The Blond Ambition Tour: The 2016-17 Season Thread

I never thought Messi would do such things... First the excessive tattoos, now this hair.. What's next? Nose piercings ala Rodman?

Great thread title btw [emoji106]

 

Whoops. another new season thread. Well, I guess I'll re-post this here as well.


CALENDARIO - Temporada 2016-2017

JULY 2016
Sat 30: Friendly (N) Celtic in Dublin

AUGUST 2016
Wed 3: Friendly (N) Leicester City in Stockholm
Thur 4: Olympic Football Tournament begins in Brazil
Sat 6: Friendly (N) Liverpool in London (Wembley)
Wed 10: Trofeu Gamper (H) Sampdoria
Sun 14: ScE-1 (A) Sevilla
Wed 17: ScE-2 (H) Sevilla
midweek 16-18:
Sat 20: Liga J1 (H) Real Betis
Sun 21: Olympic Final in Rio
Thu 25: UCL group stage draw
Sun 28: Liga J2 (A) Athletic Bilbao
midweek 30-1:

SEPTEMBER 2016
weekend 2-3: FIFA calendar
midweek 4-6: FIFA calendar
weekend 10-11: Liga J3 (H) Alavés
midweek 13-15: UCL-M1
weekend 17-18: Liga J4 (A) Leganés
midweek 20-22: Liga J5 (H) Atlético Madrid
weekend 24-25: Liga J6 (A) Sporting Gijón
midweek 27-29: UCL-M2

OCTOBER 2016
weekend 1-2: Liga J7 (A) Celta
midweek 4-6:
weekend 7-8: FIFA Calendar
midweek 9-11: FIFA Calendar
weekend 15-16: Liga J8 (H) Deportivo La Coruña
midweek 18-20: UCL-M3
weekend 22-23: Liga J9 (A) Valencia
midweek 25-27:
weekend 29-30: Liga J10 (H) Granada

NOVEMBER 2016
midweek 1-3: UCL-M4
weekend 5-6: Liga J11 (A) Sevilla
midweek 8-10:
weekend 11-12: FIFA calendar
midweek 13-15: FIFA calendar
weekend 19-20: Liga J12 (H) Màlaga
midweek 22-24: UCL-M5
weekend 26-27: Liga J13 (A) Real Sociedad
midweek 29-1: Copa-4R1 (A)

DECEMBER 2016
weekend 3-4: Liga J14 (H) Real Madrid
midweek 6-8: UCL-M6
weekend 10-11: Liga J15 (A) Osasuna
midweek 13-15:
weekend 17-18: Liga J16 (H) Espanyol
midweek 20-22: Copa-4R2 (H)
weekend 24-25:
midweek 27-29: non-FIFA, Catalunya national team

JANUARY 2017
weekend 31-1:
midweek 3-5: Copa-5R1
weekend 7-8: Liga J17 (A) Villarreal
midweek 10-12: Copa-5R2
weekend 14-15: Liga J18 (H) Las Palmas
midweek 17-19: Copa-Qf1
weekend 21-22: Liga J19 (A) Eibar / 21: CAF Cup of Nations begins in Gabon
midweek 24-26: Copa-Qf2
weekend 28-29: Liga J20 (A) Real Betis

FEBRUARY 2017
midweek 31-2: Copa-Sf1
weekend 4-5: Liga J21 (H) Athletic Bilbao
midweek 7-9: Copa-Sf2
Weekend 11-12 Liga J22 (A) Alavés / 12: CAF Cup of Nations Final in Libreville
midweek 14-16: UCL-2R1
weekend 18-19: Liga J23 (H) Leganés
midweek 21-23: UCL-2R1
weekend 25-26: Liga J24 (A) Atlético Madrid
midweek 28-2: Liga J25 (H) Sporting Gijón

MARCH 2017
weekend 4-5: Liga J26 (H) Celta
midweek 7-9: UCL-2R2
weekend 11-12: Liga J27 (A) Deportivo La Coruña
midweek 14-16: UCL-2R2
weekend 18-19: Liga J28 (H) Valencia
midweek 21-23:
weekend 24-25: FIFA calendar
midweek 26-28: FIFA calendar

APRIL 2017
weekend 1-2: Liga J29 (A) Granada
midweek 4-6: Liga J30 (H) Sevilla
weekend 8-9: Liga J31 (A) Màlaga
midweek 11-13: UCL-Qf1
weekend 15-16: Liga J32 (H) Real Sociedad
midweek 18-20: UCL-Qf2
weekend 22-23: Liga J33 (A) Real Madrid
midweek 25-27: Liga J34 (H) Osasuna
weekend 29-30: Liga J35 (A) Espanyol

MAY 2017
midweek 2-4: UCL-Sf1
weekend 6-7: Liga J36 (H) Villarreal
midweek 9-11: UCL-Sf2
weekend 13-14: Liga J37 (A) Las Palmas
midweek 16-18:
weekend 20-21: Liga J38 (H) Eibar
Wed 24: UEL-F in Stockholm
Sun 28: Copa-F
midweek 30-1:

JUNE 2017
Sat 3: UCL-F in Cardiff
midweek 6-8: FIFA calendar
weekend 10-11: FIFA calendar
midweek 13-15:
Sat 17: FIFA Confederations Cup inaugural in Saint Petersburg, Russia
midweek 20-22:
weekend 24-25:
midweek 27-29:

JULY 2017
Sun 2: FIFA Confederations Cup final in Saint Petersburg, Russia

 

Ugh! You took my thunder away. I was just about to post "I don't know what's uglier, the hair or the tattoos(?)"

Maybe this thread should've been a poll. Seriously though, Messi, stop trying to be someone else!

 

Has it been announced whether Neymar will just stay in Brasil until matchday 3 of La Liga or if he's gonna make 3 trips across the Atlantic for that Bilbao match and a couple of training sessions?
I'm guessing the latter since Bilbao away is a tough fixture, but that's a lot of travel. At least the CBF were smart and scheduled the WC qualifier in Manaus which is not too far from Quito (sight of their other qualifying match in September).

 

Fwiw, from 2008...

Aug 23: Messi plays in Olympic final in Beijing, wins Gold medal.

Aug 26: Messi not in Barca squad list for Champions Playoff 2nd leg away to Wisla Krakow. (Barca had comfortable 4-0 lead from 1st leg)

Aug 31: Messi starts and plays full 90 minutes away to Numancia. Arguably best Barca player despite 1-0 defeat in Pep's first Liga match.

Sept 6-10: World Cup qualifying, Messi plays full 90 minutes against both Paraguay (H, 1-1) and Peru (A, 1-1).

But again, fwiw.

 

So question(Bayern fan but I came off assisting the barca camps in the US. Very cool experience. My bud and I are planning our trip to Barca soon.).

What are the general expectations in Catalonia this season? Is the team set in their opinion or are there still holes to fill?

 

Definitely looking forward to it. My cousin who was over there for 2-3 yrs( would send Barca stuff to me. May go in disguise for the game with that. You all looked good with the 2-0 win with Ineista getting hurt and no Neymar.

Pretty sure we have the 7-0 highlights in ours.

 

While it is unlikely he would actually play the match roster for the first match could include a first timer, Borja Lopez a giant from Gijon who is left footed:

FC Barcelona have paid a high price for winning the Spanish Super Cup. The first title of the season has seen Andres Iniesta, Jeremy Mathieu and Javier Mascherano go down injured, adding to Marc-Andre ter Stegen's own problem.
Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti are the only cente-backs available. The Asturian will have to turn to the youth squad to find cover. Marlon would be the first option but he cannot play as he doesn't have his visa yet. Acocording to RAC1, the idea would be to call up Jose Antonio Martinez. However, as he's over 23 if he played for the first team then he would not be able to return to Barcelona B. So instead they may turn to another youngster, Borja Lopez. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borja_López

 

As the transfer window gets ready to close we look pretty darn good. Open questions seem limited to goalie, "4th forward", getting rid of or at least loaning out Douglas, and possible loan outs of Samper (to get PT), and Munir (also for PT should we sign another forward).

Goalie: I think we did promise MAtS to be Liga and CL keeper and now, as a result, we need to allow Bravo to go as he's too good to just play CdR and otherwise backup MAtS. First we sign someone else as Lucho doesn't trust Masip to be more than 3rd keeper. Looks more like Ajax keeper, Cillessen, rather than Valencia's Alves or PSG's Areola. Depth: MAtS, 2nd Keeper/Bravo for now, Masip.

Defense: Not signing a good right back may come back to haunt us but then we were not going to find another Dani Alves, and we did just sign La Masia product Vidal last summer. So Vidal and Roberto battle for minutes, a former RW and a midfielder. Fingers crossed. Beyond that Digne looks great and so LB is nicely covered with Alba and Digne. Which allows Mathieu to just play back up CB. Umtiti looks great so far and already seems like the 3rd CB. Pique, Masch, Umtiti, and Mathieu is a nice rotation though I'd prefer having kept Bartra rather than Mathieu but Marc was right to leave as Lucho did not give him minutes for 2 seasons despite knowing his contract allowed him to leave on the cheap in those circumstance.

Midfield: Iniesta backed up by Denis (who is better on the left), Rakitic backed up by Gomes and Rafinha, Turan and Roberto both available as needed, Busquets backed up by Samper (for now) and Roberto. The real problem will be finding minutes when all are healthy. I think this leads to a loan out of Samper so that Gomes or Roberto or Masch can back up Busquets. I also think it means that Turan gets most of his minutes at forward (where Rafinha and Denis can also play).

Forward: Last big question is whether we sign someone, I'm voting no, the transfer fee and salary is too high for someone who may be no better than Turan or Munir. Neymar backed by Turan. Suarez backed by Munir. Messi backed by Turan, Munir, Rafinha, or either of the right back candidates.

 

This must be a joke right? http://m.goal.com/s/en/news/11/tran...-about-barcelona-interest-confirms-ajax-boss? Cillessen? Worst keeper who ever played in Ajax or Netherlands for 12m€? While they wanna offload Bravo for 17-19m€ for small profit and weaken the team considerably? I hope this doesn't happen.

With this scouting and transfer policy, when likes of Iniesta, Messi or Suarez are not playing anymore and Masia only produces Munirs etc, Barcelona will most likely be in avoiding relegation fight.

 

Found this, https://www.whoscored.com/Articles/...-Sar-Inspiring-Cillessens-Progression-at-Ajax

I truly don't know the guy, but this is a complimentary summary of his game. Personally, we did well with 2 great keepers so I'm reluctant to stop it, but I do think something had to give and that promises were made to MAtS so now we are swapping out Bravo for a guy who can play our style and is willing to try his luck (while getting paid really well) at Barca.

 

Well Bravo Will leave i guess , he already won all titles with us in these two years so i think he will be satisfied :

UCL once
European super cup once
Club world cup once
La Liga twice
Copa twice
Spanish super cup once

Good luck to him to win titles in England with Man.City

 

Well looks like Neymar dyed his hair to be blonde as well



Any way they both can convince Suarez to dye his hair as well so we could have 3 blondes upfront ?

 

Calendario update

AUGUST 2016
Sun 28: Liga J2 (A) Athletic Bilbao
midweek 30-1:

SEPTEMBER 2016
weekend 2-3: FIFA calendar
midweek 4-6: FIFA calendar
Sat 10: Liga J3 (H) Alavés
Tue 13: UCL-M1 (H) Celtic
Sat 17: Liga J4 (A) Leganés
Wed 21: Liga J5 (H) Atlético Madrid
Sat 24: Liga J6 (A) Sporting Gijón
Wed 28: UCL-M2 (A) M'gladbach

OCTOBER 2016
weekend 1-2: Liga J7 (A) Celta
midweek 4-6:
weekend 7-8: FIFA Calendar
midweek 9-11: FIFA Calendar
Sat 15: Liga J8 (H) Deportivo La Coruña
Wed 19: UCL-M3 (H) Manchester City
weekend 22-23: Liga J9 (A) Valencia
midweek 25-27:
Sat 29: Liga J10 (H) Granada

NOVEMBER 2016
Tue 1: UCL-M4 (A) Manchester City
weekend 5-6: Liga J11 (A) Sevilla
midweek 8-10:
weekend 11-12: FIFA calendar
midweek 13-15: FIFA calendar
Sat 19: Liga J12 (H) Màlaga
Wed 23: UCL-M5 (A) Celtic
weekend 26-27: Liga J13 (A) Real Sociedad
midweek 29-1: Copa-4R1 (A)

DECEMBER 2016
Sat 3: Liga J14 (H) Real Madrid
Tue 6: UCL-M6 (H) M'gladbach
weekend 10-11: Liga J15 (A) Osasuna
midweek 13-15:
weekend 17-18: Liga J16 (H) Espanyol
midweek 20-22: Copa-4R2 (H)
weekend 24-25:
midweek 27-29: non-FIFA, Catalunya national team

 

Well Rafinha dyed his too, so maybe if he subs on for Suarez in a game. Or surely Paco will dye his hair too if especially if that gets him a little extra PT spelling Luis.

But came here to post this, you were a monster Claudio, got off to a bad start letting in that preseason Dzemaili goal right over you from 35 yards out:

But then you had to good sense to pay Song to injure MAtS in the preseason (kidding but that's what happened save for the payment, we can't prove that

Alex Song's hapless Barça career continues. The Cameroonian injured Ter Stegen in training and now the German is out for three weeks. Bravo.

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) August 15, 2014

) and ran with that great scoreless streak in Liga to start off an unlikely 2 year run of 2 #1 keepers. Good for you and thanks:

 

Busquets, irreplaceable.

 

Strange , no one thinks/wants Mascherano as a DM backup for Busquets ?

 

Dam our Women football team are Brutal ( 20-0 ) is there a point to play beyond 10-0 ?