Asked about the rumours linking Arsenal midfielder and Belarus international Alexander Hleb (27) with a summer exit to Barcelona (read more here), Arsenal president Peter Hill-Wood seemed to admit in an interview with British tabloid The Daily Telegraph that the player is unlikely to be at the club next season: "Hleb has made it clear he wants to go. I think maybe he will go."
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is planning to pick up the contacts with Arsenal on the transfer of the Belarussian attacker later this week.
Hleb's agent, Uli Ferber, is quoted by tthe paper as saying that Hleb would like to join Barcelona but that everything depends on the clubs: "There are more clubs interested but until now Barcelona is the only one who has made Arsenal a formal proposal. The player thinks it's a good option. Barcelona is a big club and he's proud that they want to sign him. Now everything depends on Barcelona and Arsenal being able to find an agreement."
Monday, 7 July 2008
Hleb likely to leave Arsenal
Read more:
Silva feels comfortable in Valencia
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (22) said in an interview with Spanish football weekly paper Don Balón that he feels comfortable in Valencia:
"Every summer you have a lot of those things in the papers. This time of the year there are always rumours about many players, but I'm calm about all that because I'm happy at Valencia. I won't feel frustrated at all when I would have to stay. Valencia is a great club and I feel good here, I can identify myself with Valencia. Last season wasn't really brilliant, but you cannot forget that we still managed to win the Spanish cup."
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Barça B: Nolito (Ecija)
Sevilla sports paper Estadio Deportivo claims that Barcelona is interested in Ecija forward Nolito (20).
Barcelona would already have informed the third division team about their wish to start talks about a transfer. Because the transfer activity of Barcelona B has been suspended over the last weeks due to the vote of no confidence, no meeting has yet been held.
Barcelona wants to reinforce the Barcelona B team with more experienced players after the promotion to the third division. Therefore Barcelona would also be following Ecija right back defender Xisco Campos (25).
Read more:
Sunday, 6 July 2008
Giovani says goodbye (part 1)
Former Barcelona player Giovani dos Santos gave in the beginning of this week
'goodbye' interviews to both main Catalan sport papers. These are the most
interesting quotes from the interview he gave to Catalan sports paper Sport.
What has caused one of the major talents of the youth academy to leave the club after just one year with the first squad?
I'm aware that I'm at a great club and that you have to be patient but I have reached an age at which I need to play on a regular basis if I want to keep making progress.
Barcelona did something to keep you here?
They tried to convince me, but the best thing was to leave.
Why does a young player with a bright future leaves Barcelona for only 6 million euro?
I don't know. And I don't really want to enter the economic issue.
You have some bad feeling about leaving?
Of course I have. I was here for six years, I had settled down here, my parents live here and my brother plays for Barcelona. How could I not feel bad?
What is the best you'll remember from this club?
A lot of things. I learnt a lot as a player and as a person. I got more mature. I lived moments that at my age are not easy to go through. I have to thank the people who, maybe unconsciously, have teached me how to deal with difficult moments. Football is not sunshine every day and when I will again live a moment like that I will be able to stand up a lot quicker.
You sound like you have felt misunderstood at certain times and especially after the whistles in the Camp Nou.
Not misunderstood, but I would have liked... Let's see, when you come out to play and you have a lack of confidence... A lot of elements played a role... At a certain point, it seemed like people wanted me to play bad. That influences the choices you make on the pitch.
What do you think about the Barcelona fans?
They are great. I'm convinced of that. But mainly when the team plays well. Then they influence the rivals a lot. When things are going bad, it's all a bit special. But it always has been like that and I don't think it will ever change...
I suppose you also were partly to blame for what happened?
Of course. I wasn't the Giovani of the pre-season who played without any pressure and showed all his skills. Later I let things influence me too much. Because I wanted so much to show the world what I was able to do, I did things that I shouldn't have done.
In your last game, without the pressure you had felt along the season, you scored three times. You were yourself again.
I started well and I ended well. That game helped me to feel free again. I was very motivated to score and I scored goals that define me as a player. Yes, I was myself again.
We saw the real Giovani that day?
I think so. People who only know me from last season have another idea of me, but those who know me from the youth academy and from the national team know what kind of player I am and what I can do on the pitch.
You would like to return to Barcelona one day?
You never know what can happen in football.
Why did you prefer to leave on a permanent deal rather than on a loan deal?Because when I am somewhere I want to get totally involved without thinking the whole time about the fact that I have to perform well so I can return to Barcelona. I want to concentrate on and give everything for the club where I'm playing. Only like that you can give the best you have, without having your thoughts in another place.
What do you expect of the Premier League?
It's a league where the players are respected a lot and I look forward to start training and playing there.
You spoke with Tottenham manager Juande Ramos?
I did and he really is a phenomenon. I'm very motivated to start working with him.
How is your English?
Terrible! But I will learn.
The most interesting quotes of the interview he gave to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo will be posted on this blog next week.
Read the complete Giovani dos Santos transfer story from the first rumours until the official confirmation
Vote of no confidence
With a vote of no confidence against the current board, this is a historic day for FC Barcelona. Two conditions have to be met for the vote to succeed:
1) 10 per cent of the socio's should take part: this condition was already met with the vote being half-way
2) two thirds of the votes should be in favour of the motion (so against the current board)
When the vote succeeds, an interim board will be put in place and presidential elections will be held in the coming three months.
You can comment here on the vote and the result. The poll ends at 9 pm (local time). The result is expected to be known around 11 pm (local time). You can follow the election day on the club's official website
118.528 members, called to the polls
www.fcbarcelona.cat
An electoral roll of 118, 528 club members have been called to take part in this Sunday’s censure vote brought by the club members Oriol Giralt and Christian Castellví against the board of directors. You can vote from 9a.m. to 9p.m.
This Sunday will decide the immediate future of FC Barcelona. The 118,528 club members with the right to vote will decide if they support the motion of censure, which would mean the cessation of the whole Board of Directors and the convening of new elections, or, if they vote no this would allow the present Board to continue their leadership.
As on the 15th of June 2003 –the day Laporta took over as president-, the voting will take place on a day when no football is played. Even so, that day was the biggest electoral turnout in the club’s history.
Who will vote?
All of the 118,528 voters who meet the following conditions: they are of legal age and are not legally incapacitated, they have been members for more than a year, their membership is up to date and they are included in the current electoral census as stated in article 41.
This census consists of 78% men and 22% women. As for age groups, the most represented are those between 31 and 45 and from 46 to 65 years of age, with 32% each. The group from 18 to 30 and people over 65 make up 18% of the electorate each.
The majority of the people on the electoral roll are from the city of Barcelona (42%). Some 38% come from the province of Barcelona, whilst 8% come from the rest of Catalonia. Another 8% are from outside Catalonia but still within the Spanish state and only 4% are to be found abroad. In order to vote you must go to the Camp Nou.
Where to vote?
These members will have to go to the Camp Nou in order to vote. From 9 o’clock in the morning to 9 o’clock at night, there will be 120 tables prepared for the members to have their say. These tables will be located between the South goal, the wing and the North goal of the stadium. Every member, according to their surname, has already been allocated a table from which to make their vote.
The question in the vote of censure
At these electoral tables the members will find two pieces of paper. One will say ‘Yes to the vote of censure’, which would mean the cessation of the Board of Directors, which would mean calling elections. The others will have ‘No to the vote of censure’ written on them, which would mean accepting the continuity of the present Board of Directors, until the end of their mandate.
http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/noticies/club/temporada08-09/07/n080705104828.html
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