Villa is ours !

David Villa has signed with FC BARCELONA

Villa: “I will give everything to the club”

David Puig

David Villa could not hide his excitement as he was presented as a new player of FC Barcelona on Friday morning and revealed his desire to follow in the footsteps of his heroes Quini and Luis Enrique.

After admitting he was slightly nervous, Villa said that he was proud of joining the reigning champions of the Spanish league as he met the press in Camp Nou for the first time since penning a four-year deal. "It is an honour and I am proud of this very important move," he said. "I have to thank so many people for this transfer to Barça. My family, Barça, Valencia and everyone that made it become a reality. I am very proud and will give everything to this club."

Barça effort

"Barça showed clearly that they wanted to sign me," Villa continued. "I could say about the million little things that they have done to bring me here and that helped me in my decision to move."

Easy integration

Familiarity with so many of the Barça stars through his time with the Spanish national team was also a big factor in helping Villa decide. "That was one of the key reasons," he commented. "I know a lot of the players personally. There will be no problems fitting in. They have already helped me a lot even before I signed and became a Barça player."

Villa then praised Barça and their star names, in particular Messi. "I am conscious that I am joining the best team in the world and that they have won everything," he continued. "I want to help them become a little better. Messi is the best player I have ever seen and I will be proud to share a dressing room with him and to wear the same shirt."

Winning trophies

"No promises of how many goals he would score next season were forthcoming. "I am here to score goals that will help the club to win things and to contribute what I can to the team," Villa explained. "I have not won many trophies in my career, two Copa del Reys and one Super Cup, although I cannot complain and am proud of those. But I come here with a desire to win even moer and, if possible, the Champions League."

Quini and Luis Enrique

Following in the footsteps of his heroes Villa will become the eleventh Asturian to play for Barça. Names such as Quini, Abelardo and Luis Enrique are well known and he wants to add his to the list. "Everyone knows my idols were Quini and Luis Enrique," he added. "Both had great success with Barça and I want to follow them. I want to be remembered like them when I finish my time here."

President pleased

Barça president Joan Laporta thanked everyone that made the signing of Villa possible as he addressed the media in the Sala Paris above the club shop. "I want to thank Txiki Begiristain and Raül Senllehi for their work and for Valencia for the way that the talks were conducted and to Villa's father who worked tirelessly to help us sign his son."

Perfect player

Begiristain stated that he felt that Villa had the right profile for Barça. "He is the perfect player to play up front for Barça," he explained. "His movement across the front line, as well his ability to play down the left and in the centre stand out. He is a player that will give us so many options going forward. With Villa we have an impressive front line."

Villa should feel at home

Edgar Fornós

David Villa will be coming to team where he already knows a large number of his future team mates, either from international duty or from different publicity spots, something that’s bound to help him settle into the club quickly.

Villa will be travelling to South Africa this summer with Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio and Víctor Valdes, who he also knows from Spanish Under-21 duty. He was at Zaragoza with Milito and has taken part in a number of publicity acts with Messi, who is sponsored by the same sports outfitting company.

Future teammates’ support

In his press conference on Friday, Villa expressed his satisfaction with the support he’d received from his future teammates ahead of his signing: “I’m lucky to know a number of players here and I am good friends with some of them. I’ve felt very good about the support I’ve got from them, even before I signed and I’m very grateful to them for that”.

European Champions

One of Villa’s most memorable, moments as a player was alongside Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta when Spain won the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland in 2008. Villa was the tournament’s leading scorer with 4 goals.

Whilst at Zaragoza, Villa and Milito won the 2003/04 Spanish Cup under ex-Barca man Victor Muñoz, beating Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic. The two played one more season together until Villa moved to Valencia.

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Campions 09/10

Unstoppable: 4th title of the season!

by Roger Bogunyà

FC Barcelona have won the fourth trophy of an incredible season, and by beating Valladolid have set an all-time Liga record of 99 points.

This team was born to win. Guardiola has continued weaving his magic and 368 days after winning the cup in Mestalla, the celebrations continue. Barça won an unprecedented six titles in 2010, and it was exactly a year ago today on May 16 that their second League title was confirmed. They have now retained the title, while in the meantime, the Clubs World Cup, the Champions League and both Super Cups have also been conquered.

Making a mark

This team just can’t stop winning. It is often noted that after a very successful season, it is hard for a team to reproduce the same form the following year. Not so with Barça, who have continued to stun the world with their gourmet football, in which every pass, and every shot, is a delight to behold. The hallmark style of maintaining possession of the ball, wearing down the opposition and always playing to attack has always been present, even when the side was beaten in the two knockout competitions it has played in this year. In the League, the statistics speak for themselves, 99 points including the double over nearest rivals Real Madrid.

A League to remember

Guardiola’s side has been truly remarkable, and this League title is particularly valued considering how difficult the campaign has been this year. Barça have been astounding, but Real Madrid have been putting together a similarly brilliant record, and it all came down to the very last day. FC Barcelona have had to break records to get here. Nobody has ever gained 99 points in one of the major European leagues, and they have once again had to win no fewer than 13 games on the road, and just draw five games and lose one. With top scorer Messi and top goalkeeper Valdés on the park, they have gone unbeaten at the Camp Nou – it’s been a season to remember for so many wonderful reasons.

La Masia’s seal of identity

It is also especially pleasing to know that all of this has been achieved with so much homemade talent. The team that has had the most overall possession and shot the most times at goal has done so with 10 of 21 players that have appeared being products of the club’s own youth system based at La Masia. Guardiola, the incomparable leader of the team, has managed to blend the talent of imported stars with local players in stunning fashion, with everybody learning to combine and respect the club’s philosophy that does so much to reflect what is so good about football. We can now salute a champion in every sense of the word.

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EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL 2009/2010

Forlán double gives Atlético glory

Club Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Fulham FC (aet)

Diego Forlán struck twice, the second four minutes from the end of extra time, to decide the first UEFA Europa League final.

Diego Forlán struck with four minutes of extra time remaining as Club Atlético de Madrid ended a 48-year wait for major continental silverware, beating Fulham FC 2-1 in the inaugural UEFA Europa League final.

There had been little to choose between the sides throughout. Forlán and Simon Davies exchanged first-half goals then, as fatigue set in, they matched each other for endeavour. Yet as those around him tired the Uruguayan international gained energy. With the lottery of a penalty shoot-out looming, he did just enough to divert Sergio Agüero's cross into the far corner via Brede Hangeland. The wait was over.

If this was to be the night Fulham introduced themselves to the big stage after 131 years in the shadows, there were few obvious signs of nerves. They started confidently, expansively, passing from the back. That almost proved their undoing on 12 minutes, as Agüero pounced on a loose Danny Murphy pass just inside the Fulham half. He fed Forlán with only Mark Schwarzer to beat from the angle but the striker, in such fine form, fluffed his lines – his low shot across goal hitting the upright.

Fulham heeded the warning, finding a more natural rhythm and, midway through the half, a long-range shot from Davies to warm David de Gea's hands. Agüero was knocking on the door in more subtle style at the other end, ever a threat cutting in from the left flank. His contribution to the opener, though, was less refined. José Antonio Reyes outstripped Dickson Etuhu on the right, lofting a pass for Simão to direct into Agüero's path. The striker miscued his effort but it fell perfectly for the lurking Forlán, who made no mistake this time.

But Fulham have performed so many Lazarus acts this term that they could reasonably have the feat renamed in their honour, and within five minutes it was all square. Bobby Zamora did well to turn inside Luis Perea on the left though the opening it brought had all but closed when the ball rolled to Zoltán Gera. The Hungarian international steadied himself and crossed towards the far post where Davies lashed in.

After surviving more Atlético pressure as half-time approached, Fulham emerged for the restart a renewed force. The Spanish side were indebted to the reactions of De Gea, the goalkeeper wary to the threat of Gera after a brilliant Murphy pass, then beating away Davies' shot after the ball dropped fortuitously for the winger. In between Zamora, a major injury doubt before the game, had made way for Clint Dempsey – it failed to stem the Fulham tide, though as the game became more and more fractious Atlético got on an even keel.

Extra time was increasingly inevitable, a test for any side let alone two who have played over 60 games of the season. Forlán has played the majority for Atlético but ominously for Fulham he looked fresh – Quique Sánchez Flores's greatest regret must have been that his No7 was not on the end of his own surging run and cross on 105 minutes as Eduardo Salvio and Agüero both failed to capitalise. And then, with penalties approaching he was where it mattered; nearly half a century after Atlético beat ACF Fiorentina to claim their first major European honour, they have a second.

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Stylish display brushes doubts aside (1-4)

Stylish display brushes doubts aside (1-4)

Jordi Clos

Barca turned on the style at Villarreal to beat their hosts 1-4 and put behind any doubts that might have lingered from the European KO. Barca will lead the table going into the final three games thanks to goals tonight from Messi(2), Xavi and Bojan.

Any doubts about Guardiola’s team’s ability to bounce back from the Inter defeat were brushed aside by a champions display to see off the in-form Villarreal with some magisterial football, particularly in the first half when Messi, Xavi and Bojan all scored. The home team got a consolation goal in the second, but Messi was again on target to put aside any hopes of a comeback. This was a team true to its style and heritage and Barca’s starting line up included a total of eight players who’d come through La Masia and all four goals were scored by home grown players.

Lively start

In a lively opening, both teams showed their attacking intentions and Xavi, Messi and Puyol all had good chances in the first ten minutes, as did Nilmar on two occasions for Villarreal. The football was flowing, with not a foul committed till almost the quarter hour mark and Barca were able to impose their style on the game. On 18 minutes, Bojan won a ball and laid it back to Xavi who played a trademark killer pass to Messi for the Argentinean aided by a slight deflection from a defender, to strike home from an acute angle.

0-3 at the break

The goal confirmed Barca’s dominance and Xavi was at the heart of it all, so it was fitting that he claimed the second, striking home a wonderful free kick over the defensive wall and past the flailing Diego Lopez. The third was another excellent effort, as Bojan out-smarted and out-sprinted his marker Gonzalo and fired low past the keeper to send the team in 0-3 up.

Villarreal reaction snuffed out

Villarreal made two changes at half time and came out determined to put up what they could of a fight. Barca’s answer was to maintain possession and take the sting out of their hosts’ attempts to fight back. When Llorente managed to pull a goal back on 67 minutes, Messi almost came back with an immediate reply, shooting just wide, but Barca never really looked under pressure and their biggest fright came when the ref appeared to show Busquets a second yellow as he went off to be subbed, which was in fact for Llorente.

Messi gets his second

The game was only going one way and when Messi did make it four with his second, exquisitely rounding off a typical team move on 87 minutes, it just confirmed Barca’s superiority throughout, the three points and another week at the top.

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