FC BARCELONA HISTORY FC Barcelona has long been a favourite football club for many British followers.

Perhaps it has been because of their status as an anti-Franco club. Or perhaps fans have been attracted by the membership structure of the club that gives ordinary supporters a say in the election of presidents. Or it might even be because of its long standing reputation for playing open and attractive football, with some of the worlds very best players pulling on the famous blue and claret shirts. Founded in 1899, when the Swiss-born Hans Gamper established a team made up of Swiss, English and Catalan players, the club quickly established itself as a focal point of the city and the region. Gamper is an integral part of the early history of the club scoring103 goals between 1901 and 1903 and then becoming the president until his death in 1930. It was he who enabled the club to purchase their first ground in 1909, with a capacity of just 6,000 people. Gamper then oversaw the development of the Les Corts stadium, initially with room for 30,000 although it was later doubled in size. And, the year before his death, he was able to see his club become the first ever Spanish League champions. By this time, with in excess of 10,000 members, Barcelona was already attracting star footballers from overseas the Uruguayan striker Hector Scarone being the first of many big money signings. Perhaps the most famous of Barcelonas players in this era, however, was the goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora. Zamora is remembered today for mainly two reasons. Firstly, he has given his name to the trophy awarded to the best goalkeeper in La Liga each season. And secondly, he was the first player to tread that dangerous transfer path from Barcelona to Real Madrid! During the 1950s and 60s, of course, Barca were somewhat overshadowed by the famous Real Madrid team of Puskas, Di Stefano et al, but they still managed to win the league four times in the fifties. The sixties, however, were a much more difficult time for the club, just winning the Spanish Cup in 1963 and 1968 and the Inter City Fairs Cup later to become the UEFA Cup in 1966. Josep Llus Nez was elected club president in 1978, a post he was to keep until the end of the millennium. It was he who brought great financial stability and supreme overseas players to the Camp Nou. Players such as Diego Maradona, Bernd Schuster, Gary Lineker, Ronaldo, Gheorghe Hagi, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Mark Hughes, Hristo Stoikov, Romrio, Rivaldo and Luis Figo not many defenders there, youll notice and managers such as Csar Luis Menotti, Terry Venables, Luis Aragons, Bobby Robson and, most successfully, Cruyff himself, all brought continued success in the form of league titles in 1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999; Copa del Rey victories in 1978, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1997 and 1998; Spanish Supercups in 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1996; the UEFA Champions League in 1992 and runners up in 1994; the UEFA Cup in 1979, 1982, 1989 and 1997; and the European Super Cup in 1992 and 1997.

In 2003, however, a new, young and politically astute president, Joan Laporta, took the helm at Barcelona and, with his appointment of Frank Rijkaard as manager, the club enjoyed a time of great success. By signing some of the worlds very best players Ronaldinho, Deco, Etoo and Messi - and combining them with a strong Catalan influence from the likes of Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi and Valds, Barca were able to not only win La Liga but also, in 2005-2006, the UEFA Champions League. Highlights of this exciting era were the Larsson inspired victory over Arsenal and an amazing evening in Madrid when, after as comprehensive a 3 0 away win as you could ever see, the Real Madrid fans rose in unison to acclaim the unbelievable Ronaldinho.

The history of Futbol Club Barcelona goes from the football club's founding in 1899 and up to current time. FC Barcelona, also known simply as "Barcelona" and familiarly as "Bara", is based inBarcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English andSpanish footballers led by Joan Gamper. The club played amateur football until 1910 in various regional competitions. In 1910, the club participated in their first of many European competitions, and has since amassed ten UEFA trophies and a sextuple. In 1928, Barcelona co-founded La Liga, the top-tier in Spanish football, along with a string of other clubs. As of 2010, Barcelona has never been relegated from La Liga, a record they share with Athletic Bilbao and archrival Real Madrid. The history of Barcelona has often been political. Though it is a club created and run by foreigners, Barcelona gradually became a club associated with Catalan values. In Spain's transition to autocracyin 1925, Catalonia became increasingly hostile towards the central government in Madrid. The hostility enhanced FC Barcelona's image as a focal point for Catalonism, and when Francisco Franco banned the use of the Catalan language, the stadium of FC Barcelona became one of the few places the people could express their dissatisfaction. The Spanish transition to democracy in 1978 has not dampened the club's image of Catalan pride. In the 2000sa period of sporting success in the club and an increased focus on Catalan playersclub officials have openly called for Catalonia to become an independent state.

Barcelona's first crest

With Helenio Herrera as coach, a young Luis Surez, the European Footballer of the Year in 1960, and two influential Hungarians recommended by Kubala, Sndor Kocsis and Zoltn Czibor, the team won another national double in 1959 and a La Liga and Fairs Cup double in 1960. In 1961, they became the first club to beat Real Madrid in a European Cup play-off. However, they lost 23 to Benfica in the final.[30][31][32] The 1960s were less successful for the club, with Real Madrid monopolising La Liga. The completion of the Camp Nou, finished in 1957, meant the club had little money to spend on new players.[32] The 1960s saw the emergence of Josep Fust and Carles Rexach, and the club won the Copa del Generalsimo in 1963 and the Fairs Cup in 1966. Barcelona restored some pride by beating Real Madrid 10 in the 1968 Copa del Generalsimo final at the Bernabu in front of Franco, with coach Salvador Artigas, a former republican pilot in the civil war. With the end of Franco's dictatorship in 1974, the club changed its official name back to Futbol Club Barcelonaand reverted the crest to its original design, including the original letters once again.[33][34] The 197374 season saw the arrival of a new Barcelona player Johan Cruyff, who was bought for a world record 920,000 from Ajax.[35]Already an established player with Ajax, Cruyff quickly won over the Barcelona fans when he told the European press that he chose Barcelona over Real Madrid because he could not play for a club associated with Francisco Franco. He further endeared himself when he named his son Jordi, after the local Catalan Saint George.[36] Next to champions like Juan Manuel Asensi, Carles Rexach and Hugo Sotil, he helped the club win the 197374 season for the first time since 1960,[3] defeating Real Madrid 50 at the Bernabu along the way. He was crowned European Footballer of the Year in 1973 during his first

season with Barcelona (his second Ballon d'or win; he won his first while playing for Ajax in 1971). Cruyff received this prestigious award a third time (the first player to do so) in 1974, while he was still with Barcelona.[37]}

HISTORY OF FC BARCELONA On November 29, 1899, Hans Gamper founded Futbol Club Barcelona, along with eleven other enthusiasts of 'foot-ball', a game that was still largely unknown in this part of the world. He could never have imagined the magnitude of what that initiative would eventually develop into. Over more than one hundred years of history, FC Barcelona has grown spectacularly in every area and has progressed into something much greater than a mere sports club, turning Baras more than a club slogan into a reality. Bara has become, for millions of people all around the world, a symbol of their identity, and not just in a sporting sense, but also in terms of society, politics and culture. Throughout the most difficult of times, Bara was the standard that represented Catalonia and the Catalan people's desire for freedom, a symbolism that has continued to be closely linked to the idiosyncrasy of the Club and its members to this day. Within the context of Spain, Bara is seen as an open and democratic club. And all around the world, Bara is identified with caring causes, and most especially children through its sponsorship agreement with Unicef. For a whole century, FC Barcelona has passed through moments of glory and pain, periods of brilliance and other less successful ones, epic victories and humbling defeats. But all these different moments have helped define the personality of a Club that, due to its peculiar nature, is considered unique in the world. With over one hundred years of history, there have naturally been many different periods, both in a social and a sporting sense. In the early years (1899-1922) , from the foundation of the club to the construction of Les Corts stadium, Bara was a club that had to distinguish itself from all the other football teams in Barcelona, to the point that it would come to be identified with the city as a whole. Bara soon became the leading club in Catalonia, and also associated itself with the increasingly growing sense of Catalan national identity. From Les Corts to the Camp Nou (1922-1957), the club went through contrasting periods. Its membership reached 10,000 for the first time, while football developed into a mass phenomenon and turned professional, and these were the years of such legendary figures as Alcntara and Samitier. But due to material difficulties and the political troubles of the Spanish Civil War and post-war period, the club was forced to overcome several adverse circumstances, including the assassination of president Josep Sunyol in 1936, the very person who had propagated the slogan sport and citizenship'. But the club survived, and a period of social and sporting recovery materialised in the form of the Camp Nou, coinciding with the arrival of the hugely influential Ladislau Kubala.

From the construction of the Camp Nou to the 75th anniversary (1957-1974) , Bara suffered mediocre results but was consolidated as an entity, with a constantly increasing membership and the slow but steady recovery, in the face of adversity, of its identity. A very clear sensation that was manifested for the first time ever in the words Bara, more than a club proclaimed by president Narcs de Carreras. The board presided by Agust Montal brought a player to Barcelona who would change the history of the club, Johan Cruyff. From the 7th anniversary to the European Cup (1974-1992) the club saw the conversion of football clubs to democracy, the start of Josep Llus Nezs long presidency, the extension of the Camp Nou on occasion of the 1982 World Cup and the Cup Winners Cup triumph in Basle (1979), a major success not just in a sporting sense but also in a social one, with an enormous and exemplary expedition of Bara supporters demonstrating to Europe the unity of the Barcelona and Catalan flags. Cruyff returned, this time as coach, and created what would come to be known as the 'Dream Team' (1990-1994), whose crowning glory was the conquest of the European Cup at Wembley (1992), thanks to Koemans famous goal. International Dominance. From Wembley to Abu Dhabi (1992-2009) was when the clubs most recent developments occurred in between its three greatest achievements, becoming champions of Europe. Josep Llus Nezs long presidency came to an end, and the club displayed its finest potential during the celebrations of the club Centenary. Following on from Joan Gaspart (2000-2003), the June 2003 election brought Joan Laporta into office, and the start of new social expansion, reaching 172,938 members, and more successes on the pitch, including four league titles, the Champions League titles won in Paris and Rome and the FIFA Club World Cup. In the season 2008-09 the arrival of Josep Guardiola as first team coach brought new energy to the club and they recorded the most successful season in their entire history winning the six titles that will be forever burned into the memories of all Bara fans. Success on the field has helped the club expand its social role and heighten its media profile. In the 2009/10 season, Guardiolas second in charge, the Liga title was won for the second year in a row, and the twentieth on club history, setting a new record of 99 points in the process. The title was not decided until the very last day, with a game against Valladolid, and the celebrations went ahead that very same evening in the company of the fans at the Camp Nou. The grandeur of Futbol Club Barcelona is explained, among many other factors, by its impressive honours list. Very few clubs anywhere in the world have won so many titles. The Intercontinental Cup is the only major football trophy that has never made its way into the club museum, where the club's greatest pride and joy remain the three European Cup titles won in Wembley (1992) Paris (2006), Rome (2009) and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2009. Apart from winning Europes top title,, the Club also has the honour of being the only one to have appeared in every single edition of European club competition since the tournaments were first created back in 1955. Barcelona's many achievements in Europe include being considered 'King of the Cup Winners Cup', having won that title a record four times In addition, FC Barcelona also won three Fairs Cups (the tournament now known as the UEFA Cup) in 1958, 1960 and 1966. In 1971, Bara won that trophy outright in a match played between themselves, as the first ever winners of the competition, and Leeds United, as the last.

FC Barcelona often known simply as Barca, is one of the most famous football clubs in the world. Based, as their name suggests, in the Catalonian city of Barcelona in Spain, it was founded in 1899. Well known for its passionate fans, the culs, its motto is El Barca es mes que un club meaning Barca is more than a club, the team play in one of the football worlds most iconic stadium Camp Nou, which opened in 1957 and holds an amazing 98,000 fans. FC Barcelona has a long running and notorious rivalry with Spains other most famous club, Real Madrid. This rivalry stems from the opposing views of the two clubs during the Spanish Civil War. The Madrid based club was a representative for Castillian Spanish, the Spanish state of Castille and as Franco himself supported them, represented fascism. As Barcelona was, and still is, the capital of the strongly independent area of Catalonia, the rivalry runs deep. During these times, the Catalan flag and language were banned by Franco, so the football club became the only outlet for Catalan nationalism. Things came to a head when, in 1941, Barca were told to lose a match to Madrid on purpose. In protest to this, they went on to let Real Madrid win the game 11-1, and Barcelonas goalkeeper was banned for life. In 1973, Dutch scoring legend Johan Cruyff signed to Barcelona for a then record amount equivalent to just under 1million (a huge amount of money in those days). His style of play was fast and smart and the fans loved him. After he helped FC Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-0 in their own stadium and winning the league, the club had over 70,000 members, making it the then, most powerful club in the world. Other than the Intercontinental Cup, FC Barcelona has won all known football trophies, and is one of only four clubs to have won the three major European trophies. It is also the only team to have taken part in European club competitions since 1955, and has never been relegated from the Spanish First Division since its inception in 1928. FC Barcelona is also famous for refusing to allow until recently a sponsors logo to appear on their football jerseys unlike other clubs. This refusal is a symbol of Catalonias independence even the mark of the kits manufacturer on the shirts is looked down upon. In 2005, Barcelona, accepted the logo of the main Catalan television channel and a fellow symbol of Catalonia, on the left arm of the shirts. Since the 2006-2007 season, FC Barcelona is paying UNICEF 2 million per year to display the logo of this institution.

The Barcelona fans are often referred to as culs. This is a derivative of the Catalan word cul which means, literally, backside. Although it sounds derogatory, the name comes from the early 20 th century, where, while seated in the highest parts of the football ground stands, those outside could see the backsides of the fans. Even after the ground was restructured, the nickname has stuck with the fans. Barca has attracted the biggest names in football to come and play for them with legends such as Johan Cruyff, Gary Lineker, Rivaldo, Ronaldhino, Stoitchkov, Laudrup, Figo and Ronaldo, all gracing the hallowed turf of the Camp Nou. The current generation of home grown stars has already made history by winning all there is to win in the 2009 season: the Leage, the Spanish Cup, The Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the European Super Cup and the World Cup for Clubs. No other football club has ever achieved this. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiol, the home grown stars Xav, Iniesta and Messi have reached new heights for one of the most famous football clubs. Club Legends Joseph SamatierSamatier was the very first Barca superstar. He played with the team during the Golden Era in the 1920s. Samatier played 21 times for Spains National Team and scored two goals. Ladislao Kubala- Kubala is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. His greatest performance was against Sporting Gijion when he scored seven goals in one game. Kubala played on both the Hungarian and Czechoslovakian national team, making him the only player to ever do so. Migueli- Migueli is known for his great commitment to the team. He has the most appearances out of any FC Barcelona player. One example of his loyalty to the team is when he played with a broken collar bone during the 1979 Winners Cup Final. Stars of the Current Squad Lionel Messi- Messi is Barcelonas up and coming superstar second striker. Originally from Argentina, he has won personal awards on both the national and clubs such as the Copa America Best Young Player. Club Rivalries Real Madrid Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have been rivalries ever since the dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1939. The two teams represent different cities, political and cultural tensions in Spain. FC Barcelona represents the Catalonians, who wanted to separate from Spain, and Real Madrid represents Castile, a former kingdom that later merged to became a part of Spain. Both teams are dominant in the Spanish Premier League and compete every year is this rivalry that has became knows as the El Clsico. RCD Espanyol Espanyol and FC Barcelona are rivals due to the close proximity in which they play, in the city of Barcelona. Over the years the Esanyol has tried to unite with the rest of Spain, as oppose to FC Barcelona that continued to stick to its Catalonian roots. FC Barcelona has overshadowed Espanyol through the years, but despite that, the team still continues to rank from medium to high in La Liga. In 1995 Esanyol tried to make their name sound Catalonian, but this did not go well with FC Barcelona.

Club Overview

FC Barcelona was founded on November 29th 1899 by Joan Gamper. Throughout the years the club has become the emblem for Catalan culture and pride as they proudly represent it on the soccer field. Barcelona FC has established itself as one of the elite clubs in theSpanish Premier League having legendry players such as Ladislao Kubala and Johan Cruyff play for them. They have won titles on both the national and international level such as the Champions League and La Liga. Currently under the presidency of Joan Laporta and coaching of Josep Guardiola. Club History FC Barcelona was founded on November 29, 1899 by Swiss protestant Joan Gamper. The clubs first players where Walter Wild, Llus d'Oss, Bartomeu Terradas, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol, Josep Llobet, John Parsons and William Parsons. Almost immediately after its founding the club became one of the leading football teams in Spain, winning the Copa Macaya in 1902, and going to final of the Copa Del Rey. Barcelona became the leading football club of Catalonia, and on March 14th 1909 the team built a new stadium called Carrer Indstria. In 1917 Gamper appointed Jack Greenwell to be the manager of the organization, and under him the team won eleven Campionat de Catalunya, six Copa del Reys and four Coupe de Pyrenes. He also recruited Paulino Alcntara, who went on to become the top scorer for Barcelona with 356 goals. This period of time is considered as one of Barcelonas Golden Eras. From 1925 till 1939, Spain was going through many political hardships, including a civil war, which overshadowed the sports world. Under Franco, the leader of the Spain, the Catalan language and symbols were banned, so the team had to change its name and remove the Catalan flag from its shield. This caused FC Barcelona to go through financial and social problems, having the number of members drop a significant amount. The civil unrest in the country was the reason for Josep Suol i Garriga, Barcelonas president at the time, getting killed by Francisco Francos soldiers in Guadalajara. Although they won the Campionat de Catalunya in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936 and 1938, they were not able to have any kind of success on the Spanish level. However, during the mid 40s till the early sixties the team had became successful once again on the national level. In 1945, 48, and 49 FC Barcelona won titles in the Spanish Premier League, for the first time since 1929. They were under the coaching of Josep Samitier, and Hungarian Ladislao Kubala was their lead midfielder. The clubs success continued into the fifties as they

won five different trophies. Because of their success, the club decided to build a new stadium in 1957 called Camp Nou, in order to house more fans. During the sixties the club had financial difficulties, and was not able to purchase any top players. However that did not stop the FC Barcelona from continuing its streak of success as they won the Spanish Premier Leaguein 1960 and the Copa del Rey in 1963, and 1968. Josep Fust and Carles Rexach became the superstar players of that decade for Barcelona. The 70s was a time marked by changes and additions to the club. One of the things that they changed was their name from CF Barcelona to its original name Futbol Club Barcelona. Johan Cruyff was added to the team during the 73-74 season, and instantly became a superstar, getting the European Footballer of the Year during his first season with the team. During the 80s Nuez successfully performed in his position, as the team continued its success. He helped recruit legendary soccer player Diego Armando Maradona to the team in 1982. Maradona helped Barcelona defeat arch rivals Real Madrid in the 1983 Copa Del Rey. Unfortunately, he only played with the team for a season. However, shortly after he left, Bernd Schuster replaced him as the superstar athlete on the team and under the management of Terry Venables, the team went to the European Cup finals against Seville. Nunez continued to add great talent to the squad, signing Englands top scorer Gary Lineker and goal keeper Andoni Zubizarreta to the team. Vernables was replaced at the beginning of the 1987/88 season by Luis Aragons for the rest of the season. In 1988 Johan Cruijff, became manager and assembled a team of star athletes. In the process he acquired such superstars as Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman and Michael Laudrup. He became the most successful manager wining a total of 8 trophies with the team. Cruijiff took the team to victories on both the national and international level including winning the UEFA Cup, European Super Cup, and La Liga. However, in his final two seasons, he got into a fall out with club president Nuez, and did not win any titles, which resulted in him getting fired. Cruijff was replaced by Bobby Robson, and then a year later Louis van Gaal was brought in from Ajax. Under van Gaal new superstar players such as Lus Figo, Giovanni Silva De Oliveira, Luis Enrique Martnez and Rivaldo emerged and the team won a Copa del Rey/La Liga double in 1998. Despite their success on the domestic level, the team failed to win in UEFA Champions League. This led to the departure of Van Gaal and Nunez. Luis Figo joining Real Madrid, and was heavily criticised and harassed by FC Barcelona fans. In 2003 Joan Laporta became the president and Frank Rijkaard became new manager of the organization. Under them stars like Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o, helped the club to reach success once again as they won La Liga in the 2004/05 season, then the following year La Liga and the Champions League in a 2-1 final victory against Arsenal. However, two years without a trophy led to Rijkaard being replaced by Josep Guardiola in 2008.

Club Management Joan Laporta- Joan is the president of FC Barcelona. He was elected to the president position in 2003 after promising to bring David Beckham to the

organization. Before getting involved with the team, Laporta owned his own law firm. Josep Guardiola- After one successful season coaching Bara B, Guardiola was promoted to first team coach in the summer of 2008 taking over from Frank Rijkaard. As a player Guardiola was an integral part of Bara's team in the 1990s winning six La Liga titles and the European Cup in 1992

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About FC Barcelona: FC Barcelona is one of the worlds most well known football clubs and was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper. To this day the club is owned and presidents elected by the socis (club members) who numbered over 150, 000 in 2006 with 1782 pen yes (officially-registered supporters clubs) also established. As well as the football team which the club is based around they also fund other sports including basketball (Winterthur FCB), handball (FC Barcelona-Cifec) and ice hockey (FC Barcelona Sorli Discau) but its the football team FC Barcelona that is most instantly recognised around the world. Founder members of La Liga in 1928, Barcelona have never been relegated from the Primera Divisin and are also the inaugural winners of the La Liga title. In 2005/2006 they completed the double of La Liga champions and European Cup champions making them champions of both Spain and Europe. Barcelona have long held onto their tradition of not allowing sponsors logos on their famous shirts but in the summer of 2006 they announced a five year deal with the charity Unicef to wear their logo prominently displayed on the team jerseys, as well as FC Barcelona donating a reputed $2m a year to the Unicef cause. Barcelona have a reputation for playing attractive football stretching back throughout their history but they have often failed to live up to expectations in European competition as their relatively meagre haul of only two European Cups, both won in the past fifteen years, shows. Regardless of this, they have always attracted some of the best footballers in the world to the formidable Nou Camp . In addition to hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona hosted parts of the 1982 Football World Cup and has hosted the X FINA World Championship and Eurobasket. The city has two UEFA 5-star rated football stadiums: FC Barcelona's Nou Camp and the Estadi Olmpic Llus Companys.

FC Barcelona's soccer team is almost a way of life in Barcelona. The rivalry with Madrid rises almost to the point where Barcelona can be considered the Catalonia national team. FC Barca was founded on 29 November 1899 by Joan Gamper, who created the team colors of blue and claret from the Swiss canton in which he lived. Barcelona lost its first ever match with some English expatriates 0-1, but within ten years began a string of Catalan and Spanish championships lasting decades. FC Barcelona went though tough times in the rise to the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath, but was able to recover and by the mid 1940s resumed its championship ways. FC Barcelona is a sports club containing basketball, handball, hockey, icehockey, figure skating, indoor football, rugby, baseball, volleyball and women's football, but the jewel in the crown has always been association football, or the Barcelona Soccer Team. The Barcelona team has qualified every year for the European competition since it was founded in 1955. The club motto is "Ms que un club" and they refer to their stadium as "Camp Nou." In English these are "More than a club" and "Our Ground." Despite a slump at the turn of the century, FC Barcelona has assembled a talented team and once again resumed winning ways. The club currently has a five-year deal with UNICEF, wearing the emblem on their jerseys and paying $1.9 million a year for the privilege. Among the many claims to fame of the Barca team are that it has more victories than any other Association Football team in the world. They also have more wins in the Copa del Rey, the Spanish tournament, than any other team with 24 victories. There are 18 La Liga Championships, 7 Supercopa de Espana, 2 EUFA Champions League, 4 EUFA Winner's Cups, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, 1 Inter-City Fairs Cup Trophy Play-off, 2 European Super Cups, 2 Copa Latina, 4 Copa de Oro Argentina, 22 Catalan Championships, 2 Copa Martina Rossi, 4 Coupe de Pyrenees, 1 Mediteranean League, 2 Copa de Ligua, 1 Copa Barcelona, 1 Lligua Catalana, 5 Copa Catalana and one Little World Cup. It is little wonder Barcelona has embraced the Barcelona Soccer Team and reveres it as a symbol of Catalonia

Birth of FC Barcelona (18991922) Sports Notice: Our friend and companion Hans Gamper... former Swiss [football] champion, being keen on organising some football games in the city asks anyone who feels enthusiastic enough about the sport to present themselves at the office of this newspaper any Tuesday or Friday evening between the hours of 9 and 11pm.Gamper's advertisement in Los Deportes[3]On 22 October 1899, Joan Gamper placed an advertisement in Los Deportes declaring his wish to form a football club; a positive response resulted in a meeting at the Gimnasio Sol on 29 November. Eleven players attendedWalter Wild (the first director of the club), Llus d'Oss,Bartomeu Terradas, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol,

Josep Llobet, John Parsons, and William Parsonsand Foot-Ball Club Barcelona was born.[3] FC Barcelona had a successful start in regional and national cups, competing in the Campionat de Catalunya and the Copa del Rey. In 1902, the club won its first trophy, the Copa Macaya, and participated in the first Copa del Rey, losing 12 to Bizcaya in the final.[4] Gamper became club president in 1908, the club in financial difficulty after not winning a competition since the Campionat de Catalunya in 1905. Club president on five separate occasions between 1908 and 1925, he spent 25 years in total at the helm. One of his main achievements was ensuring Bara acquire its own stadium and thus generate a stable income.[5]On 14 March 1909, the team moved into the Camp de la Indstria, a larger stadium with a seating capacity of 8,000 people. From 1910 to 1914 Barcelona participated in the Pyrenees Cup, which consisted of the best teams of Languedoc, Midi, Aquitaine (Southern France), theBasque Country, and Catalonia. At that time it was considered the finest competition open for participation.[6][7] During the same period, the club changed its official language from Castilian to Catalan and gradually evolved into an important symbol of Catalan identity. For many fans, supporting the club had less to do with the game itself and more with being a part of the club's collective identity.[8]Gamper launched a campaign to recruit more club members, and by 1922 the club had over 20,000 members and was able to finance a new stadium. The club to moved to the new Les Corts, inaugurated the same year.[9] Les Corts had an initial capacity of 22,000, which was later expanded to 60,000.[10] Jack Greenwell was recruited as the first full-time manager, and the club's fortunes began to improve on the field. During the Gamper era, FC Barcelona won eleven Campionat de Catalunya, six Copas del Rey, and four Pyrenees Cups, its first "golden age".[4][5]

Exit Nez, enter Laporta (20002010) The departures of Nez and van Gaal were nothing compared to that of Lus Figo. As well as club vice-captain, Figo had become a cult hero and was considered by Catalans to be one of their own. Bara fans were distraught by Figo's decision to join arch-rivals Real Madrid, and during subsequent visits to the Camp Nou, he was given an extremely hostile reception. Upon his first return a piglet's head and a full bottle of whiskey were thrown at him from the crowd.[39] President Nez was replaced by Joan Gaspart in 2000, and the three years he was in charge, saw the club decline and managers came and went; van Gaal served a second term. Gaspart did not inspire confidence off the field either and in 2003, he and van Gaal resigned.[40]After the disappointment of the Gaspart era, the club bounced back with the

combination of a new young president, Joan Laporta, and a young new manager, former Dutch player Frank Rijkaard. On the field, an influx of international players combined with home-grown Spanish players led to the club's return to success. Bara won La Liga and the Supercopa de Espaa in 200405, and the team's midfielder,Ronaldinho, won the FIFA World Player of the Year award.[41].In the 200506 season, Barcelona repeated their league and Supercup successes.[42] In the Champions League, Bara beat English club Arsenal 21 in the final. Trailing 10 to a 10-man Arsenal and with less than 15 minutes left, they came back to win 21 for the club's first European Cup victory in 14 years.[43] They took part in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup, but were beaten by a late goal in the final against Brazilian side Internacional.[44] Despite being the favourites and starting strongly, Barcelona finished the 200607 season without trophies. A pre-season U.S. tour and open feud between the player Samuel Eto'o and Rijkaard was later blamed for the lack of trophies.[45][46] In La Liga, Bara were in first place for much of the season, but their inconsistency in the new year allowed Real Madrid to overtake them to become champions. The200708 season was unsuccessful, and as Bara failed to emulate the success of previous yearsBara B youth manager Josep Guardiola took over Rijkaard's duties at the conclusion of the season.[47]Bara beat Athletic Bilbao 41 in the 2009 Copa del Rey Final, winning the competition for a record-breaking 25th time. A defeat by Real Madrid three days later ensured that Barcelona were La Liga champions for the 200809 season. Bara finished the season by beating last year's Champions League winners Manchester United 20 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to win their third Champions League title and complete the first ever treble won by a Spanish side.[48][49][50] The team went on to win the 2009 Supercopa de Espaa against Athletic Bilbao[51] and the 2009 UEFA Super Cup against Shakhtar Donetsk,[52] becoming the first European club to win both domestic and European Super Cups following a treble. In December 2009, Barcelona won the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup,[53] and became the first team ever to accomplish the sextuple.[54] Barcelona recorded two new records in Spanish football in 2010 as they retained the La Liga trophy with 99 points and winning the Spanish Super Cup trophy for a ninth time.[55][56] El Clsico There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in a national league, and this is particularly the case in La Liga, where the game between Bara and Real Madrid is known as El Clsico. From the start of national competitions the clubs were seen as representatives of two rival regions in Spain: Catalonia and Castile, as well as of the two cities. The rivalry reflects what many regard as the political and cultural tensions felt between Catalans and the Castilians, seen by one author as a re-enactment of the Spanish Civil War.[65]During the dictatorships of Primo de Rivera and especially of Francisco Franco (19391975), all regional cultures were suppressed. All of the languages spoken in Spanish territory, except Spanish (Castilian) itself, were officially banned.[66][67] Symbolising the Catalan people's

desire for freedom, Bara became 'More than a club' (Ms que un club) for the Catalans. According to Manuel Vzquez Montalbn, the best way for the Catalans to demonstrate their identity was by joining Bara. It was less risky than joining a clandestine anti-Franco movement, and allowed them to express their dissidence.[68]On the other hand, Real Madrid was widely seen as the embodiment of the sovereign oppressive centralism and the fascist regime at management level and beyond (Santiago Bernabeu, the former club president for whom the Merengues stadium is named, fought with los nacionales).[69][70] However, during the Spanish Civil War, members of both clubs such as Josep Sunyol and Rafael Snchez Guerra suffered at the hands of Franco supporters.During the 1950s the rivalry was exacerbated further when there was a controversy surrounding the transfer of Alfredo di Stfano, who finally played for Real Madrid and was key to their subsequent success.[71] The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met twice at the knock-out rounds of the European Cup.[4] The latest European encounter between the clubs, in 2002, was dubbed the "Match of The Century" by Spanish media, and was watched by more than 500 million people.[72]

Barcelona initially played in the Camp de la Indstria. The capacity was about 10,000, and club officials deemed the facilities inadequate for a club with growing membership.[100] In 1922, the number of supporters had surpassed 20,000 and by lending money to the club, Bara was able to build the larger Camp de Les Corts, which had an initial capacity of 20,000 spectators. After the Spanish Civil War the club started attracting more members and a larger number of spectators at matches. This led to several expansion projects: the grandstand in 1944, the southern stand in 1946, and finally the northern stand in 1950. After the last expansion, Les Corts could hold 60,000 spectators.[101]

One of the stands displaying Barcelona's motto, "Ms que un club", meaning 'More than a club'

After the construction was complete there was no further room for expansion at Les Corts. Back-to-back La Liga titles in 1948 and 1949 and the signing of in June 1950 of Lszl Kubala, who would later go on to score 196 goals in 256 matches, drew larger crowds to the games.[101][102][103] The club began to make plans for a new stadium.[101] The building of Camp Nou commenced on 28 March 1954, before a crowd of 60,000 Bara fans. The first stone of the future stadium was laid in place under the auspices of Governor Felipe Acedo Colunga and with the blessing of Archbishop of Barcelona Gregorio Modrego. Construction took three years and ended on 24 September 1957 with a final cost of 288 million pesetas, 336% over budget.[101]In 1980, when the stadium was in need of redesign to meet UEFA criteria, the club raised money by offering supporters the opportunity to inscribe their name on the bricks for a small fee. The idea was popular with supporters, and thousands of people paid the fee. Later this became the centre of controversy when media in Madrid picked up reports that one of the stones was inscribed with the name of longtime Real Madrid chairman and Franco supporter Santiago Bernabu.[104][105][106] In preparation for the 1992 Summer Games two tiers of seating were installed above the previous roofline.[107] It has a current capacity of 98,787 making it the largest stadium in Europe.[108]

Mrs Tete here is more information

FC Barcelona, also known as Bara, is a sports club in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain with sections in many different sports. Founded in 1899 by a group of twelve, led by Joan Gamper, its motto is "Bara is more than a club" (El Bara s ms que un club). Its main stadium is the Camp Nou, Barcelona. Although its football team had been struggling from roughly 2000 through 2003, it and long-standing rival Real Madrid remain the most representative teams of Spain. FC Barcelona fans are also called culs. Bara are also known for their relentless refusal to allow sponsor logos on their football shirts. This is due to the fact that Bara is seen as a symbol of Catalonia, and any offer of sponsorship of "intrusive nature" will be turned down. Even their kit manufacturer, Nike's swoosh was controversial. However, Bara has accepted a sponsor's logo on their basketball jerseys.

Early Years FC Barcelona was founded by Swiss businessman Hans Kamper, who embraced Catalan nationalism so fervently that he changed his name to the Catalan Joan Gamper. Gamper changed the club's original name to the current Catalan version. Everything started when he decided to put a message in a local newspaper asking for players to join him in a relatively unknown sport called football. Eleven players attended this meeting: Gualteri Wild, Lluis d'Ossa, Bartomeu Terradas, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol, Josep Llobet, John Parsons, and William Parsons. The club's international nature has been a quality since the first days of its existence, as shown by still holding the original Anglican version of its name Futbol Club Barcelona, instead of the formal Spanish version Club de Futbol Barcelona. The team did not have to wait much time for their first trophy, as in 1901 they won the Copa Macaya, later known as the Campionat de Catalunya (Championship of Catalonia). Until 1909 the team played in different stadiums, none of them owned by the club. On March 14 of that year, the 6,000 seat stadium of Carrer Industria (Industry Street) opened its door. It was the first field owned by FC Barcelona. During these years the club experienced their first growth period, in terms of sport titles and social mass. The Golden Years Legendary players like Alcantara, Zamora, and Samitier boosted the club's success with brilliant playing style, bringing the team to a Golden Age of expansion. By 1922, the club opened the doors of its stadium of Les Corts, which had an initial capacity of 30,000, later expanded to an impressive 60,000. Besides dominating Spanish and Catalan championships, they won the first edition of the Spanish League in 1929. Crisis and the Civil War The ongoing crisis, started in the late 1920s during the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera, only got worse after the start of the Spanish Civil War. The political problems of the country affected the club, eventually leading to the assassination of President Josep Suol by soldiers of the nationalist side and the bombing of the club's headquarters. After these events, the club was forced to change its name to Club de Futbol Barcelona, remove the catalan portion of the flag, and a president friendly to Franco's regime was appointed.

Kubala By the second half of the 1940s the club began to recover from its problems, which almost led the club to disband. Players like Cesar, Ramallets, and Velasco won the First Division fifteen years after the first and only time. With political issues calming down, the style of football played, and titles being brought, financial problems started to fade as more people became members. In 1950 arrived one of the most important players for FC Barcelona, Ladislao Kubala. During the first years after his arrival the team won almost every competition they played in, and its forwards, Cesar, Basora, and Kubala himself are still remembered. Camp Nou In 1957, the Camp Nou opened its doors to the public. It had a capacity for up to 90,000 spectators, already making it one of the biggest stadiums in the world. Unfortunately, a few years after the inauguration, titles became scarce, as they only won three official titles during the 1960s. But even then the club did not stop growing, gaining social and economic power every year. Unlike the decade of the 50's, when Real Madrid "stole" Argentinian player Alfredo Di Stefano from FC Barcelona, Dutch legend Johan Cruyff signed a contract with the club in 1973. His electric style of play, fast and smart, could not appeal more to the fans. Even the record amount of 922,300 paid by FC Barcelona for him seemed nothing after defeating Real Madrid 0-5 in their own stadium and winning the league. By the following year the club had 70,000 members, making it the most powerful in the world. The second golden age (1988-1996) Josep Luis Nuez became president of FC Barcelona in 1978, leading the club into an unprecedented period of social and economic growth. Dozens of titles were won by all teams, and other sections seen as less important than the football team started to receive more attention. During 1990-1994, Johan Cruyff's Dream Team won four consecutive Leagues and for a first time the Champions League (1992) among other trophies. Late 1990s with satisfactory results After the unsuccessful brief stay of Bobby Robson, notorious manager Louis Van Gaal came on board and Barcelona won twice Spanish League title and once Cup Winners' Cup. Although their

great results at homeside, Barcelona failed to win again Champions League. Due to heavy fan criticism after three seasons in 2000, Van Gaal resigned. Years of turmoil Joan Gaspart was elected as the successor of Josep Lluis Nuez in 2000, not an easy task considering his achievements and a lot of pressure was put on the new board of directors. Still, Joan Gaspart's bad management led the club to a financial crisis. Poor judgement when using the club's funds, the absence of any important victory, and underperforming players made the social pressure unbearable, forcing him to resign in 2003. A temporary commission took over until current president Joan Laporta was elected in the same year.

Revival Joan Laporta proved to be better choice. With his arrival, and that of football superstar Ronaldinho and manager Frank Rijkaard among others, the new style of management, have returned the club into a positive cycle. Inherited massive financial debt is being cut down, and only two players remain from the original team that did not win a major title in five years. Season 2003/2004 Barcelona made spectacular return to form finishing second after being at the bottom of the table. During the 2004/5 season, Barcelona have preserved a healthy lead over their arch-rivals Real Madrid and, despite their controversial exit from the Champions League at the hands of Chelsea, they remain on course for La Liga title. A third golden age appears to be beckoning...

FC Barcelona Honours, Trophies & Awards

Champions League: 1 o 1991-92 FC Barcelona 1 - 0 Sampdoria Goal by Ronald Koeman (111') UEFA Cup: 4 o 1958
o

FC Barcelona 6 - 0 London XI London XI 2 - 2 FC Barcelona FC Barcelona 4 - 1 Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. 0 - 0 FC Barcelona

1960

1966

1971

Real Zaragoza 2 - 4 FC Barcelona FC Barcelona 0 - 1 Real Zaragoza FC Barcelona 2 - 1 Leeds United

European Super Cup: 2 o 1992 Werder Bremen 1 - 1 FC Barcelona FC Barcelona 2 - 1 Werder Bremen o 1997 FC Barcelona 2 - 0 Borussia Dortmund Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 FC Barcelona Cup Winners' Cup: 4 o 1979 FC Barcelona 4 - 3 Fortuna Dsseldorf o 1982 FC Barcelona 2 - 1 Standard de Lige o 1989 FC Barcelona 2 - 0 Sampdoria

1997

FC Barcelona 1 - 0 Paris Saint-Germain

Spanish First Division: 16 o 1928-29, 1944-45, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1973-74, 1984-85, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1997-98, 1998-99 Spanish Super Cup: 5 o 1984, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 Spanish League Cup: 2 o 1983, 1986 King's Cup: 24 o 1909-10, 1924-25, 1951-52, 1970-71, 1989-90, 1911-12, 1925-26, 1952-53, 1977-78, 1996-97, 1912-13, 1927-28, 1956-57, 1980-81, 1997-98 1919-20, 1941-42, 1962-63, 1982-83, 1921-22, 1950-51, 1967-68, 1987-88,

Catalunya Cup: 5 o 1990-91, 1992-93, 1999-2000, 2003-04, 2004-05 Macaya Cup: 1 o 1901-02 Championship of Catalunya: 20

1904-05, 1915-16, 1923-24, 1929-30, 1937-38

1908-09, 1918-19, 1924-25, 1930-31,

1909-10, 1919-20, 1925-26, 1931-32,

1910-11, 1920-21, 1926-27, 1934-34,

1912-13, 1921-22, 1927-28, 1935-36,

Latin Cup: 2 o 1949, 1952 Eva Duarte Cup: 3 o 1948, 1952, 1953 Martini & Rossi Trohpy: 2 o 1952, 1953 Little World Cup: 1 o 1957 Joan Gamper Trophy: 30 o 1966, 1967, 1968, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 1969, 1980, 1992, 2002, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2003, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2004

Teresa Herrera Trophy: 5 o 1948, 1951, 1972, 1990, 1993

Ramon de Carranza Trophy: 2 o 1961, 1962 Ciudad de Palma Trophy: 5 o 1969, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981 Cup of the Pyrenees: 4 o 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913 Mediterranean League: 1 o 1937

Symbols and kits through the course of history First club symbol was the same as the town symbol:

In 1906 the club organized competition to chose the first club symbol which has changed through the course of history only in the period of Franco's regime (the club was called Club de Futbol Barcelona which can be seen on the symbol as well). The club symbol represents the Cross of Saint Jordi the patron saint of Barcelona; flag of Catalunia Senyera (national flag with 4 red lines on the golden background) and blue-red colour combination which Gamper took over from Fc Basel.

The first kit From the start, the players wore the famous blue and claret colours, half the shirt one colour and half the other with the sleeves the opposite colour and white shorts.

In the late 90s' of the 19th cenutry Swiss business men Hans (Joan) Gamper and his ten friends (Gualteri Wild, Llus d'Oss, Bartomeu Terrados, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol, Josep Llobet, John Parsons and William Parsons) founded FC Barcelona. The exact date of foundation is the 29th November 1889. Who was Hans (Joan) Gamper?

He was born in Winterthur, Switzerland on November 22, 1877. He was the eldest son born to August and Rosine Emma Gamper. Even as a young boy he showed great interest in sports especially for football,rugby,tennis and golf. He started his career in Fc Basel and was named club captain but then he moved first to France and in 1898 he went to Barcelona to visit his uncle. In 1899 he put a note in a local newspaper, trying to attract as many football players as possible to join the club; and just one monthe later he and his friends assembled at the historic gathering at the Gimnas Sole. The meeting was successful and the club was established and Englishman Gualteri Wild became the first President with Gamper as the first captain of the club.

Lyrics of the FC Barcelona's anthem

In Catalan Tot el camp s un clam som la gent blaugrana Tant se val d'on venim si del sud o del nord ara estem d'acord, ara estem d'acord, una bandera ens agermana. Blaugrana al vent un crit valent tenim un nom el sap tothom: Bara, Bara, Baaara! Jugadors, seguidors, tots units fem fora. Son molt anys plens d'afanys, son molts gols que hem cridat i s'ha demostrat, i s'ha demostrat, que mai ningu no ens podr torcer. Blaugrana al vent un crit valent tenim un nom el sap tothom: Bara, Bara, Baaara!

In English The whole stadium loudly cheers Were the blue and claret supporters It matters not where we hail from Whether it's the south or the north Now we all agree, we all agree, One flag unites us in brotherhood. Blue and claret blowing in the wind One valiant cry Weve got a name that everyone knows: Bara, Bara, Baaara! Players, Supporters United we are strong. Weve achieved much over the years, Weve shouted many goals And we have shown, we have shown, That no one can ever break us. Blue and claret blowing in the wind One valiant cry Weve got a name that everyone knows: Bara, Bara, Baaara!