Sunday&Monday summary

After their win in Zaragoza, the squad were back in training on Sunday morning. One of the most important elements of this morning’s session was the presence of thirteen B team players, with Dos Santos, Nolito, Fontàs, Riverola, Benja, Thiago, Saúl, Rochina, O. Romeu, Miño, V. Vázquez, Edu Oriol and Bartra joining in with the first team squad.

Guardiola decided to give eight of his players –Puyol, Pique, Iniesta, Alves, Messi, Villa, Valdés and Busquets, a rest, but the last three decided to come in anyway and do some gentle recovery work, whilst Xavi and Milito also continued with their own treatment apart from the rest of the group.






Seydou Keita spoke after training on Sunday morning and stressed the good performances and results the team are putting in, whilst explaining how keen he is to start this season’s assault on the Spanish Cup. (read more -click)

Ten first team players and six from Barça B will make the trip to Ceuta on Tuesday as Barça open their Spanish Cup campaign. The Cup rules state that the squad must be 16 strong and a maximum of six non-first team players can be named. The trip to Ceuta will be unusual for the team, who will fly to Malaga, before taking a helicopter flight over into the African continent. The squad are due to touch down in Ceuta at 12.30.

The full list given by Guardiola this morning is: Pinto, Puyol, Abidal, Maxwell, Adriano, Mascherano, Keita, Bojan, Jeffren, Pedro, Miño, Bartra, Fontàs, Thiago, Dos Santos and Nolito. Seven first team squad players -Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Busquets, Iniesta, Messi and Villa -are still enjoying the short break Guardiola gave them after the Zaragoza game.

The squad for the Ceuta game, with the exception of Pinto who had the club’s permission to miss the session for family reasons, trained at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper this morning. In addition, Valdes came along and worked out with a coach, before joining the rest of the group, whilst Xavi and Milito continued with their own recovery programmes.












Barça begin their campaign to regain the Spanish Cup when they travel to the North African enclave of Ceuta on Tuesday and Guardiola commented: “It’s not a chore at all - I’m looking forward to the game, When you play a team you don’t know, you always pick up something new”. If you want to know what else Pep said at meeting with press click (here), pay attention to Pep's clothes and shoes (sorry for poor quality but couldn't find better pictures)


On official website there is interesting piece sbout new system 3-4-3 (click for more)

Just one photo...

2-0 in Zaragoza!

The win in Zaragoza was the fourth on the run and marked the team’s best ever start to a season on the road. There have been five seasons when the team won their first three away games, but never before, their first four.

Game was really nice, Messi scored twice, NO INJURIES, Iniesta recieved standing ovation, players traveled by train:P and much more;)







and one more photo from train, posted by Pique: "From Zaragoza, on the train... with my Brother Puyi!!!"

Pique:"For sure, many asked which music Puyi was listening to on his Ipod... I asked and he told me that it was Shuarma!"

And game:


























After game:
Pep at meeting with press:“it wasn’t easy to play such a serious game so soon after Wednesday’s Champions League game”. (click to read more)


Facebook Pique (23:40): "Hi, I'm home already! Very happy with the win. Zaragoza away is always difficult and today the team was very solid"

Facebook Iniesta (10pm): "We keep doing well, another 3 points. Many thanks to the Zaragoza fans for their applauses. Now the cup. Big hug!"

The squad has arrived in Barcelona about 11pm. The team bus brough them to the Camp Nou where their cars were parked.

Other news
Barcelona B lost their first points at home today: 0-1 loss against Huesca.

Luis Enrique (22:05): "This wasn't our day although I think a draw would have been more just. Congratulations to Huesca. Up to the next."

Busy week..

...not only for Barca;) sorry for no posts during last few days, I've got very busy week and didn't have time to update blog, so tonight will be quick summary and I will try to post all important (and not so important stuff)

Monday:

Bojan was present at the presentation of the Barça Veterans 2010/11 prize for fair play which he picked up. The young striker refuses to let the lack of goals get to him and insisted: “it’s only normal that people say things, because I’ve still not scored, but when the first one goes in, I’m sure there will plenty more to come”

Masch spoke with press: "I’ve been improving with each game and I’ll continue to do so”. (read more)

Barça were back in training this evening after their day off on Sunday and Puyol and Xavi both trained apart. The captain picked up knock on his left leg on Saturday and Xavi did some recovery work on his ankle.






Gaby Milito was forced out of this evening’s training session with a muscle strain in his left thigh that will rule him out for up to two weeks.


Tuesday
Messi met with media, and he was adorable:P


If you want to know what he was talking about click here!

Also Pep spoke to press. “Because of the quality of the opposition, their good preparation and the fact that so little has been said about them” Guardiola feels Wednesday’s game with Copenhagen at the Camp Nou could be a dangerous one. And our Mister was also adorable!


Xavi and Puyol, who missed training on Monday, were back on Tuesday for the session at the Camp Nou, but the injured Milito was absent.













Wednesday- game day!

Víctor Valdés was out of Champions League game against Copenhagen after suffering vomiting and fever overnight. B team keeper Rubén Miño has been called into the squad as cover. José Manuel Pinto made his Champions League debut. Pinto played in this season’s Joan Gamper Trophy, saving three penalties in Barça’s win.

But the best part of the day was game! 2-0 for us:D I'm sure most of us watched the game so there is no need to write about it:P
Photos in no particular order:P





















After game player share their oppinions (click to read) and Pep spoke about match too (click for more info)

Some intresting facts and statistics about game (click)
Thursday

With most of the players involved in Wednesday night’s game working out in the gym, just seven of the first team squad, together with five players from the B team, took part in morning’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva. Pinto and Abidal were the only players from last night’s starting line up to join the session, with the rest of the players, including Xavi Hernández, settling for some recovery work in the gym.





The Catalan World Moto 2 champion, Toni Elías was a visitor at morning’s training session after watching the game at the Nou Camp last night as a guest of the club






Xavi Hernàndez will be rested this weekend for the game against Zaragoza and will therefore be able to assist at the ceremony of presentation of the Premis Príncep d'Astúries in Oviedo.

Friday:
Sergio met with press (detalis here)

Josep Guardiola will take eighteen players to Zaragoza this Saturday: the seventeen available players from the first team squad, plus Thiago from Barça B.

Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Adriano, Abidal, Maxwell, Puyol, Piqué, Sergio, Mascherano, Keita, Iniesta, Thiago, Jeffren, Pedro, Messi, Bojan and Villa.

As always at days before game Pep met with media. Guardiola is not taking anything for granted ahead of the game against Zaragoza and has insisted that their position at the foot of the table doesn’t mean anything. The boss also spoke about the physical problems affecting Valdés and Xavi. (details)

Photos from training session:










Offside:
Event with Audi and some nice cars:P




Funny moment:

Well it's very difficult to remeber which team our company supports yeah? ;)









At the beginning of each season, Audi gives a car to all of the first team players, as well as to the head coach. Pep Guardiola turned his down, arguing that if there weren’t a car for all of the technical staff, then there should not be one for him, either.