So good I have to kiss myself!

We have a few things to discuss, as per some of the very interesting points raised in the aftermath of our rather lackluster victory against Racing, including the qualities of one Sergi Busquets.

But first, some news:

–Aleksandr Hleb says that a resurgent Stuttgart have a “10 percent” shot against us in our upcoming Champions League match. The good thing for us is that we start the tie at their house, which means that if we can steal an away goal or two, we’re sitting pretty for the home leg.

There is, of course, bad news ….
Continue Reading

While we all wait in giddy anticipation of Kevin’s review, I thought a translation of Pep’s press conference after the game would lead to some good talking points. Pep always does a good presser. What separates him from other coaches is that he is not bombastic, generally avoids controversy, and is usually refreshingly honest in his answers while still being entertaining. Here are the goods:

Continue Reading

Badass has a new name.

With only two days to go before our next match (Racing  at the Camp Nou), there’s a lot to discuss. I can’t wait for our next match and might just start on the preview immediately after publishing this post simply because, well, I’m an obsessive fool. While you’re reading this, consider sending in a picture to our background design. If you haven’t done so, please do so as soon as possible.

News after the jump.

Continue Reading

If the press is to be believed, we’re down in the table by something like ten points to an all-powerful Real Madrid team that shows no signs of losing this season. Only a shocking, utterly unforeseeable, and completely impossible self destruction by the blancos would enable us to get back into the race. It is a sad day in Barcelona history, indeed, when we can only fight for a Europa League spot.

Wait, we’re first, up by 2 points, have scored more goals and allowed fewer than anyone else, have lost just once to RM’s three times, currently own the tiebreaker with the merengues, and face Racing at the weekend while they face an up-and-coming Villarreal? And we still have Messi? Oh. I guess we should accept that we’re the best team on the planet and we’re having some injury problems, but that everything will be fine and we’ll continue to win matches because we’ve got a supremely talented squad filled with competitive mofos who won’t even think about losing, much less accept it as an inevitability.

The willingness to overreact is understandable in the short-term, but given the light of day and the length of the season, failing to put the league away by mid February is not the least bit surprising. Would you want the season to be over by the coming week? I wouldn’t, though I’ll admit that I’d gladly take that over Real Madrid still having a shot at the title, but even better would be Valencia, Sevilla, and someone else still being in it rather than12 or more points out. That’s just me, though. I don’t like losing, but I understand it’s merits in terms of making things a bit more interesting.*

The news itself is, actually, somewhat depressing.

Continue Reading

Angel Martinez/Getty Images Europe

Today is the day you will remember for the rest of the year. Today is the day that it came out that Xavi Hernandez Creus is injured and will be out for 2 weeks. I’m sorry I didn’t build that up more or ease you into that. I’m sorry. I just didn’t have it in me to withhold such vital information from you.

During yesterday’s liveblog, several people questioned Guardiola’s sanity in putting on Bojan for Xavi and while I was one of them, I was actually also in favor of this mind-bendingly wack move because Xavi was having a horrendous day. I don’t know if it was because of the injury (a leg muscle strain), because of his particular roll within the overall tactical approach, or because of Keita’s injury shifting the midfield focus from steel to possession, but Xavi was craptastic. It happens, but what’s crazy is that it doesn’t happen to Xavi. Not Xavi. Not Humphrey Bogart. Not Professor Equis. Other mortals, maybe, but not Xavi.

That’s all I have right now. More later, when things have settled a bit and I’ve stopped snarling at people who say things like Madrid and not horrible in the same sentence.

The future looks bright...

If you think we’ve got it bad with injuries and suspensions for the upcoming match at Atletico Madrid, just remember this one word that should ease most of your angst and cause you to sigh in relief: Portsmouth. They’re facing some serious problems over in Jolly (and doubtlessly sunny) Blighty over debt accrual and failure to pay taxes. Of minor consequence (at least to those considering putting them in administration) is their failure to pay the full sum of transfer fees to other clubs. So while we’re moaning about missing out on Alves, Pique, Marquez, Chygrynskiy, and possibly Puyol, we’re at least not faced with relegation, points deductions, debt that could put our club out of business entirely, and we don’t have a coach that looks like Boss Nass from Star Wars (h/t 2ndCitySophia and Chelsea Offside).

Instead, we have one of the most financially stable, if not the most financially stable, clubs in the world with virtually no debt, a cantera filled with gems, a first team filled with superstars, a 5 point lead in the domestic table, a good shot at winning the Champions League, and a coach that rocks the hell out. And yes, we happen to have some serious injury and suspension issues before the next match, which is generally one that gives us problems, and we’re surrounded by vile rumors from a bad luck charm, but at least we’re not Portsmouth. I think that all teams who aren’t Portsmouth can at least say that, right? Real Betis and Real Sociedad fans are probably even saying that at the moment.

Don’t forget to send your pictures to bfbackground@gmail.com for our background project!

So, to the actual news:

Continue Reading

First off, we have a pretty big project started, so don’t forget to read about it and then email your submissions as soon as possible.

-It is with a heavy heart that I bring you all news of Eric Abidal‘s thigh injury that could rule him out for up to two months. Even given his extraordinary recovery capacity, he will be out for a while, having, as I understand it at the moment, torn an adductor muscle in his left leg. That’s a fairly severe injury, especially to have sustained in practice and I’m hoping that the immediate fears pf a long recovery are proven unfounded after more tests are done. In a comment, Kevin pointed out that the matches Abidal is expected to miss are: @ATM, Racing, @Malaga, Valencia (home), @Zaragoza, Osasuna, @Mallorca, Athletic Bilbao. That is not such a bad run to miss if you’re going to miss an 8 match section. The problem is that we’ve also got Stuttgart home and away in the CL during that stretch.

Continue Reading

Muniesa (upper left) and Dalmau (bottom left) watching the Messias.

I haven’t had my Barça fix in two full weekends. I haven’t had the blaugrana flashing around on screen since they beat 4-0. That was 18 days ago. Eighteen days. I feel like it’s the height of summer and I have nothing left in the tank, no more ability to aguantar this insanity. But it’s coming, this tide of fury and passion. And, if you’re lucky enough, you’ll be able to experience it with me as I’m looking to head to a new bar here in Brooklyn to test out the waters. It’s called Woodwork and perhaps it will become my stomping grounds for when Nevada Smiths is too far or the subway is messed up.

Regardless, there is news afoot and it must be discussed.

-Because of Carles Puyol’s impending suspension for accumulation of yellow cards and Eric Abidal’s and Dani Alves’ respective injuries, we will probably see a very uncharacteristic back four against Getafe on Saturday (2pmEST, 8pm local). Normally when Alves is out, we rotate Puyol to the RB position, but that is obviously not possible this time around, so canteranos Marc Muniesa and Albert Dalmau have been called up to first team training this week. Muniesa, if you remember, is a promising youngster whose first official appearance for the squad was against Osasuna last year and ended with a straight red, though he is still considered to be one of the better prospects to emerge from the cantera in quite a while and he’s still only 17. Muniesa did not train with the squad today, but Dalmau, who is also 17, did.

Continue Reading

Money! Yeeeaaah, that's what I want!

The price of success can almost be quantified. Whether justified or not, every player involved in that success, if they have a contract that is anywhere in the realm of being up for renewal, wants more money. Mo, mo, mo, mo.

Dani Alves is no exception. We have fiscal complexities at every turn. Gerard Pique is up for a renewal, and we have to deal with the kids. But also, we have our Brazilian Hummingbird who, dependent upon who you read, is either unsettled or not going anywhere.
Continue Reading

Dammit, Wayne! I said no, dude!

Guess who is 23 years old today? If you guessed Gerard Pique, you guessed right. The central defender, a canterano who returned home last season, also has the distinction of being one of only three players to have won Champions League glory in consecutive seasons, with different clubs.

He’s been capped 13 times, but you can look for many more, as the man whom we have all affectionately dubbed “Piquenbauer” for his dashing forward runs with the ball, is only just learning to become the defender that he is. And who remembers that Piquenbauer’s first Spanish goal was a match-winner, in a Copa tie against Espanyol? Very cool.

So happy birthday, Pique, and many more (in the colors, of course!)
Continue Reading