Squad announced for Norway trip

Pep Guardiola has named the 22 players who will make the trip to Norway on Thursday for the first friendly of the pre-season against Valerenga. The list includes 8 from the senior squad and 14 from the reserves.

The first squad of the summer consists of Pinto, Adriano, Bojan, Ibrahimovic, Keita, Maxwell, Milito and Victor Sanchez from the first team squad and Miño, Armando, Benja, Dalmau, Edu Oriol, Ilie, Jonathan dos Santos, Jonathan Soriano, Martí Riverola, Muniesa, Nolito, Sergi Gomez, Sergi Roberto and Tello from the reserves.

Abidal, who only resumed training on Monday, together with Hleb, Oier, Cuenca and Masip, have been cut from the squad. Meanwhile, Jeffren – who has a muscle niggle – will also remain in Barcelona as a precaution. Fontàs and Vazquez will continue their recovery programmes at the Club’s training grounds.

A flying visit

The team will fly out to Oslo at 9 am on Thursday. The match kicks off at 7 pm and the Barça party will return immediately afterwards.

New Transfer Adriano: “I want to make history”

Barca’s new signing believes that he has enough maturity to be ”prepared to deal with the pressure“ and reckons his first objective is “to establish myself in the first team”.

Happy and excited about his move, Adriano, who sees his new boss Pep Guardiola as “an example for us all”, spoke exclusively to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat after his official presentation on Monday.

What are your first sensations as a Barca player ?

“Very good, marvellous! I’ve been in touch with my new teammates and seen the Ciutat Esportiva, now I’m really keen to get started”.

You made your debut as a Seville player against Barca and your last league game for them was also against us. Maybe that was a sign that you would end up here.

“Yes, it’s curious. I’d never have though that would happen. Now I’m here and very happy and I want to thank everybody who worked hard to make this transfer possible and just go out and give everything I can for the team”.

And now your first game for the team will be at the Sanchez Pijuan in the Super Cup. How do you think the fans will receive you?

“I hope it’ll be the best reception possible. I gave everything to Seville for five years and I wrote my name in the club’s history. We won many titles and to go back there and play them now will be very special”.

Negotiating with José Maria Del Nido isn’t normally that easy. Have you been surprised at how easy the contract negotiations were?

“Not surprised, no, but the good relations between Seville and Barca made it easier. The new Board did things really well, Del Nido knew that I wanted to leave and it all worked out perfectly”.

When did you hear of Barca’s interest in you?

“I was at Rota with Seville on the third day of pre-season training. I saw I had a call from the President after training, which doesn’t normally happen. I tried to call him back, but he was busy, so I called my agent who told me what was happening”.

What was your reaction?

“Excited, it was marvellous news – a dream come true. I was coming to play at the best club in the world and with the best players in the world”.

Who did you call first?

“My wife and son. I asked my son a year or so ago where he would like me to play and he said Barca. So when I told him, he was very happy”.

Where does his support for Barca come from?

“He’s been a fan since Dani signed for Barca a couple of years ago”.

Do you think your time at Seville had reached a logical end?

“I’d done everything I’d set out to do there. I’d won a lot of titles and it was time for a change. The truth is that nothing could be better than a move here”.

What did you learn in your time at Seville?

“I matured a lot. I became a more experienced player on the pitch. I was just 19 when I went to Seville and I think my character and personality have improved since then and my technical skills too”.

Are you prepared for the pressure of playing for the best team in the world?

“Yes I am. My time at Seville has prepared me well and now I am stronger physically and mentally. I’m ready to deal with the pressure of playing for Barca”.

As an outsider, what most attracted your attention about Barca?

“Their style of play, the fans. When I came here with Seville, the atmosphere was incredible. Also, the group of players here and the atmosphere around the club in general”.

You won a lot at Seville, what are your objectives at Barca?

“To begin with, establish myself in the first team. Try to adapt as quickly as possible to my new teammates and the team’s style of play. After that, I want to make history with Barca”.

Do you think it will take a while to get used to Barca’s style of play?

“I’ll try and do it as quickly as possible. I’ll be asking for advice from my friends, so that they can help me adapt”.

What has Alves explained to you about Barca?

“That this is a marvellous club. He reckons it’s the best thing that ever happened to him. Every day is spectacular on and off the pitch”.

Have you imagined what it will be like to play with players like Messi, Villa, Xavi, and Iniesta...

“Of course! Since I got the news, I’ve been imagining what it will be like. You remember playing against them and now I’ll be alongside them. It’s a dream”.

What has Pep Guardiola said to you?

“That I should do everything I can to settle in as quickly as possible. My family will be here in a few days so that they can enjoy this unique moment in my career”.

And what has Alves explained to you about the boss?

“It’s an honour for me to be coached by Guardiola. He’s achieved everything as a player and a coach and is an example for us all. Dani told me he’s an exceptional person too”.

You are a versatile footballer - do you think that will help you win a regular place in the team?

“Yes, I’m sure it will. However, the most important thing is that I give everything when I get on the pitch. I’m available for the coach for whatever he needs from me”.

So what would you say is your natural position?

“Left back”.

But you were originally right footed?

“I can play with either foot, for which I have to thank my dad who taught me everything. He always said that being able to play with both feet could make the difference and he was right”.

Your explosive style has often meant that you’ve suffered muscle injuries over the years

“Yes, for the rhythm of work I was doing, that did happen, but I’ve improved a lot over the last two years. I’m looking after myself more and better and have been following a personal programme so that my body can withstand the strains of my explosive style”.

Those injuries meant you couldn’t play as regularly as you’d have liked though?

“Yes, that’s true. Both at Seville and with Brazil. Missing out on the national team was the most important thing and that was a tough time for me. I had a lot of injuries on the run and that meant I lost my place with Brazil”.

Zubizarreta, new technical director

Andoni Zubizarreta, one of the finest goalkeepers in FC Barcelona history, will be the new technical director of the professional football department. His former team-mate, Guillermo Amor, will be the technical director of the youth teams.

FC Barcelona’s organigram is set to be restructured into professional and youth departments. The former’s technical director will be Andoni Zubizarreta while Narcís Julià will be technical secretary. The latter’s technical director will be Guillermo Amor and Albert Puig will be technical secretary. Both Zubizarreta and Amor are former FCB players and have experience in such positions at Athletic Bilbao and in the Barça offices. Zubizarreta: 48 years old, ex-keeper and with experience at Bilbao Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta, the new technical secretary, was born 48 years ago in Vitoria and was one of the lynchpins of the Dream Team. He started out at Alaves, and then made the leap to the top flight with Athletic Club. Aged just 20 years, Zubizarreta took over as goalkeeper at Athletic Club from Javier Clemente. In five seasons in Bilbao, he won two Leagues, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup. In summer 1986 he moved to Barcelona as the substitute for Urruti and won a Zamora title. As FCB goalkeeper, he won the European Cup, four Ligas in a row, two Copas del Rey, one Cup Winners Cup and three Super Cups in eight years. After the 4-0 defeat to Milan in the 1994 Champions League final, Johan Cruyff decided to offload the Basque stopper, who went on to spend four years at Valencia. Zubizarreta is the most capped Spanish international ever, with 126 appearances. Three years after hanging up his boots, Andoni Zubizarreta moved into an office job at Athletic Club. He was director of sport at the club for three seasons from 2001 to 2004. Andoni Zubizarreta loves the game and has always been associated to it. In recent years he has been working as a columnist for ‘El País’ and analyst for TVE. This means he has stayed well in touch with Barça and attended such occasions as the finals in Rome and Abu Dhabi. It is clear from these trips that Zubizarreta has an excellent relationship with Guardiola.

Toure Yaya joins Man City

Toure Yaya has left FC Barcelona. The club has sold him to English side Manchester City for 30 million euros plus variables of 0.5 million euros depending on whether City qualify for the Champions League.

Of these 30 million, 24 will go to FC Barcelona and six go to Toure’s agent, who holds the economic rights to the player, as explained to a press conference by the vice president for the sports area, Josep Maria Bartomeu. The Ivorian to ever play for Barcelona arrived at the Camp Nou on June 26, 2007 as the second signing for the 2007/08 season. He signed for four seasons, and his contract was later extended until 2012. He now leaves for Manchester City, where he will be teaming up with his brother, Kolo Touré.