The Fans Football Blog3

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claimed earlier this week that Barcelona has reached an agreement with the municpal goverment of Barcelona for the re-qualification of some pieces of land belonging to the club.

Barcelona would want to sell the land, including the Miniestadi, to get funds for the remodelling of Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium.

Although Jordi Hereu, the mayor of Barcelona, would have given his approval to the plan, the other party in the left-wing coalition that governs the city of Barcelona is opposed to the re-qualification, which will force the mayor to look for support with the main opposition party. The people living in the neighbourhood are also opposed to the plans and are expected to undertake legal actions.

Read more:
Works on new Camp Nou to start next year

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Barcelona is getting tired of waiting for a deal on Deportivo left back Filipe Luis.

The club would therefore be considering to turn to another option and could soon start moving for Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27).

Read more:
Barcelona monitoring Maxwell situation
Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction
Maxwell one of two candidates for left back spot

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) will sign tomorrow a five-year contract with Barcelona.



(sources: rac 1, sport, tv3, as, el periódico, globo esporte, lance)

Last Thursday, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raúl Sanllehí met with André Cury, a representative of Brazilian player's agency Traffic that owns 80 per cent of the transfer rights of the player, the other 20 per cent being in the possession of Palmeiras. Traffic chairman Júlio Mariz also took part in the meeting.

The negotiations are then said to be well-advanced, a pre-agreement would have been reached. Cury says: "We're optimistic regarding a deal. As we are concerned, we now have a pre-agreement that we hope to finalize on Tuesday." Barcelona would already have had before agreed on an option on the player that expired on 30 June.

On Friday, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain had a lunch with Marcos Malaquias, one of the player's agents Marcos Malaquias in a Barcelona restaurant to negotiate on the player's contract. In the afternoon, Malaquias and Mariz met with Barcelona officials at the club's offices.

Naor Malaquias, the other agent of Keirrison confirmed the talks: "My brother and a Traffic director are in Barcelona to take part in the negotiations. I don't know anything about possible fees yet." Marcos Malaquias said after the meeting that a deal was very close: "There are only a few details missing before it's official."

It was then decided that Keirrison wouldn't train or play anymore with Palmeiras. The Brazilian striker travelled the same day to his home-town Keirrison, where he was getting ready to fly to Barcelona. Palmeiras put out a statement confirming a formal offer by Barcelona, Keirrison did the same (read more here). Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the next day that they're on the verge of finalizing the deal.

Despite having more than four years left on his contract, Keirrison can leave Palmeiras without an extra fee. When he signed his contract earlier this year, a clause was inserted that allowed him to move at any moment to Barcelona, his favourite club since childhood (read more here). Sport claims that Keirrison also insisted that in his contract with Traffic a buyout clause would be included saying that he could leave to Barcelona for 15 million euro°. For other clubs, the buyout clause would be 50 million euro.

Other sources mention other figures regarding the agreed transfer fee: "13 million plus 3 million in incentives" (tv3), "around 14 million euro" (el periódico), "around 15 million euro" (globo esporte), "16 million euro" (lance). Keirrison, who also rejected an offer by Real Madrid in January, will most likely be included, on loan or permanently, in a transfer deal on Villa or (more unlikely) on Forlán or Bruno Alves.

Read more:
Deal on transfer of Keirrison
Keirrison dreams of Barcelona move
Barcelona prepares final offer for Villa

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona hopes that the negotiations on the transfer of Deportivo La Coruña left back defender Filipe Luis (23) can be picked up in the coming days after Deportivo rejected last Friday a first formal offer of 8 million euro° and referred to the buyout clause of 20 million euro° (read more here).

The club hopes that the Brazilian defender will put some pressure on his club and Barcelona might raise their offer to 10 million euro°. Deportivo on the other hand would be willing to drop the asking price to 12 million euro°. Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that several sources say that Deportivo is ready to let Filipe leave for 12 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is preparing for a long round of negotiations. A Barcelona source is quoted as saying that Deportivo president Lendoiro "is an artist in this" but that the club is patient and convinced that they will reach an agreement in the end. Deportivo would at this moment be asking 14 million euro°, while Barcelona would have offered 9 million euro°. The paper says a deal may be closed for 10 million euro° plus incentives.

Read more:
Deportivo rejects bid for Filipe
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players
Filipe calm about Barcelona rumours

Former Barcelona player and manager Johan Cruijff gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.





How do you see the final against Manchester?
Every final is normally an open game. You never have to start a final with fear.

At Wembley in 1992, you said: "Get out there and enjoy".
You have to enjoy every moment. If you are suffering when you go out there, you cannot give one hundred per cent. If you go out there willing to enjoy, you can give one hundred per cent.

The job is already done after the double?
You always want more, which is logical. But the pressure is the thing that changes. The Liga is prestigious and you already have your back covered, also because you're qualified for Champions League of the next season. And above that, you've also won the cup. They have to look at the Champions League and the treble as something wonderful, something that nobody has done before, but without the pressure of seeing it as an obligation because they you can get into troubles.

You've regularly praised Manchester.
I like their organization, their calmness. Although they had some problems with the American investors, it was always calm within the team. In a way, it's not the president who's leading the club, it's the coach , the manager, Ferguson. I prefer that English system. Why did the job of sports director was created in other clubs? To sack the coach when things aren't going well? If a sports director has been a player, he knows something about football, but there are a lot of things he doesn't know. In England, the manager decides and he's taking the responsibility. If things aren't going well, they throw him out.

What would you point out from Manchester?
The calmness I mentioned. They never lose their heads. Last season they won the league, this season again. They are following a line and nothing makes them nervous. Barça shouldn't get nervous either now, for the simple reason tat they're playing the best football in the world. We don't know if they will be able to play it in Rome though. Barça was lucky in the tie with Chelsea, but the two best teams have reached the final and you have to enjoy this game.

Barcelona will feel the absences in the defense?
That's another thing I don't like, that there are players who lose a game like that because of a suspension. The referees in the semi-finals totally failed. It's not right that Fletcher cannot play the final because of the foul he made against Arsenal. It's not right they take the final away from Alves and Abidal because none of them has hurt anyone. It's a shame that the teams cannot count on their best line-up. The best players should be out there. I'm not in favour of rules like that, although I understand that UEFA cannot change things now.

What about the duel between Cristano Ronaldo and Messi?
That's something for the press, the television stations, the pundits. I always look at the team. If Barça plays well, Messi will play well. Who's the favourite? Another issue that has been discussed over the last ten days. Both are favourites. It's the best final possible. But on Thursday half of the people involved won't be happy.

Barça could play with a team that consists for more than a half of youth players. Valdés, Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi...
It's an example of how far you can get in football. It's for example obvious that a Dutch club cannot buy a player like Messi at this moment. He's outside their reach. But they can create a player like him in their youth academy. 90% of the clubs have enough money to invest in their youth and to sign promising players.


Read more:
Messi: "It's about the team, not about individuals"
Vilanova: "Details will decide the final"
Keita: "We have to make one more step"
Xavi: "We have to go out there, win it and that's it"
Pique: "I will score in Rome"

Asked about the chances that Barcelona forward Thierry Henry will play tonight, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola said yesterday at a press conference that there are serious doubts about the player's fitness:

"Henry is uncertain for the game... Quite uncertain, very uncertain... We'll see how he feels tomorrow morning."

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Henry didn't pass a last test yesterday. He's still feeling pain in his right knee and will almost certainly not be part of the team tonight. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that everything indicates that Henry will start on the bench.

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Henry won't play against Chelsea and Catalan television channel TV3 claims that the decision that Henry won't play has already been taken, despite the player wanting to take the risk. All media agree that, if Henry doesn't play, Iniesta will move to the left wing and Keita will play in midfield.

Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova told the club's official media that the decision will be made shortly before the start of the game: "During the day, we will monitor the evolution of his injury and we'll decide later if he plays or not. In the warming-up, we'll test if he's able to play some minutes, the whole game or not at all. The medical staff and the player will have to decide what will happen and inform us."

source: El Periódico





1. To repeat the game at the Bernabéu
It's not necessary to score six goals. We don't even need to win. Score once and draw is enough. The performance of Saturday serves as reference for the ability of Barça to surpass an unfavourable atmosphere like the one we will face tomorrow. "We have our own style and we have to impose it. Scoring one goal will give us a lot of tranquility of mind", stresses Piqué, sharing Guardiola's idea that Barça has to be true to themselves wherever they play.

2. To avoid fouls near the penalty area
Two centres from the wings in Madrid, two goals. Chelsea also knows Barcelona's weak point: high balls. Short of height (Alves, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi are only around 1 metre 70), Barça has a serious problem to defend set pieces. "The coach advises us to avoid fouls near the penalty area because this allows the opponent to drop a ball in", explains Piqué.

3. To keep the ball low and to silence the stadium
Stamford Bridge will roar if there are reasons for it. But if Xavi and Iniesta play their game, the pressure won't affect us. "If we have the ball and we make it go round over the ground, Chelsea will suffer", emphasizes the defender. "It's very important to be very well positioned at each moment: to combine when we attack and to avoid, when we defend, the second balls which can give them a chance to shoot after a ball has been cleared.

4. To stop a rock like Drogba
Piqué played for the first time against the Ivorian forward last Tuesday. He experienced what he expected. "He's strong as a rock and he protects the ball very well with his back to the goal". The absence of Márquez and Puyol turns the attention to the author of the 2-6 on Saturday. "Maybe the defenders will have a bigger responsibility, but the qualification for the final will be a team's effort", he assures.


Read more:
The goalless draw may prove awkward for Chelsea

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Barcelona will make few transfers during the coming summer transfer window.

A serious reshuffle is the squad is expected for the summer of 2010, when the contracts of several players and the coaches expire and presidential elections will be held.

The preparations of next season already started a couple of months ago but all negotiations have now been stopped until the end of the season. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain have agreed on the basic principle of continuity. The starting point would be to sign one player for each line.

Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30) would want to leave because he lost his place as second goalkeeper to Pinto. Because there's still some uncertainty about the renewal of Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27), Barcelona is working on several options with a different profile. Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19) could be on the list.

With the contract of Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho (35) expiring, Barcelona is looking for a player who can replace him. The return of Brazilian central defender Henrique (22 - picture), who was signed last summer and who is playing on loan with German club Bayer Leverkusen this season, is being considered (read more here).

Barcelona also plans to buy two attacking players. Bayern Munich attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (26) is high on the list. If Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o (28), whose contract expires at the end of next season, would leave, Barcelona will look for a new striker.

With Lyon forward Karim Benzema (21) having expressed his wish to stay in France for at elast one more year (read more here), Barcelona is now looking at several options, that include Valencia forward David Villa (27), Liverpool forward Fernando Torres (25) and Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor (25).

Read more:
Torres first option to replace Eto'o
New bid for Adebayor being planned
Villa first option to replace Eto'o

author: Sharab Moayad
source: El Periodico
date: 19 March 2009





If you go to any Arabian country in the would, you will see many children with Barca shirts in the streets. The streets of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt... and in the recently bombed territory of Gaza, in Palestine, my country.

Where did it all start? When did this romance between Barca and the Arabian world start? The boom that turned Barca into the most supported European football club in the Arabian countries happened thanks to Ronald Koeman and his famous goal that won Barca their first Champions League in history at Wembley in 1992. Since that day - the many Arab culés agree - the passion and love with the blaugrana jersey has kept on growing significantly. And it still hasn't stopped.

Football is passion, passion that is fueled by the Spanish league and goes overboard with Barca. Their players are stars; more than stars actually, they're heroes and thanks to satellite television, their feats and goals are quite thrilling. But, in my country, Barca gives a special passion. In Palestine, with the spectacular history of the club and the guaranteed showcase on the pitch there must be a certain identification with the club that represents the Catalan people of the world.

In my country, Barca has a special trait, a feeling shared the same thousands of miles away. The Palestinian people identify themselves with the club because they feel a reflection with the Catalan people, in their feelings, and in their way of living. The Catalans, like their Palestinian brothers, try hard to protect their identity.

This fascination with Barcelona in Palestine grows every time that a flag from my country can be seen at the Camp Nou or when "Free Palestina" is yelled, like when it happened recently in the Palau Blaugrana, in the Euroleague of basketball in a game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Unlike other Arabian places, a Palestinian citizen thinks that belonging to Barca means to fight against injustice - maybe the Unicef logo on the jerseys helps.

And that's why the people gather in restaurants and cafes to watch Xavi, Messi, Eto'o, Henry, and friends play on weekends and in European competition. Barca then becomes an infallible way of forgetting, at least for 90 minutes, about the war that happens in this part of the world for 60 years and repeats itself every day with sieges, bombings and checkpoints.

Much further than Palestine, in all Arabian zones, the support for Barca becomes greater and every day you can see actual gatherings at the Catalan capital from many different countries to see a Barca match at the Camp Nou live. But, at the same time, these supporters feel excluded because of the direction of the club, due to them believing that it's not enough for the team to visit one of our countries to play a match. They want more.

translated by al


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Barcelona player Xavi gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.





You are nominated for the 'Catalan of the year' trophy. Wouldn't it be strange to win that trophy thanks to shining in the shirt of Spain?
Well, excuse me, but I think that would only make it more beautiful, no? I think that there cannot be more diversity than that. I'm feeling Catalan through and through but, at this moment, I don't know any other way to win the European championships than by playing for Spain.

You know that, at this moment, a lot of people have already casted their vote.
I saw the list of nominees and the truth is that it's impressive. I think that winning the Euro, a very important trophy that Spanish football needed really badly, has been the break-through of a generation of excellent players. Believe me, playing with Puyol, Iniesta, Torres, Silva, Villa and many others is a real joy.

It was a great victory.
Extremely beautiful. The football we played was very nice to watch, not only because we played in an attacking way, but also because of the idea behind it. We became champions with a game based on passing and talent. Luis likes to play like Cruijff. There's more, the national team has seven or eight players "made in La Masia".

What is that so much talked about Barça DNA that everyone is envious of?
If you want to enjoy football, you have to love the ball. You can win by not liking the ball, true, but then you forget to enjoy, you and the others. 'With what do we defend?', Cruijff asked himself. 'With the ball', he answered. If you have the ball, you can play like you want to play. The one who has the ball, is the master of the game.

And once you have it, once it's yours, you can pass, pass, pass.
Yes, but with a plan. Quick passes, using the space, triangles, double passes, depth, pausing, rhythm, I pass and I move, I help you, I look for you, I stop, I raise my head, I look and, above all, I open up the pitch. Cruijff always said: 'If you put Pele and Maradona in a phone booth, you don't have to worry because they won't even make a double pass'. If you make the pitch wide, even the most clumsy one can make a double pass, or two. That's the school of Joan Vilà, of Albert Benaiges, of Johan Cruijff, of Pep Guardiola.

And you love the ball, you're dying to have it, for it to come your way.
On Saturday, I sometimes go and watch my friends of Natació Terrassa and I sit in the stands with Elsa, my girlfriend. From my seat, I'm hoping the ball will bounce an come my way. I'm a fanatic, I admit it. I don't know if I should be punished for that sin.

Joaquim, your father, still doesn't understand why you didn't want to go to AC Milan.
Father knows and understands that I couldn't go there. I'm born to play at Barça. Father tried to open my eyes. 'Pep is there, you're having a myth before you'. And mother said to him: 'Joaquim, Xavi has to stay with Barça. Can't you see that?'. You see which kind of discussions they had. I talked with Zaccheroni, the coach, and even with Galliani, the one who's in command. But I made the right choice to stay. I had been given birth for Barça. And mother knew that, of course.

I hear that your brothers Oscar and Alex still didn't forgive you that you left them without bread.
I know, I know. When I came back from school, I had to go and buy bread every day. Mother gave me money for four pieces and I went to the market place to buy it. But I always stopped to play football and the bakery was always closed when I arrived there.

Is it true that your sister Ariadna has dribbled you a lot during your youth?
True, true. We have almost the same age and we played together. She has the left foot of Messi. I always picked her for my team and the others always laughed with me. 'How can you pick her, that's a girl!', they said, but we trashed them several times...

Elsa, your girlfriend, has asked me to tell you that not everything is football, football.
Elsa is the one who keeps my feet on the ground, who keeps me connected with the reality, she opens my mind, she helps me to see that not everything is football. She's my sweetheart. And she knows it.

My boss has asked me to ask you about the crisis of Barça.
Crisis? We're in the beginning of March and you know how many games we have played? 42. 42! You know how many games Valladolid has played? 29. 29! You know how many games they will play in the whole season? 42. 42! With still three months to go before the end of the season, we have already played the same number of games that 80 per cent of the teams will play in the whole season. I think that's something you should keep in mind, no? Tell your boss that he can stay calm. Hopefully every crisis could be like this one!


Read more:
Xavi: "Give me a couch and a movie and I'm happy"
Transfer history: Xavi was close to Milan
OFFICIAL: Xavi renews until 2014

Exactly one month ago, on 25 January, Barcelona player Lionel Messi (21) told in an interview with Catalan television channel Canal 33 that he had a girlfriend who lived in Argentinia.

Yesterday, Argentine weekly Gente brought the exclusive pictures of Messi's first "official girlfriend".

Antonella is from Rosario, the place of birth of Messi, and is studying to be a dietitian. Messi got to know her at the end of December while the Argentinian striker was spending the holidays in his home-country.

The pictures were taken last Sunday, when Messi and Antonella went out for a walk down the Barcelona streets, accompanied by Messi's mother Celia, brothers Rodrigo, and his wife Florencia, and Matías and nephews Agustín and Tomás.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Antonella, who is currently staying with Messi and his family in Barcelona for a few days, is the sister of Messi's best friend Lucas. Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Antonella is 22 years old and that the pictures were taken at the Sitges carnival.

Read more:
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Messi Free, Winning Dynamics.

source:
El Periódico





SERGIO BUSQUETS COMPLETES A DIZZYING JOURNEY THAT BROUGHT HIM IN 8 MONTHS FROM THE FOURTH DIVISOIN TO THE NATIONAL TEAM

The player, only 20 years old, fuses the style of Barça with street football

Javier Fernandez has been left alone coaching the Badia Juvenil team this season. The team, that's a fact, is doing great. They are the leaders of their league. But Sergio, his nephew, can not help as he had promised at the start of the season. "I will be your assistant," said Sergio excited. The young boy, 20 years old, responsible, a fanatical football fan and a die-hard culé - he loved Figo until he betrayed him to dress in white - is the who idolized Xavi since he was a child and who is now playing at his side. Sergio Busquets, Javier's nephew, can not go to his own town every weekend because eight months ago he embarked on a dizzying journey from Badia to the Spanish national team.

And, of course, he has no time for anything. A year and a half ago, Sergio didn’t play in the Tercera because he began the season injured. He did not want to put his family name on the shirt and so he decided to only use the letter B, from Busquets, for his father, and from Burgos, for his mother. A year ago, Guardiola opened the door of Barcelona B and six months ago, that of Barça. Every day is busier than the last. "If you stop and think calmly, you cannot understand what has happened. Since he was a child one could see that he was going to be a professional football player", said Javier Fernandez on a cold winter’s night after coaching his team.

"Intuitive and simple"
Alongside Javier, leaving an anonymous lonely field in Badia, is Aitor Busquets. He is the brother of Sergio, the other son of Busi, the “goalkeeper without hands", as he was defined by the French newspaper L'Equipe. None of them have followed the path of their father. Aitor is a left-winger and plays at Badia. Sergio is a skilled midfielder. And he amazes everyone. Guardiola was the first. "He is intuitive, he knows what he needs to do, his game is simple, he doesn't lose the ball... But he has room for improvement," says the coach.

In September, the day that he debuted with a tie at the Camp Nou against Racing (1-1), Cruyff’s eyes were illuminated. Hours later, his article in the newspaper announced something big. "Technically superior to Toure and Keita. Positionally, he seems like a veteran. With or without the ball. With the ball he made what is difficult look easy: he disposes of the ball with one or two touches. Without the ball, he gives us another lesson: that of being in the right place to intercept and running just to recover the ball. And all that while being young and inexperienced. The same sins of his coach", wrote Johan. Back then, nobody believed in Sergio or in the young and inexperienced Guardiola.

Rejected in a test
Sergio, as a child, and despite being the son of, did not pass a test at Barça. And so he left for other fields (Badia, Barberà, Lleida and Jabac Terrassa). There, Rodri, ex-blaugrana player and ex-blaugrana coach, a wise men with a hoarse voice, tortured the ears of Barcelona youth coach Quique Costas every week. "Come, you have to see the son of Busi! You have to see him!" Finally, after much insistence, he went to see him and brought him back to play with the Juvenil team. From being a child that no one wanted, now they were going out to look for him. He rose from the earth to heaven.

The rest is known: he graduated to the first team, his contract has been renewed until 2013, with a buy-out clause of €80 million, he plays defensive pivot, a position that he revolutionized. In the past, small, imaginative and creative players came out of La Masia (Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc ...). Now it is him. Tall (1.89 m = 6’2), powerful, capable of fusing the Barça style (thinking before you touch the ball) with the football of the neighborhood, of the street: he has provoked 18 yellow cards and two expulsions from his rivals.

Translated by: Andrew


Read more:
First international call-up for Piqué and Busquets
OFFICIAL: Busquets renews until 2013

Barcelona player Alexander Hleb gave an nterview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.





When did you know that Barcelona wanted you?
At the start of the holidays, in May. I talked with Arsène Wenger to tell him that I wanted to leave and that Barcelona was interested but he was first and said that he would fight so I would stay. I could understand him. Flamini was on his way out, there were rumours about Adebayor leaving. It wasn't easy for him.

When you arrived in Barcelona, you said that it was a dream come true.
When you're a little boy and you play on the street, you dream about playing for a big club. When Stuttgart signed me, that was already a dream come true. Back then, I didn't think I would join Barcelona one day, but here I am. Step by step, I got there. It proves that sometimes dreams come true.

That dream was about Barcelona or only about a European top club?
It was Barcelona. Because of the stadium, the team. Since the time of Stoichkov and Romario. It was fantastic. They were real stars and children dream about being a star. Little by little, working hard, with the support of my family, I achieved it.

And the other boys you played with?
Although there were a lot who were talented, none of them made it. Life has different roads for all of us, one gets injured, another starts drinking... I concentrated on football, on training and watching games on television. There weren't many games broadcasted at that time, only on Sunday afternoon. When the Soviet Union disappeared, you could see a lot more games by satellite: games from Spain, Italy and other leagues.

You scored 13 goals in 137 games with Stuttgart and 8 goals in 119 games with Arsenal.
That's not a lot, no (laughs).

How come?
I know that scoring is my problem. I know I need to shoot more, be more selfish in the box. It's a problem. I'm often going to shoot but when I hear "Alex", I change the plan and I give a pass. I don't have the mindset of a goalscorer like Eto'o.

Are you too generous or don't you believe enough in yourself?
I don't know. When I give a good pass and a goal comes out of it, I'm very satisfied. People are telling me that I should change that mentality and score more goals and I'm aware of that. I know it.

What has been your best game?
Several ones. I can't think of one. If we would have won, the Champions League final in Paris against Barcelona would have been the best. I will have to wait for another chance.

How was your youth in Minsk?
I had problems at school. Like all children I guess, since nobody likes to study. We all wanted to play. We didn't have a shortage of anything if that's what you wanted to know. But of course, in the old Soviet Union there wasn't any luxury, we didn't have as much as children have now.

I asked it because your father had to go and work abroad.
Yes, he had to work in Chernobyl because he was ordered to. He had to go there immediately after the nuclear accident. You couldn't refuse. It was an order. He received a letter and he had to leave. He had some physical problems, but now his health is more or less ok. He needed to follow a treatment in a hospital, but in a certain way he was lucky. Some of his friends and people he knew died there.


This was the second and last part of this interview. Read the first part here:
Hleb: "I'm speaking Russian with Toure"

Barcelona player Yaya Touré gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.






It seems that Barcelona needs to fight harder for the three points every game.
It wasn't easy to win the first match after the holidays, but the team played an impressive game. It was very important for us to win this one, among other reasons because Mallorca gave us a very hard time here last season. On Saturday, they also got us in troubles but we have a great attitude.

The games are also getting more complicated because the opponents come on the pitch with a more defensive mentality.
Yes. Every team plays the same way at the Camp Nou: keeping all their players behind and trying for a counter-attack. They all play like Mallorca did. We should assume that it's gonna be like that and that it won't be easy to win the Liga.

You finished the game with a marvellous goal.
I'm very happy with that because I don't usually get in that position. It must have been since I played with Monaco, two or three years ago. Although I think the goal was a bit lucky.

Lucky?
Yeah, for me there was some luck involved. The whole action went really fast. Alves saw a gap and Eto'o gave me a good pass. At Monaco I scored more. But I'm very happy since it was the first goal I scored this season.

You dribbled around three defenders. You looked like a Brazilian striker.
Yes (laughs). I'm very happy. But the important thing is to play well at my own position.

And you think you played well? You weren't to blame for the Mallorca goal?
It's risky when you play like we are doing, very high on the pitch with the defenders close to the halfway line. But Barça has a tradition of playing like that. And we have two fabulous central defenders.

I asked if you feel responsible for that goal.
I'm guilty because I lost the ball, but everyone can lose a ball. It's a normal thing. Aduriz also showed that he's a great attacker.

You were anxious to repair the damage? You felt comfortable on the pitch after the goal?
Well, it's normal. It was misfortunate, but I believe in myself. I'm a professional. After a mistake like that, you cannot make a second one and you have to stay concentrated because the game continues. The team did a great job during the whole match.

In this month of January, the Liga is more important or you have to focus more on the Copa?
Both are equally important. We will have to face Atlético. They will be very difficult to eliminate. But it will also be hard to win in Pamplona against Osasuna. We just have to keep this going.



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Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova explained to Catalan newspaper El Periódico some of the key decisions that led Barcelona to win the clásico two weeks ago.



1. The line-up
2. Madrid
read more here

3. The last advices
The blaugrana players arrived fast in the dressingroom. They were frustrated with so little result for so much effort. "Keep on playing without rashing, slow everything down a little", the coaches advised them. "Don't go mad, keep a clear head", they insisted.

They analyzed the game with more distance. The players only thought about winning, but it was also a matter of not losing this game. "They asked us to stay calm, not to get obsessed and they took away our urge of the first half", said Dani Alves.

Besides the emotional notes, they needed to add a pair of tactical elaborations. "We told them that we had too many players before the ball and that a loss could be very dangerous, so they should relax, settle in their positions and then the game would come our way", was the general advice.

There also was a more specific one. For Xavi. "We recommended him that he should get away from the centre, that he he should give Messi more space, because when Leo receives a ball, several opponents close down on him and the others get more freedom."

4. The crucial change
After one hour, of play, the game got stuck. The rushing and the anxiety could reappear, although the coaches still were "convinced" that they would win the game. "With Busquets, we wanted to bring a player with a more easy touch and a quicker way of playing", Vilanova explains.

"They only had Gago and Guti in the centre", he specifies, with Palanca covering Abidal and Drenthe on the other side covering Alves. The entry of Van der Vaart to strenthen the Madrid mifdield didn't add anything. The Dutchman doesn't have the fighter's profile Madrid needed.

The arrival of Busquets was complemented with the positioning of Messi as dropped-back centre forward so he could face Cannavaro and Metzelder. Xavi was deactivated by a man-to-man marking "which is more uncomfortable for the player than for the coaches".

For a simple reason. "We have a lot of players who can make the difference and we'll always have chances to score", says Vilanova. Without Xavi and Iniesta, they indeed came. Again. And Barça is still on its way to the football heaven.


This was the second and last part of this article. You can read the first part here.

Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova explained to Catalan newspaper El Periódico some of the key decisions that led Barcelona to win the clásico two weeks ago.





1. The line-up
Vilanova and Guardiola watched the videos that had been prepared by Carles Planxart and Domènec Torrent, the analysts who make the reports on the opponents. They made a report of Madrid-Zenit, the debut of Juande Ramos, but they also reviewed Barça-Sevilla of last season to find out more about some habits and specific details of the new Madrid manager. They found some.

For example "about his defensive strategy at set pieces and the fact that the two centre backs tended to play close together in the centre", confirms Vilanova. The Madrid line-up, predictable because of the big number of non-available players, wouldn't have an influence on that of Barça. The technical staff already had worked that one out.

There was a decision on ten positions and three candidates (Gudjohnsen, Keita and Busquets) for the last spot. "We chose Guddy because he played very good againt Valencia, he had the confidence, Pep believed in him and he deserved to continue to be a starter", says the assistant coach.

Leaving him out would have been a new blow for him, after last year he took part in the victory over Valencia in Mestalla and Rijkaard nevertheless preferred Deco in the clásico. But it wasn't a matter of sentimentality, Vilanova points out. "Guddy handles the ball rapidly, he can be dangerous by coming in the box from behind and he could hurt Guti."

2. Madrid
The most defensive Madrid of the last years showed they were feeling weak. They couldn't hide they were feeling inferior to Barça. "They knew that we play at a very high rhythm from the start and that they wouldn't be able to hold on", Vilanova shows understanding for the poor play of Madrid. "Therefore they wanted to cut our rhythm by stopping every action, making tactically faults and by letting Casillas win time with every goal kick".

He also analyzes the attacks on Messi with some understanding, but without approving it. Madrid had put in place a close and hard marking of the Argentinian, with one full back (Sergio Ramos), getting a hand from a winger (Drenthe), a centre back (Metzelder) and a defensive midfielder (Gago).

But despite playing against an inferior team, the coaches reminded their men that the opponents had the logo of Madrid on the shirts. "Their team was full of players with a worker's profile, who had a winning mentality like Salgado, Ramos, Drenthe, Raúl, Higuain, and we had to be aware of the counter-attacks, which was their only weapon".

It was in fact their only strategy. A surprising outbreak. And they had one with Drenthe. "With all the expectation surrounding the game, we went out there with a lot of hunger, too much hunger, and we hurried", Vilanova admits. It was half-time, Madrid was winning: they had kept the 0-0.



You can read the second part of this article in the coming days.

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.


(read the previous parts of the interview here)


You don't fear that the squad is too short?
The only thing I wish is to have some luck. Over the last those seasons the injuries caused us a lot of problems.

That's why it's more than ever important to take care of Messi?
I think it's more important to take care of everything that surrounds him than of him. We have to arrange everything for him, within certain limits. We should keep an eye on the little problems he has, to see if he can play or not, so that in the months of March and April he and the others are in the best conditions to compete for the trophies. We will need Messi, so we have to be attentive about all the details like the training sessions, the food, the rest.

Laporta has admitted that he considered dismissing Rijkaard after the defeat against Madrid in the camp Nou.
I always thought that Frank deserved to finish the season. You have to give this chance to a coach who wins two leagues and one Champions League. I kept on protecting him and we reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Spanish cup. And against Atlético Madrid we were close to the first spot in the league. Because of all this, I think he deserved to finish the season. The image of Barcelona he has spread to the world was unique. And that's worth something. If we then aren't able to give him something back, we wouldn't have a heart. Then people would mean nothing, we would be a club who needs to win every game with 3-0 and that's it.

Gratitude is also a reason to justify the end of Ronaldinho?
There has been a last chance, in December, when we made a special training schedule for Ronaldinho. We heard from the staff that he was training well. But we also heard other things. The exit of Ronaldinho was the best exit possible given the circumstances. Excellent. And I'm not talking about the transfer fee. No wounds, no swearing. He wanted to go to Milan although there were better offers, both for him and for us. We made a deal with Milan and that's it. It's clear to everyone what happened with Ronaldinho and that he needed to go. There wasn't a debate. The summer before on the contrary, there was a debate. Then he had just scored 21 goals. And after having talked with all parties, we decided to go on. But when you have someone who has given you so much, who has changed the history of the club and when on the other hand there are no doubts about him having to leave, you know you're right. There just wasn't a better way or moment for such an exit.

Without Ronaldinho, the team keeps performing. This is a lesson for the squad?
I don't know. It would be different if you sell Ronaldinho after having won the Liga and the Champions League and after that you again win the Liga with other players. Then you can say that nobody is essential. But we also have to take into acoount that we had another player coming who would take the main role: Messi.


This was the third and last part of this interview.

You can read the previous parts here:
Txiki (1): "Guardiola is keeping his promise"
Txiki (2): "Youth players adapt easier"

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.


(read the first part of the interview here)


You don't think that the blame for the failure of the past seasons has been put on Rijkaard while more persons were involved, including yourself?
When you defend some manners that lead to a failure, you're in the end responsible. Absolutely. If I say that I think that Frank should stay until June, I'm responsible because I'm giving my approval to the things he does and the things he doesn't do. If he doesn't reach objectives, if he doesn't get through to the group or if the grouop isn't responding, I'm accepting that and that makes me responsible too.

It's over now but don't you think that you should have interfered more directly by talking to the players?
A player doesn't trust me, he should trust the coach.

Eto'o has been the story of the summer. Can you explain the process from saying he should leave until him staying?
He was on the market until we had to play the Champions League qualifier. Because of the circumstances - the market didn't move and in the end only two forwards joined another club - and because the attitude of Samu and his way of training in difficult circumstances were praiseworthy, it could happen that he stayed. And we made the decision on August 13. He didn't stay just like that, it wasn't a coincidence. There have been talks: with the player, the player with his teammates, with the coach. Guardiola has managed the whole process perfectly. People accused him of lowering Eto'o's market value by saying he didn't count on him, but it has been proven that there was no harm done. He said the same thing about Ronaldinho and we received an incredible offer from Manchester City. And I want to point out the second phrase of Guardiola: if they stay, I will threat them the same like the others.

You're satisfied by the important role of the youth players?
When we arrived, we wanted to have 50 per cent of youth players in the squad. We're working very good since some time. It's not about giving rewards to anyone, but this work should be appreciated. All of those who are being promoted show that they have personality. The players who come from outside have more difficulties to adapt than the youth players. When we are signing a player, you're never sure how he will react when he's confronted with the club, the entourage, the pressure, the fans. With the youth players, you don't have those doubts. They aren't scared.

You don't have doubts about Henry?
We all forgot the day when he arrived, the 25 000 fans that were there and the circumstances of his arrival. That he's a goalscorer is something that cannot be discussed. Is he a player who can take on four opponents? No, it's a centre forward who scores. Every game he has two or three chances because he's an intelligent player. Will he participate a lot this season? If he has to play every game, he will. If he doesn't deserve it, he won't. Nobody has to play 50 games.


This was the second part of this interview. You can read the following parts in the coming days with Txiki talking -amongst other things - about the exits of Rijkaard and Ronaldinho.

Read the first part:
Txiki (1): "Guardiola is keeping his promise"

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.





Things have changed quickly. At the beginning of the season there was criticism. Now everybody is praising the team. It's maybe exaggerated?
I think so, yes. The important thing is the way of playing, which was already good during the pre-season. We did well but people then said we didn't play against serious opponents. I think that even in the games were we lost points, against Numancia, Racing and Wisla, we played at a good level. The people talked about our lack of scoring. But this team has Eto'o, Henry, Messi and Bojan, so we have enough goalscorers. Maybe the midifelders or wingers could score more.

The players are constantly talking about the group spirit.
This is a group who can score in the last minute of a game. You always try that, but now it's working. I don't think that's only a matter of effectiveness or quality, but that's something that comes from within every player. They have this will to win and to believe they can do it. That's a big difference with the past.

The players are almost the same as last season.
It's a mental issue, it's about what is said in the dressingroom. There has been a big change, the change of the coach. And if the team believes in the new coach, in his ideas, in the end you have this whole new dynamics. And I think that has been the main change: the coach. And I saw from the beginning that the squad likes and accepts the plan of Guardiola.

So it's the coach's merit?
We're only starting. The difficult thing is to get this going. But I'm absolutely convinced that Guardiola will keep on working with the same spirit, which is to keep thinking about the group and not about the individuals. In fact, the people who knew Guardiola since he was a player, always had trust in his ability to talk and to convince. He's so involved that he's aware of everything that's going on.

That's why you chose him?
We liked his way of dealing with coaching. What we saw at Barcelona B, we actually wanted that for the first team too. He only had one year experience as coach but we saw how he's able to communicate with people, how he lives for the game, with an intensity that's impossible to match. It's a radical change...

He's doing like you had been expecting?
Guardiola is and will be a great coach. I hope he'll be here for a long time and that everyone around this club will remember how he's making the team play when things aren't going that well and we will need some patience. He announced it when he was presented: this team will run, this team will play, this team will work. He's keeping that promise. I know his ideas about the game and I know his qualities, and even with one year experience and having to perform in difficult circumstances, I'm confident about it.

But you also talked with Mourinho.
It's our obligation to be in contact with everybody and to have all possible information. You have a list of coaches who are fit for Barcelona, and little by little you start eliminating candidates until you choose one. Mourinho's name was one that, coincidentally or not, appeared in the media.


This was the first part of this interview. You can read the following parts in the coming days with Txiki talking -amongst other things - about the continuation of Samuel Eto'o and the situation of Thierry Henry.

In an interview with Catalan newspaper El Periódico, Barcelona captain Carles Puyol talked about the start of the new season.





Messi is still very Messi.
Leo is one of the best players in the world. We already knew that. Every games he shows something special. He's in great shape.

Messi on one side, Iniesta on the other. And Xavi behind them.
It's incredible. Those two are both also going through a great period. It's spectacular to see them play. Sometimes during training sessions I say to them: "If you would play against me, you sure would receive some death kick." Because you have the feeling you're gonna get the ball, but at the last moment they're getting away. You don't know how but they always get away. They're really great. Sometimes, during a game, you think: "Incredible, look how they're playing!" How much would it cost to sign these guys if they would be playing with another team? You couldn't pay them.

You're again enjoying the game?
Yes, but we should go step by step. Without losing our head when we lose, like happened against Numancia, nor losing focus now the results are good. We're only starting but it looks good so far.

All the captains - you, Xavi, Valdés and Iniesta - are all youth products.
That's a good signal, it means the youth academyy is working well, that important players are coming out of it who can compete at a big club like Barcelona. Are we the ones who have the lead the team? We cannot do that alone. We all have to put our grain but we're the ones who know the club best.

And now there's also a coach from the house.
We should let him do his job. We shouldn't compare him with anybody. He has learnt from all the coaches he had and from all the competitions in which he has played. He's obesessed, he wants to control every detail. He's very motivated and enthusiastic. We should let him find his way.

After winning the European cup with the Spanish national team this summer, it seems you have regained the confidence.
I was already feeling very good during the last months of the previous season, even after a difficult year. I started last season coming back from a bad knee injury. It was the first day of the holidays. Coming back from a friendly game in South Africa they told me that I needed surgery. I didn't accept it, I broke down, it was a very hard time. In the end, you have friends who give you the strength to go ahead. You can only end up thinking that you're a priviliged person. You're doing what you like best, playing football, and you're doing that with the best club in the world. What can you ask more? After the rain, there's always sunshine.

This was the second and last part of this interview. You can read the first part here:

Puyol (1): "This team is very hungry"