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While Barcelona are preparing for their vital clash with Sevilla, it has emereged that Franco Baldini tried to recruit Pep Guardiola for the AS Roma job in the summer. The vacancy was filled by B team coach Luis Enrique, but Baldini claims that Guardiola responded by saying, "In a couple of years". Elsewhere, Tottenham are taking up the Arsenal role by supposedly tracking both Marc Bartra and Martin Montoya. Please, just take Andreu Fontas instead...
Roma reveal approach to Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola - ESPN Soccernet
Roma general manager Franco Baldini has revealed he approached Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola in the summer in an attempt to entice the Spanish tactician to move to the Serie A.
Barcelona set eye on Ivorian kid Zaha - SuperSport - Football
Ivorian-born Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha, whose success during his first season at the English D2 club earned him a call-up to the England under-19 team, is currently being assessed by Barcelona.
"It's amazing what you intend to do at Madrid, with the tremendous challenge of [beating] Barcelona. Now, being from Madrid has not enabled me to hate Barcelona. Madrid should not give up, but their energy must be put into beating Barcelona, not hating them," he stated.
Tottenham are continuing to scout Barcelona's Marc Bartra and Martin Montoya. Centre back Bartra was a target in the summer and Montoya is a right back.
The Colombia international suffered a cervical strain in the club's 2-0 Europa League defeat at Udinese on Thursday, and his inclusion in the squad for the La Liga meeting will depend upon a late fitness test.
"In the summer Real Madrid also tried [to sign me], but I am sure I made the right choice by saying yes to Milan. I want to stay here for many years," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. Despite a less-than-convincing start to the campaign, Taiwo feels that his new team have the quality to succeed on two fronts.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas looks set to break all records in his time at the Santiago Bernabéu. On Saturday night he takes another step towards immortality at the club as he equals Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento’s 428 league appearances in the game at Málaga.