Afellay, Happy to be Part of the Barça Family

Speaking to the media after signing this lunchtime, Ibrahim Afellay declared himself: “happy to be part of the family of the best club in the world”. He also present Happy Christmas in Spanish, “I’ll wear the Barça colours with pride and respect. Barça is more than a club, Happy Christmas and Visca Barça!”

Afellay has already spoken to Josep Guardiola and he commented: “it was very positive”, and that he will need time to ”adapt to the team and their style of play”. Guardiola promised him every help to ensure that he settles in” as soon as possible”.

Afellay knows that he’ll have to fight for a place as an attacking midfielder in the team: “that’s normal at a club like this where there are so many quality players, but I’ll fight for my place. I don’t mind where I play –wherever the boss wants me, I’ll do my very best”.

Afellay who told reporters they could call him “Ibi”, explained how he’d felt when he first learnt of Barça’s interest in signing him: “when I was a kid, I wanted to play for Barça – it was a dream. We all know that it is the best place to play football and when I heard about their interest I didn’t think twice. I just felt – sign now and close the deal quickly”.

Afellay believes his new team is: “fast and has a really high level. Every new player who comes in has to find his position in the team and that’s what I will do”.

As the latest Dutchman to join the club, Afellay claimed: “Players from Holland have always been welcome here. Players like Cruyff or Kluivert are very well known and they have told me this is the best club in the world”.

Afellay has signed a four and a half year contract with Barcelona. He is a Dutch national team player of Moroccan descent. He was born on 2 April 1986 in Utrecht, Netherlands*

Source: fcbarcelona.com

Afellay Signs Four-year Barcelona Deal

Dutch international Ibrahim Afellay completed his transfer to Barcelona from PSV Eindhoven by signing a four and a half year contract with the reigning Spanish champions.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to play for Barca, it was a dream. We all know that it is the best place to play football and when I heard about their interest I didn’t think twice,” he said.

The 24-year-old midfielder, who came through the ranks at PSV Eindhoven and whose family are from Morocco, has 29 caps for his country and was a member of the squad which reached the World Cup final.

Barcelona paid PSV 3m euros ($3.9m) for Afellay. 

The Dutch forward signed the deal in President Sandro Rosell’s office at the club and as well as the President, Vice President Josep Maria Bartomeu, Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta, Director of Football Raül Sanllehí and the player’s brother and his representative were also present.

Immediately after the signing, President Rosell and Afellay moved outside the club’s offices for the traditional photo in front of the Barça coat of arms.

Ibrahim Afellay is a Dutch national team player of Moroccan descent. He was born on 2 April 1986 in Utrecht, Netherlands*

GERARD PIQUE

Gerard Piqué Bernabeu

Gerard Piqué returned to FC Barcelona, the club where he started as a boy, in the summer of 2008, after three seasons with Manchester United and one with Real Zaragoza.

Gerard Piqué was born on 2 February 1987 and since that day he has been a club member of FC Barcelona. Since he was very young he has been involved with the club and when he was 10 years old he joined the youngest boys’ team at the club (Alevín B).

From then on he passed through the various under-age levels, picking up titles along the way and winning plaudits in all age categories (Alevín A, Infantil B and A, Cadete B and A and Juvenil B and A).

When playing at Cadete B level Tito Vilanova was his manager, and he will meet up with Vilanova once again on his return to the first team. In all this time of development and learning, Gerard Piqué showed a great ability to adapt to different positions on the field and gained a reputation for goal scoring, despite his defensive position.

BOJAN: “I’m very happy”

After Bojan Krkic put pen-to-paper on a contract extension with Barça, which will keep him at the club until 2015 and increase his buy-out clause from 80 to 100€ million, on Monday evening , he claimed: “I’m very happy and this gives me peace of mind".

As Pep Guardiola revealed this morning, the 20-year-old striker has added two more years onto his existing contract with the new agreement lasting until June 30, 2015. His buy-out clause will also increase from 80€ million to 100€ million.

President Sandro Rosell, Bojan Krkic senior, his representative Ramon Sostres and Professional Football Director Andoni Zubizarreta looked on as Bojan signed his new deal.

“I’ve got the chance to continue growing in the club of my life”

Bojan was unable to hide his emotion once the signing was done: “I’m very happy for the peace of mind this will give me and about the chance to continue growing at the club of my life. The really important thing is what happens on the pitch, but the fact that the club has given me such a long contract shows they have confidence in me”.

The challenge: “continue showing what I can do ”

The new deal means Bojan will stay at the club at least until he’s 25 and he’s well aware of the many challenges he faces: “I hope things get better and I keep moving forwards so that I can show that I belong here and I am a valid option”.

Krkic, who joined Barça when he was 11, will sign the new contract at the club’s offices on Monday. The youngster has risen through the club’s ranks and is now in his fourth season with the first team and has appeared in 146 games and scored 38 goals.*

Source: Barcelona.com

ERIC ABIDAL

Éric Sylvain Abidal

Eric Abidal

Eric Abidal joined Barça in the 2007/08 season to replace Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst. This was his first taste of domestic football away from France.

Abidal born in Lyon, September 11, 1979 in the heart of a Martiniquan immigrant family. After married with Hayet Kebir he converts to Islam.

He started his footballing career with Lyon-la-Duchère in the French CFA 2 Division, where he played as a left sided midfielder. In the summer of 2000, he signed a professional deal with Monaco, making his debut in Ligue 1 on 16th September 2000 against Toulouse. In his first season he alternated appearances with the reserves and the first team, with whom he appeared in 8 league matches and once in the Champions League. In the 2001/02 season, Abidal made a further 14 appearances in the Monaco defence, either at full back or using his strength as a centre back.

DANIEL ALVES

Daniel Alves da Silva

Dani Alves is one of the strongest, most intense right-sided players in the world, and covers an extraordinary amount of ground. He came to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2008, aged 25 years, after six seasons with Sevilla.

Born on May 6, 1983 in Juazeiro (the Brazilian state of Bahia), Daniel Alves started out playing at youth level for the biggest club in the region, Esporte Clube Bahia. He progressed through the ranks, and was just 18 when he played his first top flight match, when the club was being managed by former Barça man Evaristo de Macedo.

Bahia won 3-0 against Paraná that day, and Alves impressed from the outset. He was brought down for a penalty and also supplied an assist, leading the home fans to start chanting “Ah, ah, ah, Daniel titular”.

VICTOR VALDES

Victor Valdes Arribas

 

Víctor Valdés joined Barca as a youngster on 1st July 1992, from Peña Cinco Copas.In September of the same year he moved with his family to Tenerife and didn't rejoin the club until three years later.

After quickly proving his worth with the youth teams and Barca B, the club coaches decided that the 2002-2003 season was to be Valdés time to form part of the first team squad. At first, he alternated appearances with Roberto Bonano but finished the season as regular first choice under Radomir Antic.

He consolidated his place as in the starting line-up in the 2003-04 season. He played most of Barca's matches that season and put in some excellent performances, helping the team to finish as runners-up.