FC Barcelona Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

L'prof

NIMAN wrote: »

Personally I think this is a joke.

Whatever way you look at this, they are signing a new player. When hes allowed to play is irelevant.

Once again, football makes a mockery of the rules.

He's of no benefit to them for the 1st half of the season, I don't see the problem.

miralize

NIMAN wrote: »

Personally I think this is a joke.

Whatever way you look at this, they are signing a new player. When hes allowed to play is irelevant.

Once again, football makes a mockery of the rules.

I fail to see how it makes a mockery of the rules. The bit in bold, of course its relevant.

They're not allowed to bring in new players in to the team, that doesn't mean they have to stop running the club & cant plan ahead.

MightyMandarin

L'prof wrote: »

He's of no benefit to them for the 1st half of the season, I don't see the problem.

But he's a disbenefit to Sevilla or any other team who would've tried to sign him.

miralize wrote: »

I fail to see how it makes a mockery of the rules. The bit in bold, of course its relevant.

They're not allowed to bring in new players in to the team, that doesn't mean they have to stop running the club & cant plan ahead.

He's allowed to train with the squad though, isn't he? So he's a part of the team who just can't play, much like Suarez for the first few months last season.

The point is, they signed a player when they're meant to be banned from doing that. Him not playing is irrelevant, as he's on the payroll, won't play for anyone else, and he'll be as much a part of the squad as an injured/suspended player.

It just feels sh*tty that Barca get around the punishment for breaking the rules.

miralize

While he may go on preseason, I'd say he'll be loaned back to Sevilla for the 1st half of the season. Barca are not getting around the punishment at all, we cant utilise him for 6 months.

MightyMandarin

miralize wrote: »

While he may go on preseason, I'd say he'll be loaned back to Sevilla for the 1st half of the season. Barca are not getting around the punishment at all, we cant utilise him for 6 months.

But a rival can't sign him now, so you are getting around the punishment as you're not meant to be signing players regardless if they can play or not.

miralize

The ban stipulates Barcelona cant register new players. Thats it. Everything else is fair game.

MisterAnarchy

NIMAN wrote: »

Where next for Alves I wonder?
EPL?

There has been talk of Man Utd, or PSG ,also AC Milan .
I cant see him going to AC Milan though ,they are useless .

I think he will probably still stay at Barcelona ,I think all this speculation is just Alves trying to get Barcelona to give him a better salary.

He said this last night

I don't know how long this dream will continue. I don't know if I've arrived at the end but hope is eternal while it lasts.

I've been happy here and I am happy here. And if the day is not yet here that I am to leave, then I’ll be happy because I am one of you.

Dolph Starbeam

Dani signs for 2 more years. Would have been mad not to give him a new contract.

Andersonisgod

Delighted for Alves and delighted that the club are holding onto the best right back around. Great deal for all concerned.

miralize

Great news. I was his biggest critic last season, but he's upped his game this year.

MisterAnarchy

Some stats from Alves over the last few seasons ,he has upped his game this season after a poor season last year.

Interestingly ,he made more tackles than any other player in La Liga this season ,124.

Turtwig

Practically ever Barca player looks a new player this season. Busquets has been cementing his place as among the best DM of all time. The way he reads attacks is just amazing.
Pique has been a rock affirming his place as one of the top CBs in the world.
Jordi Alba incredible.
Iniesta masterful.
I could go on.

Anyway, excellent decision to keep Alves. You could tell by what he was saying in public that he didn't want to leave either. With the signing of Vidal and renewal of Alves I think this means that Douglas should surely be on the way out. Enrique played him once - and never again.

Congrats on your treble by the way. Comfortably the best team in Europe this season. Can ye sustain it?

brevity

Turtwig wrote: »

Practically ever Barca player looks a new player this season. Busquets has been cementing his place as among the best DM of all time. The way he reads attacks is just amazing.
Pique has been a rock affirming his place as one of the top CBs in the world.
Jordi Alba incredible.
Iniesta masterful.
I could go on.

Anyway, excellent decision to keep Alves. You could tell by what he was saying in public that he didn't want to leave either. With the signing of Vidal and renewal of Alves I think this means that Douglas should surely be on the way out. Enrique played him once - and never again.

Congrats on your treble by the way. Comfortably the best team in Europe this season. Can ye sustain it?

This Douglas fella, is he poor or just not good enough for Barca. Would he fit in the premier league, say at Liverpool/Utd/Spurs/Arsenal level?

Turtwig

Hard to say, I've only seen him in one game. From that I wouldn't put him in any of the top four sides in the EPL. Lower down, maybe? Still seems a bit of gamble. Have to stress though it was only one game. If I did on Messi/Ronaldo with the right game I could conclude they're awful.

MisterAnarchy

brevity wrote: »

This Douglas fella, is he poor or just not good enough for Barca. Would he fit in the premier league, say at Liverpool/Utd/Spurs/Arsenal level?

He is as good if not better than any of those teams right backs .

Saying that you could argue that any of those existing right backs are pretty poor .
Valencia for Utd,Kyle Walker ,Bellerin and Liverpool do they even have a proper right back ?

brevity

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

He is as good if not better than any of those teams right backs .

Saying that you could argue that any of those existing right backs are pretty poor .
Valencia for Utd,Kyle Walker ,Bellerin and Liverpool do they even have a proper right back ?

Glen Johnson is leaving, Flanagan is injured, Manquillo is on loan from Atletico Madrid (and seems to be out of favour) and Andre Wisdom is coming back from a loan at West Brom.

So no, we don't have a proper right back

MisterAnarchy

Luis Enrique has agreed a new contract to stay on at Barcelona, in a big coup pulled off by president Josep Maria Bartomeu as he formally stepped down ahead of elections due at the Camp Nou this summer.

"I want to announce that this afternoon, a few minutes ago, we have agreed to renew Luis Enrique's contract until 2017," Bartomeu said. "We have Luis Enrique for two more years."

Andersonisgod

It's great that the club is keeping Enrique, it's not good that he is so aligned with Bartomeu, a cancerous presence at the club.

MisterAnarchy

Andersonisgod wrote: »

It's great that the club is keeping Enrique, it's not good that he is so aligned with Bartomeu, a cancerous presence at the club.

Bartomeu intends to run in the elections .
Is Laporta going to run ?

Bartomeu has tied up some business before he resigns as Barcelona have reached an agreement for Qatar Airways to remain the club's main shirt sponsor until 2019.

I think Qatar will become a very dirty word in the next few years once the truth about the 2022 World Cup emerges, a different sponsor may have been preferential

Andersonisgod

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Bartomeu intends to run in the elections .
Is Laporta going to run ?

Bartomeu has tied up some business before he resigns as Barcelona have reached an agreement for Qatar Airways to remain the club's main shirt sponsor until 2019.

I think Qatar will become a very dirty word in the next few years once the truth about the 2022 World Cup emerges, a different sponsor may have been preferential

I really hope so. I'd probably rather anyone than Bartomeu or anyone who was associated with the Rosell regime.

I agree with that, I'm sure we could have found a different sponsor who would have offered at least something close to the same amount as Qatar and wouldn't bring the same baggage that they do but Bartomeu doesn't care about any of that.

Turtwig

Andersonisgod wrote: »

It's great that the club is keeping Enrique, it's not good that he is so aligned with Bartomeu, a cancerous presence at the club.

They might not be keeping him. Spanish press on monday were fairly confident on their reports that Enrique had hinted he wanted to stay. But contract or no contract, it's not in his hands. If Laporta wins he could just as easily realise Enrique from contract. Unlikely but I'll bet anything Bartomeu will play up that fear to the socis.

IrishCule

No president could possibly get rid of Enrique after the season we have just had.

Andersonisgod

Just an update, apparently the prospective presidential candidates thus far are Agustì Benedito (confirmed to run), Bartomeu (confirmed to run), Jordi Majò (will run but not yet officially confirmed) and Joan Laporta (will run but not officially confirmed)

miralize

And all except Bartomeu are against the upcoming Qatar renewal deal

IrishCule

I'm certain Laporta will win a landslide. Not sure how I feel about it, while he brought so much success to the club he also left it in not the best financial position.

Andersonisgod

IrishCule wrote: »

I'm certain Laporta will win a landslide. Not sure how I feel about it, while he brought so much success to the club he also left it in not the best financial position.

I dunno, I mean it's been said before but prior to him being the club president Newcastle were generating more revenue (could be wrong there) than Barcelona. He did a lot of good maximizing the monetary potential of Barcelona while at the same time not completely destroying club traditions and what he brought to the club on the pitch can't be argued. He's a Cruyfista, his primary concern has always been the welfare of the club, he's the enemy of Rosell and that's enough for me to say he's the right man for the job.

IrishCule

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I dunno, I mean it's been said before but prior to him being the club president Newcastle were generating more revenue (could be wrong there) than Barcelona. He did a lot of good maximizing the monetary potential of Barcelona while at the same time not completely destroying club traditions and what he brought to the club on the pitch can't be argued. He's a Cruyfista, his primary concern has always been the welfare of the club, he's the enemy of Rosell and that's enough for me to say he's the right man for the job.

No doubt Barca's revenue grew tremendously during his reign but alot of that was due to the success of the team coinciding with a time when the money was exploding in world football.

As much as I hate alot of the things Rosell and his cronies have done, I really do think that financially the club is in a much better position because of them. The one caveat here is that there was plenty of bull**** from the Rosell camp trying to make it seem that Laporta almost ran the club into the ground, so maybe it wasn't all true and I am overstating the importance of Rosell's financial work but I don't think I am.

MisterAnarchy

Whoever is the new president I hope that they dont feel the need to put their imprint on the club and change things too much or buy marquee players just for the sake of it .
If it isnt broken dont fix it.

Andersonisgod

So Joan Laporta has opened his campaign all guns blazing. Says Abidal would be the sporting director, Ludovic Giuly would also play a role in the club, supports the continuing management of Luis Enrique, says that La Masia has the handbrake on right now and we must get back to it being a priority, says if the Man Utd jersey is worth 70 million then the Barcelona shirt is worth, and should cost, far more. Says that Rosell and Bartomeu represent Qatar, he represents UNICEF, reaffirms the club's commitment to Catalan independence, says that while Bartomeu and Rosell shouldn't be arrested they should "stop lying" says that the club's treatment of his friend Johan Cruyff was disgraceful and stresses reconciliation with one of the most important figures in Barcelona history, says that there are many interesting options in the transfer market that the club could pursue.

In short, bring this man back!

Also the club are closing in on the return of Denis Suarez who will cut short his loan deal at Sevilla and return to Barcelona, the club perhaps see big things for him next season.

MisterAnarchy

Andersonisgod wrote: »

So Joan Laporta has opened his campaign all guns blazing. Says Abidal would be the sporting director, Ludovic Giuly would also play a role in the club, supports the continuing management of Luis Enrique, says that La Masia has the handbrake on right now and we must get back to it being a priority, says if the Man Utd jersey is worth 70 million then the Barcelona shirt is worth, and should cost, far more. Says that Rosell and Bartomeu represent Qatar, he represents UNICEF, reaffirms the club's commitment to Catalan independence, says that while Bartomeu and Rosell shouldn't be arrested they should "stop lying" says that the club's treatment of his friend Johan Cruyff was disgraceful and stresses reconciliation with one of the most important figures in Barcelona history, says that there are many interesting options in the transfer market that the club could pursue.

In short, bring this man back!

While he was at it did he mention anything about a role for Andersonisgod ?
Perhaps English language marketing manager ?:D