Barcelona left back defender Eric Abidal (29), who is recovering from a knee problem, returned to the group training yesterday.
After having to leave a training session on 30 October, a meniscal cyst in his right knee was discovered. The club preferred a conservative treatment (read more here).
Read more:
Medical: Abidal out for three more weeks
Medical: Iniesta returns to the pitch
Medical: Milito return three to four months away
Friday, 28 November 2008
Medical: Abidal joins group training
Poll result - Man of the match: Sporting
This is the final result of this blog's Sporting-Barcelona: Who was our man of the match? poll:
1. Messi 48 %
2. The whole team 13 %
3. Caceres 9 %
See full results here
See other poll results here
Dani Alves about emotional return to Sevilla
A few days before the Sevilla versus FC Barcelona game, Dani Alves is looking forward to returning to his old club. Speaking to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat he looked back on the first four months of the dream he is living at Barça.
At the end of last season, the Brazilian made the decision to leave Sevilla and he doesn’t regret that move: "I am very happy and every day I feel more convinced that I made the right decision because I am sharing a dressing room with some of the best players in the world. It is an honour and I hope it lasts for as long as possible."
The image of Dani Alves leaving Sevilla was a touching one. With tears in his eyes, he said farewell to a six-year adventure, saying: "I want to say thank you for everything this club gave to me, I am sure it will always have a place in my heart."
But despite the tears on his final day, Dani Alves had a smile on his face when he touched down in Barcelona. It was a new home for him, and a new club. "It has all happened so fast, even our adaptation, because it can be hard to adapt to a new city." Alves says that one of the most important things was for him and his family to feel comfortable in their new surroundings. He got his wish, and "if the family are well, everything else comes with it."
In his first interview, Dani Alves said that it had been a dream come true to sign for Barça, and four months down the line he still feels the same way. "The truth is that if anybody wakes me up, I’ll get angry, because it’s very special and passionate to experience what I am experiencing here in Barcelona."
Not only is he thoroughly enjoying himself, but he is also lucky enough to be one of the players that most features in Guardiola’s first team plans: "It is a privilege to always get to play and contribute, especially because the more I play, the better I feel."
After three months of hard work, Alves could only find good words when asked what he thinks about the team: "Work is the basis for everything we have been seeing and achieving until now. I think that when a job is done well and everybody shows interest, things sort themselves out." He also highlighted ‘humility’ and ‘companionship’ as important factors, as well as "lively football and the commitment of all of the members of the squad".
When he signed for Barça he knew that the day would come when he would have to revisit his former club, but this time wearing a different shirt. It is going to be an emotional day for the Brazilian: "It is very special, because of what I’ve lived and learned there. I lived there for almost all of my professional career, and having to face my old colleagues is something different. But you have to work isolated yourself from your emotions. I hope I have a good game and that we get the three points."
He knows the opposition well, and is aware of their dangers. To beat the Andalusians, Alves reckons Barça should stick to what they know. "We have our characteristics and our way of playing and I don’t think we should change anything. just as we are worried about how strong Sevilla are, I am sure that they will be worried about how strong Barcelona are."
Read the full report here
Read more:
Schuster wanted Alves for Madrid midfield
Barcelona involved in five summer top transfers
Alves: "I'm grateful for the effort the club made"
Barcelona wanted Portsmouth left back Belhadj
Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio claims that Barcelona has been considering to sign Portsmouth left back defender and Algerian international Nadir Belhadj (26) in January.
If Barcelona left back Abidal would have had to undergo surgery, Barcelona wanted to sign a substitute during the winter transfer window. With Abidal recovering well, a transfer wouldn't be an option anymore.
Belhadj joined Portsmouth on a season-long loan last summer when French club Lens, which he joined from French champions Olympique Lyon in January, got relegated to the second division.
Read more:
The Points: Sporting
Valdés 5__6__7__7
Alves 6__8__7__7,5
Piqué 6__7__6__6,5
Márquez 5__6__6__7
Cáceres 5__6,5__8__6,5
Xavi 7__7,5__6__7
Busquets 7__8__8__7
Gudjohnsen 6__7__7__6,5
Hleb 6__7__7__6
Messi 8__9__9__8
Henry 6__8__6__7
Bojan 6__8__4__6,5
Pedro 7__7,5__7__6,5
Keita 6__7__*__6
(sport-goal-offside-oleole)
If you have seen the match, you can give your own points. If you know other papers or sites that give points, you can let me know. See previous points here.
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