Five reserves in squad for Cup debut squad

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The Barca Atlètic youngsters Iván Benítez, Andreu Fontàs, Jonathan dos Santos, Jonathan Soriano and Gai Assulin have been called up to the squad to face Cultural Leonesa in Wednesday's Spanish Cup tie.

Barca Atlètic reinforcements
With Messi, Piqué, Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol and Ibrahimovic all being rested for the game,Guardiola has brought in five reserve team players for the cup game: Iván Benítez (shirt number 37), Andreu Fontàs (shirt number 32), Jonathan dos Santos (shirt number 28), Jonathan Soriano (shirt number 36) and Gai Assulin (shirt number 31), who joined up with the rest of the squad for training on Monday.

Only 16 for the game
The Spanish Cup only permits a 16-man squad, so Guardiola will have to leave one of the 17 man squad he's named to watch the game from the stands.

Travel plans

The 17 players will travel to Leon on matchday, flying out from the El Prat airport at 11-30 and arriving in Leon at 13.00. The game kicks off at 22-00 and the squad will stay over in leon, before returning on Thursday.

Messi: “the whole squad deserves this award”

Messi: “the whole squad deserves this award”

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Leo Messi, voted 2008-09 Player of the Year and Forward of the Year, thanked his team mates for their support, whilst President Joan Laporta expressed his pride at the awards given to the team at the LFP ceremony in Madrid on Monday.

With 8 awards, Barca were the big winners at the LFP gala and Leo Messi was undoubtedly the star of the show, picking up two awards as Best Player and Best Forward. The recognition certainly didn't go to Messi's head though and after the ceremony he declared: “I was lucky that things went well for us, both on an individual and on a collective level. I'm very happy with everything I've achieved so far, but all the squad deserves this trophy for the great season we put in last year and the titles we won”.

Laid back
The awards came at sweet moment for the players, following the 6-1 win over Zaragoza and Messi commented: “we were lucky enough to be able to play our own game, control it and score six goals. I always need good games to be at my best”, It's been Messi at his best that has caught the football world's attention and made him a firm favourite for this year's Footballer of the Year Award, but Messi is as laid back about that as he is about everything: “I'm relaxed, but obviously it'd be a very special to win both awards”.

Laporta grateful

FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta was also present at the ceremony and was clearly pleased with the evening's proceedings: “I'm very proud and grateful to the league for the recognition and also especially to our players and staff who've made us such an admired club”. Laporta also spoke of Samuel Eto'o: “I've only got words of thanks for everything he did as a Barca player during his five years at the club. I'll always love him, regardless of any questions that are still outstanding between us. I wish him lots of luck at Inter”.

On the right track

Laporta also commented on the great start the team have made to this season: “I think we are on the right track, continuing the good work we did last season with the same spirit of sacrifice and playing with the same intensity. We respect everybody's opinion, but we think that this team has a lot to give still and we believe that we have to continue in the same way we have so far, showing maximum intensity and commitment . We mustn't stop playing the Barca way that has brought ius so much success”.

Finally, Laporta didn't rule out any signings in the winter transfer market: “we want to continue with what we planned, but if the technical staff see the need for new signings, they have the final word”

All 18 available players named for Rubin Kazan

All 18 available players named for Rubin Kazan

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Josep Guardiola has picked the same players that travelled to Valencia, the 18 that are fit, for Tuesday’s game at the Camp Nou against Rubin Kazan.

New competition, same faces. Three days after the 0-0 draw at Mestalla, in their seventh league outing, FC Barcelona return to the Champions League to face their group rivals Rubin Kazan.

To do so, Pep is using the same set of players that faced Valencia. Milito, who came out for training and joined some of the activities, and also Henry and Chygrynskiy, who worked out in the gym and just came out with a fitness coach for a short while, are still recovering from injuries.

Last session

The squad appeared on the Camp Nou turf on schedule, at 18.00, for the second to last training session before they face Russian League champions Rubin Kazan. The players went through the usual warm up drills, and the atmosphere among the squad was as positive as ever.

Positional play and shots on goal

They then worked on positions, with two players taking pivotal roles in an exercise designed to fine-tune attacking plays. It was only at this point that Josep Guardiola arrived, for he had been busy attending to the media in the Camp Nou pressroom. The session ended with shooting practice.

Staying at Hotel La Florida

Like he did for the game with Dynamo, once training was done, Guardiola led his players off to Hotel La Florida, where they will stay the night together. On Tuesday morning, FC Barcelona will be back at the Camp Nou for a 12.00 session. Then they will return to the hotel until kick off time.

All 18 available players named for Rubin Kazan

All 18 available players named for Rubin Kazan

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Josep Guardiola has picked the same players that travelled to Valencia, the 18 that are fit, for Tuesday’s game at the Camp Nou against Rubin Kazan.

New competition, same faces. Three days after the 0-0 draw at Mestalla, in their seventh league outing, FC Barcelona return to the Champions League to face their group rivals Rubin Kazan.

To do so, Pep is using the same set of players that faced Valencia. Milito, who came out for training and joined some of the activities, and also Henry and Chygrynskiy, who worked out in the gym and just came out with a fitness coach for a short while, are still recovering from injuries.

Last session

The squad appeared on the Camp Nou turf on schedule, at 18.00, for the second to last training session before they face Russian League champions Rubin Kazan. The players went through the usual warm up drills, and the atmosphere among the squad was as positive as ever.

Positional play and shots on goal

They then worked on positions, with two players taking pivotal roles in an exercise designed to fine-tune attacking plays. It was only at this point that Josep Guardiola arrived, for he had been busy attending to the media in the Camp Nou pressroom. The session ended with shooting practice.

Staying at Hotel La Florida

Like he did for the game with Dynamo, once training was done, Guardiola led his players off to Hotel La Florida, where they will stay the night together. On Tuesday morning, FC Barcelona will be back at the Camp Nou for a 12.00 session. Then they will return to the hotel until kick off time.

Barça v Rubin Kazan: Did you know…

Barça and Rubin Kazan meet on Tuesday in a historic game for the Russian club, who have never played a Spanish team before. The following are some items of trivia associated to the game.

Barça have played Russian League teams four times at the Camp Nou, and have won three of them and lost one.

- The only defeat was in a game Barça manager Josep Guardiola will remember, because he played in it. That was in the 1992/93 season, when CSKA won 2-3 to end Barça’s dream of winning the Champions League for the second year in a row.
The last visit from a Russian team was in 2002/03, when Frank de Boer scored the winner (1-0). Puyol and Xavi played that day, October 23, 2002, while Valdés and Iniesta were on the bench.

- Both teams are currently top of their respective leagues, and both by just one point, although the situation is very different in Russia as they have already played 25 games.

- The Russian captain, Sergei Semak, has already experienced defeat to Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi. Spain beat Russia twice in the 2008 European Championships, both in the group stages and the semi finals.

Rubin Kazan have one player, César Navas, who knows all about Barça and La Liga. In March 2009, he went to the Russian club from Racing Santander. Curiously, one of his last games was a 2-1 defeat to Barça, the very game in which Messi scored the 5,000th goal in Barcelona history.

- South African Sibaya, of Rubin Kazan, can play on Tuesday, having served his three match suspension.

- Rubin Kazan won last week (2-1) for the first time in six games.

- Barça is one of only four teams in the current Champions League that have yet to concede a go

Barça stay top (0-0)

Barça stay top (0-0)

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FC Barcelona stayed on top of La Primera with their first draw of the season against a determined Valencia side in Mestalla on Saturday evening.

The visitors were hoping to make club history by securing their seventh straight league win at the start of the campaign, but had to settle for a share of the spoils in a tight encounter that saw both teams without their first choice strikers both not in the starting sides.

While David Villa was in stands for Valencia, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named on the bench after the knock that he received on international duty and did not make an appearance. For the visitors though Víctor Valdés was at his best, while Andrés Iniesta was asked to play in the front three in the absence of Thierry Henry along with Pedro and Lionel Messi.

Vital Valdés

The first notable chance that came in a game of few clear opportunities and it fell to the home side as Pablo Hernández tested Valdés. Valencia then implemented their well-prepared tactics that were clearly designed to nullify Barça where and when it was possible as they blocked up the midfield and kept seven or eight men back when the visitors ventured forward.

Iniesta close

In the opening half the home side looked confident as the majority of the game was played in the Barcelona as Xavi was unable to find space or time to help his side move clear. It was not until the 35th minute that the away team had their first good chance and it was Iniesta that tested César.

Change of dynamic

Within four minutes of the second half starting Messi had a chance but he was unable to connect properly with his volley and the ball went wide. The game began to open up and Pedro saw César deny him after he had been set up by Xavi just after the midfielder himself had seen a shot deflected behind the goal for a corner.

Few chances

Valencia were still looking like they could spring a surprise and Mathieu sent a rasping drive off target before Pablo looked to chip Valdés only for the Barça keeper to tip the ball over. Messi showed glimpses of skill, but in the last 20 minutes chances were at a premium and a goalless draw looked more and more likely. After winning their first six matches of the campaign and with 13 players having been away in the past two weeks on World Cup duty Pep Guardiola's side can be pleased with a performance against a difficult Valencia team that will no doubt be challenging for the top four again this term.

Valencia v Barça: evenly matched

Every Barça fans knows that the away trip to Valencia is always a tricky one. Historically, the game at Mestalla has been one of the toughest of the season.

FC Barcelona have played there 74 times, and the results have been very evenly matched. Barça have won 29 times, lost 29, and drawn 16 times. In these games Barça have scored 119 goals and conceded 124.

They have always been gruelling affairs, usually decided the by the narrowest of margins.

Big wins

VALxNCIA_6_BARxA_2_x61-62x.jpgBut there have also been a few thrashings. Valencia’s biggest win over Barça at Mestalla was in 1960/61. Then managed by Domènec Balmanya, they won 6-2. Barça were just recovering from the setback of defeat in the European Cup Final in Berne on May 31 and the announcement of the departure of some key players.

VALxNCIA_2_BARxA_5_x84-85x.jpgBarça had one huge 5-2 win under Terry Venables, and won 4-0 in the 1993/94 season. Both these emphatic victories counted towards league championship titles.

The famous 4-3

In recent years, the game most people will remember was the one in 1992/93, when Cruyff’s side beat Valencia, under Guus Hiddink, 4-3. Most observers believed that was Barcelona’s finest performance of the year.

VALxNCIA_3_BARxA_4_x20-3-1993x.JPGThe first half ended one each thanks to Nadal for Barça and Lubo Penev for the home side. The flood of goals came after the break, Fernando and Álvaro adding two more for Valencia, and Begiristain, Bakero and Laudrup notching up the Barça goals.

Guardiola: patience and then attack and then attack

Guardiola: patience and then attack and then attack

Squad back in training ahead of Saturday game

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Baraca's first team squad will be back in training this evening after a three day break. The squad will train four times this week ahead of the visit to Mestalla this weekend, when the team will be looking for their seventh league win on the run.

2009-10-06_ENTRENAMIENTO_FCB_015.JPGOnce again though, Guardiola will be faced with a reduced squad as just six of his players - Pinto, Valdés, Maxwell, Pedro, Jeffren and Bojan will be available and will possibly be supplemented with players from Barça Atlètic or the youth team.

First batch of internationals back on Wednesday

The internationals who have already returned to Barcelona - Alves, Márquez, Xavi, Puyol, Keita and Touré will be back at work on Wednesday morning for the training session which begins 11.00. Alves is waiting on Dunga's decision to release him or not after he picked up a yellow card that means he misses Brazil's game against Velanzuela.

Evening sessions on Thursday and Friday

2009-09-03_ENTRENO_12.jpgThursday sees another evening training session(18.00) at which Ibrahimovic, Abidal, Henry, Busquets, Piqué and Iniesta are scheduled to be present, though Leo Messi will not have arrived back in time to train. Friday's session is set for 18.00, which should give the Argentinian star time to get back from his country's all important game against Uruguay.

Return trip on Saturday

2009-09-26_VUAJE_WEB_69.JPGThe team will leave for Valencia on Saturday morning and return straight after the game, ready for Sunday lunchtime's training ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Rubin Kazan. On Monday the squad will train at the Nou Camp at 18.00.

Ibra talks to Revista Barca

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Barca's latest signing talks to the “Revista Barca” in their latest addition about his career so far and his first few months at the club.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke to the club's magazine before the game against Malaga and revealed much about his background, his motivation and his hopes and expectations for his time at Barca.

Winning mentality

2009-07-27_ENTREVISTA_BARxA_TV_IBRAHIMOVIC_03.jpgZlatan's father was Bosnian and his mother Croatian and he grew up in the a quiet Swedish town. He began playing football at Rosengard where he began to develop his strong personality: “you have to be strong in life and I didn't let anybody put me down. If you show me respect, I'll respect you. I like people to speak clearly and say things as the are. I don't want to be second, third or fourth . That's the same as being last. I want to be first – or nothing”,

Inter

2009-08-23_PARTIDO_04.jpgLa Liga is Ibrahimovic's fourth league after starting in Sweden, moving to Ajax and then Italy where he played two seasons at Juventus before switching to Inter for the next three years. Now he's at Barca and he's clear about the difference between this and his previous clubs: “At Inter there were not as many players who could turn a game. When one of them was off form, the game was tough, but here even if one of the bets players Is out, there is always somebody else who can make a difference ready to come in. That's want makes Barca such a great team”.


Eto'o

2009-07-27_PRESENTACION_ZLATAN_IBRAHIMOVIC_006.JPGThe Swedish striker's goals and assists so far this season have put a stop to any yearnings for Eto'o from the fans, but Ibrahimovic has plenty of respect for the African striker: “ he did a great job at Barca and I've got a lot of respect for what he did. He's one of the greats, but that pressure doesn't affect me, maybe the opposite in fact, it drives me on. However, I don't think you can compare us as we are so different”.

Guardiola

2009-08-03_GUARDIOLAx_IBRAHIMOVIC_04.jpgAfter working under bosses such as Koeman, Capello, Mancini or Mourinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic likes Guardiola's system: “he explains well what he wants and wants to know what you like most, what you want to do......There's always a very open dialogue. He's got a winning mentality like me, but he also wants to win with elegance and by playing attractive football”.

A place in history

2009-09-25_IBRAHIMOVIC_11.JPGWith five goals in his first five League appearances, Ibrahimovic has made his mark and entered into club history, a history he is very well aware of: “I remember the times of Romario, then Ronaldo, one of the bets ever players – the most complete footballer ever for me. Players like Stoichkov, Ronaldo, Romário, Eto'o... they've all done extraordinary things here and I'd love to be able to leave my mark too”.