Author: Crazy

The FC Barcelona keeper reached his 500th official match in the Blaugrana strip, a feat only Xavi, Puyol and Migueli have achieved

The Catalan has won 20 titles and 5 Zamora trophies during his 11 seasons with FC Barcelona

Víctor Valdés took his place among a select group of FC Barcelona players this Sunday as he completed his 500th match in the Blaugrana strip. Up until today, only Xavi, Puyol and Migueli had accomplished this feat. The current Barça keeper has featured in 359 La Liga games, 104 Champions League matches, 12 Copa del Rey games, 5 UEFA Cup matches, 10 Spanish Super Cup finals, 3 European Super Cup games and 6 Club World Cup matches. The keeper has won a total of 20 titles in his 500-match odyssey with Barça, among them 6 Liga titles and 3 Champions Leagues.

Since his first team debut, in September of 2002, Valdés has surpassed the most emblematic keepers in FC Barcelona history, like Zubizarreta – who played a total of 410 matches – and Ramallets, who featured in 384 matches in the Blaugrana strip.

Eleven record-setting seasons

FC Barcelona’s current goalkeeper has made it his business to break records throughout his eleven seasons defending Barça’s goal. Valdés holds Barça’s unbeaten record, which stands at 896 minutes without conceding a goal, and he’s won five Zamora trophies (2004/05, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12).

Valdés has conceded 415 goals in his 500 matches for Barça (average of 0.83 goals per match). His best season was two years ago, in 2010/11, when he only allowed 0.57 goals per match.

Goals from Míriam and Olga, in the first half of overtime, clinched a spot in the semi-finals of the Copa de la Reina for FC Barcelona

The President of the RFEF, Ángel Maria Villar, awarded the team with the Liga trophy just before kick off. President Sandro Rosell and the director Jordi Mestre were also in attendance

Today’s match against Rayo Vallecano – the return leg of the Copa de la Reina quarter-finals – was very similar to the one played last week, but today’s match had a happy ending. The 90 minutes of regulation time came to an end with 0-0 on the scoreboard, but the Blaugrana managed to fire for two goals – Miriam and Olga netted for Barça – in overtime to clinch a semi-final berth.

Before the match, the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Ángel María Villar, awarded the league trophy to the Women’s team. Villar congratulated the Barça players as did President Sandro Rosell, who was also in attendance. The Blaugrana Carol, who sustained a serious injury this season, was selected to lift the title.

The three defenders are still recovering from their respective injuries

Tito Vilanova won’t be able to call on Abidal, Adriano and Alves for this evening’s match against Valladolid.Abidal, who is nearly recovered from injury, wasn’t named to the team, while Adriano and Alves are still recovering from injury. The left back is still dealing with hamstring issues and the right back hasn’t recovered from his back injury.

Therefore, Barça will be without five first team players as Puyol and Messi will also miss the match through injury.

Session with 18 players

A total of 18 players featured in this afternoon’s training session at the Camp Nou. Vilanova used the session to finalise preparations for this evening’s match against Valladolid. It’s worth noting that after the match, the team and the fans will celebrate the Club’s 22nd league title. The festivities will be streamed live on fcbarcelona.com.

Tito Vilanova’s team will celebrate with the fans at the end of the match against Valladolid

Valdés and Mascherano have been declared fit and could make their comebacks this Sunday

On Monday there was an open top bus tour of Barcelona.  And tonight there’ll be a party in the Camp Nou. FC Barcelona will be celebrating the Club’s 22nd league title, which was mathematically guaranteed eight days ago when Real Madrid could only draw away to Espanyol.  The party will begin at about 11 pm after the final whistle of the game against Valladolid (9 pm, Canal +).

Mascherano and Valdés ready for action
 
Manager Tito Vilanova welcomes back Javier Mascherano and Víctor Valdés after their injury layoffs.  Both players were declared fit to play by Club doctors on Saturday and will be available for selection.  However, Puyol and Messi will definitely miss the match through injury while Adriano, Abidal and Alves – who have been racing against the clock to get fit over the last few days – are all doubtful.  Barça will be looking to take the three points and take a step closer to equalling Real Madrid’s record total of 100 points set last season.

Rukavina and Ebert unavailable
 
Valladolid can be relied on to put up stiff resistance.  The team managed by Miroslav Djukic, with first division survival already guaranteed, is coming to the Camp Nou with the aim of being only the second club capable of taking points on the home ground of the newly crowned league champions.  They’ll have to try it without two of their first team regulars: Serbian right back Rukavina (suspended) and German winger Ebert (flu).

The Pucela, with Primera survival already guaranteed, visit Barcelona with the hope of becoming the second team to take points off the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER

FC Barcelona arrived in Valladolid on December 22nd of 2012 for the last match of the calendar year. The game against the Pucela ended in a 1-3 for the Blaugrana thanks to a first half strike from Xavi (min 42) and goals from Messi and Tello after the break. The home team pulled one back in the 89th minute when the veteran Javi Guerra fired past Víctor Valdés.

It was a historic day for the Blaugrana on both the collective and individual levels: the team secured their 49th point from 17 matches, a feat unequalled in Spanish football history, and Leo Messi took his goalscoring tally for the calendar year to a record-setting 91 goals.

FORM GUIDE

Valladolid are 12th on 43 points after 35 matches. Their last five matches in La Liga ended in two victories, one defeat and two draws. The victories were secured against Deportivo (1-0) and Getafe (2-1), the defeat came at the hands of Real Madrid (4-3), and the draws were against Granada (1-1) and Sevilla (1-1).

Manager Miroslav Djukic warned that his men “will try to win” and thus “close out the season on a high note” even though the team’s main objective has already been reached: securing a spot in Primera for the 2013/14 season. Similarly, Tito Vilanova also called on his men to fight for victory: “We have to win for our fans, we owe them. We have to finish strong.”

ONES TO WATCH

Djukic will be without midfielder Ebert and centre back Rukavina, but he will be able to call on his highest goal scorers: Óscar (12 goals), Manucho (8 goals), and Javi Guerra (7 goals).