Are We Being Fair To Giovani?

Giovani Dos Santos looked like a completely baffled man. At least his recent comments as quoted by media give us an impression of a very confused person. From the moment Barcelona's season started going, all the fingers started pointing on him along with Ronaldinho. It was said that he will never be able to make a switch to first team action. His hardships were increased by the fact that his colleague Bojan, who was promoted along with him, looked like cemented his position. He has scored only four goals throughout the season compared to Bojan's eleven. he could only manage ten La Liga starts compared to Bojan's fourteen. He had to wait till the last game to get into the La Liga goal books, even though he did that is style. Barcelona fans and media are searching for scapegoats at every nook and he appears to be one of their favourite now. Before the start of this season, he was linked to a number of clubs but he came forward and declared that his future is with Barcelona. At that time that was hailed by Barcelona fans and used to question Fabregas' decision. But at the end of the season it looks like Giovani might be regretting his decision.

Many Barcelona fans have already written him off as an over rated players. True that he came to the team as the next Ronaldinho; but expecting that he will turn around the fortunes of the club was too much. Everyone seems like forgetting the fact that this is his first season and not interested in giving him some breathing space. I do agree with the fact that Bojan had made more impact than Dos Santos in the first season; but how can you write him off just because his first season didn't come off that well. Bojan has been more consistent among the two and also have been more effective. But isn't it because he get a chance to play more in his natural positions. Most of his goals are from simple tap in; I do agree that he has a great positioning sense and a great goal scoring instinct. Giovani is a different player to Bojan; he fits more into the playmaker style of role than the striker. Many times this season he seemed lost when he started in the lineup. But isn't it natural in a maiden season. Even Messi in his first season gave an impression that he cannot shoot to save his life. The fact that he made his debut in a difficult season should not be held against him. Already suggestions are made to send him on loan to another club so that he can gain experience. I don't understand this theory, why Barcelona is a bad place to earn experience? Giovani has shrugged off this suggestion; many consider this as arrogance. But I would like to consider this as a testimony to his tough character. He has categorically stated that, if he leaves it will be forever. He looks like a kid with tough character and a great belief in him. If Barcelona decides to sell him in the end it would be a sad day for the club and its youth system. It also sends the wrong signals to youngsters that First team will not be accommodative for the young talents. Secondly I am totally convinced about his talents and is absolutely sure that he will make Barca pay for such a mistake. But I have a feeling Barcelona is strongly considering to sell him, otherwise with so much rumours floating Barcelona board would have backed him. Maybe they are waiting for the right price.

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Bojan and Giovani - Firmly Striding Forward

In the begining of this season it was clear that the two wonderfully talented kids - Bojan and Giovani ,from Barcelona youth Academy will get their first taste of first team football. But a series of injuries and loss of form of the senior players have made sure that both of them remain an integral part of Barcelona team this season. In the start of season , there was too much of pressure on Rijkaard to include them in the side inorder to avoid other clubs robbing them. In contrast to some of their seniors who went in search for better shores, these two had made it clear in advance that their future lies with Barcelona. Giovnani was expected to make a sizeable number of appearances and Bojan was expected to make his debut this season. But as destined they both have made a sizeable number of appearances and also have made it into starting eleven on many number of occasion. This also has a downside with fans and media criticising them (like Giovani was criticised some game before) for the lack of impact in some games. The media and fans will do a world of good to the club if they take the time to remember that they just made their debuts this season. Messi, when he debuted some season ago was similiar to them, but ofcourse had more talent.

Of these two, Bojan Krikic looked to me more comfortable with rigour of La Liga football. This may be of the fact that he is an out and out striker, and (apart from Eto we don't have one also) he gets to play in his favourite position more often. Giovani had made much bigger impact when he was brought as a substitute but in matches where he started have to admit he was a dissappointment. Don't have to look too far the last match against Osasuna will act as a testimony for what i have written here. But I believe this may be because of the lack of centre forward in the Barcelona player setup. He is asked to do so much more than he might be capable of. Bojan already has four goals from 18 apperances which is very good as debutant, but also reiterates the fact that he is a out and out Centre Forward. Along with messi, these two will for the future of the Barcelona attack line up. But overall we can confidently say that these two kids have taken their baby strides in the big leagues of football very firmly.

Rijkaard's trouble in the match against Sevilla doesn't looks like ending - now Deco and Sylvinho has been declared unfit for the tie. The three reserve players - Espasandín , Víctor Vázquez and Víctor Sánchez have been named in the squad. Out of which Víctor Espasandín has a high chance of making his debut as he is considered as a solid Left back. As i said in my last post it maight be time for Messi to justify world's belief that he is the New Maradona. This match will depend upon him a lot. Thinking about Ronaldinho, some strange idea came to my mind - we can place him in the Midfield may be in the position Gudjonsen is playing. That will cut down the expectation on him of scoring Goals and will surely help him in assisting more. Every time I see him on pitch he looks like trying too much for scoring Goals, because of which he is not assisting his fellow players or creating chances.

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A Determined Madrid

Its quite strange to write a Real Madrid appreciation thread in a Barcelona Blog, that too by an ardent Barca supporter. So what's the excuse I have got. May be because they are having three players from my favorite international team - Argentina. Ok let's cut the crap, the reason why I am writing this is because of their last week performance. Simply put that performance can be described as awesome. It overshadowed and rightly so, the performance of Barca at Camp Nou. It was a gritty performance by a team which seems to be lost forever in transition.

With the last of the famous Galacticos gone, the only step Madrid can take now is forward. They look more compact, aggressive and more and more determined in the start of this season. Got to admit the fact that of all the title contenders, they look the solid. Have to admire the brain of schuster, after a pretty long time Madrid bought players to fit into a system. This by itself is a sharp contrast to the Madrid Galacticos policy where star players made the system. Don't misunderstand me, last season Barcelona lost the title rather than Madrid winning it. But this season will be a far outcry compared to that. They look more solid and compact, so if we have to win the league we have to be the same and this time we have to snatch it from them. We cannot wait for them to slip( which looks rather unlikely), so we have to raise our game.

Match Compilation

If you go by the early signs that La Liga is throwing at, then we will be tempted to say that La Liga is going to be a little crowded this season. There is no certainity here. Real Madrid has set the tempo for the rest of season, now Barca has to raise it. And don't forget the ever dangerous Sevilla, they might be tempted to win everything as a tribute to Antonio Puerta. In his memoirs let me stop with a hope to see the best football this season.

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Bojan Krkic - young star of Barca B

Bojan Krkic - young star of Barca B

FC Barcelona home grown talent Bojan Krkic, 16 years old from Linyola, has got a great future ahead of him. Last weekend he scored 2 goals in the 3-0 victory over U.E. Lleida and is already the Pichichi of Barca B. He scored 7 goals or a total of 20. Since he is playing as a regular in Quique Costas team the reserve team has changed. Krkic is developing fast and in huige steps. Last year he was promoted with 15 years to the Juvenile (U19) and this year, with 16 years, he should gain some experience in senior football. Now, he is a lready a regular and the top goalscorer of the team. Football experts are convinced that Bojan will make his debut for the first team next sesaon. Barca B coach Quique Coasts was in a serious crisis just weeks ago. Barca B was bottom of the table of the Segunda B (Spain´s third Division). But the boy from Linyola, with its self-confidence, skills and overall with his goals got the team back to life. His stats are impressive. Bojan Krkic scored 7 goals in only 870 minutes playing time. 5 of them in the last 4 matches. He played 11 matches, 9 of them in the starting line-up. When the youngster joined Barca B this season, the team had only won 1 match so far, since Bojan played they added another 5 victories. Bojan is happy with his development and revealed: I am scoring goals and this helps the team to win. Things go very well for me on a personal level and Barça B is improving a lot. I already feel privileged by playing for Barca B with only 16 years. I am very young and I have still a long way to go. This is why I am only thinking of Barca B at the moment. Bojan Krkic has also been called up for Spain´s U18 to play the Meridian Cup. Source : Click here

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Bojan Krkic

Bojan Krkic, born on August 28, 1990, in Linyola (Serbian: Lleida)is a 16 year-old Serbian-Spanish footballer who plays for Barcelona FC in Spain. His father, who holds the same name was a well known footballer in Serbia, where he played for Crvena zvezda. Bojan Krkic Jr. shot to prominence at the UEFA European Under 17 Championships in Luxembourg in May 2006 when he was joint top-scorer. He achieved this despite only playing 45 minutes in the four out of five of Spain Under-17s matches. He scored a hat-trick against Luxembourg before inspiring his side to a 3-0 victory over the eventual champions Russia, with all of the goal being scored when he came on to the pitch as a second half sub. In the third match of the tournament, he scored a penalty after once again being introduced at half time. He started the semi-final against the Czech Republic but after his team mate Roberto Garcia was sent off, Spain struggled and lost 2-0 in a shock result. In the third-place play-off Krkic was once again a second half sub and wreaked havoc in Germany's defence as he scored the opener on 53 minutes. When the match went to spot-kicks, Krkic cooly slotted his into the top-right corner of the net and his side won the match 5-4 on penalties to finish third.

Krkic is also reported to have scored over 800 goals in the lower divisions of Barcelona.
He is expected to become a full Barcelona player very shortly. Once 17 (and able to sign professionally) it will not be long before he is in the first team.

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Giovanni Dos Santos

Giovanni dos Santos Ramírez (born May 11, 1989 in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico) is a Mexican football midfielder who plays for FC Barcelona B and was part of the under-17 Mexican football team that won the FIFA U-17 World Championship 2005 held in Peru. He assisted in the first goal in the final game which the Mexican team won 3-0. With the number 8 on the back, Dos Santos, also known as "Gio", helped Mexico to defeat Brazil.

A great playmaker, he is often compared to Ronaldinho both for his physical appearance and his skills with the ball. He is the son of the former Brazilian football player Gerardo Dos Santos, but better known as "Zizinho", who played on the Mexican soccer teams América and Monterrey in the early 1990s. Has two brothers; an older brother, Eder and a younger brother, Jonathan who also plays for FC Barcelona, but in the Juvenil B category.Together with his brother Jonathan dos Santos he is one of the most promising FC Barcelona players and also one of several highly-rated Mexican youngsters already playing in Europe.

Gio Dos Santos scored in his debut game for FC Barcelona senior team against Aarhus in a friendly match on July 29th 2006.[1] Still, his debut on an official match is pending, but it's expected that it would happen at some point during the year 2007; on that same year it's expected his participation with the Mexican U-20 National Team.

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Barcelona's Youth Prodigy

Jeffren Suárez



Jeffren was born in Venezuela, emigrated to Tenerife, Canary Islands when he was only 2 years old. Now he is living at Barca´s youth academy in La Masia, Barcelona.


Jeffren Surarez is a talented young winger, who dreams of following in the footsteps of his idol, Leo Messi, who is just half a year older than Jeffren but already a super star on the world stage. There are a lot of similarities between Leo Messi and Jeffren Suárez. Both, players are very versatile, extremely fast and have a great technique.


Jeffren Suárez played this year in the Youth A team and gained his first senior football experience in playing for Barca C. For the next season, the pacey winger Jeffren has been promoted to Quique Costas' Barca B Team.

Jeffren´s outstanding qualities are his speed and technique. He makes powerful runs on the wings, using both feet and has a very strong and precise shot. Since joining Barca´s youth side from Tenerife, talented Jeffren has changed his style from being a goalgetter to providing and feeding others with chances to score. In Tenerife he scored about 20 goals each season while at Barca he scored 5 goals in 2 years.He changed from an individualist to a real team player, his game is more complete and can play in several different positions.

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