FC Barcelona News: 15 October 2012; I Talk to Goal.com About Barça's Season, Alex Song To Miss Africa Cup of Nations

Barcelona Fanview: 'Dani Alves isn't as solid as he used to be' - Goal.com
Bostjan Cernensek shares his thoughts on the club's successful start to the season, picking Messi as the prize performer and Alves as the flop so far in 2012-13

Week marked by return of international players and match against Deportivo | FC Barcelona
The first team players, who will start the week with a day off this Monday, will spend the rest of the week training at the Ciutat Esportiva - all of the sessions will be closed to the public. On Saturday, Tito Vilanova’s men will travel to La Coruña to face Deportivo at Riazor. After the match, the team will return to Barcelona and begin preparing for the Champions League match against Celtic.

Barcelona president confident over Lionel Messi contract extension | Football | The Sport Review
"[His contract renewal] could be tomorrow or next year. His contract runs out in 2016 and it would be irresponsible for us not to extend it. "At Barcelona we do not create controversy. We simply are Barcelona and we are a Catalan club. While we direct the club, we will not be used for politics."

Pedro and Messi star for their respective countries | FC Barcelona
"It’s my first hat trick. I’m very pleased," said Pedro after leading Spain to a 0-4 victory over Belarus. This season he’s scored five goals with the Spanish national team and two more for Barça - in the Spanish Super Cup and on Match Day 1 of the Liga against Real Sociedad. In addition, he’s featured in 9 of Barça’s 11 starting line-ups.

Song: "I've adapted very quickly" | FC Barcelona
On May 17, 2006, two young 18 year olds passed each other in the corridors of the Saint-Denis, venue of the Champions League Final between Arsenal and FC Barcelona. Their names were Leo Messi and Alex Song, but neither of them played in that match. The Argentinian had failed to recover in time from an unfortunate leg injury, and the Cameroonian, still in his first year under Arsène Wenger, had not been named in the squad.

Alex Song to miss the Africa Cup of Nations (2-1) | FC Barcelona
Alex Song won’t participate in the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Cameroon national team was unable to overturn Cape Verde’s two-goal advantage this afternoon in Yaundé, despite Eto’o’s return to international play. The Blaugrana player was named to the starting line-up and played the entire match in the defensive midfielder position.

Luis Enrique: "We are going through Barça’s best ever era" | FC Barcelona
The ex-Barça B coach also spoke about the change of manager in the summer, claiming: "Tito will follow the same line - there’ll be some small specific changes I guess but the style and the identity of the team will keep making the fans happy". Asked about the league so far, Luis Enrique insisted: "I’m only interested in Barça – we are doing so well that we don’t need to look at the other teams".

Del Bosque faces tough choices for France clash - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Andres Iniesta is likely to return from the outset, as is genuine centre-back Raul Albiol, when Spain go in search of a 25th consecutive victory in major tournament qualifiers. "We are lucky to have many players who can adapt," Barcelona forward Pedro told a news conference on Sunday. "We are very clear about our philosophy and ideas, anyone can step in and do well, and it doesn't affect the national team's way of playing."

Real's Marcelo faces three months out with foot injury - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
The Brazilian Football Federation said in a separate statement they estimated the player would be out of action for around three months. Marcelo picked up the injury while training with Brazil in the Polish city of Wroclaw ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Japan. He will return to Madrid immediately where a decision would be taken on the treatment required, Real said.

Coentrao adds to Madrid’s woes | Football Espana
Fabio Coentrao has added to Real Madrid’s woes by picking up a groin injury that will keep him out for a month. The Portuguese left-back was forced to leave the pitch after just 19 minutes of Portugal’s 1-0 defeat to Russia on Friday, leaving Madrid boss Jose Mourinho with a massive problem before Saturday’s home game with Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas insists he is not a dressing room mole | Sky Sports
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has rubbished reports that he acted as a dressing room mole in an attempt to destabilise coach Jose Mourinho. There have been suggestions in the Spanish media that Real captain Casillas had divulged team secrets because he was involved in a power struggle with Mourinho.

D-day for Malaga | Football Espana
Malaga face a key appointment in the Swiss town of Nyon on Monday to find out if they can retain their Champions League income. Los Blanquiazules were one of 23 clubs named by UEFA on September 11 as owing others money and not having acted within the control policy outlined by the new so-called Financial Fair Play initiative.