FC Barcelona Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

kinaldo

Archimedes wrote: »

He's bawling cos he has to leave Spain if he ever wants to win a significant trophy he hasnt already won .....after a year :P

Cataluyna are still working on that.

redout

6 for 6! What a club. What a year. Never again will this be seen.

eZe^

What an achievement lads, to win EVERY possible trophy in 12 months, and to do it in the style Barca did. Breathtaking really. It may be replicated by other teams, but I literally can't see anyone achieving the same results while playing better football, absolutely phenomenal stuff. One of the seasons any club has ever had in the history of football. Lets hope they can go on and consistently win trophies so they can be considered one of the best club teams ever assembled!

VISCA PEP Y VISCA BARCAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!



It's absolutely frightening to see what Daniel Alves has won in the past 5 years. Especially considering he was Sevilla's most important player, and one of Barca's key cogs for the past year;






Bahia
Campeonato do Nordeste (2): 2001, 2002
Campeonato Baiano (1): 2001


Sevilla
UEFA Cup (2): 2005–06, 2006–07
UEFA Super Cup (1): 2006
Copa del Rey (1): 2006–07
Supercopa de España (1): 2007


Barcelona
Spanish League: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Cup: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Supercup: (1) 2009
UEFA Champions League: (1) 2008–09
UEFA Super Cup: (1) 2009
FIFA Club World Cup: (1) 2009

International
FIFA World Youth Championship: 2003
Copa América: 2007
FIFA Confederations Cup: 2009


Individual
UEFA Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Super Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Team of the Year : 2007
Best Defender : 2008-09 (LFP)


If he wins the World Cup this summer he has essentially won every major trophy one can win in the space of 3 years. Unreal stuff. Wonder what cosmetic surgery he'll buy if that happens. :P

redout

Keita is out of action (what action!) for the next 3 weeks after a small tear was found in the muscle of his right leg. He should be ok for the African Nations cup. The loss of both Keita and Toure in January is no doubt going to put some serious pressure on the midfield especially (Busquets) if someone was to pickup an injury.

Ush1

Very interesting bout Alves. I have always rated him very highly though, even when he played on the right wing for Sevilla he was class. I remmeber thinking between him and Zambrotta for best RB in the world, it's him by miles now.

Brazil have it good with him and Maicon for NT.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1785/fifa-world-player-award/2009/12/21/1700708/barcelona-star-lionel-messi-to-be-named-fifa-player-of-the

Hala Messi!

gimmick

gimmick likes this

Raskolnikov

More than anyone, you have to take your hat off to Guardiola. Towards the end of the Rijkaard era, Barcelona were turning into a shambles with players acting petulantly and disharmony in the dressing room. Once Guardiola got in, he stopped that and took lots of very brave decisions in the dressing room. With the exception of Eto'o, he did well to offload the likes of Ronaldinho, Deco and Zambrotta; players who were really only holding Barcelona back at that stage.

Without Guardiola, there's no way they would have had as much success as they had.

Ush1

Let Not Barcelona's Achievements Go Unnoticed

A round of applause for a club making history...
Dec 19, 2009 9:57:09 PM





Spare a thought for Barcelona. They finally go and make it six trophies in a row, but do so on a day that Manchester United succumb to their heaviest league defeat of the season; Liverpool fall to Portsmouth; Italy has both games snowed off; Manchester City sack Mark Hughes and hire Roberto Mancini; and to cap it all off, Real Madrid busy themselves with putting a sackful of goals past Real Zaragoza. Barca can't even make history in peace.

As such, it's not a huge surprise that the achievement has gone quite unheralded today. The global media has largely greeted it with mild interest, leaving Barcelona short of the credit they deserve. Then again, why would it be a shock? The countdown to trophy number six began the day Barca hoisted aloft the Champions League cup way back in May. La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup - one by one they fell like dominoes. The final cup, against a brave but ultimately substandard Estudiantes side, was a formality.

The plaudits came heavy and quickly, as a rain squall, when the more prestigious cups were won. In recent times, it has been more of a checklist - one down, two to go - and one greeted as a chore by the observer, rather than the achievement that it is.

That is what this piece is to remind us of. Barcelona have won all six competitions that they entered - an unprecedented achievement in the modern professional game, and one that may well go 100 years without repeat. It didn't come without the occasional stumbling block, but it did come without anything even resembling a stumble itself.

Commentators in recent weeks have described Barcelona as off-colour and inconsistent - when other teams go two months unbeaten winning their Champions League group, topping their domestic table, and progressing in all cups, they are heralded as heroes. Barcelona are victims of their own success in this regard, but it doesn't have to be this way. There may be a lot else going on in the football world right now, but tonight Barcelona have made history. Don't roll your eyes - the headlines may have read that way for months, but today it finally happened in earnest. Celebrate it while you can. It might be a long time before football sees a team like this again.

Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com

...

Kirnsy

eZe^ wrote: »

What an achievement lads, to win EVERY possible trophy in 12 months, and to do it in the style Barca did. Breathtaking really. It may be replicated by other teams, but I literally can't see anyone achieving the same results while playing better football, absolutely phenomenal stuff. One of the seasons any club has ever had in the history of football. Lets hope they can go on and consistently win trophies so they can be considered one of the best club teams ever assembled!

VISCA PEP Y VISCA BARCAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!



It's absolutely frightening to see what Daniel Alves has won in the past 5 years. Especially considering he was Sevilla's most important player, and one of Barca's key cogs for the past year;






Bahia
Campeonato do Nordeste (2): 2001, 2002
Campeonato Baiano (1): 2001


Sevilla
UEFA Cup (2): 2005–06, 2006–07
UEFA Super Cup (1): 2006
Copa del Rey (1): 2006–07
Supercopa de España (1): 2007


Barcelona
Spanish League: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Cup: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Supercup: (1) 2009
UEFA Champions League: (1) 2008–09
UEFA Super Cup: (1) 2009
FIFA Club World Cup: (1) 2009

International
FIFA World Youth Championship: 2003
Copa América: 2007
FIFA Confederations Cup: 2009


Individual
UEFA Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Super Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Team of the Year : 2007
Best Defender : 2008-09 (LFP)


If he wins the World Cup this summer he has essentially won every major trophy one can win in the space of 3 years. Unreal stuff. Wonder what cosmetic surgery he'll buy if that happens. :P

much impressed. might as well retire at that point. congrats to barcelona for showing the world how it is done. On and off the field (bar the constant talking about fabregas ) they've shown themselves as a very classy club.

though alves really needs to ditch those ridiculous ear rings.
:P

redout

Leo Messi FIFA World Player of the Year 2009





Congratulations

Glico Man

gimmick wrote: »

gimmick likes this

You can imagine poor Carles' arms are getting a bit tired from all the heavy lifting

The price of success eh:p

Davaeo09

Messi was a deserved winner for his awards this year
He's work rate and humility will make him the stand out player for years to come.

How ever, if theres any player that has to improve and will its Iniesta, I can see him becoming a juggernaut in mid-field this year. Last season people spoke about him positively but mainly for his Stamford Bridge equalizer and his interplay with Xavi and Messi.This season he needs to hit the target more often and grow in confidence... not asking for much eh?

Barcelona's current form may not be as good as last seasons, but thats to be expected after the amount of games they have played.

NOW REST UP TROOPS, the new year is fast approaching and we need to be fresh for the challenge!



Sorry that may be ott, but I am absolutely delirious here.

Slash/ED

This may seem crazy...But Luca Toni will be released on a free transfer in January. Surely the ideal signing? He isn't world class by any means but he's shown when on his game he can get goals, he's free and he can play in Europe. Mainly because if Barca have one big weakness it's in the central striker position. When Ibra's out, nobody can play that role and it's crucial to how the team plays. Just look at first half el classico v second half. Even ignore his goal, his presence made all the difference and when he's out there's nobody who can take his place and the entire teams gameplay is half as effective. Toni would be excellent back up, he's free and can be signed until summer and kept after if he works or replaced if he doesn't. If Ibra is missing in a big CL match and there's no back up it could be the difference between going through and going out, and atm nobody plays that role the same way. I mean it has to beat spending money and getting Robinho?

Warper

Slash/ED wrote: »

This may seem crazy...But Luca Toni will be released on a free transfer in January. Surely the ideal signing? He isn't world class by any means but he's shown when on his game he can get goals, he's free and he can play in Europe. Mainly because if Barca have one big weakness it's in the central striker position. When Ibra's out, nobody can play that role and it's crucial to how the team plays. Just look at first half el classico v second half. Even ignore his goal, his presence made all the difference and when he's out there's nobody who can take his place and the entire teams gameplay is half as effective. Toni would be excellent back up, he's free and can be signed until summer and kept after if he works or replaced if he doesn't. If Ibra is missing in a big CL match and there's no back up it could be the difference between going through and going out, and atm nobody plays that role the same way. I mean it has to beat spending money and getting Robinho?

I think he would want to return to Italy especially with the WC next summer. He needs gametime, something he wont get at Barca. Juventus would be the favourites if they move. They are useless up front and need a striker bigtime. Amauri is poor, Iaquinta is injured and Trezeguet/Del Piero are past their best. On a sidenote Ferrara is under serious pressure after a disastrous month culminating in a humiliating home defeat to relegation threatened Catania. They are now 9 pts behind Inter and getting worse after their promising start to the season. Diego and Melo are seriously under-performing.

redout

Anyone see the La liga v Premiership debate on SSN just now. Ray Parlour was well beaten by Guillem Balague. He didnt seem to have any answers to the questions when challenged by Guillem

Slash/ED

redout wrote: »

Anyone see the La liga v Premiership debate on SSN just now. Ray Parlour was well beaten by Guillem Balague. He didnt seem to have any answers to the questions when challenged by Guillem

Is this on all day?

redout

Slash/ED wrote: »

Is this on all day?

No it was on live about 20mins ago. The debate went on for about 10mins.

redout

UN, DOS, TRES, CUATRE, CINC, SIS!

gimmick

Gabi Milito played 62 minutes yesterday in a friendly in Kuwait. Hopefully he won't get a recurrence as he could be a vital cog in the push for repeat success this season.

If fully fit, I would have him ahead of both Chrgy, who I am not at all impressed with yet, and Marquez.

redout

A reminder of an unforgettable year brothers

Visca Barça!

CantGetNoSleep

The last few posts on this thread remind me of how great it is to support Barca, i bet it is sickening for all the clowns that have those little bitch fights in the Utd Liverpool threads, when they realise they are supporting a team because of Sky Sports and peer pressure

flahavaj

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

The last few posts on this thread remind me of how great it is to support Barca, i bet it is sickening for all the clowns that have those little bitch fights in the Utd Liverpool threads, when they realise they are supporting a team because of Sky Sports and peer pressure

Oh dear.

keane2097

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

The last few posts on this thread remind me of how great it is to support Barca, i bet it is sickening for all the clowns that have those little bitch fights in the Utd Liverpool threads, when they realise they are supporting a team because of Sky Sports and peer pressure

I kinda thought the last few posts on the thread were a bit circle-jerky tbh.

gimmick

Circle Jerky??

redout

Pique agent has started talks with the club on renewing his contract for a further two years taking him up to 2014.

The first team return from their Xmas break tomorrow to start preparing for saturdays clash with Villarreal. Double training sessions have been ordered by Guardiola.

A 12 year old Sheng Ho Park dubbed the "Messi of Korea" played a youth tournament in Barcelona last week and seemingly caught the eye. He was asked to stay on for 3 additional days. Rumours of interest from Real Madrid also.

Fabio Capello in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport states he thinks Barca and Real Madrid are now equal. The chap obviously hasnt recovered from his Xmas Vino.

redout

Just read an interview with Fabregas were he was asked who his hero was.

The answer: "I have always said, I think everyone knows, it’s Guardiola. He has always been my hero since I was young. I always watched him play. "

Thats enough for me. The lad is on his way home.

How many of us get to meet our Hero let alone work with them.

Frisbee

redout wrote: »

The answer: "I have always said, I think everyone knows, it’s Guardiola. He has always been my hero since I was young. I always watched him play. "

He's been saying that for the past three years tbf.

I've no doubt he'll move to Barca, but it won't be this year

redout

It will be a summer move.

Which summer but ?

Xavi is just several few weeks off 30
.
The legs will start to go soon.

I reckon Xavi has about 2 years left at his best.

He is the heir apparent.

redout

Talk that Barca will try and block Keita going to the African cup of Nations as he is still injured. I personally cant see it happening and cant see Mali standing for it considering he should be fit for the latter stages of the tournament should they make it that far.

Kirnsy

redout wrote: »

Just read an interview with Fabregas were he was asked who his hero was.

The answer: "I have always said, I think everyone knows, it’s Guardiola. He has always been my hero since I was young. I always watched him play. "

Thats enough for me. The lad is on his way home.

How many of us get to meet our Hero let alone work with them.

Don't know if the chairman will agree with you


in fairness i think he has a point. fabregas has spent longer at arsenal than at barca, is the captain of the club and every interview talks about how lucky he feels to be working with Wenger etc. All barca do is talk and talk about him and when he'll be back and how he is such a barca player etc. He chose to leave.


that said im not an idiot and in fairness if he'd like to return to barca im sure not too many at arsenal would begrudge him the move. however until that becomes reality, a club which apparently sets such high standards on and off the field with regards to conduct such as barca should leave him alone.

fat chance of that though:P

flahavaj

redout wrote: »

Fabio Capello in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport states he thinks Barca and Real Madrid are now equal. The chap obviously hasnt recovered from his Xmas Vino.

In fairness 3 European Cups doesn't come anywhere near 9.:pac:

Frisbee

Fabregas is the natural heir to Xavi, absolutely.

But the beauty of Xavi's game is that him losing that extra yard of pace in the next two years won't affect him hugely.

Imo he'll be holding down a spot in that Barca team until he's 34 before he takes on a more substitute heavy role.

I'd imagine Fabregas will be at Arsenal for at least another three years, or until Wenger leaves, whichever comes first.

therokerroar

gimmick wrote: »

Circle Jerky??

Circle Jerk:

When a group of males all stand in a circle and everyone jerks the person to either the right or the left of them.

Is what I found when I looked up the definition.

Bounty Hunter

therokerroar wrote: »

Circle Jerk:



Is what I found when I looked up the definition.

I think thats the 2nd time in 2 weeks someone has posted that definition... worrying trend for the soccer board

redout

flahavaj wrote: »

In fairness 3 European Cups doesn't come anywhere near 9.:pac:

Yeah. Six of them came between 55 and 45 bloody years ago! Talk about dwelling on the past. Anyway Capello was saying that he thought Real Madrid are currently as good a team as Barca which is ludicrous to be honest.

flahavaj

redout wrote: »

Yeah. Six of them came between 55 and 45 bloody years ago! Talk about dwelling on the past. Anyway Capello was saying that he thought Real Madrid are currently as good a team as Barca which is ludicrous to be honest.

They all count. History didn't begin in the last 20 years you know. Madrid's is just more decorated, extensive and glorious thats all.;)

Just thought someone shold play devil's advocate in here, ye don't want to get a reputation as being the Official Barca circle jerkers thread.:pac:

redout

The first team resumed training today after the Xmas break. The squad for saturdays game against Villarreal will be seriously depleted as Keita (injured) and Toure are gone/going to the African cup whilst the South American contingent (Messi, Milito, Alves, Maxwell, poss Marquez) have been given extended leave until the 2nd of January (Matchday).

In other news Laporta was said to be royally pissed off at Jaume Ferrer (Barca VP) for announcing his candidacy for the upcoming elections as Laporta already signalled his intentions to support other Barca VP Alfons Godall. He is reported as calling Ferrer a "s**t" in a heated arguement at a club dinner last week.

eZe^

flahavaj wrote: »

They all count. History didn't begin in the last 20 years you know. Madrid's is just more decorated, extensive and glorious thats all.;)

Just thought someone shold play devil's advocate in here, ye don't want to get a reputation as being the Official Barca circle jerkers thread.:pac:

I don't think anyone would begrudge saying Real Madrid are a more decorated club that Barcelona, considering they are the most successful club in the history of top tier football. The debate comes down to whether Real Madrid are currently better than Barca, and that's a different ball game altogether imo.

Barca are a far more complete outfit when you compare both teams first XI, especially considering the likes of Kaka/ Alonso/ Albiol still need time to settle (and Marcelo still doesn't really understand his role in the team). I think that's what is so efficient about the Barcelona model tbh. You heard those fecking eejits on Sky Sports saying that Barcelona don't have a plan b (now with Zlatan, they absolutely do, but that's an argument I'll leave for a different day), the fact that Barcelona have such a stringent and consistent system is EXACTLY why they have been so successful.

Look at the team, Iniesta, Valdes, Xavi, Pedro, Messi, Jeffren, Pique, and Bojan are all in the squad and have come out of Barca's La Masia youth system. If you ever look down the youth system to it's very foundation, the philosophy and teaching is the exact same from the under 11's, all the way up to the F.C Barcelona first team. Emphasis on keeping the ball, being comfortable in possession, building up from the back, CB's being excellent on the ball, one-two touch passing and movement.

It's always a 4-3-3 formation. What this means essentially is from the ages of 10, players are bred into the philosophy, so they'll automatically understand their role once they reach the first team. This is the absolute key to Barca having a good cantera imo, it means that when youth products finally get their chance to make the big step up, the way they play in the first team will be the exact same as it has been the past 10 years you know? It means that these youth products can settle into the first team much more comfortably because they don't have to take on a completely different role as well as playing against much much higher quality opposition.

Pedro is the perfect example of this, how many people on this forum really even know who he is? He isn't a flamboyant star, he's a young 22 year old who came from Barca Atletic, he played under Guardiola for a season. He adapted so quickly to being a wideman in the 4-3-3 system that so far this season, after being given a consistent run of games in the first team, he has scored 12 bloody goals in 24 appearances already. That's more than the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Antonio Valencia, David Silva, and Arjen Robben who are all really in their prime. Is that really cos Pedro at 22 is better than all those players? Definitely not, it's because he is playing in a system he's been comfortable with and acclimatised to for his entire footballing life.

It's not because of the Cesc Fabregas', the Xavi Hernandez', the Lionel Messi's, etc that Barcelona play a 4-3-3 dutch attacking philosophy, it's the exact opposite - it's because of that exact philosophy that we have the likes of Cesc Fabregas', the Xavi Hernandez', the Lionel Messi's, that came through our youth system. Put Pedro Rodriguez into any side that doesn't utilize the 4-3-3 and I guarantee you he will become much less efficient and it will take him a lot longer to find his feet. That's what I love about F.C Barcelona, that system is built to get the best out of our youth products first and foremost, and when you couple the core youth with the big money signings of Eto'o, Deco, Ronaldinho, or Ibrahimovic, you have a pretty nice combination. That's why Barca were so unsuccessful at the start of decade, too many big money signings.


Anyway, that's a complete rant, and far far too long for most people to bother reading, and it's just my take on the Barcelona youth system and why other clubs aren't as efficient at producing top top quality players. They are more worried about the kids they get rather than the philosophy imposed on the youth players. (that's why you hear about 'the next ronaldinho' who's from Korea just signing for x,y, or z, and you never hear of them again)


So ya, less circle jerking and more debating with the horrible Madridistas and EPL heads... :P :P :P :P

eZe^

Jaysus, the amount of mistakes in that post! I must have still been slightly drunk. I hate that my mind thinks of sentences faster than my fingers can type. :P :P :P :P

redout

Goles y Goles y Goles is on Sky Sports 1 at 6:30pm with Bolton and Guilleum. I think this is the end of year special with the best goals of 2009 from la liga. Should be worth a look.

redout

It is still touch and go whether Iniesta will play on saturday though he has returned to training with the rest of the squad.

Rumours of Genoa looking to sign Marquez who has not really featured since his return. I cant see him him getting back in the side to be honest with Pique and Puyol so strong although he should see some game time with Keita and Toure absent for the next month.

and finally: "Barcelona's players will hold a celebration with the fans at the Camp Nou in the moments before Saturday's match against Villarreal to exhibit the six titles they won over the course of 2009 – the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish and European Supercups, and the Club World Cup.

As such, in a gesture of recognition and appreciation for their services, Barcelona has extended invitations to Inter's Samuel Eto'o along with Eidur Gudjohnsen, Sylvinho, and Jorquera to join them on the pitch before the match and celebrate the unprecedented feat with the fans.

After the close of a historic year in Catalunya, the celebration will serve as a way of recognising the work that the entire Barca organization has put in to achieve such successes, and will close the book on a year that according to coach Pep Guardiola himself, cannot be repeated."

How nice a gesture though not sure if any will turn up!

redout

redout wrote: »

Goles y Goles y Goles is on Sky Sports 1 at 6:30pm with Bolton and Guilleum. I think this is the end of year special with the best goals of 2009 from la liga. Should be worth a look.

That was an excellent review. Like the access Guilleum had to the Camp Nou. Oh and the lunar eclipse has started in Dublin for anyone who is interested :cool:

redout

Reports that Zaragoza are looking to take the so far disappointing Keirrison on loan and end his nightmare stay in Benfica. This could be a positive move for the lad as he will have the opportunity to gain valuable la liga experience and Barca will be able to keep much closer tabs being so nearby.

gimmick

redout wrote: »

That was an excellent review. Like the access Guilleum had to the Camp Nou. Oh and the lunar eclipse has started in Dublin for anyone who is interested :cool:

Being repeated at any stage??

Slash/ED

gimmick wrote: »

Being repeated at any stage??

Yeah in the next couple of hours on one of the sky sports, not sure exactly when, half 5 I think

redout

Iniesta has been given the all clear and Pep confirmed this evening that he will play tomorrow.

redout

Barça Atlètic (reserve team) are live FTA on satellite this afternoon.

Available on both TV3 Cat & TVV International both on 19E & 30W for those with satellite.

Great opportunity to watch the next bunch Messi, Xavi and Pedro.

gimmick

^ How does that work then? FFS, I only just learened how to tune in ITV after having Sky for 3 years

redout

gimmick wrote: »

^ How does that work then? FFS, I only just learened how to tune in ITV after having Sky for 3 years

If you only have a Sky dish then it wont work.

TV3 Cat can be watched here though http://www.tv3.cat/directes

redout

Ibra will miss the next league game against Tenerife after picking up his 5th yellow of the season against Villarreal last night.

Squillaci picked up a knock last night against Atletico and looks certain to miss tuesday nights last 16 Copa Del Rey tie against Barcelona.