Pedro satisfied with new contract

Pedro Rodríguez signed a new contract on Thursday that keep him at the club until June 30, 2016, with a buy-out clause of 150 million. “This is great news. I am very happy to have renewed again” he told Barça TV

The Canary Islander did the duties in the club offices in the company of president Sandro Rosell, vice president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sports Director for Professional Sport Andoni Zubizarreta. “The club still has its faith in me and that’s very important.” He said. “I am very satisfied with the way things are going. Since the very start, the directors, my team-mates and the coach have trusted in me”.

Work and sacrifice The striker, whose buy-out clause has been increased from 90 to 150 million euros, explained what the challenge ahead is. “I try to work hard all season to improve and keep helping the team. I think things are going well. I hope to continue working like this and to carry on doing good things here”.
Room for improvement Pedro has scored 45 goals in the last two seasons, including one in the Wembley final, but his desire to win has not floundered. “One can always get better. And I think the team is getting more united with each season. We have a better relationship with each other and that shows on the field” he said.

Harder each year

As for the forthcoming campaign, he said “we know it’s getting harder each year because teams have a greater desire to beat you and so they sign reinforcements. It’s hard, but we’ll take things a game at a time and try to win more success this season”.

Lionel Messi's first goal for Barcelona in La Liga May 1st, 2005 at 17 y...

Barcelona receive Fair Play award

On Wednesday, both the FC Barcelona first and B teams received awards for fair play. Both teams were top of the table in their respective leagues.

At the General Assembly of Spanish Football on Wednesday in Las Rozas (Madrid), FC Barcelona has been presented with awards for topping the fair play tables in both Division One and Two. This is the third time the Barça first team has received the accolade after also getting it in 2006 and 2009.


Barça was represented by Javier Bordas, the director who represents the team in relations with the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) and the Real Federación Española de Futbol (RFEF).

100 points for Barça

Josep Guardiola’s team got 100 points, the lowest total in the First Division, just one less than Mallorca (101), and three less than Racing Santander (103). This was calculated on the basis of the 95 yellow cards and two red cards shown to players over the season. A yellow is worth one point and a red three.

Barça B top in second division

The B team was also the fairest in its league, with 107 points. This was the result of 97 yellow cards and 5 reds, but all of the latter were for two bookable offences, which count for two points.

Malaga v Barça opens league season

Barcelona will start the 2011/12 league season away to Malaga, the same place last season ended. The first clásico is at the Bernabéu on December 10/11, while the return at the Camp Nou will be on April 21/22.

Opening day

Osasuna v Valencia

R.Sociedad v Atlético Madrid

Espanyol v Granada

R.Madrid v Bilbao

Betis v Sevilla

Vila-real v Sporting

Malaga v FC Barcelona

Racing v Getafe

Levante v Zaragoza

Rayo v Mallorca

The league kicks off on August 21 with the trip to La Rosaleda. The game that ended last season was inconsequential, but the league opener promises to be a cracking encounter between a team that has just spent big money on new signings like Van Nistelrooy, Toulalan, Joaquín and Mathijsen and the defending champion.


First clásico before Clubs World Cup

For the first time in five years, the first clásico of the season is at the Bernabéu, on December 10 or 11. That will be just before the European champions fly off to Japan to take part in the Clubs World Cup on December 14 or 15. Barça will be at home to Madrid on April 21 or 22.

Late derby
There will be a longer wait for the local derbies with Espanyol. The first, in Cornellà, will not be until January 8, 2012. Barça will be at home to their city rivals in the second to last game of the season, on May 5 or 6.

Fontàs to get first team place

FC Barcelona has informed Andreu Fontàs that he will be playing with the first team in the 2011/12 season. His buy-out clause will be automatically raised to 30 million euros.

D’aquesta maneraAs well as this raise, Andreu Fontàs, who has a contract until 2012, renova automàticamentwill also automatically extend said contract with FC Barcelona to June 30, 2013.

Andreu Fontàs, a regular in Luis Enrique’s Barça B, was temporarily promoted to the first team on March 16, 2011 to provide cover for Éric Abidal, who had been diagnosed with a liver tumour. Fontàs continued working with Josep Guardiola until the end of the season and appeared in eight games. But he had already made his first team debut in the 2009/10 league campaign against Sporting Gijón at the Camp Nou (3-0).

Pedro to stay at Barça until 2016

FC Barcelona has announced an agreement with Pedro Rodríguez for him to stay at the Club for one more season, until June 30, 2016. His buy-out clause has been increased from 90 to 150 million euros.

He will sign on Thursday at around 11.30. After that, he will be appearing for photographs outside the FC Barcelona offices.

Frank Rijkaard appointed as the new manager of saudi arabia

Former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard has been appointed as the new manager of Saudi Arabia.
Rijkaard, 48, has signed a three-year deal to manage the AFC nation and will immediately turn his attention to Saudi Arabia’s hopes of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.“We have our goals,” Rijkaard said.
“We hope this will be the kick-off of a very successful period. As every journey, you start with the first step.”
“That’s what we made today. From now on, we will be planning.”

Former Netherlands, Ajax and AC Milan midfielder Rijkaard has not been involved in football since his contract at Turkish Super Lig outfit Galatasaray was mutually terminated in October.

He has previous experience at managing international football after a two-year stint with the Netherlands, guiding his country to the semi-finals of the 2000 European Championships.