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Barça vs Santos: the Gamper Trophy reclaims its traditional role as the season opener

ACN

FC Barcelona home fans will have the first chance to see the team this season, after friendlies in Munich, Oslo and Gdansk. Neymar, one of the big draws for the game, will be set to face his ex-club. In addition, Barça’s new coach Tata Martino will speak to the crowd before the game along with captain Carles Puyol. Puyol will be one of the four squad players who will miss the game through injury, alongside Afellay, Cuenca and Tello. Furthermore, Barça’s legendary keeper Antoni Ramallets, who passed away earlier this week, will also be honoured before the game.

August 2, 2013 03:19 PM

Lechia Gdansk vs FC Barcelona: Neymar makes debut as Barça draw in Poland (2-2)

Jordi Clos

Barça drew away to a defiant Lechia side with goals from Sergi Roberto and Messi, both times to cancel out earlier efforts from the home side. July 30, 2013 is a date Barça fans will remember for two reasons. The first is a sad one, for one of the greatest players ever to represent FC Barcelona, Antoni Ramallets, passed away. A minute’s silence was respected in his honour in Gdansk, and the players wore black armbands. However, it was also the day Neymar, FC Barcelona’s new Brazilian star, made his first appearance for the team, playing 15 minutes in the friendly in Gdansk.

July 31, 2013 02:27 PM

Valerenga v FC Barcelona: Oslo sees first Barça win of 2013/14 preseason (0-7)

Roger Bogunyà

Barça cruised to victory against Valerenga in the second game of the 2013/14 preseason. FC Barcelona’s seven goals were scored by Alexis, Tello, Messi, Dos Santos, Dongou (2) and Joan Román. The Catalan team’s new manager Tata Martino was watching from the stands in the Ullevaal Stadium. Barça got off to a storming start. After just thirteen minutes they had already found the Valerenga net three times. All three goals involved Leo Messi.

July 27, 2013 09:51 PM

Tata Martino: "FC Barcelona has a lot to win"

Pau Campaña

The new Barça Manager has signed his two-year contract this Friday morning and has hold his press conference as the Catalan team coach. Tata Martino feels maintaining the team’s hunger to win is the key to ensuring the success continues. “At Barça, the shirt alone is enough to motivate”, said the Argentinean when asked to describe his feelings about the challenges ahead. Tata also spoke about the players he is taking over. “If Messi and Neymar can’t work together, that’s because the coach has a problem, not the players” he said.

July 26, 2013 07:44 PM

FC Bayern Munich v FC Barcelona: Strong display against European champions (2-0)

ACN

Barça 2013/14 started the preseason with defeat to Guardiola’s Bayern at the Allianz Arena. They couldn’t have had a more daunting task in their first game back from the break, and under the circumstances it was a fine performance from the Catalans. Lahm (min 13) and Mandzukic (min 86) scored against a side that had clearly had more time to prepare. There are plenty of conclusions to be drawn from a game packed with curiosities, including the reencounter with Pep Guardiola and Thiago and the first game in the shirt based on the colours of the Catalan flag.

July 24, 2013 10:04 PM

Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, new coach of FC Barcelona

ACN

FC Barcelona has reached an agreement for the Argentinian to be manager for the next two seasons. The schedule for his trip to Barcelona, signature of his contract and official presentation will be announced in the next few hours. The man known as ‘Tata’ as extensive experience of South American football, first as a player and after as a coach, most recently on the bench at Newell's Old Boys, with whom he won the 2013 Final Tournament.

July 23, 2013 01:19 PM

Tito Vilanova will not continue as FC Barcelona coach due to health issues

ACN

The President of FC Barcelona, Sandro Rosell, announced on Friday evening that the Catalan manager will not continue at Barça due to ongoing treatment of his illness. FC Barcelona will not travel to Poland on Saturday. During this evening’s press conference, president Rosell announced: “After evaluating the results from the routine check-ups, which Tito Vilanova underwent this week, he was presented with the option to continue treatment to control his illness which will make it impossible to continue his responsibilities as the first team manager of the senior side.” On 22 November of 2011 FC Barcelona announced that Tito Vilanova had a tumor on his parotid gland and he underwent emergency surgery.

July 19, 2013 09:52 PM

15th FINA World Aquatics Championships to commence in Barcelona

Julian Scully

From 19th July to 4th August, Barcelona will host the 15th FINA World Aquatics Championships and will bring together 2,500 athletes from 180 countries to compete at the highest level. Events will be held at 4 unique facilities all within a 10 minute walk of each other, which will enable spectators to gain access to a wide variety of events. Ten years after hosting 10th Championships, Barcelona will again unite the world of aquatics for two weeks of events that is bound to create a spectacular atmosphere throughout the city. The budget of the Championships is roughly €25 million and will be broadcast to an estimated 520 million viewers in 160 countries.

July 19, 2013 06:15 PM

Ski mountaineering world-champion Mireia Miró: “Technology has eliminated the feeling of wildness in nature”

Júlia Manresa

Mireia Miró visits Barcelona a few times a year. Despite not feeling uncomfortable in an urban environment, where she grew up, she spends 90% of her time in the mountains. One of the reasons for being in Barcelona is to deal with media. She sometimes swaps mountain marathons for interview marathons. But it doesn’t bother her: “I think it is also important to tell the world what we do and what are our principles”.

July 17, 2013 07:27 PM

FC Barcelona sells Thiago Alcántara to Bayern Munich for €25 million

The agreement to sell the mildfielder includes a clause that stipulates both teams will play against each other in a friendly. The match will be played sometime in the next four years. The 22-year-old leaves the Blaugrana after playing for the first team for two seasons. Thiago Alcántara do Nascimiento, born in San Prieto Vernotico, Italy, started playing in FC Barcelona’s youth system at the age of 14, in 2005. Thiago has played a crucial role for Spain throughout his international career. His excellent performance in the latest U21 EURO Championship in 2013, where Spain claimed the title, saw the midfielder win the MVP of the tournament award.

July 15, 2013 06:24 PM

Marc Márquez: "Off the track I'm still the same Marc I've always been"

Cèlia Muns

He’s one of the youngest riders to race at the highest level in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, the youngest to win a race at the MotoGP category and unquestionably a youngster with promise. Marc Márquez, who is racing professionally since 2008, is now only twenty years old and is already competing against the greatest motorcycle riders in the world. The youngest pilot to win a race in MotoGP answers some questions for CNA.

July 10, 2013 04:26 PM

FC Barcelona's player David Villa to Atletico Madrid

CNA

The two football clubs have reached an agreement in principle. The deal will be worth a maximum of €5.1 million, with 2.1 due this season, 2 more if Villa stays at Atletico next year and another million should he be at the Madrid club the season after. FC Barcelona also reserve the right to 50% of any sell on fee in the future. Villa joined Barça in the summer of 2010. The Spanish forward has played 119 times for Barça, scoring 48 goals.

July 8, 2013 09:33 PM

Éric Abidal joins Monaco after 6 years playing for FC Barcelona

CNA

The French defender has signed a season long deal, with the option of a further year. Abidal returns to the football club where he played from 2000-2002 before signing for Lyon. Abidal played for Barça between 2007 and 2013. The Catalan club and the player announced in late May he will not continue playing with FC Barcelona in the next season. Abidal’s touching farewell took place in early June at the Camp Nou, after he had played the last 15 minutes of the FC Barcelona vs Malaga game.

July 8, 2013 09:14 PM

Read the latest sports news, updates, and analysis from Catalonia, including professional football sides FC Barcelona, Espanyol, Girona, as well as Barça Femení and their team of global superstars including Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, as well as major events taking place here like the America’s Cup sailing race, the Vuelta a España cycling Grand Tour, and off-field issues like Barcelona’s Negreira referee payments case and the development of the Camp Nou.