FC Barcelona News
Barça through to next round
November 25th, 2009FC Barcelona secured their place in the next Champions League round after a convincing defeat of Inter Milan combined with a draw between the other two teams. Samuel Eto’o made his first return to the Nou Camp since departing Barcelona and made a point of greeting some of his old team mates.
Barça were clearly playing to win and the payoff came after ten minutes with Pique scored the first goal of the match. Five minutes later they came close to goal number two, but it went over the next insetad; and in the 26th minute Pedro scored the second and final goal of the match. The closest they got again was in the second half when ALves passed to Xavi who headed the ball towards the goal; but it wasn’t to be.
Inter got away with playing it rough, with Puyol receiving a bodycheck that went unpunished, although it was after an admittedly rough tackle; and Iniesta was knocked down hard, again without punishment.
| Club | Pld | Pts | W | D | L | F | A |
| Barcelona | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Inter Milan | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Rubin Kazan | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Dynamo Kiev | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
The next Champions League match is against Dynamo Kiev. See the homepage for prices and availability of Barcelona tickets for this and all other matches.
Spanish League after 11 matches
November 23rd, 2009| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Real Madrid |
11
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
27
|
7
|
28
|
|
2
|
Barcelona |
11
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
29
|
8
|
27
|
|
3
|
Sevilla |
11
|
8
|
1
|
2
|
21
|
8
|
25
|
|
4
|
Valencia |
11
|
7
|
3
|
1
|
22
|
9
|
24
|
|
5
|
Deportivo |
11
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
16
|
12
|
22
|
|
6
|
Mallorca |
11
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
21
|
14
|
20
|
|
7
|
Athletic Bilbao |
11
|
5
|
2
|
4
|
12
|
14
|
17
|
|
8
|
Sporting Gijón |
11
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
12
|
10
|
17
|
|
9
|
Getafe |
11
|
5
|
0
|
6
|
14
|
16
|
15
|
|
10
|
Espanyol |
11
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
13
|
|
11
|
Villarreal |
11
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
17
|
15
|
12
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
11
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
12
|
15
|
12
|
|
13
|
Almería |
11
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
11
|
15
|
12
|
|
14
|
Zaragoza |
11
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
15
|
22
|
12
|
|
15
|
Valladolid |
11
|
2
|
4
|
5
|
15
|
20
|
10
|
|
16
|
Tenerife |
11
|
3
|
1
|
7
|
8
|
21
|
10
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
11
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
10
|
20
|
7
|
|
18
|
Atlético Madrid |
11
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
13
|
24
|
7
|
|
19
|
Xerez |
11
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
16
|
7
|
|
20
|
Málaga |
11
|
1
|
3
|
7
|
11
|
16
|
6
|
Real Madrid lead ahead of “El clàssic”
November 22nd, 2009FC Barcelona dropped into second place in the league last night after their draw against Athletic de Bilbao and a Real Madrid win put their arch rivals one point ahead.
With a number of key players out of action, Barça sometimes struggled to find space and while Leo Messi came close to scoring in the first half it wasn’t until the 54rd minute that Xavi put the ball into the area for Dani Alves to score. However, just 9 minutes later Athletic equalised when Toquero took the ball through a confused Barça defence to put the ball beyond the reach of Victor Valdes.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Real Madrid |
11
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
27
|
7
|
28
|
|
2
|
Barcelona |
11
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
29
|
8
|
27
|
|
3
|
Sevilla |
11
|
8
|
1
|
2
|
21
|
8
|
25
|
|
4
|
Deportivo |
11
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
16
|
12
|
22
|
|
5
|
Valencia |
10
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
19
|
8
|
21
|
|
6
|
Mallorca |
10
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
18
|
13
|
17
|
|
7
|
Athletic Bilbao |
11
|
5
|
2
|
4
|
12
|
14
|
17
|
|
8
|
Sporting Gijón |
10
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
12
|
10
|
16
|
|
9
|
Espanyol |
10
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
8
|
10
|
13
|
|
10
|
Osasuna |
10
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
11
|
12
|
12
|
|
11
|
Almería |
10
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
12
|
12
|
|
12
|
Getafe |
10
|
4
|
0
|
6
|
12
|
16
|
12
|
|
13
|
Zaragoza |
10
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
14
|
21
|
11
|
|
14
|
Valladolid |
10
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
14
|
17
|
10
|
|
15
|
Tenerife |
11
|
3
|
1
|
7
|
8
|
21
|
10
|
|
16
|
Villarreal |
10
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
14
|
14
|
9
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
11
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
10
|
20
|
7
|
|
18
|
Atlético Madrid |
11
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
13
|
24
|
7
|
|
19
|
Xerez |
10
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
16
|
6
|
|
20
|
Málaga |
10
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
10
|
15
|
5
|
That means that Real Madrid lead Barcelona by one point ahead of “el clàssic” played at the Nou Camp next Sunday. While we have no tickets available for this match, see the homepage for availability of Barcelona tickets for other matches.
Copa del Rey: Barça through, Real Madrid knocked out
November 11th, 2009Last night’s 5-0 defeat of Cultural Leonesa was in stark contrast with Real Madrid, who were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by lowly Alcorcon; despite beating Alcorcon 1-0 at the Bernabeu, Madrid lost 4-1 on aggregate and were jeered by their own fans.
Barça on the other hand went through with flying colours in the cold that has descended on Barcelona. In retrospect the first half seems like it was merely a warm up, with all five of Barcelona’s goals being scored in the second 45 minutes.
1-0 Bojan (min 50)
2-0 Bojan (min 54)
3-0 Pedro(min 62)
4-0 Messi (min 64)
5-0 Xavi (min 74)
See the home page for For prices and availability of Barcelona tickets at the Nou Camp.
Barça remains top
November 9th, 2009FC Barcelona remains one point ahead of Real Madrid after the weekend after both teams won their respective matches in La Liga.
Barça beat Mallorca 4-2 at the Nou Camp, with goals from Pedro (2), Henry and Messi; Nunes scored from a corner for the visitors in the 19th minute, while Keita knocked the ball into his own goal in injury time to put the visitors on 2 goals.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
10
|
8
|
2
|
0
|
28
|
7
|
26
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
10
|
8
|
1
|
1
|
26
|
7
|
25
|
|
3
|
Sevilla |
10
|
7
|
1
|
2
|
19
|
7
|
22
|
|
4
|
Valencia |
10
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
19
|
8
|
21
|
|
5
|
Deportivo |
10
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
14
|
11
|
19
|
|
6
|
Mallorca |
10
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
18
|
13
|
17
|
|
7
|
Sporting Gijón |
10
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
12
|
10
|
16
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
10
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
11
|
13
|
16
|
|
9
|
Espanyol |
10
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
8
|
10
|
13
|
|
10
|
Osasuna |
10
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
11
|
12
|
12
|
|
11
|
Almería |
10
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
12
|
12
|
|
12
|
Getafe |
10
|
4
|
0
|
6
|
12
|
16
|
12
|
|
13
|
Zaragoza |
10
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
14
|
21
|
11
|
|
14
|
Valladolid |
10
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
14
|
17
|
10
|
|
15
|
Tenerife |
10
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
7
|
19
|
10
|
|
16
|
Villarreal |
10
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
14
|
14
|
9
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
10
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
10
|
19
|
7
|
|
18
|
Atlético Madrid |
10
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
12
|
22
|
7
|
|
19
|
Xerez |
10
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
16
|
6
|
|
20
|
Málaga |
10
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
10
|
15
|
5
|
1-0, Pedro (min 11)
1-1, Nunes (min 19)
2-1, Pedro (min 40)
3-1, Henry (min 43)
4-1, Messi (min 87, pen)
4-2, Keita (min 92)
Goalless draw in Champions League
November 5th, 2009Barça are now in third place in Group F of the Champions League after a goalless draw against Rubin Kazan in freezing conditions, while elsewhere Inter Milan beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1.
| # | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Inter |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
Rubin Kazan |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
Barcelona |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
Dynamo Kiev |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
Once again Barcelona dominated the match, but once again they were unable to do little with that dominance. Ibrahimovic struck the post in the 3rd minute and there were plenty of attempts on the goal; but lady luck wasn’t with Barça.
The final two matches of the group stage will be played on 24th November and 9th December against Inter Milan and Dynamo Kiev respectively. Realistically Barcelona need to win both to go through – something that is well within their ability.
Barça slip leaves them one point clear
November 2nd, 2009With just seconds remaining before the final whistle it looked like Barcelona had it in the bag; then an error by Marquez resulted in a cross from Camuñas being deflected into his own goal by Piqué, for a final score of 1-1 against Osasuna.
The result leaves Barça one point clear of real Madrid, after their own victory against Getafe; a result Madrid’s manager, Manuel Pellegrini, was looking for with much talk about how much longer he will last.
Barcelona are off to Kazan this week for their Champions League return match against Rubin Kazan on Wednesday. This is going to be a challenging match; after Barça’s shock defeat at the Nou Camp in October they will be playing in sub-zero temperatures leaving the home team with a clear advantage.
0-1 Keita (min 71)
1-1 Camuñas (min 92)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
9
|
7
|
2
|
0
|
24
|
5
|
23
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
9
|
7
|
1
|
1
|
23
|
5
|
22
|
|
3
|
Sevilla |
9
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
16
|
5
|
19
|
|
4
|
Valencia |
9
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
16
|
7
|
18
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
9
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
16
|
9
|
17
|
|
6
|
Deportivo |
9
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
12
|
11
|
16
|
|
7
|
Sporting Gijón |
9
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
11
|
10
|
13
|
|
8
|
Espanyol |
9
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
8
|
9
|
13
|
|
9
|
Athletic Bilbao |
9
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
9
|
13
|
13
|
|
10
|
Osasuna |
9
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
11
|
10
|
12
|
|
11
|
Getafe |
9
|
4
|
0
|
5
|
12
|
14
|
12
|
|
12
|
Zaragoza |
9
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
13
|
18
|
11
|
|
13
|
Villarreal |
9
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
12
|
11
|
9
|
|
14
|
Valladolid |
9
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
14
|
17
|
9
|
|
15
|
Almería |
9
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
9
|
|
16
|
Tenerife |
9
|
3
|
0
|
6
|
5
|
17
|
9
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
9
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
10
|
17
|
7
|
|
18
|
Atlético Madrid |
9
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
10
|
19
|
7
|
|
19
|
Xerez |
9
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
3
|
16
|
5
|
|
20
|
Málaga |
9
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
8
|
13
|
4
|
Pedro scores 2 for Barça
October 29th, 2009Pedro was the star of the squad last night as FC Barcelona beat Cultural Leonesa in an away match for the Copa del Rey.
Pep Guardiola was fielding a squad with 6 regulars resting and Pinto in place of Valdes – with a close to full strength team, things went very wrong for Real Madrid on Tuesday night when they were thrashed 4-0 by lightweight Alcorcon, so this could have been a risky strategy and the Copa del Rey often springs surprises.
The return match will be on November 10-12 (to be confirmed) and the winner will play either Real Madrid or Alcorcon. Tickets for Barcelona v Cultural Leonesa are now available.
0-1 Pedro (min 40)
0-2 Pedro (min 52)
Barça bounce back
October 26th, 2009Barcelona put their woes behind them on Sunday night with a spectacular 6-1 victory over Zaragoza.
Stunned by their midweek defeat by Rubin Jazan in the Champions League, they rebounded to hammer the visitors. Keita scored a hat-trick, with Ibrahimovic scoring two more to make him the league’s joint top scorer (with Valencia’s David Villa) and a goal from a Lionel Messi chip.
> Barcelona tickets for La Liga and Champions League.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid’s goalless draw against Sporting Gijon was perhaps the most unexpected result of the weekend, allowing Barça to open up their lead over their arch-rival to three points.
1-0, Keita (min 24)
2-0, Ibrahimovic (min 28)
3-0, Keita (min 41)
4-0, Ibrahimovic (min 55)
4-1, Jorge López (min 77)
5-1, Messi (min 80)
6-1, Keita (min 85)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
8
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
23
|
4
|
22
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
8
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
21
|
5
|
19
|
|
3
|
Sevilla |
8
|
5
|
1
|
2
|
14
|
5
|
16
|
|
4
|
Valencia |
8
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
15
|
7
|
15
|
|
5
|
Deportivo |
8
|
5
|
0
|
3
|
11
|
10
|
15
|
|
6
|
Mallorca |
8
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
15
|
9
|
14
|
|
7
|
Sporting Gijón |
8
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
10
|
9
|
12
|
|
8
|
Getafe |
8
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
12
|
12
|
12
|
|
9
|
Espanyol |
8
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
7
|
8
|
12
|
|
10
|
Osasuna |
8
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
9
|
11
|
|
11
|
Athletic Bilbao |
8
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
8
|
13
|
10
|
|
12
|
Almería |
8
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
10
|
9
|
|
13
|
Tenerife |
8
|
3
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
12
|
9
|
|
14
|
Valladolid |
8
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
13
|
16
|
8
|
|
15
|
Zaragoza |
8
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
11
|
17
|
8
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
8
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
10
|
16
|
7
|
|
17
|
Atlético Madrid |
8
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
10
|
18
|
7
|
|
18
|
Villarreal |
8
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
7
|
11
|
6
|
|
19
|
Xerez |
8
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
14
|
5
|
|
20
|
Málaga |
8
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
8
|
12
|
4
|
Shock defeat for Barça
October 21st, 2009It all went very wrong for Barça last night in a shock 2-1 defeat by Rubin Kazan.
The Russian team put in the first goal of the night right at the start of the match, when Aleksandr Ryazantsev surprised Victor Valdes with a shot from 30 metres. However, Barça dominated possession and it looked like it was going their way when Ibrahimovic scored right after the break.
Despite nearly 80% possession in the second half the next goal wasn’t a breakthrough for Barcelona. Instead a Karadeniz counter-attack resulted in a second goal for the visitors and the first loss for Barça this season.
Elsewhere, Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by Dynamo Kiev, leaving Barça, Dynamo and Rubin Kazan on 4 points each and Inter on 3.
0-1 Ryazantsev (min 1)
1-1 Ibrahimovic (min 46)
1-2 Karadeniz (min 73)
