F.C. Barcelona Thread

jose · Rookie

The Argentine admitted that the Champions League is Barça's last hope in light of the Liga troubles.

"If we are to be honest, the Liga is far away," he conceded.

"But we have a great chance to be in a final.

"We know how people feel after recent Liga matches. But this is the Champions League - it's different. We need the fans to be with us.

"I don't know how they can come to believe us us players. What we can do is to try to make things right, and people will grow to see that."

There's been a great deal of hype regarding the role of Messi, so much so that one journalist suggested that only "eleven Messis" would work.

"Who would go on goal," joked the player.

Ronaldo

Just as important, apparently, is the role of Cristiano Ronaldo, but Messi does not see this tie as a one-on-one.

"It's a game of two great teams, not two great players," he argued.

"To win the match, all of us must be great. Not just one.

"Between these two great teams there is no clear favourite."

jose · Rookie

The incident happened at 23.00 on Sunday evening as the Dutchman and his family were at home in their two-storey house in the Sarría district of Barcelona.

Without hearing a noise beforehand, Rijkaard only discovered that he had been robbed when he went to the master bedroom and discovered that it had been ransacked.

Soon after the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, arrived on the scene and although they have given no official details, it appears that the thieves scaled a six-metre wall to gain entrance to the property.

An unnamed source also said that he believed that while the robbers were probably professionals, they would probably not have known how high profile the owner of the house was.

Joan Laporta went to visit Rijkaard along with the chief of the Catalan police, Joan Unió, and the head of security for Barça, Xavier Martorell and they oversaw the forensic examination.

The thieves are believed to have only searched one room and made their escape with some luxury watches, jewellery and a lot of cash, according to unofficial sources.

jose · Rookie

The Catalan stopper admits that the clash against the English champions will be tough, but he feels that the blaugrana are capable of success.

He told skysports.com, "I do not fear playing against Manchester United in this semi-final. It is true that the English club is excellent at the moment but over 180 minutes anything can happen.

"Barcelona play better against better teams. We have demonstrated in the Champions League this season that we deserve our place in the semi-finals.

"Having the second match at Old Trafford is not ideal but this is what the draw has left us with and our objective now is not to concede at home."

Stars Versus Stars

With Cristiano Ronaldo looming, the 26-year-old countered that Barça have threats of their own.

"Nobody would to doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is a star but Barca possess the likes of (Lionel) Messi, (Samuel) Eto'o and Bojan (Krkic)," he warned.

"In this respect I do not see so much difference. Today for any player to play against United is a challenge and not a problem. We will plan carefully and go in without fear."

"The draw? I had no preference about the rival. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are the same level of difficulty.

"I am a player who loves English football because of the sprit in the teams and the atmosphere in the stadiums."