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Soccer-Poignant evening ahead for low-profile Barca coach Roura

February 19, 2013 16:00
By Brian Homewood MILAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Barcelona's Champions League match at AC Milan on Wednesday will be a poignant affair for interim coach Jordi Roura as he returns to the stadium where he suffered an injury that ultimately forced him to end his career. He leads Barca in the last-16 first leg tie in the absence of Tito Vilanova, who is recovering from throat surgery, just over 23 years after Roura damaged ligaments in his right knee during a Supercup game involving the same two clubs.

Football: Pique aiming for another Barca treble

February 8, 2013 13:31
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique believes his side are well-placed to repeat their treble-winning success of the 2008/09 season come the end of the campaign. The Catalans won the Champions League, Spanish Cup and La Liga titles in Pep Guardiola's first season in charge and Pique thinks Tito Vilanova could do the same after taking over from Guardiola in the summer. "I think we're in a good position to lift all three trophies," he told Fifa.com.

Soccer-Barca wary of Guardiola attempts to poach players away

January 15, 2013 07:15
MADRID, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Barcelona have warned off former coach Pep Guardiola from trying to lure away any of their players when he finally decides which club he is going to coach next season. Guardiola became Barca's most successful coach leading them 14 trophies in four years before stepping down last May to take a year's sabbatical, and there has been a buzz of media speculation in recent days on where he might return to work.

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Messi sweeps to fourth successive award

January 8, 2013 10:02
By Brian Homewood ZURICH, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi, still only 25, was named the world's best player for the fourth time in a row on Monday after a year in which finally produced his best form for Argentina as well as Barcelona. Messi was handed the FIFA Ballon D'Or award after a typically cheesy ceremony which featured a performance from a giant dancing armadillo named Fuleco, the mascot for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Messi wins Player of the Year for fourth time

January 7, 2013 21:47
By Brian Homewood ZURICH, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Argentina's Lionel Messi, still only 25, was named the world's best player for an unprecedented fourth year running on Monday. The award, officially known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, came after the Barcelona player scored a remarkable 91 goals in 2012, a record for a calendar year.

Soccer-Guardiola says to return to coaching next season

January 7, 2013 15:54
ZURICH, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed he plans to return to management next season after a year's sabbatical. The Spaniard, who turns 42 this month, stepped down at the end of last term after four triumphant years in which Barca won 14 of the 19 trophies they contested, including two Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles.
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