Yesterday, two of our stars faced off in what was supposed to be an epic international battle.  Henry and Messi displayed themselves brilliantly even though they almost never matched up against one another.  However, the most impressive thing for a veteran Barca fan was not the play between our two stars, it was the performance of Real's new signing, Diarra, and his play against the pride of the Blaugrana, Leo Messi.

Diarra was utterly dominated by Messi.  If you watch this YouTube clip, you can see exactly how Messi completely destroyed Diarra on the pitch.  Messi's ball control eliminated Diarra's superior strength, and I personally feel that it is a great sign for the next time Barca play Real Madrid.

Diarra was supposed to be a significant signing for the Madridistas, however he showed little or no ability to eliminate the threat the of Messi.  I anticipate that Messi will be able to run circles around the Real midfield, and if that's the case, so much focus will be placed on the Argentinian that our other offensive weapons will be free to run rampant.  

I know the matchup is down the road, but for any member of the Catalan nation, this is something to always be ready for.

Ever sine Lionel Messi left Barcelona to play in the Beijing Olympics, the footballing side of the Olympics have had a jewel among them, igniting a passion and interest that has never been present in the Olympics before.  There was some speculation as to how the Blaugrana would fair without the young Argentinian starlet, but since Messi's departure, Barca has played brilliantly and shown mid-season form much earlier than anticipated.  Now while some wondered of Barca's form, their seemed to be absolutely no doubt about the impact little Lionel would have in Beijing.  Quickly becoming a fair argument for best player in the world, Barcelona's number 10 has improved exponentially since he cracked the first team squad after the 2004/05 season.

Some would say don't believe the hype, but those people must not be watching Beijing Olympics. 

The Argentinian maestro has consistently shined game in and game out as the best player on the pitch no matter which team his countryman are facing.  Already having scored some spectacular goals, Messi added to his list of memorable moments when he created a brilliant chance which led to the winning goal vs Holland, not to mention his earlier moment of beauty as he intercepted a pass deep in Holland's territory to only then slip past 2 defenders and score on a tough angle.  

If you have a chance to watch him in Beijing, do it!  He will match up against ex-Barca midfielder Ronaldinho when Argentina face Brazil.  A battle of the number 10's if you will, and it will surely be one to remember.

Ronnie's form has improved since he left Barcelona, but look for Messi to outshine the Brazilian on the pitch.  It should equate as a match to remember.   

As I predicted, FIFA's ruling has obliged all clubs of releasing their players under the age of 23 to their respective countries if called to Olympic duty.  The decision came this morning as officials stood firm on their position, stating it "mandatory" for clubs to allow their younger players to serve in Olympic duty.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona will file a formal appeal, further hindering the Argentinian Messi from joining his squad in China.  They won't admit this, but Barcelona's goal is to simply drag out this process until the Olympics have already begun.  The head of the AFA and coach of Argentina had already declared that Messi is not permitted to join the team mid-tournament.  Because of this, their is a high possibility that Barca may succeed at keeping Messi from going to China.  

 However, I still believe Little Lionel will end up playing in Beijing as FIFA will most likely deny Barca's appeal rather quickly.  I'm sad he won't be around for the Champions League qualifier, but I'm glad to see him happy as I know he has desired to play in the Olympics for some time now.  

First, let me begin by apologizing for my post as of late, or the lack thereof. As I'm on vacation, it seems that my place of residence does not have a very capable internet connection, thus hindering me from adding any posts based on the findings or viewpoints I may have. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk Barca futbol.

I've entitled this post Barca Drama because of the undeniable truth that Barcelona have a multitude of issues that need to be addressed before full focus can be placed on the upcoming season. The uncertain future of Messi and Eto'o, the possibility of Man U's bid for our frenchman Henry, the rumors of Drogba entering the squad, and not to mention the host of other players linked with a move to the Nou Camp. Let's address these one by one and hopefully this will all play out for the better.

Messi's Olympic Drama

Lionel is the heart and soul of FC Barcelona. No doubt. He's only 21, and it's scary to see this kind of pressure put on such a young lad. I'm terrified by the idea of Messi being bossed around by both Barca and Argentina because I do not want to see the youngster burn out well before his full potential is achieved. I do not fear that Messi will ever leave the club, as it is thanks to the club that he is even playing football. For those of you who don't know, Messi was born very small and needed growth hormone injections in order to keep growing at a healthy rate. His family was unable to make these payments, and after discovering the boys talents with a football, Barcelona agreed to pay for his medication and to move him to the Barcelona youth academy in Spain. He is eternally grateful for this and loves the club because of it. However I'm still hesitant to place all the pressure on him as Peppy G has eluded. I believe we can make the Champions League without him, and so I feel that if Argentina call for him, no appeal should be made, and he should be allowed to go play in the Olympics despite their less than impacting results. Basically, Messi wants to fulfill a dream of his. He doesn't care about the glory because no one gives glory to the Olympic winner. He just wants to play for his team while he can. Next Olympics he will be too old. Final Word, Messi goes to the Olympics.

Eto'o Anyone?

He is one of the top strikers in the world, so why doesn't anyone want him? Well, it's because we pay him so much. Not many squads are willing to equal his pay. And as I predicted, it seems that the more he experiences attention under this new regime, the more comfortable he has become. Messi is the star, but many have become hesitant to give Henry the number 9 tag, therefore possibly showing Eto'o that he has the respect and the attention he deserves. If you live in Barcelona and attend matches regularly. DO NOT BOO HIM. I'm serious, I'll come find you. Final Word, Eto'o stays because Lyon is the only club Barca will sell him to and Lyon won't give up Benzema.

Henry's Man U Saga

Despite some Man U fan's admission, Sir Fergie has discussed a possible bid for Thierry Henry. He is an incredible player and deserves much respect, but I do not believe he is worth 20 million euros. Now if Barca is offered that, it will be very difficult to let him go. The fan in me says don't do it because I believe we will see big things from the Frenchman this year, but the businessman in me says do it. I doubt Man U will actually make the formal bid, partially out of arrogance, and the other out of the realization that they can still get Berbatov if they stop being cheap and spend some dough. Final word, Henry stays.

Drogba to the Nou Camp?

Hell no. Stay at Stamford Bridge. Get out of here. He would cause the same amount of drama as Eto'o without the results. It doesn't make sense. We'd be giving in to his fame, and not his form. He's a good striker, don't get me wrong. But I pride myself on rooting for a club that is full of players who play on when someone nips at their shins. I don't want the diving King coming to our squad. Please Laporta, don't give in. Final Word, Drogba stays at Chelsea and has a poor first half of the season.

There you go, I've made some predictions. And the beauty of predictions is that when you make them, you prove that you're willing to be wrong.

Now ironically, the two players seen above are no longer with the squad, however I witnessed a Barcelona team today that competes with the glory days of 04/05.  Yes we only played Hibernian, and yes it was not the most competitive match of all time.  But the most encouraging thing I saw tonight was the player's ability to read each other, and to understand what one another were thinking.  Watching Messi work with Alves to score Gudjohnsen's second goal was magnificent, staging a goal of the classic Barca style.  The 6-0 win was convincing and hopefully is that start to a bright new era.

Some players that deserve highlighting would have to be Pique, Messi, Alves, and Toure.  Yaya did an exceptional job of holding the midfield, and I think his presence, along with Ketia's, will eliminate the bullying around of smaller players such as Iniesta and Xavi.  Messi was brilliant as usual.  His humble play, mixed with his hunger for goals shined and brought an immediate smile to my face.  Pique and Caceres both looked comfortable in the back and I'm sure the 4-0 lead after 26 minutes didn't hurt.  

The players wore jersey's between 1-11 for the classic style of numbering based on who is playing, which is why Messi wor 10, Henry 9, and Bojan 16, and Pique wore Milito's 3.  I sincerely believe this team is re-vamped and ready to take on the world.  I know I am. 

According to Spanish newspapers and sport.es, it's been confirmed that Valencia have fallen into debt and are receiving offers for the stars, specifically David Silva and David Villa. Much speculation has surrounded Villa since his spectacular showing in the European Championships despite his absence from the championship game. His incredible pace, finishing, and ability to make space quickly made him the talk of the town in Barcelona as a possible replacement for Samuel Eto'o. As a member of the starting XI for the Spanish national team and the face of Valencia, Villa is already partial to the spanish style of play. In previous interviews questioning the possibility of a transfer, Villa expressed his passion for playing in Spain and his preference to remain there, rather than transferring to the Premiere League or Serie A.

With that being said, top clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and of course Barcelona will surely challenge to snatch the star. The competition will be tight, but with the hints given by Villa, a move to the Blaugrana seems very possible. With his love for Barca's style and his own admission of his respect for the club, it would seem that if Eto'o goes, Villa could move on in as quickly as Hleb did after Ronaldinho. Still, Eto'o's agent recently stated that remaining in Barcelona is not out of the question. But just the same, a squad carrying Henry, Bojan, Messi, Eto'o, and Villa, simply seems out of the question

Villa is a much better option than Drogba in my opinion, and I think it would be rare to find someone who disagrees with that. However, Peppy G's plans may not include the smaller sized striker, as his targets have all seemed to be taller, lankier, and more like the "target man" style of player. Regardless, if Barcelona pass on Villa and he ends up playing with another top flight squad, the Catalan giants will regret their missed opportunity.

In other news, Messi has decided to travel with the team to Scotland, leaving many to wonder what will come of the recent Olympic drama.

And finally, in a somewhat laughable matter, Ronaldinho has opted to take the number 80 for his new AC Milan jersey, claiming that it represents his birth year, 1980. Clarence Seedorf is the current holder of the illustrious number 10 at the Italian club, and his unwillingness to hand over the number has been the first hint of unrest in the club since Ronaldinho's arrival. I don't want to sound too negative, but let's just hope that Ronnie doesn't turn up like another BRazilian who arrived in AC and decided to take an unorthodox number. Do you remember..... Ronaldo and his number 99?

Yeah, a year later, he faced allegations of sleeping with transvestite hookers, and suffered a blown knee. We'll see.