The 2012-13 Season Thread | The Tito Era begins!

There have been a few famous people named Tito throughout history...
Tito Ortiz (MMA/UFC)
Tito Puente (musician)
Tito Santana (wrestler from the glory days of WWF)
Tito Jackson (of the Jackson 5)
Felix "Tito" Trinidad (Puerto Rican boxer from the 90s)
Marshal Tito (former President of Yugoslavia)
Tito Makani (from the animated series Rocket Power)

And then there's El Mister!








How long can this thread go without mentioning that guy whom Tito is replacing? Y'know, that inexperienced coach who had no business sitting in the dugout in the first place, ol' Whats-his-name?

Here's an early look at the team's pre-season schedule along with other dates of note.

JULY
.. Tue 24: pre-season (A) Hamburg SV
.. Thur 26: Olympic Football Tournament begins
Sat 28: pre-season (A) Ittihad Riadi in Tangier, Morocco

AUGUST
Sat 4: pre-season (A) Paris Saint-Germain / Olympic Football quarterfinals
.. Wed 8: pre-season, venue/opponent tbd
Sat 11: pre-season, venue/opponent tbd / Olympic Football final in London (Wembley)
.. Wed 15: FIFA international date
Sun 19: Jornada 1 (will likely be played on Saturday the 18th)
.. Mon 20: Trofeu Gamper (H) Sampdoria
.. Wed 22: ScE-1 (H) Real Madrid
Sun 26: Jornada 2
.. Wed 29: ScE-2 (A) Real Madrid
.. Thu 30: UCL group stage draw

We don't buy coaches of the year, we make 'em.

It really is non-stop playing for the members of the Spanish team. Thanks for starting this thread.

From BarcaStuff today: Official: Manchester United confirm they will play a friendly game against Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden on Wednesday 8 August ‪#fcblive‬

Of course he earlier tweeted on May 31 that the match would be against ManCity in England on August 8th.

And already we have a Calendario update...

JULY
.. Tue 24: pre-season (A) Hamburg SV
.. Thur 26: Olympic Football Tournament begins
Sat 28: pre-season (A) Ittihad Riadi in Tangier, Morocco

AUGUST
Sat 4: pre-season (A) Paris Saint-Germain / Olympic Football quarterfinals
.. Wed 8: pre-season, (N) Manchester United in Gothenburg, Sweden
Sat 11: pre-season, venue/opponent tbd / Olympic Football final in London (Wembley)
.. Wed 15: FIFA international date
Sun 19: Jornada 1 (will likely be played on Saturday the 18th)
.. Mon 20: Trofeu Gamper (H) Sampdoria
.. Wed 22: ScE-1 (H) Real Madrid
Sun 26: Jornada 2
.. Wed 29: ScE-2 (A) Real Madrid
.. Thu 30: UCL group stage draw


Only the August 11th date remains to be filled.

(lol, great timing Gilmango. I read it in SPORT just now.)

Nice overview in a single image:

Jordi Alba playing in the Olympics (along with Mata and Javi Martinez). Or at least he is on the 22 man preliminary squad that will be reduced to 18 later. Seems a little overkill, especially for Alba who played every game of the Euros. Alba does seem to play like a "top" though - just spin him and he keeps going and going....Thiago, Tello and Montoya also included in this list by the way which seems like less of a surprise. Isaac Cuenca left off the list.

Porteros: De Gea (Manchester United), Joel (Atlético) y Diego Mariño (Villarreal)
Defensas: San José (Athletic), Jordi Alba y Montoya (Barcelona), Domínguez (Borussia Monchëngladbach), Azpilicueta (Marsella), Íñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad) y Botía (Sporting).
Centrocampistas: Javi Martínez, Ander Herrera e Iker Muniain (Athletic), Koke (Atlético), Thiago (Barcelona), Oriol Romeu y Mata (Chelsea) e Isco (Málaga).
Delanteros: Adrián (Atlético), Tello (Barcelona), Rodrigo (Benfica) y Álvaro Vázquez (Espanyol)

http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2012/07/03/actualidad/1341313842_057905.html

Who else from Barca is going to be at the Olympics? Maybe Dani Alves for Brazil?

Squads are still being named. Presumably Wikipedia wil stay up to date.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_team_squads

Thanks, great resource. Looking at the countries which qualified I don't see any other Barca first teamers being named unless Alves recovers in time and is one of the 3 over-age Brazilians (he was 1 of 5 being considered before he broke his collarbone). Normally Jonathan dos Santos would play with Mexico but he requested and was granted leave so he could do the entire preseason with the Barca first team (I think he knows that this is a critical year for him).

Nice piece on the 5th anniversary of Abidal's signing: http://www.barcelonafootballblog.com/15470/years-today/

Just got my hands on 2 tickets for the Barcelona-Man Utd game in Gothenburg!

Jordi Alba's presentation going on now.

Like the visual I posted a few posts back that certainly starts to capture the "depth chart" but what both lack are the nuance of Barca players playing multiple positions.

So GK is easy - Valdes, Pinto, Oier

RB adds layers - Alves, Adriano, Montoya, but then Puyol, then JDS (a stretch but has been tried)

CB - is really a 3 starter sharing 2 position thing - Puyol, Masch, Pique, followed by perhaps a new signing, then the trio I call Mun-tra-tas: Muniesa, Bartra and Fontas

LB - Alba, Adriano, Muniesa, then Puyol again

DM - Busquets, Keita, JDS, then Mascherano, Fontas, Pique

Attacking midfielders - like CB, we have 2 positions and multiple "starters", obviously Xavi and Iniesta are the gold standard (which is less clear in the CB 3 to start 2 after Masch's fantastic season and Pique's so so one and Puyol's injuries/age) but they are quickly followed by Thiago and Cesc and if those 4 ever need a spell covering 2 positions Keita, Affelay, JDS, Sergi Roberto from B can all help.

Wingers - again, like CB, we have 3 starters to start in 2 positions: Villa, Sanchez and Pedro; those guys are supported by Affelay, Cuenca, and Tello, plus midfielders out of place Iniesta and Keita in wide roles, or defenders playing winger Alba, Alves, Adriano, or defenders playing as defenders but still providing width on at least one flank allowing Cesc or Alexis or Villa or ? to play forward centrally together with Messi.

False 9 - Messi, supported by Cesc, Alexis, and Villa supporting, and Rafinha is learning the role in B.

Final pre-season match has been confirmed.

JULY
.. Tue 24: pre-season (A) Hamburg SV
.. Thur 26: Olympic Football Tournament begins
Sat 28: pre-season (A) Ittihad Riadi in Tangier, Morocco

AUGUST
Sat 4: pre-season (A) Paris Saint-Germain / Olympic Football quarterfinals
.. Wed 8: pre-season, (N) Manchester United in Gothenburg, Sweden
Sat 11: pre-season (A) Dinamo Bucharest / Olympic Football final in London (Wembley)
.. Wed 15: FIFA international date
Sun 19: Jornada 1 (will likely be played on Saturday the 18th)
.. Mon 20: Trofeu Gamper (H) Sampdoria
.. Wed 22: ScE-1 (H) Real Madrid
Sun 26: Jornada 2
.. Wed 29: ScE-2 (A) Real Madrid
.. Thu 30: UCL group stage draw

Barcelona are monitoring the situation of Arsenal forward Robin van Persie and would prepared to sell David Villa to finance a bid. [thesun]


that would make me very unhappy

Well just look at the source.

Spanish media says the opposite, that Barca rejected all bids for Villa.

It's official that Seydou Keita won't continue. 4 great seasons by Keita at Barca so we can only wish him good luck in China.

Javi Martinez is now the main target. He would really be the best possible player to get right now, he would add more depth at both midfield and defense for us. Either him or Mascherano will be able to give some important rests to Busquets.

This might also open up for Jonathan and/or Sergi Roberto. If we don't sign another midfielder that will say.

sorry to see keita leave, but i can understand his decision. is he leaving for free though?
and yes, that definitely makes martinez the top priority now although i'm still not convinced that he's the long term replacement for puyol