Zhenzong Xi is a Chinese FC Barcelona fan who has just come to the end of an amazing adventure, travelling by motorbike all the way from China to the city of Barcelona where his trip ended at his favourite club’s stadium, Camp Nou. On Saturday Barça decided to recognise his daring feat and Zhenzong Xi was received by the director of the Social Commission, Josep Barnils and by the president of the Federation of International Barça Supporters’ Clubs, Antoni Freire. The meeting took place in front of the Camp Nou offices ahead of FC Barcelona’s league game against Real Sociedad. As a reminder of his epic journey, Zhenzong Xi donated the motorbike on which he made the six-month trip which started just 10 days after his wedding.

Xi visited Barça Supporters’ Clubs in the 21 countries he passed through and together with the motorbike, he presented the Club with a giant Barça flag that various fans and Supporters’ Club members had signed during his journey. Via the International Supporters’ Club, the man from China contacted various Supporters’ Clubs during his journey, making stops in London and Lisbon amongst other cities.

Zhenzong Xi timed his visit perfectly as he was able to take in not only the game against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou, but also the victory over AS Roma in the Champions League and the 4-0 win in the Clásico at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid.
“I have been a big fan of Barça since I was 14 years of age and I wanted to come to a game at Camp Nou, but not just any old game, and for that reason I came by motorbike. I became a Barça fans thanks to Patrick Kluivert, I liked Puyol a lot but now I love the Club more than the players, although I think my favourite is Javier Mascherano,” concluded the intrepid Barça fan.

Five wins for Barça, a new landmark for the baskteball team and for Juan Carlos Navarro and for the other sections in European competition. Below, we bring you a compilation of videos that best sum up the month of November.

11/11

Coinciding with the 10 year anniversary of Ronaldinho's exhibition in the Bernabéu against Real Madrid, the former Barça player spoke to Barça TV about the current Barça squad and his thoughts on Messi, Iniesta, Neymar and Luis Enrique.

The video of the new Lassa Tyres advert with Arda Turan, Piqué, Rakitic, Luis Suárez and Neymar as the stars of the promotional campaign for the Club's new sponsor.

The same day that this video was launched, FC Barcelona Lassa secured their 250th victory in the Euroleague with a victory over Lokomotiv Kuban.

14/11

13 November was a tragic night in Paris. The next day following the attacks in the French capital, FC Barcelona paid tribute to the victimes. These were the demonstrations of support from the Club.

18/11

The FC Barcelona Women's team are now through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Xavi Llorens' team overcame Twente from Holland in the last 16 with more than 3,000 fans cheering them on in the Miniestadi. The best moments from that game right here.

19/11

The FC Barcelona Lassa captain Juan Carlos Navarro received his recognition from the Club before the Euroleague game against Pinar Karsiyaka for reached 1,000 matches in a Barça shirt.

23/11

Against Real Madrid in the Bernabéu, Barça once again recorded an historic 4-0 victory. The game saw the return of Leo Messi after 56 days out due to injury. Right here we have a recap of his first game back. 

24/11

Sergio Busquets also made the news this month by making his 350th appearance for the FC Barcelona first team against AS Roma in the Champions League.

26/11

A fun filled advert featuring Ter Stegen, Piqué and Sergi Roberto as the stars. The latest from Audi featured the three Barça players. 

28/11

Named as a candidate for FIFA Coach of the Year. the cameras followed Luis Enrique during the recent 4-0 victory at Camp Nou over Real Sociedad.

30/11

FIFA announce that Leo Messi and Neymar will be two of the three finalists for this season's FIFA Ballon d'Or award along with Cristiano Ronaldo. 

A few weeks ago, FC Barcelona announced a new campaign to encourage people to come and see games at the Camp Nou, called Jugador 12 (12th man). The idea is to remind all Camp Nou season ticket holders that whenever they are unable to attend a match, they can give up their seat in order for somebody else to come along and support the team instead. The system also offers a number of exclusive benefits.

Sergio Busquets, Marc Bartra, Jordi Alba, Dani Alves and Ter Stegen offered their services as actors for a day in the recording of a new promotional video. Here you can enjoy seeing them having plenty of fun showing off their ball juggling skills as part of the day’s filming.

The Members Solidarity Day at the Camp Nou on occasion of the Copa del Rey round of 32 second leg between FC Barcelona and CF Villanovense drew 67,703 spectators to the stadium, the best attendance in the five years that the scheme has been running. Today’s success consolidates an initiative of important social value, and that is now a firm fixture on the Barça calendar, which offers different groups the chance to watch a game live at the Camp Nou, all thanks to the generosity of the season ticket holders.

The wonderful response has much to do with the efforts of 200 collaborating organisations, who distributed invitations to the game to 1,500 different groups of beneficiaries – making the day a wonderful celebration of solidarity, with a host of adults and children able to experience a night out watching their team in action at the Camp Nou.

Another factor that helped to boost attendance was the earlier kick-off at 8.00pm local time, which is much more convenient, especially for people that have to travel from outside the city.

The attendances for the first five editions of the Solidarity Day are as follows:

• 2011 L’Hospitalet (Thursday 22 December, 22.00) 56,480 spectators

• 2012 Alavés (Wednesday 28 November, 21.30) 57,655 spectators

• 2013 Cartagena (Wednesday 18 December, 22.00) 47,280 spectators

• 2014 Huesca (Tuesday 16 December, 22.00) 44,844 spectators

• 2015 Villanovense (Wednesday 2 December. 20.00) 67,703 spectators

The big change this year was to the procedure by which season ticket holders released their seats. Once a period had expired in which members were able to fill in a form on the club website declaring that they intended to attend the match, all of the unclaimed seats in the Camp Nou were released.

The new system meant that a lot more tickets were available, and much earlier, and could then be delivered in good time by the collaborators to the beneficiaries.

This week, and all day today, season ticket holders wishing to come to see the game have been able to do so by collecting an alternative premium ticket from the offices on the club premises.

More than 100 places for wheelchair users

For the first time ever, more than 100 places were made available to wheelchair users and their guides. This increase was made possible by installing a platform in the first tier of the lateral zone with 55 additional places, in addition to 48 behind the goals, making a total of 103 places, all of which were used this evening.

Before the match kicked off, a group of children from the Catalan Down Syndrome Association posed for a picture on the pitch with the FC Barcelona players.

With photos from Miguel Ruiz and text by Joan Josep Pallàs, the book 'A Historic Treble' offers a look into the season which began with the appointment of Luis Enrique and ended with the capture of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

It was a season to remember as Barça sealed their second treble in their history while there was also an emotional farewell to Xavi Hernandez after 767 appearances. The book also shows the start of the 2015-16 campaign with new signing Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal, and the Spanish Super Cup win.

The book is aimed specifically at supporters and members of the club and gives a close look at the philosophy of a team, since the arrival of Pep Guardiola until now, which has gained worldwide respect, as well as for the team’s values.

Miguel Ruiz is the official photographer of FC Barcelona and travels with the team throughout the season and around the globe.

Joan Josep Pallàs is a sports journalist who specializes in all things Barça. He is currently the head of Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia’s sports section and for many years has been published in daily local sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

BUY THE BOOK 'A historic treble'

On Monday the results of the ECA (European Club Association) initiative to help the refugees arriving in Europe were announced. The campaign, ’90 minutes for hope’, involved all 32 teams involved in the Champions League and the 48 competing in the UEFA Europa League as well as other clubs not competing in Europe this season. All together it was made public that over 1.3 million Euros has been raised.

Barça, as all the other clubs involved, gave one Euro from every ticket sold in the first game of the Champions League at Camp Nou. That came on the 29 September against Bayer Leverkusen, the Catalans running out 2-1 winners that evening.

The money raised will go to projects overseen by Save the Children and UNICEF to help child refugees in Europe. Both organisations value highly the help from Europe’s football clubs and they will distribute the money amongst programmes all over the continent, from countries through which the refugees must pass, plus the destination countries. The help will take the form of the distribution of winter clothing, blankets etc, the construction of special refugees for children on their own or with parents and children; water supplies; psychological help, medical assistance and help in locating and reuniting families. 

Maurice Lacroix, the official FC Barcelona watch, has created a unique promotion for all members, who have until 12.00 am on December 20 to put their creative skills to the test and design their own watch, just like the Barça first team players have already done. 719 club members have already enjoyed this exclusive experience.

It’s very easy to enter. All you have to do is go to the www.uniquesocioswatch.com website, create your favourite design and share it on Facebook. The entrant that gets the most ‘likes’ will win their very own design.

Also, from December 1 to 31, all of the designs made by the Barça first team players can be viewed at a special exhibition in the store at Passeig de Gràcia, 94 in Barcelona city centre.

FC Barcelona’s Strategic Plan is news in the ‘Financial Times’. The highly regarded British newspaper has a headline “Barça president takes a shot at €1bn goal” on Friday in an article which talks about the Club’s economic ambitions.  We want to be the first club to generate an income of more than one billion Euros,” states Josep Maria Bartomeu in an interview with the financial publication.

“There is no other in the world, whether in football or in other sports, that think ahead more than one or two seasons. But here at Barça we do,” continues the president, referring to the Strategic Plan to take the Club to 2021 and that was presented the FC Barcelona employees on Friday.

Asked about his rivals, Bartomeu explained that Barça’s main competitor is the Premier League, whose clubs every year try to tempt away the Club’s youth team players at La Masia.

The newspaper ‘Expasion’ also highlights FC Barcelona’s economic ambitions. The publication has the headline “Barça want to bring in 1,000 million by 2021 via marketing and television” and it explains the Club’s desire not to base everything on sporting results. “Up until now the sporting success has meant success in social and economic areas, something that fed the sporting side. This equation has to be developed: economic success cannot be based on whether the side wins or loses,” explains Bartomeu in an interview with Expansion.

Saturday is a busy day at FC Barcelona. Not only is the first team playing Deportivo in the Camp Nou, but the reserves are in action at home to Huracán and the Palau Blaugrana hosts European roller hockey and a Catalan handball derby. But there’s no futsal this weekend, with the league on hold for an international break

Here are the highlights (all times CET):

Saturday 12 December

ROLLER HOCKEY: 12.00pm: FC Barcelona Lassa v Porto. Barça look to avenge 1-0 defeat in Portugal in this European League group stage fixture.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: 12.00pm: Real Sociedad v FC Barcelona. It’s third versus fourth in the Spanish championship.

FOOTBALL: 4.00pm: FC Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruña. The defending champions and current leaders face the team ranked sixth in La Liga in their last game before going to Japan to compete for the world title.

FOOTBALL: 6.00pm: FC Barcelona B v Huracán Valencia. Both sides are struggling at the wrong end of the table in what promises to be an electric encounter in the Miniestadi – if you’re going to the Camp Nou you could pop across the road afterwards to catch this! 

HANDBALL: 8.30pm: FC Barcelona Lassa v Fraikin BM Granollers. A Catalan derby between of the teams in the highest positions in the league table.

Sunday 13 December

U19 FOOTBALL: 4.00pm: Sant Andreu v FC Barcelona. After qualifying for the last sixteen on the UEFA Youth League, it’s back to league and a Barcelona derby at the Narcís Sala (metro: Fabra I Puig).

BASKETBALL: 6.00pm: Unicaja v FC Barcelona Lassa. An important game for Xavi Pascual’s side, who need to regroup after their first home loss of the season.

With FC Barcelona’s first game of the Club World Cup eagerly anticipated, the club has created the campaign called ‘Hello Japan’. With an image, a video commercial in four languages and the hashtag ‘#HelloJapan’, the club is attempting to reach out to its Japanese audience ahead of competing in the competition.

In the image, the team poses in front of a red and white ball, reflecting the Japanese flag, and in the top corner appears the hashtag both in Japanese and English.

The commercial is available in four languages: Catalan, Spanish, Japanese and English and displays images from the Champions League final in Berlin as well as the last Club World Cup in Japan.

FC Barcelona will face Arsenal at Camp Nou on 16 March in the return leg of the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. FC Barcelona members who do not have season ticket packages shall have exclusive priority for buying these tickets (up to 6 per person), which will be available from Monday 14 December beginning at 4.00pm.

Then, on Tuesday, 15 December at 4.00pm, ticket sales will open for all other members and for the general public. For security reasons, no tickets will be sold to English fans.

Tickets can be purchased through the Club’s sales channels:
Internet: www.fcbarcelona.com or Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.es

Mobiles & Tablets: www.fcbarcelona.com or the FC Barcelona official app.

Ticket office: From 21 December, tickets may also be purchased at the ticket office located on the Boulevard at Camp Nou, opposite the FCBotiga and Museum. The ticket office is open from 9.15am to 7.30pm, except on 25 December and 1 January.

All times are in Central European Time

Right now in the iOS App Store (coming soon in the Google Play store) you can enjoy a new application, called FCB Albums, with which can create and customise your photo albums with different themes such as 'Barça congratulates you' or 'Blaugrana in the wind' and will be perfect to give as a gift this Christmas, from €24.95.

Follow these four simple steps to enjoy your album:

1. Download the App for free from your phone (mobile.fcbalbums.com)
2. Choose a template
3. Customise it with the pictures you want
4. Buy them

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Coinciding with FC Barcelona’s stay in Tokyo for the Club World Cup, the Cervantes Institute held a conference in the Japanese capital devoted to analysing the transformation of Barcelona since the Olympic Games in 1992.

The extraordinary architecture of Barcelona is a reference point to Japanese society and ahead of the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo in 2020, the example of the Catalan capital becomes even more important.

The conference made it possible to see how sport could transform a city. Espai Barça was the main focus of the exhibition, looking at the remodeling project as well as the heritage and urban transformation of the club. The audience showed its interest in how Espai Barça integrated itself in the city of Barcelona and the public uses that the new FC Barcelona premises have. One of the main challenges of the 2020 Olympic Games is the reuse of new facilities and their integration into the urban network of the city, aspects which Espai Barça holds as fundamental in its conceptualization.

Jordi Moix, Commissioner of Espai Barça

“One of the most unique aspects about the club is that it is owned by the 150,000 members, and it is they who make the big decisions. An example is that Espai Barça was approved in a referendum by the members in April 2014.”

"We appreciate the praise that Espai Barça has received for its contribution to the urban transformation of Barcelona from professionals in architecture, urbanism and Japanese universities present at the event."

Barça GamePass, the official platform for watching FC Barcelona games on demand, is giving away a special package to new subscribers. This gift, the Full Barça Premium Package, includes the exclusive official watch of Barça by Maurice Lacroix, valued at €845, a team jersey signed by all the players, an official Club scarf and two cartoon books so you can relive, again and again, the best goals scored by your favourite team.

Not only that, signing up for Barça GamePass has more advantages than ever. If you subscribe now, you can enjoy the first month of on-demand content totally free.

How can I get the gift package?

The prize will be drawn among new subscribers. Participating is as simple as signing up for Barça GamePass before 31 December 2015.

Participate now!

We are pleased to announce the winner of the November edition of the CAMP NOU EXPERIENCE photography contest. The Instagram user that wins an official first team shirt is Iginuzzo. To claim the prize, this user must write to campnouexperiencefcb@gmail.com giving the address where the prize is to be sent.

We remind you that the contest involves taking a picture while enjoying the Camp Nou Experience and copying one of the first team players. Then post the picture on Instagram with the hashtag #CampNouExperience. The club will pick the best photo each month and they’ll get to win an official football shirt.

Get tickets for the Camp Nou Experience

FC Barcelona has all kinds of special offers that would make the perfect Christmas gift, from the latest Barça products to tickets for matches at the Camp Nou or Palau Blaugrana, or even the chance to enjoy the Camp Nou Experience. You’ll find full details about all of them on the official club website at www.fcbarcelona.com.

Here are some of the best Christmas gifts around:

1. Tickets for matches at the Camp Nou

Packs of two tickets for games in the FC Barcelona stadium.

- Basic pack from 59 euros: includes any match in the Copa del Rey and 2 Liga matches: Granada and Getafe.
- Plus pack from 99 euros: includes any match in the Copa del Rey and 5 Liga matches: Granada, Athletic Bilbao, Celta, Getafe and Sporting.
- Premium pack from 195 euros: includes any match in the Copa del Rey and 5 Liga matches: Granada, Athletic Bilbao, Celta, Getafe and Sporting. With the Premium pack you’ll also get to enjoy VIP catering before the game.

This promotion is valid from 21 December to 5 January and only via the FC Barcelona website.

2. Basketball at the Palau

A fantastic pack to enjoy five matches at the Palau Blaugrana for just 45 euros:

• 24 January: FCB v VALÈNCIA BASKET CLUB
• 7 February: FCB v MORABANC ANDORRA
• 14 February: FCB v BALONCESTO SEVILLA
• 6 March: FCB v UNICAJA DE MÀLAGA
• 20 March: FCB v UCAM MURCIA

This promotion is valid from 17 December to 24 January and only via the FC Barcelona website.

*Dates and times to be confirmed.
**Exclusive online package for single price of €45, €79 or €94 (depending on zone).

3. Camp Nou Experience

Two tickets for the Camp Nou Experience including a tour of the stadium and visit to the museum. You can also have your picture taken with the first team player of your choice. All for just 39 euros.

This promotion is valid from 17 December to 6 January and only via the FC Barcelona website.

4. Official Barça books

The latest FC Barcelona publications are now on sale. From a book of previously unreleased photographs of the team that won the historic second treble to books for the youngest members of the household.

5. Online store

The official FCB store has prepared plenty of special Christmas gifts. Check out the latest range of FC Barcelona products for the current season.

6. Barça GAMEPASS

The platform for watching Barça first team matches on demand also makes for a great gift. And with Barça GAMEPASS, subscribers get to enjoy the first month totally free.

BUY YOUR GIFT

The Club’s institutional activities in Tokyo during the Club World Cup show no signs of slowing down. The global expansion of the Barça brand is one of the Club’s main managerial challenges. The most visible acts relating to this area have been the meeting with Bill Gates for the global alliance between the FC Barcelona Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the visit to the FCB Escola Katsushika.

Before attending interviews with the Japanese media, including the business daily, The Nikkei, Manel Arroyo, vice president of marketing and communications, stressed the importance of active presence worldwide in the Club’s global strategy of: "With the current size of the club, and with its sporting results arousing admiration, and with the fact that football is the only truly global sport, and with areas such as Asia or the United States ripe for growth, it is clear that Barça must be in these territories and must lay down roots."

This active presence is evident through commercial offices and the FCB Escoles. "From a marketing and sales point of view, we are in these territories with our sales offices, like we have in Hong Kong, like the one we will open in the coming weeks in New York, and like the ones we want to open around the world. And we are also in these areas through the FCB Escoles worldwide, including the one in Fukuoka and the one we visited this week in Katsushika, which was a unique and unforgettable experience."[[CITA_1]]

"Our first objective is to strengthen sports at the Club, to maintain our competitiveness, as well as to secure the resources necessary for the projects that we have underway, such as the Espai Barça. We also want to spread our singularity, as well as the values for which Barça is admired around the world," Arroyo said.

Arroyo extolled the implementation of the strategy and its initial results: "The perception of Barça in the Asian market is optimal. Sales and marketing efforts in Asia are having a terrific response, which encourages us keep moving in this direction," Arroyo said. "The work done by the office in Hong Kong is already bearing fruit; we now have fourteen sponsors in Asia, with two new deals with banks — one in Vietnam and one in Indonesia, which are being presented while we are playing in the World Cup. We also have a dozen projects in the negotiation stage.[[CITA_2]]

Among the examples of regional agreements in the Asian market are the partnerships with Oppo, one of the largest mobile manufacturing companies in China; with Chang, the beer company, a Club partner in Thailand and other ten countries in Southeast Asia; with Apamanshop, the Japanese chain of real estate agencies; with Toshiba, official partner in the field of medical services; and the comprehensive agreement with the Japanese multinational Panasonic, among others.

Arroyo is optimistic about the future. "In the coming months and years we will see the fruits of our active presence in the territories that will help spread the message that football and sport contribute to the creation of athletes and people, while at the same time spreading our brand around the world," he said.

Yoichi Takahashi, creator of the popular manga cartoon ‘Captain Tsubasa’, was present at the official reception held by FC Barcelona in Tokyo via one of his illustrations that once again shows his loyalty and love for all things Barça.

Coinciding with the Club’s visit to Japan, the artist created a drawing in his own inimitable style in which five current Barça players are depiceted: Neymar, Iniesta, Messi, Luis Suárez and Piqué.

Exclusive Wallpaper for Barça Fans DOWNLOAD TAKAHASHI'S DRAWING

The values that form the backbone of the education philosophy at FC Barcelona have produced an act of selfless charity that fits in perfectly with the festive season. The residents at la Masia and the sportspersons from the youth teams at FC Barcelona have created, under their own steam, the #ValorsMasia (Masia Values) project, a social initiative that highlights their awareness of those in less fortunate circumstances.

FC Barcelona would like to add their support to this project and congratulate those involved for their contribution which once again shows la Masia not just to be a residency for elite sportspeople but also one in which development as people goes hand in hand with on the field activities. For that reason the Club has chosen the video linked to the project as the official Christmas carol for this year.

FC BARCELONA XMAS CAROL

#ValorsMasia has come about thanks to a collaboration between la Masia and the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona. During the last few months, many children from the day hospital’s oncology ward have visited the facilities at la Masia to get an idea of how the young sportspeople in the residency live. In return, the youngsters from the youth teams have visited the children at the hospital to raise their spirits and that of their families.

Out of this collaboration came the idea of a project that could help raise money to fight cancer in children. That is where #ValorsMasia comes in and its Christmas carol, the famous Catalan song ‘Fum, fum, fum’ which has been performed by the residents under the direction of the singer Mone Teruel and her arranger, Albert Pladellorens, who is also her son.

The videoclip above was recorded at the Ciutat Esportiva and everyone who wants to donate to the cause can do so via the website www.implica-t.org, until 30 June. The objective is to reach the symbolic figure of €142,816, the same number as the total of Barça members.

This project has been possible thanks to the collaboration of volunteer teams from Sant Joan de Deéu, the Pallapupas organisation and the Star Wars Catalunya group.

FC Barcelona bid farewell to 2015 with the club in superb shape both in regard to on-field and off-field matters. The professional teams collected a record number of titles (19) including the football team’s second ever treble, while the club reached 142,816 members and 150,000 supporters club members across the world.

This year saw Barça, both home and abroad, lead the way in social media and continues to grow with its international partnerships. This has resulted in a hugely valuable organisation which has helped the club surpass €600million for the first time ever.

As ever, 2015 has shown that the members have the biggest say, after the presidential elections saw a high turnout, demonstrating the democratic nature of the club. And of course, it must be mentioned that this year saw the beginning of the Espai Barça project.