The team knew the appointment of Tito Vilanova by Zubizarreta

Pep did not skip the hierarchy: the coach announces the coach.
Zubi said the captains in Sant Joan Despi, after Pep talk.

The squad barcelonista yesterday heard the name of the successor of Pep Guardiola. The coach still explained his decision not to continue in office, but omitted the information regarding the succession.

Andoni Zubizarreta broke the news to the captains before heading to the Camp Nou. The captains subsequently communicated to all staff. Guardiola wanted to be scrupulous to a group that has felt very close and would not do something that belonged to Zubi.

Pep of his players said in a press conference in which he explained his motivations for leaving, "I have been privileged to train them. I have actually enjoy this job and I appreciate that there have been millions of plays and parties that have made reality. not know the pleasure of imagining a play and every day them come true. "

The coach also highlighted what will the years on the bench for first team: "I get the many emotions and details and have lived the good and bad times. Displays of affection are very large these days. I remembered Abidal, Keita, who has been my thermometer ... all these years. "

At the news conference yesterday in the press room at the Camp Nou Maxenchs Ricard, smaller than the Sala Paris, which was introduced four years ago, Guardiola was wrapped by the captains of the workforce, besides the two homegrown who came with him and stayed Segunda B, Sergio Busquets and Pedro, and Cesc and Piqué, former pupils of Vilanova. So was Messi, who nevertheless was not yesterday, apparently because of a misunderstanding. "Leo? Is here," said Pep.

Also most of the board, in addition to soccer training coach, Guillermo Amor, Guardiola also supported the day he announced his farewell, in addition to one of the most important of his career, his agent, Josep Maria Orobitg, agent also Tito. (via MD)

Rosell and Zubizarreta came together ... and on Thursday it is up to Guardiola

FC Barcelona and works fully in planning for next season. Sandro Rosell met Wednesday with Andoni Zubizarreta. And on Thursday it appears that will do so with Pep Guardiola.

Club azulgrana president, Sandro Rosell, met Wednesday afternoon with the director of professional football area, Andoni Zubizarreta, to address various aspects of what has to be Barça 2012/13.

The summit took place in the office of Rosell at the offices of the club, started about six o'clock in the afternoon and lasted a little over an hour.

One issue that surely came to the fore, was the future of Pep Guardiola. The Barcelonista coach contract ends on 30 June, and has not communicated its decision to continue or not.

The coach himself admitted, after completing the Barça-Chelsea, who once ruled the team's options in the Champions League and the theme of renewal "and tap", but did not specify in what way or what his decision.

In any case, it is clear that the mystery about its continuity, or otherwise, at Barça will be unveiled shortly. This Thursday there could be a meeting between Rosell and Guardiola to clarify the situation permanently. (via SPORT)

TV coverage of El Clásico presented

Mediapro – the company producing TV coverage of this Saturday’s big game- presented their plans for the match at the Camp Nou today during an event attended by Andoni Zubizarreta and Emilio Butragueño.

The event was held at the Museu del FC Barcelona, where the Real Madrid Director of Institutional Relations, Emili Butragueño spoke via a TV link from the Santiago Bernabéu.

Mediapro will be using more than 300 professionals for their coverage, with an expected audience of about 400 million viewers.

Mediapro presented their coverage of this Saturday’s game against Real Madrid at the Club Museum this Monday . The event was attended by Barça’s Director of Professional Football Andoni Zubizarreta, accompanied by the Spanish commentators Axel Torres and Josep Maria Déu, as well as Real Madrid’s Director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueño, who spoke by direct video link from Madrid.

Mediapro will be rolling out an impressive array of technological and human resources, with more than 300 people working in 10 mobile units – one of which is a 3D unit- and a total of 34 cameras, 12 of which will be at pitchside. There will also be a High Speed unit –to view action too fast for the human eye- a Steadycam, for dead ball situations- and a Beauty, for aerial views of the Stadium. The coverage will also use the Epsio application to allow lines to be drawn across the image of the pitch to adjudge offside decisions.

For the first time ever on a broadcast game, coverage will also use the stat analysis tool MediaCoach, an application widely used by managers in the Spanish League.

Andoni Zubizarreta stressed the importance of Saturday’s game: “this is the only chance we have to guarantee we take three points and Madrid drop three. I hope we can continue our run of good results against Real Madrid at our ground and with our fans behind us”. Zubizarreta also commented on the importance of this Wednesday’s Champions League game at Stamford Bridge, which he reckons will be “ a good preparation for Saturday - this is a week of high voltage games!”.

Emilio Butragueño was full of praise for Barça: “they have hardly any weak points and are a formidable team with a lot of different resources. Their players have a global view of the game and a lot of that is down to Guardiola’s fantastic work”. Butragueño also warned though: “whatever happens on Saturday, the league will still not be over”.

A Global Event

The importance of this Saturday’s game in the context of this year’s league title has really awoken interest in the game across the world and the game will be broadcast across all the five continents, with an estimated global audience of 400 million viewers. Mediapro will also be producing a special 3D signal for distribution. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Zubizarreta: "The applause Abidal was exciting"

Andoni Zubizarreta expressed his gratitude to the fans of Barça for his tribute to Éric Abidal, who on Tuesday underwent a liver transplant.

Azulgranas supporters dedicated a heartfelt ovation French defender in the 22-minute number that Abidal looks back at Barça, the match against Getafe at Camp Nou.

"We appreciate the applause exciting in that minute, more than ever. Do not know anything about the operation yet," said the director of professional football's FC Barcelona.

The leader also alluded to the statements of Pep Guardiola, who yesterday said he has asked his players to run less and laugh more. "You have to work hard," he said.

Zubizarreta, moreover, would not argue with Madrid coach José Mourinho, or his deputy, Aitor Karanka: "I only know what I mean, I like football and enjoy it," he said. (via SPORT)