Barça’s Argentine star is hugely grateful to the Catalan club for extending his contract until June 30, 2016. Mascherano will be 32 years old when his contract ends and feels that seeing out his career as a Barça player is in his own hands. “It depends on me and how I perform as a footballer” he said. The buyout clause has been raised to 100 million euros.
FC Barcelona player Eric Abidal was today discharged from hospital, although according to a medical bulletin he will still need to return for regular checkups. Abidal had a liver transplant on April 10th. In March 2011, the French defender was diagnosed a liver tumour and he went through a first surgery.
The FC Barcelona player underwent surgery on Wednesday afternoon to correct his fractured collarbone. Alves was injured the same morning during Barça first team’s training session.
Valdés, Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Alexis and Messi have all been named in the shortlist of 60 candidates named by French magazine ‘Onze Mondial’. Fans have until June 7th to make their choices. Messi has been named best footballer in the last three editions.
FC Barcelona captain is full of optimism and courage ahead of his knee operation. Carles Puyol regrets missing the Spanish Cup Final and most probably the European Championships, but is just focussed on getting back to 100% fitness.
FC Barcelona was named ‘The World’s Club of the 1st Decade’ by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) this Monday evening. Barça won a total of seven awards during the IFFHS' World Football Gala, which took place in the W Hotel in Barcelona’s Barceloneta beach. Xavi, Messi and Guardiola also won awards.
FC Barcelona’s Dutch player, after almost seven months on the injury list, has recovered from his ACL injury. Ibrahim Afellay is back in Josep Guardiola’s team ahead of the most decisive stretch of the season.
With his three goals against Granada, Leo Messi surpasses César’s record and became the all-time top goalscorer in the history of FC Barcelona in official matches with 234 goals.
FC Barcelona player will have a liver transplant in the next few weeks. Exactly a year ago, Abidal went through surgery to remove a tumour from his liver. The player recovered and was able to lift up the last Champions League title in Wembley.
Lionel Messi is the first player in the history of the Champions League to score five goals in one game. The Barça player has scored 29 goals in the European competition. Messi, despite his sublime display, was humble after the match: “The most important thing is that we won, that’s what we wanted.”
The French player renews his contract with FC Barcelona until June 30th, 2013. The agreement contains a provision to extend the contract until 2015.
The Brazilian player travelled to Paris, with FC Barcelona’s permission, to finalise his contract with Paris Saint-Germain. The PSG made him an offer that he wants to accept it. Barça Manager, Pep Guardiola, gave him a free hand.
The Argentinean star is named by FIFA as the best player of 2011. This is Messi’s third straight Ballon d’Or Award. Messi equals Platini, Cruyff and Van Basten, the only players to ever win three Ballon d’Or titles. The Barça boss, who won 5 titles with FC Barcelona in 12 months, beat last year's winner, José Mourinho, and Sir Alex Ferguson. Guardiola dedicated the title to his assistant coach, Tito Vilanova. Besides, 5 Barça players are in the FIFA's Best Eleven of the Year: Alves, Piqué, Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi. Two of them are Catalan and four are home grown players.
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics has named the FC Barcelona midfielder the best playmaker in the world for the fourth year in a row. Leo Messi and Andrés Iniesta are second and third behind Xavi.
No team has more candidates than FC Barcelona at the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2011. The association of professional footballers announced the final list of 55 players who are candidates for the best eleven of 2011. 20% of them are from the FC Barcelona. In 2010, Barça already had six players in the winning team.