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.
The Catalan capital is the world’s 4th main port for the cruise ship industry, with the first 3 one being all in Florida. This means that Barcelona is the most important port in Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in terms of the amount of cruise ship passengers it receives. After a small decline in 2012, this year the Catalan capital is expecting to repeat its all time record from 2011, with more than 2.6 million cruise passengers. Furthermore, the cruise ship industry is increasingly using other Catalan harbours, such as Roses and Palamós. This week, for the first time ever, two large cruise ships docked at Palamós at the same time. In addition, this weekend is one of the busiest for Barcelona’s port, with 15 cruise ships docking in its harbour, transporting a total of 55,000 passengers.
The Catalan Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), based in Greater Barcelona, is the highest ranked centre in the world in the fields of physics and astronomy, according to a survey carried out by Excellence Mapping. This ranking sorts the world’s leading research centres according to 17 different areas of academia. The ICFO was ranked first in physics and astronomy, while the Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) was placed third in this category. Other Catalonia-based institutions that were included in the list were: the Institute for High Energy Physics, IFAE (18th place), the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona (UAB) and the Polytechnic University of Barcelona (UPC). The Director of the ICFO, Lluís Torner, told the CNA that the Catalan model of research is “highly competitive”.
On Thursday, Europe’s biggest gay and lesbian event started and will receive an incredible 70,000 attendees from 50 countries around the world. The internationally renowned ‘Circuit Festival’, which is in its 6th year, lasts between the 8th and 18th of August, and presents a wide reaching program of cultural, artistic, sporting and party activities. According to the event organisers, 70% of visitors come from abroad and during the 10 -day event they will spend a total of €100 million in Barcelona. Those attending the festival will stay in the Catalan capital for an average of seven days, and it is estimated that each visitor will spend €250 per day.
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.
Both Barcelona-El Prat and Madrid-Barajas received 3.8 million passengers during the month of July, a figure which represents an increase of 0.3% for the Catalan and a decrease of 14.4% for Madrid’s compared to July 2012. The figures released by Aena, the public body that controls the majority of Spain’s airports, show that El Prat records its highest ever amount of passengers for the month of July and, up until now, a total of 20 million people have passed through its gates this year. Girona airport had 384,187 passengers, a reduction of 1.8%. While Reus airport (south Catalonia) saw passenger levels rise by 0.7% compared to July of 2012 with a total of 166,984.
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.
The 15th FINA World Aquatics Championships have come to an end with numerous world records broken and the introduction of new event high diving. The US topped the medal table with a total of 30; China obtained a total of 25 medals while Russia came third with 19 medals. The championships, which were based this year in Barcelona, involved six disciplines: diving, high diving, open water, swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo. Six world records have been broken during the two weeks of events including American Katie Ledecky smashing the women’s 1500m record. The event cost €25 million and was broadcast to 520 million viewers in 160 countries. According to FINA the event was attended by 267,000 spectators, 67,000 more than expected.
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 48th 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.
Container exports from the Port of Barcelona reached 276,566 TEU’s for the first half of this year, an increase of 12% on the same period of 2012. North Africa and the Far East have significantly grown as the destinations of exports from the Catalan harbour. Furthermore, among the highest exports are motor vehicles and bulk solid cargo such as cement. The Catalan Minister of Planning and Sustainability, Santi Vila, stressed the importance of the Port as an economic engine and the fact that it has changed itself from being an importer to an exporter of goods in recent years.
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.
Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce has presented the results of the economic situation of Catalonia during the second quarter of the year. It is estimated that GDP rose by 0.1% on the second quarter, following 18 months of negative growth. President of the Chamber, Miquel Valls, attributes this increase to a new economic model based upon high levels of tourism and exportation, which has boosted activity in the industrial sector. Regarding outlook for the third quarter, the Chamber expects this growth to continue which will improve the business climate within Catalonia.
Barça drew away to a defiant Lechia side with goals from Sergi Roberto and Messi, both times to cancel out earlier efforts from the home side. July 30, 2013 is a date Barça fans will remember for two reasons. The first is a sad one, for one of the greatest players ever to represent FC Barcelona, Antoni Ramallets, passed away. A minute’s silence was respected in his honour in Gdansk, and the players wore black armbands. However, it was also the day Neymar, FC Barcelona’s new Brazilian star, made his first appearance for the team, playing 15 minutes in the friendly in Gdansk.