FC Barcelona News: 23 December 2011; Barça Drawn With Osasuna in Copa del Rey, Andres Iniesta out for 15 Days

Barca score nine as Iniesta injured - Yahoo! Eurosport
Braces from Thiago Alcantara, Cristian Tello and Isaac Cuenca and one goal each from Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Pedro thrilled the 60,000 fans at Barca's Camp Nou, although the festival was soured slightly by a minor injury to Iniesta.

Real, Barca on course for last-eight Cup showdown - Yahoo! Eurosport
King's Cup holders Real Madrid and 2011 runners-up Barcelona are on course to meet in next month's quarter-finals following Friday's draw for the last 16. If Real get past Malaga over two legs on Jan. 4 and 11 and Barca dispose of Osasuna, the great rivals will play each other home and away on Jan. 18 and 25.

Josep Guardiola: "The way they behave is admirable" | FC Barcelona
"If we’ve won prestige it's because of demonstrations like today’s." Pep Guardiola, who was concerned about how his team would handle tonight’s match against Hospitalet after the Club World Cup in Japan, was visibly satisfied by the general attitude displayed by his players.

Messi will be back at training on January 2nd | FC Barcelona
Messi will be able to enjoy a few more days holiday after Pep Guardiola gave him permission to return to Barça on Monday, January 2nd. So, Barca's number 10 will not return on December 29th, the day the squad is due to resume training after the Christmas break.

Pedro: "I feel better every day" | FC Barcelona
On Barça’s thrashing of L’Hospitalet, Pedro said: "We started off intensely, we knew it would be difficult because of how the away game went. The fact that we scored early made it easier, from that point on we were more comfortable." Without preferences on Barça's next rival in the next round, he said that he let Thiago take the second penalty because he got the first one.

La Liga’s forgotten giants | Andy Mitten - Yahoo!
The Nou Mestalla project has been "a nightmare" according to Valencia's legendary goalkeeper Santiago Canizares and the current Valencia players are reminded of it every day. Most of them live just over the road in spacious new apartment blocks. The area is not full of bars and restaurants, which is how the club like it.

Juanlu out for four months | LFP
"The precise time out will be determined once the player has undergone surgery and the surgeon has been able to see the extent of the damage to the shinbone. But an estimated guess says he will be sidelined for around four months", club doctors said.

Liga - Villarreal promote Molina to first-team coach - Yahoo! Eurosport
Villarreal have promoted former Spain goalkeeper Jose Francisco Molina from B team coach to take charge of the first team following the dismissal of Juan Carlos Garrido. Molina, 41, who kept goal for Villarreal, Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Coruna, has agreed a contract until the end of the season, the club said on their website.

Liga - Simeone offered Atletico job after Manzano sacking - Yahoo! Eurosport
"The executive board of Atletico Madrid, in a meeting on Thursday to assess the sporting situation, decided unanimously to dismiss Gregorio Manzano as first team coach," the club stated. President Enrique Cerezo said the 42-year-old Simeone, a fan favourite as a player, was enthusiastic about their offer and the club are expecting his response by Friday.