Pedro becomes a father

Pedro Rodríguez heading for the pressroom at the Ciutat Esportiva / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - ARXIU FCB
The Canary Islander has announced the birth of his first son, Bryan, at midday on Thursday

“Today in Barcelona my son Bryan was born, and he’s phenomenal and so is his mother. It is a very happy day for my family”. That was how Pedro Rodríguez and his partner Carol announced the arrival of their son on Thursday April 4.

The striker from the Canary Islands thus becomes the latest of a number of Barça players, after Valdés, Piqué and Messi, to have recently become fathers.

Pedro was not in Paris through suspension and is also recovering from a minor calf injury.

500 international matches for @ FCBarcelona

500 FC Barcelona international matches
Almost half of Barça’s 500 international matches, 242, were played before the creation of the European Cup, which is now known as the Champions League

FC Barcelona have played a total of 500 international matches in its history. This Tuesday’s match, against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, saw the Blaugrana reach the historic mark of 500 international games. From the first match, which was played on July 26 of 1949 against Stade Reims (Latin Cup), to the last, Barça have won 279 matches, tied 114 and lost 107.

988 goals scored, 504 conceded

FC Barcelona have scored a total of 988 goals (1.98 per game) and conceded 504 (1.01 per game) in international matches. The most remembered goals are probably the ones scored by Koeman in Wembley (1992), Belletti and Eto’o’s in Paris (2006), Eto’o and Messi’s in Rome (2009) and Pedro, Messi and Villa’s in Wembley (2011), all of them in Champions League finals.

19 titles

The Blaugrana have secured a total of 19 international titles: four Champions Leagues (1992, 2006, 2009 and 2011), two Club World Cups (2009 and 2011), four Cup Winners’ Cup (1979, 1982, 1989, 1997), three Fairs Cups (1958, 1960 and 1966), four European Super Cups (1992, 1997, 2009 and 2011) and two Latin Cups (1949 and 1952).

500 international matches for FC Barcelona

Almost half of Barça’s 500 international matches, 242, were played before the creation of the European Cup, which is now known as the Champions League

The 500 international matches

242 Champions League/European Cup
85 Cup Winners’ Cup
78 UEFA Cup
70 Fairs Cup
13 European Super Cup
6 Club World Cup
4 Latin Cup
1 Intercontinental Cup
1 Fairs Cup Finals

FC Barcelona have played a total of 500 international matches in its history. This Tuesday’s match, against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, saw the Blaugrana reach the historic mark of 500 international games. From the first match, which was played on July 26 of 1949 against Stade Reims (Latin Cup), to the last, Barça have won 279 matches, tied 114 and lost 107.

988 goals scored, 504 conceded

FC Barcelona have scored a total of 988 goals (1.98 per game) and conceded 504 (1.01 per game) in international matches. The most remembered goals are probably the ones scored by Koeman in Wembley (1992), Belletti and Eto’o’s in Paris (2006), Eto’o and Messi’s in Rome (2009) and Pedro, Messi and Villa’s in Wembley (2011), all of them in Champions League finals.

19 titles

The Blaugrana have secured a total of 19 international titles: four Champions Leagues (1992, 2006, 2009 and 2011), two Club World Cups (2009 and 2011), four Cup Winners’ Cup (1979, 1982, 1989, 1997), three Fairs Cups (1958, 1960 and 1966), four European Super Cups (1992, 1997, 2009 and 2011) and two Latin Cups (1949 and 1952).

2-2, historically an excellent result for FC Barcelona

The team during the match that ended 4-1 against Arsenal; season 2009/10 / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
The Blaugrana have gone through to the next round seven of the last eight times they secured an away-leg result of 2-2 far from the Camp Nou in European competitions

FC Barcelona left the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening with a two-all result. Even though the result isn’t as good as the Blaugrana had hoped for, history shows that a 2-2 in the first of a two-leg tie is very favourable to Barça. The Blaugrana have gone through to the next round seven of the last eight times they secured an away-leg result of 2-2 far from the Camp Nou in European competitions. Here’s a detailed look at of the eight ties:

Rival: London XI. Fairs Cup. 1955/58. Final
The final of the inaugural edition of the Fairs Cup was resolved in a two-leg playoff. After drawing 2-2 in England, the Blaugrana claimed the title with a convincing 6-0 thrashing at the Camp Nou.

Rival: CDNA Sofia. European Cup. 1959/60. Round of 32
FC Barcelona managed to secure a 2-2 draw away to CDNA Sofia, it was Barça’s first match in the European Cup. The return leg, which ended in a 6 to 2 for Barça, saw Kubala and Evaristo score hat tricks.

Rival: Real Madrid. European Cup. 1960/61. Round of 16
Two goals from Suárez gave Barça a fighting chance against Real Madrid in the away leg in Madrid. The return leg, at the Camp Nou, strikes from Vergès and Evaristo secured a quarter-final berth for FC Barcelona (2-1).

Rival: Cologne. Cup Winners Cup. 1968/69. Semi finals
The final in Basel, which was won by Slovan Bratislava, was preceded by a semi-final tie in which FC Barcelona  defeated Cologne (2-2 in Germany and 4-1 in Barcelona).

Rival: Aston Villa. UEFA Cup. 1977/78. Quarter finals
The Blaugrana and the Lions finished with 2-2 draw in England; in Barcelona, Barça fought back from a goal down to make it 2-1.

Rival: Bayern Munich. UEFA CUP. 1995/96. Semi finals
Bayern Munich are the only team to defeat FC Barcelona after a 2-2 draw away from the Camp Nou. The return leg in Barcelona saw the Germans strike twice after De La Peña had given the Blaugrana the lead.
 
Rival: Arsenal. Champions League. 2009/10. Quarter finals
The last time Barça finished an away leg in a European tie was in London, against Arsenal. The Gunners fought back from two goals down to equalise before the final whistle. The return leg saw Messi fire for four goals to down the London-based team (4-1). At the time, Ibrahimovic was a Barça player while Cesc and Song featured for Arsenal.