FC BARCELONA

FC Barcelona had to ask a bus to move to the airport given Seville.

He had finished the game. The Barça players quickly showered and met the media also quickly. The aim was to leave quickly to Seville Airport, where charter flights are expected to transfer to Barcelona.

But, lo and behold, they could not board the brand new bus of FC Barcelona. The reason was as simple as difficult to explain. Salvador, the bus driver did not have the keys. I did not know if they are stolen or if he had lost. The only certainty is that it did not.

Overall, the Barcelona, ​​with the help of Seville, had to order a replacement bus to transport the expedition to the airport. There were no further complications and the team could move and take the plane, while Salvador was the bus at the doors of Sánchez Pizjuán waiting for the keys to appear or become a new ... (via SPORT)

The Barça squad dedicates the victory against Sevilla to Abidal. The players highlighted the difficulty of the match in the difficult Sánchez Pizjuán stadium, they’re confident that they will cut into Real Madrid’s lead.



The Barça players were pleased with tonight’s victory at the Sánchez Pizjuán. The team continues to fight for the Liga and they aren’t giving up. “It was a very difficult match, like it always is against Sevilla. We have to keep on doing out part, we have to win all of our matches and hope that the distance is reduced,” said Víctor Valdés.

“Being realistic, it’s very complicated [to win La Liga]. They have a big advantage, our obligation is to go out and try to win all of our matches and wait for Real Madrid to falter. We’re professionals.”

Abi, this victory is yours

Valdés, along with the rest of his teammates, wanted to encourage Éric Abidal. “This victory is for Abidal. These are difficult times that we must overcome. However, with the strength and confidence that Abidal has, I’m sure that he’ll come out of this one,” said the keeper. Valdés also talked about Messi’s spectacular goal. “Another one for Messi. It was an amazing goal,” said Valdés.

He went on to say that he was impressed the by the initiative that the young keepers at La Masia are showing. Valdés helped in a training session that involved all the keepers from the youth system, an experience that he didn’t hesitate to talk about: “I know what it means to play in the Barça youth system, for a first-team player to come down and to talk to you about the game is great. We need to do it more often,” he said.

Praise for Sevilla

Finally, the Barça keeper analysed Barça’s rival: “Míchel always wants to play the ball and it wasn’t an easy victory. We played a very good game against a team that has very fast wingers. I also want to highlight Palop’s performance, he made a lot of great saves.”

Here are the statements made by the Barça players after the match:

Gerard Piqué:

“We played a good game. The Sánchez Pizjuán is always a difficult place to play, we dominated the first half. In the second we controlled the match.

“We have to be by Abidal’s side and give him our love and esteem.

“We have to forget about what happens outside the pitch and start the game off concentrated. The fact that we don’t have Abidal is harsh. We’ll try to be with him but on the pitch we have to do our jobs well.

“We keep on winning three points each week, it’s time to see what happens [with Real Madrid]. We have to keep on fighting.”

Sergio Busquets:

“It’s a very important victory, we have to try and cut into their lead.

“We played a very good first half, we could have gone to the dressing room at half time with a bigger advantage. In the second half we had our chances, the result is fair.

“Sevilla played a good game, they have a great team and great players. We needed to control the match in the second half. In the end, we suffered a bit.”

On a possible Real Madrid defeat: “we always hope, but it’s not in our hands. Hopefully they’ll drop points.”

Cesc Fàbregas:

“We dominated the game in the first half. We could have clinched the game with a 0-4 [in the first half], but playing in Seville always means that you’re going to have a difficult match. They have very fast players.

“We’ll see if we get a chance to get back on track in La Liga. We want to win all of our matches.”

On Abidal: “as a player and a person he’s very committed, sincere and honest. It’s a shame, but we’re with him 100%”

Pedro Rodríguez:

“We have to take it a game at a time without losing points. Anything can happen.

“I’m finding it difficult to score, but I’ll keep on trying. We didn’t take advantage of all the chances we had in the game.” (via FCBarcelona.com)

The Argentine has scored 13 goals for Barça in the last 27 days, so far he’s scored 51 goals this season.

The Argentinian is on the verge of closing out the month with another record. Between February 19th and March 13th, he’s scored 13 goals in 6 six matches. The streak started with four goals against Valencia (5-1), he opened the scoring against Atlético Madrid (1-2), he missed the match against Sporting because he was suspended, he returned to score five against Leverkusen (7-1) and then two more against Racing Santander (0-2). He kept his run alive with an amazing goal at the Sánchez Pizjuán tonight.

Beyond the goals he’s scored for Barça, he also netted a hat-trick for Argentina. In the month of March, he’s scored eight goals, his best run so far this season. He also scored eight in September.

Messi has scored 51 goals this season. His second best run since he started playing for FC Barcelona’s first team. His goal scoring numbers have improved over the years: 16 in 2007/08, 38 in 2008/09, 47 in 2009/10, and 53 in 2010/11.

Leo Messi is also on the verge of surpassing César Rodríguez’ record as the all-time top goal scorer for FC Barcelona in official matches. Messi’s 150th goal, scored tonight in Seville, leaves the Argentine only four goals adrift of the Barça legend. (via FCBarcleona.com)

At the Sánchez Pizjuán, Barça paid tribute to Basora and showed their support for Abidal.

Éric Abidal, who will undergo liver transplant surgery, and Estanislao Basora, who passed away this Friday, were remembered by FC Barcelona’s first team before kickoff in Seville.

Before the match, the Barça players came out onto the pitch with a shirt that read ‘Abi! You’ll win once again!’ as a show of support to their teammate. Sevilla also sent a message of encouragement to the Frenchman with a shirt of their own that read ‘Courage, Abidal!’

Barça also donned black armbands in memory of the winger that played for the legendary Five Cup Barça team. There was also a minute of silence for Basora before kickoff.

It’s also worth mentioning that the other FC Barcelona professional teams, wearing similar shirts to those worn by the first team, also stand with Abidal. (via FCBarcelona.com)

The curious benches that excelled in the Sánchez-Pizjuán were some of the anecdotes that marked the visit of Barça to Sevilla Coliseum.

Cuenca, the discarded

The young end of Reus was dismissed by the coaching staff for the match at the Sánchez Pizjuan. Guardiola opted for other alternatives on the bench as Alexis or Tello.

Basra black bracelet

The Barça players wore black armbands in mourning for the death of Estanislau Basora, myth as a member of FC Barcelona's famous remembered 'Barça of them Cinc Copes'.

Problems with the minute of silence

The Barça players complained when there was an uncomfortable confusion shortly before kick when the referee José Luis González González seemed not to grant permission to carry out the minute of silence in memory of Basora. Finally, it was carried out with total commitment of both clubs and the stands.

Bench-sausage

The Sánchez Pizjuán against Barça offered a curious picture in one of the least exploited infrastructure of stadiums: the bench. From the second tier of the arena Sevilla could witness that the benches were shaped sausage, responding to a known trademark.

Santi Salvat, in the stands

The ex candidate for the presidency of Barcelona in the summer of 2010, Santi Salvat, was present in the stands of Sánchez Pizjuán.

Spahic passes the test

Sevilla gave a statement in the previous meeting which indicated the starting lineup and he warned that Spahic would be tested to see if he had passed some discomfort. Finally, the center was a starter, but was substituted 66 minutes from Cala.

Messi, 150 league goals, surpassing Raúl

Leo Messi became the second top scorer in the history of Barça reach 150 goals. But a more significant fact is that Messi became the youngest NBA history to reach that figure, beating Raúl, who did 25 years and 247 days, for 24 years and 267 days of the crash of Barça; almost a year younger, according to data provided by @ 2010MisterChip.

Applause for Keita

The Sánchez Pizjuán was a nice gesture to Seydou Keita received with warm applause when the Malian replaced Cesc to twenty minutes to go, thus recalling his career with all Sevilla.

Keita and Cala, immediate impact

Keita's performance at his worst exafición could not start because azulgrana midfielder suffered a setback when his first action in his head collided with Cala, who had just replaced a couple of minutes early Spahic.

Three exsevillistas agreed on the lawn

The entry into the field of Keita allowed Alves, Adriano and Keita himself-all exsevillistas-overlap on the grass, until Puyol replaced Adriano five minutes from time. (via SPORT)

Pep Guardiola highlighted the importance of today’s victory over Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán. “I’m very pleased with the game we played,” said the Barça manager.

“We’re pleased that we won in such a difficult stadium. The only sour aspect of the match was that we didn’t convert on all the chances we created”.

“I would have liked to compete for the League title until the end but I don’t know if it will be possible”.

The FC Barcelona manager was pleased with his team for winning their third consecutive match away from the Camp Nou: “in general we played a good game, especially in the first half. We’re pleased that we won in such a difficult stadium.” Josep Guardiola recognised that the team had difficulties in the second half, which, he said, gives the 0-2 win more value: “Sevilla have a fantastic team. We won because we did things well. We give this victory a lot of value. The only sour aspect of the match was that we didn’t convert on all the chances we created. Palop had a fantastic game, he saved four one-on-ones.”

Despite the valuable victory against Sevilla, Guardiola reiterated the statement he made a couple of weeks ago. “I would have liked to compete for this league title until the end, but I don’t know if it will be possible. There's another team that’s managed to earn better results than we have,” he said. When pressed on the matter by journalists, he said “forget it, we won’t win this Liga.”

Guardiola, who lamented the fact that he wasn’t able to see a replay of Messi’s disallowed goal, doesn’t want to focus on the upcoming Champions League match against Milan yet: “first, we have to play against Granada and Mallorca, and we’ll go out to win those matches. Almost all the players play in this team. I suppose some players that didn’t play today will play this Tuesday. Between all of them, we’ll get to the end.”

After the match, Guardiola took the opportunity to talk about Estanislau Basora: “I want to offer my condolences to his family. I also want to congratulate the players, who wanted to have a minute of silence before the match. Everyone said that he was an extraordinary person. He was a pure winger that was part of one of the best teams in Barça’s history. I hope that we can pay our respects to him in the most deserving way on Tuesday.”

He also talked about Éric Abidal. “We think about Abidal every day. It’s been a couple of days that he hasn’t been able to be with us but we always remember him,” said Guardiola. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Pep Guardiola starred in a curious "incident" during the match against Sevilla. Luckily, everything was in a story.



It was 41 minutes of the second of the game playing Barça in Seville. The score from the first time it was 0-2 for Barça and everything was sentenced. Pep Guardiola, off the bench, drank from a bottle of water. He finished his drink and, without looking, tossed it with such bad luck that struck one of the people standing next to the Barcelona bench. (via SPORT)

Without being in the field, Eric Abidal also starred in the game they played Sevilla and Barça.

Although he could not stand by their peers, in the Sánchez Pizjuán everyone remembered Eric Abidal. It was the first game in which the French could not play after confirming he will incur a liver transplant, and how could it be otherwise, all showed him and showed their love.

Even before starting the game, he could see several banners in the stands where fans showed their support anonymous Barcelona player. "Fuerza Abi desde Castro del Rio," said one. "Animo 22Abi22" read another. Even earlier, when the team was on site, some fans were waiting for players with a banner reading "Abidal, ánimo desde Cádiz."

When both teams jumped onto the field, it was with T-shirts referring to French player. The Barça led a Catalan saying "Abi, shall return to guanyar" (Abi will return to winning). And Sevilla did a T-shirt that read "Animo Abidal."

The story was that when Keita was put to warm up and in the second half with the shirt with which his companions took the field, the fourth official it did change. (via SPORT)

Barça beat Sevilla in the Sánchez Pizjuán in a game as there was always positives and negatives.

BEST: The team responded to adversity. The Barça dressing room again rise above adversity. News of the return of Abidal and his upcoming transplant had made ​​it touched the Barça squad who knew, however, recover and face.

WORST: Barça failed to kill the game. Although Sevilla did not quite believe it the azulgranas again demonstrated that costs a lot close games. They lacked success in front of goal and could have come to suffer if the Andalusians had gotten brand new score. (via SPORT)

Two superb first half goals from Xavi and Messi gave Barça the win in Seville tonight, with an excellent performance – particularly in the first half-that’ll be a real morale boost for the team.

After an emotionally charged week, Barça gave themselves a great boost with an impressive win at the Sanchez Pijuan. In a memorable first half, the team were at their sizzling best with two magnificent goals from Xavi and Messi and whilst after the break they took their foot off the gas a little, they were never overly troubled by Seville's improved performance. The win, which leaves Barça seven points off the leader, was a fitting tribute to Abidal and the recently passed away Basora.

Barça showed who was boss right from the start with some sparkling attacking football against a Seville team who themselves clearly wanted to play an offensive game, but were soon pinned back in their own half. Barça dominated midfield, where Xavi and Cesc were in complete control – something that's always a good sign. It was Xavi who opened the scoring too, with a perfectly placed free kick which flew into Palop's top right hand corner and gave him no chance whatsoever.

Barça were creating plenty of chances and almost immediately after the Xavi goal, Iniesta saw a great chance go just wide, then, on 25 minutes Messi played a quick one-two with Iniesta on the edge of the box, nutmegged Spahic and brilliantly chipped the onrushing Palop for what is sure to be one of the goals of the season.

A misunderstanding between Piqué and Valdés nearly let in Del Moral and for a few moments Michel's team came close to shrugging off Barça's grip. The game opened up and both keepers were involved, with Palop saving after a great individual run from Pedro and again from Cesc, whilst Valdes stopped what would have been an own goal from Adriano under pressure from Kanoute before the break.

Seville lifted their game in the second half and soon produced two good crosses from the right and a penalty claim from Reyes and for the first quarter of an hour of the half, Barça were unable to impose their style on the game and even when they began to attack again, it was Del Moral who came closest to scoring on 65 minutes from a Navas cross.

Then it was Barça's turn to come close, when once again Messi and Iniesta combined brilliantly, only for the Barça number 8 to slip his shot just wide. Guardiola brought on Alexis and stiffened up the team with Keita and Puyol and the threat from Seville was under control again, as the clock ran down and Barça duly recorded their seventh straight win. (via FCBarcelona.com)


[Match Stats]
Sevilla FC Palop; Luna, Spahic (Cala, m.68), Escudé, Fernando Navarro; Jesús Navas, Medel, Rakitic (Trochowski, m.57) Manu del Moral; Reyes (Perotti, m.63) and Kanouté.

FC Barcelona: Valdés; Alves, Mascherano, Piqué, Adriano (Puyol, m.84); Xavi (Alexis, m.82), Busquets, Iniesta; Cesc Fábregas (Keita, m.69), Messi; and Pedro.

Goals: 0-1, M.18: Xavi. 0-2, M.25; Messi.

Referee: José Luis González González (Castellanoleonés Committee). Admonished the local Spahic (m.16), Escudé (m.49) and Medel (m.76) and visitors Piqué (M.31) and Adriano (m.80).

Subs: Match played at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán before some 45,000 spectators filled the stands practically. Previously observed a minute of silence for the FC Barcelona ex-footballer Estanislao Basora, who died recently. They also made the kick-off the former players of Sevilla FC Ramón Vázquez and Croatian Ivica Dragutinovic. Both teams took the field with some T-shirts in support of the French defender Eric Abidal of Barcelona, who must undergo a liver transplant.

Guardiola's team has come this afternoon to the Andalusian capital. The sky obscured by the fog has welcomed the azulgranas.

Guardiola has traveled with 19 players, with Alexis and Thiago as new once recovered from his injuries.

FC Barcelona and Sevilla is to play tonight at the Sánchez Pizjuán the match of the 28 th day of the season (20 hours). The Catalans, who were greeted by about 300 fans at the airport, have landed in the Andalusian capital before 12 noon. The expedition found a city of the sky obscured by fog.

Guardiola's team has come at 10 am in Barcelona with news in the squad of Alexis Sánchez and Thiago Alcántara, who were discharged from hospital on Friday. The call also Marc Muniesa and Cristian Tello, Barca B players.

The vice president has led institutional Carles Vilarrubí representation azulgrana in Seville. Managers have also been Antoni Freixa, Pilar Ramon and Josep Guinovart Vidal-Abarca, and the director of the Sports Area Football, Andoni Zubizarreta, and Amador Bernabéu, representative of the relations of FC Barcelona with UEFA.

20.00, GOLT, Canal+Liga and R@dio Barça: Barça travel to Seville in the hope of getting three points that they’ll be able to dedicate to Abidal and also keep up the pressure on the league leaders.

This evening, Barça face the always tricky challenge of playing away to Sevilla. There is no denying the importance of the game in terms of the team's league challenge, but little did that seem to matter on Thursday when it was revealed that Éric Abidal is going to need a liver transplant. Exactly a year after the Frenchman's illness was made public, the Barça squad has received another dreadful shock. But just like twelve months ago, everybody knows that their team mate is going to be able to get through this.

The players are obviously keen to be able to dedicate a win to Abi, which will also serve to put pressure on Real Madrid, who are currently ten points clear at the top of the table. And it will also be a moment for not just Barcelona but the whole football world to honour the loss of the legendary Estanislau Basora, who departed this world on Friday at the age of 85.

But it was not all despair at Barça this week. There was brighter news when it was revealed that both Alexis Sánchez and Thiago Alcántara have been declared fully fit and have been included in the 19-man squad. They are joined by Tello and Muniesa from the reserves. Missing, in addition to Abidal, are Villa, Afellay and Fontàs.

Sevilla, have a different manager now to the one who led them to the Camp Nou earlier this season, and became the only league side to get a point there this term. Marcelino has gone, and Míchel has arrived. The Andalusians had looked to be improving under their new boss, but the last two games have seen the gap between them and Europe widen to five points. They need to make amends for those setbacks, but will be seeking to do so without the services of the suspended Koke and Fazio. There are also serious doubts regarding the fitness of Navas, Negredo and Spahic, but all three have nevertheless been included in the squad. (via FCBarcelona.com)

With almost 17,000 votes in record time Internet users Mundo Deportivo have set the starting field Barça virtual Sevilla for the party for Week 28 of La Liga.

An eleven with warranties, with full guarantees and has been used in more than one occasion by Mr. Blaugrana, in a lineup in which we find up to eight first team players trained in the ranks of club.

When making the choice, our netizens have made ​​analyzes as: "You have to go with everything, we had a week off and midweek home game against Granada, in theory, to rotate. Another thing we should be doing , started with Puyol on the left side. Eleven: Valdes Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Cesc and Tello. we can not risk even with Alexis, and Peter is not ahead of Tello "or" You have to go everywhere with Valdés, Alves, Adriano, Mascherano, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Fàbregas and Alexis. Piqué played with over-reliance, so make fatal mistakes, if you play simple as we did before the sinking that both want. "

Some also speak of "party trick. Sevilla is no small feat and is in need of points or suffer. Out to play a Champions League final, this and all our remaining games. Is what it is if you win the league. the worst rival Barça is Barca. Wanting is power and Barça can. "

With these comments and after accounting for vostos, virtual eleven would consist of eight homegrown players, sienso Messi (1396), Alves (1391), Valdés (1388), Iniesta (1379) and Xavi (1358) the five players who have more votes obtained at time of writing. (via MD)

Thus, eleven of our Internet users to the shock in the Pizjuán, the form:

Goalkeer: Valdés
Defense: Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Puyol
Midfielders: Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Fàbregas
Forwards: Alexis, Messi

The forward recovered from his injury, return to the list and will face the Arenys the tension leaving his last game.

Barça-Sevilla in the first round was one of the most tense games he has played the Blaugrana this season. Table hispalense resisted the push barcelonista, Javi Varas stopped a penalty Messi and Cesc was attacked by Kanoute shortly before the release in a move that brought a lot of tail. This afternoon, both teams meet again and match the two players on the field, but in a tone very different from how we ended the match at Camp Nou.

Cesc was accused of racist insults dedicated Kanoute through the speaker of social networks. The issue is clouded to the point where the players took personal responsibility for resolving the misunderstanding.

The midfielder had rebuked the mall after he touched the ball to Messi just before the release of penalty. Kanoute reacted in the face knocking Fàbregas and was sent off. The version that Cesc had devoted racist insults at Sevilla was denied by both. The Blaugrana did not hesitate to reach out to Africa in a phone call reprimanded for having bad manners of behavior, while Kanoute apologized for reacting with aggression. Anyway, Cesc was very clear that in no case had been disrespectful to his opponent by beliefs.

The Arenys won the admiration of the Arab people throughout the controversy over the words of praise he had for his people, remembering that your partner is Lebanese, and that his head the idea would never disrespect.

Cesc, apperceived sanction

Cesc Fàbregas is just a yellow card to reach the five and having to meet a match suspension. The midfielder should be very careful in the match tonight and that a new card would prevent him from playing Tuesday in the next game of the season in a match that will measure intersemanal Barça Granada with at the Camp Nou. (via SPORT)

The Barcelona forward has experienced all sorts of feelings against Sevilla. He has scored ten goals but has also suffered two rebuke.

Barça will try to overcome one of the hardest journeys that detract remainder of the season being played again the trick of Leo Messi. Sevilla is a touchstone to which the Argentine used to perform at high level, but luck will accompany stopped two quotes that left a wound: the tie copera lost the Cup in 2010 and the party of the League first round of this season at the Camp Nou where Javi Varas he stopped a penalty in injury time.

This time, Messi will get rid of the doorman who soured the night in the Barcelona stadium since Michel decided to bench his arrival at Sevilla relieve Varas and return to the starting Andrés Palop. The Valencian is another goal of full guarantees, although it has been more often the poison of Argentina. Leo's streak against the Andalusians is really good overall. In the eleven clash in la Liga, Argentina has managed ten goals. The most important of them at the Sánchez Pizjuán was in the 2009-10 season when he scored one of the three goals that allowed Barca to face the last game of the season against Valladolid depending on himself to reach the championship in the heartbeat with the Real Madrid Manuel Pellegrini.

Messi is a sweet moment and showed that Santander has also tuned to zero in the away games in the league. His' double in Cantabrian land allowed to add three new points and prevent the Real Madrid put more land in between the fight for the title.

Furthermore, these two goals, added to the historic five scored against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, approached the front to the legendary mark of Caesar. The 235 Leon begin to be shot Rosario, who accumulated 230 points, and the fixtures aims to make history with the Blaugrana shirt.

Messi accumulates at this point in season 50 goals, 30 of them in the league championship. Your first goal is to help the team achieve victory without losing sight that is open struggle for the top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese has 32 ​​goals and Sunday will face Malaga in the duel that measured at Real Madrid and Malaga at the Santiago Bernabéu. It will be another day in which the two best players in the world will continue to measure their strength. The Luso has a slight advantage, but Leo has picked up momentum in the crucial moment of the season that Barça will fight to finish curdling the other end of the season remembered for many years.

Shirts jump to support Abidal

The Barça players jump on the field today with T-shirts to support Eric Abidal, who must undergo a liver transplant. They did in the league match against Getafe last season when the French disease was detected again today and show the love they feel towards the French. The gesture of the first team will be repeated in the other professional sections. The hockey team was the first to support Abidal before the match played yesterday at the Palau Viareggio correspondientre against the fifth round of the European League. Wore the motto "Courage Abi". Alusport Barça football pitch, meanwhile, played this morning (13.00 h.) In front of the Pozo Murcia in Week 22 of the National League and basketball Regal Barca will face Blusens Monbus this afternoon (20.00 h.) in Palau. The last team to enter the lists will be the club handball Intersport, which plays tomorrow at Montpellier in the Champions League. (via SPORT)

Barça’s opponents on Saturday are Sevilla, who are one of Spain’s oldest clubs. After great success in recent years, this season has proved to be complicated and the team are struggling to get into the European places.

HISTORY

Founded in 1905, Sevilla won their only league title in 1945 and also ended as runners up four times in the 40s and 50s, but in many ways their golden age came in the first decade of this century, when they won two Spanish Cups, two UEFA Cups and a Spanish and European Super Cup. In the midst of that success though, the Club were stunned by the death of their defender Antonio Puerta during the first match of the 2007-8 season. Three days later they lost to Milan in the European Super Cup final and in October, coach Juande Ramos left to join Spurs. They reached the Champions League in 2009, despite losing Alves and Keita and the following year they were back in the trophies, taking the Spanish Cup by beating Atlético Madrid 2-0 in the final at the Camp Nou. After losing the Spanish Super Cup to Barça, the 2010-11 season was disappointing, with the team failing to get through the Champions League qualifying stages and finishing fifth in the league, four points behind Villarreal.

Sevilla are currently down in 11th place, on 33 points, five adrift of the European places. Despite being the only team to take a point from the Camp Nou this year, so far they have won just twice on the road and only Villarreal have scored less than their eight goals away from home, whilst at the Sánchez Pijuán, their six wins and three draws have just about kept their heads above water. Their poor form brought about the sacking of Marcelino in early February and although they initially recorded good wins against Osasuna and Valencia, as well as a draw against Atlático Madrid, last week’s 1-0 defeat to Sporting was a real setback.

Michel joined Sevilla in February after a successful period at Getafe, who he took to their best ever league finish in 2010 with an attacking attractive style of play, but it is as a Real Madrid and Spanish player that he is most well known, having won five league titles in the 80s and 90s, as well as 66 international caps.

Three of Barça’s current squad, Dani Alves, Seydou Keita and Adriano, were signed from Sevilla. Alves joined Sevilla in 2002 and played for six seasons before coming to Barça for 35.5 million Euros in 2008. Seydou Keita played with Alves in the 2007-08 season, before he became the first signing of the Guardiola era. Adriano took the same route after playing for Sevilla from 2004 to 2010, before joining Barça at the start of last season. Barcelona born Fernando Navarro was seen as a natural replacement for Sergi at the start of the 2002-03 season, but a bad injury, sustained ironically against Sevilla, cut his progress and he moved to Mallorca in
2005, before in the summer of 2008 he signed for Sevilla, where he has established himself as a regular.

Sevilla’s leading scorer Alvaro Negredo is a bustling handful for any defence and “The Shark of Vallecas” is a proven goalscorer – bagging 27 last season. Negredo was signed from Real Madrid in 2009 after he’d rejoined the club from a successful two year spell at Almeria and became Sevilla’s most expensive ever signing. (via FCBarcelona.com)

The Barça manager reckons the real tests are only about to begin, in all of the Champions League, Liga and Copa del Rey. From now on, he warns, “there is no turning the page after any setbacks.”

He also feels that it will be of benefit to everybody that the return leg of the Champions League quarter final against AC Milan will be at the Camp Nou.

Guardiola described Abidal as an “irreplaceable and unrepeatable” player and says that right now nothing is more important than “finding a solution to the illness he’s suffering so that he can carry on with his life”.



The draw has been made for the quarter finals of the Champions League, the Copa del Rey final is not far off, and there are fewer weekends than ever left in the domestic championship. For FC Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, "this is the moment of truth ... From now on there is no turning the page after any setbacks." The team has to be on even better form than ever "and we have to demonstrate that again tomorrow" he said, in direct reference to Saturday's visit to the Sánchez Pizjuán.

He was speaking shortly after learning who their next European opponents will be. "We've got Milan, one of the greatest teams in European history, and who have some fantastic players. It will be a very difficult tie, but really nice at the same time. Every time we have been champions, we have beaten them. We're the champions of Europe, and to be champions again, we've got to beat the best."

Call for support

Guardiola, who previously made it clear that he'd rather not play a team they have already faced this season, is calling on the Camp Nou's support. "We need everyone's help, especially for the return leg. They'll be terribly tough matches, because Milan is a strong team in every sense. People need to charge their batteries for the quarters, because we really need them to come and support us."

The manager commented that everyone at FC Barcelona is obviously concerned about Abidal, who the club announced on Thursday is going to require a liver transplant. "We knew there was a chance that it might repeat. He knows he has us, and everybody else, because he is much-loved person. What really matters right now is to find a solution to this illness so he can continue with his life. That's life, and he has to fight against this. Now he's ill, and he has to be cured."

Guardiola went on to say that "he has behaved impeccably. He has taught us so many things, but I imagine it's not easy for him on the inside. If he's loved so much it's because he has won that love. The Camp Nou's ovation in the semi finals of the Champions League was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. He's a very good person, and very much loved by the squad. If people love him so much it's because he has earned it, and I'm sure that that will give him a lot of strength to get through this." Guardiola also said that he has always left it up to the player to decide whether he was up to playing or not. "I am still surprised how he was able to show such willingness, so much respect for the club and his colleagues" he commented. "If it was up to him, he'd play tomorrow."

He added that the decision to renew Abidal's contract a few weeks ago "shows why this club is so different and so great. The board should be congratulated for such a gesture, for showing how well we can do things here."

“Piqué will go when he wants”

Josep Guardiola feels that at Barça there are certain players "that will leave when they want", which is the case in particular with Gerard Piqué. "There is no manager than can decide for him in that sense. He is one of those players that loves this club too much, and these players are too special. Nobody can decide for them." (via FCBarcelona.com)

Josep Guardiola calls 19 players for the league match this Saturday at the Sánchez Pizjúan. The coach returns to Alexis and Thiago, who received a medical discharge, and has Barça B players Muniesa and Tello.

The first team football Barca have made ​​this Friday, in field number 1 of the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper, the final preparatory session before starting this Saturday, the move to Sevilla, where after 20 h held at the Sanchez Pizjuan the 28th round of la Liga.

Have been exercised on the lawn of the Ciudad Deportiva a total of 19 players. The fifteen available first team and Thiago and Alexis, who in recent days are being trained normally with the rest of their companions, and Friday have been discharged. Also traveling to Seville Barça B players Marc Muniesa and Cristian Tello.

For tomorrow Saturday, the staff will undertake the trip to Seville at 9.15 pm, when will the Camp Nou for the airport of El Prat, where at 10 h the plane take off the move to its destination. It is expected that the plane lands in Andalusia at 11.40 h. Once in Seville, the team will go directly to the team hotel, where it will be up when moving to the Sánchez Pizjuán. Recall that the match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla will begin at 20 h.

The List:
Valdés, Pinto, Dani Alves, Piqué, Fábregas, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Keita, Sergio Busquets, Pedro, Adriano, I. Cuenca, Tello y Muniesa. (via FCBarcelona.cat)

In the dressing room are already preparing the way to show your family Abidal already unconditional support. The first time will be this Saturday, during the early stages of the league match against Sevilla to be held at the Sánchez Pizjuán.

Players jump into the field with a shirt and a slogan inscribed dedicated to the French full-back. It has not transcended, by the time the message content. (via MD)

Pep Guardiola was asked to communicate the news to his staff.

Pep Guardiola was asked to communicate the news about the health of their players Abidal. With French to him and before training began, the coach, firm in good times and bad times, called for all members of the locker room and explained that his partner will go through a delicate trance, as is undergoing the liver transplantation derived from tumor that was removed in the same body a little less than a year.

Although a part of the workforce, especially among the older, already knew the news, the general reaction of the booth can be summarized in three words: hugs, respect and silence. Abidal is true that, as happened the first time, tried to encourage the group after the announcement, but this time of relapse has left a more pronounced feeling of sadness, especially as it was felt that Abidal had left behind this hard episode in his life.

Guardiola's speech concluded and the most emotional moments for Abidal and his companions, the team came to train with French peloteando short dress outside.

The Rondos, usually exercises good humor and goodwill, were almost silent. It was not easy to train. But as the minutes passed the players were singing. For Abidal, will win in Seville. (via MD)