FC Barcelona Discussion

[SirBalon]

9 hours ago, Teso Dos Bichos said:

'I have to say that I did not feel as comfortable any more at Barca,' Alves told the official FIFA website.

 

Things changed at a club level, and as time went on, I always seemed to be the one in the firing line. 'Dani is the one who has to go,' they would say. I just got tired of it.

'I decided to head off in a new direction and find happiness somewhere else. 

Barcelona now? It's strange. I'm sure they miss me!' he added. 

instead of alves, far$E is stuck with sergi and aleix vidal. 

Meanwhile,Los Blancos have one of the best RBs carvajal, no wonder they will win both la liga and CL. Terrible decisions by barcelona lately.

Real Madrid: 3.5 Mil € for Asensio meanwhile, the transfer bust of the year Andres Gomes €35 Mil PLUS €20 mil add ons 

 

Yep, you're right.  Massive mistakes by the technical directors at Barça with Robert Fernández being in the firing line.  To be honest, nobody knows who's controlling that side of things ever since Andoni Zubizarreta was practically sacked (is now technical director at Olympique Marseille)...  There's also Ariedo Braida (the guy that put AC Milan on the map) who's making decisions.

I'm really happy for Dani Alves.  He loves Barça but the board messed him around and he messed them around in the end with the last laugh too.  It's very difficult to plan a replacement for one of the best right-backs in history, and putting a central midfielder in there isn't the answer.

[SirBalon]

Story of the mysterious Aldosiví shirt

 

Ever since Lionel Messi posted on Instagram his personal collection of shirts of other players he's played against, the social media has gone boom with all sorts of comments.  Obviously in the picture Messi posted you can only see the ones directly around him and there are apparently dozens more unseen.  Take for example the father of the Real Sociedad goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli who posted on his own instagram and emotional message saying that to see his son's shirt on display in Messi's mini shirt museum is something that has filled him with emotion and pride.

Well there's another story that's surfaced because if you observe the shirts Messi has in a glass floor at his feet on the bottom left hand corner there's a football top that's caused a revolution back in Argentina with everyone asking themselves how that got there.  The shirts at Messi's feet are Argentinian football club shirts of teams Messi has faced in the World Club Cup tournament over the years while playing for Barcelona.  That shirt at the bottom left is of a club called Aldosiví which is a small club in the Mar de Plata region and has only been playing in Argentina's first division this season for the first time in decades.

So how did that shirt get there?

The Argentinian press tracked down the number on the shirt which belongs to a player called Hernán Lamberti (now playing in Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero in the second division) who was playing for Aldosiví until last year and this is the incredible story he had to tell on how Messi has come by obtaining that shirt and even more extraordinary, the fact it's on main display in that glass floor casing.

Here's what the tracked down Hernán Lamberti had to say about it to journalists;

"The story is a bit of a strange one because what occurred was that a friend of mine, Roberto López that does my tattoos told me he was going on holiday to Barcelona and as a joke I said, you could take my shirt to Messi's house.  He said, actually that's a great idea and I gave him the shirt to see if he could manage it."

"How he managed to get it to Lionel Messi I will never know because he's never told that part of the story, but the next thing I saw was my friend send me a picture on WhatsApp (the picture above on the title) with Messi holding my shirt.  It filled me with such emotion that I admit I started to cry uncontrollably."

"The truth is that I felt so much emotion when I saw that photo because Messi must be sick of people approaching him for all sorts of things and here we have a situation where he's accepted a stranger into his own home with a strange request.  I never thought I'd ever cry again after that moment I saw the WhatsApp picture but yesterday when I saw Messi's Instagram post and MY shirt in between legends of the game everywhere and in a glass casing, I fell to the ground crying and banging my fists on the ground with happiness in my heart.  I'm in a state of shock!"

Hernán Lamberti has posted this Tweet;

Lamberti has had tens of thousands of comments on his Twitter account where before yesterday 90% of the football world had probably never heard of him before.  My personal favourite is of all the comments that have been made was one I heard on the radio last night from an Argentinian journalist which is simple and to the point;

"I love these things that football gives us at times.  Messi has got Lamberti's shirt and Lamberti cries with emotion. Well I am also emotional and I will cry with Lamberti too."

Edited May 10, 2017 by SirBalon

[Asura]

Did any of you watch the documentary/movie named "Barca Dreams" by Jordi Llompart? I watched it last year on an emirates flight and it gave me so much information and news about the history of FC Barcelona. I suddenly remembered this because I was replying in the europa league thread about athletic bilbao and football in spain. I would like to hear what you folks in spain has to say about it, is the movie authentic enough or was it twisted to favour barcelona?

 

[Spike]

Boileson played for an Argentine club!? Because I swear that is Ajax shirt, and the last I checked Ajax is from Amsterdam which is in fact not in Argentina.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Spike

[SirBalon]

1 hour ago, Asura said:

Did any of you watch the documentary/movie named "Barca Dreams" by Jordi Llompart? I watched it last year on an emirates flight and it gave me so much information and news about the history of FC Barcelona. I suddenly remembered this because I was replying in the europa league thread about athletic bilbao and football in spain. I would like to hear what you folks in spain has to say about it, is the movie authentic enough or was it twisted to favour barcelona?

 

To be honest I haven't watched it and I'm intrigued.  Even though some will say that this is not the case on here, I am not biassed and I do know many things have been twisted in history so when I watch it I will give my honest opinion on what I know to be true and what I know to be false where some believe it's gospel.  There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever though, that things were massively conditioned back then "for the good of the country" and many either suffered at the cause of it or were maimed in different ways which isn't always physical.

I'll come back on this once I've watched it.

1 hour ago, Spike said:

Boileson played for an Argentine club!? Because I swear that is Ajax shirt, and the last I checked Ajax is from Amsterdam which is in fact not in Argentina.

I thought that too...  From reading some Argentinian newspapers they seem to feel that the floored glass container full of shirts is dedicated to Argentinian football and to me that shirt seems to be an Ajax one.  Maybe @NeymarPele can help us out here.

[Spike]

Just now, SirBalon said:

To be honest I haven't watched it and I'm intrigued.  Even though some will say that this is not the case on here, I am not biassed and I do know many things have been twisted in history so when I watch it I will give my honest opinion on what I know to be true and what I know to be false where some believe it's gospel.  There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever though, that things were massively conditioned back then "for the good of the country" and many either suffered at the cause of it or were maimed in different ways which isn't always physical.

I'll come back on this once I've watched it.

I thought that too...  From reading some Argentinian newspapers they seem to feel that the floored glass container full of shirts is dedicated to Argentinian football and to me that shirt seems to be an Ajax one.  Maybe @NeymarPele can help us out here.

It's also a Danish player. It's easy, the Argie newpaper got it wrong. I think there is also a Lavezzi Napoli shirt.

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, Spike said:

It's also a Danish player. It's easy, the Argie newpaper got it wrong. I think there is also a Lavezzi Napoli shirt.

The thing is Lavezzi is an Argentinian player.  They probably did get it wrong and there's no particular order we can understand with how he's set them out and only means something to him.  What I do know is that he made it all himself and didn't get any help from anyone outside...  That part I was amazed at more than anything else (except for the Aldosiví story which I love).

Edited May 12, 2017 by SirBalon

[Spike]

5 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

The thing is Lavezzi is an Argentinian player.  They probably did get it wrong and there's no particular order we can understand with how he's set them out and only means something to him.  What I do know is that he made it all himself and didn't get any help from anyone outside...  That part I was amazed at more than anything else (except for the Aldosiví story which I love).

I really don't think it's that amazing. It's an oddity for sure.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Spike

[SirBalon]

Just now, Spike said:

I really don't think it's that amazing.

Yeah...  People as famous as him let you into their house most days.  I remember going to Beverly Hills and having brunch with a few of that lot that live in the area.

There's a story of a young guy travelling all the way form northern Brazil (on the outskirts of the Amazon forest) all the way to the south on a bicycle to get a photo and autograph done with his idol Romario.  When he arrived he refused to see him at the training grounds saying he was an idiot.  Imagine he'd knocked on his door at home.

[Spike]

3 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Yeah...  People as famous as him let you into their house most days.  I remember going to Beverly Hills and having brunch with a few of that lot that live in the area.

There's a story of a young guy travelling all the way form northern Brazil (on the outskirts of the Amazon forest) all the way to the south on a bicycle to get a photo and autograph done with his idol Romario.  When he arrived he refused to see him at the training grounds saying he was an idiot.  Imagine he'd knocked on his door at home.

What is suppose to amaze me about that? A celebrity meeting someone, ooooh wow; it certainly makes the Mars Rover look like a waste of time.

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

What is suppose to amaze me about that? A celebrity meeting someone, ooooh wow; it certainly makes the Mars Rover look like a waste of time.

You're being pedantic now mate.

He didn't meet anyone.  He let an unknown unto his home.  Anyway... It doesn't have to mean anything to you and there may be others that feel the same.  For me it's a cool story and most of all if it made someone happy then I'm all for that no matter who it is.  I like positiveness and not rancid stances in life always looking for the negative side to portray.

[Asura]

19 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

To be honest I haven't watched it and I'm intrigued.  Even though some will say that this is not the case on here, I am not biassed and I do know many things have been twisted in history so when I watch it I will give my honest opinion on what I know to be true and what I know to be false where some believe it's gospel.  There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever though, that things were massively conditioned back then "for the good of the country" and many either suffered at the cause of it or were maimed in different ways which isn't always physical.

I'll come back on this once I've watched it.

I thought that too...  From reading some Argentinian newspapers they seem to feel that the floored glass container full of shirts is dedicated to Argentinian football and to me that shirt seems to be an Ajax one.  Maybe @NeymarPele can help us out here.

 

 

[Spike]

I am more impressed with that kid riding his bike across the country. That is pretty cool, I would rather talk to him about that experience over talking to someone like Messi or Romario. What could I talk to the later two about, themselves? I have no interest in meeting any celebrity outside of those whose brains I can pick (scientists, political commentators, etc).

[Spike]

3 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

You're being pedantic now mate.

He didn't meet anyone.  He let an unknown unto his home.  Anyway... It doesn't have to mean anything to you and there may be others that feel the same.  For me it's a cool story and most of all if it made someone happy then I'm all for that no matter who it is.  I like positiveness and not rancid stances in life always looking for the negative side to portray.

I never said it wasnt cool of him to do it, just that Im not amazed by it. This isnt the first time he has done stuff like this.

[SirBalon]

7 minutes ago, Spike said:

I am more impressed with that kid riding his bike across the country. That is pretty cool, I would rather talk to him about that experience over talking to someone like Messi or Romario.

What made you think I would disagree with you there because you seem to have made that point like I may have a category system of points for importance in life.  I agree with you there and infact I never said that meeting Messi was the great part of that particular story and more so the idea behind it which sounds rather ridiculous and that you would think would never come to fruition.

The end result of both stories is important to me because of how I am as a character though...  Romario's stance is rancid where at least Messi entertained the situation in rather strange circumstances to the ordinary.  That doesn't mean I am (again) categorising each character on the end results and is an "observationalists" judgement on both people in certain situations.  Romario has gone onto try and make a mark of impoverished people in politics within his own country which shows that categorising people on one off actions is mostly erroneous.

Edited May 12, 2017 by SirBalon

[Spike]

10 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

What made you think I would disagree with you there because you seem to have made that point like I may have a category system of points for importance in life.  I agree with you there and infact I never said that meeting Messi was the great part of that particular story and more so the idea behind it which sound rather ridiculous and that you would think would never come to fruition.

The end result of both stories is important to me because of how I am as a character though...  Romario's stance is rancid where at least Messi entertained the situation in rather strange circumstances to the ordinary.  That doesn't mean I am (again) categorising each character on the end results and is an "observationalists" judgement on both people in certain situations.  Romario has gone onto try and make a mark of impoverished people in politics within his own country which shows that categorising people on one off actions is mostly erroneous.

I did not say that you said that meeting Messi was the great part of the story. It wasnt aimed at you that is why it isnt even in the previous posts. Just my opinion on meeting the stars.  Besides it is Messi, stuff like this seems normal concerning him. It has happened before

The kid did do something stupid and perhaps Romario rejecting him was an important lesson in life to not put too much faith in the stars, rather put faith in yourself which is what that kid did when he rode cross country.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Spike

[Berserker]

2 hours ago, SirBalon said:

To be honest I haven't watched it and I'm intrigued.  Even though some will say that this is not the case on here, I am not biassed and I do know many things have been twisted in history so when I watch it I will give my honest opinion on what I know to be true and what I know to be false where some believe it's gospel.  There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever though, that things were massively conditioned back then "for the good of the country" and many either suffered at the cause of it or were maimed in different ways which isn't always physical.

I'll come back on this once I've watched it.

I thought that too...  From reading some Argentinian newspapers they seem to feel that the floored glass container full of shirts is dedicated to Argentinian football and to me that shirt seems to be an Ajax one.  Maybe @NeymarPele can help us out here.

Well i can distinguish some shirts from Argentine clubs there, namely River's, Estudiantes', Rosario Central's and perhaps Velez'. The shirt below the De Vincenti one is definitely an Ajax one, and the one to the left that aparenttly says Boilesen could be to, it's certainly not from any Argentine club i can think of, as only River and Estudiantes use red and white shirts from the teams i know and not in that style.

[SirBalon]

Iniesta gives Marlon his stripes

 

Due to various factors (Piqué ending up in hospital the night before with an acute virus and Mascherano getting injured in the warm-up) the young Brazilian defender Marlon Santos who impressed in pre-season finally got his chance to play in the Barça back-line.  An improvised back four which consisted of André Gomes, Marlon, Umtiti and Jordi Alba.

Add to that the fact that playing away at Las Palmas is a very difficult tie and the pressure for Barça to keep on winning the remaining La Liga games to have any hope of winning another league title is another plus for the young defender.  Umtiti has already marked himself as a future centre-back for the Blaugrana with a wonderful season where he has cemented his first place in the team and after the game Andrés Iniesta sent a message to the Barça board by stating that the club don't need to do stupid things in the transfer market this summer because what they actually need to do is trust the youth players as they once used to and the reason behind so many successes over the years.  Iniesta added that Marlon played a very mature first La Liga game and that he was faultless during the 90 odd minutes the game lasted...  "The future lies within the club and if trusted they won't disappoint in the end.  Unlike other clubs, we have traditionally been successful by bringing in our own throughout history and mixing it with top talent with players doing well at other clubs.  There is a lot of pressure, pressure we all enjoy at Barcelona because we are designed to compete to win.  But everything must be kept in context and those young players that are very talented need to be given the chance to progress and learn".

[Spike]

Haha, gotta love that cheeky little dig at other clubs not using their academies  But yes, Barca are doing a great job using Fluminese youth graduates 

Semantics, aside Barcelona does try to use youth despite the fact none have really stuck around since Busquets. Though it has to be said that Real has taken over in the last three or so years with Nacho, Lucas, Carvajal, and Morata. La Maisa's dry spell better kick it!

[Spike]

31 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Barcelona B are actually doing really well this year, the word on the street is that there could be another ''golden era'' on the horizon for the Blaugrana.

What fucking street? Lord Street off Southport, Scouse skum?

[SirBalon]

1 hour ago, Spike said:

Haha, gotta love that cheeky little dig at other clubs not using their academies  But yes, Barca are doing a great job using Fluminese youth graduates 

Semantics, aside Barcelona does try to use youth despite the fact none have really stuck around since Busquets. Though it has to be said that Real has taken over in the last three or so years with Nacho, Lucas, Carvajal, and Morata. La Maisa's dry spell better kick it!

Real have indeed got a great bunch of youth players that they're using for once and it seems Zidane can be thanked for that because he's really giving them a chance, something past coaches haven't tried to do for the wrath of the president (Ancelotti and Benítez have spoken out about this since leaving).  There are some wonderful players there although as you pointed out with Marlon, many have come from other places like Asensio which in my opinion doesn't matter as they were signed from those other clubs to join their academies like many English clubs do.  As long as they end up getting in there, that's what matters.

But as Cannabis pointed out correctly, there is indeed a new great generation of young Barça players that in the next three to four years should be having a chance at the big time.  Right now the main one is Denis Suárez who's getting chances. 

[Spike]

11 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Real have indeed got a great bunch of youth players that they're using for once and it seems Zidane can be thanked for that because he's really giving them a chance, something past coaches haven't tried to do for the wrath of the president (Ancelotti and Benítez have spoken out about this since leaving).  There are some wonderful players there although as you pointed out with Marlon, many have come from other places like Asensio which in my opinion doesn't matter as they were signed from those other clubs to join their academies like many English clubs do.  As long as they end up getting in there, that's what matters.

But as Cannabis pointed out correctly, there is indeed a new great generation of young Barça players that in the next three to four years should be having a chance at the big time.  Right now the main one is Denis Suárez who's getting chances. 

Denis Suarez is an oddity to me. He jumped around so many academies I wonder who he owes the most to. Probably Man City (he was there during those crucial late-teen years), anyway I don't look at players as 'products' of one place if they've been to several academies. They all play a part whether positive or negative. For instance, the ground work for a pre-pubescent Lionel Messi has to be given to Newell's Old Boys. People are quick to say things like 'John Terry is a Chelsea graduate', well it's true but he did play at West Ham for a long time. It's really just semantics, you say Nolito is a Barcelona graduate, I say that the reserve team isn't the same as the academy. It doesn't really matter at the end of the day, whether they were there for ten years or one, it's more important which club took a gamble on them to be a professional first team player.  For instance, is Olympique Lyon more important in the development of Anthony Martial, or is Monaco (the team that payed a pretty penny for a teenager and took a gamble on him in the first team)? You could say he learnt how to play at OL but Moncao is the team that 'made' him. And if that is the case surely it'd apply to Nolito as well, Algaida is where he learned, Barcelona is where he made it (...or was it Benfica...hmmm?).

What  other players are due to appear from La Maisa?

Edited May 15, 2017 by Spike

[SirBalon]

5 minutes ago, Spike said:

Denis Suarez is an oddity to me. He jumped around so many academies I wonder who he owes the most to. Probably Man City (he was there during those crucial late-teen years), anyway I don't look at players as 'products' of one place if they've been to several academies. They all play a part whether positive or negative. For instance, the ground work for a pre-pubescent Lionel Messi has to be given to Newell's Old Boys. People are quick to say things like 'John Terry is a Chelsea graduate', well it's true but he did play at West Ham for a long time. It's really just semantics, you say Nolito is a Barcelona graduate, I say that the reserve team isn't the same as the academy. It doesn't really matter at the end of the day, whether they were there for ten years or one, it's more important which club took a gamble on them to be a professional first team player.  For instance, is Olympique Lyon more important in the development of Anthony Martial, or is Monaco (the team that payed a pretty penny for a teenager and took a gamble on him in the first team)? You could say he learnt how to play at OL but Moncao is the team that 'made' him. And if that is the case surely it'd apply to Nolito as well, Algaida is where he learned, Barcelona is where he made it.

What  other players are due to appear from La Maisa?

I agree with you wholeheartedly on everything you've said.  It's about taking the bet and playing the youngster in such important clubs be there wherever in the world.

There are loads of players coming through La Masia but one that I'm really being attentive with is one of the younger ones called Xavi Simons.  Incredibly his Dutch father wants him to play for Spain (named him after Xavi Hernández) and his Spanish mother wants him to play for the Netherlands (she's winning at the moment).

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by SirBalon

[Spike]

8 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

I agree with you wholeheartedly on everything you've said.  It's about taking the bet and playing the youngster in such important clubs be there wherever in the world.

There are loads of players coming through La Masia but one that I'm really being attentive with is one of the younger ones called Xavi Simons.  Incredibly his Dutch father wants him to play for Spain (named him after Xavi Hernández) and his Spanish mother wants him to play for the Netherlands (she's winning at the moment).

 

That boy is quick, nimble, and clever. He looks to be playing against boys years older than him but size and age doesn't matter, if he is playing against players less intelligent than him he will always shine. What happens when plays against a midfielder that knows how to mark, when to press, and when to intercept?

Is there anyone a little closer!?  Like in the next one or two years.

[SirBalon]

20 hours ago, Spike said:

That boy is quick, nimble, and clever. He looks to be playing against boys years older than him but size and age doesn't matter, if he is playing against players less intelligent than him he will always shine. What happens when plays against a midfielder that knows how to mark, when to press, and when to intercept?

Is there anyone a little closer!?  Like in the next one or two years.

The kid is amazing and there are others in the Cadet category that look to be unbelievable.

As for your question for the next year or two, well there are already a few that have been training with the first team most of the season (that's the first step into making it), like Aleña (3 actual appearances in the first team), Nili who's a right-back that many have been talking about and much needed at the club.  The only thing there is that in this position being so detrimental to the way Barça play will have to be a very slow process unfortunately and there's Sergi Palencia, a centre-back in the mould of Gerard Piqué, excellent on the ball with a high technical ability (something that Barça traditionally produce).

Barça 'B' in general has been fantastic this season by breaking all types of records.

The one that's been amazing this season has been Wilfrid Kaptoum...  He looks class!

 

Edited May 16, 2017 by SirBalon