Barcelona line up Gregory Van der Wiel as possible replacement for Dani Alves

According to the Spanish Sport newspaper, Barcelona would be the player's preferred option.

Van der Wiel is an excellent, tough young full-back, who has a very good timing and technique, and decent dribbling skills for a defender.

He has won 20 caps for Holland, including five at the World Cup in South Africa.

Van der Wiel's contract with Ajax expires in 2013, and he is valued at €15M-20M.

Manchester City prepare €70m bid for Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta

Manchester city are preparing a €70 million bid for Barcelona midfield maestro Andres Iniesta, according to sources cited by German 4-4-2 website. 

Barcelona would be desperate to hold onto the player who has just made the three-man shortlist for the 2010 FIFA World Player of the Year award.

But Manchester City presumably believe that with Barcelona's financial situation far from being healthy, they can persuade the Nou Camp club to part ways with the 26-year-old with a massive bid.

Iniesta is contracted to Barcelona until 2015. 

Barcelona eyes Radu

Latest rumours are suggesting that Barcelona are tracking Lazio's Romanian defender Stefan Radu. The 24-year-old would be a reliable backup for Barca's starters in defence since he is quite versatile (he can play at left-back and in the middle).

Javier Mascherano: I'm proud to be a part of Barcelona

Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has declared that he is delighted to be a member of the team, even though his opportunities have been limited since his summer move from Liverpool.

The Argentine enforcer has been consigned to the bench more often than not this season due to the form of first-choice trio Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xavi, with his appearances being mainly consigned to the Champions League.

However, the 26-year-old insists that he is more than happy to be a squad player at the club, and the philosophy implemented by the club is what makes it so unique.

Marca reports that Mascherano remarked: “Being a player, and being part of this club makes me proud, because I know I am in a place where it is difficult to succeed.

“We have the perfect players here for the system. This is the model that has given the club so much satisfaction.”

Mascherano made the move to Catalunya from Anfield in August for a fee of €19 million.

Rivaldo - Master Of Magic Football

Manchester United behind Real Madrid and Barcelona - says Valencia boss

Valencia coach Unai Emery does not believe Manchester United are quite at the same level as Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Emery takes his side to Old Trafford tonight looking for a win that would not only mean the United defence had been breached for the first time in this season's Champions League but would allow Valencia to leapfrog their opponents to claim top spot in Group C

Yet, even if they fail in that quest, Emery does not feel Valencia will be meeting the side who should be regarded as favourites to conquer Europe at Wembley next May.

"Real and Barcelona are the best two club sides in the world," he said.

"Manchester United are almost level with them but I think they are just behind."

As Valencia cannot be paired with Real, who defeated them at the weekend, or Barca in the first knockout round, it could be argued United have the greater incentive to achieve a positive result.

Emery is not so sure.

With David Silva sent to attend the game and cheer on the club he joined as a 14-year-old and spent a decade with before joining Manchester City for £24million last summer, Emery feels Valencia have a wider motive.

"At the start of the Champions League we had two aims," he revealed.

"First, we wanted to qualify, which we have achieved. Secondly, we wanted to win the group.

"There are many reasons for doing that. For us it is not about wanting to avoid certain opponents.

"We want to show to the rest of Europe that we can produce a top performance at a big club.

"There are so many good teams in this competition. We want to get a result that will make other teams take notice of us and stand us in good stead for the remainder of the tournament."

Goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez had been a doubt with a calf injury.

However, Sanchez has travelled, which Emery views as a major positive and the former Tottenham man should start.

Fontas and Vazquez were on target for the hosts.

Distinct lack of urgency to attack and endeavour to win saw Rubin Kazan crash out of the Champions League as they lost 2-0 to Barcelona at Camp Nou on Tuesday evening.

Second-half goals from Andreu Fontas and Victor Vazquez condemned the former Russian champions to third place in Group D and also led the Blaugrana to their first victory over Rubin in four attempts.

Barcelona commenced the match with eight home-grown players in their line-up but with Xavi, David Villa, Daniel Alves and Pedro rested and Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta on the bench, the team was mostly comprised of young players.

However, it was the Spanish champions who created the game's early chances, with first Thiago trying his luck with a right-footed shot from outside the Rubin box and then Maxwell failing to keep his attempt on target after being played on the left by Adriano.

Then on 13 minutes the hosts received an injury blow when Jeffren Suarez was forced off the pitch and was substituted by Víctor Vazquez. Moments later Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto was forced into making a good save when Cristian Ansaldi's left-wing cross came dangerously close to being squeezed in at the near post.

A couple of minutes later Karadeniz Gökdeniz took an attempt on the Blaugrana goal for the Tatars from the edge of the box but failed to keep it on target.

The Russian visitors were exhibiting a distinct lack of urgency and on 26 minutes Pep Guardiola's side tested Sergei Ryzhikov when played through by Adriano, Thiago took a shot from outside the 18-yard box. However, he failed to get it past the Rubin custodian.

Seconds later Vitaliy Kaleshin squeezed a brilliant through ball past a host of Barcelona defenders down the left for Gökdeniz but the 30-year-old went for a shot himself in vain rather than cross it for Obafemi Martins in the middle.

There was precious little to entertain the Camp Nou faithful for the rest of the half as both sides went into the interval without looking impressive. with Barca having been forced to replace Bojan Krkic with Marc Bartra.

Barcelona had appeared the likelier of the two sides to break the deadlock and they did so just six minutes into the second-half. Thiago weaved his way into the Rubin box from the right and played a shot pass to Fontas, whose shot from just outside the six-yard area took a wicked deflection of Vitaliy Kaleshin and went past a helpless Ryzhikov into the net.

Minutes later the 21-year-old almost scored his second of the evening when he went for a long-distance shot but failed to keep it on target.

Four minutes after the hour mark, though, Kurban Berdyev's side should have equalised when Martins played Jerzy Rafal Murawski through on goal with a well-measured pass but the 29-year-old's attempt was easily saved by Pinto.

Messi had come on by then and started crafting his sorcery, his first shot going narrowly wide and he then left the entire Rubin defence in his wake only to have the final shot blocked.

Barcelona eventually bagged the second goal on 82 minutes when Adriano released Vazquez, who made no mistake in finding the target from 20 yards.

This is the first time in four attempts that Barcelona have registered a victory over Rubin Kazan, who now drop to the Europa League just as they did last season.

Confirmed line ups

BARCELONA: Pinto - Adriano, Pique, Fontas, Maxwell - Busquets, Mascherano, Jonathan - Thiago - Jeffren - Bojan

RUBIN KAZAN: Ryzhikov - Kuzmin, Cesar Navas, Bocchetti, Ansaldi - Ryazantsev, Kaleshin, Noboa, Murawski - Obafemi Martin, Karadeniz


Good to see the young players get the chance. Fontas, JDS, Thiago and jeffren in the starting line-up.


http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/matches/season=2011/live/index.html?matchday=6&day=1&match=2002911

Eric Abidal Unsure If He Will Extend Barcelona Contract

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has admitted that he is unsure as to whether he will extend his contract with the club when his current deal expires in the summer of 2012.

The former French international stressed to journalists yesterday that he wants to be able to assess whether he has the capability of playing for the Blaugrana, at such a stage in his career.

He told journalists: “I would like to follow with Barcelona, but only as long as I am ok to continue performing at the highest level. By the time my deal runs out, I will be 33.”

The left-back also looked forward to facing Rubin Kazan in the Champions League, in the Camp Nou side’s final group match, and warned of the dangers of the Russians.

He added: “They are a very difficult team, because they sit deep and play very well on the counter-attack. We are in a very good dynamic at the moment, and it is important that we keep this up.”

Abidal also declined to offer his support to any colleague in particular for the Ballon d’Or, with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta the finalists for the prize.

Pre Match- Fc Barcelona- Rubin Kazan

It’s fair to say that Barcelona endured a stressful weekend, and Pep Guardiola’s men will be looking forward to a pressure-free encounter against Rubin Kazan, which will see the Catalans seek revenge for a shock defeat at Camp Nou incurred last season.

Saturday night’s fixture against Osasuna became something of a farcical affair. Barca thought the encounter had been postponed to the Sunday when they left for Pamplona by train and bus due to a walkout by airport staff all around Spain. It soon became clear that this was not the case and the Blaugrana faced a mad rush to get to the Reyno de Navarra in time to play.

Having just reached the stadium in time, Barca pulled out a performance that belied the travel chaos that had gone before it, picking up a 3-0 victory, which was inspired, of course, by Lionel Messi.

Messi has since been placed in the final three for the Ballon d’Or award along with team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi, highlighting the talent in Barcelona’s ranks, as if that was required after the recent Clasico smashing of Real Madrid, which produced a performance from la Blaugrana of the highest quality.

There was talk earlier this season that Barcelona had lost some of their magic, but that has now firmly been pushed to one side as their top players find their very best form and the goals start to flow in all kinds of difficult circumstances.

With the race for the Spanish crown currently top of their priority list, it would be a surprise to see Barca, who have already won top spot in Group D, turn out with a full strength side on Tuesday, given that they face a busy festive period.

A Time For Action

Rubin Kazan return to the scene of arguably their greatest ever success on Tuesday evening when they travel to Barcelona. On October 20, 2009, they made a similar journey and returned victorious, having picked up a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Gokdeniz Karadeniz. Ultimately their efforts were futile as they crashed out of the Champions League in third place, and a similar fate could befall them in midweek, even if they earn a victory.

Coach Kurban Berdyev, who has been stripped of the attacking talents of Alejandro Dominguez and Aleksandr Bukharov, is a typically defensively minded tactician, and this has shone through in Rubin’s entire campaign to date. Their five games have produced only four goals, with their 1-0 victory over Copenhagen in Russia last time out a particularly stale affair.

Domestically the 2010 campaign has already ended for the Ruby, who will be involved in the Champions League again next season, albeit in the third qualifying round, after finishing behind Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow in the Russian Premier League. Again their negative attitude was apparent as they were held to 13 costly draws, which left them 10 points off the title-winning pace.

There will come a time for action on Tuesday evening as this is a match that they quite simply have to win. Rubin will certainly be taken out of their comfort zone, but Barcelona will not be tempted to sit back and so the visitors’ counterattacking instincts could be allowed to flourish. A repeat of last season’s triumph should not be expected, but it shouldn’t be written off either.

Match perdiction: Barca 3-0 Rubin Kazan