FC Barcelona News: 31 December 2011: Catalonia draw with Tunisia
by Arron Duckling on Dec 31, 2011 7:13 PM CET
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Catalonia-Tunisia: Party and goalless draw at Montjuïc (0-0) | FC Barcelona
10 FC Barcelona players played in tonight’s game –six featured in the starting XI, and four came off the bench– only Fontas played the full 90 minutes. It’s worth mentioning that Carles Puyol, who had been named to the Catalan side, didn’t play due to an injury to the adductor in his left leg.
Barça hoping to dominate UEFA.com Team of the Year | FC Barcelona
Following on from a near monopoly of the teams of the year announced by the prestigious sports papers L'Équipe and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Barça is hoping to extend the Club's dominance to the UEFA.com Team of the Year. Eight Barça players are among the contenders: Victor Valdés (goalkeeper), Alves (right-back), Piqué and Mascherano (central defenders), Abidal (left-back), Xavi (central midfield), Iniesta (attacking midfield) and Messi (forward). Pep Guardiola has also been nominated for coach of the year.
[My team: Victor Valdes; Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Eric Abidal; Arjen Robben, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Eden Hazard; Lionel Messi, Mario Gomez. Coach: Pep Guardiola]
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Happy 2012 to Barca Blaugranes!!
Its going to be a great year for Barcelona, just as great as the last 3 years have been.
by meadow on Jan 1, 2012 8:50 AM CET via mobile reply actions
My team of 2011:
Valdez – Alves – Kompany – Pepe – Marcelo
Busquets – Xavi – Silva
Ronaldo – RVP – Messi
by Jeremy Seyfried Clemmons on Jan 1, 2012 4:41 PM CET reply actions
Busquets
Weird how he wasn’t even nominated
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by Arron Duckling on Jan 1, 2012 4:50 PM CET via mobile up reply actions
nominated for what?
he was shortlisted for the 2011 FIFA FIFPro World XI
by Luis Mazariegos on Jan 1, 2012 7:35 PM CET up reply actions
UEFA team of the year
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by Arron Duckling on Jan 1, 2012 9:41 PM CET via mobile up reply actions
I have a good feeling about this year
VISCA EL BARCA!!!
by Sebanovic on Jan 1, 2012 6:07 PM CET via mobile reply actions
2011...the calendar year would have to include mascherano in defense imo
Bahh..im biased and atleast 8 of my team would be Barca:p…
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My team of 2011:
Valdés
Alves/Piqué/Hummels/Evra
David Silva/Xavi/Bale
Ronaldo/Cavani/Messi
I know it's one of many overblown rumors
but what do you guys think of Bale→Barca?
by Sebanovic on Jan 1, 2012 8:44 PM CET via mobile reply actions
I'm not really sure,
I think it partially depends on whether Modric goes in the summer (they rejected a £40m bid in summer 2011). If Spurs get CL football next season (I think they will), then I think it’s very unlikely we’d be able to get Bale. He would be useful at a LB role if Abidal leaves after his contract expires, what do you think, Sebanovic?
Hard to say...
Against weaker teams, he would be a great threat. And if Alves were injured/suspended he could be given full power to blast forward. Basically, if we got him for a good price and he didn’t have a problem with being on the bench a lot, I would be excited. Actually, if we got him at all and it was Pep’s decision I would be excited. I was one of the ones who thought Fabregas would be a problem, so I trust in the manager.
by Sebanovic on Jan 1, 2012 11:33 PM CET via mobile up reply actions
never been a fan of it.
We need only one super-attacking defender and that’s Dani Alves (and, eventually, Montoya).
by Jeremy Seyfried Clemmons on Jan 1, 2012 11:15 PM CET up reply actions
I want Jordi Alba from Valencia
He’ll be less expensive and is a former La Masia player so he’s almost guaranteed to fit in. Him and Alves (/Montoya) could take turns going forward, making our attack more unpredictable.
huge fan of this one
although not sure of Alba’s thoughts on a school that “left him behind”
by Jeremy Seyfried Clemmons on Jan 2, 2012 3:54 AM CET up reply actions
I'm not too worried about that
I mean, it’s La Masia. Each kid surely understands that there’s a chance (in fact, the odds) that they won’t make it. I’d bet that almost all the kids “left behind” would take another shot at the first team in a heartbeat.
Also, isn’t it funny that Alba was released because he was “too small”? The kid must have been a dwarf!
Alba really is freakishly small...
And im not sure if this team can afford to lose more as far as average height is concerned..that’s really the only problem with alba…but he would be perfect otherwise
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He's as tall as Messi and Xavi
But they’re not defenders, so fair point. He won’t help with winning headers, I agree, but then again neither does Busquets. I see Alba as initially playing backup to Abidal (thus allowing Maxwell to leave) and slowly pushing him for playing time, but also offering Pep some tactical flexibility. For example, right now Abidal would be the better option in a 3-4-3.
Fact is...as far as LB's are concerned...
Abidal is great for Barca…fast enough to keep up with the likes of Di Maria and ronaldo…tall enough to clear corners..something alba can’t do…so not sure how to handle that…something bale could help with…he’s like 6 feet i think
Follow me on Twitter @InderMethil
Abidal will lose his pace at some point. Probably by 2013.
And for the way Barça plays, speed is more important than height. Even at left back. Bale is too injury prone for my liking. And who knows how well he’d adjust.
That said, I have to agree that right now Abidal is a beast
One of the top left backs in the world at the moment
BTW
This Di Maria blow…if it’s for 2+ games, incredible news. He’s been their best player this season by a country mile.
by Jeremy Seyfried Clemmons on Jan 2, 2012 3:16 AM CET reply actions
Any chances it hampers them against Málaga?
Not sure what I would prefer – two January clásicos and knocking Madrid out of the Copa ourselves, or Málaga beating them and giving us a better chance of winning it.
Doubtful
Real are just ridiculous, but Di Maria has been their best player IMO
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by Arron Duckling on Jan 2, 2012 12:12 PM CET up reply actions
Malaga has the wrong type of team to beat Madrid.
But, yeah, I think it helps — err, hampers.
I’d probably prefer the latter, as I’m too much of a worrywart.
by Jeremy Seyfried Clemmons on Jan 2, 2012 3:53 AM CET reply actions
Does anyone know
if there is any truth in the rumours of Abidal leaving on a Bosman in the summer?
His contract expires in the summer
So if he doesn’t sign an extension before then, he can indeed leave for free. He is currently negotiating an extension with Barcelona, and there’s an agreement on basically everything except wages. This year, Abidal will have to pay 56% tax on his earnings, as opposed to the 24% he’s been paying for the past 4 years. Spanish taxation law is hardly the club’s fault, but what it means for Eric is even if the club gives him a raise, he will probably end up earning less than he has been. The question is, how much less will be acceptable for him, and how much more will be acceptable for Barça to shell out?
Yeah
I guess they’d have to find a happy medium of a higher salary which is just under the next tax band up. Actually, they could try to pay him partially on game time which might get around it?
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