La Liga News: Barcelona Prepare For the Start of the Season
Spanish giants Barcelona, touted as one of the leading clubs in Europe, and the winners of the Spanish league last season, have started to limber up for the upcoming season with an aim of repeating their success besides hoping to go one notch up and put up an impressive performance in the Champions League, the ultimate prize in European football.
They warmed up in a training session on Saturday evening before their friendly encounter with one of the leading clubs in the Chinese Super League, Beijing Guo'an. The game is set to be held in the Chinese capital Beijing.
The club has rested at least eight players who were part of Spain's World Cup winning squad; they are at home celebrating their historic success.
The Spanish side is on a tour of Asia, where they have already played a practice game in the South Korean capital Seoul.
From there, they arrived in the Chinese capital earlier in the week to start their tour of the country as they flex their muscles before the start of a gruelling season in Spanish football.
The showdown with the Chinese champions is scheduled in the Bird's Nest stadium, the venue that was the showpiece stadium for the Olympic Games that were held in the city two years ago.
The match will mark two years since the spectacular opening ceremony was held to launch the Games.
After initially starting off in a relaxed manner, Barcelona spent more than an hour in an intensive training session on the eve of the match today.
Their practice was held at the Worker’s Stadium and not at the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bird-c48123’s Nest that was being shaped up for the clash on Sunday.
The team focused on the challenge of taking up on one of the most formidable teams in the Asian continent.
Their session on Saturday was unlike the first session in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/China-c40996 a couple of days ago, where the players strolled around in a friendly manner hardly interested in touching the ball.
Over at the Worker’s Stadium, it was back to the old rigorous routine that included preparing for the match with complete focus.
There was the usual ten-minute warm up session, followed by a match and a short spurt of passes and tackling.
Meanwhile, the arrival of the famed club in their country brought smiles on the faces of hundreds of Chinese fans who had converged at the venue to see their stars in action, and most of them chanted slogans in admiration of the team that has often provided some of the most dazzling football in the European season.
"I hope Barcelona can have better achievements (this season). I think the absence of eight Spanish World Cup winners is good for the team to prepare for the next season. And among all the player who came to China, I like Ibrahimovic the most. Take a look at my back," said one of the fans who had turned up to the venue to catch a glimpse of his favourite player.
As expected, though, the centre of attention was Argentinean Lionel Messi, who is touted by many as the best football player in the world.
The fans shouted and gave a round of applause every time the diminutive striker touched the ball.
A passionate female fan of the club was ecstatic to see his favourite team in action, claiming that it was her dream to see them on the pitch, as she has followed every game they have played in the last five years or so.
"I have been supporting Barca for 11 years from 1999. I didn't watch their games very often in early years. But from 04/05 season on, I have watched all of Barcelona's matches without missing a single one," she said.
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