Barça cool, calm and collected in Kyiv

Daniel Alves paid tribute to FC Barcelona's pass masters after the UEFA Champions League holders negotiated a safe passage to the knockout rounds of the competition.

Possession counts
The Blaugrana recovered from the shock of Artem Milevskiy's second-minute goal for a fired-up FC Dynamo Kyiv to top Group F thanks to strikes from Xavi Hernández and Lionel Messi. "We knew it would be difficult, and it was very cold out there too," Alves told uefa.com. "But after going a goal down, we managed to find our balance and get plenty of possession, and because of that we produced a great performance in the end." The statistics back up Alves's comments: the visitors had 78 per cent of the ball on a harsh winter's night at the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium.

Raising their game
However, the 26-year-old right-back, who supported Barcelona's attack throughout with a succession of trademark storming runs, acknowledges the hard work that lies ahead if Josep Guardiola's men are to retain their European crown. "We expect the same as ever in this competition, just like last year," he said. "The knockout stages will be difficult. We need to maintain and raise our level if we're going to go on right to the end."

'Group of Death'
The Brazilian international also recognised the quality of Barcelona's opponents in what club president Joan Laporta had dubbed the "group of death" – all four sides had a chance of qualification before kick-off on Matchday 6. "When you come up against national champions, it's always difficult," said Alves. "We knew they had to be strong to win their leagues, and you have to give them a lot of respect for that." Indeed, the Catalan team had not taken any of the competition lightly according to their defender. "We worked just as hard against Dynamo as we would in any UEFA Champions League match. We gave a focused, and an excellent, display."

'Best in the world'
Alves's compatriot Betão reflected on what might have been after an ultimately frustrating campaign in which Dynamo let slip leads against FC Internazionale Milano and Barça. "We played well in the group and we had opportunities to get more victories, especially in the home game against Inter, so it's a bit of a disappointment," the 26-year-old defender said. The blow of losing to another late goal, after the 2-1 defeat by Inter on Matchday 4, was hard to take. "Barcelona had a lot of the game, but with five minutes to go we thought we would end up with at least a draw," said Betão. "Unfortunately, Messi scored a great goal to show us why he is the best in the world."

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Barça progress after early scare

FC Barcelona emerged unscathed from a difficult examination by FC Dynamo Kyiv to claim a comeback victory that took them through to the UEFA Champions League first knockout round as Group F winners.

Messi winner
The holders were on the ropes at a chilly Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium when Artem Milevskiy headed Dynamo in front inside two minutes, but they fought back to level through Xavi Hernández just past the half-hour before Lionel Messi's imperious late winner removed all doubt. Victory confirmed top spot for Barcelona ahead of FC Internazionale Milano and denied Dynamo a place in the UEFA Europa League as they finished bottom.

Milevskiy strikes
Josep Guardiola's men had not conceded away from home in this season's UEFA Champions League, but Dynamo struck with the first attack of the match. After Gerard Piqué's foul, Andriy Shevchenko swung in a free-kick from the left and Milevskiy's glancing header at the near post caught Víctor Valdés unawares, the ball squirming from the goalkeeper's grasp and into the net. At this stage Dynamo were provisionally in second place.

Barcelona dominate
However, Olexandr Shovkovskiy was not having a much easier night in the Dynamo goal and his miscued clearance almost handed Messi a 13th-minute equaliser. The goalkeeper, though, quickly recovered and dived to push away the Argentinian's left-footed shot. Barça began to monopolise possession, and by midway through the first-half they had enjoyed 80 per cent of the ball, though they were struggling to create clear opportunities. Messi started to drop deep in an attempt to pull the strings and he had a shot deflected wide after a typically surging run.

Xavi leveller
On 33 minutes, the Blaugrana pressure finally told. Messi sent Eric Abidal away on the left and the full-back's low cross allowed Xavi to guide in from close range. Barça continued to move the ball well and on the cusp of the interval Daniel Alves tested Shovkovskiy with a cross-shot after a flowing move. Dynamo's need to set the pace in the second period meant they were vulnerable to counterattacks and Messi was denied a certain goal by Ognjen Vukojević's alert interception. The home side responded well, and Shevchenko delivered another free-kick that Leandro Almeida headed into the side-netting.

Vociferous crowd
Dynamo, encouraged by a vociferous crowd, tried manfully to shape openings, but struggled against a Barcelona rearguard back to its best after their initial uncertainty. In fact the holders looked more likely to score, with only desperate defensive blocks denying Messi, Alves and Andrés Iniesta in quick succession. Dynamo's last throw of the dice was to bring on Miloš Ninković for the more defensive Gérson Magrão in an attempt to wrest control. With just four minutes of normal time left, though, Barça confirmed their superiority, Messi stepping up to curl a magnificent free-kick past Shovkovskiy and end Dynamo's European campaign.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Messi upstages drama-prone Madrid

Having won the Ballon d'Or on Tuesday, Lionel Messi struck twice at RC Deportivo La Coruña as FC Barcelona cemented their place at the top of the Liga with a 3-1 win on a night which also brought drama for Real Madrid CF.

Messi double
Messi produced a typically assured finish 27 minutes into the late game in Spain, slipping past Manuel Pablo to fire low into the left of the net, but Barcelona's defending was nothing like as slick as they squandered their lead before the break. A misplaced header from Sergio Busquets gifted Adrián López a sight of goal, with Víctor Valdés taking some of the blame for allowing the striker's header to get past him. Barcelona dominated, but it took until the 79th minute for Messi to make that pressure tell, with a slick move ending with Pedro Rodríguez crossing for the unmarked Argentinian to head the winner. Zlatan Ibrahimović then made it 3-1 with a cool strike two minutes from time.

Ping-pong affair
Madrid had earlier got out of jail with a 4-2 win against UD Almería. Los Merengues looked set for a comfortable night when Sergio Ramos headed them into a 30th-minute lead, but the game was turned on its head after the break, with Fernando Soriano finding the net with the help of a deflection off Raúl Albiol before Kalu Uche made it 2-1 with a powerful shot following a corner. Gonzalo Higuaín equalised after defender Santiago Acasiete failed to clear Marcelo's cross, and the game was wrapped up eight minutes from the end, Karim Benzema finishing after Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty was saved. The Portuguese winger soon atoned, though he would have struggled to miss after Higuaín's ball left him an easy finish to make it 4-2. However, his night ended badly as he was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Sevilla slip
The win was doubly valuable to Madrid with third-placed Sevilla FC having dropped two points at home in one of the day's two early games. Sevilla equalised from the spot through Luis Fabiano after Manucho had given Real Valladolid CF the lead at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, but there were no further goals after the interval. Elsewhere, Club Atlético de Madrid won 2-0 at Xerez CD, with Diego Forlán and Sergio Agüero the scorers.

Ibra: “I’ll become an even better player”

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Marc Guillén

In his first interview with Barça TV as a Barça player, Ibrahimovic assures the fans that he will become an “even better player” in a club like Barça.
When Zlatan Ibrahimovic speaks, he means what he says. He avoids clichés as if they were defenders and addresses each subject with a confidence that makes his words convincing. Here is the interview he has given to Barça TV and which will be broadcast in full at 10 pm tonight (Tuesday) on the programme ‘Bevingut Ibrahimovic’ (Welcome Ibrahimovic).

How did it feel being presented in the Camp Nou?

Monday was a really busy day. First the medical, then after lunch I signed a very important contract that has made a lot of people happy, then came the presentation. It’s difficult to put into words what I felt. These are emotions that can’t be described. You had to be there to understand what I felt.

Are you nervous about everything that has happened?

I was a bit nervous because everyone said there were a lot of people there. Normally I’m quite relaxed but for me it’s a dream to come here. This is where I wanted to play. I made an agreement with the president of Inter that the only club they could sell me to was Barcelona. The others could ask but they wouldn’t get a reply. The only one I answered was Barça. That gives me a special feeling. The move from Malmö to Ajax was good, I was happy. From Ajax to Juve was an important move but emotionally it was a normal event. I thought I would have to keep on playing. The transfer from Juve to Inter seemed like an important fact but it didn’t change my mood…In contrast, this transfer has made me feel nervous.

Nervous…why?

Barça has a historic tradition. Everyone wants to be part of this great club, they’ve made history and I want to be part of that history. For me Barça plays football the way other teams will play in ten years’ time. The way they play is the way I want to play and I believe the people that go to the stadium really enjoy this football and 50% of football is the fans.

What do you know about the history of Barça and its players?

Some great stars have played for Barça. Ronaldo, Romario, Stoichkov, Hagi, Maradona, Ronaldinho..., they’re great names. Everyone knows them and becoming a part of that history is one of my objectives. Everyone wants to come to Barça but not just anyone can do that.

Will you fit into the Barça style?

I think I’ll fit in really well because it’s the way I want to play, the way I want to train, the way I want to learn, because this style of football is what I tasted at Ajax. It really suited me and I learned a lot.

Have you had good references from people that know Barça?

Everyone I’ve spoken to has spoken positively. I spoke to Larsson, Figo, Koeman... everyone I spoke to spoke really well of Barça. Nobody said anything negative, everyone agreed that if you get the chance to come here then take it. Mentally, I was already with Barça when I received news of the Club’s interest. This Club won three titles last season, everything that could be won. When you win you don’t sign, you continue. And then for the next season they come to you and tell you that they want to sign you. Normally a club that wins everything doesn’t buy. When they come to you it’s something special. It means a lot and I’m here to continue winning titles.

Will this be the contract of your life?

I want to enjoy the moment. I’m here to enjoy myself and learn. I want to play with the best, and the best team is Barcelona. I want to be an even better player, and I know I will become even better, but you have to work hard and have the best players around you. A better environment than this is impossible.

You’ve spoken to Guardiola. What did he say to you?

He was very happy about everything that’s been done and I’m also very happy that it’s all official now. Guardiola said he’s happy if I’m happy and that the rest will come by itself.

You are a very technical forward. Normally that kind of player is pretty individualistic but your profile is that of a team player.

It’s one of my qualities that I learned in Italy. It’s important to know how to play as part of a team. If you don’t play as part of the team it’s impossible to achieve the objectives that your club is looking for. You have to help your team-mates and your team-mates have to help you. It’s also true that there are players that have the quality of playing in a more individualistic way and that’s also good. Everyone has to use his talents.

“I’m sure Barça will continue to win titles”

Marc Guillén/Roger Bogunyà

Dmytro Chygrynskiy believes Barça “offer the best football in the world” and is “sure the club will continue to win titles, improving and growing.”In an interview with Barça TV and fcbarcelona.cat, the first ever Ukrainian to play for FC Barcelona has spoken about such topics as his admiration for Luis Enrique and Iniesta and the way he has always been fascinated by Barça.

Welcome. I suppose your first few days with Barça have been long ones.
“They have been very emotional days, since I landed in Barcelona I have been astounded by the way Barça and the fans have treated me. It has all been very nice.”

How did the negotiations go?
“I have to be a realist, ever since I learned of Barça’s interest I remained prudent. In fact I only started believing it once it was official, before that it was all just rumours.”

What was it like playing in the Super Cup against your future team?
“It was quite a strange game, but I was still part of Shakhtar and so I couldn’t allow myself to play at half strength. I had to play as well as I could as a Shakhtar player, to act responsibly.”

What do you know about Barça? Did you watch them last year?
“Of course I know about Barça, it is a well-known club with a huge army of fans. That’s why I have always followed this club, both in terms of its results and in terms of the players in the team.”

Is there any past or present player that you have admired?
“A player I’d single out, from about 7 or 8 years ago, was Luis Enrique. As for the current players, they’re my colleagues so I don’t want to say I like one player better than another. I think all the players are professionals and very good. But the first time I played against Barça, a year ago, I was impressed by the way Iniesta played.”

Do you know Luis Enrique also wore 21?
“No, I didn’t know Luis Enrique had the same shirt number as I do. It’s nice to know, I like that.”

Do you think the way Barça play will suit you?
“Barça play the best football in the world right now. I am sure the club will continue to win titles, growing, improving. And I am sure players’ careers progress much faster when they play for a club like Barça.”

Did the Barça philosophy have any effect on Shakhtar?
“As players, we didn’t know much about the tactical nuances of Barça, but we followed the team, its results, and they were a model for us. One of the reasons I am here is precisely because our way of playing is not so different from that of Barça.”

Tell us briefly about how you started in football.
“I’ve always played football. It’s as if I was born with the ball in my hands, if I can put it like that. I come from a small city and as a kid I played wherever I could. There was a school in my town, but it was small. When I was thirteen I went to study in a more professional school, I made a lot of progress there and when I was 14 I joined the Shakhtar youth set-up.”

Curiously, your first European game was against Barça.
“Life brings these odd coincidences. It must be symbolic that when I was 17 or 18 my first five minutes were against Barça. I like to think that in a certain way it was destiny and that’s why I am where I am now.”

Ibra pleased with first goal

Anna Segura

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was delighted to score his first official goal for FC Barcelona as he added the third in a convincing win against Sporting de Gijón on Monday evening in Camp Nou.

The Swedish striker made it 3-0 when he dived forward to head home from close range and he was pleased to have opened his account even though he admitted afterwards that he is still looking to find his rhythm after missing a lot of pre-season with a hand injury.
"The team helped me a lot," he said. "I still do not feel 100 per cent, but I am happy because I have played for 90 minutes and bit-by-bit I am finding my level again."

Xavi
"We came off the back of winning two Super Cups and it was not easy. It was a game that could have caused us problems, but we gave everything we had."
"It was a game that could have caught us out. Sporting play well, but the team has not complicated matters for ourselves."
"In general we played well and played with humility."
"Ibra is a goalscorer and he likes to score. It is his first goal for Barça and we are happy for him because he is doing well."

Dani Alves
"It was very important to win today because all our rivals in the league had already done so."
"Ibra has just arrived and it is important for him to be calm and to know that the goals will come."
"I am sure that if we do things well then we will only have ourselves to worry about."

Gerard Piqué
"We have maintained the same routine as last year. The only thing we thought about was winning."
"The set pieces we worked on on the day of the game and they worked. All the work that we did last year and this is building up. At times we need to use set pieces."
"It is normal that the team was a bit tired after the Super Cup, but I thought that we did well and we were quickly able to take control."
"The team played to a great level and I do not think tiredness was a factor."

Seydou Keita
"It was difficult playing after Monaco, which was a hard pitch and the game was 120 minutes long."
"We wanted Ibra to score because he needed to. If he can adapt quickly it will be better for the team."
"To play for Barça you need to adapt to the style, but I am delighted with things now."

Alberto Botia (Barça player on loan at Sporting)
"I was lucky to make my debut at Camp Nou even though it was not for Barça.
"We played against the best team in the world and it is very difficult to beat them."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

‘Ibra’ joins Barça in the summer of 2009 from Inter Milan to replace the man who had worn the number 9 shirt for the previous five seasons, Samuel Eto’o, who moves in the other direction to Inter Milan.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born in Malmö (Sweden) of a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother on 3rd October 1981. He joins Barça at the height of his career and is recognized as one of the most lethal strikers in European football. He is one of that rare breed of total footballers: he’s deadly in the air, fast, effective in front of goal and mesmerizing with the ball at his feet. His style of football makes his team-mates play better.

Ibrahimovic started his career with Malmö before moving on to Ajax in 2001, where he joined up with Barça team-mate Maxwell. Here he started to get noticed on a bigger footballing stage and gave indications of becoming a world class star despite his youth. For part of his time at Ajax his manager was former Barça star Ronald Koeman.

After three seasons in Holland, where he won two league titles, the Cup and two Dutch Super Cups, Ibrahimovic signed to Italian giants Juventus, managed by Fabio Capello, staying there for two seasons from 2004 to 2006. Juve finished top of the league in both seasons but were stripped of the title and relegated to the second division as a result of the “Moggigate” scandal, leading to his transfer to Inter Milan.

Ibrahimovic won three league titles and two Italian Super Cups with Inter Milan and was an essential part of the starting line-up under both Mancini and Mourinho.

His presentation as a Barça player on 27th July 2009 attracted 60,000 fans, a record in the history of the Club.

Ibrahimovic is also a key member of the Sweden international team and has been voted his country’s best player on three occasions (2005, 2007and 2008).

PROFILE

Ibrahimovic has always stood out as a skilful player, scoring some amazing goals and displaying tremendous creativity. That’s why he’s known in Italy as ‘Ibracadabra’.

He stands 1.92 metres tall and combines great technique with a powerful physique, making him particularly feared by defenders in the air, as well as making it difficult to take the ball away from him.

In short, the Swedish international is the perfect modern centre forward and goal scorer. Last season he scored 25 goals in the Italian league with Inter Milan.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2009/10 European Super Cup
2009/10 Spanish Super Cup

Inter Milan
2008/09 Serie A
2007/08 Serie A
2007/08 Italian Super Cup
2006/07 Serie A
2005/06 Italian Super Cup

Ajax
2003/04 Eredivisie
2002/03 Dutch Super Cup
2001/02 Dutch Cup
2001/02 Eredivisie

Individual honours
2009 Top scorer Italian league
2008 Best player Italian league
2008 Best foreign player Italian league
2008 Best Swedish player
2007 Best Swedish sportsman
2007 Swedish athlete of the year
2006 Best foreign player Italian league
2005 Best Swedish player

Scherrer Cabelino Maxwell Andrade

Left back Maxwell came to Barça. The Brazilian defender, signed from Inter Milan, has plenty of experience of European football, having also played for Ajax Amsterdam.

Born in Cachoeiro de Itapermirim (Brazil), on August 27, 1981, Maxwell first played top flight football for Cruzeiro, and impressed so much that he was soon on his way to Europe and Ajax Amsterdam in 2001.

Maxwell was only 20 when he came to Europe, but age was no obstacle to him earning a regular place in the Ajax starting line up, and in that 2001/2002 season was considered one of the biggest rising talents in the game. His time in Holland reached its peak in 2004, when he was named player of the season in the Dutch Eredivisie. With Ajax he collected two League, one Cup and one Super Cup medals.

In April 2005 Maxwell he was sidelined for eight months with a serious knee injury. But once he was fit again, plenty of major clubs came knocking on the door. After three and half years in Holland, in January 2006 he was finally snapped up by Inter Milan, although at first he was loaned out to another Italian club, Empoli, in order for him to be able to adapt to 'calcio' in time for the following season.

The next summer Maxwell joined the Inter first team, where he would stay for three seasons from 2006/07 to 2008/09, winning the Serie A title each year, as well as two Italian Super Cups. He played a central role in all of those campaigns, although in his final year, under José Mourinho, he was given somewhat fewer opportunities.

He is an under 23 international for Brazil.

PROFILE

Maxwell is the typical Brazilian left back, in that enjoys getting forward. But following his time in Italy, he has improved defensively. Much of his game is based on his physical strength and powerful runs up the wing. Although his natural position in on the left of defence, Maxwell is a versatile player and can play further upfield if called upon. He also has a powerful left-footed shot.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2009/10 European Super Cup
2009/10 Spanish Super Cup

Inter Milan
2008/2009 Serie A
2008/2009 Italian Super Cup
2007/2008 Serie A
2006/2007 Italian Super Cup
2006/2007 Serie A

Ajax Amsterdam
2005/2006 Dutch Super Cup
2003/2004 Eredivisie
2002/2003 Dutch Super Cup
2001/2002 Dutch Cup
2001/2002 Eredivisie

Dmytro Chygrynskiy

Dmytro Chygrynskiy is the first ever Ukrainian to play for Barça. The young centre half guarantees an aerial presence and strong defensive skills but is also good with the ball at his feet.

Born on 7th November 1986 in Iziaslav (Ukraine) Chygrynskiy is a young centre half and was a key member of the Shakhtar side that made history last season by winning the UEFA Cup, the first international trophy in the club’s history.

He started playing football in the youth ranks of Karpati Lviv, a small team from Ukraine’s First Division. When he was 14 he was spotted and recruited by scouts from Shakhtar.

Chygrynskiy made his Shakhtar debut in the 2003/04 season at the age of just 17, playing one league match. He already stood out for his good positioning sense and his ability to play the ball out of defence. Curiously enough, he made his European debut on 7th December 2004 against Barça, a match the Ukrainians won 2-0. However, he played just a few minutes in injury time.

Despite his youth, he was already a regular in the Ukraine under-21s, helping them to qualify for the final stage of the European Cup.

In the 2005/06 season Chygrynskiy went out on loan to PFK Metalurg Zaporizhia in order to get more experience, playing 15 matches and doing enough to convince the Shakhtar coaching staff to reincorporate him. He impressed with his determination, pace and ball skills.

He returned to Shakhtar before the winter break and went on to play 11 matches (3 goals) in the second half of the season, in the process winning the league title, his first trophy.

At the end of the season Chygrynskiy played in the under-21s European Cup, leading Ukraine to the final where they were beaten by Holland. He was voted into the team of the tournament.

National team manager Oleg Blokhin named him in the senior squad for the 2006 World Cup however, injury problems that he had suffered with the under-21s kept him on the bench throughout the five matches played by the Ukraine.

At the age of 20, in the 2006/07 season, Chygrynskiy captained Shakhtar to a second place finish in the league and to the Cup final, which they lost 2-1 against Dynamo Kiev. The following season he led the team to a league and Cup double and was voted best player in the Cup final. By now he was a fixture in the national team. Last season he made history by captaining Shakhtar to the UEFA Cup.

PROFILE

Chygrynskiy is a powerful defender with great prowess in teh air as he uses his 1.90cm frame to good effect at set pieces and when defending high balls. His speed is also a huge asset as he makes up ground on opposition forwards very quickly and that allied with his positional sense makes him a highly-respected centre-back. Since he was very young, the Ukrainian international has been tipped for the big time and his dedication and professionalism has always shone through and earned him plaudits.

HONOURS

Shakhtar Donetsk
2008/09 UEFA Cup
2007/08 Ukranian Supercup
2007/08 Ukranian Cup
2007/08 Ukranian Premier
2005/06 Ukranian Premier

Jeffren Suárez Bermúdez

Jeffren Suárez Bermúdez

The striker, born in Venezuela, joined the Barça youth set-up in 2004. From Juvenil B to the first team, Jeffren has come up through the ranks to the point that Guardiola has handed him a regular first team place.

He was just a year old when his family left Venezuela for Tenerife. Jeffren was a prodigious and skilful footballer from a very young age.

The Barça talent scouts spotted him and from the 2004/05 he had left CD Tenerife and was among the Catalan club’s youth teams. His first coach at FCB was Guillermo Hoyos, who played him in midfield, but as the years went by it became clear that he was better used out on the wings.

He coincided with Guardiola in the 2007/08 season at Barça B and played a major role in the promotion gained to Division 2B. He made his official first team debut under Rijkaard against Badalona in the Copa del Rey in the 2006/07 season.

His league debut came at the end of the 2008/09 season away to Mallorca. The Venezuelan of Canary origin has also played internationally for Spain at youth level.

PROFILE

A left footer but who can also play with his right, Jeffren Suárez is a winger than can unsettle defenders with his combination of speed and skill. He has an excellent cross and generally scored plenty of goals a season.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2009/10 European Super Cup
2009/10 Spanish Super Cup

Magic, goals and class for Barça

www.fcbarcelona.cat

A skilful and physically imposing footballer, an all-round goal scorer. That would be a quick and concise definition of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barça’s second signing of the season. Ibracadabra’ is coming to the Camp Nou to continue working his own bra

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born in Malmö (Sweden) of a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother on 3rd October 1981. He joins Barça at the height of his career and is recognized as one of the most lethal strikers in European football. He is one of that rare breed of total footballers: he’s deadly in the air, fast, effective in front of goal and mesmerizing with the ball at his feet. His style of football makes his team-mates play better.

Technique and power

Ibrahimovic has always stood out as a skilful player, scoring some amazing goals and displaying tremendous creativity. That’s why he’s known in Italy as ‘Ibracadabra’. He stands 1.92 metres tall and combines great technique with a powerful physique, making him particularly feared by defenders in the air, as well as making it difficult to take the ball away from him.

In short, the Swedish international is the perfect modern centre forward and goal scorer. Last season he scored 25 goals in the Italian league with Inter Milan.

Ajax at the age of 19

zlatan-ajax.jpgIbrahimovic started his career with Malmö before moving on to Ajax in 2001, where he joined up with Barça team-mate Maxwell. Here he started to get noticed on a bigger footballing stage and gave indications of becoming a world class star despite his youth. For part of his time at Ajax his manager was former Barça star Ronald Koeman.

The Italian league

After three seasons in Holland, where he won two league titles, the Cup and two Dutch Super Cups, Ibrahimovic signed for Italian giants Juventus, staying there for two seasons from 2004 to 2006. When Juventus were relegated to the second division as a result of the “Moggigate” scandal, he signed for Inter Milan.

Three successful seasons with Inter Milan

Ibrahimovic won three league titles and two Italian Super Cups with Inter Milan and has been an essential part of the starting line-up under both Mancini and Mourinho.

Ibrahimovic is also a key member of the Sweden international team and has been voted his country’s best player on three occasions (2005, 2007and 2008).

Ibrahimovic signs five-year contract

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put pen to paper earlier this evening and agreed a five-year contract with the club in a deal which also sees Samuel Eto’o sign for Inter and Alexander Hleb move on loan.

At about quarter past seven this evening Zlatan Ibrahimovic officially became a Barca player after signing the contract that brings him to the club for the next five years.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, accompanied by his agent Mino Raiola, signed the contract in Joan Laporta’s office with the President, Txiki Begiristain and club Vice-President Rafael Yuste representing the club.

46 million plus Eto’o and Hleb

2009-07-27_FIRMA_IBRAHIMOVIC_04.jpgBarça will pay 46 million Euros to Inter, as well as Eto’o, valued at 20 million and the loan of Alexander Hleb for a season. If Inter wish to sign the Belarus midfielder after his loan period, they have a first option to buy at 10 million Euros, plus 2 million according to appearances and results.

Ibrahimovic’s buy-out clause has been set at 250 million Euros.

Maxwell delighted at Barça

Roger Bogunyà

In his official presentation to the media, Maxwell, Barca’s new left back has said that “today is a very special and happy day for me ... it is a dream come true.”

Serious, relaxed and humble, the first new addition to the treble winning squad, Maxwell, was officially presented today in Sala París at the Camp Nou. In his first official statement since signing, he said: “today is a very special and happy day for me. It is a dream come true. This is the strongest team in Europe”.

Four years, and option for one more
2009-07-17_PRESENTACION_DE_MAXWELL_002.JPGBefore the presentation, Maxwell visited the offices to sign his contract, which will be for four seasons, with an option to stay for a fifth, depending on the number of games the Brazilian plays for Barça in his fourth year. The buy-out clause on the contract has been set at 50 million euros.








Praise from Txiki
Toon_Maxwell_B.jpgBarça’s director of football Txiki Begiristain, who attended the press conference along with president Joan Laporta, explained why they had signed Maxwell. “We understood that it was a position that needed improvement. He is a Brazilian player, but has grown up in Europe and where there is a very similar philosophy to our own, at Ajax, and he has also played top level competition at such a team as Inter.”

When asked to describe his new acquisition, Txiki Begiristain had no doubt that “he is top class, has a good physique and plenty of skill”.








His role
2009-07-17_PRESENTACION_DE_MAXWELL_015.JPGMaxwell has come to Barça just after Sylvinho’s contract ran out on June 30. “I know I am here to replace a player that has left and I know that competition for places at the club is a positive thing”, he said when asked about his role in the team, where he will be competing with Frenchman Éric Abidal for the left back place.







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Squad FC Barcelona 2009/10

Squad FC Barcelona 2009/10

Squad FC Barcelona 2009/10

Squad FC Barcelona 2009/10