Confirmed : Another Brazilian Player Heading To Barcelona

Barcelona are on the verge of completing the signing of Deportivo de la Coruna centre-back Sidnei, according to reports in Spanish media.

AS claims the Brazilian defender has already reached an agreement in principle to become the Catalans’ first signing of the summer, kicking off the long-predicted overhaul of Luis Enrique’s back-line.

The reigning La Liga and Copa del Rey champions currently have five established centre-backs on their books: Gerard Pique, the versatile Javier Mascherano, Jeremy Mathieu, Thomas Vermaelen and Marc Bartra.

However, Bartra is expected to leave the Nou Camp in the coming mercato having fallen out of favour with Luis Enrique, while the club have publicly admitted they are after a new player to partner Pique in the heart of defence as the other three players are already the wrong side of 30.

Barcelona have accordingly been linked with a number of world-class centre-backs in recent months, including Athetic Club’s Aymeric Laporte, Atletico Madrid’s Jose Maria Gimenez and Paris Saint-Germain star Marquinos.

But AS claims that the club have opted for a much more low-key option in Sidnei.

Confirmed : Another Brazilian Player Heading To Barcelona

Another Milestone By Suarez As Barcelona Clinch La Liga Title

Luis Suarez becomes the third player in history to score 40+ goals in one La Liga campaign Barcelona forward Luis Suarez‘s hat-trick against Granada not only secured the title for the back-to-back champions, it also ensured a bit of history for the Uruguayan.

The three goals he scored means he has now scored 40 goals in the league and he becomes the first player in Spain to do this apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

Over the past few years Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the scoring charts in La Liga, with each of them managing to get to 40 league goals on three separate occasions.

Suarez becomes the first player aside from the two to reach the landmark and it caps an incredible season for the Uruguayan.

 

Not only has he earned this record he has also won the Pichichi award for the top scorer in the season, beating off competition from Ronaldo.

Barcelona went into the game against Granada knowing that all they had to do was match Real Madrid’s result and they would secure the title for the second season in a row.

Another Milestone By Suarez As Barcelona Clinch La Liga Title

Barcelona"s Bravo Season Ends After Calf Injury

Barcelona have confirmed that goalkeeper Claudio Bravo suffered a calf injury in the 2-0 victory over Real Betis yesterday, but didn’t provide a timeframe as to how long the 33-year-old will be out for.

Bravo was replaced by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen late on against Betis as Barcelona took a step closer to winning La Liga title.

Given that they are out of the Champions League, Barcelona have a whole week to prepare for their next fixture, which sees them take on Espanyol.

Manager Luis Enrique will hope that Bravo, who has kept 16 clean sheets in La Liga this season, will be available for that game, but he will also be fully aware that he has another impressive goalkeeper at his disposal in Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

As reported by goal, a Barcelona statement read: “Claudio Bravo had some muscle soreness in his right leg during the course of the match at Betis. The Chilean goalkeeper was replaced by Ter Stegen in the final minutes of the match.

“Claudio Bravo had some muscle soreness in his right leg during the course of the match at Betis. The Chilean goalkeeper was replaced by Ter Stegen in the final minutes of the match.”

Source : Sqwaka

Barcelona"s Bravo Season Ends After Calf Injury

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez Makes La Liga History

Luis Suarez became the first La Liga player to score four goals for the second successive match, keeping Barca top of the table on goal difference ahead of Atletico Madrid, with Real Madrid one point adrift in third position.

 

The Uruguay hitman paid tribute to teammates Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta after the pair helped him score four goals for the second La Liga game in a row as Barcelona thumped Sporting Gijon 6-0 on Saturday.

Despite the elimination from this year UEFA champions,the team are still favorites to lift the trophy with only three matches to end the season

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez Makes La Liga History

Neymar Makes Crucial Decision Ahead Of Copa America

Brazil captain Neymar  da Silva will play at the upcoming Olympic Games and not the Copa America, Barcelona have confirmed.

Neymar had said he wanted to be one of Brazil’s three permitted over-age players at the Rio Games in his home country in August, while coach Dunga had also hoped to have the 24-year-old available for June’s Copa America Centenario.

However, the 70-cap international who was in the Brazil team that lost in the final of the 2012 London Games against Mexico has been freed from taking part in the centenary tournament in the United States.

Brazil and Neymar have been drawn alongside South Africa, Denmark and Iraq in Group A of the men’s football tournament.

The host nation kick-off their campaign against South Africa at Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia on August 4.

Neymar Makes Crucial Decision Ahead Of Copa America

UEFA Champions League Preview : Atletico Madrid Vs. Barcelona

Atletico Madrid will look to capitalize on Barcelona poor run of form when the Spanish rivals meet for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Vicente Calderon on Tonight.

Barcelona have lost their last two in La Liga to blow the title race wide open, but they will enter this week’s match with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg last week and having won their last seven against Atletico in all competitions.

ATLETICO MADRID

Atletico Madrid have failed to beat Barcelona since April 2014, That victory, however, came in the quarter-finals of the 2013-14 Champions League, when a strike from Koke saw Diego Simeone’s side overcome Barcelona to make the semi-finals.

Atletico also boast an excellent home record in Europe, having lost just two of their last 28 at the Vicente Calderon recording 23 victories in the process. Should they reach the semi-finals this season, it would be the fifth time that they have progressed to the final four and they have still managed to advance in 11 of the 20 UEFA competition ties where they lost the first leg away from home.

Recent form (all competitions): WWLWLW

BARCELONA

The Spanish giants are still the favorites to claim La Liga and the Copa del Rey this season, but they have work to do in the Champions League as they prepare to tackle an Atletico team that can sense blood.

Barcelona have won this competition on four occasions in the last 10 seasons, however, and are attempting to become the first team since the great AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 to win back-to-back European Cups.

The wonderful trio Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar will enter the match with 109 club goals between them for the season, but Messi is currently on his worst Barcelona scoring run for five years, having gone 362 minutes without netting in any competition.

Recent form (all competitions): WWDLWL

TEAM NEWS

Centre-backs Jose Gimenez and Stefan Savic, leaving young Frenchman Lucas Hernandez to partner Diego Godin at the heart of the defence.

Fernando Torres, meanwhile, is suspended following his red card in the first leg. Luciano Vietto could come in at centre-forward,leading scorer might be task to handle the midfield Antoine Griezmann through the middle, with support from Saul Niguez and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco in the wide positions.

Jeremy Mathieu and Rafinha, however, will miss out with knee and hamstring injuries respectively

 

HEAD TO HEAD

As mentioned, these two domestic rivals also met at the quarter-final stage of the 2013-14 Champions League and it was Atletico that advanced courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate win. That year, the first leg also took place at Camp Nou, where it finished 1-1, before Atletico recorded a 1-0 win in the return.

Atletico are actually the only team to prevent Barcelona from reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in the last eight seasons and are one of just three clubs to have eliminated the Catalan outfit in the quarter-finals of this competition. Barcelona have won their last seven games against Atletico in all competitions including both La Liga fixtures this season.

 

UEFA Champions League Preview : Atletico Madrid Vs. Barcelona

La Liga Title Race Wide Open After Barcelona Defeat (Highlights)

Barcelona’s poor La Liga form continued on Saturday night as they went down 1-0 at Real Sociedad.

https://youtu.be/Ab3Q-8aMet8

 

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique admitted his team’s sluggish start cost them dearly as their shock loss to Real Sociedad blew the La Liga title race wide open.

Barca’s nine-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid has been cut to three with six games remaining, while Real trail the Catalans by four points.

In a press briefing coach Luis Enrique said “We didn’t deserve to lose, but we are still the leaders”.

La Liga Title Race Wide Open After Barcelona Defeat (Highlights)

Barcelona To Wear A Special Jersey Tomorrow In Tribute of Cruyff (See Photo)

Barcelona on Saturday will pay tribute to Johan Cruyff during tomorrow’s El Clasico against Real Madrid by wearing ‘Gràcies, Johan’ on their jerseys.

View image on Twitter

 

VIEWING INFORMATION

Date: Saturday, April 2, 2016

Time: 6:30 p.m GMT

TV Channel: beIN Sports USA, Sky Sports 2

Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect, SlingTV, FuboTV

 

 

Barcelona To Wear A Special Jersey Tomorrow In Tribute of Cruyff (See Photo)

This El- Clasico Didn"t Come At The Right Time - Iniesta

Barcelona midfield supremo Andres Iniesta has described the upcoming El -Clasico which is slated for this Saturday as not ideal as some players are not yet back from the international break.

In a press conference after Wednesday training session the midfielder told reporters that “of course [playing El Clásico after the international break] it’s not the ideal situation, it’s not the best to not be able to have players back until Thursday or Friday, but it’s a normal situation when there are international breaks”.

The 31  year old also emphasized that many times the Clasico has coincided with internationals.

” it’s not the best scene, but those who’ve been with their national teams have been competing, while those that have stayed here have been recovering. It is what it is, there’s nothing more to it,” – he added.

Barcelona are nine points clear off their rivals and a win on Saturday will cement their grasp on the La Liga tittle.

This El- Clasico Didn"t Come At The Right Time - Iniesta

This El - Clasico Is Our "First Final" - Iniesta

Captain of Barcelona FC Andres Iniesta has classified their upcoming El – Clasico game with rival Real Madrid like a final, the first of many decisive matches on the road to another title winning season.

In a press conference after Wednesday training the 32 year old said, “I would say, especially this time, that we don’t take the game on in a different way. These games are different. It doesn’t matter how the sides go into them, whether in better or worse shape”.

The skipper also emphasized how difficult the game will be, but they are focused on doing things well as this match-up is essential for them getting closer to our objective, but they have respect for their rivals.

“There’s not long to go in the league and we can take another step forward, but we will not take on the game looking at the points difference. We will just be thinking about another game,” he added.

 

 

 

This El - Clasico Is Our "First Final" - Iniesta

Egyptian Parliamentarian Furious With Messi Over Boots Saga

Lionel Messi made what he thought was a kind gesture in donating a pair of his boots to a charity but some prominent figures in Egyptian politics have considered the gift as very insulting.

In Egypt and other Arab countries shoes are sometimes used as a symbol of disrespect, hence the uproar.

“We [Egyptians] have never been humiliated during our 700 of civilization; I will hit you with the shoes, Messi,” Egyptian Parliament member Said Hasasin said as he took off his shoe and held it up live on air during his TV show.

The other Egyptian Football Association official Azmy Megahed added to it by making his feelings clear on the same show, named ‘Infirad’, on Al-Asimah TV.

“Our poor don’t need him. Work shoes for him,” Megahed said, according to the report.

“I am confused, if he intends to humiliate us, then I say he better put these shoes on his head and on the heads of the people supporting him.

 

 

Egyptian Parliamentarian Furious With Messi Over Boots Saga