Will Barcelona have Cesc in T-5 hours?

Usually press conferences aren't good news. They are a pain to put on and PR people hate them. Tomorrow, Arsene Wenger is said to have a PC at 9am (England time), most likely about the two transfer sagas of the summer (Fabregas/Nasri). According to a periodista de FCB on Twitter, Barcelona and Arsenal made an agreement on Cesc's transfer earlier today. His contract will be 5 years at a $56 million value, if the deal is official.

I think Arsenal will give up their fight because of a certain "code of ethics"; they all know Cesc wants to return home, it would be wrong to not grant his wish to leave. Once this mess is sorted out, both teams can finally put full focus on the new season, although things seem to be getting worse for AFC with added injuries every week and little transfer deals in. Arsenal fans who consider burning jerseys...don't do it. You had him for a good chunk of time and if your a true fan of his be happy he is getting what he has wanted for a good while. It has nothing to do with Arsenal, but all Barcelona. 

USA Tour: Manchester United

Congrats to Manchester United for beating the Barcelona B Squad. One great goal by Thiago, 50 chances Villa coulda woulda shoulda scored, half our starting xi didn't even play, Nani walks talks acts like Ronaldo... 
Black kits look GREAT though!

A Friendly Tie

Today Barcelona played their first friendly of the 2011-12 season against Hajduk Split. The first half started with Victor Valdes, (D) Dalmau Armando Fontas Lobato, (M) Dos Santos Carmona Keita, Thiago, Villa and Afellay up front, but Pep switched up the entire line-up for the 2nd half. Iniesta was the man of the match setting up plays left and right but no one could follow through with a goal. Maybe his new BA haircut helped him.

I love looking at Victor during games but now it's almost impossible to stare at him with that awful green kit. I am not really digging the home kits either, sorry to say. It's not working for me.

I am also convinced that Barcelona can not function without Xavi, Iniesta, Messi or Pique on the field. They were slightly messy with the B squad today, they had no chemistry being mixed in with each other.

Photo via @barcastuff (whoever you are)

@andresiniesta8: "First pre-season game and we keep preparing... It's very nice to see so many B-team people with us!"

FC Barcelona 2011-12 Competitions

This season's competitions: Spanish Cup [Copa del Rey Winner - Real Madrid - and Liga winner - Barcelona: August 14/17], UEFA Super Cup [match between CL winner - Barcelona - and Europa League winner - FC Porto: May 19, 2012], Champions League, La Liga [August 20/21], Club World Cup [in Japan, December]

Favorite David Villa WC Quote

"I saw grown men crying like babies in the dressing room we all burst into tears. I was shocked to see tears from Xavi and Iniesta - players who have won everything in football - crying. I cried like a child." -David Villa on 2010 World Cup win for Spain

The Weakness of David Villa

2010 World Cup -- South Africa [Getty Images]

Who would of thought that the weakness of David Villa isn't his wife, chocolate or fancy cars but his Espana teammate, Cesc Fabregas. He, like the other Barca players, would welcome Cesc to the team with a warm heart and positive reinforcement. Gary Niblock at Goal.com wrote, "Last summer, in the aftermath of Spain's World Cup victory, Villa was quoted as saying that he would do everything in his power to attract Fabregas to Catalunya as he was a player who would improve the team."

Currently, Fabregas is "injured" with a hamstring injury (I fully believe he is injured despite what other Arsenal/Barcelona fans are thinking). ESPN says "Cesc promises to make amends" for missing the Asia tour with Arsenal.

...more to come about this never ending drama...

FC Barcelona 2011-2012 Schedule

August 14! We are just a little over a month away from the first league match. Here is the complete FC Barcelona schedule for the new season (summer friendlies included). Games may be adjusted a day or two, so be prepared, and some times haven't been announced yet.

Saturday, July 23 (20:30) Hajduk Split – FC Barcelona (Friendly)
Tuesday, July 26 (18:15) FC Barcelona – Internacional (Audi Cup)
Sunday, July 31 (01:00) FC Barcelona – Manchester United (Friendly)

Thursday, August 4 (02:00) FC Barcelona – Chivas (Friendly)
Saturday, August 6 (22:00) FC Barcelona – Club America (Friendly)
Sunday, August 14 (22:00): Real Madrid – FC Barcelona (Spanish Supercup)
Wednesday, August 17 (23:00): FC Barcelona – Real Madrid (Spanish Supercup)
Sunday, August 21: Málaga – FC Barcelona
Friday, August 26: FC Barcelona – FC Porto (European Supercup)
Sunday, August 28: La Liga: FC Barcelona – Villarreal

Sunday, September 11: Real Sociedad – FC Barcelona
Sunday, September 18: FC Barcelona – Osasuna
Wednesday, September 21: Valencia – FC Barcelona
Sunday, September 25: FC Barcelona – Atlético de Madrid

Sunday, October 2: Sporting de Gijón – FC Barcelona
Sunday, October 16: FC Barcelona – Racing
Sunday, October 23: FC Barcelona – Sevilla
Wednesday, October 26: Granada – FC Barcelona
Sunday, October 30: FC Barcelona – Mallorca

Sunday, November 6: Athletic de Bilbao – FC Barcelona
Sunday, November 20: FC Barcelona – Zaragoza
Sunday, November 27: Getafe – FC Barcelona

Sunday, December 4: FC Barcelona – Levante
Sunday, December 11: Real Madrid – FC Barcelona *CLASICO*
Sunday, December 18: FC Barcelona – Rayo Vallecano

2012

Sunday, January 8: Espanyol – FC Barcelona
Sunday, January 15: FC Barcelona – Real Betis
Sunday, January 22: FC Barcelona – Málaga
Sunday, January 29: Villarreal – FC Barcelona

Sunday, February 5: FC Barcelona – Real Sociedad
Sunday, February 12: Osasuna – FC Barcelona
Sunday, February 19: FC Barcelona – Valencia
Sunday, February 26: Atlético de Madrid – FC Barcelona

Sunday, March 4: FC Barcelona – Sporting de Gijón
Sunday, March 11: Racing – FC Barcelona
Sunday, March 18: Sevilla – FC Barcelona
Wednesday, March 21: FC Barcelona – Granada
Sunday, March 25: Mallorca – FC Barcelona

Sunday, April 1: FC Barcelona – Athletic de Bilbao
Sunday, April 8: Zaragoza – FC Barcelona
Wednesday, April 11: FC Barcelona – Getafe
Sunday, April 15: Levante – FC Barcelona
Sunday, April 22: FC Barcelona – Real Madrid *CLASICO*
Sunday, April 29: Rayo Vallecano – FC Barcelona

Sunday, May 6: FC Barcelona – Espanyol

Sunday, May 13: Real Betis – FC Barcelona

For complete schedule, check back at FC Barcelona's official website

For complete Spain league games, click here

*Schedule pulled from Barcelona's official website and @BarcaTheOffside's website.

A Proven Striker

"There is never a game in which he doesn’t get into goalscoring positions. He always generates them."
Coach Pep Guardiola

World's Starting XI

What 11 great players would make the World's team?

According to Grant Wahl at SI.com, here is the World's starting XI:

GK, Iker Casillas [Real Madrid/Spain]

RB, Dani Alves [Barcelona/Brazil]

CB: Gerard Piqué [Barcelona/Spain]

CB, Nemanja Vidic [Manchester United/Serbia]

LB, Patrice Evra [Manchester United/France]

M, Bastien Schweinsteiger [Bayern Munich/Germany]

M, Xavi [Barcelona/Spain]M, Andrés Iniesta [Barcelona/Spain]F, David Villa [Barcelona/Spain]F, Lionel Messi [Barcelona/Argentina]F, Cristiano Ronaldo [Real Madrid/Portugal]

There you go, pretty much FC Barcelona with a splash of Man U and Real Madrid [7 players from Barca and/or Spain]. For the most part I agree with this starting XI, although I do believe Valdes deserves to be on this list as well. VV doesn't get enough credit for his outstanding performance every game with Barcelona. 

This list is a 4-3-3 formation (what Barcelona plays) and is the way to go. Not sure why other teams aren't adopting this; watch Real Madrid start this way next season. 

The 3 forwards, 1 of which would never get along with the other two, would be literally unstoppable. Use one forward for defensive-F (Messi or Ronaldo would work) and the other to be constantly off-sides (Villa) in case the ref doesn't catch him. (joke, obvi)

Xavi and Iniesta are two peas in a pod and gain all of Barcelona's possession by keeping the ball moving from left to right effortlessly. When the sad day comes that these two are separated and replaced, Barcelona will slowly fall apart. 

Side note: Wahl deserved Villa as "the most consistently deadly finisher in the world." Sounds perfect to me. 

Spain v USMNT Pre-Match

 

This Saturday, June 4 will be the first Spain v USA match on US soil [Boston, MA]. Their last meeting was back in 2009 for the Confederation Cup semifinal in which the United States won 2-0. Ouch. Payback? Alonso was quoted saying "We remember this US team well". Personally, I love and support both teams but fully believe Spain will take the victory, they are on fire this year! If anything, they may lose from being tired as they just arrived in the US 2 days before the game and the Barca boys just finished their season not even a week ago.

  Here is a [USA] line-up prediction by soccerbyives.net: 
 

No idea whatsoever who del Bosque will start for his side. Just make sure it includes Villa, Torres, Valdes (please?), Iniesta and we will be set!

For full squad, please view our Spain page