Barcelona Pre-Season 2008 - TalkSoccer

**Pat Murphy** · 21-05-2008, 11:01 AM

Barça In Scotland For Pre-Season

Quote:

Barcelona have confirmed that their pre-season will begin in Scotland for the second consecutive year...

The Catalan club will travel to the Scottish town of Saint Andrews on July 21 and stay for five days later before returning to Barcelona on July 26.

The team will begin pre-season training a week before their trip, combining training sessions with physical tests and medical revisions for the available players.

During their stay in Scotland, Barca will play two friendlies with local clubs. On July 24, they will play Hibernian at the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, before facing Dundee United two days later at the Tannadice Park.

It is understood the Blaugrana wanted to play some friendly games in North America, but the club's plans had to be altered as they will have to play in the Champions League qualifying round.

Nonetheless, Barça have confirmed on their official website that more pre-season matches will be confirmed shortly.

Luis Mira

Goal.com - Barcelona - Barça In Scotland For Pre-Season

Also on Monday 26th May Barcelona have a money spinning friendly against Al Ittihad. Eto'o was injured in a similar friendly last year.

**lionel** · 23-05-2008, 07:01 PM

which players are going to be in the ittihad match in saudia? most players are on national duties. (i.e. only 6 players were present in the last training of frank rijkaard yesterday)

**Pat Murphy** · 24-05-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lionel

which players are going to be in the ittihad match in saudia? most players are on national duties. (i.e. only 6 players were present in the last training of frank rijkaard yesterday)

The Al Ittihad match has been cancelled for the moment because who wants to see Al Ittihad play 5-6 players?

Very bad planning by the board, they should have seen the upcoming internationals coming and so should have known they'll have no stars left.

The match has been rescheduled for "next season". I'm not sure if this is in a years time or in August.

**Pat Murphy** · 02-06-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Barcelona Going Stateside Again

Barcelona will prepare for their Champions League qualifiers by playing two games in the United States after signing a strategic agreement with the MLS.

After jetting out on July 31, Pep Guardiola's team will meet Guadalajara in Chicago before travelling to New York, where they will take on the Red Bulls.

The Blaugrana's pre-season plans were disrupted when the team finished third in the league meaning that they have to play a two-legged tie to reach the Champions League group stage.

Barça's agreement with the MLS means that they are obliged to play six matches in the next five years in the States in exchange for the club's name to be used in marketing across the country.

On August 3, Guadalajara will be the opponents at Soldier Field and three days later the Red Bulls will be the hosts at Giants' Stadium and both games will kick off at 7pm local time, 1am CET.

Two year ago, Barcelona played three matches in the United States and saw and average of over 80,000 attend the games against Guadalajara, Club América and the Red Bulls.

After the two games, the squad will fly back to the Ciutat Contal to begin preparations for their first Champions League game a week later.

Boca Juniors are due to visit Camp Nou for the annual Trofeo Joan Gamper match at the end of August, but not official date has yet been announced for that encounter.

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

Good that we have time to prepare for the CL qualifying rounds. Hopefully we don't get anyone too hard.

**lionel** · 06-06-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Joan Gamper Trophy: Barça v Boca on August 16

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The Joan Gamper Trophy now has a date and opponent. On August 16, Barcelona will face Boca Juniors, the second time they have played in the traditional season opener at the Camp Nou.

The Argentinian club was here last in the summer of 2003, the day Frank Rijkaard made his debut as manager. Now, five years later, Josep Guardiola meets the Argentine outfit in his opening match at the Camp Nou, in what promises a terrific footballing feast.

After Champions League

But Barça will have already played an official match by that time, for the Tuesday or Wednesday before they will have played the away leg of their Champions League qualifier against a rival yet to be determined.

A familiar foe

Boca Juniors include several players the Camp Nou knows only too well, including former player Juan Román Riquelme, who returned to Buenos Aires in 2007/08 from Vila-real. His strike partner also spent time in the Spanish league, Martín Palermo, as did Palacio, Ibarra and goalkeeper Battaglia.

5th appearance

Apart from 2003, when Barça won on penalties, Boca Juniors have played three other Joan Gampers. They were in 1967/68, 1977/78 and 1984/85 and on none of those occasions did they lift the trophy. August 16th gives them a fourth opportunity. The club that has played the most Gamper Trophies is PSV Eindhoven (6).

Last Gamper in mourning

The last Gamper was a match in mourning following the deaths of Antonio Puerta and Nicolau Casaus, so it was not the usual happy festival, although Barça won the match in astounding fashion, 5-0 against Inter Milan in front of a capacity crowd.

The opponents for the Joan Gamper Trophy was announced: BOCA JUNIORS!!

the match will be at the camp-nou on the 16th of August, between the 2 legs of the CL qualifying matches.

any better match is unthinkable!

**Pat Murphy** · 06-06-2008, 02:29 PM

Yeah Boca - Barca will be an awesome matchup and a return to the Camp Nou for Roman.

Also we've got a friendly against Fiorentina at the end of July. Our July lines up like this.....

Thursday, 24 Jul (20:45)
Hibernian FC-FCB. Friendly.

Saturday, 26 Jul (17:00)
Dundee United-FCB. Friendly.

Wednesday, 30 Jul (hour to confirm)
Fiorentina-FCB. Friendly.

**Pat Murphy** · 13-06-2008, 07:36 AM

FCBarcelona.cat

Here's a link to all the pre-season games. It will be...

Thursday, 24 Jul (20:45)
Hibernian FC-FCB. Friendly.

Saturday, 26 Jul (17:00)
Dundee United-FCB. Friendly.

Wednesday, 30 Jul (hour to confirm)
Fiorentina-FCB. Friendly.

Sunday, 3 Aug (hour to confirm)
CD Guadalajara-FCB. Friendly.

Wednesday, 6 Aug??? (hour to confirm)
New York Red Bulls-FCB. Friendly.

Saturday, 16 Aug (hour to confirm)
FCB-Boca Juniors. Gamper Trophy.

**Pat Murphy** · 13-07-2008, 08:22 AM

Barça To Begin Work On Sunday

Quote:

Barcelona's pre-season is set to begin on Monday, at least on the field...

Barcelona's pre-season officially starts on Monday, at least on paper, as the club's situation has been the subject of intense speculation for several weeks following a vote of no confidence that led to the resignation of a total of eight members of Joan Laporta's board of directors.

Oblivious to the club's situation appears to be the new coach, Josep Guardiola, who will have this season his first big test after guiding the Barcelona B squad to Segunda División B last season.

The former Barcelona champion has been deeply involved in the squad construction and only enjoyed a few days of holidays. Txiki Begiristain recently commented on Guardiola's devotion, stressing he had never seen such an enthusiastic and commited coach before.

Guardiola has already had meetings with some of the squad's names, such as Puyol, Milito and Henry, and has used the official presentation of the new players to explain what he expects from them.

During the last months, Guardiola and his assistants have been watching dozens of video tapes to analyze and clarify the details each player need to work on.

However, Guardiola does not have everything planned as he is still waiting for more reinforcements. The future of Ronaldinho and Eto'o is still uncertain, and Barcelona are on the market for a new striker and a midfielder.

The Catalan club will also miss Lionel Messi, who will be representing Argentina at the Olympic Games, during part of the pre-season.

Luís Mira - Goal.com

**lionel** · 26-07-2008, 10:04 AM

Hibernian FC 0-6 FC Barcelona
0-1, Gudjohnsen (min 5)
0-2, Messi (min 15)
0-3, Gudjohnsen (min 18)
0-4, Pedro (min 28)
0-5, Bojan (min 49)
0-6, Touré Yaya (min 67)

highlits: 101 Great Goals: Hibernian 0 - Barcelona 6

fantastic performance and a perfect start for guardiola's new team.
guardiola started with 5 barcelona atletic players plus messi, henry, gudy, marquez, valdez, PIQUE and DANIEL ALVEZ. and during the second half he subbed most of the players and 2 more youngsters came in along with the debutants: Martin Caceres, Keita and Hleb!

guardiola used a 4-2-1-2-1 (4-3-3 with 2 midfielders behind and 1 in front of them behind the attack) formation in comparison to rijkaards 4-1-2-2-1...

barcelona played great football he whole match and especially in the first half when messi and dani alvez were combining together on the right side... it was exactly like I was dreaming it would be

the best example for it is the 3rd goal:

TalkSoccer Media Player

Leo Messi was wearing the number 10 shirt, being the clear leader of the team and he looked like one class above all other players on the field. towards the end of the first half he felt some pain and was holding his foot so he was subbed in HT, but it wasn't serious. Messi scored the 2nd goal, a typical messi goal (video below), assisted pedrito's goal and was involved in the 3rd goal... besides, he scored a legal goal that was cancelled and created tens of chances in the first half (which is when he played).

TalkSoccer Media Player

in the second half bojan came in and scored 2 minutes after, but the player wo assisted the goal was the big thing for me: Jeffren Suarez, the venezuellan who plays for barcelona since the age of 12 (and who will apparently play for spain nt), showed top class skill with his electrifying runs on the right wing... I ad a dejavu from last season when giovanni dos santos was so impressive on that same spot, but jeffren looked even better... jeffren assisted both goals of the second half.

all the new players looked great but specially - dani alvez - who was involved in every attack and gave messi the freedom to go with the ball to the center..

I want to mention also that samuel eto'o went in the 66th minute and was the captain

he looked very hungry to score but he didn't...

I'm looking forward to barca's game tonight against hearts (xavi, puyol and iinesta will play)

**Pat Murphy** · 26-07-2008, 01:26 PM

Thanks for the info. I didn't get to see this game.

Hopefully I can see tonight's game against Dundee, I just need to find somewhere that shows it. Maybe Barca TV Online.

**lionel** · 26-07-2008, 04:18 PM

Great goal by messi!!!

55' Dundee 1-2 Barcelona

(Henry scored the first for barcelona)

**lionel** · 26-07-2008, 04:39 PM

what a goal!! what a goal of MESSI!!!!!

GOLAZO!!

75' Dundee 1 - 4 Barcelona

HAHAHAHHAHA another goal!!!!!! Messi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wowowowowoww... maradona goal.

79' Dundee 1 - 5 Barcelona
(eto'o scored the 3rd)

**lionel** · 26-07-2008, 05:08 PM

FT: Dundee United 1 - 5 FC Barcelona
26' Bauben
27' ............................. Henry
51' ............................. Messi
60' ............................. Eto'o
75' ............................. Messi
78' ............................. Messi

I think this is worrying for guardiola: barcelona with messi is a stunning team of football, but you won't have messi available for all of the matches this season; and without messi barca do not look good.

Hleb was the only player not to get playtime in this match and caceres was the only one to play full 90 minutes.

the amazing messi-alves partership was remarkable again in this match even though it didn't last for more than 20 minutes. mouthwatering.
Jeffren showed his skill once more and his inconsistency aswell, but I hope he makes it to the first team.

Caceres was excellent.

jlae11 · 04-08-2008, 05:08 AM

i watched the match vs. chivas tonight...

henry looked well off the pace to be honest... he seemed to be the only player NOT in rhythm with the rest of the squad. seemed a step slow with his passing and decision making

i thought pedro ledezma (i think thats his name) looked quite dangerous... 21 yrs old, looked fluid with the team. is he going to get time this season?