and his recovery must be done slowly in order to get him fully fit.

In general, Cugat is happy about the recovery process and he is carefully observing, when he will be available to Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola. The big question now is to know when Milito can make his comeback from a serious injury, which occurred in the second leg of Champions League semifinal against Manchester United of the season 07-08. Cugat wanted to calm down any rumours about his return: “We should not create any false expectations, but everything is going well. We continue working as usual and we progress slowly.” For now, Milito is training with the ball in the Ciutat Esportivo and he’s gaining more confidence about his return.

Barca The True Champions of Europe

2009-10-10T12:12:00.001-07:00

Barça is the only team in the major European leagues to maintain a 100% record compared to the other giants team in Europe.

Barça will enjoy their position as the only team to have won all their league encounters to date for at least another fortnight. If Barça win again on their next outing to Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, not only will they continue their run as the only team in Europe to enjoy a 100% record, they will also break a Club record.

Inter, in Serie A

Inter have gone top of Serie A in Italy after beating Udinese on Saturday thanks to an injury time goal from former Real Madrid star Wesley Sneijder. Inter have the same number of points as Sampdoria but stay ahead on goal difference. Inter, who feature former Barça players Eto'o and Motta, have won five, lost one (against Sampdoria) and drawn one, against Bari in the opening game of the season.

Chelsea, one defeat

Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea, who beat Liverpool 2-0 at the weekend, lead the English Premiership with 21 points. They have only lost one match – against Wigan Athletic (managed by young Spanish coach Roberto Martínez) 3-1 two weeks ago. Just like Barça, Chelsea won their first six matches.

Bayer Leverkusen, two draws

ln the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen (managed by Jupp Heynckes) remain unbeaten after 8 matches but unlike Barça have conceded a draw in two of those eight – to Mainz 5 on the opening day of the season and to Werder Bremen on 20th September.

Lyon go it alone

Olympique Lyon, under head coach Claude Puel, have taken up their familiar position at the top of the French league. Like Bayer Leverkusen, they have won six and drawn two of their opening eight - away to PSG and Le Mans.

Manchester United faced hard competition

The EPL title became hard this season with the new football giants 'Manchester City' where Man U had a narrow win against the derby in the last match .

Messi Dream Start With Aimar

2009-10-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

The best footballer in the world always speaks wonders of the 'Clown', in whom is reflected much more similarities than differences in the game. Like Messi, Aimar has always been known for speaking what is just and necessary, to stay away from the hustle and the shyness and humility that did not stop him being a leader within the field.

Both Leo gets along with Pablito is rumored that up, although Maradona repeat that "no one suggests to me nothing", that the presence of the current player of Benfica in the selection due to an express request for Barcelona.

Aimar, who once confessed that he blushed with shame to hear Messiaen called idol, said "if my game makes Leo is happy and its level increases with my presence, that's going to make happy." Meanwhile, Maradona said that "the Clown is always my weakness. Seeing him play is a delight, has incredible touch, starters, brakes ... It was a waste if you did not call. Hopefully, with Messi give us nice moments.

An unforgettable day

Back in December 2004, barely two months after the release of Messi in the hands of League Rijkaard, Barcelona and Valencia were crossed at the Camp Nou, in a game in memory of Leo was recorded but not just because of anecdotal final draw (1-1).

"Hi Lionel, how are you," he greeted Aimar just finished the meeting. The Blaugrana was shocked by the surprise, but gathered the courage to suggest the exchange of slabs. Over time, recognize quenunca Leo had asked for a shirt before and never understood how his idol knew his name.

Paul, meanwhile, had sensed that an opposite phenomenon, and since that time the jersey number 30 of the Barça occupies a privileged place among his great trophies

La Masia, 30 years of residence

2009-10-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

La Masia de Can Planes, located next to the Camp Nou, is the birthplace of the club youth system began. It was opened on October 20, 1979 as a players’ residence and 30 years later it is still developing sportspeople, and more importantly, human bein

Dreams and frustrations

La Masia, catalogued as a historic-artistic building by the Barcelona Council, has witnessed three decades of dreams coming true, but also years of frustrated hopes and desires. Its management has successfully promoted a blend of sports and personal training for all of its residents.

Workshop, offices and residence

La Masia is an old country residence built in 1702. Barça first used it as a workshop for building the original scale models of the Camp Nou. After the stadium opened, La Masia was closed, it serving no direct purpose.

Under Enric Llaudet’s presidency, the building was remodelled and extended and became the club headquarters, inaugurated on September 26, 1966. But the club was expanding and new secretaries were created, meaning the La Masia was too small a site, and once again fell into disuse. It was Josep Lluís Núñez and his board who came up with a new use for it. From October 20, 1979, La Masia became a home for the youth players that were from outside of Barcelona.

From 15 to 60 residents

At first, La Masia housed 15 residents, all living on the top floor. But times were changing, and FC Barcelona now has two residences for youth players. There is La Masia, with dormitories, bathrooms, study rooms, a dining room and kitchen, and a new residence in the Camp Nou, known as La Masia 2.

This season, La Masia has a total of 56 residents. 10 reside in the actual Masia and the others sleep in the stadium, on two floors with three-bed rooms.

Abidal Contract Renewal Up Next..............

2009-10-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

Barcelona are on the verge of handing French defenderEric Abidal a contract extension that will see him remain at Camp until 2012, according to Sport.

Talks have been ongoing between the two parties to extend his current deal for one year and it is believed that they are now close to an agreement.

Abidal signed a four year deal when he joined from Lyon in 2007. A five year deal has increased tax implications for foreign players in Spain and as a result the club opted for a renegotiation after the fourth year, in order to maintain the same terms as the player currently enjoys.

In fact, the new deal will see improvements in the players terms as coach Pep retains faith in the French star, despite the arrival of Maxwell from Inter. Abidal's buy-out clause in the new deal is believed to be in the region of €90 million.

Club officials are hoping that the finalising of Abidal's new deal will be followed by the completion of agreements between the club and Andres Iniesta, Rafael and Carles Puyol.

Report-Robinho Xmas gift for Pep

2009-10-10T04:19:00.000-07:00

Manchester City striker Robinho is set for a move toBarcelona during the winter transfer window with moves already underway to land the Brazilian, according to Spanish publication Sport.

It is reported that a deal could be struck between the two clubs in mid-December when Barca club president Joan Laporta is scheduled to meet officials from Manchester City during the World Club Championships in Abu Dhabi.

While Barcelona are understood to be seeking an initial six month loan deal with a view to buying the player outright next summer, City may look for the entire fee upfront in a straight transfer, which could prove a stumbling block in the deal.

The player is understood to be keen on a switch toCamp during the transfer window and City may be willing to part with the 25-year-old who has only featured for them on a handful of occasions due to a troublesome ankle injury.

Should the deal to bring Robinho to Catalunya fail the Blaugrana are said to have identified Valencia's Juan Mata and Shakhtarforward Willian as possible alternatives.

Barcelona considering an improved contract for Pique

2009-10-10T04:16:00.001-07:00

Catalan sports paper Sport today reported that FC Barcelona is proposing an improved contract for central defender and Spanish International Gerrard Pique(22). However it is reported that Barcelona have stated that although renewing the contracts of its younger stars is crucial, Txiki Begiristain (club sports director), must first deal with and solve more pressing matters such as ongoing contract renewal negotiations with other central defenders Carles Puyol(31) and Mexican Rafael Marquez(30).

Pique’s performances for the past season have been phenomenal and putting that into perspective, his wage compensation must fit his new stature. Txiki will have proposed an increment that is comparable to other players who are internationals with a leading role within a team, and may even extend the contract duration which expires on June 30^th, 2012.

Barcelona Vs Valencia Shifted To Saturday

2009-10-10T04:13:00.001-07:00

One of the most awaited La Liga fixtures till date this season between Barcelona and Valencia has been shifted to Saturday now with the kick off scheduled at 22:00 CET at the Mestalla.The Complete Fixture list for this weekend’s La Liga action is as follows:

Saturday October 17 (all times CET)

18:00 Deportivo La Coruna – Sevilla
20:00 Real Madrid – Real Valladolid
22:00 Valencia – Barcelona

Sunday October 18 (all times CET)

17:00 Xerez – Villarreal
17:00 Espanyol – Tenerife
17:00 Real Mallorca – Getafe
17:00 Real Zaragoza – Racing Santander
17:00 Malaga – Almeria
19:00 Osasuna – Atletico Madrid
21:00 Athletic Bilbao – Sporting Gijon

Top clubs eyeing Pique

2009-10-10T04:10:00.000-07:00

Catalan newspaper El Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona defender, Gerard Piqué(22), is being followed by European top clubs, including Real Madrid. Los Merengues’ Sports director, Miguel Pardeza, used to work with Pique when the former has occupied the same role at Real Zaragoza, thus Madrid believes they can convince the player to join them.
Piqué’s top-notch performances has not escaped the eyes of other big European football clubs, beginning with Inter Milan, whose central defenders, Walter Samuel and Lucio are both 31 years old. Nevertheless, ex-Barcelona forward, Samuel Eto’o, had praised his former team-mate. He is said to have spoken to his coach, Jose Mourinho and his new team-mates not only of Pique’s skills but also of the good harmony and joy that he transmits in the dressing room.
Another interest comes from the English Premier League, in the form of Chealsea FC and Manchester City.
Chelsea is looking for a decent replacement to refresh the centre back partnership of John Terry (29) and Carvalho (31) which seems to be nearing it’s end, while The Citizens on the other hand, are ready to sign anyone who is a star or soon o be one. For both teams, Piqué presents himself as a good bet, but in the case of Manchester City, it will also be a sting towards Manchester United, in which Piqué fell out of demand only to return to Barcelona and triumph over Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.
However, it seems Barcelona sees both Pique and Chygrynskiy as young bloods that will assure a good future pairing for the team’s central defense, and therefore wants to tie down the Spaniard.

Barcelona stars in World Cup action

2009-10-09T14:34:00.001-07:00

Spain and Brazil have qualified for the World Cup Finals next summer, but the rest of the nations represented by Barça stars still have it all to do as the final round of qualifiers approaches over the next few days.

Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta are all in the squad for the games in Armenia, on Saturday, and Bosnia, on Wednesday. Vicente del Bosque has assured that he will play a strong team in both matches despite being through already.

Alves with Brasil

Brazil have also made it to the final in South Africa so Dani Alves will be able ot enjoy the game in La Paz against Bolivia. On Wednesday Dunga then sees his side play at home to Venezuela.

Messi with Argentina

Argentina’s situation is far more precarious as they lie fifth in the table with Brazil and Paraguay having qualified and Chile on the brink of following them. The Albiceleste meet Peru at the weekend and then Uruguay on Wednesday and must win both matches.

Ibra with Sweden

Sweden take on Denmark in Group One and Zlatan Irbahimovic has already been pinpointed as the player that the Danes have to watch. The Swedes then take on Albania on Wednesday and are sitting in second ahead of the two matches.

Henry and Abidal with France

Thierry Henry and Éric Abidal will be hoping that they can help France to consecutive victories this weekend as the 1998 champions take on the Faroe Islands and Austria in home matches. Les Bleus are currently second in Group Seven and are four points behind leaders Serbia and four above the Austrians, who are third.

Mexico and Ivory Coast

Raf Márquez is back in the Mexico side after recovering from injury. The Tricolor have improved considerably under Javier Aguirre since he replaced Sven Goran Eriksson at the helm and wins against El Salvador and Trindidad & Tobago should the country through to the finals.

Ivory Coast are in action on Saturday and Touré Yaya is with the squad in Malawi. A draw will be enough for the Barça midfielder’s nation to go through.

Copa Del Rey Draw:Barca Face Minnows Cultural Leonesa

2009-10-09T13:43:00.001-07:00

The Defending Champions of the King’s Cup or the Copa Del Rey, Barcelona have drawn minnows Cultural Leonesa in the last 32 of the competition. It will be a 2 leg affair with the first game away in Leon on October 28th and the return leg on November 10 in the Camp Nou.

The full Fixture List of Copa Del Rey Ties is as follows:

Alcorcon v Real Madrid
Cultural Leonesa v Barcelona
Marbella v Atletico Madrid
Atletico Ciudad v Sevilla
Alcoyano v Valencia
Puertollano v Villarreal
Rayo Vallecano v Athletic Club
Hercules v Almeria
Salamanca v Racing
Celta v Tenerife
Recreativo v Sporting
Real Murcia v Deportivo
Xerez v Osasuna
Valladolid v Mallorca
Zaragoza v Malaga
Getafe v Espanyol

Cruyff Speaks Again; About The Origins Of 4-3-3

2009-10-08T17:02:00.001-07:00

The most successful Barca Manager to date, Johan Cruyff, has talked at length to the Barca Official Website on the new show called ‘Recorda Míster’ (Remember Boss), and discussed at length everything related to his time as a player and coach at Barcelona and about football in general. The inaugural programme is the first of a three-part series on Johan Cruyff, who holds the record for consecutive seasons in charge of the first team. This first episode is entitled “Put the pieces in their position and don’t let them leave it”. He admits: “The result’s not everything, only a part” and while he recognises the importance of the result, he focuses on “good football”.

Technique and possession

In Cruyff’s opinion, there are two key elements in football: “For me the basis of football is technique and possession. I always want to have the ball, dominate and do what I want on the pitch. I never adapt to others. This is the most difficult football to play”.

No football without the team

Johan Cruyff sees football as a team game: “There are no stars that shine more than the others. They’re all stars and everyone has to carry out their obligations. Somebody will be better on one day and somebody else the next, but it all has to come together in a single team, never in a team of individuals. I’ve always put the team above the individual. If the team works , the star is on top of all”.

Reading the match

“It’s true that football also has strategy. If I see that a team has a full back with certain characteristics, I’ll play a winger who can beat him. But all the decisions you can take before a match stay up in the air because you never know how the other team will play. You can apply the strategy as you go, after seeing how the match is going after five minutes and you make the changes you believe are appropriate. Reading the match as a player and then as a coach has been one of my best virtues”. These are the words of the manager who has won the most silverware with Barça.

The Legend

First team + reserves = success

The treble-winning season was, with all due respect to many other factors, a triumph for the home-grown players. The contribution of the players that have been through the Barça academy was a pleasing bonus that consolidated as the season went on. Home-grown talent played a similarly important role under Johan Cruyff

“I’ve always considered youth football as a fundamental aspect to take into account. There are always cards, injuries and other setbacks and it’s important to know that you can count on the reserves. This encourages the reserves since you make them see that if they make an effort and, above all, take their opportunities, they have a good chance of breaking into the first team. It’s the best way to manage a club”.

Guardiola took his chance

Current Barça manager, Josep Guardiola, got his opportunity to make the leap from the reserves to the first team when Cruyff was the manager: “Then there were a lot of players, I think Guardiola was one of the first, who trained with the first team but played for the B team. He knew that he had to work hard and give 100% if he wanted to be part of the senior squad. In the whole teaching process it’s important to go one step at a time and be patient so that things work out well. Step by step and patience”.

Never say never

Although it’s hard to believe, Cruyff never saw himself as a coach giving orders to a group of players: “I’d always thought that I would never become a trainer. Though, logically, I was interested in a lot of things related to football, apart from being a player, I didn’t want to be a trainer at all”.

A change of mind in the USA

Cruyff first felt the need to take on the challenge of management when he was thousands of miles away from his native Amsterdam: “When I played in the United States during my final years as a player, I discovered a whole new world, beyond the football on the pitch. There I learned everything about organization. I already knew about football and I didn’t need to know any more. But I did need to learn about other things. For example, how to manage a team, how the organigram of a squad of footballers works, the day by day work of the offices with their corresponding departments etc.”.

“I learned things there that still didn’t exist in Europe and it was then that the interest in becoming a manager one day awoke in me. I don’t like office work so I thought that if I wanted to change something my place was on the pitch”.

Barca’s Fab(regas) Dream. Is It Worth It?

2009-10-08T03:39:00.001-07:00

This is a piece of news Arsenal fans and a certain Arsene Wenger hates coming across the most. And the more they come out in the open against it, the more ferocious the claims of an impending transfer of Cesc Fabregas to Barca becomes. Arsene Wenger had joked this summer that if Barca launched a formal bid for Cesc, they in turn would do so our Messiah. Well I am sure every knows that our bid for Fab will be taken a little more seriously than that. Lets look at the reasons that favour the deal going through and what can become a hindrance:

A report in Sport has suggested that Fab will be on his way to the Camp Nou where he grew up as a fan and prodigy in the Cantera before he was snapped up by Arsenal at the age of 16. Sport is reported to be close to the current Barca administration and that is why the report published has got so much fanfare.

Why The Deal Might Go Through?

1. The current standing of the two clubs in question – Barcelona and Arsenal are very different. Arsenal might have made a good start to the season with some very impressive performances but the fact remains that they have not won a trophy in half a decade and Barca has won 5 in one year and is looking to add 4 more major trophies this term(The Triplete and World Club Cup). The desire of the player to switch to a winning club might add a lot of weight to the deal going through.

2. The Fab-Barca Connection – Fabregas came to the Nou Camp to witness its magical atmosphere for the first time as 9 year old with his Grandfather and then went on to rise through the youth teams. But he could not make it to the senior team and sensing lack of opportunities moved on to Arsenal. He would personally be itching to make it big at his home town club when the chance came, again adding weight to the possible deal.

3. Apparently Joan Laporta wants to seal the deal before his term ends so that Fab does not end up becoming a pawn in the Presidential Elections that will follow the end of his era. The Catalan star’s arrival would be hugely significant for Laporta, because it was in the months that the current president was campaigning to takeover at Camp Nou that the player left. Now Cesc is wanted back, and the Blaugrana supremo believes that an agreement will be in place that all candidates for the elections next summer will agree upon. This will also stop rival Sandro Rosell from being able to sign the creative midfielder.

Gunner For How Much Longer?

Why The Deal Might Not Go Through?

1. His need in our Midfield. First things first, Cesc is a World Class Creative Midfielder. But look at the present Barca midfield and you will realise why Cesc would fear spending a lot of time on the bench here. Xavi and Iniesta fill up the roles of making the midfield run here and a Xavi-Iniesta-Yaya/Keita midfield is more stable both going forward as well as defending. Barca will continue playing 4-3-3 and that does not leave a slot for sure for Fab. Xavi and Iniesta look to play for Barca for a minimum of 3-4 years more as far as i can see it. The exact same condition applies in the Spanish Team too where Cesc always falls behind Xavi and Iniesta in the pecking order and the Defensive midfielder slot is occupied by Marcos Senna.

2. Fab is Arsenal Captain and has come out time and again in the past few weeks to refute any impending transfer away from London. He kissed the Arsenal Crest in the last game against Blackburn Rovers and it is very apparant that he is enjoying the responsibility he has at the club. He is a Fan Favorite and is looked upto to by the fans to take the young Arsenal squad forward and lead them major trophies. At Barca, he will be another star in the squad vying for the fans attention. I am sure with time he can become a senior member of the Barca squad but he will have to again do what he has already done at Arsenal.

3. His Price and Unwillingness Of Arsene Wenger to sell him will obviously be a hurdle in the signing. Cesc will cost anything in the region of 30-35 Million Euros and Barca should be willing to cough up such an amount.

4. A Certain Club from the capital of Spain might come in the way of his path to Catalunya if he is available on the transfer market. Real have been eyeing the former Cantera for a couple of seasons now and have reportedly have had a few approaches thwarted too. And with the present regime in place, they would not mind breaking the bank for Cesc.

So All in all, this deal is going to go down to the wire as there are so many parameters to consider and so many effected parties involved. My call is that the deal will not go through. The time is just not right for it. Not for Barca and not for Arsenal. An dmaybe not even for Cesc Fabregas. Whats your say?

Transfer Rumours ( Click Here)

2009-10-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Transfer Reports From Spain are as wildly imaginative at times as a Bollywood script from India. Lets just look at the names that have featured this week in the various ‘transfer reports’ coming out of Spain. Our legendary Captain who just completed a decade at the club has been linked to a move to the English League with Arsenal and Manchester City in hot pursuit. The 32 year old Spanish defender has been in the news lately for his lenghty negotiations with Barca over a new contract. Arsene Wenger is said to be a big fan of the whole-hearted Blaugrana skipper and would pair him alongside Thomas Vermaelen in a new look defence, Sport state.

Both the player and the club have stated that they want to resolve the matter, but agent Ramon Sostres has stated in the past that his client needs assurances about his place in the team. It is true that Pep is looking to Dmytro Chygrynskiy as a long term option at the heart of Barca’s defense and Puyol has been shunted around the back 4 a couple of times this term.

The news that Arsenal are now interested might be a ploy to force Barcelona’s hand, but if a concrete offer comes in then things may move beyond the European champions’ control.

CR10?!?

El Mundo Deportivo has reported that Barca are going to move for Robinho as well as Cesc Fabregas as soon as the January Transfer Window and they have dubbed or actually mimicked it as CR10!. The Catalan daily sportspaper reports that an agreement between Barca president Joan Laporta and Fabregas was sealed in the summer, and now a deal with Arsenal must be agreed. The Robinho talks have started again as after taking the reins at Camp Nou last year, the coach told Barcelona that he wanted the skilful forward, but Madrid were unwilling to do business with their arch rivals.

Two more reports have again involved the same clubs i.e Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester City where as we are said to be interested in signing Vincent Kompany and Eboue. Vincent Komapny has come out in the open to deny such a move. The Ivory Coast international has been in fine form this season, and is rated at £7 million by the Gunners. According to The Sun, the reigning Champions League winners require cover for first-choice Brazilian star Dani Alves on the right side of defence.

Well these news will keep coming out of Spain and provide us with enough entertainment till the real transfer window opens and some sanity will prevail.

Early Season Review by Alex

2009-10-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Almost Over a Month into the new season, Barcelona has played 6 Games in the La Liga and 2 in Champions League and now would be a good time to get in an early review of how the season is coming along for our forwards. We finished off the good work from last season by winning the 2 Super Cups we were involved in against Shakhtar and Athletic Bilbao. We have faced a few stern tests in Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho and Dynamo Kiev in the European Circuit. In LaLiga we have faced teams like Almeria, Atletico Madrid, Getafe, Racing Santander, Malaga and Sporting Gijon. Lets see how our attack is coming along and where we are headed from here:

Lets Get a Few Stats:

6 La Liga Games – 6 Wins – 17 Goals For – 3 Against – Joint Top Of The Table With Real Madrid

2 Champions League Games – 1 Win and 1 Draw – 2 Goals For – None Conceded Yet – Top Of The Group

2 SuperCup Finals (UEFA Super Cup and Spanish SuperCopa) – Won Both – 6 Goals For – 1 Against

Top Scorers - Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 5 Goals In La Liga

Lionel Messi - 5 Goals in 5 games, 1 in Champions League

Pedro – 1 in La Liga and 1 in Champions League

The Attacking Trident

Barcelona is famous for playing 4-3-3 in its most glorious form and when we replaced our prime target man Samu with the Giant from Sweden, a lot of critics thought that it was not a risk worth taking and definitely not worth the money paid. 6 Games in the La Liga later, Ibra has scored 5 goals – kicked them in, headed them home, clipped it over the keeper, slotted them from 5 yards out. Is he the finished product as far as fitting into the Barca system goes? I would say a clear No. But he is close. I was not expecting him to fit in and start scoring goals so soon but as he has always maintained playing with the kind of quality he has to his disposal, it is not that tough. The Messi-Ibra magic has not begun but the understanding between them is growing exponentially every game and that will scare the hell out of all our opponents.

Zlatan Rating – 7/10

King Henry has still to score a goal this season and he has picked up a knock that has kept him out of action for 2 weeks now. The work rate that he has displayed till now is carrying forward the exceptional job he did last season that made him a crowd favorite. The fire still burns in his stomach and its for everyone to see when he is on the pitch trying feverishly to get the ball back from opponents, running 50 yards if he has too. We are waiting for him to come back and form a solid partnership with Zlatan as they will be instrumental in breaking open defenses week in and week out in La Liga and also against the big names in Europe.

Henry Rating – 4.5/10

Lionel Messi or our Messiah has been in blistering form till now scoring 5 goals in 5 La Liga games he has featured in addition to the 1 trademark goal he scored midweek against Dynamo Kiev. In addition to this he has also had 3 assists. He looks good to go on and pick up the World Player of the Year, European Player of the Year and many more from all around the World. Well really do not see any player coming close to him as he already has the 3 Big titles from last season and a great start to the new season.

Messi Rating – 7.5/10

But then How Has Our Attack Been Till Now?

We had incredible difficulty breaking down Almeria last night and had to rely on a goal from heaven by Pedro. We could not score against Inter in San Siro when we had more than our (as well Inter’s) fair share of chances. Ibra was guilty of missing a few sitters in that game after doing all the hard work in terms of getting the ball down from long passes etc. Even our Messiah was at fault not to put the game at rest that night. Atletico Madrid were well taken care of and so were Racing. One that must be worrying Pep for sure is that King Henry has still not got his name on the score sheet and is out injured that is only going to delay him settling into the team and into a solid partnership with new comer Zlatan. He has been replaced by Pedro at times as well as Iniesta who have done a fair job of it, but a fair job is not that will take us far on our quest for 6 titles this term. We have to get back King Henry and fast and have him running around like he did last season and scoring goals for fun as well as clocking up those effortless assists for his teammates.

Pedro has come into the team and has frankly lit up many a dull moments. He scored the winner in the UEFA Super Cup against Shakhtar in Extra Time after some great work by Messiah. He scored the only goal in the last night win against Almeria and what a stunner it was. Barca, too be honest did not have a good game that lacked fluency and the Pass-Pass-Pass game was not working against a brutal 5-5-0 line up of Almeria. It was only a moment of magic that could have opened up their stubborn defense.

Absence of ‘Don Andres’

Last season we had 2 blips in the season. One right in the beginning and one mid season. The mid season coincided with Iniesta’s injury only highlighting the fact that he is the creative spark needed to run the show week in and week out. Xavi is the motor in the midfield that makes all the parts move and function well but it is Iniesta with his trademark runs through the heart of many a defenses that keeps the Goal register ringing. Iniesta was injured for exactly 100 days after the Champions League final and has just come back into the squad. He only started his first game against Almeria after coming in. So to get the attack to the level of last year and maybe even beyond we need Iniesta to be playing at his full potential. That seems to be still a few weeks away though.

Bojan’s Injury

Our Boy Wonder started off the season in fine order only to pick up an injury that kept him out for more than a month. He just came back into the squad for the last game against Almeria. He scored in his only start of the season too. We need him to be fit and in form to come off the bench to unlock defenses that have kept our attackers with brute force for long. He does bring a something different from all our other attackers in terms of directness and deftness of touch on the ball. He has developed a lot over the last season and it was a great decision on part of Pep and Txiki to keep him in the squad rather than have him play with some other club on loan.

Final Verdict

Our attack still has a long way to go before it fits into the rhythm required to play and win 6 titles. The Holy Trinity of Messi, Ibra and Henry is nowhere close to fitting into a system and it will take longer with Henry being out with injuty. Till then Pep will keep rotating between Pedro, Bojan and Iniesta and that only prolongs us into getting into the final, perfect shape. Xavi is being heavily man marked in games now and Iniesta is needed with all his brilliance to provide those assists and defense splitting runs. The work rate being put in by Zlatan will need to go up even further in his pursuit to becoming the Man upfront as well as a teammate everyone will rely upon for support.

Overall Rating For Out Attack – 6.5/10

Strength in defence(Click Here)

2009-10-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

Barça have conceded just three goals in the opening six league matches, their best start to a season for five years. They have the best defensive record ahead of Sevilla and Real Madrid.

Josep Guardiola has gone on record as saying that the defence is the most important part of his team, so he will be pretty happy with the defensive performances so far. At this stage of the season last year, Barça had already conceded seven goals.

The best defensive start for five years

We have to go back to the 2004/05season to find the last occasion when Barça (managed by Frank Rijkaard) conceded just 3 goals in the opening 6 matches. However, this season’s results have been even better, with 17 goals scored as opposed to 13 five years ago.

Two goals conceded in 2001/02

However, if we go back to the 2001/02 season, with Rexach on the manager’s bench, Barça conceded a miserly 2 goals in the opening 6 matches – but only managed to score 10. Rexach’s team had also drawn 2 of these matches whereas Guardiola’s men have a 100% record so far.

Same points, worse goal difference

Barça’s six wins in six matches has equalled the Club’s best ever start to a league season - the last time Barça started with 6 wins out of 6 was under Louis Van Gaal in the 1997/98 season. However, that side had scored one fewer and conceded one more than the current Barça squad.

Fewest Shots On Target

Speaking after the 5-2 thrashing of Atlético Madrid, Guardiola surprised everyone by criticising his team’s defensive performance, saying that they had given away too many shooting opportunities. Guardiola is happier when the opponents fail to create any gaol scoring chances, as in the matches against Almeria and Malaga. In these opening six matches, Barça has received 15 shots on target, many fewer than Sevilla (23) and Osasuna (24). Almeria has received the most shots on target – 37.