FC Barcelona - Mes que un equip!

Luis Enrique takes charge

Tata Martino leaves Barcelona after he had to admit that the managerial post at a club like this was too much for him!
The Barcelona board had to search for a new Manager.
After a few weeks it was clear that Luis Enrique was the one to take charge!

Luis Enrique is a former Barcelona and Real Madrid player, but the Cules love the former spanish international.
Luis Enrique signed a contract over 2 years at the club, but he is not only about to manage the first team, he will also take charge the B-Team, which he managed a few years ago said Josep Bartomeu.

I want to ensure that the young Masia talents can be promoted into the first team and already know everything about how we play! Therefore it was necessary that I manage the young lads.
When I'm on the road with the senior team, Joan Barbera will be in charge at the matchdays with the B-Team!

Luis Enrique said that he isn't Pep and that an era like his, might never ever been seen again in football history!
But his goals with Barcelona are very similar to Peps achievements here.
He wants to create a Team that can dominate every Team in the World, no matter whom they play.
He won't be angry if he looses, but he will surely be angry if his Team doesn't give the Fans attacking and dominating football!

I already played through a lot of the first Season to make sure, that I stick with the 2 Teams, just wanted you to let you know that!

La Masia talents join Senior Team!

For the upcoming Pre-Season Tour some Barcelona B players will join the senior team, to show new Manager Luis Enrique that they're capable of the high pressure at the first team!

The players which will join the Senior team will be Edgar Ie, Alex Grimaldo, Sergi Samper, Sandro, Jean-Marie Dongou Tsafack and Sandro Ramirez.

Luis Enrique also promoted Seung-Woo Lee and Rodrigo Tarin to the Barcelona B Team from the Juvenil A.

Pedro upbeat about Luis Enrique!

New Barcelona Manager wants to install some La Masia talents into the first team squad. Pedro was about to discuss his personal matters with Luis Enrique and what Enrique had to say was a hugh surprise for him, claimed our source.

Luis Enrique told Pedro, that he is only seen as a rotation player for now, as Rafinha would give him more options to change the playing style in the game. Another surprise for him was that Munir and Sandro also will get playing time in La Liga and the Champions League.

Therefore Laurent Blanc seem to increase his interest in signing Pedro! Pedro could make a good attacking force with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani, but he would also have some players vowing for a starting place there with Lucas and Lavezzi.

FC Barcelona Squads

The squads for both Teams have been announced. Luis Suarez will be sidelined until the 10/24/14 after an unsportsmanlike behaviour. Munir el Haddadi and Sandro will get the chance to prove that they have the abilities to keep the spot in the senior team.

A few players had been promoted from the B-Team, such as Jordi Masip, Rafinha or Sergi Roberto.

good luck with this story!

Barcelona Tactic talk

In our Pre-Season presentation we daily inform you about the possible Tactics for all Champions League participants, today: FC Barcelona!

Luis Enrique is in charge for a few weeks and the first Pre-Season games had been held. Our Barcelona Expert made a report about the tactics which Luis Enrique used and what his thoughts about that was!

The main tactic Luis Enrique used in the first matches was a 4-3-3 which was transfered into a 3-4-3.



ter Stegen seem to be the first choice in the hunt for the number one! The young german goalkeeper plays similar to Manuel Neuer and he is playing like a sweeper and allows the two wing backs (Alba, Alves) to go more forward and allow the midfielders and the two wingers (Neymar, Rafinha) to be in the center of the pitch.
This allows the Team to outnumber the opponents midfield in any situation. Barcelona therefore can pass the ball around and wait for the chance to pass the ball forward.

When Barcelona are in possesion Sergio Busquets let himself drop between the two central defenders and make a defensive line. This three players always need to be aware of counter attacks.

The two central midfielders are leading the passing circle and wait for a chance to play a killer ball for one of the three attackers.

Lionel Messi is the man who makes the difference, he leds himself drop between the opposition defensive and midfield line to start one of his outstanding dribblings.
The two wingers try to make some space for Lionel or they overrun the opposition defensive line to be in front of the goalkeeper to get a one-on-one chance!

Barcelona 4:0 Deportivo

Camp Nou: 89 030



Barcelona: ter Stegen - Pique, Bartra - Alves, Mascherano, Alba - Xavi(c), Iniesta (78.Rakitic) - Rafinha (80. Pedro), Messi(66. Sandro), Neymar jr.

FC Barcelona started their La Liga campaign in style. It only took 9 minutes for them to score the first goal of the game, as Marc Batra heads in a perfect corner from Xavi into the back of the net.
Barcelona created loads of chances to score a second goal, but the finishing wasn't of the highest standart. Neymar jr. had some good one on ones, but hadn't made anything out of it.
In the last minutes of the first half, Lionel Messi showed that he is the best player on the planet, as he was twice fouled inside of the penalty area, after some amazing dribblings and he also put both penaltys into the net.

The game was set and Barcelona showed some awesome team moves in the second half. After the end of one of this team moves, Pedro was viciously tackled from behind and had to leave the field for good.
Barcelona, who finished the game with ten Players on the Pitch, but only seconds after the incident Ivan Rakitic scored a beautiful header in the 82th minute.

Levante 2:4 Barcelona

Ciutat de Valencia: 23 877



Barcelona: ter Stegen - Pique, Bartra - Alves, Mascherano (87.Adriano), Alba - Xavi(c), Iniesta (61.Rakitic) - Rafinha, Messi, Neymar jr. (55.Munir)

Barcelona had some serious problems finding their playing routine and this lead to a surprisingly goal advantage for Levante, as Hector Rodas shoot a goal from in between the penalty area in the 11th minute.
The goal seemed to be the starting bell for Barcelona, as they started a firework of chances from then on. The ball was keept in their own possesion. Neymar jr. was the one to even the odds. He scored a nice lob over the goalkeeper.

In the 51th minute Neymar even brought the lead for Barcelona with another great lob. Levante gave everything as the final 15 minutes started, but Marc Bartra scored a header after a great free kick in the 79th minute and Jordi Alba scored 5 minutes before the final whistel had gone!

David Navarro scored the final goal of the game and gave the home fans at least something to celebrate at the end!

Luis Enrique happy with his talents

Sandro Ramirez and Munir el Haddadi both made their Senior team debuts in the first games of the Season.
Both where the first options for Enrique of the bench. Pedro Rodriguez had to sit on the Bench for the first two games and hadn't been given a single minute of game time.



Speculations been high that Pedro might leave Barcelona in this transfer window.
Laurent Blanc, Paris St. Germain manager, already expressed his interest in signing the spanish international. Other teams also got interested in Pedros' services, such as Arsenal London and FC Bayern Munich, where Pep Guardiola is in charge, the Manager who brought Pedro in Barcelonas first squad!

Barcelona 5:1 Atletico Madrid

Camp Nou: 96 433



Barcelona: ter Stegen - Pique, Bartra - Alves, Mascherano, Alba - Xavi(c) (55.Rakitic), Iniesta - Rafinha, Messi (65.Sandro), Neymar jr. (72.Munir)

Goals number 9-13 after just 3 games in La Liga. An outstanding performance against the defending champions Atletico Madrid, had been presented to us, by FC Barcelona.
Lionel Messi in particular showed an amazing performance of his skills in dribbling, passing and goal scoring, as he scored 3 goals and assisted 1 and therefore had his foot in almost every goal this night!

The Game started with a bang, as Lionel Messi passed through the defensive line and send Neymar jr to the goal, where the new brazilian national captain, scored a curved ball into the net in the 3rd minute.
Barcelona showed an amazing performance and it was Lionel Messi who doubled the lead after he had scored a free kick into the buttom left corner.
The game went into the half time break with a 2:0, but it could've been easily a 4 or 5:0, if Barcelona would've mean business.

The second half started with a bang, just like the first half. Lionel Messi only needed 72 seconds to find the net and damage the moral from the Atletico players, which led their heads drop due to Messis' amazing performance, as he outrun 7(!) Atletico players and none of them had anything to offer, what could've stopped him!
Gerard Pique gave Atletico a penalty, as he touched the ball with the hand after an Atletico corner and Miranda almost distroyed the net with his powerful shot.
The Atletico players, seemed to gain momentum, but 17 seconds after the penalty it was again Lionel Messi who scored! The argentinian captain scored with a placed shot and it was 4:1 at this time. Lionel Messi who had been substituted in the 65 minute for Sandro received a standing ovation from the cules and even from the Atletico supporters!
Substitut Sandro Ramirez then passed a ball to Rafinha, whom scored the last goal of the game with a header from inside the box.

Pedro decides to stay in Barcelona!

Pedro Rodriguez decides to reject every offer he had. A talk with Luis Enrique changed his mind for now.



Luis Enrique made it clear to me, that I had been a little bit too "lazy" in the Pre-Season and that I don't have to rely on what I already achieved here. He said that he has plans with me and that I will play a role in his plans, if I start to concentrate on the game. Therefore I rejected every offer I had on the table and a few managers had asked me to join their respective clubs, for example Laurent and Jose.
This was the statement FC Barcelona released on their Homepage earlier today!

Cordoba 0:3 FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi (2x), Rafinha

FC Barcelona 1:0 Paris St.Germain

Rafinha

FC Barcelona 3:0 Granada

Neymar jr., Messi (2x)

Elche 1:3 FC Barcelona

Messi, Iniesta, Pedro

Celta 2:5 FC Barcelona

Rakitic, Messi (3x), Neymar jr.

I decided to make shorter updates to be able to catch up with the story. The Updates will be more detailed again!

Roma 0:4 FC Barcelona

Dani Alves, Neymar jr.(3x)

FC Barcelona 4:1 FC Sevilla

Dani Alves, Neymar jr.(3x)

Almeira 0:4 FC Barcelona

own goal, Pique, Messi, Rafinha

FC Barcelona 5:0 RSC Anderlecht

Neymar jr.(2x), Dani Alves, Bartra, Messi

FC Barcelona 2:0 Real Sociedad

Messi (2x)