UEFA ensure Abidal and Olympique Lyon remain inseperable !


Not so fast is what Lyon players and oficials seem to be telling Barca's Eric Abidal, as the French entourage storm Barcelona few months after their player Abidal left for the same destination. French star Eric Abidal left Olympique Lyon a few months ago. Now, the Barca defender has to come face-to-face with his old clubmates and officials once again, this time in the far away Spain and in the colours of FC Barcelona. Abidal is uneasy about this, but knows he still has to stand up to it and rise to the occassion:

I don’t like playing my ex-team. That’s only normal. However, I'll approach the game like any other game. Winning the Champions League is important and any player would like to lift it. It is best we focus on the game tomorrow and not worry yet about what might happen in later rounds.

Abidal also sheds more light on Lyon's raving player, Benzema, who along with Juninho, are expected to cause problems for Barca:

Benzema is a great player. He got the chance to show his quality when Fred was out injured, he is a more mature player now.

The Blaugrana strongman is also quick to show solidarity to his coach, Frank Rijkaard, who he's standing by no matter the odds. The Barca defender defends his coach and manager:

They always criticise the manager the most, but Rijkaard is working so that the group can work well, and I think that if anything needs criticism it’s the team as a whole. We are a group, the manager too, but if things go badly, the manager gets the criticism.

Much praise for the brave youngters of FC Barcelona despite loss of Copa Catalunya.


Coach Eusebio Sacristán spoke in the post match press conference after the Copa catalunya cup final match between Gimnastic and FC Barcelona. Read his views and comments below:


Copa Catalunya: Barcelona Official's Post-Match comments.

The president wants more excellence and achievments to tumble in this season. Great form is the key which he believes will unlock the store house of trophies.


FC Barcelona's President, Joan Laporta gave his rating of the current Blaugrana squad in the 2007/08 season so far. The president is keen to win titles and this can only be achieved with a functional Barcelona who are performing at nothing below their best. Laporta's assessment was given thus:

We have to keep working because the team needs to grow. We are getting into the right tone, but it is not the one we want quite yet.

In response, Rijkaard agrees with Laporta's views and is ready to work harder to accomplish set objectives:

The president wants to show how enthusiastic we are and wants the team to work and win big things. I think that’s good, because the only thing we want is for Barça to win.

Speaking further on his relationship with the President, coach Frank Rijkaard was very positive about the smooth and friendly atmoshpere surrounding them both:

On a personal and professional level we have a good relationship. From the start until now. I have a lot of respect for him and think he is doing a great job.

Good working relations generally exists among all the officials at Camp Nou.

Relief comes to Camp Nou as players breathe an air of less pressure from fans and the media.


FC Barcelona have secured three points from the weekend match against Athletic Bilbao in Camp Nou. This comes at the right time. After the Racing Santander episode, players like Gianluca Zambrotta said they were stunned by the reactions from fans and observers worldwide, as the performance of the Blaugrana was harshly criticised and outrightly rebuked. Now, things seem to be getting better after the 3-1 win against Athletic.
Speaking after the match, some of the Barcelona players expressed their views:


Thierry Henry:

It was important to show our other face after what happened in Santander. Most of all, we need to make sure the fans are happy.

Gianluca Zambrotta:

We played a good game with a winning mentality. I think we have to continue like that. Today we had the right mentality to win.
You can’t criticise us too much for the first game. Today we have shown just what kind of Barça we want. Last year was my first season and it was a bit difficult, which is normal. This year I hope to do well and help Barça to win.

Oleguer Presas:

We had a good first half. In the second half we slowed down a bit. We are still at the start of the season and we have a lot of things to improve but we are on the right track. The team has recovered its aggressiveness and played the ball around their area well. That is our strength and we need to take advantage of it”. I have a good feeling about this season. We have made some good new signings and they have improved the quality of the squad we had.

Víctor Valdés:

It was a nice game to watch, a great show. We suffered a bit towards the end, but we are generally pretty happy. Athletic fight for every ball. At 2-0 we lost some of out intensity and it was all so much more easy after we scored our third. We understand the criticism and treat it constructively. We went out onto the pitch intent on turning the page.

Giovani dos Santos:

I couldn’t have hoped for more on my debut. I imagined a debut like that. And it was strange be come on as substitute for Henry, who has always been one of my heroes. I am very happy. I couldn’t ask for more. It was my dream come true. I hope to stay here for many more years.

A lot of attention is focused on Giovanni Dos santos as FC Barcelona nutures the birth of another soccer talent.


A lot is happening very fast for Giovanni Dos Santos. After winning the U-17 world cup with Mexico and the Copa Catalunya with FC Barcelona, the teen sensation is on his way to win more titles with the Blaugrana this season. Giovanni has made his voice heard and his presence felt in the star studded Barcelona squad field with older and more experienced players, yet the skill of the youth prodigy still shines forth. Dos Santos was recently granted Spanish citizenship, giving his appearance chances for Barca a great boost. Now the youg lad is on the verge of making his debut for the senior Barca team after graduating from the ranks of the junior team, Barca B. Giovanni says:

I am very eager to play first official game. I don't mind who it is against, all I want to do is make my debut. I have been imagining what a day like that would be like for a long time and it would be fantastic to score a goal, but it is more important that the team does well and puts on a good show.

Dos Santos will be hoping to feature...and to score against Atletic Bilbao on Sunday in the Camp Nou, during the Barca's second La Liga match and first match of the official season infront of their home fans. Giovanni Dos Santos scored against Inter Milan when he registered his first goal in an official game at Camp Nou for FC Barcelona. On his debut goal in Camp Nou, the Mexican teen with a magical left foot is filled with self-fulfilment:

My first goal in Camp Nou was nearly the best moment of my life. It is every boy’s dream to score a goal at this place and hear the crowd chant your name. Things are going well. The truth is I can’t do anything else other than give it all I have on the pitch. I am currently in form and comfortable on the pitch, although it is the boss who will decide who plays I hope to get my moments and be able to take advantage of them.

Speaking about the challenges beyond Spain and the latest outcome in the Champions league, where Barca will face European opposition, Dos Santos is confident that despite the ability of the three other teams in Barcelona's group, progress will be made. The young one says:

Lyon are capable of winning absolutely any game, Stuttgart and Glasgow Rangers are a strong and physical side. It is going to be a tough competition.

Like any teeneger, the young star has not hidden his admiration for Ronaldinho, who he has openly hailed as his role model and inspiration:

I have admired his way of playing since I was very small, you see him smiling, enjoying himself when he plays and I think there are similarities between us. He helps me as much as he can. We all know what he is capable of, and I think, as he has said himself, that this will be is best season yet. The truth that the whole team is wonderful I feel well supported. Everyone here contributes something different.

The young Mexican speaks highly of the man in charge of the team, Dutchman Frank Rijkaard. To him, Giovanni is profoundly grateful for the opportunity given him at the senior team level even as he is yet a teenager:

Rijkaard is a great coach. He made me feel confident in the first team from the word go and has made me feel like one of the team. He just asked me to enjoy myself and go out onto the pitch and do what I know best.

Giovani Dos Santos concludes his interview by remaking the media nick name of fantastic four given to the forward liners of FC Barcelona. Giovanni concluded that:

Nobody is fantastic in this team, the fantastic thing is the team.