FC Barcelona News
5-1 victory against Ceuta
November 11th, 2010An unfamiliar side walked onto the pitch last night as FC Barcelona faced AC Ceuta in the Copa del Rey. While Ceuta may be an unfamiliar sight in the Nou Camp, so was the Barça squad, with Bojan as captain.
However, despite fielding a squad largely composed of B team players, the Catalans dominated from the start. In the first seven minutes the scored two goals although Ceuta got one back 10 minutes before the break.
After the break Pedro opened the scoring for Barcelona, with Bojan adding a forth goal quart of an hour later. And with Leo Messi coming on in the 61st minute, it was almost certain that the Argentinian would add one to Barça’s tally – he did exactly that in the 68th minute.
The result means that Barça goes through to the next round of the Copa del Rey.
1-0, Nolito (min 2)
2-0, Milito (min 7)
2-1, Guzmán (min 35)
3-1, Pedro (min 50)
4-1, Bojan (min 64)
5-1, Messi (min 68)
Barça beats AD Ceuta in Copa del Rey
October 27th, 2010Maxwell and Pedro were the stars last night as FC Barcelona beat lowly AD Ceuta 2-0 in the Copa del Rey. Barça’s lineup was very much a B team, with most big name players absent.
0-1 Maxwell (min 15)
0-2 Pedro (min 25)
Pep Guardiola celebrates second La Liga title
May 17th, 2010FC Barcelona took the Spanish league title last night in a 4-0 win against Valladolid, while Real Madrid’s hopes evaporated in a 1-1 draw against Malaga. Both Valladolid and Malaga were fighting relegation and had as much to play for as the arch-rivals at the top of the league, but in the event it was Malaga who saved their own skin.
The game started with Barça playing rather nervously and it wasn’t until the 26th minute that the first game came when Prieto put the ball in his own net after deflecting a shot from Pedro; two more minutes and Pedro put the ball in the net for Barcelona’s second goal.
Messi also played a starring role, with his first goal in the 62nd minute off Touré Yaya; he also set up Messi’s second goal in the 76th minute.
With the final whistle blown the crowd and team celebrated in style, while elsewhere across the city fireworks and horns celebrated the success of FC Barcelona; the city; and Catalonia.
1-0 Luis Prieto (min 26)
2-0 Pedro (min 28)
3-0 Messi (min 62)
4-0 Messi (min 76)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
38
|
31
|
6
|
1
|
98
|
24
|
99
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
38
|
31
|
3
|
4
|
102
|
34
|
96
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
38
|
21
|
8
|
9
|
59
|
38
|
71
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
38
|
19
|
6
|
13
|
65
|
49
|
63
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
38
|
18
|
8
|
12
|
59
|
44
|
62
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
38
|
17
|
7
|
14
|
58
|
48
|
58
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
38
|
16
|
8
|
14
|
58
|
57
|
56
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
38
|
15
|
9
|
14
|
50
|
53
|
54
|
|
9
|
Atlético Madrid |
38
|
13
|
8
|
17
|
57
|
61
|
47
|
|
10
|
Deportivo |
38
|
13
|
8
|
17
|
35
|
49
|
47
|
|
11
|
Espanyol |
38
|
11
|
11
|
16
|
29
|
46
|
44
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
38
|
11
|
10
|
17
|
37
|
46
|
43
|
|
13
|
Almería |
38
|
10
|
12
|
16
|
43
|
55
|
42
|
|
14
|
Zaragoza |
38
|
10
|
11
|
17
|
46
|
64
|
41
|
|
15
|
Sporting Gijón |
38
|
9
|
13
|
16
|
36
|
51
|
40
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
38
|
9
|
12
|
17
|
42
|
59
|
39
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
38
|
7
|
16
|
15
|
42
|
48
|
37
|
|
18
|
Valladolid |
38
|
7
|
15
|
16
|
37
|
62
|
36
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
38
|
9
|
9
|
20
|
40
|
74
|
36
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
38
|
8
|
10
|
21
|
38
|
66
|
34
|
The title will be Joan Laporta’s last as president of Barça; the next few months will see club elections and a new era will thus begin; who knows if it will be anywhere near as successful as the Laporta era, which has seen a real renaissance in the fortunes of the club.
Last match of the season to decide La Liga title
May 10th, 2010Saturday night’s match was the penultimate of the season, and with a single point between Barcelona and Real Madrid and could have been decisive.
To ensure no team had any kind of advantage from knowing the result of another match, the Spanish league therefore decided all matches should be played at the same time; therefore at 21:00 across Spain on Saturday, Spanish fans were glued to their own game as well as their rivals. That meant that across Catalonia fans of FC Barcelona were keeping up to date with the Real Madrid match. And while it looked for a while like they were struggling, in the end they scored a decisive 5-1 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Meanwhile Barça were in Sevilla; and while much of the match looked like it was all going their way with goals from Messi, Bojan and Pedro, the last 20 minutes gave them a scare; two goals in the 69th and 71st minute from Sevilla meant that three points started to look far from certain.
The end result was a win from both Barça and Madrid, which means the final match of the league decide the league.
0-1, Messi (min 5)
0-2, Bojan (min 28)
0-3, Pedro (min 61)
1-3, Kanouté (min 69)
2-3, Luis Fabiano (min 71)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
37
|
30
|
6
|
1
|
94
|
24
|
96
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
37
|
31
|
2
|
4
|
101
|
33
|
95
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
37
|
20
|
8
|
9
|
58
|
38
|
68
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
37
|
18
|
6
|
13
|
62
|
47
|
60
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
37
|
17
|
8
|
12
|
57
|
44
|
59
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
37
|
16
|
7
|
14
|
55
|
48
|
55
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
37
|
16
|
7
|
14
|
55
|
54
|
55
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
37
|
14
|
9
|
14
|
48
|
53
|
51
|
|
9
|
Atlético Madrid |
37
|
13
|
8
|
16
|
57
|
58
|
47
|
|
10
|
Deportivo |
37
|
13
|
8
|
16
|
35
|
47
|
47
|
|
11
|
Osasuna |
37
|
11
|
9
|
17
|
36
|
45
|
42
|
|
12
|
Almería |
37
|
10
|
12
|
15
|
41
|
52
|
42
|
|
13
|
Espanyol |
37
|
11
|
11
|
15
|
29
|
44
|
44
|
|
14
|
Zaragoza |
37
|
10
|
10
|
17
|
43
|
61
|
40
|
|
15
|
Sporting Gijón |
37
|
9
|
13
|
15
|
36
|
49
|
40
|
|
16
|
Valladolid |
37
|
7
|
15
|
15
|
37
|
58
|
36
|
|
17
|
Racing Santander |
37
|
8
|
12
|
17
|
40
|
59
|
36
|
|
18
|
Málaga |
37
|
7
|
15
|
15
|
41
|
47
|
36
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
37
|
9
|
9
|
19
|
40
|
73
|
36
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
37
|
8
|
9
|
21
|
37
|
65
|
33
|
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Tenerife defeated in rain soaked Nou Camp
May 5th, 2010Barcelona extended their lead over Real Madrid last night with a rain soaked 4-1 win against Tenerife last night. Again Messi scored two goals, and while the visitors kept in the game during the first half, Barça was able to outlast them in the second, when three of the goals came in.
While Barça are now 4 points clear of Real Madrid, the galacticos play Mallorca tonight and so may well close up the gap.
1-0, Messi (min 16)
1-1, Román (min 38)
2-1, Bojan (min 63)
3-1, Pedro (min 77)
4-1, Messi (min 93)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
36
|
29
|
6
|
1
|
91
|
22
|
93
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
35
|
29
|
2
|
4
|
92
|
31
|
89
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
36
|
20
|
8
|
8
|
58
|
36
|
68
|
|
4
|
Mallorca |
35
|
17
|
8
|
10
|
56
|
39
|
59
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
35
|
17
|
6
|
12
|
55
|
43
|
57
|
|
6
|
Getafe |
36
|
15
|
7
|
14
|
53
|
47
|
52
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
36
|
15
|
7
|
14
|
53
|
54
|
52
|
|
8
|
Athletic Bilbao |
35
|
14
|
8
|
13
|
46
|
47
|
50
|
|
9
|
Deportivo |
35
|
12
|
8
|
15
|
33
|
44
|
44
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
35
|
12
|
7
|
16
|
53
|
56
|
43
|
|
11
|
Almería |
36
|
10
|
11
|
15
|
39
|
50
|
41
|
|
12
|
Espanyol |
35
|
10
|
11
|
14
|
27
|
42
|
41
|
|
13
|
Osasuna |
35
|
10
|
9
|
16
|
32
|
42
|
39
|
|
14
|
Sporting Gijón |
36
|
9
|
12
|
15
|
35
|
48
|
39
|
|
15
|
Zaragoza |
35
|
9
|
10
|
16
|
40
|
58
|
37
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
35
|
8
|
12
|
15
|
38
|
52
|
36
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
35
|
7
|
14
|
14
|
39
|
44
|
35
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
36
|
9
|
8
|
19
|
38
|
71
|
35
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
35
|
6
|
15
|
14
|
34
|
54
|
33
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
36
|
7
|
9
|
21
|
34
|
63
|
30
|
First leg goes to Inter
April 21st, 2010Barcelona suffered a disappointing defeat last night at the hands of Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Barça was looking a little ragged at the start and the hosts seemed to have far too much possession at the beginning of the game. However, things looked like they might go Barcelona’s way when Pedro scored a fantastic goal in the 19th minute after Maxwell shot the ball back inside the area; but 10 minutes later and Inter equalised with a goal from Sneijder.
And the second half got off to a bad start when Maicon reached the goal just three minutes in. While Barcelona had some opportunities they were unable to make it count and at 60 minutes Milito scored for Inter, although he was almost certainly offside.
With such a heavy defeat, Barça is going to have to pull out all the stops if they are to have any chance of reaching the final; they need to beat Inter 2-0 next week at the Nou Camp, but to be really certain of defending the Champions League title in Madrid they’ll need to be aiming for 4 goals.
0-1 Pedro (min 19)
1-1 Sneijder (min 29)
2-1 Maicon (min 48)
3-1 Milito (min 60)
Three more points for Barça
April 15th, 2010Barcelona extended its lead at the top of the Spanish league last night after a 3-0 win over Deportivo. Although the Catalans went one goal up thanks to Bojan in the 15th minute, the players looked tired after their matches against Arsenal and Real Madrid and it was far from clear that they would keep the three points available.
However, in the 68th minute things changed, with a long shot from Pedro that soared through the air and over the defence and keeper and straight into the net. Just four minutes later it was the turn of Touré Yaya to score and Barça’s victory was in the bag.
With a much more comfortable margin both the players and crowd started to enjoy the match more; while neither team stopped trying, a Mexican wave went round the stadium, only petering out as Barça attack came close to another goal.
1-0 Bojan (min 15)
2-0 Pedro (min 68)
3-0 Touré Yaya(min 72)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
32
|
26
|
5
|
1
|
80
|
19
|
83
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
31
|
25
|
2
|
4
|
83
|
27
|
77
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
31
|
16
|
8
|
7
|
50
|
33
|
56
|
|
4
|
Mallorca |
32
|
15
|
7
|
10
|
50
|
37
|
52
|
|
5
|
Sevilla |
32
|
15
|
6
|
11
|
46
|
38
|
51
|
|
6
|
Athletic Bilbao |
31
|
14
|
6
|
11
|
45
|
42
|
48
|
|
7
|
Getafe |
32
|
14
|
5
|
13
|
46
|
40
|
47
|
|
8
|
Villarreal |
32
|
13
|
7
|
12
|
46
|
44
|
46
|
|
9
|
Deportivo |
32
|
12
|
7
|
13
|
33
|
42
|
43
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
32
|
11
|
7
|
14
|
48
|
50
|
40
|
|
11
|
Osasuna |
32
|
10
|
8
|
14
|
30
|
37
|
38
|
|
12
|
Sporting Gijón |
32
|
9
|
10
|
13
|
33
|
41
|
37
|
|
13
|
Almería |
31
|
9
|
10
|
12
|
33
|
43
|
37
|
|
14
|
Espanyol |
32
|
9
|
10
|
13
|
26
|
40
|
37
|
|
15
|
Racing Santander |
32
|
8
|
11
|
13
|
34
|
46
|
35
|
|
16
|
Zaragoza |
32
|
8
|
9
|
15
|
38
|
56
|
33
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
32
|
7
|
11
|
14
|
37
|
42
|
32
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
32
|
7
|
8
|
17
|
31
|
61
|
29
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
32
|
5
|
13
|
14
|
32
|
54
|
28
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
32
|
6
|
8
|
19
|
28
|
54
|
26
|
Real Madrid plays against Almeria tonight, which should be an easy three points, with Barça crossing town to play Espanyol on Saturday night and then heading to Italy for Tuesday’s match against Inter Milan. Espanyol’s keeper, Idriss Carlos Kameni, was sent off last night and won’t be playing in the match against Barça.
Barça back on top after defeating Real Madrid
April 12th, 2010Barcelona is back at the top of the league table after a classic 2-0 defeat of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday night!
Although there are still seven matches remaining of the season, it is a huge moral boost for the Catalans and has really dented Real Madrid’s self-belief. It is always difficult to put “El Clasico” in any real perspective as it is hyped so much throughout Spain, which it so often fails to live up to (although last season’s 6-2 defeat of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu certainly DID). However, Saturday’s match was the forth El Clasico won by Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid’s first home loss this season.
The match started with both teams looking a little desperate and a long way from playing their best. Barça’s first goal came in the 32nd minute from a clearly annoyed Messi, sick and tired of the constant fouling from Madrid.
To me – and I’m hardly unbiased - it looked like Madrid were going in hard throughout the match, but players from both teams received yellow cards; Messi, Xavi, Alves and Maxwell were all cautioned, but although Ramos picked up one yellow for Madrid, there were two other occasions which looked like they were clear yellow cards and he should have received his marching orders.
After the break one of the heroes of the night was Victor Valdes, who faced dangerous moments in the 51st and 55th minute when Van der Vaart and Ronaldo managed to break through, and then in the 69th minute – it constantly amazes me both when people call for him to be replaced AND that he has never been called up for the Spanish selection. The other hero was Pedro, who scored the second goal for Barça in the 56th minute; Messi came close again in the 77th minute, but his shot was saved by Casillas.
A great night for Barcelona, but not the dismal result Real Madrid seem to think it is. While the teams are arch-rivals, coming second in the league – and it isn’t over yet – hardly counts as the total failure painted by some of their supporters.
After the match there were plenty of fireworks in Barcelona and the party atmosphere spilled over in to the centre of Barcelona where another spectacular victory was celebrated. My own post match party didn’t finish until the very early hours of Sunday morning.
0-1, Messi (min 32)
0-2, Pedro (min 56)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
31
|
25
|
5
|
1
|
77
|
19
|
80
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
31
|
25
|
2
|
4
|
83
|
27
|
77
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
31
|
16
|
8
|
7
|
50
|
33
|
56
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
31
|
15
|
6
|
10
|
45
|
36
|
51
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
31
|
15
|
6
|
10
|
49
|
36
|
51
|
|
6
|
Athletic Bilbao |
31
|
14
|
6
|
11
|
45
|
42
|
48
|
|
7
|
Villarreal |
31
|
13
|
7
|
11
|
46
|
41
|
46
|
|
8
|
Getafe |
31
|
13
|
5
|
13
|
43
|
40
|
44
|
|
9
|
Deportivo |
31
|
12
|
7
|
12
|
33
|
39
|
43
|
|
10
|
Atlético Madrid |
31
|
11
|
7
|
13
|
47
|
48
|
40
|
|
11
|
Sporting Gijón |
31
|
9
|
10
|
12
|
33
|
39
|
37
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
31
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
28
|
35
|
37
|
|
13
|
Almería |
31
|
9
|
10
|
12
|
33
|
43
|
37
|
|
14
|
Espanyol |
31
|
9
|
10
|
12
|
25
|
37
|
37
|
|
15
|
Racing Santander |
31
|
7
|
11
|
13
|
31
|
45
|
32
|
|
16
|
Zaragoza |
31
|
8
|
8
|
15
|
37
|
55
|
32
|
|
17
|
Málaga |
31
|
7
|
10
|
14
|
35
|
40
|
31
|
|
18
|
Tenerife |
31
|
6
|
8
|
17
|
29
|
61
|
26
|
|
19
|
Valladolid |
31
|
4
|
13
|
14
|
30
|
53
|
25
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
31
|
5
|
8
|
19
|
26
|
53
|
23
|
Want to see one of the few remaining home matches in this classic season? Reserve your FC Barcelona tickets today.
Barça shows Stuttgart why they’re Champions
March 18th, 2010Pep Guardiola said that his team would be looking for goals, and last night he was as good as his word; FC Barcelona’s decisive 4-0 win over Stuttgart clearly sent out a message that the Catalans intend to be there at the Madrid final on Saturday 22nd May 2010 and Barça’s fans were chanting as much last night.
Barça’s dominated possession throughout in front of a packed Nou Camp and the first goal wasn’t long in coming – in the 12th minute Leo Messi ran forward into the Stuttgart area and shot the ball over the keeper, looking almost like it wouldn’t go in. Immediately Stuttgart staged a counter attack, but it fizzled out against Barcelona’s defence.
Barça kept up the attack, which paid off again in minute 22 when an extended attack on the Stuttgart goal went rewarded with a goal from Pedro.
Barcelona continued to control the game through the rest of the first half and while there were more opportunities, nothing went home. Back on after the break, Messi continued to threaten the Germans and in the 59th minute Alves passed the ball back to Messi on the edge of the box, who put the ball into the net to make it 3-0.
Not content with what was almost certainly going to be a clear victory, Barça kept up the pressure. And when Bojan came on in place of Iniesta he was able to put his talent to good use, scoring in the 89th minute.
1-0 Messi (min 12)
2-0 Pedro (min 22)
3-0 Messi (min 59)
4-0 Bojan (min 89)
The draw for the quater finals takes place on Friday. Apart from FC Barcelona, the following teams remain in the Champions League:
Bordeaux
Inter Milan
Bayern Munich
CSKA Moscow
Lyon
Arsenal
Manchester United
We will have tickets for the home leg of the quarter finals (30/31 March and 6/7 April) although supply will be subject to UEFA ticketing regulations. For current availability of Barcelona Tickets see the home page.
Barça hangs on to 2 point lead
March 1st, 2010Barcelona retained their 2 point lead over real Madrid on Saturday night as both teams won their respective matches. Madrid paid a visit to Tenerife who they thrashed 5-1, while Barça played hosts to Malaga for an entertaining match which wasn’t won quite so convincingly.
It was good to see Dani Alves back in the starting lineup after being off thanks to injury but while Barcelona dominated possession of the ball they found it difficult to actually do anything with it and time and time again throughout the match the ball went wide.
Although the first half was goalless it was at least exciting, but the 0-0 result at the break was hardly deserved. After the break though, Barcelona’s fortunes changed, with a goal from Pedro in the 68th minute. Malaga still had fight in them and continued to cause problems for Barça; and so it was in the 80th minute that Valdo put the equaliser into the net for the visitors.
Barça’s downturn in fortune didn’t last long though. Just three minutes later Messi scored for Barcelona, thereby sealing three important points for FC Barcelona. It appeared that Ibra scored afterwards to make it 3-1, but the goal was denied, although it is hard to see why.
1-0, Pedro (min 68)
1-1, Valdo (min 80)
2-1, Messi (min 83)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|
1
|
Barcelona |
24
|
19
|
4
|
1
|
59
|
14
|
61
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid |
24
|
19
|
2
|
3
|
64
|
17
|
59
|
|
3
|
Valencia |
24
|
13
|
7
|
4
|
42
|
24
|
46
|
|
4
|
Sevilla |
24
|
13
|
4
|
7
|
36
|
25
|
43
|
|
5
|
Mallorca |
24
|
12
|
4
|
8
|
38
|
28
|
40
|
|
6
|
Deportivo |
24
|
11
|
5
|
8
|
26
|
26
|
38
|
|
7
|
Athletic Bilbao |
24
|
11
|
4
|
9
|
32
|
30
|
37
|
|
8
|
Villarreal |
24
|
9
|
5
|
10
|
36
|
37
|
32
|
|
9
|
Getafe |
24
|
10
|
2
|
12
|
31
|
32
|
32
|
|
10
|
Sporting Gijón |
24
|
8
|
7
|
9
|
28
|
29
|
31
|
|
11
|
Atlético Madrid |
24
|
8
|
6
|
10
|
37
|
37
|
30
|
|
12
|
Osasuna |
24
|
8
|
6
|
10
|
24
|
26
|
30
|
|
13
|
Almería |
24
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
27
|
33
|
29
|
|
14
|
Málaga |
24
|
6
|
9
|
9
|
29
|
29
|
27
|
|
15
|
Espanyol |
24
|
7
|
6
|
11
|
18
|
32
|
27
|
|
16
|
Racing Santander |
24
|
6
|
7
|
11
|
24
|
37
|
25
|
|
17
|
Zaragoza |
24
|
6
|
6
|
12
|
29
|
47
|
24
|
|
18
|
Valladolid |
24
|
3
|
11
|
10
|
27
|
42
|
20
|
|
19
|
Tenerife |
24
|
5
|
5
|
14
|
20
|
49
|
20
|
|
20
|
Xerez |
24
|
2
|
6
|
17
|
14
|
44
|
12
|
Check out the homepage for Barcelona tickets at the Nou Camp in 2010!
