a blog about fc barcelona with la liga news, transfers and rumours
One of the things that distinguishes this new Barca team under Gerardo Martino is the pressure it puts on rival teams. It’s one of the great changes that the new coach has reintroduced into the Catalan team.
Pressure was one of the things that made Guardiola’s Barcelona stand out from the rest and last year the team lost that facet. More on Martino’s changes
In a crazy turnaround of events, ex Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, who is now at Monaco, was offered to Real Madrid. Monaco’s billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev paid 45M euros for Falcao who is said to be disappointed with the club’s sports project.
Worse still, the French government has imposed the same tax laws on the players and they now have to pay the same as French citizens. More on Radamel Falcao
Tata Martino began his spell in charge of FC Barcelona in the best possible way with the biggest win in the history of the club in the first game of the season. Levante had no chance against a Barca side that were more like a whirlwind in the first half.
Levante were not allowed to play football and the pressure the Catalans put on the visitors was tremendous. Read the rest of the match report
FC Barcelona are facing a real dilema with the new season kicking off for the Catalan giants this evening at the Nou Camp against Levante. The club has four players for one spot up front with top guns Neymar and Messi.
The wingman will be either Alexis, Cesc, Pedro or Tello, and the four are having to go head to head in order to get the coveted spot up front. More on Barca’s dilema
Alexis Sánchez has well and truly laid down the gauntlet to Pedro for a place in Barca’s starting lineup. After proving himself in the final stretch of last season, except for the tie against Bayern, the Chilean’s season is continuing where it left off.
Martino has two irreplaceable players up front in the shape of Messi and Neymar and Alexis could be joining them. More on Alexis Sanchez
The pre-season is over for the Catalan giants and the real deal begins this weekend. Although it’s a relatively easy game against Levante, Barca cannot afford any slip ups in the start to their new season.
After Sunday’s opener, the club face 15 days of tough games with the two legs of the Super Cup sandwiched between clashes against Malaga and Valencia. More on Barca’s start to the season
Jonathan Dos Santos acknowledged today in a press conference something that a lot of people knew about but hadn’t heard it officially from the player.
Barca’s Mexican midfielder admitted that if Tito Vilanova was still at the Catalan giants, he would have been leaving the club as a deal with Real Sociedad was almost struck. More on Jonathan Dos Santos
Valdés surprised that Casillas was left on bench
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes stated that he was surprised that Iker Casillas was left on the bench. The Real Madrid stopper was sidelined on Sunday with new boss Ancelotti fielding number 2 keeper Diego López.
The Catalan keeper was surprised because for him, Iker is “the best”. More on Victor Valdes