Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola knows that Messi is the key to the success of Barcelona this season especially with the disappointing performances of Henry and Ibrahimovic who was supposed to be the ideal exchange for Eto'o. Messi retains the ability to break down defences but is also a team-player who looks for other players and has brought this into his game . From midfield he is the main outlet for players like Xavi and Iniesta. They look for him ahead of the others first and foremost. Playing in the middle and out wide on the right he is an ever present in the team having played all 90 minutes of the last nine matches and has scored 19 goals already with his total last season 23. For Messi though his main battle is with fans in Argentina who still feel that he gives more for Barca than for the national team and he has scored just five goals in the last 20 games for Argentina. He has even received whistles in some recent matches and newspapers have criticised his performances. It should be noted though the big differences between Barca and the Argentine national team which does not have a settled squad and they don't provide the same service to Messi as he receives from Iniesta and Xavi. The Argentine newspaper Ole says that Maradona will come to Barcelona in the coming days to speak with Messi and try and motivate him for the World Cup

Barcelona defender Dani Alves believes that Real Madrid cannot call themselves the real leaders until after they play the Catalans at the Bernabeu in April.

The importance of the el clasico appears to be growing in importance week by week as Barca have started to stutter. Real grabbed the leadership last weekend with a last minute goal against Sevilla but Barca let it slip after a below-par performance against Almeria where they could only draw.

Since Christmas Barca have struggled to really hit form and this of course has been due in part to the number of injuries and suspensions they have suffered. The players have correctly said that it is impossible for them always to play well, and only a look at last season shows that there were periods when they stuggled. In fact at one point at the start of Pep Guardiola's rein there was talk of replacing him.

As with last season the game at the Bernabeu will play a big part in where the title goes and it has to be seen whether Barca can produce the kind of performance they did a year ago when they produced a memorable win.

"I do not consider Madrid to be the real leaders, this all depends on what happens at the Bernabeu. It would be a key win if we managed it but of course it would not be decisive either way. I don't think we should compare this season with the last one as we are doing better in some ways and worse in others. Each year is different," said Alves.

"I would say Barca are still the favourites to win. The title will be decided in the last few weeks as always and Real will have to do very well if they are going to win because we will make it difficult for them. We will try and make it impossible for them to win."

 

 

Barcelona midfielder Toure Yaya believes that the enormous expecatation on the shoulders of the team is making it difficult for them to repeat the feats of last season. After winning all six titles available to them last year Barca have become the team to beat for all clubs and winning every game has become an obligation which Toure feels is taking its toll on the players. In the league Barca still continue to lead the way at the top of the table with a two point lead and it looks like the match at the Bernabeu in April, like last year, could decide the title. They lost two weeks ago against Atletico Madrid but this had more to do with injuries and suspension than anything else and their makeshift defence looked very weak. In the Champions League Barca did not play that well against Stuttgart but the result was still positive and as Toure says they cannot be at their best in every match. "It is as though we cannot fail now because everyone thinks we are unbeatable and that is not true. Although we do not like to lose we are human. I have seen a lot of desire in the sides that we have played but we have to cope with this until the end of the season," he said. "This season will be more difficult for us but we have to keep working hard. Guardiola is a great coach who works a 100 per cent for the team. At the moment we are failing but we are full confidence." Meanwhile the club have put a 10m euros price tag on Hleb who is on-loan at Stuttgart and played well last Tuesday.

 The unjury crisis at Barcelona means that coach Pep Guardiola may be forced to play Rafa Marquez in the midfield.

For Saturday's match against Racing Santander, Xavi, Keita and Toure are all missing through injury and so looking for a defensive midfielder, Guardiola has looked at the Mexican as a possibility.

Marquez missed the defeat against Atletico Madrid through suspension and now could play alongside Busquets and Iniesta in a position he has played in before under previous coach Frank Rijkaard.

It is important that Barca get a good result against Racing so as to prevent a feeling of uncertainty to creep into the camp following their lead at the top having been cut to just two points. Barca were shaky at the back against Atletico with their make-shift backline while also in attack at the moment they are not convincing.

 Ibrahimovic has gone through a disappointing run without scoring and it appears as though Thierry Henry no longer features in Guardiola's plans. The Frenchman's form has been nowhere near the level of last season and this has coincided with the emergence of Pedro who appears to have a special eye for a goal.

Like last season everything appears to be heading towards the el clasico at the Bernabeu which could decide where the title is going this season. Barca of course famously destroyed Madrid last season 6-2 which inspired them towards their unique six trophies.

Barcelona's injury problems have worsened with the news that Xavi Hernandez will be absent for over two weeks. At the weekend Barca slumped to defeat against Atletico Madrid with a makeshift defence with only Puyol, Maxwell and Milito of the regular first-team available. The situation was made worse by the loss of Seydou Keita after only a few minutes with another injury which will keep him out for several weeks and now it has been revealed that Xavi also picked up a knock in the game but was able to continue to the end. After a rocky start in which they conceded two goals, Barca grew during the game but could only pull one goal back through Ibrahimovic and now the title race is wide open with just a two-point gap over rivals Real Madrid. Xavi is now expected to miss three games including the Champions League match against Stuttgart.

Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall has officially put his hat in the ring for this summer´s presidential elections and can count with the support of the present incumbent Joan Laporta. There has been plenty of debate over the last year about who will take over from Laporta with no clear candidate having emerged who has the support of the whole board. Added to this mix there are previous board members who have left in controversy like Rosell and Soriano who are also set to have a say in who wins the elections. It is set to be an interesting few months with the different candidates presenting their cases and several of them are bitter enemies. Another board member Jaume Ferrer had already announced he would be standing and this was greeted by the wrath of Laporta who complained that he should have told him first out of courtesy. Former vice-president Soriano, who has plenty of enemies inside the present board but is the early favourite with a lot of support from the fans, says he will also be a candidate. Initially Laporta appeared to favour the economist Xavier Sala i Martin as his successor but the latter was never a vote puller. For Laporta his successor is very important as he wants to continue to have an important say behind the scenes at the club although he is prevented from standing for a further term according to club rules. With all the controversy over who the continuation candidate will be and also whether Guardiola would stay the club has been forced into action in the last week firstly confirming Guardiola will remain and now naming Godall as Laporta´s chosen replacement. "We want more success, more economic growth, and to invest 1,000m in six years. We want more members, more fans, more young people, and a Barcelona more global and for this reason I present myself as a candidate," said Godall, with Laporta onlooking. "The club has enjoyed the best period of its history which has been confirmed by older members such as my father who has supported the club for over 50 years. We have been able to win eleven titles in six years and with our own personal style of leadership. We are the inheritors of Johan (Cruyff) and we have believed in what we have done. "In this period we have only had one sports director and two trainers. Laporta could never be described as a president who fires at the drop of a hat and at the same time we have given our support to the youth and development of quality football."

Despite the convincing 5-0 victory away at Tenerife, coach Pep Guardiola still had words of criticism for his players. Guardiola has showed he is a perfectionist in all areas of his job and prepares for each match leaving no aspect unturned. He has a team of coaches helping him view videos of the opposition and consider different tactics. In terms of performance he also expects 100 per cent and it is this that helped Barça to their historic six titles and also has attracted the attention of other top clubs in Europe to his services. "In all games there are good and bad things but we cannot afford to go out as we did against Tenerife as if we do that then we are not going to win anything. Until it was 1-0 the difference was that Victor Valdes was superb and they lacked luck. After that we were able to have more of the ball with Bojan and Titi who both did very well in opening up space," he said. "Tenerife are an aggressive side and and we knew that they were going to try and play the long ball against us so we could not afford to lose the ball cheaply. Pedro is also each day more comfortable in the first team and I always say that if there are any youth players coming through then we will consider them in the first team." Guardiola also hit back at those who have criticised their recent form which has seen them draw, lose and win. That includes the cup defeat against Sevilla last Tuesday. "I don't listen to those who say that we are not the same as we were a year ago, things do not change in only a few days. I understand that if things are not working well then you have to correct them and I am thinking now of the important game on Wednesday," against Sevilla.

Valencia forward David Silva has been put forward by the Barcelona coaching staff as the perfect replacement for Thierry Henry. With Henry having failed so far to reach the level of last season and now coming to the end of his career, Barça scouts have been searching the market for a suitable replacement and now having ruled-out Robinho, they feel that Silva is the ideal man. Clearly Barça have quality coming through the youth system with the latest being Pedro, but Guardiola would still like to bolster his squad with an experienced forward who can complement Ibrahimovic and Messi. Initially he was very keen on Robinho but the difficulty in signing the Brazilian from Manchester City means that he has had to look elsewhere. Henry has one year left on his contract but it is widely anticipated that he will move on in the summer to finish his career in the United States despite offers on the table from teams in the Premier League. A summer move for Silva is on the cards with the player himself keen on the move away from the Mestalla were he feels he has achieved what can be done and he could be part of an exodus from Valencia with David Villa and Juan Mata also expected to leave.

The Barcelona board have made the return of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas their main target for the New Year. Cesc left Barça as a 16-year-old after being offered a better deal with Arsenal in terms of money and chances of playing in the first team but now having established himself at the London club where he is now captain Barça believe that they can persuade him to return. As one of the most exciting midfielders in world football, Arsenal are keen to retain the services of the Catalan born player but while Cesc has not said publicly that he wants to move back to the Camp Nou it is believed that he is ready if a suitable deal could be made with Arsenal. For Barça they are working hard on arranging the signing and have made January and February key months in the operation which they hope to complete in the summer. The out-going president Laporta himself aims to have the deal all but completed by the time he has to stand down.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has always been clear that he will stay at the helm for as long as he enjoys the role and then will move away, but his failure to agree a new deal is causing concern at the club. In the summer of 2008, Guardiola signed a two-year contract to manage the first team at Barça and the success that the club has enjoyed since means that the club are eager for him to extend his stay but at the same time it has led to interest from abroad. As a player Guardiola knew when it was time for him to leave and seek new adventures at other clubs, moving to Italy, Qatar and Mexico before finally hanging up his boots. His mentor has put a time period of three years on how long he expects him to stay but it could be shorter still if no deal is reached by the end of the season. With most talk on who will replace Joan Laporta as president, there has been little discussion over the future of Guardiola but the fact is that no agreement has been made and his agent admits that he has been approached by Inter Milan in Italy as well as several Premiership clubs, over his availability. Laporta and Guardiola have arranged to discuss the subject in January after the Christmas break but it cannot be taken for granted that he will stay and this is not down to a question of money but the desire of Guardiola and his refusal to be used as a pawn in the election campaign. The fact that he has already won everything on offer and the effort that has gone into this is also an important factor. "It has been difficult to enjoy the success because there is always an important game around the corner. We have achieved something amazing but I am left with the feeling that we have not been able to really enjoy it," he said after winning the World Club Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Following the success of winning the six cups this year while playing football which has received plaudits around the glob, captain Carles Puyol feels that only looking back can it really be put into perspective.

"It has been a perfect year, personally I feel very happy to be part of this team and now that we have done what we have, out plan is continue in the same line," said Puyol, "what we've achieved though is down to hard work as these things don't just happen. We are a group who are very united, we work together on the pitch and I think you can see that."

The supply line from the youth team has had a big part to play in the fortunes of the first team with the backbone of the side made up of home grown talent.

"It is important that we continue looking after the young players. For them former-youth players like me it is something to be proud about that we are in the first team. It is important that players do come through the system although it is clear that not always will so many come through at the same time, but it is important that the coaching staff are patient with them."

Puyol said that his favourite moment of the year were the celebrations after winning the Copa del Rey against Athletic Bilbao.

"I remember the final against Athletic because the atmosphere was amazing and also because of the team we played. Of all the cup final experiences the one I enjoyed most was the game against Athletic," he said.

"Then of course the goal from Andres (Iniesta) in the semi-finals of the Champions Legue was incredible as well as it changed everything."

 

Despite the success enjoyed in the last seven years, president Joan Laporta still feels that the pain outweighs the gain. Since being elected in 2003, Laporta has constantly been in the limelight at the helm of Barcelona for good and for bad. Now as he enters his last six months in charge, he explains how difficult it has been for him and for his fellow directors. "We have had to suffer too much in order to achieve this. It is not in proportion between what we have suffered and what we have achieved," said Laporta. "To be president of Barça you have to be prepared to suffer. That is the way it is and it is a privilege to be president but you must love the club and have a great capacity for resistance against those against what the club stands for. It is necessary to isolate yourself from everything and make decisions." Already members of the board have made public their wishes to take over from Laporta, something that the actual president is not happy about. Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer have both announced their intention this week. "I will leave the new president in charge of a club in a better condition than when I arrived. This is the best model and the actual directors are in the best position to continue it. I shall be neutral in the electoral process but I ask for the candidates to present a constructive debate," said Laporta. "The aim for this season now is to repeat what we have done which has been acknowledged around the world and what is more, this has been achieved by people from here who love the club." Meanwhile the Barça players and staff will be on holiday until December 29th when training will begin again. Guardiola himself decided to spend some of his time in Qatar where he played in the twilight years of his career. .

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was reduced to tears after watching his side come from behind to beat Estudiantes and win the World Club Cup in a year which will go down in history. "We have achieved something very important but I am only a person very happy and tired," said Guardiola after the 2-1 win which was achieved during extra time in Abu Dhabi. Estudiantes went ahead in the first half and it appeared as though Barça's dream was over as chances came and went but they were unable to find the back of the net. Then with just three minutes to go Pedro, the golden boy of the moment who has scored in all six competitions, headed the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net. In the driving seat Barça seized the moment during extra time and it was Messi who scored the winning goal. "It was an epic match and we feared defeat against a noble side. It has been amazing to have done what we have done and I congratulate all the players and I thank them for the last six months. The public have enjoyed the success here as well and that is in part for what Barça represents as by having Unicef on our shirts it makes us different. Instead of earning we pay," said Guardiola. "In the future we will understand what has happened this year. I am happy that everyone - the fans and people involved - have been rewarded for their support. I want to thank also all the players that we have had: Silvio (Sylvinho, Samuel (Eto'o), Alex (Hleb) and Guddi (Gudjohnsen). I want to thank them all. "It has been the best year of all time."

Barcelona remain on course to win the World Club Championship as Leo Messi came off the bench to help them on their way to a 3-1 win over the Mexicans' Atlante. Possibly due to their tiring schedule Barça were slow to start and Atlante took full advantage with their lively winger Rojas sweeping the ball home after four minutes with Carles Puyol and Rafa Marquez only able to watch. But this Barça side under Pep Guardiola has shown many times it's resilience and come back from a goal down. They did it memorably against Chelsea last season and they did it last week against Dynamo Kiev and it is due to the great confidence in their style of football that in the end it will work. Against Atlante they began to probe the Mexicans' defence and found a way back into the match through Sergio Busquets. Messi, still recovering from injury, began the game on the bench but as Barça sought a winner, Guardiola turned to the Balon d'or winner and he answered with his first touches of the ball. He rounded the keeper and slipped it home. With Barça in the ascendency and Atlante forced to attack, the Catalans were able to quickly finish off the match with Pedro scoring the third and make history in the process by becoming the only player ever to score in six different competitions in one year. "Sometimes things don't happen as planned and that was the case at the start of the match but we kept faithful to our style and came out on top," said Puyol after the game. Barça are now in the final where they will face Estudiantes on Thursday looking for their first ever win in this competition having failed previously in 1992 and 2006. Iniesta though will be missing after picking up a hamstring strain against Atlante.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta would be happy to play the final of the Champions League against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium but accepts that there is a long way to go before that.

With this years final at the home of the arch rival it adds extra spice to the tournament but for Laporta it would be the perfect end to his time as president and he would like to bow it winning the treble like last season and the World Club championship later this month.

"I would sign now for a final against Real Madrid, it would be nice but to get there it is necessary to have luck as we did last season against Chelsea or before that against Kaiserslautern. At the moment though the most important thing is motivation and to play the right way, and if we do that then the success will come starting with the World Club championships," said Laporta, who is delighted with the progress made by Guardiola.

"Right now we are in the middle of the season and everyone is relaxed because Pep loves Barcelona as much as anyone and he is happy in what he is doing. He will stay there as long as he wants and not leave the club in a mess. Nobody would be against Pep continuing because it would be difficult to find an alternative model and so for that reason it will be interesting to see what the rivals will present before the elections.

"We work each day with the  same plan and I think this model is working as we are enjoying one of the best moments in the history of the club."

Meanwhile, Laporta continues to mix football with politics and attended a campaign by the group Osona Decideix who are calling for a referendum on Catalunya independence.

"Barça cannot be indifferent to what happens in Catalan society. There will be dignified acts that will serve so as to aim towards a separate state. Independece is possible and for that reason these discussions cause fear. I believe that Catalunya is a nation, I am convinced and it is the objective. So as to end the issue we have to have our own state."