Ex-Barca star, Cesc Fabregas looks toward improvement as he was enthrusted with overnight responsibility of leading the Gooners.



The Catalan star who has notched up eleven goals so far is also in high demand for Spanish national team action. All this have come as a result of Fabregas rising up to the occassion after the young lad was seen as the next person to fill in the large boots left by departed goal king, Thierry Henry at North London. Fabregas agrees to his changed lifestyle and status:

Yes, there has been a difference in my life since Henry left. I have more responsibility than before. When you looked at Arsenal a year or two years ago you just saw Thierry Henry. But when he left it was an opportunity for everybody to show we are a team and a good club. We felt sad when Henry left, but we have been able to continue performing well.

On the young Arsenal team, the inspirational Spaniard says:

We are playing well at the moment and will continue to do so. We have an eye on the Premiership and on other trophies this season. We're a young team and even though we're playing very well at the moment, we have not yet attained our best form yet. There's still lots of room for improvement.

FC Barcelona’s central striker, Thierry Henry has defended himself at his new club.


Thierry Henry has responded to his critics who have heckled over the so-called goals-drought by the legendary top scorer of Arsenal FC and the French national team. Henry explains that he is not doing badly if factors like the time he has spent in Barca and the time it also took him to adapt to Arsenal are to be considered. Henry has gained more voice and confidence after scoring his fourth La Liga goal for Barca against Almeria in the 37th minute of the weekend encounter, and has been congratulated by his team officials as well as team mates for this. Thierry says of his critics:

People forget or perhaps they don’t know that it took me nine games to score my first goal for Arsenal. I have scored four goals and have three assists in the first nine games for Barca. I am trying to help the team and have contributed in my own way. Now I am playing for another team and it is another style. I no longer play for Arsenal, so I think people have to stop comparing. Arsenal played a more direct game. It was more on the counter-attack, while here the ball is moved around more, there are more passes to the left and the right and I have to adapt to this style and that always takes time. I have felt a certain frustration, that is true, but I’m still adapting to the Barca style of play which is unique in its own sense.

Camp Nou has enough room for in-coming players.


Samuel Eto'o assured that even if Arsenal FC striker, Thierry Henry comes to Barcelona, the Frenchman will have no problems finding a place in the team, neither will he or any of the regular players in the Blaugrana.
In an earlier statement, Eto'o had said that:

If Henry comes, everyone will still have a chance to play. It is up to the Coaches and the management to decide and they definitely know how to make things work out.

In a recent statement, Eto'o restated his opinion:

There is room for everybody. Thierry Henry and I are very good colleagues and we can always get along. Henry is welcome to Barcelona.

On his relationship with the officials at Camp Nou, Eto'o says:

There is no problem between me and anyone at Barca. I relate well with everyone at the club. Someone is spreading a lot lies and falsehood and somehow, people are believing it. All is well at Barcelona and I will stay at the Club. I am not leaving for any other club and will continue to stay. I have decided on my future.

Rumours had it that Samuel Eto'o was shortlisted to be transfered out of FC Barcelona, especially during and just after his injury this season, but his return and upsurge in form as well as a renewed committment to team spirit has seen the skillful Cameroonian forward rise back to a favoured position.

Teammate Ronaldinho has publicly declared his support for Eto'o and his desire to see the Cameroonian with him in Barcelona next season, and so has the Catalan giants' Club President, Joan Laporta who expained that samuel Eto'o is of great essence to Barcelona's campaigns next season.

Transfer season euphoria is living up to expectations as Club Coaches have also been drawn into the rumour battle field.


Reports, refusing to confirm their principal source of information but propagated by the English media through The Sun tabloid, suggest that FC Barcelona Vice-President, Ferran Soriano discussed issues other than Thierry Henry's move to Camp Nou during his meeting with Arsenal Coach, Arsene Wenger.
Soriano was said to have discussed the possibility of Wenger taking over affairs at FC Barcelona after the Barca Board of Administration confirmed the desire of current Coach Frank Rijkaard to step down as Barca's head Coach.


Rumours had held sway during the just ended Spanish season about slight rifts between Rijkaard and the powers that be at Camp Nou, but all such news had no concrete back-up to their authenticity.

The report claims that both Frank Rijkaard and Arsene Wenger are frustrated in their various clubs, FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC respectively. Rijkaard is said to be missing the partnership he enjoined with former Assistant, Henk Ten Cate, who is now Head Coach of Rijkaard's former club Ajax Amsterdam. The Sun tabloid report claims Ten Cate was the technical head at the FC Barcelona while he was there, and enjoyed greater rapport with the players. However, it is to be pointed out that Barca did not do so badly in the La Liga Championship this season, but fell to last minute errors through concentration loss on the part of the defenders and not ineptitude on the part of the Coach, Frank Rijkaard, as suggested by The Sun. Rijkaard remains a top quality coach!!
Should Wenger move to FC Barcelona, he is expected to come along with Captain, Thierry Henry and former Barca youth player, Cesc Fabregas, who has not only relished a desire to play for Barcelona senior team which he missed after leaving the Barcelona Youth team for Arsenal FC, but Fabregas has also said he will love to be where Arsene Wenger is.


Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has said he will love to stay for one more season in North London as head Coach of The Gunners.

He has however, not committed himself to this statement by signing any written document to support this assertion, rather choosing to stay numb.
Rijkaard on his part, has not issued any statement in direct relation to his continued stay at FC Barcelona, but has only said he is looking unto next season's challenges.

The Boss at Camp Nou, Joan Laporta has publicly, expressed his desire to have Rijkaard remain as Head Coach of FC Barcelona and all looks certain that Rijkaard will remain as Head Coach in Barcelona next season.

Ex-Manchester and England Captain wants the La Liga as a befitting farewell gift.


Barcelona's arch-rivals and obstacle to lifting the Primera for the third consecutive time, Real Madrid have notified of the availablity of English ace, David Beckham for the winner-takes-it-all encounter with Mallorca. Doubts were earlier cast over the English midfielder who was down with an ankle injury recently. Beckham has been certified fit for the final day cracker against Mallorca.
Barcelona on the other hand, have a complete team in place and are boosted with the return of midfield powerhouse, Gaucho Ronaldinho to the team after the Brazilian dynamo missed Barca's last match against Espanyol. Ronaldinho will anchor revered striker Samuel Eto'o who will strike like never before in the do-or-you're-done encounter against Nastic.


Madrid on their own hand, have secured the return of five more of their key players which are Robinho, Marcelo, Diarra, Fernando Gago and Gonazlo Higuain. Together, they shall align with former Manchster United Captain, David Beckham to attempt a title win for Real Madrid since 2003. The players are supposed to be on International assignments in their varoius countries, but have been permitted to play the match for the Los Merengues.


David Beckham will be playing his last match before joining Los Angeles Galaxy in US Major League next season. Beckham wants to win the title as a farewell gift for his departure, but will not achieve this feat if Madrid fail to win against their Nemesis, Real Mallorca, who has often brought them ill-luck when it often mattered at the Bernabeu. Barcelona are largely expected to win their away thriller against Nastic and will win the La Liga title if Madrid do not win Mallorca.