As is so often the case we get a player back injured after an international break. This time it is Eidur Gudjohnsen who will miss the games with Athletic Bilbao and Basel due to a muscle injury in his left leg. On the positive side Alexandr Hleb is fit to return to action after being out injured since September 13.

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I'm in London for a few days for a well deserved holiday, but unfortunately my parents who I'm staying with have got an apple mac computer which seems to work with a completely different logic to what I'm used to. All sorts of problems seem to arise: how do I copy and paste? how do I post a photo? Where is the c with the squiggly thing on this keyboard when I want to write Barsa? Why is public transport so expensive in this country? Anyway the news today which you have all probably heard hours ago is that Barsa have signed Alexandr Hleb and also the fixture list has been announced. Barsa begin their La Liga campaign on August 31 with a visit to newly promoted Numancia. Real Madrid visit Camp Nou on December 14th, and the return at the Bernabeu is on May 3rd. can Barsa win the league before to get a pasillo from Madrid in front of their own fans (unlikely). The final game of the season is at Deportivo on May 31. I would print the entire fixture list but it would...Read Post »

It seems that Barça's fifth summer signing will be Belarusian midfielder Alexander Hleb. According to all the reports in today's press Barça have reached an agreement with both Hleb and his club Arsenal which will see the player sign for four years. Hleb will have to pass a medical and make the official signing which reports say will go ahead next week. Barça will pay Arsenal €15 million plus €3 million for objectives achieved.

The agreement with Hleb came weeks ago but the negotiations with Arsenal proved to be more difficult and were complicated by Bayern Munich making a higher offer. However, Hleb insisted he wanted to come to Camp Nou and in the end he seems to have got his way.

Hleb can play either as an attacking midfielder or on either wing and his versatility ...

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