FC Barcelona News

Barça’s most recent star signing, Neymar, has the chance to debut in front of the home fans in the Club’s traditional summer tournament

Other big names,like Romário, Stoitxkov or Rivaldo have enjoyed great debuts in Gamper Trophies

Neymar da Silva will step out onto the Camp Nou pitch for the second time on Friday night, after first doing so in his presentation following his signing in June. This time, he’ll have the chance to show the home fans what he can do when he appears in the Joan Gamper Trophy against his old club Santos.

Dream debuts

The Gamper Trophy is once again being played as the home opener for the team and will give the fans a chance to see the 2013/14 squad for the first time –a tradition that has proved highly successful for a series of big name signings down the years.

One of the most impressive Gamper debuts was made by Romário da Souza in 1993 when he scored four goals in two games (the Trophy at that time featured four teams and had a semi final and final). Eleven years earlier Diego Armando Maradona made his home debut against Inter de Porto Alegre in front of 110,000 fans, whilst Ronald Koeman made his debut against Sochaux in 1989.

Ten years ago, Ronaldinho first showed his skills at the Camp Nou, when Boca Juniors played in the Trophy. Rijkaard’s team had already played six pre-season friendlies, but the Gamper was Ronnie’s first appearance in front of the home fans..

Montjuic hosts Trophy

The Gamper has occasionally been played up at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic, whilst the Camp Nou pitch was being re-laid and Hristo Stoitxkov made his debut there in 1990 with a brilliant goal in the final against Anderlecht, as did Ronaldo Názario in 1996, when the Brazilian came on for 24 minutes against San Lorenzo de Almagro.

Rivaldo  -two summer presentations in 4 days

Rivaldo also figured in an unusual Gamper debut , having played in Deportivo’s Teresa Herrera competition on August 14, before then signing for Barça and appearing in the Gamper on 18 against Sampdoria.

21.30 vs Santos: home fans first chance to see the team this season

Neymar, one of the big draws for the game, set to face ex-club.

Legendary keeper Antoni Ramallets, who passed away earlier this week, will also be honoured before the game.

The Joan Gamper Trophy reclaims its place as the season opener at the Camp Nou on Friday night – something which the busy summer schedules of the first team have made impossible in recent seasons.  This year, after friendlies in Munich, Oslo and Gdansk, the Camp Nou faithful will have the chance to welcome the 2013/14 team when they take on the Brazilian team Santos.

 Neymar and Tata’s debuts

For Barça’s only summer signing Neymar it promises to be a special presentation in front of his new Club’s fans, as he faces his ex-team Santos, whilst new coach Tata Martin will speak to the crowd before the game along with captain Carles Puyol. Puyol will be one of the four squad players who will miss the game through injury, alongside Afellay, Cuenca and Tello.

However, the Club’s internationals who were involved in the Confederatons Cup and only returned to training on Monday, will be available to make their pre-season debuts, with only Neymar having figured in the midweek game in Poland..

Activities all evening

The game kicks off at 21.30, with the team presentation taking place an hour earlier, but from 17.00 the Camp Nou will be hosting a series of activities for the fans, as the Gamper once again takes its place as the fans’ summer festival!

 

Buyout clause set at 25 million Euros

After signing a new contract last December, the La Masia graduate will begin his second season with the first team

Cristian Tello has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Club until June 30 2018 and contains a buyout clause of 25 million Euros . The Catalan winger played 34 games last season, scoring 8 goals after signing his first contract as a first team players last December.

Home grown talent

Tello joined Barça as an 11-year-old and then played for  Damm and Espanyol before returning to the Club in 2010 to play with the B team. The following season – 2011/12 –he broke into the first team and under Tito Vilanova he became a full member of the first team squad.

The speedy winger made his debut with the first team on November 8 2011, when he was 21, playing in the Spanish Cup game against Hospitalet and scoring twice.. He then made his league debut on January 28 2012 against Villarreal at the Madrigal. Under Pep Guardiola he scored his first league goal against Real Sociedad on February 4 2012. Last season, as a fully fledged member of the squad, he proved himself a vital alternative in the Barça attack. His speed and strength promise to supply Tata Martino with another option up front.

Reigning league champions start the season on Sunday August 18th at 19.00 at the Camp Nou against Levante

The second game of the season sees Tata Martino’s side visit Malaga on Sunday 25th at 21.00

The kick off times for the first two weeks of the Spanish League have been announced and Tata Martino’s team will open thier campaign at the Camp Nou on Sunday August 18th, when they play Levante at 19.00. Seven days later they will be in Malaga where they face Bernd Schuster’s team at 21.00.

Between the two first league games, Barça will travel to Madrid, where they play Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday August 21st at 23.00, with the return game a week later on 28th August, also at eleven o’clock at night.

Barça’s new signing is hungry for success and is also keen to make his possible debut at the Camp Nou on Friday.

“Barcelona is a marvellous city, but what has most impressed me is the group of players here”

Neymar may well make his Camp Nou debut this Friday in the Joan Gamper Trophy and he’s as determined to win that as he is the other titles the team will be competing for this season. When he was asked in his press conference this morning which titles he’d most like to win in his opening season, the Brazilian was quick to respond: “all of them!”

The Club’s big summer signing told the media he’d been “more than happy” in his first few days in Barcelona: “it’s a marvellous city, though what has most impressed me has been the group of players here”. Neymar also expressed his excitement about playing at the Camp on Friday: “I’ll defend Barça with all my pride”.

 

Neymar  is also convinced that  “there will be no problem” in his relationship with Messi: “he’s a leader and I have a lot of respect for him”.

More information to follow.