Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Bojan all clear, Jeffren out on Sunday
www.fcbarcelona.cat
Good news for FC Barcelona: neither of the two injuries sustained against Rubin Kazan by Bojan and Jeffren are serious. Bojan will be back training on Thursday and Jeffren will only miss one match.
Bojan spent the night under observation in Barcelona Hospital, but was released and told to get day’s rest, after which he can get back to normal training.
Jeffren misses match
Meanwhile, tests this morning on Jeffren show that he has a groin strain. He will miss the weekend match with Real Sociedad but should be able to train again next week.
22-man session
With Bojan and Jeffren out, as well as the also injured Milito, Josep Guardiola had 22 players at today’s training session, 16 from the first team and six from the reserves (Miño, Bartra, Fontàs, Thiago, Jonathan and Víctor Vázquez). As usual, the work was less intense for those that started the match against Rubin Kazan.
Three Champions League debuts
Roger Bogunyà
Now fewer than three Barça B players made their Champions League debuts against Rubin Kazann namely Bartra, Fontàs and Thiago. Here are some other curiosities surrounding the 2-0 win.
► Of the three debutants, just Thiago and Fontàs started. Bartra came on for Bojan in the second half.
► Jonathan dos Santos already played a few minutes in the Champions League at the end of the 2-0 match with Inter last year. But this was the Mexican’s first European start.
► Víctor Vázquez, scorer of the second goal last night, also had prior experience in the Champions. That came against Shakhtar Donetsk (2-3), in the 2008/09 season.
► Last night’s other scorer, Andreu Fontàs, got his first goal for the first team. He had played five games to date.
► In total, as many as ten reserves turned out against Rubin Kazan.
► Pinto, coming off a two-match suspension, played his second Champions League match on Tuesday. He has yet to concede a goal and this season, in his four appearances, Barcelona have won.
► Busquets played the whole game at centre back and was the player who recovered the most balls (15).
► Gerard Piqué is the only Barça player who has started every match in the Champions League group stage. ► The team has now gone two games without getting any cards, and against Rubin Kazan, Barça only committed three fouls.
► It is now five games since Barcelona conceded a goal. The last was Nilmar’s for Villarreal (3-1).
Bartra pleased with European call
Marc Bartra could not hide his delight after playing in FC Barcelona's Champions League victory against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday evening after going on as a substitute in Camp Nou.
The Blaugrana finished the 2-0 triumph with ten youngsters on the pitch and they all showed that they are capable of playing at the highest level. Bartra stepped in at full-back and looked completely at home. "When I was younger I played as a full-back and I feel fine in that position," he explained. "What is important is to continue growing slowly and do what the coach asks of you."
First team
Bartra completed 42 passes during the game, had one shot and recovered the ball on seven occasions. "I think that if we continue to keep our feet on the ground then one day if we are needed for the first team then they will call us," he explained to Barça TV.
Ballon d’Or trio
During the game Bartra was on the field as some of Barça's star players including the three Ballon d'Or finalists Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and Lionel Messi. "The three all deserve it," he added. "They are the best and I cannot compare myself because they are from another planet."
Below is what some of the other players said after the Rubin game:
Fontàs
"I am very pleased, on the pitch it all changes."
"The whole team helped me along."
"I am very happy, delighted. The game was very difficult."
"Out there I felt very comfortable. I feel good and everyone is marvellous
"The youth team players continue to work well."
Busquets
"It was a defensive game. Rubin played with six defenders and it was tough."
"We have played with the same style that we have had all season."
"Now we do not know who we will play next, but the best teams in the Champions League are now left."
Pinto
"I whistled in this game, just like I always do."
"To play in the Champions League is a bonus and I am pleased."
"Our defence was stronger than what Rubin had and they only had a couple of chances."
Mascherano
"Rubin defend well tactically and it is difficult to move through them."
"I always try to do my best because in this club you have to do that every day."
"Destiny will decide who win the Champions League, but I want to go into February with all the players and with no injuries."
"I am from the outside and I can see the other way, but the Barça youth system is historic."
Piqué
"It was not a great game for the fans."
"It was important for me because it was my first game as captain of the first team and it was a proud moment after so many years supporting this club."
"You have to move the ball a lot more against Rubin, above all to create chances."
"The youth system is a credit to everyone for a job well done."
"I have no preference for the Ballon d'Or and the prize should be divided between all three of them."
"It is a pleasure to see Víctor (Vázquez) in the first team because since we were young we have played in the same team, he deserves his chance."
Víctor Vázquez
"I played with Piqué and Messi some time ago and I am delighted to be back with them tonight."
"I think I played well and it is true that I am very pleased to play with the first team and with my goal."
"Pep Guardiola told me that he was pleased with me and that he felt I had a good game.
Guardiola pleased with group display
Anna Segura
Pep Guardiola reflected on FC Barcelona's Champions League group stage campaign and admitted that he was pleased with the way his team has played and that they had finished on top of "a very hard group".
Barça had already clinched top spot before the last game of the first phase and they concluded in style with a 2-0 triumph on Tuesday evening with goals from Anreu Fontàs and Víctor Vázquez. The chance to field a number of youngsters and shadow players pleased the coach. "I am pleased by the way that everyone has played and the spirit that they have shown," Guardiola said.
Tough group
When the Blaugrana were drawn in their group Guardiola felt that it would be a tough test given that all the other sides came from northern Europe. "They are always difficult because they are at the top," he continued. "I am delighted with how things went in the group. We finished undefeated for the first time in three years and I think the team deserves a great deal of merit." Youth action
On the youth starlets that stepped up and performed at the highest level Guardiola was content. "They played well," he commented. "They have a great road ahead of them. The game was good to see how they would react and they did so with great seriousness. They all played at a very good level."
Vázquez and Fontàs
Vázquez came on early as a substitute and scored and that pleased the trainer. "I am happy for them all, but especially for Víctor," he said. After all his injuries the youngster has bounced back and Guardiola was particularly pleased. "He deserves his chance," he added. Fontàs netted the first goal and the coach stated: "He had an extraordinary second half and is a very intelligent player."
Top draw
The draw for the next round of the Champions League takes place on December 17 and Guardiola has no preference as to which team Barça are drawn against. "Now they are all strong," he said. "When you pass the group stage there are no easy sides."
Guardiola’s best group stage
www.fcbarcelona.cat
FC Barcelona head into the next stage of the Champions League after the team secured their best record in the group stages since Pep Guardiola took over as head coach.
The Blaugrana boss has seen his side improve their performance at this stage in each of his three seasons and this year they won 14 points after clinching 13 last term and 11 two seasons ago.
Four wins
Barça are considered to be favourites to win the tournament and they are living up to that billing with performances on the pitch. Four wins and two draws, against Rubin and Copenhagen away, while maintaining a 100 per cent record at Camp Nou has been impressive.
Goals have come in abundance too with 14 scored and just three conceded.
No losses
It is also the first time in three seasons that FC Barcelona have completed the group stage of the competition without losing any matches. In 2008/09 they were beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk at home, 2-3, and last term went down in Camp Nou against Rubin Kazan, 1-2. Fourth time
Victory on Tuesday also marked Barça's first triumph against Rubin as they had lost one and drawn twice in their previous three meetings with the Russian league team.
Barça overcome defensive Rubin (2-0)
Jordi Clos
FC Barcelona completed their Champions League group campaign with a comfortable win against Rubin Kazan in Camp Nou on Tuesday evening thanks to goals from young duo Andreu Fontàs and Víctor Vázquez.
Pep Guardiola's team faced another tough examination against European opposition as their Russian league visitors arrived in Catalunya determined to employ a rigorous defensive system.
Before the game Rubin had the chance to still make it through to the first knockout round of the competition if FC Copenhagen lost or drew against Panathinaikos, while Barça had secured top spot in Group D after defeating the Greeks side last time out. Instead, FC Copenhagen won in Denmark and the Blaugrana put paid to any thoughts Kurban Berdyev's side had of causing a surprise and the Russian outfit will not continue their continental challenge in Europe League after Christmas.
Numbers back
Victory did not look like something that the away team felt that they could realistically achieve and even the Rubin goalkeeper, Sergei Ruzhikov, began to try to run down the clock from early in the encounter. With a line of five or six players in front of him, the visitors' custodian looked on as the task was left to the home team to try and break down the barrier. Barça broke free and used a 3-4-3 system with Maxwell and Adriano pushing and Sergio Busquets sitting in the centre of defence was surprise in itself.
Few chances
The outlook was identical to the previous three meetings between the two teams with FC Barcelona completely dominating and looking for any space that they could while Rubin remained very well organised and disciplined and hoped to find a way out on the counter-attack. Just like in the other three games also, chances were at a premium.
Enforced changes
Early on Guardiola was forced to make changes as Jeffren Suárez suffered a knock after just 11 minutes and Bojan Krkic did the same with 33 minutes on the clock. Vázquez was on first and he was followed by B team starlet Marc Bartra as the home team maintained control of the ball and enjoyed 80 per cent of the possession.
Opening goal
Thiago Alcántara showed why he is so highly rated at the club as he cut in from the right before laying the ball back for Fontàs six minutes after the half-time break and the defender scored on his Champions League debut. The shot did take a deflection off Vitali Kaleshin and left Ryzhikov stranded, but the scorer was not complaining as he wheeled away in celebration.
Youth production
Lionel Messi made way for Jonathan just after the hour mark and looked on from the bench as Barça netted a second with seven minutes remaining. Adriano set Vázquez free and the youngster curled the ball past the keeper. On a night when Barça had little at stake the hosts were able to prove that the youth production line is still working well as a number of hopefuls showed that they can play at the highest level.
FC Barcelona completed their Champions League group campaign with a comfortable win against Rubin Kazan in Camp Nou on Tuesday evening thanks to goals from young duo Andreu Fontàs and Víctor Vázquez.
Pep Guardiola's team faced another tough examination against European opposition as their Russian league visitors arrived in Catalunya determined to employ a rigorous defensive system.
Before the game Rubin had the chance to still make it through to the first knockout round of the competition if FC Copenhagen lost or drew against Panathinaikos, while Barça had secured top spot in Group D after defeating the Greeks side last time out. Instead, FC Copenhagen won in Denmark and the Blaugrana put paid to any thoughts Kurban Berdyev's side had of causing a surprise and the Russian outfit will not continue their continental challenge in Europe League after Christmas.
Numbers back
Victory did not look like something that the away team felt that they could realistically achieve and even the Rubin goalkeeper, Sergei Ruzhikov, began to try to run down the clock from early in the encounter. With a line of five or six players in front of him, the visitors' custodian looked on as the task was left to the home team to try and break down the barrier. Barça broke free and used a 3-4-3 system with Maxwell and Adriano pushing and Sergio Busquets sitting in the centre of defence was surprise in itself.
Few chances
The outlook was identical to the previous three meetings between the two teams with FC Barcelona completely dominating and looking for any space that they could while Rubin remained very well organised and disciplined and hoped to find a way out on the counter-attack. Just like in the other three games also, chances were at a premium.
Enforced changes
Early on Guardiola was forced to make changes as Jeffren Suárez suffered a knock after just 11 minutes and Bojan Krkic did the same with 33 minutes on the clock. Vázquez was on first and he was followed by B team starlet Marc Bartra as the home team maintained control of the ball and enjoyed 80 per cent of the possession.
Opening goal
Thiago Alcántara showed why he is so highly rated at the club as he cut in from the right before laying the ball back for Fontàs six minutes after the half-time break and the defender scored on his Champions League debut. The shot did take a deflection off Vitali Kaleshin and left Ryzhikov stranded, but the scorer was not complaining as he wheeled away in celebration.
Youth production
Lionel Messi made way for Jonathan just after the hour mark and looked on from the bench as Barça netted a second with seven minutes remaining. Adriano set Vázquez free and the youngster curled the ball past the keeper. On a night when Barça had little at stake the hosts were able to prove that the youth production line is still working well as a number of hopefuls showed that they can play at the highest level.
