Guardiola wanted to replace Henry this summer

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona wanted to replace Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) during the past summer transfer window.

Because Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have had enough of the clash of the egos of Henry and Eto'o, he reportedly asked the club to look for a new left winger.

Although it was Eto'o who took all the hits from the press and Henry came out of it fairly undamaged because of his good relationship with the media and the entourage of the club, Guardiola would have wanted to get rid of both players.

Barcelona would therefore have been discretely sounding out the market over the last months and contacted among others left wingers like Riera, Robben, Robinho, Mata and Silva. But although those players would have agreed to join Barcelona, it was not possible to close a deal with their clubs. If Barcelona would find a new left winger next year, Henry will probably leave the club at the end of this season.

Read more:
Robben confirms Barcelona interest
Henry wants to play in the US one day
Barcelona keeping an eye on Robinho

Stoichkov: "They should build a monument for Eto'o"

Mamelodi Sundowns manager and former Barcelona player Hristo Stoichkov gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.



How do you see Barça?
Oh dear! Barça is unique in world football. They are at their own level. I saw the Champions League draw and the 'Barça vs Inter' debate is senseless. Mourinho is a great coach and has a great team but he knows Barça is better. Can they loose a game against Inter? Of course, but if I had to put my money on one team, I would put it on Barça.

What about Eto'o returning to the Camp Nou? Ibra or Eto'o?
The press always seems to want to make comparisons. Eto'o has given so many things to Barça that they should build a monument for him. If Ibra now plays well and also give trophies to the culés, well that would be another monument... But let's not take credit away from the one who's not there anymore just to be able to talk positively about the new one. And we shouldn't ask Ibrahimovic to score two goals each game either. He should be given time to adapt to the system, the team-mates, the club, the city...

Another treble is possible?
I would like it but people from the world of football know how difficult it is. I was part of one of the best teams in the history of Barcelona and we didn't win one treble. Now they've already won the two super cups. This team has a winning spirit, a good mentality, with good players, a good coach, but...

But?
...football is no mathematics and two and two is not four. If that was the case, Real Madrid would be the next champion. With all that money, all those names, with so many cracks, that's the end of it, period, you shouldn't have to play any more competitions. But it's not like that, so we shouldn't put even more pressure on the team nor expect that Barça will again win everything just like that.

So we shouldn't worry about Real Madrid?
Yes, you should worry, but you shouldn't get obsessed. We have to continue with our own thing because if we keep the same line, it will be difficult for the galaxy to beat us. Ronaldo, Kaká, Benzema are great but Messi, Xavi and Iniesta are better. Right?

I guess so, yes. When do you return to Catalonia?
I won't be able to leave South Africa until Christmas. But I'm already looking forward to it!

What about returning to Barça?
I also would want that! I didn't have the chance so far but you never know what can happen in the future. I would like to and if it would be possible, fantastic, but if not, we continue with other things. Being inside or outside the club, I'm a Barça fan.

What do you think about the transfer of Chygrynskiy?
Great. Guardiola proves that he has courage because it's very easy to sign Ibra but it's more complicated with a Ukrainian boy of 22 years old, not known by many people. I congratulate Pep for the chance he's giving Dimitro.

What would you advise him?
His story reminds me my own. I also arrived in Barcelona being very young but with a lot of desire to conquer the world. He's from the East, which means he has character and I am sure he will succeed. I would advise him that he opens his eyes, listens and works.

Read more:
Ex-Barça: Stoichkov to Mamelodi Sundowns
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue

Messi: "I am great because of my team-mates"

Barcelona player Lionel Messi gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.




One month into the new season and already two trophies...
Everything has gone very fast. You start and the next thing you know you're already competing for two trophies as a result of the hard work of last season. It's good to start like that, although it's hard. If you look at the calendar, we won't have a moment to breathe until January or February... Pfff, we will have to make the best of it because it will be a tough season.

But it is less tough when you enjoy yourself...
We are having a good time and you can see that, right? We are having a good time because the football we play is made to make the footballer have fun. But we are also suffering, of course. Nobody should think that we aren't exhausted at the end of a game.

How does it feel to be the best player in the world?
This team has made me big. This Barça has made me grow and makes me better every day. All those with whom I had the honour to play have taught me something and this group makes you better. For me, that is very clear: I am great because of them. All those individual trophies should have copies, reproductions, one for each team-mate. That's the way we work, as one, we are one and that way it is easier to stand out and to do what you like to do. Someone is covering for you when you are trying to make an action that could be decisive but that also carries some risk. It's great to ba part of a team like this Barça.

What is Iniesta lacking to win individual trophies?
There's nothing lacking, he's a crack already! But because he does everything with such ease, it seems like there's nothing to it. But he has everything needed to win win individual prizes.

How is Ibrahimovic doing?
Very well. Ibra knows that Barça is a new world. It wasn't easy for him to adapt to a team that plays by heart, with an enormous quality, that has won everything last season... He wants to learn from the group and this is valued. He has a lot of qualities and he will add a lot of things to the team. He's acting in a modest way and he has adapted very well to the group.

The group is missing Eto'o?
Of course we miss him, every team would miss him. What Samu gave us on the pitch was incredible, he was the first one to put pressure, always going forward and scoring goals like nobody can. He was very important for the team. But now he's at Inter and I'm sure he will do great. I talk with Samu every now and then, I like to know how things are going for him.


Read more:
Messi and Iniesta until 2016
Bodyguard of Messi is football hooligan
Messi Club Footballer of the Year

Laporta on Guardiola, Chygrynskiy and Eto'o

Speaking to Spanish radio station RNE, Barcelona president Joan Laporta talked about Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, last Barcelona signing Dmytro Chygrynskiy and former Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o.


Guardiola
From outside the club, people have always tried to destabilize the club and myself – the same happened with Rijkaard before – but I deny that we have a bad relationship. My relationship with Pep couldn't be better. At a personal level, I admire him. And as a coach, I will be eternally grateful because he is the key for this team living its best moment in the history, although Txiki and the players also contributed a lot.

Chygrynskiy
Guardiola didn't have any doubts, he had been totally impressed by the player. There were no other options because Pep was very clear in his decision. I don't think this transfer will affect the situation of Puyol. The captain will keep his place since Guardiola will use the rotations in a correct way.

Eto'o
I am sure he will be very motivated when he returns to the Camp Nou because he is a born winner. But unlike when he played against Madrid, he doesn't need to prove anything here because he knows the players, the coaches and the president have valued him and still value him. He is a player who has given everything on the pitch and he is an excellent person.

Whatever happens in the games against Inter, our opinion about him will not change. Eto'o has been at Barcelona for five years and he was there at every important event. When Eto'o was not there because of an injury, that reflected on the team and when he was there, we won everything. When I said a while ago that he didn't pick up the phone, that was because he was not in Spain at that time. Now we are regularly in contact.


Read more:
Barcelona president Laporta thanks Eto'o
Renewal Guardiola postponed until next year
Chygrynskiy: "This transfer was destiny"

Ibrahimovic relieved after first Barcelona goal

Ibrahimovic:
Scoring my first goal for Barça has helped me to take a huge weight off my back...

...more specifically thìs weight.

(click the cartoon to enlarge)

source:
cayecaturas.com
sport.es

see more cartoons here

Casillas: "Eto'o is better than Ibrahimovic"

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas gave an interview to Madrid sports tabloid As. Some excerpts.



Madrid has a better squad than Barcelona?
Sincerely, if you compare it player by player, I think we have. But Barcelona also has a great team that already showed what it can do and that gave me a lot of healthy jealousy. For example when seeing all the trophies that have been given to my friend Xavi. Our aim is now to develop our own style by playing as good as possible.

Will it take a lot of time before the new players and the old ones start to know each other?
We have to do it quick. In Madrid there is no patience and no time. People want results now.

The Liga is a two-horse race?
In theory, yes, but I'm sure there will be other teams who will join in.

You will miss Eto'o?
(laughs) Not at all. I am delighted that he went to Italy. As far as i'm concerned, he's better than Ibrahimovic.

Read more:
Why will Real Madrid fail this season?
Eto'o happy and emotional about Camp Nou return
Difficulties to make the Madrid puzzle fit

Eto'o happy and emotional about Camp Nou return

In an interview with Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto'o has commented on the Champions League group-stage draw that put Barcelona and Inter Milan in the same group:

"It's a good thing to be able to return to the Camp Nou. I am relaxed, I am happy but above all I am emotional. The fans of Barcelona will always have a place in my heart.

And I prefer Barcelona over Sevilla. When their game is over, they just keep on running. I already received an sms text message from Puyol saying 'Guardiola told me that if I mark you well, he will renew my contract'. I am also satisfied that Messi and Xavi have won the awards, although I think both Valdés and Piqué deserved a recognition."

Read more:
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue
Eto'o: "I never was told why I had to leave"
Barcelona president Laporta thanks Eto'o

Eto'o: "I never was told why I had to leave"

Speaking to French television channel TF1, Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto'o commented on his Barcelona exit earlier this summer:

"I expected that they would give me a reason why they wanted me to go, but there wasn't one. They said they wanted to change things, but change what? I never got an answer and I'm not waiting for one anymore. For me, the case is closed.

Because of my love for the club, I have accepted a lot of things in the past and I still was ready to accept a lot of things, but this summer it just was too much.

I would never criticize a coach if another player is better than me. But in the end it's what you do on the field that matters. And until there is proof to the contrary, I had showed that I deserved to play every Sunday.

Now I joined the club where I wanted to play. Mourinho already wanted me in his team for several years. We had the chance to meet. I spoke to him two or three times on the phone and it was easy to make my decision after that. I hope to give him everything he expects of me. Every day I try to give my best, and even more than that."

watch a video of the interview here


Read more:
Eto'o: "I've defended the shirt as my life"
Guardiola clarifies Eto'o statements
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue

Guardiola clarifies Eto'o statements

Asked about his statements last month about his wish that then Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o would leave the club (read more here), Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has said at a press conference that he could be misinterpreted:

"Maybe I didn't explain myself well that day. I will repeat what I wanted to say. It wasn't a matter of 'feeling' between Samuel and I. Footballwise there was no problem and I felt very comfortable working with Samuel Eto'o, also on a personal level.

There has been said that it was a matter of 'feeling' but that's not the case. I said that the 'feeling', what I felt after winning those trophies last season, was that it would be better to change some pieces. That was the reason. I probably didn't explain myself very well, so I would like to clarify that because it might seem as if I didn't have a good relationship with him. While I liked to work with him. I wasn't something personal or something sporting. I hope to have make things more clear."

Read more:
Guardiola wants Eto'o to leave
Eto'o: "I've defended the shirt as my life"
Barcelona president Laporta thanks Eto'o

Barcelona president Laporta thanks Eto'o

At Barcelona's socio's assembly, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has asked an applause for former Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o, who left to Inter Milan this summer:

"We owe a public thank you to Eto'o. He had to leave due to a technical decision that has already been explained, but I think we owe him a public thank you.

He has defended the shirt of Barça until the last minute, he has been a great professional and a great goalscorer, who scored very important goals and has been desive. It is only right to thank Samuel for what he has done. Besides that, when leaving, he has been a worthy and elegant person. The culés will always remember him."

Read more:
Eto'o: "I've defended the shirt as my life"
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue

Six Barcelona nominees for UEFA Club Awards

UEFA has announced the nominees for the UEFA Club Football Awards to be presented during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on Thursday 27 August.

The voting procedure gives the coaches of the 16 teams that reached the knockout phase of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League the possibility to cast their votes for each position as well as to nominate the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year 2009 of their choice.

Based on the voting results, the list of nominees is as follows:


UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year
Petr Čech (Chelsea FC)
Víctor Valdés (FC Barcelona)
Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United FC)

UEFA Club Defender of the Year
Gerard Piqué (FC Barcelona)
John Terry (Chelsea FC)
Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United FC)

UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC)
Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona)
Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona)

UEFA Club Forward of the Year
Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC)

The look-alike of Lionel Messi

Miguel Martínez is a 25 years-old look-alike of Barcelona player Lionel Messi. He appears at events and in marketing campaigns and would like to start a football team that entirely consists of look-alikes, one of the others being a David Deckham look-alike.

When he once visited the Camp Nou, Samuel Eto'o asked his son if he wanted a picture with Messi and the boy proudly posed for a picture with whom he thought to be the real Lionel Messi. Eto'o before had invited Martínez for a meal at his house after seeing him on television.

Eto'o: "I've defended the shirt as my life"

Speaking to Catalan radio station TV3, Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto'o looked back at his time at Barcelona with gratitude:

"Thanks to my former team-mates and the fans, I have been able to live all those dreams and to defend the Barça shirt as if it was my own live. I arrived at Barça and I met team-mates, but when I left I had friends and another family.

Despite all the talk about the fans not wishing me the best, I take this chance and I say that this is not true: the fans have always showed me their affection, in a different way. I've played five years at the Camp Nou, at Barça, and I'm one of the few players that got boed. Only once, and it wasn't for football reasons.

I felt comfortable in Barcelona. That's why I will keep on living in Catalonia. I think that when I retire, I will be living between Catalonia and Mallorca."

Read more:
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue
Thank You Samu - Remembering Eto'o at Barca
Xavi says that Eto'o made deep impression

Xavi says that Eto'o made deep impression

Speaking to Spanish television channel La Sexta, Barcelona player Xavi reflected on the exit of his former team-mate Samuel Eto'o:

"Yes, I miss Eto'o because he's a good person and he made a deep impression on the group. The truth is that he left his mark, both on and off the pitch and it's obvious that we all miss him.

This season, we again have to go step by step. In August we already have two important competitions, the two super cups, and we want to start the season in a good way. Starting from there, we can do better than last season, but it will be difficult.

Winning the Champions league in the Bernabéu would of course be a dream. Every culé wants to be in that final because there's something about that game. But for now, the most important thing is to go step by step.

The results of the pre-season are not important, it's all about getting physically prepared and catching the match rhythm. Everybody is feeling good for now and if you win, well, the better. If it can bring some positive dynamics from the beginning, then it's welcomed."

Read more:
Thank You Samu - Remembering Eto'o at Barca

Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue

Asked about the exit of his former team-mate Samuel Eto'o earlier this summer, Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta has praised the Cameroonian striker in an interview with Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia:

"Everyone has dealt with it in his own way, we all have different relationships with each other. I can only say that it was basically something between the club and him, the players weren't involved.

We have to remember Samuel as who he was. History tells us that there have been very few strikers like him since this club exists. I don't even know if there has been anyone like him before, but what I do know is that Barça should make a statue for him. Samuel has been a key player in all those years he has been here, and he has been fundamental in all the trophies we have won."

Read more:
Thank You Samu - Remembering Eto'o at Barca

Quote of the day: Casillas

In a way, I am even glad that Eto'o has left
because he has been a nightmare for me.

Iker Casillas,
Real Madrid goalkeeper

more quotes

Statistics: Zlatan vs Eto'o

Zlatan Ibrahimović born 3 October 1981 (27)

1. 2006-2007 apps-goals : league 27-15 , cup 2-0 , europe 7-0 = 36 apps 15 goals ( goal ratio : 0.42 )



2. 2007-2008 apps-goals : league 26-17 , cup 1-0 , europe 7-5 = 34 apps 22 goals ( goal ratio : 0.65 )



3. 2008-2009 apps-goals : league 35-25 , cup 3-3 , europe 8-1 = 46 apps 29 goals ( goal ratio : 0.63 )

• TOTAL : 116 apps 66 goals ( goal ratio : 0.57 )

• long term injuries : 1 (2007-2008 for 3 months)

Samuel Eto'o Fils born 10 March 1981 (28)

1. 2006-2007 apps-goals : league 19-11 , cup 4-1 , europe 4-1 = 27 apps 13 goals ( goal ratio : 0.48 )



2. 2007-2008 apps-goals : league 18-16 , cup 3-1 , europe 7-1 = 28 apps 18 goals ( goal ratio : 0.64 )



3. 2008-2009 apps-goals : league 36-30 , cup 4-0 , europe 12-6 = 52 apps 36 goals ( goal ratio : 0.69 )

• TOTAL : 107 apps 68 goals ( goal ratio : 0.64 )

• long term injuries : 2 (2006-2007 for 5 months , 2007-2008 for 3 months )

Compiled by: hamid_ali

Mallorca could appeal Eto'o transfer valuation

Balearic Islands regional sports site Balear Esports claims that Spanish first division club Mallorca could appeal the valuation given to foremr Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o earlier this week and take the case to the international football association FIFA.

Barcelona and Inter Milan valued the transfer of Eto'o, which was part of the deal on Inter Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining Barcelona, at 20 million euro (read more here).

FIFA rules state that five per cent of a transfer fee should go to the clubs where the player has played before he turned 23. In this case, one million euro would be divided among four clubs (Real Madrid, Leganés, Espanyol and Mallorca). Mallorca would get 450 000 euro, which would be less than the club had expected.

Read more:
OFFICIAL: Eto'o to Inter Milan
Thank You Samu - Remembering Eto'o at Barca

Eto'o makes debut as Inter player

Former Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o made yesterday his debut with his new club Inter Milan in a friendly against Monaco. Eto'o, who started training on Tuesday, played the second half. Inter won the game, 0-1, with a goal of Milito.


watch more pictures here

Thank You Samu - Remembering Eto'o at Barca

made by barca4life