~ Catalunya National Team ~

Every player from Barcelona and Espanyol has informed the Catalan Football Federation (FCF) they will be available to represent the region in the traditional friendly over the Christmas holiday period. This year’s opposition will be Tunisia and the game will be held at the Estadio Lluis Companys - the former home of Espanyol before the move to their present Cornella El-Prat stadium - on December 30.


Eight Barcelona players (Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández, Victor Valdés, Gerard Piqué, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets, Andreu Fontàs and Isaac Cuenca) and eight from Espanyol (Sergio García, Joan Verdú, Javi Márquez, Álvaro Vázquez, Jordi Amat, Didac Vilà, Raúl Rodríguez and Kiko Casilla) have already been photographed in the Catalan selection’s kit. However, the final squad will not be named until one week before the game when boss Johan Cruyff, who took the reins in November, 2009, announces his 23-man squad.


Before finalising their selection the FCF has first to negotiate with La Primera clubs to make sure their Catalan players are available for the game. For example, Valencia have Jordi Alba, Bruno Saltor and Víctor Ruiz as potential participants but Cruyff and his assistant Oscar García will also draw on players from Segunda A and Segunda B teams Gimnástic de Tarragona (Nastic), Girona, Sabadell and Barcelona B.


While Catalonia is not affiliated to either UEFA or FIFA (and by extension not allowed to take part in the World Cup or European Championships) the matches are seen more as exhibitions and almost 200 have been played since 1904. Last year’s game against Honduras ended in a 4-0 victory with goals from Bojan Krkic (2), Coro and Sergio García.


===================

Squad, Line-up Predictions for this match?

I just bought the jersey haha

With Bojan, 9. Will watch this. Hopefully he plays.

BarcaKizz wrote:I just bought the jersey haha

With Bojan, 9. Will watch this. Hopefully he plays.

nice:)

Who do u think should be called for this game (Squad |what about the Barca B player, who will make it ?) & finally the starting lineup?

There's alot of quality players in the Defence, Midfield, but not much forwards..
I do think Bojan ( if he was called) & Cuenca should start.. Cesc can be used as a false 9?


btw Javi Marquez is injured!

Valdes
RB - Pique - CB - Alba
Xavi - Sergio - Cesc
Cuenca - Bojan - LW

RB: Montoya ? Bartra? & ?
CB: Puyol, Fontas, Victor Ruiz, Bartra etc..
LW: ?

Barca should go back to having the catalan away jersey, like we did in 2008.

You meant Catalan Regional team?

I forgot Johan Cruyff still manages the team.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Barca should go back to having the catalan away jersey, like we did in 2008.

What jersey are you talking about, the yellow one?


Anyways this should be next years away jersey....

I find that jersey really unappealing to be honest, but with those colours I think you could make a nice one.

That's what I meant to say, not that jersey exactly.

Well obviously these guys will all get called up and another 7 players.

Hopefully we'll see Bojan, the Valencia boys (Alba, Bruno and Ruiz), Montoya and maybe Capdevila because he hasn't been getting many chances for his team. Bartra and Roberto could also get called up.

Sergio Garcia normally does well, so he might start. Alba could also play on the left wing as there are plenty of defenders.

If they're available I'd like to see:


What a team...

Adit wrote:

You meant Catalan Regional team?

Catalan National team. We are a nation.

Kizz, where did you buy the catalan jersey? This year's it's nice.

I think we will comfortably win the game, Catalunya has been playing superbly since Cruyff takeover, I think I will go to the stadium, the match vs. Argentina was a delight, and the one vs. Honduras too (although I didn't go). I suppose Verdu will play, he has started under Cruyff.

Dude I might offend you, if so I am sorry its not my intention, but has Catalunya actually ever been an independent nation? Im just curious.

harhar11 wrote:Dude I might offend you, if so I am sorry its not my intention, but has Catalunya actually ever been an independent nation? Im just curious.

Don't see why this question could offend me. It depends on how you define a nation, as modern nations appear in 1800's. Catalonia was independent kingdom from 987 (independence from Carolingian Empire - aka France) to 1154 when the Count of Barcelona (in reality the cataln king) married the Aragorn queen. From thereon Catalunya formed part of the Kingdom of Aragorn and the Principality of Catalunya, although Catalunya was the main power of the kingdom all along, the capital was Barcelona, and the kings were catalans. Also, both countries kept their parlamentary institutions (Catalunya was one of the first countries in the world to have a parliament - not democratic but more representative than pure feudalism).

In 1469 the Catalan king married the Castillian queen Isabella and the kingdom of Aragorn and Castilla were united, though, Catalunya kept its parliament who the king had to swear to, its coin, army, currency, etc. It was basically a confederation, European Union style. From 1.492 to 1.714 our independence declined gradually thanks to the increase of power of Castille in front of Catalonia (mainly due to America's discovery) and two important wars in 1.640 and the final one in 1.714. 11th September 1714 was when the castilian army entered Barcelona and Spain was created. Catalan parliament was abolished, catalan language and laws were forbidden, almost all Catalan castles wered destroyed and new ones were built over the most important cities in order to control and bomb the population. There was a huge repression and one of the biggest exiles in 18th century as more than 100.000 catalans had to flee.

You can read in good detail an accuracy in the wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Catalonia

Free_cat, are you still unsatisfied with the economic policies of the Spanish Govt especially in terms of development in Catalunya? Because i remember that was the primary reason why Catalunya wants to break away.

Do the people in Catalunya want to break away currently?

kiranr wrote:
Free_cat, are you still unsatisfied with the economic policies of the Spanish Govt especially in terms of development in Catalunya? Because i remember that was the primary reason why Catalunya wants to break away.

Do the people in Catalunya want to break away currently?

The main reason we want to be an independent nation is not economical. I feel catalan, so I want to be part of a catalan state. I want that things are decided in catalonia, not in Madrid. I want Catalunya to join European Union voluntarily (and in the future I hope the World Union), not by force as we had to join Spain.

The economical issue is very important though, as many people, even non independentist catalans, feel we are tretaed unfairly. Roughly, a 25% of the taxes paid by catalans (11% of catalan GPD) is not invested in Catalonia but in other parts of Spain, to the point that poorer spanish regions become richer than Catalonia thanks to the tax redistribution. It's a robbery, as catalans can't decide on this.

This is something that doesn't happen in the Basque Country were they collect all the taxes and give a small amount to the central goverment. They only lose a 2% of their GPD (6% of their taxes).

Currently, most polls show a majoritarian support to independence in Catalunya (40% favour - 29% against - rest doesn't know).

Also, Basque independentist movement has broken it's relationships with the terrorists group ETA and has been legalised, winning the last two elections held in the basque country (municipal and Spanish elections). If they win the next Basque elections, the Basque country can seriously challenge the spanish state for the independence.

free_cat wrote:

harhar11 wrote:Dude I might offend you, if so I am sorry its not my intention, but has Catalunya actually ever been an independent nation? Im just curious.

Don't see why this question could offend me. It depends on how you define a nation, as modern nations appear in 1800's. Catalonia was independent kingdom from 987 (independence from Carolingian Empire - aka France) to 1154 when the Count of Barcelona (in reality the cataln king) married the Aragorn queen. From thereon Catalunya formed part of the Kingdom of Aragorn and the Principality of Catalunya, although Catalunya was the main power of the kingdom all along, the capital was Barcelona, and the kings were catalans. Also, both countries kept their parlamentary institutions (Catalunya was one of the first countries in the world to have a parliament - not democratic but more representative than pure feudalism).

In 1469 the Catalan king married the Castillian queen Isabella and the kingdom of Aragorn and Castilla were united, though, Catalunya kept its parliament who the king had to swear to, its coin, army, currency, etc. It was basically a confederation, European Union style. From 1.492 to 1.714 our independence declined gradually thanks to the increase of power of Castille in front of Catalonia (mainly due to America's discovery) and two important wars in 1.640 and the final one in 1.714. 11th September 1714 was when the castilian army entered Barcelona and Spain was created. Catalan parliament was abolished, catalan language and laws were forbidden, almost all Catalan castles wered destroyed and new ones were built over the most important cities in order to control and bomb the population. There was a huge repression and one of the biggest exiles in 18th century as more than 100.000 catalans had to flee.

You can read in good detail an accuracy in the wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Catalonia

Cause some people can be a little sensetive when it comes to topics like this

Anyway, thanks for link. I am going to read it now..

Free: I bought online, UKSoccerShop. Its a pretty good store for range. Indeed, its very nice, and I really wanted one. Got the black one, but even the white one is pretty badass as it has Jordi and the dragon on the back.

Really wanted it...if I couldn't get it on there I probably would have come crawling to you haha.


Didn't read all of that discussion, will read later. However, isn't one of the main problems with Spain not wanting to let go is that Catalunya is the most economically productive of the autonomous communities? So its pretty much holding up a pretty weak economy...

Johan Cruyff, coach of the Catalan national team, has named his squad list for the friendly match against Tunisia that will take place on December 30 at the Estadi Lluís Companys.

The list includes 11 Barça players, with 8 from the first team (counting Cuenca) and 3 from the reserves. The blaugrana named by Cruyff are: Víctor Valdés, Carles Puyol, Gerard Piqué, Andreu Fontàs, Cesc Fàbregas, Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández, Isaac Cuenca, Sergi Roberto, Marc Muniesa, and Martín Montoya. Eight players from Espanyol have also made the list: Sergio García, Joan Verdú, Javi Márquez, Álvaro Vázquez, Jordi Amat, Didac Vilà, Raúl Rodríguez, and Kiko Casilla. The remaining members of the squad include Ferran Corominas (Girona), Albert Puigdollers (Sabadell), Sergio Juste (Nàstic), and ex-Barça forward Bojan Krkic (Roma).



Read more: http://www.totalbarca.com/2011/news/cruyff-calls-up-11-barca-players-to-face-tunisia/#ixzz1hkGRvyBf

==========

So what is your Line-up Predictions?

I thought Javi Marquez was injured.

Line ups are not really important, cause Cruyff will probably give at least 30 minutes or so to every player.

I think the lineup will be something like:

VV
Montoya Puyol Pique Didac Vilà
------Busquets
---Xavi----Cesc
Sergio Garcia---Bojan---Verdú

It is possible, due to letting all players play, that Cruyff mixes it up a little bit, but that would probably be the starting team.
Surprised Bruno Saltor and and Jordi Alba are not there, I suppose Valencia didn't realse them.

My jersey arrived... Very nice. Kind of annoyed it wasn't the official printing, but I'm not complaining really, I'm just happy I got it.