The Barça midfielder reckons Athletic Bilbao will offer “a tough and physical match” “We have players that are very ready to cover for the missing defenders” he adds And in response to rumours in the media, he says “Guardiola and Vilanova have an excellent relationship”Exactly one week before the cup final, one of the FC Barcelona captains, Xavi Hernández, has warned how dangerous Athletic Bilbao can be. “They are a very demanding opponent, because they mark man to man. They are a physically strong side, they run for 90 minutes and create a lot of pressure up front. Llorente, for example, never stops running. Such intensity doesn’t leave us with much time to think.” He also commented today that “it’ll be a great match. I think it’ll be very tough and physical”. Guaranteed defenders Xavi Hernández also spoke about the depleted defensive resources at the club. “We are missing important players, like Puyol, Abidal and Alves, these are big losses, but Adriano is playing spectacula

The Copa del Rey Final preparations have continued with the presence of several Barça B players Thiago, suffering from a stomach virus, stayed in the gym The next session is on Monday evening The players have now been given two days to rest and refocus in preparation for Friday’s cup finalBarça trained for last time this week at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. Nine players were brought in from the B team, namely Bartra, Tello, Montoya, Planas, Sergi Roberto, Sergi Gómez, Riverola, Dos Santos and Muniesa.  Thiago Alcántara, who still hasn’t recovered from a stomach virus, worked out alone in the gym. The other players, including Alexis and Pinto despite neither of them having been declared fully fit, trained in all normality. The players have now been given two days to rest and refocus in preparation for Friday’s cup final. They will meet again for training on Monday evening.

The Argentinian has scored nine goals in the stadium that will be hosting the Copa del Rey Final on May 25 Leo Messi feels at home at the Vicente Calderón. There are few places other than the Camp Nou that have seen him find the target so often. He’s scored eight goals at the Calderón for Barça and one for Argentina. Here, we remember them all. League. Atlético Madrid v FCB (0-6, May 20, 2007). 2 goals. Leo Messi scored the first and sixth on an amazing night for Barça. His two goals against Atlético Madrid helped keep FC Barcelona in contention for the title, although ultimately it would slip away from them. Cup. Atlético Madrid v FCB (1-3, January 6, 2009). 3 goals. A phenomenal showing from Messi sent Barça comfortably into the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey. His hat-trick was so impressive that the home fans actually applauded him. League. Atlético Madrid v FCB (4-3, March 1, 2009). 1 goal. The Argentinian made it 2-0 to his side, but the mattress-makers ended up winning an

The FC Barcelona Twitter, Facebook and Tencent Weibo pages are promoting actions to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the club’s first European Cup Sunday May 20, 2012 will mark exactly twenty years since FC Barcelona lifted the European Cup for the first time ever and social networks will be commemorating the event all day. There will be plenty of interaction between fans on the Twitter, Facebook and Tencent Weibo pages. Sharing unforgettable memories Everyone can describe their experiences of that wonderful night of May 20, 1992 using the hashtags #wembley1992 on Twitter or #wembley1992# on Tencent Weibo. The FC Barcelona Facebook page will also be sharing emotions. At the same time, fans can send in pictures and recordings of the day that Ronald Koeman made Barça champions of Europe. Wembley ’92 quiz On Sunday, the Barça Twitter and Tencent Weibo accounts will also be setting questions related to that historic Barça v Sampdoria clash. The three first correct answers to each q

The best photos from Barça's training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Sant Joan Despí.

The Brazilian defender, who has featured in nine consecutive starting line-ups, hopes to be on form for the King's Cup Final On his future, Adriano said that he intends to stay at FC Barcelona. "I have two years left on my contract and I’m going through a good time in my personal career" “I’m enjoying my best form since I arrived. I feel great and comfortable” "I have two years left on my contract and I’m going through a good time in my personal career"During today’s press conference, Adriano said that he’s going through his best spell of form since he arrived at FC Barcelona in the summer of 2010. Furthermore, the defender has been enjoying quite a bit of playing time due to the recent string of injuries to Barça’s back line. The Brazilian said that “I’m enjoying my best form since I arrived. I feel great and comfortable,” he also noted that his good form is due to the hard he’s put in with the first team. “I’ve always worked hard and I’ve always tried to improve. I’ll continue

The first-team players, including Alexis and Pinto, trained this afternoon at Barça's training facilities.Barça continue to prepare for the Cup Final against Athletic Club. This Thursday afternoon the first-team players, including Alexis and Pinto (who still does not have medical clearance to play), completed a closed-door training session. Thiago, however, was absent. The midfielder came down with a stomach flu and was sent home by the Club’s Medical Services. The Barça B players Tello, Montoya and Bartra also trained with the squad. This was the first training session without Dani Alves, who broke his clavicle in yesterday’s training session. The Brazilian defender joins Puyol, Fontàs, Abidal and Villa on the injury list.

FC Barcelona fans that will attend the King’s Cup Final at the Vicente Calderón on May 25 will have a dedicated fan zone in Madrid where they will be able to enjoy recreational activities and musical performancesThe fans that will accompany Josep Guardiola’s team to the Vicente Calderón for the King’s Cup Final will have, for the hours leading up to the match, a fan zone where they will be able to enjoy different activities. At the Barça fan zone there will be a relaxation areas, live musical performances, video displays and workshops. Fan zone location The meeting point for Barça fans will be situated at the Madrid-Río event groups, next to the Parque Matadero, located two kilometers away, a 35 minute walk, from the Vicente Calderón. Keeping in mind that the match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club will start at 22:00, and that the stadium will open its doors three hours before kickoff. Barça fans are encouraged to gather at the fan zone from 10:00 to 19:30. MAP Meeting areaHere

The player underwent surgery this afternoon to correct his fractured clavicle after sustaining his injury this morning during the first team's training sessionDoctors Ricard Pruna and Carles Torrens, in collaboration with Mutua Egarsat, performed surgery on Dani Alves’s broken clavicle at Barcelona Hospital. The player underwent complete coracoclavicular reconstruction via transosseous loop and end-to-end sutures. The player will be out of action for six to eight weeks. Therefore the Brazilian defender will miss the King’s Cup Final on May 25 at the Vicente Calderón against Athletic Club. Dani Alves was injured during this morning’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva.

تبلیغ کفش جدید نایک در سال 2012 توسط پدرو

Brazilian defender suffered injury in training this morning and will be operated on this eveningDuring this Wednesday’s training session, Dani Alves suffered a broken collarbone and after initial treatment it was decided by the Club’s medical services that he will be operated on this evening at the Hospital de Barcelona by Doctor Carles Torrens. Following the operation, at about 20.00, Doctors Ricard Pruna and Carles Torrens will give an updated medical report at a news conference at the Club.

The first team is focused squarely to get the best possible match to the next May 25. Alexis and Pinto trained normally with the rest of the group.

The first team squad were fully focussed on the Cup Final when they trained this morning. Both Alexis and Pinto trained normally with the rest of the players.Today was the second session dedicated to preparations for the Cup Final on May 25th against Athletic Bilbao at the Vicente Calderon and Guardiola put the players through their paces with the focus very clearly on the only remaining game of the season. As he did on Tuesday, Alexis Sánchez again trained normally as he recovers from the injury that kept him out of the last three league games, whilst José Manuel Pinto, who missed trip to face Betis with an ankle injury, also worked with the rest of the squad. Three B team players and one from Youth A In the session, held at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, all the available squad players were present, as well as Barça B youngsters Tello, Bartra and Montoya and 18-year-old Youth A midfielder Jordi Quintillà.

The Chilean striker, injured in the match against Rayo, returned to training this Tuesday, in a session that also featured Barça B’s Bartra, Montoya and TelloAlexis Sánchez, who injured his left thigh in the Rayo-Barça match (0-7), trained with normality today during the Barça’s first training session after this weekend’s match against Betis (2-2). The first-team footballers can now exclusively focus on the King’s Cup Final scheduled for May 25.Three Barça B players and a new ball Along with Alexis, who has missed Barça’s last three Liga matches (Málaga, Espanyol and Betis), three Barça B players, Montoya, Bartra and Tello, joined the first team’s training session. The team trained with the ball that will be used in the King’s Cup Final. 

In his Copa del Rey Final preparations, Josep Guardiola has used as many as 21 different players in league matches since the setbacks against Madrid and Chelsea Guardiola has used 21 players in the four games played since the disappointments against Madrid and Chelsea Messi and Mascherano are the only players that appeared for all 90 minutes against Rayo, Malaga, Espanyol and Betis Last four games in minutes 360 minutes - Messi and Mascherano351 minutes – Pedro335 minutes - Keita316 minutes – Adriano270 minutes - Pinto252 minutes – Busquets247 minutes - Puyol213 minutes - Montoya180 minutes – Thiago174 minutes - Alves162 minutes – Iniesta115 minutes - Cesc93 minutes - Xavi90 minutes – Valdés and Piqué80 minutes - Alexis90 minutes – Afellay and Cuenca42 minutes – Tello32 minutes - Bartra What is the best use to make of your squad ahead of a cup final? How much time should each player be given on the pitch? A review of the last four league matches played by FC Barcelona (Rayo, Mála