Messi: Barcelona made my dream come true

Lionel Messi has credited Barcelona for helping him realize his “dream” of becoming a professional football player.The Argentina international joined Barca at the age of 13 and has won the Ballon d’Or three times since making his debut in 2004.

Messi says that he always dreamt of playing football at the highest level and spoke of Barcelona’s importance in making that happen.”Since I was three or four years old, I dreamt of becoming a footballer,” he told Caracol TV. “I was walking around with a football and all I wanted was to play. My only thought was to become a footballer, I did not think about doing anything else. If I could not have become one, I actually do not know what I would be today.

“I do not know what Barcelona saw in me, but I will always be grateful to them for what they did and what they keep doing. At that time, I was on a very expensive medical treatment and they covered all the costs and gave me the opportunity to play.

“This was something very beautiful, because they allowed me to realize my dream.”
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Guardiola: “Tito is staying because he feels strong”

Josep Guardiola did not want to speak too much about matters regarding Barça’s future because he does not feel that he is the right person to do so. But he did say at today’s press conference that Tito Vilanova, his successor, “is staying because he feels strong. It is a sign of how brave and courageous he is.” He also answered a question about the apparent distance between himself and his assistant. “At this stage in time I don’t have to justify anything about my relationship with Tito,” he said. “Please let my relation with him to be the one we want, and not the one you want it to be”.

De Boer: Vertonghen should go to Barcelona

De Boer is resigned to losing the talented 24-year-old but believes he should shun Premier League advances in favour of a move to Barcelona. Vertonghen has long been the subject of speculation and a host of teams – including Arsenal and Tottenham – are reportedly vying for his services.

Asked if he has played his last game for Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena, he answered: “That’s almost sure, yes.”

Vertonghen has made over 150 appearances for Ajax, scoring 22 goals since graduating from the club’s world renowned academy.

Lionel Messi: “Pep will always have my respect. I will always cherish him”

Messi: “it’s been a great pleasure to share so many good moments with Pep over these last few years!”

Barcelonistas gathered at the stadium on Saturday night to wish Guardiola a heartfelt farewell as the manager coached FC Barcelona for the last time at the Camp Nou after four successful years on the Barça bench. The tone for the night was set as the manager led his team out onto the pitch and was greeted by a massive banner, unfurled by Barça supporters, that read ‘We love you, Pep!’ The ensuing 90 minutes offered up the perfect platform for both the players and the fans to show the manager the truth of that statement. Guardiola, visibly touched by the displays of affection from the stands, was also the recipient of an intimate gesture of gratitude and respect from the world’s best player.

“Pep will always have my respect, I will always cherish him. He’s been very important in my career

Agreement to end Henrique’s contract

FC Barcelona has announced that Henrique Adriano, who is on loan at Sociedade Esportiva Palmeirasuntil June 30, will terminate his contractual relation with the Club on that date, despite his contract originally binding him to FC Barcelona until June 30, 2013.
After coming up through the ranks at Coritiba Football Club in Brazil, Henrique signed for FC Barcelona in July 2008 from Palmeiras. He was immediately sent out on loan to Bayer Leverkusen until June 2009. He then rejoined Barça for the summer preseason tour, but then went on loan again, this time to RacingSantander, where he played for two seasons, playing 57 league matches and scoring 3 goals. In July 2011, he left for a year’s loan spell at Palmeiras.

FC Barcelona have scored 103 league goals a season

FC Barcelona has amassed 412 league goals in four seasons, including 114 in the competition that has just ended, an all-time club record. This is a team that has been breaking records in every department. In the season just ended, the team managed to set a new all-time best of 114 goals in a league season.

Guardiola’s sides have achieved four of the six highest goalscoring records in the entire history of the championship. In 2008/09 they got 105, setting a new record. In 2009/10, they got 98, in 2010/11, 95, and this season scored more than three goals a game to get a new record of 114.

Dani Alves hoping Barcelona signs Neymar

Dani Alves has admitted that he would love to see Neymar join Barcelona, describing the Santos starlet as a phenomenon.

“I think he is a phenomenon and he would be a great signing for any team in the world,” the right back told Mundo Deportivo. “If he signed for Barca, I’d be very happy.”

“We have faced him and yes, he is very good,” the 29-year-old enthused. “All players who offer something different are welcome and I think that Jordi is a player who brings with him speed, audacity and the Barca style. He could fit into our game because our full backs are so attacking.”

I will be very happy if Neymar join us

Rosell: Barcelona starting XI all better than Cristiano Ronaldo

“Cristiano Ronaldo is not the second-best player in the world. He’s the world’s number 12. The 11 best players all play for Barcelona,” Rosell said at a round-table meeting at the Instituto de Quimica de Sarria.”I would never accept a coach who wants to win at all costs,” he said. “I would immediately apologize if the coach of my club poked another person in the eye.”

Barcelona’s players are all better than Cristiano Ronaldo ..!

Marcelo: Messi the world´s best

Brazil left-back Marcelo has heaped praise on Lionel Messi, saying the Argentine is the best player in the world.

Brazil will tackle Argentina on Saturday and will be looking to bounce back from Sunday’s 2-0 defeat against Mexico, which ended a run of eight consecutive victories.

Despite meeting Messi several times throughout the season at club level, Marcelo says there is always a special feeling to playing against the Barcelona star – whom he rated higher than his Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Right now, Messi is the best player in the world and it is a pleasure to play against him,” Marcelo told Globoesporte.

“We will see what happens, if we can mark him. Argentina are more attacking [than Mexico], so we will have space to play.

“But we need to be careful, because they can score goals easily. You cannot talk about one or two players only, but about their entire team.

“But we also have several good players and we will try to secure a good result.”

Valencia’s Guaita on Barcelona radar

Vicente Guaita has attracted the interest of Barcelona after some stand-out performances for Valencia this season, El Mundo Deportivo reports.

The Catalans are closely monitoring the situation of a number of goalkeepers, and the 25-year-old Guaita supposedly sits atop the shortlist.

Barca have been monitoring Guaita throughout the campaign, and they believe the Torrent-born keeper has the ability to compete with Victor Valdes for a spot between the sticks in the long term.

Guaita came through the ranks of the Valencia youth academy and made his official first-team debut in October 2008.

He has developed into a key player for Los Che as they secured Champions League qualification this term, and has impressed with a number of stellar performances in the second half of the season in particular.

The goalkeeper has a contract with Valencia until the summer of 2015.

Benitez: Guardiola is an example for other coaches

Former Liverpool and Inter man Benitez is full of praise for his countryman’s management style, and feels his innovative approach would be well-received in England.

“I think he is a frame of reference and an example because he knows how to behave and transmits values and positive behavior outside of football,” the 52-year-old told reporters. “He has also been a successful example. I understand that perhaps it was best to rest for a year and then be prepared for the future.

“The experience at that level includes permanent stress and sometimes you have to recover. I am sure he will come back and I think he would like to have experience in other leagues and the Premiership is very attractive.”

Falcao unaware of Barcelona interest

Spanish sources claimed on Wednesday that the Catalan club was closely monitoring the situation of the Colombian star, who has been strongly linked with a new challenge after an impressive season at the Vicente Calderon.

“The truth is that I do not give any importance to what is being said,” he told reporters. “I do not know about those reports and I have not seen, heard or read anything.