06:15
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Barcelona's official televison channel released footage of Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimoic coming two minutes late for yesterday's training session at 9 am. The video shows Guardiola who walks nervously around, waiting for Zlatan to attend the morning training session at the club's Joan Gamper training centre. watch a video hereRead more:
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16:00
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Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.
Does the comparison between you and Eto'o bother you? Samuel's shadow at the Camp Nou can grow big.
I know how he moves, and I understand that the first days or weeks everybody wants to compare us. That's what the media is like, but I don't care about it. We are different and play in two different clubs. I hope he is happy and that he can achieve success at Inter since it's such a big club, and I wish him well. It's not fair to say that one is better than the other since we're both different.
Another name, Leo Messi. Do you think about what you can create together?
Leo is fantastic, he's one of the 'big' players. Everyone who gets the chance to play next to him will be better. I'm pretty sure it will be easy for us to understand each other. And to those who dream about sweet things, I hope I won't let them down.
Allow me to be critical. They say that one of your weaknesses is that you don't like to put pressure on the defenders. This was fundamental for Barcelona last season.
(Silence followed by a cold laughter) Each team has their own style and I am here to obey. If we are going to put pressure on a team, then we will do it like our lives are on the line.
You're know for being a person with a strong character. One of those who hates to lose.
And that's bad?
I understand that as a virtue. But there are some stories.
There are always these stories. People talk without knowing the person. I'm actually a normal person. I grew up in a family without big possibilities and in a difficult place. But I had belief. What people say is nonsense which comes from different media that I don't have any connection with.
For example Sweden?
There is a very significant newspaper from my country that I don't have any connection with. Once they printed something false, that hurt me very much, because they didn't respect me as a person.
Let's talk about football again. Does it scares you that you have arrived to a team that have won almost everything?
It's quite opposite. I look at it like a challenge. I came to Barca to win titles, and grow as a player.
But people will expect the team at a brutal level this year?
That's why we will work hard. Nobody wants to present us with anything. To repeat the historic season we need hard work, talent and attitude.
What would you like to tell me about Real Madrid?
Nothing. I have nothing to say about teams other than Barca. Let them do like they want, and buy whatever that interest them. My thoughts are with Barcelona. They are the ones who have to think about why Barca are the champions. The pressure's on those who did not win anything.This was the second and final part of this interview.
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00:01
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Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.
The first question is necessary. How are you?
I'll tell you that it's going pretty well, if you are thinking about my hand. Everything is going just like the doctors told me. And I hope I can run together with my teammates in a couple of days.
You're telling me that you miss the physical efforts?
Nobody can imagine my will to start to play and run. It's not comfortable to be on the sideline and do nothing.
You say that because it hasn't been easy to come to Barcelona?
What happened to me is like a film with a happy ending. My hope was that Barca would buy me, and here I am. Like it or not, whenever you arrive to a new dressing room, you will question how will it be, how will they meet you, and all situations like that. Now I'm a Barca player. Even if people don't have any belief in it, and think that I'm saying it to act good, but the truth is that everything and everybody have treated me wonderfully.
Let's talk about your adjustment. The coach won't stop repeating that you must learn the style of play and the system as fast as possible. Are you concerned it's so urgent?
No, absolutely not. I understand him. These questions don't worry me so much. I've reached a certain age, and played football in many years. People, my teammates knows how I play and how I can move on the pitch. I have also had the possibility to watch them plenty of times, and I know a lot about the details. I'm pretty sure everything will be pretty easy.
Can you give a short brief to us on how the deal happened? Even if you don't like to talk about these subjects, do you acknowledge that it has been controversial to get you here?
What matters is that I'm here. People have been talking about a lot of things, some things are true, and some things are not. I really don't want to talk about any of this. It's a part of the past, and I'm one of those who likes to live in the present. I have left Inter. I would like to say that I am grateful over everything that the club has given me and what I have experienced. But it's time to think about Barcelona. When all of this started and the negotiations developed, I really did not believe it would be a possibility. It went well, and that's how it is.
Help me to solve a little mystery; did Guardiola convince you to come?
The contacts and negotiations started many months ago. I have trouble remembering it. But I did not talk to Guardiola. However it's true that I talked with Txiki and Raul Sanllehi, they told me their idea, and we agreed to take it calmly.
Let's talk about football. What feeling did you get when you watched Barca from Milan?
To watch Barca on TV last season was fantastic. Everyone saw a football that was magnificent and amazing. You knew the team was going to make history. I wanted to be a part of this, with my game, my experience and my effort.
And goals?
Yes, I hope I can score plenty of goals, even if that's not the most important thing. As long as it goes good for the team and we work as a group, then the goals will eventually come.
This was the first part of this interview. You'll be able to read the second part here tomorrow with Ibrahimovic among other things talking about the media and other Barca players.
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11:57
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Barcelona player Eric Abidal gave an interview to Spanish sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.What have you done during your vacation?
I have travelled a lot with my family. I've been in Miami, New York, Italy, Tunisia, Mallorca, France and Barcelona.
Are you worried about having to compete with Maxwell?
I am not concerned about Maxwell's arrival. He will make the team better and that is fine by me. The more competition there is, the higher the level will become within the team.
Any thougths on Maxwell?
Vieira has told me about him. He is another type of player, he is technical and a quality player that often joins the attack.
This is your third season in the club. What do you like best about Barcelona?
Everything. The club is perfect, the food, and people who are very nice to me, not just at the club but everywhere I go.
What food do you like?
That must be 'pa with tomaquet' (literally: bread with tomato), with potatoes and pasta at Negro. I've never tasted anything like it. It's splendid.
Since we talk about food, have you thougth about expanding your restaurant business to Barcelona?
Not to Barcelona yet, but to Paris. At the moment me and my partner are looking for a place in Paris. We want another 'Cafe dels Negociants' as the one in Lyon, in Paris.
An old friend and colleague of yours in Lyon, Benzema, will now be your rival in Real Madrid. You know him well, will you ask Guardiola to mark him?
No, I won't ask anything. He tells me where to play, either as a full-back or central defender, but we're having many good players in the centre, so it might be better they mark him.
Another friend of yours is Ribery. Do you think it's more likely to see him at Real Madrid than at Barca?
I think that he likes both teams because the football style suits him and he would have friends in either club. It's not so much that he prefers to go to Madrid, but his wife prefers Madrid over Barcelona. I have sent pictures to him via my mobile phone of all the pretty houses here, but it is difficult to convince him. Besides, he has the same agent who used to represent Zinedine Zidane. 'Zizou' is now at Madrid and as he's a reference for all the French players that can also play a role. But it seems like Bayern won't sell.
Have you tried to convince him to join Barcelona?
I told him that it would be better if he signed for Barca, a club that is perfect for him because we will come back and win another treble, and he can play alongside Leo Messi, the next Ballon d'Or winner. That's my dream, and I'm convinced we will win at least two or three titles. Besides, Anelka also already warned him that Real is not an easy club to play for.translated by: SandvikRead more:
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10:48
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At the press conference yesterday, Pep Guardiola informed the journalists on some of the current Barcelona players situation.Márquez
He'll renew. He's getting over his injury, he's come a long way and he's very enthusiastic.
Messi
He wants to train and it's great for me that he's here.
Cáceres
We might put him out on loan because next season maybe he won't have that much game time.
Puyol
He'll renew. Carles isn't going anywhere. If he's thinking about moving, he can forget about it. He'll play where he's told because he’s great in all positions.
Gudjohnsen
I've spoken to him and for the moment he's staying.
Henry
His role will depend on him. If he's okay he'll play a lot. He's Henry!Read more:
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Barcelona's official televison channel released footage of Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimoic coming two minutes late for yesterday's training session at 9 am. 
