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Barça made it three wins on the run to ensure the maximum nine points at the start of the season with a hard fought win in Valencia. Messi’s first half trick, together with another match saving performance from Valdés and the team’s defensive stability in the second half were key to the win. Messi had set up the game with three first half goals, before Valencia pulled two back just before the break and then put the pressure on Barça in the second half, as Martino’s side were forced to show their defensive skills.

A superb effort from Adriano gave Barça their second win of the Spanish League so far thanks to a superb Adriano goal just before half time. Valdés proved key to holding onto the win in the second half. The win was Barça’s seventh on the trot at Malaga’s La Rosaleda stadium. Neymar came on just past the hour mark for Pedro and after a fine individual run, the Brazilian tested Caballero with a well struck free kick. FC Barcelona is holding two league wins from two so far ahead of Wednesday night’s Spanish Super Cup second leg against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou.

Tests have revealed that the FC Barcelona’s Argentinian player has bruised the femoral biceps tendon in his left thigh at the Spanish Super Cup’s first leg. Leo Messi was substituted at half-time in Wednesday evening’s match at Atlético Madrid as a precautionary measure after he complained of pain after taking a nasty knock. It is not clear yet whether he will be fit enough to feature in this weekend's Spanish League game away to Malaga. The FC Barcelona Medical Services have announced that they will be monitoring the player’s progress this week before deciding whether he will be fit to play on Sunday.

Tata Martino's men come away with a one-all draw from the Vicente Calderón stadium in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Just as Martino predicted in the pre-match press conference, the tie between FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid will be decided at the Barça’s Camp Nou. The home team, who took the lead after 12 minutes thanks to a superb strike from Villa, took control of the game early on but loosened their grip as minutes ticked off the clock. Without Messi, who was brought off at the break due to thigh issues, but with Neymar, who was subbed in on 58 minutes, and Cesc, who came on for the Argentinean, Barça regained a little of its incisiveness. Neymar scored, his first official goal in the FC Barcelona strip.

The champions of the Liga – FC Barcelona – and the Spanish Cup – Atlético Madrid – come into the Super Cup first leg after defeating Levante (7-0) and Sevilla (1-3), respectively. The match in Madrid is chock full of interesting titbits, like David Villa’s reunion with his former team-mates. In addition, it is the first official game away from the Camp Nou for Barça’s new manager Tata Martino and the new star Neymar Jr. The Brazilian player could feature in the starting XI for the first time on Wednesday evening (11pm CET).

FC Barcelona will contribute 30,000 euros to subsidise part of the cost of extending the metro’s operational hours in order to guarantee public transport to and from the Camp Nou for the Spanish Super Cup featuring Barça and Atlético Madrid. The football match will start at 11pm on Wednesday 28th August and will not finish until 1am. Barcelona’s underground transportation ends at midnight on weeknights and the Mayor had requested the Spanish Football federation (RFFE) to reschedule the match to an earlier time. However the RFFE refused and Barcelona’s Mayor, Xavier Trias, warned that they would not prolong the metro’s operational hours, with each extra hour costing around 30,000 euros.

Tata Martino’s Barça has exploded into the Spanish League campaign with a stunning recital of football and goals. A sublime performance.  The players followed the roadmap laid down by the new Argentinean coach during his first few days: possession, moving the ball swiftly, pressure up field and verticality in recovery. Levante was so overwhelmed in the Camp Nou that after just 25 minutes they were already losing 4-0.  And 6-0 at halftime. A record. Barça dominated the entire 90 minutes and swept to victory with goals from Alexis, Messi (2), Alves, Pedro (2) and Xavi.

FC Barcelona’s 2013/14 Liga campaign begins on Sunday, playing at home in the Camp Nou (19pm CET) in a match against Levante. Barça have won 14 of their last 20 Liga openers and there are plenty of reasons to feel confident that Barça will get off to another positive start. Last season, in Tito Vilanova’s first game in charge, Barça stormed to 5-1 victory against Real Sociedad. Puyol, Messi (2), Pedro and Villa got the goals that night.

Barça have brought the curtain down on the tour of Asia with a win against a plucky Malaysia XI. Cesc, Neymar and Piqué got the goals for Barça and Cesc limped off the pitch with an ankle injury. Messi was ruled out at the last moment with a thigh strain. Barça was always the better side in Kuala Lumpur’s Shah Alam Stadium but had to work hard to break through an efficient defensive performance.

More than 10,000 fans watched the Catalan team prepare for tomorrow's friendly match with an all-star selection of Malaysian players. Leo Messi was once again the most acclaimed player of the squad. Barça players and the manager congratulated Cristian Tello for his call-up to the Spain national team. Jordi Alba, who didn’t train on Thursday, trained alongside his team-mates this evening. Pedro Rodríguez, who is recovering from a knock to his right calf muscle, was the only player to miss the session.

Neymar scored his first goal for FC Barcelona to break the deadlock in Bangkok against the Thai national team. The other scorers were Messi (2), Pedro (3) and Alexis in a game that was over by halftime (5-1). On Wednesday, Barça played the fifth of the series of friendlies and they are getting better and better under Tata Martino as the 2013/14 season goes on. FC Barcelona’s next step will be Malaysia.

Palestinian and Israeli children, some disabled, enjoyed a day they’ll never forget in front of a packed Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium with FC Barcelona. The second and final clinic in the Holy Land for the so-called ‘Peace Tour’ – before the Catalan team heads for Asia – was followed by a somewhat more intense training session than in Dura, in the West Bank. During Sunday evening’s clinic in Tel Aviv, Leo Messi was accompanied by Mohamad, a 17-year-old from Palestine, and Assael, a 19-year-old from Israel.

More than 24,000 people welcomed Barça to Dura, in Palestine, where the Catalan team held the first clinic on the ‘Peace Tour’. Located close to Hebron, the Dura Stadium was packed to welcome FC Barcelona’s full first team and coaching staff, who everyone in this country is used to seeing on television. The players, who were received by a banner in Catalan, trained with a group of 40 Palestinian boys and girls.

Barça thrashed Santos by an incredible eight goals to nil in the 48^th edition of the Joan Gamper Trophy. The goals came from Messi, Léo (og), Alexis, Pedro, Cesc (2), Adriano and Dongou. It was the Camp Nou’s first chance to see FC Barcelona’s new manager, Tata Martino, and the star striker, Neymar Jr. The stadium also bade a final farewell to one of the biggest legend’s in club history, the great keeper Antoni Ramallets, who died on Tuesday.

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.