Cocktail of the day: Chygrynskiy

The Boadas Cocktail Bar in Barcelona has made a cocktail named "Chygrynskiy", in honour of Barcelona's new signing.

The cocktail consists of two-quarters vodka, one-quarter lemon juice, one-quarter cranberry juice, some ginger ale, a couple of cucumber slices and a cherry.

Barkeeper Jerónimo Vaquero, who invented the cocktail, explains: "I analyzed the person, who is tall and strong. So we needed a powerful combination, and we couldn't leave out the vodka of course. You should drink it slowly, little by little, without hurrying. It's very fresh and digestive, ideal for the late afternoon. It's a big glass and the price is 7 and a half euros."

Welcome dinner for Chygrynskiy

At 9:30 pm yesterday, Barcelona has offered Dmytro Chygrynskiy a welcome dinner at the Arola restaurant of the Arts hotel in Barcelona.

Chygrynskiy and his agent, Barcelona president Joan Laporta, Barcelona sports vice-president Rafael Yuste, Barcelona sports direxctor Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raul Sanllehí took part in the dinner.

Read more:
Welcome dinner for Ibrahimovic

Chygrynskiy has arrived in Barcelona

Where will Barcelona reside in Monaco?

During their stay in Monaco, Barcelona will reside at the Hermitage Hotel in Monte Carlo.

Where is Barcelona residing in San Francisco?

During their time in San Francisco, Barcelona will be staying at the Intercontinental Hotel, 888 Howard Street.

Where will Barcelona reside during LA stay?

During their time in Los Angeles,

Barcelona will be staying at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills.

The address:

465 South La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048

note:
if people go and see the team in the us and if you have pictures, feel free to send them to us at: fcbtransfers [at] yahoo [dot] com

Welcome dinner for Ibrahimovic

At 9:30 pm yesterday, Barcelona has offered Zlatan Ibrahimovic a welcome dinner at the L'Orangerie restaurant of the La Florida hotel in Barcelona.

Seven people took part in the dinner: Ibrahimovic, his agent Mino Raiola and the agent's assistant, Barcelona president Joan Laporta, Barcelona sports vice-president Rafael Yuste, Barcelona sports direxctor Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raul Sanllehí.

Abidal: "I'm not worried about Maxwell's arrival"

Barcelona player Eric Abidal gave an interview to Spanish sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.





What have you done during your vacation?
I have travelled a lot with my family. I've been in Miami, New York, Italy, Tunisia, Mallorca, France and Barcelona.

Are you worried about having to compete with Maxwell?
I am not concerned about Maxwell's arrival. He will make the team better and that is fine by me. The more competition there is, the higher the level will become within the team.

Any thougths on Maxwell?
Vieira has told me about him. He is another type of player, he is technical and a quality player that often joins the attack.

This is your third season in the club. What do you like best about Barcelona?
Everything. The club is perfect, the food, and people who are very nice to me, not just at the club but everywhere I go.

What food do you like?
That must be 'pa with tomaquet' (literally: bread with tomato), with potatoes and pasta at Negro. I've never tasted anything like it. It's splendid.

Since we talk about food, have you thougth about expanding your restaurant business to Barcelona?
Not to Barcelona yet, but to Paris. At the moment me and my partner are looking for a place in Paris. We want another 'Cafe dels Negociants' as the one in Lyon, in Paris.

An old friend and colleague of yours in Lyon, Benzema, will now be your rival in Real Madrid. You know him well, will you ask Guardiola to mark him?
No, I won't ask anything. He tells me where to play, either as a full-back or central defender, but we're having many good players in the centre, so it might be better they mark him.

Another friend of yours is Ribery. Do you think it's more likely to see him at Real Madrid than at Barca?
I think that he likes both teams because the football style suits him and he would have friends in either club. It's not so much that he prefers to go to Madrid, but his wife prefers Madrid over Barcelona. I have sent pictures to him via my mobile phone of all the pretty houses here, but it is difficult to convince him. Besides, he has the same agent who used to represent Zinedine Zidane. 'Zizou' is now at Madrid and as he's a reference for all the French players that can also play a role. But it seems like Bayern won't sell.

Have you tried to convince him to join Barcelona?
I told him that it would be better if he signed for Barca, a club that is perfect for him because we will come back and win another treble, and he can play alongside Leo Messi, the next Ballon d'Or winner. That's my dream, and I'm convinced we will win at least two or three titles. Besides, Anelka also already warned him that Real is not an easy club to play for.

translated by: Sandvik


Read more:
Poll Result: Next season's left back
Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal
Official players' pictures (part 1)

Agent Eto'o calls for press conference

Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28), has announced that a press conference will be given tomorrow at the AC Diplomatic hotel in Barcelona.

The agent is expected to clarify Eto'o's official position on his future and most media agree that the player will announce that he will stay next season.

Read more:
Barcelona hopes Eto'o will retire at the club
Eto'o to sign for Manchester City next week
Agent Eto'o repeats wish to continue

Where will Barcelona stay during training camp?

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona will be staying at the Danesfield House hotel during their training camp in Engeland.

The hotel is located at 70 kilometres west of London, in the city of Marlow.

In late July (21-26), Barcelona will spend six days in England to train and take part in the Wembley Cup pre-season tournament (read more here).

Read more:
Where will Barcelona reside during England stay?
Pre-season will start in London
Barcelona will take part in Wembley Cup

Meeting on Mascherano in Barcelona

Catalan radio station RAC 1 claims that Barcelona officials met representatives of Liverpool defensive midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (25) yesterday.

The meeting took place in the Rey Juan Carlos I hotel in Barcelona and lasted from 5 to 7 pm. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raül Sanllehi, the player's agents Walter Tamer and Federico Vitali as well as an intermediary took part.

Mascherano is willing to join Barcelona and a deal between the player and the club will not be an obstacle. Barcelona could now use the wish of the Argetinian to put pressure on Liverpool, who nevertheless doesn't seem to have plans to let him go.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Liverpool could be asking 30 million euro° for Mascherano, while Barcelona would only be ready to pay 20 million euro°. *British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Barcelona will have to make a bid of 53 million euro° or include Barcelona defensive midfielder and Ivorian international Yaya Touré (26) in the deal.*

Read more:
Agent Mascherano in Barcelona for transfer talks
Barcelona looking at possible substitutes for Valdes
Barcelona contacts Liverpool on Benayoun

Txiki met with agent Bruno Alves

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain dined on Wednesday evening in Hotel La Florida in Barcelona with Jorge Mendes, the agent of Porto central defender and Portuguese international Bruno Alves (27).

Although different subjects were discussed, Begiristain mainly wanted to hear first hand from Mendes, who's also the agent of (former) Barcelona players Márquez, Deco and Quaresma, about the situation of Bruno Alves (read more here).

Before Barcelona moves for the Portuguese defender, the club wants to know what they can expect. At this point, it looks like a deal with Bruno Alves wouldn't be a problem but Porto is expected to ask a high fee for the player.

Read more:
Porto denies talks with Barcelona on Bruno Alves
Possible pre-agreement with Bruno Alves

Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction

Barcelona president Joan Laporta met last night in Barcelona with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti. Although both presidents didn't want to confirm the issues discussed, it is believed that a possible transfer of Inter forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) was the main reason for the meeting.

Nothing is certain but putting all pieces together, this blog can at least offer you this attempt to reconstruct the events.


(sources:
el mundo deportivo, la gazzetta dello sport, rac 1, sport, reuters)


On Thursday morning, Moratti met in Milan with Inter manager José Mourinho. The Portuguese gave the green light for the transfer of Ibrahimovic under the condition that Inter would get in return Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o (28) and a serious sum of cash, which would be used to sign Chelsea players Carvalho and Deco.

After the meeting with Mourinho, Moratti talked with Mino Raiola, the agent of Ibrahimovic, to explain him what had been decided in the meeting that had taken place. Raiola talked by phone with Ibrahimovic, who is preparing international games with Sweden, to inform him about the latest events.

Moratti decided to fly in the afternoon to Barcelona with his private jet. Barcelona president Joan Laporta cancelled a dinner in the Catalan town of Igualada, sixty kilometres to the east of Barcelona, and both presidents met at the Majestic hotel in the heart of Barcelona before heading to the Via Veneto restaurant where the two men arrived around 9.30-10 pm. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain possible joined them there.

Moratti would have opened discussions by putting his offer on the table: Eto'o plus 30 to 40 million euro° for Ibrahimovic. Laporta had to admit that the Cameroonian striker at this moment doesn't seem very willing to leave the club this summer and tried to come up with alternatives.

Barcelona offered to include Barcelona attacker Alexander Hleb (28), whom Inter tried to sign last summer, in the deal, but this was rejected. Barcelona offered 40 million euro° plus one player, but Moratti returned to his initial asking price of 70 million euro° cash.

Inter would only be willing to change their minds and lower the amount to be paid in cash if one of the following three players is offered in exchange: Eto'o, Barcelona attacking midfielder Xavi (28) or Barcelona defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (26). Somewhere down the line, Inter left back Maxwell also appeared upon the table (27).

When the two president left the restaurant after midnight, Laporta said it had only been a dinner between friends: "We didn't profoundly discuss any issue. We just had a first contact, nothing has been decided." Moratti confirmed this and added that a swap deal including Ibrahimovic and Eto'o probably won't go through: "I don't think that's possible. I like Ibrahimovic a lot and Laporta likes Eto'o a lot."

Moratti returned this morning to Milan, while Raiola closed the debates for now telling reporters today that Ibrahimovic would welcome a move to Barcelona: "I only know that if the two clubs find an agreement we would not have trouble agreeing with Barcelona."


Read more:
1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema
Inter Milan interested in Hleb
Maxwell could be included in Eto'o deal

Barcelona's last supper

After yesterday's training session, the whole squad and the staff, including the wives and girlfriends of some players, went out for a dinner at 9:30 pm in the Solo restaurant in the heart of the city of Barcelona. On the pictures, Guardiola arrives with David and José Muñoz from Catalan rock band Estopa. Gudjohnsen and Piqué were the last two leave at 4:20 am.

more pictures here and here

Messi's new look

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the new look of Barcelona player Lionel Messi (pictures from Wednesday's game against Sevilla) is the work of hairdresser Manolo García, who is in charge of the hairdresser's saloon at the Princesa Sofía hotel in Barcelona and who also takes care of the look of Gerard Piqué.

(read Messi's new hair cut)

Toure and Hleb return to Bayern list

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola announced earlier today a list of 19 players for the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Bayern Munich tomorrow evening at 8:45 pm.

The list:
Valdés, Pinto,
Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Márquez, Cáceres, Sylvinho,
Xavi, Touré, Busquets, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Iniesta,
Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Henry, Hleb

Touré and Hleb are totally fit again. Abidal, who trained with the group this morning, and Milito are still recovering from their injuries. Jorquera, Víctor Sánchez and Pedro are not included in the list. One player will have to fall off tomorrow. Yesterday, Barcelona Atlètic players Gai and Jeffren trained with the first team.

At 7:30 pm this evening, the players will gather at the Gran Hotel La Florida in the outskirts of the city. Tomorrow they have a last training session at 12 pm.

Ronaldinho to Milan: principal agreement

Catalan radio station Ona FM claimed first last night that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, AC Milan representative for the Spanish market Ernesto Bronzetti and Roberto de Assís, brother and agent of Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (28), met on Thursday in the Rey Juan Carlos I hotel in the centre of Barcelona to discuss the transfer of the Brazilian. The meeting had been planned during a first contact earlier this week between Roberto and Barcelona.

Although Roberto would have pressured Barcelona by saying his brother will only leave on a free transfer, the parties would now have agreed that Ronaldinho will leave for a transfer fee between 15 and 20 million euro°. The radio station says a new meeting has been scheduled for next week to look at the further details of the agreement.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo gives today a slightly different version of yesterday's events. The paper says it all began earlier this week when Inter seemed willing to step back in the race, making Milan decide to act immediately and try to close the deal as soon as possible. Roberto nevertheless would have promised Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti that he won't sign anything before the two have met.

Milan representative Bronzetti first met with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain in Barcelona, where Bronzetti put down a formal offer of 20 million euro, lifting that up until a principal agreement was found between the two teams on a transfer fee of 30 million euro*. A Barcelona official told the paper that it was time for the club to put an end on the collaboration with Ronaldinho.

Bronzetti then asked if Milan could enter direct negotiations with the player and his agent, something that was allowed by Barcelona. Yesterday afternoon Bronzetti met with Roberto in Barcelona to inform him of the latest developments. In the evening, both decided to travel together with Roberto's legal adviser to Milan, using the private jet of AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi.

In the already famous Giannino reastaurant (after another dinner last week, read more here and here), they met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani, who said when entering the restaurant that it was 180% sure that Ronaldinho and Shevchenko would join Milan next season. Roberto said: "We only want Milan, that's why we're here." Milan president Berlusconi, who runs to be the next Italian prime minister, would like to conclude and announce the transfer of Ronaldinho before the end of the week.

Barcelona officials admitted to Spanish news agency Europa Press that there has been a meeting with Milan and described it as "a first contact". The talks will continue in the coming days. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter Milan has not said their last word and that Inter president Moratti won't surrender without a fight. Ronaldinho has a contract with Barcelona until 2010 which includes a buyout clause of 125 million euro°°.

Read more here:
Milan derby for Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho can negotiate with other teams
Negotiations on Ronaldinho exit
Manchester City serious about Ronaldinho
Everybody wants Ronaldinho