2010–11 FC Barcelona season
Encyclopedia
The 2010–11 season is Futbol Club Barcelona's
117th in existence and the club's 79th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. Barcelona will start the season with a new President after Joan Laporta
reached his term limit on 30 June, leaving behind a very successful club tenure.
Sandro Rosell
was elected President on 13 June by securing a record total of 35,021 votes (61.35%), more than the 27,138 achieved by Laporta in 2003. Rosell began his tenure on 1 July as the 39th President in Barcelona's history.
for Spanish international
David Villa
worth €40 million.
On 30 June, Xavier Sala-i-Martin
, treasurer and director in charge of the economic area, announced that Barcelona reached a record €445.5 million in revenues during the 2009-10 season. According to Xavier, "that's the highest revenues achieved by any club, in any sport including the U.S." This means FC Barcelona is the richest club in the world in terms of revenues.
On 14 July, Thierry Henry
and Barcelona agreed to rescind his contract in order for Henry to become a free agent, where he subsequently signed a new four-and-a-half year contract with Major League Soccer
's New York Red Bulls. He stated, "This is a new and exciting chapter in my career." The club also agreed with Josep Guardiola
on a one-year extension to stay as coach of the first team, along with long-time assistant Tito Vilanova.
club Liverpool
for the services of Argentine international
Javier Mascherano. The deal was worth €24 million and was reached "after considerable effort from the club (Barcelona) over the last few hours and the willingness and desire of the player to make the move." On the same day, the executive committee of the FC Barcelona board of directors publicly "denounced the conduct over the last few days of the agent of our player Zlatan Ibrahimović
, Mino Raiola
, whose declarations have put into question the honour and moral integrity of our coach Josep Guardiola." The club's legal department considered the possibility of rescinding the contract and the cessation of the annual payment Mr. Raiola's company receives from the club as part of their agreement. The next day, Barcelona and Italian
club AC Milan
agreed to a one-year loan for the Swedish international
with Milan paying all his earnings for the 2010-11 season and including in the agreement is the option for Milan to make the move permanent next summer for a fee of €24 million.
On 19 September, Lionel Messi
suffered an ankle injury due to an ill-advised tackle by Atlético Madrid defender Tomáš Ujfaluši
in the 92nd minute of their Round Three match at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
. At first sight, it was feared that Messi suffered a broken ankle that could have kept the star player away from the pitch for a minimum of six months, but MRIs performed the next day in Barcelona
showed he suffered a sprain in the internal and external ligaments of his right ankle. Teammate David Villa
stated "the tackle on Messi was brutal" after watching the video of the play and also added that he believed the Atlético defender "didn't go into the tackle to hurt." The incident caused widespread media attention because of Messi's high profile in the football world and brought up the debate of equality in protecting all players in the game. Debates whether the fact that Messi's status prompted the intensive media and fans scrutiny of Ujfaluši and subsequent two match ban by the Competition Committee
appeared all over the internet, television, and print in the days following the incident.
On 18 October, Laporta defended his presidency in front of the media by stating that, "We just want them to give us the documentation regarding the biased and demagogic statement made by the representative of KPMG." He also stated, "The board has not had the courage to explain things," and "We have nothing to hide, everything has its explanation and justification." Laporta did not hold back and branded the new President "envious, resentful and jealous" and "I have a very clear conscience and the truth on my side." He continue to berate the new board by stating, "My greatest desire after spending a few years of my life at Barça and the results we got was to become a socio, go back to my seat, go to football games with my kids and enjoy this club. They do not let me. And not only do they not let me, but I see some attempts to ridicule, dishonor the reputation we have. No way I'm left alone. After the assembly of delegates, I understand that there was an indecent maneuver with the exposure of the 'due diligence'.. It was sectarian, demagogic and an interest to scorn against me and create an alarm among the social mass."
in recent times, was scheduled on Monday due to the elections to the Parliament of Catalonia
, which was held on the day before. The match featured 13 of the 23 winning players on Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and currently the two most successful managers in Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho
. The match itself was a complete domination by Barcelona, with an emphatic 5–0 trashing of their eternal rival. The game showcased Barça's mastering of the tiki-taka in combination with the Total Football
philosophy and the superb team-work of whom many consider the top 3 players in the world, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. The international press hailed Barcelona's impressive win and their football as currently the best in the game., while some questioned whether the Real Madrid
squad was "ready" for the magnitude of this match.
Guardiola stated, "it was a spectacle" and "how we did it - that makes us proud. Now just let us sit back and enjoy that win - we’ll reflect and look at the whole game, but now it would be wrong not to revel in the win. Games like that happen very rarely indeed". In regards to Madrid, Pep stated "this match isn't representative of the difference between the two teams. They are a very good team, they came here unbeaten and as league leaders. Today all of our players played well and that was the difference."
After the victory, Barcelona took over first place in La Liga's table. Ahead of Madrid by two points with 25 rounds left to play.
were announced. Barcelona players took all three spots. Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta will discover which one of them is the world's best player on 10 January in Zurich, Switzerland. This will be a monumental moment for FC Barcelona, as the three best players in the world will not only be from the club, but all three will have come from Barcelona's youth system.
On 13 December, president Rosell made final the signing of a 5½ years, €170 million shirt sponsorship with the Qatar Foundation
thus ending Barça's tradition of not having paid sponsors on their shirt. The deal makes it the highest paid shirt sponsorship in the world, beating both Manchester United's
deal with Aon and Liverpool's
deal with Standard Chartered reached last year.
winner in Zurich
, Switzerland
. His team-mates Iniesta and Xavi finished second and third, respectively. Messi became the first player to win the new prize after the FIFA World Player of the Year
and Ballon d'Or merged to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or
. Messi became the first player since Marco van Basten to win the Ballon d'Or and Ronaldinho
the FIFA World Player of the Year in consecutive years after an impressive year where he tallied 60 goals in 64 games.
On 19 January, Barça's team record of 28 matches unbeaten streak was ended after going down 3–1 against Real Betis
of the Segunda División
in the second leg of their quarter-finals tie of the Copa del Rey
. Barcelona however advanced to the semi-finals on a 6–3 aggregate score after winning the first leg at the Camp Nou with a scoreline of 5–0.
On 29 January, Barça defeated Hércules 0–3 to match the record for most consecutive league wins in a La Liga season, at 15. The record was previously set by Real Madrid
during the 1960-61 season.
of the Copa del Rey by defeating Almería (8-0 on aggregate) and Sevilla (0-3 on aggregate), respectively. This will be the first final between the Spanish giants after 21 years in the making when the clubs last faced in 1990 with Barça winning 2–0 at the Mestalla in Valencia.
On 5 February, Barcelona broke the record for most consecutive league wins with 16 victories after they defeated Atlético Madrid 3–0 at the Camp Nou. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to ensure the victory for his side and after the match he stated, "it's an honor to be able to pass a record set by a great like Di Stéfano
" and "if the record has been around for so long is because it's very complicated to achieve and we have reached it by defeating a very difficult team who's going through a bad situation, which makes it even more difficult."
On 8 March, Barça eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League in a 3–1 win at the Camp Nou with a 4–3 aggregate score. Barcelona dominated all offensive categories and limited Arsenal to zero shots for the whole match with their lone goal coming off an own goal
by Sergio Busquets. But the match was not without controversy after Arsenal forward Robin van Persie
was sent off for a second yellow card
for what referee Massimo Busacca
interpreted as time wasting after the player kicked the ball towards goal after the referee had blown the whistle on him for being called offside by the linesman
.
On 14 March, Spanish radio station Cadena COPE
reported that Real Madrid would request for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to tighten its control on doping in the league. According to the report, Real Madrid was suspicious to why Eufemiano Fuentes
was allowed to work for Valencia when they won the league in the early 2000s and why are doctors with doubtful reputation working at Barcelona. Barcelona in defence released a statement "publicly expressing its total indignation at these unfounded references which link the club to doping practices and to condemn such attitudes, which have nothing to do with fair play and gravely affect the image of sporting competition." It also stated "its legal department is studying possible legal action to defend the club’s honour, alongside that of its coaching staff, players and medical staff and is prepared to take such action to its final consequences." COPE later on issued an apology stating "our objective is to inform. In no case, did we participate in a campaign to defame or bring doubts to Spanish clubs or athletes."
On 15 March, Barcelona's Secretary and Spokesperson Toni Freixa appeared in a press conference to make public that Barcelona will sue Cadena COPE after the reports implicating Barcelona in doping. He stated that "yesterday [14 March], FC Barcelona released a statement and, paralleled, sent a fax to Cadena COPE requesting the rectification and the origin of the grave report of defamation. The rest of the day it waited for the express and convincing rectification of the report." He also added "since this correction has not occurred satisfactorily and whether they can finally be produced, for the serious attack on the reputation and good name of FC Barcelona, for their athletes and doctors, a fact that we cannot leave unpunished, FC Barcelona announced to act with firmness and force that the gravity of the offense deserves. In the coming days it will request at first instance with the Barcelona's courts a order of protection of their right to honor claims for damages caused by those responsible for defamation."
On the same day, Barcelona announced that French international
defender
Éric Abidal
was diagnosed with a tumour on his liver which would be operated on the Friday of the same week. Citing privacy concerns as wished by the player, the club did not release additional information in regards to his condition. In response to the announcement, players and fans from all over the wold alike dedicated well wishes for the ill player on multiple social networking sites and sports websites. Before their Round of 16 match in the Champions League both Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais
players exited onto the pitch wearing Ánimo Abidal (Strength Abidal) t-shirts along with the same message on the Santiago Bernabéu's
scoreboards in show of support and solidarity.
1–0 at El Madrigal with five missing starters due to injuries and rest with a goal in the 66th minute from centre back Gerard Piqué
. With the victory, they increased their league lead to 8 points after Real Madrid's 1–0 shock loss to Sporting Gijón
at the Santiago Bernabéu.
On 12 April, Barcelona defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 0–1 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine to reach their 4th consecutive semi-finals appearance in the UEFA Champions League
with a 6–1 aggregate score. Lionel Messi assured the victory with a goal in the 43rd minute to take his season tally to 48 goals in all competitions, breaking the club's mark of 47 goals set by himself last season and Ronaldo
in the 1996-1997 season.
On 16 April, the first of four Clásicos was disputed at the Bernabéu, ending in 1–1 with penalty goals respectively by Lionel Messi (53rd minute) and Cristiano Ronaldo
(82nd minute). The draw ended Barcelona's Clásico streak at 5 wins since manager Pep Guardiola took over the side for the 2008-09 season. The match was the start of four Clásicos between the two Spanish giants, including the league, Copa del Rey Final and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
On 20 April, Barcelona lost the final of the Copa del Rey to Real Madrid 0–1 after extra time with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winning goal in the 103rd minute. The defeat was a first for Guardiola in a finals match and ended his unbeaten streak against Real Madrid since he became first team coach.
On 27 April, Barcelona and Real Madrid met at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid
for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie. Although Barcelona enjoyed most of the possession throughout the first half of the game, it wasn't until the sending off of Real Madrid's Pepe that the game swung to Barcelona's favor with Lionel Messi scoring twice in the closing minutes to give Barcelona a 2−0 first-leg victory. With these 2 goals, Lionel Messi now has 11 goals in 11 Champions League games and is threatening to set the all-time Champions League record of 14 goals.
The match was not without controversy as both teams exhibited what most consider to be the dark arts of football. Real Madrid manager José Mourinho
accused UEFA
of playing favorites to Barcelona after he was ejected for mocking the 4th official after Pepe's red card. At the press conference following the match, Mourinho stated that UEFA's referees have been assisting Barcelona for the past three years. Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto
saw a red card at half-time for a scuffle with Real Madrid's defender Álvaro Arbeloa when both teams went to the locker rooms. The match was marred by more incidents of diving, play-acting and violence in what many consider to be one of the worst Clásicos in recent times.
UEFA officials released a statement stating they have opened disciplinary cases against the clubs to be heard by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on Friday 6 May.
On 30 April, Barcelona's 32-games unbeaten run came to an end after a 2–1 loss to Real Sociedad
at Anoeta
.
for the UEFA Champions League Final
after a 1–1 draw (3–1 aggregate) with Real Madrid at Camp Nou. Barcelona's forward Pedro
sealed it with a 54th minute goal and thus insuring the progress for his club.
On 11 May, Barcelona clinched its third consecutive La Liga title with a 1–1 draw against Levante
at the Ciutat de València. The result gave Barcelona a 6 point lead with two matches remaining which, combined with their better head-to-head record with Real Madrid, ensured that they finished top of the table. Barcelona led the table since defeating Madrid 5–0 back in November and since then, they've only lost one match en route to winning the title. It was the third straight title for manager Guardiola, who became the first manager to do so in his first three seasons managing in La Liga.
On 21 May, Barcelona finish its league season with a win 1–3 over Málaga
at La Rosaleda while playing most of the back-up and cantera
no players. Goals from Bojan
, Afellay
and Bartra
assured the victory and a club record of 14 away victories.
On 28 May, Barcelona clinched its fourth Champions League trophy with a 3–1 victory over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium. The Barcelona attack, spearheaded by its three forwards of Messi, David Villa and Pedro, of whom all scored a goal, dominated United. Messi was awarded Man of the Match and with his goal he matches Ruud van Nistelrooy
as the all-time top season scorer with 12 goals in this years version.
Expenditure: €32.5 million.
|-
!
!La Liga
!Champions League
!Copa del Rey
!Total Stats
|-
|align=left| Games played || 38 || 13 || 9 || 60
|-
|align=left| Games won || 30 || 9 || 5 || 44
|-
|align=left| Games drawn || 6 || 3 || 2 || 11
|-
|align=left| Games lost || 2 || 1 || 2 || 5
|-
|align=left| Goals for || 95 || 30 || 22 || 147
|-
|align=left| Goals against || 21 || 9 || 6 || 36
|-
|align=left| Shots || 588 || 198 || 135 || 921
|-
|align=left| Corners for || 254 || 59 || 67 || 380
|-
|align=left| Corners against || 137 || 24 || 30 || 191
|-
|align=left| Players used || 28 || 26 || 25 || 79
|-
|align=left| Offsides || 148 || 46 || 30 || 224
|-
|align=left| Fouls received || 537 || 204 || 138 || 879
|-
|align=left| Fouls committed || 390 || 132 || 87 || 609
|-
|align=left| Yellow cards || 73 || 12 || 10 || 95
|-
|align=left| Red cards || 2 || 1 || 0 || 3
|-
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
!class="sortable" width="50px"|No.
!width="50px"|Pos.
!class="sortable" width="50px"|Nat.
!width="130px"|Player
!width="50px" style="background: #FFEE99"|
!width="50px" style="background: #FFEE99"|
!width="50px" style="background: #FF8888"|
|-
| 1 || GK ||
|| V. Valdés
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 13 || GK || || Pinto
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 2 || DF
||
|| Dani Alves
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 3 || DF
|| || Piqué
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 5 || DF
|| || Puyol
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 24 || DF
|| || Fontas
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 19 || DF
|| || Maxwell
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 21 || DF
|| || Adriano || 5 || 0 || 0
|-
| 22 || DF
||
|| Abidal
|| 3 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 32 || DF
|| || Bartra
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|-
| 6 || MF || || Xavi
|| 6 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 8 || MF || || A. Iniesta
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|-
| 14 || MF ||
|| Mascherano || 7 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 15 || MF ||
|| Keita
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|-
| 16 || MF || || Sergio || 9 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 20 || MF ||
|| Afellay
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|-
| 30 || MF || || Thiago
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 7 || FW || || David Villa
|| 3 || 0 || 1
|-
| 9 || FW || || Bojan
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 10 || FW || || Messi
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|-
| 11 || FW || || Jeffrén
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 17 || FW || || Pedro
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|}
Last updated on 28 May.
.
.
|-
!Key to colours in group table
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|+Group D standings
|-
!width="175"|Team
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
|- bgcolor=#ccffcc
|align=left| Barcelona
|6||4||2||0||14||3||+11||14
|- bgcolor=#ccffcc
|align=left|
Copenhagen
|6||3||1||2||7||5||+2||10
|- bgcolor=#ccccff
|align=left|
Rubin Kazan
|6||1||3||2||2||4||–2||6
|- bgcolor=#ffcccc
|align=left|
Panathinaikos
|6||0||2||4||2||13||–11||3
|-
|}
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
117th in existence and the club's 79th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. Barcelona will start the season with a new President after Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta i Estruch is a Spanish politician and former president of Futbol Club Barcelona between 2003 and 2010.Laporta is a lawyer with his own firm, Laporta & Arbós, which has important firms as clients. Laporta was married to Constanza Echevarría and has three sons, Pol, Guillem and Jan...
reached his term limit on 30 June, leaving behind a very successful club tenure.
Sandro Rosell
Sandro Rosell
Alexandre Rosell i Feliu , commonly known as Sandro Rosell, is the current president of FC Barcelona. With an MBA degree from ESADE, Rosell is known for being the running mate and senior adviser of Joan Laporta during the presidential elections at FC Barcelona in 2003...
was elected President on 13 June by securing a record total of 35,021 votes (61.35%), more than the 27,138 achieved by Laporta in 2003. Rosell began his tenure on 1 July as the 39th President in Barcelona's history.
June
Barcelona started their transfer window only three days after the end of the 2009-10 season, by reaching an agreement with ValenciaValencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
for Spanish international
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
worth €40 million.
On 30 June, Xavier Sala-i-Martin
Xavier Sala-i-Martin
Xavier Sala-i-Martin is a professor of economics at Columbia University.Sala-i-Martin earned his degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1985 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1990, both in economics...
, treasurer and director in charge of the economic area, announced that Barcelona reached a record €445.5 million in revenues during the 2009-10 season. According to Xavier, "that's the highest revenues achieved by any club, in any sport including the U.S." This means FC Barcelona is the richest club in the world in terms of revenues.
July
Coach Pep Guardiola later expressed disapproval of the transfer of Chygrynskiy indicating he was pressed to let him go. Speaking at a press-conference Guardiola said: "My opinion counts, but the needs of the club go above that and that's why he was sold, I would like to have kept him." Speaking on Touré, Guardiola said he would have preferred him to stay, but the player was set on moving.On 14 July, Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
and Barcelona agreed to rescind his contract in order for Henry to become a free agent, where he subsequently signed a new four-and-a-half year contract with Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's New York Red Bulls. He stated, "This is a new and exciting chapter in my career." The club also agreed with Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
on a one-year extension to stay as coach of the first team, along with long-time assistant Tito Vilanova.
August
On 27 August, Barcelona reached an agreement with EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for the services of Argentine international
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
Javier Mascherano. The deal was worth €24 million and was reached "after considerable effort from the club (Barcelona) over the last few hours and the willingness and desire of the player to make the move." On the same day, the executive committee of the FC Barcelona board of directors publicly "denounced the conduct over the last few days of the agent of our player Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
, Mino Raiola
Mino Raiola
Carmine "Mino" Raiola is a former former pizza restaurateur, Raiola is currently the agent of Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Italian striker Mario Balotelli, and he was for many years the agent of former Czech Republic star midfielder Pavel Nedved....
, whose declarations have put into question the honour and moral integrity of our coach Josep Guardiola." The club's legal department considered the possibility of rescinding the contract and the cessation of the annual payment Mr. Raiola's company receives from the club as part of their agreement. The next day, Barcelona and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
agreed to a one-year loan for the Swedish international
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
with Milan paying all his earnings for the 2010-11 season and including in the agreement is the option for Milan to make the move permanent next summer for a fee of €24 million.
September
Coach Guardiola stated, "It will cost us a lot. We expect a difficult year in which things have to be won by ourselves. Right now, the team is not at full strength at this point in the season."On 19 September, Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
suffered an ankle injury due to an ill-advised tackle by Atlético Madrid defender Tomáš Ujfaluši
Tomáš Ujfaluši
Tomáš Ujfaluši is a Czech footballer who plays for Galatasaray SK in Turkey.He can operate as either a central or right defender, and has played professionally in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Spain.-Early years / Hamburg / Fiorentina:...
in the 92nd minute of their Round Three match at the Vicente Calderón Stadium
Vicente Calderón Stadium
The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous...
. At first sight, it was feared that Messi suffered a broken ankle that could have kept the star player away from the pitch for a minimum of six months, but MRIs performed the next day in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
showed he suffered a sprain in the internal and external ligaments of his right ankle. Teammate David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
stated "the tackle on Messi was brutal" after watching the video of the play and also added that he believed the Atlético defender "didn't go into the tackle to hurt." The incident caused widespread media attention because of Messi's high profile in the football world and brought up the debate of equality in protecting all players in the game. Debates whether the fact that Messi's status prompted the intensive media and fans scrutiny of Ujfaluši and subsequent two match ban by the Competition Committee
appeared all over the internet, television, and print in the days following the incident.
October
Due to the findings of the audit, Barcelona compromisarios (commissioners) voted to enforce the social action of responsibility against the club’s previous board with 468 in favour, 439 against, and 113 abstaining. Ex-President Laporta’s board will be called upon to respond in court due to €48.7 million that went missing during his presidency.On 18 October, Laporta defended his presidency in front of the media by stating that, "We just want them to give us the documentation regarding the biased and demagogic statement made by the representative of KPMG." He also stated, "The board has not had the courage to explain things," and "We have nothing to hide, everything has its explanation and justification." Laporta did not hold back and branded the new President "envious, resentful and jealous" and "I have a very clear conscience and the truth on my side." He continue to berate the new board by stating, "My greatest desire after spending a few years of my life at Barça and the results we got was to become a socio, go back to my seat, go to football games with my kids and enjoy this club. They do not let me. And not only do they not let me, but I see some attempts to ridicule, dishonor the reputation we have. No way I'm left alone. After the assembly of delegates, I understand that there was an indecent maneuver with the exposure of the 'due diligence'.. It was sectarian, demagogic and an interest to scorn against me and create an alarm among the social mass."
November
On 29 November, one of the most eagerly-awaited ClásicoEl Clásico
El Clásico , also known as El derbi Español, is the name given in football to a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is contested twice a year in the Spanish La Liga competition, and more often if the clubs meet in other competitions...
in recent times, was scheduled on Monday due to the elections to the Parliament of Catalonia
Catalonian parliamentary election, 2010
Elections to fill 135 seats of the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Spain, were held on Sunday, 28 November 2010.-Electoral process:-Candidatures with current parliamentary representation:...
, which was held on the day before. The match featured 13 of the 23 winning players on Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and currently the two most successful managers in Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
. The match itself was a complete domination by Barcelona, with an emphatic 5–0 trashing of their eternal rival. The game showcased Barça's mastering of the tiki-taka in combination with the Total Football
Total Football
"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
philosophy and the superb team-work of whom many consider the top 3 players in the world, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. The international press hailed Barcelona's impressive win and their football as currently the best in the game., while some questioned whether the Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
squad was "ready" for the magnitude of this match.
Guardiola stated, "it was a spectacle" and "how we did it - that makes us proud. Now just let us sit back and enjoy that win - we’ll reflect and look at the whole game, but now it would be wrong not to revel in the win. Games like that happen very rarely indeed". In regards to Madrid, Pep stated "this match isn't representative of the difference between the two teams. They are a very good team, they came here unbeaten and as league leaders. Today all of our players played well and that was the difference."
After the victory, Barcelona took over first place in La Liga's table. Ahead of Madrid by two points with 25 rounds left to play.
December
On 6 December, the finalists for the FIFA Ballon d'Or2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
The 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or was the inaugural year for FIFA's awards for the top football players and coaches of the year. The award merged FIFA's former World Player of the Year awards with the Ballon d'Or, previously presented by the French media to the top men's player in Europe. The awards...
were announced. Barcelona players took all three spots. Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta will discover which one of them is the world's best player on 10 January in Zurich, Switzerland. This will be a monumental moment for FC Barcelona, as the three best players in the world will not only be from the club, but all three will have come from Barcelona's youth system.
On 13 December, president Rosell made final the signing of a 5½ years, €170 million shirt sponsorship with the Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a government-funded, chartered, non-profit organization in the state of Qatar, founded in 1995 by decree of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and chaired by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned...
thus ending Barça's tradition of not having paid sponsors on their shirt. The deal makes it the highest paid shirt sponsorship in the world, beating both Manchester United's
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
deal with Aon and Liverpool's
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
deal with Standard Chartered reached last year.
January
On 10 January, Lionel Messi was crowned the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
The 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or was the inaugural year for FIFA's awards for the top football players and coaches of the year. The award merged FIFA's former World Player of the Year awards with the Ballon d'Or, previously presented by the French media to the top men's player in Europe. The awards...
winner in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. His team-mates Iniesta and Xavi finished second and third, respectively. Messi became the first player to win the new prize after the FIFA World Player of the Year
FIFA World Player of the Year
The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who were thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams...
and Ballon d'Or merged to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or
FIFA Ballon d'Or
The FIFA Ballon d'Or is an association football award given annually to the player who is considered to have performed the best in the previous season...
. Messi became the first player since Marco van Basten to win the Ballon d'Or and Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
the FIFA World Player of the Year in consecutive years after an impressive year where he tallied 60 goals in 64 games.
On 19 January, Barça's team record of 28 matches unbeaten streak was ended after going down 3–1 against Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
of the Segunda División
2010–11 Segunda División
-Personnel and sponsorship:-Managerial changes:-League table:||style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=11 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-Positions by round:Source: -Results:...
in the second leg of their quarter-finals tie of the Copa del Rey
2010–11 Copa del Rey
The 2010–11 Copa del Rey was the 107th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 21, 2010 and ended on April 20, 2011 with the final, held at the Estadio Mestalla in Valencia, in which Real Madrid lifted the trophy for the eighteenth time in their history with a 1–0 victory over...
. Barcelona however advanced to the semi-finals on a 6–3 aggregate score after winning the first leg at the Camp Nou with a scoreline of 5–0.
On 29 January, Barça defeated Hércules 0–3 to match the record for most consecutive league wins in a La Liga season, at 15. The record was previously set by Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
during the 1960-61 season.
February
On 2 February, both Barcelona and Real Madrid advanced to the Final2011 Copa del Rey Final
-Aftermath:Real Madrid players celebrated their victory that evening by riding a double-decker bus through Madrid where they were greeted by cheering crowds. While holding the trophy aloft, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos dropped the cup in front of the bus, where it was crushed. Ramos later...
of the Copa del Rey by defeating Almería (8-0 on aggregate) and Sevilla (0-3 on aggregate), respectively. This will be the first final between the Spanish giants after 21 years in the making when the clubs last faced in 1990 with Barça winning 2–0 at the Mestalla in Valencia.
On 5 February, Barcelona broke the record for most consecutive league wins with 16 victories after they defeated Atlético Madrid 3–0 at the Camp Nou. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to ensure the victory for his side and after the match he stated, "it's an honor to be able to pass a record set by a great like Di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
" and "if the record has been around for so long is because it's very complicated to achieve and we have reached it by defeating a very difficult team who's going through a bad situation, which makes it even more difficult."
March
On 2 March, Adriano assisted Lionel Messi to score a late goal and give Barcelona a 0–1 away win against Valencia. Messi has now tallied 27 goals in La Liga for the season keeping him in the running for the Pichichi Trophy as top scorer.On 8 March, Barça eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League in a 3–1 win at the Camp Nou with a 4–3 aggregate score. Barcelona dominated all offensive categories and limited Arsenal to zero shots for the whole match with their lone goal coming off an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
by Sergio Busquets. But the match was not without controversy after Arsenal forward Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal and the Dutch national team. He is a youth product of Feyenoord. Having joined Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie became the club captain on 16 August 2011...
was sent off for a second yellow card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
for what referee Massimo Busacca
Massimo Busacca
Massimo Busacca is a Swiss former football referee. He lives in Monte Carasso, Ticino, near Bellinzona, and is also the proprietor of a business....
interpreted as time wasting after the player kicked the ball towards goal after the referee had blown the whistle on him for being called offside by the linesman
Assistant referee (association football)
In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...
.
On 14 March, Spanish radio station Cadena COPE
Cadena COPE
COPE, an acronym for Cadena de Ondas Populares Españolas is a private, right wing, commercial, Spanish radio network owned by a series of institutions within the Spanish Catholic Church...
reported that Real Madrid would request for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to tighten its control on doping in the league. According to the report, Real Madrid was suspicious to why Eufemiano Fuentes
Eufemiano Fuentes
Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes is a Spanish sports doctor best known for being implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case.Fuentes was once an athlete. He then became the team doctor of Team ONCE, Amaya and the Kelme. The former Kelme rider Jesús Manzano accused Fuentes of being involved with doping....
was allowed to work for Valencia when they won the league in the early 2000s and why are doctors with doubtful reputation working at Barcelona. Barcelona in defence released a statement "publicly expressing its total indignation at these unfounded references which link the club to doping practices and to condemn such attitudes, which have nothing to do with fair play and gravely affect the image of sporting competition." It also stated "its legal department is studying possible legal action to defend the club’s honour, alongside that of its coaching staff, players and medical staff and is prepared to take such action to its final consequences." COPE later on issued an apology stating "our objective is to inform. In no case, did we participate in a campaign to defame or bring doubts to Spanish clubs or athletes."
On 15 March, Barcelona's Secretary and Spokesperson Toni Freixa appeared in a press conference to make public that Barcelona will sue Cadena COPE after the reports implicating Barcelona in doping. He stated that "yesterday [14 March], FC Barcelona released a statement and, paralleled, sent a fax to Cadena COPE requesting the rectification and the origin of the grave report of defamation. The rest of the day it waited for the express and convincing rectification of the report." He also added "since this correction has not occurred satisfactorily and whether they can finally be produced, for the serious attack on the reputation and good name of FC Barcelona, for their athletes and doctors, a fact that we cannot leave unpunished, FC Barcelona announced to act with firmness and force that the gravity of the offense deserves. In the coming days it will request at first instance with the Barcelona's courts a order of protection of their right to honor claims for damages caused by those responsible for defamation."
On the same day, Barcelona announced that French international
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
Éric Abidal
Éric Abidal
Éric Sylvain Abidal is a French footballer who plays as a left or central defender for FC Barcelona and the France national team.-Club career:...
was diagnosed with a tumour on his liver which would be operated on the Friday of the same week. Citing privacy concerns as wished by the player, the club did not release additional information in regards to his condition. In response to the announcement, players and fans from all over the wold alike dedicated well wishes for the ill player on multiple social networking sites and sports websites. Before their Round of 16 match in the Champions League both Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
players exited onto the pitch wearing Ánimo Abidal (Strength Abidal) t-shirts along with the same message on the Santiago Bernabéu's
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
scoreboards in show of support and solidarity.
April
On 2 April, Barcelona defeated VillarrealVillarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
1–0 at El Madrigal with five missing starters due to injuries and rest with a goal in the 66th minute from centre back Gerard Piqué
Gerard Piqué
Gerard Piqué i Bernabeu is a Spanish footballer, currently playing as a central defender for FC Barcelona.A product of Barça's cantera, he initially left the club for Manchester United in 2004, where he remained for four years, before returning to Barça under Josep Guardiola's leadership, helping...
. With the victory, they increased their league lead to 8 points after Real Madrid's 1–0 shock loss to Sporting Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
at the Santiago Bernabéu.
On 12 April, Barcelona defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 0–1 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine to reach their 4th consecutive semi-finals appearance in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
with a 6–1 aggregate score. Lionel Messi assured the victory with a goal in the 43rd minute to take his season tally to 48 goals in all competitions, breaking the club's mark of 47 goals set by himself last season and Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
in the 1996-1997 season.
On 16 April, the first of four Clásicos was disputed at the Bernabéu, ending in 1–1 with penalty goals respectively by Lionel Messi (53rd minute) and Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
(82nd minute). The draw ended Barcelona's Clásico streak at 5 wins since manager Pep Guardiola took over the side for the 2008-09 season. The match was the start of four Clásicos between the two Spanish giants, including the league, Copa del Rey Final and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
On 20 April, Barcelona lost the final of the Copa del Rey to Real Madrid 0–1 after extra time with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winning goal in the 103rd minute. The defeat was a first for Guardiola in a finals match and ended his unbeaten streak against Real Madrid since he became first team coach.
On 27 April, Barcelona and Real Madrid met at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie. Although Barcelona enjoyed most of the possession throughout the first half of the game, it wasn't until the sending off of Real Madrid's Pepe that the game swung to Barcelona's favor with Lionel Messi scoring twice in the closing minutes to give Barcelona a 2−0 first-leg victory. With these 2 goals, Lionel Messi now has 11 goals in 11 Champions League games and is threatening to set the all-time Champions League record of 14 goals.
The match was not without controversy as both teams exhibited what most consider to be the dark arts of football. Real Madrid manager José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
accused UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
of playing favorites to Barcelona after he was ejected for mocking the 4th official after Pepe's red card. At the press conference following the match, Mourinho stated that UEFA's referees have been assisting Barcelona for the past three years. Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto
José Manuel Pinto
José Manuel Pinto Colorado is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona as a goalkeeper.-Betis / Celta:Born in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Andalusia, Pinto, a product of Real Betis' youth system, moved up to the first team and made his La Liga debut for the club during the 1997–98...
saw a red card at half-time for a scuffle with Real Madrid's defender Álvaro Arbeloa when both teams went to the locker rooms. The match was marred by more incidents of diving, play-acting and violence in what many consider to be one of the worst Clásicos in recent times.
UEFA officials released a statement stating they have opened disciplinary cases against the clubs to be heard by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on Friday 6 May.
On 30 April, Barcelona's 32-games unbeaten run came to an end after a 2–1 loss to Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
at Anoeta
Estadio Anoeta
Anoeta is a multi-purpose stadium in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Real Sociedad. In recent years, it has also been used for occasional Heineken Cup rugby union fixtures by nearby French club Biarritz Olympique...
.
May
On 3 May, Barcelona booked a trip to Wembley StadiumWembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
for the UEFA Champions League Final
2011 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2011 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played on 28 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London that decided the winner of the 2010–11 season of the UEFA Champions League. The winners received the European Champion Clubs' Cup...
after a 1–1 draw (3–1 aggregate) with Real Madrid at Camp Nou. Barcelona's forward Pedro
Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma
Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma , commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, as a forward or winger....
sealed it with a 54th minute goal and thus insuring the progress for his club.
On 11 May, Barcelona clinched its third consecutive La Liga title with a 1–1 draw against Levante
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
at the Ciutat de València. The result gave Barcelona a 6 point lead with two matches remaining which, combined with their better head-to-head record with Real Madrid, ensured that they finished top of the table. Barcelona led the table since defeating Madrid 5–0 back in November and since then, they've only lost one match en route to winning the title. It was the third straight title for manager Guardiola, who became the first manager to do so in his first three seasons managing in La Liga.
On 21 May, Barcelona finish its league season with a win 1–3 over Málaga
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
at La Rosaleda while playing most of the back-up and cantera
Cantera
Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. The term is widely used in football but is also applied to other sports...
no players. Goals from Bojan
Bojan Krkic
Bojan Krkić Pérez known as just Bojan, is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a forward or winger for Italian Serie A club Roma.- Early years :...
, Afellay
Ibrahim Afellay
Ibrahim Afellay is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for FC Barcelona as an attacking midfielder or winger.He has played for the Dutch national youth team and is now part of the senior Dutch national team, which he represented at UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the latter of...
and Bartra
Marc Bartra
Marc Bartra Aregall is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona B as a central defender.-Club career:...
assured the victory and a club record of 14 away victories.
On 28 May, Barcelona clinched its fourth Champions League trophy with a 3–1 victory over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium. The Barcelona attack, spearheaded by its three forwards of Messi, David Villa and Pedro, of whom all scored a goal, dominated United. Messi was awarded Man of the Match and with his goal he matches Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...
as the all-time top season scorer with 12 goals in this years version.
Squad information
Total squad cost: €154.5 millionFrom youth system
- As of 1 September 2010.
In
Total spending: €71.5 millionOut
Total income: €43 million.Expenditure: €32.5 million.
Team stats
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"|-
!
!La Liga
!Champions League
!Copa del Rey
!Total Stats
2011–12 FC Barcelona season
The 2011–12 season is Futbol Club Barcelona's 112th in existence and the club's 81st consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. Barcelona will be debuting their new and first paid shirt sponsor Qatar Foundation after an agreement was reached in 2010 with the non-profit organization...
|-
|align=left| Games played || 38 || 13 || 9 || 60
|-
|align=left| Games won || 30 || 9 || 5 || 44
|-
|align=left| Games drawn || 6 || 3 || 2 || 11
|-
|align=left| Games lost || 2 || 1 || 2 || 5
|-
|align=left| Goals for || 95 || 30 || 22 || 147
|-
|align=left| Goals against || 21 || 9 || 6 || 36
|-
|align=left| Shots || 588 || 198 || 135 || 921
|-
|align=left| Corners for || 254 || 59 || 67 || 380
|-
|align=left| Corners against || 137 || 24 || 30 || 191
|-
|align=left| Players used || 28 || 26 || 25 || 79
|-
|align=left| Offsides || 148 || 46 || 30 || 224
|-
|align=left| Fouls received || 537 || 204 || 138 || 879
|-
|align=left| Fouls committed || 390 || 132 || 87 || 609
|-
|align=left| Yellow cards || 73 || 12 || 10 || 95
|-
|align=left| Red cards || 2 || 1 || 0 || 3
|-
Squad stats
Disciplinary records
{| class="sortable" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:left; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
!class="sortable" width="50px"|No.
!width="50px"|Pos.
!class="sortable" width="50px"|Nat.
!width="130px"|Player
!width="50px" style="background: #FFEE99"|
!width="50px" style="background: #FFEE99"|
!width="50px" style="background: #FF8888"|
|-
| 1 || GK ||
|| V. ValdésVíctor Valdés
Víctor Valdés i Arribas is a Spanish football goalkeeper who currently plays for FC Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga.He is the most successful goalkeeper in Barcelona's history and is widely considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world, having won a total of 17 titles including five...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 13 || GK ||
|| PintoJosé Manuel Pinto
José Manuel Pinto Colorado is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona as a goalkeeper.-Betis / Celta:Born in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Andalusia, Pinto, a product of Real Betis' youth system, moved up to the first team and made his La Liga debut for the club during the 1997–98...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 2 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| Dani AlvesDaniel Alves
Daniel Alves da Silva , commonly known as Dani Alves, is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as an attacking right defender for FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team. Before joining Barcelona, Alves spent a successful six year spell with Sevilla FC, winning two UEFA Cups and the Copa del Rey...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 3 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| PiquéGerard Piqué
Gerard Piqué i Bernabeu is a Spanish footballer, currently playing as a central defender for FC Barcelona.A product of Barça's cantera, he initially left the club for Manchester United in 2004, where he remained for four years, before returning to Barça under Josep Guardiola's leadership, helping...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 5 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| PuyolCarles Puyol
Carles Puyol i Saforcada is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender, he can also play on either flank, especially as a right back...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 24 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| FontasAndreu Fontàs
Andreu Fontàs i Prat is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona, mainly as a central defender.-Early career:Born in Banyoles, Girona, Catalonia, Fontàs is a product of FC Barcelona's youth system - he did play for two other teams, including hometown's CD Banyoles...
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| 19 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| MaxwellMaxwell Cabelino Andrade
Maxwell Scherrer Cabelino Andrade , commonly known as Maxwell, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club FC Barcelona...
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 21 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| Adriano || 5 || 0 || 0|-
| 22 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| AbidalÉric Abidal
Éric Sylvain Abidal is a French footballer who plays as a left or central defender for FC Barcelona and the France national team.-Club career:...
|| 3 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 32 || DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
||
|| BartraMarc Bartra
Marc Bartra Aregall is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona B as a central defender.-Club career:...
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|-
| 6 || MF ||
|| XaviXavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
|| 6 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 8 || MF ||
|| A. IniestaAndrés Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta Luján is a Spanish football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, and the Spanish national team....
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|-
| 14 || MF ||
|| Mascherano || 7 || 0 || 0|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 15 || MF ||
|| KeitaSeydou Keita (footballer)
Seydou Keita is a Malian footballer who plays for FC Barcelona in Spain and the Malian national team. He also holds a French passport.A versatile midfielder, he can operate as both a central or defensive midfielder.-Marseille:...
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|-
| 16 || MF ||
|| Sergio || 9 || 0 || 0|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 20 || MF ||
|| AfellayIbrahim Afellay
Ibrahim Afellay is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for FC Barcelona as an attacking midfielder or winger.He has played for the Dutch national youth team and is now part of the senior Dutch national team, which he represented at UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the latter of...
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|-
| 30 || MF ||
|| ThiagoThiago Alcántara
Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento is a Spanish football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.-Early years:...
|| 1 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 7 || FW ||
|| David VillaDavid Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
|| 3 || 0 || 1
|-
| 9 || FW ||
|| BojanBojan Krkic
Bojan Krkić Pérez known as just Bojan, is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a forward or winger for Italian Serie A club Roma.- Early years :...
|| 2 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 10 || FW ||
|| MessiLionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|-
| 11 || FW ||
|| JeffrénJeffrén Suárez
Jeffrén Isaac Suárez Bermúdez , simply Jeffrén, is a Spanish footballer who plays Sporting Clube de Portugal as a forward or winger....
|| 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor=#D3D3D3
| 17 || FW ||
|| PedroPedro Rodríguez Ledesma
Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma , commonly known as Pedro or Pedrito, is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, as a forward or winger....
|| 4 || 0 || 0
|}
Last updated on 28 May.
Current technical staff
Overall
Barcelona is going to be present in all major competitions: La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey2010–11 Copa del Rey
The 2010–11 Copa del Rey was the 107th staging of the Copa del Rey. The competition began on August 21, 2010 and ended on April 20, 2011 with the final, held at the Estadio Mestalla in Valencia, in which Real Madrid lifted the trophy for the eighteenth time in their history with a 1–0 victory over...
.
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
Kickoff times are in CETCentral European Time
Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
.
Group stage
{| class="wikitable"|-
!Key to colours in group table
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|+Group D standings
|-
!width="175"|Team
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
!width="20"|
|- bgcolor=#ccffcc
|align=left|
BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
|6||4||2||0||14||3||+11||14
|- bgcolor=#ccffcc
|align=left|
CopenhagenF.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
|6||3||1||2||7||5||+2||10
|- bgcolor=#ccccff
|align=left|
Rubin KazanFC Rubin Kazan
FC Rubin Kazan is a Russian association football club based in the city of Kazan . Rubin won the Russian Premier League championship in 2008 and 2009.-History:...
|6||1||3||2||2||4||–2||6
|- bgcolor=#ffcccc
|align=left|
PanathinaikosPanathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
|6||0||2||4||2||13||–11||3
|-
|}