There it is... Sergio symbolically subbed off after 11 minutes to a nice ovation. Alvaro Vázquez enters.
Halftime: 1-0 Just before the half ended Puyol took an elbow near his left eye. A bit shaken but he walked off okay and was subbed out for Montoya.
tied up with 35 minutes to play, here's a stream if anyone wants: http://www.rojadirecta.me/goto/zonasports.me/canal-1.php
Tello, Tejera, and Piti... what more do I need to say??? Better off leaving Sergio Gonzalez in the game.
Yeah, it's because he's the most capped player with 15 appearances for the Catalan national team. It was a farewell or testimonial match as you say, he retired after the 2010/11 season where he last played for Levante. It was an alright game I suppose, but the region could do with producing some better offensive players in the future. Bojan, Tello, and Garcia are pretty good, but would like to see more attacking talents come through in the coming years. I wonder why Deulofeu didn't get a call here.
And I read on several websites that this was Johan Cruyff's last game in charge of the Catalan national team. Is it true and why is he leaving now if it is? Taking a break/retirement perhaps? And is that friendly with the Madrid national team in June still on or no?
Johan retired cuz he felt at his age he should take a step back and let someone younger take over. go figure
Note that Cruyff took the job without pay (his decision). Only one match a year but still. There have been rumors of Pep taking over but the president of the FCF had said that there were no plans of him being considered. But who knows what happened when Pep arrived in Barcelona during Christmas. No idea on the status of the Madrid match. Haven't heard a word about it since.
Madrid friendly? First I thought, LPB wanna just meet us without Messi and Iniesta. Then I realized...
Although the FCF have given no hints on who they are considering to become the new coach SPORT believes Tito Vilanova is the perfect candidate. http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/planeta-barca/tito-mejor-seleccionador-para-catalunya-2594773 I quite like the idea.
Former Barcelona and Valencia midfielder Gerard López has been named the new coach for Catalunya. A quality midfielder who suffered numerous injuries throughout his career, Gerard went through La Masia before signing with Valencia in 1997 at age 17. After helping Los Che reach the 2000 Champions League final, he returned to Barça where his five-season stay culminated with a La Liga title in 2004-05. Following spells at Monaco, Recreativo and Girona, injuries finally took their toll and Gerard announced his retirement in 2011 at age 32. He currently works as a pundit for TV3 during their screenings of the UEFA Champions League. Gerard has signed a two year deal and takes over from the retiring Johan Cruyff who led Catalunya to a four-match record of two victories and two draws. Sergio González, Catalunya's most capped player (15) and current coach of Espanyol B, will serve as Gerard's assistant. The FCF are currently in the process of searching for an opponent for the traditional winter international that is played during the Christmas/New Year holiday.
On Monday coach Gerard López announced the list of players called up for the international friendly against Cape Verde. The match will be played on Monday 30 December at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona (19:00 kickoff). GOALKEEPERS Kiko Casilla ..................... Espanyol Jordi Codina ................... Getafe DEFENDERS Jordi Alba ........................ FC Barcelona Víctor Álvarez .................. Espanyol Marc Bartra ..................... FC Barcelona Joan Capdevila ................ Espanyol Martín Montoya .............. FC Barcelona Gerard Piqué .................... FC Barcelona Oriol Rosell ...................... Sporting Kansas City (USA) Marc Valiente .................. Real Valladolid MIDFIELDERS Sergio Busquets ................ FC Barcelona Cesc Fàbregas ................... FC Barcelona David López ...................... Espanyol Javi Márquez .................... Elche Sergi Roberto .................... FC Barcelona Víctor Sánchez .................. Espanyol FORWARDS Sergio García .................... Espanyol Bojan Krkić ....................... Ajax (NED) Piti ..................................... Granada Oriol Riera ........................ Osasuna Cristian Tello .................... FC Barcelona Aleix Vidal ........................ Almería
Following the political nature of the kits worn when FC Barcelona and Athletic Club met last month, it should probably come as no surprise that Catalunya and Euskadi (Basque Country) will meet in the traditional winter break international. The friendly will take place on Sunday 28 December at the San Mamés in Bilbao and will celebrate the centenary of the first ever meeting between the two regions. On 3 January 1915 the Basques defeated the Catalans 6-1 with four goals coming from the legendary Athletic striker, Rafael "Pichichi" Moreno. The two sides last met in December 2007 in Bilbao and ended 1-1. In speaking of possible player call-ups, coach Gerard López was asked about goalkeeper Víctor Valdés. "If he wants to come play for the Catalan selection, the door is open. We don't know if he will have signed for a club by then but we would all be very thrilled. It will depend on him."
22 player squad named by coach Gerard López for the international friendly against the Basque Region to be played on Sunday 28 December 2014 in Bilbao (20:30 kickoff) GOALKEEPERS Kiko Casilla .................... RCD Espanyol Jordi Masip .................... FC Barcelona DEFENDERS Jordi Alba ...................... FC Barcelona Marc Bartra ................... FC Barcelona Alberto de la Bella ........... Real Sociedad (Basque) Víctor Álvarez ................ RCD Espanyol Andreu Fontàs ................ Celta (Galicia) Sergi Gómez ................... Celta (Galicia) Martín Montoya ............. FC Barcelona Gerard Piqué .................. FC Barcelona MIDFIELDERS Sergio Busquets ............... FC Barcelona Xavi Hernández .............. FC Barcelona Sergi Roberto .................. FC Barcelona Sergi Samper .................. FC Barcelona Víctor Sánchez ................ RCD Espanyol Aleix Vidal ..................... Sevilla (Andalucía) FORWARDS Gerard Deulofeu ............. Sevilla (Andalucía) Sergio García ................. RCD Espanyol Francisco Medina 'Piti' ..... Rayo Vallecano (Madrid) Gerard Moreno ............... Villarreal (Valencia) Jonathan Soriano ........... Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) Álvaro Vázquez ............... Getafe (Madrid) For their part, Euskadi's coaching tandem of José María Amorrortu and Mikel Etxarri have called up players almost exclusively from the three Basque sides playing in the Primera. Only Roberto Torres plays for a club outside the region (and the division). GOALKEEPERS Gorka Iraizoz .................. Athletic Bilbao Xabier Iruretagoiena ....... Eibar DEFENDERS Jon Aurtenetxe ............... Athletic Bilbao Yuri Berchiche ................ Real Sociedad Eneko Bóveda .................. Eibar Xabi Etxeita .................... Athletic Bilbao Ion Ansotegi .................... Real Sociedad Carlos Martínez ............... Real Sociedad Iñigo Martínez ................. Real Sociedad Mikel San José ................. Athletic Bilbao Mikel Balenziaga .............. Athletic Bilbao MIDFIELDERS Ander Capa ..................... Eibar Dani García ..................... Eibar Ander Iturraspe ............... Athletic Bilbao Xabi Prieto ....................... Real Sociedad Beñat Etxebarria .............. Athletic Bilbao Roberto Torres .................. Osasuna (Navarra) Markel Bergara ................. Real Sociedad Markel Susaeta ................. Athletic Bilbao FORWARDS Mikel Arruabarrena ........... Eibar Aritz Aduriz ....................... Athletic Bilbao Ibai Gómez ......................... Athletic Bilbao
Its nice that they are doing this against the Euskadi team. It would be cool if they did it against other regional spanish sides, like galicia, valencia or andalucia. I am impressed that Sergi Samper got a call up. I kind of wish Puyol were still in the squad. I'm sure he still eke out 45 minutes at a top level.
CATALUNYA Casilla Bartra - Piqué - Alba Xavi - Busquets - Víctor Sánchez - Sergio García Vidal - Deulofeu - Soriano EUSKADI Iraizoz Carlos Martínez - Ansotegi - Íñigo Martínez - Balenziaga Iturraspe - X. Prieto Ibai Gómez - Beñat - Capa Aduriz
Galicia and Andalusia usually play those games traditionally during the winter like Catalunya e Euskadi, but they haven't played one in like two years or three. I remember one year Andalusia with Sergio Ramos played Zambia, David Silva and Canary Islands played Angola, and Extramadura under Rafa Benitez played Equatorial Guinea.
Catalunya -v- Euskadi (Basque Country) Saturday 26 December 2015 21:00 CET / 3:00pm U.S. ET (I've also seen 21:30 hrs listed) Barcelona - Camp Nou The two teams drew 1-1 last winter at San Mamés. Co-managers Gerard López and Sergio González will name the 23-player squad on December 23. López: "Virtually all the Catalans are confirmed from Barça and Espanyol. That already represents 60% of the squad." López also noted that both Xavi Hernández and Víctor Valdes will likely not be available.
Catalunya v Tunisia Wednesday 28 December 2016 Girona - Estadi Montilivi 23 player squad named by coach Gerard López GOALKEEPERS Jordi Masip ................... FC Barcelona Edgar Badia .................. Reus DEFENDERS Víctor Álvarez ............... Espanyol Andreu Fontàs ............... Celta de Vigo Alberto de la Bella .......... Olympiacos (GRE) Sergi Gómez .................. Celta de Vigo Pol Lirola ....................... Sassuolo (ITA) Gerard Valentín ............. Gimnàstic de Tarragona Aarón Martín ................. Espanyol MIDFIELDERS Xavi Hernández .............. Al Sadd (QAT) Joan Verdú ..................... free agent Sergi Roberto .................. FC Barcelona Marc Crosas .................... Tenerife Javi Márquez .................. Granada Víctor Rodríguez .............. Sporting de Gijón Sergi Samper ................... Granada David López ..................... Espanyol Marc Roca ....................... Espanyol Pere Pons ......................... Girona FORWARDS Sergio García ................... Al Rayyan (QAT) Álvaro Vázquez ................ Espanyol Gerard Moreno ................. Espanyol Oriol Riera ....................... Osasuna There are reports that two players - Kiko Casilla and Mariano Díaz - were also called to the squad but they were refused to be released by their club, Royal Madrid.
First international since the 3-3 draw against Tunisia in December 2016. The non-official friendly against Venezuela will take place at the Montilivi in Girona on Monday 25 March at 21:00 CET (13:00 U.S. ET) Among players considered but were refused permission by their clubs to be released include Gerard Deulofeu (Watford), Enric Gallego, Álex Gallar (both Huesca), Alberto García, Álex Moreno (both Rayo Vallecano) Ruben Alcaraz and Jordi Masip (both Real Valladolid) Valladolid also refused to release Catalunya coach Sergio González. Gerard López returns to take over the squad.