FC Barcelona News: 20 August 2011; Strike Stops La Liga, Mourinho Likely to Escape Punishment

AP News: Spanish season delayed after strike goes ahead
The start of the Spanish league season will be delayed by a strike after Spanish league officials and player representatives failed on a last-minute deal. The Association of Spanish Football Players said the strike will go ahead after talks failed Friday for improved salary guarantees in a new collective bargaining agreement.

Generation of 87 | FCBarcelona.cat
Cesc Fàbregas’ arrivals marks the return of the magical trio that played for the under 14, or ‘cadet’ team in 2001. Cesc, Piqué and Messi were already showing signs of the footballing greats they would become, but never dreamed that things would work out quite so amazingly for them.

Aleksander Hleb Barcelona Stay Likely | InsideFutbol
Aleksander Hleb looks likely to stay at Barcelona this summer according to his agent. The Belarus star spent last season on loan with Birmingham City and the season previous to that found himself in Germany with Stuttgart.

Jose Mourinho on the brink at Real Madrid | The Sun
Jose Mourinho is likely to escape punishment for sticking a finger in the eye of a Barcelona coach - but could lose his job instead. But Bernabeu bosses are under increasing pressure to axe Mourinho after this latest scandal, which came during a 20-man bust-up sparked by Marcelo's two-footed lunge on Cesc Fabregas.

Jose Mourinho dishonours Real Madrid, says Jorge Valdano - ESPN Soccernet
Valdano, who won three La Liga titles as a player with Real, has lashed out at Madrid's current manager after Mourinho was seen becoming involved in a sideline altercation with Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova. The incident occured after new Catalan recruit Cesc Fabregas was hacked down late in the second leg of the Spanish Supercopa.

'I am innocent!' - Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil denies guilt in altercation with Barcelona's David Villa - Goal.com
The Brazilian full-back was sent off for his challenge and following the resulting altercation, both Ozil and Villa were shown red cards as well. The German nonetheless insists he was not in the wrong. "I am innocent! This can be seen on television," he told Bild. "When colleagues are being attacked, I try to help."

Chelsea close to agreeing a deal for Valencia's Juan Mata - report - Goal.com
A report in The Telegraph earlier on Friday claimed that Chelsea had increased their bid to €31m after having a first offer of €25m rejected by the Spanish side. Spanish sources now claim that Mata himself has asked Valencia president Manuel Llorente to let him go as he looks to further his career abroad.

Pacheco poised to join Rayo | Liverpool News, Fixtures, Results, Transfers | Sky Sports
Liverpool youngster Dani Pacheco looks poised to join Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano on a season-long loan. Sources close to the Primera Liga outfit claim a deal is almost done and that the promising forward will return to his homeland on a deal that will run until June 2012.