By TRAVIS CLARK
It didn't take long for Barcelona to jump head-first into the transfer market. With the offseason in its infancy, the Catalan club has already made a massive move with the acquisition of Spanish international David Villa.
The deal with Valencia, in the range of €40 million, comes with a four-year contract for the striker as Barcelona hopes to maintain its position at the top of La Liga.
Villa will arrive in Barcelona on Thursday evening, prior to undergoing a medical, and will be introduced on Friday.
Here are a few other stories for Wednesday evening:
Maradona names 23-man roster
After surprising some with his 30-man roster selection last week, Diego Maradona has wasted little time in whittling down his list of 23 players to take to South Africa. Leading the attack will be the usual suspects — Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez. Argentina will play Canada on Monday, May 24 before heading to South Africa on May 28.
Juventus names new coach
A seventh-place finish in Serie A meant that massive changes were on the horizons at Juventus, and those began in earnest Wednesday as former Sampdoria coach Luigi Del Neri was named manager. Del Neri takes over for Alberto Zaccheroni, who acted as caretaker after Ciro Ferrera was fired in January. Del Neri successfully led Sampdoria to fourth place in Serie A this past season and a spot in Champions League qualifying.
Essien hopes to be healthy for World Cup
Ghana's midfield linchpin Michael Essien is fighting to be healthy in time for the opener of his country's World Cup campaign. The Chelsea midfielder, injured during the African Cup of Nations, hasn't played since January, and his fate could be determined over the next few days as the Ghana FA is expected to meet with Chelsea to determine his fitness. Ghana is in Group D with Australia, Germany and Serbia.
——–
What do you think of Barcelona's move for Villa? Is Fabregas on his way next? Can Juventus' new coach dig them out of the rut? What do you make of Maradona's roster? Can Essien get healthy?
Share your thoughts below.
D basically being an arm of the Catalan government financially. While Barca doesn’t have a shirt sponsor, they get shirt sponsor type money from two semi-public utilities in Catalonia. They are funded by the government just as Real is funded by the city of Madrid. The rich get richer at the public teat and everyone else goes bankrupt just trying to stay in the game. How do you compete with a team that as baseline revenues five times yours?
Couldn’t agree more. The drama of sports is all about David vs Goliath (and Goliath vs Goliath). Every league needs one or two giants(Barca, Inter, Man U) to be the protagonists… No one gave a damn about the NBA after Jordan retired and the league was without its central protagonist, the mighty Chicago Bulls.
Since when in modern club soccer has La Liga not been dominated by Real and Barca? Racing Santander lost the league by a hair in 2002, when Xavi Alonoso stepped on the scene? Villareal, Sevilla, and Valancia have been in the race…but La Liga has always been about those two clubs. In case you haven’t noticed, Spain is a fairly small country. Soccer fans should be grateful that Barca and Real continue to push the envelope of “best club ever”…or would you rather watch the likes of Mallorca play Valladolid week in and week out?
Talk about looking the gift horse in the mouth.
Secondly, the core of Barca’s squad is composed of home grown players. So what’s your complaint? Their youth academy is too good?
In case folks haven’t noticed, the elite league in Europe is not any domestic league, it’s the champions league. The domestic league has been relegated.
yeah, i got the same thing.
After some timely goals in qualifying, Martin Palermo is fully back from exile at the age of 37
Anyone else thinks David Villa looks like Morrissey in that picture?
“The booooy with the thorrrn in his siiiiide….”
That seems to be what he’s singing there.
Just a thought.
You left out Arsenal. They won in 97/98, 01/02, & 03/04.
While obviously Barca spends money too, it’s usually only on one or two big name players a season where needed. Barca have a ridiculous number of players that are home grown: Messi, Xavi, Pique, Iniesta, Pedro, Busquets, Puyol, etc., and even Fabregas if he were to come back. Compare that to Real where they spent an obscene amount of money on the likes of Ronaldo, Alonso, Ramos, Kaka, Benzema, etc., and there you have it. I’m not saying Barca doesn’t spend, but they are not even close to Real and they have an impressive number of home grown talent, which is exceedingly rare for any top team…
For your information, the EPL has only been in existence since 1992. Only 4 teams have won the title: Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and Blackburn Rovers. Liverpool has won many titles in England’s top league, but they were all before 1992 when that top league first became the EPL.
yeah, my favorite league has been La Liga for sometime now…but this is getting out of hand. Barca and Madrid have split the last 6 titles evenly. This year really showed everyone the difference in the teams. Barca and Madrid ended with 99 and 96 points, respectively. Third had 71 points…it’s astonishing and something will have to be done. i’m quickly becoming a huge Bundesliga fan. that league is spot on in terms of parity and overall attendance.
The NFL is fine the way it is. MLB is fine the way it is. But the league with my first favorite sport the NBA I think would be more successful and compelling to people if it was more like European football(especially the no salry cap part). The NBA was probably at its most popular when teams like the Lakers and Celtics were unbelievably stacked. On teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Inter, etc you get to see great player play wiith other great players you don’t always see that in the NBA.
hahahahaha moron
am i the only one who thinks they should have just stuck with Bojan? this kid is great and i don’t think the 28 year old Villa is that good of an investment. the guy is freaking awesome, don’t get me wrong, but at 28, I’d assume, especially knowing Barca, that they would go with the youthful Bojan.
Wait I thought Real Madrid was supposed to be the Spanish team that spent all the money.
i agree.
interesting if Marquez goes to LA. goodbye Chivas USA if that happens. all the mexican fans will become LA fans. which is the core of who Chivas is luring. really, Chivas or Houston should be trying to sign this guy.
It’s been stated above several times, but La Liga is now definitely turning into, as an article I read put it, the SPL South. Barca and Real Madrid are the only teams that have any shot of winning the title next season. I read a ridiculous stat yesterday, that Real won 31 freaking games out of 38, and they STILL didn’t win the title. I mean, there is seriously something wrong for two teams to dominate an entire league like that. What’s the point of watching any game in the league aside from El Clasico, which basically decides the title? And Barca and Real refuse to share TV revenue, so it will never change. I’m sorry, but La Liga is way more boring now then the EPL was back when it had the Big Four. It’s getting a little absurd. Oh yeah, and Jonathan, you really are an idiot…
I mean seriously, your post pisses me off. “I’m ashamed for you as a fellow american for your lack of football knowledge.” Alright Euro-snob, think what you want. I suggest learning more facts because you start insulting fellow Americans and their soccer knowledge. Wikipedia is a good start, if that’s not too much of a lowly site for your amazing European pedigree
Congratulations for being wrong yet still trying to bully people! And to further your inaccuracy, the “certain area of England” would not disagree with you. Liverpool never winning the EPL (that’s EPL as in Premier League, as in not the old First Division) is something veryyy well documented and painfully lamented by Liverpool faithful.
Best post on this site ever! Seriously, I don’t understand why people are writing us in to the knockout stages. If we don’t get a result against England, things won’t look great. Serbia and Algeria aren’t going to lie down for us. I desperately want the US to do well, but some of y’all need to be a little more grounded.
And to the guy who said Germany doesn’t scare him?? Schewinsteiger, Trochowski, klose, lahm, et al. disagree
Soccer teams have other goals than winning the league though. There are multiple tournaments during the year that they can focus on. If a NBA/MLB team has a terrible first two months they are done for the year, but a soccer team that suffers injuries or goes through a bad stretch can hope to show well in one of the tournaments.
Also, making the Champions League or Europa League is not a minor achievement for players or fans. Imagine if the only way your alma mater had a chance to play USC, Ohio State, etc. was if they placed high enough in the league. Now the supporters get to travel somewhere different and see some of the most talented players out there…sounds pretty awesome to me…ask a Fulham fan about this years run in the Europa League.
Liverpool really has never won the EPL… the old first division title yes, but not the EPL.
You make Americans look fairly stupid ll on your own.
Um… the 7th and 8th seeded teams are playing for a chance to go to the Stanley Cup finals in the eastern conference. That’s much more exciting than watching Man U and Chelsea or Barca and Real “fight” it out every year.
Snooze… “hometown” teams my arse as well. Manchester United has what, a billion, “hometown” fans?
Talent tends to rise to the top over a season as shown by the same teams always (or almost always) at the top of the major leagues. However, in tournaments good tactics, luck, and teamwork can trump talent. There are a ton of examples Greece in Euro 2004, South Korea in WC 2006, Portsmouth in the FA Cup this year, etc. Often these kinds of teams don’t end up winning the title but there is often an underdog team that reaches a semi-final of whatever major tournament.
If there was a 30 game season the U.S. would not fair well, especially given lack of depth, but across 3-5 games they definitely have a chance.
So right on. I’ve watched European football since I can remember on strange international feeds and what not but it’s become embarrassing.
I actually stop watching around December time. When the most exciting thing is Villa trying to grab 4th place, you have a problem.
Yay! 4th place!
Germany should always scare you. They are a tournament team and one of the best of all time, regardless of who’s in the side.
He doesn’t really fit into Barcelona’s system of dinking the ball around with short passes. He’s a big physical striker who would fit well into the other big three leagues, in particularly the Premier League. Maybe City will pick him up. Tevez, Adebayour, Ibra would be very niccccccce. But I can’t see him being anything more than a 80th minute sub for Barca.
And a massive amount of television revenue that holds the rest of the league down… Barca and Madrid get somewhere around 103 million a year from TV… Valencia gets around 35 million. I used to love La Liga, but now it’s a joke.
You’re crazy if you think Villa won’t be a starter from day one. He is Spain’s best striker and one of the world’s best. Bojan is good, but he’s young and Villa has one of the best goals-per-game ratios since Fat Ronaldo.
Yeah, karma is a bitch.
this is the most hilarious thread ever… Seriously, the funniest thing I’ve heard all day “liverpool has never won the EPL” i dare you to go to a pub in a certain area of england and say that… you won’t be returning with all your teeth. HILARIOUS!!! I’m ashamed for you as a fellow american for your lack of football knowledge
You are a pessimist sir..congrats. News flash to everyone: Serbia isn’t that great offensively!! Yes, their defense is definitely top 10, but going forward they are not anything special. With Howard in goal and a back four where Boca is starting over Bornstein we can definitely beat them. People over estimate European countries. Unlike most Americans, I follow other European national teams besides the classic european sides, including Serbia.
+1…golfstrom, you my friend, are an idiot.
err..I mean Travis
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/kick-tfc-can-clinch-canadian-title-m%C3%A1rquez-linked-mls
Found it.
dose anyone have a link to : Marquez/MLS ?
Yes you were, obviously, and I think you didn’t even make it out of that paragraph without doing it again.
The other guy’s point isn’t well taken though, at least in comparison to the popularity of US sports. NBA is exactly the same as EPL for parity anyway, MLB’s ratings are much much better when the Yankees or Red Sox are deep in the playoffs, Golf lives and dies by Tiger Woods, etc.
College football is easily the closest thing we have to foreign soccer as far as home-town support, passion, rivalry etc., and there are very few major surprises for conference championships each year. The teams competing for the national championship this year were Texas and Alabama. You could have said that in any of the last 6 decades (ok, not the 90s for Texas, but still). I don’t think that’s hurt its popularity.