FIFA Club World Cup

FCBarca

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Qualified teams


Enter in the Semi-Finals

  • Barcelona UEFA Winners of the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League
  • Estudiantes CONMEBOL Winners of the 2009 Copa Libertadores

Enter in the Quarter-Finals

  • Atlante CONCACAF Winners of the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League
  • Pohang Steelers AFC Winners of the 2009 AFC Champions League
  • TP Mazembe CAF Winners of the 2009 CAF Champions League


Enter in the Playoff round

  • Al-Ahli Host Winners of the 2008–09 UAE Football League
  • Auckland City OFC Winners of the 2008–09 OFC Champions League


teams.jpg


Missing from the Club map are TP Mazembe & Pohang Steelers FC, from Africa & Asia, respectively. Pohang is a city in South Korea while Mazembe is a Congolese club from Lubumbashi

The following pairings are now confirmed:

Match 1, 9 December: Al Ahli FC v. Auckland City FC
Match 2, 11 December: TP Mazembe v. Pohang Steelers FC
Match 3, 12 December: Winner Match 1 v. Atlante FC
Match 4, 15 December: Winner Match 2 v. Estudiantes de La Plata
Match 5, 16 December: Winner Match 3 v. FC Barcelona
Match 6, 16 December: Loser Match 2 v. Loser Match 3

Match 7 (5th place match), 19 December: Loser Match 4 v. Loser Match 5
Match 8 (3rd place match), 19 December: Winner Match 4 v. Winner Match 5
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Al Ahli Dubai - Players to Watch:

- Baré (Brazil - Formerly Gamba Osaka)
- Hosny Abd Rabo (Egypt National Team)
- Ahmed Khalil (UAE, Asian Young Footballer of the Year 2008)

Auckland City - Players to Watch:

- James Pritchett (defender)
- Ivan Vicelich (midfielder)
- Keryn Jordan (forward)


Atlante - Players to Watch:

- Federico Vilar (goalkeeper)
- Daniel Arreola (Defender)
- Gabriel Pereyra (midfielder)
- Christian Bermudez (midfielder) - Tiny player but a tough player to mark
- Luis Gabriel Rey (forward)
- Rafael Marquez (forward) - This Rafa, is not prone to as many errors as another Rafa :whistling:

Club Estudiantes - Players to Watch:

- Leandro Desabato (defender)
- Cristian Cellay (defender)
- Rodrigo Brana (midfielder)
- Juan Sebastian Veron (midfielder) - Yep, he's still around
- Mauro Boselli (forward) - Considered one of the best striker prospects in awhile
- Jose Luis Calderon (forward)

TP Mazembe - Players to Watch:

- Milota Kabangu (Defender)
- Basisila Lusadisu (Midfielder) - Very creative playmaker
- Kaluyituka Dioko (Midfielder - One of the stars, goalscorer
- Tresor Mputu Mabi (Midfielder) - MVP of the team & likely to get sold to a European club

This is a physical club that will have to adjust to how the whistle is blown outside of Africa yet they have a pipeline of talent for a small club from Congo.

Pohang Steelers FC - Players to Watch:

- Denilson (Yep, the Brasilian)
- Kim Hyung-il (Defender) - Tall, fast & aggressive.
- Choi Hyo-jin (Winger) - Dangerous

Pohang is not your typical defensive Asian side, they actually play an attractive brand of football with their Brasilian manager, Farias...I had a chance to see highlights of them in a pub recently, oddly enough...End to end stuff



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This tournament is already underway and Estudiantes downed Pohang tonight, 2-1...Barcelona face Atlante from Mexico in the other semifinal tomorrow.

The Pohang match against Estudiantes bordered on comedy towards the end as they were reduced, generously, to 8 men...Denilson ended up as goalkeeper
 

Jimmy Page

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Then way are you in this thread to begin in with? Jesus just stop cheering for Inter and take a team that win all the time, getting tired of your fucking attitude
 

FCBarca

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Oh man, the intensity is killing me.

Should Barca win, it'd be their 6th trophy in major competitions for the year...No other club has ever done this

And while it doesn't get the publicity that other competitions might, playing in the FIFA Club World Cup against the best clubs from around the globe is the only true manner in which a club can legitimately lay claim to best club on the planet.
 

Principe

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And while it doesn't get the publicity that other competitions might, playing in the FIFA Club World Cup against the best clubs from around the globe is the only true manner in which a club can legitimately lay claim to best club on the planet.

Yes because Pohang and Mazembe are better than Madrid and Valencia. Pohang had to beat the Saudi Al-Ittihad team to qualify to this and they barely did so and I can name you 5 teams in the Italian League alone who can beat them.
 

FCBarca

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Yes because Pohang and Mazembe are better than Madrid and Valencia. Pohang had to beat the Saudi Al-Ittihad team to qualify to this and they barely did so and I can name you 5 teams in the Italian League alone who can beat them.

Mazembe were the champs of Africa, Pohang the champs of Asia, etc...I can name you a dozen Italian clubs that are not the champs of Europe, sooo :rollani:

Point being, it's a Club World Cup...You bring in the champs from around the globe and play...Win a continental title, you qualify...If you don't, you can heckle from the comforts of your own home
 

Gano

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And Pedro does it. Scores in the sixth tournament this year :)
 

FCBarca

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And Pedro does it. Scores in the sixth tournament this year :)

Yeah, pretty sweet from Pedrito!...A record...Tonight also showed the difference in terms of who is more ready to contribute right now between Bojan & Pedrito!..Bojan blew a couple of easy chances on goal tonight...The kid is young so there's plenty of time

Ibra...Damn...It's not glamorous but, for me, the dude is the real life version of Inspector Gadget...Some wicked passes from him tonight...It'll be strange for you Inter fans to read this but he needs to be a bit more selfish than he has been of late

The minute Messi came on, the match was over...And, oh yeah, he scored like a minute later (On an assist from Ibra)

Estudiantes vs Barca in the final, as it was predicted
 

Gano

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Yeah, pretty sweet from Pedrito!...A record...Tonight also showed the difference in terms of who is more ready to contribute right now between Bojan & Pedrito!..Bojan blew a couple of easy chances on goal tonight...The kid is young so there's plenty of time

Ibra...Damn...It's not glamorous but, for me, the dude is the real life version of Inspector Gadget...Some wicked passes from him tonight...It'll be strange for you Inter fans to read this but he needs to be a bit more selfish than he has been of late

The minute Messi came on, the match was over...And, oh yeah, he scored like a minute later (On an assist from Ibra)

Estudiantes vs Barca in the final, as it was predicted

Veron vs Xavi. Damn, I'd give anything for a chance to see present Xavi vs Veron in his prime.

And for Pedro, I think Barca should let Henry go after WC and give Pedro a permanent place in starting XI. Bojan should be a sub-option striker. Anyway, this team has a bright future.
 

FCBarca

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Veron vs Xavi. Damn, I'd give anything for a chance to see present Xavi vs Veron in his prime.

And for Pedro, I think Barca should let Henry go after WC and give Pedro a permanent place in starting XI. Bojan should be a sub-option striker. Anyway, this team has a bright future.

Henry is basically 'Dead Man Walking'...I expect him to return to similarly strong form the rest of the season but he'll be gone this summer...It's almost a guarantee.

Pedrito!, Thiago & Bojan will be the utility mids to play outwide but I suspect the club will go after a high profile player for that left side...I think it's surplus, tbh, but I think that will happen - especially with the election this summer.
 

Handoyo

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Damn what is it with Barca? A debut coach winning all trophies and now a debut player scoring in all competitions. Seriously imba.
 

FCBarca

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Damn what is it with Barca? A debut coach winning all trophies and now a debut player scoring in all competitions. Seriously imba.

You know what is really impressive about Pedrito! is how much of a jump he made in quality and performance from the Preseason 2008 to now...It's rather remarkable, IMHO....I liked him when I saw him that summer along with Jeffren, two wide players with plenty of technique and nose for goal...But, the Pedrito! we're seeing now barely resembles the player I saw in preseason 2008...He has firmly supplanted Bojan in the pecking order of subs...Plus, the kid scores goals :boogy:

But, yeah, Pep :heart:
 

Suneet

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I was at the Barca-Atlante game, have to say, watching Barca is like watching someone play Playstation.
 

FCBarca

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I was at the Barca-Atlante game, have to say, watching Barca is like watching someone play Playstation.

What???....Dammmmn...You sir, are a lucky man...Seemed like a very spirited crowd too, enjoyed the shots of those in the stands...Largely pro-Barca from what I gathered too

Just out of curiosity, what does a ticket to a match like that run?
 

Suneet

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Knowing people helps, I got them free. The VIP costs approx 100$.. I sat in the one that cost 40$.

Its an hours drive max from Dubai then 15mins walk from the parking:rolleyes:, but its all worth it if you get to see Ibra, Messi.
 

Gano

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Estudiantes are leading 1:0. About 30 minutes left.
 

Gano

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20 minutes left for Messi & Co.
 

rfU

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haha love ibra's header miss.
 

Jnr

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1-2 Pedrito 89 minute eq+Messi! Pep won all 6 competitons he entered with his Barca side this year! Barca is the best football club in the wordl and nobody can doubt it.
 

FCBarca

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Pretty dramatic end to a dream year for the club...Some standout performances from several, but Pedrito! once again comes through and Messi caps off the dream finish

6 trophies in 2009...No club has ever done this, I suspect no club may ever repeat it

The Mexican referee really had a poor match, denied a first half pk and generally was nothing short of bizarre on many fouls and non calls.

Ibra was anonymous early but very nearly had a highlight goal off a fk in the 2nd half.

Estudiantes were worthy adversaries although they parked the proverbial bus for the majority of the match which probably didn't help them in the final result...Early on, it was very much a final feel with both sides causing problems for the other.

Emotional trophy presentation too
 
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