barça

Barça finish the year on a high with goals from Xavi, Messi and Tello. With 49 out of a possible 51 points - 16 wins and 1 draw in their first 17 games- FC Barcelona close 2012 as undisputed leaders of the Spanish League. The players wore t-shirts with messages of support for their manager Tito Vilanova, who has been discharged from hospital after going through surgery on Thursday. Besides, Messi expands his own legend and he ends 2012 with 91 goals scored over a natural year.

Barça will face the same team they met in the last season’s quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League. Winners of seven European Cups, the Italian giants are currently immersed in a generational changeover and not challenging for the Serie A title. Historic figures such as Seedorf, Gattuso, Nesta and Inzaghi all left this summer, and Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic were sold to PSG. El Shaarawy is the main threat and Bojan the most familiar face for Barça fans.

FC Barcelona’s Medical Services announce that Barça Manager, Tito Vilanova, has a suffered parotid ailment relapse. Vilanova will undergo surgery on Thursday. Later on he will receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment for approximately six weeks. The treatment may be compatible with Vilanova’s work life.

The defender and midfielder have renewed until 2016, while the Argentinean will stay until 2018. Over the next few weeks, all of Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández and Leo Messi will be signing their respective new contracts.

Goals from Adriano, Busquets and Messi (2) turned around an opener from Falcao to leave Spanish League’s second place Atletico Madrid nine points adrift. Futhermore, after Real Madrid’s draw with Espanyol, the Catalans are 13 points ahead. Besides, Messi continues paving his legend and grads his 90th goal in 2012.

The Argentinean and the Colombian, who face each other at the Camp Nou on Sunday at the FC Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid game, are unquestionably the top two strikers in the Spanish League. The two lead the goalscoring table in La Liga with 23 and 16 after just 15 games – figures that reveal how important their goals have been for their two teams this campaign.

Cristian Tello has extended his contract with FC Barcelona until June 2016. The release clause has been fixed at €10 million. Tello, born in Greater Barcelona, is a product of the Catalan club’s school and youth system. He debuted with Barça’s first team in November 2011 and from 2002 and 2007 he played in the club’s youth ranks.

In Cordoba, yet another brace from Messi has put the Spanish Cup quarter finals well within reach for FC Barcelona. It was a wonderful all-round performance for Barça at the Nuevo Arcángel in the Copa del Rey round of 16. Barça they will still have to make sure of qualification when the sides meet again at the Camp Nou on January 10.

The Spanish League leaders get their eighth straight win on the road and in all their 14th of the season. Messi put Barça ahead with two early goals to beat Müller’s record. Betis pulled a goal back before the break and hit the post three times in the second half. Messi and Jordi Alba also hit the wood work.

Barça closed the group stage of the Champions League with a goalless draw against Benfica. This should have been a night of celebration for Leo Messi as he closed in on Gerd Muller’s scoring record, but it ended badly with the injury to the World Number One. Messi had started on the bench and Tito Villanova didn’t bring him on until after the break. Shortly afterwards, the Argentinean had to come off with a knee injury. Before Messi’s appearance, Pinto had been the centre of attention with a series of saves that helped ensure the Portuguese team bowed out of the Champions League.

Goals from Adriano and Villa (2) won Barça a convincing victory despite Alavés scoring first. It meant a 6-1 win on aggregate, sending FC Barcelona into the round of sixteen, where they will face second division Cordoba.

Barça host Alavés in the Round of 32 return leg of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday (21:30 CET). Barça claimed a 0-3 victory in the away leg. Tito Vilanova, who will rest five key first team players, has named five Barça B men to the side.

With a full 11 players who have come through the Masia – FC Barcelona’s school, Barça put four past Levante on Sunday, with Messi (2), Iniesta and Cesc scoring the goals. FC Barcelona now sit 11 points ahead of Real Madrid and threeahead of Atletico who they meet in three weeks’ time.

Shell and the charity Football Club Barcelona Foundation have decided to enter a partnership to run football programmes in support of youth in Iraq, Oman and Qatar. The programme, named ‘Futbol Net’ will be launched in 2013 by the FC Barcelona Foundation and will use sport to promote skills of teamwork, accountability and leadership in children between the ages of eight and seventeen.

Barça Manager Tito Vilanova put his squad through their paces in Moscow on Monday evening and the players had their first chance to check out the artificial pitch Spartak’s stadium. The preparatory session for Tuesday’s Champions League game was held in freezing conditions.