Sports

FC Barcelona’s midfielder edged out team-mate Leo Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo for the award that distinguishes him as the best player in Europe.

After taking it for the last three years, Barça lost their Spanish Super Cup title on Wednesday night, going down narrowly in Madrid and losing the tie on the away goals rule. Higuaín and Cristiano Ronaldo put Real Madrid ahead early on and Barça played with 10 men for more than an hour after Adriano was sent off. Messi brought Barça back into the tie with a superb free kick just before the break. Pedro, Alba, Montoya and Messi all came close to getting the goal that would have meant Barça retained their title.

Barça will face off against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening (22.30 CET) as the Catalans look to claim their first title under Tito Vilanova. FC Barcelona come into the match against Real Madrid with a 3-2 advantage from the away leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Any result from the last Real Madrid v. Barça matches at the Bernabéu (five victories and two draws) would be enough for FC Barcelona to claim the title. Tito Vilanova may have to rule out Carles Puyol, who sustained a cheekbone fracture in this weekend’s game against Osasuna, even though the captain travelled with the team to Madrid.

The player's recovery will mark his availability for the return leg of the Spanish Supercup against Real Madrid to be played on Wednesday. Puyol fractured his cheekbone in a collision with Lamah with 15 minutes still on the clock in the match against Osasuna (1-2). The Barça captain played the entire 90 minutes of the game.

Two second half goals from Messi turned around an early strike by Osasuna’s Joseba Llorente to give Barça the points in Pamplona. Real Madrid was defeated by Getafe. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will play the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup Final next Wednesday.

FC Barcelona, led by an outstanding Iniesta, came back from 1-0 behind to take a one-goal lead into the second leg of the Spanish Supercup. Misfortune struck in the 84th minute, when one chance was squandered and shortly after Real Madrid scored a second goal that leaves plenty left to decide in the return leg.

Barça and Real Madrid go head to head this Thursday evening (10.30 pm CET) in the Camp Nou for the first trophy of the season. The third match in five days in the Camp Nou could feature Alex Song’s FC Barcelona debut.

A very young Barça was unable to prevent Sampdoria, who scored in the first minute, from taking the honours in the Joan Gamper Trophy. FC Barcelona dominated for most of the 90 minutes, but failed to find a response to the Italian club’s early opener.

The Cameroon international player signed on Monday his new five-year contract with FC Barcelona. On Saturday, the Catalan club and Arsenal FC agreed to terms for Song; Barça will pay the London side €19 million for the player’s services.

Puyol opened the scoring with a header after just three minutes. The Basques drew level six minutes later through Chory Castro. Barça hit back with two goals from Leo Messi to make it 3-1 within the first 15 minutes. Pedro and the returning Villa rounded off the scoring with goals at the end of each half. It was an emphatic win in Tito Vilanova’s opening Spanish League game.

FC Barcelona will make its Spanish League debut against the txuri-urdin, who, despite only winning three times at the Camp Nou, have strengthened their squad this summer and hope to finish in the top 6. The most notable additions to Real Sociedad are Chori Castro, José Ángel, on loan from Roma, and Carlos Vela, the team’s highest scorer last season - the player was purchased from Arsenal after being on loan last season.

Barça players face a hectic opening of the season, with five games in the first fifteen days - three league matches and the two Spanish Super Cup games against Real Madrid. In addition, next Monday’s Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy pits them against Sampdoria.

Ivan Tibau, the Catalan Government’s Secretary of Sport, emphasises the “great effort” made by the Catalan Excutive to help the High Performance Sports Centre (CAR) and Catalan athletes compete in London 2012. The elite training centre did not receive funding from the Spanish Government for the last two years, amounting to €10.7 million. The Catalan Executive advanced the payment to keep the CAR running. Athletes trained at CAR made up 65% of medals won by the Spanish team at the London 2012 Olympics. Despite this, the Spanish Olympic Committee “closed the door” to the Catalan Government in regards to London 2012.