Injuries, training and.. where's Pep?

Today was quite unusual day in FCB, Pep Guardiola missed training! (don't worry I will explain it), Puyol come back to Barcelona, and there were other things too, so here we go:

Let's start with not-so-intresting news, The Camp Nou is one of the main attractions in the joint Spain-Portugal bid to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals. A team of FIFA inspectors visited the stadium this Wednesday to check out the facilities.


Now some very important, but not good news, I wrote ealier about injuries, but now we know what happen, both players, Jeffren and Puyol are back in BCN.

The young winger has torn a muscle in his left leg and will be out of action for approximately two weeks.Jeffren picked up the injury while training with the Spain under-21 squad.

Tests carried out at the Camp Nou on Wednesday morning confirmed that Puyol has injured his soleus muscle just below the left calf. He’ll require treatment and is doubtful for the next few matches.

I hope that our boys will be ok soon!

There was morning training of course, but this time without Guardiola. Wednesday morning’s training session was led by assistant coach Tito Vilanova, who worked with a group of thirteen players – six from the first team and seven from Barça B. Only six players were available from the senior squad - Pinto, Adriano, Maxwell, Abidal, Keita and Dani Alves – and seven from the reserves - Bartra, Fontàs , Romeu, Dos Santos, Nolito, Masip and Rochina. For the second day running, Brazilian international Dani Alves reported voluntarily for training, despite having two days off before joining up with the Brazil squad on Thursday (what a hardworking guy!). If you want to read more about it-click here.

And there are photos too:







One of the best news of the day are numbers! Yes, shirt numbers were announced today. So it's confirmed that Bojan will takeover the number’9’ while Jeffren will have his number ‘11’ shirt. In addition, there will be no number 4 or number 24 shirts. Last season they belonged to Marquez and Touré respectively. Meanwhile, the number '21' worn by Chygrynskiy has gone to Adriano while number '14' (Henry) will go to Mascherano. David Villa has taken the vacant number ‘7’. (read more here-click)
Full list here:
1 Valdes
2 Dani Alves
3 Piqué
5 Puyol
6 Xavi
7 Villa
8 A. Iniesta
9 Bojan
10 Messi
11 Jeffren
13 Pinto
14 Mascherano
15 Keita
16 Sergio
17 Pedro
18 Milito
And don't forget about our talented youth!
Jugadors del B
26 Fontàs
27 Nolito
28 Sergi Roberto
29 Víctor Vázquez
30 Thiago
31 Miño
32 M. Bartra
33 Sergi Gómez
34 Jonathan dos Santos
35 Muniesa
36 M. Riverola
37 O. Romeu
38 Oier
39 Rochina

What about our new player, Mascherano? He spoke with BarcaTV and you can read his first interview here (click)

My favourie part is "I'm coming here to learn and to be a better player. This move has to enable me to say in two or three years that I’m a better player than when I arrived”." And part about Busquets "in spite of his age, he’s already got a lot of experience. He’s a world champion. He’s been a very important player for Barça over the last year and a half and I try and watch and learn from the best. Busquets is doing a good job so I’ll try and watch him and support myself on him. This isn’t a fight between Busquets and Mascherano. In no way whatsoever. It’s a long season, there are a lot of matches and we have to be ready when it’s our turn”.

And it's hard to dislike guy who smiles in this way


The Sporting Director of Professional Football, Andoni Zubizarreta and the First Vice-President responsible for the Sports Area, Josep Maria Bartomeu, addressed a press conference at the Camp Nou on Wednesday on a wide range of footballing issues. If you like to know more click here to read full summary.


I also found out that Valdés plays in gloves and boots without sponsor's logo. His contract with Nike ended in July, and right now Victor plays in black boots and gloves without any logo.

Right now Valdés and other Spanish players (exept Puyol) participate in trainings with national team. I know that this blog is about Barca, but such photos always make me happy so I want to share with you






And finally, taaaa daaam! Answer to question of the day: where's Pep?
Guardiola is currently attending the 12th UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum in Nyon, Switzerland. There are some photos:





Quite boring? So here is one of funny moments during Pep's meeting with press, enjoy!

Training, Keita's contract and more

Good news today, our hardworking player, Seydou Keita has extended his contract with the club until 2014! Seydou Keita’s contract was set to finish in 2012, but today’s deal could keep him at the club for a further two years with an extra 10 million also added to his buyout clause. On official website there is also nice article about him (click to read more)
Here is short video



With the internationals away with their national teams, Pep Guardiola joined his seven available first team players, including latest signing Javier Mascherano, with the B team for training this morning. The six first team squad members at Guardiola’s disposition were Pinto, Abidal, Maxwell, Adriano, Keita and Alves, who will join up with Brazil on September 2nd and came along to training today despite being given the day off.







After a busy day of presentations yesterday, new signing Javier Mascherano enjoyed his first training session at the club this morning when he joined a reduced number of first team players at the Ciutat Esportiva. With the session due to start at 09.00 this morning, Mascherano arrived half an hour early and was met by first team delegate Carlos Naval, who presented him to his new teammates and backroom staff as they arrived.
Here is video


And some nice photos






FC Barcelona and Birmingham City have agreed a deal that will take Alexander Hleb to the Premier League club on a season’s loan.



Barca’s first team squad has again been reduced by international commitments – with just five players - Pinto, Abidal, Maxwell, Adriano and Keita left in Barcelona. (read more-click)

Late in the evening official website of FC Barcelona informed that our captain Carles Puyol and Jeffren Suárez (called for U-21) are coming back to Barcelona due to their injuries.

There are many great articles and interviews in newspapers, today I highly recomend:
- Johan Cruyf's oppinion abour Barca's squad (read English translation here)

- Interview with Pique in El Mundo Deportivo (read English translation here)

Jeffren: “I have a place at this club”

Today it was Jeffren Suárez turn to talk with press after morning training. He said that although he’s well aware of the tough competition for a place in the Barca front line this year, he is ready to start the season determined to win Guardiola’s confidence and earn himself more minutes on the pitch to show his quality.

Whole report about this press conference you can read here