Barcelona appoint Luis Enrique

Barcelona have appointed club legend Luis Enrique as their new manager following a turbulent 12 months for the club. He replaces Gerardo Martino who left the club halwat through his two year deal.

The 44-year-old former Barca player, who managed the club's B team between 2008 and 2011, left his role as Celta Vigo boss last week.

He replaces Gerardo Martino, who left after Barca finished second to Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

Sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta recommended Enrique, who has also managed Roma, to replace the Argentine.

Martino, who succeeded the late Tito Vilanova last summer, ended his two-year deal by mutual consent earlier this week after Barca failed to win the Spanish title for only the second time in six years. They drew with champions Atletico Madrid on the final day when a win would have given them the title.

A versatile midfielder and attacker, Enrique made 300 appearances for Barca between 1996 and 2004, including a two-year spell as captain. After joining the Catalans from rivals Real Madrid on a free transfer, the Spaniard won two La Liga titles, two Spanish cups and the Uefa Cup. His return to Barca as first-team boss sees him follow in the footsteps of Guardiola, the only other man to be the club's captain, B team coach and first-team manager.

Enrique's arrival had been widely expected because of his strong links with the club, although he said he did not know who he would be managing next season after leaving Celta, who finished ninth in La Liga.

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Anyway, good luck! nice choice of manager!

As a humongous Barcelona fan, I hope you do the club justice!

yuttra52- thanks
Neal- Lets hope so

Barcelona Sign Norwegian Wonderkid Odegaard

Barcelona have signed sought after youngster Martin Odegaard. He will join on 2nd January 2015 after he turns sixteen.

The youngster has already been capped 3 times for Norway and has been touted as the next big thing. He has been coveted by many of Europe's big clubs such as real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea.

He signed a 4 and a half year contract which will run into 2018. Barcelona have now signed 2 of Europe's big talents by securing Alen Halilovic from Dinamo earlier in the transfer window.

Luis Enrique said' We are very happy to have signed Martin as a lot of big clubs have coveted him but after speaking to him he told me that Barcelona was the club he wanted to go to. His potential is huge and along with Alen(Halilovic) we have two of the biggest young talents in the world.

Martin Odegaard said' I am very happy to have joined this great club. My father turned to me and said that the best teame that you could go to and develop are Barcelona so as soon as the contract offer came through I knew where to go'.

Good Luck!

Good luck bud

WeAreFev and OllieGrocott-Thanks

Manager's thoughts-

I think we did well overall scoring alot of goals and looking solid defensively. Bayern Munich were just too good for as well as me playing a weakened team. I am happy so far and most of my players are in fantastic form. Suarez, Messi and Neymar have been combining well and as long they all keep their performances up, I feel that they will be the most potent strike force in Europe. Against Bayern Munich we had no Xavi and Iniesta and we were overun in midfield which is worrying as I now know about our depth in midfield but everyone will get better and I hpe to have a successful season

Player of Pre-Season

Messi is our player of pre-season contributing 8 goals and 5 assists, If he can recreate this form in the Competitive games I can see him winning the Ballon D Or but he will have to very consistant.

1.Real Madrid

Last Season Position-3rd
Key players- Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale,Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos
New Signings-Toni Kroos,James Rodriguez and Keylor Navas

The reason I have picked them as favourites because they are complete in all departments and in attack they have the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo who has been in fantastic form this year. He will be backed by the world's most expensive player Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez. In midfield they now have Luka Modric and Toni Kroos providing assists as well as goals. In defence they have the solid Ramos and Pepe providing cover for Casillas

2. Barcelona

Last Season position- 2nd
Key players- Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Xavi and Gerard Pique
New Signings- Marc Andre Ter Stegan, Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic

Barcelona's narrow loss to Atletico Madrid on the top of La Liga will spur them on to greater heights and the fact they lost it at home will only hurt them more. Lionel Messi's job is simple: score goals and lots of them. Luis Suarez's £75 million move will bring great expectations on him and his job along with Neymar is to provide and score goals. Young Marc Andre Ter Stegan will have cover in the form of Pique and Marc Bartra who will get better and better.

3.Atletico Madrid

Last Season position- 1st
Key players- Arda Turan, Mario Mandzukic,Antoine Griezmaan and Diego Godin
New Signings- Antoine Griezmaan, Mario Mandzukic and Cristian Ansaldi

The holders will give us a good fight under the inspirational Diego Simeone with Mandzukic filling the Diego Costa sized hole in the team with goals. Griezmann will chip in with assists and goals and Diego Godin will cover the newly signed Moya who will be in goal. Christian Ansaldi and Jesus Gamez will fight for Felipe Luis role in the team and they have a good squad overall.