Saturday 9 May 2009

ReLive: Villarreal-Barcelona 1-2

Juventus wants to include Trezeguet in Abidal deal

Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that Juventus is interested in Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29).

Signing a quality left back would be an absolute priority for the Italian club during the summer transfer window and Abidal would be on top of the target list.

Barcelona could be willing to listen to offers if the bid is high enough. The asking price for Abidal, whose contract expires in 2010 and who has a year salary of 2,5 million euro net, would be 10 million euro°. Juventus is considering to include Juventus forward David Trezeguet (31) in the deal, while Liverpool would also be strongly interested in Abidal (read more here).

Asked about the future of Trezeguet, the player's father and agent Jorge Trezeguet said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe that Barcelona is one of the clubs monitoring the striker (read more here): "Everybody wants David. He has a contract with Juventus until 2011 but several clubs are interested in him. A lot of clubs in England, but also teams like Lyon and Barcelona. We'll see what will happen at the end of the season."

Read more:
Abidal doesn't want to be part of Benzema deal
Barcelona plans at least four summer transfers
Milan interested in Abidal

Barcelona will appeal Abidal and Alves cards

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has said at a press conference today that Barcelona will appeal the red card handed to Barcelona player Eric Abidal and the yellow card handed to Barcelona player Daniel Alves during Wednesday's Champions League game against Chelsea:

"Of course we will appeal the cards of Abidal and Alves. We'll do it out of respect for them. I hope they will be able to play the final, as well as Darren Fletcher who only tried to play the ball so that decision wasn't correct either."

Read more:
Uefa didn't receive any appeals by Barcelona
Barcelona will appeal Alves and Abidal cards

Twenty players in Villarreal list

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola announced earlier today a list of 19 players for the 35th league game against Villarreal tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm.

The list:
Valdés, Pinto, Jorquera,
Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Cáceres, Abidal, Sylvinho,
Xavi, Víctor Sánchez, Touré, Busquets, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Iniesta,
Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Hleb

Pedro, who trained with Barcelona Atlètic today, is not included. Milito, Márquez and Henry are recovering from injuries. NBA basketball players Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) and Ronny Turiaf (Golden State Warriors) visited the team this morning.

Barcelona had a last training session today since there won't be a training tomorrow. The players are expected at the Camp Nou at 5:30 pm.

















Silva wants to stay at Valencia

Asked about the rumours linking him with several European top clubs among which Barcelona (read more here), Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (23) has said in an interview with Madrid sports tabloid As that he prefers to stay at Valencia:

"I want one thing to be clear: I don't want to leave Valencia. I'm feeling very good here, I'm here since I was 13 years old and my family, which is the most important thing for me, is very happy and feels at home. I want to fulfill my contract and despite all the talking I'm quite relaxed.

I'm already at a big club and I don't think I have lost a year. I want to return to the Champions League with Valencia. That the club has given the permission to my agent to start talks with Juventus is their choice, I had nothing to do with that. But in football anything can happen and even more when you look at the situation Valencia is in.

It will nevertheless also depend on me. If I want to leave or not and, if that's the case, where I want to go to. If you look at how they play, how they always want to have the ball, Barcelona is the team that would suit my qualities best. But I also played at teams who didn't have the ball a lot, like Eibar, and that also went well."

Read more:
Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets
Possible new bid for Silva
A goalkeeper, a left back and a striker

[Henrique] Bayer Leverkusen-Bielefeld

Bayer Leverkusen played yesterday their 31st league game of the season, drawing two all against Bielefeld.

Brazilian central defender and Barcelona loan out Henrique (22) wasn't available because of an injury.




Barcelona bought Henrique last summer and decided to loan him out to Bayer Leverkusen for one season (read more here). This blog follows Henrique's performances during this season.





Sunday 10 August - Cup round 1: Rot-Weiß Oberhausen-Bayer Leverkusen 2-3
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 120 minutes.

Saturday 16 August - Bundesliga game 1: Bayer Leverkusen-Borussia Dortmund 2-3
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 23 August - Bundesliga game 2: Vfb Stuttgart-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 30 August - Bundesliga game 3: Bayer Leverkusen-Hoffenheim 5-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Saturday 13 September - Bundesliga game 4: Hamburg-Bayer Leverkusen 3-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Friday 19 September - Bundesliga game 5: Bayer Leverkusen-Hannover 4-0
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Tuesday 23 September - Cup round 2: Augsburg(2)-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Saturday 27 September - Bundesliga game 6: Bochum-Bayer Leverkusen 2-3
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 4 October - Bundesliga game 7: Bayer Leverkusen-Hertha Berlin 0-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Saturday 18 October - Bundesliga game 8: Eintracht Frankfurt-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Friday 24 October - Bundesliga game 9: Bayer Leverkusen-FC Köln 2-0
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Tuesday 29 October - Bundesliga game 10: Werder Bremen-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Friday 31 October - Bundesliga game 11: Bayer Leverkusen-Wolfsburg 2-0
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 8 November - Bundesliga game 12: Karlsruhe-Bayer Leverkusen 3-3
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Saturday 15 November - Bundesliga game 13: Bayer Leverkusen-Schalke 2-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 22 November - Bundesliga game 14: Bielefeld-Bayer Leverkusen 2-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 29 November - Bundesliga game 15: Bayer Leverkusen-Bayern Munich 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Saturday 6 December - Bundesliga game 16: Borussia Mönchengladbach-Bayer Leverkusen 1-3
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 13 December - Bundesliga game 17: Bayer Leverkusen-Cottbus 1-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Wednesday 28 January - Cup 1/8 finals: Bayer Leverkusen-Cottbus 3-1
Bench.

Saturday 31 January - Bundesliga game 18: Borussia Dortmund-Bayer Leverkusen 1-1
Bench.

Saturday 7 February - Bundesliga game 19: Bayer Leverkusen-Stuttgart 2-4
Substitute. Henrique replaces Castro in the 66th minute (0-2). Assist.

Friday 13 February - Bundesliga game 20: Hoffenheim-Bayer Leverkusen 1-4
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Sunday 22 February - Bundesliga game 21: Bayer Leverkusen-Hamburg 1-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Saturday 28 February - Bundesliga game 22: Hannover-Bayer Leverkusen 1-0
Suspended. Henrique cannot play because of five yellow cards.

Wednesday 5 March - Cup 1/4 finals: Bayer Leverkusen-Bayern Munich 4-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Sunday 8 March - Bundesliga game 23: Bayer Leverkusen-Bochum 1-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 14 March - Bundesliga game 24: Hertha Berlin-Bayer Leverkusen 1-0
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes.

Saturday 21 March - Bundesliga game 25: Bayer Leverkusen-Frankfurt 1-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Yellow card.

Sunday 5 April - Bundesliga game 26: FC Köln-Bayer Leverkusen 0-2
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Sunday 12 April - Bundesliga game 27: Bayer Leverkusen-Werder Bremen 1-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Saturday 18 April - Bundesliga game 28: Wolfsburg-Bayer Leverkusen 2-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Wednesday 22 April - Cup 1/2 finals: Bayer Leverkusen-Mainz 4-1 (aet)
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 120 minutes. Right back. Yellow card.

Saturday 25 April - Bundesliga game 29: Bayer Leverkusen-Karlsruhe 0-1
Starter. Henrique starts the game and plays for 90 minutes. Right back.

Saturday 2 May - Bundesliga game 30: Schalke-Bayer Leverkusen 1-2
Injured. Henrique has a muscle injury in a thigh.

Friday 8 May - Bundesliga game 31: Bayer Leverkusen-Bielefeld 2-2
Injured. Henrique has a muscle injury in a thigh.



Table
1. Wolfsburg (30) 60
2. Bayern Munich (30) 57
3. Stuttgart (30) 55
4. Hertha Berlin (30) 55
5. Hamburg (30) 55
6. Borussia Dortmund (30) 52
7. Schalke (30) 49
8. Bayer Leverkusen 46
9. Hoffenheim (30) 45
10. Werder Bremen (30) 39
[...]


1st and 2nd place: group phase of Champions League
3rd place: third qualifying round of Champions League, winner enters the group phase, losers enter the Uefa Cup
4th place: qualifies for 4th qualifying round of Uefa Cup
5th place: qualifies for 3rd qualifying round of Uefa Cup

Guardiola definitely absolved in doping case

The Italian football association has yesterday put out an official statement saying that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola (38) has won his appeal against a four-month ban for doping he served as a Brescia player in 2001.

Guardiola had been accused of failing tests for nandrolone, but after being cleared on appeal of all charges by the criminal court of appeal in 2007, the Italian federation has now also said in a statement that he was absolved, which means that his case of 2001 has been revised.

Read more:
The expulsions of Guardiola
Leadership lessons from a Catalan hero
How much does Guardiola earn?

Messi: "I would like to be a better header"

Barcelona player Lionel Messi answered questions at the official UEFA website.





How do you deal with the pressure of being labelled the best player on earth, and what do you think makes you that special?
I don't know if I'm the best player in the world. At the moment Cristiano Ronaldo has the title of FIFA World Player of the Year. I don't pay too much attention to it. I'm not worried about it. If they want to give me the award, that's brilliant, because you have to enjoy these prizes. If not, that's absolutely fine too.

Do you feel this is your year to win the Ballon d'Or?
As I said, I don't think about it too much. I just try to play good football. If, after that, they give me the Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year, I would be delighted, but if not I won't be depressed.

What do you say to people who compare you to Diego Maradona?
It makes me very proud, but there was only one Maradona and there will never be another like him. I always say it: I can't compare myself to him because he was extraordinary, one of a kind, the most complete player. It has been brilliant to meet him. With everything he represents for Argentina and for all Argentinians, it's a source of pride and a privilege to be managed by him. But I don't compare myself.

Can you give some tips on how to have better ball control. How do you practise? Are there particular exercises you do?
These are not things I've developed in training – they happen on their own. I think it's something innate that I have inside me. I've loved playing football since I was a little kid and I always played with bigger boys. Perhaps that helped my learning and the development of my game a bit.

What's on your mind when you are dribbling around opponents?
You don't think. You just live the moment, as I said earlier. I try to do my best to arrive in front of goal. On my way there, I dodge and check as I see fit. My thinking isn't premeditated. It's instinctive. Sometimes, luckily, it works out for me.

How does it feel when you score a goal?
It's difficult to explain. It's a lovely feeling. It's an explosion which comes from inside you and makes you want to share it with everyone around you. Even more so if you do it in an important game, because you can't express it through your mouth or your arms. You have to live it in person to understand.

Who inspired you as a boy and what encouraged you to fight for your place even when people discouraged you because of your size?
You always have to overcome things in life and the difficulty with my physique was one of them. My parents and Barcelona helped a lot. To be honest, I don't know if I really stopped to think too carefully about it. At the time I wanted to play football and that wasn't going to get in my way.

What key areas in your game would you like to improve on?
You always have to try to improve and I promise I'm trying to do that. For example, I would like to be a better header, and perhaps to be able to pre-empt the defender, because I realise I'm not tall. I'm also practising striking the ball better. I don't like to make do with what I have and no more.

What is the most important thing you have learned this season from coach Josep Guardiola?
That this is a team and we all work for the good of the team. The other day, against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, for example, I played almost like a second striker. I almost always play out on the right, so it seemed strange to me beforehand, but I did it and it worked well for the team. So you have to think of the team and leave individualism to one side.

You have said you wish to spend your entire career at Barcelona. However, could you ever be tempted to take the challenge of playing in the English league at some stage?
The football in England is great, just as it is in Spain, but for now I'm very settled and I feel really valued at Barcelona. I know the Premiership is a great league, but Barcelona is a big part of my life and I'm not thinking of anything else. With time, we'll see. You never know.

Do you have any superstitions in preparing for a match?
No, I don't have superstitions. Before games I think about the people I love, but it's not superstition. It's just because it does me good to think that they're with me – nothing more. I'm not the kind to wear lucky charms or that kind of thing.

What was your best match so far?
I am very self-critical and I don't have one special game. I should think about it more carefully, but my memory's not very good and I'm not one for details. Perhaps the 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in Barcelona, when I scored three goals. Or this Saturday, at the Bernabéu, because it's very difficult to go there and we achieved something historic. We scored six goals at their place and I got two. But hopefully there will be other better games. That's what I'm always working for.


read the complete interview here


Read more:
Messi repeats wish to retire at Barcelona
To whom did Messi dedicate his Madrid goals?
Messi: "I also make mistakes"

Deal on Victor Sanchez renewal until 2012

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that an agreement has been reached on the contract renewal of Barcelona polyvalent defender and midfielder Víctor Sánchez (21) (read more here).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have closed a deal on a renewal with the player's agent and Víctor Sánchez will sign his new contract on Monday.

The new contract will be for four years, starting in the summer in 2008 and expiring in 2012. The Catalan player's buyout clause would be 30 million euro°. Víctor Sánchez, whose current contract expires in 2010 and who has this season been switching between the first and the second team, will from now on only play for the first team.


Read more:
Barcelona wants to renew Victor Sanchez
An introduction to the coming stars
Renewal coming up for Pedro and Victor Sanchez

Pichichi and Zamora (day 34)

With Barcelona players competing for the trophies of best goalscorer and best goalkeeper of the Spanish league, this blog will follow the events during the second round.



Pichichi
27 Eto'o (Barcelona)
25 Villa (Valencia)
25 Forlán (Atlético Madrid)
23 Messi (Barcelona)
19 Henry (Barcelona)
19 Negredo (Almería)

Zamora
0,82 Víctor Valdés (Barcelona)
1,06 Palop (Sevilla)
1,21 Casillas (Real Madrid)
1,24 Aranzubía (Deportivo)
1,28 Toño (Racing Santander)

[2008] Looking for a central defender

this post was published exactly one year ago:


With Barcelona central defender Lilian Thuram (36) on his way out this summer, Barcelona planned from the start to bring in a new central defender. The serious injury of Gabriel Milito has now made Barcelona speed up the search.

Both main Catalan sports papers think that at this moment the main options are, and in that order of rank, Deportivo La Coruña central defender and Argentinian international Fabricio Coloccini (26) and Manchester United central defender Gerard Piqué (21), like had been analized by this blog last week (read more
here).

Piqué left the Barcelona youth academy in 2005 for Manchester United. Due to a lack of playing time, the player has been rejecting until now to renew his contract that expires in 2009 (read more
here). British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Manchester United wants to sell players like Piqué and Saha to raise more funds they then want to spend in the summer. It is said that Piqué wants to return to Spain.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Manchester United wants to renew the contract before letting him go on loan to Barcelona. Barcelona would prefer a permanent deal. With only one year left on his contract, the transfer fee is said to be around 5 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the Barcelona scouts have also been following two other players: AS Roma central defender and Brazilian international Juan (29) and Stuttgart central defender Matthieu Delpierre (27).



Read more 9 May 2008 news:
Villareal's Diego Lopez to rival Valdes
Which players are on Guardiola's list?
Barcelona joins Hleb race
New Bayern manager Klinsmann wants Deco
Henry offered to Arsenal and Chelsea

Iniesta becomes a style icon

* in Barcelona, being white as milk is becoming fashionable

factor 93

ultra-protecting sun cream *





(click the cartoon to enlarge)

source:

cayecaturas.com
sport.es

see more cartoons here

Friday 8 May 2009

The Ultimate Game: Get Inside Guardiola's head


With Frank Rijkaard you couldn't get any honour by predicting Barcelona's starting line-up. Even hockey moms could. But this has dramatically changed last summer. Until this very day, nobody has been able to crack the code of Josep Guardiola's brain. Nor has anyone got inside his sleeves.

So this is your chance to prove not only your knowledge about the game of football but also your psychological insight:

PREDICT BARCELONA'S STARTING LINE-UP


This is not (as in: N-O-T) a place for discussion on team tactics or personal player preferences. You just give the system and the eleven names you think will start the game against Villarreal on Sunday.

You put them in the right position, so using the 4-3-3 (or whatever you think they will play) and putting the players from the right to the left, so the right back defender is your first name after the goalkeeper. If your line-up isn't clear, my interpretation counts.

Don't forget to add your (nick)name by clicking Name/URL under the comment box and fill it in, otherwise your after-game claim to glory will be dismissed.

You can give your starting line-up until three hours before the start of the game, in this case: until 4:00 pm barcelona time.

If you give your line-up before Guardiola announes his match list (or if at least 20 players are included in the match list or if I decide so), you get one point for the correct line-up. If you do it after that announcement, you get half a point. Who will have the most points at the end of the season, can call himself the winner.

This is the 47th time this game is organized.







Table

6.5
ElDuroDeFCB
vj
Zeli

6
Bogman
Davor
James

5
Barcik
Henry
mario ch
temeldinho
westinho

4.5
Louis
semko

4
B. Beltrocco
Etsp
OLALEKAN
Söderström
xaviesta
zuka

3.5
Dan R
FCBFan

3
Cali Socis
Cristi M
jerryprez
Kiki
Koyya
Nikola
ponnyKID
Ramen
sashi

2.5
ekar
GrandeMessi
jepoy
younes

2
Barca nike
brogie
FC BARCA
granche
henrikker
Jamrock
Kman
nozbleed
unreal2
SimonP

1.5
Knives Out
Valdi

1
admirer
BlaugranaIRE
DC86
Amr
Barca nerd-fan
Brambo
kamikaze kontiki
CharlesWood
Flippy
ej
Harshawardhan
hieifcb
Jacob
jester[HUN]
jordy
lostmyself
M10
Pete
rafouka
Romyan
Severian
tor
Maximus
Hung
simon
M4V3R1K
KEMPE cy
mofof
Josep
fcbee
Jonathan
peter

0.5
deyaa
Michael
blaugrana poland
Bonton
Tobogan

Quote of the day: Eto'o






We are the ones who play, Pep is spending hours planning the games, then you have those who prepare the videos of the games, those who are cleaning our boots, those who are taking care of the pitch. Everyone has contributed his bit.


Samuel Eto'o, Barcelona player





Medical: Henry out for at least two more weeks

Barcelona's medical staff has announced that Barcelona player Thierry Henry (31) has strained the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee during last Satruday's league game against Real Madrid.

Henry, who was replaced by Keita after one hour, is expected to be out for at least two more weeks and will undergo specific treatment in the coming weeks.

The French striker wil certainly be out for the league games against Villarreal, Mallorca and Osasuna and for next week's cup final against Athletic Bilbao. He is doubtful for the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May.

Read more:
Medical: Henry out for Chelsea game

Post-match interviews (Chelsea-Barcelona)







There was no referee conspiracy

author: Carlo Garganese
source: Goal

date: 7 May 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com






“When people say it's all very suspicious then I get rather angry,” roared Guus Hiddink on June 23, 2002.

“Italy and Spain should look at themselves and their shortcomings rather than the referee’s. It's easy to go on blaming referees or linesmen. Of course they make mistakes, but coaches make mistakes, players make mistakes, and the press make mistakes. They go for you and against you.”

If you haven’t already worked it out, this was then South Korea coach Hiddink’s angry response following widespread claims that there had been a conspiracy at the 2002 World Cup to send his co-hosts through at the expense of Italy, Spain and, to a lesser extent, Portugal.

The 2002 World Cup has gone down in footballing infamy, and indeed the majority of supporters in Italy and Spain refuse to even acknowledge that tournament’s legality. The Azzurri had five perfectly good goals disallowed in three games for non-existent offsides, while they were eliminated by Hiddink’s Korea in the second round after an extra time Golden Goal. During that clash, Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno awarded Korea a questionable penalty, harshly sent off Francesco Totti for diving, and disallowed a good Damiano Tommasi Golden Goal. Spain were the next victims of Korea in the quarter final, losing on penalties after they had had two legitimate strikes chalked off.

Fast forward seven years to May 6, 2009. Hiddink, now interim manager of Chelsea, had just been denied a place in the Champions League final following a dramatic injury time equaliser by Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta in West London. In the post-match interview, Hiddink, referring to five penalty claims that were turned down by referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, clearly implied on both English and Italian television that there may have been a sinister plot by those in positions of power.

“I won't say what we really feel, but it's an injustice. It's not just one doubtful call. Ask the people who put the referee in charge of this game,” the Dutchman moaned. “When all these things happen, then you start thinking,” he added.

I know what I'm thinking Guus, and it is not conspiracy, but hypocrisy. The regularity and enormity of the events at the 2002 World Cup were more than enough to form a conspiracy theory, yet Hiddink shrugged them off as Italian and Spanish sour grapes. What took place last night at Stamford Bridge was just plain bad officiating that penalised both sides in equal measure.

Of the five incidents that Chelsea have complained about, only one was a penalty – the clear handball by Gerard Pique. Dani Alves’ obstruction on Florent Malouda may have been inside the area, but obstruction is only a penalty offence when it is really serious, and this was not. The same can be said for Eric Abidal’s slight pull of Didier Drogba’s shirt before half time, which preceded a one second delay before the Ivorian catapulted himself onto the floor like he’d caught the plague.

In the episode involving Drogba and Yaya Toure on 56 minutes, both players were wrestling each other, and even if Kolo’s younger brother did draw back the Chelsea hitman, it was well outside the area. When the two players entered the box, Toure won the ball with a fair tackle. Finally, regarding Michael Ballack’s last-gasp appeal against Samuel Eto’o, the Cameroonian may have had his arm higher than usual, but it was clearly ball-to-hand (the very top of his arm and back), while he also had his back turned. FIFA’s ‘Laws of the Game’ are crystal clear on this.

It is amusing that Chelsea have conveniently overlooked the fact that Abidal was wrongly red carded on 65 minutes for a ‘professional foul’ when Anelka had tripped over his own feet. This forced Barcelona to chase the last 25 minutes of the game with just 10 men. As a result the space opened up for Chelsea on the counter-attack, and it was only after this dismissal that the stonewall Pique penalty incident occurred.

It is also peculiar how Chelsea have discarded the performance of referee Wolfgang Stark in the first leg at Camp Nou. During that game, Stark waved away an excellent Thierry Henry penalty shout, failed to send off Michael Ballack, and also harshly booked Carles Puyol, forcing Barcelona to start a left back at centre back, and a centre midfielder at left back last night.

Over the course of the two ties, the appalling refereeing decisions evened themselves out. There was no conspiracy Guus last night, but there sure was an absurd amount of hypocrisy.


read the full and original article here

Gudjohnsen considers summer exit

Asked about his situation at the club, Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30), whose contract expires in the summer of 2010, has said in an interview with Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid that he is considering to leave at the end of the season:

"I will look into my affairs when the season is over... Of course I am happy about us being in the finals of the Champions League, but I don't deny that I am rather unhappy about my status. It is very enjoyable to be with a large club, but it is not very enjoyable to just watch and sit on the bench.

I don't understand why my status within the team has changed this suddenly because I thought I was doing well. This is difficult to swallow and I can very well imagine that this will be my last season with Barcelona."

Read more:
Gudjohnsen has no intention to leave
Total deal on Ribery transfer
Everton interested in Gudjohnsen

Poll result - Man of the match: Chelsea

This is the final result of this blog's Chelsea-Barcelona: who was our man of the match? poll:


1. Iniesta 55%
2. Valdes 24%
3. Pique 7%




see full results here
see previous poll results
here

Pre-season tour in United States confirmed

Barcelona has today officially announced that the team will do a pre-season tour in the United States in the summer.

Barcelona will play three friendly games on the West Coast in the first week of August. The pre-season trip will probably start on Wednesday 29 July and last until Sunday 9 August.

On Saturday 1 August, Barcelona will play against Los Angeles Galaxy at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (11 pm local time). On Wednesday 5 August, the team will face Seattle Sounders at the Qwest Field in Seattle (10:30 pm local time). The opponent and the place of the third game haven't yet been decided and will be announced shortly.

read more about the tour here


Read more:
Pre-season will start in London
Barcelona to play three friendly games in the US
Swine flu could lead to tour in Asia instead of US

The Pictures: Chelsea (part 4)

(click a picture to enlarge)






















































(click a picture to enlarge)

More pictures:

1 2 3

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