Barcelona Boss Guardiola Happy Despite Osasuna Draw

Pep admitted that the bitter blow left a sour feeling...

A last second own goal from Gerard Pique cost Barcelona two points against Osasuna, but Pep Guardiola was encouraged by his side's performance.

Barca looked set for the win after Seydou Keita gave them the lead on 72 minutes, but Pique poked the ball past Victor Valdes with the last kick of the game. Speaking to Marca after the match, Guardiola said, "It feels uncomfortable not to win when you have been so close."

"We knew that they would press us, but we controlled their play. We have lost two points, but I am happy with our performance.

"Sometimes chances are taken, and sometimes they are not. A lot of circumstances led to the own goal, but their only other threat in the second half was from a Nekounam free-kick.

"Last week Osasuna conceded in the last minute, and this week they equalized. This is football.

"We must now recover and get a good result in Russia."

Barcelona now travel to Rubin Kazan, hoping to avenge their shock 2-1 loss to the Russian champions.

Player Ratings: Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona

A late, late, own goal from Gerard Pique ruined the night for Barcelona, and Goal.com was on hand to rate the players...

Osasuna

Ricardo - 7.5: Could do nothing about the goal, and his saves proved crucial in the end, as the home side grabbed a late equaliser.

Cesar Azpilicueta - 6: Was not embarrassed by Iniesta too often, but could not get forward as much as usual.

Miguel Flano - 4: Gave the ball away on a few occasions, and was lucky not to see red for a poor challenge on Ibrahimovic.

Josetxo - 7: Looked far more assured than his defensive partner, and made many decisive challenges.

Ignacio Monreal - 6: Kept Messi fairly quiet in the first half, but lost his battle against the Argentine and Puyol in the second.

Juanfran - 7: Got the better of Abidal on a few occasions, but could not find his targets with his crosses.

Javad Nekounam - 5: A fairly innocuous performance, and his delivery from set pieces left a lot to be desired.

Patxi Punal - 6: Did well to nullify Barca's midfield threat in the first half, but ran out of legs in the second.

Javier Camunas - 7.5: Was pinpointed as a threat by Pep Guardiola before the game, and proved the difference with a brilliant bit of skill in the final seconds.

Carlos Aranda - 6: Showed some neat touches and plenty of effort, but his finishing was poor.

Walter Pandiani - 5: Hardly touched the ball, and his few headers were off target.

Substitutes

Masoud - 6: Looked lively after coming on, and improved the home side's set piece delivery.

Ruper - N/A

Jorge Galan - N/A

Barcelona

Victor Valdes - 7: Didn't have any tough saves to make, and could do nothing about the unfortunate own goal.

Carles Puyol - 8: An inspired performance, made a number of vital tackles at the back, and provided the assist for Keita during one of his many dangerous forays forward.

Gerard Pique - 6: Didn't do much wrong in truth, but his night will be remembered for the wrong reasons.

Dmytro Chygrynskiy - 6: Could have been booked earlier, and his yellow card let to the entrance of Marquez, who was culpable for the equalizer.

Eric Abidal - 6.5: Allowed Juanfran far too much space in the first half, but did combine well with Iniesta down the left flank.

Sergio Busquets - 6: Performed his defensive duties well, but did drift out of the game.

Seydou Keita - 8: The man with an eye for goal was in the right place at the right time again, and he never gave the ball away during the game.

Xavi - 7: A predictably consistent performance, although there were no moments of magic tonight.

Lionel Messi - 8: After a quiet first half, came alive in the second with plenty of tricks and dangerous runs, and played a large part in the goal.

Andres Iniesta - 7: Caused plenty of problems down the left, and consequently didn't allow Azpilicueta to get forward.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 5.5: Held the ball up well, but didn't have too many chances, although he might have scored had Flano not brought him down when clean through.

Substitutes

Rafael Marquez - 4: Wasn't on for long, but was clearly at fault for allowing Camunas to get the ball across for the goal.

Pedro - N/A

Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona: Fiery Navarrans Sting Barca With Injury Time Pique Own Goal

The Blaugrana thought they had done enough to secure a marginal win but a 92nd minute own goal earned Osasuna a point…

Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona - Line-up/Stats
La Liga Fixtures, Results & Standings

Barcelona looked on course for a straightforward but not spectacular win at Osasuna when Seydou Keita broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute but it was cancelled out by a Gerard Pique own goal three minutes into injury time.

With Manchester City manager, Mark Hughes watching on in the Reyno de Navarra stands, the Catalans wasted little time to raid the Osasuna goal. Lionel Messi had the first shot after just 55 seconds when he collected a fortunate loose ball from 12 yards out, turned and unleashed a piledriver but it flew straight at Ricardo who managed to fist it out.

But Los Rojillos were not overwhelmed and they had their first sniff in the 10th minute. Walter Pandiani released Aranda clean through on goal but he could only slam his shot wide from angle.

Last weekend’s hat-trick hero for Barca, Seydou Keita was next to try his luck when he latched onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s chest-down but the Malian’s half-volley from 20 yards out flashed wide.

On 18 minutes, the vociferous Pamplona crowd thought their side had won a penalty. Aranda shimmed past Gerard Pique but then crumbled to the ground, prompting the referee to sprint into the box and flash a yellow card to the Osasuna forward for simulation. Moments later, Juanfran darted down the right flank and steamed past Dmytro Chyrynskiy but his cut-back was desperately hacked clear by Carles Puyol with Pandiani ready to pounce in the middle.

Juanfran whipped in another menacing cross from the left on the half hour mark but Aranda’s ambitious bicycle kick sailed into the stands. Osasuna then had an excellent freekick opportunity five minutes before the break but Javad Nekounam drilled his 25-yard effort high and wide.

Despite both sides playing at a frantic pace, neither could really carve out any real clear-cut chances as the first half ended goalless.

Jose Antonio Camacho’s men, who had showed that they were not afraid of taking the game to their illustrious opponents, came out charging forward at the start of the second period, with Aranda continuing to look particularly menacing. But as the Blaugrana slowly took charge, they were able to slow down and control the rhythm at their own pace.

The first attempt didn’t arrive until the 54th minute when Ibrahimovic took advantage of a poor clearance but his weak standing shot right on the edge of the box was easily gathered by Ricardo. Four minutes later, Eric Abidal swung in a dangerous cross from the left which was flapped away tamely by the Osasuna goalkeeper, but he was relieved to see the ball fall behind Ibra.

Pandiani then had two headed attempts saved comfortably by Victor Valdes just past the hour. But Barca’s patience finally paid off on 72 minutes. Messi released the overlapping Puyol into the box and the captain’s pull-back found Keita and the in-form Malian stabbed it into the empty net from five yards out for his fourth goal in two games.

The strike took the sting and the steam out of Osasuna’s fight as they struggled to replicate the attacking impetus that they demonstrated in the first period. But when they did roam forwards, they almost allowed Pep Guardiola’s troops to double the lead.

Messi lead the counter with a typical solo run inside his own half and sprayed the final pass to Puyol out on his right, who tried to curl it in with his left foot but instead rifled it high and wide.

Barcelona had three chances late in the game to bury the contest. First, Ibrahimovic’s right footed shot just outside the box was palmed away brilliantly by Ricardo. Then, Messi saw a well-disguised freekick saved low at the near post and seconds later, the Argentinean livewire was put through on goal but his one-on-one effort was smothered by the impressive Ricardo. And ‘El Tricampeon’ would pay for their wastefulness.

Three minutes into injury time, Javier Camunas raced down the left flank and drilled in a low cross at the byline and Pique, harassed by Pandiani behind him, stuck his foot and sent the ball into the back of his own net.

Osasuna celebrated at the final whistle as if they had won the game while Barcelona trudged back into the dressing room disappointed at having let three points slip away, although they remained top of the table.

Guardiola Aware Barcelona Face A Stiff Test Against Osasuna

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has warned his players that they can expect a difficult game when they take on Osasuna at the Reyno de Navarra stadium in Pamplona tonight.

The champions managed to secure a win in their last visit here in January thanks to late goals from Xavi and Lionel Messi, which gave them a 3-2 victory and Guardiola knows that this is a tough test for his side ahead of the crucial trip to Russia to take on Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League.

"It's an important game, a difficult test before the game that we have in Russia. It's better that we get into a good dynamic, better for the decisive match against Kazan," Guardiola said at a press conference.

"We're going to a stadium that in itself, historically, is hard and now more so as they {Osasuna] are in their best moment of the season.

"Beating Osasuna will require a lot from us, if we don't disrupt their rhythm they are very difficult to stop. The wingers are very aggressive, {Carlos] Aranda and [Walter] Pandiani are very good, [Javier] Camunas and Juanfran are very direct and we could get hurt."

Thierry Henry Is On Another Level - Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola

He says that the French striker still has a key role to play for the Blaugrana...

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions of a falling out between himself and Thierry Henry and insisted that the French striker will quieten his critics with his ability.

Recent reports had suggested that Guardiola was ready to bypass Henry in favour of Pedro as the young Spaniard has been amongst the goals so far this season, where his French team-mate has not, but the coach is 100 per cent behind the former Arsenal captain.

"Henry will shut many mouths. He is a player on another level," Guardiola insisted at a press conference.

Although the 32-year-old has not been firing on all cylinders so far this term, the Barca coach is confident that Henry will deliver for the Blaugrana when it really matters saying he expects to see the best of Henry "in that the key moment of the season" and has no intention of replacing him with Pedro.

"Pedro has a lot to learn to reach the level of Henry. He has done everything in football, has given us a lot and we have given to him," Guardiola remarked.

Henry received the all-clear from Camp Nou medical staff on Friday and is fit for selection against Osasuna in Pamplona on Saturday night.

Barcelona & Real Madrid Could Turn La Liga Into A Minor League Like Scotland - Sevilla's Monchi

Los Nervionenses are ambitious, but the director is concerned about the direction of the league...

Sevilla's director of football, Ramon 'Monchi' Rodriguez, has warned that the Primera Division could soon become a two-horse race, comparable to the current situation in Scotland, if Barcelona and Real Madrid continue to dominate.

"Means have to be put into place in order to avoid there being a big difference between Barcelona and Real Madrid, and the rest," Monchi announced in an interview with Marca.

"The polarisation of Spanish football isn't good, because we are moving towards the model of minor leagues like Scotland. It's better for the spectacle for there to be a better redistribution of finances."

The director added that while Sevilla are ambitious and would try to fight for the title, as president Jose Maria Del Nido has insisted on a number of occasions, the club are finding it difficult to prevent their stars from leaving.

"We are ambitious, and I dream of winning the league and the Champions League, but we have to know that it would take 75 or 78 points for us to win the league, because no team apart from Real Madrid or Barcelona has won the league with 80 points. We need both of them to falter and that's difficult.

"It's true that the problem was raised with the first sale, that of [Jose Antonio] Reyes. People realised that we were open to the transfer market. Then Sergio Ramos, [Julio] Baptista, [Christian] Poulsen, [Seydou] Keita, [Dani] Alves all left...

"Sevilla have to sell players, but we are not carrying a sign saying that we want to sell [Diego] Perotti or Luis Fabiano. Our success in buying players has allowed us to have one of the best squads in the history of Sevilla," he concluded.

Barcelona Can Retain The Champions League - Allan Simonsen

The former Barca star believes that the Blaugrana will make European history if they can touch the heights they achieved last season. In addition, he has pinpointed their main source of strength...

Allan Simonsen believes that Barcelona have to be seen as favourites to retain the Champions League, despite suffering a surprise defeat against Rubin Kazan.

The former Blaugrana and Denmark star still lives in the Catalan capital and revels in the team's style of play. He expects them to be able to repeat last season's success if they maintain their form.

No club has retained the Champions League trophy under the competition's current format but Simonsen, who played for Barca between 1979 and 1983, thinks that Pep Guardiola's side could make history.

"It's difficult, but I think they're big favourites," he told uefa.com.

"If they manage to play like they did last year, then they will win it for sure, because I think that at the moment they are the top of the top.

"They're really the best team in the world. The way they're playing – I haven't seen anything like it for years.

"It's great to be a part of it because I'm living in Barcelona and I see nearly every game, either in the stadium or on television. I really look forward to every match they play."

Standing at 1.65m (5ft 5in) tall himself, Simonsen is delighted that Barcelona's shorter players are the ones earning most of the headlines.

"They have so many good players, but the smallest players in the team are the strongest at the moment," he continued.

"[Lionel] Messi, [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi – very small players but technically fantastic. I love them a lot, because in addition to their skill they're very quick as well, so they have everything."

Pedro Pleased To Have Scored In All Competitions For Barcelona

The striker said that the Copa victory 'was not easy'...

Barcelona striker Pedro bagged a brace in the Copa del Rey fourth round against Cultural Leonesa, and afterwards revealed that he is happy to have scored in every competition for the Blaugrana.

Pedro scored the only goals of the game in a comfortable 2-0 win for the visitors, adding his Copa strikes to the goals he has already scored for Barcelona in the Primera Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.

"I am happy to be able to score today and have now scored in several competitions, but this would never have been the case without my team-mates," he revealed.

Pedro has now scored six goals in 13 appearances this term, after failing to score in 16 previous outings since his debut in the 2007/08 season.

He admitted that the win over Cultural Leonesa required his side to work very hard, and said that the win "was not easy".

Guardiola Happy With Barcelona Display In Cultural Leonesa Win

Pep says he talked to his team about the potential of a slip up...

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has said that the 2-0 win away to Cultural Leonesa in the first leg of their Copa del Rey fourth round encounter sets thing up nicely for the return leg in a fortnight.

Two goals from Pedro, one in either half, sent the cup holders on their way to a comfortable victory but Guardiola warned that football can throw up many surprises, as Real Madrid discovered on Tuesday night, so he feels preparation is still key going into the second leg.

"We achieved a good result for the return match, but football can give many surprises and it is better to go with caution. It is another game, 90 minutes is very long and it is better to prepare thoroughly for the second leg," he said, according to Sport, before stating how well Madrid's opponents playing against Los Blancos on Tuesday.

"What surprised me was how well Alcorcon played, they did fantastically well," he remarked.

"We talked about these things and know this can happen, and it happened to Barca already. Benidorm, I remember, almost cost us last year."

The Barca coach concluded by saying that everything went well for his side in the cup tie.

"This squad complies with its obligations and talent does the rest. I'm happy because we have given minute players in need and young players have made their debut. Everything went very well. "

Cultural Leonesa 0-2 Barcelona: Pedro Bags A Brace For Barca

No signs of a slip up from the champions who coast to a comfortable Copa win...

Barcelona began the defence of their Copa del Rey crown with a comfortable away win over Cultural Leonesa in their fourth round, first leg meeting in Leon thanks to a double from Pedro.

The game never looked in any doubt as the under strength Barca side produced a composed, professional performance which will give coach Pep Guardiola the opportunity to give his youngsters another run out in the return leg at Camp Nou on November 10.

Guardiola opted for a mixture of youth and experience with Ivan Benitez starting alongside Rafael Marquez, Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Maxwell at the back while Jeffren Suarez and Pedro started up top with Bojan Krkic, who continues his return from injury.

The experimental side found it difficult to penetrate the well organised Leonesa defence for large periods of the opening half but midway through the half could have found the opening when Pedro played Sergi Busquets through on goal but Saizar came off his line swiftly to deny the midfielder and gathered at the second attempt.

Although Barca failed to produce the slick football we are used to seeing from the first eleven they still looked pretty comfortable and the breakthrough came five minutes before the interval.

A run at the defence from Bojan was halted at the edge of the box but from the challenge the ball fell to Pedro who smashed it past Saizar into the roof of the net.

Barca were composed in the opening half but Jeffren Suarez, who started as a reluctant full-back, was not enjoying his role and Eric Abidal was introduced for Gai Assulin after almost an hour, allowing Jeffren to move to the wing.

Moments later Jeffren was instrumental in the second goal as Pedro bagged his second giving Barca the inevitable two goal cushion. The 22-year-old striker was alert, reacting quickest to Jeffren's through ball to fire across goal into the corner of the net to put the tie beyond doubt.

Barcelona continued to move the ball around with some accurate passing movement which saw their hosts tire somewhat in the closing fifteen minutes, but they couldn't find the killer final ball to add to their two goal tally.

The Blaugrana maintained their dominance of possession until the end to see out a comfortable two goal victory and Guardiola will be pleased to come through this tie with a comfortable victory after resting a number of first team stars. Barca can now redirect their attention to the Primera Liga Saturday's testing trip to Pamplona to take on Osasuna on Saturday.

Barcelona Star Andres Iniesta 'Happy' With LFP Award

He says the sacrifices have paid off...

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has declared that the sacrifices made as a professional footballer have paid off, after he was named Best Attacking Midfielder for the 2008/09 season by Spain's Professional Football League (LFP).

Iniesta joined the youth setup as a 12-year-old, gradually making his way through the ranks at Camp Nou, before making his debut in 2002, establishing himself as a permanent fixture in the side from the 2004/05 season onwards.

Despite only playing 26 of Barcelona's Primera Liga fixtures last term, the midfield dynamo was recognised by the LFP judging panel as the best attacking midfielder in the competition, and he believes that the sacrifices demanded of a professional have now paid off.

"Until today, all the sacrifices have paid off, and I am happy for that," he said, according to AS before stating his desire to remain at Barcelona for a while yet.

"I want to be there for many years to come, because Barcelona has given me everything," declared Iniesta.

Player Ratings: Barcelona 6-1 Real Zaragoza

Barca returned to the summit with a rout at Camp Nou and Goal.com rated the players of both sides out of ten...

BARCELONA

Victor Valdes - 6: Made a couple of good saves when called upon. Should have done better for the goal but when Barca play like this he is just another spectator.

Carles Puyol - 6: Solid but not brilliant, got caught up the field for Zaragoza's goal.

Gerard Pique - 6: A good performance, one lapse of concentration in the first half could have been costly but Arizmendi's effort was easily saved.

Dmytro Chygrynskiy -5: Not a good night from the Ukrainian. Struggled to play the offside trap and let the visitors in on a couple of occasions. His concentration will need to improve against better opposition.

Maxwell - 6.5: Made Pennant look ordinary. Defended really well and got forward to great effect at times.

Sergi Busquets - 7.5: Busied himself in winning the ball back on the rare occasions Barca lost it. Was involved in a lot of Barca's intricate attacking play.

Seydou Keita - 9.5: An excellent, energetic display capped by three clinical finishes any striker would be proud of. A great performance and a fine hat-trick.

Xavi - 8: He makes it look easy. Completely dominated midfield and played some typically precise passes to unlock the Zaragoza defence.

Lionel Messi - 8.5: Normal service resumed from Messi. Terrorised the Zaragoza defence and beat Carrizo with a sublime effort. On another night he'd have had four goals.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 8.5: Two very good goals and was always available to his team-mates. His partnership with Messi is getting better.

Andres Iniesta - 8: Full of running and his tenacity alone ensured Barca never let up in their attacking play. Probably not at his best yet but still a very, very good game.

Substitutes:

Rafael Marquez - 5: Caught napping for the goal and nearly caught again. Needs match practice and being four goals ahead is a good time to allow for such mistakes.

Bojan Krkic - 6: Good to see him back in action. Showed some nice touches but not in it enough to influence the game.

Jeffren: N/A

REAL ZARAGOZA

Juan Pablo Carrizo - 6: It could have been ten if it wasn't for him. Had a thankless task trying to keep this Barca side at bay.

Ruben Pulido - 4.5: Struggled to cope with the incessant Barca attacking movement. Will want to forget tonight and quickly.

Pablo Amo - 5: Constantly under the pump and won't thank his midfield for not relieving the pressure even for enough time for a breather.

Paco Pavon - 4: Ibra completely out-muscled him all night and beat him swiftly to the near post for the fourth goal.

Javier Paredes - 5: Tried hard but it proved impossible to stop the tide of attack from Barcelona. Got roasted on a couple of occasions by Barca's fluid interchanges.

Gabi - 4.5: Put himself about early on with some strong challenges but he was completely outclassed over the 90 minutes.

Andre Herrera - 4.5: The best of a bad lot in midfield for the visitors but struggled to keep possession and spent much of his night chasing shadows

Jermaine Pennant - 3: Spoke beforehand of how much he was looking forward to playing at Camp Nou. He didn't.

Abel Aguilar - 5: Wasn't allowed time or sufficient possession to display his craft. Better in possession than he is looking for it.

Jorge Lopez - 6: Took his goal well and tried to give the Barca backline something to think about but along with Arizmendi, fought a lonely battle.

Javier Arizmendi - 6.5: Worked his socks off in the lone role up front and showed well when his side had possession but it was never enough to really trouble Barca.

Substitutes

Angel Lafita - 6.5: Offered something Pennant didn't. A real attacking threat. Made the goal and tried to add another. Was a good outlet even if the game was beyond his side when introduced.

Ewerthon - 5.5: Got into some good positions but didn't possess the necessary finishing touch.

Barcelona 6-1 Real Zaragoza: Messi, Ibrahimovic & Co Back In Form As Keita Bags Hat-trick

The Catalan juggernauts were back to their irresistible best with an emphatic annihilation of the Aragons…

Barcelona 6-1 Real Zaragoza - Line-up/Stats
La Liga Fixturs, Results & Standings

Barcelona promptly responded to their critics following their two-game winless run as they crushed Real Zaragoza 6-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Seydou Keita, a double from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a cherry-on-top strike from Lionel Messi.

After the midweek shock at home to Rubin Kazan, Barcelona began the game slightly more tentatively than usual, but it did not stop them producing the first shot on target after just three minutes. The Zaragoza defence failed to clear a corner and Messi latched onto the loose ball pummelled in a low left footed drive which Juan Pablo Carrizo dived down to save.

Just two minutes later, ‘Little Lionel’missed a glorious chance when Maxwell’s centre found Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who pulled it back to Xavi, who in turned teed up Messi but the Argentine curled his shot wide from six yards out.

Barca had yet another clear-cut opportunity on 11 minutes when Ibrahimovic cushioned down a header for Messi, whose half volley was pushed out by Carrizo at his near post.

Javier Arizmendi then attempted to expose the shaky Blaugrana backline when he easily raced past Gerard Pique but from a tight angle, his low shot was saved by Victor Valdes.

On 20 minutes, Ibrahimovic had the Camp Nou crowed on their feet when he chested down a long ball from Dmytro Chygrynskiy and spanked in a volley on the turn but once again, Carrizo was equal to the task with an acrobatic save. The incessant pressure finally broke the Aragon resistance in the 25th minute when Messi hooked in a cross from the right and Seydou Keita threw himself forward to send his diving header into the top corner.

And it was 2-0 four minutes later thanks to Ibrahimovic, who rifled in a thunderbolt of a freekick 25 yards out which Carrizo could only push into the back of his own net. Just mere minutes later, the Catalans had another freekick out on the right channel but Xavi curled it over the bar.

‘Ibracadabra’ rippled the net again on 36 minutes after Messi did superbly to skip past two players and thread in a delicate through pass to the Swede, but the flag had already gone up for offside. But five minutes before the break, Barca got their third. Ibrahimovic ran onto Xavi’s 30-yard through pass and squared it past Carrizo for Keita to stab the ball into the empty net from close range.

Pep Guardiola’s artists showed no signs of resting on their three-goal lead as they came out firing early in the second half. Messi almost got on the scoresheet four minutes into the restart but his shot, which deflected off Francisco Pavon, bobbled wide after wrong-footing Carrizo. Three minutes later, an audacious chip by Messi forced the Zaragoza goalkeeper to flap the ball away, only for it to land for Ibra, who lobbed the rebound into the net but for the second time in the game, the goal was annulled for offside.

But there was no denying the Swede moments later. Keita turned provider this time when he whipped in a low cross from the left and Ibrahimovic easily nudged ahead of his marker and flicked the ball home.

Zaragoza’s second scoring chance of the match fell to Arizmendi, who ghosted in behind the Barca rearguard but his ambitious attempt to lift the ball over Valdes failed horribly as he sent his effort well wide.

On 68 minutes, Messi had another chance to get on the scoresheet after playing a slick one-two with Sergi Busquets, but his low finish was kept out by Carrizo’s kick-save.

Zaragoza managed to pull one back in the 77th minute. First, Ewerthon’s shot inside the box was parried away by Valdes, but Barca failed to clear their lines, allowing Pedro Lopez to arrow in a perfectly placed shot from the edge of the area.

Ten minutes from time, the Blaugrana restored their four-goal cushion and Messi finally had one of his own to celebrate with a deft chip over Carrizo after being set-up by Andres Iniesta. With five minutes to go, Keita wrapped up his first ever hat-trick in a Barca shirt when he connected with Iniesta’s corner and thumped a header into the net.

Lafita and Ewerthon had late chances to reduced arrears but it would have proved insignificant as Barcelona romped to a commanding victory and back to the top of the table.

Busquets: Barcelona President Laporta's Political Statements Could Be Counterproductive

The Barca midfielder doesn't want Laporta airing his opinions in public...

Sergi Busquets has taken the unusual step of suggesting that Barca president Joan Laporta tone down his political statements for the good of the club.

Laporta has been accused by some of abusing his position to air his political opinions in public, and Busquets appears to agree. Speaking to RNE, he said, "Laporta's statements could be counterproductive."

"We should not lose the respect of Barca fans from outside Catalonia. I don't believe that Laporta says things with bad intentions.

"He knows that we need the support of people from the rest of Spain and Europe."

Busquets then talked about Pep Guardiola's training methods, continuing, "I don't understand how he can have a woman, because he thinks about football all day."

Next, the midfielder explained that he was unlikely to be leaving the Camp Nou in the near future, stating, "I will not leave even if I get a great offer."

"I value a lot of other things, such as being comfortable in the club, and having friends and family close by."

Finally, Busquets talked about Barca's prospects for the rest of the season, saying, "The cold is not an excuse not to win in Russia and the Ukraine in the Champions League."

"I want to win every trophy this season. The talk about the end of a cycle is nonsense.

"We can reach the same level as last season."

Carles Puyol Rejected Milan, Manchester City & Chelsea To Renew With Barcelona

The Blaugrana stalwart was not short of options before inking a new deal with the Catalan side...

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol reportedly turned down a number of offers from Serie A and the Premier League in order to stay with Pep Guardiola's team.

AS report that Puyol spent weeks pondering over his decision and had long discussions with his friend Demetrio Albertini over whether a transfer to Milan would be the right move.

Albertini spent over a decade with the Rossoneri and ended his career in 2005 after a brief spell with the Blaugrana, and he attempted to persuade Puyol to realise his dream of pulling on the red and black shirt of Milan

Manchester City and Chelsea also came in with lucrative offers for the 31-year-old, who was uncertain of his future at the club with the development of Gerard Pique and the arrival of Dmytro Chygrynskiy.

However, Puyol chose to renew his deal with the European champions, much to the delight of his team-mates. Xavi explained to AS that there was "a round of applause" for Puyol before training after the captain revealed that he had signed a new deal.

Spanish Cumpleanos: Andoni Zubizerreta

1961: Andoni Zubizarreta: Goalkeeper Zubizarreta won a record 126 caps for Spain, playing at four World Cup finals between 1986 and 1998. His club career began with Athletic Bilbao where he won two league titles, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup in five seasons before joining Barcelona where he added four successive league crowns, two Copa del Rey's, two Super Copa's, a Cup Winner's Cup and a European Cup, which was the first in Barca's hsitory in 1992. He moved to Valencia in 1994 and retired four years later with a record 622 Primera Liga appearances to his name.

1980: Mate Bilic: Croatian striker Bilic first came to Spanish football in 2001, joining Real Zaragoza, but failed to make an impact and was subsequently loaned to Almeria and later Sporting Gijon. After spells in the Segunda Division, he joined Rapid Vienna in 2006 and returned to Spain two seasons later in a permanent switch to Sporting. In his second spell at the club, he has managed 22 goals in 59 appearances and has also won one cap for Croatia.

Dmytro Chygrynskiy Returns to Full Training For Barcelona - Report

The Ukrainian defender may feature against Zaragoza on Sunday...

Oct 23, 2009 7:31:42 AM

Barcelona defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy could be available to coach Pep Guardiola for Sunday's Primera Liga tie against Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou after returning to training on Thursday.

Chygrynskiy has not featured for the Blaugrana since straining knee ligaments in their away win at Malaga on September 26 and his imminent return will be a welcome boost to Guardiola with news that Brazilian defender Daniel Alves is set to miss about three weeks after picking up a late injury in the defeat to Rubin Kazan on Tuesday night.

According to Sport, the Barca coach is likely to shuffle his back line with Carles Puyol shifting to right-back to cover the absence of the Brazilian while his preferred centre-half pairing would be Chygrynskiy and Gerard Pique, given Rafael Marquez's admissions that he is struggling to return to full match fitness.

French striker Thierry Henry is still recovering and won't be available against Zaragoza but could be fit for selection in time for next week's trip to Pamplona to take on Osasuna.

I Must Improve Quickly - Barcelona Defender Rafael Marquez

He says Barca can learn from their defeat to Rubin Kazan...

Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has admitted that his form must improve drastically to meet the standards set by his team-mates after putting in a less than impressive display in the defeat against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.

The UEFA Champions League defeat was the Mexican's first start of the new season and he acknowledged that it showed, and says he has a lot to do to get his match fitness up to the desired level..

"It was my first start and I felt it. It showed against the standard of opponent such as Rubin," he told Sport.

"I acknowledge that I have to improve quickly to get to the level of my team-mates, who have played more games than me. It's a matter of minutes. I've had few and little by little I will improve. To improve I need to work at top speed and that is what I am doing."

Marquez also said that the Blaugrana can learn from the defeat to the Russian champions.

"The game against Rubin Kazan should make us learn to be more clinical up front and more attentive at the back. We can't let it be that they scored twice from three attempts on goal," he remarked.

We Did Everything To Win - Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola

He says the loss is not a wake up call...

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has refused to get carried away with Barcelona's surprise home defeat at the hands of Russian outfit Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League and said that his side did enough to win the game.

A second half goal from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not enough for the Blaugrana as strikes from Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Karadeniz Gokdeniz gave the visitors a memorable win at Camp Nou.

"The defeat is not a wake up call, we did everything to win. I think we played well, but the result is what's most important. We feel bad because we should have taken a vital step towards the next round. Now we must win away from home," Guardiola said afterwards, according to Sport.

The Barca coach was quick to point out that it will be difficult to emerge from this group as all the teams in it have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages but he stressed that he said that the champions will try to overturn this result away to Rubin.

"We all have chances of qualifying. It is a very, very hard. We will try to get a result in Russia," he declared.

Barcelona Defender Dani Alves Expected To Be Sidelined For Three Weeks

The right-back suffered a injury in the dying minutes of the defeat to Rubin...

Barcelona defender Dani Alves is set to miss at least three weeks of action for the Blaugrana, after suffering a torn thigh muscle in his right leg in the surprise 2-1 defeat to Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League.

The Brazilian full-back was injured in the latter stages of the game and had to be replaced in stoppage time, and coach Pep Guardiola later described the injury as "very bad news" for Alves and for the club.

The former Sevilla defender is likely to miss the Blaugrana's next three Primera Liga fixtures, and the return match against Rubin in the Champions League.

The exact length of his expected absence will not be known until Wednesday, when the player will have a scan to determine the full extent of the injury, according to Sport.

It is further bad news for the coach, who knows that his side still have it all to do to progress from their group with three games remaining, as they are still required to travel away to Russia and Ukraine.

Defeat To Rubin Kazan Is Just A Slip - Barcelona President Joan Laporta

He congratulates the players for their effort...

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has played down the significance of the Blaugrana's shock defeat to Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League, describing the 2-1 loss at Camp Nou as a "slip" for the champions.

A goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic shortly after the interval was not enough for Barca, as goals from Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Karadeniz Gokdeniz gave the visitors a surprise victory in what has become a very tight group.

"It was just a slip. We must accept the defeat and look ahead. We have not had a good result, but we're even in the group and this can be sorted. I'm sure we'll get through," Laporta said afterwards, according to Sport.

The president went on to say that Barca cannot always win, and suggested that the performance of the team was worthy of praise.

He added, "We cannot win forever, but I must congratulate the players for their efforts."

Barca now sit level with Rubin Kazan and Dynamo Kiev on four points, whilst Inter are bottom of group F with three, but the Blaugrana face tough trips to Russia and the Ukraine in their remaining fixtures.

Champions League Comment: Yes, There's Life Beyond The Big Three

Step forward, Europe's unsung leagues - your time has come...

Gokdeniz Karadeniz (Rubin Kazan)

After the second matchday of the Champions League, it would not be wholly unreasonable for one to lose at least a slice of one's faith in the Beautiful Game. The much-vaunted Bayern Munich-Juventus encounter proved to be a bit of a snoozefest; Arsenal's win over Olympiacos brought action only right at the death; Milan's loss to Zurich was interesting in terms of scoreline but not action; and even Manchester United's victory at Besiktas was laboured.

But any fan foolhardy enough to spend an evening at the cinema or in the supermarket instead of tuning in for matchday 3 has, on the strength of Tuesday's games at least, missed a night that otherwise would have lingered long in the memory, long after The Invention Of Lying or a particularly juicy mango had faded. Eight games brought thirty-two goals, and excitement on an immeasurable scale.

Depending on whose opinion you seek, you may hear that just one match went as expected. Even that, though, was a fraught encounter. Debrecen took the lead against Fiorentina after just two minutes, and although they were eventually to go 4-2 down, a late third goal made for a nervy finish for the Italian visitors in Budapest.

In another match, on-form Sevilla picked up a 3-1 win at Stuttgart against the off-form Roten in a game of few chances, thus cementing their place at the top of the table. No goals for Luis Fabiano or Fredi Kanoute, though: Jesus Navas got one, Sebastien Squillaci the other two.

Then there was Olympiacos' clash at home to Standard Liege. The Belgian visitors seemed set for a draw, but yet again their habit of conceding late, late goals struck as Ieroklis Stoltidis bundled home an undignified but utterly priceless winner.

And that leaves five.

Rangers may not be a leading light of the continent, but nonetheless they were expected to make short work of Unirea Urziceni, a side making their Champions League debut this season. A second-minute goal from Pedro Mendes, then, was not unsurprising.

Then came four goals of varying stripes - from the sublime to the ridiculous - for the visitors, and suddenly the 'Gers had suffered a loss just as heavy as the one endured against Sevilla in the last matchday.

Disbelief at Ibrox

Over in Alkmaar, AZ took to the pitch bereft of a sponsor, and with an uncertain financial future, after patron DSB went out of business.

Any fiscal worries evaporated deep into stoppage time, though, as Arsenal found themselves stunned with a late, late equaliser from the hosts.

Money in the bank

Meanwhile Jose Mourinho seemed to blame fatigue for his Inter side's inability to overcome Dynamo Kiev at home.

In fact the Ukrainians, other than during a spell shortly after the interval, appeared to be the better side for much of the game. And had Andriy Shevchenko buried a late one-on-one, who knows might what have happened?

Among friends

Then another game that, while perhaps not a shock, certainly saw the home side fall to a 'smaller' opponent.

Liverpool welcomed Lyon to Anfield knowing that a home defeat would spell their worst run in over 20 years. Steven Gerrard limped off midway through the first half in an omen that would make even the most shameless fiction writer blush. A goal from Delgado right at the end, inevitably, kept the French side's 100% record alive, and put the Reds in danger of a barren season - in October!

A real handful

But the achievements of the French side must, it has to be said, pale in comparison to those pulled off by Rubin Kazan at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona were humbled at home by two excellent goals from the Russian champions, their unbeaten run - stretching back to the Champions League final of last season - now lying in tatters.

Eye on the ball

What to make of all this? It's hard to draw definitive conclusions from just one night of action. One would find it hard to argue that Barcelona are, on the strength of a dud week, now a spent force, for example. Similarly Arsenal's travails in Alkmaar might not be the death knell for Arsene Wenger's young side. Inter? Still Scudetto favourites, and their slow start in Europe last season didn't seem to hurt them too much (only eventual finalists Manchester United overcame them in the end.)

Yet for a supporter of UEFA top dog Michel Platini, the decision to welcome some of Europe's less storied leagues to the top table could be considered, if not vindicated, at least on the path to respectability. Debrecen, comfortably the lowest-seeded side in the contest, may have zero points, but after tonight they have many admirers - well, defensive purists aside. Rubin Kazan show a rising in the east far away from St. Petersburg, Moscow and Donetsk. Dinamo Kiev are climbing to the same podium.

Perhaps the illustrious twelve of England, Italy and Spain, then, are in for more of a challenge than many of their fans bargained for. We'll see.

Player Ratings: Barcelona 1-2 Rubin Kazan

he Russian champions produced the result of the season so far as they humbled the kings of Europe in their own stadium...

BARCELONA

Victor Valdes - 5: Gave Karadeniz a lot of room to aim at for the second goal and conceded twice when having so little to do.

Dani Alves - 5.5: More impressive in the first half than the second, but the Brazilian could not produce a cross or pass to earn Barca something.

Pique - 5: Looked calm despite giving the ball away on occasion and may think that Rubin would not have scored a second if Carles Puyol had been next to him.

Marquez - 4.5: Did not look comfortable throughout and was beaten for pace on occasion only to have Toure to thank for saving his blushes.

Abidal - 5: The French star had his tussles on the left and while winning the majority of them, he was passed on occasion.

Toure -6.5: One player that looked assured and was outstanding when tracking back to cover up as the green shirts bypassed his team-mates.

Xavi - 6: Was unhappy as he was only able to find one pass to open up Rubin despite having time and space in the midfield.

Iniesta - 6: His frustration was evident as he was kicked and clipped and was unable to create the chances he can.

Pedro - 5: Could have done more in the first half when afforded a good deal of space on the left, but had a good chance after the break before going off.

Messi - 5.5: Marked superbly by the Rubin defence and while he may have claimed for several fouls, the referee was not interested.

Ibrahimovic - 7: Took his goal superbly and hammered a shot against the bar in an area where he had little room in which to manoeuvre.

Subs

Bojan - 5: Did little after going on for Pedro, but was employed in an unfamiliar role on the left.

Keita - 5: Also was unable to have the effect that Guardiola would have liked when he entered in the second period.

Busquets - n/a:


RUBIN KAZAN

Ryzhikov - 8.5: The 'keeper made a number of fine saves and was superb as the last line of an impressive visitors defence.

Salukvadze - 7: Did let Pedro have space but was not troubled and even when Bojan came on he was able to keep him quiet.

Sharonov - 7.5: At the centre of an incredible Rubin defensive unit that put the boot in whenever they needed to rattle the hosts.

Cesar Navas - 7.5: As a former Real Madrid youth teamer this result and performance will have been even sweeter.

Ansaldi - 8: His spirit and determination stood out and summed up what the Russian side were all about as they never gave in.

Noboa - 7: The players just in front of the defence played almost as centre-backs and he did his job well.

Semak - 7: Influential in midfield and looked disappointed to go off after picking up a knock before the break.

Kaleshin - 7.5: Gave up his attacking duties to hustle and harry back and prevent Barcelona from being able to settle.

Ryazantsev - 8: An absolutely stunning goal set Rubin up and he then put in a tremendous amount of work to help them defend.

Gokdeniz Karadeniz - 8.5: Worked extremely hard and capped a great performance with a superbly taken winner that summed up his input.

Dominguez - 7.5: Held the ball up and ensured that the pressure was taken off his defence whenever he could in an outstanding display.

Subs

Murawski - 7: Went on and did exactly what his coach asked of him as he worked tirelessly to help his team-mates.

Kasaev - 6.5: Another who went on and did not let his team's level drop at all and he will be in contention for a place at the weekend.

Barcelona 1-2 Rubin Kazan: Russians Pull Off One Of Champions League’s Biggest Shocks

The Russians came, they saw and they have successfully conquered the cauldron that is the Camp Nou…

Barcelona 1-2 Rubin Kazan – Line-Up/Stats
Champions League Fixtures, Results & Standings

Rubin Kazan have created one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history when they stunned a seemingly indestructible Barcelona side 2-1 at the Camp Nou.

Aleksandr Ryazantsev gave the visitors an astonishing lead just two minutes into the game, but Barca’s incessant pressure paid off when they levelled through Zlatan Ibrahimovic two minutes into the second period. But Karadeniz Gokdeniz would have the last laugh when he smashed in the winning goal 15 minutes from time.

Rubin surprised mighty Inter two weeks ago when they took an early lead against the Serie A champions and the Russians went on to recreate their shock against the reigning Champions League winners.

Just 120 seconds into the contest, Aleksandr Ryazantsev pounced on a stray pass by Rafa Marquez and arrowed in a 30-yard thunderbolt past a hapless Victor Valdes.

Barca came close to an immediate equaliser two minutes later when Iniesta slipped Ibrahimovic into the box on the left channel but the Swede’s sidefooted shot was flicked away by Ryzhikov’s fingertips.

Ibra had another opening on ten minutes. Lionel Messi did all the hard work when he careened forward on the left channel, cut inside his defender and clipped the ball into the middle, but the big striker’s miscued half-volley was easily gathered by the Rubin goalkeeper.

Dani Alves was next to try his luck five minutes later when he latched onto Pedro’s long cutback but the Brazilian’s 20-yard piledriver flashed wide. Young Pedro himself had a glorious chance to restore parity on 25 minutes when he leapt above his marker to meet Dani Alves’ cross, but Ryzhikov managed to palm the header away.

The half-filled Camp Nou was starting to feel anxious as their treble heroes struggled to find a breakthrough. But Pep Guardiola’s men continued to pummel the visiting goal and on 40 minutes, Messi saw his low drive tipped away by Ryzhikov.

Rubin had an opportunity to double their advantage three minutes before the break when Alejandro Dominguez curled in a lovely free kick on the edge of the box but Valdes was equal to the task.

No one saw this shock coming and neither did Ibra

But what the visitors did to the Blaugrana in the first half, the hosts replied the favour in the second. Two minutes into the restart, the Catalans drew levelled when Xavi dinked a delicate through ball over the defence for Ibrahimovic, who took it on his chest before rifling a low cross shot past the goalkeeper.

Right on the hour mark, a free-flowing move involving Messi, Iniesta and 'Ibra' found Pedro inside the area but his shot from a tight angle sailed straight into Ryzhikov’s arms. The busy Rubin goalkeeper had to be alert again moments later to deny Messi’s effort on the edge of the box after the Argentine combined brilliantly with Dani Alves.

'Ibra' then attempted an ambitious free kick from 30 yards out and although he struck it sweetly, it flew wide of the mark. Just as Barca were starting to settle into a rhythm, Rubin stunned the Camp Nou into silence again on 72 minutes when they regained their lead. A rapid-fire counterattack led by Dominguez was finished off clinically when Karadeniz Gokdeniz fired in a superb first-time shot past Valdes inside the box.

Five minutes later, Barcelona came close to an equaliser. Messi cushioned down a header for Ibrahimovic, but he sent his searing volley from 12 yards out crashing against the bar.

The chances dried up for the home side as the clock ticked down but deep into injury time, the Catalans were denied by the woodwork again when Toure Yaya’s header from a corner cannoned back off the post.

Kurban Derdyev valiant soldiers held on not only to pull off one of the greatest upsets in the competition’s history but they now jointly lead Group F along with Barca and Dynamo Kiev.

Barcelona Must Be Fully Focussed Against Rubin Kazan - Yaya Toure

Victory is a must in the Camp Nou, but the return fixture in Russia will be a difficult tie for the Blaugrana...

With Barcelona's Champions League double-header against Rubin Kazan rapidly approaching, Yaya Toure has demanded three points in the first game at the Camp Nou on Tuesday evening.

However, the Ivorian knows that Rubin will not be easy opponents, citing the Blaugrana's game against Dynamo Kiev as proof of the danger lurking in their group.

"These sorts of teams can hurt us," Toure explained to Sport.

"Russian teams are very difficult and dangerous, and we must be very focussed. We play our next two games against them and we have to win in the Camp Nou.

"We already saw against Dynamo Kiev that these types of teams are tricky and we cannot become complacent.

"Moreover, every team wants to beat Barca for what it would represent, and the coach always says that we must keep working so that we do not stop concentrating."

Though Toure expects three points against the Russian champions in Barcelona, he knows that it will be more difficult when his side have to travel to Kazan for the return match.

"We will have more problems there because of the cold, among other things," he noted. "But due to the team we have, we also have a chance to win at their ground."

Champions League Preview: Barcelona - Rubin Kazan

Barcelona will have to be sure that they do not under-estimate their opponents...

Kick-Off: Tuesday, October 20, 20:45 CET.

Camp Nou, Barcelona

Bouncing Back

Rubin Kazan have made their name in Russia, but are still relatively unknown in Europe and that could be a danger for Barcelona on Tuesday, with many of the home team's fans expecting their side to cruise to a second Champions League victory of the season.

Pep Guardiola will know all about his team's opponents and has already stated that he is not expecting anything other than a testing encounter as Barca look to bounce back and prove that the 0-0 draw against Valencia last weekend was a one-off.

In Spanish football there is a great deal made of the 'FIFA virus', which they believe effects all clubs following an international, and fortunately for the Blaugrana they were able to use that as their excuse for a blunt performance in the goalless tie.

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic carrying a slight knock and Thierry Henry still sidelined, the Blaugrana were contained by a determined Valencia team who set themselves up to nullify the creative side of their opponents before launching counterattacks.

Without a tall forward to occasionally look for to ease the pressure, Barca took their time making their mark in the game and that will be something that Guardiola will not want to see a repeat of against Rubin.

Champions Elect

The Russians may be an unknown quantity to the majority of the Camp Nou faithful, but the fact that they won the league title last term and are on top once again with five games of the season left should tell its own story.

Having held Inter at home in their last outing, Gurban Berdiyew's side will want to show that they are not a flash in the pan and can handle themselves on the biggest stages and against the best teams on the continent.

Newcomers to the European spotlight, Rubin only won promotion to the Russian top flight in 2003 and have built their way up to the summit. They started last term with seven consecutive wins, something Barca just missed out on achieving last Saturday.

That laid the foundations for the title push and they became only the second club outside of Moscow, after Zenit St. Petersburg, to clinch the championship.


FORM GUIDE

Barcelona

Oct 17 A 0-0 Valencia (League)
Oct 3 H 1-0 Almeria (League)
Sep 29 H 2-0 Dynamo Kiev (Champions League)
Sep 26 A 2-0 Malaga (League)
Sep 22 A 4-1 Racing Santander (League)

Rubin Kazan

Oct 17 H 2-1 Khimki (League)
Oct 4 A 2-1 Lokomotiv Moscow (League)
Sep 29 H 1-1 Inter (Champions League)
Sep 25 H 1-2 Amkar (League)
Sep 20 A 0-0 Tom (League)


TEAM NEWS

Barcelona

Guardiola is set to name Ibrahimovic in the team after he was rested for Saturday after suffering a knock on World Cup duty. Lionel Messi will also play, despite talk of being tired, and Andres Iniesta could well fill in on the left in place of the injured Thierry Henry.

Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Victor Valdes; Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal; Xavi, Keita, Yaya Toure; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta.

Rubin Kazan

Aleksandr Bukharov will undergo a late fitness test after injuring his wrist at the weekend, while captain Sergei Semak will be back in the starting team after being rested against Khimki.

Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Ryzhikov; Cesar Navas, Sharonov, Ansaldi, Salukvadze; Ryazantsev, Semak, Noboa, Karadeniz; Dominguez, Bukharov.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona)

The powerful Swede will be asked to lead the line and become the focal point up front for a team who need to score early to rid themselves of any doubts that were created at the weekend. In the middle of what will be a crowded area, Ibrahimovic has to stand out.

Sergei Semak (Rubin Kazan)

If Barcelona are to be stopped from playing then it will be done with Rubin closing down their midfield and looking to break quickly. That is where the captain could prove to be crucial as his influence in the middle will determine how well the Russians play.


PREDICTION

The Russians will have seen the way that Valencia stifled Barcelona's midfield and forward line and could well attempt to replicate that. With Ibrahimovic set to return, the home team should have a crucial extra edge that was missing in Mestalla. Barca should come out on top on this occasion.

Barcelona 2 - 0 Rubin Kazan

Rubin Kazan's Cesar Navas Looking Forward To 'Unforgettable Experience' Against Barcelona

The Spanish defender has previewed his side's match against the European champions...

Rubin Kazan defender Cesar Navas has looked ahead to Tuesday night's clash against Barcelona, and knows that the Russian champions will be up against it in the Camp Nou.

"It will be a very difficult game, but also an unforgettable experience," the former Racing Santander defender told AS.

"Barcelona are the best team and play the best football in Europe.

"They are a team who have kept the same philosophy for many years, which is keeping the ball and attacking football, and that is coupled with having a great coach and an excellent squad.

"The Santiago Bernabeu is more imposing, but the Camp Nou becomes bigger as the minutes go by. Barcelona always have the ball, so you spend the entire game chasing the ball. You are exhausted in the last few minutes."

Navas will come up against Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the first time in his career tomorrow evening, and believes that he poses more of a threat than Samuel Eto'o.

"Eto'o is a wonderful goalscorer, but Ibrahimovic is more complete. He doesn't score as many goals, but he has more quality. He is a very difficult player to mark."

Johan Cruyff Hits Out At Lionel Messi's Argentina Critics

Lionel Messi cannot be expected to be at his best when the rest of the team are not...

Johan Cruyff thinks that the Argentinian team and the critics of Lionel Messi should look at the other players in the Albiceleste team before singling out the Barcelona forward.

The Dutch legend was unhappy that the Blaugrana star was once again highlighted as not being on form in his country's recent World Cup victories.

Argentina scraped through to the World Cup Finals, but Cruyff does not think that anyone can blame Messi because for him to be on song, the entire first eleven needs to play well too.

"Football is a team game where quality comes from a combined effort," he explained in his weekly column for El Periodico.

"Eveyrone around you has to be playing at their best in order to ensure that you are at your best.

"Argentina does not do this with Messi and the worst thing is that they do not see it or that they do not want to see it."

Cruyff then reflected on Barcelona's lacklustre goalless draw with Valencia at the weekend and blamed the 'FIFA' virus' after the international break.

"The players were incredibly exhausted and that was why they showed a mental and physical slowdown and that translated into too many lost balls."

Samuel Eto'o Will Win Barcelona Compensation Claim - Agent

Barcelona must prepare to stump up €2 million for the Inter striker, who is still aggrieved by the way he was unceremoniously dumped by his former employers...

Samuel Eto'o is set to press ahead with his claim for €2 million in compensation after being sold by Barcelona in the summer to Inter, according to his agent.

The Cameroonian striker is enjoying his new life in Serie A but still feels aggrieved at being pushed out of Camp Nou and is ready to make his push for a percentage of his transfer fee.

Barca believe that only players transferred between Spanish clubs have a legal right to make the claim, but Eto'o will take the matter to court, his representative, Jose Maria Mesalles, has confirmed.

"Eto'o is going to win the process," his agent was quoted as saying by Sport.

"We think that we have the right to claim for €2 million as part of the transfer of Samuel Eto'o to Inter.

"We are within our rights to do this and if we weren't then we would not be pressing on. We have set the judicial ball rolling.

"At the moment we do not know what will happen, but I think things will turn out well because we have the rights in this case."

Seydou Keita Defends Lionel Messi's Below Par Barcelona Display

Barcelona could not find a way through los Che's defence and one man has been picked out as not being influential enough...

Seydou Keita has leapt to Lionel Messi's defence after the forward was criticised for an uninspired performance in Barcelona's goalless draw with Valencia at the weekend.

The Argentine endured a tough few days with his national team and has now suffered the same treatment at the hands of the media back in Europe after failing to shine at the Mestalla.

After earning low marks in the matchday ratings from Catalan papers Sport and El Mundo Deportivo, questions were asked about Messi's ability to play in so many matches.

Keita was unhappy that only one Barca player was highlighted for such treatment and feels that the media and fans cannot place such pressure on the No.10.

"He's human, it is normal that sometimes he is not so good," he told reporters after training on Sunday.

"'Leo' is certainly one of our most important players."

Barcelona Face Hard Task In Europe - Joan Laporta

Barcelona swept their way to three major trophies last term, but repeating their feat in Europe will be tough...

Joan Laporta thinks that retaining the Champions League will be Barcelona's hardest challenge this season, as they are seen as the team to beat after winning the trophy last term.

The Blaugrana president is delighted with the start his team have made having won the European and Spanish Super Cups, but thinks that the holding onto the major cups will take an extra effort.

Barca take on Rubin Kazan on Tuesday night in the Champions League and Laporta hopes that motivation to enjoy the same success again will drive the players on.

"We're on the right track. Both those [Super Cup] victories were hard-earned," he told uefa.com.

"Looking at the UEFA Super Cup, either team – us or Shakhtar Donetsk – could have won, but we got the goal in extra time. This season will be tough, though.

"Our challenge will be to maintain the same motivation as last season. What complicates things is that, as European champions, we are the team to beat.

"On the plus side, this can have the effect of further motivating our players. It will be important for them to continue feeling like champions, to never give up, never stop believing and hold on to their winning feeling.

"The only thing we can predict is that Barca will fight and work hard again. The key is to work, work, work – that is what the team will do.

"Provided we show humility and keep it in our heads that we have to stay strong, then we have the talent to make our dreams come true."

Rubin Kazan Striker Aleksandr Bukharov To Miss Barcelona Clash

The attacker has picked up an injury and will miss the crucial Champions League game...

Russian Champions League hopefuls Rubin Kazan have received some disturbing news from the treatment table in the build-up toward Tuesday's away game against Barcelona.

They will be without the services of highly rated striker Aleksandr Bukharov due to a dislocated arm. Bukharov sustained the injury as Rubin beat FC Khimki 2-1 on Saturday to stay top of the Russian Premier-Liga.

Rubin Kazan have fared less well in their Champions League debut, though, and head to the Camp Nou bottom of the group and still in search of their first victory.

"It all ended a bit painfully. I pushed the ball forward and fell awkwardly after vying with a defender. I stretched my hand and fell on to it. Thankfully, I've only got a dislocated bone," said Bukharov to reporters.

Guardiola Hints At Ibrahimovic Return For Barcelona In Midweek

The striker was left out as a precaution against Valencia, but he is set for a comeback...

Pep Guardiola has explained that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is likely to return to action for Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek after picking up a knock on international duty.

The Swedish striker remained on the bench for the duration of the game against Valencia on Saturday evening in Mestalla when the team could have done with his services to unlock the home defence.

Rather than try to push him back into action though, Guardiola has stated that he and the club medics preferred to let the player recover for the visit of Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.

"We spoke the doctors and left him out as a precaution. We want to see if we can have him back for Tuesday," he was quoted as saying by the club's official website.

"He felt some pain and we have preferred not to risk him."

Exclusive: No Guarantee Of Valencia Beating Barcelona Even If David Villa Had Played - Pablo Hernandez

Los Che’s winger told Goal.com that he is satisfied with his team’s draw against mighty Barca…

Valencia became the first team in La Liga this season to not only deny Barcelona a victory but also keep a clean sheet against the rampant Catalans.

Los Che created their fair share of chances to win the contest but Pablo Hernandez believes that the team should be happy to have earned a point against last season’s treble champions.

Speaking exclusively to Goal.com after the game, the 24-year-old praised his team’s efforts after putting an end to Barca’s perfect start to the league campaign.

“I think we can be happy because a draw against Barcelona is not easy, let alone keeping a clean sheet,” he beamed.

“This is a game that normally produces a lot of goals, but (the scoreless draw) only means that both defences have done well. We did great in defence because they only had a couple of chances.

“We fought hard, we pressed them, and we created many chances even though we failed to finish them. In short, I believe we should be happy,” he added.

Pablito had a golden scoring opportunity in the first minute of the game but saw his one-on-one effort smothered by goalkeeper, Victor Valdes. And he explained how he fluffed the opening, as well as his collision with Juan Mata when they ball fell to them right infront of goal later on in the contest.

“I was surprised myself to have a clear chance so early. The truth is that I did not take the chance well. I managed to beat the defender to the centre but he recovered well,” he admitted.

“As for the misunderstanding with Mata, these things happen. I thought that he saw me coming and was going to leave the ball, but he didn’t and we ended up hindering each other.”

Finally, when asked if the presence of the injured David Villa would have changed the outcome, Pablo replied, “David’s absence was significant, but nevertheless we had opportunities to win the game and we showed that.

“It is not possible to say whether or not we would have won with David, but what I believe is that it is necessary to focus on the game that the team had played and go away satisfied.”

Lionel Messi Leads Ballon d'Or Nominations; Spain & England Dominate

France Football has released the 30 players on the shortlist for their annual award...

Lionel Messi is the favourite to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or after being named on the 30-strong shortlist for the award that will be presented to Europe's best player in December.

The Argentinian has been widely tipped to top the rankings after helping Barcelona to a unique treble of trophies last and joins four others who helped achieve the feat, as well as new team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

While no Italian players were named, the four Serie A-based imports were dwarfed by the 13 players from Spain's top flight, while the nominees from the Premier League all came from the big four clubs.

Ryan Giggs has been included and should be mentioned for a lifetime achievement award after showing incredible longevity at the top for Manchester United.

Away from Spain; England and Italy, only France's Yoann Gourcuff represented his own league, while Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko and Bayern's Franck Ribery have been put forward from Germany's Bundesliga.

The 30-man shortlist:

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)	Maicon (Inter Milan)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)	Diego (Juventus)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona)	Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Thierry Henry (Barcelona)	Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg)
Xavi (Barcelona)	Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux)
Yaya Toure (Barcelona)	Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)	Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)	Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)	Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Kaka (Real Madrid)	John Terry (Chelsea)
Luis Fabiano (Sevilla)	Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
David Villa (Valencia)	Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)	Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan)	Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)	Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)

Pedro Sees Positives For Barcelona After Valencia Stalemate

Staying top after earning only a point against Valencia was a good outcome, the youngster believes...

Pedro believes that Barcelona must consider the point that they won against Valencia as a positive thing after the home team made life very difficult for them.

The Blaugrana headed to Mestalla seeking a record-breaking seventh straight win at the start of the campaign, but were held by a determined Che outfit.

With Victor Valdes particularly busy, Barca must reflect on taking something from the game and not consider that they should have won, according to Pedro.

"We had to work very hard to find a way into the game," he was quoted as saying by the club's official website.

"We also knew it would be difficult to win here. The point must be seen as positive.

"Now we have to continue working."