THE REAL BARCA FANS

17.07.2010 11:23

Barca’s sixth Brazilian full back

Roger Bogunyà

Adriano Correia, who joins his compatriots Alves and Maxwell in Guardiola’s squad for the 2010/11 season, has become the sixth Brazilian full back in Barca’s history.

Although Adriano is much valued for his versatility, his preferred position is as a left back, though he has also played at right back, and he has become the sixth Brazilian full back to play at the club, following in the footsteps of Aloisio, Belletti and Sylvinho, and joining Alves and Maxwell in the current squad.

Third left back

Aloisio, who joined the club as a centre back and was converted into a full back by Johan Cruyff, Belletti and Alves played on the right, whilst Sylvinho and Maxwell were left backs, but all of them have been skilful and fast and have had the same attacking mentality so typical of Brazilian football.

Three together for the first time

This will be the first time that three Brazilian full backs have been in the same Barca squad: there were two, Sylvinho and Belletti, from 2004 to 2007 and Alves and Sylvinho also played together in the 2008/09 season.

21.05.2010 11:24

Barça number 7’s

Vanessa Forns / Manel Tomàs

David Villa will wear the famous number 7 shirt at FC Barcelona after a season without anyone having it as he became the first new signing ahead of the 2010-11 campaign.

The last star to lay claim to the number was Icelandic international forward Eidur Gudjohnsen who arrived in 2006-07 and took it over from previous incumbent Henrik Larsson. Since Gudjohnsen’s departure last summer the number has not been used.

The original

Historically, the number 7 has been filled by highly technical and gifted players who all had an eye for goal. According to the records the first player in the position was Francesc Cruzate although 1899, although originally shirts did not have numbers on.

Upto 1995

It was not until the 1948-49 season that numbers came in with all the players numbered from 1 to 11 only and no squad numbers involved. Traditionally, the number 7 was associated with the right wing, but that all changed in 1995-96 when each player was able to choose his own number and keep it for the entire season whether he played or not.

Famous names

Before the squad number era there were a number of legendary stars to have worn the number 7 at Barça on a regular basis including Vicenç Piera (1920-1933), Martí Ventolrà (1933-1937), Estanislao Basora (1946-1958),Carles Rexach (1965-1981), 'Lobo' Carrasco (1978-1989), Alan Simonsen (1979-1982) and Andoni Goikoetxea (1990-1994).

Figo first

The first player to choose number seven on a permanent basis when squad numbers came in was Luis Figo, who kept it between 1995 and 2000. Alfonso took it up during the 2000-01 season and he was followed by Javier Saviola (2001-04) before Larsson (2004.-06) and then Gudjohnsen (2006-09).

27.01.2011 10:20

Busquets extends contract till 2015

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Barça midfielder Sergio Busquets this morning signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2015. The deal also includes the chance to extend the contract based on games played in its final season.

Club President Sandro Rosell and Sergio Busquets signed the new deal this morning at the Club offices. The agreement ensures the player will stay at the Club at least until 2015 and that could be automatically extended by a further season based on the number of games he plays in the final season of the contract.

Buyout clause upped from 80 to 150 million Euros.

“I look forward to a career full of success”

Once he’d put pen to paper, Sergio Busquets spoke to Barca TV and explained: “I’m very happy. It’s the best way to start the New Year and great news for everyone. I’m feeling full of positive sensations – I’m still young, I’m only 22 and I look forward to a career full of success. I’m at the best club in the world and I just hope that the years to come will be like those I’ve had here so far”.

Talent spotted early on

Sergio Busquets joined the first team squad during the 2008/09 season under Josep Guardiola and made his league debut on 13th September 2008 against Racing(1-1). Although he was still a Barça Atletic player, playing in the Segona B, he gradually won a place in Pep’s first team and became a key piece of the treble winning team.

In December 2008 he renewed his contract with the Club and signed until 2013 with a buyout clause of 80 million Euros.

In his first season in the side he played 24 La Liga games, 8 in the Champions League and 9 in the Spanish Cup, appearing in the starting line up in both the Spanish Cup and Champions League Finals.

His great season with Barça earned him a first full international cap with Spain on Aptil 1st 2009 and he went on to figure in the Confederations Cup in South Africa the following summer.

More success

Busquets considered to improve in the 2009/10 season and he was soon being acknowledged as one of the best midfielders in the game. He played 33 league games, 10 in the Champions League and 4 in the Spanish Cup, helping the team to lift the Spanish and European Super Cups, the World Club Cup and their second La Liga title on the run.

World Cup winner

In the summer of 2010 the Spanish boss Vicente de Bosque made Busquets a key part of his midfield in South Africa and Sergio responded in style helping the Spanish team to its first ever World Cup title.

Key piece for Guardiola

This season Busquets has already won the Spanish Super Cup and has confirmed his role as a fundamental part of Guardiola’s team, playing in 16 La Liga games, 5 in the Champions League and 3 in the Spanish Cup.

01.12.2010 12:30

The book ‘Barça. Estem fent història’ now on sale

www.fcbarcelona.cat

‘Barça. Estem fent història’ is a large format book that collects the magical moments of the last year at Barça will previously unpublished personal photographs of the Barcelona players.

The book is in chronological order and starts with the European and Spanish Super Cup titles won in August 2009, the preludes that wonderful night in Abu Dhabi. The book concludes with the celebration of the 99-point league, another Spanish Super Cup and also the disappointments against Sevilla and Inter in the Copa del Rey and Champions League.

It provides an intimate look at the squad in places such as the dressing rooms, team camps and away trips. Barça. Estem fent història includes pictures of the whole year at FC Barcelona that will treasure for posterity a team that has won eight trophies in just two and a half seasons.

With pictures by official club photographer Miguel Ruiz, and texts by writer Raül Llimós and plenty of quotes from the players and staff, the book shows how Guardiola’s historic side operates from within.

The FC Barcelona first team, the stars of this publication, already received their copes a few days ago.

After the success of the book Barça. El millor any de la nostra vida the protagonists of this unique, visual and gripping tale are once again the players, coaches and assistants of the football first team.

Barça. Estem fent història is an official FC Barcelona book.