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Barca chasing history with title sweep
Source: Agencies |
December 16, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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BARCELONA'S bid to close a historic season with a sixth major trophy begins today when the European champion plays Mexican club Atlante in the Club World Cup semifinals in Abu Dhabi.
Barcelona is favorite to lift the former Intercontinental Cup after winning all five trophies available since May - the Champions League, the Spanish league, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup.
Pep Guardiola's team will go down in soccer history if it can complete a clean sweep of titles.
"There's no need to obsess over it, but to be remembered as great you have to win the Club World Cup," sport director Txiki Begiristain said. "The truth is that we would like it very much because it's the only title that Barcelona is missing."
In its two previous appearances at the competition, Barcelona lost 1-2 to Sao Paulo in 1992 and 0-1 to Internacional - also of Brazil - in the final three years ago.
Coach Guardiola was a member of that first losing team, and is keen to avoid the team's previous mistakes.
Barcelona, then led by Ronaldinho and coming off a league-Champions League double, went on a sharp decline from the final in Yokohama, Japan, that left the team without a trophy until Guardiola's arrival at the start of last season.
Guardiola became the first coach to lead a Spanish club - and only fifth in Europe - to three trophies in one season.
"This year we've won every title that we've played for," midfielder Andres Iniesta said.
"All that's left (is this)."
Golden ball winner Lionel Messi's chances of lining up against Atlante have increased after the player trained on a private beach.
"He's better, much, much better," Guardiola said yesterday.
"His ankle is looking good and he's showing good spirits. He worked well (in training) and tomorrow we will decide."
The Argentina forward has scored 12 goals.
A sixth trophy would cement Messi's standing as the world's best player and likely herald a FIFA Player of the Year award.
Barcelona is favorite to lift the former Intercontinental Cup after winning all five trophies available since May - the Champions League, the Spanish league, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup.
Pep Guardiola's team will go down in soccer history if it can complete a clean sweep of titles.
"There's no need to obsess over it, but to be remembered as great you have to win the Club World Cup," sport director Txiki Begiristain said. "The truth is that we would like it very much because it's the only title that Barcelona is missing."
In its two previous appearances at the competition, Barcelona lost 1-2 to Sao Paulo in 1992 and 0-1 to Internacional - also of Brazil - in the final three years ago.
Coach Guardiola was a member of that first losing team, and is keen to avoid the team's previous mistakes.
Barcelona, then led by Ronaldinho and coming off a league-Champions League double, went on a sharp decline from the final in Yokohama, Japan, that left the team without a trophy until Guardiola's arrival at the start of last season.
Guardiola became the first coach to lead a Spanish club - and only fifth in Europe - to three trophies in one season.
"This year we've won every title that we've played for," midfielder Andres Iniesta said.
"All that's left (is this)."
Golden ball winner Lionel Messi's chances of lining up against Atlante have increased after the player trained on a private beach.
"He's better, much, much better," Guardiola said yesterday.
"His ankle is looking good and he's showing good spirits. He worked well (in training) and tomorrow we will decide."
The Argentina forward has scored 12 goals.
A sixth trophy would cement Messi's standing as the world's best player and likely herald a FIFA Player of the Year award.
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