spanish

FC Barcelona go to Granada on Saturday for the first in a marathon series of five games in 14 days, including massive matches with Milan in the European Champions League and Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup. The Manager has said in the press conference before the Granada vs. FC Barcelona game that “we are in comfortable position in the league but that should be no excuse for any kind of relaxation”. “We’re into the nice part of the season when in a few days there are lots of things at stake. In terms of fitness and morale this is a good moment for us” commented Roura.

Economic recession hit Catalonia even harder in 2012 than in 2011, when it dropped by 0.7%. The contraction was especially severe in the last quarter of the year. In December, Catalonia’s GDP plummeted by 0.6% compared to 3 months previously. The fourth quarter’s poor figures made the Catalan economy contract by 1.3% over 2012. In 2011, it also decreased but at a slower pace, dropping by 0.7%. For the whole of Spain, the economy plummeted by 1.8% in 2012 and by 0.7% over the last quarter of the year, compared to the figures from September 2012. The main reason behind the last quarter’s drop is the decrease in consumption by families, compared to the purchases made in the third quarter, before the VAT increase.

The 2,885 housing units sold in Catalonia during December increased by 4% compared to the figures from a year ago. The main reason for this rise is that, in January, the Spanish Government’s tax benefits applied when purchasing a house – approved to reactivate this economic sector after the collapse of the real estate market – will no longer exist. 66% of the houses and apartments sold were second hand, while the other third were newly built. For the whole of Spain, housing sales increased by 2.3% in December. In 2012, house sales dropped by 11.3% over 2012.

Barça Regal won the 23rd Cup in Club history this Sunday evening thanks to a superb performance in the final against Valencia Basket.This is the third Cup won by the Blaugrana of the Xavi Pascual era. Pete Mickeal was named the MVP of the final.

A great performance from Barça to beat Getafe with goals by Alexis, Messi, Villa, Tello, Iniesta and Piqué. In the absence of midfield maestro Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Leo Messi directed a free-flowing Barça attack while assistant coach Jordi Roura was able to rest some of his overstretched players. The game was the first morning kick-off seen in the Camp Nou for several decades.

Following a report by its own legal services, the Spanish Government is considering appealing against the ‘Declaration of sovereignty and the right to self-determination by the people of Catalonia’, approved by the Catalan Parliament two weeks ago. This declaration states that, following the historical rights and the free self-determination of the people, the people of Catalonia are sovereign and therefore able decide on their own future and organise a self-determination vote to decide on Catalonia’s hypothetical independence from Spain. The Catalan President stated that, before the self-determination right of the people, “there are no rules, laws, constitutions or possible interpretations”.

The economic recession has meant that Catalonia’s industrial production index decreased by 2.7% last year, according to the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE). In addition, the note indicated that the Catalan industrial sector has contracted for the last 10 consecutive months. However, Catalan industry had been less affected than the Spanish average, which plummeted by 5.9% in 2012. One severely affected sector was the production of long-life goods, in which car manufacturers are included, which decreased by 7.1% in December, accumulating 28 consecutive months in the red. Another sector with problems is the means of production, with a 7.3% decrease in December and 11 consecutive months of accumulated drops.

Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Cesc, Pedro, Villa, Alexis, Messi, Mascherano, Alves and Adriano will play for their respective national teams on Wednesday in friendlies. Alexis Sánchez, who was named to Chile's national team, will make the shortest trip, seeing that his national team is set to play in Madrid. On the other hand, Spain, with nine Blaugrana named to the team, will travel the farthest. The Spanish side will play in Qatar against Uruguay. Carles Puyol could play his 100th match for the Spanish national team.

The Cercle d’Economia, the main Catalan economic forum open to businesspeople and academics, has published an opinion note on the political context following the last Catalan elections. In the note, the Cercle asks the Spanish Government “to talk” about the Catalan self-determination and “to reform” the Constitution accordingly. The Cercle does not explicitly back an independent Catalonia but it supports a deep reform of Spain’s territorial organisation and the finding of a negotiated solution for both parties, which may be reached through a legal referendum. In addition, the Cercle asks for a review of Spain’s internal distribution of the deficit targets among government levels and to increase those of the Autonomous Communities.

Valencia’s Mestalla stadium is never an easy place to take points from, but although it again proved a tough venue for Barça on Sunday, the Spanish League leaders came away with a valuable draw from a game with few chances in either box after a Messi penalty just before the break equalised Banega’s opener.

Andreu Mas-Colell, the Catalan Finance Minister, has sent a letter to the European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn, to denounce the fact that the Spanish Government is proportionally imposing much stricter deficit target on the Autonomous Communities than that of the Spanish Executive, obliging them to implement a much larger and faster adjustment. In 2013, the Spanish Government allowed itself a 3.8% deficit target and imposed an objective of 0.7% on the Autonomous Communities. In Spain regional governments manage 36% of the total public spending, including the main public services such as healthcare, education and social affairs. The Catalan Government manages an even larger share, as it has more devolved powers.

Barça managed a valuable draw at Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Spanish Cup semi final, but will feel short-changed after displaying superior football and creating so many wasted chances. Cesc made it 1-0 in the 50th minute, but without doing much to warrant it, Real Madrid snatched a draw with ten minutes to go.

On Monday the Spanish Minister for the Economy, Luís de Guindos, stated that Spain might internally redistribute its total deficit target among the different government levels in order to give more breathing space to the Autonomous Communities, which have been taking on a large part of the budget adjustment. However, the following day, the Spanish Finance Minister, Cristóbal Montoro, ruled out this possibility if Brussels does not give greater flexibility to Spain and increase its total deficit target for 2013. On Wednesday, after the contradictory messages, the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, confirmed Montoro’s approach. In 2013, Spain has been given a total deficit target of 4.5%: 3.8% is for the Spanish Government (responsible for 50% of public spending) and 0.7% is for the Autonomous Communities (responsible for almost 40%).

Jordi Roura can call on his most important players for the match against Real Madrid. Los Blancos are without Casillas, Pepe (injured), Ramos, Coentrao and Di María (suspended). However, the Blaugrana know that Real Madrid, despite coming into the match with important absences, have always been a very dangerous side. Roura is aware that overconfidence could lead to a disastrous result at the Bernabéu. Barça coaching staff and the players have rubbished being called favourites for this Wednesday match, despite the 15-point lead FC Barcelona have in the Spanish League.

The Catalan Government criticised the Spanish Executive’s obstacles to Catalonia’s own external relations action, as “in a globalised world” this “is not a caprice”, but essential to be recognised at an international level and to attract foreign investment. The Catalan Minister for the Presidency, in charge of External Relations, Francesc Homs, criticised the Spanish Government’s “old-fashioned” way of understanding diplomacy and gave the example of spending in 2012 “€330,000 on cutlery and table cloths”. Homs emphasised the main commercial focus of Catalonia’s external offices and their “modesty”. The Catalan Government has a total of 5 political representation offices – including for the European Union – and 34 commercial offices.