No team copes with as much day-to-day drama as Barcelona. Think of the Yankees during owner George Steinbrenner's salad days in New York, then multiply all that tabloid attention worldwide.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova had throat surgery again Thursday after a tumor on a saliva gland reappeared.
Art snobs must forgive the analogy, but when Lionel Messi collapsed in pain and fear on the Camp Nou turf clutching the back of his priceless left knee, it felt for a moment as though Leonardo da Vinci had mangled his painting hand just as he was about to apply the final brushstrokes to the Mona Lisa.
Lionel Messi scored four times to take his season tally to an unprecedented 72 goals and give Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola a 4-0 win over crosstown rival Espanyol in his last home game at Camp Nou on Saturday.
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol says players urged departing coach Pep Guardiola to stay at the club.
In front of some of the players he molded into one of soccer's greatest teams, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said Friday he will leave at the end of the season and bring to a close a four-year reign of unprecedented success.
Before players he molded into one of the greatest soccer teams of all time, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola stepped down on Friday and closed a four-year reign of unprecedented success.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will not continue as coach of the Spanish club after this season and assistant Tito Vilanova will take over.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could be suspended up to 12 games for his altercation with Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova during a Spanish Supercup game-ending brawl.
Grabbing an opposing coach by the face and placing a finger near his eye, making inappropriate gestures to rival players and attacking ball boys for time-wasting _ Jose Mourinho has taken his abrasive tactics to a new level.
The club did not provide a timetable for his return but said Vilanova might return to the sidelines while continuing treatment.
"If I had a do-over I'd make the same decision, seeing that he can get injured at any moment."
