Champions League financial distribution – 2010/11

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16.08.2011 14:00

A home-grown eleven

Sandra Sarmiento

This season, the first team will have eleven players that came up through the club’s youth system. Fifty per cent of the team is from la Masia.

The power of the Barça youth system is more evident than ever. Guardiola often fields around six or seven local players in a game, whether at El Molinón or in the Champions League final. The doors to the first team are wide open to players fostered at the club itself, as Thiago and Fontàs well know, who have both just become fully fledged first team members.

This year there are an unprecedented 11 players from La Masia out of a total of 21. These aren’t reserves used as a complement, these are first team players in every sense of the word.

Starting eleven

It is years since the team has had so many of its own players to choose from, and although some players would have to play in unfamiliar positions, Guardiola could theoretically play them all at once: Valdés in goal; Puyol and Fontàs as full backs; Busquets and Piqué at centre back; Xavi, Thiago and Cesc in midfield and Pedro, Messi and Iniesta up front. Cesc completes an eleven that would fill any Barça fan with pride.

Nine under Rijkaard

Under the Dutchman in the 2003/04 season, there were eight local players in the first team: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Gabri, Luis García and Motta. But they weren’t all regular starters. In 2008, there were nine: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Giovanni, Messi, Oleguer, Bojan and Jorquera. Under Guardiola, the number has done nothing but increase.

La Masia products in recent years

Season 2010/11: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Bojan, Messi, Jeffren, Busquets and Pedro.
Season 2009/10: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Busquets and Pedro.
Season 2008/09: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Busquets and Jorquera.
Season 2007/08: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Giovanni, Messi, Oleguer, Bojan and Jorquera.
Season 2006/07: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Messi, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2005/06: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Gabri, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2004/05: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2003/04: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Gabri, Luis Garcia, Motta and Jorquera.

16.08.2011 13:56

Cesc unbeaten against Real Madrid

David Puig

Cesc could play his third match against Real Madrid on Wednesday is picked by Pep Guardiola. With Arsenal, he played them in the Champions League of 2005/06.

Madrid fans do not have fond memories of their last encounter with Cesc Fàbregas. The Catalan last faced them as an Arsenal player in the round of sixteen of the Champions League of 2005/06, when Wenger’s side got the better of López Caro’s, and the young 18 year old was outstanding.

Ovation from Santiago Bernabéu

On February 21, 2006, Cesc played his first ever professional match on Spanish soil at the Santiago Bernabéu, and what a cracking debut it was! Arsenal won 1-0, with Cesc and Henry performing brilliantly.

It was the Frenchman who scored the only goal of the game in which Cesc’s assists coupled with Henry’s penetrating runs struck fear into the hearts of the Bernabéu faithful.

Cesc was so good that when he was substituted in the 89th minute by Song, the Madrid fans applauded him off the field.

Highbury decides

Three weeks later, on March 8, 2006, Cesc was back in the Arsenal side at Highbury, where he was once again on top form in a game saw the Londoners through to the quarter finals. Showing remarkable maturity, he played a more attacking role and of his many chances, one hit the post.

The game ended 0-0, but confirmed Cesc Fàbregas’ status as one of the most promising midfielders in Europe.

15.08.2011 12:30

Cesc Fabregas signs until 2016

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Cesc has finally joined FC Barcelona, after signing a contract for the next five seasons. His buyout clause will be 200 million Euros.

It was just after 13.00 when Cesc Fabregas signed his contract with FC Barcelona that will keep him at the club for the next five seasons, meaning that Cesc will be wearing the Barça shirt until 2016.
The signing of the contract took place at the FC Barcelona offices and was attended by Fabregas and the Barça President, Sandro Rosell. Also present were vice president of sports, Josep Maria Bartomeu, the sports director of professional football, Andoni Zubizarreta, and director of football, Raul Sanllehí.

The buyout clause of the new FC Barcelona player is 200 million Euros.

Photo with the club plaque

As is traditional, once the contract had been signed, Cesc appeared at the front of the offices to have his photo taken in front of the Barça plaque. Expectation was huge, with many photographers and television cameras waiting to capture this image. Sandro Rosell, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Andoni Zubizarreta also appear in the photograph that will now be part of the club’s album.

15.08.2011 20:09

First Barça training session for Cesc

Marc Guillén / Vanessa Forns

Cesc Fabregas has already trained with his new teammates. The new Barça signing took part in the training session held on Monday evening at the Joan Gamper training ground.

This Monday Cesc has had a long, intense day. After passing his medical, signing the contract that ties him to the club, and having been officially presented as a new Barça player, he trained this evening with the rest of the group in the session that took place at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper, behind closed doors.

The Barcelona number 4 arrived shortly after 17.00 at the training ground, in captain Carles Puyol’s car. Then Cesc went to the changing rooms where he shared his first moments as a member of the squad with his teammates.

On the training pitch, and before the start of the session, the new Barça signing passed some time with some of the players who so far had only been his teammates with the Spanish team, like Andres Iniesta, David Villa, and Victor Valdés. He very quickly got into the group dynamics.

Busquets back with the squad

After the usual warm up, the players did some ball drills. Cesc’s group included manager Josep Guardiola and Sergio Busquets, who, since playing with the Spanish team in the game against Italy on August 10th, had not trained with the group due to the rib injury he sustained in that match.

Recovery work

The group basically did some recovery work, after the effort on Sunday in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The whole squad took part in the session, with the exception of Maxwell and Afellay, who are continuing with their recovery process. Puyol, meanwhile, was on the pitch, but working separately.

In addition to the first team, reserve team players Montoya, Dos Santos, Rosell Espinosa, Dalmau, and Oier took part in the session.

15.08.2011 14:07

Number 4 shirt for Fabregas!

Anna Segura

After eight years not wearing the Barça shirt, Pep Guardiola’s new midfield player was able to do so again on Monday 15th of August, in the Camp Nou, which was open to the public so that the fans could welcome him home.

There was great expectation to see Cesc Fabregas once again wearing the colors of FC Barcelona, an example of this being the large number of supporters who turned up at midday on Monday at the Camp Nou to see Cesc wearing the new Barça shirt, with the number 4 and the name of Fabregas on the back.

Eight years later

With the clock showing 13.30 and with strict English punctuality, Cesc went onto the Camp Nou pitch from the player's tunnel to the sound of the Barça anthem. He had only done that before wearing the Arsenal shirt, when he came to play against Barça, but from now on, instead of doing so as a visitor, he’ll de doing it as a home player. The fans, who from 12.00 had begun to fill the seats of the stadium, received him with resounding applause.

A smile from ear to ear

From the first moment Cesc's face showed his great joy at coming home. Under the watchful eye of his family, in the front rows of the grandstand, the new signing from Barcelona greeted the fans, did the usual few tricks with a football, and proudly wore the Barça shirt. A kiss for the club logo, and his hand on his heart as thanks for the support he’s received, gave way to a few words to the fans from Cesc.

"I'm Coming Home"

Cesc wanted to thank the Barça fans present at the Camp Nou. "I’ve waited many days, many months, and many years for this moment. For me it’s a very special day. I’ve come home after eight years away" said Fabregas. He also wanted to point out that "many of you were disappointed when I left, but I’m back to take up the most difficult challenge of my life".