Barcelona first big match, first match lost

Barcelona lost their first match of the current season, with a score of 3-2 against Paris Saint-Germain during the last match of the UEFA Campions League Group F game.

The first goal came from PSG’s David Luiz at minute 10th, being the first goal conceded from Barcelona during this season with a total of 639 minutes. But the answer was fast and impressive, with an excellent goal from Lionel Messi just 90 seconds later.

PSG put themselves ahead thanks to Marco Verratti after a Ter Stegen error.

The third goal for the parisians came at 55th minute during the second half thanks to an impressive play finished by Blaise Matuidi. And again the response was a fast goal from the catalans after Neymar was able to control a pass from Alves and also a mistake from the defense.

With Barcelona playing much better during the rest of the second half, they were unable to score another goal and lost the 3 points.

With no excuses, PSG was the clear winner of this match with Barcelona looking poor, and a lot of their players out of place and lost. 

The only ones that had an impressive match were Neymar and Messi as usual, with Mascherano having some moments.

Again the Barcelona defense was broken time after time by the PSG front, and they remembered last seasons faulty defense. 

Ter Stegen in his first important match after the APOEL had some mistakes, especially with the first goal, but not all was his fault.

One big mistake for Luis Enrique is putting Pedro in the pitch and leaving Munir El Haddadi in the bench; yes, Pedro has more experience in Champions League games but he has been poor during all current season and even Iniesta and Neymar had doubts passing the ball to Pedro. Luis Suare’s ban cannot end fast enough for his team.

Another surprise was the absence of Gerard Pique in the game, probably Luis Enrique thought that having Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be enough, but with PSG’s David Luiz, Marquinhos  and Cavani, the tall defense player would have been a good addition to the back line.

Barcelona 5 - Levante 0

Last night football game for Barcelona was another exhibition against Levante with a final score of 5-0. Catalans presented a stunning display of game and this victory is the forth one in current season in a row. 

The team lead by Luis Enrique is playing the highest level possible, at least in the La Liga championship.

Somebody could argue that the have not played against a top level club yet, but from the signs received during the last four matches, it seems that the Barcelona won’t be taking any prisoners in their quest for the la Liga trophy, the seem to be in another galaxy.

The goals in the match came from Sandro, Pedro, Neymar and Rakitic, with a last cherry put by Leo Messi with a perfect lob over the Levante’s goalkeeper, who will have nightmares during the rest of the season.

The team spirit is showing in all the games played, with everyone helping each other, it’s still a long way from Guardiola’s perfect season winning everything they played, but the team it’s on a good track and are pointing to the same result.

Sometimes luck comes to you, but most of the time you must go to find it and this is what Barcelona is doing right now.

The MVP in the match was with no doubt Neymar, with a perfect game until his slight sprain on his ankle forced him to leave the match. Rakitic had another great game, with a perfect control of this area and helping out Mathieu.

This weekend also Madrid beat Deportivo with an incredible 2-8, and “Los Blancos” also continue their advance to the title race, but with only 5 points out of 4 games are way behind the 12 points Barcelona has, with a  perfect 4 out of 4 victories.

Second in the La Liga is Sevilla with 100 points and third is the last year title winner, Atletico de Madrid.

Ivan Rakitic vital for Barcelona

With the arrival of manager Luis Enrique and the addition of new faces means that players must adapt to the new fresh direction.

Xavi playing an smaller role other stars should rise; for this, new signings will make their presence felt and other players will feel the pressure and should step up.

One of the new faces is the last year’s Sevilla captain Ivan Kakitc, who will be vital and should bring his best to FC Barcelona. The Croatian should fill the shoes of Xavi, taking over him in the regular lineup with the La Masia youth football camp graduate playing a lesser role.

The 26-year-old player is a more capable passer, maybe not at Xavi’s level, but he can organize play in the middle of the field, also he’s able to give Barça defense coverage. In summary, he can do everything in the center of the pitch.

The Croatian is a great sign for Barcelona, as he demonstrated during his stage at Sevilla, being a top midfielder, capable of creating changes, organize the game from the center and scoring goals. This skills will be very important for the new system implanted by Luis Enrique.

Last few years, Xavi has been the star midfielder, but now a lot of responsibility will fall on Rakitic, a very different type of midfielder but necessary in order for Barcelona to adapt Luis Enrique’s game philosophy.

Rakitic will be in the pivotal role, creating goal chances and cycling smoothly the possession; Sergio Busquets will provide cover and Andres Iniesta ready for attack.

With no discussion over Rakitic talent, fans will need to be patient while the player tries to fit into the new system. He already has achieved amazing things and Barcelona needs something fresh and unique this year.

La Masia past, present and future

La Masia early history started as a model making and work studio for builders and architects, a meeting point for construction related people. 

After the Camp Nou inauguration on September 24^th, La Masia closed the doors and remained awaiting it's destiny.

During Enric Llaud's time as a president, the building was used as headquarters of the Club, after a remodeling and extension, leaving Via Laitena offices to be closer to the stadium. The new offices were officially inaugurated on September 26^th, 1966.

During this period FC Barcelona started with new club areas, and La Masia struggled to accommodate all the headquarters and again the offices moved next to the ice rick by president Agustí Montal; leaving La Masia again expecting a new venture.

Under Josep Lluís Núñez, La Masia opened again as a residence for the youth players living outside the city. With fast remodeling, the doors opened again on October 29^th 1979 for it's new purpose. On 2011 La Masia building side by side of the Camp Nou ended it's functions as a youth academy and moved to the new location, the new Masia, Centro de formación Oriold Torat located in Sant Joan Despí Training Centre.

The old La Masia was a model for all the clubs around the world as a football training camp, and the new one will also be. Located at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, it's a modern building adapted to the current reality of society, with great facilities exclusively designed with sports-people in mind, working to optimize the personal, professional, social and intellectual education; not forgetting to maintain the closeness and warmth of its residents, educators and staff that belongs to the Club; a formula that worked and was successful in the past.

From the first time La Masia started as a FC Barcelona training camp and residence, it's objectives were educate young people who left their families to pursue a professional football player career with Barça. During Barça's centennial, La Masia celebrated it's twentieth anniversary.

More than thirty young players made their first-team debut after a stage in La Masia academy, among this players we can find Guardiola, Puyol, Xavi, Reina and Messi; and a lot more went to play for other teams, national or international.  

Future Superstart?

During a friendly match, played Thursday, Croatia beat Cyprus 2-0. One of the stars of the game was Croatian 18-year-old midfielder Alen Halilovic, with impressive individual skills. This was no surprise, anyone who watched past games, can testify this flashes of greatness, his individual burst of power breaking the opponent's defense.

Two years ago, he was the youngest debutant for Dinamo Zagreb and the youngest goalscorer in the history of the club, a record broken since then by Fran Brodic who left the team this summer to play with Brugge in Belgium.

In July this year, Halilovic was transferred to Barcelona, and with no place in the Croatian World Cup squad, he arrived early and started his process of adaptation tho the Barça game philosophy of tiki-taka.

Expecting this season to play in the Barcelona B squad, he made into Barcelona's Champions League squad and he could play some minutes in Europe if the qualify early from the group stage. Nothing new for the player who already had experience in Champions League in his old team Dinamo Zagreb.

Halilovic story has some resemblance to that of Bojan Krkic, former La Masia soccer academy product, who started playing for the Barcelona's first team when he was 17-years-old, younger than the former's youngest Barcelona player Lionel Messi.

Both, Halilovic and Krkic, are sons of former professional footballers who gave them full support. Krkic's father worked as scout for Barcelona and Halilovic's father worked in La Masia as a coach, one of the most productive in Europe.

But Krkic, seen as a possible successor for Lionel Messi set the bar too high for him, even with an impressive 104 La Liga appearances and scoring a total of 26 goals, he hasn't lived up to the hype. Now he is playing for Stroke City, a mediocre Premier League.

Halilovic style is quite different, he is more direct even a bit selfish in some situations, but he is starting to learn the tiki-taka Barcelona's game philosophy.

With an amazing first touch, passing and technical skills, joining Barcelona was the best thing as they will make them aware of the tactical aspects of his game and teach him the best way to use his abilities.

He can become a new superstar, or we could see him playing for the Stoke on a rainy Tuesday some years in the future.

Manchester united interested in young Adama Traore

The Spanish sports newspaper “Sport” suggested that Barcelona B team and youth camp “La Masia” player Adama Traore could be suited for playing for Manchester United.

The youngster currently playing for second Barcelona team attracted interest from several clubs but United is the one with the strongest links to signing the 18-year-old player.

According to the newspaper, Adama Traore enjoyed a peaceful summer since last season as Barcelona B striker and he had several proposals to move to other teams, specially to the Premier League.

His most valuable attributes being his speed and physical power, are the ideal qualities to perform in England and haven’t been unnoticed by English clubs; being the Manchester United the most interested and pushing hard.

With Adama’s contract ending at the end of this season, it will become a battle for Barcelona to keep the player committed for a long term deal before next May.

Manchester United’s manger, Louis van Gaal, has the ability to develop young players since the

Champions League final with ajax where he used some teenagers, and can be very good in terms of development for the young player.

One ace in Luis Enrique hand is the temptation to Traore by drafting him into the first team during this season, a tactic used before with team managers like Pep Guardiola or Tito Vilanove when in charge of the giant.

With the newspaper suggesting that the United have already been in contact with the player’s representatives, it’s just a case of patience for them to wait if the player thinks that the Barça isn’t the club for hist future.

More about FC Barcelona kid soccer camps in Canada.

Transfer ban, a blessing?

With the transfer window closed since Monday nigh, the powers-that-be at Barcelona have at least 17 more months before they can start adding new players to the first team.

With FIFA transfer ban for Barcelona completely confirmed and effective now, the catalans know for sure that no new players will come until January 2016, with the transfer window open again for them.

Coming from a two year disappointing seasons both on national as International competitions, you could think that this ban is about to make the team implode.

The mistakes start with a underperforming Board of Directors, a commercial shirt sponsor for the first time (with a WHITE color logo), the not so much transparent transfer of Neymar, a unnecessary purchase of the Uruguayan player Luis Suarez when the central defenses where the priority and now the ban for transfers. It’s too much for Barcelona team socio members.

However, not everything is bad, and the Socios shouldn’t be too downhearted, because the inability to evolve the squad using acquired talent is not the ideal scenario, the club can, and should, use one of his most biggest resources, the youth camp known over the years as “La Masia”. Read more about FC Barcelona youth soccer camps.

Currently 8 members of the Barcelona second team could perfectly play for the first-team before the end of the ban.

Munir and Sandro had their chance already and with good results, but could be joined by Halilovic, Samper, Kaptoum, Grimaldo, Bagnack and Adama some time in the near future, a “golden generation” for the second time after he 87th class with Cesc, Messi and Pique.

And yes, Suarez probably wasn’t a good purchase when there where other needs, but on the footballing perspective of attacking, he is one of the best with 31 goals last season, same number of the last European Golden Shoe winner, Cristiano Ronaldo.

And we have already Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu, both very competent central defenders, something Barcelona needed since 2009; with exemplary cover in their positions.

And we must not forget one of the most important members of the team, Luis Enrique, the manager steeped in the traditions of the club.