FC Barcelona have finished the first of a double training session this Sunday in the Ministadium.
Samuel Eto’o, as expected, joined the session this morning. It was a very intense session for those present.

Physical demands

Present were Abidal, Valdés, Edmilson, Ronaldinho, Sylvinho, Márquez, Giovani, Iniesta, Thuram, Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen, Ezquerro, Deco, Eto'o and Touré. The training staff also called on Busquets and Víctor Sánchez from the B team and also the Juvenil keeper Rubén. Thierry Henry was unable to train due to migraine, while those with the Catalan squad left Bilbao this morning and will join the rest of the players for the afternoon session.

Apart from the warm up and drills, the session consisted of two exercises. The first saw the players form two teams; one team played keep ball while the other did some circuit drills focusing on physical and technical work and finishing with a shot on goal defended by either Valdés or Rubén. Each group did both exercises twice.

Messi starting to run

Messi, meanwhile, has started training on the pitch and has already started running in the Nou Camp. Milito and Oleguer continued with their own specific training.

 
Sylvinho voiced the wishes of the Barcelona squad to have a successful season. “If the results go our way, then the team can face the future with confidence”, he added.
Barça have put the Christmas holidays behind them and have returned to focus on their football. Sylvinho Mendes was speaking at the midday press conference and gave an update on current events. With the defeat to Madrid still fresh, the Brazilian defender said: “We have ambition and quality, we’re only lacking the results. If the results go our way, then the team can face the future with confidence.”

Situation can be salvaged

"We weren’t expecting to be so far behind Madrid at this stage, but there’s a long way to go. We have to focus on our job and not think about anyone else. That’s what we did in the last two leagues we won”, said Sylvinho. According to him, “the defeat to Madrid in ‘el clásico’ hurt us and it’s not easy to forget it. The only thing we can do is continue working because we have a month with a lot of games”. The first of these games is against Alcoyano on the 2nd in the King’s Cup. “I’m sure we’ll be focused 100% on the game.”

Wish for 2008: titles

2007 is almost gone and Sylvinho is very clear on what he wants for next year: “We have to work hard and win titles. We didn’t fulfil our dreams last year”. The left back is convinced that “we have a very good dressing room, with committed footballers who are keen to work” and he concluded: “We want to win because life together is easier when you’re winning. We know we can improve and we will improve”.

 
The Barça squad returned to work this Saturday afternoon with a training session which included three players from the B team.
The match on the 2nd against Alcoyano in the King’s Cup has meant that the squad have had to cut short their Christmas holidays. The session this afternoon en La Masía was focused precisely on this encounter and included three players from Barça B: Víctor Sánchez, Marc Valiente y Sergi Busquets.

The only absentees were Messi, Oleguer and Milito, who are having treatment during the Christmas break, the five players involved with the Catalan squad and Samuel Eto’o, on duty with Cameroon for a friendly in Ivory Coast. It is planned for all the internationals to return to the squad on Sunday.

 
José Edmilson believes they have to forget about 2007 and look to the future with optimism. The midfielder says the team is in high spirits and are looking forward to cutting the distance between them and Real Madrid.
FC Barcelona midfielder José Edmilson says the team have recovered from their defeat to Real Madrid and are looking forward to improving things in the league. During the press conference after training on Saturday Edmilson recommended forgetting about 2007 and looking forward. “For sure the team is a little sad after losing to Real Madrid but now we have to forget about that blow. What we have to do is look forward and see that we have all the second half of the season to reduce the lead of the league leaders. Despite everything, I see the team in high spirits and eager to return playing and winning games.

Hoping to play against Alcoyano

Edmilson is keen to return to the field of play after six months out with injury. The Brazilian was given the medical all clear before the Christmas break and now hopes to play a few minutes next Wednesday against Alcoyano in the return leg of the last 32 of the King’s Cup. “I fell very good. I’m happy with how my recovery is going. It’s been a very long process, six months, but I preferred to extend the recovery period in order to return fully fit without any niggling problems. Now I hope Rijkaard will give me a few minutes against Alcoyano to gain match fitness.”

Controversy cleared up

The midfielder also wants to clear up the controversy caused by his interview on TV3. “When I speak about the team in an interview I always include myself as part of that team and for this reason I think my interview was misinterpreted because what I said I applied first and foremost to myself. Anyway, I want to close that chapter. I want to look forward and work to get the necessary results in 2008.”

 
Bojan Krkic scored the only goal for Catalonia in the draw with the Basque Country (1-1) in San Mamés. The down side was the injury to Albert Jorquera, who suffered a torn ligament in his right knee at the start of the game.
It was a bittersweet evening in La Catedral. It could have been so different with the festive atmosphere, a draw which would have satisfied both sides and Bojan Krkic’s goal all vindicating the match. But the serious injury to Jorquera put a damper on things. According to the Catalan Football Federation, the Barça keeper suffered a torn ligament in his right knee at the start of the game. Bojan’s goal arrived soon after, another milestone in his career, which was cancelled out in the second half by Aduriz.

Basque pressure

Catalonia, with Jorquera, Puyol, Xavi and Bojan in the starting eleven, managed to keep the early Basque onslaught at bay. The Basque side set a high tempo and put a lot of pressure on Jorquera’s goal. The game was interrupted in the 13th minute due to the serious, but accidental, injury to Jorquera, who was stretchered off. The image of the Barça keeper writhing in pain clearly affected his team mates, who almost allowed Etxeberria in to score the first goal (min 17).

Boan – Who else?

Bojan Krkic took the responsibility to turn the home attack around with a great strike. Making the most of a brilliant assist by Corominas, he got away from Lafuente to score at leisure. At 0-1 Catalonia now had their best moments. Bojan again was one step away from his second but his free kick inside the small box went out for a corner.

Aduriz equalises

After the restart it was another azulgrana, Xavi, playing the starring role. His powerful shot forced Riesgo to show his abilities. It looked like the game would be killed off but what happened instead was a Basque equaliser thanks to a magnificent counterattack started and finished by Aduriz (min 69). Soon after, manager Pere Gratacós brought on the only Barça player not yet involved: Marc Crosas.

Corominas, Mendieta and Gabilondo, with dangerous shots, could have decided the tie for either side but it stayed 1-1 despite both managers looking to win the game right up to the last second.

 
2007 has seen the emergence of two of the pearls of the azulgrana youth squad. In the last twelve months Bojan and Giovani have risen from playing in the 2nd division B to be competing for a place in the first team.
A year ago Bojan and Giovani had only one aim – keeping Barça B up. Although they scored 16 goals between them it wasn’t enough to prevent relegation but the development of the players couldn’t have been more positive.

Gio – an alternative on the wing

The development of Giovani Dos Santos through Barça’s lower ranks was rewarded with a promotion to the first team squad at the close of the 2006-2007 season. The Mexican had already made his first team debut during pre-season the previous year and his pace and skill were enough to convince Rijkaard. Gio took part in the U-20 World Cup in the summer and then soon after made his full international debut under Hugo Sánchez. He was top scorer in pre-season and is now a great choice for either wing in the Barça attack. He has played in twelve of the seventeen league games played so far and in three champions League games, scoring one goal.

Bojan – a talent with an eye for goal

2007 will be a year to remember for Bojan. The boy from Linyola began the year as one of the last to make his debut for a Barça B in crisis. In little more than half a season the Lérida native scored 10 goals in the 2nd division B, a splendid haul for a player still only sixteen years old.

In March the Europe U-18 side played in the Mini Stadium against a combined African side in the Meridian Cup. Bojan excelled in the two games. At international under age level Bojan was successful with the under 17s, winning the European championships, and then finishing runner-up in the World Cup – all this in only four months. Iñaki Saez then made him the youngest player ever at under 21 level.

His first contact with the Barça first team came in a friendly in Egypt and he only needed 45 minutes to score. After shining during pre-season Bojan is slowly entering into Rijkaard’s plans and is showing his talent by scoring important goals. With 353 minutes under his belt, spread over thirteen games, Bojan has scored two goals. He also scored in Alcoyano in the King’s Cup which only leaves the Champions League in which he has to make his mark.

 
Barça’s four new signings have finished the year with some very good figures and in very few months have become key players in Frank Rijkaard’s side.
Barça’s first team have finished the year with four new faces. – so now it’s time to assess the first few months of Thierry Henry, Eric Abidal, Touré Yaya and Gabi Milito as azulgranas. Four players who have made a place for themselves in Rijkaard’s starting eleven.

Barça’s number 14

Despite the effects of an injury he brought with him from Arsenal, Henry is playing well and has become one of the few Barça players to have scored in all three competitions. The number 14 has played a total of 12 league games (starting in 11 of them) in which he has scored 5 goals, including a hat trick against Levante. In the Champions League Henry has scored twice in the 360 minutes he has played. Finally, the French striker scored against Alcoyano in the King’s Cup, and thus giving maximum return on the 45 minutes he played.

Abidal – the new full back

Eric Abidal is the other French international who joined FC Barcelona at the start of the season. Abidal is a left full back but he has shown that he is also able to play in the centre of defence. With his arrival he has lit up the left wing, a position in which he has no rival. The man from Lyon is the fourth player with most minutes played, a fact which proves the confidence Frank Rijkaard has in him. Abidal has also had an important role in the Champions League, a competition in which he has played five games, all of which he started. In the Cup he has had a more discreet role, coming on as a sub for 27 minutes. Abidal is a hard defender, aggressive but not dirty, and has only two yellow cards in all three competitions.

Midfield with Touré

With the arrival of Touré Yaya, Barça’s defensive midfield is more stable, thanks to the structured technical play of the Ivorian. The number 24 has played a total of 14 league games, starting all of them. He has scored one goal, against Athletic Bilbao, and has been shown four yellow cards. His good positional play has seen him called on by Rijkaard in all competitions. In the Champions League he has played in three games with a total of 280 minutes and in the King’s Cup the African midfielder played the whole game against Alcoyano.

Milito strengthens the defence

The younger of the Milito brothers has clearly shown in the 20 games he has played between the league and Champions League that the centre of the defence is almost impassable. Gabi Milito is another indisputable first choice for the Dutch coach. In the league, the ‘Mariscal’ has played 15 games, starting 14 of them and opening his scoring tally against Recreativo Huelva in the Nou Camp. So far the Argentinian has picked up three yellow cards. In the Champions League Milito has played in five games, playing a total of 465 minutes.

 
Víctor Valdés is suffering from lumbago and during the course of the next few days he will be doing specific workouts in order to strengthen the muscles in the area.
The first team keeper is currently working specifically on the problem as he often suffers from lumbago. The treatment consists of strengthening the muscle in the affected area. Valdés is one of the players who has played the most minutes this season and has only missed the King’s Cup match against Alcoyano and the final Champions League match against Stuttgart.

 
Messi’s progress hasn’t stopped but this past 2007 has been the year of his deification, the year in which he has been officially recognised as the second best footballer in the world.
Since he first started with the Barça first team, Leo Messi has had an almost non-stop meteoric rise. Without a doubt 2007 has seen him confirmed as one of the best of the best footballers in the world.

Messi’s statistics

Despite starting the year injured and not returning to play until February, the Argentinian forward moved in to top gear to end the year almost as good as it gets.
In 2007 Leo Messi scored a total of 19 league goals, some of which stunned the watching supporters. But what stands out in the memory are the hat trick against Real Madrid in the Nou Camp and great goals like the one against Zaragoza at home this season. The azulgrana forward finished 2007 with four goals in the Champions League and one in the King’s Cup, the ‘Maradona’ goal which was seen round the world.

A wards and recognition

These statistics and the performances of the Barça number 19 have been rewarded with international awards. On 25 November Messi received the Bravo award, a prize awarded by Guerin Sportivo to the best under-21 European footballer. The azulgrana also came third in the Balon de Oro. Messi finished the year as runner-up in the FIFA world player awards.

This has certainly been a great year for Leo Messi, a year of great statistics, great recognition and, especially, great football.

 
In the last few years FC Barclona have starred in some epic comebacks, thanks to which, on more than one occasion, they finished winning a title.
The most recent precedent is season 2005/2006. After eight games Frank Rijkaard’s Barça were sixth with 13 points, four behind leaders Getafe. In that year the azulgranas ended up winning their first league title of the Rijkaard era.

So close - 2003/04

The Dutch coach led another comeback in season 2003/04. In this case no title was won but it was an epic climb up the table which shows that nothing is decided until the last moment. With 20 games remaining in the league, Barça were 12th with 24 points, 18 points behind the then leader Real Madrid. Rijkaard’s men weren’t prepared to finish the league in mid-table and staged a mighty comeback which took them to second position, passing Real Madrid on the way. Real Madrid eventually finished in fourth place, two points behind the azulgrana side. With this achievement Barça avoided the preliminary rounds of the Champions League.

Spectacular rise

But if we go back to season 1998/99 we will find an incredible comeback in which, in only five games, FC Barcelona went from 10th after fourteen games to lead the table after nineteen games. That season, the team coached by Louis Van Gaal ended up winning the league title.

 
After the Christmas holidays January will see a chock-a-block month of football for Barça who, if they progress in the King’s Cup, will have to play two games a week during the first month of 2008.
Next January sees a month full of football when Barça, providing they get through the last 32 and last 16 of the Cup, will have to play a total of nine games. The azulgrana will face a gruelling calendar during a run of very demanding games which should provide them with an opportunity to reaffirm their aspirations in the league as well as reaching the semi-finals of the King’s Cup.

Immediate start

There won’t be long to wait for the start of the 2008 football calendar in the Nou Camp. On 2 January Barça play against Alcoyano, from the Spanish second division B, in the return leg of their King’s Cup match (last 32). The azulgrana should make good on the clear advantage they have from the first leg having won 0-3 with goals from Henry, Gudjohnsen and Bojan.

Decisive month in the Cup

If Barça overcome the possible pitfall against Alcoyano, January will see them having to play almost immediately in the last 16 and possible quarter-finals of the King’s Cup. So January will become a key month in determining the azulgrana’s options in the knockout competition in that they will learn the names of the four teams left to fight for the title.

Winning points

During the 31 days of January, Barça will play four league matches which will allow them to gain the necessary points to continue in the upper reaches of the table and to try to put pressure on the leaders. Barça begin in the Balearics against Mallorca, who finished the year with a heavy defeat against Osasuna. Their next game, at home in the Nou Camp, sees them play host to Murcia in what will be the final game of the first half of the league programme. The second half of the football programme will therefore begin at home against Racing Santander. The final league match in January will be against Athletic Bilbao in San Mamés.

 
Tests have revealed that Carles Puyol will have to rest for a week and undergo physiotherapy after receiving a strong blow to his knee during the game against Real Madrid on Sunday evening.
The Barcelona captain was substituted after picking up the injury in el Clásico and reported to the club's medical staff on Monday morning for a more thorough examination.

Midway through the second half Puyol and Raúl collided and the Blaugrana defender came off worst as he was left clutching his leg and had to replaced by Gianluca Zambrotta with 14 minutes remaining.

The tests have now confirmed that he received a strong blow to his right knee and the club's medical team have recommended that he has a week of complete rest and also undergoes a programme of physiotherapy in order to recover.

Barça's next official game is on January 2 in the Copa del Rey against Alcoyano and Puyol is predicted to be fit in time to be considered for selection for the match.

 
There is always a lot of news in the build up to a game between Barça and Madrid, with plenty of interviews and rumours about team selection. This week has been no exception.
The first and perhaps most important story surrounded Messi, who was injured at Mestalla and has been confirmed as out for the next 4 or 5 weeks. That means the player who scored three in the last meeting between the sides will not play on Sunday.

Special game for Iniesta and Márquez

On Monday, Iniesta confessed to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat that although he has already played six such matches, the clásico is always something special. Rafael Márquez said the same on the ‘Zona Mixta' programme shown on Barça TV: “It is a totally different game to any other” he said. Similar impressions were expressed by the likes of Giovani dos Santos and Milito in interviews this week.

Key game for Barça, says Laporta

The FC Barcelona president is confident his side will win. Joan Laporta, feels there is more at stake than ever for Barcelona and that “we are obliged to win”.

Who will play?

Plenty of discussion has focused on the potential line ups. In reference to Barça, it is Frank Rijkaard’s choices in attack that are getting the most comments, especially since Ronaldinho was benched at Mestalla. With Henry back but Messi out, there are plenty of possible changes, while over in Madrid the main concern surrounds Guti, who has been nursing ankle troubles all week, but has finally been selected.

Champions League draw

One event that has diverted at least some of the attention was Friday’s Champions League draw, in which Barça learned that they will be meting Glasgow Celtic, their second Scottish opponent of the season. Madrid, meanwhile, will be facing Giuly’s Roma.

 
Frank Rijkaard believes that there are still plenty of games remaining for Barcelona to recover, despite admitting that the defeat by Real Madrid was a strong blow and that the seven-point gap is substantial.
The Dutch coach was visibly affected by the reverse in el Clásico as he stated that Julio Baptista's winning goal had given Madrid an "important advantage", bt he also stated that he feels that the race for the title is by no means over. "It is a strong blow, because we worked hard for the win," he said. "We have to digest the defeat and then look ahead. There are still a lot of games to still play and it is certain that Madrid have an advantage, but anything is still possible."

Convinced of comeback

Despite playing well, Rijkaard said that "it was not Barça's night" and added that "now we have to continue working with pride and with hope. We have to believe in our chances". The trainer went on to praise the attitude of the players as he added that "they have fought until the last moment and I always had a hope that we would change the result".

Key goal

Baptista's goal came as a surprise to the home side and the coach admitted that "it broke the rhythm of the game for us". He continued: "It was a goal that hurt us and made things more complicated. It came at a time when we had just had a clear chance and gave the opposition a boost and made them more comfortable as they were able to sit back and close up in defence."

Compliments for Madrid

Reflecting on the performance of Real Madrid, Rijkaard said that "they worked well as a team". He added: "I felt that that they were well positioned across the pitch, which we expected. They did not create many clear chances, but at the same time their defence pressured our forwards very well. In the end, madrid played well and were very organised. When they won possession they went forward very forward and with real force."

 
Gabi Milito admitted that losing to Real Madrid hurt FC Barcelona, but stated the team would not lose faith and would bounce back in the New Year.
Other members of the squad concurred with the Argentinian defender that the reverse against los Merengues was hard to take.

Below are what some of the players had to say:

Gabriel Milito:

"We were unable to recover after their goal. In the second half they took advantage of their counter-attacks very well. They were very well positioned and they worked very hard to keep us from finding a way through to their goal."

"The defeat is hard and it hurts. But the teams that win titles are the ones that no how to overcome hard times. I believe in the team. They are seven points clear, but I still think there is a long way to go and we must not lose faith."

"It is sad because the team came from a very good run and we have won all our other home games comfortably."

"Everyone who was out there tried everything we could. Maybe we have not played our best game, but I have a clear conscience knowing that we gave it our all."

"We expected Madrid to play as they did. They closed up their defence well and they used their fast players well on the break."

Xavi:

"We are sad about the result. We thought that a draw would have been fair. Neither team had a great game. We did not take any of the chances that we had."

"We were not comfortable. They have worked very hard, physically. We had real problems creating our play."

"They were strong at the back. Before the goal we had a clear chance and we did not take advantage of that."

"There is still a long way to go. We have to continue working and try to turn things around."

"We have to lift ourselves in 2008 and to continue battling for trophies."

Andrés Iniesta:

"We expected to be a point behind them and this has hit us hard."

"The seven-point gap is recoverable. We have to begin the year in different form and there is still a long way to go."

"They only had one chance and they have scored, while we have had several chances and have not. That was the difference."

Víctor Valdés

"It was a pity. Nobody wanted to lose in Camp Nou and even less so against Madrid, but now we must look ahead."

"The second half was wide open and could have gone one way or the other. But we were unlucky in front of goal."

"To try and come from behind was difficult and even more so when they sat back and only played on the counter-attack."

"There is still a long way to go. It is a difficult day. It has to be analysed with confidence and to move forward, which we still can."

 
Real Madrid’s place at the top of the table is partly due to the team’s away form. They have the third best record in the competition.
Real Madrid are not on quite such spectacular away form as they are at home, but are doing well all the same. The all-whites have the third best away record in the league.

Madrid have collected 14 out of 24 possible away points, through four wins, two draws and two defeats. The only two sides to have beaten Madrid season are Espanyol and Sevilla.

Two Madrid loses

Espanyol beat Real Madrid 2-1 thanks to goals from Riera and Tamudo, with Sergio Ramos grabbing what was only a consolation goal in the final seconds.
Schuster’s side also lost to Sevilla. The Andalusians dominated a match in which Madrid failed to find a response. Madrid’s only two defeats, then, have come against two of the best placed sides.

10 goals in two games

In fact, the Sánchez Pizjuan is the only stadium where Madrid failed to score. In the other games they have scored fifteen times, the second best away record in the league, beaten only by Villarreal, who have 16 away goals.

Despite the high number of goals, 10 of these goals came in just two games, away to Valencia (1-5) and Villarreal (0-5).

Attack and defence

The players that the Barça defenders will most have to take care over are Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Sergio Ramos, with 4 and 3 goals each away from home. Robinho, Raúl, Sneijder, Saviola and Guti have also found the target away from home.

In terms of defence, Schuster’s side have let in seven goals, although Atlético Madrid have an even better away record, conceding just 6 goals.

 
With Rijkaard on the bench, Barça have won one, lost one and drawn two against Madrid at the Camp Nou.
Historically, Barça have the better of Madrid when they have home advantage. Of 77 league games, FC Barcelona have won 44, drawn 16 and lost 17.

Since Frank Rijkaard has been in charge, all kinds of things have happened, and his first taste of a clásico at the Camp Nou ended in defeat.

First win in 20 years

Barça faced Madrid under Rijkaard after one of the most disturbing losses in recent times, going down to Málaga 5-1 and finding themselves eighth in the table, ten points adrift of leaders Madrid.

And then Madrid ended two decades without a league win at the Camp Nou. Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo opened the scoring and Kluivert scored a late consolation goal that was not enough to prevent Madrid taking a 13 point lead.

Barça magic

But how things had changed a year later, when it was Madrid’s turn to deal with a crisis. Barça were flying towards the league title, and made mincemeat of the side then coached by García Remon. Eto'o danced around Roberto Carlos to score against Madrid for Barça for the first time. Gio van Bronckhorst made it two before the break and Ronaldinho added a third from the penalty spot.

Minds on Champions League

In 2005-06 Barça met Madrid when they already had an 11 point lead and were actually more concerned about their Champions League quarter final with Benfica than the clásico. It was a similar game to the one in the Stadium of Light, with Barça dominating but unable to turn those chances into goals. Ronaldinho put Barça ahead with a penalty, but Ronaldo later sealed a draw.

Messi’s clásico

Last year’s classic will always be remembered for a startlingly brilliant display from Leo Messi. The Argentinian scored a hat trick, though that was not enough to secure the three points and an 8 point lead with 13 games left to play. It ended 3-3.

 
Thierry Henry's return to fitness is the big news from the Barça camp ahead of the visit of Real Madrid on Sunday as he has been named in the 19-man squad.
A month after being sidelined with a back injury, the French striker has been given the green light to play again and he is available to appear in el Clásico. Lilian Thuram is also included in the squad after missing the victory against Valencia in Mestalla last weekend. Edmílson and Santi Ezquerro are rested, while Lionel Messi and Oleguer are out injured.

T he last session

On Saturday evening, Barça went through their final training session before the game as heavy rain fell on the training pitch in front of La Masia. The only players that were not present were Messi and Oleguer as Frank Rijkaard ironed out the last few details before the big game on Sunday.

Change of setting

As is normal on the day before a game, the training session was held behind closed doors. Rijkaard opted to switch the practice from the Camp Nou to La Masia and that allowed several fans to watch from the viewing area, as a few brave supporters turned up despite the unfavourable conditions. With such a huge match on the horizon, nobody wanted to miss a thing and pass on their messages of support to their idols.

 
Frank Rijkaard has told his Barcelona players that they must pay special attention to Real Madrid's forward line when the two teams meet in Camp Nou on Sunday.
After the final training session the day before, the Dutch coach spoke in the press conference and warned about the dangers of los Merengues with particular reference to their forwards. "We have to ensure that we focus on the Real Madrid forwards because they move very around the pitch and work a lot for the team," he explained.

Going into deeper analysis about the Blaugrana rivals for the final game of the year, the coach continued: "They are a good team and are in a strong run of form because they are playing well." But the trainer was also keen to stress that the home team will also be "highly motivated" and "had a strong desire to obtain a good result".

Confidence is high

Reflecting on the spirit within the squad ahead of the game, Rijkaard indicated that he feels his players are "very animated and excited about playing a great game". In that sense, after training on Saturday evening he explained that "I have seen all the players in the squad are very focussed" and added that "our objective is to take all three points and I think we have the confidence to do that".

One doubt

After the preparatory session, the Blaugrana boss named a 19-man squad for the game because he believes that "there is a player that has a slight knock". Despite the fact that he preferred not to say which player it was he did confirmed that "it was not Ronaldinho".

Pleased with Ronaldinho

Rijkaard and Ronaldinho had a chat during Friday's training session, which was widely reported in the media, and the Dutchman did not think it there was anything unusual in it. "It is not strange and there is no problem with him," he said. "I often stop and speak to players during training". He then said that he "was happy" with Ronaldinho.

No clues

Finally, Rijkaard explained that he did not want to discuss what his side would be for the big game and that no clues should be taken from what happened during the week. "In general I have never chosen my line-up in a training game," he concluded.

 
Exactly six months after his operation, José Edmílson was given the medical go-ahead on Friday. He has not played a match since Barça faced Getafe last season.
On June 21, José Edmílson was sent for arthroscopy on his right knee and subsequently missed out on the game in South Africa and all the close season tours and friendlies. Six months later, and he has been declared fit again.

Barça v Getafe

The Getafe match came three games from the end of last season. The Brazilian played all 90 minutes and received a yellow card in the 79th minute.

Bad luck with injuries

Edmílson has suffered a series of injury woes that have meant he has never managed to establish himself as a regular in the side. In 2004 – 2005, the Brazilian seriously tore cruciate ligaments at the Camp Nou against Numancia and was sidelined for six months

He only returned for the last two games of the season, where he was in the sides that faced Villarreal and Real Sociedad in the league.

Edmílson also missed the 2002 World Cup in Korean and Japan following a meniscus injury in pre-tournament training, although he was fit again in time to participate in the domestic season.

 
Barça had their penultimate training session on Friday ahead of the clásico on Sunday. The focus of the day’s work was putting pressure on the opposition.
An almost complete FC Barcelona squad trained at the Miniestadi, with only the injured Lionel Messi and Oleguer Presas not there. The duo concentrated on individual treatment while the remainder of the squad was put through its paces on the field.

Combined circuit

On a cold, wet morning the players were warmed by the news that José Edmílson has been declared fully fit. After warming up and the usual drills, the players divided into two groups and worked on one-twos and shots on goal.

Three way practice

The pitch was then scaled down for a series of practice matches involving three teams. The green team featured Touré, Marc Crosas, Iniesta, Zambrotta, Thuram, Henry and Ronaldinho. The blues were Gudjohnsen, Márquez, Deco, Milito, Giovani y Sylvinho, with Thierry Henry also contributing, while the yellow bibs were handed to Ezquerro, Edmílson, Eto'o, Puyol, Bojan, Abidal and Xavi.

Yellow victory

The matches were played until the first goal was scored, and the goalscoring team stayed on. The dominant side was the one in the yellow bibs, winning three games thanks to goals from Ezquerro, Eto'o and Bojan. Gudjohnsen and Iniesta scored the goals in the other two sides’ only wins.

The main focus of the activity was pressure, with the players advancing their lines and making it harder for the opposing side to get the ball out of defence.

 
FC Barcelona will meet Glasgow Celtic in the second round of the Champions League. The first leg will be played at Celtic Park and the return at the Camp Nou.
The first legs will be played on February 20 and the returns on March 4.

The other matches

Olympique Lyon – Manchester Utd
Schalke - Oporto
Liverpool - Inter
Roma - Real Madrid
Arsenal - Milan
Olympiakos - Chelsea
Fenerbahçe - Sevilla

 
Glasgow Celtic will face Barça in the second round of the Champions League, in the second meeting this season between Rijkaard’s side and a Scottish club.
Glasgow Celtic are always a tough side to play, as their results in the Scottish league show, where they lead the championship on 36 points, two more than Rangers, the ‘auld enemy’ and a side Barça already met in the group stages. Now Barça face the Catholic club, who qualified in second place from their group behind AC Milan.

Physical football

Celtic are renowned for their tough approach to the game. Their midfielder Scott Brown typifies this, having committed 22 fouls in the tournament, more than any other player. But he also considered one of the rising stars in the Scottish game.

And then there is master free kick taker Shunsuke Nakamura. The Japanese player, along with Dutch striker Jan Venegoor of Hesselink and Australian Scott McDonald are other quality members of a strong side.

Previous meetings

Barça and Celtic have already met twice in the last four seasons. In 2004 the Scots put the Catalans out of the UEFA Cup, but a year later Barça got their revenge by putting Celtic out of the Champions League group stages. The first time the sides met was back in the 1964/65 Fairs Cup, with Barça qualifying that time. So Celtic Park, which holds 60,000 fans, is already fairly familiar ground for FC Barcelona.

Celtic were the first team from Scotland, in fact from anywhere in the British isles, to win the European Cup in 1966/67, when they beat Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon. That was the only major continental honour Celtic have ever won.

 
Eusebio was positive about the prospect of playing Celtic in the opening round of the knockout stages of the Champions league. “We know the Scottish game” he said, although he is aware that the away leg in particular is not going to be easy.
After watching the draw for the Champions league knockout stages, Eusebio Sacristán spoke to Barça TV’s ‘Zona Mixta’ programme. The member of the club’s coaching staff said “We have recent details of what to expect.” The last time the two sides met was in the 2004/05 season, while Barça already have the experience of facing one of Scotland’s two giants this season, when they crossed paths with Rangers during the group stages.

A well known style

Eusebio described the draw by saying “we know them. We know what their way of playing is like and we also know all about Scottish football.” Txiki Begiristain, who was in Nyon, agreed that Barça already know a lot about Celtic’s football and their stadium. “They are a team against which we have to make sure we are serious, because they are anything but an easy opponent”.

Away leg the danger

Both Txiki Begiristain and Eusebio agreed that the game in Scotland is the one they really need to be worried about. The assistant coach said “their ground inspires them, and that’s a factor in their favour. So we will have to be ready to deal with the pressure”. Begiristain added that “in an atmosphere like that we have to make sure we keep our concentration”.

Hard but winnable

But the fact that Barça are relatively familiar with the opposition and will play the return leg at home means there is plenty of reason to feel optimistic about the challenge, although Eusebio is concerned that the players might feel overconfident. “If we are 100% concentrated and 100% focused, we will show them who the better side is” he said, while Txiki Begiristain is confident that the return leg will be the key and that “we just have to make sure we get a positive result from the first leg”.

 
FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol feels Real Madrid have no weak points and will be coming to Barcelona in search of all three points. But the atmosphere in the Barça camp is good, and they feel just as confident about winning.
Carles Puyol told a post-training press conference that he feels the team has got what it takes to beat Real Madrid, although describing the opposition he said “I see no weak points. We will have to play serious in defence and take care over their goalscoring chances, because they take no prisoners in attack. We just have to play our own game and take the chances we get”.

A game to be won at all costs

Carles Puyol has always had a winning mentality, and that is even more the case when we are talking about an opponent like Real Madrid. “I want to win, and we can also play spectacular football, so much the better, but the most important thing is to get the win, because they are three very important points and if we can get them, Real Madrid will not be able to break away at the top of the table”.

“Ronaldinho is very important for the team”

Every body is asking whether Ronaldinho will start or not. Puyol thinks perhaps too much is being said about this and merely recognised the Brazilian’s importance in the team. “We are always worrying about Ronaldinho. When he smiles, why is he smiling, when he’s serious, why he doesn’t help the team and creates bad feeling. We can’t always be worrying about that because that would be crazy. Start or not? Everybody can think what they want. The idea that he played with the substitutes yesterday is an idea you lot thought up. Ronaldinho is important for us both and off the pitch”.

 
Home-grown talent from the FC Barcelona academy has made a much bigger contribution this season than players that have come up through the ranks at Real Madrid.
Barça’s senior squad can boast more local players, who play more, score more goals and are younger than their counterparts in Madrid.

The explosion on the scene of Messi, Bojan and Giovani has put the Barça academy, based at La Masía near the Camp Nou, well and truly on the map. The Club looks set to have a scintillating attack for years to come but the contribution of home-grown talent is by no means limited to these three players.

Almost a complete team

There are currently 10 players that have come up through the youth teams in the Barça senior squad (compared to 6 at Real Madrid) so Rijkaard could almost field a complete team composed of local players: goalkeepers Valdés and Jorquera, defenders Puyol and Oleguer, midfielders Crosas, Iniesta and Xavi, and forwards Messi, Bojan and Giovani. In contrast, Real Madrid have just 6 of their academy players in the senior squad: Casillas, Torres, Balboa, Guti, Soldado and Raul.

More minutes and more goals

But it’s just in the number of players that Barça leads the way – the fact is that the influence of these players is much greater. Barça’s home-grown talent accounts for 39.6% of the minutes played so far in the league while in Real Madrid the contribution drops to 26,9%.

These same players have also scored 14 goals for Barça, compared to 9 goals for Real Madrid.

Only two local players have scored for Real Madrid - Guti (1 goal) and Raul (8 goals) - while 4 have scored for Barça: Barça Messi (8), and Bojan, Xavi and Iniesta with 2 apiece.

 
Frank Rijkaard put the emphasis on tactical work with his players at Thursday morning training. The session was characterised by intense participation by the players ahead of Sunday’s match.
With just three days to go before the match between Barça and Real Madrid, Frank Rijkaard is leaving nothing to chance. After two days of mainly fitness work, today’s session was dominated by tactical matters. However, the best news today was that Thierry Henry has made a full recovery from his injury problems and has been cleared for a return to the team.

Warm up and exercises

The entire squad, with the exceptions of Messi and Oleguer, who are still recovering from injury, took part in today’s session at the La Masía training grounds. After the usual warm up and ball control exercises, the players did some fitness work focussing on strength and speed followed by some practice on long passes.

Training match

Rijkaard then organised a training match, using the full pitch, between Valdés, Puyol, Milito, Márquez, Abidal, Touré, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Eto'o and Iniesta (yellow bibs) and Jorquera, Zambrotta, Thuram, Edmílson, Sylvinho, Marc Crosas, Ezquerro, Deco, Bojan, Henry and Ronaldinho (without bibs).

A place in the starting line-up

Frank Rijkaard will have his work cut out on Sunday to choose a starting eleven. The training match was played at full tilt as every single player did his best to catch the manager’s eye and win a place in the team to play Real Madrid. The game was finally won by the team without bibs with goals from Sylvinho and Ronaldinho (free kick).

 
Thierry Henry will be available to play against Real Madrid on Sunday. The French striker was passed fit by Club doctors on Thursday morning and could make his comeback to the squad.
According to the medical bulletin issued today, Henry has recovered from the back problem that has kept him sidelined for the last few weeks and Frank Rijkaard can now decide whether to include him in the squad for the big game.

Henry has been receiving treatment for back pain since it was diagnosed on 2nd December and has been out of action since the home game against Recreativo on 24th November.

Oleguer progressing well

The bulletin also explained that defender Oleguer Presas is receiving specific treatment – including injections, massage and exercise in the pool - for his calf injury.

According to Club doctors he is progressing well and should be able to resume light training on 29th December. A decision will then be taken on his return to full training depending on his progress.

 
Gaby Milito is expecting a finely balanced and intense match against Real Madrid and believes it will be decided by small details.
The Argentine international central defender is really looking forward to his first game against Real defending the colours of FC Barcelona.

Milito is convinced that this Sunday’s match will be an evenly contested affair that will decanted to one side or the other by small details. Speaking at the post-training press conference on Thursday, he assured reporters that there is never a favourite in this type of match:” I don’t believe that Barça are favourites because we’re playing at home. Both teams are in form and won their last league matches convincingly. It’ll be necessary to pay close attention to the small details during the match as they will decide who wins”.

Worldwide impact

Milito didn’t get the chance to play in a match of similar importance during his time with Zaragoza. However, at his previous club, Independiente de Avellaneda, he took part in the derby games against Racing, one of the great rivalries in Argentine football. But it has to be said that these derbies don’t have the same worldwide impact as a Barça v Real Madrid: “They are very special matches, played with great passion, but a Barça v Real Madrid has worldwide media repercussions that an Independiente v Racing doesn’t have. You feel in the atmosphere that it isn’t like other matches. However, the team is facing it with the same tranquillity and concentration as always”.

Real Madrid’s strong points

Milito believes that Real Madrid have very few weak points. In contrast, he highlights a number of aspects of their game that have to be carefully watched, such as their danger in the air and the goal poaching instinct of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, a player he may well have to mark: “They make good use of dead ball situations and we’ll have to be very careful. We have to communicate with each other and not make any mistakes. They a physically powerful side but they also like to have the ball”.

As for Van Nistelrooy, Milito believes he has a special instinct: “He’s a great forward, very dangerous, especially in the goal area. He’s got a special gift that makes every ball go his way. We have to keep a close eye on him and not give him any space because if not he can decide the match”.

 
Thierry Henry returned to training with the FC Barcelona squad on Wednesday after almost four weeks out with an injury. The French forward joined in the session with the rest of the players in the Mini Estadi.
Frank Rijkaard was evidently delighted to have Henry back in his ranks and after the initial warm-up exercises, gathered everyone into the middle of the pitch to welcome the forward back.

The former Monaco and Arsenal star has been out for almost a month after being diagnosed with a lower back problem and the last time that he was able to train was towards the end of November as the team prepared to play Recreativo.

Edmílson and Ezquerro

As well as Henry, Edmílson and Santi Ezquerro also took part in training. The Brazilian midfielder returned after missing the session on Tuesday due to gastroentiritis. Rijkaard was also pleased to see Ezquerro back in action after he was given the green light to start playing again.

Joining the first team squad in the Mini Estadi were two young goalkeepers as the B team's Oier Olazábal and the Juvenil A team's Rubén Miño took paer.

Physical circuits

The players were put through a series of physical circuits that focussed on moving with the ball and changing rhythm. The squad that broke into pairs to work on their long passing.

Practice games

Next, four groups were formed to carry out different practice games, each lasting five minutes. The winners of each game then played each other, while the losing sides took each other on. In these matches, it was easy to see that Henry has not lost his goalscoring touch and he netted five times.

Wearing the green bibs were Rubén Miño, Milito, Henry, Giovani, Touré and Edmílson, while the side with no bibs consisted of Jorquera, Bojan, Puyol, Abidal, Ezquerro and Deco. The other two sides were made up of Valdés, Ronaldinho, Sylvinho, Márquez, Iniesta and Marc Crosas in yellow and Valdés, Ronaldinho, Sylvinho, Márquez, Iniesta and Marc Crosas in orange.

 
This Sunday, Víctor Valdés and Iker Casillas go head to head in the big match in the Camp Nou. Both keepers have a fantastic record in Spanish football and have many aspects of their careers in common.
Both Valdés and Casillas came up through the ranks of Barça and Real Madrid respectively. Casillas was born in May 1981 in Madrid while Valdés was born just ten months later in L’Hospitalet del Llobregat near Barcelona. They have the best goalkeeping statistics of the season, with Valdés topping the ranking with just 12 goals conceded while Casillas comes a close second with 14.

An unbeatable collection of honours

Valdés and Casillas have accumulated an enviable collection of silverware at club level, winning the Spanish league, the Champions League and the Spanish and European Super Cups. In addition, Víctor Valdés won the Zamora Trophy in the 2004/05 season for conceding the fewest goals in the Spanish league while Casillas picked up the Bravo Trophy for best European young player of the year in 2000.

Experience and youth

Both goalkeepers made their mark at an early age. At the age of 19, Casillas came off the bench to play in the 1999-2000 Champions League final and put on a terrific display in the final ten minutes of the match in Glasgow to prevent Bayer Leverkusen from winning. The 24-year-old Víctor Valdés was a vital part of the Barça team that beat Arsenal in the Paris final to win Barça’s second Champions League title. Casillas has been the undisputed number one keeper at Real Madrid since the 2000/01 season while Valdés made his permanent breakthrough, at the orders of Frank Rijkaard, in the 2003-04 season.

Valdés winning the battle

Starting from this 2003-04 season, the statistics show that Valdés is winning their private battle for best keeper in the Spanish league. Since then, Valdés has conceded 131 goals in the league while Iker Casillas has conceded 172. In the Champions League, Valdes has conceded 28 goals in 40 matches while Iker Casillas has leaked 48 goals in 39 matches.

 
Eidur Gudjohnsen believes that FC Barcelona are full of confidence ahead of the game against Real Madrid having beaten Valencia such style last weekend. The Icelandic international admitted that there is more than just three points at stake.
Preparing to play in his third Clásico, the former Chelsea forward now understands what the game really means and has assured that everyone in the squad is ready to win. "It is a match that you have keep going in until you cannot do any more," he said. "There is more than the three poins to play for and the team is calm, united and very focussed. The win in Valencia has given us a lot of confidence as we had not won away for some time. I have seen the spirit and confidence grow. We are ready to win."

Dedicating his goal

In Mestalla last weekend, Gudjohnsen scored his first league goal of the season and he was keen to dedicate it to Ronaldinho who he thanked for supporting him in some difficult moments. "I dedicated the goal to him because he is going through a tough time," the Icelandic star explained. "When I went through a few problems he was always with me asking how I was and lifting my spirits. I just wanted to thank him for his friendship."

Gudjohnsen then admitted that he could not imagine playing in the game against Real Madrid without Ronaldinho: "I think that it is a decision that I would not like to have to make," he continued. "Everyone knows what I think about Ronaldinhoa and his great quality. If he playes, I think we will see a player more moitvated than ever."

Keeping the faith

Having played in five of the last seven league games, Gudjohnsen feels wanted after some difficult months when he was not given many chances to impress. "I have been through some hard times, above all in the summer, when there were many doubts about my future, but I have always had faith in myself and, now I think I am having a good spell," he said. "I have worked hard to be ready and to be able to take advantage of my chance. In each game my form has improved."

 
Six Barça players could be playing against Real Madrid for the first time on Saturday, but will be able to count on good advice from seasoned veterans like Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernández, the two players that have appeared in the most classics.
Nothing quite compares with a clash between Barça and Madrid. Both players and fans always get sucked in by amazing atmosphere of rivalry, euphoria, spectacle and goals.

Puyol the most veteran

Puyol has played no fewer than 15 league games against Madrid, having played his first way back in the 1999/2000 season, in game that ended in a draw (2-2). He has only missed one game since, the return match at the Bernabéu in 2000/01, which also ended 2-2.

14 clásicos for Xavi

Xavi has played just one game less, starting with the first 45 minutes against Real Madrid in 1999/2000 at the Bernabéu, which Barça lost 3-0. Like Puyol, Xavi has missed just one game, through injury, corresponding to the 2005/06 season.

Xavi is one of the few players to have scored past Casillas, and he did it twice, His first goal against Madrid was scored in 2001/02 at the Camp Nou in a 1-1 draw. He repeated the feat in 2003/04, this time at the Bernabéu, scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 away win.

Valdés, Iniesta and Ronaldinho

Victor Valdés has never missed a clásico since becoming a first team regular, making a total of eight appearances. His first Barça v Madrid was in 2003/04 and hasn’t missed a game since.
Ronaldinho and Iniesta have faced the Meringues six times, as have Deco, Oleguer and Rafa Márquez.

Six Barça debutants

Henry, Touré, Abidal, Milito, Bojan and Giovani are the six Barça players that have never played in a clásico, although the first four have all met Real Madrid while playing for their former clubs: Milito played Madrid in the league when he was at Zaragoza; Henry did so in the Champions League with Arsenal; Touré, also met them in Europe when he was at Olympiakos, as did Abidal with Lyon.

But neither Bojan nor Giovani have ever faced the Madrid first team, although they have often faced different Madrid youth teams in the past.

 
Fourteen Barça players have hit the target this season, showing just what a complete squad the side has, with goals coming from all positions.
One of every four goals Barça score are the work of midfielders or defenders. That’s 12 out of 46 goals, which actually amounts to slightly more than 25%.

All midfielders have scored

All five of the most commonly selected midfielders, Touré, Xavi, Iniesta, Deco and Gudjohnsen, have scored this season, a total of nine between them. There is nothing like having a midfield that can contribute to the attack if it is spectacular football you are after, and Barça has plenty of that.

Good examples of the kind of goals that the Barça midfield are scoring are Xavi’s winner against Deportivo and Iniesta’s efforts at Montjuic and Lyon.

Defenders on the scoresheet

Not all the defenders have scored, but Márquez, Milito and Puyol all have. They may not score so often, but when they do they can turn a match. Puyol scored the winner in Stuttgart, and Milito claimed the goal that got the three points from a difficult visit to Recreativo Huelva. The Mexican scored Barça’s fourth against Zaragoza (4-1). Forwards hit target 34 times

But of course it is the strikers that get the most goals, and now Eto’o has opened his account, Ezquerro is the only forward not to have got at least one.

Between them, Henry, Eto’o, Ronaldinho, Messi, Bojan and Giovani have scored 34 times. Messi tops the list with 12 goals; Henry follows with 8 goals, and Ronaldinho is just behind on 7. 
 

 
The FC Barcelona squad had its first training session today in preparation for the Madrid match, and it took place at La Masia.
After a day’s holiday, and on the back of a big win at Mestalla, Barça returned to work with a training session on Tuesday at La Masía. All the players currently at Frank Rijkaard’s disposition were present, with the injured Messi and Oleguer working out in the gym and Edmílson also absent with gastroenteritis.

Henry, like on Sunday, worked in isolation with his fitness coach, but Ezquerro trained as normal with the rest of the group.

Despite the intense cold in Barcelona at the moment, a sizeable crowd of fans turned up to watch the first team train.

 
Giovani Dos Santos has revealed that playing against Real Madrid on Sunday would be a dream come true for him, but accepts that he would not be too disappointed if he is not given the chance to experience el Clásico this time.
The Mexican youngster looked ahead to the hotly-anticipated encountern at the weekend and explained: "To play against Madrid would fulfil one of my dreams. Every player in the world wants to play in this game one day and to do so at 18 would be great."

Highly Motivated

With Barça sitting just behind Madrid in the table, Giovani recognised that the squad is even more motivated than normal for the game. "We have to win to continue our form because we are second," he said.

The Blaugrana are four ponts behind their opponents and closing the gap is on all the players minds, according to the starlet. "The team wants to win in order to close the gap further," he continued.

The coach’s choice

During the press conference, Giovani was asked several times about whether he thinks he will be given a starting place in the Barcelona team by coach Frank Rijkaard and admitted that he would not be too disappointed if he did not.

"It would not disappoint me not to play," he explained. "The coaches know which players are the best for this game. I am coming back from the injury that I had and I feel like i have done quite well in my last few games. I will do everything I can, but it is the coach's decision."

 
Iniesta made his 200th appearance for Barça on Saturday and is now looking forward to his seventh outing against Madrid. In this interview he discusses the keys to this special clash and highlights the good form of the team as shown against Valencia.
In an interview with Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat, Iniesta stresses that Barça is in good form ahead of the Real Madrid match. However, while he recognises the importance of the three points, he emphasises that the result won’t be decisive in the race for the league title. But whatever the circumstances, this is always a very special match, particularly for the fans and the home-grown talent in the team.

You’re going into the Real Madrid game after breaking the negative run of away form against Valencia in the Mestalla.

“We’ve looked a different team in the last few away matches and against Valencia we achieved a victory that will boost our confidence ahead of the Real Madrid game before the Christmas break. A win for us would even things up at the top of the table”.

A lot has been said about why Barça had only won once away from home before the Valencia match. Why do you think this has been so?

“I’ve always thought there wasn’t any one single reason. When things don’t go well there are different reasons. The most important thing is that we kept our nerve and our self-belief. We’ve finally ended this negative run away from home and I hope things go even better”.

You played your 200th match for the FC Barcelona first team against Valencia. Did you realise that? What does it mean to a player only 23 years old to have played so many matches with Barça?

“The truth is I don’t keep track of all the matches I’ve played but I’m delighted to reach this number at the age of 23 in a club like FC Barcelona, where it’s very difficult to play. I suppose you only really give importance to these numbers after you retire from playing. Now it seems that everything is very nice and even easy, but the fact is it’s very difficult”.

Let’s talk about “el clásico” against Real Madrid. Do you think it’ll be decisive?

“No. I believe there’s still a long way to go in the league but of courses it’s important for what it represents historically and because of the situation of both teams in the table and because we’re playing at home, which should motivate us more to take the three points. It won’t be decisive but we have to win in order to get to the top as soon as possible”.

The result of the Real Madrid match can influence the mood in the Club.

“Yes, it’s true that there is more than just three points at stake in these matches. Given the position in the table a victory is a very important plus for the winning team”.

You’ve played in six previous matches against Real Madrid. Is Sunday’s match still something special?

“Although I’ve played six or seven matches [against Real Madrid] I believe it’s still a special match not only for the players but for everyone because of everything that surrounds it and, above all, when you play at home it’s even more special”.

What do you think of Real Madrid?

“I don’t pay much attention to what our rivals are doing but I’ve more or less been following them. They’ve been getting results and it’s no coincidence they’re top. They’ve got top class players and we have to respect them but when we play well we’re a difficult team to beat and so we have to focus on ourselves”.

Barça has a 100% home record.

“That’s important. And if we keep on improving our results away from home we could have a chance of winning the title. I hope the Camp Nou stays a “fortress” until the end of the season”.

Raúl is having a great season. What do you think about the Madrid captain’s season?

“Raúl is a touchstone for Real Madrid. This season he’s scoring goals and playing at a high standard. We’ll have to keep an eye on him because he can win a match at any moment”.

Are you expecting a tense build-up with an exchange of comments?

“We can’t control what goes on the outside. Everyone is free to have his opinion but we have to do our talking on the pitch and everything else is secondary. As long as nobody is disrespectful I think it isn’t a bad thing to liven up the match. That’s also part of football and of “el clásico”.

Messi’s injury will keep him out for at least four weeks and Barça will have to do without one of the team’s most dangerous players.

“Firstly, it’s a shame for him because an injury is the worse thing that can happen to a player. It’ll be an important loss to the team because Leo is having an extraordinary season and we need players like him for matches like this. But the main thing is that he recovers quickly and well”.

Can you see yourself playing at right wing?

“I don’t know. I’m happy to play in any position. The coach will decide what’s best for the team. The main thing is that it all works out well”.

 
The Barça midfielder answered reporters’ question about the Real Madrid clash at a promotional event he attended on Monday morning.
Speaking at a promotional event for take-away pizza company Telepizza, Xavi Hernández focussed on next weekend’s match against Real Madrid: “Looking at the table, Real Madrid is better, but in these matches you never know. A lot of emotions and tensions are mixed up together and you never know how it will end. But we hope that it goes our way”.

Focussed on winning

Xavi stressed that despite Real Madrid’s good recent form, the Barça players are determined to win: “We’re only thinking of winning in order to cut the gap. We don’t want to consider any other possibility”.

Messi injury blow

Regarding the injury that Messi picked up at the weekend, Xavi told reporters: “It’s a shame he can’t take part in the Real Madrid match. He’s in great form and it was really important for him”.

Madrid manager Bernd Shuster is reported to have said that he would have liked to see Messi play. According to Xavi: “I believe it. He’s a lover of good football and all of us that like football always want to see the rival team at full strength”.

The right approach

Xavi also spoke about the build up to the big game: “It’s a match that generates a lot of tension and emotion and so it’ll be really important to keep a cool head and control the emotions. The team that manages to control the ball and dominate the game will have gained a lot. It’s important to play at home with the fans on your side”.

The return of Eto'o

While Xavi denied that Eto'o had changed the dynamic of the group, he admitted that the striker had a great game against Valencia and that his attacking skills had brought a lot to Barça’s game.

Finally, Xavi answered questions about Ronaldinho: “He’s still the best player in the world though nobody expected to see the Brazilian on the subs bench. That depends on the boss and of the performance of the player himself”.

 
Leo Messi was named the second best player in the world at the FIFA World Player 2007 Gala held in Zurich. The winner was Milan’s Kaká, while Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo came third.
Leo Messi is the second best player in the world according to the managers and captains of every national team in the world. The Barça star received his award at the FIFA World Player 2007 Gala.

Messi: "I never dreamt I’d get here”

Leo Messi spoke to the media immediately after collecting the accolade in Zurich. He said he found it hard to believe he was up there alongside the likes of Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo: “I could never have imagined it. I am no dreamer, I just try to get better every day and that makes up for the bad moments, the injuries and all the sacrifices I have made in order to become a first division player”.

He also spoke about the sad way in which he will miss the clásico with Real Madrid, saying that “logically it was bad news. It is one of the most important games of the season, especially given the two teams’ position and a clásico always attracts the fans. But I hope I have a lot more clásicos ahead of me and now I just have to think about getting fit again as quickly as possible.”

Speaking to the Barça Noticias programme on Barça TV, Messi said this award will help him get over the pain of being sidelined for 4 to 5 weeks. He was given permission by the Medical Services to travel to Zurich after taking a series of tests in the morning.

Emotional day

Leo Messi had an emotional day, being taken by his father to Barcelona airport, where he was met by his brother Rodrigo. They flew to Zurich at 2.00, arriving around 4.00 and were met by an official FIFA car to take them to the Opera Theatre, where he and Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo spoke to the media, before being taken to a hotel to change out of his sports gear and put on an elegant dark suit with a blue tie. Shortly after 8.00 pm, he returned to the Opera Theatre to take part in the FIFA World Player Gala 2007 and learn that he had been voted the second best player of 2007.

 
Messi will be sidelined for 4 or 5 weeks according to the Club’s Medical Services. Ecography performed on Sunday revealed that he has torn the upper part of the femoral biceps in his left thigh.
If the diagnosis is correct, the player will miss between 5 and 7 Barça matches. These begin with the end of year classic against Real Madrid, then the cup game with Alcoyano and league encounters with Mallorca, Murcia and Racing Santander.

And then there are also the games in the next round of the cup, assuming Barça get through the round in which they are pitted against Alcoyano.

 
The football first team has trained at La Masia. The players that appeared against Valencia did some gently recovery work while the rest of the squad starting thinking about next weekend’s match with Real Madrid.
Frank Rijkaard’s squad were in a buoyant mood after the convincing display down at Mestalla (0-3), and the Sunday session was little more than a smooth warm-down session following the previous night’s exertions.

Almost everyone

Very few players were missing, but Messi, who was injured at Mestalla, and Ezquerro and Oleguer, also injured, were absent. Thuram and Gudjohnsen also skipped the session, with the Icelander working out in the gym after taking a minor knock to his foot last night.

Short workout for starting eleven

The players that started the game against Valencia were given very little to do. Valdés, Milito and Márquez did a bit of jogging before heading back to the dressing rooms. The others did a series of drills and then circuits, and left the session before the others.

Those that stayed behind proceeded with a short match on a downsized pitch. A yellow team made up of Zambrotta, Bojan, Deco, Jorquera and fitness coach Albert Roca faced a side featuring Ronaldinho, Marc Crosas, Sylvinho, Edmílson and goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué.

Henry on the ball

Thierry Henry, who is still recovering from injury, was also present. He worked in isolation with one of the fitness coaches and did a series of exercises with the ball.

 
The Ivorian was delighted with the win at Mestalla saying “it was a very important win, we had to win and we did”, although he was most upset to witness the injury to Leo Messi.
FC Barcelona have ended their disappointing run of away form with a convincing win at Mestalla. “We did what we had to do. It was a very important win, especially because Real Madrid are home to Osasuna today and we had to narrow the gap”.

The downside

Despite the optimism surrounding the win at Mestalla, Touré recognised that the fact that Leo Messi will be sidelined for the next 4 or 5 weeks was “although it forms part of the game, the negative side of the game because Messi is such a useful player for the team”. The injury has come at what he considers a bad time and now Barça “have to play and act like a team in order to win”.

Touré’s first classic

This will be the Ivorian’s first taste of a Barça v Madrid match, but he knows what to expect. “I think it will be a great match, unique in the world, and I really think we can win”. Asked about the typical winding up that goes on in the press before these matches, he said “the best way of defending against these comments is on the pitch, playing good football. It is a very special game for us and for the fans and we will give it the maximum”.

A good opponent

Touré knows what to expect from Real Madrid, saying “I know Raul, I played against him when he was in Greece and he is a very good player, I admire him a lot, but we have no choice but to win on Sunday … Real Madrid have very good players but we do too, although right now we are without both Henry and Messi while they have a full squad to choose from. But I think Barça has the best team in the world”.

 
FC Barcelona face a very tricky trip to Mestalla on Saturday night to take on a Valencia side that will be keen to bounce straight back after dropping out of Europe in midweek, and despite their current lowly position, are always tough opponents.
The elimination of Ronald Koeman's side from all European competition on Tuesday followed hot on the heels of Quique Sánchez Flores' dismissal as coach in what has ben a very difficult start to the new season for Los Ché.

Seven new faces

During the summer, Valencia looked to rebuild their squad as the club brought in seven new players. Goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand joined along with defenders Iván Helguera and Alexis Ruano, while midfielders Manuel Fernandes and Sunny signed and Javier Arizmendi and Nikola Zigic were also added to the ranks. Leaving the club were Roberto Fabián Ayala, Curro Torres, David Navarro, Hugo Viana, Jorge López and Mario Regueiro.

Koeman replaces Quique

The team suffered some bad results, especially in the Champions League, earlier in the campaign and at the end of October Sánchez Flores was sacked after a board meeting. Koeman was contacted and after he had stepped down from his role at PSV, moved to Mestalla along with his assistants, Toni Bruins Slot and Jose Mari Bakero.

Despite the change in coach, the results have still not been favourable, and the team failed to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League or to grab third place for a UEFA Cup spot. Valencia lost both home and away to Rosenborg and were able to take a point from their trip to Chelsea in midweek after some heroic goalkeeping from Santi Cañizares.

Home improvements

Looking at Valencia's statistics in the league makes for curious reading. Away from home, Los Ché have earned 16 points, which is far more than Real Madrid, Barça, Atlético de Madrid or Villarreal. But it is in Mestalla that the team appears unable to perform as they have picked up only nine points in front of their own fans and allowed 12 to slip away. Three wins and four defeats at home indicates where the problem lies and why the team has slipped down the table.

 
Lionel Messi suffered an injury during Barcelona’s victory at Valencia on Saturday evening and will now miss el Clásico next weekend.
The Argentinian forward pulled up with an injury during the win in Mestalla and has already been ruled out for the game against Real Madrid. An early prognosis discovered that the injury was to the femoral bicep in his left leg that happened as he sprinted for the ball three minutes before the break. Messi knew that he had done something and called to the bench for assistance and was replaced by Giovani Dos Santos.

 
Frank Rijkaard believes they key to the convincing win against FC Barcelona at Mestalla was “the fact we made our mark early”.
Barça have managed an important win against the team managed by Ronald Koeman which gives the side plenty of confidence ahead of the last game of the year against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. The manager had promised that they were going to make an early impact on the game, and that is exactly what they did.

Deserved victory

The Dutchman felt his team was in complete control of the match “playing disciplined football, staying organised and putting them under pressure up front … we deserved to win. … We worked hard to get an away win and the team worked very well, and I congratulate them” said Frank Rijkaard. In the second half we eased off the pace and perhaps we relaxed too much”.

Praise for Eto'o and Gudjohsen

One of the most outstanding players was Samuel Eto'o, who scored two of Barça’s goals in Mestalla. Rijkaard said the Cameroonian “was very important for us tonight. He is a key player who reads the game well, creates pressure and scores goals. He played at a high level, he was very generous and moved deeply”.

Frank Rijkaard was also pleased with Gudjohnsen, who “had a great game, he was always very secure on the ball, made some good passes, calmed the nerves and the danger he created was crowned with a goal”.

Messi injured

The bad news was the injury to Lionel Messi. The Argentinian has damaged the femoral biceps in his left leg and will play no part in the game with Real Madrid. “It is bad news. It is a shame for the player and for the team. Let’s hope he gets fit again quickly”, said Rijkaard.

The opposition

He was also asked to comment on what he made of the rival, Valencia, and he observed that “they are not having a good moment, but new managers need time. That is why we put them under early pressure, to make a difference by scoring goals. They also have several injury problems, such as Villa”.

 
In Mestalla, Iniesta will play his 200th game for Barça, quite some achievement considering he is only 23 years of age.
It is a long time since October 29, 2002 when Barça played the fifth game of the group stages of the Champions League in Bruges. They had already qualified, and Louis Van Gaal decided to hand a chance to some of the youngsters, including one Andrés Iniesta. Five years later and Iniesta is a regular member of the first team and about to play his 200th official match.

In 7 competitions

These games were played in no fewer than 7 different competitions. Most of them have obviously been in the League, and the Mestalla game will be his 140th. He has also played 36 Champions League matches, 15 in the Copa del Rey, 3 in the UEFA Cup, 3 in the Spanish Super Cup, 2 in the World Clubs Cup and 1 in the Spanish Super Cup.

First to last goals

He has scored 17 goals, and his goalscoring record has been improving. His first official goal came in the 2003-04 Copa del Rey against Levante, where he scored the first goal in a 3-1 win.

Since then he has been scoring more and more, reaching a total of 9 last season: 6 in the league, 1 in the cup and 2 in Europe. He has already scored 3 this term, 2 in the league and one in the Champions League. The most recent of these was at Montjuïc in the 1-1 draw a fortnight ago.

Five titles

Andrés Iniesta has played a direct role in winning five major trophies. The first was the 2004-05 league, followed by the league, Champions League and Spanish Super Cup the season after, and also the Spanish Super Cup in 2006-07.

 
After being rested on Wednesday against Stuttgart, Messi has been named in the team to travel to Valencia. The Argentinian and the Italian Zambrotta are the main changes to a squad that does not include either Thuram or Marc Crosas.
Messi and Zambrotta come in for Thuram and Crosas with respect to the last FC Barcelona match, with the rest of the squad identical to Wednesday’s.

No Oleguer or Ezquerro

Oleguer and Ezquerro both missed training on Friday due to their recovery programmes. But Henry was present, although he worked out in isolation.

 
Frank Rijkaard does not feel that the next two games will decide the league but does think that a win against Valencia would be a huge boost for the team’s confidence ahead of the Madrid fixture.
The Champions League can be forgotten until February and Barça’s attention now returns to the league, with 8 days including two crunch games. The first offers a chance to finally overcome the team’s poor away form and raise confidence ahead of the classic encounter with Real Madrid. The side looked good at Montjuic, and now it is time to follow on from that with a good performance at Mestalla. “It is an important game”, says Frank Rijkaard, who considers the potential three points in Valencia of significant psychological value. “A good result will give us confidence ahead of the next match”. The need for concentration In the last two games, against Deportivo and Stuttgart, Barça have conceded goals in the first few minutes. They have managed to sort things out on both occasions and win the match, but they won’t have it so easy against Valencia So the boss is keen to “start the game well, strong. We have to have the right mentality. Valencia is a famous team and they will be highly motivated”. Up against Koeman The Mestalla match will reunite two familiar faces. Ronald Koeman is going through tough times, with Valencia only winning just one of their last six games, but Rijkaard is sure all will come well: “I have a good relationship with Ronald. We have played a lot of games together and that always generates something special and a lot of respect. He is a winning coach, as he was as a footballer. He always wants to win and he is a strong person”. Touré, one yellow from suspension Rijkaard has regained some of his troops, and has more options in the middle of the park to play with, and picking a first eleven is going to be tricky. But he will be concerned about Ivorian Touré Yayá, for whom one more yellow card would mean missing the Madrid match. “I will have to think carefully about it but these are details that need to be considered”, said the Barça manager. Ronaldinho’s leadership Ronnie is back in the first team and has refound his goalscoring touch. “He has improved but he still needs to focus on getting stronger. He has reacted well and he has always been an important member of the squad and will continue to be so” said Rijkaard.

 
Just hours after their Champions League win over Stuttgart, the senior squad players were back in training on Thursday morning with their sights set on the two vital league matches coming up before the Christmas break.
Boosted by a first place finish in Group E of the Champions League, the players must now focus on the two important league matches again Valencia, on Saturday, and against Real Madrid the weekend after. As usual after a match, today’s training session focussed on recovering the tired muscles of those who played last night while the rest of the squad worked out with greater intensity.

Oleguer and Ezquerro

The entire squad, minus Oleguer and Ezquerro, were present at the La Masía training grounds. Henry, who is still recovering from injury, trained separately from the group. Meanwhile, Puyol, Milito, Sylvinho, Gudjohnsen and Thuram, who all featured in last night’s starting line-up, skipped the standard ball control exercise and dedicated themselves to jogging.

Deco, who experienced some discomfort while warming up for last night’s match and consequently dropped out of the starting line-up, trained today without problems. Touré, who has recently recovered from sinusitis, also trained without difficulties despite missing out on the Stuttgart match as a precaution.

Lighter session

As usual, the players that took part in last night’s match returned to the dressing rooms early while the remainder of the squad continued working. The work focussed on positional play and shooting followed, finally, by a training match.

 
Barça is the most dangerous team in European club football. The statistics show that Barça has had more shots on goal during the group stage of the Champions League than any other team.
Barça have had 48 shots on goal in the six group stage matches. Only Lyon come close with 45, while teams of the quality of Valencia (20), Arsenal (32) and Sevilla (34) trail far behind.

Leaders in possession

Frank Rijkaard’s team also tops the ranking as far as possession of the ball is concerned, with a figure of 59%. The two other representative of the Spanish league in the last 16 follow closely behind: Real Madrid (58%) and Sevilla (55%).

Second in corners

Possession of the ball and shots on goal inevitably generate further opportunities to score, and the number of corners won by Barça is a reflection of this. Barça have won 43 corners, a figure only bettered by Manchester United (47). Indeed, Puyol’s opening goal away to Stuttgart came from a corner.

Only three goals conceded

However, Barça’s excellence in attack has been matched by their defensive performances. They have conceded three goals, a record that is only bettered by Chelsea with two.

All this adds up to solid group stage campaign that saw Barça guarantee top spot before last night’s match and maintain an unbeaten record along with Manchester United and Chelsea.

 
Thuram believes the team can break their poor away record in the league, where they have not won since the game against Levante. However, he insists that Saturday’s match against Valencia will be “a great match” and that “winning will be difficult".
Lilian Thuram played the full 90 minutes against Stuttgart (3-1) and on Thursday spoke to reporters to analyse the current state of the team. He is confidence Barça can get a good result against Valencia: “Recently, we’ve improved in our away games. It’ll be a great game that we can win”.

Recent comebacks

The comeback against Stuttgart was Barça’s second of the season, both of them in the Camp Nou. Thuram, who yesterday partnered Milito in the centre of defence, played down the importance of conceding the early goal and emphasised that the main thing was, “finally winning the match”.

As far as the Champions League is concerned, Thuram has no preferences as to the opponent in the last 16: “I’m not thinking of the opponent. The most important thing is our team”.

Focus on Saturday

Lilian Thuram doesn’t want to talk about the Real Madrid clash, which is coming up on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd December: “Right now we have to talk about Valencia. After that we’ll be able to talk about the match against Real Madrid”.

 
Barça could face any one of seven teams in the next round of the Champions League, including such powerful clubs as Arsenal, Liverpool and Roma.
The draw for the knockout stage of the Champions League will be held on Friday 21st December and will pair Barça with one of seven teams, all of which finished second in their groups. The second leg of the tie will be played at the Camp Nou thanks to Barça’s first-place finish in Group E.

Arsenal: Despite finishing second behind Sevilla, the side managed by Arsène Wenger is having a fantastic season in the Premier League, which they lead by a one-point margin over Manchester. The Arsenal squad is extremely young and features players such as Cesc, Van Persie and Adabayor, who have made Arsenal one of the sensations of European football.

Celtic: The Scottish side finished second in Group D behind AC Milan thanks to their 100% home record at Celtic Park. They also top the Scottish Premier League with a five-point lead over Rangers, who have two games in hand.

Fenerbahçe: Head coach Zico has taken the Turkish outfit to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history with a squad that relies heavily on a nucleus of Brazilian players including Roberto Carlos, Edu and Deivid. Fenerbahçe finished second in Group G behind Inter Milan and currently top the Turkish league by one point over Galatasaray.

Liverpool: The legendary English club, managed by Spanish coach Rafa Benítez, recovered from a disastrous start to the competition, in which they took just one point from three games, to win the last three matches and finish second in their group with 10 points. They are in fourth position in the Premier League, seven points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. Of the seven, they are, undoubtedly, the team everyone will want to avoid.

Olympiacos: The Greek club has had an exceptional group stage finishing second behind Real Madrid but with the same points tally. They have a strong squad including a number of faces familiar to fans of the Spanish league such as Galletti, Kovacevic and Raúl Bravo. They occupy second place in the Greek league three points behind AEK Athens.

Roma: The Italian side, coached by Luciano Spalletti, finished second behind a powerful Manchester United. They have an outstanding squad with players such as Totti, De Rossi and former Barça winger Giuly. They’re also having a good domestic season and are second in the table with 32 points, 5 adrift of Inter Milan.

Schalke 04: In a group where Chelsea and Valencia were clear favourites to take the top two positions, Schalke put together a magnificent run to reach the last 16, clinching qualification with a win over Rosenborg. However, they have not matched their CL success in the Bundesliga where they are seventh, nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

 
Giovani Dos Santos scored his first competitive senior goal on Wednesday evening. Despite this personal success, a delighted Giovani told reporters that the main thing was “the attitude shown by the team”.
Giovani Dos Santos made his goal scoring debut with the equaliser against Stuttgart in the 35th minute. The young forward was happy to get his first senior goal and even more so because it came in front of the home fans. However, speaking to reporters after the match he preferred to stress the team effort: “The team played very well and our attitude improved. This is very important ahead of the two matches against Valencia and Real Madrid.”

”The next objective is to get the three points next week in the Mestalla. This would be extra motivation ahead of the match against Real Madrid in the Camp Nou”. Finally, Giovani declined to choose a favoured opponent in the last 16 of the CL, telling reporters: “Whoever it is, it’ll be complicated”.

Here are some of the post match comments from the rest of the team:

Márquez

“Before the match we talked about making ourselves respected”.

“It’s important for Eto'o to ease himself back gradually”.

“I felt good, with a lot of confidence and tried to help the team”.

“The Valencia match is very important. We have everything at stake before “el clásico” against Real Madrid”.

Jorquera

“I felt good. Pretty comfortable”.

“The team had a good match. It was an attractive game”.

“I’m very happy to have made my debut in this year’s Champions League”.

Xavi

“I wasn’t able to warm up at all. I tried my best to adapt. Deco noticed some discomfort and it was my turn to go on”.

“The whole team started off cold but then improved and at times we played some good football”.

“We enjoyed ourselves playing football today”.

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