Sandro’s Late Goal Thrusts Barcelona past Villarreal at El Madrigal

Barcelona vs. Villarreal

August 31, 2014

Estadio El Madrigal

Villarreal, Castellon, Spain

La Liga Match Day 2

Villarreal’s iconic stadium, El Madrigal, in the heart of Spain’s province of Castellon.

It took 81 minutes, but Barcelona finally managed to break down a stubborn Villarreal side at El Madrigal last night. On the one hand, it was a familiar sight: the home team defending deep and compact, launching counterattacks into open space behind Barça’s high line. But the Barcelona side that met Villarreal on the pitch today was distinctly unlike anything seen in the last two seasons. They created numerous chances against an excellent defensive side, looking relatively composed and solid at the back, before a youth player and out-and-out striker managed to net the game-winner. All new, all exciting.

A New Season at Camp Nou: Triumph over Elche

 

Barcelona vs. Elche
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Camp Nou, Barcelona
La Liga Match Day 1

First Starting XI of the 2014-15 Campaign

The time had finally come for the new season to kick off for Barcelona. With new faces galore, familiar faces gone, and a former Barcelona player taking over the reigns as manager, the season was ready to set of with a bang. Barcelona set out in a 4-3-3 formation with a lineup of Bravo; Alves, Mascherano, Mathieu, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Rafinha, Munir, Messi. Elche’s Starting XI consisted of Tyton; Damian, Lomban, J.Angel, Pelegrin, Albacar; Mosquera, Pasalic, Rodrigues; Jonathas, and Coro in a 5-4-1 formation. Everything looked set for La Liga to kick off for the two sides… But just as the season started, it was postponed… Momentarily. And by the unlikeliest of things.

New Faces of Barcelona 2014: Luis Suárez

#9 Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz, Forward (Uruguay)

On July 11, 2014, Barcelona completed a deal with Premier side club, Liverpool, for the rights to Uruguay striker Luis Suarez. With the deal being around 80 million euros, Barcelona hope to provide Lionel Messi and Neymar with another threat in a side that found it difficult to put goals in the net during the crucial parts of last season. The Barcelona board decided to overlook the recent events at the World Cup, involving the “Biting Incident”, and sign the recently four-month-banned striker anyway. Suarez signing with Barcelona marks the second year in a row where the Premier League’s top scorer transferred to a Spanish side, whereas last year it was Gareth Bale moving from Tottenham to Real Madrid.

New Faces of Barcelona 2014: Ivan Rakitić

Ivan Rakitic and Leo Messi squaring off last season at the Camp Nou.

The biggest name for Barcelona to snag (so far) in 2014 is Croatian midfielder, Ivan Rakitic. He is a familiar face to Barcelona, as he played at Sevilla from 2011 till this previous club season. He was a club captain in 2013/14 and led Sevilla to a UEFA Europa League triumph. Prior to coming to La Liga, he played four seasons with Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga in Germany from 2007 until 2011. His professsional career started with FC Basel of the Swiss Super League in 2005, where he played through 2007 with the 17-time Swiss champions.

Éric Abidal: “Barcelona Thought I was Too Risky”

 

Frenchman defender Éric Abidal played his final game for Barcelona just over a week ago.

Éric Abidal has revealed he was not offered a new contract by Barcelona because the club considered it to be too risky.

The 33-year-old Frenchman was released by the Catalan club at the end of the season just weeks after he made his comeback from a liver transplant.

Abidal spent a year on the sidelines as he recovered from the transplant last April, having previously had surgery to remove a tumour in March 2011.

Aftermath: Barça’s 2013 – The Future

Dazzling finishes, mesmerizing tiki-taka, marvelous saves. These are the sort of things you talk about at the end of the season in Barcelona. This season was no different, with ups and downs, triumphs and failures, greetings and farewells. Another fantastic season of football came to a close not long ago, with memories and accolades to go with it.

Finishing the season with 100 points, Barcelona matched a Real Madrid record for most points in La Liga. Outpacing their arch-nemesis from the start, the Catalans pressed forward in the Spanish league like few have done in recent years. Falling so far off the pace, Real Madrid found it impossible to gain much ground on the blaugrana. Jose Mourinho and crew, at times, lacked the chemistry that was needed to hold to a constant string of solid play which leads to hoisting up the League Cup like they did last season. This 2012-13 league season belonged to the boys in navy blue and deep red, and no one in Spain could stop it.

Barcelona vs. Mallorca Match Day LiveBlog

Follow Barcelona vs. Mallorca live from Estadi Iberostar via CoverItLive

 Live Blog–> Click Here <– Live Blog

Barcelona travels to the the Isle of Mallorca to face a familiar La Liga foe, Mallorca, in a league match. Barcelona looks to close the 6-point gap on Real Madrid at the top of the table, while Mallorca seeks to keep floating above the relegation zone and stay in the first division for next season. Kickoff starts at 6 PM local time in Mallorca.

Kickoff times:
9 AM Alaska
1 PM East Coast USA
6 PM Barcelona

Fantastic Catalan football as the world watches; Barça throttles Real Madrid 3-1 at the Bernabéu

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu

December 10, 2011

Madrid, Spain

When the day finally dawned for the last El Clásico of 2011, the mood was nervous, worried, unsure, but ultimately excited. El Clásicos are always important to win, not just because of the history between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF, but also because they are often the deciding factors in several title races.

Real Madrid's head coach, Jose Mourinho (L), gestures as the Barcelona coaching staff celebrate a goal in the background. (PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/Getty Images)

Being six points behind Madrid in La Liga, Barcelona needed this game not only for points, but for morale within and outside the club. With culés everywhere supporting this team until the very end, Barça seized those vital three points and proved to the world, once again, that its motto of més que un club is a deserved one.

Guardiola fielded a full strength side for this decisive game. Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Messi, and Alexis all started to combat a dominant Madrid side.

Barcelona slams Levante at Camp Nou to regain form

Barcelona vs. Levante

 Camp Nou

December 3, 2011

Barcelona, Spain

A week before what is to be one of the most crucial games of the season, El Clásico, FC Barcelona is building strong momentum. Beating Levante UD 5-0 not only earned the team another customary manita, but also prepared the players both physically and psychologically for the determining match ahead.

FC Barcelona players come together to pummel Levante, exaclty one week before the most pivotal match of the season in Madrid. (AP Photo)

Though it was David Villa’s 30th birthday, Guardiola decided to leave him out of the starting lineup. Instead, Valdés, Mascherano, Puyol, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Cesc, Iniesta, Alexis, Cuenca, and Messi were given the start against a Levante team that started off the season promisingly.

Tactically brilliant Getafe ends Barça’s 27-match unbeaten streak

Barcelona vs. Getafe

Coliseum Alfonso Perez

November 26, 2011

Getafe, Spain

Barcelona lost its first official game since the 30th of April today when Getafe CF managed a close 1-0 victory. In what was expected by culés and pundits alike as an easy three points for Barça, the display by the blaugrana players was lifeless and disappointing, to say the least.

Barcelona players solemnly progress through the match after Getafe took one goal lead. (Getty Images)

Since the loss means a fairly extensive six point deficit to La Liga leaders Real Madrid, the reaction after the game was pessimistic, even fatalist – the competition for the league is over and it’s only November. To that, culés everywhere need to resist the negativity and have faith in the club. Més que un club means it will take more than one loss to end the season.

Guardiola chose to field a much modified lineup from the midweek Champions League clash with AC Milan. Cesc was left out of the match squad as a precaution due to discomfort in his left thigh. Puyol was likewise missed presumably for rest after his exertions against Milan. Instead, the starting eleven consisted of Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Abidal, Maxwell, Busquets, Xavi, Thiago, Alexis, Villa, and Messi.