FC Barcelona News: 16 March 2012; Barça Drawn With AC Milan, Pique Receives Warning From Competition Committee

Champions League - Barca get Milan reunion, Chelsea face Benfica - Yahoo! Eurosport
Defending champions Barca will face seven-times winners Milan, having already faced them twice in the group stage. They are on course to face bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final, after the current Spanish league leaders were drawn against Cypriot minnows APOEL Nicosia and the draw for the semi-finals also keeps them apart.

Barca star Abidal to have liver transplant - Yahoo! Eurosport
The France international underwent surgery to remove a tumour on his liver in March last year but returned to the first team and had the honour of lifting the Champions League trophy at Wembley in May. However, Barcelona have now said that Abidal will be forced to have a transplant - a course of action that has been under consideration for 12 months.

Puyol on Éric Abidal: "He’s in good spirits – he’s a strong person" | FC Barcelona
"It's a heavy blow". That's how the Club captain described the news that teammate Eric Abidal will be having a liver transplant within the next few weeks in a press conference today. Puyol insisted however, that the Frenchman is: "in good spirits" and that his attitude has helped lift the rest of the squad: "we are sure he'll come through this and we are giving him all our strength. We'll be by his side and by his family's. I'm convinced that he will be fine again soon".

Sportive's worldwide support to Eric Abidal | FC Barcelona
Sportive celebs around the world have shown their support to Eric Abidal through out social networks.

Pique warned over ref slur - Yahoo! Eurosport
Spain’s Competition Committee has given Barcelona defender Gerard Pique a formal warning after he accused referee Velasco Carballo of taking a "premeditated" decision to send him off in the 3-1 Liga win over Sporting Gijon.

Good response after Champions League draw | FC Barcelona
Whenever there is a draw for the Champions League the more immediate first team present goes into the background. The debate is always the same: will the team lose concentration when all the talk is about their future European rival and not the more immediate opponent? The answer is no: after 11 Champions League draws in the Guardiola era, FC Barcelona have won ten games and lost only one.

Second session of preparation for Seville game | FC Barcelona
In their second session of the week, the squad continued to prepare for the game at the Sanchez Pijuan, with just one more session scheduled before they travel down to Seville for the match on Saturday. After working out at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, the same players were in training on pitch number 4 at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper this morning, with Alexis and Thiago continuing their recovery from injury.

Barcelona offer Keirrison to Coritiba - report - Goal.com
The 23-year-old forward signed for Barca in 2009 in a deal worth €14 million after impressing at Coritiba and Palmeiras, but he has yet to make a single appearance for the Catalan club. After unsuccessful loan spells at Benfica, Fiorentina, Santos and Cruzeiro, Keirrison is currently assessing his options as he recovers from a knee injury which will keep him on the sidelines until July.

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Manchester United: same as the first leg | Zonal Marking
Athletic produced another excellent display, and again should have won the game by more than one goal. Marcelo Bielsa was able to bring back Fernando Amorebieta after suspension, in place of Mikel San Jose. The rest of the side was unchanged from the first leg. This game went remarkably similar to the first leg – Athletic dominated, wasted chances, then United got a late goal to make the scoreline close.

Match Report: PSV 1-1 Valencia (Agg 3-5) - Goal.com
Valencia have progressed to the last eight of the Europa League after clinching a battling 1-1 draw versus PSV, to edge through 5-3 on aggregate. Leading 4-2 from the first leg, Adil Rami's header early in the second-half extended Valencia's lead, before Ola Toivonen equalised from a close range header.

Match Report: Besiktas 0-3 At. Madrid (Agg 1-6) - Goal.com
Atletico Madrid secured safe passage into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a comfortable 3-0 win over Besiktas at the Inonu, heading through 6-1 on aggregate. Adrian stunned the visitors with a first-half goal which was much against the run of play. Los Colchoneros grew as the game continued and added another two late goals through Radamel Falcao and Eduardo Salvio.