Well, I'm finally back from my holidays and it seems as if I chose a good week to take off as very little seems to have been happening at Barça while I was away. However, there is the good news that Leo Messi and the Argentina team won the gold medal at football after beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final. Messi didn't score but he was involved in Argentina's winning goal which was scored by Ángel Di María.

After all the controversy surrounding Messi's participation in the games it is great that he has earned another important title to add to his curriculum. I'm afraid I didn't get to see any of Messi's performances, in fact I've missed practically the entire Olympics, let's hope that Messi can win some more...

Not a lot to report from the last two days in Barcelona, the beginning of the Olympic Games means the local sports papers have plenty of other news to fill their pages meaning the transfer rumours can be put to one side. However, what can be reported is that Marc Crosas move to Celtic has been confirmed and the player was presented before Celtic's win against St Mirren this weekend.

For €500,000, Celtic have got an absolute bargain. For Crosas too it is an excellent opportunity as competing against the likes of Xavi and Iniesta he was always going to have an uphill struggle to break into Barça's midfield. I've probably only...

As suggested here yesterday, Barça have taken the decision not to recall Leo Messi for the Champions League game against Wisla Krakow thus allowing the player to compete in the Olympic Games in China. It seems Barça have come to an agreement with the Argentine Football Association whereby Messi will be insured against injury during the tournament and Argentina will renounce using Messi in any friendly matches this season. Given that Messi was already in China, and that it seemed to be his wish to play the Olympics, I feel Barça have taken a wise decision to let him stay.

Messi celebrated the decision by scoring in Argentina's opening game which ended in a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. Messi opened...

So, now it turns out that Barça were correct to defend their interest in the Messi/Olympics saga. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have ruled in favour of Barça, Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 to say these clubs are not obliged to release their players for the Olympic games, and the clubs can now legally recall their players for the Champions League qualifiers. The Argentinian camp have responded by declaring their intention to play Messi in tomorrow's opening game against Ivory Coast.

Putting to one side the arguments of whether or not Messi should play in the Olympics (we have already had that debate on the blog), I have to say that it is...

After some initial reports that Barça were trying to get either Beitar Jerusalem or Wisla Krakow to agree to playing the second leg at Camp Nou, it has now been confirmed that the first leg of the Champions league qualifier will take place at Camp Nou on August 13. The 2nd leg will be played on Aug 26/27.

Meanwhile Barça are in New York preparing for tomorrow night's game against the New York Red Bulls. Barça trained in Central Park and also had representatives at the opening of Wall Street today. They are publicising an excellent campaign to combat malaria called "Malaria No More", I have to say that things like this make me proud to be a...

Barça have made this season's shirt numbers official and there is little surprise that Leo Messi will take the number 10 shirt worn by ronaldinho for the past five seasons. There are also numbers for five Barcelona Atletic players who have been performing well with the first team in preseason and Marc Crosas has been given the 26 shirt despite reports of an imminent move to Celtic. The complete first team squad numbers are as follows:

1. Valdés
2. Martín Cáceres
3. Piqué
4. Márquez
5. Puyol
6. Xavi
7. Gudjohnsen
8. Iniesta
9. Eto'o
10. Messi
11. Bojan
13. Pinto
14 Henry
15. Keita
16. Sylvinho
18. Milito
20. Alves

Barça are standing firm in their attempt to keep hold of Leo Messi for the Champions League qualifying round and have named him in the squad for the mini tour of Italy and the USA. Fifa have delayed their decision on the case until tomorrow but even if they dictate that Messi must be freed to play in Beijing's Olympic Games, Barça have declared their intention to appeal the decision which could delay any final decision until it is too late.

Barça have been attempting to reach an agreement with the Argentine Football Association by which Messi could play for Barça on August 12/13 and then fly out to China to join the Argentina squad in time for the Olympic quarter finals. Barça's stance has caused protest outside the Spanish Embassy in Buenas...

Dundee United fans at Tannadice Park may go home disappointed with the result but at least they had the consolation of seeing Leo Messi. United began the game well, even took the lead and went in at half time on level terms. However, the entrance of Messi in the second half made all the difference and he capped another excellent performance with a hat-trick in the space of 24 minutes.

There were few chances early on as Barça failed to break down the United defence despite dominating the possession with Crosas spreading the ball well. In the 24th minute a great pass from Crosas sent Henry through and a goal looked certain but the Frenchman hit his shot over the bar. United punished Barça a minute later when a mistake by Caceres allowed a cross to come in from the left which was headed home...

Reports from Scotland suggest that Pep Guardiola is working the players hard. Early training sessions which include a run from the hotel to the training ground, appear to be more intense than they had been previously under Frank Rijkaard. The negative side of this is that Sylvinho, Eto'o, Abidal, Oleguer and Marc Crosas have all suffered minor injuries which will mean none of them are likely to be risked in tomorrow's game at Murrayfield against Hibs. 

Also missing will be the Eurocopa heroes Puyol, Iniesta and Xavi who this morning passed medicals in Barcelona before flying out to join their teammates in Scotland. this means the team for tomorrow could look something like this: Valdés; Alves, Marquez, Pique, Caceres; Hleb, Toure, Keita; Messi, Henry, Bojan. I'm looking forward...

Leo Messi arrived in Barcelona this morning and this afternoon took part in the team's first training session under Pep Guardiola. Two thousand fans turned up at the Miniestadi to watch the session which was open to the public. The fans particularly cheered Messi and Bojan Krkic during the session from which the Argentinian retired after half an hour. Having made the trip from Buenos Aires it is understandable that he only appeared for such a short time.

Barça still hope to retain Messi for the Champions League qualifier on 12/13 August but it seems more likely that the player will join his Argentinian team-mates for the Olympic Games in Beijing.

In the first training match played at the end of the training session Marc Crosas showed he is keen to stay at Barça by...