barça

Leo Messi’s 50 league goals this season have made him the highest ever ‘Pichichi’ (top scorer) in the Spanish League and catapulted him to the head of the ranking of ‘Golden Boots’ of all time.

An injury time equaliser from Keita saved a point for Barça, who had gone ahead in the first half through Sergio Busquets, before losing Alves to a second yellow just after the break. With this match, FC Barcelona end the Spanish League season in the second place, on 91 points and having scored 114 goals. Valdes is the League’s best keeper and Messi, the best scorer. Next step: the Spanish Cup Final with Bilbao’s Athletic Club.

La Bomba Navarro is suffering from a recurrence of the plantar fasciitis that has been bothering the Catalan basketball player in recent months. Developments over the next few hours will determine whether Juan Carlos Navarro is able to play in the Euroleague semi final on Friday against Olympiakos. Boniface Ndong is receiving treatment for an intestinal virus.

FC Barcelona captain is full of optimism and courage ahead of his knee operation. Carles Puyol regrets missing the Spanish Cup Final and most probably the European Championships, but is just focussed on getting back to 100% fitness.

FC Barcelona was named ‘The World’s Club of the 1st Decade’ by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) this Monday evening. Barça won a total of seven awards during the IFFHS' World Football Gala, which took place in the W Hotel in Barcelona’s Barceloneta beach. Xavi, Messi and Guardiola also won awards.

It was a triumphal send off for Pep Guardiola as Barça Manager, since FC Barcelona won their last game at the Camp Nou under his charge, beating Espanyol 4-0 thanks to four Messi goals.

The current FC Barcelona Manager, Pep Guardiola, will be sitting on the Camp Nou bench for the very last time on Saturday, but believes the derby with Espanyol is far more important than his farewell.

A goal from Puyol and a hat trick from Leo Messi, which served to take him past Gerd Muller’s previous record strikes in a European season, gave Guardiola, cheered all night by the crowd, another win at the Camp Nou. Two hours later, Real Madrid was winning the Spanish League title in San Mamés.

Goals from Messi (2), Alexis, Keita, Pedro (2) and Thiago gave Barça a record win at Vallecas in a game the Catalans totally dominated. Further good news for FC Barcelona was the return of Ibrahim Afellay after his long injury layoff.

The substitute of Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova, who will be FC Barcelona’s 2012/13 manager, has shown that he’s more than capable of managing the team after five seasons as Pep Guardiola’s assistant. As a footballer, Vilanova was at La Masía and he played in first division with Celta de Vigo.

Tito Vilanova, Guardiola’s assistant, will take over and become Barça’s next Manager. Pep Guardiola has announced to FC Barcelona’s President and the squad that he will not be staying at FC Barcelona after June 30, when his present contract ends. Guardiola justified his decision is “worn out and empty” after 4 years being the coach of the best team in the world. He emphasised that Barça’s Manager needs to be full of energy and therefore, the best for the club is he stepping down. The club’s President expressed his “eternal gratitude” to Guardiola’s job.

Barça dominated against Chelsea over both legs of the UEFA Champions League semi-final: shots, completed passes, possession, corners… except one – goals scored. Xavi Hernández made more passes during the Camp Nou game than all the Chelsea players combined.

Barça have crashed out of the Champions League after drawing 2-2 in the semi final with a Chelsea side that managed to equalise after the home side had gone 2-0 up through Busquets and Iniesta. Busquets put FC Barcelona ahead shortly before Terry was sent off for kneeing Alexis in the back. Iniesta increased Barça’s lead but shortly before the break, a long range chip from Ramires put Chelsea back in control. Barça hit the post twice in the second half, once from the penalty spot. A late Torres goal while Guardiola’s side was deep in the Chelsea half settled the game in injury time.

Barça host Chelsea in the Champions League semi final second leg as they seek to make amends for 1-0 defeat in London and qualify for the grand final (20h45 CET).

The Barça defender talked about the decisive match against Chelsea, the defeat in the Spanish League Clásico against Real Madrid, and his recent absence from Barça’s starting line-up.