tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19844308443828876302024-03-14T12:13:02.672+05:30INTERMEDIAGet all news about soccer world and live streaming of all football matchesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-25419423885356842692017-05-17T21:17:00.001+05:302017-05-17T21:17:05.429+05:30Barca would already be LaLiga winners.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lNQHCfQ7qGc/WRxvYsxwYoI/AAAAAAAAAZI/LgMLqHSf3TAozyIyYhgG0Yvok2epKQSQQCK4B/s1600/img_pmorata_20150926-182002_imagenes_md_propias_pmorata_pepm6839-kUtH-U411762943307I0C-980x554%2540MundoDeportivo-Web.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lNQHCfQ7qGc/WRxvYsxwYoI/AAAAAAAAAZI/LgMLqHSf3TAozyIyYhgG0Yvok2epKQSQQCK4B/s640/img_pmorata_20150926-182002_imagenes_md_propias_pmorata_pepm6839-kUtH-U411762943307I0C-980x554%2540MundoDeportivo-Web.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
Realmadrid and barcelona have made the title race down to 2 games with real Madrid having a game advantage,the race would commence on 8 pm CET with Madrid's game against Celta and on weekend there will be real-malaga and barca-eibar. Laliga technical committee announced day before that the referre Alejandro Hernandez who denied that half meter inside goal in the Barca's match against betis(Alba)(game 20,1-1)will lead barca-eibar game,and real Madrid-malaga game will be ruled by Basque Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea,who allowed morata's offside goal against celta which eventually became decider in Madrid's win against celta(2-1).<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pIlp1D--LVg/WRxvT0vtoaI/AAAAAAAAAZA/qiolwJsvYgMmhvmFalWBEOx4gn8uOyGOwCK4B/s1600/Barcelona-vs-Real-Betis-goal-line-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pIlp1D--LVg/WRxvT0vtoaI/AAAAAAAAAZA/qiolwJsvYgMmhvmFalWBEOx4gn8uOyGOwCK4B/s1600/Barcelona-vs-Real-Betis-goal-line-1.jpg" /></a><br />
Though classico was also referried by hernandez in which he turned quite a blind eye to Casemiro's iterating foul's on Messi,though he did get Ramos sent off for his wild evasion into Messi.<br />
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Hernandez favoured Madrid on numerous occasion ,in espanyol-madrid(0-2) he did not see two clear penalties of Pepe and Ramos when Madrid were 1-0,and on another occasion in the game against sporting awarded a penalty for an imaginative foul on Lucas Vazquez.<br />
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Talking of the legend of De Burgos Bengoetxea,his error gave Madrid two points against Celta,he cancelled pique's goal against malaga (0-0),he worked in the madrid's win against Valencia (2-1),he just ignored the clear penalty in madrid derby which eventually ended in a draw,which Atletico might have won.<br />
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If the games were to be even,the points would be :<br />
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Barca 91(+2 betis,+2 pique goal malaga)<br />
Real 81(-2 sporting,-2 espanyol,-2 celta)(1 game remaining)<br />
(In this situation barca win even if Real win both their remaining games and barca get defeated in both.)<br />
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But situation now is:<br />
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Barca 87<br />
Real 87(1 game remaining)<br />
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Aleksandr Brogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08856352580632451906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-47277543758141386662014-01-28T10:31:00.001+05:302014-01-28T10:31:15.170+05:30Not No.7 Mata would be wearing No.8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mata will in the end be wearing the nº8 jersey for Manchester United, <a href="http://pchacksbydivyanshu.blogspot.com/2014/01/mata-will-wear-legendary-number-7-at.html" target="_blank">despite the fact that the British tabloids had assured the Spaniard would be wearing the famous nº7 that Beckham carried for years, and that has been free since the Englishman left.</a><br />
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"I think that the number 8 is a great number. I know that the 7 is an icon here. David Moyes and myself have decided that 8 is good for me. I hope it brings me luck", said Mata in his unveiling.<br />
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Mata, who was Chelsea's nº10, declared that he was arriving at Old Trafford ready to "win titles" and "hopes" that he is the player that the Red Devils need to breathe some new life into the squad and them move back up the table<br />
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"What I most like about this team is its character. I think that if any other club was in this position in the league, it would be very hard to fight back and make it to the top spot, but this club can. This is the idea I have of United, a club that always fights hard to win titles and always comes back when the going gets tough", he said.<br />
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He admitted that one of the reasons for signing with United was the upcoming World Cup: "It was very important because it's not easy to get into the Spain squad. I think this is a great opportunity to keep playing and keep on form".<br />
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For Mata, it was the perfect moment to move to United: "It was a fantastic opportunity for me to continue in England. This was the moment and (United) was the club", he assured.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-10875202300016318512014-01-27T11:16:00.003+05:302014-01-27T11:16:48.185+05:30PSG wants Messi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PSG wants Messi</td></tr>
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The relationship between PSG and Messi seems never-ending, According to 'L'Equipe', the French club remains intent on signing the Argentine star and has already taken steps to get its man next summer. The club admits that it will be tough to agree a deal, but it wants to take advantage of the player's doubts surrounding his new deal at Barça.<br />
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Despite the Paris club's claims denying any chance of it making a bid for the Argentine, L'Equipe insists that a deal is possible. It's almost mission impossible because they would also have to break the bank to sign him.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"> Read more on - </span><a href="http://pchacksbydivyanshu.blogspot.com/2014/01/bartomeu-messi-will-be-worlds-highest-paid.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;">Bartomeu</span> on messi pay rise</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-87021918659811772492014-01-27T11:06:00.000+05:302014-01-27T11:06:17.791+05:30Bartomeu: "Messi will be the World's Highest Paid".<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YraDTsmOYIc/UuXvVl91AFI/AAAAAAAAD54/h4OtXCoAsb4/s1600/012214-Soccer-Lionel-Messi-PI-AA_20140122181214871_660_320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YraDTsmOYIc/UuXvVl91AFI/AAAAAAAAD54/h4OtXCoAsb4/s1600/012214-Soccer-Lionel-Messi-PI-AA_20140122181214871_660_320.JPG" height="310" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bartomeu will shortly renew Messi's contract. It's unlikely that the process will be too drawn out because the conditions have already been agreed upon between the player and the club. Messi's salary will increase significantly and will soon be similar to what Ronaldo earns at Real Madrid.<br />
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The Portuguese earns €18 million as a basic salary with another three million in variable bonuses. Messi's pay packet will be similar, which is a substantial improvement because he currently earns some €13 million that can increase to €16 million if he hits all his targets.<br />
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The new contract was already agreed on between the club's former president, Rosell, and the player's father. The only reason that it hasn't already been signed yet was that the club wanted to make sure Iniesta renewed his contract first.<br />
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With that out of the way, sealing Messi's new contract is now a priority and it will undoubtedly happen sooner rather than later. The club doesn't want it to be a drawn out affair, given that the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Manchester City is looming large on the horizon.<br />
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There is a great deal of interest in renewing contracts around Barcelona at the moment, now that the real figures involved in Neymar's transfer are coming to light. The Brazilian's contract fits the team's pay structure, but if you add all the contracts Barcelona signed with the company owned by the player's father then his earnings top everyone else's apart from Messi's - and they are in the same ballpark as the Argentine's, depending on how you interpret the figures.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-40882247660428070352014-01-27T10:25:00.001+05:302014-01-27T11:10:07.821+05:30Mata will wear legendary number 7 at Manchester United<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juan Mata with David Moyes .PHOTO - Manchester United</td></tr>
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Spanish midfield player Juan Mata has sealed his agreement with Manchester United, who paid Chelsea £37.1 million for him, a record fee in the history of the reigning Premier League champions.<br />
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Mata has just signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with United and will wear the number 7 shirt. Juan Mata is 25 years old and has been called up for 32 Spain games... He has made 135 appearances for Chelsea, whom he joined from Valencia in 2011.<br />
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Juan Mata underwent the usual medical checks on Saturday in Manchester, arriving by helicopter from London first thing in the morning, where he was welcomed by Manchester United manager David Moyes at the club's training ground. He appeared very happy with this new phase of his career in English football, and he also thanked his former club.<br />
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"I am very happy to be joining Manchester United. I have had some very happy years at Chelsea, but the time has come to face a new challenge. United is the perfect place for me to be, and I am very pleased to have had the chance to come here. I am thrilled at becoming part of the history of this club", Mata said.<br />
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"Chelsea is a great club, and I have many friends there, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to join Manchester United. I hope to be able to help the club, and that the team will be successful in the years to come", he went on.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-313088678038205982014-01-27T10:08:00.000+05:302014-01-27T11:08:43.994+05:30Match Report and Highlights : FC Barcelona 3 Malaga 0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alexis Goal </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;">Barça stay top of the league for another week after a superb 3-0 win over Malaga at Camp Nou tonight. After a turbulent week at the club the atmosphere in the ground seemed totally normal and there were no noticeable protests against new president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Gerard Piqué, Pedro Rodriguez and Alexis Sanchez scored the goals as the team responded with an excellent performance that could easily have earned a much bigger victory. There was also time for a brief appearance from Ibrahim Afellay for his first Barça game since May 2012.</span></h2>
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Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid had both briefly led the table after winning their games earlier so the pressure was definitely on Barça to win. Tata Martino played his best available XI and the team began confidently with good swift passing moves. After just five minutes Busquets and Pedro combined and then Cesc Fabregas slipped a great pass through for Alexis who clipped his shot past Willy Caballero but the ball went wide after grazing the far post.</div>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2014/01/27/match-report-fc-barcelona-3-malaga-0/barca-3-0-malaga-valdes-save-duda-free-kick-2014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4439" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Barça 3-0 Malaga Valdés save Duda free kick 2014" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4439" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/barc3a7a-3-0-malaga-valdc3a9s-save-duda-free-kick-2014.jpg?w=300&h=199" height="199" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a>There was a reaction from Malaga after a doubtful foul was given against Busquets. Duda curled one of his specials but Valdés flew to his left and just got his hand to the shot. Barça continued to look the better team and after one twenty-pass build-up Alexis just over-ran the ball as he tried to burst into the area. The whole team was looking tuned in, but possibly the outstanding performer of the night was Jordi Alba who apart from threatening from the left wing, also showed some great defensive work including one speedy run back to prevent Perez a chance which was reminiscent of Eric Abidal’s best covering work.</div>
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Malaga put up a strong defensive performance from the start but gradually Barça began to find different ways through and Caballero was looking in good form. Xavi and Fabregas were moving the ball quickly and there were again more forward than square passes with Pedro on the left more often than not the target. In the 22nd minute Pedro found Messi inside the area but Caballero was out quickly forcing Messi to shoot quickly and wide.</div>
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Xavi then sent a glorious pass to Alves in space on the right, but after controlling, the Brazilian tried to chip Caballero but the keeper guessed his intentions and stretched a hand to intercept. Pedro tried his luck after cutting inside but Caballero made a comfortable stop, then Fabregas broke through on the right but after cutting the ball back to Pedro in a good position the Canarian slipped before he could shoot.</div>
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There was a brief interruption in Barça’s exhibition when Alves gave a poor pass and Piqué was required to take a booking for bringing down Pawlowski. But soon after, Alba had a chance after a cross from the right was missed by the Malaga defence but his shot was well saved by Caballero diving to his left. Barça turned up the pace another notch with Messi making a burst forward before finding Alexison the right, the Chilean dribbled his way to the by-line before crossing the ball for Pedro but the final header hit Flavio Ferreira who cleared. There were then two more attempts, the first a 20-yard shot wide from Pedro then angled lob onto the roof of the net from Alba after Messi’s pass from deep.</div>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2014/01/27/match-report-fc-barcelona-3-malaga-0/barca-3-0-malaga-pique-goal-2014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4440" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Barça 3-0 Malaga Piqué goal 2014" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4440" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/barc3a7a-3-0-malaga-piquc3a9-goal-2014.jpg?w=300&h=199" height="199" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a>The only problem was the lack of a goal and of course it’s impossible to say how things might have turned out had Malaga held on at 0-0 until half time. However, in the 39th minute Barça won a corner on the left. Xavi curled the ball to the far post where Piqué had time to chest the ball down but his shot was blocked by a defender and went out for a corner on the other side. Xavi took it again, Alexis made an excellent jump to flick the ball on and Piqué again had time to control and this time he swept his shot low past Caballero and Barça were in front.</div>
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Barça were encouraged by the goal and there was a spectacular move in the 43rd minute after Alba dribbled in from the left, the ball came back to Xavi who played it back again to Messi who, as the defence came out, chipped a fantastic pass over for Fabregas’s late run on the left but Caballero was again equal to Fabregas’s shot, blocking the ball at the near post.</div>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2014/01/27/match-report-fc-barcelona-3-malaga-0/barca-3-0-malaga-alba-clearance-2014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4441" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Barça 3-0 Malaga Alba clearance 2014" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4441" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/barc3a7a-3-0-malaga-alba-clearance-2014.jpg?w=300&h=200" height="200" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a>Barça continued to attack from the start of the second half and Pedro was perhaps unlucky not to win a penalty after a push from Sergio Sanchez. However, there was a reminder that the game was far from over in the 49th minute when Antunes sent in a dangerous cross from the left which just evaded Pawlowski before Alba miraculously got in front of Juanmi to save what seemed a certain goal.</div>
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The scare spurred Barça on in the search for a second goal. Alexis shot from an angle on the right but Caballero dived low to save, then Fabregas played a one-two with Alexis but Caballero saved again at his near post. Then from a corner Piqué headed against the post and after the ensuing scramble Busquets’s shot was blocked.</div>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2014/01/27/match-report-fc-barcelona-3-malaga-0/barca-3-0-malaga-pedro-goal-2014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4442" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Barça 3-0 Malaga Pedro goal 2014" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4442" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/barc3a7a-3-0-malaga-pedro-goal-2014.jpg?w=300&h=199" height="199" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 4px 24px 12px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a>Barça’s insistence paid off in the 55th minute. Alves led a charge forward before finding Messi 30 yards out, the Argentinian played the ball through to Pedro who cut inside Angeleri before sticking his shot inside the far post. Almost straight after the goal, Valdés had to be alert to stop a shot out of the blue but that was the last threat to Barça’s victory. Five minutes later Messi cleverly turned away from Perez and his run then created space for the other forwards, Messi slipped the ball through to Pedro who unselfishly passed to the far post where Alexis had an easy tap-in to make it 3-0.</div>
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Pedro, who took a knock when scoring the second goal, was immediately replaced with Tello. Barça began to take the foot off the gas and Tello had little luck in his attempts to get past Angeleri. Messi and Xavi both sent free-kicks narrowly wide and then when Martino replaced the excellent Xavi with Sergi Roberto it was clear the work was done. In the final ten minutes Malaga finally won their only two corners of the match but Valdés was not troubled again. It was great to see Afellay come on for the last five minutes but the final chance of the game fell to Tello after Fabregas’s pass in injury time, but the winger sent his shot wide of the far post.</div>
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The victory leaves Barça on 54 points, ahead of Atlético on goal difference with Madrid a point behind on 53. Today’s performance was an excellent response to the off-the-field events this week and will go a long way to reaffirming Bartomeu in his position. Particularly pleasing tonight was the form of Jordi Alba who was excellent in defence while causing danger going forward. Xavi and Pedro also deserve credit, Xavi looked quicker tonight than we’ve seen him for some time while Pedro was a constant danger on the left. However, it was the overall team performance which was most encouraging which will send out a message to our rivals that there is no crisis at the club and the team is ready to compete with the best.</div>
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Barça: Valdés 7; Alves 6.5, Piqué 7.5, Mascherano 7.5, Alba 8.5; Xavi 8 (Sergi Roberto m78), Busquets 6.5, Fabregas 7.5; Alexis 7.5 (Afellay m87, –), Messi 7.5, Pedro 8 (Tello m61, 6).</div>
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Malaga: Willy Caballero; Angeleri, Sergio Sanchez, Flavio Ferreira, Antunes; Juanmi, Pablo Perez (Morales m66), Tissone (Darder m81), Camacho, Duda; Santa Cruz (Pawlowski m26).</div>
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Goals: m40 Piqué 1-0, m55 Pedro 2-0, m61 Alexis 3-0</div>
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Yellow cards: m16 Pablo Perez, m30 Piqué, m31 Duda, m72 Ferreira.</div>
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Attendance: 56,355</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-24776231524061600642014-01-25T17:56:00.002+05:302014-01-25T17:56:44.412+05:30Bartomeu the new man <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bartoneu visits the First Team</td></tr>
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Josep Maria Bartomeu faced the press for just over two hours this evening and took questions for the first time as<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </strong>Barça’s new president. Bartomeu confirmed he will complete the mandate won by Sandro Rosell’s team in the 2010 elections and that he has the intention of presenting the same team at the next elections in 2016 with the intention of serving another six-year term.<span id="more-4425" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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Bartomeu gave a very competent performance in answering questions on a number of subjects ranging from regrets over saying Eric Abidal’s contract would be renewed if he played again (a misunderstanding as he meant to say the contract which was in suspension would be reactivated) or whether he intends to call Johan Cruyff (yes) to his arguments to revalidate his presidency given the members voted for Rosell to which he responded by mentioning the club statutes and that he formed part of Rosell’s candidacy.</div>
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Obviously most interest was centred on the controversial Neymar transfer and Bartomeu tried to stay one step ahead by bringing up the subject in his initial statement and then by bringing out Raul Sanllehi, who was the chief negotiator in the Neymar deal, to present the figures step-by-step. Bartomeu claimed that the club hadn’t previously been able to reveal all the details because of confidentiality clauses, but that Neymar’s father, having seen all the kerfuffle being caused this week, decided to call Barça and lift the clauses.</div>
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Sanllehi presented the figures with a screen which unfortunately didn’t help because it appeared to be hurriedly prepared. The numbers were presented, first the €40 million to Neymar’s parents’ company N&N, this payment was due to the clause in the 2011 precontract which Barça felt it necessary to pay to prevent another club (read Real Madrid here, though Bartomeu said many big clubs were interested) from paying the other clause of €40 million to Barça in order to poach the player.</div>
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Next was the €17.1 million paid to Santos as a fee for their part of Neymar’s rights. So far so good as we now reach the €57.1 million that Barça continue to insist was the total price for the transfer. Sanllehi then went on to talk of other payments and concepts, a €2 million bonus if Neymar becomes a Ballon d’Or finalist, €4 million for marketing, €2 million to Neymar’s father’s scouting firm, a 5% payment to an agent and two friendly games which he claimed were ‘free’. It all became a bit confusing. While the €7.9 million paid to Santos for the option on three young players may be seen to be separate from the Neymar deal and the €2.5 million dedicated to social works in Brazil’s favelas can be accepted simply because it is a good thing to do, it is difficult to accept that a friendly is free when it seems Santos will earn €4.5 million from each game, and the €2 million for the scouting company could easily be a cover for an extra payment. Bizarrely, Sanllehi finished by adding up his own figures, arriving at a figure of €86.2 million plus the €2 million Ballon d’Or bonus and then clarifying by saying the figure was meaningless as the total amount paid for the Neymar transfer was €57.1 million. It was all too confusing for some, one journalist complained that he had tried adding up the figures several time and that he kept arriving at €73.5 million.</div>
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Taking questions from the press Bartomeu admitted that he could also be included in the judge’s investigation into the case but he insisted he had no intention of resigning even if he were eventually charged as he has done nothing wrong. In this sense he remained strong as he did in his backing for his ‘friend’ Rosell. He reinforced the importance in Rosell’s decision of the death threats against his family, however, later when asked if he thought Rosell had been happy in the job, the new president let slip that he’d seen a happy Rosell ‘until a couple of days ago’ which only succeeded in demonstrating the dominating reason for Rosell’s resignation to be Judge Ruz’s decision on Wednesday to investigate the case. The insistence that Barça have done nothing wrong combined with Rosell’s sudden change of heart this week makes a difficult equation. Bartomeu put on a good show of being a man in control of the situation and his willingness to answer all questions directly was creditable. We will now have to see if Jordi Cases continues or not with the case. It seems very clear that Cases is acting as a Barcelonista with his best intentions for the well-being of the club. Many feel he may let the matter lie now as he had no intention of causing a crisis within the club. We should know one way or the other next week.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-64926622373167997032014-01-24T17:32:00.002+05:302014-01-24T17:32:57.107+05:30Bartomeu the NEW president of CAMP NOU<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A cloud of uncertainty hangs over Barcelona this morning after yesterday’s surprise resignation from Sandro Rosell. The 49-year-old Rosell blamed threats against his family and pressure caused by the ‘false accusation’ over irregularities in the signing of Neymar Jr for his decision and named vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu as the new Barça president. There was also a surprise when it was announced that Bartomeu would complete the mandate until June 2016 as it had been previously expected that new elections would be called for this summer.<span id="more-4420" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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The fact that Rosell gave two unrelated reasons for his departure combined with his insistence of no improper behaviour leaves many doubts as to why he decided to go, whether he has made the right decision and whether he has done anything wrong. The death threats against Rosell and his family are despicable but the timing of the announcement clearly seems to indicate that Rosell’s decision has more to do with Judge Pablo Ruz’s acceptance on Wednesday that there is a case to investigate.</div>
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Jordi Cases</div>
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The problems started for Rosell when a small group led by club member Jordi Cases sent a fax to the club asking for an explanation as to know under what concept Barça had paid €40 million to the company of Neymar’s father N&N. Cases has stated that “if they had told me there was no concept but otherwise Neymar wouldn’t have come to Barça, it would have been enough for me”. However, Rosell chose to ignore the fax. Cases’s group, now calling itself Go Barça was then involved in the attempt to bring a vote of no-confidence against Rosell over the Qatar Airways sponsorship deal but Rosell reacted by raising the number of signatures needed from 5% to 15% of the membership.</div>
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The questions over the Neymar transfer remained unanswered so Cases began his own investigation which led to him presenting a case against Rosell last month. Rosell continued to deny any wrongdoing, saying that some things were confidential, but the pressure increased earlier this week when El Mundo published a story stating that the Neymar transfer had really cost €95 million and not €57 million as Barça have always claimed. Rosell continued to stand firm on Monday, publicly asking the Judge to call him to declare but refusing to answer when the press bombarded him with questions over the case. However, Judge Ruz’s decision on Wednesday to open the case seems to have led to Rosell’s about-turn.</div>
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It should be stated that nobody has accused Rosell of financially benefitting on a personal level. The charge against him would be lying over the details in the contract which may have served the club in some way. The problem seems to be these complicated deals involving players whose rights are shared between different clubs or agencies. It could well be that Rosell was trying to act in the best interest of Barça and that any corruption in the deal came from the other side of the deal. Either way, Rosell got himself into a mess with this transfer and he has handled the accusations against him badly. The threats against his family reveal a sorry side to how far some people will go in the power battle for the running of a football club, but bringing the matter out now is clearly just a cover for the real reasons for Rosell’s resignation, and some might go as far as to say he has been behaving like a guilty man.</div>
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So what now for the future? Rosell’s board remain with Bartomeu at the helm, and the decision not to call elections may well have been at attempt by the board to show strength while maintaining the front of no-wrongdoing. Unfortunately, the case seems unlikely to disappear. Cases has brought his case against Rosell and not against the club but he could easily present a new case now against Bartomeu who I understand also signed some of the contracts for the Neymar deal along with Rosell. Whether or not there could be a case against Bartomeu, the new unelected president is sure to come under pressure from opposing factions. This is where the instability could start to affect the team if there are protests against the board during home matches. The referendum called for April 6 to decide on the Camp Nou project is still to go ahead but there is a possibility that it could become a referendum on something quite different. Bartomeu should announce new presidential elections for the summer as the best way of putting to rest any in-fighting, at least until the season has finished.</div>
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While this whole business is worrying for the instability created, there is a certain beauty to the idea that one ordinary club member can bring down a president. I’m sure there are fans of many other clubs who would love to have this possibility. Time will tell how Rosell is remembered, it is true that the club has had continued success under his leadership, and -if the figures are to be believed – the club’s debt has been reduced. However, he began his reign promising transparency and he has fallen for hiding information. The failure to take questions from the press after yesterday’s announcement was the final demonstration of the lack of transparency.</div>
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When Rosell replaced Laporta in 2010 it was his business savvy, which contrasted to Laporta’s political nous, that won him more than 60% of the vote. I always expected that his desire to take decisions on a sporting level would be his main problem: how ironic that it has been the business dealings in the end that have brought the businessman down.</div>
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Bartomeu will give another press conference where he will take questions at 5 pm this afternoon. It’s going to be interesting to hear what he has to say.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-4277045455306102462013-11-11T21:13:00.000+05:302013-11-11T21:13:12.202+05:30Marc Bartra called up for Spain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Marc Bartra has become the latest blaugrana to be called up by Vicente Del Bosque for the Spanish national team. Bartra’s good performances this season have been rewarded and the youngster must now see next summer’s World Cup in Brazil as a real possibility. Bartra has been brought into Del Bosque’s squad for the friendly games with Guinea and South Africa to replace Cesc Fabregas who has a slight knee injury.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-4105240764968111372013-11-11T21:09:00.001+05:302013-11-11T21:09:37.982+05:30Messi out until 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Tests today have confirmed Leo Messi’s femoral biceps injury which will leave him out of action for six to eight weeks. The player had to be substituted in the first half of yesterday’s 1-4 victory at Betis. Messi will miss the games with Granada, Ajax, Athletic Club, Celtic, Villarreal, Getafe as well as the two Copa del Rey games with Cartegena. The league game with Elche on January 5 might be a possible return date but the intention is to have him fit again for the vital league clash at Atlético Madrid on January 12.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-61987173058182745782013-11-07T22:11:00.000+05:302013-11-07T22:11:29.181+05:30Match Report: FC Barcelona 3 AC Milan 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Barça comfortably reached the last 16 of the 2013/14 Champions League after a 3-1 win over AC Milan at Camp Nou tonight. Leo Messi ended his four-match goal drought, blasting Barça in front from the penalty spot after half an hour and ten minutes later Sergio Busquets headed Barça further in front from Xavi’s free kick. Milan cut the deficit just before half time when Gerard Piqué put through his own goal but Messi added his second of the night after a good combination with Cesc Fabregas ten minutes from the end to wrap things up for Barça.<br />
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The debate this week has centred on Barça’s style of play and tonight’s game will have done little to settle the argument. Tata Martino began the season using plenty of rotations but in recent games we have seen him leaning towards an once de gala. With Adriano and Piqué declared fit, Martino again put out his best eleven, except for the injured Jordi Alba, which meant both Pedro Rodriguez and Csec Fabregas again started on the bench. Barça gave a dominant performance and deserved the victory but there was still a lack of spark in the final third of the field.<br />
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Milan set out in a defensive 4-4-2. Balotelli was sacrificed to the bench which meant that Robinho and Kaká led the attack for the visitors while Andrea Poli was brought in to bolster the midfield. The Italians didn’t exactly sit back and wait and they pushed up when they could, however, they tried to leave little space between the midfield and defensive lines to make things difficult for Barça, and it was not unusual in the first half to see the entire Milan team back in their own half.<br />
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Despite the defensive approach from Milan, Barça started the game well. In the first few minutes Xavi sent a free kick wide, then after a quick one-two with Xavi, Messi burst towards the area and was only denied by Abate putting the ball out for a corner. Barça took the corner short with the ball coming inside to Busquets whose shot was deflected for another corner. Then soon after, in the 6th minute, Messi sent an excellent ball in for Neymar but the Brazilian’s control let him down.<br />
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There were good sensations from Barça. In the 11th minute Neymar tried a curler from the left but sent the ball well wide of the far post, then three minutes later Xavi stabbed a superb quick pass into Alexis but the ball got caught between the Chilean’s feet and Mexes had time to intervene. Alves tried his luck but missed the target from 25 yards, then Iniesta got a second attempt to thread a pass through to Adriano but the left back’s dangerous cross was missed by Messi, and Alexis couldn’t get enough of a touch to steer the ball in. From the resulting goal-kick Abbiati played it short to Mexes who passed back to the goalkeeper, giving Alexis the chance to charge at the keeper but despite getting in the way of Abbiati’s attempted clearance Alexis could only deflect the ball out for another goal kick.<br />
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Little by little Milan began to find their position and the chances started drying up. However, just when Barça seemed to be running out of ideas Iniesta sent a chip in towards Neymar who was impeded by Abate grabbing at his shoulder. The Brazilian spun to the ground and the Serbian referee Milorad Mazic pointed to the spot. Abbiati dived to his right as Messi powered the penalty straight down the middle and Barça were in front.<br />
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Milan didn’t manage a shot until the 35th minute when Poli pulled the ball back from the right but Montolivo sent his effort wide from 25 yards. However, as the Italians adopted a more attacking approach Barça began to find more chances to penetrate. Messi sent Alexis away with a delightful scoop pass but the Chilean’s cross clipped a defender and Abbiati was able to dive and gather. Then it was Iniesta who found the pass into the area for Messi who did well to resist Zapata’s challenge but as Abbiati came charging out of his goal Messi could only chip the ball across the goal and Mexes headed clear. Barça’s pressure paid off a minute later when Xavi sent in a free kick from the left and with the Milan defence looking for an offside Busquets was left free to stoop and head home Barça’s second.<br />
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Barça should have been home and dry at this point. Adriano might have made it 3-0 with a thirty yard drive but Abbiati palmed the ball over the bar. Then just before half-time Kaká for once escaped from Alves on the left, and just before Alves could recover Kaká sent in a low cross which clipped off Piqué’s right foot, leaving Valdés with no chance at his near post.<br />
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Milan were encouraged for the second half and Max Allegri replaced Robinho with Mario Balotelli. The controversial forward was soon in action, shaking off Mascherano’s challenge before going past Adriano to send in a low hard cross that Valdés did well to hold. Barça seemed divided between pushing for another goal and playing a more conservative approach. There was little threat on Abbiati’s goal as Barça were twice frustrated by the linesman. First, Messi was caught offside as Adriano’s shot hit him and then looped in for a disallowed goal. Then Neymar looked in line with the last defender as Xavi sent a fine pass through but the official raised his flag. Barça didn’t test Abbiati in the second half until the 59th minute, after a short corner Messi played the ball back for Iniesta who had to nudge the referee out of the way in order to shoot, Abbiati dived quickly to his left to save.<br />
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Milan continued to edge forward and Barça converted more and more to looking for the quick counter-attack. Mascherano needed to make a last-ditch tackle to thwart Balotelli, then a minute later the powerful Italian forward again got past Adriano and Mascherano to send a cross to the near post where Kaká, under pressure from Piqué, sent his shot narrowly wide. Two minutes later, as the visitors had their best spell of the game, Mascherano had to turn Emanuelson’s dangerous cross out for a corner.<br />
<br />
However, Barça began to find chances again at the other end with Adriano shooting over from 25 yards. Neymar then went on the most incredible run, cutting inside from the left and going past Abate, Poli, Zapata and Mexes before missing his chance for a goal-of-the-season candidate by blazing well wide from close to the penalty spot.<br />
<br />
Birsa replaced Poli with just over fifteen minutes remaining as Allegri looked for an equalizer but as Milan came forward Barça looked increasingly dangerous on the counter. There was one marvellous combination between Messi and Neymar which ended with the Argentinian slipping the ball right for Alexis, but tonight the Chilean was not as his most fortunate and Abbiati denied him with an excellent save.<br />
<br />
Martino delayed any substitutions until the 78th minute when he decided to rest Iniesta and give a Fabregas a short run-out. Soon after, Milan had their final chance for an equalizer but Alves managed to cut out Montolivo’s pass towards the unmarked Muntari. Then in the 83rd minute Fabregas showed his worth playing a brilliant return to Messi who avoided Mexes’s lunge and outsprinted De Jong before keeping his cool to lift the ball over the advancing Abbiati and seal the win for Barça.<br />
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Messi might have had a hat-trick after another Fabregas pass sent him into the area but Mexes made a fine saving tackle. There were late substitutions with Pedro and Song replacing Neymar and Xavi but there was little time for them to do much. Milan had already run out of steam after the third goal and there was no more threat on Valdés’s goal. The three points leave Barça on 10 pts from four games in Group H, Milan remain second on five pts, Ajax are now third on four pts after beating Celtic 1-0 which leaves the Scottish side bottom of the group on three pts. One more point from the last two games will now guarantee top spot for Barça.<br />
<br />
Barça: Valdés 6.5; Alves 6.5, Piqué 7, Mascherano 6.5, Adriano 6.5; Xavi 7.5 (Song m88, –), Busquets 8, Iniesta 7 (Fabregas m78, 7.5); Alexis 6, Messi 7, Neymar 7 (Pedro m85, –).<br />
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Milan; Abbiati; Abate, Mexes, Zapata, Emanuelson; Poli (Birsa m74), Montolivo, De Jong, Muntari; Kaká (Matri m84); Robinho (Balotelli h/t).<br />
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Goals: m30 Messi (pen) 1-0, m39 Busquets 2-0, m45 Piqué (o.g.) 2-1, m83 Messi 3-1.<br />
<br />
Yellow cards: m29 Abate, m32 Muntari, m56 De Jong, m62 Alexis.<br />
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Attendance: 80,517</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-47873910715004956272013-11-05T21:26:00.001+05:302013-11-05T21:26:25.229+05:30Champions League Preview: FC Barcelona vs AC Milan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDof3uKpD7A/UnkUZjYkdjI/AAAAAAAADjE/FLwVRnsW1SQ/s1600/barcelona-4-0-ac-milan-messi-first-goal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KDof3uKpD7A/UnkUZjYkdjI/AAAAAAAADjE/FLwVRnsW1SQ/s640/barcelona-4-0-ac-milan-messi-first-goal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Champions League football returns to Camp Nou tomorrow as Barça take on AC Milan in the battle for first place in Group H (Wednesday 8.45 pm). Tata Martino’s men go into the match in a strong position, knowing that a victory will mean qualification to the last 16 while almost guaranteeing top spot and even a draw would still leave Barça in pole position to win the group.<br />
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Barça are clear favourites to win the game and with Milan going through a crisis of form, few give the Italians much hope at Camp Nou. Since the two teams drew 1-1 at the San Siro two weeks ago, Max Allegri’s men have managed just one point in Serie A from a home draw with Lazio while they lost 3-2 at Parma and 0-2 at home to Fiorentina on Saturday. The seven-times champions of Europe have taken just 12 points from 11 games in the Italian league which leaves them a massive 19 points behind leaders Roma.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wL-0b4oBWNc/UnkU4-tCmwI/AAAAAAAADj0/p5I03TQ9vK8/s1600/barcelona-4-0-ac-milan-messi-second-goal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wL-0b4oBWNc/UnkU4-tCmwI/AAAAAAAADj0/p5I03TQ9vK8/s640/barcelona-4-0-ac-milan-messi-second-goal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
If things don’t improve soon Allegri may be out of a job by Christmas. The difficulty of his task tomorrow is demonstrated by the fact that Milan haven’t won in their last five Champions League games in Barcelona. The Italians last win at Camp Nou came in the group stage in 2000 when goals from Coco and Bierhoff earned a 0-2 victory for the visitors. Since then, in 2004 Eto’o and Ronaldinho scored in a 2-1 Barça win in the group stage, then in 2006 a goalless draw in the semi-final 2nd leg proved enough to send Barça through to the final against Arsenal. Milan managed another draw (2-2) in the group stage of the 2011/12 season but then when the teams met again in the quarter-finals two penalties from Leo Messi and a goal from Andres Iniesta gave Barça a 3-1 win and classification for the semis. The teams last met in March last season’s last 16 when Barça famously overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg with a 4-0 victory at Camp Nou.<br />
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Despite the statistics Milan should never be underestimated. They will be boosted by the probable return in goal of the veteran Christian Abbiati, while ageing stars such as Kaká and Robinho demonstrated in the first leg that when the stage is right they are still players to be reckoned with. Mario Balotelli is another who seems to perform better in big games and after returning from injury as a substitute in the first leg he will be fit to start at Camp Nou. Balotelli’s form has been disappointing this season and he has picked up more yellow cards (five) than goals (three); however, despite his inconsistency, Super Mario has demonstrated enough times in the past that he has the strength and ability to trouble any defence.<br />
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Barça have doubts over the fitness of Piqué and Adriano. The two defenders underwent specific programs yesterday rather than training with the group though the local press seems optimistic that both players will be ready to play though they may both begin on the bench. The squad will train again this evening before Tata Martino decides on his list for the game.<br />
<br />
With Jordi Alba still out injured, the problems of Piqué and Adriano only go to emphasise the apparent fragility of our defenders. Puyol and Mascherano have also both missed games through injury and it seems as if it is always our back line that suffers these problems which might indicate that we really should have signed another defender in the summer. However, a look at our recent record shows we have only conceded four goals in the last eleven games which demonstrates the effectiveness of Martino’s methods. It’s a slightly strange sensation as neither Piqué nor Mascherano, considered the first-choice centre-backs, is in his best moment, though acknowledgement must go to Victor Valdés who has begun the season in excellent form while Dani Alves deserves credit for improved performances defensively.<br />
<br />
Johnathan dos Santos underwent surgery on the cruciate ligaments of his right knee today following his injury last week in training. The operation was successful but Dos Santos now faces a six-month recovery period which makes it unlikely he will play again this season. Let’s hope the team can put on a good show tomorrow and dedicate a victory to the youngster.<br />
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Possible teams:<br />
<br />
Barça: Valdés; Alves, Puyol, Mascherano, Montoya; Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas; Pedro, Messi, Neymar.<br />
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Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Mexes, Zapata, Constant; De Jong, Montolivo, Muntari; Robinho, Balotelli, Kaká.<br />
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Prediction: Barça 2 Milan 0<br />
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Date: Wednesday 6 November 2013. Kick off 8.45 pm local time.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-52905968917978036142013-11-02T13:49:00.001+05:302013-11-02T14:00:21.820+05:30Match Report and Highlights : FC Barcelona 1 Espanyol 0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aKXSFxnPuz8/UnS0T4GRVcI/AAAAAAAADdM/CIw8fqi5HPM/s1600/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-alexis-goal-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aKXSFxnPuz8/UnS0T4GRVcI/AAAAAAAADdM/CIw8fqi5HPM/s640/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-alexis-goal-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Espanyol came close to frustrating Barça in the local derby at Camp Nou tonight, but with twenty minutes to go Alexis Sanchez scored the only goal of the game after an assist from Neymar Jr to take Barça to 34 points from 12 games and guarantee top spot in La Liga for another week.<br />
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Tata Martino picked the same team that started in Milan last week with the exception of Martin Montoya at left back in place of Adriano, which may signal he is settling on his idea of Barça’s best XI. Espanyol coach Javier Aguirre surprised, however, by leaving out Simao, Stuani, Pizzi and Mattioni while giving a chance to the out-of-favour Thievy and Gabriel Torje.<br />
<br /><iframe width="580" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Zh8Y__4yzog?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It was the Frenchman Thievy who had the first shot of the game which was blocked by Montoya in the second minute then soon after Torje shot wide from 25 yards. Barça’s first chance came after an early switch of wings from Neymar and Alexis. Neymar played the ball infield from the right to Messi and after a touch from Iniesta the ball came to Alexis on the left but Espanyol’s keeper Kiko Casilla dived quickly to his left to save the Chilean’s effort.<br />
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Most of the early danger came from Neymar who began the game well. He was unlucky to get called offside after Xavi’s through-ball though Casilla was quickly out of his area to clear just in case. However, as Barça took control of the ball Espanyol worked hard to close space with Thievy and Torje dropping back to support a narrow midfield line of five which shielded the back four and forced Barça to play the ball wide. The result was lots of crosses from Alves and a couple from Montoya from the left, but neither Barça full-back found much accuracy. Xavi’s corners were equally disappointing with the Espanyol defence winning all the headers.<br />
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Espanyol continued to frustrate and it wasn’t until the 28th minute that Barça created another chance. Iniesta played a cross-field pass for Alves’s forward run and the Brazilian headed the ball nicely for Alexis who volleyed his shot off target against Fuentes. Espanyol hit back on the counter, first Torje had time to shoot but Valdés got behind the ball well, then in the 35th minute Alves failed to cut out Thievy’s pass, allowing Victor Sanchez the chance to put the visitors ahead but Valdés did brilliantly to save with his feet.<br />
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After the scare Barça ended the first half well. Xavi fired narrowly over from 25 yards after Neymar worked some space. Then from a corner in the 43rd minute the ball was only cleared as far as Iniesta who smashed a shot through a forest of bodies but Casilla followed the ball well to punch the ball away, the ball came 35 yards out to Alves who, after a quick one-two with Busquets, cracked in a low shot that bounced out off Casilla’s right-hand post. It was a good end from Barça to a disappointing first-half though Espanyol will have been encouraged by arriving to the break with the score goalless.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aA2XWefI29Y/UnS0mthDFmI/AAAAAAAADdU/JA0KBEvVBoM/s1600/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-messi-header-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aA2XWefI29Y/UnS0mthDFmI/AAAAAAAADdU/JA0KBEvVBoM/s640/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-messi-header-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Messi header </span></td></tr>
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Barça seemed to raise the pace slightly in the second half but Espanyol disciplined defence continued to cut off the final pass, get in the way of shots and thwart the dribbles from Messi and Iniesta. In the 54th minute a Barça cross finally found a Barça head with Alves delivering from the right and Messi charging in and jumping to meet the ball but Casilla sprang to his right to make an excellent save. Xavi was under more pressure from the defence when he headed wide from Alexis’s cross soon after. Then from another Alves cross the ball came long to Neymar who brought the ball back inside past Raul Rodriguez and Abraham before letting fly with a wicked curling shot that just failed to creep inside the far post.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CTH6kjWSLzc/UnS1BTsa_FI/AAAAAAAADdc/Mtc1EdvX_7Q/s1600/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-alexis-goal-celebration-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CTH6kjWSLzc/UnS1BTsa_FI/AAAAAAAADdc/Mtc1EdvX_7Q/s640/barc3a7a-1-0-espanyol-alexis-goal-celebration-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Alexis goal celebration</span></td></tr>
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It was beginning to look like Espanyol might hold out as they were limiting Barça’s number of chances, but the breakthrough finally came in the 68th minute. Busquets found Neymar in a bit of space on the left but as he entered the area Sidnei and Raul Rodriguez came across to block his way. The Brazilian managed to pass the ball through both Espanyol defenders’ legs and Alexis was sliding in at the far post to score yet another vital goal.<br />
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barça 1-0 espanyol neymar and casilla 2013Espanyol changed shape and tried to push forward in search of an equalizer but Barça began to exploit the spaces left. Alexis supplied a great ball through for Neymar and Casilla was fortunate not to be seen pulling the Brazilian’s arm as he would surely have been sent off for preventing a probable goal. There had to be one more chance for the visitors and it came in the 79th minute when Sergio Garcia got the wrong side of Montoya but then blazed his shot just over the bar. Besides that there were hopeful efforts from Espanyol’s substitutes Lanzarote with a header wide and Cordoba with a shot blocked by Piqué but Valdés was not troubled again. Barça’s subs Fabregas and Pedro combined for the best late chance for Barça but Casilla did well to stop Pedro’s shot with his foot.<br />
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Espanyol’s disciplined defensive lines made things difficult for Barça tonight but perhaps we should also take the heavy fixture list into account. Tonight’s game was the fifth in 14 days and the third in the last 7 but since the draws with Osasuna and Milan we now have three straight wins over Madrid, Celta and Espanyol. We have extended our consecutive home wins record in the league to 20 games, stretching back to October 2012 and the 2-2 draw with Madrid, and we are still unbeaten after 17 games with Tata in charge. All in all we can be pretty satisfied. What the heck! Even Alexis is coming good. That’s seven goals now in the league from the Chilean and after the injury-time winner over Sevilla, the brilliant chip against Madrid and tonight’s only goal, he’s getting a handy knack of popping up with vital strikes which we can only hope continues.<br />
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Barça: Valdes 7; Alves 6, Piqué 7, Mascherano 6.5, Montoya 6.5; Xavi 6.5, Busquets 6, Iniesta 6.5 (Fabregas m86, 6.5); Alexis 6.5 (Pedro m83, 6), Messi 6.5, Neymar 7.<br />
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Espanyol: Kiko Casilla; Raúl Rodriguez, Sidnei, Hector Moreno, Fuentes; David López, Abraham (Lanzarote m83), Víctor Sánchez; Thievy (Cordoba m62), Sergio García, Torje.<br />
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Goals: m68 Alexis 1-0.<br />
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Yellow cards: m45 Fuentes, m67 Victor Sanchez, m77 Mascherano, m90 Lanzarote.<br />
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Attendance: 79,977</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-14775942913402659052013-10-02T13:11:00.001+05:302013-10-02T13:11:12.237+05:30Match Report and Highlights: Celtic 0 FC Barcelona 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybuHq29kycA/UkvBOclxVcI/AAAAAAAADUI/xpErWG7Rnas/s1600/celtic-0-1-barcelona-fabregas-neymar-celebrate-goal-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybuHq29kycA/UkvBOclxVcI/AAAAAAAADUI/xpErWG7Rnas/s640/celtic-0-1-barcelona-fabregas-neymar-celebrate-goal-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabregas celeb. vs Celtic</td></tr>
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Tata Martino’s Barça go marching on after a 0-1 victory tonight at Celtic Park. There was no Leo Messi but the two players who were expected to take more responsibility proved to be decisive. Neymar Jr was now the team’s star and he played his part by drawing several fouls including one from Scott Brown after an hour which was punished with a straight red card from the French referee Stephane Lannoy. With Celtic down to ten men, Cesc Fabregas, who played Messi’s false nine role, headed in the only goal of the game from substitute Alexis’s cross with fifteen minutes remaining.<br />
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There were various changes to the teams that faced each other last season at Celtic Park when Celtic won 2-1. Piqué, Adriano, Busquets, Fabregas and Neymar came in for Mascherano, Alba, Song, Alexis and Messi from Barça’s starting XI last year. While for Celtic there was no Wilson, Wanyama, Ledley or Miku who were replaced by Van Dijk, Izaguirre, Brown and Stokes.<br />
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The contrasting styles of the two teams was evident right from the start, with Barça stringing together about thirty passes in the first 100 seconds before Celtic even touched the ball. The problem was that with Celtic concentrating on closing spaces anywhere near their goal there was little penetration from Barça’s forwards. The first moment of danger came in the fourth minute when Iniesta nutmegged Ambrose inside the area but Van Dijk was quickly across to cover. Then a minute later Celtic put together a good quick move down the left, the ball came to Stokes who sent a fine ball into the left of the area for Samaras and Valdés had to be out quick to close the angle and block.<br />
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The possible danger from Celtic’s breaks led to Barça playing a more conservative game. The ball was moved patiently from side to side, and often Barça moved backwards in an attempt to draw Celtic out, but every time Barça moved forward Celtic regrouped in a packed defence to shut off all routes to goal. Barça didn’t manage a shot until the 17th minute when Fabregas met Alves’s low cross with a side-foot effort wide then soon after Neymar sent a weak shot rolling wide. Then in the 19th minute Iniesta made space with a nice shimmy to throw Brown off balance, before firing just wide from 25 yards.<br />
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There had been little from Neymar so far as Celtic right-back Lustig looked solid early on. In the 23rd minute the Brazilian made his first exciting run but his final pass, which was looking for Alves, was well cut out by Commons. A minute later Neymar was warned by the referee for diving and it was beginning to look like a frustrating evening for the Barça star. But then soon after he sent in a fine ball for Adriano to chase but the full-back fired his shot into the side-netting.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5j1kmeq9Vc/UkvFlBtJdCI/AAAAAAAADUU/GCxeiOwtLv4/s1600/celtic-0-1-barcelona-piquc3a9-samaras-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5j1kmeq9Vc/UkvFlBtJdCI/AAAAAAAADUU/GCxeiOwtLv4/s640/celtic-0-1-barcelona-piquc3a9-samaras-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pique</td></tr>
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Neither goalkeeper was having much work to do. Celtic’s populated defence continued to form a solid barrier in front of Forster while Bartrá and Piqué dealt well with any ball played out towards Samaras. Celtic, in fact, were struggling to string three passes together in a scrappy period while Barça’s passes towards the danger area were also off-target and missing a finisher. There wasn’t a decent combination until the 40th minute after Pedro played a nutmeg in midfield and then opened play out for Alves to cross from the right, Neymar met the ball at the near post but flicked his shot just wide. Then in the 44th minute Neymar beat Lustig for the first time on the left, and the Swedish full back received the game’s first yellow card for a crude foul. Xavi swung in the free kick and Forster made a hash of his jump for the ball and was lucky to deflect the ball on with his shoulder and out for a corner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TrMCpapfVss/UkvG0qdoiMI/AAAAAAAADUk/9mT1CDHKB14/s1600/celtic-0-1-barcelona-brown-red-card-2013+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TrMCpapfVss/UkvG0qdoiMI/AAAAAAAADUk/9mT1CDHKB14/s640/celtic-0-1-barcelona-brown-red-card-2013+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Red card ~ Neymar</td></tr>
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The improvement towards the end of the first half continued after the break. Neymar became more and more involved and his direct runs were causing Celtic problems. In the 55th minute he tried a run through the middle, the ball bounced kindly to Xavi but the veteran midfielder’s venemous shot was blocked by Van Dijk. Then in the 58th minute Neymar set off on a gallop down the left, Brown was close on his heels but wasn’t fast enough to catch him, with the Brazilian about 35 yards from goal Brown clinically took Neymar from behind. The Celtic fans will no doubt have been expecting a yellow card – I certainly was – and may feel hard done by that the ref went straight for the red. But the truth is the Celtic midfielder really had absolutely no chance of playing the ball and as a tackle from behind the ref’s decision could be justified.<br />
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Barça could now smell the three points. The build-ups continued to be patient but as Celtic’s ten men tired the Scots became more and more stretched by Barça’s ball movement. Bartrá got forward in the 65th minute to hit a powerful low 30-yarder that Forster dived to his left to save, then three minutes later the young central defender was forward again to assist Fabregas who drove a cross-shot straight at the Celtic keeper. Barça continued to push forward with Neymar making a short dribble inside the area before playing a wall pass off Xavi but the Brazilian blazed his shot wide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BnhsTOBbAM/UkvHQKhiYoI/AAAAAAAADUs/L2BHfFUT3U8/s1600/celtic-0-1-barcelona-victor-valdc3a9s-save-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BnhsTOBbAM/UkvHQKhiYoI/AAAAAAAADUs/L2BHfFUT3U8/s640/celtic-0-1-barcelona-victor-valdc3a9s-save-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victor Valdes awesome save </td></tr>
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Then against the run of play Celtic had a clear chance to take the lead. Barça had done well dealing with any corners or free kicks crossed into the area. But in the 73rd minute Mulgrew sent a long throw from the left into the danger zone, Barça only cleared the ball as far as Celtic substitute James Forrest who smashed a shot towards goal but Valdés flew magnificently to his right to turn the ball over the bar.<br />
<br />
The importance of Valdés’s save was magnified when Barça took the lead two minutes later. A Celtic attack broke down and Busquets played the ball forward to Neymar in a central position 35 yards from goal. The Brazilian held the ball up well before releasing Alexis who had just come on in place of Pedro, the Chilean crossed from the right and Fabregas met the ball unmarked at the far post with a header across Forster and in.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9175b7xsSOg/UkvMzaB6TPI/AAAAAAAADU8/Szbtl41KtEI/s1600/celtic-0-1-barcelona-fabregas-heads-goal-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9175b7xsSOg/UkvMzaB6TPI/AAAAAAAADU8/Szbtl41KtEI/s640/celtic-0-1-barcelona-fabregas-heads-goal-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabregas Goalll</td></tr>
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With a man less Celtic found no response. Barça should probably have added to Fabregas’s goal but Forster made one fantastic double save to deny Neymar and Alexis. Then in injury time a splendid run and pass from Alexis sent Neymar clean through but Forster made another splendid save low to his left.<br />
<br />
There was a lot about Barça’s game tonight that wasn’t pretty and you could tell Celtic Park was none too impressed by some of Neymar and Alves’s theatrics. However, last season with Messi we lost whereas tonight without him we take all three points. One has to be impressed by the seriousness we showed in defence with encouraging performances by both Bartrá and Piqué, while Busquets also provided good cover. Martino has a good sense of when we can put on a show and when we need to take a more practical approach. The results so far could hardly be better with the Supercopa in the trophy cabinet and a 100% win record in both La Liga and the Champions League. We have also kept a clean sheet in an impressive seven out of eleven games this season. Valdés’s form here has been crucial of course. The first stop tonight from Samaras was good and then his save from Forrest was arguably his best and most important of the season so far. Besides Valdés, Neymar turned out to be the game’s decisive player after starting slowly, I just wonder whether the whack on the head he took in a clash with Izaguirre sparked him into action as his game seemed to come to life afterwards.<br />
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HIGHLIGHTS -<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rhHMlrPSgB8?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe>
Following Milan’s draw at Ajax, Barça now lead Group H with six points with Milan in second place on four, Ajax third with a point and Celtic without a point at the bottom.<br />
<br />
<b>Celtic: Forster; Lustig (Forrest m70), Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Matthews, Mulgrew, Commons (Pukki m86); Stokes (Kayal m70); Samaras.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Barça: Valdés 7.5; Alves 7, Bartrá 7.5, Piqué 7.5, Adriano 7; Xavi 6, Busquets 7.5, Iniesta 6.5 (Song m89, –); Pedro 6 (Alexis m74, 7), Fabregas 7 (Tello m78, 6.5), Neymar 8.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Goal: m75 Fabregas 0-1.</b><br />
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<b>Yellow cards: m44 Lustig, m55 Fabregas, m75 Busquets, m77 Samaras, m85 Izaguirre, m90 Alexis</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Red card: Brown m58</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Attendance: 60,832</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-18939997266202498372013-09-30T23:04:00.000+05:302013-09-30T23:04:17.077+05:30Champions League Preview: Celtic vs FC Barcelona<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yU1TrexajfA/Ukm19bIvqRI/AAAAAAAADT0/AC6rUlvAzAA/s1600/323153hp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yU1TrexajfA/Ukm19bIvqRI/AAAAAAAADT0/AC6rUlvAzAA/s1600/323153hp2.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Champions League returns tomorrow (Tuesday) with Barça taking on Scottish champions Celtic in the always tremendous atmosphere of Celtic Park. With Leo Messi joining Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol on the injured list Tata Martino has called up centre-back Sergi Gomez and midfielder-turned-right-back Patric Gabarrón from Barça B to make up the numbers in a 21-man squad for the game.<br />
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Pedro Rodriguez took a knock in Saturday’s 0-2 win at Almeria but he has been included in the list and should be fine to play if needed. With Messi missing, Martino could opt for either Neymar or Alexis to play a more central attacking role though it seems more likely he will again choose Cesc Fabregas in the false nine role. This means Neymar will almost certainly return on the left wing, leaving Alexis and Pedro to fight for the other forward spot. We should see our classic trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta in midfield, while with limited options in defence we will probably repeat the back four of Alves, Piqué, Marc Bartrá and Adriano. Bartrá will no doubt be hoping to build on his good performance in Almeria<br />
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celtic 2-1 barça wanyama goalBarça and Celtic are no strangers in European competition, having faced each other on eight occasions in the last ten years. Anyone thinking it will be easy for Barça tomorrow should take a look at these previous games. In the spring of 2004 a 1-0 Celtic win in Glasgow followed by a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou saw Barça eliminated from the Uefa Cup. The following autumn Barça recorded a fine 1-3 win at Celtic Park in the Champions League group stage but the Scots managed a 1-1 draw in the return in Barcelona. The teams met again in the last 16 of the 2007/08 Champions League with Barça winning 2-3 in Scotland in the first leg and 1-0 in the return. Then last season the two sides were drawn together in Champions League Group G, an injury-time goal from Jordi Alba gave Barça a 2-1 victory in the game at Camp Nou but Celtic got revenge winning 2-1 in Scotland incidentally with Bartrá appearing in both games. Both sides classified for the next round where Celtic were beaten 5-0 on aggregate by Juventus while Barça of course went on to lose to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.<br />
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There have been few changes at Celtic since last season’s meetings. Neil Lennon is still the coach and the core of the team is the same. However, midfielder Victor Wanyama, who was very impressive last year, has been sold for £12.5 million to Southampton while striker Gary Hooper moved to Norwich for £5 million. The most important players signed are defender Virgil Van Dijk (Groningen £2.6 million), winger Derk Boerrigter (£3 million Ajax) and Finnish striker Teemu Pukki (£3 million Schalke), though of these probably only Van Dijk will start tomorrow.<br />
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With the demise of bitter enemy Glasgow Rangers, Celtic easily won last season’s Scottish League by a margin of 16 points over second placed Motherwell. This season the Bhoys have started strongly with six wins and a draw from seven games. Last Saturday they won 2-5 at Kilmarnock with a hat-trick from Greek striker Georgios Samaras who you may remember opened the scoring for Celtic last season at Camp Nou. Inverness Caledonian Thistle are top of the league on goal difference but Celtic have a game in hand.<br />
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celtic barça bartra 2012It’s always a pleasure to face Celtic, the two contrasting styles of the teams guarantee an interesting battle if not always the most open game, while the vociferous Celtic fans always provide a magnificent atmosphere. For Barça a draw might seem a good result in as far as classifying for the next round is concerned. However, given the importance of finishing top of the group, we really should be looking for all three points. In the first round of Group H matches two late goals gave AC Milan a 2-0 win over Celtic while Barça were beating Ajax 4-0.<br />
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For a recent insight into the Celtic-Rangers rivalry <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cggTbCcbcNA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here’s an excellent documentary</a> which is well worth a watch.<br />
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Barça’s 21-man squad: Valdés, Pinto, Oier, Alves, Montoya, Patric, Piqué, Bartrá, Sergi Gomez, Adriano, Song, Busquets, Dos Santos, Xavi, Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Fabregas, Pedro, Alexis, Neymar, Tello.<br />
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Possible starting XIs:<br />
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Celtic: Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Matthews, Mulgrew, Commons; Stokes, Samaras.<br />
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Barça: Valdés; Alves, Bartrá, Piqué, Adriano; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Alexis, Fabregas, Neymar.<br />
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Prediction: Celtic 1 Barça 2<br />
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Date: Tuesday 1 October 2013. Kick off: 7.45 pm in the UK, 8.45 pm in Spain.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-2728220238961838332013-09-29T21:08:00.000+05:302016-12-15T05:17:21.829+05:30FIFA 14 for PC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-48046230785011091202013-09-20T21:52:00.003+05:302013-09-20T21:52:52.793+05:30Messi an ICON spirit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A day after it was learnt that Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi did not ask for a pay rise akin to the deal Cristiano Ronaldo recently signed at Real Madrid, the Argentine ace was at his sensational best nevertheless.</div>
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<strong>Lionel Messi celebrates one of his goals against Ajax on Wednesday. Pic/AFP</strong></div>
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On Tuesday, when Barcelona boss Sandro Rosell was asked if Ronaldo’s contract renewal (he signed a five-year deal with Real worth 90 million euros) making him the Spanish League’s best-paid player, would affect Messi’s contract, he said: “Does Ronaldo’s renewal affect Messi’s contract? Messi hasn’t said anything to us. He’s happy here and he’s at the best club in the world.”<br />
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A day later, Messi simply went about his job in the best possible way he knows – by scoring goals! Messi moved into second place on the all-time list of Champions League goalscorers with his 27th career hat-trick as Barcelona beat Ajax 4-0 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.<br />
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The four-time World Player of the Year now has 62 Champions League goals to his name as Barca cruised to victory in the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides. Messi opened the scoring on 22 minutes with a sensational free-kick and made the game safe 10 minutes after half-time with a typically cool left-footed finish.<br />
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Gerard Pique added a third when he headed Neymar’s cross past the stranded Kenneth Vermeer before Messi rounded off the scoring 15 minutes from time. And the visitors were even denied a consolation when Valdes saved Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s penalty 13 minutes from time after Javier Mascherano had upended Thurani Serero.<br />
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“In the first-half we found it a bit difficult because they played well, but in the second we moved the ball much better and controlled the game,” Messi told Canal Plus. “In general I think we played a very good game. The more variety we have the better.<br />
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There are games where we need to manage the ball, control the game, and others which are more difficult where we will need to do a bit more.” Messi took time to lend his support to coach Gerardo Martino, who flew back to Argentina yesterday to attend his father’s funeral. “It was a special game. It’s is a shame what has happened and he is suffering, but we are all with him in this moment.”</div>
<h1 class="header_style4" style="background-color: white; color: #005296; font-family: arial; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;">Champions League top scorers</span></h1>
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<strong>71</strong><br />
Raul Gonzalez</div>
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<strong>62</strong><br />
Lionel Messi</div>
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<strong>56</strong><br />
Ruud van Nistelrooy</div>
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<strong>53</strong><br />
Cristiano Ronaldo</div>
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<strong>50</strong><br />
Thierry Henry</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-58636398244400249542013-09-20T21:19:00.002+05:302013-09-20T21:19:47.270+05:30Preview: Rayo Vallecano vs FC Barcelona (game 5 liga 2013/14)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2013/09/20/preview-rayo-vallecano-vs-fc-barcelona-game-5-liga-201314/rayo-0-5-barca-xavi-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-3967" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="rayo 0-5 barça xavi" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3967" height="427" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/rayo-0-5-barc3a7a-xavi.jpg?w=640&h=427" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">League leaders Barça travel to Madrid tomorrow to take on Rayo Vallecano at Vallecas in the fifth round of La Liga 2013/14 (Saturday 8 pm). Tata Martino is currently in Argentina for his father’s funeral but he is expected to return in time to take charge of the team from the bench.</span></h2>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2013/09/20/preview-rayo-vallecano-vs-fc-barcelona-game-5-liga-201314/rayo-0-5-barcelona-messi-goal-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-3968" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="rayo 0-5 barcelona messi goal" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3968" height="200" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/rayo-0-5-barcelona-messi-goal.jpg?w=300&h=200" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 4px 0px 12px 24px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a>Leo Messi looks likely to make his 250th appearance in La Liga in the game. The Argentinian has scored a remarkable 221 goals in the previous 249 matches, and in the last two seasons he has managed well over a goal a game – 50 goals in 37 games (1.35 goals a game) in 2011/12, and 46 in 32 games (1.44 goals a game) last season. The rate is even better this season with six goals in three league appearances so far, and that’s not to mention the hat-trick he scored against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday which took his career total of hat-tricks for Barça to 24.</div>
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This is Rayo’s third season in the top flight since their promotion in 2011. In the last four matches played between the clubs over the past two seasons the balance is clearly in favour of Barça with four straight victories and a goal difference in favour of 19-1. Twelve of those nineteen goals have been scored in Barça’s last two visits to Vallecas, a 0-7 thrashing in April 2012 and then a 0-5 win last October.</div>
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Rayo have made numerous changes since last season. Players such as Javi Fuego, Jordi Amat, Raúl Tamudo, Leo Baptistão and Chori Dominguez have all moved on and due to a very limited budget all their incoming players arrived either on a free transfer or on loan. The most likely of their new players to feature tomorrow are Alberto Bueno, Johnathan Viera, Seba Fernandez and Argentinian striker Joaquin Larrivey, Our opponents began this season with a promising 3-0 victory over Elche but since then they have suffered three straight defeats to Atlético, Levante and Malaga while conceding 12 goals in the process. Coach Paco Jemez will have to make do tomorrow without the suspended Lass Bangoura, while Nery Castillo, Jose Carlos and ex-big-hope-of-La Masia Iago Falque are all out injured.</div>
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<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2013/09/20/preview-rayo-vallecano-vs-fc-barcelona-game-5-liga-201314/rayo-0-5-barca-cesc-fabregas/" rel="attachment wp-att-3969" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #743399; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="rayo 0-5 barça cesc fabregas" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3969" height="300" src="http://barcacentral.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/rayo-0-5-barc3a7a-cesc-fabregas.jpg?w=187&h=300" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 4px 24px 12px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="187" /></a>Given the heavy fixture load at the moment there may be some surprises to the Barça starting XI. Almost any of the players who didn’t start against Ajax could get a chance but with Martino unable to take training for the last couple of days (his number two Jorge Pautasso has been in charge of sessions), it seems unlikely there will be too many changes though both Xavi and Pedro will probably be back in the line-up. Gerard Piqué picked up a slight groin strain against Ajax but he looks likely to play, but if Piqué is unavailable then Marc Bartrá will probably be chosen as his substitute as Carles Puyol seems unlikely to reappear for another game or two. Barça will be hoping to continue the 100% start to the league campaign with another comfortable win tomorrow though it is probably a bit much to expect a result as big as we have seen in the last two visits to Vallecas.</div>
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Possible starting lineups:</div>
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Rayo: Ruben; Tito, Galvez, Arbilla, Nacho Martinez; Saul, Trashorras; Seba Fernandez, Bueno, Viera; Larrivey.</div>
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Barça: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Adriano; Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas; Pedro, Messi, Neymar.</div>
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Prediction: Rayo 1 Barça 4</div>
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Date: Saturday 21 September 2013. Kick off 8 pm local time.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-6610009738160353262013-09-06T13:16:00.001+05:302013-09-06T13:16:53.512+05:30Lionel Messi makes 'corrective payment' in tax case <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lionel Messi clears on Tax case</td></tr>
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<span class="toolSet" style="width: 335px;"><div class="byline">
<span class="byline" itemprop="author"></span>Barcelona's Lionel Messi, the
world's greatest soccer player, is a bit poorer after he and his
father, Jorge, paid $6.6 million to Spanish authorities who had charged
the pair with filing false tax returns.<span class="toolSet" style="width: 335px;"></span>
</div>
</span>The Messis, who were
facing the possibility of jail time, deposited the "corrective payment"
last month, said a court in Gava, near Barcelona, according to Reuters.<br />
The Messis, who are Argentine, are still due to appear at a hearing
on Sept. 17, although their lawyer had asked for it to be postponed as
he had another commitment that day, the court statement added. Both men,
who denied wrongdoing, allegedly hid more than $5.25 million by filing
incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009.<br />
The sale of Messi's image
rights had been hidden using a complex web of shell companies in
Uruguay, Belize, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, according to the
prosecutor's office for tax crimes in Catalonia said.<br />
"I never take care of that stuff myself and neither does my father,"
Messi, a four-time world player of the year, said in July. "We have our
lawyers and our wealth managers to take care of that and we trust them
and they will sort this out. The truth is that I don't have a clue about
all this and that is why we have people taking care of it."<br />
Messi has been resident in Barcelona since 2000 and gained Spanish citizenship in 2005.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-65862638522503426592013-09-03T22:51:00.000+05:302013-09-03T22:51:15.681+05:30Ozil is the new man at Emirates for £42.5m<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h1 itemprop="name headline ">
<br /></h1>
The
midfielder will find a team playing his brand of football, two
international team-mates to keep him company and a manager who can
explain his ideas in German<div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description">
<span class="inline embed embed-media"><span class="caption"></span></span>As you would expect, Mesut Ozil's £42.5m move to Arsenal
has reverberated through his home country – all the way down to the
nether regions of Regionalliga West, the fourth division. Rot-Weiss
Essen, a traditional powerhouse who have fallen on hard times, were
jubilant when they heard the news on Monday; they are expecting a
handsome windfall of €800,000 (£675,000) as compensation for developing
him over a decade ago. Schalke, where the son of Turkish immigrants
played from 2005-08, are due a similar figure.The real benefit to
German football of this record transfer – the 24-year-old is now its
most expensive footballer – will go far beyond financial considerations,
however. Ozil's "escape from circus Real Madrid" (Süddeutsche Zeitung) has been widely seen as a smart decision, both for him and, by extension, the national team. Germany's
manager, Joachim Löw, certainly will not have to fret about his
sensitive playmaker being frozen out at the Bernabéu in a World Cup
season any more.Ozil will instead find a team playing his kind of football,
two German team-mates to keep him company and a manager who can explain
his ideas in German. Most importantly, Ozil will go from feeling like
the fifth wheel at Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid to being the star attraction
in north London, and Arsène Wenger's personal favourite. The Frenchman
tried to sign him first seven years ago, before he moved to Werder
Bremen."I'm a player who needs the confidence [of the manager]," Ozil explained to dfb.tv,
the official channel of the national team, on Tuesday. "At the weekend,
I was certain that I would stay at Real Madrid, but afterwards I
realised that I did not have the faith from the coach or the bosses. I
am really looking forward to [joining Arsenal]
because I have the faith of the coach. I had spoken to him at length on
the telephone, he explained his plans and that he has faith in me –
that is what I need as a player."Germany's sporting director,
Oliver Bierhoff, joked about a "hectic" start to the international week.
The former striker had facilitated the deal just as he had done two
years ago, when Per Mertesacker was signed on deadline day
by the Gunners. You could just sense the slightest sense of
exasperation in the 45-year-old's voice – why do they always leave it so
late? – but it was in his own interest to see it get done. Ensuring
Ozil got out of the Madrid pressure cooker had become a thing of
national importance. He had no longer been feeling "the trust inside the
club", Bierhoff explained: "Ancelotti had perhaps different ideas." <span class="inline wide">
<span class="caption" style="width: 460px;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description">
<span class="inline wide"><span class="caption" style="width: 460px;">'I am really looking forward to joining Arsenal because I have the
faith of the coach,' says Mesut Ozil. Photograph: Gerard
Julien/AFP/Getty Images
</span>
</span>
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung's Spanish correspondent Paul Ingendaay
took a more negative line on Ozil's departure to the Emirates. The
outrageously gifted playmaker did not impose himself in any of Madrid's
big matches in the past three seasons, he recalled, and wryly noted that
his at times breathtakingly elegant performances were "the stuff of
dreams, but not of trophies".The move to Arsenal – "a club that's
always involved at the top but never tends to win anything" – amounted
to him failing in the Spanish capital and was not simply a consequence
of new arrivals Gareth Bale and Isco stealing his limelight. "The air at
Real had been thin for him before," Ingendaay insisted.There is
some truth to that. Serious seeds of doubt about his future at Madrid
were first sown in a meeting with club management in mid-May.Mustapha
Ozil, the player's father and agent, expected the president, Florentino
Pérez, to offer a contract extension beyond 2016 and improved wages
that reflected his popularity with the supporters, but the club coolly
professed contentment with the existing status quo. Feelers were put out
to a number of Premier League sides over the course of the summer.A
combination of Ozil's wage demands – he was already on €5m a year after
tax at Madrid, roughly the equivalent of £150,000 per week before tax
in the UK – as well as Madrid's preoccupation with incoming players did
not lead to any concrete negotiations before the beginning of the
weekend, however. Then Arsenal called.As late as last Wednesday,
when Ozil was professing his love for Real to German journalists at a
Madrid event organised by his sponsors Adidas, he firmly expected to
stay at the club. Madrid soon made their plans – or lack of them – for
him clear, though. "Real Madrid mobbed him towards Arsenal," was Bild's
take on the affair."I wasn't surprised, I had known about it for two or three days," confirmed his former <em>Los Blancos</em>
team-mate Sami Khedira, possibly the only German who has seemed upset
about Ozil's London move. "I regret the decision, it could weaken
[Madrid], from a sporting point of view," said the 26-year-old in
Munich.Bierhoff carefully suggested that Germany's No10 will
"have to adapt to new conditions" in England after leaving a league that
seemed more tailored to his lightness of touch. "In Spain, the style
suited him, naturally," Bierhoff admitted, "but he will mature [in
England]."A similar hope for Germany's most beautiful but also
frail flower was expressed in Süddeutsche. "Wenger is someone who
understands artists," mused the broadsheet, "[at Arsenal] somebody like
him could find ideal conditions to blossom."
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-57547860779195718462013-09-03T22:32:00.001+05:302013-09-03T22:32:35.292+05:30La Liga Team of the Week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Four
teams still have 100% records in La Liga following another pulsating
round of fixtures on week three in Spain's first division.</span></span></h1>
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The action began on Friday as <strong class="autotag">Almeria</strong> welcomed fellow newly-promoted side <strong class="autotag">Elche</strong>. The hosts led until the 90th minute, but a late equaliser from <strong class="autotag">Richmond Boakye</strong> secured a share of the spoils.<br /><br /><strong class="autotag">Levante</strong> also waited until the final minute to pick up all three points on the same evening, as <strong class="autotag">Andreas Ivanschitz</strong>'s strike handed them a 2-1 win away to <strong class="autotag">Rayo Vallecano</strong>.<br /><br /><strong class="autotag">Celta Vigo</strong> shared the points in a 1-1 draw with <strong class="autotag">Granada</strong> in the early match on Saturday, before <strong class="autotag">Real Valladolid</strong> picked up all three points with a 1-0 win over <strong class="autotag">Getafe</strong>. <strong class="autotag">Villarreal</strong> ended the evening in style as they made it three wins from three games with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over <strong class="autotag">Osasuna</strong>.<br /><br />There were no fewer than five games on Sunday, with <strong class="autotag">Real Madrid</strong>, <strong class="autotag">Barcelona</strong> and <strong class="autotag">Atletico Madrid</strong> all hopeful of joining newly-promoted side Villarreal on nine points before the international break.<br /><br /><strong class="autotag">Isco</strong> inspired Real to a 3-1 win over <strong class="autotag">Athletic Bilbao</strong>, before Atletico continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-1 win at <strong class="autotag">Real Sociedad</strong>. Sandwiched between those two games was a forgettable 0-0 draw between <strong class="autotag">Espanyol</strong> and <strong class="autotag">Real Betis</strong>.<br /><br /><strong class="autotag">Sevilla</strong> and <strong class="autotag">Malaga</strong>
are still looking for their respective first wins of the season as the
two sides played out a four-goal thriller at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan,
but the game of the weekend was at the Mestalla where Barcelona claimed
all three points with a 3-2 win against <strong class="autotag">Valencia</strong>.<br /><br />Here, <strong>INTERMEDIA</strong> selects its 11 star performers in the last weekend of Spanish action before the international break.<br /><br /><strong>Miguel Angel Moya (Getafe)</strong><br />There were a few contenders for the goalkeeping spot this week, including <strong class="autotag">Thibaut Courtois</strong> and <strong class="autotag">Victor Valdes</strong>,
but Moya just shades it following a fine performance in his side's 1-0
defeat to Valladolid on Saturday. His team might have lost, but it would
have been by a much more comprehensive margin had the 29-year-old not
pulled off a number of stunning saves, especially in the latter stages.<br /><br /><strong>Marc Valiente (Real Valladolid)</strong><br />It
has not been the best start to the season for Valladolid, but they
picked up a much-needed win with a 1-0 success over Getafe on Saturday.
It was the 26-year-old who secured all three points with a header in the
second period, but it was his towering performance in the back four
that impressed the most.<br /><strong>Javier Mascherano (Barcelona)</strong><br />His
side might have conceded twice in Sunday's 3-2 win over Valencia, but
it would have been worse if the Argentine had not been on form in the
latter stages. Not only did the Argentine put his body on the line, he
was also calm and composed in possession, which helped the Catalan
outfit close out the match in the final couple of moments.<br /><strong>Hector Moreno (Espanyol)</strong><br />Espanyol's
0-0 draw with Real Betis on Sunday will go down as one of the worst
league matches in recent seasons, but Moreno was the saving grace. The
Mexican defender was exceptional in the air under constant pressure from
the away side, while he also made a number of clever interceptions in
the second period. <br /><br /><strong>Cani (Villarreal)</strong><br />Everything
good about Villarreal this season has come through the experienced
31-year-old. The newly-promoted side have won each of their three league
games thus far, a total that has left them third in the table. The
midfielder was again in fine form in his side's 3-0 win over Osasuna on
Saturday, dictating the tempo from the middle of the pitch. <br /><strong>Isco (Real Madrid)</strong><br />The
21-year-old might be in the very early stages of his Madrid career, but
he was already made quite an impression. He scored his third goal in as
many league games with a brace in the 3-1 win over Bilbao on Sunday.
You have to be quite a player to keep someone of the ilk of <strong class="autotag">Mesut Ozil</strong> out of the team, there is no question about that.<br /><strong>Luka Modric (Real Madrid)</strong><br />It
seems a long time ago when the Croatian was getting some stick for his
performances in the early part of his Madrid career. Well, that is not
the case anymore. Coach <strong class="autotag">Carlo Ancelotti</strong>
did not want to lose him this summer and it is easy to see why. He
outshone two-goal Isco with a determined and clever performance in the
middle of their midfield against Bilbao.<br /><strong>Koke (Atletico Madrid)</strong><br />It
is no surprise that the Spaniard has been a key member of an Atletico
team that is impressing a lot of people. When watching his performance,
it is incredible to think that he is just 21 years old. He was up to his
old midfield tricks in his side's 2-1 win over Sociedad on Sunday and
added their second with a smart finish in the second half.<br /><br /><strong>Helder Postiga (Valencia)</strong><br />The
Portuguese attacker scored the goal of the weekend with a stunning
volley in the first period against Barcelona, before adding his second
with a fine header moments later. Aside from his goals, his all-round
performance was also impressive. He already appears to be a very astute
signing for the Champions League hopefuls.<br /><strong>Lionel Messi (Barcelona)</strong><br />Different
week, same old Messi. A first-half hat-trick ensured that Barcelona
picked up all three points in a 3-2 win over Valencia. He missed a
couple of golden chances in the latter stages, but he had already
secured the match ball following a wonderful opening 45 minutes. He has
now scored 101 goals in his last 71 La Liga appearances.<br /><strong>David Villa (Atletico Madrid)</strong><br />There
has been a lot of money spent in Europe this summer, but the signing of
Villa could be the best piece of business. Spain's all-time leading
scorer was in fine form in his side's 2-1 win over Sociedad at the
weekend – scoring with a fine chip before assisting <strong class="autotag">Koke</strong> for the second. It was a top-drawer performance from the former Barcelona forward.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-41639403398904479812013-09-03T22:07:00.001+05:302013-09-03T22:07:23.913+05:30Zubizarreta signs Puyol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It seems our defensive problems are over! With the transfer window
now closed Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta gave a press conference
this lunchtime alongside Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu to explain
Barça’s activity, or rather lack of it, in this summer’s market.
Zubizarreta stated that the club had tried everything to try and sign
Thiago Silva both last summer and this, but the Brazilian had preferred
PSG. Zubi then defended the decision not to incorporate another central
defender with the usual excuse of the difficulties of finding the right
player to fit the Barça system. He went on to talk about Carles Puyol,
saying “there were 24 hours to go before the transfer window closed and
yesterday Puyol went out to train. This is our signing.”<span id="more-3928"></span>
<br />
Now, nobody needs an introduction to Carles Puyol. As captain of our
best ever team he has won every cup possible at club and international
level. A blaugrana living legend. However, given his recent bad luck
with injuries it is difficult to expect the 35-year-old Puyol to play
too often or to offer the same level of performance as in previous
seasons. Zubizarreta tried to justify the decision by stating that last
season we achieved the best first half to a season ever with the same
group of defenders even though we suffered injuries. However, Zubi
failed to remember that last season we conceded 70 goals in 60 matches
in all competitions, a poor record when compared to the previous four
seasons under Pep Guardiola (2008/09: 55 goals conceded in 62 matches;
09/10: 41 goals in 59 matches; 10/11: 36 goals in 60 matches; 11/12: 48
goals in 64 matches).<br />
The current situation only goes to magnify the foolishness of the
decision not to offer Eric Abidal a new contract. With every day that
passes Abidal proves his fitness, playing regularly for Monaco and being
called up again for France. You might expect that when the decision was
taken to let Abidal go, the club would have had somebody ready to sign
as his replacement. But no, the club was thinking only of Thiago Silva
who had already turned down the chance to join Barça in 2012. As
Zubizarreta said today when talking about the Brazilian defender “not
every player gets up in the morning thinking how wonderful it would be
to play for Barça”. If Silva chose PSG over Barça in 2012 I think you
can be pretty sure it is because they offered him more money. The club
should have realised that the only way to get the player was by matching
PSG’s wages. If this didn’t agree with Barça’s wage structure, then
fine, don’t sign the player, but at least have an alternative ready
before letting a player of Abidal’s qualities go.<br />
Zubizarreta also spoke of the confidence the club has in Marc Bartrá.
Now, Bartrá is still a promising player and he may still prove to be
the answer to our defensive problems. However, last season when the
first moment came to give him a chance, Tito Vilanova preferred to play
Alex Song and then Adriano in central defence. Later in the season when
Bartrá was thrown in at the deep end against Bayern he didn’t look quite
ready for the job. The player needs playing time in some of our easier
matches to continue to develop. So far this season he is the only fit
outfield player who has still not played a minute, which also means
Piqué and Mascherano are the only players who haven’t had a minute’s
rest. At the moment it seems as though Bartrá could still face problems
if suddenly needed against tough opposition.<br />
On paper, Barça have started the season well. The first trophy of the
season is in the bag and we are top of La Liga with the maximum nine
points. However, there is a feeling that having failed to sign anybody
apart from Neymar this summer, we may have to rely more than ever for
good fortune regarding injuries if we are to challenge for the top
trophies next May.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-3787811685468380042013-09-03T12:38:00.001+05:302013-09-03T12:38:28.185+05:30Kaka return to AC Milan for free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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AC Milan have concluded talks with Real Madrid that will pave the way
for Brazilian playmaker Kaka's return to the San Siro, reports claimed
late on Sunday. <br />
Milan CEO Adriano Galliani flew in a private jet to Madrid on Sunday
morning and Sky Sport Italia later claimed the Spanish giants have
agreed a two-year deal with the Rossoneri.<br />
No firm details were given in the report, although speculation suggests
Real could release Kaka for free or allow him to go on a two-year loan.<br />
Kaka last week made a public plea to be able to leave the Spanish giants
as he looks towards cementing a place in the Brazilian national side
ahead of next year's World Cup.<br />
Coach Massimiliano Allegri on Friday praised the Brazilian's attributes and said he had "faith" a deal could be struck for Kaka.<br />
"Kaka would strengthen us. He's versatile, and his technical attributes would be a big plus to the team," said Allegri.<br />
"We still have two and a half days till the end of the transfer window and the club is working on it. I have faith."<br />
The deal is now confirmed and Kaka is now set on with free transfer to Milan.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-35957909493235192582013-09-02T22:03:00.000+05:302013-09-02T22:03:01.066+05:30Gareth Bale joins real madrid for £85m <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Real Madrid have broken the world transfer record to sign Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.
</div>
The Wales star has agreed a £300,000 per week, six-year deal after sealing an £85.3m (100m euros) move which
eclipses the £80m Real paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo
in 2009.
<br />
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<br /> "It's very important for Gareth to throw his heart and soul into this move.
<br />
"He's got it all and ability-wise he is phenomenal. The
only question is whether he's got the mental strength to cope with such
a big transfer and the spotlight that will be immense in Spain.
<br />
"But it's a fabulous opportunity for him and the important thing is he really needs to grasp it with both hands."
<br />
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"I have had six very happy years at Tottenham but it's the right time to say goodbye," said 24-year-old Bale.
</div>
"We've had some special times together and I've loved every minute of it."
<br />
Bale will have a medical and then be presented to the
Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu at 12:00 BST on Monday before speaking
at a media conference.
<br />
He added: "I am not sure there is ever a good time to
leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of
my career to date.
<br />
"I know many players talk of their desire to join the
club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream
come true.
<br />
"Tottenham will always be in my heart and I'm sure this season will be a successful one for them.
<br />
"I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid."
<br />
Bale
joined Spurs as a left-back for £10m from Southampton in 2007
and scored 26 goals last season as he was named both the
Professional Footballers' Association's and Football Writers' player of
the year.
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<div class="story-feature wide ">
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<h2>
Bale's season-by-season Premier League stats</h2>
<div class="story-feature image">
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<ul>
<li> <strong> 2012-13:
</strong>
Played 33, goals 21, assists four
</li>
<li> <strong> 2011-12:
</strong>
Played 36, goals nine, assists 10
</li>
<li> <strong> 2010-11:
</strong>
Played 30, goals seven, assists one
</li>
<li> <strong> 2009-10:
</strong>
Played 23, goals three, assists five
</li>
<li> <strong> 2008-09:
</strong>
Played 16, goals 0, assists 0
</li>
<li> <strong> 2007-08:
</strong>
Played eight, goals two, assists 0
</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div id="story_continues_3">
His representatives
told Spurs at the end of July
that he wanted to speak to the Spanish giants.
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Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's claim at the start
of August that they were "in talks to find a solution" to the transfer
angered Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, but the clubs have now
reached a settlement.
<br />
After his side's 1-0 loss to Arsenal,
Villas-Boas said: "Bale is a wonderful player. He is going to join Real Madrid so we wish him all the best.
<br />
"He left us with some great memories from last season."
<br />
Bale, who becomes Real Madrid's fifth signing of the
summer, paid tribute to both Southampton and Tottenham for developing
his career.
<br />
He said: "I am well aware I would not be at the level I
am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by
me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment
and support they have.
<br />
"I would like to thank everyone at the club; the
chairman, board, staff, coaches and players, and, most of all, the
fantastic fans who I hope will understand this amazing career
opportunity."
<br />
Spurs have been busy in this transfer window, signing seven players for a total outlay approaching £105m.
<br />
<div class="story-feature wide ">
<div class="pull-out">
<h2>
Tottenham's summer signings</h2>
<ul>
<li> Argentina forward
<strong> Erik Lamela
</strong>
(Roma, £25.7m, pictured)
</li>
<li> Brazil midfielder
<strong> Paulinho
</strong>
(Corinthians, £17m)
</li>
<li> Spain striker
<strong> Roberto Soldado
</strong>
(Valencia, £26m)
</li>
<li> Belgium winger
<strong> Nacer Chadli
</strong>
(FC Twente, £7m)
</li>
<li> France defensive midfielder
<strong> Etienne Capoue
</strong>
(Toulouse, £9m)
</li>
<li> Romania centre-back
<strong> Vlad Chiriches
</strong>
(Steaua Bucharest, £8.5m)
</li>
<li> Denmark midfielder
<strong> Christian Eriksen
</strong>
(Ajax, £11.5m)
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div id="story_continues_4">
Brazil midfielder Paulinho has
arrived from Corinthians for around £17m; forward Roberto Soldado has
signed from Valencia for £26m, and
Roma playmaker Erik Lamela
has joined for a reported £25.7m.
</div>
Their other summer arrivals are
Nacer Chadli
from FC Twente for £7m,
Etienne Capoue
for £9m from Toulouse, Romania centre-back
Vlad Chiriches
from Steaua Bucharest for £8.5m, and Ajax's 21-year-old Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen for £11.5m.
<br />
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy admitted he did not expect to have to plan for the season without Bale.
<br />
"Gareth was a player we had absolutely no intention of selling as we look to build for the future," said Levy.
<br />
"He is a player whose career we have fostered and developed and he was only a year into his new four-year contract.
<br />
"Such has been the attention from Real Madrid, and so
great is Gareth's desire to join them, we have taken the view that the
player will not be sufficiently committed to our campaign in the current
season.
<br />
"We have, therefore, with great reluctance, agreed to
this sale and do so in the knowledge that we have an exceptionally
strong squad to which we have added no fewer than seven top
internationals.
<br />
"More importantly, we have an immense team spirit and a dressing room that is hungry for success."
<br />
Bale's sale could now trigger a series of deals
involving other Premier League clubs before the transfer window closes
at 23:00 BST on Monday.
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1984430844382887630.post-5422130879991364122013-09-02T13:26:00.000+05:302013-09-02T13:26:30.080+05:30Match Report and highlights: Valencia 2 FC Barcelona 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8xZRpnPDbw/UiREchOSvHI/AAAAAAAAC6s/Fu2djskmnw4/s1600/Messi-Valencia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8xZRpnPDbw/UiREchOSvHI/AAAAAAAAC6s/Fu2djskmnw4/s1600/Messi-Valencia.jpg" /></a></div>
<h2 class="entry-title">
</h2>
A
first-half Leo Messi hat-trick proved enough to earn Barça a nervous
victory over Valencia at Mestalla tonight. Messi’s goals gave Barça a
commanding 0-3 lead in a brilliant opening 41 minutes from Barça but two
late first-half strikes from Helder Postiga put Valencia back in the
game. After the explosive end to the first half neither side could find
the net in the second period. There were chances for both sides with the
closest attempt coming in the 86th minute when Victor Valdés got his
fingertips to Jonas Gonçalves’s shot before the ball bounced out off the
post.<span id="more-3919"></span><br />
With Xavi and Alexis rested, Tata Martino made the logical decision
to bring Pedro back on the right wing while restoring Iniesta to
midfield to form a trio with Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas. There
had been interest to see whether Iniesta or Fabregas would play the Xavi
role of organising the team and from the kick off it seemed clear that
Iniesta was in his normal position on the left of midfield with Fabregas
on the right. However, Iniesta played a more reserved game which
allowed Fabregas to excel in a varied role, dropping back sometimes but
more often surging forward to support Messi through the middle while
also impressing with an array of passes.<br />
Both
teams played a high pressing game from the start but there was little
penetration until the 8th minute when Messi fired wide after Fabregas
slipped a pass into the area. After this, for a splendid twenty-minute
spell, Barça began to find space behind Valencia’s high defence with
remarkable regularity. Iniesta sent Neymar haring for goal but after
entering the penalty area the Brazilian tried to turn only to find the
Valencia defence closing him down. Thirty seconds later and Messi played
a superb pass through to Neymar who this time managed to shoot past
Diego Alves only to have the goal disallowed for offside. The replay
suggested that Guardado had played Neymar onside but in less than a
minute Barça had the ball in the net and this time it counted. Busquets
found Fabregas who threaded a ball through for Messi to chase, Diego
Alves came running out of his goal but Messi resisted the goalkeeper’s
challenge, sprinting on to beat Ricardo Costa to the ball and force it
over the line.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SMf4WykCe1w?feature=player_detailpage" width="560"></iframe>
A familiar pattern followed of Barça pinning an opponent back in its
own half. Neymar curled one wide after Messi’s neat pass and Iniesta
drove over from 25 yards. The nervousness in the Valencia defence was
demonstrated by Diego Alves sending a loose pass towards Iniesta who was
just impeded from shooting by an excellent intervention from Michel
Herrera. Then in the 27th minute Messi set Fabregas up with a shooting
chance and Diego Alves had to be alert to save the awkward bouncing
sidefooter from 25 yards.<br />
Valencia had hardly been seen in attack until Pabon fired in a
30-yarder from the left that went straight at Valdés in the 31st minute,
then three minutes later Pabon shot again from a bit closer but the
effort lacked power and Valdés dived comfortably to gather. There was
nothing easy about Valdés’s next save, Ever Banega found Pabon inside
the area and the Barça keeper sprang magnificently to his left to parry
the Columbian striker’s shot.<br />
The
game had been intense and entertaining up until this point but the
final minutes of the first half were breathtaking. In the 39th minute
Busquets robbed Canales midway inside the Valencia half, knocking the
ball on to Fabregas who played Messi into the right of the area to beat
Diego Alves with a right-footed finish into the far corner. Messi
completed his hat-trick two minutes later and Fabregas was again
involved. Messi started the move, finding the ex-Arsenal man in the
inside left position, Fabregas then sent Neymar into the left of the
area and the Brazilian slipped a neat pass through to Messi who had
continued his run through the middle to steer the ball low past Diego
Alves from eight yards.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px4v-C2l024/UiRECGhzM8I/AAAAAAAAC6k/qposM6T6DwY/s1600/hi-res-178290013_crop_exact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px4v-C2l024/UiRECGhzM8I/AAAAAAAAC6k/qposM6T6DwY/s640/hi-res-178290013_crop_exact.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Three-nil up and Barça should have been home and dry. Things started
to go awry in the 44th minute when Pedro underhit a back-pass to Valdés,
allowing Postiga a chance which Valdés managed to deflect out for a
corner. A minute later the ball came out to João Pereira on the right,
Neymar didn’t drop back to cover, allowing Pereira the chance to cross
to the near post where Postiga met the ball with hooked shot that flew
past Valdés just inside the near post.<br />
The game then entered first half injury time which had been signalled
to be just one minute. Inexplicably the referee, Jose Antonio Teixeira
Vitienes, allowed play to run on for more than two minutes in which time
first Valdés had to tip over from Banega’s 20-yard drive, then from the
resulting corner Postiga rose above Alves and Iniesta at the near post
to power a header across Valdés inside the far post. Two-three, and
finally Teixeira Vitienes blew for half time.<br />
<a href="http://barcacentral.com/2013/09/02/match-report-valencia-2-fc-barcelona-3/valencia-2-3-barcelona-cesc-fabregas-2013/" rel="attachment wp-att-3923"></a>Both
sides began the second half more cautiously but as Valencia gradually
pushed further forward the chances started coming at both ends. Guardado
had Valencia’s first attempt after the break, blasting wide after
Pabon’s assist, then soon after, Messi let fly from 25 yards, forcing
Diego Alves to tip the ball over. Then in the 64th minute, Iniesta, who
had a relatively quiet game, delivered a fine cross from the left but
Pedro misplaced his header from eight yards. Pedro’s misfortune
continued a couple of minutes later when he hesitated after Messi’s
chested pass and missed a possible shooting opportunity. Valencia’s
coach Miroslav Djukic reacted by bringing on Feghouli and Jonas, and
soon after Martino sent on Tello in Pedro’s place.<br />
As the game neared its end the tension mounted with the Mestalla
public trying to roar their team on to an equalizer. One very good
Valencia build-up in the 79th minute led to Jonas firing a shot that was
deflected for a corner. Then from the resulting kick Ricardo Costa
headed over the Barça crossbar.<br />
Martino brought on Johnathan dos Santos in place of the tiring
Fabregas, a signal to the critics that the Barça coach has faith in his
youngsters to perform in important moments. Fabregas wasn’t the only one
showing signs of fatigue as the heat and humidity took effect which led
to the game remaining open to the end. In the 83rd minute Messi came
agonizingly close to his fourth goal, his shot grazing the post after a
splendid flick from Neymar and a quick exchange of passes with Alba. A
minute later Neymar headed the ball into Messi’s path but the
Argentinian couldn’t force the ball past Diego Alves.<br />
Then came the heart-stopping moment for Barça fans, Piqué failed to
make a good clearance, sending the ball to Jonas who turned Piqué and
Mascherano this way and that before cracking in a low shot that Valdés
just managed to touch with the tips of his fingers and the ball bounced
out off the base of the post.<br />
There was still time for a double chance for Alba and Messi but Diego
Alves completed a fine game by stopping both efforts. Both goalkeepers,
despite the goals conceded, had very good game which should help to
demonstrate the quality of the entertainment. In one final push from
Valencia Valdés first gathered Feghouli’s weak header, then in the final
action of the game the Barça keeper punched clear a Valencia corner.
Nine points out of nine for Martino’s Barça but the pressure is on with
Atlético, Villarreal and Madrid all winning their first three games too.<br />
Valencia: Diego Alves; João Pereira, Rami, Ricardo Costa, Guardado;
Michel Herrera (Dani Parejo m82), Javi Fuego; Pabón, Banega (Feghouli
m68), Canales (Jonas m68); Postiga.<br />
Barça: Valdés 8; Dani Alves 6.5, Piqué 6, Mascherano 7, Alba 6.5;
Fabregas 9 (Dos Santos m80, 6.5), Busquets 8, Iniesta 7; Pedro 6 (Tello
m72, 6.5), Messi 8.5, Neymar 7 (Sergi Roberto m91, –).<br />
Goals: m11 Messi 0-1, m39 Messi 0-2, m41 Messi, m45 Postiga 1-3, m45+3 Postiga 2-3.<br />
Yellow cards: m17 Pereira, m29 Alba, m65 Dani Alves, m74 Neymar.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com