Sergio Busquets

• Full Name: Sergio Busquets
• Squad No: 16
• Position: Midfielder
• Age: 24
• Birth Date: Jul 16, 1988
• Birth Place: Sabadell, Spain
• Height: 1.88m
• Weight: 161 kg

Teams

• Spain
• Barcelona

Last Game

Barcelona 4 - 1 Atletico Madrid

Spanish Primera División
December 16, 2012

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
15	1	1	1

SERGIO BUSQUETS

• PROFILE

Being a part of one of the greatest Barcelona teams of all-time ensured Busquets' rise to the top happened quickly.

The tall defensive midfielder came through the academy to make his mark on the B side in 2007 under Pep Guardiola and was soon promoted to the senior side the following year, winning six trophies with the club in his first season.

An unsung hero, his hard work allows the silky smooth stars in Pep Guardiola's side to strut their stuff and he is a vital cog in the Barcelona machine. Making his debut for the senior Spain side in February 2009, only 18 months later he would play all by 30 minutes of their successful World Cup campaign.

Strengths: Cool and composed, he passes the ball simply and is robust in the tackle to break up opposition attacks.

Weaknesses: Prone to theatrics, his desire to hound the referee over decisions does not make him a popular figure.

Career high: Winning the 2010 World Cup with Spain after sealing a first-team place.

Career low: Getting Thiago Motta sent off with a piece of theatrics in the Champions League semi-final in 2010.

Style: Robust, composed, a simple but effective player.

Quotes: "If I was a footballer, I would like to be like Busquets". Spain coach, Vicente del Bosque.

Trivia: Busquets' father, Carles, was also a footballer, having played as backup goalkeeper for Barcelona for several years during the 1990s.

By:: ESPN search by KEshav....

Javier Mascherano

• Full Name: Javier Alejandro Mascherano
• Squad No: 14
• Position: Defender
• Age: 28
• Birth Date: Jun 8, 1984
• Birth Place: San Lorenzo, Argentina
• Height: 5' 9'' (1.75m)
• Weight: 77 kg

Teams

• Barcelona
• Argentina

Last Game

Barcelona 4 - 1 Atletico Madrid

Spanish Primera División
December 16, 2012

• Match Stats
• Report

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
11	0	0	0

JAVIER MASCHERANO

• PROFILE

Javier Mascherano is one of the last great players to emerge from the junior ranks of River Plate, and was outstanding in a position previously occupied by the greatest heroes of that famous club, such as Americo Ruben Gallego, Reinaldo Carlos Merlo, Leonardo Astrada and Matias Almeyda.

The career of this talented midfielder initially followed the same path of his countryman Carlos Tevez. He shone in a great Argentine club (winning two league titles with River), was transferred to Corinthians of Brazil and then to West Ham in England, just like the former Boca player.

However, after enduring a miserable time at Upton Park, he was transferred to Liverpool where he finally found some solidity and consistency during a three year spell, before opting to move on and join Spanish side Barcelona in August 2010 for around £17 million.

One of the stars of the Argentine national team, he captains the side and has won two gold medals in the Olympic Games: one in Athens 2004 and the other in Beijing 2008.

Strengths: His engine and ability to break up play and win the ball make him a key midfielder. His distribution, while unspectacular, is accurate.

Weaknesses: Lacks accuracy in his shooting at goal and has a limited passing range and questionable temperament.

Career high: He was one of the cornerstones in the midfield of the Argentine team that grabbed gold at the 2004 Olympics.

Career low: His stint with West Ham, where he played very little.

Style: Competitive, fierce, a ball winning midfielder.

Quotes: "Mascherano and ten other guys," was Maradona's answer when asked about the names on his teamsheet.

Trivia: Debuted for the Argentine national team before making his debut in the Argentine first division for his own team.

By:::ESPN search by KEshav>>>

Three lives at FC Barcelona

Xavi, Puyol and Messi: Three lives at FC Barcelona

Jordi Clos

Xavi Hernández, Carles Puyol and Leo Messi have all extended their stays at the only club they have ever played for

• 
  Fotomuntatge de les primeres fitxes de Xavi, Puyol i Messi

32 year old Xavi Hernández holds the all-time record for games played in the Barça shirt (652)

Puyol is the soul of the team with his extraordinarily infectious determination

25 year old Leo Messi is considered by many to be the greatest player the sport has ever seen, and that is still at a relatively early stage of what has already been a glittering career

Xavi Hernández, Carles Puyol and Leo Messi form part of world footballing heritage, and also to that of FC Barcelona. Other than their national teams, none of the trio have ever represented a different club since arriving at FC Barcelona at a very young age. And it was revealed today that they will all be staying in the Catalan capital for some time longer, for Xavi and Puyol have extended their contracts to 2016 and Messi until 2018.

Xavi: Record appearances

32 year old Xavi Hernández holds the all-time record for games played in the Barça shirt (652). He has been the brains of the team for several years and is one of the finest exponents of the club’s unique style. He has been delighting football purists with his revolutionary understanding of the link between the midfield and the forward line ever since he joined the club as a mere 11-year-old in 1991. He played at every level through to his first team debut in the summer of 1998. This is his fourteenth season in the elite, where he has so far played in all 16 league matches, 5 out of 6 in the Champions League, 1 in the Copa del Rey and both Supercup fixtures.

Puyol: Captain courage

34 year old Carles Puyol has been Barça captain since 2004. He is the soul of the team with his extraordinarily infectious determination. In 1995 he joined the Barça U18 squad, first as a winger, and later as a full back, which is where he made his first team debut in 1999, and eventually became one of the world’s greatest centre backs of the last decade. His 569 first team appearances is a record only topped by team-mate Xavi, and despite a series of problems with injury, he is still an irreplaceable member of the first eleven.

Messi: Simply the best

25 year old Leo Messi is considered by many to be the greatest player the sport has ever seen, and that is still at a relatively early stage of what has already been a glittering career. His sublime skill and ability to change a game single-handedly have made him the icon of the best Barça team ever. He has won the Ballon d’Or three times and is the hot tip to win a fourth in January, while his other awards include two Golden Boots. There is no stopping the Argentinian marvel. He is the club’s all-time record goalscorer in official matches (287) and in 2012 has set a new world record by scoring 90 goals for club and country. In the present Liga, he has already found the target 25 times in 16 games. He was a child prodigy when he joined the club in 2000, but he has managed to surpass even the wildest of expectations.

In 2016, when their new contracts end, Xavi and Puyol will have spent 25 and 21 years at the club, respectively, while Messi, in 2018, will have been here for 18. Three lives dedicated to the Barça cause.
source:: FCBarcelona Official Website::keshav::

José Manuel Pinto

• Squad No: 13
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Age: 37
• Birth Date: Nov 8, 1975
• Birth Place: Spain
• Height: 1.86m



Pinto

• Weight: 84 kg

Teams

• Barcelona

Last Game

Barcelona 4 - 1 Atletico Madrid

Spanish Primera División
December 16, 2012

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	SAVES	CLEAN SHEETS
0	0	0	source:::ESPN by search by Keshav....

Jonathan Dos santos

santos

Jonathan Dos santos

• Squad No: 12
• Position: Midfielder
• Age: 22
• Birth Date: Apr 26, 1990
• Birth Place: Mexico
• Height: 1.72m
• Weight: 74 kg

Teams

• Barcelona
• Barcelona B

Last Game

Cordoba 0 - 2 Barcelona

Spanish Copa del Rey
December 12, 2012

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
1	0	0	0								sources::: ESPN search by Keshav>>>

Thiago

• Full Name: Thiago
• Squad No: 11
• Position: Midfielder
• Age: 21
• Birth Date: Apr 11, 1991
• Birth Place: San Pietro Vernotico, Italy
• Height: 1.74m



Thiago

• Weight: 65 kg

Teams

• Spain
• Barcelona
• Spain U21

Last Game

Cordoba 0 - 2 Barcelona

Spanish Copa del Rey
December 12, 2012

• 
  

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
6	0	0	5

THIAGO

Profile::

A midfielder who was born in Italy, has a Brazilian father and plays for Spain, Thiago has been tipped to be the replacement for Xavi.
Starting his career in Brazil, he played youth football at Flamengo before moving to Spain and joining the Galician team Ureca in Nigran. Moving back forth between the countries, he finally settled in Barcelona (where his cousin Patrick was also playing) and joined La Masia in 2005.
Graduating from the academy, Thiago's skill on the ball set him apart from others and he was given his first-team debut in May 2009 at the age of 18. Slowly making his name as a useful squad player, he filled in the gaps in the hugely successful Barcelona side and signed a contract renewal keeping him at Barcelona until 2015, with a buyout clause of €30 million.
With Barcelona looking to rotate tired players, he was given more of a role in 2011-12 after helping Spain to win the European Under-21 Championship and should be a fixture in the squad for many years to come.
Strengths: Passing and composure on the ball, while he also has great vision.
Weaknesses: Strength and tackling ability are missing, while he is also not the most consistent player.
Career high: Winning the treble in 2010-11 with Barcelona, he also starred in the European Under-21 Championship where he scored a fine goal in the 2-0 win against Switzerland in the final.
Career low: He played two games in two years for the first-team after graduating from the B side.
Style: Technical, skilful, a visionary on the ball.
Quotes: "Thiago is a special player. He wants a career in this world and we're fortunate that we've produced another player in-house." Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola.
Trivia: He is the son of the former Brazilian footballer and 1994 World Cup winner Mazinho 
Source:: ESPN search By keshav...

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

• Squad No: 10
• Position: Forward
• Age: 25
• Birth Date: Jun 24, 1987
• Birth Place: Rosario, Argentina
• Height: 5' 7'' (1.70m)
• Weight: 67 kg

 

Teams

• Barcelona
• Argentina

Last Game

Cordoba 0 - 2 Barcelona

Spanish Copa del Rey
December 12, 2012

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
15	23	5	79

LIONEL MESSI

Profile:::

Lionel Messi is the heir apparent to the throne left vacant by Diego Armando Maradona. The waters are divided between those who consider him to be far from being the best No. 10, and those who believe that Messi will be even better than Maradona.
Born in Rosario, he cut his teeth in the youth ranks of Newell's Old Boys, until a hormonal problem that affected his growth changed the plans of his family and, of course, his personal future. Facing expensive treatment for their son, Messi's parents moved to Spain as Newell's were not able to afford the medical costs related to his condition, and even the wealthiest Argentine teams, such as River Plate, refused to foot the bill.
After his first trial with Barcelona, the Catalan coaches had no doubts. They decided to sign Messi and pay for his medical treatment. His growth was noticeable within Barca, and in little time he came to be considered one of the great talents at the club. He made his debut in the first division in October 2004, against Espanyol, and Barcelona have since adopted him as one of their greatest idols.
His first championship would come in the Liga season of 2004-05. Since then, and playing a more prominent role every season, he has won every major club trophy at Camp Nou - including a stunning haul of six in 2008-09 - and claimed the World Player of the Year award three times in three years, leaving many in little doubt as to the fact that Messi is the best player of his generation; possibly of all-time.
That idea was given further weight in March 2012 when, at the age of 24, he became the all-time top scorer at Barcelona - beating the 232 goals of Cesar Rodriguez.
Strengths: His ball skills are second to none, his runs from midfield are usually lethal and he is almost impossible to tackle when he gets his head down. His balance when running at speed is incredible.
Weaknesses: Too often he searches for a way to finish moves by himself without looking for team-mates in a better position to shoot at goal.
Career high: Winning the 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Player of the Year awards.
Career low: He was unable to perform to his best in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals with Messi looking on from the bench.
Style: Quick, incisive, balanced, a stylish runner with the ball.
Quotes: "Messi is my Maradona," said Maradona himself, as the head coach of the Argentine national team.
Trivia: His debut with the national team (against Hungary) was a disaster: he entered the game in the 18th minute of the second half, and 47 seconds later was sent off.
source: ESPN search by KEshav>>

Alexis Sánchez

Alexis Sánchez

• Full Name: Alexis Sanchez
• Squad No: 9
• Position: Forward
• Age: 23
• Birth Date: Dec 19, 1988
• Birth Place: Tocopilla
• Height: 5' 7" (1.70m)
• Weight: 74 kg

 

 

Teams

• Barcelona
• Chile

Last Game

Cordoba 0 - 2 Barcelona

Spanish Copa del Rey
December 12, 2012

2012/13 Spanish La Liga

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	SHOTS
9	0	2	7

ALEXIS SÁNCHEZ

Profile:::

One of the most talked about young players in the game, Sanchez attracted the attention of Barcelona and Manchester City in the summer of 2011, and eventually signing for the Spanish side. Sanchez began his career at Cobreloa, quickly earning a spot in the U-16 team that competed in a South American tournament in Paraguay. He made his debut in the top division in the first game of 2005's Apertura.
A few months later, he made his first appearance in the Libertadores Cup, playing against Colombia's Once Caldas, the defending champions. Before long, offers from abroad poured in and, despite reported interest from Manchester United and Werder Bremen, he signed for Udinese.
The Italian club then loaned him to Colo Colo to gain experience. After winning two titles there, he moved to Argentina's River Plate, but suffered an injury that kept him out of the game for several months. He recovered to become an essential part of the team that won the 2008 Apertura, before returning to Udinese.
Under coach Marcelo Bielsa, he has became one of Chile's most important players, while he was also a key component in Udinese's run to the Champions League in 2010-11. He joined Barcelona for around €35 million in the summer, starting a new chapter of his career.
Strengths: A player with great technique, he prefers to play in wide areas but can also get into the box and score goals.
Weaknesses: Inexperienced at the highest level, is a little selfish and holds on to the ball for too long.
Career high: During the 2006 Clausura and 2007 Apertura - both won by Colo Colo - he played exceptionally well, but his performances for Chile in 2010 were all excellent.
Career low: An injury to his left ankle at River, from which it took him a long time to recover.
Style: Fast, powerful, tricky, an excellent winger.
Quotes: "It's nice to be among the best. I always said I wanted to be the best in the world". Sanchez, following his arrival in Europe.
Trivia: He was a candidate for the 2008 Golden Boy award, a prize awarded in Italy to the most promising players under the age of 21. 
source: ESPN search by KEshav::