Barcelona News Thread

[Magical20]

Barca travel to a stadium full of positive vibes this evening. The last time the club visited the Ciudad de Valencia Stadium they came home with the league title.

The Ciudad de Valencia stadium brings back fond memories for FC Barcelona. In the 2004-05 season the club were crowned champions following a 1-1 draw against Levante. On the 36th weekend of the season, Barca were six points clear of Real Madrid and needed a point to secure the title.

Joy and tears

Eto'o's strike in the 60th minute brought the first trophy of the Frank Rijkaard era, ending a six year barren spell for the club. For Levante it wasn't such a great moment as they failed to avoid the drop that season, being relegated alongside Albacete and Numancia.

Wobbly form

Having returned to the top flight, Levante lie in 15th place with 13 points, five points clear of the drop zone. They have picked up three wins, four draws and five defeats, scoring 10 goals and conceding 17. At home the Valencian side have bagged seven of a possible 18 points.

The home team's form has been erratic this season. Having started poorly with two heavy defeats, 4-0 and 4-1 to Sevilla and Real Madrid respectively, Juan Ramón López Caro restored pride with wins over Recreativo and Deportivo. Since then they have drawn against Zaragoza and Villarreal and lost to fellow strugglers Mallorca and Betis.

[Magical20]

A beautiful free-kick from Deco in the first half wasn't enough to claim all three points as a persistent Levante equalised after the break. 1-1 the final score and now Barca must focus on Werder Bremen.

A mercurial strike from FC Barcelona's Portuguese midfielder Deco put the visitors ahead in a first half they completely dominated. The second half was a different story as Levante pushed forward and created many more goal scoring opportunities - only to squander them. The home side's perseverance was finally rewarded in the 76th minute when Valdés Álvaro scrambled the loose ball home. Barca must now regroup and concentrate all their energies on next Tuesday's massive tie against Bremen.

Early dominance

Frank Rijkaard's side started the brightest, controlling possession and the pace of the game, waiting for a very defensive Levante to open up. Deco, who had started in the centre, swapped places with Andres Iniesta to take up the left side of the park where the absent Ronaldinho normally plays. The switch led to the first chance in the 12th minute, with Deco feeding Guily, only for the Frenchman to blaze over from a tight angle.

Broken play

Barca continued to press, especially down the left where Sylvinho was creating real danger with his overlapping runs. It was one such run from the Brazilian fullback that led to the next chance which again fell to Guily but his weak effort was safely gathered by veteran keeper Molina in the Levante goal. Deco then shot high after a neat layoff by Gudjohnsen but there were few chances in a game littered with niggly fouls by the home team.

Valdés spares the blushes

With Levante eager to break up Barca's flow whenever and however possible, chances were few and far between and it was the home side that carved out a couple of glimpses of goal in the next ten minutes. A combination of Riga and Nino's profligacy and smart work by Victor Valdés in the Barca goal denied the home side the lead.

Pick it out

Deco and Iniesta continued to switch roles and a foul on the former just outside the area led to the opener in the 40th minute. The same player picked himself up and curled an absolute peach past a surprised Molina and in off the left post. 1-0 at half-time.

Pressure

Nine minutes into the second half, FC Barcelona had a chance to finish the game off. A marvellous team move including Iniesta, Deco, Xavi and Giuly culminated in a chance in the six yard box for Guily but he chose to square to Iniesta when he probably should have been more selfish and gone for goal himself. The chance was a rare sighting of goal for Barca in the second half as Levante upped the pace and created four excellent goalscoring opportunities. First Thuram blocked a Riga shot then Courtois tested Valdes reflexes. Then in the 62nd and 64th minute the Catalan keeper had to be at the peak of his game to deny Riga and Nino a deserved equaliser.

Cheeky chip from Ezquerro

Santi Ezquerro came on for Guily halfway through the second half and almost his first touch of the ball was a beautiful chip from 20 yards that a back-pedalling Molina could only tip onto the post and watch as it rebounded to safety. Ezquerro moved into the left wing role, Iniesta switched to the right with a subdued Gudjohnsen playing down the middle. Oleguer also came on for Deco.

At last

Two minutes after the Deco substitution, the impressive Levante sub Ettien forced a free-kick on the right following a foul by Carles Puyol that earned the skipper a yellow card. Kapo, who had replaced Riga, drove the ball in and Valdes could only away with the ball falling to Alexis whose blocked shot ended up at the feet of Álvaro who scrambled the equaliser.

Barca were rocked by the 1-1 scoreline and fought hard to find a winner. Ezquerro shot from range and Xavi couldn't find the end to a mazy run and in the end the game finished with honours even. FC Barcelona stay top ahead of Sunday's games.

[Magical20]

waahaha yeah.. :P same thing..but WE'RE NOT BUYING.. where did you get that pibe?! even eurosport has been saying it looks like we're not buying.. fcbarcelona.com has said it DOZENS of times..

did you get it from el mundo ?!

[Magical20]

The players were disappointed to have let the three points slip against Levante but were adamant that this minor set-back would not effect morale ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash. "We feel prepared enough to win" confirmed Xavi.

Now is the time to think about the Werder Bremen game, a must-win game if the champions of Europe are to stay in this season's competition and qualify for the quarter-finals. The players are pleased to have arrived a this point. "Now we can just think about Tuesday's game" commented Sylvinho.

Here are the players thoughts after the Levante game:

Xavi Hernández:

"We played really well in the first half but we didn't kill it off. In the second, they pressured us more and it was more difficult. We leave with a bad taste in the mouth because we were in control and it's slipped out of our hands."

"Levante are a very physical team. Ettien did us lots of damage."

"Today we were missing lots of players that normally play. Also when Deco went off we felt the difference".

"We feel prepared enough to win on Tuesday."

Sylvinho:

"It was difficult. They are a rival who play good football, quite physical and aggressive. The pitch wasn't very good either. It was a good game but it's a shame it got away from us."

"We carry on foward. The team is on a high. Now we can just think about Tuesday's game that is so important to the club."

Deco:

"We played well but it was a difficult pitch. They played at the boundary of aggression, pressured a lot and we couldn't kill it off. In the second half they started to play more directly and it was more complicated".

"When I score it is for the team."

Santi Ezquerro:

"The feeling we had was that we could have killed off the game at any point with a second goal. We had chances but couldn't take them."

On his chip: "Molina pulled off a fine save and the post was there to help him."

[Magical20]

After the 1-1 draw at the Ciudad de Valencia Stadium in which Barca had taken the lead, Frank Rijkaard wanted to make it clear the players didn't ease off: "We didn't presume we'd won at any stage".

Despite recognising that "it wasn't a brilliant game" the Barca manager emphasised the work effort of his players: "they had to keep fighting until the last minute in a difficult place to come to. This type of game is one that you know will be difficult in advance and you can't resolve with goals. You have to suffer until the end."

Deco substitution

Asked why he subbed Deco, the Dutchman hinted he had one eye on Tuesday's Werder Bremen game: "Deco is a very important man for us but we have to think about other things".

Levante's style

"They pressured us really well, with energy and application, especially in the second half. We lost some balls and at times we lacked depth."

The goal
The Dutchman finished off by praising a "great goal" but lamented the fact that it "wasn't enough" to take three points back to Barcelona.

[Magical20]

The Mexican defender took part in a full training session on Sunday, joining the rest of the players in a typical post-game workout.

Rafa Marquez should be given the medical all clear soon. If he suffers no reaction to today's run out then he will be passed 100% fit on Monday and will be available to Frank Rijkaard for Tuesday's match.

The Mexican defender suffered a knock to his right ankle in the Champions League tie against Levski Sofia and missed two games against Villarreal and Levante.

Split sessions

Marquez's teammates went through different training plans depending on whether they had played recently. Four of the players that took part in the game against Valencia were in the gym: Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Giuly and Deco. Five more players who began the game against Levante - Valdés, Puyol, Edmílson, Thuram and Sylvinho - performed a light training session at La Masia.

Iniesta and Belletti, the remaining players in action over the weekend, stayed out training longer than the rest whilst the rest of the squad went through a normal full training session.

Monday's plan
On Monday afternoon, FC Barcelona will train at 17:00 local time. It will be the final training session before the big match against Bremen. Before training Rijkaard and Ronaldinho will face the media at the press conference. Barca's opponents will train at 19:00 local time.

[Magical20]

The Brazilian midfielder is already focused on the Champions League match against Werder Bremen. "We have the squad and the game to get into the quarter-finals. It will be important not to let a goal in".

Following Saturday's draw with Levante, the Barca squad is 100% concentrated on the upcoming Bremen game. It is a do or die, must-win game but Edmilson feels the side is ready: "We have everything in place to win on Tuesday".

Honest assessment

The Barca star assured all that "the team wasn't thinking about Werder Bremen" but admitted "in the second half we played really badly. We tried to keep the result but in a dead ball situation they scored a goal. It's a draw in a difficult place but it's true we didnt play well in the second half".

The big match

Edmilson went on to analyze Thomas Schnaafs side: "They are a strong side defensively, they play well on the counter and are dangerous in the air. They are better than last year and we have to be at 100%. It would be a failure to go out at this stage because we have the squad and the game to get into the quarter-finals. It would be a massive disappointment".

Ronaldinho motivated

Barca's number 10 didn't play against Levante in preparation for the Bremen game. Edmilson believes his compatriot "is preparing for a great game". In fact the whole squad is convinced they will see the best of the Brazilian on Tuesday.

[Super Pibe #7]

Among other teams, after his father decided to film his kid (Juan David) and post it in the youtube, he received dozens of calls of agents from all around the world, Barcelona as the biggest name.

Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, he started to impress when he was only 3 years old, but not for his fluent speaking at such younger age like most of other kids, but because he was a football prodigy, like his father had never seen before.

His father, Alcides, when Juan David was 3yo gave an interview to a colombian newspaper: "It was wonderful, he was only 3yo, and was already showing something different comparing to the other kids. Great control, Garricha's dribble, and a powerful left footed shot which was also accurate.

Now 5yo and 1,07 tall, Juanda(his nickname) was selected as best player of an annual tournament in his local town, playing in the 8 years old kids competition.

His father says " Juanda, everyday create some new kind of plays, shots, dribbles...plays with the seriousness of a teenager and with the responsability of someone alot older than him, although he knows it's only a game"

Actually, Barcelona wants to assure the rights of the kid in their youth schools, and if everything goes quickly enough the deal will be confirmed in the upcoming days, unless some other giant joins the race for the "Colombian Giant!

Check the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOYL0C1OECE&eurl=

the kid is amazing but anything can happen between now and the age of 20.Pretty disguisiting what we are doing he will end up hating the game if he cant do anything else apart from football.

Remember that 12 year old argentine kid barcelona and other clubs were chasing.He is lost now and just because he left argentina at a young age.

[Super Pibe #7]

Got it from elmundodeportivo and we have enough eu places marquez has got an passport and ronaldinho will be getting his soon.

Btw every club has debts but we are still doing pretty well since we have good links with la caixa who give us alot of loans and they sponsor us.

Jaime thats why i just put carvalho

[kyan]

wow that kid is unbelievable for a 5 year old

but a professional club of any size shouldnt be trying to sign a 5 yo, thats ridiculous. maybe they could like be guaranteed he'll join their club when hes 16 or something but for a 5 year old to start training every day would be a joke.

the kid also takes a lot of kicks from bigger kids so thats something theyd have to be careful with too...

[Magical20]

i saw that vid on this forum yeah.. would be great if we'd have him ! whaha lol

but please pibe the new rule was to post the source too when you came with someting so PLEASE where did you get that from? coz everyone knows barça's linked to every single thing happening in the football world.

[Magical20]

that says it all..we all know el mundo is CRAP and biased as hell.. 8-) please.. im opening a rumour thread right now ..would you be so kind to post the el mundo stuff in there from now on ? thank you

[azzurri]

how big are the debts?

[Magical20]

Originally Posted by azzurri

how big are the debts?

dunnow to be honest..but i heard it was pretty bigg..coz we had to loan a lot a few years ago and stuff..there's a whole cruiffista plan or something.. joan laporta is helping us pretty good i heard.mayb pibe knows it?!

[Super Pibe #7]

Wow elmundodeportivo is a great newspaper.AS is the one full of crap.

I cant always get sources for these things its stuff i hear or just come across

how big are the debts?

Well the debts currently are around 60-70m.But before laporta took over gaspart threw money apart for fun i think it was around more than 200m.