Happy Birthday: Maxwell

Barcelona player Maxwell turns 28 today.
Congratulations!

Maxwell confident about super cup

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona left back defender Maxwell looked back at his first weeks at the club:

"We are having a very positive pre-season, very good indeed. With the spirit within the squad and the experience of the players we can make a good start in the Super Cup.

I was surprised by the organisation of the club and the quality of the training sessions. What is also impressive is the speed with which the team plays. The Spanish league and the Serie A are different leagues with different demands. Here the game is more about having possession of the ball, the speed of play and the technique."

My main goal here is to maintain the balance on the pitch. For me the defensive side of things is very important and the offensive part is more intuitive and about creativity. But the coach will decide who plays. Both Abidal and I are part of the squad and the most important thing is to be ready when the team needs us."

read more on Barcelona's official website here


Read more:
Abidal motivated by transfer of Maxwell
Maxwell happy to be re-united with Ibrahimovic

Abidal motivated by transfer of Maxwell

Asked about the transfer of Brazilian left back defender Maxwell, Barcelona player Eric Abidal has said at a press conference that this means an extra motivation for him:

"There's no competition between the two of us. We're here to help the team. We play at the same position so we both have to work hard.

Whoever will play, we will give our very best. It sure is an extra motication for me to become better. He'll make thigns more difficult. And that's good because I like to work and with a quality player like him around I will have to work even harder to stay ahead. He has a different way of playing, that's true. But I'm not Brazilian, you know."

Read more:
Poll Result: Next season's left back
Maxwell happy to be re-united with Ibrahimovic

Maxwell happy to be re-united with Ibrahimovic

source: Aftonbladet
translated by: Dimmu



Zlatan Ibrahimovic's new 'life' at Barça does not only mean that he is making new friends. In the Eto'o deal Zlatan also got his best friend from Inter, the Brazilian full-back Maxwell Cabelino Andrade, also known as Maxwell. These two players are currently playing in their third mutual club together.

"Its very special to be with him again. We played together at Ajax, Inter and now here in Barca. We have a very good relation with each other" Maxwell said to 'Sportsbladet'. When asked if Maxwell discussed the transfer with Ibra during the January transfer window. Maxwell answered: "No, during the winter we were concentrating on winning the scudetto and the Italian cup, but at the end of the season we discussed it."

Maxwell's transfer was finalized few weeks before Zlatan's, but Maxwell was sure that Zlatan would follow him to Barca. Both of the players also share the same agent Mino Raiola: "I knew that Ibra's transfer was going to happen when I signed for Barcelona and I'm happy that it took place in the end. He brings a lot of quality to the team," said the Brazilian who is also convinced that this transfer is the best thing that could happen to both of them. "For me there is no better team to join then Barcelona. For both of us it was a very good transfer".

Maxwell has been training with Barça's squad for few weeks now and got to play for 45 minutes against LA Galaxy on Saturday, while Zlatan is still out because of his hand injury. Compared to last season with Inter, it looks like Maxwell and Ibrahimovic will get tough competition from Real Madrid for the title this season. "We will show Real that we can deal with them even though they have spend a lot of money of buying new players", said Maxwell.

Read more:
Ten things you should know about Maxwell
Ibrahimovic is making friends
Ten Things You Should Know About Zlatan

Ten things you should know about Maxwell

by Xaviniesta

1 - Maxwell, whose full name is Scherrer Cabelino Maxwell Andrade (nicknamed "Ali Maxwell"), was born on August 17, 1981 in Cachoeiro de Itapermirim, Brazil. His father is an engineer and former amateur football player while his mother is a former teacher and marathon runner. He is the youngest of 3 children.

2 - He is a left footed product of the Dutch school of football (he joined Ajax at age 19), and can play in any position on the left wing having played at full back, left midfield and as a wide striker.

3 - Maxwell also came from the renowned Cruzeiro youth system which counts among its products former Barcelona players Rivaldo, Luiz Ronaldo, Juliano Belleti and Juan Pablo Sorin, as well as footballers Dida, Alex and Gilberto da Silva.

4 - With Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam, he won 2 League Cups, 2 Dutch Cups and 2 Dutch Super Cups. He was named Dutch Footballer of the Year and won the Dutch Golden Shoe for 2003-2004. With Italian club Inter, he won 3 scudetti and 2 Italian Super Cups. His goal against Parma at the San Siro in April 2007 was voted Inter's Goal of the Season. Watch the video here.

5 - He suffered his worst injury on April 21, 2005 during Ajax' Amstel Cup semi-finals against Willem II. Maxwell avoided a tackle by jumping but landed awkwardly twisting his right knee. He tore a cruciate ligament and was out of the team for 8 months. This game would become his last for Ajax as he would be sold to Inter the following year. View a clip of the incident here.

6 - When he was all set to be transferred out of Ajax in 2006, many European clubs expressed interest in his services including Spanish side Barcelona. Maxwell later joined Inter while Barcelona signed Italian left back Gianluca Zambrotta.

7 - Asked who his footballing hero was, Maxwell said: “I always wanted to be Romario. Everything he did on the pitch I would always do at home after.” He later met Romario in Rio de Janeiro and immediately asked for his autograph.

8 - His older brother Gustavo died at age 24 from a car accident in 2002, an event which profoundly affected him. He has a tattoo on his arm in honor his memory. Speaking about his death, Maxwell once said: "The loss of my brother in this life is all relative. For him, I would like to be as strong as possible and to win prizes. That thought gives me strength. He is always with me, that I feel."

9 - Maxwell who is a Baptist admits to being a religious person: " I like going to church. Faith is very important for me. I also read the Bible, that is my favorite book."

10 - His favorite free time activity includes fishing, a hobby he shares with close friend and former Inter team mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


Read more:
Maxwell: "My biggest hobby is playing football"
Ten Things You Should Know About Zlatan

Guardiola about the incoming transfers

At a press conference, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola talked today about the incoming transfers.



Henrique
He's here to stay. He'll help us a lot. He has adapted well at Bayer Leverkusen and played a lot. I've heard good things about him and we'll see how he fits into the squad.

Maxwell
He's been at the top for years. He's played at Ajax and Inter and he'll bring us a lot.

Keirrison
He's very young and has very good stats. Scoring isn't easy. The club has decided to get him but in principle that's to send him out on loan and he's not in my plans for this season.

Ibrahimovic
He's still an Inter player. We cannot have him and Eto'o. We're rich, but not that rich. It won’t happen. You don't want too many players in key positions and both of them are starters.

Ribéry
I think it's impossible to sign him. He won't come, firstly because Bayern won't let him and secondly because his agent wants him to go elsewhere.”

Villa
I spoke to him.

Poll Result: Next season's left back

This is the result of this blog's Who should be next season's first-choice left back? poll:



45% Should rotate
37% Maxwell
14% Abidal
8% Don't know

Video: Maxwell presentation parts 1-3

Maxwell: "My biggest hobby is playing football"

New Barcelona player Maxwel gave an interview to the club's official media.





When you arrived at the airport, you were met by loads of cameras. Are you starting to realise what Barça is about?
Yes, you start feeling the climate, people coming up to you, cameras coming up to you, that's when you realise how important this club is. I was just hoping to pass my medical and be able to officially become a Barça player. It's a great feeling.

How did your transfer come about?
I had heard I had a chance of coming here some time ago. The final stages were finished very quickly, but it all started months ago and I was always interested in coming. I was delighted to come. I didn't think twice. I want to thank everybody that has made this possible, the lawyers, the president, everybody that formed part of the project.

Who has given you references about Barcelona?
I have to publicly thank Koeman and Figo, who told me the most about the city, the club, the footballing tradition here, it all helps with my adaptation.

What did you learn in your time at Ajax?
I was very young back then, a novice. We played big games, in the Champions League, against big clubs, and I gained experience. In European football I learned a lot, about tactical discipline in your game, the technical qualities of passing, it has made me a more complete footballer.

Barcelona play a similar game to Ajax, because Cruyff imposed his style of play. Do you think that will help you adapt to Barça?
I hope everything I learned at Ajax will help with my adaptation. I expect a similar kind of game. Of a different quality, but the style of play will be similar. And I'll have to concentrate because of the quality of football and the speed as well.

You were originally a midfielder and then moved into defence. How did that change happen?
At Cruzeiro and Ajax, depending on the game, the coach sometimes opted to play me at full back. I started adapting and learned more about defensive duties and it made me a more complete footballer. Always learning, trying to get better. I ended up adapting to it and now I play as a full back much more than I do in midfield.

Such an attack minded player as you ended up playing in the very defensive Italian league like the Italian. Did you learn much there?
In Italy you learn a lot about defensive aspects, especially tactics, and that's basic for a defender. The first thing you do is learn, the first two years were mainly about adapting to Italian football.

You’re taking over from Sylvinho, a player that liked to move up into the attack. Are you similar to him?
I am a Brazilian full back, and we generally like to support the attack. Of course, I have learned a lot about defending, so I am going to try to use both options: attacking and defending.

What kind of a person is Maxwell?
I am a quiet, reserved person. I try to spend my free time with my family at home. I hope to make lots of friends here.

What are your hobbies?
My biggest hobby, crazy as it sounds, is playing football. I like fishing, doing sport on the beach, by the sea. But my biggest hobby is playing football. When I meet my friends, it's what we do, it's what I get most fun out of.

read the full interview here

Maxwell officially presented

Brazilian left back defender Maxwell has today been presented as new player of Barcelona. Maxwell spoke at a press conference about the transfer:

"This is one of my dreams come true, a dream I already had for a long time. I'm sorry that I cannot express myself in Catalan, but I will make sure to learn the language quickly.

This is one of the happiest days in my life. I join one of the strongest squads in Europe and I hope to be able to help the team to get as far as possible in all competitions. From the moment the chance to come here was there, I was very open for it to happen and I told my agent to reach an agreement.

Everybody knows that I'm arriving to replace Sylvinho but I nevertheless hope to be able to play regularly. I think the competition with Abidal will be good for the team. The way this team plays is spectacular. Last season, thye played great games. I have the advantage to have experience with Dutch football, which is very similar. I hope to be able to adapt quickly to the style wanted by the coach."

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain explained the transfer: "We took a series of decisions. The first one was not to renew the contract of Sylvinho, because we thought we should strengthen the position. We worked on several options and Maxwell was one of them.

Maxwell is Brazilian but his first team in Europe was Ajax, a club with a similar philosophy as ours. Later he joined Inter Milan, a top team. I'm sure he will help us. It's a quality player with a great technique. The duration of the contract is four years plus an option for one more year and the buyout clause is 50 million euro."

Maxwell has arrived in Barcelona

Brazilian left back defender Maxwell has arrived in Barcelona around 1 pm today. After the medical tests, he will be officially presented as new Barcelona player.

watch a video here

Maxwell puts on Barça shirt

made by hieifcb

Inter confirms Maxwell transfer

Inter Milan has on Thursday officially confirmed that Inter left back defender Maxwell (27) will join Barcelona.

A statement on the club's official website reads as follows: "After having greeted José Mourinho, the coaching staff, the club officials and his team-mates, Maxwell has left the hotel where the team is staying in Los Angeles. He will return to Europe to complete the paperwork for his transfer from Inter to Barcelona."

Read more:
Maxwell to be presented tomorrow
Video presentation: Maxwell
OFFICIAL: Maxwell

Maxwell to be presented tomorrow

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that left back defender Maxwell (27), who is currently on tour in the United States with Inter Milan, will arrive in Barcelona this evening.

The Brazilian is expected to be officially presented tomorrow after undergoing the medical tests.

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raúl Sanllehí would have travelled on Tuesday to Milan to lay the basis for the deal. All media agree that Maxwell will sign a contract for five seasons. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the defender will receive a year salary of 4 million euro.

Read more:
Video presentation: Maxwell
OFFICIAL: Maxwell

OFFICIAL: Maxwell

Barcelona has officially confirmed the transfer of Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell Scherrer Cabelino Andrade (27).

Barcelona and Inter Milan have closed a principal agreement. Barcelona will pay a transfer fee of 4,5 million euro plus 0,5 million euro in incentives. The deal with the player is expected to be signed in the coming hours.



Read the complete Maxwell transfer story from the first rumours until the official confirmation

Video presentation: Maxwell

Deal with Inter on Maxwell

Italian televsion channel Sky Sport 24 claims that Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27) is close to joining Barcelona.

Barcelona and Inter would have found a deal on the transfer. The Italian champions will reportedly receive a transfer fee of 3,75 million euro°.

Maxwell would sign a five-year contract in the coming hours. Asked about the rumours, the player's agent Mino Raiola said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that the deal has been closed for 4 million euro°.



Read more:
Maxwell alternative for Filipe as left back
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players

Maxwell alternative for Filipe as left back

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Barcelona is getting tired of waiting for a deal on Deportivo left back Filipe Luis.

The club would therefore be considering to turn to another option and could soon start moving for Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27).

Read more:
Barcelona monitoring Maxwell situation
Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction
Maxwell one of two candidates for left back spot

Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players

Madrid sports tabloid As that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has already sounded out or been offered twenty-two players this year.

The main reason why Barcelona still didn't sign any players would mainly be the lack of financial means.

The list of 22 players would consist of the following names:


Sergio Asenjo (Real Valladolid)
Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon)
Bruno Alves (Porto)
Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Luis Filipe (Deportivo La Coruña)

Diego Forlán (Atlético Madrid)
Eden Hazard (Lille)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan)
Keirrison (Palmeiras)
Florent Malouda (Chelsea)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)

Juan Mata (Valencia)
Maxwell (Inter Milan)
Felipe Melo (Fiorentina)
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
Robinho (Manchester City)

David Silva (Valencia)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
David Villa (Valencia)
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow)

Inter asks record transfer fee for Ibrahimovic

Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter Milan is asking a record fee of 80 million euro° for Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27).

Because Barcelona president Joan Laporta couldn't offer more than 25 million euro° plus Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o (28) for both Ibrahimovic ànd Inter left back defender Maxwell (27) during Thursday's meeting with Inter president Massimo Moratti, Barcelona's bid was soon rejected (read more here).

Inter could be willing to accept players in return, but the cash part of the deal cannot be less than 50 million euro. The transfer fee Real Madrid could have paid for Kakà makes Inter stand firm. Real Madrid and Chelsea would meanwhile be preparing to enter the race for Ibrahimovic.

Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that Inter prefers to be paid in cash, but could accept to include players in the deal. Inter Milan manager José Mourinho would prefer Barcelona attacker Andrés Iniesta (25) but realizes that it's highly unlikely Barcelona will let the former youth player go. Two other possibilities that are mentioned are: Eto'o plus 40 to 50 million euro or Barcelona defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (26) plus 60 million euro.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Inter rejected a bid of 40 million euro plus Eto'o. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Inter asked 40 million euro plus Eto'o, while Barcelona, that is not interested in Maxwell, offered 25 million euro plus Eto'o. Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Inter asks a transfer fee of 65 million euro.

Read more:
Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction
1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema