FC Barcelona News: 19 September 2012; 19 Players Named For Spartak Moscow Match, Real Madrid and Malaga Win Openers

Vilanova: "It's of no use to look back" | FC Barcelona
The FCB coach noted that his team’s 100 per cent run in the Liga "should be given the importance it deserves," but he quickly played down the idea that Barça have an insurmountable lead: "Win or lose, it’s of no use to look back." He added: "The Champions League is another competition, I’ll talk about the Liga on Friday. We have to be on guard from the first moment in the Champions League."

Thiago Alcántara: "The Champions League is the most important competition" | FC Barcelona
Thiago Alcántara talked to the press in the run-up to tomorrow’s match against Spartak Moscow. The player, whose performance against Getafe two days ago garnered a lot of praise, said: "I didn’t expect to play so well on Sunday but I knew that I could do a good job. The joy of being named to the team and warming up with my team-mates helps me perform well."

19 men named to the team ahead of Spartak clash | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s first team trained at the Camp Nou this afternoon in preparation for tomorrow’s Champions League match against Spartak Moscow. It was the first Champions League training session of the season at the Camp Nou, and the first training session of the week after the team had the day off on Monday.

Barça v Spartak: Did you know... | FC Barcelona
This will be third time that Barça and Spartak have met. The last time was in the group stages of the 1993/94 season, when Barça won 5-1 at the Camp Nou and drew 2-2 in the Russian capital. Barça’s record against teams from Russia is five wins, five draws and two defeats. Their home record consists of four wins and two defeats.

Sandro Rosell highlights the importance of winning the first game of the Champions League group stage | FC Barcelona
When asked about Barça’s eight-point advantage over Real Madrid in the Liga, Rosell said: "This just started. There’s still so much ahead, four games is nothing. There’s a lot left to be said, many pages will be written, from here until the end of the competition."

La Liga should be more competitive - Barca chief - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
"No no it´s something I fully agree with," Rosell said when asked if it would not be better to follow the English Premier League model, where three or four teams scrap for the title and the top dogs slip up against lesser sides much more regularly. "We have to sit down with the Spanish teams and look for solutions on that yes, I agree," he added.

Real back on track after rousing night in Europe - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Needing a convincing performance in Europe after a dreadful start in La Liga, Real twice came from a goal down in the Group D opener at the Bernabeu before Ronaldo struck a 90th-minute winner to send the home fans into raptures and silence the boisterous City supporters high up in the giant arena.

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho denies Sergio Ramos conflict - ESPNFC
"Ramos did not play because the coach decided it was better for him not to play," Mourinho said. "I want to leave it very very clear that there is no problems between me and Sergio Ramos, no disciplinary issues, it was just a sporting decision. "At this moment, Raphael and Pepe were more prepared to play a good game."

Pellegrini praises Malaga focus - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Promising Spain under-21 midfielder Isco scored either side of a goal by the club's new signing Javier Saviola as the La Liga side put the big-spending Russians to the sword at the Rosaleda and put themselves atop Group C. "The team is working well, with a lot of internal motivation to make a project that has stumbled at times work and this is the best way to do it," Pellegrini told a news conference.

Spanish clubs lower tax bill - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
"The constant increase in debts built up with the tax authorities has been checked," secretary of state for sport Miguel Cardenal told the upper house of parliament. "The total is falling for the first time in many decades and the best example is the absence of player signings this summer, replaced instead by loan deals or free transfers," he added.