Academy is outstanding in Europe

With the addition of Piqué, Victor Sánchez and Pedro to the first team, Barça now has ten players from its academy in its first team squad. That is the highest number of any of the top teams in Europe.

FC Barcelona’s current first team squad has 10 players who learnt their football in the club’s academy: Xavi, Bojan, Puyol, Iniesta, Messi, Valdés, Jorquera, Piqué, Pedro and Victor Sánchez. That’s a pretty impressive figure in its own right and compares extremely favourably with recent winners of Europe’s top leagues.

European comparison

Bayern Munich with Kraft, Lahm, Lell, Ottl, Schweinsteiger, Kross and Rensing; Real Madrid with Casillas, Guti, Raul, Codina, Torres, Javi García and De la Red; and Olympique de Lyon with Hartock, Clerc, Kolodzieczak, Benzema, Mounier, Govou and Tafer, all have 7 academy players in their first team squads. Inter Milan only has three: Andrea Mei, Davide Santone and Francesco Bolzoni.

Man Utd are different

Manchester United are different as there are no limits on the number of players in first team squads in the EPL which means that reserves are constantly turning out for the first team. However, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side has seven players playing on a regular basis who have come up through the ranks: Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Danny Welbeck, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea.

Thus Barça has a significant numerical superiority plus its 10 ex-academy players could virtually form a complete and very competitive line-up.

Academy line-up

That’s because over recent years the Barça academy has produced top quality players in practically all positions, including great strikers such as Messi and Bojan, midfielders like Xavi, Iniesta and Victor Sánchez, and solid defenders such as Puyol and Piqué, ending with the security of Valdés and Jorquera between the sticks. How good they are is shown by the fact that 7 out of the 10 have been called up for the full Spain team (Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta and Bojan), Argentina, in the case of Leo Messi, and the under-21s, in the cases of Piqué and Pedro.

U.E.SANT ANDREU 3 - 1 F.C Barcelona

wth!!!???

Kaká Backs Messi For Ballon d'Or

The Brazilian star vowed to return to challenge for personal honours after tipping the Barcelona forward to pick the France Football award ahead of Ronaldo.

Many have tipped the Manchester United playmaker after he helped the club win the title and the Champions League, but for ability alone, Kaká prefers Messi.

"Messi is a truly great player. Cristiano Ronaldo is also very good and deserves the away, but I want Leo to be my successor," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He has incredible ability and can control the ball superbly and that makes him one of the best players in the world.

"I think he is the sort of player that you would always want in your team.

"I am only talking about this year. My aim is to recover my form as quickly as possible and to try and win th trophy again in Paris and the FIFA World Player of the Year in Zürich.

"But for that to happen I have to be playing at a consistently good level for Milan."

Kaká then stated that he believes Ronaldinho's move from Barça to Milan will turn out to be a bargain for the Serie A side and explained that he enjoys playing alongside him.

"Without doubt he will be the best signing of the season in the Italian league. Our paths in life have been very different, but that does not mean that we cannot be friends," he continued.

"Above all, it does not mean that we cannot play together either."

Finally, Kaká moved to reiterate his desire to stay with Milan despite the annual rumours of him attracting the biggest clubs on the continent.

"First it was about Madrid now everyone is talking about going to England. That is how the market is, but I insist that I am not going anywhere, he explained.

"My relationship with everyone at the club is excellent and unless someone has a change of plans one day and decides to sell me, I will not be moving."

Barca vs Racing Preview

Barcelona's Lionel Messi insists he is not bothered by Argentina legend Diego Maradona's criticism of his game.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi insists he is not bothered by Argentina legend Diego Maradona's criticism of his game.

Maradona has claimed Messi often "plays for himself" and is "too individualistic", but the youngster is remaining unfazed ahead of Barca's clash with Racing Santander at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

"It's fine, I am used to Diego talking," he said.

"He always has something to say about me, but there is no problem and I'll keep playing as I always do," he added.

Messi has been away with Argentina on international duty, playing for 90 minutes in both the disappointing draws against Paraguay and Peru.

The 21-year-old only landed in Barcelona on Friday, missing the morning training session, and will have little more than 24 hours to prepare for the Primera Liga game with Racing.

He insists, though, he is ready to play if called upon by coach Pep Guardiola.

"I feel good and I want to play," he said. "I don't know what the boss is thinking, but I am ready to play and I hope he plays me from the start."

Defender Martin Caceres also missed Friday's morning training after arriving back from international duty with Uruguay, but Mexico captain Rafael Marquez did train after returning to Barcelona on Thursday.

Marquez has though been prone to injury following international breaks during his time at Barcelona and may be rested for Saturday's match.

If so, his place is likely to go to Gerard Pique.

And the former Manchester United defender believes Barcelona must turn the Nou Camp into a stadium feared by visiting teams this season.

Barcelona suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to newly-promoted Numancia in their opener - coach Guardiola's first Primera Liga match in charge - and Pique knows they can not afford too many more slip-ups.

"The Nou Camp must be a fortress from the very first day," he said.

"We cannot afford to stumble on Saturday. We need to win as many points as possible and not losing games will be fundamental."

Muslims Seydou Keita, Yaya Toure and Eric Abidal have all been fasting for Ramadan, but all three are being carefully monitored by Barcelona's medical staff and should be fit enough to participate in Saturday's match.

Gabi Milito remains sidelined with a long-term injury, but Guardiola has no other major fitness concerns ahead of Saturday's game.

Racing finished just seven points behind third-placed Barcelona last season, although the coach under whom they enjoyed such a successful campaign - Marcelino Garcia Toral - has since left to join Real Zaragoza.

The northerners will now be hoping for similar success under new man Juan Ramon Muniz and they began the season with a creditable draw at home to Sevilla.

And Muniz is upbeat about his side's chances on Saturday.

"We will try to get as much as we can out of the match and if that's three points, then great," he said.

"But we need maximum concentration because Barcelona have between 20 and 25 shots per game at home."

Recent signings Peter Luccin and Juan Valera could make their debuts for the Cantabrians after signing just before the transfer deadline, but Luis Fernandez will be missing through injury.

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Barça Targeting €60 Million Man?

FC Barcelona could be weighing up their options in the very near future to sign a player many consider will become Lionel Messi’s ultimate strike ally: Sergio Agüero.

Both Leo and El Kun have already established themselves as a permanent fixture for the Argentine national team and they have also collaborated on numerous games over the past few years.

While their partnership with the Albicelestes has yet to hit full stride, their collaboration continues to blossom steadily and the Blaugrana have reason to believe that by playing them together week in, week out in club football, the pair could become one of the most lethal attacking duos in the history of the game.

Barcelona-based daily Sport is already watering at the mouth over that prospect and they believe that Agüero’s current €60 million buy-out clause with Atlético Madrid should not pose that big an issue for Barça nor seem that ridiculous an amount, considering the state of the transfer market at present.

That may be the case but getting the player himself to agree to jump ship is another matter altogether. Agüero will ultimately have the final say about his future and whether or not he wants to leave the Vicente Calderón for another La Liga outfit as his relationship and affection with Los Colchoneros continue to rapidly grow.

The 20 year old, however, has only stated in the past that he would not leave Atleti for crosstown nemesis, Real Madrid, although he did hint that he will return to Argentina to see out his playing days once and when his Atlético career is over.

If El Kun can maintain his upward momentum this season and elevate himself to the class Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká are in, the Blaugrana is certain to face stiff competition for his signature, with Juventus being the latest club to lavish praise on the young Argentine.