Lionel Messi scored twice to help La Liga leaders Barcelona stroll to a resounding win

Lionel Messi scored twice to help La Liga leaders Barcelona stroll to a resounding win at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday night, as coach Tito Vilanova recorded the best start for a first-year coach in the 113-year history of the Catalan club. Barça’s magnificent start to the season continued with a comprehensive win in Vallecas to make it eight wins and a draw from their first nine games in La Liga. Goals from Villa, Messi (2), Xavi and Cesc saw Barça through after a pretty well balanced start, which really tilted the visitors’ way after the second goal, as Tito’s men took advantage of Rayo’s advanced back line.

Barca, with midfielder Sergio Busquets and fullback Adriano Correia deputising in central defence, were under a lot of pressure from hard-running Rayo before taking control in Vallecas. Cesc Fábregas set up David Villa's 20th-minute opener to set Barcelona on their way. Messi scored his 16th and 17th goals in all competitions – to take his career tally to 301 – in a second half that also saw Xavi Hernández and Fábregas find the net.

In the second half, Barça came out determined to put the game to bed and after just two minutes Messi rounded off a brilliant team move which saw Pedro beat two defenders and lay the ball off for Montoya who set up the world number one to fire home for the second. Barcelona's eighth win in their first nine games maintained their unbeaten start to the season and lifted them three points ahead of second-placed Atlético Madrid before Atlético's game against the bottom club Osasuna on Sunday.

 Goal.com

The no-nonsense win also kept up the pressure on Real Madrid by opening up an 11-point gap before the defending champion's tough test at Mallorca. "We are delighted for Lionel," Vilanova told a news conference. "He has scored a couple of goals but I prefer to remember the moment when he ran 30 metres to help out in defence in the 89th minute. I love the goals, but I like this more." Fabregas told Spanish television: "It's a difficult ground, with spectacular fans. They pressure you and don't let you breathe. But we played a serious game, perhaps the best of the season so far.

"This was our best game of the season,'' Fabregas said. Messi's two strikes, the first an unstoppable blast from the edge of the box, the second a showcase of fancy footwork to undo the defense, took his league leading tally to 13 goals, four more than Atletico's Radamel Falcao and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi has 73 goals for club and country in 2012, leaving him two shy of matching Brazil great Pele's milestone of 75 in 1958. "Scoring two more goals isn't important, the important thing is that we have another win and we believe we can keep this up,'' said Messi, who on Monday will receive the Golden Shoe award for Europe's top scorer last season with an unprecedented 73 goals.

credits to: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Great Player: Luis Enrique, versatily player and spanish leader

Luis Enrique was a born leader, and highly committed, for which reason he was one of the èquipo captains. His finest quality was his versatility, the characteristic that best describes his way of playing, although there were so many more. He normally played as a linkman with the out and out striker, although he would also play in wider positions, or even as centre forward. Luis Enrique came to FC Barcelona in the summer of 1996 as a free agent after having played at Real Madrid for five seasons.

Luis Enrique was born in Gijón, Asturias. After starting his career with local Sporting de Gijón, he spent most of it with the two biggest Spanish clubs: first Real Madrid for five seasons and, in a stunning move, he saw out his contract and moved to fierce rivals FC Barcelona on a free transfer. The Catalan club's supporters were at first understandably hesitant about their new acquisition, but he soon won the culés heart, staying eight years with the club, eventually becoming first-team captain, and scoring several times in El Clásico against his former employers. His usual position was right or attacking midfielder, but he was notable for his versatility, having played in all positions throughout his career except central defender and goalkeeper.

He was a skilled and tireless worker, and a great goalscorer too, especially when coming from behind, where he was never was one to throw in the towel, even in the most difficult of situations. He would constantly encourage his colleagues, and was an important squad member both on and off the pitch. The character and flair of this Asturian set an example for the fans to admire. He stayed at Barça until he finally hung up his boots in 2004. In his first three seasons with Barcelona, Enrique netted 46 La Liga goals, with Barça finishing runner-up in 1996–97, subsequently winning back-to-back domestic championship accolades.

Numbers of Luis Enrique into Barca: - Seasons at the club: 1996-2004 - Games played: 354 - Goals scored: 123. - Trophies: 1 Cup Winners Cup (1996/97), 1 European Super Cup (1997), 2 Leagues (1997/98 and 98/99), 2 Copa del Rey (1996/97 and 97/98), 1 Spanish Super Cup (1996),  2 Copa Catalunya (99-2000, 2003-2004).

credits to: http://arxiu.fcbarcelona.cat

Great Player: Luis 'Luisito' Suarez, genius midfielder with Barca and Inter

Great master of Spanish football, Luis Suárez (born in La Coruña, 1935) was one of the stars of the Barça side of the late fifties, but sadly his greatest and most successful period came when he was no longer a Barça player. He had everything you could want of a footballer: amazing skill, an amazing talent for moving the ball about with his feet, great vision and a tremendous shot. But he was mainly noted for his elegant style, it was often said he was such a graceful player that he could have played in a dinner jacket. Between 1955 and 1961 Suárez was a regular in a FC Barcelona team that also included Ladislao Kubala, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, Ramallets and Evaristo. With Helenio Herrera as coach, the club and Suárez won a La Liga/Copa del Generalísimo double in 1959 and a La Liga/Fairs Cup double in 1960. Born in 1935, Suarez currently works in the technical secretary's office at his former club Inter Milan, where his elegance, skill on the ball, vision and crucial goals were highly appreciated during I Nerazzurris's trophy-laden 1960s. The young Suarez had first caught the eye at hometown club Deportivo La Coruna before making the switch to Barcelona in 1954, where he went on to win two league titles, two Spanish Cups and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups during his seven-season stay.

Yet his glorious spell at the Catalan giants ended with the disappointment of a 3-2 defeat against Benfica in the final of the 1960/61 European Cup. "That's the only black mark on my time at Barcelona," said Suarez, who will have taken some consolation from helping Barça become the first team ever to knock Real Madrid out of the elite competition. "But it was the only one I lost out of so many finals, though given the way the game went it was one we should have won. It left me with a point to prove because it's such a huge competition." It was then time for the Galician genius to head to Italian football, this during a period when it was highly unusual for Spanish players to ply their trade abroad. "There have been a lot of Spanish players who have deserved that award," said Suarez on the Ballon d'Or win which had done much to raise his international profile. "So much depends on the era you find yourself living in. You need the slice of luck that comes when another great player of your time doesn't perform quite so well. There have been truly great players who have never won that award. It's not that big a deal." 

Suarez's silky skills were key to a Nerazzurri side crowned European champions in 1963/64 and 1964/65 under legendary strategist Helenio Herrera, who had coached him for a spell at Barcelona. "The Italian league had a reputation for being more defensive than it really was. Even so, teams' first priority was not to concede any goals and I came from a place with a different mindset," said the 74-year-old, on the contrast between Spanish and Italian football. "At Barcelona I played as a goalscoring midfielder but (at Inter) I had to change for the good of the team and to win titles. At the end of the day, I think I was so successful because I made so many sacrifices for a sport I loved."

credits to: http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/stories/doyouremember/news/newsid=1091805.html

The Barcelona club celebrates Chinese Festival of Autumn

Un club de la talla del Fútbol Club Barcelona se debe a los millones de seguidores que tiene a lo largo y ancho del planeta, y esta vez le ha tocado el turno al pueblo chino que el próximo 30 de septiembre celebra el Zhong Qiu, una de las fechas más importantes del calendario del país asiático.

A través de su web oficial, www fcbarcelona.es, varios de los jugadores de la primera plantilla del Barcelona han mandado un mensaje muy especial a sus seguidores en China, ya que los Piqué, Villa o Alexis Sánchez protagonizan un vídeo felicitando el Zhong Qiu en chino.

Dídac Lee, directivo responsable de las Nuevas Tecnologías afirma que el Barcelona “está trabajando para estar cerca de los aficionados en China y para acercar las tradiciones chinas al pueblo catalán”.

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Gerard Piqué, Cesc Fàbregas, Alexis Sánchez, David Villa, Marc Bartra and Andreu Fontàs sent their congratulations to the Chinese people ahead of the Zhong Qiu Festival.

FC Barcelona’s New Technologies director, Dídac Lee - of Chinese heritage - said that the Club “is working to be close to Barça fans in China in addition to bringing Chinese traditions to the Catalan people.” He added: “We know the Chinese people have great passion for Barça and we want to make their ‘Azulgrana feeling’ even more enjoyable.”

The 2011 award-winning pastry chef at La Pastelería, Josep Maria Rodríguez, collaborated to help bring Catalan and Chinese traditions together by creating a mooncake with a Catalan twist. Mr. Rodríguez' mooncakes -which featured marzipan and chocolate - were then presented to the FC Barcelona players.

FC Barcelona wants to wish its Chinese fans a happy Zhong Qiu Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival). The Zhong Qiu Festival, which will be celebrated on September 30, is one of the most important holidays on the Chinese calendar. 

credist to: http://www.goal.com/es/news/27/liga-de-espa%C3%B1a/2012/09/28/3409318/barcelona-felicita-el-festival-chino-de-oto%C3%B1o

Barcelona members approve referendum about Camp Nou future

Barcelona could leave their famous Nou Camp home after the club's members approved a referendum on the future of the stadium. On the table there will be the possibility of building a new stadium, something with an approximate cost of 600 million euros, or the renovation of Camp Now, which would cost about half.

The assembly of FC Barcelona's members has authorised the club's board of directors to convene a referendum to decide whether to build a new stadium or remodel the current Camp Nou. The consultation could take place in a couple of years' time, once the club has reduced its current debt. As vice-president of the Economic and Strategic Area of the Club, Javier Faus suggested, both the redevelopment of existing Camp Nou and construction of a new stadium will be very costly.

The future of Barcelona’s iconic stadium has been the cause of much debate in recent months. Speaking at his end-of-year address in June, Barcelona president Sandro Rosell announced that planned renovations at the Nou Camp had been put on hold despite the revelation of record financial results. Rosell insisted that a revamp of the Nou Camp would not be able to happen until the club’s debt is further reduced. 

At a meeting on Saturday, 73.38% of Barcelona's delegate members voted in favour of holding a referendum on the subject, with vice-president of the economic and strategic area of the club, Javier Faus, noting that there are two options available. Last September, Barcelona announced plans to add 10,000 seats and install new VIP boxes at the Nou Camp, which currently has a capacity of 90,000, and also remodel the area surrounding the stadium (Espai Barca) and build a new arena (Palau Blaugrana) for the club’s basketball team.

Barcelona, which runs a number of other sports teams, as well as the football club, also wants to construct a new basketball stadium putting additional pressure onto the organisation's finances. Barcelona in July signed off on record profits of Eur48.8 million for the 2011-12 season, following losses of Eur9.3 million and Eur83 million in the previous two seasons. Barcelona’s total debt, which once stood at Eur420 million two years ago, was reduced to Eur335 million with Faus stating that the club “needs to be cautious” if it wants to take on “ambitious future projects”.

Stadium development would clearly fall under this bracket and Faus on Saturday stated that either of the two stadium options would mean the club would have to go into debt, adding that therefore “the debt must be reduced to extremely low levels.” As Barça's home since 1957, the Nou Camp currently holds 99,000 spectators and is the largest football ground in Europe, hosting UEFA Champions League finals, FIFA World Cup matches and Olympic football.

Javier Faus noted that there are two options: remodel the stadium or build a new one. The first option would cost the Club 300 million euros, while the second wouldn't surpass the 600 million euro price tag. Antoni Freixa stated the the Board of Directors is adamant that Club members must be the ones to decide if the Camp Nou should be renovated. Faus confirmed that “studies have been done to determine the cost of both options,” and that in any case “nothing will be done until the Club’s debt is reduced from its current levels.” The vice-president was also very clear that no matter what course of action is taken down the road, that the Club “will have to go into debt,” therefore “the debt must be reduced to extremely low levels

"This is a question that in its self brings more questions about technical, town planning and financial matters. The result of the referendum will be binding for the board of directors and the club's members," stated Freixa. Just before the vote, the secretary and spokesman of the Board of Directors, Antoni Freixa, said that even though the Board of Directors “can adopt measures that are not voted on by the General Assembly,” that the Board would rather “have important matters approved by the maximum number of Club members.” Freixa added: “We’re all aware of the importance of this decision, both for Club members, the Board of Directors.” The delegate members authorised the referendum by a vote of 490 in favour to 34 against, with 26 abstentions.

credits to: http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/la-liga/news/article/-/14948695/barcelona-members-vote-on-referendum/

Acrobatic kick by Koscielny that gives a point to Arsenal. Gunners equalise City: 1-1

Laurent Koscielny's equaliser ensured Arsenal left Eastlands with a deserved point as the Gunners held Premier League champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Sunday. Koscielny's goal eight minutes from time ensured Arsenal maintained their unbeaten start to the season and cancelled out the opener from City centre-half Joleon Lescott.

The Gunners had much the better of the first half but could not make their dominance count and Joleon Lescott headed the hosts in front from a 40th-minute corner. Premier League facts and figures showed that that Arsenal new boy Santi Cazorla had created more scoring chances for teammates from open play (14) than any other player before this weekend and it was easy to see why. He found more space than the Blues would have liked in the opening 45 minutes.

Mancini had seen enough in the first half to be concerned as shown by the removal of Scott Sinclair, who showed some fine touches, and the addition of Jack Rodwell to stiffen up the central area and level out the battle. "I'm very sorry today for the players because it was difficult after Real Madrid," said the Italian. "But I'm worried because we continue to concede goals. We need to improve and we need to work. I don't know why it's happening but probably we don't have enough concentration in some situations.

Wenger's team always displayed a little more poise and, though they also endured periods when their football was not as clean and slick as their manager expects, there were spells when they threatened to wear their opponents down. Santi Cazorla was prominently involved, always wanting the ball and knowing the right thing to do with it. Mikel Arteta played with similar composure and Aaron Ramsey impressed in an unfamiliar wide role. When Jack Wilshere is back playing, this is going to be a delicious midfield.

Their problem is an obvious one, namely how to make do in attack without Robin van Persie. Lukas Podolski was substituted after a peripheral performance while Gervinho is too erratic, his touch frequently poor. One superb pass from Ramsey sent him running clear, at 0-0, but the striker's clumsiness wasted the opportunity, knocking the ball too far ahead and allowing Hart to cut out the danger. 

Mannone, playing in place of the injured Wojciech Szczesny, certainly did not cover himself in glory, attempting to plough through a ruck of defenders and getting nowhere near the ball. 

City could even have been two ahead at the break but Mannone partially redeemed himself with a fingertip save from Edin Dzeko's curling shot.

Prior to the opening goal, the two best openings of the half had both fallen to the visitors; the first after 15 minutes when Gervinho was played clean through on goal by Aaron Ramsey but produced a dismal first touch that saw the ball run away from him to goalkeeper Joe Hart. Nine minutes later, Carl Jenkinson's tidy approach play down the right-hand by-line allowed him to pull the ball back for Podolski who planted a shot high and wide over the City goal.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger threw on Olivier Giroud and Walcott for the game's final 19 minutes, the duo injecting more attacking urgency into their team's play without Hart being unduly troubled at first. Instead, Yaya Toure launched a dangerous 80th minute counter-attack, slipping in Aguero whose shot, under pressure from Koscielny, was turned around the post by Mannone.

It was a half chance, and miss, that proved costly with Arsenal immediately responding through midfielder Cazorla's powerful right-foot strike which Hart did well to tip over, resulting in the corner from which Koscielny equalised. Two minutes later, City might have regained the lead after Aguero drove a rebound just wide after Mannone had done well to keep out Vincent Kompany's acrobatic overhead kick.

credits to: http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/EnglishPremiership/Man-City-Arsenal-share-spoils-20120923

Preview 'La Liga': Barcelona-Granada, 22 September 2012

The fifth consecutive win, 15 points out of 15 available: what asks Vilanova to Messi and company is to win, always. The Granada does not seem an insurmountable obstacle.

Barcelona take on Granada tonight in La Liga action, looking for their fifth win in as many league matches. Granada on the other hand are looking for their first win of the season, but chances are that they will have to wait another week with Barcelona in such sensational form. The Blaugrana may have injury concerns at the back, but with Lionel Messi and co in such great goal-scoring form, they should have enough to see off Juan Antonio Anquela's team.

FC Barcelona face the Andalusians with a number of absences in their rearguard. Without Puyol and Piqué, Tito Vilanova will need to change his defensive plans. The most likely candidates to join Mascherano as the other centre back are Bartra and Song, although Sergio Busquets has also shown in the past that he’s capable of playing in that position. But those problems aside, Barça can welcome back Jordi Alba, who is now fully recovered from a nasty attack of the flu.

The Andalusians were extremely poor on the road in the previous campaign and have lost nine of their last 11 away matches. The Catalan's strength at home is of course well documented, with April's defeat to Real Madrid the only time in the last 15 league matches they have failed to win at Camp Nou. 

David Villa says he feels now ready to return full time, but Vilanova not see it that way. For the Barca's trainer, ''el guaje'' has 45 minutes in his legs, but did not dispel the doubts about its use from the beginning. Unlike the speech for Alex Song: the new signing of Barcelona is likely to start again from the bench, despite the many absences in defense. Vilanova sees as central praises his commitment and his technical skills, but probably prefer the young Bartra. The only chance for the former Arsenal could come from midfield in case Vilanova decides to rest some players.

There are not only positive news for the Catalans. This season, the port of Valdez has remained inviolate only one chance out of 7 games played (Valencia) and Barça had to replace the score three times. Tito Vilanova about Messi: "Leo is the best player in the world, if not the history, it will eventually be," he says, and "it is important that it be put in a position to end his career here. We will not see a player like him. "The important thing is to keep him, how it is for other people.

Quit smoking with Barça: Catalans to ‘kick’ smoking habit

Màs que un club: FC Barcelona will give their players and their channels of communication for a European campaign, jointly organised with the European Commission, to convince millions of Europeans fans into the boat and sport so quit. The President of FC Barcelona, Sandro Rosell, and the European Commissioner for health, John Dalli, launched this Mars in Brussels the campaign “Quit Smoking with Barca” (stop smoking with Barça). Participate in such initiatives, Rosell stated after the presentation ceremony, “is part of our DNA, because when in the farmhouse we are players and people an important part is the subject of health and we teach them to not smoke”. Some of the football played by Barcelona could definitely be described as smoking but the EC want Barca's help to help get everyone to kick the habit. ‘Quit Smoking with Barça’ is the latest of the “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” campaign, and it is the first time that the European Commission has collaborated with a sporting partner. The programme aims not to judge smokers, but instead underlines the many benefits of quitting smoking, combining these positive messages with the evidence-based tools of the “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” campaign. The campaign will be powered by iCoach (www.exsmokers.eu), a free, proven digital health tool already helping almost a quarter of a million people across Europe (equivalent to 1 in every 500 smokers) in their quest to give up smoking for good. iCoach is available from today as an app for both for iPhone and Android.

Dr. Jordi Monés, the director responsible for Barça’s medical area, and pioneer of the club’s previous smoking cessation initiative, 'Barça Sense Fum' (Smoke-Free Barça), which saw a smoking ban across all Barça facilities said "Barça feels very proud to collaborate with an institution like the European Commission. We wanted to join forces with the biggest public body in Europe to convince people to take the first step towards smoke-free living.  Just as our fans support and cheer us to victory, through ‘Quit Smoking with Barça’ (video) we will now support them through their toughest challenge -to quit smoking for good.” As the first action of the campaign, the Catalans, Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Víctor Valdés protagonists of a video that is distributed on the network, where they offer their support to those who want to quit smoking. FC Barcelona was to adopt a policy of free space without smoke at the Camp Nou to prevent tobacco to children who come to see to the Catalan Assembly in early 2012. Satisfied that the EC has had the boat for this initiative, Rosell has explained that the club made available the community campaign players of first team football to make action against smoking, permitted by the sports agenda.

The hurdle President emphasised Barca, following its philosophy of being “more than a club” must go beyond his sport role and contribute to European smokers have better health. For his part, Commissioner Dalli has stressed that FC Barcelona was “the logical choice” to engage in collaboration, since the Catalan club row “in the same direction” to the EC in the fight against tobacco: “Is a natural alliance that will give a boost to the campaign and will result in better results”. "Through this collaboration we will seek to help football supporters across Europe to take back control of their health and their lives, encouraging them to be as passionate about their health as they are about the “beautiful game,” said FC Barcelona President, Sandro Rosell speaking at the launch announcement at the European Commission Headquarters in Brussels. Quit Smoking with Barça’ offers supporters of Barça, football and sport in general a personalised health training programme with daily quit smoking tips and encouragement direct from the hearts and mouths of the club itself. If you've ever tried to kick the old woodbines yourself you'll know that all help is more than appreciated.