The Fans Football Blog3

Speaking to Catalan sports paper Sport, Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic looked back at last season's cup final against Athletic Bilbao and the goal he scored:

"It was the end of a competition in which I had played a lot and had scored goals. Being a starter was a kind of consolation prize, although I'm aware that, at a club like Baça, you have to earn a consolation prize every day. But maybe in the end it was the confirmation that I can be a starter.

When I received the ball, I immediately knew what I was going to do, that's why I didn't even look to see if Samu was there, I didn't see him. I was very focused and in the end it turned out well. When the team-mates came up to me to celebrate, that was a very happy moment for all of us, because of the importance of the game, because we were playing for the first trophy of the season..."

Read more:
Llorente: "Barça is the best club in the world"
Bojan ready to start in the super cup
Athletic coach Caparros: "We will have chances"


Watch a video of Bojan's goal in last season's cup final here:

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Arsenal would only be willing to include Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) in a possible deal on Arsenal midfielder and Spanish international Cesc Fàbregas (22).

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger would like to count on the Catalan striker, who is nevertheless untouchable for Barcelona manager Guardiola.

Barcelona would have offered Arsenal a transfer fee of 40 million euros°, which was rejected by the English Premier League club, as was the possible inclusion in the deal of Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) and Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22).

Although Cesc reportedly supports the efforts of Barcelona trying to sign him and his agent Darren Dein is acting as go-between between the two clubs, the player wouldn't be willing to force his exit. Cesc plans to talk with Wenger in the coming days to discuss the situation, but it is unlikely that Arsenal will change their position. A transfer this summer seems almost impossible.

Read more:
Arsenal interested in Bojan
Cesc father thinks transfer is unlikely

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona player Bojan Krkic (18) has said that he expects that there's a chance he will start in the first leg of the Spanish super cup against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday:

"The coach didn't yet tell us anything about who will play, but with all the players who are not sure and with that little time to recover, I guess I might play. But let's hope we all will be available. Being a starter doesn't mean added stress, because I've been a starter all my life.

I feel good at the three forward positions, not only as centre forward. I've always said that a football player never stops learning. I'm on the verge of turning 19 years old and I'm just starting to learn. I feel good both in the centre as on the wings and I should prove to the coach that I'm good enough.

Playing with Pedro and Jeffren? I know Jeffren better because I've played with him at the B-team. We're three players who have proven during the pre-season that we have the quality to from the attacking line of Barça. You have to believe in the youth academy players, because they have the quality and the rest will follow.

I'm surprised about the ease and the elegance with which Ibrahimovic moves. It's nice to see it live. As a person he's a modest guy with a good personality. I have to learn a lot from him, like from all the others, because there's a reason why they are the best players in the world. From Eto'o, I learned his ambition and winning spirit. The fact of seeing his reaction if things didn't work out fine. To see that he only thought about scoring."

Read more:
Bojan feels good playing on the wing
Guardiola lecturing Bojan
Bojan has been promised more playing time

Asked about the upcoming season, Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic (18) has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he feels confident at the start of the new year:

"I have been with the team for two years now and I've gone through a lot of things, so I think I'm prepared for everything. I'm capable of playing everywhere.

During my first year with the first team and with the B-team, I've played a lot of games on the wing, so I'm used to it and I feel very comfortable at that position. I think I played well there during the pre-season, so let's hope that the coach saw it and that he gives me a chance on the wing if needed."

Read more:
Bojan has been promised more playing time
Guardiola lecturing Bojan

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona's wage scale has six levels:



GROUP A
Messi

GROUP B
Henry
Ibrahimovic

GROUP C
Alves
Xavi
Iniesta
Puyol

GROUP D
Valdés
Touré
Márquez
Keita

GROUP E
Bojan
Piqué
Jorquera
Pinto
Busquets

GROUP F
Pedro
Víctor Sánchez
Muniesa
Jeffren

Asked about his decision to stay at the club this summer (read more here), Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) has said in an interview with Spanish sports weekly paper Don Balón that he decided not to leave on loan after having talked with Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola:

"I've always in the first place thought in terms of playing, not necessarily in terms of going out on loan. I'm young and at my age, one has to play. But it's also true that it's not the same sitting on the bench at 18 than at 29.

Guardiola told me that I shouldn't even think about a loan and that they would give me chances. To have more playing time here, has always been my priority. If you want to triumph here, you have to go through all this. I'm a culé through and through and because of those strong feeling I have, I will fight and try to grab those playing minutes that can help me becoming a full member of the first team."

Read more:
Treble celebrations lead to resits for Bojan
Guardiola convinced Bojan to stay
Pique reveals dressing-room secrets

Asked about his decision to stay at the club this summer (read more here), Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) has said at a press conference that he decided not to leave after having talked with Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola:

"I will fight to keep on learning and growing, with hope and excitement. Last season I didn't have many playing minutes but this year the coach told me that he counts on me and that he wants me to stay here. After having won so much with own youth players last year, you again start a new season surrounded by many youth players and then you realize that you will get chances here."

Read more:
Bojan has received almost twenty loan offers
Treble celebrations lead to resits for Bojan
Loan of Bojan definitely excluded

Bojan:
With all those celebrations - and we've really celebrated a lot - I have six resits in September, so I'm spending my holidays among the exercise books.

(click the cartoon to enlarge)

source:
golsud.com

see more cartoons here

In the run-up to the Champions league final, Barcelona player Gerard Piqué discussed his team-mates in an interview with British tabloid The Daily Mail.





Víctor Valdés
He's unbelievable when one-on-one with a player. The fact he's not in Spain's team is strange because he is one of the best five goalkeepers in the world. I like him because he doesn't moan when I am DJ in the dressing room. He also plays the piano.

Carles Puyol
Despite playing centre-back, I think he is best at right-back. He is like a barnacle or limpet that you find on rocks on the beach. You have to keep scratching away but still get little out of it! He is the captain, a good friend but an animal who is relentless on the pitch. If I was playing chess, he would be my rook. A tower of strength.

Gerard Piqué
What can I say? Scandalously good-looking (see my picture, above right). Talented on and off the pitch. There's nothing better than me, but maybe I could do with a little more confidence!

Sylvinho
The daddy of the team. A real good guy. He is always concerned for the welfare of the side and asks questions all the time when we are travelling, making sure we are ok. Not played enough in key games but very reliable.

Xavi
Best example of how good Barcelona's academy can be. He loves the ball more than anything else in the world. It is almost impossible to take the ball off him in training and if anyone does you normally get an ovation from the rest of the team.

Sergi Busquets
He is the rookie of the season. He was a striker and Pep changed him into a defensive midfielder. We call him Superman. You can kick him as much as you like but he won't feel it. He will be a reference point in world football in a few years' time.

Andrés Iniesta
Best midfielder in the world. You can study his hips as he is moving towards you but he will bluff you with his body. If Andres scored more goals he would be the biggest act in the world. Bigger than any singer! As a person, soft as a loaf of bread.

Lionel Messi
No 1 in the world. You can't fight against him, you will lose because he is quicker and more athletic than you. Not superstitious, but always wears his Argentina flag shinpads. I grew up with him here at Barcelona and he hasn't disappointed me.

Samuel Eto'o
We asked the coach and the chairman at the start of the season to make sure that we kept him. He had to stay, there's no other striker like him. He was having a bad time but proved to everyone that he is a top professional. He is fanatical about cars and watches.

Thierry Henry
He looks very cocky, but on a daily basis he has shown strong humility — despite being the best footballer in Arsenal's history. He kisses a tattoo on his wrist every time he scores and I have told him he is in danger of wearing out his skin, he has scored so many.

Yaya Touré
He always leaves everyone open-mouthed with his show of strength. Quiet in the dressing room but very friendly and never complains. He doesn't care whether he plays defensive midfield or centre-back, and we all feel comfortable whichever position he plays. Has some unusual dance moves, though.

Seydou Keita
The lungs of the team. He can run from deep and score, he is good in the air and cares a lot defensively. He doesn't know the meaning of the word 'no'. He says 'yes' to requests from the gaffer and ends up paying five times for it.

Eidur Gudjohnsen
The Viking or The Gargoyle. He has a special humour for the dressing room. He is always funny and cheery. Unbelievable first touch and is probably the best in the team with his back to goal. Speaks very good English and likes a party.

Bojan
It doesn't matter how many minutes he plays, because he always gets a chance. Don't give him half a metre because he will take you to the cleaners. His body is like a snake, he can change direction quickly and can slip past easily. He is a kid in the dressing room but I am trying to make him become a man!

read the full article including Piqué's comments on his former Manchester United team-mates here


Read more:
The merging paths of Pique and Busquets
Pique: "Classical music makes me fall asleep"

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) will not leave on loan in the summer (read more here).

Bojan would always have wanted to stay but not at any price and would have asked for more playing time, especially in the league.

Barcelona reportedly accepted to look at offers. Around twenty clubs would have asked for the Catalan player while Barcelona considered to incude him in bids for Valencia forward Villa or Atlético forward Forlán (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would now nevertheless have convinced the player that he will get more chances next season if he keeps on making progress, which he can do best at Barcelona learning from more experienced top strikers. A source close to the talks would have confirmed that Bojan is now definitely not for loan this summer.

Read more:
Bojan repeats that he will stay next season
Laporta comments on the transfer market
Bojan will not leave on loan this summer

Barcelona president Joan Laporta commented on the transfer events in an interview with Catalan radio station iCatfm.



Eto'o
*I think that Eto'o would like to stay and I would like that too.* But he has an out-of-this-world offer from Manchester City which would make him the best paid player in the world. He starts to understand that it's a crazy offer. He wants to stay but it's very difficult to reject an offer like that.

Villa
It's Txiki who has to decide if Villa would replace him. If Eto'o leaves we'll have to sign a new striker, although I also think they could perfectly play together*, certainly because it will be a long season*.

Keirrison
We're on the verge of finalizing the transfer. Could he be part of the Villa deal? He'll do the pre-season with us and then it's Pep Guardiola who decides which players will stay.

Mascherano
He's a close friend of Messi, we'll see what happens. It's a player I like a lot and I don't think it's a problem that we already have similar players like Touré and Keita, who are also going to take part in the Africa Cup.

Ribéry
He knows that we like him a lot but Bayern doesn't want to sell. Madrid is also interested, like we are, but we have great respect for Bayern and if they don't sell, we accept that. They know that we like him so if they change their minds, they know we want to talk *although we won't take part in a bid race*.

Filipe
If Deportivo president Lendoiro talks about 20 million euro, that price is out of the market. No discussion there. Txiki made a very wise and decent offer *so if Lendoiro doesn't change his position, we won't do any further efforts*.

Bojan
He won't leave on loan.

Valdés
His renewal is not yet signed but everything is going well.

Asked about the new rumours that he could leave on loan this summer, Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) repeated to journalists that he will stay:

"The board of Barça told me that I will continue at the club so for me this discussion is closed.

My relationship with Guardiola is good and last season I've played the games I needed to play. The problem is that it's very difficult to find your way into a team that has three of the best forwards in the world.

But the important thing is that I enjoyed myself when I was playing. I hope that I will be able to continue enjoying myself like I've done until now and to win more trophies. The main thing is to maintain the unity within the group, which has been key to achieve the successes."

Read more:
Getafe wants Bojan on loan
Barcelona president makes new bid for Villa
Bojan will not leave on loan this summer

Madrid sports tabloid Marca unconfirmedly claims that Getafe is interested in Barcelona forward and Spanish youth internacional Bojan Krkic (18).

Getafe manager Michel reportedly asked his club to move for the Catalan striker and try to sign him on loan.

Read more:
Bojan will not leave on loan

Spanish television channel La Sexta claims that Barcelona made Valencia a bid of 50 million euro° plus the loan of Barcelona players Bojan (18) and Cáceres (21).

But this bid reportedly wasn't only for Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27), but also for Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international Juan Manuel Mata (21). Valencia would have rejected the offer.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has picked up the option of signing Mata for the left wing and could already have made a bid of 20 million euro° for the Spaniard.

Valencia regional sports paper Superdeporte claims that Barcelona has contacted both Valencia and the player's entourage but that Valncei made clear that Mata is not for sale. Valencia would meanwhile have reached yesterday a pre-agreement with the player's father and agent about a contract renewaL

Read more:
Barcelona keeping an eye on Mata
Barcelona planning six transfers
Guardiola wants Villa

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has asked the club to do everything possible to sign Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27).

Barcelona is trying to lower the asking price of 50 million euro° but Valencia rejects the option of Cáceres and would only want to include Barcelona striker Bojan in the deal (read more here). In the meantime, Barcelona would already have reached a personal agreement with Villa. If the clubs can find a deal, the contract could be signed soon after the Confederations cup.

Valencia regional newspaper Las Provincias claims that Valencia is not interested in Bojan. The club would be hoping that Madrid raises the cash part of their bid because the technical staff would like replace Villa by Real Madrid striker Negredo. Asked if the club is considering other options than Negredo, a Valencia official is quoted as saying: "We don't want to take risks." The paper also claims that Villa prefers to join Barcelona rather than Real Madrid.

Asked about the situation of Villa, Valencia president Manuel Llorente confirmed to journalists that Barcelona has asked for the striker: "At this moment, we don't have any offers on the table. The talks with Real Madrid have been stopped on Saturday and now there are other clubs, like Barcelona, who have asked for the player. He's a Valencia player right now and we're gonna take some time to make the best decision for the club."

Read more:
Barcelona planning six transfers
Barcelona joins race for Villa

Several media claim that, while last weekend Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain had been negotiating with Valencia vice-president Javier Gómez, Barcelona president Joan Laporta yesterday contacted Valencia president Manuel Llorente to make a new offer for Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that, while Valencia is asking 45 million euro°, Barcelona made a bid of 40 million euro° plus the loan of one player who is not Barcelona player Bojan Krkic (18). Barcelona players Martín Cáceres (21), Alexander Hleb (28), Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) or Pedro (21) could be included in the deal. The paper claims that this would be the final bid of Barcelona.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has offered 40 million euro° plus Cáceres, while Valencia would be asking a transfer price of 42 million euro° and still tries to include the loan of Bojan. Barcelona would offer Villa a year salary of 5,5 million euro net.

Valencia regional Superdeporte claims that Valencia isn't interested in Cáceres and that they want more cash or another player on loan. The key element could be the loan of Bojan. Valencia regional newspaper Las Provincias claims that Valencia plans to organize a bid race between all interested clubs, including English Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester United.

Read more:
Negotiations with Valencia on Villa ongoing
Barcelona planning six transfers
Barcelona joins race for Villa

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona has made a bid of 50 million euro for Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27).

More concrete, the bid of Barcelona would consist of 40 million euro cash plus incentives plus the loan of Barcelona players Martín Cáceres (21) and Bojan Krkic (18).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona made a bid of 35 million euro while Valencia is asking 45 million euro. Barcelona and Valencia officials reportedly negotiated the whole weekend by phone after the talks between Valencia and Real Madrid were cancelled (read more here).

Read more:
Barcelona joins race for Villa
Van Persie, Malouda and Mata next on the list
1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in Atlético Madrid forward and Uruguay international Diego Forlán (30), to have a back-up for Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) if the latter stays or to replace him if he leaves (read more here).

Barcelona would want to offer Forlán a three-year deal paying him a bit more than he's now earning at Atlético but doesn't want to pay the 36 million euro° buyout clause Forlan and is therefore considering other options.

A straight swap with Eto'o seems impossible since Eto'o doesn't plan to leave and Atlético Madrid could unlikely pay the salary Eto'o is asking. Another option would be to offer Atlético Madrid 20 million euro° cash plus a two-year loan of Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18).

Read more:
Forlan first option to replace Eto'o
1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema
Bojan will not leave on loan this summer