FC Barcelona News: 4 September 2011; Cesc the Goalscorer, Carles Puyol Close to Return, Deal for Neymar not Done

Guardiola’s four untouchables | FCBarcelona.cat
A total of 17 players have appeared in FC Barcelona’s two Spanish Supercup, one European Supercup and one Liga match played so far. Four players have played all 360 minutes of these games, goalkeeper Víctor Valdés, defenders Mascherano and Abidal, and striker Leo Messi.

Cesc finding more goals than ever | FCBarcelona.cat
Since arriving at Barça, Cesc Fàbregas has been hitting the target more regularly than ever before. Apart from his club goals, he also scored a brace for Spain against Chile on Friday night. It was in the Joan Gamper against Napoli that Cesc first found the net. Since then, he has been one of the most effective players in the squad in terms of goals scored per minute.

Santos deny Barca deal for Neymar - Soccerway
However, Alvaro has dismissed the idea that a deal is set in stone for Neymar to move to Barcelona in 2013. "I did not sign anything," he told ESPN Brazil. "By the end of the transfer window, the idea was shelved. There are always conversations but a 60-million-euro proposal never came and I doubt it ever will."

Carles Puyol to return for Barcelona's Champions League fixture against Milan - report - Goal.com
Barcelona have been boosted by the news that captain Carles Puyol is expected to be fit to play in the club's opening Champions League fixture at home to Milan on September 13. The defender has endured a difficult five months after originally injuring his left knee against Racing Santander back in January.

Rift continues to widen between Madrid, Barcelona, rest of La Liga - Sid Lowe - SI.com
The first week of the season had reinforced what we already knew -- that Madrid and Barcelona will be the top two. Again. The question is why, but that has been dealt with here before. So now the next question is in which order? Alas, it is a question with no real answer, impossible to judge or predict.

Alvarez: Barcelona and Real Madrid conflict affecting Spain - ESPN Soccernet
For the best part of the following 20 years, the Bernabéu kept rising up to the occasion in almost every derby, regardless of who the best team were that season or how the teams fared in La Liga's table. However, during the last few years of the noughties, an unexpected series of events took some steam out of the clasicos.

The 'amazing boy wonder' who went to Barcelona - The Times of India
Each time the decibel level in the hotel lobby here rises to a crescendo, the rest of the building gets to know that there's been a Lionel Messi sighting - either he's gotten off the elevator to go for lunch, or the spa or a spell of stretching or net football in the makeshift arena - one man goes back in time to relive a discovery he made over a decade ago.

Real Madrid's Ricardo Carvalho could be suspended from Champions League for Portugal rebellion - Goal.com
This means if the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) request that a prospective suspension for Carvalho be extended to all Uefa competitions, he might be unable to play for Real Madrid in the Champions League for a period that ranges from one to three months.

Mattioni blow for Espanyol | Sky Sports | Football | Primera Division | Espanyol
Espanyol will have to make do without the services of winger Felipe Mattioni for six months due to knee ligament damage. The 22-year-old, who joined the Barcelona-based club last summer on a five-year contract, has damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will now require surgery.

Lora sidelined for two weeks | LFP
Sporting de Gijón defender Alberto Lora will miss the next Liga BBVA match against Osasuna. The medical report indicates that the Madrid-born player has a grade 2 strain in the right adductor muscle. Lora underwent an MRI scan on Friday morning and the results confirmed that the injury will keep him out for two weeks.