Hoping for this one to stay

Continuing on from the feature started yesterday, today we look at another possible transfer candidate. It's none other than our captain and inspiration, Cecs Fabregas. I know this is not something new. We've been at this situation for close to 3 summer transfer window now.

Possible Barcelona 2011/12 away shirt with the Qatar sponsorWhen Barcelona announced that they would be allowing the Qatar Foundation to be their shirt sponsor, the world gasped. What about Unicef? Where would they go? Fans were assured that the expert designers at Nike would do their best to incorporate the two sponsor logos somehow.

"Barcelona's philosophy never changes. Speed of thought, and speed of mind, enable the players to take control of any match" is how Nike describes the successful formula that the Blaugrana preaches.

After watching this 90 second video, you get a good glimpse of what separates Barcelona from many of their competitors in Europe as well as how intense their training sessions are.

Guardiola awkwardly watches Sergio Busquets and Mourinho
nuzzle noses in a memorable moment of the match
After my makeshift preview of El Clasico, things turned out exactly as I didn't think they would. While I was expecting an exciting battle between two sides wanting to crush each other, it turned out to be a fairly tiring affair to watch, especially the first half.

Can Thiago Alcantara force way into Barca reckoning after committing long-term future? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Thiago Alcantara has signed a two-year contract extension at Barcelona subsequently warding off any potential suitors. After impressing in Spain's European Under-21 Championship triumph, speculation had arose that interest from Italy and England had surfaced.

Por Ernesto Rosado Magallón / @ernestormlmpf
La Liga BBVA comenzará un año más con dos claros favoritos, Real Madrid y Barcelona, principalmente por el desigual reparto de los derechos televisivos donde ambos clubes cobran más del triple que sus perseguidores, Valencia y Atlético de Madrid.

Barcelona have won their fourth Champions League. It's their second in the past three years, and it was won with an amazing display of dominance. While Manchester United offered some resistance in the first half, by the end of the match we saw why Barcelona's ideal style of playing is loved by so many around the world.

We tend to forget due to our overwhelming passion, that football is just a game. We perceive it as so much more as we are enthralled every single day of our lives with a topic, subject, drama or elation that entails of the sport we love. Besides all that, other issues in the game occur that are more important as they relate to serious aspects in life as a whole.

Roma: Sabatini e Luis Enrique a lavoro Di Fabrizio Landolfi La nuova societ giallorossa ha iniziato a lavorare sul mercato: finora non è ancora stata conclusa nessuna operazione, ma è arrivato nella Capitale il nuovo allenatore Luis Enrique, proveniente dal Barcellona B, insieme al suo staff tecnico, nel quale c'è anche Ivan De La Pena, ex giocatore dei blaugrana che ha militato per un periodo

Real Madrid and Barcelona are featured prominently in the new FIFA 12 trailer to promote the video game, which will be released in North America on September 27 and in Europe on September 30.

After watching the above video, you might be surprised by whether Los Blancos or Blaugrana score, so watch the above video to find out the answer.

Looks like it after yesterday's great game. I had already referred to Mourinho as being the first hacker coach in football's history. The Special One is transforming the classy image that Real Madrid has patiently built up since 1902. Pepe and Marcelo are his preferred hound dogs in this image transformation of the Merengues.

Write off Barcelona at your peril: The European champions show their worth at the Santiago Bernabeu - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Saturday's El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid lived up to all expectations; there was passion, spell-bounding skill and goals the only thing missing was the heavily anticipated Madrid victory.

El equipo que todos ustedes estaban esperando pero versión 2010, medio equipo del Barcelona se encuentra en este 11 ideal, para la historia futbolistica.

Los españoles Gerrard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, David Villa y el argentino Lionel Messi, son los elementos del cuadro Blaugrana y sumados a los jugadores del Real Madrid, Iker Casilla y el portugués Cristiano Ronaldo, la Liga de España fue la destacada.

Time to beat the Blaugrana..

The football-ing world has been buzzing with excitement. A contest that will be relished by everybody is in store. We here at 11G are just as excited about the Champions League encounter as any of you fans out there. Yes! Barcelona is coming to the Emirates; again.

With the resignation of the club's board and supervisory board on Wednesday evening, club icon Johan Cruyff came one step closer to restructuring his beloved Ajax. The Amsterdam-born Cruyff is without doubt the Godenzonen's most illustrious player ever, yet the 63-year-old has had precious little to do with Ajax since leaving the position of head coach in 1988.

One of several Estrella ads extolling their ties as Barcelona's official beer sponsor.By Eric Beard / Señor Spanish Correspondent / Editor, A Football Report (@AFootballReport)
Americans love a good beer, and a free beer more so. Catalans, amongst tapas, sangria, fine wine, Gaudi, and Shakira, love their local beer, Estrella Damm.

Manchester United and Barcelona meet at Wembley on Saturday to battle it out for the mantle of the best side in European club football. Dominant in their domestic leagues, sides laden with international superstars and a track record of success in the competition, the pair have been at the pinnacle for the last decade.

FC Barcelona vs Manchester United May 28, 2011 from Wembley (Photo: barcaloco.com)

Join Barcaloco this week at Capitol City Bar and Grill, in Hollywood! Meet fellow Cules and cheer on the blaugrana.

Saturday, May 28 FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United
Kickoff at 11:45AM PDT

For best seating arrive at least one hour before kickoff time.

Eying to celebrate a special European glory on their home soil, disappointment is the only outcome that Manchester United achieved in Wembley after they were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona in the Champions League final.

Goals from Pedro, Lionel Messi and David Villa can only get one reply from Wayne Rooney, in a game that was mostly dominated by the Spanish side, who are looking very menacing indeed despite playing in English territory.

At 40 years of age Pep Guardiola has already implemented himself into one of the greatest coaches in modern history. 29 years his senior Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who sat in the opposite dugout at Wembley on Saturday night, conceded his Manchester United team were inferior to the young pretender's Blaugrana who put on arguably, the most beautiful 90 minutes of football in a European Cup Final.

Most of the past 48 hours since the UEFA Champions League Final have been spent breaking down the brilliance of Barcelona.
The most important statistics measured in their 3-1 victory over Manchester United was the scoreline, but Robin Bairner of Goal.com shares more statistical insight into Barca's victory.

Villa celebrates goal in Champions League Final (Photo:Getty Images)

David Villa has had a pretty good year. In mid-May of last year Villa joined Barcelona from Valencia for €40million. Then during the months of June and July he led Spain to their first ever World Cup title in South Africa, ending the tournament as top scorer with five of La Furia Roja's eight goals.

UEFA U21 tournament

England v Spain Herning 20:45 CET

The motherland of football has had a sobering year.

The national team has yet to recover from a 4-1 drubbing from a rampant young Germany at the World Cup in South Africa last summer.

A week ago England found themselves 0-2 down at home to Switzerland in their Euro 2012 qualification campaign, before salvaging a draw and a chance to breathe again, despite registering a fifth failure to win at home on the trot.

Villarreal have turned down an offer from Barcelona for striker Giuseppe Rossi, according to Rossi's agent Federico Pastorello.

"We are aware of an offer from Barcelona, but we were also told it was considered insufficient," Pastorello told La Graderia. We haven't spoken to anyone for over a week.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images (Bleacher Report) Lionel Messi has stolen the Champion's League spotlight this year as he leads the competition with 11 goals as Pep Guardiola's Barcelona team heads into the final against Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Messi's two goals against archrival Real Madrid in the first leg of their eventual triumph were what allowed the Blaugrana to advance, and he will be keen to continue his success this year and hopefully help his side raise the Champions League Trophy once more.

Ronaldo vs Messi in Spanish Super Cup (Photo: Getty Images)

Derbies for Super Cup glory have been going on all around Europe this year; Schalke 04 defeated Borussia Dortmund in penalties at the end of July to win the DFL Supercup, AC Milan took out Inter Milan this saturday with two second half goals to obtain the Supercoppa Italiana, and just this Sunday Manchester United came back from a 2-0 deficit to Manchester city and lifted the community shield.

By Chris Wright

Barcelona beat Napoli 5-0 to win their 36th (out of 46) Joan Gamper Trophy at the Camp Nou last night, a match that saw Cesc Fabregas notch his first goal in blaugrana after starting up front in Leo Messi's 'false 9′ position duly opening the scoring by nudging home Adriano's cross.

In yesterday's pre-match press conference, Valencia manager Unai Emery praised Barcelona by stating that when "they have a good day, you're only choice is to choose how you're going to die." Today, however, the Blaugrana faced one of their toughest away fixtures of the season in a stadium where they have won a Copa del Rey final and lost another.

Tempo di riconoscimenti. A Zurigo, in una speciale cerimonia, il Pallone d'oro 2010 va all'attuale allenatore del Real Madrid, Josè Mourinho, per quanto riguarda i tecnici, e al fuoriclasse del Barcellona e della nazionale argentina, Lionel Messi (nella foto Reuters), per quello che invece concerne i calciatori.

Possible Barcelona 2011/12 away shirt with the Qatar sponsorWhen Barcelona announced that they would be allowing the Qatar Foundation to be their shirt sponsor, the world gasped. What about Unicef? Where would they go? Fans were assured that the expert designers at Nike would do their best to incorporate the two sponsor logos somehow.

The UEFA Champions League resumes this week with the first four matches of the Round of 16 stage to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday. The other four matches will see their first leg encounters kick off next week and we shall look at those games at the appropriate time. For now Stoppage Time International Football Blog weighs up this week's mouthwatering ties.

UEFA Champions League

The tie of the round begins at the Emirates Stadium (Arsenal Stadium according to UEFA) as Arsenal and FC Barcelona meet in the knockout phase of the Champions League for the second consecutive year. When Arsenal failed to win their group, the Gunners always knew that there would be a chance that they would get Barcelona in the Round of 16 draw, and the fates heeded such a matchup between two of the best footballing sides in Europe.

Part 3 of a match made on the football fields of fantasia sees Arsenal and Barcelona lock horns for the second consecutive season as the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League segues along.

The football fans dream and a European tie to savour. There are many names applicable to a clash involving the two finest, most aesthetically pleasing footballing teams on the planet.

Por Emmanuel Pollora
El Emirates de Londres fue el gran anfitrión de este espectáculo que lamentablemente dejará en el camino a uno de los dos equipos que quizás, son los dos que mejor fútbol despliegan dentro del campo de juego. La UEFA Champions League los volvió a cruzar, esta vez en los Octavos de final, y fue el Arsenal quien con goles de Robin Van Persie y de Andréi Arshavin le dieron la victoria a los Gunners ante el Barca que se había puesto en ventaja con el tanto de David Villa.

Well, who'd have predicted victories for both Arsenal and Spurs in the Champions League at the beginning of this week?

It's easy to be wise after the event and regret not putting money on the games, but with two weeks to go before the return legs it's worth taking a look at what might happen as well as taking advantage of any free bets that might be available.

Part 3 of a match made on the football fields of fantasia sees Arsenal and Barcelona lock horns for the second consecutive season as the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League segues along.

The football fans dream and a European tie to savour. There are many names applicable to a clash involving the two finest, most aesthetically pleasing footballing teams on the planet.

In the aftermath of Arsenal's European death in the Camp Nou, the football world is wondering just who if anyone can beat the behemoth of Barcelona to the biggest prize.

The Gunners could yet turn out to be the English champions in 2011 but will not be making the trip to Wembley in May for the Champions League final.

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta says that is was Real Madrid executives who were indeed behind the recent doping allegations against Barcelona, despite recent statements from current Barca officials that refute talk of Real Madrid' involvement, AS reports.

Spanish radio station Cadena Cope sparked controversy recently when it reported that Barcelona had links to doctors with questionable reputations and that drug testing should be taken more seriously in La Liga.

El mercado de fichajes del próximo verano en el fútbol mundial, y especialmente, en la Liga española, se prevé realmente movido. Real Madrid y Barcelona tienen intención de de mejorar aún más sus plantillas, y la competencia entre ambos clubes puede ser feroz.
Así lo asegura al menos José Luis Carazo en las páginas de 'El Mundo Deportivo', en las que asegura que Florentino Pérez está dispuesto a realizar un férreo marcaje al máximo rival, boicoteando todos los fichajes que este esté dispuesto a realizar.

Sandro Rosell encendió lo que parecía una mecha que terminaría en la bomba de Mourinho, hoy, en sala de prensa. El presidente del Barça afirmó que el Real Madrid perdería por 5-0 la final de Copa del Rey ante los culés.
Casi 24 horas después, la respuesta del técnico luso ha sido descafeinadamente irónica: "No pasa nada.