Another reason to celebrate for the Romanian national team. It was more of a slight rumour that Henry had an injury problem and MIGHT not play in Monday's game against Romania. But now it seems that more and more French newspapers are reporting a piece of news that is music to my ears - Anelka will start along with Benzema on Monday.

Anelka is a good player, but he's not the type that will be a big threat to our defense. I just hope that Gomis won't start. It's not looking too possible now, and I hope it stays that way. Thank you Raymond!

This is the team he's been using in training for possible starting 11:

Coupet - Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal - Ribery, Toulalan, Makelele, Malouda - Anelka, Benzema

That looks good to me, not an extremely intimidating team to he honest. And for the first time ever in Romanian football history, we have a taller team than France. So we have an advantage at set pieces, especially since Mutu will be taking them!

Daniel Niculae, who will start up top for Romania against France just had an interview with the Romanian newspaper GSP.He talks about what EURO 2008 means for him, how to beat the French, and other interesting things. Here's my translation of the best parts of it:

Q: Daniel, are you ready for France?
A: I believe I am yes. I've been thinking of this game for a long time. It depends on the coach if I will play or not.

Q: Our informations says that you will play!
A: We'll see about it at the game, I don't know if I will or not.

Q: How do you think your teammates feel before this game?
A: We're ready for battle from a physical standpoint, psychological and tactical standpoints. We've seen tens of tapes with the French, we know them well. Now it depends on us!

Q: What is our chance?
A: We can beat anyone. We're the best organized team at Euro, we're ready for this final tournament.

Q: I bet you know everything about Gallas and Thuram, including what they eat for breakfast!
A: We all studied them very well, but let's not forget they're two of the best defenders in the world. And that says a lot. But I'm not afraid and I'm ready to show what I can do.

Q: Have you scored any goals on Coupet at Lyon?
A: No I never have. He is a big goalkeeper, he's a champion and that says a lot, but he can be beaten.

Q: Were these weeks hard while training for EURO?
A: No! It was a special period, but let's not forget that every other team went through a similar process, not only us.

Q: You have the chance to enter in the goalscorer history for Romania in final tournaments, along-side Raducioiu, Dumitrescu, Hagi, Moldovan and others.
A: What you're saying sounds amazing, and so to end the dialogue optimistically I'll say: Let it be that way! Come of Romania!

Giga Hagi has spoken to the Romanian media about his thoughts about this Romanian squad and what we can do. Hagi to me is the best player I have ever seen play with my own two eyes. He's a football genious, he's the East's Maradona, and he's the best player in Romanian history, and in Turkish history as well (since he played at Galatasaray so much, the Turkish populous thinks he's Turkish!). Here are some quotes from this interview:

Q: How are you doing?
A: I feel great, happy and fulfilled. Maybe this is because I played a lot of my career outside Romania, so many years when I was away from home make me want to spend as much time as possible with my family. However, I do see myself around football forever, it's a love that will never disappea.

Q: You were the national team captain for a long period of time. What advice can you give Chivu and his teammates before EURO?
A: The captain has to give courage to the team. Football is a team sport and the spirit of the team matters a lot. You can't do everything alone, you need the support of the team, they need to be close to you, they need to know to form a united and strong group. 

Q: Are Mutu and Chivu the best players of our national team right now?
A: They are two fundamental players, very important, and leaders of the team. Of corse the national team with both of them on the field is a lot better, and with them in good form I hope that they will get as far as possible in this final tournament.

Q: How important is the European Championship for them?
A: It's the first final tournament of their generation and the result will depend on their demeanor aand the responsability that they will show. We have a talented national team, young, and it's their turn to shine! They did what is toughest part and now they have to think that they can have great performances, but it all depends on them. I wish them luck, and I will be with them at this final tournament!

What a legend. I'm shaking in my seat here writing this to be honest. There are 17 hours to go until the kick off of Romania - France. Henry and Vieira are still announced to be missing from the game, but that won't stop my heart from racing. This is big, it's France, and it doesn't get better than that. Damnnn.

I'll write some more updates as I have them! I probably won't sleep tonight, I don't know how the players do it!

BARCELONA

The fabulous goal scored by Scholes which was born from Zambrotta's mistake could mean the transition from the past to the future. The Italian defender will be left with this, and not the neutralization of Cristiano Ronaldo in the two games against Manchester United. Even though Barcelona had their two best games of the season against United, means the final point in a a 5 year cycle, in which the Catalans won two league titles and one champions league, but also threee seasons of underperformance in the League. 

It's time for Barcelona to repopulate the team with new faces, new aspirations, and new motivations. However, the changes likely won't stop at the team level, and will include the staff.

Manager:

When Laporta went on the Rijkaard route, there was a bit problem: nobody wanted to manage that Barcelona, a loosing team with a weak budget and a depressed fanbase. Now the problem is the opposite: everyone wants to manage Barcelona who reinvigorated its finances and will have a reported 350 million euro budget for next season, with 100 million euros for transfers. A lot of names have been thrown out to replace Rijkaard. Guardiola, Ludrup, Mourinho, Ancelotti, Lippi, and Scolari are the most prominent of these names. The Catalan press is almost certain that Guardiola, 37 years old, the current manager of Barcelona B will be named the first team manager.

Players: 

At the team level, the biggest change in Barcelona history is highly anticipated. There are 13 players that could leave the team, and others to replace them. 

Like Rijkaard, Ronaldinho has closed his catalan cycle as well, and will leave. The two came together, and they will leave together. Other than Ronaldinho, the other certainties are: Thuram, Edmilson, Zabmrotta, Ezquerro, and Pinto. Deco, Marquez, Gudjohnsen, Henry, Giovani, Oleguer, Silvinho, are highly likely to be sold, and for the first time Barclelona will listen to offers for Eto'o and Xavi.

The list of possible purchases is even longer than the list of players leaving. There have been over 50 names that are speculated by the media. There also is a riddle going around Catalonia recently after Laporta's laptop was stolen and the names of 10 players were found out. There will be 2 french players, 2 brazilians, 2 spaniards, 1 dutch, 1 mexican, 1 german, and one argentinian. 

Here are the possible answers to the Barcelona riddle:

French players: Benzema, Ribery
Brazilians: Lucio, Daniel Alves
Spaniards: Cesc Fabregas, David Silva
Dutch: Huntelaar
German: Lahm
Argentinian: Garay
Mexican: Guardado

The other possible names rumoured are: Coloccini, Poulsen, Seydou Keita, Klose, Capel, Drogba.

Out of that list, Cesc will not come, Klose is almost past it, Drogba does not fit the Barcelona style, Coloccini is not always on his game, Capel would be another experiment, and Keita has promise, but I don't think it's worth the money OL will ask for him. 

The spine of the team will be Valdes, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, and Bojan, all products of Barcelona. 

The team next season could look something like this:

GK: Valdes
DF: Alves/Guarado, Garay, Puyol, Lahm
MF: Ribery, Iniesta/Xavi, Silva
AM: Messi
FW: Benzema/Bojan, Huntelaar/Bojan

That would be a pretty scary team, one that has hard working players and less superstars, but just as much flair. I personally can't wait to see how much of this happens, and I hope to see at least some of those players play for Barcelona starting this summer.