Welcome back, Ibrahim!

The Dutch player, after almost seven months on the injury list, has recovered from his ACL injury

Ibrahim Afellay received the news that he’s been eagerly awaiting for most of the season on Wednesday afternoon. The Club’s Medical Services gave the Dutchman medical clearance to play after being injured for 6 months and 21 days. The player is back in Josep Guardiola’s team ahead of the most decisive stretch of the season.

Villa: “My leg is getting better and we are setting goals for my recovery”

Barça’s injured Spanish striker this morning climbed the nearby 3,00 foot mountain. La Mola, with teammate Sergio Busquets, Emili Ricart and Pepe Costa and is confident about his recovery 

Villa reckons that in the league: “the only thing we can do is to just keep on winning our games and see what happens” 

Support for the 8th edition of the Llibre Solidari

David Villa later attended an event for the Llibre Solidari, which contains stories written by Catalan sports writers and the proceeds from which will go to the Espai Jove of the Hospital Infantil Sant Joan de Déu. The striker’s photo is on the cover of the book, taking over from previous Barça players and coaches who have supported the initiative including Iniesta, Guardiola, Xavi, Messi, Rijkaard, De la Peña, Puyol and Eto’o.

On Sunday it will be exactly four months since David Villa broke his leg in the semi final of the World Club Cup in Japan, but he is recovering well and today posted a photo on his Twitter account (@Guaje7Villa) of a photo on top of La Mola – a 3,000 foot mountain just outside of Barcelona – with Sergio Busquets , trainer Emili Ricart and Pepe Costa of the . After the climb, Villa took part in a charity event where he explained that it wasn’t the first time he’d been up the mountain” but today I took the toughest route”.

David Villa was clearly happy at the progress he is making, claiming: “my leg is getting better and we are setting goals for my full recovery”, even though he knows that patience and time are vital to get over his serious injury.

Winning is the solution

Villa also explained that his injury has meant he is watching more football than ever and he believes that Barça’s chances in the league depend on keeping up their winning run: “we just have to keep winning games and we’ll see what happens”.

Guardiola and Simeone, two similar paths

Both are 41 years old, played in Spain and Italy, they won League titles as players and managers and they both are coaches of the teams they played in when they were footballers

Simeone and Guardiola

Josep Guardiola and Diego Simeone, the two managers that will face off at the Vicente Calderón this weekend, have a lot in common. Despite the differences in how they manage their teams or how they played when they both graced the football pitch, the similarities between the two men are unavoidable. 

Many similarities 

To start, during their playing careers they both played in Spain (Guardiola for Barça and Simeone for Seville and Atlético Madrid) and Italy (Guardiola for Brescia and Simeone for Lazio, Pisa and Inter). Both have had similar successes on the pitch and on the bench: both players claimed League titles for their teams (Guardiola for Barça, Simeone for Atlético and Lazio) and as managers (Guardiola for Barça, Simeone for Estudiantes de La Plata and River Plate); they both claimed two titles in one year (Guardiola in the 1997/98 season and Simeone in the 1995/96 season with Atlético and the 1999/20 season with Lazio). 

Now, both men are managing the teams that they played for when they were footballers. To boot, both Guardiola and Simeone are 41 years old, they are only nine months apart.

Who is Simeone

When it comes down to it, are Guardiola and Simeone really that similar? “When he started in Argentina he stood out for his offensive football stance (he led Estudiantes de La Plata and River Plate to consecutive titles), but when he arrived in Italy, to rescue Catania from relegation, he bet on a much more conservative approach. This tendency, when at Racing Club in 2011, seriously hurt his credit with the fans and the press,” said Walter Vargas, journalist on the Estudiantes de La Plata beat, to fcbarcelona.com. 

Vargas added: “however, now that he’s on a path, Atlético Madrid’s path, where he has the love of the people that he earned when he was a player, Simeone is going through a third period [of his coaching career] where his most mature side should manifest. He’s a methodical professional, severe, he’s suspected of crossing the rigorous European line - ‘the only thing that I do not negotiate on is effort,’ as he said - and of forcing his tactical systems [on his teams], no matter what he’s a fantastic manager. He’s the type of manager that seeks to mix attitude with aptitude, intensity with technique, boldness on offence with a solid defence. Simeone and his Atlético Madrid will preserver in their search.”

Barça still preparing for Atlético Madrid

Another training session with all the available first teamers plus Cristian Tello of Barça B   The injured Villa and Afellay worked out in the gym

Guardiola, a l'entrenament d'aquest divendres / FOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

Barça are still getting ready for Sunday's away fixture at the Vicente Calderón against Atlético Madrid (21.30). They trained behind closed doors today on pitch number 2 at the Ciutat Esportiva. The session involved the same set of players that have been training all week, namely the eighteen fit members of the first team and Cristian Tello of Barça B.

While the 19 players worked out on the field, the injured David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay continued with their recovery programmes in the gym.

Further training on Saturday

The team's last session before facing Atlético Madrid will be on Saturday, once again behind closed doors at the Ciutat Esportiva, this time at 18.00. Afterwards, Pep Guardiola will be giving a press conference.

The FC Barcelona party will fly out from Barcelona to Madrid on Sunday morning, where the first encounter between Guardiola and Diego Simeone as opposing managers kicks off at 21.30.

Messi skill vs Nani HD

Messi, Atletico’s nightmare

The Argentinian has scored 17 goals against the team from Madrid in a total of 13 games, and has scored “hat-trick” in the last two matches

This Sunday Leo Messi will be face to face with his favourite victims: Athletico Madrid. Messi has scored

 17 times in 13 games, and has become the nightmare of the Madrid outfit.

14 in the League, and 3 in the Cup

Atletico Madrid is by far the team that Lionel Messi has scored more against, with 17 goals. They’re followed 

by Sevilla and Real Madrid with 13 goals each. Against Athletico, 14 goals have been in the League Cup and 

3 in the Cup, in 11 and 2 matches respectively.

Especially significant are the most recent precedents against Athletico Madrid. In the last two matches, both

 at the Camp Nou, Messi has scored two ‘hat-tricks’ (3-0 on 5th February 2011 and 5-0 on 24th September

 2011).

Before that Leo Messi had already scored a hat-trick at the Vicente Calderon in a match in the last 16

 of the Cup, on 6th January 2009. On Sunday he’ll have another chance to improve his scandalous figures.

U Remember This Match .

Barça 8 - Rel Mardid 0 (89/90)