Barca Blaugranes, For Barcelona Fans

The Champions League semifinals are just days away and the top two teams of the past five years (according to UEFA's ratings) face off for a place in the final.

With the El Clasico approaching more and more eyes are focusing on Barcelona's defensive problems. Defender Gerard Pique will start training soon, but that is not a guarantee he will be ready for the game. Final decision will be made on Saturday.

Live match thread for the Group Stage game between SL Benfica and FC Barcelona.

Barça football returns today with the UEFA Champions League game against Benfica, and the players and the coach agree that the game is going to be very difficult. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, the Camp Nou Staff announced a strike.

Just days after losing Thiago to a long term injury Barça received some very good news from the treatment table as three players, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Adriano Correia, were all declared fit by the medical staff.

Finally some good news for Barcelona on the injury front as Jordi Alba returned to training. It has also been revealed that there is work being done on the renewals of Cristian Tello and Lionel Messi.

Barça managed to overcome a serious challenge by Spartak Moscow in the first round of the UEFA Champions League Group Stage. But it came at a high price as Gerard Pique picked up an injury that will keep him on the sidelines approximately 3 weeks.

Live thread for FC Barcelona's Champions League Group Stage Match against FC Spartak Moscow.

Preparations leading up to Barcelona's Champions League opener head the news on 19 September 2012. Barça president Sandro Rosell also chipped in a couple words that La Liga needs to distribute TV money better - a la the Premier League.

Barça have never lost their first game in the Champions League when it’s been played at the Camp Nou. Over the last eight games when they have opened their campaign at home, Barça have won seven and drew one - last season against AC Milan..