new contract

FC Barcelona has announced that the first team manager, Luis Enrique Martínez, and the rest of his coaching staff will be staying at the Catalan club for an extra season, as they were initially finishing their contracts in June 2016. Now, the new contract will expire on 30 June 2017. The new deal was signed on Tuesday afternoon, where the first team manager was joined by assistant coaches Juan Carlos Unzué and Robert Moreno, technical auxiliary Joan Barbarà, physio Rafel Pol, goalkeepers’ coach José Ramon de la Fuente and psychologist Joaquín Valdés. "We are naturally very happy. After the wonderful year we’ve had, with difficulties but a very happy ending, we are more than thrilled about the hope of winning more titles", stated Luis Enrique.

FC Barcelona has announced that Dani Alves has accepted its proposal for the renewal of his contract, which expires on June 30 of this year. The new settlement means the defender will remain at the Catalan club for a further two seasons, through to 30 June 2017, with the option of a third additional season. It all means that the Brazilian will be staying around for what will be his eighth season at the club. He joined from Sevilla in 2008 to form part of the new project under manager Pep Guardiola. The full-back has gone on to appear in 343 matches for Barça, more than any other foreigner in the history of the club. His 19 titles break down as follows 5 Ligas, 3 Champions Leagues, 3 Spanish Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 4 Spanish Super Cups and 2 Club World Cups.

FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC have struck a deal to bring Aleix Vidal to the Camp Nou, with the 25-year-old signing a five-year contract that will keep him at the Catalan club until June 2020. Vidal – a pacey right wing back – was officially presented on Monday, after a morning of medical tests at the Hospital de Barcelona and the Centre Mèdic at the Ciutat Esportiva. Aleix Vidal is delighted to have signed for FC Barcelona, and that was more than obvious from what he had to say in Monday’s press conference at the Camp Nou. “Apart from the day my daughter was born, this is the most special day of my life” he said, describing it as a homecoming after he spent one year at the club playing for the U14 B team. He was joined in the pressroom by Vice-President Jordi Mestre, who explained that the player’s transfer fee from Sevilla was 18 million euros, plus a further €4 million in variables.

FC Barcelona has announced on Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Pedro Rodríguez to renew his contract until 30 June 2019. The Canary Islander striker’s current contract was due to expire on 30 June 2016. His buyout clause will remain at 150 million euros. The Canary Islander will be signing the new deal over the next few days.

Official data released on Tuesday by the Spanish Employment Ministry show that both Catalonia and Spain as a whole registered the largest monthly decline in unemployment for a month of April since 1996. In particular, Catalonia closed last month with 552,974 people registered on the Catalan Public Employment Service's list, which means 18,681 fewer jobseekers in comparison with March 2015, a 3.27% drop. In annual terms, registered unemployment in Catalonia fell by 9.62% (58,848 fewer people), which is the highest percentage decline since May 2000. These figures mean that registered unemployment in Catalonia has fallen for 22 consecutive months. In Spain as a whole, at the end of April 2015 the number of people registered as unemployed stood at 4,333,016, which means 118,923 fewer jobseekers than in March, representing a 2.67%. In annual terms, registered unemployment in Spain dropped by 7.5%, as 351,285 fewer people were registered as looking for a job.

At the end of February 2015, there were 581,124 people registered with the Catalan Public Employment Service (SOC) as being unemployed, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. This represents 1,645 fewer jobseekers than were registered at the end of January (582,769), a 0.28% drop. In addition, at the end of February 2015 there were 48,462 fewer registered jobseekers than a year ago, which marks the largest annual decline for registered unemployment in the last 17 years for a February month. This represents a 7.7% fall in the last 12 months. The data released on Tuesday shows an encouraging trend for Spain as a whole as well, since registered unemployment fell by 13,538 people in monthly terms, a 0.3% drop. In annual terms, the Spanish labour market posted a 6.24% drop, with 300,333 fewer registered jobseekers.

Spain’s National Court, a Madrid-based high court in charge of investigating and ruling on transnational felonies, announced on Tuesday the indictment of FC Barcelona – as a legal person – and its President, Josep Maria Bartomeu, for alleged fiscal fraud regarding Neymar Jr’s transfer and signing for the Catalan club. The judge considers there to be enough evidence to suggest that the Catalan club and Bartomeu could have committed fiscal felony in the tax declarations for the signing of the Brazilian star. Bartomeu will have to testify with his lawyers before the Madrid-based judge on 13 February. FC Barcelona issued a press statement in which it expresses its “surprise, indignation and disagreement”. Furthermore the Catalan club announced that it shall act determinedly to defend its interests and honour.

At the end of 2014, there were 575,948 people registered with the Catalan Public Employment Service (SOC) as being unemployed, according to figures released this week by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. This represents 48,924 fewer jobseekers than were on the register at the end of 2013; a 7.83% drop achieved during the last 12 months. During 2014, registered unemployment dropped by 5.39% in the whole of Spain. There were 4,447,711 people registered as unemployed throughout the country, which represents 253,627 fewer jobseekers than a year ago, the largest reduction in unemployment since 1998. 

According to the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security, the number of unemployed people registered in Catalonia stood at 581,652 in November, representing a decrease of 0.93% since October, with 5,481fewer people without jobs. In terms of the unemployment data, last November was the best one in Catalonia since the data series began in 1996, 18 years ago. In annual terms, unemployment is down again and marks 17 consecutive months of decreases, though with the November decline this makes it an -8.8% decline this year, the most extreme fall since June 2000 (which was -9.25%). Across the whole of Spain, November has also shown the best unemployment figures on historical record, with 14,688 less people unemployed. Within Catalonia, unemployment fell in Barcelona and Lleida, but increased in Girona and Tarragona. 

Catalonia’s registered unemployment figures for October have been released by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security, and while they have increased it is the lowest rise in four years. The number of people registered at the Catalan Public Employment Service (SOC) stood at 587,133 people in October, a rise of 1.97% since September, with an increase of 11,321 people. This October increase is the lowest in four years according to the Ministry series, which began in 1996. Compared with October last year, the number of unemployed people in Catalonia decreased by 7.37%, equivalent to 46,699 people. Since July 2013, this represents 16 consecutive months of annual decreases. In the whole of Spain, there were 4,526,804 people unemployed in October, 79,154 more than in September. Across Catalonia, unemployment increased in monthly terms in all four provinces, but decreased throughout in annual terms. The Catalan Government "confirms positive trend" in employment.

FC Barcelona and São Paulo FC have reached an initial agreement for the transfer of defender Douglas Pereira. The deal will cost Barça €4 million with performance variables of another €1.5 million based on number of games played. Douglas will sign a 5 year deal. The Brazilian player will travel to Barcelona for a medical at the end of this week, when he will also put pen to paper on the contract. He will be officially presented as the Catalan club’s latest summer signing. The 24-year-old Douglas is a pacey right wing back who after three seasons, 75 appearances and 5 goals for his home town club of Goiás signed for Sao Paolo in 2012. Over the last three seasons, Douglas has played 95 matches for Sao Paolo and scored 4 goals.

The Argentine international has committed himself for another four years with the Catalan club, which will take him through to 30 June 2018.There’s an option on a further year plus a buy-out clause of 100 million euros.  The deal was negotiated and agreed before the World Cup. Mascherano told reporters, "I’m committed to this Club until the final day of the contract.  I hope I can live up to expectations of the Club". "I’m really happy to be in this great club and be part of a squad with such great players.  Let’s hope things go really well for us this season.  We’re looking forward to this season after some difficult times last campaign", he added.

Following the resolution announced this Wednesday by the FIFA Appeals Committee on violations of regulations regarding the transfer and registration of children aged under 18 years, FC Barcelona announced that it will continue to defend its interests before the highest sporting authority, in this case the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). FIFA confirmed the sanction imposed on the Catalan club which bans them from signing new players during two transfer periods. Therefore, FC Barcelona will not be able to sign new players next winter and in the summer of 2015. The Catalan clubs considers that FIFA is questioning its youth academy model, known as La Masia, where stars such as Leo Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández or Pep Guardiola grew up.