A Barça Blog

For most FIFA career mode players, there will come a point where you simply have too many superstars to fit into the starting XI. Antoine Griezmann playing in the Joan Gamper trophy Due to practical issues such as money and the fact real humans can not be told to go away by the mere tap of an A button, this is rarely a luxury afford to real life managers. But for Ernesto Valverde, going in to what could potentially be his final season at the club, this is his reality. He can boast one of the most star-laden teams in Europe but the problem remains the same. How does 23 fit into 11? Barcelona's summer recruitment involved the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong to an increasingly busy forward line and midfield three, meaning Valverde must begin the plate-spinning akin task of trying to keep everyone happy. His preference for a 4-4-2 last season could either have been one of choice or one of necessity as Ousmane Dembélé struggled with injuries but it seems u

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During Sunday night's game, many pundits and fans noticed an unusual encounter on the sidelines. When Fàbregas left the field, Guardiola, after an exchange of words, grabbed Cesc by the back of the neck and shoved him towards the bench. The player could be seen smiling as he stumbled away but the manager's face was much less welcoming. Annoyed by chances missed during the game, Pep was less then pleased with Cesc's comments after leaving the field. In the 77th minute, Fàbregas was replaced by Thiago and on his way to the bench he complained to Guardiola. Albeit in a joking manner but it appeared the boss didn't agree. Cesc said to Guardiola "Wow! It was difficult to score that third goal." To which Pep replied "You all should have scored earlier with the 1000 chances you had!" Cleary annoyed by the missed chances, in particular Cesc's horrible miss after a bobble on the penalty spot. What is interesting though is Cesc's reaction. He lea

Lionel Messi again earned his "Best Player in the World" title as Barcelona hammered Valencia 5-1 at the Camp Nou. Messi netted four goals while Xavi put the game beyond any doubt in the 91st minute with Barça's fifth. Cesc and Alexis celebrating with the goal scorer Valencia started brightly and if it weren't for Barcelona's tight offside trap they would've been ahead. But in the 9th minute Unai Emery's men's pressure produced it's reward. An in-swinging cross caught Valdés wrong-footed and allowed Piatti to pounce. The 22 year old tapped the ball past the diving keeper and sent Valencia ahead. Barcelona's home form has been very impressive this season but with their poor away form looming some fans began to fear the worst. The inexperience of Montaya was a particular concern but the young right back showed his attacking capabilities throughout the game. He produced a splitting pass would've surely produced an equaliser if Pedro had

The players are experiencing a difficult time in their Barça careers There is no doubt that this Barcelona side is one of the best ever, maybe even the best. But currently sitting ten points behind Madrid in the league, it can be argued that this accolade has crippled Barcelona's dominance. They say complacency is only a state of mind but in Barça's case it has hit them much harder. Dropping points on eight occasions, equal to the whole of last season, Barcelona fans and players are used to winning and expect it to come naturally. Fair enough they still have the possibility of finishing the season with five trophies but importantly for Guardiola's men, one of them won't be La Liga. A trophy you work in 38 games to win compared to a cup run which usually lasts about 8. The trophies come quicker and the motivation stays replenished with the prize of the next round dangled in front of you during every game. So then maybe it's a case of too many players seeking

Alexis celebrating his first goal Alexis Sánchez scored twice as Barcelona earned a 3-1 away win at Bayer Leverkusen. Lionel Messi was also on the scoresheet whilst Kadlec scored for the home side. The German side started the game very defensively and looked to park the bus. A dangerous tactic to play against a team with the attacking qualities of Barcelona. The Catalans dominated possession but failed to really test the Leverkusen goalie. Barça's first chance fell to Dani Alves, the Brazillian international lined up a free kick from just outside the German side's area. After convincing Messi he was the man to take it, Alves wasted the free kick by blasting the ball over the bar. The reigning European champions could've been ahead if it weren't for a crucial interception by Daniel Schwaab. Alexis broke clear of the defence and looked to square the ball to Messi. A certain goal if it weren't for Schwaab's sliding block. After a period of little chances, Al