jordi alba

FC Barcelona vs Granada CF: Barça, as reliable as ever (4-0)

November 24, 2013 11:35 AM | Roger Bogunyà

Nothing can stop Barça in the Spanish League. FC Barcelona overcome their injury woes to beat Granada with goals from Andrés Iniesta (pen), Cesc Fàbregas (pen), Alexis Sánchez and Pedro. In the 81st minute, Adama Traoré came on to make his first team debut replacing Neymar.The return from the international break could not have been more perfect. Four different players scored, Pinto kept a clean sheet,and none of Valdés, Alves, Xavi or Messi were particularly missed, with the latter showing off his Golden Boot before the match.

Tata Martino: “We shouldn’t be thinking about the missing players”

November 22, 2013 09:01 PM | FCB

“The absence of players is always unfortunate, and now we’re missing the best goalkeeper in the world” said Martino referring to Leo Messi, but also to Víctor Valdés, Dani Alves, Xavi, Jordi Alba, Tello, Dos Santos and Afellay. Cesc Fàbregas and Piqué have been declared fit this Friday. Alves is the most recent injured player and will be out for some 10 days. Martino has called up Dongou Tsafack and Adama Traoré due to the long list of absentees. “Neymar’s response has been superb right from the start. He’s also shown that he has the capacity to withstand the pressure” Martino said in a press conference held on Friday before Saturday’s game against Granada. “We shouldn’t be thinking about the missing players, but in those who are taking their places”, he concluded.

Barça’s captain Carles Puyol back after 220 days and Messi, Mascherano and Cuenca also declared fit

October 18, 2013 05:17 PM

It’s good news all round today for FC Barcelona, with no fewer than four players returning from injury. Leo Messi, Javier Mascherano, Carles Puyol and Isaac Cuenca are all available for selection by Tata Martino after recovering from their respective injuries. With these four all back, Barça’s boss is now only missing Jordi Alba and Afellay through injury. The FC Barcelona captain, Carles Puyol, hasn’t played an official first team match since March 12, the night of the comeback against AC Milan (4-0). During this time, he has undergone arthroscopy for articular cleansing of his right knee and has also had a Baker’s cyst removed.

Celtic FC vs FC Barcelona: The essence of football

October 1, 2013 02:28 PM | ACN

Barça take on Celtic in the second round of the Champions League group stage in Celtic Park this Tuesday evening (20.45 CET). Martino's men come into the match after securing the best ever start to a league campaign in club history, but they'll be without Messi, who is injured and out of the pitch for the next two weeks at least. Celtic Park is a stadium that Barça know well seeing that the Blaugrana have played there four times in the last decade. The most recent clash between the two teams was played last year, when Barça lost 2-1 in the group stage of the Champions League.

FC Barcelona trains in Malaysia’s Bukit Jalil National Stadium

August 9, 2013 05:35 PM | David Saura

More than 10,000 fans watched the Catalan team prepare for tomorrow's friendly match with an all-star selection of Malaysian players. Leo Messi was once again the most acclaimed player of the squad. Barça players and the manager congratulated Cristian Tello for his call-up to the Spain national team. Jordi Alba, who didn’t train on Thursday, trained alongside his team-mates this evening. Pedro Rodríguez, who is recovering from a knock to his right calf muscle, was the only player to miss the session.

Bayern Munich vs. FC Barcelona: Bayern impose their will (4-0)

April 24, 2013 02:55 AM | Jordi Clos

The German Champions’ physical superiority helped them brush aside Barça in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final played in Munich. Heynckes’ team came into the game on a great run of form and they continued that with a powerful performance against a Barça side who looked duller both physically and mentally, with Messi failing to live up to his normal stellar standards, but who dominated possession and can consider themselves unlucky to be on the end of such a big defeat.

Bayern Munich vs FC Barcelona: Clash of European titans

April 23, 2013 07:38 PM | Roger Bogunyà

Bayern and Barça meet on Tuesday in the Champions League semi final first leg in Munich (20.45 CET). It’s Spring’s Catalan national day, Sant Jordi, people are flocking on the streets to buy books and roses for those they love, and in the evening they will sit down together to enjoy one of the greatest games of the year. All four of the last Champions League finals have included one or other of these two clubs, FC Barcelona or Bayern. Barça won the title in 2009 and 2011, while Bayern finished runners-up in 2010 and 2012. And after they were drawn together in the semi finals this year, we already know for sure that one or other will be back in the final at Wembley next month.

PSG vs. FC Barcelona: Cruel ending for Barça in Paris (2-2)

April 3, 2013 03:29 AM | Roger Bogunyà

A 94th minute goal from Matuidi gave Paris Saint-Germain a draw after Messi and Mascherano had both come off injured. Barça went ahead in the first half thanks to a goal from Messi, who failed to reappear after the break after picking up a hamstring injury, before Ibrahimovic brought the teams level with ten minutes left to play. Xavi then slotted home a penalty on 88 minutes which appeared to have given Barça a win, only for Bartra to get the slightest of ricochets on a Matuidi shot in the dying seconds and help it past Valdes.

FC Barcelona vs. AC Milan: Magnificent comeback sends Barça into Champions League quarters (4-0)

March 13, 2013 02:50 AM | Roger Bogunyà

Two first half goals from Leo Messi (2) and two more from David Villa and Jordi Alba cancelled out AC Milan’s two-goal head start. Things looked bleak after the 2-0 reverse at the San Siro, but AC Milan were simply no match for the Catalans on Tuesday. Barça thus gain spectacular revenge for the 4-0 defeat in the Athens final of 1994 and go into Friday’s Champions League quarter finals draw.

FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: Barça, out of the Spanish Cup (1-3)

February 27, 2013 02:04 AM | Jordi Clos

Barça’s Copa del Rey title defence is over after losing at home to a Real Madrid side that knew how to take its chances. Despite FC Barcelona getting a good result in the first leg at the Bernabéu (1-1), the all-whites, spurred on by an early penalty, were highly effective at the back and lethal up front. Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals and Varane, Real Madrid’s third target. Jordi Alba pulled one back for Barça, but it was too little too late.

14 Barça players to feature for their national teams

February 6, 2013 07:49 PM | CNA

Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Cesc, Pedro, Villa, Alexis, Messi, Mascherano, Alves and Adriano will play for their respective national teams on Wednesday in friendlies. Alexis Sánchez, who was named to Chile's national team, will make the shortest trip, seeing that his national team is set to play in Madrid. On the other hand, Spain, with nine Blaugrana named to the team, will travel the farthest. The Spanish side will play in Qatar against Uruguay. Carles Puyol could play his 100th match for the Spanish national team.

Valladolid vs FC Barcelona: Courage and football (1-3)

December 23, 2012 02:51 PM | Jordi Clos

Barça finish the year on a high with goals from Xavi, Messi and Tello. With 49 out of a possible 51 points - 16 wins and 1 draw in their first 17 games- FC Barcelona close 2012 as undisputed leaders of the Spanish League. The players wore t-shirts with messages of support for their manager Tito Vilanova, who has been discharged from hospital after going through surgery on Thursday. Besides, Messi expands his own legend and he ends 2012 with 91 goals scored over a natural year.