Futbol Club Barcelona

Thiago and Rafinha Alcántara: from Barra da Tijuca to Camp Nou



SPORT.ES ARTICLE + ESPN BRAZIL VIDEO!!!

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Barça TV just posted an extremly adorable (seriously, I don't think he could be any cuter) Martí Riverola interview and it was too good to not to post, so here you go, Enjoy!

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LJ doesn't let me embed the video, so here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TubzxB9G-EQ&feature=g-u 


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EXCLUSIVE: DAVID VILLA AND LEO MESSI HATE EACH OTHER

FC Barcelona just released a statement that they're going to sell these two players, as their animosity towards each other is disrupting the feeling of camaraderie in the changing room. On the list of footballers who might replace the two rogues there are names that will make us forget Messi and Villa very soon, some informers say: the names will not be disclosed until the next press conference, but our anonymous sources say players of the caliber of Alexander Hleb might be brought back. Culés will surely rejoice at this wonderful piece of news! After all, who will mourn the loss of such a pigheaded, selfish player such as Leo Messi?
Don't believe us? Watch the last interview Messi has given to Barça TV, and see for yourselves.



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FC Barcelona funds new early infant diagnosis laboratory in Swaziland

By Sibongiseni Mamba



MBABANE, Swaziland, 27 July 2011

The opening of a modern new  laboratory to test blood samples from infants exposed to HIV infection in Swaziland has been hailed as a major milestone in the treatment of children affected by the virus.

The laboratory, which meets all international quality standards, has the capacity to test nearly 100 per cent of blood samples collected from infants across the country. Situated at the Mbabane Government Hospital, Swaziland’s main referral hospital, it is equipped with high-tech polymerase chain reaction’ machines, which allow the Ministry of Health to test blood samples of infants locally.

Previously, these samples were sent to South African laboratories. Not only this was costly for the government, but it also prolonged the waiting period for patients. The new early infant diagnosis equipment reduces the wait for results from 18 to 3 days. It also eliminates the high cost of sending samples to South Africa.

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“I haven’t watched the game [CL Final] back. But on the night we felt we were a million miles away from them. The only thing we did differently [from 2-0 defeat in the 2009 final] was score. Some players might forget about it the day after, but I didn’t. When you’re taught a lesson like that it stays with you. It’s a big task but I’m sure the manager has plans about how to bridge that gap. It’s going to take something special to get anywhere near Barcelona… I think it’s the manager’s biggest challenge now, definitely. He’ll set his sights on Barcelona and trying to get to that level. But I think it’s the biggest challenge for all of us – not just the manager but the players and coaching staff as well. There’s no doubt – that’s where you want to be. Barcelona are the benchmark for everybody to reach. You have to hold your hands up and say they were better, but you don’t like doing it. You don’t like admitting it, but this time they were, as they were two years ago. But you have to work to try to get to that level. All over Europe, people are trying to do what the best team in the world does – which is Barcelona. I think the biggest thing for Barcelona’s players is their unselfishness. I know [Lionel] Messi is the one who scores 50 goals a season, but among the team he’s not the big star. As a group, they’re all stars among the team but there’s not one who stands out who wants to take the credit. They’re just an unselfish team in which not one of them is out for glory.”

— Paul Scholes, Manchester United








ETA: Originally from a Daily Mirror interview, but here's the totalbarca.com page.