FC Barcelona Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

miralize

Such a good goal

https://vimeo.com/127214451

dfx-

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Is it a fair accompli that Dani Alves will leave in the summer?

I was under the impression that there were open negotiations between him and PSG 'by mutual consent' of Barcelona

MisterAnarchy

miralize wrote: »

Such a good goal

https://vimeo.com/127214451

The more I see it I cant help but thinking what in Gods name was Boateng up to ,its a fairly standard drag back by Messi but Boateng looks like his legs are tied together .
The finish is exquisite and Rakitic's through ball is perfectly weighted.

dfx-

Boateng is showing him onto his right foot then gets squared up inside. He pokes at the ball or where it would've been if Messi carries on inside and loses his balance when he needs to twist back on one foot.

If you're leaning right on your left foot only, nobody (reasonably) can turn back left quick enough. In fairness to Boateng he does force him to shoot with his right foot. A better option than letting him cut inside and fire off another shot with his left foot a couple of minutes before. Messi was equal to it..

messi1985

That must be the league now.. Takes so much pressure of barcas match to atletico . Diego Alves, what a goalkeeping performance.. First part of the treble secured! Bring on Tuesday nite!

gimmick

So how do we see Barca getting on in the final?

I have a bad bad feeling its against Madrid and that they will pick up their 11th with CR7 ruling the roost :mad:

dfx-

Depends if it's like the first 45 minutes in the Bernabeu where Barca dominated or vice versa in when Madrid dominated in Nou Camp. Hard to stomach a defeat.

I'd be wary of them, but I'd much rather Juventus

Dolph Starbeam

I'd definitely prefer Juve but Measi, Suarez and Neymar look like they could destroy anybody right now. I fancy their chances.

Any more news on what is happening in La Liga? Are games going to go ahead this weekend?

miralize

gimmick wrote: »

So how do we see Barca getting on in the final?

I have a bad bad feeling its against Madrid and that they will pick up their 11th with CR7 ruling the roost :mad:

Ancelotti is as good as fired I think, no matter what happens I don't think he'll be there next season.

Can he still motivate the team if he knows his future to be so bleak?

gimmick

To be fair, he shouldnt have to motivate the team. Being the first club in 20+ years to retain the CL while blocking their biggest ever rivals doing a treble should be all the motivation their players need.

miralize

gimmick wrote: »

To be fair, he shouldnt have to motivate the team. Being the first club in 20+ years to retain the CL while blocking their biggest ever rivals doing a treble should be all the motivation their players need.

True but if he cant get their heads straight there could be a few cards early on in the game.

MisterAnarchy

Pretty cool picture ,taken after the match last night



"Vamoooooooos !! Great team !!!!!! We are in the final !!!! That pride !!!"

gimmick

Barca are a bit cringey for the aul post match selfies.

Bartra looks evil in that one though.

Turtwig

Is....that...Thomas Vermaleen? :eek:

greendom

Turtwig wrote: »

Is....that...Thomas Vermaleen? :eek:

If Barca win the Champions League, they'll have to pay an extra 2 million to Arsenal for his services.

Shanotheslayer

greendom wrote: »

If Barca win the Champions League, they'll have to pay an extra 2 million to Arsenal for his services.

I'm sure they won't care :pac:

Turtwig

Why would they they're getting €2 million from Barcelona for a player that didn't even play one minute. :P

IrishCule

Finally granted access to post. What a season its been, the front 3 of MSN are something else. Should be a good final against Juve.

greendom

Turtwig wrote: »

Why would they they're getting €2 million from Barcelona for a player that didn't even play one minute. :P

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/15/arsenal-3m-barcelona-thomas-vermaelen-champions-league-final

Davaeo09

Glad to have you on-board Irishcule

Regarding the MSN effect this season. There is no doubting their qualities both together and as individuals. Suarez has become the heartbeat of our attack. Its his gusto and enthusiasm that generally allows Messi and Neymar a moment to conjure up some thing magic. BUT some thing that is understated is the work of Iniesta, Busquets and Rakatic. As we know every thing at Barca starts with the ball. Rakatic has dropped into Xavii's position and provided that extra yard of pace we so badly needed when defending. He's link up play can only improve too. I remember being very jealous of Modric at Real but now, not so much

Also. Busi really has been great these past 5 or 6 weeks. He is so quietly effective. He just always appears to be in the right place at the right time. How ever, I am a little unimpressed and how he has played in that advanced position when Masch accompanies him in the middle i.e Bayern 2nd leg and Valencia a few weeks ago. He just doesn't seem to have the same ability to play forward with intensity the same way his compatriot and teams mates do. Either way that DMF position shall remain his for many years to come which is good to see considering he seemed to be dropping form last season and early this season.

Heres a question for fellow Barca and football fans. Is Jordi Alba the best LB in the world? If not who is ahead of him.

Finally lets hope Dani Alves gets his contract soon...

Turtwig

Busquets and Mascherano have clearly been improving as a pair. The first few times when Enrique tried it they were all over the place. Not as much now. I still think it was a hell of risk to expose them to Bayern that way. I can see Enrique's logic in doing it. MSN didn't gell at first. Bus/Mas haven't quite gelled yet either if they did however their DM partnership would be incredibly hard to penetrate.

For now though they still get in each others way. Just not as frequently as before.

IrishCule

Don't like Busi and Masch together in the same team either, I can see what Lucho is thinking when he plays them but have always thought that sticking to the 4-3-3 (4-1-2-2-1 almost) that the team has made their own the last decade is always the best option rather than playing those two together as a double pivot.

As for Alba I have to think the Alaba is the best LB in the world........when he actually plays there. Am always impressed by him everytime I see him play.

Anyone trying to go to the CL final? Members lottery is next week but you have to travel to the Camp Nou to pick up the tickets if successful.

Bohrio

greendom wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/15/arsenal-3m-barcelona-thomas-vermaelen-champions-league-final

or not?

Link

Andersonisgod

I don't mind Busquets and Mascherano being paired together of we're trying to see out a game in the closing minutes but anything more than that is problematic. Busquets hasn't got the legs to play in the rcm position where so much of it these days seems to be drifting out wide right. He doesn't look comfortable there and even though it may add to the defensive solidity, it seriously lessens the team's control of matches.

On Alba, it's either him or David Alaba for best lb in the world. Different players entirely but both hugely influential full backs.

Sign Alves!

Also welcome IrishCule!

gimmick

1 down 2 to go.

Turtwig

Congrats Lads, well deserved.

Speaking as a neutral your team was mighty entertaining to watch too. Not that it matters, of course.

Andersonisgod

Somebody bust open the bubbly! Champions of Spain! Who would have thought that possible after the Sociedad debacle? Incredible stuff from an incredible squad.

Kirby

Fickle. All that talk about the manager and now? Not a peep.

dfx-

Kirby wrote: »

Fickle. All that talk about the manager and now? Not a peep.

Ah some more revisionism and hindsight.

The questions were valid and Enrique learned from it. Messi was not dropped afterwards.

Davaeo09

Haterz gunna hate!

Barca have been far more consistent than Madrid for the past 10 years. Let them have their individual awards and fights about who does or doesn't celebrate. This Barca team though.. The unity. How can you not love it?

Bravo and Rakatic were immense today. They deserve the medals just as much as MSN :pac:

dfx-

The keepers need particular mention, both of them in and out of the team and no apparent dissatisfaction through the season. Pique for finally copping onto some form as well.

IrishCule

Remarkable season defensively alright. Bravo has been brilliant and made some big saves again today. I do think Ter Stegen will be number 1 starting next season though, think they will swap roles.

Also (taken from reddit):

Goals conceded in La liga:
14/15: Real Madrid= 35. Barcelona= 19.
12/13: Real Madrid= 42. Barcelona= 40.
11/12: Real Madrid= 31. Barcelona= 29
10/11: Real Madrid= 33. Barcelona= 21.
09/10: Real Madrid= 35. Barcelona= 24.

Often overlooked stat about Barcelona, although last year was pretty bad.

miralize

I really hope Lucho persists with Ter Stegen in these final 2 cup competitions.. he's been immense (PK save against Aguero, and obviously his performance against Bayern) and would be a huge blow to his confidence if he were dropped...

gimmick

Why would he be dropped for them? He is the cup keeper for the season.

miralize

gimmick wrote: »

Why would he be dropped for them? He is the cup keeper for the season.

It doesn't make sense to me either. It's all rumours, I just really hope they're not true!

IrishCule

miralize wrote: »

It doesn't make sense to me either. It's all rumours, I just really hope they're not true!

Where are you reading this? No way he will be dropped. I would leave if I was Ter Stegen if that happened. If he is the cup keeper then he is the cup keeper 100% of the time, Lucho has made his bed in this instance.

gimmick

Also, why is there talk of Enrique leaving? Is it purely a political move for when Laporta wins the election?

If he does a clean sweep it would be absolute madness to let him go. Arguably it would be madness anyway, as I doubt anyone here felt a treble was possible this season, or even a league win for that matter.

MisterAnarchy

Kirby wrote: »

Fickle. All that talk about the manager and now? Not a peep.

Barcelona only really became likely to lift this year's trophy once Messi and Luis Enrique sorted out their personal differences after the 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad in January and the Argentine's subsequent no-show at training the following day.

While exactly what went on between Messi and Luis Enrique around that point remains a mystery to everyone outside the blaugrana camp, Santi Gimenez in AS floats the theory that it was veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez who organised the "ceasefire" that has underpinned Barca's amazing second half of the campaign (17 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat).

"Xavi mediated with the Argentine to sign a ceasefire with the coach, who discreetly took himself to one side," reckons Gimenez. "Messi took the team on his back, and Barca laid waste to all around them. This resurrection would not have been possible without Xavi's wisdom and diplomacy."

Andersonisgod

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Barcelona only really became likely to lift this year's trophy once Messi and Luis Enrique sorted out their personal differences after the 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad in January and the Argentine's subsequent no-show at training the following day.

While exactly what went on between Messi and Luis Enrique around that point remains a mystery to everyone outside the blaugrana camp, Santi Gimenez in AS floats the theory that it was veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez who organised the "ceasefire" that has underpinned Barca's amazing second half of the campaign (17 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat).

I think that's very much the accepted wisdom on what happened. I think all of us who were unhappy with how the team were playing are entirely justified, I think many of the players also felt it wasn't right.
However Enrique fully deserves the credit he is getting. This is an incredibly fit Barcelona side, it's one that has improved immensely on set pieces attacking and defending and the swiftness with how they play must be commended. Enrique wanted us to be too direct, the Barcelona players wanted the possession style to remain, the compromise has given us the best of both worlds.

Xavi is such an immense figure at the club, it's no surprise the role he played in this. At the end of the day, you have Messi on your team so why wouldn't you want to build your team on his back? Credit to Enrique for not letting ego get in the way and doing what's best for the club.

JPA

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Barcelona only really became likely to lift this year's trophy once Messi and Luis Enrique sorted out their personal differences after the 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad in January and the Argentine's subsequent no-show at training the following day.

While exactly what went on between Messi and Luis Enrique around that point remains a mystery to everyone outside the blaugrana camp, Santi Gimenez in AS floats the theory that it was veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez who organised the "ceasefire" that has underpinned Barca's amazing second half of the campaign (17 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat).

Messi was benched and didn't show up for training the next day. Enrique wanted to fine him, a huge fine, Xavi stepped in and calmed things down and every thing started to run smoothly from there.

Kirby

Kirby wrote: »

Fickle. All that talk about the manager and now? Not a peep.

Davaeo09 wrote: »

Haterz gunna hate!

Barca have been far more consistent than Madrid for the past 10 years. Let them have their individual awards and fights about who does or doesn't celebrate. This Barca team though.. The unity. How can you not love it?

Bravo and Rakatic were immense today. They deserve the medals just as much as MSN :pac:

dfx- wrote: »

Ah some more revisionism and hindsight.

The questions were valid and Enrique learned from it. Messi was not dropped afterwards.

I was referriing to Barca's number one fan who was calling for Enrique's head and now has continued his pontification. Not Messi or the team.

I backed Barca to win the league and the champions league double last summer......with Enrique. Even while they went through a wobbly spell. So talk of "haterz gonna hatez L0lz" couldnt be further from the truth. I'm just not fickle like some people.

If mr number one fan had any self awareness he would be embarrassed by his comments about the manager earlier in the season.

Davaeo09

There's calling some one out on a mistake, and then there's name calling. I appreciate that you were one of the few who acknowledged Barcelona were not a million miles from greatness, its more than some of our fans have done, even in recent months.

As for Anderson calling for Enrique's head. He was not alone and lets be honest, his managing style has surprised everyone.

Its great that there's all this discussion around Barcelona, i'm just wary of this turning into some thing like the season Inter knocked us out where people were literally like vultures waiting to strike and criticize. I apologize for my accusation none the less.


Presuming Alves stays, what would fans like to see happen regarding Montoya and Douglas?? I personally think Montoya is a great player to have in the squad, like Pedro I see them content with a second strong job while still bringing consistency to the table.

Random stat I just seen: Dani Alves (590) has surpassed Donato (589) as the foreign player to play the most games with Spanish clubs in all competitions. :OO

It will also be interesting next season to see how Vermalen and Barta are used. Barta has improved steadily for 2-3 years now and deserves a chance to prove his worth imo

Sergi Roberto on the other hand is a strange one. His progress is stalling and unless his minutes increase two fold next season I don't see him ever making it as a first team player. Like Thiago a player with great potential who could potentially be aloud to leave only to emerge as a star in their new surroundings..

More regarding Xavi

Joaquin Hernandez (Xavi's father): "It's time for Xavi to say goodbye to FC Barcelona."
"I'd love if he stays, but he's already 35 years old and believes it is time to say goodbye."
"It will be strange to see him without the Barça kit."
"It has been a week of very strong emotions for us."

dfx-

Kirby wrote: »

I backed Barca to win the league and the champions league double last summer......with Enrique. Even while they went through a wobbly spell. So talk of "haterz gonna hatez L0lz" couldnt be further from the truth. I'm just not fickle like some people.

A wobbly spell is understating it if your era defining captain has to mediate between one of the best players in the world ever and your manager. And your director calls an election, old captain leaves the backroom staff and dream team goalkeeper leaves. That's more than a wobbly spell.

Even Messi himself has said 'things changed' since that week.

Davaeo09

Xavi announced his retirement earlier at a press conference. visably holding back tears.

What a legend, for as long as I have supported Barca there has been Xavi. My favourite player. I love how he showed he can not just hold his own against the big guys but he would go on to boss almost every kind of big match you can name. World cup, Euros, and champs league finals. I dont think there will ever be another of his kind..

miralize

Gonna be a strange season next season without him dictating the play

My favourite Xavi moment

IrishCule

Some nice stats about Barca's season from Revista:





Also it looks like Suarez will make the CDR final if there was any doubt anyway:

https://twitter.com/barcastuff/status/603390195317235712

IrishCule

Some nice stats about Barca's season from Revista:





Also it looks like Suarez will make the CDR final if there was any doubt anyway:

https://twitter.com/barcastuff/status/603390195317235712

Davaeo09

Off to Slane tomorrow so I wont see the match. Hoping for a comfortable win. I know neutrals would like a good game but i'd rather see Barca coast this and sub off Suarez early. I will cry if he misses the Champs league final.

I hope every one enjoys the game. 2/2 here we come! Visca Barca!

dfx-

Not sure I'd play Suarez if at all possible. Bring him on if he's needed in the second half. Missing Suarez for the CL final would be huge compared to missing the CdR.

If they can survive without him at the Calderon, they should try to get away with it on Saturday

miralize

On the flipside, I think its important for him to get some amount of competitive game time under his belt before the CL Final. But not if he's less than 100%.