catalan punya: 07

7.30.2011

Seeking repeat of Wembley success

Preview

Seeking repeat of Wembley success

Jesús Carrillo

Two months after the Champions League Final at Wembley, the same two teams meet again. The Red Devils would like to make amends for losing in May while Barça will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten run in preseason games.

The FedEx Field in the capital of the United States (01.00 CET) will be the venue for one of the most attractive games in world football today. It’s a repeat of last season European final.

Barça starting and United ending
Barça face Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in their first game on American soil after playing away to Hajduk Split, and then facing Internacional Porto Alegre and Bayern Munich in the second edition of the Audi Cup. But for Manchester United, this game marks the end of their tour of the USA.

United have won all four of their games against New England Revolution (Foxborough), Seattle Sounders, Chicago Fire and an MLS All Star team in Houston.

Xavi, possible return
The main attraction in the FCB team is the possibility of Xavi Hernández appearing for the first time in the preseason. He has been sidelined through injury ever since missing the end-of-season friendly internationals for Spain and has been taking things carefully over the last few weeks.

Xavi may well be back against the Premier League champions in Washington. Apart from the players that travelled to the Copa America, only Xavi and Puyol have yet to play, but it looks like being a few more days before the latter is back on the field.

Barça players meet up with US fans

The Barça players were greeted by thousands of fans at Friday evening’s training, who enjoyed seeing the stars work out up close and were then treated to a long session of autograph signing.

After nearly half an hour signing autographs for the fans after the training session proper had finished, the players left the FedEx pitch to chants of “The best team in the world”, as the US supporters and the players shared some quality time together at the gigantic Washington stadium.

Open training session for UCL finalists

Nearly 5,000 people watched United and then Barça train ahead of Saturday’s game, with the Barça fans certainly outnumbering the United followers and plenty of Barça flags and scarves in the crowd.

The Barça players put in a physically taxing session, which was also very spectacular for the fans, with the ball control exercises moving from one side of the pitch to the other to give them a clearer view and the ball always present in every exercise.

Autographs and photos

As with the morning session, Gerard Piqué and Maxwell worked apart after their muscle strains, as did Carles Puyol, who continued his recovery from his knee operation. Those three were the first to leave the session and begin signing autographs for the fans and despite the humid conditions and the effort they had just put into training, the rest of the squad soon joined them, as did Pep Guardiola – the last man off the pitch - for autographs and photos.

Barça boost international profile

A delegation from FC Barcelona. Led by Club President Sandro Rosell went to The White House this Friday on a private visit of one of the States’ most iconic buildings.

After a morning training session, the whole squad and the Club directors accompanying the Tour were taken up Pennsylvania Avenue to The White House for a private visit. They were met at the U.S. President’s residence by Michael Strautmanis, who is Deputy Assistant to President Obama and Counselor for Strategic Engagement to the Senior Advisor.

Nearly 60 people
The Club delegation was made up of 59 people and headed by President Sandro Rosell who was accompanied by vice presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Jordi Cardoner; Club directors Josep Ramon Vidal Abarca and Didac Lee, Club Director General Antoni Rossich, Andoni Zubizarreta, Josep Guardiola, the rest of the technical staff on the Tour and the full playing squad.

Guided Tour
After passing through the security controls at The Executive Mansion, the party was split into two groups for their tour of the building, where they saw a number of areas, such as the reception rooms and the corridors leading to the conference rooms. The fascinating stories surrounding the building and some of its past Presidents were also explained.

The group also visited the Portrait Room of past Presidents where all the Presidents painted are looking straight at the viewer, except for John Kennedy, whose portrait was finished after his death and for that reason the painter was unable to reproduce his face.

The group finished the trip with a photograph on the South Lawn of the White House.

Pinto: “Nobody can beat us through desire alone”

José Manuel Pinto does not think that Manchester United will be looking for revenge when they meet Barça in a friendly in Washington. Although the Champions League final is fresh on everyone’s minds, this game is only about preseason preparations.

Two months after meeting at Wembley, FC Barcelona and Manchester United meet again, this time on the Fedex Field, Washington in the early hours of Sunday morning in Europe (1.00, CET). But this will be a very different game to the one on May 28 in London, as José Manuel Pinto said to the press after Friday’s training session.

No revenge
The goalkeeper said the game with the Red Devils “is not about revenge. I’d say it will be a nice game”. Pinto explained that his team is only just beginning its preseason preparations and these matches “are about nothing more than improving and getting into our rhythm”.

The main objective is “to get ourselves up to 100 percent for the start of the season” but that “nobody can beat us through desire alone.”

Wonderful youth structure
It is telling that no fewer than nine reserve players are with the first team in the United States. Pinto described these youngsters as “wonderful” and congratulated them on all that they are achieving. In the youth teams “they have learned well” and that makes it so much easier for them to adapt to football at the highest level.

Barça trains with the ball for the first time in the USA

Guardiola and his team used the ball in training for the first time since arriving in the United States. The venue was the emblematic Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

Barça will be in America for ten days, and after working out in the gym and then having the Thursday evening session cancelled on Thursday, today they finally trained with the ball.

Long tradition

The venue has been used in the past for a host of different sports events, including matches at the 1994 World Cup. It was built with baseball in mind, which is why it is slightly more oval shaped than a regular football stadium. Its previous tenants include the NFL’s Washington Redskins, who were there for 36 years, and baseball’s Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers), while it is currently home to Major League Soccer franchise DC United.

Xavi joins squad

The positive news today was the return of Xavi Hernández to active duty. Until now, the midfielder has been working out in isolation, and his colleagues gave him a hearty round of applause as he came onto the field today.

Puyol, Piqué and Maxwell, apart
In stifling temperatures of 36 degrees, and humidity of 45%, Puyol, Piqué and Maxwell all trained on their own. Puyol is still recovering from a knee injury, while Piqué and Maxwell have taken minor knocks, Piqué to the calf and Maxwell to the abdomen.

Seeking repeat of Wembley success

7.29.2011

Three players to leave Barça Sorli Discau

David Páez, Carlos López and Jordi Adroher will not continue with Barça Sorli Discau next season. All three will leave after many years of success at the Club.

The contracts of all three players finish on 30th June and will not be at the Club next season. The two forwards leave with a great list of titles won to their names, whilst Adroher has won plenty of experience and has a great future ahead of him.

Páez, 14 seasons and 49 titles
David Páez came to Barcelona at the start of the 1997/98 season, joining the Club where his older brother José Luis ‘el Negro’ Páez was playing. In his 14 seasons with the team, Paez won 49 titles, including 8 European Cups and 13 Leagues. As an explosive striker, the Argentinean always entertained with his skilful play.

López, 6 seasons and 26 titles

Carlos López joined the Club in the 2004/05 season as a replacement for the retired Gabi Cairo and has shown great fighting spirit and a nose for a goal during his 6 seasons at the Palau, winning 26 titles, including 6 OK Ligas and 4 European Cups. His good humour and charisma made him a favourite with the Barça fans.

Adroher, 2 seasons and 4 titles
Jordi Adroher came to the Club as the eighth player in the squad –an unusual position in roller hockey – as cover for the squad which was suffering from an injury crisis. The Catalan player had caught the eye of the Barça coaching staff early on in his career and was loaned out to Vic after he’d first signed, before joining the team in the 2009!10 season. In his two years at the Club he has won four titles: one OK Lliga, one European Cup, one Spanish Cup and one Copa Continental.