Tito Vilanova's Playing Career - Studying Under Different Coaches
Tito Vilanova's playing career is the story of one of La Masia's most promising young players doing the rounds of Spanish football in Primera, Segunda A and Segunda B over 12 seasons. There's no denying he gained a great deal of experience of many different coaches.
After doing his apprenticeship under Rexach, Costas, Pujol and even Johan Cruyff at Barça, Tito Vilanova played under the orders of such diverse managers as Jorge d'Alessandro, Txtxu Rojo, Carlos Aimar, Colina Addison, Victor Muñoz, the late Tolo Plaza and Juande Ramos amongst others. Always fascinated by tactics, Tito's approach to coaching was allowed to develop under a great variety of different styles.
Although he never made it to the FC Barcelona first team, Tito did have the chance to train in a few sessions with Johann Cruyff in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, the Dutchman's first two at Barça. Along with other 'canteranos' who are now on the technical staff such as Roura, Altimira, Carles Busquets and even Pep Guardiola, he got to take part in training sessions and the occasional friendly game. In fact, Pep played his debut first team game on 1 May 1989 in Banyoles (2-6) in a friendly a few days before the European Cup Winners Cup Final in Berne, and in the second half was substituted for Tito Vilanova.
In the following pre-season, Vilanova played another game with Zubizaretta in goals. This time Barça lost 2-1 to Figueres in the last warm-up game before the start of the season.
You might see claims that Tito Vilanova played another friendly in Elda against Eldense on 31 August 1989 but its false. It wasn't the first team that played that day but Barça Atlètic - the B team - which included first team players such as Julio Alberto, Unzué, Amor, Valverde and Salva.
After two seasons in the B team, Vilanova signed for Figueres where he was coached by Jorge d'Alessandro. He then signed for Celta and played First Division football including games against Barça for three seasons under Tetxu Rojo and Carlos Aimar.
His next maestro was Englishman Colin Addison at Badajoz and then Victor Muñoz and Pichi Alonso in Mallorca. Tito finished his playing career with UD Gramenet in 2B under Nando Manresa.
Tito Vilanova's Clubs and Coaches
1988-90 Barcelona Atlètic - Segunda A - Pujol, Costas
1990-92 UE Figueres - Segunda A - D'Alessandro
1992-95 Celta de Vigo - Primera - Rojo, Aimar
1995-96 CD Badajoz - Segunda A - Colin Addison
1996-97 RCD Mallorca - Segunda A - Victor Muñoz, Tomeu Llompart
1997-98 UE Lleida - Segunda A - Juande Ramos
1998-00 Elche CF - Segunda A - Tolo Plaza, D'Alessandro
2000-01 UD Gramenet - Segunda B - Nando Manresa
Add a commentTito Vilanova - The Boy from Bellcaire
'Hey, Tito! Are you coming out to play?' 'As long as we're taking the ball with us.' This was the answer David Viñas, one of Tito Vilanova's childhood friends, always got when he called round for Tito. Whether it was summer, the weekend or a school day, a day never went by without Tito having a kick about.
Many of the residents of Bellcaire d'Empordà, Tito Vilanova's hometown, remember him as being glued to a ball. Bellcaire is a small town in the Baix Empordà in Northern Catalonia and it's populace is extremely proud to be able to brag that its finest son will be taking over the helm at FC Barcelona.
Football has always been his life and he could always be found in a corner of the village kicking the ball about, working on shoots, passes and dribbling. 'From dawn till dusk,' affirms Jaume Hugas, who was youth co-ordinator at Club de Futbol Bellcaire and Tito's teacher at school. Hugas remembers Tito as 'very quiet' and that 'he didn't make trouble in class.'
Dressed in his Barça shirt, he would spend his days on the busy street of Santa Anna in L'Estartit, where his parents had a bodega, dribbling round tourists. Even his uncle's supermarket in L'Escala was witness to his footballing skills. 'He was still a toddler, but Tito was already playing football with his brother Josep in the supermarket aisles,' explains Paco Pérez, who ran the supermarket bar in the 1970s.
Apart from technique, Tito was also fascinated by tactics from an early age and used to record matches and later analise them. 'Sometimes we'd be together and suddenly Tito would say that he was going home because he wanted to record a World Cup match. Later he watched and analised them,' explains Pere Puig who was one of Tito Vilanova's team mates in the Bellcaire youth teams under Joan Font.
Joan Font could not hide his happiness yesterday. The fact that the timid modest young lad, who he had begun coaching at the age of eight, had got so far was an obvious cause of pride. 'To go far, you need human qualities and Tito had them,' he says. 'He was a good player, formal, constant and religious,' says Font, who had to tell Tito off very rarely.
However, in the final of the Torneo de la Amistad that Bellcaire played against Palafrugell, he did have to tell Tito off. 'They had a very good player. I asked Tito to sacrifice his own game and mark him very closely, but as soon as the game began, he almost scored. He got away from Tito again and I decided to get another of our players to mark him. At the end of the game, I asked Tito what had happened. A little ashamed, he told me his mother had promised to buy him a Barça tracksuit if he scored,' remembers Font.
Another very happy person was his neighbour Carles Camps,who since it was announced that Tito would be taking over from Pep, has been wearing the 'Tito 1' shirt that he received for his birthday last year. 'I'm very happy for him, he deserves it.'
The quiet lad who always had a ball with is about to take on an enormous challenge. 'You've got to be diplomatic with the players and sometimes show a bit of character, but I'm sure he'll do well,' says Rafael Espada, who used be president of CF Bellcaire.
In his village everyone wishes him a little of what you need to get on in life. 'Good Luck, Tito!'
Add a commentThe Pep Guardiola Era Ends For FC Barcelona
It was an outcome that in our heart of hearts we knew was likely but didn't want to face up to. Josep Guardiola i Sala - Pep Guardiola - will not be coaching Football Club Barcelona next season.
In the press conference, Pep was as self-effacing as ever giving the very human reason of feeling burnt out as his motive for not continuing. Sad as we all are that Guardiola's leaving, there was no tone of defeat in the words of FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and Technical Secretary Andoni Zubizaretta.
Pep is moving on. We'd have loved him to stay. It makes sense for Tito Vilanova to continue in his place. By the way ... Thanks, Pep!
When Guardiola took over the first team coach job back in the summer of 2008, nobody expected much of him. Things started poorly with a defeat against Numancia and a draw against Racing. We went on to win Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey with that fantastic 6-2 thrashing of Madrid in May.
2009-10 - the Year of the Zlatan - didn't go too badly for us either. European and Spanish Super Cups plus the FIFA Club World Cup before Christmas. We got knocked out in the semi-finals by Inter in the Champions League but went on to win La Liga.
But the greatest season and probably the one that brought on Pep´s burn out was 2010-11. This was the year of the Pep Team where he had everything the way he wanted and things couldn't have gone better. The battle against Mourinho's Madrid had begun and with La Liga and Champions League we were undisputed victors.
This season started well with wins in the Spanish and European Super Cups and another FIFA Club World Cup but now we know that Guardiola made his decision not to continue back in October, it's not surprising the team lost steam.
Whatever happens now, we've been privy to the most fantastic four years of football and the project will continue in Tito Vilano's capable hands.
Thanks, Pep! It's been great!
Add a commentJaume Sobreques on Pere Llobet's FC Barcelona Centenary Paintings
One of the great things about being an adopted Catalan with an almost native level in the local language is that I get to places that other foreigners can't reach, and when this is the case life is full of wonderful surprises.
Through a combination of Barcelona art and football contacts, a set of lithographs that were created for an exhibition for the FC Barcelona Centenary in 1999 by the renowned Catalan artist Pere Llobet has recently come into my hands and I have been able to follow up this stroke of luck by getting in contact with his wife.
Senyora Llobet informs me that her husband, now aged 80, is interested in selling some of his most important works, including those he painted for FC Barcelona's Centenary.
Over the next few days, I hope to be visiting Pere Llobet's hometown of Mura and having a good look at the collection, which apparently includes more than thirty of the original paintings - at least one of them forms part of the FC Barcelona art collection and is currently on display in the Museu del Barça. If all goes well, I will be contacting the club and local art dealers about placing this important work, and Senyora Llobet mentioned that the family would be delighted if the complete collection could be sold to a major company who would then be prepared to donate it to the FC Barcelona Museum.
On a more down to earth note, it looks like I will have access to copies of the lithographs which Pere Llobet would be happy to sign health permitting - if you are interested in staking an early claim to whatever please get in touch with me through the Contact Form on the main Spain Football site at http://www.spainfootball.org/contact_us.html.
Apparently, there are also photographs of Josep Lluís Nuñez and other FC Barcelona directors setting up the exhibition with Pere Llobet and below I have included a photograph of the introduction written by Jaume Sobrequés, then a Director of FC Barcelona and now the club's official historian.
Jaume Sobrequés on Pere Llobet's FC Barcelona Centenary Exhibition
There are innumerable stimulations that motivate an artist's creativity. It's completely impossible to establish a scale of value on the power that the motives that move an artist to create a particular work have. At times, the purely internal factor of intimate reflection predominates; at others, the external components assume a more lively presence. However, in these cases, creativity only occurs when these external elements are internalised and become transformed by the artist. Otherwise we couldn't explain how a large part of man's creations - in painting, in music, in literature - have been, since always, the product of a commission in the form, use, size, time scale etc. None of these conditioning factors can affect the interior freedom of an artist worthy of being called one.
It's not necessary to say so but I want it to be clear. FC Barcelona, with its social, historic, cultural and local environment, constitutes an artistic stimulus mot only licit and valid but also provided with a tremendous inspirational force for any artist. It shouldn't surprise us, then, that Pere Llobet, a painter who has achieved a great creative solidity and well-deserved recognition in the art world, has been inspired by FC Barcelona, in its symbols, in its history, in its values, in its greatness, at the time of preparing the sample we present today. This is one of the first times - the first? - that an artist has dedicated a monographic exhibition to FC Barcelona. We mustn't forget that Llobet is a dignified successor of artists such as Dalí, Miró, Cuixart, Alumà, Subirachs, Faber or Aguilar Moré or those that have received awards in FC Barcelona's two Art Biennials, who have been inspired by everything that moves in the setting of what without any kind of triumphalism can be considered the number one sporting society in the world.
Nobody before Llobet had tried to capture in a single pictoric show so many aspects of the Barcelonist reality. His painting is, in this sense, a kind of artistic chronicle of the most important milestones of the past and present of FC Barcelona. With great seriousness, using a a very powerful formal chromatic language, with just the right distance to keep the reference and avoid purely intranscendental anecdote Llobet evokes and transmits the complex and richly shaded world that surrounds FC Barcelona.
The foundation year, the first team's most important sporting successes, the Five Cups, the club's influence on Catalan society, that unforgettable 0-5 against Madrid, the social environment and context of the stadium are just some of the events that Pere Llobet evokes in his exhibition 'Pensament en blaugrana' - Thought in blaugrana - which he has put together from his home village of Mura, located in a beautiful mountainous setting not far from Barcelona.
This exhibition based on FC Barcelona forms part of Llobets creative cycles defined by thematic series: graphics, symphonies of colour and bottles.
FC Barcelona feels satisfied that a recognised artist such as Pere Llobet has dedicated a monographic show to our institution and its environment. It proves once again that Barça represents something that goes beyond what corresponds to a purely sporting organisation. Thanks to Pere Llobet FC Barcelona once again combines physical effort and artistic creativity.
Jaume Sobequés's Original Introduction to Pere Llobet's Exhibition in Catalan
Són innombrables els estímuls que impulsen la creativitat dels artistes. És del tot impossible establir una escala de valors sobre la força que tenen els mòbils que mouen a un artista a realitzar una obra determinada. En ocasions, predomina un factor purament intern, de reflexió intimista; en altres, els components externs assumeixen una presència més viva. En aquests casos, però, la creativitat només es produeix quan aquests elements externs s'interioritzen i esdevenen transformats per l'artista. Altrament no s'explica que una gran part de les més excelses creacions de l'home - en la pintura, en la música, en la literatura - hagin estat, des de sempre, el fruit d'un encàrrec en la forma, l'ús, el tamany, el termini de lluirament, etc. Cap d'aquests condicionants no pot coaccionar la llibertat interior d'un artista mereixedor d'aquest nom.
No cal dir-ho però vull que quedi clar. El F.C. Barcelona, amb el seu entorn social, històric, cultural, ciutadà, constiueix un estímul artístic no solament licit i vàlid sinó també dotat d'una tremenda força inspirativa per a qualsevol artista. No ha de sorprendre, doncs, que Pere Llobet, un pintor que ha assolit una gran solidesa creativita i ben merescut reconeixement en el món de l'art, s'hagi inspirat en el F.C. Barcelona, en els seus símbols, en la seva història, en els seus valors, en la seva representativitat nacional, en la seva grandesa, a l'hora de preparar la mostra que avui presentem. Bé que és una de les primeres vegades - la primera? - que un artista dedica una exposició monogràfica al F.C. Barcelona, no s'ha d'oblidar que Llobet és, un digne seguidor d'aquells artistes que, com Dalí, Miró, Cuixart, Alumà, Subirachs, Faber o Aguilar Moré, o com aquells que han estat guardonats en les dues Biennials d'Art del F.C. Barcelona, s'han inspirat en tot allò que es mou a l'entorn de la que s'ha de considerar sense cap mena de triomfalismes com la primera societat esportiva del món.
Mai ningú, abans de Llobet, no havia intentat copçar en una sola mostra pictòrica, tants aspectes de la realitat barcelonista. La seva pintura és, en aquest sentit, una mena de crònica artística de les més importants fites de la història i del present del F.C. Barcelona. Amb una gran seriositat, emprant un llenguatge formal i cromàtic d'una gran força, amb el distanciament just per mantenir la referència i defugir la pura i intranscendent anècdota, Llobet ha evocat i transmès tot el món complexe i ric de matisos que hi ha al voltant del F.C. Barcelona.
L'any de la fundació, els èxits esportius més importants del primer equip, les Cinc copes, la projecció del Club en l'àmbit català, aquell inoblidable 0 a 5 de Madrid, l'entorn social i el marc de l'Estadi són alguns dels fets que Pere Llobet evoca en la seva exposició 'Pensament in blaugrana', que ha preparat des de el seu poble natal de Mura, situat en un bell paratge muntanyenc no lluny de Barcelona.
Aquesta exposició basada en el F.C. Barcelona s'inscriu en els cicles creatius de Llobet, concretats en sèries temàtiques: la dels grafismes, la de les simfonies de color, la de les botelles.
El F.C. Barcelona se sent satisfet que un artista reconegut, com ho és Pere Llobet, hagi dedicat una mostra monogràfica a la nostra entitat i al seu entorn. És una prova més que el Barça representa quelcom que ultrapassa allò que correspon a una entitat purament esportiva. Gràcies a Pere Llobet el F.C. Barcelona agermana, una vegada més, l'esforç físic i la creativitat artístic.
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Hotels and Accommodation Close To Barcelona El Prat Airport
If you're travelling to Barcelona to watch an FC Barcelona game at Camp Nou or even better to to see RCD Espanyol in Cornellà-El Prat, booking a hotel close to Barcelona Airport is a reasonable option. You're well outside Barcelona city centre so you won't enjoy the Catalan capital's sights and nightlife, but you'll be incredibly close to the Espanyol Stadium and if you're only here for a couple of nights and football is the main objective the Barcelona Airport Hotels listed below are well-worth checking out.
This article is part of the Barcelona Airport Guide which includes information on:
You will find excellent accommodation very close to Barcelona El Prat Airport. This Barcelona Airport Accommodation is ideal for overnight stays and for visiting the nearby Business Centres in Sant Boi and Cornellà.
Most of these of these El Prat Airport Hotels provide a shuttle service to and from Terminals 1 and 2 at Barcelona Airport.
They are also a good option for tourists as Barcelona City Centre is only 30 minutes away.
Furthermore, they are ideal for fans coming to watch RCD Espanyol as the El Prat-Cornellà Stadium is extremely close the Barcelona Airport.
Visiting Barcelona? Find Deals, Compare Rates, and Read Hotel Reviews on TripAdvisor
Air Rooms Barcelona Airport
The Air Rooms part of the Business Centre within Barcelona Airport’s Terminal 1, and are ideal for the business person who needs rest between flights but also needs access to work facilities.
The rooms are very comfortable with large windows, a plasma-screen satellite TV, free wired internet access and a free minibar and coffee machine.
They are next to a series of office spaces and meeting rooms, and there is also a fitness centre with modern cardiovascular equipment.
The centre of Barcelona can be reached in less than 30 minutes by train, bus or taxi.
Click Here to Visit the Air Rooms Booking page
Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto Hotel
Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto Hotel is the closest of the Barcelona Airport Hotels to Barcelona Airport's T1 Terminal, and offers a free 24-hour shuttle bus to this terminal. The hotel has a gym, and spacious air-conditioned rooms with satellite TV and 24-hour room service.
The modern rooms at the Tryp Aeropuerto feature parquet floors and a work desk. Each one comes with a private bathroom and internet access.
A buffet breakfast is served daily in the hotel’s bright dining room. There is also a lobby bar and a snack bar serving light meals throughout the day.
Barcelona city centre is just 15 minutes’ drive from the Hotel Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto, while the shopping centres in El Prat de Llobregat are around 7 km away. You can drive to the beaches of Sitges in under 30 minutes.
Click Here to Visit the Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto Hotel Booking Page
Ciutat el Prat Airport Hotel
Ciutat el Prat Airport Hotel offers stylish surroundings and a free shuttle to Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, located 4 km away. There is a sauna, gym, indoor pool and rooms with free Wi-Fi and satellite TV and is amongst the most luxurious Barcelona Airport Hotels.
The luxurious air-conditioned rooms at Hotel Ciutat del Prat feature modern décor and a flat-screen TV. There are free non-alcoholic drinks in the minibar.
The hotel’s classic-style Sinfonia Restaurant offers fresh Mediterranean food. There is also a café-bar where you can get a snack or a drink.
Barcelona’s Fira Congress Centre is 8 km away from the Ciutat del Prat. El Prat de Llobregat Train Station is just 12 minutes’ walk from the hotel, connecting you with central Barcelona in under 20 minutes.
Click Here to Visit the Ciutat el Prat Airport Hotel Booking Page
Front Air Congress Aeropuerto Airport Hotel
Frontair Congress Aeropuerto offers a free airport shuttle every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day. It has its own spa centre and gym.
The air-conditioned rooms at the hotel feature bright, attractive décor. They all have LCD TVs and free Wi-Fi.
The Frontair Congress Aeropuerto's spa offers a hammam, hot tub and sauna. Massages and treatments are also available.
The hotel is set in the business area of Sant Boi de Llobregat. The airport is just a short drive away. There is good access to Barcelona city centre by car or public transport. The hotel offers a free shuttle to and from Barcelona 4 times a day.
The complex has a large garden terrace, with fountains and plants. The hotel's restaurant overlooks this area.
Click Here to Visit the Front Air Congress Aeropuerto Hotel Booking Page
NH Sant Boi Airport Hotel
Just 10 minutes’ drive from Barcelona Airport, NH Sant Boi offers modern rooms with satellite TV. Guests enjoy free access to the hot tub, sauna and gym, and free Wi-Fi in reception.
The rooms in NH Sant Boi feature parquet floors and smart décor. Each one has a private bathroom and a pillow menu.
Barcelona's Fira II trade fair site can be reached in about 10 minutes by car. This is one of the Barcelona Airport Hotels that also offers easy access to the C-32 motorway.
A bus stop outside the hotel offers direct access to central Barcelona. Onsite parking is available on request, and the hotel can also arrange car hire.
The Nhube Restaurant serves a mixture of traditional and modern dishes. NH's healthy Antiox buffet breakfast is available every morning.
Click Here to Visit the NH Sant Boi Barcelona Airport Booking Page
Barcelona Airport Late Rooms
Although by their nature Barcelona Aiport Late Rooms are much less predictable. However, booking a late room can often provide important discounts on your Barcelona Airport Hotels.
Click Here for Late Rooms currently on offer near to Barcelona El Prat Airport.
Click Here For Late Rooms in Barcelona Visit Camp Nou and Take the Stadium and Museum Tour
A visit to Barcelona - whether you're coming for a European football game or not - wouldn't be complete without a visit to FC Barcelona's magnificent Camp Nou stadium.
Tickets for most Barça home matches are quite easy to get - the exceptions are the Clásicos against Real Madrid and the later stages of the Champions League - and the Camp Nou Stadium Tour and the visit to FC Barcelona's impressive Museum are always available.
Here are the Opening hours for the Tour:
October 4 - March 28
Monday to Saturday - 10:00am to 6:00pm
Sundays - 10:00am to 2:30pm
March 29 - October 3
Monday to Saturday - 10:00am to 8:00pm
Sundays - 10:00am to 2:30pm
Camp Nou is home to FC Barcelona and one of the most impressive stadiums in the world!
It has been FC Barcelona's stadium since its opening in September 1957, and was built to replace the old Les Corts ground, which despite its 48,000 capacity had grown to small for the FC Barcelona Cinc Copes side led by Hungarian star Ladislau Kubala.
The official name of the stadium was originally Estadi de FC Barcelona but soon became known as Camp Nou - New Stadium in Catalan.
It wasn't until the 2000-2001 season - 43 years after its opening! - that it officially became Camp Nou following a vote amongst fans.
Camp Nou Dimensions and Capacity
Camp Nou ia an enormous 48 metres high and the whole stadium a surface area measures 55,000 square metres - 250m x 220m.
To keep in line with UEFA norms, the pitch measures 105 metres by 68 metres.
With a capacity for 99,354 spectators, Camp Nou is currently the biggest stadium in Europe and is classified as a UEFA 5 Star Stadium.
FC Barcelona average attendances are between 70 and 80,000 spectators so you can generally get tickets for most matches.
Tickets for FC Barcelona games can be bought online, by phone +34 93 496 36 00 (or 902 1899 00 from inside Spain), or at the club ticket office at the stadium.
FC Barcelona also has a system called Seient Lliure - Free Seat - through which season ticket holders free up their seats if they're not attending 48 hours before the game, so tickets for less important games can often be bought at the gates on the day of the match.
Click Here to check for FC Barcelona Tickets on the Spain Football Tickets Site
Camp Nou Stadium Tour and the FC Barcelona Museum
If you can't manage to see an FC Barcelona game, you should take the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of famous players such as Kubala, Cruyff, Maradona, Guardiola, Ronaldinho and Messi by going on the Camp Nou Stadium and FC Barcelona Museum Tour
The Stadium Tour starts with a visit to the Visitor's team changing room and a walk through the famous tunnel onto the pitch.
You can't walk on the grass but you can stand at the touchline and get a player's view of the stadium - it makes feel pretty small!.
You will also visit the Chapel, TV Room, Press Room and Fundació Zone and to balance the player's view, you get to see the stadium from the Presidential Box - almost as impressive!
For a fan and a football history geek like me the FC Barcelona Museum is like being in heaven.
You get panoramic views of the stadium, a look back over the long history of the club and you can admire the trophies, photographs, sports equipment and team kits from over the years.
What I really like, though, is the old soccer memorabilia - an old ticket booth, the dressing room, a sports pub, old soccer magazines, board games, balls and other equipment that really take you back in time.
There is also an audio-visual display available, by the way.
Click Here To Book Your Camp Nou Stadium Tour and FC Barcelona Museum Tickets
Getting To Camp Nou
The Camp Nou Stadium is located in the Barcelona neighbourhood of Les Corts, which is about 20 minutes away from Barcelona city centre by metro.
If you're coming for a mid-week Champions League game, it's not a bad idea to book a Hotel Near Nou Camp.
Most visitors, however, are likely to be in the Catalan capital for a few days and will probably be travelling by public transport from Barcelona City Centre.
Camp Nou is extremely well-served by public transport with metro lines, buses and a tram that take you to within 5 minutes walk of the stadium.
You can order a Barcelona Travel Card which will give you unlimited travel on Barcelona public transport - you can book the Barcelona Card for 2, 3 , 4 or 5 days and it not only gives you unlimited travel but also discount at many of Barcelona's museums.
Please visit the FC Barcelona Stadium Transport page for full details on public transport and directions for reaching the FC Barcelona Stadium by car.
The official address is Carrer Aristides Malliol 12, 08028 Barcelona but the stadium is so big that it's hard to miss once you are in the vicinity. You just have to follow the crowds!
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Add a commentSpain Group Stage - Euro 2012 Stadiums in Poland
Spain hopes that Gdansk in Poland, where they will play the Group Stage, is a talisman for the Euro 2012 just like Poznan was for 'La Rojita' – Spain's Under-19 side – which became European Champion in 2006. The other two Polish cities hosting Euro 2012 matches are Warsaw and Wroclaw.
The Euro 2012 kicks off on June 8 in Warsaw with a game between co-organisers Poland and Greece – surprise European champion in 2004. The scene is the new National Stadium in Warsaw, which opened this year. It has a capacity of 50,000 spectators and is where the Polish National Team will play.
However, as far as Spain fans are concerned, Gdansk is where our interest will be centred because Gdansk will host Spain's Euro 2012 Group Stage matches against Italy, Ireland and Croatia.
The Gdansk Arena holds 40,000 spectators and opened in 2011. This is where defending champions Spain - La Roja - will take on Italy on June 10, Ireland on June 14 and Croatia on June 18.
Poznan is already a talisman for Spain. It was in Poznan that the Rojita – Spain's Under-19 Team – became European Champions in 2006 after beating Scotland 2-1 in the final.
The Poznan Municipal Stadium is where Lech Poznan and Warta Poznan play and was built in 1980 and remodeled in 2010. Coincidentally, Lech Poznan were coached by ex-Barcelona captain José Mari Bakero until he was sacked in February.
The last Polish venue is Wroclaw. Its stadium is the Wroclaw Municipal and is the new home to Slask Wroclaw. The Wroclaw Municipal opened in 2011 and has a capacity of 42,771 spectators.
Polish Euro 2012 Stadiums One by One
City: Wroclaw
Stadium: Wroclaw Municipal
Opened: 2011
Capacity: 42,771
Dimensions: 105x68
Matches:
Friday 8 June 20.45 Russia v Czech Republic (Group A)
Tuesday 12 june 18.00 Greece v Czech Republic (Group A)
Saturday 16 June 20.45 Czech Republic v Poland (Group A)
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City: Warsaw
Stadium: Warsaw National
Opened: 2012
Capacity: 50,000
Dimensions: 105x68
Matches:
Friday 8 June 18.00 Poland v Greece (Group A)
Tuesday 12 june 20.45 Poland v Russia (Group A)
Saturday 16 June 20.45 Greece v Russia (Group A)
Thursday 21 June Winner Group A v Runner-Up Group B Quarter Finals
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City: Poznan
Stadium: Poznan Municipal
Opened: 1980
Capacity: 45,830
Dimensions: 105x68
Matches:
Sunday 10 June 20.45 Ireland v Croatia (Group E)
Thursday 14 June 18.00 Italy v Croatia (Group E)
Tuesday 19 June 20.45 Italy v Ireland (Group E)
Click Here For Hotels In Poznan
City: Gdansk
Stadium: Gdansk Arena
Opened: 2011
Capacity: 40,000
Dimensions: 105x68
Matches:
Sunday 10 June 18.00 Spain v Italy (Group c)
Tuesday 12 June 20.45 Spain v Ireland (Group C)
Monday 18 June 20.45 Croatia v Spain (Group C)
Friday 22 June 20.45 Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A Quarter Finals
Click Here For Hotels in Gdansk
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Spain Choose Gniewino as Headquarters for Euro 2012
The tiny Polish village of Gniewino has been chosen as Spain's headquarters for the Euro 2012 by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol – the Spanish Football Federation.
Gniewino has a population of around 2,000 inhabitants and very few people would be able to find it on a map of Poland. This will all change in a few months time when the village becomes the headquarters of Spain – reigning European and World Champions.
The RFEF had considered two options – Gniewino and Poznan – but in the end decided on the former because a small village would provide the Spanish National Team with peace and tranquility. This was the same strategy they used when they chose Neustift in Austria for the Euro 2008 and Potchesfroom in South Africa for the World Cup – two small towns that became the epicentre of Spanish football news for a month.
Gniewino hopes to take the baton from Neustift and Potchesfroom and become the headquarters of the champion. For now, it already is but if Spain conquers it's third major title on the trot, Gniewino will go down in history.
The translation of Gniewino into Spanish bodes well. 'Gniew' means 'furia' or 'fury' and as Spain's nickname is 'La Furia Roja' – 'The Red Fury' – Gniewino seems a good choice.
Apart from the translation, this Polish village fulfills all the criteria required by UEFA for hosts of one of the participating national teams.
Its Sports Complex, which will host Spain, includes the municipal stadium called Stadion Gminny with capacity for 1,000 spectators and two training grounds one with natural turf and another with artificial turf.
The Spain Team will stay in the 4-Star Hotel Mistral, which has space for 150 guests and has 3 conference rooms, a swimming pool and phisiotherapy and hydrotherapy facilities.
Gniewino is located in the north of Poland only 23 kilometres from the Baltic Sea and about 73 kilometres from Gdansk, where Spain will play its three Group Stage games against Italy, Ireland and Croatia.
Spain team plans to arrive in Gniewino on June 4 and will stay there throughout the tournament even they end up playing the knout out phase in Ukraine. Spain will travel to the neighbouring country by plane and will return to Gniewino after each game.
This is what they did in both Austria and South Africa where the tactic seemed to work!
Click Here For Hotels in Gdansk where Spain will be playing their Group Stage matches
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Add a commentAtletico Madrid History Revisited
With the forthcoming disappearance of Google Knols, I'm currently downloading the articles I wrote for them way back in 2008, giving them a quick once over, adding some photos and using them as initial articles for new sections on the Spain Football Community.
This Atletico Madrid History Revisited is quite interesting. It was written in 2008 and gives the Jesus Gil Years and Fernando Torres signing for Liverpool an importance that no longer seem particularly relevant.
The Founding of Atlético Madrid
Although Atlético de Madrid wasn't founded in its present form until 1939, its roots go back much further. A previous club was originally founded on 26 April 1903 as Athletic Club de Madrid by three Basques who were studying in Madrid, and was seen as a branch of Athletic Club de Bilbao. In 1904 they were joined by dissident members of Madrid FC. They began playing in blue and white, but by 1911 they were playing in their current colours.
Originally, Athletic Bilbao and Athletic Madrid played in blue and white, the colours of Blackburn Rovers. However, in 1911, Juanito Elorduy, a former player and member of the board of Athletic Madrid, went to England to buy kits for both teams but couldn't find Blackburn Rover kits and so bought red and white Southampton kits instead - the Basque say that Southampton (or Sunderland) kits were chosen because that's where the English originators of football in the Basque country had come from.
Another nice theory, particularly favoured in Madrid, is that red and white striped tops were the cheapest stripes to make because the same combination was used to make bed mattresses, and the left over cloth was easily converted into football shirts. And for this reason Atleti are known as 'Los Colchoneros', the Mattress Makers.
Atlético Madrid's Early Grounds
Atlético's first ground, Ronda de Vallecas, was situated in the working-class area of the same name south of the city. In 1919, the Compañía Urbanizadora Metropolitan, the company that ran the Madrid underground, acquired some land, near the Ciudad Universitaria. As part of that project the company built a sports stadium, the Estadio Metropolitano de Madrid, with a capacity for 35.800 spectators. In 1923 it was rented by Atlético de Madrid, who used it until 1966 when they moved to the new Estadio Vicente Calderón.
In 1921 Athletic Madrid became independent of Athletic Bilbao and by 1923, and during the 1920s Athletic won the Campeonato del Centro three times and were Copa del Rey runners-up in 1921 and 1926. As a result, the club was invited to join the Primera División of the inaugural La Liga in 1928, and were managed by Fred Pentland.
In 1930 they were relegated to Segunda División, returning to the Primera División in 1934. The club were relegated again in 1936 after Barça legend Josep Samitier took over in mid-season from Pentland, but the Spanish Civil War gave the club a reprieve and both La Liga and Athletic's relegation were postponed.
Athletic Aviación - The Regime Team
By 1939, when La Liga had resumed, Athletic had merged with Aviación Nacional of Zaragoza to become Athletic Aviación de Madrid.
Aviación Nacional had been founded in 1939 by members of the Spanish Air Force, and had been promised a place in the Primera División for the 1939-40 season. However, they were denied the place by the RFEF, and as a compromise merged with Athletic, whose squad had lost eight players in the Spanish Civil War.
It has been suggested, given their military associations, that the new Athletic Aviación was the first club to receive support from the dictatorship and perhaps not surprisingly won their first La Liga in 1940 and retained the title in 1941.
In 1941, a decree issued by Franco banned teams from using foreign names and the club became Atlético Aviación de Madrid, which in 1947 was changed to Club Atlético de Madrid, when the military association was dropped. The same year saw Atlético beat Real Madrid 5-0 at the Metropolitano, which remains their biggest win over their city rivals to date.
Under Helenio Herrera, Atlético won La Liga again in 1950 and 1951, but with the departure of Herrera in 1953, the club began to slip behind Real Madrid and FC Barcelona and for the remainder of the 1950s were left to battle it out with Atlético Bilbao for the title of Spain´s third team.
Atlético, however, gained their revenge when, led by former Real coach José Villalonga, they defeated Real in two successive Copa del Generalísimo finals in 1960 and 1961. In 1962 they won the European Cup Winners Cup beating Fiorentina 3-0 after a replay, and in 1963 reached the final of the same competition again, this time losing 5-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
Frustrated by Real Madrid in the 60s and 70s
Unfortunately for Atlético fans their best years coincided with a great Real Madrid team. Between 1961 and 1980, Real Madrid dominated La Liga, winning the competition 14 times. During this era only Atlético offered Real any serious challenge, winning La Liga titles in 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1977. They were also runners-up in 1961, 1963 and 1965. In the same year, Atlético became the first team to beat Real at the Bernabéu in eight years.
1974, after winning La Liga the previous season, marked a high point in Atlético's history and as it is still discussed by fans deserves some comment. On the way to the final Atlético knocked out Galatasaray, Dinamo Bucharest, and Red Star Belgrade with relative ease, but in the away leg of the semi-final against Celtic, Atlético had Ayala, Díaz and substitute Quique all sent off during a hard fought encounter in what was reported as one of the worse cases of cynical fouling the tournament has ever seen. However, Atlético managed a 0-0 draw, and followed up with a 2-0 victory in the return leg with goals from Gárate and Adelardo.
However the final at the Heysel Stadium proved to be a heartbreaker for Atlético. Against a Bayern Munich team that included Beckenbauer, Maier, Breitner, Hoeness and Müller, Atlético played out of their skins. Despite missing Ayala, Díaz and Quique through suspension, they went ahead in extra-time with only seven minutes left. Aragonés scored with a superb, curling free-kick that looked like the winner.
Sadly, in the last minute of the game Bayern defender Scwarzenbeck equalized with a stunning 25 yarder that left the Atlético goalkeeper Miguel Reina motionless. In the replay, back in the Heysel, two days later Bayern won 4-0, and perhaps this is when Atlético started being known as the Pupas, the Cry-Babies, because their history tells of a club that comes close but for one reason or another never manages to be the best.
Shortly after the defeat in the European Cup, Atlético appointed their veteran player Luís Aragonés, of whom you shall hear more in other articles, as coach. Aragonés subsequently served as coach on four separate occasions (1974-80, 1982-87, 1991-93 and 2002-03). But in his first period, success came quickly.
Bayern Munich had declined to participate in the Intercontinental Cup and as runners-up, Atlético were invited instead. Their opponents were Argentina's Independiente and, after losing the away leg 1-0, they won the return leg 2-0. Aragonés subsequently led the club to further successes in the Copa del Rey in 1976 and La Liga in 1977.
During his second spell in charge, Aragonés led the club to second in La Liga and another Copa del Rey in 1985. He received considerable help from Hugo Sánchez who scored 19 La Liga goals and won the Pichichi. Sánchez also scored twice in the Copa final as Atlético beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1, but only remained at the club one season before moving across the city to Real Madrid. Despite the loss of Sánchez, Aragonés went on to lead the club to success in the Spanish SuperCup in 1985 and then guided them to another European Cup Winners Cup final in 1986. However Atlético lost for the third time in a row, this time 3-0 to Dynamo Kiev.
The Jesús Gil Years
1987, the year before I arrived in Spain, marked a significant moment for Atleti, when the unpredictably eccentric, Jesús Gil, most of whose colleagues from his period as mayor of Marbella are now in jail, became club president.
Atlético had not won La Liga for ten years and were desperate for success. Gil spent heavily, bringing in a number of expensive signings, most notably Paulo Futre. However the title proved elusive and Gil developed a reputation for ruthlessness. He hired and fired a number of managers, including César Menotti, Ron Atkinson, Javier Clemente and a returning Luis Aragonés.
In 1996 Radomir Antic produced one of the finest sides ever to grace Spanish football, with a squad including Caminero, Penev, Simeone, Pantic and Kiko that delighted fans across the country. However, although Atlético won a La Liga/Copa del Rey double, Antic's success seemed only to inflate Gil's ego.
He survived three seasons and was replaced in 1998 by Arrigo Sacchi.. He returned briefly in 1999 only to be replaced by Claudio Ranieri. The 1999/00 season proved disastrous for Atlético, and Ranieri was sacked with the club heading towards relegation. The return of Antić for a third time failed to prevent the inevitable, and despite reaching the Copa del Rey final, Atlético were relegated.
Atlético spent two seasons in the Segunda División, narrowly missing out on promotion in 2001 before returning to La Liga in 2002. The first years of the new millennium were quiet until the eruption of Fernando Torres onto the scene. However, despite the signing of other first-class players such as Costinha, Maniche and Kun Agüero, Atlético struggled to live up to its promise.
In June 2007, Fernando Torres signed for Liverpool for £26.5 million and many Colchoneros were left shell-shocked. However, Agüero is developing into to a real star and the signings of Forlán and Simao Sabrosa have really strengthened the side. The 2007-08 season saw Atlético finish fourth in La Liga and so qualify for the Champions League. A resounding victory put them top of the table after the first game of the 2008-09 season, so things are looking bright for Los Colchoneros.