FC Barcelona - 2, Valencia - 1; Great Comeback Win for Barca

FC Barcelona produced a stunning second half display to come back from a goal down to win one of the most important match this season. After being outplayed throughout the first half, Barca came out roaring in the second hal. Iniesta and Puyol scored for Barca to negate Pablo's first half strikes. It was quite a night, first seeing we being outplayed and then we playing an absoluetly brilliant second half. For once I got my predictions spot on. Guardiola promised he would start with both Xavi and Iniesta for this match and he very well did the same. We ahd Keita, Xavi and Busquets in the middle. Iniesta partnered with Villa and Messi upfront. The defense had Puyol, Pique, Alves and Maxwell.

Continue Reading...

FC Barcelona vs Valencia Preview

Any other season, I would have preferred the prospect of facing Valencia at home over a clash at the Mestella. But with our home form this season, I am not so sure about this one. To make matters worse this one comes straight after an international break. Our performances after a break has always been a head-ache. There is no doubt where the footbaling world will be concentrated this weekend. But I would be keeping a close eye to see how the newly laid pitch behaves. The Camp Nou pitch has been a big dissappointment since the start of this season and the Mallorca clash saw the worst of it. Luckily the staffs used the international break to lay the new pitch and I hope it holds firm. As for Valencia is concerned, they have their own issues to prove. This is their first test to see whetehr they can realistically carry on the hope of winning the titles. This will be a match that could make them from Pretenders to contenders. Valencia's last visit to Cam Nou ended with Messi bagging a hat-trick and Barca fans will be hoping once again he repeat the performance. David Villa is declared fit to face Valencia but Guardiola still has to worry about the fitness of Xavi Hernandez.

Continue Reading...

Sandro Rosell Shuts Door on New Members

FC Barcelona Vice President Jordi Cardone has formally announced the decison to slam the club's door on new aspiring members from November 1st. From November 1st, only people that meet the following requirements will be able to become club members: to be a member of a first or second relation to a current member, to be under 14 or to have been a a member previously. Simply put the the family into which you are born dictates your future as a potential Barca member. This was always believed to be one of the most important action item on Sandro Rosell's agenda and has been in the back burner for some time. Many beleieved that this whole rhetoric was merely an election gimmick, but sadly Rosell proved us wrong again. He has already dealt successfully with the Honorary Presidentship awarded to Johan Cruyff. A humiliated Cryuff meanwhile had already returned the club membership and kept himself away from the deadly President. It's quite a contrast how we treat our legends compared to Real Madrid. Alfredo di Stefano was uninanimously declared the Honorary President of Real Madrid for his contribution to the club. Sandro Rosell and his team is right when they argue about the validity of Laporta's decision to bestow Cryuff with a similiar honour, but treating a legend who changed the footballing identity of the club like the way he did was unpardonable. Cryuff was humiliated and had to pay the price for being so close to sandro Rosell's eternal enemy, Joan Laporta.

Continue Reading...

Barca B - 3, Tenerife - 1

Time to Regain Focus

This season so far is a classic example of two steps forward and one steps back. Otherwise how can you explain the reality of winning comfortably against Atletico and Athletic away from home and losing against Real Mallorca and Hercules at home. Our home form this season has been a revelation in the wrong sense. Last season we struggled to impose ourselves against tough opponents away from home. This season that is not at all a problem, but getting goals and ultimately victory at home is a different prospective. We have scored only two goals at the Camp Nou and can you believe that. I mean who would have thought we would struggle to get goals at our own home camp. I am struggling to come up with reasons for the same. Yes we haven't been playing at the pace we normally play, our boys are holding up the ball for more time at times, at times we are trying to be too fanciful, but none of these should stop us from winning at home. The state of Camp Nou pitch had a role to play in the two disappoining results against Hercules and Mallorca, but that cannot be blamed alone. Atleast as far as I hear, we have already started to look to get the pitch back to perfect condition and the international break comes at the right time.

Continue Reading...