Chelsea On The Verge Of Signing Barcelona Star

Jose Mourinho could be on the verge of a shock January signing with Chelsea closing in on the signing of Barcelona star Sergio Busquets.

 The Spanish international has yet to commit his future to the Catalan club and has also attracted interest from Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal with reports suggesting he is keen to explore a possible departure from the Nou Camp.

 According to the Metro, Chelsea have now moved ahead of United in the battle to sign the defensive midfielder, with Mourinho keen to add another quality signing to help shield his back four.

 Barcelona may have to accept a cut-price deal for Busquets should the 26-year-old refuse to sign a new deal with the Catalan club, and that could see him arrive at Stamford Bridge before the end of the season.

 Chelsea already have a wealth of midfield stars on their books and sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table. Imagine how good they will be once they add a few more names to their squad.

Iniesta defends La Masia after Barcelona transfer ban is upheld

Andres Iniesta has defended Barcelona's youth system after the club's transfer ban over their method of signing young players from abroad was upheld.

 The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected the club's appeal against their two-year suspension on Tuesday, initially handed down by Fifa following a breach of regulations concerning deals for youth players coming into Spain.

 The decision means Barca will be unable to make any transfers until 2016 - something which Iniesta concedes is a problem - but, as a graduate of La Masia, he is adamant the club is a great place for youngsters to join.

 "As a former member, I think the opportunity it [La Masia] gives to young players, not only on a footballing level but a personal one too, is very good," he told Marca.

 "Not being able to sign anyone is a handicap. But I think the important thing is to focus on this year, to win and give the fans something to celebrate.

" Iniesta also insists that the transfer ban will not hold Barca back as they aim to banish the memory of a trophyless 2014 in the coming year.

 "It's not easy to assess objectively when you haven't reached your objectives. But things don't always go well," he said of the past 12 months.

 "You want to recover the good feeling quickly. Another year without titles isn't going through our heads.

" Iniesta's Spain team-mate Fernando Torres has returned to boyhood club Atletico Madrid on loan and the Barca attacker believes he has made the right choice to revive his faltering career.

 "Atleti are the current champions and the rest have to try to take it from them. They've shown how good they've been in recent years has been no accident and they'll be fighting until the end, as we will," he added.

 "I think it's good news for him to return to the club where he started and that they want him so much. I'm happy for him because he's my friend."

Star of 2014: Munir El Haddadi

The new UEFA Youth League was always expected to produce stars. And it happened in its first season in the shape of FC Barcelona's prolific Munir El Haddadi.

If the new UEFA Youth League was expected to produce stars, it certainly did so in its first season with the emergence of FC Barcelona's – and now Spain's – prolific Munir El Haddadi.

 2014 in short

Entering the new year, the 18-year-old El Haddadi had never represented Spain at any level, let alone Barcelona's senior team. By the end, he had been the undeniable ace, not to mention top scorer, in his club's 2013/14 UEFA Youth League triumph, had made his Barcelona B debut and, five months later, full Liga bow, and had been capped by Spain at Under-19, U21 and senior levels.

 First fruits

Initially a Club Atlético de Madrid trainee, his scoring spree while on loan to CF Rayo Majadahonda earned him a 2011 offer from Barcelona in the face of competition from other heavyweights. In his first two seasons in Catalonia the Blaugrana won the national U17 title, and 2013/14 began with them in similarly fine form in the U18 competition – El Haddadi also impressing as five-goal joint top scorer in the inaugural UEFA Youth League group stage.

 Club breakthrough

The forward continued to score freely in the UEFA Youth League, netting in the round of 16 against FC København and last eight versus Arsenal FC to send Barcelona to the four-team finals. With the Catalans marching towards Spain's U18 title, El Haddadi was promised to Barça B, debuting on 1 March and hitting four goals in 11 outings.

 Junior triumph

 El Haddadi went into the first UEFA Youth League finals in Nyon as the man to watch – and did not disappoint. His strike took Barcelona past FC Schalke 04 in a tight semi-final, then in the decider with SL Benfica he made it 2-0 before sealing the trophy with an outrageous effort from halfway. "I wanted to pass to a team-mate, but then saw the goalkeeper off his line so tried to lob him and it went in," he told UEFA.com. His competition tally of 11 goals was five more than anyone else.

 Senior success

A month after that April victory, El Haddadi received his first international call – scoring in all three of Spain's UEFA European U19 Championship elite round fixtures as they were pipped to the finals by Germany. No matter: El Haddadi's rise continued unchecked and, promoted to Barça's first team by new coach Luis Enrique, he finished pre-season as four-goal top scorer. His subsequent Liga bow came on 24 August against Elche CF and was sealed with a goal. On 4 September, the now 19-year-old collected a first Spain U21 cap and four days later he came off the bench for the seniors in a UEFA EURO 2016 qualifier against FYR Macedonia. A UEFA Champions League debut quickly followed.

 Next steps

The teenager's reputation for skilful play and predatory goalscoring established, El Haddadi finished 2014 with a new Barcelona contract including a €35m release clause. Already into double figures for senior appearances, can El Haddadi possibly top this year? It's going to be fun finding out ...

A Progress Report on the Form of Barcelona's Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano is that rarest of commodities in modern football.

 An exemplar in both attitude and ability, the Argentine always gives of his best and rarely, if ever, finds himself at the centre of controversy.

 A spectacular World Cup for losing finalists Argentina should have at least provided some professional reward. It was clear to anyone watching that El Jeficito was the player of the tournament, not his colleague Lionel Messi.

The image of him conducting the captain's team talk in the semi-final against Holland taught us much about his character and how well respected he is as a football player.

 Marcela Mora y Araujo noted in the Guardian upon Mascherano and Carlos Tevez's return to Upton Park:

 Mascherano, by contrast, comes as the veteran, visionary hero of Argentina’s World Cup campaign. His honesty, his tears and his leadership made him the darling of Argentina – pragmatic, cerebral and as far removed from controversy as is possible. 

It's a perfect description which extends to club level. A "Mr. Dependable" for the ages, Javier Mascherano hasn't made more than 200 appearances for the Blaugrana by accident. Barcelona's official website details games played and trophies won during his time in Catalonia.

The timing in his tackles this season has been immaculate. An average of 3.9 per match per WhoScored.com, is the most in the team—yes, even higher than Sergio Busquets.

 An average of pass accuracy at 92.4 percent across La Liga and the Champions League is also amongst the best in the squad, and it's Mascherano's best return of his career, per WhoScored.

 An incredible will to win has been undeniable. No matter the opposition, Mascherano has continued to provide the highest level of service without the need for prompting from the sidelines.

 A total of 16 appearances this term has seen 11 played in his usual central defensive role and five more in a preferred defensive midfield slot. Just two yellow cards since an opening-day red is also a huge improvement on the previous four seasons.

More digital fans than ever for FC Barcelona in 2014

These 14 facts help explain the global phenomena that is Barça The Club has increased its presence on social networks to the tune of more than 186,000 people a day

FC Barcelona has consolidated its presence on global social networks in 2014 with more fans than ever uniting behind the Barça digital brand.

 1. More than 68 million new followers have added themselves to the more than 40 Barça social profiles on Facebook (9), Twitter (15), Instagram (2), LINE (6), Youtube, Dailymotion, Google+, WeChat, Sina Weibo, Tencent Weibo, TuneIn, BBM and Pinterest.

 2. Just on Facebook, Barça has added more than 45 million new followers on all its official accounts.

3. The Club’s global account on Facebook has reached the figure of 30 million fans and their published contents have made 29.9 billion impressions.

 4. Barça’s 15 Twitter accounts have added 5.8 million followers this year, maintaining their global leadership in the realm of sport.

 5. Barça’a global account on Twitter has added 2.8 million new followers, pursued by @fcbarcelona_es (1,6M),@fcbarcelona_cat (600k) and @fcbarcelona_br (143k).

 6. On Instagram Barça has added more than 4 million followers, a 315% increase on last season.

  7. During 2014 there have been more than 90 million views (equivalent to an estimated 225 million minutes) on Barça’s official Youtube channel which has 415,000 new subscribers.

 8. In 2014 Barça has created six new channels on social media, strengthening their video platform and Asian channels with Vine, Dailymotion, Wechat, Sina Weibo, Tune in as well as the Instagram account for the other professional club sections (@fcbseccions).

 9. The Club’s official Google+ account has added more than 1.9 million followers and retains its lead on a global level.

 10. Barça now has six official accounts on LINE with more than 23 million followers, an increase of 6.4 million during 2014.

 11. Barça now has more than 7 million followers in China with the opening this year of WeChat, Sina (4 million) to add to its Tencent profile and the Club’s official website.

 12. Indonesia is the country with most fans both on Facebook (8.5 million) and Twitter (1.4 million). The Club has an official Twitter account and an official website in Indonesian.

 13. The Club’s professional sporting sections now have more than 15 million followers between their own specific Facebook and Twitter accounts.

 14. The Club ends the year with more than 175 million followers on their various social profiles, consolidating their position as number one in the digital sports field.

Is Douglas Barcelona's worst ever signing?

Eyebrows were raised in Barcelona last summer when ex-Sao Paulo right-back Douglas was presented before the media.

 Rumours had been rife that the Catalans would be making a move for the player but even the Brazilian locals were in utter disbelief when interviewed by local media. The player had one or two reasonable facets to his game they said. But he was in no way, shape or form a Barcelona player. 

WARNING

 Perhaps Andoni Zubiaretta and his cronies should've taken more heed of the warning. Just one appearance in five months later, an insipid goalless draw against Malaga at the end of September, and already Barca are looking to rid themselves of a player that they should never have entertained in a million years.

 Everton are rumoured to remain keen on taking the player on loan, but Roberto Martinez has enough problems of his own at the moment, without adding to his stress levels.

 DESTINATION

 Martin Montoya is definitely on his way out in January with Juventus the likely destination, and it's said that Louis Van Gaal will personally pull out all of the stops to persuade Dani Alves to swap the beaches of Barcelona for the rain of Manchester in the same time frame.

 That being the case, Barca have the very real possibility of ending January without a recognised right-back and Luis Enrique having to draw on a "make do and mend" rotation policy even further. 

ENGLAND-BOUND

 According to talkSPORT, reports in Spain suggest a deal could be done for Douglas soon, and it would be the most sensible option for all parties. Despite injuries and suspensions in the back line for the final Champions League group game against Paris Saint-Germain, Enrique still didn’t play Douglas.

 Worse than that, he included Pedro in a right wing-back role in that game, with three centre-backs plus Javier Mascherano making the line-up. Pedro is an attacking winger who had previously never played a single second in defence.

 What does that tell you?

 SUITED

 Quite whether Douglas is completely suited to life in the Premier League is another question entirely, but Martinez obviously sees something in the player that he thinks he can work with.

 Given his tutelage of Gerard Deulofeu, who was much more of a maverick player before his arrival on Merseyside than after he left, you’d have to say that if anyone can mould the player into an effective right-back then the Spaniard is the man.

 SPEED

 Douglas at least has speed in abundance, and is adept at the more defensive rigours of the game. What he is not is a wing back in the Barcelona tradition, so while it’s hardly a move that will get the Goodison Park faithful on the edge of their seats, Douglas could still be a steady signing for the Toffees.

Barcelona's youth academy is "an example to the world"

Spain's Professional Football League issued a statement in support of FC Barcelona and its youth academy policy after TAS upheld the club's transfer ban. Following the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (TAS) ruling, the Professional Football League (LPF) would like to state the following:

 1- Professional football in Spain, and all the clubs associated with it support the policy which protects underage players and is concerned with their development and education.

 2- FC Barcelona and every other professional football club's stance is and will always be in favour of respect, underage players' interests and education.

3- FC Barcelona's La Masia youth academy is an example to the rest of the world in terms of the educational work it undertakes in its school, which has helped hundreds of underage players to develop into adults whilst learning and perfecting their football.

4- Any mistakes the club may have made, which the club has acknowledged before the relevant authorities, are all of an administrative nature and caused largely by regulatory conflicts between FIFA and Spanish law.

Barcelona claim "great injustice"

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed the club had been victims of "a great injustice" after their appeal against a two-window transfer ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed the club had been victims of "a great injustice" after their appeal against a two-window transfer ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday.

 The Catalan outfit turned to CAS in August after FIFA rejected their appeal to overturn the ban, which was imposed by world football's governing body in April due to concerns over the ''international transfer of minors''.

 But their quest hit a further dead end on Tuesday morning, with the CAS ruling meaning they will be unable to sign any new players in 2015 - much to the dismay of Bartomeu.

 "A great injustice has been committed today: an injustice for Barca, for all the children and parents affected by this decision, for all the club members and for football in general, " the president said on club website www.fcbarcelona.cat.

 "We have always made it clear that we consider FIFA's sanction to be disproportionate. This judgement by CAS, which ratifies FIFA's decision, is not good for us and defies all sporting logic." 

Barca were found guilty of breaching FIFA's rules on the transfer of players aged under 18. The players in question were registered and participated in competitions with the Catalan club between 2009 and 2013.

 Bartomeu said strict compliance to a poorly drawn-up rule had been prioritised above the spirit in which the rule had been written, and vowed to lead a campaign to change FIFA regulations.

 "FIFA and its president (Sepp Blatter) have to be an organisation which protects the footballing world, and decisions like this distance it from this objective," he said. "We do not feel supported or protected by those people who should be doing this.

 "The strict letter of the law has been observed, rather than the spirit in which it was written and a precedent that is not good for the game in general has been created - one which has attempted to tarnish the good name of our club. I wish to announce that Barca, with myself in the lead, will fight to change this regulation and improve it.

 "I hope that FIFA will show sufficient common sense to rewrite this regulation and that no other club will have to suffer this injustice.

" The Catalan club went on a summer spending spree this year while the suspension went on hold during the appeals process, splashing out more than 150million euros on Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Thomas Vermaelen, Claudio Bravo, Jeremy Mathieu and Alen Halilovic - something Bartomeu acknowledges was done with the long term very much in mind.

 "I remain optimistic," he continued. "On the one hand, we have a squad which offers sufficient guarantees to cover any possible needs of the first team and, on the other, we have to bear in mind that the signings we made last summer to strengthen the squad were made with the possibility of this sanction in mind and to allow us to contend for all the possible titles we are competing for until this sanction is over.

" Barca issued a statement on their official website earlier on Tuesday, expressing their "utter nonconformity with the resolution" and insisting any errors that may have been made were "of an administrative nature and to a large extent caused by the existing conflict between the FIFA regulations and Spanish legislation".

 The Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) also issued a statement in which it expressed its concern that other Spanish clubs could find themselves in the same situation, and saying it may take the case to the European Union.

 It also backed Barca's insistence that they had acted correctly throughout, and labelled the club's La Masia youth academy as "a world example".

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta denies discussing Jose Mourinho

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists he has no plan to move for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho if he is re-elected at the Nou Camp.

Laporta, who spent seven years at the Barca helm between 2003 and 2010, will be eligible for re-election in 2016.

 He has confirmed his intention to stand against Sandro Rosell after criticising the current regime in Catalunya.

 Were he to return to power, he would be expected to make high-profile moves on and off the field.

 It has been suggested that former Barca coach Mourinho is a man he would like to bring back to the club.

 Those rumours have intensified on the back of a meeting between Laporta and super-agent Jorge Mendes – the man who looks after Mourinho’s interests.

 A man who oversaw a glittering era in Barca’s history under the guidance of Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola has, however, sought to play down reports claiming that an approach for the ex-Real Madrid manager was among the topics covered during talks.

 Laporta told L’Esportiu: "My style of coaching is with the [Johan] Cruyff philosophy.

 "Mourinho is a great professional and I respect him, but I did not mention him with Jorge Mendes, a person with whom I have a good friendship for many years.

 "From time to time, we talk about things."

Bartomeu: "The Barça fans are exemplary"

Josep Maria Bartomeu underlined his opposition to football violence while holding up the 'Azulgranas' supporters as role models, despite Barça being one of five clubs recently reported by the Spanish league authorities (LFP) for abusive chants. "Many people consider the Barça fans exemplary; I'm very satisfied with the way the Camp Nou crowd behave", the 'Culés' president told reporters after hosting a dinner for the PSG board on Tuesday night. "We've been combatting violence for many years and so as far as we're concerned, the more [anti-violence] measures there are, the better. We don't condone insults from anyone. We have to cheer our team on with everything we've got while showing all due respect to the opposition", Bartomeu added.

Xavi: My bags were packed for New York City FC

Xavi has revealed he was set to join New York City before Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu called him and convinced him to change his mind.

The 34-year-old was on the brink of joining the new MLS franchise during the offseason after playing a bit-part role in Tata Martino's season at the helm of the Blaugrana.

 However, the World Cup winning midfielder was contacted by the club president, who convinced him to reconsider his decision to leave the club.

 "The decision was made. I was going to New York. It was all done. A call from Bartomeu was what changed everything," Xavi revealed in an interview with Sport. "He called my agent and told him that he wanted me here.

 "Before I went to the World Cup I told them I thought my time at Barcelona was over. I did not feel useful and thought it was not to be. After the World Cup I received a call from Bartomeu and then talked to Luis Enrique.

 "He told me I'm going to be a very useful player, that if I prove it, I'll play, that I'm still competitive and they thought of me well, that we would have a good year. He convinced me. It was decisive. I changed. We already had bags packed with my wife to go to New York.

" Xavi, who has made 13 appearances in La Liga so far this season, believes he made the right decision, and spoke of his delight at being part of a team which he feels is heading in the right direction.

 "I'm happy. I'm enjoying it. I would never have imagined it. I feel useful, I feel competitive," he added. "There are days that I felt I played well, I had good games and good performances and I think the team is going in the right direction.

" Barca currently sits second in La Liga, one point adrift of Real Madrid, which holds a game in hand.

Doesn't matter who wants him, Sergio Busquets is simply not for sale

Despite big offers from the likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, both the player and his club don't want to part ways


 Widely regarded for many years as one of the best in his position, Sergio Busquets has been an integral part of Barcelona football since entering the first team in 2008. Back then, he was a controversial guy brought in by Pep Guardiola to anchor the midfield and provide solid foundation to the team. During the glorious period enjoyed by Barça in the Pep Era, 'Busi' was definitely one of the top performers on the team, and he solidified his position as a premier defensive midfielder.

 Since last season, however, his untouchable status has been in doubt, with a considerable decline in his performances combined with the non-stopping ascension of Javier Mascherano. Busquets has been strongly criticized by analysts and Barça fans in general. The once defensive midfield rock is now (allegedly) a liability in his position. Many argue that his subpar level in the last few years has hurt the team's offensive output, since his ability to initiate the offense is not what it used to be when Guardiola was in charge. Many of the Barça faithful want him to be replaced, and some media members have already made Busquets the subject of transfer rumours.

 But as far as the Barcelona board goes, Sergio is not for sale. According to many reports from various European outlets, teams like Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have firmly expressed their desire of acquiring the 26-year-old, all of them willing to pay out Sergio's €150 million release clause and offer him giant wages and performance bonuses (PSG's offer is the most lucrative for the player, sources say).

 However, both the board and the player have agreed to remain together for as long as Busquets wants. Basically, he'll only leave when he makes that decision. The club will never look to sell Sergio, because they see Busi as the future leader of the team. Sergio is currently Barça's fourth captain, and his leadership skills, on and off the pitch, make him almost unvaluable in the eyes of the club, from the president to Luis Enrique, who has used Busquets in 19 of the 27 official matches, proving that he still trusts number 5, despite rumors of trust issues between the coach and the player. 

Many Barça players are involved in transfer rumours. Some are more likely to come to fruition, but in Sergio's case, none of the rumours will become reality. As long as he wants to, Busquets will be a Blaugrana

City suffer setback in Messi move after Barcelona transfer ban upheld

Barca will be unable to bring in new blood until January 2016, which could have a knock-on effect for Blues' Messi aspirations.

City have suffered a blow in their hopes of luring Lionel Messi to Manchester after Barcelona's 2015 transfer ban appeal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

 A Messi move has quietly gathered momentum in recent months at the Etihad Stadium, however Barcelona's reluctance to sell the four-time Ballon d'Or winner will have doubtless intensified now they are unable to sign any new players until January 2016.

 Barca turned to CAS in August after Fifa rejected their appeal to overturn a two-window ban, which was handed to them by world football's governing body in April due to concerns over the "international transfer of minors"

 Barcelona issued a statement on their official website later on Tuesday morning, expressing their "utter nonconformity with the resolution" and insisting any errors that may have been made were "of an administrative nature" only.

 It read: "With all respect for the sports authorities, the club has expressed its utter nonconformity with the resolution.

 "FC Barcelona wishes to state, with all due respect for the sports authorities, that it totally disagrees with the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced today to confirm the sanction originally imposed by FIFA as a consequence of the alleged breach of regulations on the international transfer of minor footballers.

 "FC Barcelona considers the sanction to be completely disproportionate as it supposes an excessive punishment for the club, when considering its trajectory and the circumstances of this specific case." 

City face Barcelona in the Champions League round-of-16 in February and March.

Soccer-Barcelona transfer ban appeal rejected by CAS

MADRID, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Barcelona's appeal against a FIFA sanction for an alleged breach of rules on the transfer of foreign Under-18 players has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Spanish club said on Tuesday.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA announced in April it had banned Barca from the transfer market for two consecutive windows and fined them 450,000 Swiss francs ($455,000).

 Barca denied wrongdoing and the ban was suspended pending an initial appeal to FIFA, meaning the Catalan club were able to buy and sell players in the close season.

 FIFA rejected the appeal and the club decided to challenge the decision at CAS, which heard evidence from Barca officials and youth players at a hearing on Dec. 5.

 The CAS decision means Barcelona will not be able to sign any new players untiJanuary 2016, although the club said it could appeal the CAS decision to a Swiss federal court.

 "FC Barcelona considers the sanction as being absolutely disproportionate as it implies an excessive punishment for the club given its track record," the club said in a statement.

 Barca president Josep Bartomeu has fiercely defended their "La Masia" academy, which has produced the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, saying the club have been the victims of a "grave injustice".

 

Interestingly, aaa see more Messi with his girlfriend check out lool

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Jordi Alba: "I have a good feeling about this year"

Jordi Alba was one of the stars in Barcelona's 5-0 win over Córdoba on Saturday. His offensive showing was off the charts, and his defensive performance was on point, as always. He certainly contributed a lot to the win.

 After the game, Alba spoke in an interview, where he analyzed Barça's win and talked about his expectations for the new year. Here's a few highlights of his answers:

 "We got an early goal, then created plenty more chances. We went down a gear after that, but the second goal put us back on track".

 "I don’t think any team comes to the Camp Nou for a stroll, that’s just an opinion from an opposing manager. When it was 1-0 they caught us on the counter a few times and we weren’t settled until it was 2-0".

 "We usually play better at the Camp Nou. We have the misfortune of teams playing very defensively when we go to their grounds, but we have more space here. On the road, we sometimes struggle to get into their area, to get in crosses, to shoot…. But the team is responding well".

 "I’m fine personally. My first season was very good, in the second I struggled with injuries and situations that were a bit uncomfortable. I have a good feeling about this year, I’m fast and settled nicely into the team. When we get back from our holidays, we need to carry on like this".

 "The team was united and knew how to be strong. In 2015, we have to continue these good vibes. The fans and the players have to be united".

It's an honour to play with Xavi

The Croatia star says it was always his dream to play for a club like Barcelona and is delighted to be learning from some of Camp Nou's biggest stars

Ivan Rakitic says he is honoured to play alongside the likes of Xavi since his move to Barcelona from Sevilla this summer.

 The Croatia international's form as the Andalusians won the Europa League last term earned him a switch to Camp Nou, where he was filled the void left by Cesc Fabregas' departure to Chelsea.

 The former Schalke man says he jumped at the chance to join the Catalan club and has been impressed with the attitude of his new team-mates.

 "The only thing that I wanted, aside from the fact that it would be a dream come true to play for a club like Barca, was for it to be sorted out quickly," he told Uefa.com.

 "It was during the World Cup and the last thing I wanted was to cause a stir in my national team. I didn't want people talking about me, I wanted to learn from those players, not just as footballers, but also as men.

 "An example is Xavi, the captain here. I know I still have so much to learn, and at Barcelona you learn so much. There are players here who have won the lot.

 "Aside from the fact that [Xavi] has won everything, it's his style of play, the way he conducts himself and how he leads us.

 "Now I get the chance to share the dressing room with such important people who, despite having already won it all, are still hungry and want more. It's a privilege to play alongside such influential footballers.

 "I'm here to work hard, but to enjoy it too. Every day I wake up with a smile on my face and say to myself: 'Fantastic, I'm off to train with my team-mates and work hard'. It doesn't get any better than that.

" Rakitic also said that he has been impressed with the attention to detail shown by another summer arrival at Barca, coach Luis Enrique.

 "All coaches are different, although my last coach at Sevilla, Unai Emery, is similar to Luis Enrique in terms of training and preparation. He is very clear about his ideas.

 "He explains each detail to us. Nothing is left unresolved. What I do depends on my team-mates. It's like a finely tuned engine – all the components need to work for it to drive well."

Martino: "I didn't bring anything to Barcelona"

Gerardo Martino does not believe his time as Barcelona's coach brought either the club or Lionel Messi "anything". In an interview published in the newspaper 'Clarin', the Argentine national team coach was emphatic when asked whether he had been able to teach Messi anything. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Not to him or to Barça", the former 'Azulgrana' manager revealed. "I didn't make any mark on Barcelona, it was a bubble in my career in terms of what I did as a coach", said Martino, who thinks it "logical" to describe his year as coach of Barça as a failure. "I went to a team that always won and didn't win anything while I was there. The 'Supercopa' is next to nothing for Barcelona", said the Argentine. "All I learned in Barcelona was about being surrounded by stars, by the best in the world", continued Martino, who left Barça in May and took over as manager of the Argentine national squad in August. "I made some monumental mistakes with Barcelona" admitted Martino, who declined to elaborate further, saying "I'll tell you in another life", to avoid raking over his blunders. He wrapped up by revealing that he did not look on his time at Barça as a happy one. "I'm telling you what I feel. If you want me to lie, I'll say it was great", he concluded.

Brazil boss Dunga voted Ronaldo over Neymar in Ballon d'Or 2014

Despite starring in the World Cup and putting in blistering performances for Barcelona, the young Brazilian's national team coach preferred his Real Madrid rival

 Brazil boss Dunga has revealed he voted for Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo - not his own player Neymar - to win the 2014 Ballon d'Or.

 Ronaldo, who was handed the award in 2014, is the favourite to win the trophy for a third time but faces competition from Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. 

Neymar was nominated in the 23-man shortist having been one of the stars of this summer's World
Cup until injury ended his tournament, and Brazil simultaneously careered towards an embarrassing semi-final exit to Germany.

 Despite now coaching Neymar for the national team, having taken the reins from Luiz Felipe Scolari after the World Cup finished, Dunga revealed he has allied with the Barca star's Real Madrid rival Ronaldo for the Fifa award this year.

 "My vote was for Cristiano Ronaldo," the 51-year-old said at a press conference in Porto Alegre. If Ronaldo is successful in his bid for the Ballon d'Or, he will be just one victory short of matching Messi, who has won the trophy four times. On Saturday Bayern goalkeeper Pepe Reina said Ronaldo would win the prize but feels Neuer is a more worthy candidate, while Barca midfielder Xavi has also questioned the Portuguese's credentials because of his failure to shine at the World Cup.

Lionel Messi Goal Record to Be Honoured During Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid

Lionel Messi’s record-breaking La Liga goalscoring exploits are to be honoured by Spain’s professional football league on Jan. 11, with a short ceremony that will take place before Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou, per Sergi Font of Marca. Messi is no stranger to creating history; in fact, he seems to break a record every time he steps out onto the pitch, but edging ahead of Telmo Zarra in the Spanish top flight’s all-time goalscoring charts was a long time coming.

t was always a case of when he would do it rather than if, and the Argentinian superstar accomplished the feat in some style with a hat-trick against Sevilla back in November. Zarra set the bar at 251 goals during a 15-year spell at Athletic Bilbao from 1940 to 1955, but with Messi at just 27 years of age and in his prime, who knows where the new bar will eventually be set. It’s a case of 258 and counting, per Opta Jose: While it seemed Messi wouldn’t receive anything bar millions of Twitter congratulations, LFP president Javier Tebas recently insisted he hasn’t forgotten about the Barcelona man, per Miki Soria of Sport. And rightly so—what Messi has accomplished in a generation that Zarra may well have looked completely out of his depth in is remarkable. Becoming the Champions League’s all-time top scorer followed soon after for Messi, and it would appear there is no sign of stepping off the gas; 23 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions shows that, per WhoScored.com.

Many will argue Cristiano Ronaldo is now the better player, and another Ballon d'Or award may soon add to the Portuguese's claims, but Messi is very much a once-in-a-lifetime kind of player. Both sets of players from Barca and Atletico Madrid will watch history being credited in January when Messi is officially honoured, although they may have contrasting thoughts going through their heads. From rejoicing that he’s your team-mate, to dreading seeing his record-breaking pair of clean heels breeze past you, it will be a momentous occasion for all involved. However, individual honours aren't what Messi is all about. The Argentinian is a team player in every sense, and although he'll come away from the clash with Atletico with yet another trophy for the cabinet, he won't be happy without three points coming with it.

Luis Suarez interviewed about life at Barcelona & discusses Neymar and Leo Messi [Video]

Ex Liverpool striker Luis Suarez recently returned from his four month ban for new club Barcelona. The Uruguayan striker gave a lengthy interview in which he discussed his relationship with fellow Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar. “They [Messi & Neymar] do such incredible things.

You can never imagine what they are going to do. In training and in matches you start to realise just what they are capable of doing. I have to say it’s very easy to play alongside them”. Watch the full

Luis Suarez interview above.

CAS to announce decision on Barcelona’s transfer ban on Tuesday

The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) will tomorrow announce the final decision on Barcelona’s two-window transfer ban, and the verdict will determine whether the Catalan club can sign any new players before January 2016.

Barcelona was handed a two-window transfer ban by FIFA due to inconsistencies in youth transfers, and the club was also given a fine. Barcelona appealed the decision and the case has been studied by CAS for the past several months.

 The final decision is set to be made public on Tuesday. According to newspaper AS, the Barcelona board is not very optimistic, and don’t believe that CAS will go against the ruling earlier made by FIFA.

 The Barcelona representatives have tried to convince CAS that the irregularities in youth transfers are solely administrative, and have also issued additional documentation to CAS.

 If CAS upholds the ban, Barcelona won’t be able to sign until January 2016, but will, however, be able to renew players who are at the end of their contracts, and bring back loaned-out players, such as Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suárez.

Pedro not ready to leave Barcelona just yet

Barcelona winger Pedro will snub a move to the Premier League in order to stay in Spain, with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all set to miss out.

 It had previously been claimed that Pedro would be on his way out of the club following the arrival of Luis Suarez over the summer from Liverpool but he's found some form of late, bagging six goals in six games in December including a hat-trick against Huesca.

 Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been linked with the 27-year-old in recent months, but it looks as though a deal is a non-starter. According to the Daily Express, Pedro is willing to stay put and fight for his place at Barcelona under new boss Luis Enrique.

 Another factor that was always working against his Premier League suitors is Barcelona's impending transfer ban, which means they are unlikely to let anyone leave when it is unclear if they can purchase replacements.

 IN-NEED
 Liverpool and Manchester United appear in most need of the Spanish international. Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal has previously spoken about the lack of quality he has in wide areas at Old Trafford, and he has been using a wing-back formation this season.

 Manchester United did of course sign a winger in the summer window - breaking their transfer record to land Angel di Maria from Real Madrid.

 Liverpool meanwhile are in the midst of a terrible run of form and have been tracking Pedro for quite some time - although it looks as though they are set to be frustrated once more. Arsenal appear to have plenty of options in wide areas, although the rumoured sale or loan of Lukas Podolski could change that in January.

 DEAL
 Many Liverpool would have wondered why the deal that saw Suarez head to the Nou Camp didn't include Pedro. The Gunners of course lured Alexis Sanchez away from Barcelona over the summer and the Chilean has made an immediate impact, scoring 10 goals in 18 Premier League games.

Xavi was inspired to go into coaching after talking to Barcelona hero Johan Cruyff... but don't expect him to be like Pep Guardiola

It began, as anything good around that club usually does, with Johan Cruyff. His Foundation, author of so much good, had raised sufficient money to invest in a ‘Cruyff Court’ — the all-weather, five-a-side pitch which, for some time, he’s been gifting to local communities around the world (187 total, nine in Spain) so that young kids continue to have a space in which to enjoy the beautiful game. This one, however, was a story close to my affection. When I talked to Xavi during the process of writing ‘Barca: The Making Of The Greatest Team In The World’, it was horrible to discover that the Plaza del Progreso, in Terrassa, the town outside Barcelona where he grew up, now had a sign reading: ‘Fútbol Prohibido’.

In a Canal+ interview, Xavi emphasised: ‘They’ve made it very nice now, very modern, but they’ve screwed it up for kids — no chance of playing football there now.’ One of the principal architects of Spain reaching its apogee could look at the very place where he first learned to perfect his treatment of the ball and find that his successors were banned from doing the same. The very kids who would be inspired by Barcelona’s glorious footballing symphonies, by Spain lifting the World Cup. Cruyff was paying attention. So one day in October, he and Xavi inaugurated the pitch thanks to €30,000 (£23,478) from La Caixa, the bank which sponsored them in the project. The master and maestro then got to talking. ‘Cruyff reminded me that the most beautiful thing in our lives was playing,’ said the 34-year-old.

‘But the closest feeling to replicating that is to coach. I love to wake up sure in the knowledge that I’m going to smell the grass of a pitch and to hear the smack of a boot hitting a ball. That is my life and I know I want to stay in football.’ Not unlike his movement on and off the ball during his prime, Xavi has been hard to pin down. Sometimes he will say he is going to coach, or manage, and sometimes he’s appalled by the stress, the criticism, the politics. However, the Cruyff conversation seems to have made the idea gel. After Spain’s disastrous World Cup, the Catalan had made up his mind to join David Villa and Frank Lampard in signing for New York City.

But, talking to new Barca coach Luis Enrique, he was given a direct message. One he liked. ‘If you stay, and you are in good enough form, you’ll play. If not, you won’t.’ No hidden agenda, no edict to push the ageing high-earner off the wage bill. He stayed. Thus far, he’s played 17 times and been amongst Barca’s best performers. The intense style of ‘Lucho’ Enrique has invigorated him, re-introduced subtle flavours of the Pep Guardiola era. And it’s to Guardiola, unfortunately, that people’s minds turn when the prospect of Xavi one day taking over at the Nou Camp is raised. But, caution. As a player Xavi was slotted straight into the same pivot position which Guardiola (now Sergio Busquets) occupied. It wasn’t right for him and a handful of years were ‘wasted’ there until Frank Rijkaard pushed him into attacking midfield — much to Xavi’s concern and doubt. Equally, as a coach, Xavi will not replicate Guardiola. The two men are very different in nature. By 21, Guardiola was a boss in the dressing room and on the pitch. Tough, pragmatic, streetwise — born to lead. Xavi became that, but it took him much more time. He’s a generous, quick-to-share, quick-to-smile guy — but he’ll wound more easily, ‘feel’ more than the supremely-driven Guardiola. ‘At Barca, “pretty good” is worth nothing,’ Xavi says. ‘I’m hugely demanding of myself and, indeed, of friends and family. Sometimes I realise it’s too much. But so much has been demanded of me all my life and that has conditioned me to expect that from others. ‘If I get a “well done” rather than an “excellent”, I go home troubled.’ Guardiola is different. Winning is everything, excellence is a means to that end. Perhaps it sounds a minor difference, but it will count when, in due course, Xavi takes charge of a team. Potentially Barca.

Luis Suarez says he's 'more relaxed' after scoring first La Liga goal

Luis Suarez said he was relieved after scoring his first La Liga goal for Barcelona in Saturday's 5-0 win over Cordoba, but claimed not to have been "obsessed" after failing to find the net in his first seven league appearances.

 Suarez broke his domestic duck early in the second half at the Camp Nou, when he controlled Pedro Rodriguez's cross and then poked the ball between the legs of Cordoba goalkeeper Juan Carlos to put his side 2-0 ahead.

 That meant the 80 million-euro summer signing from Liverpool had taken 565 minutes to score in La Liga, having needed just 16 minutes to score his first Premier League goal on his Reds debut in February 2011.

 The Uruguay international told Canal Plus after the game that his celebration had been for his family, adding that he had been happy with his all-round performances despite not finding the net.

 "I kissed my hand for my wife and for my two kids, who stayed at home," he explained. "I was able to score, and that leaves me more relaxed. I am a forward and I must score goals, but I am helping the team to achieve things. That means I was not obsessed about this.

" Pedro had opened the scoring early on, and although Barca did not sparkle they ran out easy winners as Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi (two) added late goals.

 The comprehensive result in their last game of 2014 was a consolation for Barca fans who had not enjoyed last week's 0-0 draw at Getafe.

 Suarez said the team had wanted to put in a better show against Cordoba while cutting the gap to La Liga leaders Real Madrid to just one point before the winter break.

 "I do not know if we were hurting, but the draw at Getafe did annoy us," he said. "We had to show we wanted to fight for La Liga.

 "To score is always important, but with the support of everyone, we knew that joy was going to arrive.

 "The victory is important for the team, that is the main thing, and that was achieved. "On a personal level I was hurting, but I am also happy to have come here, to sign for Barca. We have to turn the situation around."

A year to forget - Barcelona will be happy to see the back of 2014

COMMENT: The Blaugrana have endured trying times over the last 12 months, but reached the winter break on a positive note with a 5-0 win over Cordoba on Saturday

It has been a year to forget for Barcelona. The Catalan club have been hit with problems on and off the pitch over the last 12 months and after playing their final fixture of 2014 with a 5-0 win on Saturday, they will be happy to see the back of it.

 Barca began 2014 on top of La Liga and appeared in good shape under Gerardo Martino, but the Blaugrana were rocked by the resignation of president Sandro Rosell in January due to the controversial funding of the Neymar transfer and lost their lead in the Primera Division in February. 

Martino's men suffered European elimination against Atletico in the Champions League in April before a surprise defeat to Granada in La Liga and a painful loss to Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey, all in the space of a week.

 April ended with the tragic passing of the club's former coach Tito Vilanova at the age of 45 and the team's failure to beat Atletico in the title decider at Camp Nou in May meant Barca finished the season with only the Spanish Supercopa to their name.

 That was won back in August and Barca have ended 2014 without any silverware at all - the first time that has happened since 2008.

 Back then, of course, the seeds were being sewn for spectacular success under Pep Guardiola and total domination followed in 2009, when the Catalan club completed an unprecedented haul of six trophies: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Spanish Supercopa and Club World Cup.

But as Luis Enrique's side stepped out to face Cordoba in La Liga on Saturday, it was Madrid - and not Barca - plotting to end the year with the Club World Cup. Times have changed in Spanish football and 2014 was the biggest indicator of just how Barca's brilliant cycle really is over. 

However, a new year brings new opportunities and even Saturday's success against Cordoba saw a difficult 12-month period end with some satisfaction for the Blaugrana.

 It was far from vintage Barca at Camp Nou, but Pedro's return to form, a first strike in La Liga for Luis Suarez and two more great goals courtesy of Lionel Messi wrapped up a 5-0 win in one of those afternoon kick-offs Barca seem to dislike.

 "2014 has been a wonderful year for me," Luis Enrique said on Friday. "First at Celta and now that I'm back here at home, which is paradise. It's Disneyland

" And after Saturday's win which leaves the Catalans a point behind Madrid but with one more game played, the Barca boss believes 2015 can be even better.

 "I see a lot of positive things," he said. "And we will keep doing this until the end of the season. The numbers clearly reflect that this is a team with margin for improvement, but this side is a clear contender to challenge Real Madrid.

" That remains to be seen but Barca will be happy to see the back of a forgettable 2014. For Luis Enrique et al, it is time to look ahead.

Iniesta: Barca must believe

Andres Iniesta issued a rallying cry to his Barcelona teammates following Saturday's 5-0 victory over Cordoba in La Liga.

 The midfielder has returned to La Blaugrana contention after recovering from a calf injury, and he urged his colleagues to believe in themselves ahead of the season's resumption in January.

 "It's mission accomplished, now I have a few days off with the family, but I won't stop thinking about La Liga. I'm eager to return," he told Barca TV.

 "The idea is to try to maintain this high point for the rest of the season, so things can get better. 

"What we have to ask ourselves is why we are good. We enjoy what we do, it's what earns us our headlines, but the main thing is to train well and enjoy it, and hopefully the good work leads us to titles.

 "We have to believe in what we do and think that things will turn out well if we improve. We must think beyond winning and losing and go step by step. The important thing is to have both ambition and enthusiasm.

 "We've worked on all aspects, in defence and attack. Obviously if we don't concede goals, we have many options to score with our players. The balance is important, it involves everyone. The team work well and we're continuing to grow.

 "I've felt important here for a long time, I respect many people at the club, train and play for their respect. Hopefully I can contribute my part to help the team win titles."

Luis Enrique: It's hard to stop resurgent Pedro

The Barcelona boss is delighted with the winger's recent form and is adamant Luis Suarez's game is about more than goals


 Barcelona coach Luis Enrique singled out Pedro for praise after the forward's display in Saturday's 5-0 win over Cordoba.

 The Spain international got Barca off to a fine start as he steered Ivan Rakitic's lofted pass beyond the helpless Juan Carlos after just 72 seconds at Camp Nou.

 Pedro then claimed an assist as Luis Suarez scored his first Liga goal just after the break, with Gerard Pique and a Lionel Messi double completing the rout.

 The 27-year-old has only made eight starts in the league so far this term, but after scoring a Copa del Rey hat-trick against Huesca and then netting in the Cordoba triumph, Luis Enrique believes Pedro is finding his feet again.

 "He's a top performer," Luis Enrique told reporters.

 "He was finding it hard to get goals early on in the season, but the Pedro we've got now is very hard to stop.

" Luis Enrique was also happy to see Suarez score an "important" first league goal for the club, though he was keen to remind people that the Uruguayan offers a lot more to the team than just goals.

He added: "Obviously strikers have always a direct relationship with goal as they've got the responsibility of scoring.

 "While they can score, it is better because their confident rises, so this first goal is important.

 "But, it is not decisive. Suarez delivers more thing than goals and he is helping us a lot in other aspects of the game."

Suarez opens league account for

Luis Suarez scored his first La Liga goal and Lionel Messi netted twice as Barcelona moved to within a point of leaders Real Madrid with a 5-0 thrashing of Cordoba in their final game of the year on Saturday.

 The hosts got off to a flying start as Pedro Rodriguez, once again deputising for Neymar, opened the scoring with a smart finish from Ivan Rakitic's wonderful through ball inside two minutes.

 Barca then struggled to build on their lead for the rest of the first period, but Suarez capped another quick start to the second period when he poked home from close range to end a seven-game drought in the league since returning from a four-month ban for biting.

 Gerard Pique headed in a third before Messi rounded off the scoring with two stunning finishes in the final 10 minutes.

 "I was able to score and that helps relax me. I don't know if we were affected, but the draw with Getafe last week annoyed us. We had to come here today and show that we're in the fight for the Liga title," Suarez said.

 "Scoring is always important, but with the support of everyone we all knew that this happy moment would come. I'm a forward and I have to score goals, but I'm also helping the side to achieve its aims.

"For this I hadn't got too obsessed with getting on the scoresheet. The most important thing was that the team won and we achieved that.

" Pedro was rewarded for his hat-trick in the 8-1 thrashing of Huesca in midweek with a start as Neymar was only fit enough for the bench.

 Victory moves Barca six points clear of champions Atletico Madrid, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, but Real Madrid will end the year on top despite having played a game less due to their participation in the Club World Cup this weekend.

 A stoppage time penalty from Andreas Ivanschitz denied David Moyes a first La Liga win away from home as his Real Sociedad side had to settle for a point despite being given the lead just after halftime by Sergio Canales.

 Valencia moved up to fourth with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Eibar thanks to Paco Alcacer's goal on the half hour mark.

 With Sevilla not in action as they were due to face Real this weekend, Valencia move a point ahead of the Andalusians in the final Champions League slot.

My Barcelona Days Are Numbered – Xavi

Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has stated that his playing days are over and he would relish the opportunity to follow the path of former manager Pep Guardiola in the future to coach the Spanish heavyweights.

 The petit attacking midfielder replaced Guardiola as Barcelona’a playmaker after Louis van Gaal promoted him to the first team and now he has revealed his intention to manage the ‘La Blaugrana’. 

“I would like to follow the path of Guardiola”, the 34-year old midfielder told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

 Xavi is a key member of of a golden generation for Barcelona and Spain, but he says it was not easy to shoulders comparisons to Guardiola.

 “My playing days are numbered, that is crystal clear. I can feel it in my body”. He stated further.

Bravo: I know how the dressing room works, I’m not a little kid

Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo recently admitted that he has no animosity toward teammate Marc Andre Ter Stegen, who is playing in the Champions League while Bravo plays the La Liga ties and insists that he’s mature enough to know how things work and cheer on his teammates.



 In an interview with ADN, Bravo first spoke about playing only in La Liga and alternating with Ter Stegen.

 “I’m fine playing in La Liga and being a substitute in the Champions League. I’m not a little boy in this regard, I know how a dressing room works and when I’m not playing I need to support the teammate who is.

 “I have a good relationship with Ter Stegen. They try to find problems, but there aren’t any, he’s a young lad that’s going through a learning phase.

” Bravo went on to add that there was very little in terms of a learning phase when he came to Barcelona, as their style is similar to that of his former club Real Sociedad.

 “In essence, I’m still doing the same things I was doing in Real Sociedad but at a different pace. I play in a position much higher up the pitch because we play a different way, we have our centre-back’s almost at midfield. Now I’m getting involved in important players, here they come at you two times and you have to be ready to respond.”

For Eric Abidal

Tw Valdes: "The strongest defender I have played with. Enjoy your new life. Abidal, an example, a true warrior!"

Ig Jonathan dos Santos: "Thanks for teaching me so many things, Abi! An example on and off the pitch. All the best!"

Tw Cesc: "I've never learned so much from someone in such a short time. Thanks for everything, Abi

Tw Muniesa: "An example as a player, but above all as a person. Thanks for everything you taught us, Abi!! #22"

Tw Villa: "Proud to have shared a dressing room with you. You are a role model. Best of luck

Tw Pedro: "Thanks for your great legacy @EAbidalOfficial, you're an example. I wish you and your loved ones the best"

Tw Bartra: "A great example, in every sense... Merci mon ami

Tw Bojan: "An incredible player who showed us some exemplary values. Enjoy now, you deserve it. I love you, Abi!!"

Tw Puyol: "Thank you, my brother, you're an example of fighting. All the best."

Mourinho: Bojan almost killed me

Jose Mourinho says Stoke City's Bojan Krkic is "the only player that almost killed me", adding he still expresses relief over the forward's disallowed effort for Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.

Mourinho's Inter Milan won the Champions League that season, but only after narrowly beating Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate in which Bojan had a strike controversially ruled out in the last minute after Yaya Toure was adjudged to have handballed.

"Bojan is the only player that almost killed me with a heart attack because, in the last minute of Barcelona v Inter in the semi-final of the Champions League, he scored an amazing goal," Mourinho smiled.

 But offside! And I looked to the other side and the linesman was saying 'offside'. He's the only one. Part of the joke... A very dangerous player, adapting well to the Premier League which is never easy for a striker. But every dangerous player.

" While Bojan's resurgence indicates Stoke's evolution as team, Mourinho still believes Chelsea will have to adapt to cope with the physical elements of their play when they travel to the Britannia Stadium on Monday.

 "We have to go there and play our game, but we know well their qualities as a team, and their qualities individually. We also have to adapt to it. If we know we are going to play against Peter Crouch, against the kind of defenders they have.... if you don't adapt to that, you are in trouble. We can adapt to that because we have qualities that allow us to do that.

"I think they have everything. They have that important base that Tony Pulis gave them: physicality, set-pieces, aggressive, direct. They have this. This was the basis of their success since they came up into the Premier League.

 "In the last couple of years, with Mark Hughes, without losing that identity he brought some of his own ideas and some players who can add more than that physicality. And they have also some players who bring their style in another direction. They are good and a difficult side.