Barca expected to crush first opponents in the champions league knock-out stage.


The Blaugrana will face the Scottish team Celtic in Scotland on February 20, 2008 and the return leg will be in Camp Nou on march 5, 2008. FC Barcelona are expected to win and proceed to the next stage. Other eye-popping ties include Arsenal versus AC Milan as well as Liverpool versus Inter Milan.
The full pairings are seen below:


Match 1: Celtic versus Barcelona.


Match 2: Lyon versus Manchester United.


Match 3: Schalke versus FC Porto.


Match 4: Liverpool versus Inter Milan


Match 5: AS Roma versus Real Madrid


Match 6: Arsenal versus AC Milan


Match 7: Olympiakos versus Chelsea


Match 8: Fenerbahce versus Sevilla

Bojan Krkic is to continue scoring his brilliant goals in Barcelona and nowhere else.


Celta Vigo have failed in a bid to snap up the most promising young stirker in Spain, Bojan Krkic. Celta Vigo made the request after the man in Charge at Celta, Ex-Barca goal poacher, Hristo Stoichkov travelled to Camp Nou to meet with Barcelona Sporting Director, Txiki Bergiristain. Stoichkov explained that he has identified Bojan Krkic as the striker who will redeem the fortunes of Celta Vigo and help in bringing the Spanish team back to limelight. Txiki agreed that indeed, Bojan Krkic is a very important player and capable of turning the fortunes of Celta Vigo around, but the Barca official maintained that Bojan will remain with FC Barcelona and be listed among the senior team players next season so as to give the young multiple golden boot winner the opportunity to continue scoring his numerous goals in a Barcelona jersey and not anywhere else. Bojan Krkic, the youthful striker is highly coveted by clubs within Spain and outside, with Ajax Amsterdam and St. Etienne of France indicating interest, among other clubs across Europe. Bojan has hit over 900 goals in his junior career at FC Barcelona and is very eager to play for the senior team on regular basis next season, as the strong striker voiced out recently. Bojan, who will turn 17 years in August, says his childhood dream is to play in the La Liga and in Europe with FC Barcelona seniors and winning on all trophies next season is the young strikers goal. Fears are mounting that Barca will lose Bojan Krkic if the Spanish junior team best player and highest goal scorer is not given a place with the Barca senior team. If that does not occur this season, Bojan Krkic may go the way of past Barcelona young talents like Cesc Fabregas who now plays for Arsenal FC, Fran Merida who is also with Arsenal FC and the likes of Gerard Pique who plies with Manchester United, all in the English Premiership. Recently, Barcelona lost another promising junior team player, goal scorer Dani Pacheco to Liverpool FC after Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez successfully executed a near perfect swoop on the young and talented Pacheco.

La Liga returnee, Luis Garcia gives his opinions on FC Barcelona's top signing.


Ex-Liverpool star and goal scorer, Luis Garcia, who has moved to back to his old club, Atletico Madrid is one of the players who, having played on opposite sides with the revered former Arsenal FC marksman, Thierry Henry, has no doubts about the Frenchman's ability to rise to the occassion at FC Barcelona next season. Garcia is of the opinion that Thierry Henry's quality skills and reputation as a world class player outshines any other contrary opinions directed to the former Arsenal star since his high profile move to FC Barcelona. Garcia speaks to Catalunya Radio, saying:

Thierry Henry has so much soccer still left in his boots and so many goals that are yet to be scored. Henry will score goals in FC Barcelona like he did in Arsenal. I hear some say he is 30 years old now and will not be as good as he used to be in Arsenal, but I tell you this is only trivial talk and I asure everyone who cares to listen that Thierry Henry will prove all his critics wrong.

Thierry Henry moved to FC Barcelona in a lucrative deal worth 16 Million Euros, a move that has strengthended the Blaugrana attack and which has made the Catalan giant's frontline an attack to watch in Europe when the new season commences.


Thierry Henry is now more determined than ever to win the UEFA Champions League after the gifted goal-scorer has won the World Cup with France in 1998 and also won various laurels with his past club, Arsenal FC in the English Premiership. Arsenal had one of their best seasons with Thierry Henry in 2006 when the English Premiership side reached the UEFA Champions League final by displacing highly-rated teams which included Real Madrid in a spectacular run that saw the Gunners not being able to hold on to their first-half one goal lead against FC Barcelona in the final match. Barca came back to snatch victory away from Arsenal FC with two second half strikes by Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belleti. Thierry still wants to win the Champions League and made this declaration on the day he signed for FC Barcelona.

Another FC Barcelona junior team talent is snapped up by English Clubside, Liverpool FC.


Dani " The Killer " Pacheco is no doubt, a future star. The prospects of the young meastro being a perfect replacement for departing Bojan Krkic in the FC Barcelona junior team was certain....well, almost certain, until the surprise departure of the youngster from Spain to England.
Liverpool coach, Rafa Benitez had all along had a secret eye on the emerging star, and moved with deadly precision to surprise Barca by snapping Pacheco in the twinkle of an eye.

After the departure of Cesc Fabregas and Fran Merida to Arsenal FC in unsatisfactory circumstances, Barca had supposedly guarded their youthful players well and thought all was safe and sound, till the unexpected invasion by Liverpool from a well organised and hidden silent mission from Anfield to Camp Nou.


Read the Story by clicking on the link below:


Liverpool Invades FC Barcelona


Also read a brief description of the kind of the player Dani Pacheco, along with that of two other emerging young talents in FC Barcelona junior team as well.


Dani Pacheco : A Star of The Future

The power of publicity, skillful use of the press and the name FC Barcelona does it for Lyon once again.


Lyon officials may have successfully used the popular name FC Barcelona to succeed in selling one of their priced players, Florent Malouda, to Chelsea, as the succeesful transfer has been reported. The Lyonnaise publicity reportedly mounted the French airwabes and announced a deep interest from Barcelona for Malouda, probably quickening the race for the cash to be doled for their prized player.
.So successful was the deal for Lyon that they may also likely bag Chelsea player Lassana Diarra in addition to the cash received for Malouda. The race for Malouda was an open one between Chelsea FC and Premiership rivals, Liverpool.

The French club is also hoping to use the sale of Malouda as a message to FC Barcelona to give the Catalans an impression of what they at Lyon will llike to part with in letting go of Eric Abidal for a berth in Camp Nou next season. Lyon made Chelsea part with as much as 25 Million Euros for the power-playing midfielder.


Two years ago, the French Club also made Chelsea FC part with 38 Million Euros for Ghanaian Midfield Dynamo, Michael Essien and also made Real Madrid to shell out 26 Million Euros for Mali International, Mahamadou Diarra. Lyon has asked Barcelona to pay 20 Million Euros for Eric Abidal and are not likely to go lower.
An official reaction is being awaited from FC Barcelona.


Other Articles: Abidal: I want To Play For Barcelona | Lyon Raise Brickwall Against Abidal