The Fans Football Blog3

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona Manager Josep Guardiola has said that Barcelona players Andrés Iniesta (25) and Rafael Márquez (30) will probably not play the second leg of the Spanish super cup next weekend and the European super cup on Friday 28 August:

"I don't think they will be ready. It's too early. They missed a big part of the pre-season and they're coming back from injuries. It's good news that they have started to work with the group but it will take some more time before they fully return.

Andrés caught a virus during his vacations, he lost a lot of kilos and he couldn't start regaining muscles. There was also the jet lag because of the US tour and the death of Dani Jarque also had a serious impact. But now he's back and little by little he's gaining weight."

Márquez suffered a fibre rupture in his left calf, the lower backpart of the leg, during a training session in the United States on Wednesday 5 August and was then expected to be out for ten to fifteen days.

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Green light for Ibrahimovic and Messi
Medical: Marquez out for 10 to 15 days
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days

Barcalona's official website has announced that Barcelona players Andrés Iniesta (25) and Rafael Márquez (30) have joined the group training this morning.

Both players are in the final stage of their recovery and were able to take part in some exercises together with the rest of the squad.

Márquez suffered a fibre rupture in his left calf, the lower backpart of the leg, during a training session in the United States on Wednesday 5 August and was then expected to be out for ten to fifteen days.

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Green light for Ibrahimovic and Messi
Medical: Marquez out for 10 to 15 days
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days

Barcelona players Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) and Lionel Messi have received this morning the green light from Barcelona's medical staff and will be available for the Joan Gamper Trophy game against Manchester City tomorrow.

Messi suffered an overburdening of an adductor and one of the quadriceps muscles at the front of his left thigh during a training session with the Argentinian national team last Tuesday.

Ibrahimovic broke the base of the second metacarpal bone of his left hand during a friendly game with his former club Inter Milan last month and after an operation on Tuesday 28 July, he was expected to return for the Joan Gamper Trophy against Manchester City on 19 August.


Read more:
Medical: Messi will not play super cup game
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) will almost certainly be given the green light by Barcelona’s medical staff later today.

This would mean that the Swedish striker could make his Barcelona debut on Wednesday against Manchester City, although it's not clear how much time Ibrahimovic could play.

Ibrahimovic broke the base of the second metacarpal bone of his left hand during a friendly game with his former club Inter Milan last month and after an operation on Tuesday 28 July, he was expected to return for the Joan Gamper Trophy against Manchester City on 19 August.

Read more:
Medical: Messi will not play super cup game
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days

Barcelona's official website has announced that Barcelona player Thierry Henry (31) has joined the group training on Thursday afternoon.

The Barcelona striker had been suffering from pain in both of his Achilles tendons since the end of the team's US tour and didn't take part in an international game with France on Wednesday.

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that it's still doubtful if Henry will be able to take part in the first leg of the Spanish Super cup against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Read more:
Medical: Henry out with Achilles tendon injury
Medical: Milito could join group in October

Barcelona's medical staff has announced that Barcelona player Lionel Messi (22) is doubtful for the first leg of the Spanish super cup against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

New tests today have indicated that the player has suffered an overburdening of an adductor and one of the quadriceps muscles at the front of his left thigh. Messi will now undergo treatment to remove the inflammation and the evolution of the injury will determine if the player will be available for the super cup game.

Madrid sports paper Marca meanwhile claims that it's almost certain that Messi will not play on Sunday. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola doesn't want to take risks and will therefore not let the Argentinian play. The player's father and agent Jorge Messi would have confirmed to the paper that he will not play.

Read more:
Medical: Further tests for Messi tomorrow
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days
Medical: Henry Doubtful for Spanish Super Cup

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta (25) will join the group training in the coming days.

It is still believed that the player will be able to make his official debut with Barcelona this season in the Joan Gamper Trophy game against Manchester City on Wednesday 19 August (read more here).

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Iniesta suffered stomach virus
Medical: Milito could join group in October

Barcelona's official website has announced that Barcelona player Lionel Messi (22) will undergo tests tomorrow, after he suffered a muscle contracture during yesterday's training session with the Argentinian national team.

Barcelona's medical staff has been in touch with the Argentinian national team doctors to discuss the issue.

Although he won't take part in tonight's friendly against Russia, Messi will stay with the squad in Moscow and return to Barcelona on Thursday, when he will undergo further tests.

Read more:
Medical: Messi out for Russia friendly
Medical: Milito could join group in October

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona central defender Gabriel Milito (28) could return to Barcelona in a few weeks.

The Argentinian is now in his home-country recovering from a knee injury. He hasn't felt pain anymore over the last few days and it is expected he could join group training in October.

This would be one of the reasons why the Barcelona board wouldn't be willing to spend a lot of money on another central defender this summer.

Milito suffered a right knee injury on 29 April 2008 during the second game of the Champions League semi-finals against Manchester United last season. The predicted recovery time was then being estimated between six and nine months.

Read more:
Medical: Milito is finally pain free
Milito writes letter to the fans

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) has suffered a cramp in his right leg and will be unavailable for the friendly against Russia on August 12.

Argentina national team manager Diego Maradona won't risk playing Messi and will not even include him in the reserves. Diego Milito has taken Messi's place in the starting eleven.

Messi is currently in Moscow accompanied by Barcelona recovery coach Juanjo Brau and will undergo studies tomorrow. It is at this moment unknown how long Messi will be out for.

Barcelona's medical staff has earlier today announced that Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) will be able to join the group training.

After a new series of tests this afternoon, it has been established that the recovery is going like planned, that Ibrahimovic will normally take part in the training sessions tomorrow and that he will be able to make his debut as Barcelona player in the Gamper Trophy game next week.

Ibrahimovic broke the base of the second metacarpal bone of his left hand during a friendly game with his former club Inter Milan last month and was then expected to return for the Joan Gamper Trophy against Manchester City on 19 August.

Read more:
Medical: Milito is finally pain free
Medical: Zlatan could get green light tomorrow
Medical: Henry out with Achilles tendon injury

Barcelona's medical staff has announced that Barcelona player Thiery Henry (31) has problems with the Achilles tendons of both legs.

The poblems started a few days ago but got worse during the pre-season friendly game against Chivas Guadalajara yesterday.

Henry will certainly be out for the next days, which means he won't travel to France for the World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands on Wednesday. The evolution of the pain in his Achilles tendons will determine when he can return to action.

Read more:
Medical: Zlatan could get green light tomorrow
Medical: Iniesta close to recovery
Medical: Marquez out for 10 to 15 days

Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) will tomorrow undergo new tests to see how the recovery of his hand injury is going.

The Swedish striker almost hasn't felt any pain during the US tour and it is expected he will tomorrow be given the green light to start training with the group. If the recovery keeps on going well, Ibrahimovic could then make his official Barcelona debut in the friendly game against Mancehster City, where he might play one half.

Ibrahimovic broke the base of the second metacarpal bone of his left hand during a friendly game with his former club Inter Milan last month and was then expected to return for the Joan Gamper Trophy against Manchester City on 19 August.

Read more:
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated
Picture: Zlatan's bicycle kick

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that there's good news about the recovery of Barcelona central defender Gabriel Milito (28).

Barcelona would have been informed that Milito hasn't felt any pain in his right knee over the last two weeks. At this moment, no one nevertheless wants to predict when Milito could return to action.

Milito suffered a right knee injury on 29 April 2008 during the second game of the Champions League semi-finals against Manchester United last season. The predicted recovery time was then being estimated between six and nine months.

Read more:
Milito writes letter to the fans
Medical: Barcelona confirms new Milito operation

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta (25) will get the green light from the medical staff on 19 August and will that way be able to take part in the Joan Gamper Trophy game against Manchester City.

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Iniesta close to recovery
Medical: Marquez out for 10 to 15 days
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated

Barcelona's official website reports that Barcelona placer Andrés Iniesta (25) has entered the final stage of his recovery.

Although the Spanish midfielder wouldn't take part in the last game of the US tour against Chivas on Saturday, it's possible that Iniesta will rejoin the rest of the squad for normal training in the coming days.

Iniesta torn a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Marquez out for 10 to 15 days
Medical: Injury scares for Messi and Alves
Medical: Iniesta could return against Chivas

Barcelona's medical staff has announced that Barcelona player Rafael Márquez (30) has suffered a fibre rupture in his left calf, the lower backpart of the leg, during yesterday's training sssion previous to the Seattle friendly game.

Márquez is expected to be out for the next ten to fifteen days, which means he will probably miss the first leg of the Spanish super cup against Athletic Bilbao on 16 August.



Read more:
Medical: Green light for Marquez and Henry
Medical: Injury scares for Messi and Alves
Medical: Iniesta could return against Chivas

According to Catalan paper Sport, Barcelona midfielder and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) along with Barcelona right back and Brazilian international Dani Alves (26) both suffered injury scares today while training in Seattle.

Messi would have been in an accidental collision with Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto (33) and required assistance from the medical staff. Fortunately, after bandages were applied to his right instep, Messi was able to continue exercising reguarly.

Dani Alves would have also suffered a fall and required treatment on his right hand. He too was able to resume training after being bandaged.

Read more:
Medical: Iniesta could return against Chivas
Medical: Green light for Marquez and Henry
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta (25) could return to action on Saturday when Barcelona will play the last game of the US tour in San Francisco against Chivas.

Apart from his thigh injury, Iniesta has also lost three kilograms because of a stomach virus and is now still one kilogram away from his normal weight. Despite Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola yesterday telling journalists that Iniesta will have fully recovered in a couple of weeks, the paper reports it's possible he could already play some minutes during the Chivas game in the weekend.

On his official website, Iniesta meanwhile says: "For the time being I must continue with my recovery and I expect being able to start playing as soon as possible. I want to return to full action as I'm curious to find out how my leg is doing after these months of work."

Iniesta torn a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Iniesta suffered stomach virus
Medical: Green light for Marquez and Henry
Medical: Ibrahimovic succesfully operated