SBNation.com User Blog: SamCooper

Will Neymar succeed at Barcelona?

SamCooper — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:43:57 -0000

The range of expectations for Neymar is hugely varied. Some think he has the potential to become better then Messi while others think he is a glorified YouTube trickster. If you have watched Neymar play recently it is clear he is a step above his club teammates and looks ready to take the next step in the footballing ladder and move to a European club.

Currently the destination is till unknown with different rumours circulating every week such as Barça paying €25 million and Real Madrid offering him a €10 million a year contract, putting him in the same bracket as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. But for the purpose of this article let's presume he will switch to the newly-crowned Spanish champions and analyse where he will fit into this team.

We will start with looking at the player's history. Neymar joined Santos' youth team in 2003 before making the switch to the first team in 2009 and the young age of 17. His debut came against Oeste on the 7th of March 2009 and a week later the Brazilian scored his first goal for the senior side. Neymar went on to finish the season with a respectable tally of 14 goals in 48 games.

The 2010 season opened with Neymar's five goals in the 8-1 thrashing of Guarani and was enough to get the attentions of some European clubs. West Ham United reportedly had a £12 million bid rejected while Chelsea also had a bid turned down, rumoured to be near £20 million. The season also marked the start of Neymar's marketability rise as Santos sold 5% of all future transfer fees to Terceira Estrela Investimentos S.A.

Neymar has now completed five seasons at the Brazilian club with his father stating Neymar plans to move to Europe after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Although many Brazilian fans are eager for Neymar to gain European experience before the finals in the hope it will enhance his playing ability and give Brazil the best chance of winning the World Cup on home soil.

At only 21, Neymar has already earned 32 caps for the international side and scored 20 goals in the progress. While also earning a number of individual trophies including multiple Best Forward of Campeonato Paulista and a FIFA Puskás Award

One aspect that Neymar is currently better at Messi is his marketability. Neymar is the world's most marketable athlete and pipped the Argentine to first place. The list compiled by SoccerPro magazine ranked Messi second with Cristiano Ronaldo the only other footballer to rank in the top ten.

Neymar's preferred position is as a second striker but at Barça it is likely he will play one either wing most likely the left side of which is the most comfortable. Santos' allow Neymar to float while it is likely that at Barça he will will have to show more positional strictness as to not get in the way of Messi. It can be noted in the way David Villa plays, playing predominately playing on the wing and dropping into the centre when Messi is occupying the midfield.

Neymar will also have to be very defensively disciplined much more so then he is at Santos. WIth the attack-minded Jordi Alba playing behind Neymar, the Brazilian will have to limit his attacks. A reoccurring theme of the 2012-13 season was Barça's weakness to counterattacks and Vilanova can't afford to be brining in players who will weaken his defence, even if they are potentially one of the best players of the planet.

Work ethic will also be a huge factor in Neymar's success. Barcelona is renowned for having a incredibly high team work ethic, this in theory ensures a player always has at least two other plays to pass to and the team attacks and defends as a unit. Neymar will need to rise to this level to make sure he isn't left out of the majority of plays. I've already mentioned his need to cover Alba but he will also need to ensure he is using his space effectively and not getting in the way of other players such as Messi, Iniesta or Xavi. Finding the right balance between attacking, defending and using space effectively all must be learned by Neymar if he is to succeed at Barcelona.

Another aspect for Neymar is he must accept not being the star of the club. Messi is firmly the superstar of the club and he remains grounded as do the rest of the team, if not they are quickly shown the door. Examples including Ibrahimović and Ronaldinho. Going from the posterboy of Brazil to a member of a team will be a tough step for Neymar and it will be interesting to see how he handles the transition.

Dani Alves will be able to mentor the starlet on how to curb your ego while club captain Xavi, Puyol and Iniesta will ensure he knows the values of the club and make sure he always puts the club first. I am unsure if Neymar will be a success at Barcelona if he does move or whether he will become an expensive mistake for the Catalans. Either way it will be fascinating to see the most hyped player of all time finally make his move.

Poll

Do you think Neymar will succeed at Barcelona?

A Look at Bayern Munich

SamCooper — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:48:21 -0000

In their domestic league, the German side made history as they wrapped up the German league in record time leaving six games to spare and a 20 point difference between their nearest rivals Borussia Dortmund. Jurgen Klopp, Dortmund's manager, spoke highly of Jupp Heynckes' side and predicted more success "That's an incredible season Bayern have enjoyed, and it could yet become the most incredible one in the history of football."

In Europe, Bayern finished top of Group F on goal difference equalling points with Spanish side Valencia. The German side scored fifteen goals while conceding seven and have gone on to knockout Arsenal and Juventus in the latter stages of the competition. The team also rank second in UEFA's 2012-13 club coefficient table, the only team to rank higher than them being Barcelona.

Bayern reached last year's final which was played at their home ground, the Allianz Arena, but were defeated on penalties by Chelsea. Since the defeat in Munich, the side have developed and seem determined to right the wrongs of last season's disappointment and end Jupp Heynckes' Bayern career with European success.

The team have so far scored 22 goals in the Champions League and Thomas Müller is the club's top-scorer in this year's competition scoring five goals in the 782 minutes that he has played, giving him a goal to minute ratio of 1:157. Meanwhile Barcelona's top-scorer, Lionel Messi, has scored eight goals in 736 minutes giving him a ratio of 1:92 contributing towards Barcelona's combined total of 18 goals.

Bayern's goals have also come through a mixture of players, ten different players have all put the ball into the net this season giving top-scorer Müller a contribution percentage of 22%. Although Barcelona also have ten different goal scorers the stats show a strong reliance on Messi as he has contributed 44% of the team's goals.

In terms of passing it is no surprise to see Barcelona come out on top. If you were to compare the two clubs in terms of passes attempted, Barcelona occupy the top three spots with Xavi, Iniesta and Jordi Alba. Each player has attempted over 600 passes and has a pass success rate higher than 80%. Barcelona also occupy the top three spots in terms of pass success rate with Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Alex Song. Bayern's top-passer has been Philipp Lahm who has completed 508 passes in this year's competition.

On the defensive side of the team, Bayern Munich have so far kept three clean sheets which is surprisingly worse than Barcelona's record of four clean sheets. Manuel Neuer has conceded ten goals while Victor Valdés has also conceded ten goals. Neuer's worst number of goals conceded in a single Champions League game this season is three against FC Bate in the group stage. While Valdés has conceded two on three separate occasions, against Spartak Moscow, Celtic and Milan.

These defensive statistics go against a general consensus that this Barcelona side is weak defensively and that Bayern are the opposite. But it has to be stated that Barcelona will be without two centre-backs for the matches. Both Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano will be missing meaning Vilanova will have the choice of Alex Song, Busquets or Bartra to partner Gerard Piqué. Unlike the second leg of the PSG tie, Vilanova will not be able to rely on Adriano to plug the gap in central defence. Bayern too have injuries to deal with as Toni Kroos and Holger Badstuber will not have recovered in time while Mario Mandzukic is Bayern's only suspended player for the first leg.

Both clubs have history in the competition and have both won four European cups each. Bayern's first three trophies came during 1974-1976 under Franz Beckenbauer before beating Valencia on penalties to win their fourth in 2001. Bayern's recent history in the competition has not been so successful reaching two finals before losing to José Mourinho's Inter and Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea respectively.

The previous encounter came in 2009 when Barcelona met Bayern in the quarter-finals and dominated from the outset as they went into half time of the first leg 4-0 up. Messi, Eto'o and Henry completed the scoring before Keita canceled out Ribéry's goal in the second leg.

This will be the seventh time the two sides will meet and Andoni Zubizarreta, Barcelona's director of sport who attended the draw in Nyon, commented on the fixture "...when I analyse Bayern's club, squad and history I can corroborate that they're a great club, but when I look at our own, I see the same. It's a challenge for us." While Bayern Munich's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stated that Barcelona was "the benchmark for football in Europe." So key figures at both clubs are agreed this will be a close game. While bookmakers Sky Bet currently have Barcelona as slight favorites at 13/8.

And finally, perhaps one of the most interesting narratives to this game will be Pep Guardiola. The ex-Barcelona coach will take over from Jupp Heynckes at the end of the current season having left Barcelona after a successful managerial career which included two Champions League trophies. Although Guardiola, who was listed on Barcelona's website as one of the "10 Things to know about Bayern Munich", will not yet be in charge there will no doubt be anticipation to see how his new team fairs against his old one.

With the chance to play either Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid, Barcelona will be desperate to reach Wembley, a ground that has become sacred in the club's history.

Poll

Do you think Barcelona will make it to the final?

Yes

85 votes

No

70 votes

155 votes | Poll has closed

David Villa’s Future at the Club

SamCooper — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:45:00 -0000

Villa's first return after his injury was in the 5-1 victory against Real Sociedad back in August 2012. Villa was substituted for Pedro in the 75th minute and marked his return with Barcelona's fifth goal in the 84th minute.

His return consisted of brief substitute appearances until the 22nd of October when Villa was given his first start of the season at home to Granada. During Villa's extended run as a substitute he scored two goals in a combined total of 60 minutes, an impressive record for a player returning from a long injury.

But fan frustration grew as Villa seemed to not be getting a fair chance in the first team. After his start against Granada, El Guaje returned to the subs bench for the next two matches which included a Champions League tie away at Benfica. The all time top scorer for the Spanish national team seemed to not be first choice when it came to the important matches. The coaching staff accredited this to Villa's continuing recovery from his injury but it left many journalists and fans wondering if Villa would leave during the January transfer window.

Villa played only 25 minutes of the loss to Celtic, a game which begged for a player who was able to breakdown a solid Celtic defense. But despite Villa scoring two goals in his last two starts, Vilanova preferred Alexis Sánchez.

Talk of an upcoming transfer gathered pace as Barcelona entered the Christmas period. Villa had began to play more minutes and started the three games after the Celtic defeat including his first full 90 minutes against Benfica.

Meanwhile Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger was being put under more and more pressure. Fans complained about this so called "war chest" that Wenger had to spend and cited their need for another striker. New signing Olivier Giroud was performing well but Gunner fans wanted a striker of Villa's credentials.

The transfer window drew ever closer, more and more questions were being asked to both Arsenal and Barcelona. "Will Villa leave in the transfer window?", "have you agreed a deal with Arsenal?", "has Villa fallen out with Messi?".

As speculation continued to grow, Villa only played two games during January leading people to believe he was destined to leave. The number 7's goals had also been scarce in recent games as Villa's last goal was in the 3-1 victory against Celta Vigo back in November. On reflection January must have been a difficult month for Villa as his future became more and more uncertain, so when February 1st came around you can imagine Villa breathed a sigh of relief knowing that his recent future was decided.

Villa's first game of February came on the 3rd against his former club Valencia and a week later he scored his first goal of 2013. The striker scored Barcelona's third against Getafe and dedicated the goal to his newborn third child, Luca.

This game marked a turning point as Villa regained his status as a team starter, especially for the important games. The forward started six games during February and March, scoring four and assisting twice. Any talk of Villa leaving in January was forgotten and Villa leaving in the summer seemed more and more unlikely.

Barcelona are rumored to be preparing a new contract for Villa, with his current contract expiring in June 2014. In my opinion it is in Barcelona's and Villa's best interest that the contract is signed. Barcelona still need a proven goalscorer like Villa and with the obvious talent that he still possesses it seems unintelligent to let him leave.

While Villa has made it clear that at his age he just wants to play regular football. He has previously expressed an interest in playing abroad but with the chance to play in possibly the greatest team in history for longer, Villa is likely to stay.

I think Villa deserves another contract; he is currently the team's second top-scorer behind Lionel Messi and Cesc Fàbregas, and scorer of goals that will go down in Barcelona's history. With Neymar rumored to be rapidly approaching Catalonia, I think the experience and expertise of Villa will benefit the Brazilian as much as Xavi's and Iniesta's will.

Anyway the future can't be predicted with 100% accuracy so we shall see, for now let's all enjoy the gift that is David Villa in the red and blue of Barcelona.

Poll

Do you want Villa to leave in the summer?

Yes

23 votes

No

113 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

Jordi Roura’s Time as Head Coach

SamCooper — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:58:16 -0000

So how did Roura perform in his unexpected promotion from assistant coach to caretaker manager? Roura managed a total of fifteen games in all competitions and won twelve of those matches. Not a bad record for a man who was compiling scout reports for Pep Guardiola last season.

Unfortunately for Roura, the team lost important matches during his time. Vilanova stepped aside on the 19^th of December 2012 meaning Roura's first game in charge was away to Real Valladolid, a game which Barcelona comfortably won 3-1 thanks to goals from Xavi, Messi and Tello.

Vilanova momentarily returned to the bench as the team put four past Espanyol in the Catalan derby. Tito then missed the 5-0 victory against Cordoba in the Copa del Rey before returning for both the La Liga and first leg Copa del Rey matches against Málaga.

Málaga snatched a late draw at the Camp Nou in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals as goals from Messi and Puyol were cancelled out by Manuel Iturra and Nacho Barnola Camacho.. The game was one of three January meetings between the two clubs

The last game before Tito's extended break was Barcelona's first league defeat of the season. A 3-2 loss away to Real Sociedad at the Anoeta Stadium put an end to any dreams of an "Invincible" season, which was becoming more and more realistic. El Mundo Deportivo said the result brought Barcelona "down from the clouds".

[Coming Down from the Cloud]

(via http://www.mundodeportivo.com)

Having won both of his opening games in charge, Roura's next game as head coach was the second leg tie against Málaga in the Copa del Rey. Barcelona looked to bounce back from the league upset by progressing but two away goals for Málaga in the first leg left some doubtful that Barça would progress. The players themselves though had no doubts as Barcelona eventually overcame Málaga with a 4-2 away win at La Rosaleda. Goals from Pedro, Piqué, Iniesta and Messi were enough to set up a semi-final Clásico.

In-between the cup games Barcelona continued their impressive league form with a 5-1 home win against Osasuna. Many onlookers speculated that the title was already won as Barcelona distanced themselves from second place Atlético Madrid.

The first leg of the Copa Clásico was tied 1-1 away at the Bernabéu. Madrid's impressive nineteen-year-old defender, Raphael Varane scored in the 81st minute to level the scores after Cesc Fàbregas' 50th minute opener. Although Sergio Busquets said the team would only be happy with a win, a 1-1 draw left Barça fans optimistic for the second leg. Disrupting Roura's 100% win percentage as head coach.

After two league wins and a draw, Barcelona travelled to the San Siro for their Champions League tie against AC Milan. As this was a Milan side going through transition, the recent departure of Alexander Pato and arrival of Mario Balotelli (although ineligible for the Champions League), meant Barcelona were strong favourites to progress.

However, on the night, Barcelona were lacking. Sterile domination and quick counter attacks from the Italians meant Milan ended the first leg with a 2-0 victory. It was the worst performance in a long time. Since the arrival of Guardiola it would be hard to pick a game where Barcelona deserved to lose, but this was definitely one. No speed in the play, no quick 1-2s and a virtually non-existent Messi summed up a truly bad night for Barcelona and Jordi Roura.

The speculation of the team missing Vilanova moved up a notch after that defeat as the media concluded that Barcelona needed a figure of authority to get them back on track. Unfortunately, that was not Jordi Roura.

The next defeat came soon after as Barcelona lost 3-1 (4-2 on aggregate) to Madrid at the Camp Nou as they were knocked out of the Copa del Rey. The performance looked a carbon copy of the Milan game. Although Barcelona did score through Jordi Alba in the 89th minute, Madrid were dominant. Allowing Barcelona no space, Madrid picked the right moments to attack. A brace from Cristiano Ronaldo and a goal from Varane was enough to deny Barcelona any chance of claiming the treble.

While the Copa del Rey was lost, Barcelona still had a chance to progress in the Champions League. The home leg of the Milan tie was two weeks after the Copa Clásico, but there was two league games between then. At home to Deportivo and away to Real Madrid.

The trip to the Bernabéu marked the third Clásico in just over a month and with the league situation this was arguably one of the least important clashes in recent years. But still a Clásico is a Clásico and Barcelona put out a strong side while Madrid rested key players for their upcoming trip to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the Champions League.

As the 80th minute approached, both teams seemed satisfied with the 1-1 score line but when Ramos headed Real ahead in the 82nd minute, Barcelona were staring at a second defeat in two games.

This defeat marked Roura's third defeat in his four month period as caretaker coach. While Roura was in charge for some of the worst points of the season he also oversaw the best moment to date. Barcelona's superb 4-0 performance in the second leg against Milan reaffirmed their position as one of the best teams in Europe.

Roura's last game in charge was the 3-1 victory over Rayo at the Camp Nou. A brace from Lionel Messi and a goal from the returning David Villa earned Roura a successful finish on what will most likely be his last game in charge.

So how did Roura fair overall? A win percentage of 67% is not to be taken likely but unfortunately, for the assistant he lacked authority when it came to the tough fixtures and served as a scapegoat for some unhappy supporters.

Poll

How do you rate Roura's time at the club?

A

8 votes

B

34 votes

C

16 votes

D

3 votes

E

0 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Can Barcelona comeback against Milan?

SamCooper — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:44:41 -0000

There was no doubt when the final whistle blew in Milan, this was a bad night for Barcelona. 66% possession for the Catalans but the kind of sterile possession that makes it difficult to create clear cut chances. A total of six shots, only two of which were on target and neither had troubled Abbiati.

If it were a game in isolation, it would be written off. A bad day at the office. This is not a luxury Tito Vilanova and Jordi Roura can afford this time around. The same performance was displayed at the Camp Nou, against Madrid and again at the Bernabeu. Flat, no spark, unable to break a solid defence. The Copa del Rey and the league is over, but there's still hope in the Champions League.

There is a second leg to come and a chance for redemption against the Italian outfit. A chance to correct the mistakes into goals and convert the sterile possession into familiar domination.

With the league title as good as won, Europe will define Barcelona's season and with the crucial second leg coming after two Clásicos, there is no doubt this is the toughest period of Barcelona's season.

Calling it a make or break period isn't accurate, this season is already a success by reclaiming the league title from Real Madrid with relative ease. But this period will be the turning point from a good season to a great season.

The talk of a crisis has largely been diverted by Real Madrid. Losing the league title, disharmony in the dressing room and bust-ups between head coach and president has made watching Madrid this season seem like watching a soap opera. But Barcelona's surprising loss of form has sparked many debates on what is the cause for the blip.

Before the Copa Clásico, Dani Alves commented on Madrid's disharmony and how he is expecting a response in the Clásicos. "I expect a Madrid who will go for everything because their whole season is on the line in the Copa and the Champions League,"

Messi too wanted Barcelona to forget the recent slip-ups and focus, "We must not drive ourselves crazy about the result in Milan or the first half against Sevilla," the Argentine commented "We have to pull ourselves together because there are some decisive games coming up."

With the Clásicos now gone it is clear to see that this period could have gone a whole lot better for Barcelona. Knocked out of the competition where they are reigning champions and conceding their second league defeat of the season, leave question marks on how Barcelona can rediscover their form.

It is evident how badly Barcelona miss recovering coach Tito Vilanova. "When the boss is not there, everyone misses him," commented Sergio Busquets, "His absence is noticed and the day-to-day work is more difficult." While Vilanova's exact return date is not known, "He is longing to come back, hoping for the process to finish, which is due at the end of March." Confirmed club president Sandro Rosell, Barcelona for now have to forget about their lost leader and focus on overhauling the two goal deficit.

Busquets, the newly crowned Catalan Player of the Year, spoke of the team's confidence in recovering against Milan "The players are the first ones who believe in the comeback. It is clear we are coming from some negative results, but we are the first who think we are going to turn it around, that we have a final to play."

Xavi Hernandez highlighted the importance of Tuesday's game. ""We are playing for our season on Tuesday," he told El Mundo Deportivo. While the ever vocal Dani Alves threw in his two cents "We will try to win, but if we do not take risks we will not win. We are not afraid."

So back to the main question, can Barcelona comeback against Milan? If they play as Alves says "at ten out of ten" then Barcelona will overcome the 2-0 deficit. But Barcelona have not recently been playing at ten out of ten, the Milan performance in fact would be lucky to make it past a five out of ten.

The main cause for concern is the defence. Clean sheets have been a rarity for Barça, putting aside the 2-0 victory last weekend, it was more than a month ago since Barcelona's last clean sheet against Cordoba in the previous round of the Copa del Rey. Against the weaker teams, this is not a massive issue for because of the team's "we'll score more then you" attitude, but against the likes of Madrid and Milan this is a concerning issue.

It is hard to not see Milan scoring at the Camp Nou, meaning Barcelona will need a minimum of four goals to qualify for the next round. This for me is the crucial factor to whether Barça qualifies. I think a clean sheet will be vital. The defenders need to give the team as big as chance as possible of coming back.

A key player will be Alves. In the first leg the Barcelona full-back left too much space on the wing as he offered cover in the centre of defence. An example of this is Milan's second goal, Dani Alves is pulled across the penalty area, allowing Muntari enough time to place the ball out of Valdés' reach.

At the other end of the pitch, Lionel Messi remains Barcelona's biggest goal threat but the number 10 hasn't looked himself recently. While Messi continued his La Liga goal scoring streak against Madrid and Deportivo, his recent performances have fallen someway short of the high standard expected of the Argentine.

A team like Milan leave little room near their defensive third, meaning Messi is forced to drop deeper and deeper to gain possession. This means when Messi does collect the ball, the number of men he has to beat to get into a goal scoring opportunity has doubled. The defensive midfielders such as Alonso and Montolivo get first try at stopping him with the centre-backs ready to pounce should they fail.

Another aspect of the second leg is the pitch. Jordi Roura described the Italians pitch as a "potato-field" and "not right for a match like this." The Camp Nou pitch is bigger than the San Siro, will be perfectly cut and wet making it the ideal conditions for Barcelona's tiki-taka style. The width will also stretch Milan's defence and will benefit wingers such as Pedro in finding space to exploit. This will be a key advantage to Barcelona's game.

In my eyes, this game is by no means over. It is impossible to rule out a team with the talent such as Iniesta, Fàbregas, Xavi and Messi. But Barcelona will need to be at "ten out of ten" to overcome a tough, well organised Milan side.

Poll

Will Barcelona comeback?

Yes

64 votes

No

30 votes

94 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona looks to establish youth setup with AFC Ajax

SamCooper — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:27:08 -0000

Barcelona and Dutch side Ajax have long been linked and it stems from legendary player Johan Cruyff. Cruyff was a star player and manager for both the Blaugrana and de Amsterdammers and the two clubs share a philosophy of establishing an elite youth system to feed the first team. The idea of being self-sustainable and mixing experienced veterans with fresh faces was a system Cruyff set in motion during his time with the Catalan club.

Ajax claims their goal is "to form talented young players into top football players." and if you look at the players they have produced, it appears it is working. Holland greats such as Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Wim Kieft, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert as well as Cruyff himself have all developed from the youth academy.

Cruyff's first management job after hanging up his playing boots was at his beloved Ajax. While in Amsterdam, Cruyff developed the fabled 4-3-3 formation that we see today. Introducing three defenders plus a roaming fourth with a pivot and two controlling midfielders. Followed by two touchline hugging wingers and a central striker. With this style, Cruyff led his young Ajax side to success in the 1987 European Cup Winners' Cup. Which to date remains the club's only success in this competition after the competition was abolished in 1999.

The same free-flowing style was implemented throughout the youth team setup and Ajax continued the conveyer belt which produces players of great quality such as World Cup finalists Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Maarten Stekelenburg.

Arguably Cruyff's greatest achievement during his time at Barcelona, was the establishment of La Masia. Setting aside the European Cup triumph with the "Dream Team" , the creation of La Masia created the opportunity to routinely produce dream teams capable of conquering Europe and the ability for sustained success. The effects are in full flow today with La Masia graduates occupying the majority of the first and second teams.

Jong Ajax and Barcelona B both offer a glimpse what the future of their respective first team holds. Young talent such as Gerard Deulofeu and Jean Marie Dongou represent the future of the Blaugrana while Christian Eriksen and Viktor Fischer are currently breaking onto the Dutch scene, attracting interest from a number of high profile European clubs.

So it seems unusual that two clubs so closely linked have not established a youth partnership until now that benefits both parties. The loaning of FC Barcelona's Isaac Cuenca signals the first move in what will presumably be the start of that partnership and presumably a long partnership between the Dutch and Spanish giants. Sharing youth prospects between clubs is rarely seen at the top of the game. But this system helps to ensure players fulfil their potential.

A similar example in recent years is Luka Modrić's sale to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs agreed on a £33.2 million transfer for the Croatian midfielder, who has yet to find his feet in La Liga. But, more interestingly, the clubs announced a partnership. Full details of this partnership were not disclosed but it is widely believed that the London club now has access to observe Madrid's youth system. It is also rumoured that the partnership means Madrid get first rejection on Gareth Bale, should the Welsh winger decide to leave Tottenham. The chance to view Madrid's youth academy will greatly benefit Spurs as they look to push for progress in the Champions League.

The Barça-Ajax partnership greatly benefits both parties. Players such as Cuenca, who are finding places in the Barcelona first team limited gain valuable playing time in a different culture. An example of this is Cesc Fàbregas, while the midfielder did not leave on loan his time with Arsenal has greatly enhanced his game. He picked up more of an attacking mind-set and his time as club captain developed his leadership skills. When he eventually returned to the Camp Nou the difference showed and combined with his renewed La Masia training, Fàbregas is now one of the team's strongest players.

So far for Ajax, Cuenca has played two games and earned himself an assist in his debut. Cuenca will return to Spain on June 30^th and it will be interesting to see if his loan move has been of benefit and if this partnership will be a strong one.

The Evolution of Cesc Fàbregas

SamCooper — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:41:55 -0000

The Catalan grew up through Barça's La Masia with friend Leo Messi and best friend Gerard Piqué. The talent of the young stars was clear but Fàbregas grew tired of his lack of promotion and made the bold move to Premier League side Arsenal.

Under the influence of Arsene Wenger, Fàbregas devolved an edge to his game, learning new skills and combining them with the ones he learned in La Masia. The midfielder's progress was much more rapid through the Arsenal ranks and by the start of 2008-09 season, Cesc was club captain.

When Fàbregas eventually made his homecoming switch from the capital of England to the capital of Catalonia critics claimed he would not be good enough to break into the first team. "Good luck displacing Xavi and Iniesta" and "enjoy your view from the bench" were some of the snide comments made by pessimistic pundits.

But a year and a half later, the Barcelona number four can boast being a regular first teamer and crucially one of the most consistent ones. During his early months with the Catalans, Pep Guardiola allowed Fàbregas to not take up his fair share of defensive duties and to re-familiarise himself with the Barça way. This naturally brought a healthy run of goal scoring for Fàbregas but as the player picked up more and more defensive duties, his goals tailed off and he faced unjust criticism once again.

Fàbregas finished his first season back at Barcelona with 15 goals and 11 assists in 38 appearances and headed to Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012.

Similar to teammates, Iniesta, Piqué and Alba, Fàbregas performed well for Spain at Euro 2012. Shoqing his willingness to adapt, the number ten filled the false-nine role for Spain and proved to be an effective player in that position.

Scoring the team's tournament opening goal among others and assisting David Silva in the final, Fàbregas was alternated with Fernando Torres as Del Bosque finally found a way to include the Barcelona playmaker.

Tito Vilanova has chosen a different method.

Vilanova has pushed Iniesta over to the left wing to allow Fàbregas to play centrally alongside Xavi. I have spoken before of the impact of having Xavi, Iniesta and Fàbregas on the field at the same time and I believe the player who has shone brightest this season has been Fàbregas.

He now sees the ball much more frequently and has started to dictate the play as much as the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. He also has a superb first touch and his close control has helped find space in congested areas, a problem Barça succumbed to last season.

A criticism of Fàbregas last season was that he was unable to play with Xavi. But this season he has shown his capabilities and pitched in with his fair share of goals and assists. After eighteen starts in the league his passing success rates stands at 88.7% and has completed nine assists. Granted this is not on the scale of a player like Xavi but it does show growth from Fàbregas who achieved only eight assists during last season's La Liga campaign.

With Fàbregas' development, the strain on Xavi and Iniesta has now been relaxed and Barcelona are less likely to face burn-out towards the end of the season. In the next two months Barcelona face a second leg Clásico in the Copa del Rey, two Champions League ties against Milan and a league Clásico away at the Bernabéu. Crucial months for the Blaugrana and squad depth will be truly tested.

Having an improved midfielder such as Fàbregas is an important weapon in Tito Vilanova's arsenal. A tool that could be the difference between a trophy-laden season and a bitter disappointment similar to last season.

After this run of games Fàbregas can be truly judged on how far he has progressed since the emerging talent that returned to Camp Nou and can finally silence his critics, if he hasn't already.

Poll

Who has perfromed best this season?

Fàbregas

76 votes

Xavi

6 votes

Iniesta

69 votes

151 votes | Poll has closed

Barça Blaugranes Q & A: The Answers

SamCooper — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 13:43:56 -0000

What are the most important moves Barça should be pursuing to secure long term success (ex. Neymar, Barça B players, CB, selling anyone?) Which should be avoided?

by feeya7

The most important one's been made - Messi has re-signed. Further than that, it's a bit too early to tell. I still think that a CB signing has to be made, and really should have already been made. The only exception is if Marc Bartra improves markedly. LM

How much of Messi's brilliance do you think is attributable to the Barça system and how much to Messi's brilliance? And I'm wondering if there's a way to break it down statistically.

by LeMasterBlaster

It's hard to tell but it's obviously a bit of both. Of course his scoring record for Argentina is not as great (though still awesome lately) but then the amount of goals Spain score is much smaller overall compared to Barcelona. Simplest way to show it. LM

Unsure of any way to break it down individually but in my eyes it is about 70% Messi's brilliance 30% the Barça system. There's no doubt Messi would still be a great player if he wasn't at Barça but would he be one of the best ever? I don't think so, Barcelona have taken him up a step.

I think he would also have a different style if he was at a different club, a lot more weaving runs and long shots similar to how he played as a child. Barcelona have taught him discipline and that taking a long shot is not always the best option. Xavi and Iniesta too must be accredited for making Leo the player he is today. SC

How has Messi's role changed under Tito?

By magical_messi

In a lot of ways it hasn't. In subtle ways, it has. He tries ambitious passes less. In fact, he registers less touches overall. He tries less dribbles and shoots less, too, and yet he's scoring more. I think Tito has slightly reduced the burden of playmaking on Leo and allowed him to poach a few more goals. Again, these are slight differences. The overall effect is the team is slightly more balanced. LM

Could Alves be on his way out?

By magical_messi

where would Montoya fit in? Is he starter for 8-10 year material?

by Boomer9393

To both: Yes, Alves could be on his way out because Montoya has impressed and because Adriano has improved. Alves is a great player, but there are several factors that could motivate a switch. One, his salary. Two, his attitude (a bit rebellious). Three, his age, injury history, and declining form. However, if he re-establishes himself this season he could stay on for longer. LM

I don't think so. Alves has been a key player for a number of years now; it's almost like he's one of our own. He appears to be one of Messi's closest friends, or at least, the two get on well on and off the pitch, so that's one reason not to sell him - but above all else, Alves seems happy to stay for the next few years and possibly the rest of his career.AD

How do you see Tito's vision playing out, say, 4 years in the future?

Will that Barça be almost the same or not even close?

by Sebanovic

Tough to say. Tito is more pragmatic than Guardiola, and he's said he would change his style with different players. I think Plan A is tiki-taka, and can't see the team straying too far from it. But four years is a long time, anything could happen. LM

How would Barça play against a new team managed by Pep?

by Ricardo Blonde

Same as always. The question is whether Pep's team would be able to take the ball away from Xavi and company, and I think the answer is no. Arsenal, for example, are a possession team and they had very little of it at the Camp Nou last time. Of course Pep's team might be better than Arsenal but I think something similar would still happen. LM

That's a good question. I think it depends on what team Pep takes over. If he takes over a team that is already very much about possession based football (such as Arsenal) then I believe the quality of Barcelona will be too much and they will still dominate the game. Even though Pep knows the inner workings of this strategy. If he decides to take over a team that works on counter attacking football then I think we will see games of the same style to recent Clásicos. SC

I can only imagine Barcelona would play in exactly the same way they usually would, I think it'd be interesting to see how Pep managed a non-Barca team vs Barcelona though.AD

Who are our best prospects for the future? Aside from already established first teamers like Thiago.

by Al Benson

I've caught a fair amount of Barcelona's matches in the NextGen Series, and I quite like what I've seen from the two wingers - Adama and Ebwelle. They have a great deal of pace, which obviously shines through at the youth level, but I'm not sure whether they are candidates to make the step up to senior level. Obviously, Sergi Samper is another exciting midfield prospect and Sandro has a good eye for goal, but again, I'm not sure whether he has what it takes to eventually break into the Barca team - especially playing as a centre-forward. I've also heard good things about Georgios Spanoudakis, who plays for the Cadete A - he was offered a trial at Chelsea before, and plays in a sort of Iniesta-type role, left of centre in the midfield. Vilanova's son, Adria plays for the same team, and it'd be awesome if he turned out to be a prospect as well. AD

Tello is basically a first-teamer, so that one's obvious. Deulofeu is the most exciting prospect in the B team at the moment, but he's still not there. Dongou is very young (though some doubt his age) but playing excellent football. If he continues to develop he should be great. Sergi Roberto is sometimes overlooked because he's not quite as spectacular but he's a tidy, smart midfielder in the Guardiola tradition. LM

What do you think about Tito so far?

His game plan, strategy and effectiveness?

by hobo_barca

He's performed beyond expectations. Like I said, more pragmatic than Guardiola. He wants the team to be direct and never give up. Some were of the opinion that Guardiola's team last year were too idealistically motivated, and Tito's brought them just one notch back. His effectiveness - dropped only 2 points in the league - speaks for itself. LM

Who do you start at midfield when Fab is healthy? Does Iniesta return to the left wing even though that means that both Villa and Alexis are both on the bench?

by CuleCT

Looking at form this season, I would play Iniesta on the left wing and Fàbregas in the centre. Although this means sacrificing Villa and Alexis I feel the quality of Xavi, Iniesta and Fàbregas together is worth it. SC

Realistically, if Bojan returns... do you think he'll fit into this team? And all in all, who do you think offered more to the team during their respective time here... Bojan or Alexis Sánchez?

by pogis1991

Bojan will always fit into this team, even if he doesn't look like starter material. He knows the system, and is a decent finisher, so I would think he could play out on the left if he ever did return. Whether he would accept a role on the wing however...

And overall, I think Bojan offered more to the team in his time at the club, but Alexis has proved himself to be a better fit in the squad - i.e. he never complains, always works hard in attack and defense etc. AD

Perhaps Bojan has learned humbleness having played for other squads that did not find a spot for him in the starting XI every time. Bojan will have lots of competition for wing spots - especially if Neymar is brought in. He will have to play better in the second half of the season with Milan. Alexis scored 15 goals last year, better than Bojan ever did. However Alexis is going through a very rough patch in front of goal this year. Also, Bojan was younger. Still, did Bojan ever score in el Clasico? Because Alexis did in two. But I've said this before, the decision for either of these two is at the end of the season. We'll see then. LM

Is Villa leaving the club in the near future a possibility?

by Boomer9393

Unfortunately it does look that way. I, like you, am a massive fan of Villa but for a striker in his 30s he is not getting enough game time and at this time of his career he doesn't have the time to be patient and wait for his chance.

As for when and where he will go it is undecided. I think it is incredibly likely that he will leave this summer maybe for a team in England. Chelsea are rumoured, as they are with every top player, so are Liverpool but I doubt Villa would move to a mid-table club such as Liverpool. SC

What is Alex Song's role? Was his purchase a waste of money?

by Sounderrajan

Song was brought to give the team a bit more strength, speed, and height. Barca's main defensive weaknesses is high balls and quick counters, so a defensive player who is fast and tall should help with this. However, he's yet to fully adapt. We won't know if it was a waste of money until we give him a bit more time to adapt. LM

Why does Tito prefer Alexis over Villa?

by Sounderrajan

There is a question of fitness - can Villa still give 90 mins at a high level of pressing and tracking back? Villa has actually made one more appearance, with only 2 less starts, than Alexis. The problem is Villa usually plays less per appearance than Alexis. I think this has to do with age and the fact that he came off a terrible injury. Alexis clearly does not have Villa's finishing skills, but he has a much faster motor to help defend. LM

It's hard to know why. A possible reason I can think is that Alexis offers more pace then Villa but if you looking for a player who is more clinical then Villa has got to be the clear choice. Another reason may be that Tito doesn't want to rush Villa back from his injury or that he wants to see if the £30 million transfer fee for Alexis was worth it. SC

Does he? He probably does on the right-hand side - after all, that's a position Villa has barely ever played - and probably does in the middle of the attack as well - Sanchez is a better fit for the system/can play as a false nine. Other than that, I think Alexis also has youth on his side, and off the bench, he brings pace and power, which can sometimes make a difference.AD

1. Will pep ever return to Barcelona?

2. Is the unsuccessful (in terms if our standards) season of last year helping us this year?

3. Do u think one day in the far future Messi will play midfield?

by magical_messi

1. I hope so, but there is honestly no way of knowing

2. My guess is yes, because the team was shocked into playing better. But we won't know until the end of the season.

3. He already does for Argentina and at times for Barcelona. It's not unreasonable to think he may, in his later years, play a Xavi-like role of directing the ball through passing. LM

1) I'd say it's possible, but seems unlikely at this point. Maybe if Laporta runs for presidency again, but who really knows what the future holds? Maybe Tito will choose to step down at the end of the season to stay healthy and Pep will step in? Something similarly unlikely could happen, it's hard to speculate.

2) Absolutely. These players want nothing more than to win, and any time that they don't win must really serve as a motivator to return and play better than ever. I think a summer of rest (for most players) also helps.

3) I don't think so. It's possible - he certainly has the attributes that much is for sure, but he also has the attributes to become a Pippo Inzaghi-style poacher if he ever lost his pace. I'd say he'll continue playing as a false nine until the day he retires, just like Totti is doing at Roma, but it'd also be interesting to see him give a midfield role a go.AD

Who do you think are transfer targets for us in January?

by jayson.djuhana

Personally I don't think Barcelona will be signing anyone in January. Sir Alex Ferguson spoke of there being no value to January signings as the players don't get enough time to settle in.

Also looking at Barça's recent history, the most recent winter signing was Ibrahim Afellay in the 2010-11 season. But if I were to think of a signing ideal for Barcelona, a backup centre back would still be my top priority.

Even with Puyol and Piqué back to full fitness, an experienced centre back would be useful. Problem is there aren't many top quality centre backs available, Thiago Silva would have been good choice but he chose PSG. SC

Who are your favourite players in the Barça squad? Non-Barça players?

How/why did you get to the BB team?

What is your favourite part about being a writer at BB?

by mystyfly

My favorite players are Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, and Puyol. My favorite non-Barca players... I have always loved Pirlo, who is finally getting more recognition. I think Casillas has been a classy player for a long time. I'm a fan of Aguero and thought Barça should have signed him. I don't know if Eto'o and Ronaldinho count. Finally, I've always admired Francesco Totti. He was probably one of the pioneers of the false 9 position, and he refused bigger clubs to help Roma to one of their three Serie A titles. LM

1.) My personal favourites are Fàbregas, Iniesta, Xavi and Messi. Absolutely love the way they play. As for non-Barça players one of my current favourites is Santi Carzorla. The little Spaniard is a genius and has become such a crucial part of Arsenal's team this season. Juan Mata too from the Premier League.

2.) I started my own blog at the start of 2012 called "A Barça Blog". After a few months of writing, mainly match reports, player fact files or any transfer gossip, Arron contacted me via Twitter asking if I would like to join the BB team. Obviously I did and have loved writing ever since!

3.) My favourite part is the interaction with readers. On my old blog I was lucky to get a single reply to any post I made but on BB I get a good discussion with every post! SC

My favourite players in the Barca squad are Pique, Messi and Busquets (probably in that order), and as for favourite players outside of the squad...I'd probably go for Lomana LuaLua, Neymar and Pablo Zabaleta. I joined the BB team way back in November 2010 after receiving an email from a former editor, who enjoyed my work on another website and my favourite part about being a writer at Barca Blaugranes is the community! AD

What changes do you see between Pep and Tito's style? And which do you prefer?

by Wahwah

Tito can be a bit more direct, and will only go to the 3-4-3 if the team desperately needs goals. Pep is the originator, though, and he deserves the most credit for now. I admire Tito's work a lot but at the moment you cannot rank anyone above Pep. LM

Many see La Liga as a 2 team race, but have Barcelona and Madrid actually up the standards of football in La Liga?

by meadow

I don't know if Barça and Madrid actually did this or it's a coincidence, but as the gap between Barça and Madrid expanded (leaving aside the current standings for now) the other teams have improved as well as the NT. But I couldn't quite explain why. LM

Absolutely. Barca and Madrid have always been the heavyweights in La Liga, but in reaching such a high level in the past few years, it's only natural that the other teams in La Liga have reaped the rewards. Maybe 20-30 years ago, players like Juan Mata, Roberto Soldado etc would have been kept by Madrid, but as they improved, they chose to discard more youth players, and teams like Valencia and Getafe have benefitted in that way. On the other hand, I think the ever-increasing popularity of the league might hurt the smaller teams if they don't sort out a fairer system re: TV revenue - particularly as the Premier League teams begin to notice the quality of the players in the league. AD

Who are your all-time top 11 players in Barça?

by meadow

Can't say all-time because I never saw the likes of Cruyff, Kubala, Cesar or Alcantara play... or even Maradona or Lineker.. aside from a few YouTube videos. But I can tell you since as far as I can remember (from about 1995 on): Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Eto'o, Guardiola, Deco, and Stoichkov. LM

My all-time XI would have to be in a 4-3-3 - with Pep as manager. I'd go for Zubizarreta in goal; Dani, Puyol, Pique and Gio van Bronckhorst would be my defense; Busi, Xavi and Iniesta make up the midfield; Messi, Ronaldinho and Eto'o in attack. Hard to leave out guys like Koeman, Cruyff and Rivaldo though! AD

Can I become the next Barça manager? Or at least doctor? ;)

by pogis1991

I think your best bet for becoming manager would be to take your UEFA coaching badges, preferably up to a Pro License so you can still take charge of UCL games and then, you should probably pray for some divine intervention :) AD

Win the CL in Football Manager and you'll be next in line after me. LM

Why do a lot of people consider a Villa move?

Will he really be out of the team?

by papant7

His age, salary, and injury history. That's it. And eventually, sure, but probably not in the winter. LM

Will Thiago turn into a world player of class?

He has the ability imo..... But does he have the mentality???

Oh and other than ...... Deulofeu , Dongou, Rafinha , What other Barça b players look promising for the future . Kiko?

by magical_messi

That is the question. I think we're all still waiting for him to take one big step again but all we can do is sit back and let him develop. Can't burden him with too much expectation.

Again Tello is part of the B team technically, but let's skip that. I will mention Sergi Roberto again. After those, it's hard to say. Grimaldo has potential but he's very very young. Kiko again, maybe, though he hasn't played as much lately. I will say Espinosa and Luis Alberto catch my eye, but again who knows. Sergi Gomez is promising but he's yet to put it all together. LM

1) Are we closer or further away from having a fairer liga. What would be the first steps you would implement to move the league to being a fairer and more sustainable competition?

2) What were the main lessons to be learned from the disastrous Gaspart era, so the club never repeats them again?

by estebillan

1) It's hard to know. I think the European Super League is looking less and less like a pipe dream. On the other hand the image of La Liga is suffering, so maybe that will call the owners into action. LM

1.) I think that's a difficult question to answer. Clearly, the problem isn't quite as simple as giving everyone more money, and every solution has its drawbacks. In fact, one could argue: does La Liga even need to be changed? Malaga have had their financial troubles, but are one of the standout teams in this season's UEFA Champions League; Atletico were excellent in last season's Europa League; Valencia consistently reach the knockout stages in the UCL as well - I wouldn't say that the league is in dire straits just yet but we are probably further away from having a "fairer" playing field.

As for a solution, sure, money is a real issue - but that isn't a problem unique to football, everyone in Spain is struggling. Hell, it's a problem all across the Eurozone. Pretty much every team in England is in debt so even their much-lauded model isn't perfect; in theory a collective TV deal could help, but even then, assuming we share the most recent figures (i.e. last season's TV revenues) equally across each of the 20 teams in La Liga, each team would "only" get around €32 million. That's almost double what some teams get now; but it's hardly enough to clear each team's debt - not to mention that Barca and Real would probably collapse if they lost over €100 million of revenue. I can't think of a solution, but I suppose if someone like me could think of a solution, there would already be one in place.

2.) That vice presidents only make good presidents if they leave? No, that can't be it...it's probably that we need to continue being smart with our money - not splashing the cash until we have a good idea about the players we are buying. If that means more scouting, then that's what we should continue to do, and if that means a greater emphasis on youth development then that's what he should continue to focus on; but above all else, we know not to sell Messi to Real Madrid :)AD

I love to talk about tactics and I have a simple question. What are the differences in the tactical approach of Pep's Barça and Vilanova's Barça?

by credoparusia

The main difference everyone agrees is that they're a bit more direct. But, they've taken less shots average, scored less, and conceded more. In fact the only positive development is they have committed less fouls and received less yellows. Only, that is, apart from the huge lead in La Liga. So it's a bit hard to explain. Perhaps Tito has been a bit more cautious at the right times and more aggressive at the right times as well. There's been less 8-0 and more last gasp comeback wins. It's partly an attitude thing, but I think the coach has instilled this attitude. LM

Honestly, it's hard to say for sure. At face value, one could argue that Tito's Barca are more direct, and perhaps a little less disciplined than Pep's Barcelona. Certainly, the tempo of the passing in the final third has improved from last season, but I'd say the main difference between the two managers is the way that they utilize width. So often last season, we saw Pep hand starts to Isaac Cuenca - often in important matches - and also to Cristian Tello. Obviously, Cuenca hasn't yet played under Tito due to injury, but even if he was available, I'm not sure Tito would have considered him for a lot of action. Now, the width doesn't necessarily come from the two wingers - seldom do we see Andres Iniesta positioned right out on the touchline for instance - instead, the width comes from either full-back. In that sense, Jordi Alba almost epitomizes Tito's reign, bombing up and down the left, it's Alba who stretches the defense, and it is Alba who sends in the crosses or cutbacks from the touchline. Montoya is another excellent example, but has seen a lot less game-time recently, especially on the right; but Adriano and Alves also perform similar roles - perhaps with a little more freedom to roam inside, which not only allows long-shots to come in from the right, but it also means that Pedro tends to drift out wide (which might explain his goal-drought).

Also, another key difference between the two managers is that "lack of discipline" we see in Tito's team. Most of the time, it works well and shows the freedom that the players have to work with, but sometimes it leaves us a little more susceptible at the back, particularly to lobbed-passes over the top of the defense (think the second leg vs Real Madrid). It's always been an issue for us with the high-line, but now we have players like Mascherano, and Pique in particular, who pick up possession around the half-way line and drive forward to pick a pass. This tends to open up space for Busquets, Xavi, etc. in midfield, but it also gives us another dimension - those long diagonal passes, often to an overlapping full-back which can lead to a cut-back and so on. Early in the season, Messi was playing a lot deeper and having fewer touches of the ball, although that has since changed. AD

Why Andrés Iniesta should win the 2012 Ballon d'Or

SamCooper — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:13:23 -0000

6th of May 2009. Stamford Bridge. Andrés Iniesta scores the goal that paves Barcelona's way to the Champions League final. The goal came seconds before the final whistle.

11th of July 2010. Soccer City. Andrés Iniesta scores the goal that secures the World Cup for Spain. The goal came seconds before the final whistle.

28th of May 2011. Wembley Stadium. Andrés Iniesta assisted Messi for the second Barcelona goal as the red and blue outclassed Manchester United for their fourth European Cup.

Euro 2012. Andrés Iniesta is the player of the tournament as Spain break history by becoming the first side to win three major titles in a row.

Every year there is a golden moment for this golden player.

The Barcelona number eight has been described as the situations man. When times are tough you can rely on Iniesta to find a way out of trouble. 2012 was no different.

The year started with Iniesta finishing fourth in the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or. Cristiano Ronaldo gained second place sandwiched by Iniesta's teammates Xavi Hernandez and the winner Lionel Messi. The result meant a two place drop from his 2010 finish for Iniesta but by no means should it be taken as a negative.

Iniesta received 6.01% of the votes, just 3.22% shy of Xavi and was included in the FIFA World XI. Combining with Xavi and compatriot Xabi Alonso to create the perfect three man midfield.

Like Iniesta, Xavi and Messi, Barcelona also started the year in good form. The side progressed through the Copa del Rey, beating Real Madrid in the process, while a late charge for the La Liga title looked in full flow.

After recovering from a muscle tear in his left thigh sustained during Barça's 2-2 Copa del Rey draw with Madrid, Iniesta experienced a long run free of injuries. This extended run of playing time saw him demonstrate why he is considered one of the best in the world.

Pep Guardiola described him as "unique." Xavi hailed him as "Spain's most complete player." Cesc Fàbregas described him as a "source of immense confidence." They are all right but in particular Pep.

Iniesta is one of a kind playing in a team that is also one of a kind. Part of "The Barça Holy Trinity" Iniesta represents not just modern day Barcelona but modern day football. The little man taking back the soul of football from the big guy. Never before have we witnessed an era where the diminutive magicians have dominated as much as they do now. Santi Cazorla, Juan Mata, Leo Messi, Xavi, Sergio Agüero and Andrés Iniesta among others have shown that technical brilliance wins over brute force.

A philosophy Barça thrives on. It is no secret that Barcelona are strongest in midfield. The "pivote" of Sergio Busquets, the false 9 of Leo Messi and the pass masters of Xavi and Iniesta regularly dominate games and carve open oppositions. To understand how to beat Barcelona you need to understand how important your midfield is.

Busquets' role is to convert defence to attack as quickly as possible, Messi's role is to convert these attacking chances in to goals and Xavi and Iniesta's role is to control the game. That is what is key to Barcelona's success.

Pinpointing Iniesta's biggest strength is difficult but for me it's his intelligence. He is a 28 year old playing with the head of a 40 year old. The guy thinks at lightning speed and nearly always picks the right decision. Let's start with his off the ball work.

This clip highlights how Iniesta is always thinking. Like Messi, Iniesta regularly pulls defenders away from their comfort zones because of his great positional play. This creates space in between for players such as Pedro and Alexis Sánchez to run in behind and attack goal. Genius work from Barça's number eight.

Unjust criticism is often thrown at Barcelona for their unwillingness of players like Iniesta to shoot from distance. "They don't have the power" and "afraid to shoot" are just some of the hollow accusations thrown towards these great players. It's not that they're afraid to shoot or lack the talent, it's that they see a better option. A killer pass that increases the half chance to a clear cut chance. That is why Iniesta will go down as an all-time great.

FC Barcelona's 2011-12 season and Guardiola's era came to end with a 3-0 triumph in the Copa del Rey final over Athletic Bilbao. Iniesta played the full ninety which was his last competitive game before he donned the red, yellow and blue of Spain for the European Championship.

While Iniesta's form was brilliant for Barcelona, in 2012 Iniesta's best performances came at Spain's successful defense of their European Championship crown. In a team of midfielders, Iniesta was head and shoulders above the rest.

The tournament started with Spain coming from a goal down against eventual finalists Italy. Barça's Cesc Fàbregas scored the equalizer but Iniesta won the man of the match award.

Next was the Republic of Ireland and an impressive 4-0 victory from La Furia Roja. Iniesta played eighty minutes before being replaced by Santo Cazorla. Spain looked strong and talk of a historical third major title in a row outweighed the talk of a "boring" Spain.

Iniesta's next game earned him his next man of the match award. Spain progressed through to the knockout stages as Jesús Navas scored a late winner against Croatia allowing Spain to top the group.

The quarter finals saw a tie against a French side going through transition. Spain coasted to a 2-0 Xabi Alonso inspired win while Iniesta clocked another 84 minutes before being replaced by Santi Cazorla again.

The semi-finals was Spain's toughest test. A tie against neighbours Portugal led by Real Madrid's golden boy Cristiano Ronaldo. The game was tight, Spain were struggling to hit top gear but still had the majority of possession with 57%. Neither side could break the deadlock, five shots on target for Spain, two for Portugal. This game looked destined for penalties even with Spain's extra time charge. 120 minutes came and went and both sides prepared for the shootout.

Moutinho and Alonso both missed the opening penalties. Pepe scored his, Iniesta replied successfully. Nani scored as did Gerard Piqué. Still no Ronaldo, surely destined for the fifth penalty but then disaster for Portugal. Alves missed. Meaning if Fàbregas scored his, Spain would be through. As he did in the Euro 2008 quarter final against Italy, Fàbregas won the shoot out for Spain.

Portugal were out and Spain were heading for a first round replay against Italy. What happened next was absurd. Not only did Spain beat Italy they beat them by four goals. David Silva opened the scoring before the new Barcelona signing Jordi Aba doubled their lead before half time.

Spain's victory was ensured when Chelsea boys Mata and Torres scored. Capping off a remarkable tournament for both Spain and Iniesta.

Man of the match three times and the man of the tournament, Iniesta showed the world why he is one of the greatest. The picture of him worming his way past an Italy defence will be remembered as much as the sight of Casillas lifting the trophy.

The celebrations while joyous had to be cut short as Barcelona were entering a new era. The Tito era. "Pep's gone, the title's gone, is it over for the Dream Team?" and "is Tito not suited for the spotlight?" just some of the questions being asked of this side. There was no doubt there was doubts. But not from within the Barça camp.

The players started the season determined, still hurting from the pain of losing the league title to Madrid. Focusing on winning at grounds they dropped points at last season but most importantly for Vilanova, he has discovered a way of playing Xavi, Fàbregas and Iniesta on the same pitch.

With Iniesta pushed up to the left wing, he, Xavi and Fàbregas now have the chance to attack the goal. While I still feel Iniesta's best position is in the centre, there is evidence to show that the team plays superbly with all three of the La Masia graduates on the field.

Iniesta has made seven appearances from starting in the centre, scoring once and assisting once with an average rating of 7.32 according to whoscored.com. Whereas when he has started on the left wing, in just four appearances he has scored once and assisted six times giving him an average rating of 8.36.

If we also look at Cesc Fàbregas, he has started fourteen games from the centre, scoring six time and assisting seven times with an average rating of 7.62. Coupled with Xavi's nineteen appearances, three goals, five assists and average rating of 7.37, it is clear that this new style is working for Barcelona.

Iniesta's highlight of this new season so far has been the away tie against Levante. He was magnificent. From his left wing position he assisted Messi twice and Fàbregas once before getting on the score sheet himself, earning himself a perfect 10 rating. This coming from a ground where Real Madrid had labored to a 2-1 win two weeks earlier.

Iniesta and Barcelona continued to dominate La Liga winning all but one game so far this season. Nine points ahead of Atlético, thirteen points ahead of Real, comfortably through the Copa del Rey and topping their Champions League group. Barça with Iniesta at the helm look almost unbeatable this season.

So why Iniesta should win the 2012 Ballon d'Or? Simply he has been the best this year. Remember the award is not for the best player but for the best player of 2012. That has to be Iniesta. I will leave you with this table as my final argument.

Major Titles Won in 2012

Andrés Iniesta	Lionel Messi	Cristiano Ronaldo
Copa del Rey	Copa del Rey	La Liga
Euro 2012	European Golden Shoe	Supercopa de España
UEFA Best Player in Europe	Pichichi Trophy	UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament
UEFA Euro Best Player of the Tournament
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament

Andrés Iniesta

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Copa del Rey

La Liga

Euro 2012

European Golden Shoe

Supercopa de España

UEFA Best Player in Europe

Pichichi Trophy

UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament

UEFA Euro Best Player of the Tournament

UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament

The 91 Goals of Leo Messi

SamCooper — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:02:45 -0000

We all know it was a great year for the Barcelona number 10. He passed Cesar Rodriguez's goal scoring record, won his third Ballon d'Or and scored 91 goals, the most a player has ever scored in a calendar year.

But how did he surpass Gerd Müller's record that has stood for forty years? That is the purpose of this article. To analyse and breakdown how, where and against who Messi netted this astonishing figure.

We will start with who we scored the goals for. The record is for both club and country and unsurprisingly the club tally is much higher than his international record. Messi scored twelve goals in the blue and white of Argentina but scored just over six and a half times that number when in the red and blue of Barcelona. Hitting 79 goals for the Blaugrana.

Next we will look at how he has scored these goals. Being 5ft 7in it is to be expected that the majority of Leo Messi's goals aren't headers. But nevertheless he did manage to head home three goals this year. The next smallest tally was his right foot. Messi can use his right foot but if he gets the chance he will always strike it with his left, so a low statistic of eight is also to be expected. There is no doubt though when it comes to his left foot, last year he scored 80 goals with his favoured foot. A simply unbelievable tally if you think that Cristiano Ronaldo scored 63 goals overall in 2012.

The stats also show that the majority of Messi's goals came in front of an adoring Camp Nou crowd as Leo notched 45 goals into his home net. While his away figure was just shy at 42 goals and the remaining 4 goals came on neutral turf.

Messi rose up the La Liga all-time scoring charts with 59 goals in the league and continued his dominance of being the top scorer of the Champions League with 13 goals in the European competition. For domestic cup competitions, Messi has scored five goals in the Copa del Rey and two goals in the Spanish Supercup against Real Madrid. As for international competitions, Messi netted five times during his country's qualification for the 2014 World Cup and seven in international fixtures.

Thirty one different teams felt the full force of Leo Messi as he reached almost a century of goals last year. A stand-out highlight of Messi's year was the record five goals the Barcelona number ten scored against Bayer Leverkusen and unfortunately for the German side, as well as Málaga, they were the team to concede most goals to Messi in 2012. Other notable opponents include this stunner against Brazil and a Clásico brace in October.

As for where on the pitch the Argentine scored, the majority of his goals came from within the penalty area. Sixty four goals were scored inside the box and six were struck outside. Seven goals were free kicks and the remaining fourteen goals came from the penalty spot.

Finally, the men who made the goals. Messi was assisted by eighteen different teammates, most frequently was Iniesta who assisted eight of Messi goals. Just one behind was Alexis Sánchez and the other summer 2011 signing, Cesc Fàbregas, assisted six times. Barca veterans Xavi and Pedro assisted Leo five times. The bombarding full back Dani Alves made four goals while Messi's Argentina compatriot Gonzalo Higuaín assisted three times. Adriano, Busquets, Agüero, Tello, Alba and Montoya all assisted twice and Thiago, Keita, Di Maria, Gago and David Villa all assisted Barcelona's brightest star once.

So that was Messi's year. Record-breaking, unbelievable, one of kind, just some of the ways to describe Messi's year and surely there can be no question that he is the best ever. As for 2013, if it's even half as good as Messi's 2012 then we are in for a treat.

Poll

Will Messi score more in 2013 then 2012?

Yes

73 votes

No

36 votes

109 votes | Poll has closed

Barça Blaugranes Q & A

SamCooper — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:50:42 -0000

As La Liga and FC Barcelona approach the winter break, we are giving you the opportunity to ask a question to one of writers.

The question can be anything related to Barça, whether it be a question about a certain player or a transfer target for the club. It is entirely up to you.

You can ask a question directly to one of our writers or just an open one.

We're giving you up until kick off of Barcelona's weekend match against Valladolid. So that is 5PM UK time.

All questions will tried to be answered and the answers article will be posted some time within the next fortnight.

Just comment below and your question will be included!

Is eleven points too much for Madrid?

SamCooper — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:55:01 -0000

Barcelona have won all but one game this term and Madrid are only three points adrift. The problem for José is that it is Atlético Madrid. The Madrid derby comes this weekend and any result can be taken as a positive for Barça. If Real win, Atlético lose ground. If Atletico win, the gap increases. If it ends as a draw, both Madrids lose ground on Tito Vilanova's side.

So the question has to be asked, have Barcelona already won the title? A level-headed man would say no, as did Vilanova. Asked if the league was finished he responded "No. There are still 75 points left and Atlético are only three points behind us."

The current Barcelona manager also eluded to his first season as assistant "I remind you that we had this advantage in our first year with the senior side and we had to win our match at the Santiago Bernabéu."

By no means is the league dead and buried, but it is on it's way out.

La Liga is a ridiculous league. Ridiculous because the top two teams rack up ludicrously high point totals. A tally so large that they could win any other league but still finish second in their own. That is why the margin for error is so slim.

A three point gap, while big in other major leagues, is monumental in La Liga. So an eleven point gap is a huge chasm between the league leaders and the reigning champions.

Barcelona this season have made a point of winning the games that cost them the title last season. Tough tests such as Levante are paramount to Barça's title ambitions. A late brace from Lionel Messi earned Barça's victory last season while this season there was no need for panic. Andrés Iniesta ran the show, scoring one and assisting three, as Barcelona ran away 4-0 victors.

The mentality has changed. No longer are Barcelona the pretty side who can't handle the physical aspect of the game. Tito has made them direct. Long kicks from Valdés, corners being aimed at the daunting presence of Gerard Piqué, fewer touches in-between passes. Coupled with the relentless winning mentality of the squad, Barcelona are stronger this season and have not even reached the peak of their talent.

Madrid are the opposite. They've lost that brutal edge that saw them dominate and destroy opponents last season. The snapshot counterattack has become slower, more dogged. The players mentality has changed and some have become complacent, focusing on bigger contracts instead of the next match. Bust-ups off the field have become more prevalent then ever before under Mourinho.

You get the feeling that this team is one slip away from imploding in on itself.

The purchase of Luka Modrić for the inflated price of £33 million is a puzzling one. When he first signed there was question over where in this team he would play. Modrić has never been a midfielder who likes to play just behind the central striker in the Özil mould, but the roles of Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso are too defensive to really accommodate the ex-Spurs man.

So why did Madrid choose him? Modrić made it clear he wanted to go to the Spanish capital but surely a player such as Santi Cazorla, who Madrid had wanted to sign before he eventually moved to Arsenal for £16 million, would have been a better fit? The Spanish playmaker has blossomed in the English capital and seems like a natural fit for this current Madrid side. Suitable to play the role of Özil, Cazorla can play as a false 10 behind the likes of Benzema or Higuaín. So why go for Modrić? A player who costs twice as much as Cazorla and has no natural position in the team.

Mourinho's desire to see Modrić become a staple of the team has hindered the side. And Mourinho knows it. The Portuguese manager has been harsh on his Croatian signing. Wanting more than just a central midfielder, he wants to see Modrić push further up the pitch but Modrić is struggling. It is a problem that the "Special One" needs to sort out fast.

It is hard to not see Atlético at some point slipping this season, especially if Falcao leaves in January. For Real Madrid on the other hand, the title is salvageable, just. But eleven points is the maximum, any more and the title will be heading to Catalonia and Mourinho will most likely be heading out the door.

Poll

Can Real Madrid comeback?

Yes

24 votes

No

49 votes

73 votes | Poll has closed

Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or Nominees

SamCooper — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:30:13 -0000

Five Barcelona players help to make up the list that features twelve players from La Liga, including six Real Madrid players and one from Atlético Madrid, but there can of course only be one winner and the purpose of this article is to try and determine who that winner will be.

There is a Sky Sports program called Revista De La Liga that broadcasts every Tuesday night. Last night the pundits (host and ex-player Scott Minto, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, ex-player Terry Gibson and Scottish journalist Graham Hunter) were discussing the shortlist and Hunter mentioned the criteria that the judges are presented with and that he believed this criteria favours Messi over Ronaldo. Here is the link to the episode but unfortunately you have to be a UK Sky subscriber to view it.

Intrigued, I then asked Hunter (@BumperGraham) via Twitter if this criteria was public and he said no but over time he will tweet it. I, for one, can’t wait until the criteria is released and to see if it does in fact favour Messi over any other candidate.

But for now, it is a level playing field and let’s see each player’s credentials.

Sergio Busquets

Via The Guardian

The 24 year old has been at the heart of the Barcelona and Spanish national team midfield for years now. Playing the crucial Pivot role he is in charge of converting defence to attack as quickly as possible and is probably more impressive in the red and blue of Barça where he plays this role alone, compared to his pairing with Xabi Alonso for Spain. The midfielder seems to go from strength to strength and has earned the respect of his team mates that he deserves but doesn't always receive from the media and the fans.

Andrés Iniesta

Via The Telegraph

World Cup winner, double European Championships winner, winner of the 2012 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, second place in the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or and part of the UEFA Team of the Year for the past three years. Andrés Iniesta is a phenomenon and if he were to win this year's award it would be fully deserved. The Barcelona number eight has been at the top of the game for a long time now and makes up a third of the Barça "Holy Trinity". Technique, passing precision, raw talent and finesse all attributes Iniesta holds and has been the scorer of some of Barcelona's and Spain's most important goals in their history. Iniesta would be my choice this year as I feel the award should go to a Spanish player this year.

Lionel Messi

Via The Guardian

How do you describe Lionel Messi? Pep Guardiola said "don't try to describe him just watch him." But I will try. Winner of the award for the last three years, Messi is on the verge of history in becoming the first player to win four consecutive Ballon d'ors. A record he can add to the growing collection he has already broken. This year alone he has become the all-time top scorer for Barcelona in official games, scored the most UEFA Champions League goals in a single season and hit 72 goals in all competitions. The greatest in the world, if not ever, is surely the favourite to win the accolade even if Barcelona didn't win either La Liga or the Champions League last season.

Gerard Piqué

Via uefa.com

Piqué's form has been split in two. With Spain, magnificent. With Barcelona, not so much. Affected by off the pitch distractions. Piqué struggled to find the technique that made him one of the best of the world and with the rise of Javier Mascherano as a defender, Piqué found his first team opportunities more and more limited. But once Euro 2012 rolled around, Piqué's form partnered with Sergio Ramos was back to its best, conceding only one goal in the whole of the final tournament. It seems unlikely that Piqué will collect the award but it was good to see him back to his best.

Xavi Hernandez

Via The Guardian

Like Iniesta, Xavi is a midfield maestro. Pinpoint passing, an eye to goal and the calm and experienced of a forty year old. Xavi has won the most trophies as a Barcelona player, currently twenty, and also holds the record for representing the Blaugrana in league matches. The 2011-12 season was also Xavi's highest scoring season and he provided two assists in the 4-0 victory of Italy in the Euro 2012 final. There is no doubt Xavi is a superb player who would be worthy of the award but I think he has been outshone this year by his Barcelona teammate Iniesta.

So those are the candidates. Personally I would like to see the order as:

1^st.) Iniesta

2^nd.) Messi

3^rd.) Ronaldo

But I am predicting Messi to scoop his fourth and make history:

1^st.) Messi

2^nd.) Ronaldo

3^rd.) Iniesta

MVP or MAT?

SamCooper — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:58:54 -0000

With an international break in full flow it seems right that I don't focus on an upcoming match or the Clásico just past but instead on a tactical choice that Tito Vilanova must make.

MVP or MAT? In simple terms: Messi, Villa, Pedro or Messi, Alexis, Tello? During Pep's reign it was clear that MVP was the preferred front three but times have changed since then. Alexis Sánchez has become an important player for the club and Cristian Tello is rapidly developing as one of the most promising prospects Barça have.

On the flip side, Villa and Pedro have both endured injury plagued seasons meaning the two Spanish World Cup winners have slipped down the pecking order.

But is it fair to assume Alexis and Tello are the first choice? The stats paint a different picture.

	Games Started	Substitute Appearances	Goals Scored	Assists
David Villa	1	4	3	0
Pedro	5	2	1	2
Alexis Sánchez	4	1	0	1
Cristian Tello	3	2	0	2

Looking at this table it is clear to see that so far this term Villa and Pedro have been the most effective.

David Villa is currently Barcelona's second top scorer behind Messi, despite only starting one game and has also scored some vital goals. Pedro too has gotten off the goal scoring mark and created two other goals along the way.

But for a team like Barcelona it is about much more then goals. A player needs to contribute more so although those stats lay heavily in Pedro and Villa's favour, that will not necessarily make Tito's decision.

For example how well does a player control possession? Is he confident on the ball? Does he keep a cool head? Alexis and Tello are both relatively new to the club, Alexis only joined in the summer of 2011 while Tello is still technically a B-team player, and have yet to fully get to grips with the Barça philosophy.

Both know this. Alexis rated himself 5/10 while Tello was open to the possibility of a summer switch to England but Vilanova decided against it.

Meaning both have room to improve but should Vilanova pick players with room to improve or players who have already reached their best? Villa is 30 now while Pedro is 25 and offer a lot of experience and goals to the side.

The word experience is overused in football. Often meaning "player who has played for a long time" instead of "player who has gained knowledge in the game." Villa and Pedro are certainly part of the latter and have used that experience to Barça's advantage.

If you were to take away both Villa's and Pedro's goals for this season, Barcelona would currently be second in La Liga. Two points behind Atlético Madrid and with a +7 goal ratio compared to Atlético's +12. Those missing goals would also have ended Barcelona's 100% record a week before the Clásico.

While you can't measure Alexis' and Tello's impact in the same way, you can measure it from their performances last season and the criticism of Barça's lack of width. Pep Guardiola favoured Isaac Cuenca over Cristian Tello but Alexis was certainly a starting eleven player last season.

Teams defended deep and were organised, catching on to the Barcelona way of playing, making it almost impossible to break through the middle. Meaning Barcelona needed width and needed their wingers to provide it. Villa was out. Pedro was out. So responsibility fell to Alexis and Cuenca but they just couldn't perform the same way Villa and Pedro could.

Alexis often chose to make a run through the middle, crowding Messi and leaving a large amount of space near the touch line unused. Cuenca stuck to the wing but lacked the killer touch to really be effective. Tello was eventually introduced towards the tail end of the season but lacked match experience and committed some silly mistakes.

All of this cost Barcelona the title.

This year it's different. Villa and Pedro are back. Tello is more experienced and Alexis looks to be improving. The system is also different. Barcelona now have two flying full backs in Jordi Alba and Dani Aves meaning pace on the wings is in abundance. Allowing the wingers to cut in when they please, good news for Villa and Alexis who prefer to cut in then to bomb down the line.

Iniesta and Xavi provide width too making the team not as reliant on Messi as they were last season. The tiki-taka is still there to be seen but there is not such a demand to play through the middle and goals have started appearing from unlikely sources. Adriano's goal against Valencia (a goal I witnessed in person) showed that Barcelona don't always pass the ball into the net.

Alexis and Tello look to be too of the ladder at the moment but I don't think we have seen the last of MVP just yet.

Poll

MVP or MAT?

MVP

141 votes

MAT

12 votes

Neither (comment below)

4 votes

157 votes | Poll has closed

La Liga: FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Match Preview

SamCooper — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:52:23 -0000

Madrid go into the clash eight points behind league leaders Barcelona and it’s been a far from perfect start for Mourinho’s men.

A record of two losses, one draw and three wins means Real Madrid currently sit sixth in the Liga BBVA table. Coupled with arguments within the dressing room mean there are more than enough reasons for Cristiano Ronaldo to feel sad.

While Barça, although far from "perfect", remain the only side with a perfect win percentage in the league. Six games played, six games won with the most recent victory proving to be the game of the season so far.

A late David Villa goal ensured Tito’s Barça the three points against an excellent Sevilla side. Two great teams going head to head, winner takes all. An ideology that can be applied to the Clásico. If Barcelona win, Madrid will be eleven points adrift. A Real victory sees the gap cut to five.

Last season it was the reverse. Barcelona were trailing Madrid but by three points having played a game extra. Guardiola’s team then faced a poisonous atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu that only became worse after Karim Benzema scored the quickest goal in Clásico history.

But Barça dug deep and the possession philosophy prevailed. Summer signings Sanchez and Fábregas sandwiched Xavi on the goals list as Barcelona pulled level in the league.

Unfortunately we all know the story of the next league Clásico.

Photo Credit: Denis Doyle – Getty Images

Real Madrid went on to win the title and Barcelona finished nine points behind Los Blancos. This year, it’s different. The ruthless Madrid side that crushed sides last season seems to have lost its killer edge.

Frustrated is the adjective that best describes Mourinho at the start of this season. Claims of having no team made it clear that his players were not producing the kind of performances that won them the title last season. A wave of complacency floated it and Mourinho struck quickly to kill it by identifying the main trouble-makers.

via www.as.com and via www.marca.com

Ramos made a fuss, Ramos found himself on the bench. Özil claimed he was first choice, Özil got substituted at half time. Ronaldo said he was sad, Ronaldo carried on scoring. Well some things never change.

But the frustration was threatening to bubble over and destroy Madrid’s season before it had truly begun. Until a Champions League clash with Manchester City. Finally Madrid produced a satisfying performance and José released the bubbling tension.

via www.goolfm.net

Since that win, Madrid seem to have turned the corner. Winning three games out of three and scoring eleven goals in the process. José’s team are beginning to get back to full form but is it enough to dampen Barça’s start to the season?

The Tito era has begun in a way that even Pep Guardiola couldn’t have imagined but this is the biggest test yet and Vilanova has to decide a few key factors before Sunday.

Cesc or Iniesta? An inform Cesc or a returning Iniesta is a tough choice for the Barça coach. Obviously Iniesta at his best is a better player than Cesc, even though Cesc has found his goal scoring touch again. Although a returning Iniesta who only made a substitute appearance in the midweek Champions League game against Benifca is unlikely to hit the ground running in the Clásico.

So the question may be, how do you fit both of them on the field? Fábregas out wide with Iniesta in the centre or may be the reverse? Who loses their spot to make way for the extra man, Pedro, Alexis, Villa, Tello?

This brings me onto the wings. Who is best suited for this game? Villa, Alexis, Tello or Pedro? Villa and Pedro both have the experience and the knowledge of how to win a Clásico.

via i.dailymail.co.uk

While Alexis and Tello provide pace to the game and are no strangers to Clásicos themselves. I would personally pick Villa and Pedro to create the deadly ‘MVP’ that worked for Barça for so many years.

You have also the defensive issues. Is it worth risking Gerard Piqué if it means replacing a far from perfect Alex Song? With Puyol out, it now seems most likely that it will be Piqué coupled with Mascherano in the heart of the Barcelona defence.

Madrid have also bolstered their midfield with players such as Essien and Modrić meaning Barcelona will have to work hard if they want to keep the ball in their danger zone of midfield. Vilanova, therefore, may be more tempted to play the physically stronger Song over Busquets. Although it seems unlikely after Song’s dreadful performance last week.

Second-guessing the line-ups of a Clásico is always going to be difficult but below I have included the teams that I think/hope will be selected on Sunday evening.

via this11.com

Whoever plays it is sure to be an exciting match between two great teams that could very well decide the destination of this year’s title.

For more Barcelona vs Real Madrid coverage, be sure to check out our Clasico Storystream

Poll

Winner?

Barca

123 votes

Real

57 votes

Draw

11 votes

191 votes | Poll has closed

What is Barcelona’s Best Eleven?

SamCooper — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:51:56 -0000

Let’s start with defence. Victor Valdes has cemented his place between the sticks but what about the outfield players? Assuming Barcelona adopt their favoured 4-3-3 formation you are left with four starting places and eleven players contesting for their spot.

Starting with the left-back spot, for the purpose of this article all players are fit and healthy, there are three options 23 year old summer signing Jordi Alba, 27 year old Adriano Correia and 33 year old Eric Abidal. With Alba and Adriano you have pace and an attack minded full-back but with Abidal you have aerial strength and the guarantee of more disciplined defensive cover.

Next you have the centre-back spots, where you have the choice of Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano, Marc Bartra, Andreu Fontas and Marc Muniesa. For me it is a choice of three. While Bartra, Fontas and Muniesa all show promise, I think the real contest is between Puyol, Piqué and Mascherano.

Puyol, or Captain Tarzan to affectionate Culés, has the experience and the leadership but his lack of pace can be singled out as a weak spot.

Mascherano is proving to be an accomplished defender but with his conversion from midfield to defence only coming two years ago now you can’t help but wonder if he has the skills that a thoroughbred defender possesses.

Meanwhile, Gerard Piqué is arguably one of the best defenders in the modern game. Tall, strong and fast, but the 25 year old is still liable to a lasp in concentration which may be an issue for Vilanova.

Now here comes the tricky bit, the midfield. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Fàbregas, Song, Thiago and Dos Santos are all contesting for a spot in a three man midfield. One holding midfielder and two attacking midfielders. For the holding spot, Busquets looks to be favourite and rightly so. The young Spaniard looks to be improving game by game. But the one flaw to his game is his attacking prowess, or lack of it. Busi rarely bombs forward, which shows his impeccable defensive discipline, but a charging midfielder can be a frightening sight as a defender.

Song, on the other hand, is the opposite. During his Arsenal days, Song would produce delicious assists to Robin Van Persie. But Song still shows some of the Premier League toughness that gets pulled up in La Liga. Diving into 50-50 challenges typifies the English game and Song will have to learn to curb his enthusiasm if he is to avoid a high number of bookings.

Then you have the two attacking options and is there any question that it won’t be Iniesta and Xavi? The two footballing juggernauts would take some shifting if they were to lose their first team spot. Fàbregas is a world class player and Thiago symbolises the future of Barça but the two captains are far too strong not to feature routinely.

Next you have the diverse front three. Lionel Messi will always occupy the centre forward spot but who will partner him? Alexis Sánchez has settled in well on the right wing, providing pace and a directness that Barça has needed in recent matches. Iniesta has also been occasionally used in the same position but it is clear, the World Cup winner is strongest in midfield.

The left wing has been more varied. Pedro, Villa, Cuenca and Tello have all featured but it is hard to determine which is the strongest.

The experience of David Villa makes him a bona-fide goal getter. His spontaneity and pace have shown you don’t become the all-time top scorer for the Spanish national side without immense talent.

Pedro became one of the key players of the Pep regime. The Spaniard, like Villa, is pacey with a keen eye for goal. Pedro is very well respected within the Barça camp, if he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves from the rest of the world.

Young Tello is an exciting prospect for Tito. Lightning quick, good first touch and not afraid to get himself into those goal scoring positions, it would be hard to overlook the 21 year old when picking a strongest XI.

Isaac Cuenca is another hot prospect emerging from La Masia. Football smart, Cuenca displays key concepts learned from his time within the Barcelona academy.

Cesc Fàbregas is also a possible candidate. The ex-Arsenal man showed his ability to play an advanced role during the start of last season and also during his time with Spain at this summer’s Euro 2012. It seems he would be suited to a role similar to the one Iniesta plays on the right wing.

So that’s the options, now it’s down to you to decide which is the strongest XI.

I’ve listed my eleven below.

Valdes

Alves Piqué Mascherano Alba

Busquets

Iniesta Xavi

Sanchez Messi Villa

Poll

Do you agree with my team?

Yes

37 votes

No (comment below)

75 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: The Magic of Xavi

SamCooper — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 12:19:23 -0000

My screensaver is a picture of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi embracing together after a goal. It is a Champions League game and Messi and Iniesta are both smiling, pleased with what has just taken place. But Xavi's face is a picture, it is bursting with joy and shows just how much Barça means to this player.

Don't get me wrong I know how much Barcelona means to both Messi and Iniesta, but Xavi was born with red and blue blood. In a similar mould of that of Carles Puyol, Xavi has been with Barça through all of the hardship, the testing times and, during the early stages of his career, ignored the opportunity of guaranteed first team football to work for his place at his boyhood club.

Accused of trying to retire his hero Pep Guardiola, Xavi had his critics both in and out of the club. But Xavi's self-confessed stubborn attitude has made him into one of the finest players ever produced by the club.

Xavi is a passer. "That's what I do, look for spaces. All day. I'm always looking." said the great man. He has the vision and accuracy to dictate any play. If there is a pass to be made, he will find it.

Xavi Amazing Pass To Pedro Vs Sevilla 16.1.10 (via KingdomJackson)

Take this clip as example of the skill he possesses. Xavi receives the ball from Dani Alves and as soon as he does Pedro busts his guts to make the ground because he knows Xavi will find him. It is an intelligent run but nothing compared to the pass itself. Standing in the way of Xavi and Pedro is four defenders, three centre backs who are monitoring the run of Pedro and a defensive midfielder who has charged to close Xavi down.

At this point most players would attempt to chip the ball over all four players because the idea of passing it along the ground is simply ridiculous. One of those defenders will intercept. That's not what Xavi is thinking though. He's thinking "if I pass this along the ground, Pedro won't have to control a bouncing ball meaning he will have more time before the goalie reaches him."

Pause the clip at roughly five seconds, just after Xavi has passed the ball. You can see from here, the ball has to be deadly accurate. Too far to the right and the left back will intercept, too far to the left and either the midfielder or the defender will intercept. The margins are ridiculous, an inch to either side and the attack breaks down. But it is perfect. The ball rolls through the exact right spot to not get within the reach of any defenders.

The speed is also vital. Too hard and the ball gets away from Pedro and the keeper gathers. Too soft and the defender has time to reposition himself and intercept. But it's just right. The ball zips past the defenders but slows to allow Pedro to control and score.

Simply passing perfection from an extraordinary player.

Superlatives have been thrown at him in abundance. The Magician, the Puppet Master, the Architect have all been used to describe the Spaniard and he deserves it. Xavi worked hard at his trade, believing, with every bone in his body, that the Barça way was the right way.

To him losing the ball is a sin. "I must have at least 100 touches of the ball every match. If I had to go back to the dressing room with only 50 I'd be ready to kill someone." Xavi told Canal+ and the statistics back him up.

Go back to one of the greatest days in Barcelona history. The 2011 Champions League final at Wembley against Manchester United. United's top four passers (Ferdinand, Rooney, Vidic and Carrick) accumulated a total of 132 passes. Xavi accumulated 141. On his own.

Now before you say, well surely he missed a lot of passes too. Remember what I wrote earlier, losing the ball is a sin. Xavi lost it seven times. Only seven. 95% successful. In a Champions League final. It is truly absurd.

Not only has he got a passing eye, last season he proved he has a goal-scoring eye. Xavi's last season was his most prolific during his Barça career. Scoring ten league goals and assisting seven times, the Spaniard proved his ball control skills are transferable from his passing game to his shooting game.

Xavi's goal vs Osasuna (via allasFCB2)

Proof, if it was needed, coming from this clip. Xavi is involved from the get-go, receiving a pass from Leo Messi before distributing it to Alves. A couple of passes later and Barça's number 6 is back on the ball. A quick 1-2-3-4 with Messi and Xavi makes his way towards the penalty area.

A shimmy of the body and Xavi is in space, perfectly picked out by Messi. The Spanish midfielder now has the task of controlling the ball as the keeper charges to close him down. Control with the left, bounce, chip with the right. The defenders don't get close and the keeper is left with a body gesture that suggests he's thinking "I've just been Xavi'ed."

The future looks bright for Barça's midfield. Thiago looks strong, Iniesta is still young, Fàbregas is back home. But please savour the magic of Xavi. For he is a one in a million.

FC Barcelona: The Impact of Villa

SamCooper — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 21:43:42 -0000

The sight of David Villa returning to training last week was a huge uplift for all Barça fans. El Guaje missed the second half of the season after breaking his tibia in the Club World Cup last December and his impact was sorely missed by the Catalans.

With an out of sorts Pedro, new arrival Alexis Sánchez and youngsters Cristian Tello and Isaac Cuenca all needing time to bed in, Barça needed Villa last season. The number 7 provides much needed width to the game and has a deadly, pinpoint accurate shot. He is also one of those rare players who seem to be able to score from anywhere. Take these two world class goals for example. The first coming against Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España and the second against Honduras whilst appearing for Spain in the 2010 World Cup.

The first shows the superb technique he possesses. The curve on the ball leaves a world class goalkeeper such as Casillas unable to get near the ball. Also look at the build up to the goal, Villa darts towards the penalty area where he is met by compatriot Sergio Ramos. Ramos is afraid of making a challenge because of Villa's quick feet and that he is dangerously close to the penalty area.

So wary of a conceding a penalty he tries to show Villa the outside and this is the special part. Villa fakes to go down the wing but with such quick speed cuts inside, leaving Ramos completely wrong-footed, allowing the striker that extra yard he needed to bend the ball up and and around the goalkeeper. A sublime bit of skill that earned his side the equalising goal.

The second clip best shows Villa's spontaneity. The Spanish striker skips past two Honduras defenders as he makes his way into the penalty area, again coming from the left side to allow a shot with his favoured right foot (Villa is ambidextrous but still stronger on the right), he is then in a near identical situation to that of the Madrid goal. The defender, Wilmer Crisanto, tries to force Villa outside by positioning his body that direction but he is left wrong-footed by Villa's skill as he cuts back in.

At this point he has the extra yard he needs to function, but nearly everyone is expecting a pass back to Xavi, who is now screaming for the ball just inside the area. Xavi looks the more logical choice, Crisanto is starting to regain ground and another defender is approaching, as Xavi is left unmarked with a clear sight of goal. But Villa, almost out of nowhere curls, this time in the opposite direction to the Madrid goal. By doing this he has ensured the ball does not strike the approaching defender, but also that the goalkeeper is unable to get a glove to the all. A majestic goal that sprung out of nowhere.

Just two highlights of the extraordinary talent Villa holds. While these two clips proves the player can perform on the big stage, the number 7 is also consistent.

If we look at his first season at Barça, he started 63 games in all competitions scoring 34 goals in the process. That gives him a ratio of roughly 0.54 goals per game, sure it's not on the Messi scale but it is still very impressive. To put it into perspective, during the same season Mesut Özil averaged a 0.2 ratio as did Ángel Di María. Both players play in a similar role as Villa but both have vastly lower goal ratios.

Last season Villa beat that ratio. Before his injury, the Spaniard had scored 18 goals in 32 starts, giving him a ratio of 0.56 goals per game. If he continued in that vain the striker would have overtaken his 34 goal tally of the season before and would have produced his second highest goal tally per season, behind his stunning 08-09 season where he hit 49 goals in 57 starts with Spain and Valencia.

Not only does Villa score goals he also affects the game with his movement. Sid Lowe, the Guardian sports writer, summed it up best. I asked him about Villa's impact for Spain and he said Villa is not an out and out striker but favours to move to the left.

A quality, I think, that has been enhanced since his switch to the Catalans. Unlike at Valencia, Villa isn't the main striker, Messi is. So for him to retain a first team spot he had to adapt to a new position. His pace, technique and experience have all helped him to solidify that left wing spot by providing a much needed width.

Take this situation for example. Xavi is on the ball, playing 1-2s with Iniesta as Messi looks to receive the pass. Problem is both centre backs have doubled up on Messi meaning, as skilled as he is, he will find it difficult to carve out any chance. But moving away from the cluttered centre, Villa is lurking towards the touch line. Desperate for the chance to run at goal, Xavi spots Villa and distributes the ball.

At this stage the defence is stretched, the left back is aware of Villa but also wary of the space left behind the charging centre backs. So he is left in a no mans land. Not adequately marking Villa but also not covering the space in behind. This means when Villa does receive the ball he sprints towards the open space, the defender is wrong-footed allowing Villa much more space then is safely allowed. The two centre backs now panic and rush to aid the flailing full back, freeing Messi in the process.

The experience of Villa meant he knew where to position himself and what to do when he received the ball. The speed of Villa meant he could attack the defence before they had time to reorganise. The technique of Villa meant he could beat the defender and find Messi or shoot himself.

An attack that would have been nowhere near as effective without Villa.

A big match player, unselfish, smart, quick, technically excellent, has a great touch, great vision and a natural ability to predict the play. Barcelona are lucky to have the striker within their squad and rumours of his departure must be quashed immediately. Guardiola was a strong supporter of the top scorer for the Spanish national side and I hope Vilanova shares the opinion.

As I write this @barcastuff has just tweeted:

"Official: David Villa, who broke his shinbone in December, has today been given the medical green light #fcblive"

Not a moment too soon in my opinion.

FC Barcelona: The Timeline of Tito

SamCooper — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:03:00 -0000

17^th September 1969: Born Francesc Vilanova i Bayo in Bellcaire d’Empordia, Girona, Catolonia.

1984: Joined Barcelona youth academy. Continued there until 1988. Whilst there he became friends with Jordi Roura (current assistant manager) and Aureli Altimira (current fitness coach). Future stars Pep Guardiola and Guillermo Amor were also part of the group.

1988: Promoted from the academy to Barcelona B at the age of nineteen. Playing as a central midfielder for the B team.

1990: After 52 performances and 6 goals, Tito failed to break into the first team and subsequently moved to Figueres. Vilanova helped the Catalan side to third place, achieving their highest second division placing.

1992: With the same goal tally as his time at Barça B, but with 20 games more, Tito moved to Celta de Vigo. This marked a big step forward for Vilanova as it was his first time playing in the top division. While Tito experienced success at Celta it was in stark contrast to ex-roommate and friend Pep Guardiola. In 1992 Pep made the leap from Barcelona B to the first team, an achievement Tito would never be able to boast.

1995: Three years came and went for Tito at Celta with playing appearance scarce. The now 26 year old moved to division two side Club Deportivo Badajoz. But Tito only spent a season at the club, initiating a period of transition for the Catalan. In the next three seasons Vilanova would play for three different clubs with appearances becoming rarer and rarer.

1996: Joins Real Club Deportivo Mallorca where his ten game contributions helped promote Mallorca into the top flight.

1997: Switches from Mallorca to Unió Esportiva Lleida, back in Tito’s homeland of Catalonia. Doubling his Mallorca appearances, Vilanova scored three goals for his new club. One of the goals coming against a Barça side coached by a face Tito was to become familiar with. José Mourinho was the deputy coach, placed in charge for this Copa Catlunya game, as Tito became the first player to score against a team guided by the "Special One."

1998: Moves to Elche Clud de Fútbol, S.A.D before retiring at UDA Gramenet.

2006: After a four year break from football, Tito turned his head to management and became technical director at third tier side Terrassa.

2007: While Tito got technical at Terrassa, his old friend Pep Guardiola was being approached for the Barcelona B head coach role. Of course when Pep got the job he turned to his La Masia roommate for assistance. Tito joined as assistant coach and the pair oversaw a Barça B promotion into the second tier of Spanish football.

2008: The Barcelona board were impressed and promoted Guardiola to the first team bench. Unlike his playing career Tito impressed enough for Pep to take him with him and the long term friends ruled the Barça bench.

2009: Pep and Tito oversaw the most successful season in the club’s history. After winning the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, La Liga, the Club World Cup, the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup, Barcelona completed a historic sextuple. Leaving Pep and Tito not complacent but hungry for more titles.

2010: Barça finished 2010 by retaining the league, making that seven titles in two years, and plaudits flooded in for Pep while Tito remained in the shadows.

2011: With Sandro Rosell at the reigns, Barcelona signed David Villa and Javier Mascherano. The injection of experience helped to retain the league title as both produced pivotal moments during the campaign. The end of the 2010-11 season ended in the best way any Blaugrane could have dreamed of. Barcelona not only beat Manchester United, but they outclassed them in every way on their way to the 2011 UEFA Champions League crown. The master class performance began to raise the question was this the best side to ever play the game? Pep remained coolheaded and so did his right-hand man Tito.

August 18^th 2011: José Mourinho gets a little too hands on with Barça’s future head coach.

"Mou, your finger points the way" Madrid fans were right but not in the way that they had expected.

2012: 2012 is a big year for Tito. After a long, tough season Barça conceded the league to Real Madrid and an exhausted Pep announced he was to step down. The media was rife with speculation on who was to fill the biggest of boots left behind by Pep. Was it Bilbao’s Bielsa or ex-Barça man Luis Enrique? Maybe even Xavi or Puyol? The whole of Catalonia held their breath as the day of the press conference arrived.

April 27^th 2012: After an emotional speech from Pep, up came president Rosell. "Tito" was the name and the fans breathed a sigh of relief the board’s decision to keep it in the family. The man from the shadow emerges but only time will tell if he is to reach the heights of his predecessor.

For now we must eagerly wait for the start if the new season as the Tito era begins.

2013: Another sextuple?

Poll

Will Tito be as successful as Pep?

Yes

81 votes

No

47 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: "Boring" Spain Highlight Messi’s Impact

SamCooper — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:23:03 -0000

I will start this article by confirming, I do not think Spain are boring. I think the notion of accusing them to be is absurd. These players are masters of touch, technique and immense coolness under the most stressful of times.

But that has not stopped the world’s media as quickly declaring the reigning World and European champions as boring. Starting two out of their five Euro 2012 games with no recognised strikers on the field, del Bosque took the "football is a midfielder’s game" philosophy to a whole new level. While it has proved to be profitable, Cesc Fàbregas has scored the same amount of goals as Fernando Torres from the same number of starts, critics have been quick to claim Spain are now a parody of themselves.

For me I believe this tactic has highlighted the importance of Lionel Messi. It is well known Spain play in a style more similar to Barcelona than that of Real Madrid. But they are missing maybe (big emphasis on the maybe) the most important part of the team. Messi acts as a midfielder and as a striker with flawless symmetry. Picking up the ball from deep, Messi possess the skill, something Cesc lacks, and the confidence, something Torres lacks, to run past five or six defenders as if they weren’t even there.

He brings excitement to the game. Try and think back to the last time you saw a game, in which Messi featured in, and found it boring? It is a rarity and that’s because Messi is truly a one of a kind.

Sorry to bring in the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate but I do believe this is the biggest difference between the two greats. Messi is a team player, Ronaldo is an individual. Messi is happy to pass if he sees a teammate in a better position, Ronaldo is not. That may be the very reason why Messi continually pips CR7 to the Ballon d’Or.

Bringing it back to "boring" Spain. This tournament I think they have lacked pace. Iniesta, Silva and Cesc have routinely been used as the front three and neither of the three can really be described as pacey. Sure, substitutes Pedro and Navas have added speed but del Bosque has rarely used the pair and neither have started a match.

While both make great wingers, neither is suited to a central role. To play in the middle effectively you really need a high standard of pace and shooting ability. Something del Bosque has struggled to find this tournament. Of course if David Villa was fit, Spain wouldn’t have this problem. Although Villa plays on the left for Barcelona, being the all-time top scorer for the Spanish national team proves he is no stranger to the goals.

But he isn’t fit and is likely to see the 2014 World Cup as his one of last international tournaments. Meaning Spain will need to find a new number seven. For me I don’t think Cesc can fill that role, he works great as a supporting striker because of Messi but without the Argentine I think he struggles to get his shots away. Also Torres is unlikely to ever fully recover from this setback and regain his world class form. Meaning the impossible task of finding a Spanish Messi has begun.

Wanted: Player with immense technique, extraordinary vision and the ability to score goals from seemingly impossible positions. Must also be quick, Spanish and not afraid of the big games.

If only Leo had chosen Spain over Argentina…

Poll

Who do you think should start for Spain in final?

Fernando Torres

84 votes

Fernando Llorente

94 votes

Álvaro Negredo

1 votes

Cesc Fàbregas

139 votes

318 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Andrés Iniesta: Spain’s Key Man?

SamCooper — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:55:58 -0000

Scorer of the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Andrés Iniesta has already proved he is a key part to the recent success of Spain. So with Euro 2012 quickly approaching, is the Barcelona man going to shine again this summer in Poland and Ukraine?

Iniesta, along with his club-mate Xavi, are guaranteed starters if fully fit. Vicente del Bosque is a strong supporter of the style that the two players bring and is more than happy to keep faith in the men who brought him the last World Cup.

Iniesta goal in World Cup final. Best quality (via MrRezigrene)

With the injury blow of David Villa it is likely that Iniesta will play higher up the field in a winged position he occasionally fills while playing for Barça. This will accommodate either Juan Mata or David Silva on the opposite wing with a central striker, most likely Fernando Torres or Fernando Llorente.

Conversely del Bosque may play Iniesta as part of the midfield three, where I think he shines more. This allows the 28 year old the space to be really effective. Take his World Cup winning goal in 2010, Iniesta broke from midfield and darted into the Dutch penalty area. He was met by his future club mate Cesc Fàbregas and produced an exquisite finish. If he was on the wing it is unlikely that Iniesta would have found that much space.

This heat map of Iniesta during the final clearly shows that Iniesta spent the majority of time in the centre of the opposition’s half. Until eventually he broke clear and scored.

If Spain use either Busquets or Xabi Alonso as their CDM, it frees Iniesta and Xavi from a share of defensive duties, making Spain more offensive. This could be vital because no selected striker is in good form at the moment and putting the ball into the net could prove a difficulty at the Euros. Therefore Iniesta may be expected to produce a steady flow of goals this summer.

During the 2010 World Cup Iniesta scored two goals from a total of eleven shots, five of which were on target. The statistics show Iniesta likes to strike the ball from distance but is actually more efficient inside the penalty area. The midfielder took seven shots from outside of the area; two hit the target giving him a 35% success rate. While inside the area he took four shots, three hit the target and of those three two were converted. Making him the second top scorer for Spain behind David Villa.

He does have the pivotal touch though as both of his goals have been match winners. Scoring Spain’s second in their 2-1 win over Chile in the group stages and of course the only goal of the final against Holland.

Like Xavi, Iniesta often completes high pass success rates. In total Iniesta made 382 passes during the World Cup and 278 of them reached their target. Giving him a very respectable 73% success rate, combined with Xavi’s 81% rate Spain dominated teams because of their passes. A tiki-taka style proved effective and the stats show that the two playmakers passed to each other most frequently. Xavi passed to Iniesta 71 times and Andrés repaid the favour 62 times. The chemistry between Xavi and Iniesta cannot be underestimated.

Iniesta’s presence also cannot be underestimated. In every game that Iniesta played the full 90 minutes, Spain won. The only time Spain lost throughout the whole tournament came when Iniesta left the field after 77 minutes of play, proving his impact on the game. He also racked up a total of 557 minutes, something Spanish fans will be hoping to see repeated for the upcoming tournament.

For me Iniesta is the hub of the team. Critics have been quick to question his effectiveness after a long hard season at Barcelona but I still believe Iniesta combined with Xavi has the talent and raw determination to bring the trophy home for Spain and become the first national side to win three major tournaments in a row.

FC Barcelona: Can Drogba be the man to regain the title?

SamCooper — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:26:30 -0000

When you say Chelsea, for me it's Didier Drogba, not John Terry or Frank Lampard, who eptomises the Chelsea of the last few years. The Ivorian has been reliable year after year and has been a signal of security for Chelsea fans.

As managers come and go, Chelsea have retained a core group of players. Terry is often picked as the leader of the group but in my opinion that role belongs to Drogba. When times are tough (conceding in the 83rd minute of the Champions League final) Drogba steps up and takes charge.

So can he take that brutal winning mentality and make the transition from the capital of England to the capital of Catalonia? In my opinion, yes he can. It's well publicised that Barça lack a Plan B and I believe Drogba holds the answer.

The 34 year old is still a monster to play against. Tough, pacey and with a shot like an oncoming train, to consider him as "too old" would be the biggest of shots in Barcelona's foot.

While I believe Drogba would fit well, many have their doubts. A big, powerful striker has already experienced life at Barça and history tells that it was not a match made in heaven. Zlatan Ibrahimović arrived at Barcelona in a big money move that saw Samuel Eto'o sent the other way.

The Swede soon realised this wasn't for him. Describing Messi, Xavi and Iniesta as "school children" Ibra left for Milan within a year. Proving that big fishes don't suit Barça's pond.

But I think Drogba will be different. He is very much a team player. He gives his all for his team and that has been the key factor to Chelsea's recent success. Therefore I think he will lose the ego if it meant playing in one of the best teams this sport has seen.

Now it is impossible to second-guess how a new coach will react. Which is why it's hard to completely believe that Barça will stay the same. Described as Guardiola's twin, Villanova is a strong believer of the "Barça way", but he may have an ace up his sleeve.

One bad point for Drogba has been his displays against Barça. The memory of his "it's a joke" rampage spring to mind but more embarrassingly was his performance in the Champions League semi-finals this year. Drogba threw himself to the floor as if he had just experienced gravity for the first time. A trait that is quickly drummed out in the Barça camp.

Another potential hurdle is the money being offered from the likes of China or Qatar. Drogba could be tempted at one last big pay out before the end of his career. An option his ex-team mate Nicolas Anelka chose.

For me, Barça need a tall centre forward to act as a Plan B. Drogba is likely to produce one, or maybe two good years of football, meaning Tito may be more tempted to go for the younger option of Fernando Llorente. The 27 year old has been in sparkling form for Athletic Bilbao this season and would seem more of a long term option. Making him very appealing to the future thinking Barça coaches.

Poll

Would you like to see Drogba at the Camp Nou?

Yes

144 votes

No

181 votes

Other (Comment below)

8 votes

333 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Welcome to the Club

SamCooper — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:50:31 -0000

Rewind to two weeks ago. Barcelona were in full flight, chasing down a faltering Madrid and paired with arguably the weakest side still in the Champions League. Culés began to dream of a six trophy season again. But it wasn't to be.

It started with a night to forget at the Bridge. A 9-0-1 formation prevailed as Chelsea snatched a one goal advantage to take to the Camp Nou. Guardiola admitted Chelsea had the advantage but remained quietly confident that 90 minutes would be long enough for Barça to turn it around. As did the majority of the footballing world. Besides, the "Big Ears" competition had to be put to one side, the biggest game on the planet was on the horizon.

Madrid had played their semifinal a day earlier and arrived in Barcelona the same day as the Catalans returned. Mourinho's men had also experienced defeat but importantly had snatched an away goal, a luxury that Barcelona should have been awarded had their finishing been up to the absurdly high standard that it usually is.

Nevertheless the Camp Nou was ready. 90,000+ filled the stadium while millions watched across the globe. Heartache would hit again though for Barça, a scrappy goal for Sami Khedira gave Real the lead. The Catalans battled hard but the scenario was all too familiar as Madrid set up a wall that Messi and co. could not break.

Hope sprung from the foot of substitute Alexis Sánchez as he levelled the score, moments after the celebrations were cut short as the man who Culés love to hate ripped out the hearts of the home crowd and stomped on them. Cristiano Ronaldo broke clear of the defence, skipped past Valdés and slotted the ball into the net. Gesturing to the crowd "Calm down, I'm here."

Perhaps the only thing sorer for the Barça eyes would have been Mourinho himself running onto the pitch, timing his run and connecting sweetly with a cross that leaves Valdés motionless. Leaving Puyol to burst into tears while Messi declares that he has been a Madrid fan his whole life.

That was it though. The league over. Mourinho had won, Pep was beaten. So the mind switches to the cup, as an antidote for the heartbreak of losing a league. A forgiving Camp Nou crowd welcomed their beloved players onto the pitch. The Londoners played in the same mind frame as before, 8-2-0, but Barça broke through.

Sergio Busquets, the man who missed an open goal in the first leg, met Isaac Cuenca's low cross to put Barça level. After a moment of stupidity from Chelsea captain John Terry, Andrés Iniesta doubled Barça's lead both in the night and in the tie. Home and dry. But again luck intervened, Ramires scored just before half time and a resilient Chelsea defence would not allow anything to pass.

It looked bleak and got worse when Fernando Torres stumbled into space, skilled past Valdés and crushed Barça hearts for the second time that week. The players were visibly broken, sharing a few tears with the crowd, and so was the coach. Guardiola's press conference was filled with confusion. Pep stated he would have to watch the match again on DVD to understand just how Barça lost. But his best answer came when asked "What do you say to the young fan who has cried for the first time tonight?" "Welcome to the club."

If you were to ask any Culé which heartbreak hurt the most my money is on the one delivered Friday morning. Pep was leaving. Fatigue had got the better of him and he felt it was best for both him and the club to draw his era to a close. Players in attendance at his press conference bared an expression similar to Wednesday night's. But his resignation was not met with anger, just gratitude mixed with sadness.

The club though, as always, were logical in their progression. The club chose to put faith in their reserve manager as they do with their players. As Pep leaves, Tito enters, or rather Tito comes to the forefront. Pep's men becomes Tito's troops and the new boss must face an "eye-catching" opponent in José Mourinho.

All of this has led me to think that a season without the league and Champions League is good for Barcelona. The hunger will be back next season. The preseason plans have already been announced and it is obvious Barcelona mean business. No touring this time but a series of games concentrated in Europe, designed to test Barcelona and prepare them for the mental and physical fatigue that comes with a Barça season.

So Guardiola was right. Change was needed at the club and Pep recognised that. There is a long way between now and the start of the next season, especially with the Euros and Olympics on the horizon, but Barça will be ready. Tito is hungry and is determined to not be known as "the one who José poked in the eye."

Expect big things next season, Pep does.

Poll

Can Tito match Pep?

Yes

59 votes

No

23 votes

Not match but still successful

100 votes

182 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Key Battles in the Clásico

SamCooper — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:40:52 -0000

With the Clásico fast approaching I feel it is important to have a look at the key areas where the game could be won or lost for Barcelona. We all know about the huge rivalry between the two clubs but I am interested in the tactics both Guardiola and Mourinho will be deploying in order to see his side become the victors.

I will start in defence. I think Guardiola will favour the reformed Javier Mascherano over Carles Puyol. Purely because Mascherano will be completely defence minded and won’t risk venturing forward. This is key because with attacking full backs such as Alves and Adriano, Barça are vulnerable to a counter attack especially with the pace of Ronaldo and Di Maria on the wings. Although Mascherano is not as quick as Ronaldo and Di Maria, I believe his football intelligence will be vital to understanding and stopping Madrid’s play.

I also think Guardiola will start Gerard Piqué purely because of his height advantage. Of course he has great defensive ability but with the height of Madrid, Barcelona will need a strong, tall defender in the box for defending set pieces. Also the defender should be fit to start after suffering an injury in the Milan game.

Guardiola will also have to warn his full backs about leaving space behind during their ventures forward. This is where the midfielders come in, in particular Sergio Busquets. When the full backs do push up, I expect Busquets to drop back into the defence and form a defensive three with Piqué and Mascherano. Then I expect either of the central defenders to push out to cover the wings.

The midfield battle will be also be important. Barcelona like to dominate the midfield and Mourinho deployed Pepe in the last Clásico to try and break up the rhythm. We all know this wasn’t successful and Pepe’s reputation hit a new low. This time I think Pepe will stay in defence and instead Mourinho will turn to Khedira, Xabi Alonso and Özil to break up the play of Xavi and Iniesta. Lionel Messi also likes to drop deep in search of the ball, this will cause a problem for Sergio Ramos, who will have to decide whether to follow Messi or remain in defence. This could allow space in behind Ramos for Alexis or Cesc.

Up front I think Pep will start with Alexis, Cesc and Leo. I was toying with who would play left wing but I think the experience of Cesc gives him the nod over Cuenca. This means the battles will likely be Marcelo vs. Alexis, Messi vs. Ramos & Pepe while Cesc will face Arbeloa. Marcelo vs. Alexis is an interesting one as both players are clearly very quick and Alexis will find it hard to beat Marcelo purely on pace. This means he will either try to beat him on skill or cut inside to attack Pepe. Another bonus for Alexis is Marcelo, like Alves, is a very attack minded full back leaving space for Alexis to get behind him. Also as I mentioned before Messi likes to drag defenders out of position, which will leave room for the Chilean. Making a lobbed through ball from Xavi or Iniesta a perfect route to attack the Madrid defence.

For Madrid’s offense clearly the most dangerous player is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward has been in great form this season and will be looking to cause Dani Alves problems in the defence. I think it will be important for either Piqué or Mascherano to double up on Ronaldo, in order to restrict the winger’s space. Of course in the first Copa del Rey Clásico Ronaldo opened the scoring by getting in behind Alves and had the skill to get past Piqué before slotting past Pinto. Therefore Alves must be extremely disciplined about his ventures forward. Alves recently gave a very interesting interview to the Guardian’s Sid Lowe.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/16/dani-alves-barcelona-chelsea

In it he states "People automatically think that because you attack, you can't defend. Not true." He then went on to explain his positioning for the Madrid game "Against Madrid I hardly attacked because they counter so well. We needed control; if not, they steamroller you. If I am asked to defend, it's tough because I like attacking, I like to participate, but I will do it." So although he prefers to attack he acknowledges that Madrid are too good of a side to play with just three in defence. I also think Mascherano will move into the middle and mark Benzema while Adriano tucks in to track any attacking Madrid players. Vice versa if it is Di Maria on the wing.

There is no doubt the game will be an interesting contest, and although Madrid are currently four points ahead it can be argued that this game is a title decider. Barcelona are 4/6 favourites to win the match but Mou’s men can not be written off. Even if it is at the CampNou.

Poll

Who will win the tie?

Barcelona

74 votes

Real Madrid

31 votes

Draw

15 votes

120 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Hate Ronaldo

SamCooper — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:35:31 -0000

After another Ronaldo hat-trick in the Madrid derby, you may be declaring the Portuguese winger number 1 of your all time hated footballers. But before you set his name in stone, I urge you to reconsider. Here's five reasons why:

1.) Without Ronaldo, Messi wouldn’t be as great.

Face it. Ronaldo is the pantomime villain to Messi's hero. The Argentine is constantly being put to the test by the Portuguese winger's brutal success, and the thing that is so great about Leo is he rises to these tests every time. Take away Ronaldo and you take away the completion and even players as good as Messi can be victim to complacency.

2.) Ronaldo has grown up.

Compared to his United days, Ronnie is a much more mature footballer. He has stopped the constant diving and throwing his arms in frustration, whether that be because of Mourinho's management or despite it. He seems to have realised that his talent means he doesn't need to throw himself to the floor and could "let his feet do the talking." Which helps to produce wonder goals like his second against Atlético.

Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd Goal vs Atletico Madrid Apr.11 2012 (2-1) (via Henley18710)

3.) Ronaldo's performances have been the rare good aspect of this Madrid side.

This current Madrid crop has been plagued by Mourinho's misdemeanours. Diving, arguing with the ref and ear flickering has made watching Madrid, some times, an eye sore. But Ronaldo's sublime skill has made you think twice before reaching for the remote. The spontaneity of him is fascinating, in the blink of an eye he has swerved the attention of the fans from a mediocre Madrid side to the Ronaldo show. Long may it continue I say.

4.) He makes La Liga more popular.

While Messi optimises being humble, Ronaldo is the superstar of the league. Backed up by expensive advertising deals, Ronaldo attracts a massive audience to the league which benefits everyone in the league. Creating more money from TV rights to be reimbursed into the league and while it is well publicised that the money is not split evenly, the smaller sides will still get a proportion of that money.

5.) He brought his style with him.

In previous years a step-over was rare, players used to think it was showing off and didn't realise the extra yard it gives you against defenders. While Ronaldo can't solely be credited for the introduction of skill to the game, Ronaldinho and Messi also require a share of the credit, he certainly helped. Now thanks to these wizards, seeing a player pull off a trick is a wonder we are welcome to. Hence the creation of the showboat, which if he you're anything like me, you will be fascinated by the skills these players produce. Asking yourself not just "how did he do that?" but "how did he even think of that?"

So next time you toss and turn about yet another hat-trick, remember these five reasons and that might help soften the blow.

Poll

Do you respect Ronaldo as a player/

Yes

236 votes

No

88 votes

324 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Transfer Rumour Round-Up

SamCooper — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:31:06 -0000

Summer Switches

I thought as the season nears it's conclusion maybe the tension of Barça competing for three major tournaments may just be too much for you. So think of this as a piece of light hearted relief. I'm going to be having a look at the names swirling around the rumour mill and clarify which ones in my opinion are more then just speculation.

IN: Thiago Silva - Milan

For me this is a dead cert'. Barcelona are lacking in defensive options and this has been proven by midfielder-turn-defender Javier Mascherano. The ex-Liverpool man has of course done a more then adequate job in the heart of the defence but my worry is if either Carles Puyol or Gerard Piqué are ruled out, we are left with little options. That is why Thiago Silva seems to be a perfect signing.

The 27 year old has made it no secret that he would be interested in a switch from the Rossoneri to the Catalans. A chance to impress would've been the recently past Champions League clashes but Silva was ruled out after aggregating an injury the game before. Make no mistake though the Brazilian has already caught Pep Guardiola's attention, scoring a late equaliser at the Camp Nou earlier this season reportedly caused Pep to inform club president Sandro Rosell that if he is to sign on then Thiago Silva must be on top of the transfer list.

OUT: David Villa

Late last year there were reports that David Villa, frustrated with his new left wing role, was looking for a transfer in the summer. Two English clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool, were quick to throw their hat into the ring. Kenny Dalglish looking to atone for the £35 million mistake that was Andy Carroll while the London club were willing to trade out of form striker Fernando Torres for Villa's services.

But after Villa broke his Tibia during the Clubs World Cup in December, ruling him out for the rest of the season, any deal quickly turned sour. It remains to be seen whether Guardiola would have allowed the all time top Spanish scorer to leave especially as Barcelona have been lacking the width that Villa provides.

Villa himself made no comment over his future instead choosing to focus on his recovery. For now he seems happy at Barça but could become more frustrated with his new role to accommodate Leo Messi taking centre stage. Which may persuade him to leave the Catalan club in the future.

IN: Jordi Alba - Valencia

Like Thiago Silva I think this deal is sure to happen in the summer. Alba has been very impressive at Valencia this season, proven in his magnificent display against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

Being 23, Alba would seem the perfect successor to Erić Abidal. Looking at his style of play it would seem the left back/ left midfielder would fit into the Barça squad. Similar to Dani Alves, Alba loves to attack and is quite happy to push up if he sees the opportunity.

He also has chemistry with most of the core players at Barcelona. Having been part of the Spain squad, Alba is no stranger to players such as Iniesta, Xavi and Fàbregas. Therefore allowing a smooth transition into the Catalan club.

Pep has also spoke of his admiration for Jordi so expect to see the 23 year old follow the same path David Villa tread at the start of the 2010-11 season.

OUT: Pedro Rodríguez

Joining the Barcelona first team in 2008, Pedro earned himself a spot in the starting eleven and continued to perform well under Guardiola. Despite not being the biggest star of the squad Pedro earned Guardiola's trust and the manager was rewarded with Pedro scoring the opening goal in the 2011 UEFA Champions League final.

But Pedro's form has been hit-and-miss during the 2011-12 season. Halted by injury the 24 year old has found starting spots a rarity. Especially with the arrival of Alexis Sánchez and the emergence of Isaac Cuenca and Cristian Tello. A fact that must frustrate the Spaniard.

There would be a number of clubs interested in Pedro were he to decide to leave. English clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal have expressed an interest while there has also been enquiries from around the continent.

Personally I don't think Pedro will leave in the near future. He seems relatively happy with Barça and has extended his contract to 2016, raising his buy-out clause from €90 million to €150 million during the process.

IN: Robin Van Persie - Arsenal

There is no denying, the Dutchman is in prolific form. Leading the Premier League Top Scorers table, Van Persie has singlehandedly saved Arsenal's season. Of course form like this is guaranteed to turn a few heads and there has been more then one club linked with the striker.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been mentioned while Manchester City have also thrown their hat in the ring. For me I can't see Robin moving to Barça, no matter how much Cesc would like it.

His style does not fit with the current ethos at the club. Van Persie is the centre forward, the one at the spearhead of the attack, the one who you hit the ball to and hope but that style is discouraged at the Catalan club. Besides we already have our deadly finisher in Leo.

Guardiola himself has said he has no intentions of signing the 28 year old, plus the Arsenal star is bound to come with a hefty price tag. Of which Barcelona would not want to fork out unless Guardiola saw the player as essential.

Those are just a few of the big names tossed in Barcelona's direction, both in English and Spanish newspapers. Comment below if you think any other players will be making the summer switch to Barça.

Poll

Who would you most like to see join Barcelona?

Thiago Silva

98 votes

Jordi Alba

99 votes

Robin Van Persie

20 votes

217 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Race for the Pichichi

SamCooper — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:05:22 -0000

The Race for the Pichichi

Maybe this article should actually be called the race for the Golden Shoe because let's face it Barça's Lionel Messi and Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo are contesting only each other for this year's accolade.

For the Golden Boot you are marked by your goal tally times the difficulty of your league which equals your points and the player with the most points wins the trophy.

As it stands the players are level, both tied on 35 goals with 70 points and both looking likely to break the current record for goals in a season. Ronaldo holds the record after hitting 40 goals in 34 games last season, maybe the only thing the Portuguese player has over the Argentine.

Barcelona won the title after a 1-1 draw with Levante on May 11th, sending Ronaldo into a goal scoring frenzy with his Madrid teammates all too happy to help. Scoring seven goals in just four games, Ronaldo finally had something to boast about.

But this season is different. Madrid are the leaders with a six point advantage and both players are breaking records respectively. Messi became Barcelona's top scorer ever while Ronaldo became the quickest player to reach 100 goals in La Liga. Astonishing facts as neither player is over the age of 28.

The rest of Europe is struggling to keep up. Third in the race is Arsenal's Robin Van Persie with 26 goals and 52 points, nine goals behind the top two but more importantly 18 points behind. The Gunner's hit-man has been in blistering form this season but still struggling to reach the class of Messi and Ronaldo. Whereas a hat-trick would be a highlight for the Dutchman, a trio of goals would appear nothing more then routine for the La Liga stars.

Of course there are the cynics, "their league is easier then the Premier League" is often claimed but rarely backed up with statistics. Take the Champions League three out of the four English teams are out and no Premier League player occupies the top ten goal scorers of that competition. Meanwhile Ronaldo is third and Messi tops the table after his record breaking five goals against Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez separates the La Liga pair.

Another argument is when any player scores a particularly special goal you often hear "if it was Messi or Ronaldo we'd be talking about it for weeks." but that again is completely inaccurate. Messi and Ronaldo score spectacular goals so often it is now considered routine for the players. Take the three goals I have posted below, which do you think requires the most skill and would beat near enough any keeper on the planet? My bet's that you haven't said the man from Stoke.

As Messi and Ronaldo both continue to play football more and more spectacular goals will be scored, both spurred by the competition only between them and football's previous greats. That's why we will continue to love Spanish football.

As for this season it remains too close to call for the Pichichi title. So while you continue to hope that Madrid slip up more points look for Messi's race to the Pichichi as a bitter-sweet consolation if worse comes to worse and Madrid win the title.

Poll

Who will win the Pichichi?

Messi

192 votes

Ronaldo

105 votes

Other (comment below)

5 votes

302 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Destined to meet in the final but by no means a done deal

SamCooper — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:57:59 -0000

The Champions League draw on Friday morning saw the two Spanish giants drawn away from each other and lead to many pundits debating who would win the inevitable Madrid-Barça final.

But it is far from inevitable, both sides face tough tests if they want to see the Allianz Arena light up in their colours. The Catalans were arguably drawn the harder quarter-final opponents as Barça face a rematch against Milan while Madrid face this year's surprise package in Apoel FC.

Neither side though are guaranteed a place in the semis after all you don't get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League without merit. Apoel progressed in their group by seeing off competition from Porto, Zenit and Shaktar Donetsk before a tight game won on penalties against Lyon in the previous stage. So it would appear the first Cypriot side to reach the quarter-finals of this completion are not afraid to ruffle the big boy's feathers.

Meanwhile in Italy, reigning champions Barcelona face Milan for the third time of the competition. The Milan-Barça tie is the pick of the draw and has already produced two high quality encounters this season. The first tie was an amazing night for the Italians, Alexandre Pato scored in the first minute before Pedro and Villa put the Catalans ahead, only for Thiago Silva to net in the 90th minute and earn a valuable draw at the Camp Nou.

There is a general prejudice of Spanish fans that the Italians don't play football the right way. They complain the mindset is wrong and is too focused on the defensive side of the game.

The one exception to that rule has always been Milan and that exception was solidified when Barça travelled to the San Siro. With Barça and Milan already qualified for the knockout stages a boring game looked on the cards but that was far from the truth. Each team scored glorious goals with Kevin Prince Boateng's being the best of the bunch. Barça were the eventual winners and it would seem the Rossoneri are determined for revenge.

Should both Barça and Real overcome their opponents they will again be hit with a tough round of fixtures. Madrid's draw means they will either be facing Bayern Munich or Marseille, of which neither side looks likely to be pushed over easily.

This year's competition is especially important for the German side. The final is to be played at the home ground of Bayern, the Allianz Arena. A source of motivation if one was needed in this competition. Bayern look very impressive this season sweeping aside Basel in a 7-1 aggregate win.

Munich do look more likely to progress but the 92-93 winners have already beaten Inter Milan and the French side are more than capable of taking out another one of the "big" teams. One of Marseille's greatest quality is the fitness and endurance of the squad highlighted by their late winner in the first leg tie against Inter.

Barcelona's path to silverware would appear to be slightly more easy in regards of the semi-final stage. The Catalans will face either Chelsea or Benifca as they look to retain their title.

Chelsea's season has never been far from controversy. Trigger-happy owner Roman Abramovich fired André Villas-Boas after just eight months in charge and if it weren't for Stamford Bridge's veterans the West London side would have already exited the competition. But with the Blues chasing a top four spot in the league those old dogs may not have enough life in them to progress much further then the semis.

Standing in between Chelsea and the semi-finals is Benfica. The Portuguese club has experienced success in this competition twice in consecutive seasons of 60/61 and 61/62. Qualifying top of their group over last year's finalists Manchester United and seeing off Zenit in the round of 16 means they face Chelsea in their quarter final clash. The game should be a tight affair with the prospect of a clash with the reigning champions looming.

So it would seem there is a lot standing in the way of an all La Liga final but as the whole of Spain waits in expectation the sides must not become complacent and maybe then they will see the final they are dying to see.

Poll

Who do you think will reach the final?

Apoel

4 votes

Barcelona

107 votes

Bayern Munich

13 votes

Benfica

0 votes

Chelsea

3 votes

Marseille

0 votes

Milan

3 votes

Real Madrid

12 votes

142 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: The Greatest Ever?

SamCooper — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:18:41 -0000

The Greatest Ever?

There is no denying Lionel Messi is the best player on the planet but is he the best of all time? Naturally being Argentinean and playing for Barcelona the comparison between him and his boyhood-hero Diego Maradona was bound to come. But has Messi not only matched but overtaken "El Diego?"

The numbers are certainly in Leo's favour. Scoring 186 in his last 201 Barcelona appearances, Messi broke another record on Wednesday night as he hit five against Bayer Leverkusen, becoming the first player to score five goals in a single Champions League match, but what's most shocking is that no one was really that shocked? It just had to be Messi didn't it? And it will probably be Messi who breaks his own record by scoring six.

The statistics are scary. Messi has already won five league titles, one Copa del Rey, five Supercopa de Españas, two UEFA Super Cups, two FIFA Club World Cups and three Champions League trophies (one of which Messi refused to celebrate as he did not participate in the final.) That is a total of 18 major club trophies and he is only 24. Many believe Messi has not yet reached his peak, a scary thought for his future opponents.

Speaking after the mid-week game Pep Guardiola spoke very highly of his star player "The circumstances don’t matter, he competes against himself. We only try to provide the conditions so that he can receive [the ball] as many times as possible where he feels comfortable [on the pitch]. It’s not easy to score five goals in a game. We are very fortunate to have a player like this, we can only enjoy him and this team," Guardiola then went on to compare Messi to Maradona and Pelé.

"He is the best. There's no-one else. He is a unique player because of his innate talent and also for his competitiveness. We will not see another player like Messi. It's not easy to score five goals, and one day he will score six." Pep went on to lay down a worrying gauntlet for the rest of the footballing world "The throne is his, only he will decide when to leave it."

Of course he has won it all on a club level but this is the big factor that makes people think twice before handing Leo the greatest player of all time crown. He has yet to produce his magic on an international level unlike Pelé and Maradona who both single-handily won their countries the biggest prize the game has to offer. Of course Messi has lived in Spain for almost half of his life sparking jealously in some Argentinean hearts which lead to outrageous claims that Lionel lacked the passion for his national team. That hurt the 24 year old, leaving him frustrated with his national form.

Messi loves his homeland and that is backed up by Leo rejecting the chance to play for the current World and European champions. Before his international debut for Argentina, Messi was offered the chance to gain Spanish citizenship and to be eligible for the Spanish national squad. The young player rejected the offer and was determined to help his country back to World Cup success. Currently Messi has only scored one goal in a World Cup championship and skeptics have used this as a thorn in the player's side.

True, Maradona did win two World Cups for Argentina but wait a minute. Maradona won his first World Cup in 1986, making him 26 at the time, two years older then Messi is. Coincidently the Brazil 2014 World Cup will be Messi's third and he will be 26 at the time. The perfect opportunity appears to be there and who is confident enough to bet against him?

For now Messi will continue amaze at a club level and previous greats will doubt his international ability. "When Messi has scored 1,283 goals like me, when he's won three World Cups, we'll talk about it." were the words of Pelé but in a couple of years time the Brazilian may be made to eat those words right off of the Argentine's boot.

I will leave you with the best advice that has been given and it comes from the mouth of Guardiola "Don’t write about him, don’t try to describe him. Watch him."

Poll

Who is the best ever?

Lionel Messi

208 votes

Diego Maradona

24 votes

Pele

25 votes

Other

14 votes

271 votes | Poll has closed

FC Barcelona: Welcome to the Team of Tomorrow

SamCooper — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:20:24 -0000

For a player of Barcelona B it is hard not to be excited about what your future might bring. With role models such as Xavi, Iniesta and Messi those young players must be wondering when their shot at the first team will arrive. Therefore I've decided to take an in-depth look at the players who are most likely to fill the biggest of boots left behind from the current crop.

Let's start with the man between the sticks, Oier Olazábal. The 22 year old Spanish goal keeper has been a regular in the Barça B side after a string of impressive performances. The goalie stands at 6 foot and 2 inches giving him a commanding statue when it comes to fighting his way to collect crosses and beating away the intentions of an opposing striker. His height is his biggest asset but his quick reaction speed and good ball distribution skills has helped him retain his starting spot. Olazábal has made infrequent appearances for the first team and with his last appearance coming 2008, his focus is on pushing Barcelona B up the table and impressing Guardiola during the process.

Next we have Marc Bartra. A Gerard Piqué in the making, Bartra graduated from La Masia in 2009 and was promoted into the Barça B team. Bartra has since gone to make 77 appearances scoring three times in the process. More impressively Bartra has already made his debut for the first team and even scored his first goal. Scoring on the last day of the season as Barça came from behind to beat Málaga 3-1. The 21 year old has been praised for his commanding leadership putting him in good stead to exceed Armando Lozano as club captain. Bartra has also been praised for his positional abilities, a quality he and Gerard Piqué both share.

Partnering him in the centre is Marc Muniesa. The 19 year old is a very exciting prospect in the Barcelona camp. La Masia acquired the Spaniard when he was fifteen with Chelsea rumoured to be interested in the central defender. After two years, Muniesa had developed quickly and was ready to play for the first team, making him the second youngest player to ever play for the Barça first team. The debut took a turn for the worst though when the defender showed a lack of experience and received a red card for a reckless challenge.

Nether-the-less Pep Guardiola kept faith with the newcomer and gave him a place on the bench in the Champions League final against Manchester United. After making 62 appearances for the B team Muniesa, along with his defensive partner Bartra, are set to join the first team in July of this year.

Occupying the midfield is Rafinha, another 19 year old who is perfect to play in an attacking midfielder position. Being 5ft 10in, Rafinha has blistering pace and skill, giving him an unfair advantage when it comes to beating defenders. The youngster has been associated with Barcelona since 2006 when he enrolled into the La Masia academy. Having made his B team debut in January this year, Rafinha still needs time to hone his skills. But regardless, he has already shown enough promise for many to claim he is the Iniesta of the future.

Helping to dominate the midfield is the number 8, Jonathan Dos Santos. The Mexican was spotted by a Barcelona scout when he was playing in a youth academy tournament in France. Both him and his brother, Giovani were signed to La Masia and while Giovani has moved on, Jonathan continues to play for the club that showed faith in him. Jonathan has made a small amount of first team appearances but he is well on the way to becoming a first team regular.

Maybe Barça B's biggest threat is a player who is in the verge of completing his switch to the first team, Cristian Tello. The player was born to be a winger. A low centre of gravity gives him great pace and put together with his sublime skill gives him the ability to burst past struggling full-backs. With the injuries to established stars such as David Villa and Pedro both Tello and his Barça B teammate Cuenca have been given their chance at the first team early. The players have jumped at the chance and proven they've got what it takes to wear the Barça shirt.

Last but not least we have the boss, Eusebio Sacristán. Already a Barcelona playing legend, the 47 year old Spaniard may be the most important person at the club. He gained managerial experience as assistant coach at Barcelona for five years before making the step up to head coach at Celta. In June 2010 after a series of disappointing results, Sacristán was relinquished of his role and came back home. The Spaniard has been the head coach since the start of the season and works closely with Guardiola, helping to decide who is ready for the step up.

Be prepared to witness more and more of these players as they continue to develop into the world-beaters that La Masia is known for producing.