26th Oct
-Six Barça players up for world’s best player award (click to get to know more)
-training: Pep Guardiola left various high profile names out of his squad for the trip south to play in the Copa del Rey first leg encounter and so Víctor Valdés, Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi and David Villa all trained as normal.
-FC Barcelona’s squad landed in Ceuta after their unique trip by helicopter and they were met by around 200 people while another large group then welcomed them as they arrived at their hotel ahead of the Copa del Rey encounter. (read more here)
-Jeffren Suárez has been ruled out for four weeks after tests revealed the extent of the shoulder injury that he sustained in the Copa del Rey tie against Ceuta on Tuesday.
-Maxwell will always have fond memories of the Copa del Rey encounter with Ceuta after he scored his first official goal for FC Barcelona in the 0-2 triumph on Tuesday evening. Maxwell not only scored a goal against Ceuta he also set up the other as he provided the assist for Pedro.
-Bojan Krkic wore the captain’s armband in an official match for the first time against Ceuta, but this was just one of the interesting bits of trivia associated to last night’s Copa del Rey opener.
- Pep after game: “We lacked a third goal” (more comments)
-Players reactions after game (click)
27th Oct
- The seven first team players that did not travel to Ceuta had training in the morning at the Ciutat Esportiva. Guardiola also called upon 14 reserve team players.
28th Oct
-After a few days working apart from the rest of the squad, aiming to get over their respective injuries, Xavi and Milito rejoined the group for training at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
-Speaking after training session, Víctor Valdés admitted:“the team have had a few blips, but it’s nothing more than that”, whilst assuring the media:“I can see no reason to doubt the team.We are even doing some things better this season".
29th Oct
-The focus was on the visit of Sevilla as 18 FC Barcelona players were joined by Thiago Alcántara for Friday's training session at the club's Ciutat Esportiva training complex.
-Pep met with media after training (read more)
- José Manuel Pinto has been suspended for two Champions League matches by UEFA for an incident in the match against FC Copenhagen and Barça are now planning to appeal to the Control and Disciplinary Committee.
-Gerard Piqué revealed his feelings on a range of subjects from life at FC Barcelona and his time at Manchester United in an interview with Estació Camp Nou for Barça TV. (read more)
30th Oct- Matchday
- The players reported to the Stadium at 11.30 and were out on the pitch training at midday in preparation for the clash with Manzano’s Seville which kicked off at 22.00.
-WHAT A GAME! 5-0! Two goals by Messi and Villa, one for Alves, I was there at Camp Nou and can enjoy that wonderful game. PURE JOY.
- Villa after game: “the goals were for all the Nou Camp fans and for all the people from my home town who’d come to see me. They travelled a long way and I’m very grateful to them. I hope that they take advantage of the holiday weekend to visit the city – I’m sure they’ll love it”.
- game facts Seville only had three shots during the game, with just one on target, whilst Barça had eighteen, with eight on target. Barça made twenty five crosses to Seville’s seven and a total of 723 passes to the visitor’s 283: another stat that shows Barça’s total domination.
31st Oct
-Messi: “It’s been a good week” (read more)
-The players who featured in last night’s win over Seville had a gentle training session in the morning, as the focus switched from La Liga to Champions League action and the trip to Copenhagen on Monday for Tuesday’s game.
-Xavi: “I felt nearly 100%”(more here)
1st Nov
-FC Barcelona, accompanied by President Sandro Rosell, landed at 13.50 at Copenhagen airport ahead of Champions League clash.
-Pep Guardiola has called up 19 players for the game, 17 from the first team squad plus Thiago and Miño from Barça B. A further 40 fans travelled with the players to watch the game.
-Speaking before Tuesday’s game in Copenhagen, Dani Alves believes the team are “gradually improving with every game and there’ll be no going back - we are heading for the highest level”.(more here)
-Guardiola: “we’ll have to put in a very good performance” (more)
Barça trained at the Parken Stadium in the evening ahead of game in the midst of great media excitement.+click for more information and photos
2nd Nov matchday
-Barça were not alone on a cold night in Copenhagen. Some 2,000 FC Barcelona fans and members were in the Parken Stadium to see them draw on Danish soil. Barça fans from Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Belgium, and not forgetting Catalans and Spaniards, were in the Danish capital to cheer on Guardiola and his men. In total, there were some 2,000 Barça supporters in the stands. The largest community was almost certainly from Poland, whose Penya Polska alone sent some 100 fans.
-Game result 1-1
-There’s just no stopping Leo Messi. In Copenhagen, the Argentinian scored yet again and now has 100 in the Josep Guardiola era. Messi has also overtaken Rivaldo as the club’s highest scorer in international competitions.
-Plazers reactions after game (click to read more)
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Guardiola after game (click for more)
-Barça enjoyed 67 per cent of the possession, in both the first half and the second too.
-Copenhagen had more crosses into the area, 35-12, but were nowhere near their guests in passes made, 252-611.
-Lionel Messi has scored 11 of his 15 goals this season in the first half of games.
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