FC Barcelona News: 27 March 2012; Club Appeals Thiago and Puyol Yellow Cards, Afellay Travels To Milan

Club appeals Puyol and Thiago cards | FC Barcelona
This morning FC Barcelona presented appeals to the Spanish Disciplinary Committee against the yellow cards handed out to Thiago Alcántara on 57 minutes and Carles Puyol on 88, during the game against Mallorca on Saturday. In both cases, the referee Ayza Gámez wrote in his report that both players saw yellow for : "playing the ball with the arm, denying a chance for an opponent to play the ball".

Afellay in squad for Milan trip | FC Barcelona
Although Afellay has still not got the full medical okay after a six month layoff for his knee injury, he is included in the first squad since he suffered his injury. Barça will be taking 21 players to Milan on Tuesday morning – the 19 who were in the squad for the game against Mallorca, less Bartra and plus Alves, who has recovered from his injury, and B team keeper Oier.

Valdés: "Milan are very dangerous on set pieces and on the counter" | FC Barcelona
It will be the second time this season, after playing against Milan in the group stage of the Champions League, that the Catalan keeper will start against the Italians away from the Camp Nou. Despite the injuries that the Milan side have, the last one keeping Thiago Silva on the sidelines, Valdés said that "they are very dangerous on dead balls and they’re very good at counterattacks. We need to be alert and keep an eye on unmarked players."

An exciting week of football awaits | FC Barcelona
There are two big matches for Pep Guardiola’s side as March comes to an end. After Sunday’s day off following their win in Mallorca, the players trained at the Ciutat Esportiva this morning and on Tuesday they will be flying out to Milan, where they will train, at the Giuseppe Meazza at 19.00 on Tuesday evening.

Odds stacked against Milan as Messi eyes record - Yahoo! Eurosport
Lionel Messi is on the brink of yet another record as title holders and favourites Barcelona visit AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday with the odds firmly stacked against the injury-hit Serie A team. Although titleholders Barcelona are unlikely to repeat the 7-1 aggregate win they pulled off in the first meeting of the two sides in the 1959-60 European Cup, they have looked unstoppable in the Champions League this season.

Cruyff slams ´sore losers´ Real Madrid - Soccerway
"Madrid are sore losers looking for excuses," Cruyff wrote in his column for El Periodico de Catalunya. "Against Malaga and Villarreal, they did not do any worse than when they played against Betis or Rayo Vallecano. "They won matches when they did not deserve to and they drew matches when they had everything to win. It is just that simple.

Phil Ball: Insult or contempt in La Liga? - ESPN Soccernet
Anyway, the point of the street greeting was obvious. Pepe could have been suspended for three or four games, if the Comite de Competición had deemed his phrase to be an insulto. As it turned out on Friday, they only gave him two games, because they decided that hijo de puta was a menusprecio (contempt) and not an insult.

Mourinho denies responsibility for media blackout - Goal.com
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has rejected accusations that he was responsible for the club's recent media blackout. The Primera Division leaders refused to speak to the press after last Wednesday's clash with Villarreal at El Madrigal in protest at their alleged unfair treatment at the hands of officials. "I don't have to justify anything," the former Inter boss declared when asked to explain his actions. "It was not me who was responsible for this or who made the decision."

Sevilla coast to win at Granada - Yahoo! Eurosport
Alvaro Negredo opened the scoring for the visitors 39 minutes after being played in by Jose Antonio Reyes. Negredo then turned provider after the interval, crossing for Del Moral's first early in the second half. And Del Moral added gloss tot he result with a strike deep into injury time.