FC Barcelona Wins UEFA Super Cup, FC Barcelona -2, FC Porto - 0

FC Barcelona won the 2011 UEFA Super Cup by defeating Europa Cup Winner, FC Porto 2-0 at the St.Louis stadium in Monaco. Goals from Messi and another from Cesc Fabregas sealed a record 11th Trophy for Guardiola as a coach. FC Porto really made life difficult for Barca with their high pressure. The match was exvenly placed when messi took the lead from a horrendous mistake from guardin and it took a late Cesc Fabregas goal to make the match safe for us. Guardiola once again continued with his experiment of using Keita as a holding midfield player, a role in which Keita has been found wanting in recent matches. The other midfielders were without any surprise Iniesta and Xavi. The front line had that usual look of Pedro, Villa and Messi. The defense in the absence of both Puyol and Pique featured Abidal and Macherano in the centre. The Brazilians Alves and Adriano occupied their respective fullback roles.

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Messi Wins UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

FC Barcelona Draws Milan, Borisov and Viktoria Plzeň

FC Barcelona has been drawn into Group H of 2011-12 UEFA Champions League Goup stage. AC Milan from Italy, Bate Borisov from Belarus and FC Viktoria Plzeň from Czech republic joined Barca in Group H to make for an interesting group. AC Milan is seven times Champions whereas Borisov is playing in Champions League for the second time and FC Viktoria Plzeň will make their Champions League debut this season. With two minows AC Milan and Barca is expected to go through this group, but it should be interesting with Ibrahimovic facing his former team and coach FC Barcelona. The event started with Carles Puyol bringing in the UEFA Champions league trophy dressed in the team trave shirt and shorts. Have to admit that everyone were a bit shocked to see him wearing such casuals in a very formal occasion like this. That was followed by the usual draw which was led by Figo, Sir Bobby Charlton, Gullit and Matthias. In the night Lionel Messi was presented with the first ever UEFA Best Player in Europe Award after a live voting by football journalist. It wasn't much of a surprise as that had his name all over it from the start. I have to admit I didn't like the award a bit, UEFA needed to use their imagination a bit more.

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