To coincide with the Champions League match between PSG and FC Barcelona, the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3 is hosting a conference on Barça and culture which will include a talk by Club vice-president Carles Vilarrubí on “"Barça, sport, culture and education”. The talk forms part of an agreement between Barça and the Institut Ramon Llull, a public body founded with the purpose of promoting Catalan culture throughout the world. Last November, a similar event was held in Glasgow coinciding with the Champions League match between Celtic and Barça.

The talk is one of a series of events on Barça and Catalan culture which will close with a concert by Anna Roig and L'Ombre de Ton Chien.

Mr Carles Vilarrubí’s talk, 'Barça, sport, culture and education', will start at 10.15 am and will explain how Barça is a vehicle for the rediscovery of the Catalan identity and an instrument for the integration of recently arrived immigrants. He will also explain that the values of the Club are teamwork, effort, respect, humility and tolerance.

The event will be opened by the university rector, Mme. Marie-Christine Lemardeley. It will be attended by the representative of the Govern de la Generalitat de Catalunya in France, Maryse Olivé, the director of the Department of Languages and Universities of the Institut Ramon Llull, Andreu Bosch, the Paris representative of the IRL, Raúl David Martínez, and the academic director for Catalan studies in the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Eric Beaumatin.

The agreement signed in September between the IRL and FC Barcelona has two objectives. On the one hand the aim is to coordinate the efforts of both institutions as ambassadors of Catalan language and culture, as well as the cultural values linked to sports and the Catalan identity. On the other hand, the idea is to bring together the network of university Catalan studies coordinated by the IRL with the international network of official Barça supporters’ clubs in order to carry out joint activities. Some 150 universities throughout the world offer Catalan studies.

1 – Mamadou meets first team

2.- The fastest goal of formative football

3.- Legendary goals: Ronaldinho (first part)

4.- Welcome home Tito

5.- The best goals of formative football (2th and 3rd of march)

Barça and the Catalan culture were in the spotlight a few hours before kick off in Paris this morning, when the Universitat de París III-Sorbona Nova hosted a talk by the Club vice-president Carles Vilarrubí entitled “Barça, sport, culture and education”. The event is part of the day to celebrate Catalan culture organised by the Institut Ramon Llull and the Paris University. Board memberJordi Moix also attended the event.
 
Sr Vilarrubí explained the historic roots of the Club in Catalonian society and that the Club had always been a vehicle for the recovery of Catalan identity and an instrument for the integration of newcomers from all parts of the world. Vilarrubí also explained the key reasons why Barça has become a reference in the world and is considered “more than a club”, the way Barça’s roots in the Catalan society is exhibited in all cultural areas, how the Club had developed a unique academy system and the manner in which Barça had made the defence of its values one of its defining traits.

Praise for Abidal

Vilarrubí also had some special words for Éric Abidal. “Our first team is built around home grown players, but we also have players from outside who complement them and help us achieve as high a level as possible. That’s what Eric Abidal does for us – he’s a player who has won a place in the heart of all Barça fans. He is an example of overcoming difficulties and a player who is completely integrated in our Club and has become a reference point for the Club’s values. The image of Abidal collecting the Champions League trophy when we won at Wembley was a great gesture from our captain Carles Puyol, which will stay with us for ever”.

[[CITA_1]]

The event was part of the day’s celebration of Catalan culture which ended with a concert by Anna Roig and l’Ombre de Ton Chien, as part of the agreement signed between  the Institut Ramon Llull and the Club to promote Catalan culture globally. The event was presented by the president of the University, Marie-Christine Lemardeley and was also attended by the delegate of the Generalitat de Catalunya in France, Maryse Olivé,  the Director of  the Àrea de Llengua i Universitats of the IRL, Andreu Bosch, its delegate in Paris, Raül David Martínez, and the academic head of Catalan Studies atteh University, Eric Beaumatin.

The FCB Fitness app is a personal trainer which helps to keep you keep fit through sport and training with the help of Barça’s first team players.

It is the first product of the FCB Apps Programme, launched by FC Barcelona and aimed at developers and companies who have an application up and running or in the development stage and wish to market it through the Barça brand.

FCB Fitness Download it!

FCB Fitness is a free app which aims to incorporate sport into the users’ daily lives. The user can choose a Barça player to lead his or her training schedule, who then helps to keep them fit by proposing weekly objectives designed by experts in the field of fitness, physical activities and sport.

The application allows the user to choose different objectives: losing weight, starting to do exercise, increasing muscle mass, keeping fit, starting to run…. Each objective requires the user to complete a series of tasks and each time that is done a reward is given. The app also allows users to see how they have progressed with their different exercises and see progress made since they started using the application, as well as indicating rest time needed to recover and the possibility of social interaction with other users in the Barça community.

 [[CITA_1]]

Club Director of New Technologies, Dídac Lee, defines FCB Fitness as: “a pocket personal trainer, which helps to motivate you with what you most like – Barça”, adding that: “the launch of this application closes the circle of the FCB Apps Programme and opens the door for the Club to enter into the world of mobile apps with products of a very high quality”. FCB Fitness is being launched for all iOS devices.

The Liga season is coming to an end and with some important absentees (Messi, Mascherano, Puyol, Valdés, etc.) the team will be needing your support more than ever. So we are giving away free tickets for the football reserve team Barça B against Mirandés (18.00) and for the roller hockey match with Shum Grupo Maestre (20.00) to anyone who buys a ticket for Barça v Mallorca at the Camp Nou.

To enjoy this special offer, all you have to do is show your ticket at the Club Ticket Offices. Remember, that if you are a member you get free entry to the Miniestadi or Palau anyway.

Fontàs and Giovani back

The game against the islanders comes in the midst of a crucial Champions League quarter final with PSG. Mallorca are second from bottom and need the points more than ever, especially after their recent loss at home to bottom placed Deportivo, while the game also sees the returns of two familiar faces, Fontàs and Giovani dos Santos.

The comeback against AC Milan in a new FC Barcelona wallpaper. Download it and enjoy

More wallpapers Download it!

Toni Freixa gave a press conference today following the meeting of the Board of Directors to say that “the Club has sent an institutional letter to UEFA regarding a series of events that occurred on the field of play, for it is our objective understanding that the referee clearly failed to apply the laws of the game”. He was referring to the incident at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint Germain when Mascherano and Jordi Alba were injured in a collision inside their own area.

He went on to say that “when two players from the same team are lying on the ground, the referee has to stop the game, and that didn’t happen. Not only that, but he made them leave the field, which goes against the rules. This is a serious enough thing to happen in a Champions League match for us to write to UEFA and make sure it never happens again”.

Freixa also made it clear that “we are fully aware that referees can make mistakes and we don’t feel unfairly treated, but what calls our attention is that in a high level competition, a referee didn’t know the rules. We are not judging the refereeing, but a basic principle. A judge has to know the law. We hope this never happens again … Barça do not complain about referees. Not a bit or a lot. We are denouncing an objective error of not applying the rules”.

Other agreements

The secretary and spokesman for the Board also mentioned other issues that were discussed at the meeting.
With respect to the vacant site belonging to the Club at the Ciutat Esportiva in Sant Joan Despí, they have agreed to continue promoting the construction of two pavilions with terracing. The idea is to apply the youth system used for football to the other sports sections. He also revealed that they are finalising new commercial deals through the Marketing Department, but for confidentiality reasons, he is unable to announce any further details for the time being.

Finally, Freixa explained that they are making good progress with the revision of the Statutes. “We are complying with the Board’s objective of making the Club more democratic, which was one of the commitments of our election manifesto” he said.

Saturday is going to be a lively and passionate day at FC Barcelona, with a tribute and three matches making April 6 a big day in both an institutional and sporting sense.

Ramallets absent for health reasons

It all starts at 12.30 with the  Club tribute to two of its most legendary players, Josep Seguer and Antoni Ramallets. The Barça keeper from the Five Cups team is unable to attend the event for health reasons and will be represented by his son Àngels. Luis Suárez, Ferran Olivella, Salvador Sadurní, Josep Maria Fusté, Robert Fernández and former ladies player Carme Nieto are among the guests. Sandro Rosell will be chairing the proceedings.

Football and hockey

After lunch, things get going again at 18.00 in the Miniestadi, where Barça B face Mirandés in the second division. Last season sensation in the Copa del Rey are battling to stay up, while Eusebio’s side will be looking to bounce back from three straight defeats.

Once the game in the Miniestadi is over, the Barça roller hockey team will be in action in the Palau Blaugrana. That starts at 20.00 against Shum Grupo Maestre, and the match is a chance for Ricard Muñoz’s side to remain in contention for the domestic title.

At 22.00, the day ends with the big one in the Camp Nou. The Barça first team entertain Mallorca in the league, and will face a tough challenge given the absences of players as important as Valdés, Mascherano, Puyol and Messi. Here, and as ever, the fans support stands to play an important role.

FC Barcelona has been nominated as one of the finalists as the best club in the world using social networks. The Club won the award last June and now has the chance to retain its top spot. Leo Messi has also been nominated in the sports star section.

StarCount is a specialist site dedicated to measuring the popularity of brands on social networks and it will announce the awards at a special gala which will be available live after an agreement between You tube and Google. 'The Social Awards 2013 will be held in Singapore on May 23rd and will be the first event to be streamed for a whole 24 hours. Other personalities and institutions will also be honoured at the event.

The best fans can win a trip to the event to see the prizes being awarded. Barça fans can give their support to the Club via this link.

Global leaders
FC Barcelona is the number one sports club in terms of presence on social networks, with more than 65 million fans worldwide. The Club has more than 20 channels on the various social networks.

Barça 2.0

Antoni Ramallets and Josep Seguer, two FC Barcelona legends, were given a warm and emotional welcome this Saturday afternoon by the Barça Players Association and the Club. Many of the players’ friends were present at the ceremony, in addition to President Sandro Rosell, who noted: “because of my age I wasn’t able to see you play, but my father, who is here, told me about you. I tip my hat to the both of you, José and Antonio.”

One of the most moving moments of the event was when a pre-recorded video of Ramallets, who couldn’t attend due to health reasons, showed on the main screen. “I would have liked to attend because I only get to see my friend Seguer, who is one year older than me, once in a while,” said Ramallets. “I would have liked to share this dedicatory event with all of you.”

“He’s still ‘Don Antonio’”

“I fell three times in just a couple of days and I can’t go anywhere without my walker. I can’t complain about my life and from what I see you love me,” said Josep Seguer when he took to the stage. The ex-Barça player wasn’t the only one to give a speech to the attendees, Ángeles, Ramallets’ daughter, said the following about her father: “he’s still the same. He has a lot of character, that’s the way he is. He’s called ‘Don Antonio’ at home.”

Ramallets featured for FC Barcelona for 15 seasons (1946 through 1961) and in that time he won five Zamora trophies. Seguer played for the Club for 14 seasons (1943 through 1957). Both players were crucial to the famous team known as the ‘Barça of the Five Cups.’ President Rosell, making note of the accomplishments of both players, said: “you show that Barça are a team with history and tradition. We’re doing only what you deserve. This is a tribute to the team of the Five Cups. We’re here to show our gratitude and we thank you for everything you have done for this Club.”

- Tito Vilanova returns to Camp Nou

- Barça Legends: Michael Laudrup

- Top-5 formative goals of the week

- FCB Fitness, new app

Iniesta after 2-2 in Paris

- Standing ovation for Pete Mickeal at Palau

The institutional visit by an FC Barcelona delegation led by president Sandro Rosell and vice president Javier Faus last February to Israel and Palestine is bearing fruit. The Catalan club’s offer to play a game in Tel Aviv between the Barça first team and a combination of Israelis and Palestinians, designed to build bridges towards dialogue between the two communities, has been well received by the different parties. This initial disposition has now become a commitment among the Israeli and Palestinian authorities for the game to become a reality. The venue would be Tel Aviv on July 31.

The will is there, as declared by president Rosell and vice presidents Faus and Vilarrubí at yesterday’s meeting before the Champions League match with PSG involving Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Federation and the Palestinian Olympic Committee, and Alon Bar, the Israeli ambassador to Spain. The meeting was held after a preliminary meeting between FC Barcelona and Rajoub and the ambassador to Spain for the Palestinian National Authority, Musa Amer Odeh.

The representatives of Israel and Palestine announced the progress made during the negotiations to organise the Peace Match and now work will need to be done on the logistic and operative arrangements required for the game to become a reality.

If there are more applications than tickets available, a draw will be held on April 17 before a notary

From Monday April 15 at 10.00 and until Tuesday 16 at 19.00, applications will be open on the club website (www.fcbarcelona.com) for tickets for the first leg of the Champions League semi final between Barça and Bayern Munich at the Munich Arena (April 23 at 20.45).

The process is exclusively for club members and must be made via a form available on the Members section of the club website. Every member can only apply for one single ticket, but as many as four members can apply on the same form in order for them to be able to travel together.

3,274 tickets allocated

FC Barcelona have been allocated 3,274 tickets for the match, which we played on April 23, for a single cost of 60 euros. As usual, 85% of the tickets will be shared among members (2,226) and supporters clubs (557), while the other 15% will be used for the club’s sporting and institutional purposes and by sponsors (491).

Draw on April 17

All applications will be processed once the application period closes. If there are more applications than tickets, on April 17 a draw will be held before a notary for all registered applicant members. The club will charge for the tickets on the same day and duly inform the lucky winners.

Over the next few days, and once the first team’s travel plans have been confirmed and the prices of flights and coaches are known, FCBViatges will be offering further information about the travel package it is offering to FCB supporters heading for Munich.

On Monday April 15 from 10.00, members without Camp Nou season tickets will have exclusive priority for the purchase of tickets for the second leg of the Champions League semi final in the FCB stadium (May 1, at 20.45).

Tickets can only be bought by Internet via the club website, www.fcbarcelona.cat or Ticketmaster. A maximum of two tickets can be purchased per membership card, at a discount of 5% on the first ticket. Sales will remain open as long there are tickets available.

Monday 16, tickets for all members and the general public

On Tuesday April 16 at 10.00, all remaining FC Barcelona members and the general public will be able to purchase tickets as part of the second sales process that includes those proceeding from Seient Lliure. If the tickets sell out, the period will be closed and sales will reopen a few days before the match, with tickets freed by members going on sale. Tickets can only be bought by Internet via the club website, www.fcbarcelona.cat or Ticketmaster.

A maximum of two tickets can be purchased per membership card, at a discount of 5% on the first ticket.

- Review the 4-0 against Bayern Munich in the 2008/09 season

- Players react after 1-1 vs PGS

- Legendary goals: Patrick Kluivert

- Top-5 youth team goals

- Tito not managing in Munich for first time

FC Barcelona members have requested a total of 6,830 tickets for the away leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Allianz Arena, which will be played on Tuesday, April 23, at 20.45.

There will be a draw

On Wednesday at 9.30, the Club will hold a draw to see which members will get tickets for the match in Munich. On the same day, the Club will notify the ticket winning members.

It’s worth nothing that each member could only request one ticket, but up to four members could use the same ticket request form.

For this match, FC Barcelona have a total of 3,274 tickets, each one priced at 60 euros. As usual, 85% of the tickets are allocated to Club members (2,226) and Supporters Clubs (557). The remaining 15% (491) are reserved for athletic, institutional and sponsor purposes.

The 2,226 tickets allocated to the Club for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Bayern and Barça were assigned starting from application number 61. The deadline for applications was at 7 pm on Tuesday. 6,830 tickets were requested in 2,923 separate applications. The draw to determine from which number application the tickets would be assigned was held this Wednesday at 9.30 am.

Ticket collection Thursday and Friday

Members who have been assigned a ticket may pick it up on Thursday 18th and Friday 19 of April, between 9 am and 5 pm from the main ticket office of FC Barcelona (gate 14). Tickets must be collected in person by the named ticket holder. If you are unable to collect your ticket in person, you must let us have the name and identity number of the person picking it up on your behalf together with a letter of authorisation. This person may collect a maximum of eight tickets for other people.

FC Barcelona has been allocated 3,274 tickets all priced at 60 euros. As usual, 85% of these tickets have been assigned to the membership (2,226) and the supporters clubs (557). The remaining 15% of tickets (491) are set aside for the Club’s sporting and institutional commitments and for sponsors.

The ‘Gigaphoto’ will arrive to the Camp Nou this Saturday for the match between FC Barcelona and Levante. This is the second year that Coca Cola will ask the Camp Nou faithful to stand during halftime to pose for a 360 degree shot of the stadium. The photo will then be published on Coca Cola’s website. Fans who attend the match will then be asked to tag themselves in the photo for a chance to win a trip to Brazil for the Confederations Cup or a signed FC Barcelona strip.

Coca Cola in an Official Partner of FC Barcelona, in addition to the other 19 La Liga teams and the Confederations Cup. The tournament is set to take place in Brazil next summer.

President Sandro Rosell was the host for a workshop today for the marketing and communication department of the European Clubs Association (ECA), a body that he himself presides, and which met today in the Espai Roma at the Camp Nou.

Before his meeting with the Senate, Sandro Rosell greeted his guests with a welcome speech. FC Barcelona was represented at the workshop by Raül Sanllehí, director of the football area, and Laurent Colette, the marketing manager.

FC Barcelona has a new application on the market: FCB Quiz. The new game, aimed at Barça fans, is available in this first phase in Catalan, Spanish and English on Facebook. Soon it will be developed in more languages and for smart phones and tablets for fans of the Club around the world. FCB Quiz puts your knowledge of Barça to the test and is a great way to compete with your friends.

User friendly
FCB Quiz allows Barça fans to compete in a quiz about the Club, the players and football in general with the aim of winning prizes and overcoming challenges. The quiz has a simple format which encourages interactivity and builds your knowledge of Barça. The fans have to give as many correct answers as quickly as possible in order to improve their classification and not lose lives. They can also use wildcards. You can see your own results as well as those of your friends and the best of the week, month or all-time. The application has been developed by Supporter Arena Limited.

A way of building knowledge
According to Dídac Lee, the Club director responsible for New Technologies “FCB Quiz rewards those fans who know the most about Barça. It’s a new way of building knowledge of the Club, explaining through a game what Barça is and what it signifies. It’s an opportunity to reach anywhere in the world and to put our history, players and philosophy within the reach of every Barça fan”.