zubizarreta

Josep Maria Bartomeu, President of FC Barcelona, held a press conference on Wednesday to announce early elections to be held at the end of the current season. Bartomeu also confirmed that he will run. “We believe that calling elections is the best option to lower the tension that is currently present at the club”, he stated. Last week’s confirmation of FIFA’s ban on FC Barcelona by the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) was the last ingredient in a storm that has raged for months. FIFA will prevent the Catalan club from signing any new player until Christmas 2015 as a sanction for signing underage players from foreign countries. Following the CAS’ definitive verdict, Barça’s Football Director, Andoni Zubizarreta, was fired earlier this week.

The first leg in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League will be played in Manchester on the 24^th of February with the return leg at Camp Nou on the 18^th of March. The tie is a repeat of the encounter in the last 16 the previous season, which was the two sides' only previous meeting in Europe. Barça came through victorious. Manchester City appeared to be out of the competition at one point in the group stage but two excellent results in their last two matches earned them a place in the last 16. On Match Day 5 a late goal from Sergio Agüero gave them all three points against Bayern at home before they went to Italy to defeat Roma 2-0 to secure passage to the next round.

The FC Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has won the Golden Foot 2014. Iniesta collected the award ahead of nine other active footballers aged 28 or over to become the first Barça player to ever win an accolade that has been awarded annually since 2003. He collected the trophy at a gala on Monday evening held in Monaco, where he was joined by FC Barcelona’s Director of Football, Andoni Zubizarreta; his wife, Anna Ortiz; his agent, Ramon Sostres and Joel Borràs of Mediabase Sports. Anyone could vote for the winner in an Internet poll that this year has put Iniesta ahead of nine other nominees: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Manuel Neuer, Andrea Pirlo, Thiago Silva, Franck Ribéry, former FCB men Touré Yaya and Thierry Henry, and Brazilian women’s footballer Marta Vieira Da Silva

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.

Thomas Vermaelen is officially a Barça player after signing a five year deal at the Club on Sunday morning. Vermaelen was accompanied at the signing by the Catalan club President Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sporting Vice-Oresident Jordi Mestre. The Belgian defender passed his medical on Saturday and was presented on the Camp Nou pitch on Sunday  morning, with a press conference. Speaking at his presentation, Vermaelen explained: "I feel ready to play here - I think I can offer a lot to this club". "It's up to me to show what I can do here", he added. The cost of the deal with Arsenal is €10 million, with a further €5 million in performance bonuses and €3.8 million if the team win the Champions League. The Belgian defender’s buyout clause is set at €80 million.

The German goalkeeper acknowledges that this is a big step forward in his career, after impressing so much for Borussia in his home city of Mönchengladbach. On Thursday he appeared in his first press conference and started with an apology. “I don’t speak very good Spanish yet, let alone Catalan” he said. But judging by the surprisingly confident way that he delivered those words in Spanish, it won’t be long before he does. “It was an honour for me to receive such an offer from a team that has been so successful in recent years" he told the media. FC Barcelona Sporting Director, former goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta, described the German player as “fast, agile, strong in the air and good in the one-on-one”.

FC Barcelona has announced the signing of the keeper from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Marc-André Ter Stegen, and the departure of José Manuel Pinto after six and a half years of service to the team. In addition, youngsters Gerard Deulofeu and Rafinha Alcantára will be returning to the Club after a year out on loan at Everton and Celta Vigo respectively. The Catalan winger and the Brazilian born midfielder both came up through the Masia and they have put in impressive performances on loan this year. Ter Stegen is one of the new signings for the 2014/15 Barça squad, announced by Football Director Andoni Zubizarreta and FC Barcelona's Board of Directors. On top of this, they also confirmed that José Manuel Pinto will no longer defend Barça’s goal now that his contract has expired.

The FC Barcelona Board of Directors have this evening confirmed  Luis Enrique Martínez as the new first team coach, replacing Tata Martino and following a proposal from Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta. Luis Enrique, 44 , will sign a two year deal. The new manager will sign his contract at noon on Wednesday and hold a press conference at 1:00 PM CET in the Auditori 1899.This wil be Luis Enrique’s third spell at FC Barcelona, after having arrived in 1996 as Player and coming back in 2008 as the Barça B's coach.

Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino stepped down as FC Barcelona’s manager after the match against Atlético Madrid. The Argentinian, who was accompanied by Andoni Zubizarreta, announced the decision in the post-match press conference.  “I announce the mutual decision with the club to no longer manage FC Barcelona,” he started. He continued by thanking, “regardless of today’s result,” the club for the support he received throughout the season. “I thank the club for everything its given me, I thank President Bartomeu, Football Director Zubizarreta and Sandro Rosell for having confidence in me.” He added: “I also thank the fans for their respect, and I thank everyone that worked with me and my staff, and I especially thank the players.”

The new Barça Manager has signed his two-year contract this Friday morning and has hold his press conference as the Catalan team coach. Tata Martino feels maintaining the team’s hunger to win is the key to ensuring the success continues. “At Barça, the shirt alone is enough to motivate”, said the Argentinean when asked to describe his feelings about the challenges ahead. Tata also spoke about the players he is taking over. “If Messi and Neymar can’t work together, that’s because the coach has a problem, not the players” he said.

The four-time Ballon d'Or will be a Barça player through June 30 of 2018. Messi has signed his new contract with FC Barcelona, which adds two additional years to his previous contract, set to expire in June 2016. Messi, who joined FC Barcelona when he was 13 years old and made his first-team debut three years later, will be 31 when his contract expires.

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.

Barça is not only famous for winning the European Champions League or the Spanish Super Cup; it is also famous for the way it plays football and for producing its own stars through La Masía, FC Barcelona’s football school. The club has reorganised the entire football section, confirming the main directors and managers and fostering the talent improvement.