Barça go into the last game before the international break on the back of five straight wins. However, the last three of those victories have all relied on late winners against Betis, Espanyol and Shakhtar Donetsk, and with an opponent of the quality of Atletico Madrid, Barça will have to perform well to extend the winning streak to six games.

Atletico began the season strongly but last week's home defeat to Sevilla has seen them slip below Barça to 7th in the table. Coach Javier Aguirre will have to make do without Maniche, Forlan, Simao, Seitardis and Pablo for the visit to Camp Nou and he has called up three youngsters from the youth team, Alvaro Dominguez, Keko and Joshua for the trip. Everyone is...

Barça continue the Champions League tomorrow night with a game against the Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk. Martin Caceres has been added to a 19-man squad for the trip. Barça last played Shakhtar in the 2004/05 season when we won 3-0 at home with goals from Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco, and we lost the return game 2-0 although we had already qualified and Frank Rijkaard rested several players. It was in this match that the 17-year-old Lionel Messi made his Champions League debut.

Shakhtar have not started the season well and are currently 11th in the Ukrainian league with just 9 points from 9 games; however, they started the Champions League campaign...

Pep Guardiola has made just one change to the squad named to play Espanyol tomorrow night in what could be the last ever derby to take place at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic. Pedro Rodriguez is restored in place of Martin Caceres; one has to feel a bit sorry for Caceres getting dropped after just one full game for the first team but perhaps he took a knock that they are not telling us about.

Espanyol who will be moving to a new stadium next season in La Cornellà, started the season well with two victories but have since drawn at home to Getafe and lost at Sevilla. They find themselves, like Barça, on seven points.

Pep Guardiola has made just one change to the squad he used for Sunday's game at Sporting Gijon. Thierry Henry has recovered from his throat infection and returns in place of Pedro Rodriguez. Given Andres Iniesta's excellent performance on the left wing on Sunday Guardiola may not want to meddle too much with the team; however, Guardiola seems determined to give Henry chances in the hope that the Frenchman will eventually regain his form. I don't know why but I have a sneaking feeling that Henry will play at centre forward tomorrow in place of Samuel Eto'o.

The other big question is whether Sergio Busquets will be given another chance. I have to say that I think he should...

Thierry Henry has not recovered in time from his sore throat and has been left out of tomorrow night's game at Sporting Gijon (kick off 9pm local time). Sylvinho has also been left out for tactical reasons while Eric Abidal and Sergio Busquets return to the squad. Pep Guardiola has been reasonably happy with Barça's performances but said that Barça have to start winning now after picking up only one point in the first two league games of the season.

Sporting are back in the top flight after ten seasons in the second division, and one would hope that such a historic club does not go straight back down. However, the Austurians have begun the season with two defeats, at...

Pep Guardiola has made four changes to the list of players named for tomorrow night's Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon at Camp Nou. Thierry Henry returns to the squad along with Rafa Marquez, Martin Caceres and Sylvinho. The players left out are Hleb, who will miss three to four weeks with a ligament injury to his left ankle, youngsters Sergio Busquets and Victor Sanchez, and Eric Abidal. Could Guardiola have realized already that Abidal is a weak link, or could it just be part of a general plan to rotate players regularly?

Sporting have won two out of two so far in the Portuguese League this season. Last weekend they had no game and so have had plenty of time to prepare for this game. The most familiar players...

After the seemingly endless interruption for international games, tomorrow we finally get back to business with the visit of Racing Santander to Camp Nou. Pep Guardiola has named a squad of twenty players for the game including Leo Messi who only arrived in Barcelona at lunchtime today after being criticised by the great Diego Maradona for being too greedy in Argentina's 1-1 in Peru. There is no place for either Rafa Marquez or Martin Caceres who, like Messi, will both have had little chance to recover from long journeys. Messi of course might well end up starting on the bench and may only be used if things are not going our way.

Barça have only lost twice at home to Racing in La Liga, winning 34 of the 40 encounters in Barcelona. However, last season...

Barça begin the league campaign tomorrow against newly promoted Numancia at Los Pajaritos, kick off 7pm local time. The good news is that Leo Messi will be back in the team and apart from the long-term injured Gabi Milito Barça will be at full strength. Rafa Marquez who missed the Wisla Krakow game on Tuesday is also back in the squad while Sylvinho and Pedro have been left out.

Barça have never won away at Numancia, in four visits they have only managed four draws, the last being in the 2004/05 season when Rafa Marquez scored in a 1-1 draw. Numancia coach Sergio Kresic is expected to play a 4-4-1-1 formation with Gorka Brit leading the attack. In...

Having won the first game 4-0 Barça go into the return leg in Poland without the need to recall Leo Messi who has been given a rest after competing in the Olympic Games. However, Barça are treating the game with the respect that  Champions League qualification deserves, and despite the comfortable lead Dani Alves and Martin Caceres both return to the squad after missing the game against Boca Juniors through injury.

Reserve team goalkeeper Ruben Miño is also included in the squad in case Jose Manuel Pinto doesn't recover in time from a slight injury to his right elbow. Pedro continues in the squad and with Messi being left out he may...

Pep Guardiola has named the 22 players available for tonight's vital Champions League first leg tie with Wisla Krakow. But the best news was the announcement from Guardiola that Samuel Eto'o will stay at the club this season "because he wants it and I want it" This is an excellent boost for us all going into the new season, no more idle talk of Drogba or Adebayor, we have the best and he's staying with us.

Barça will have to guard against complacency after showing great form in the five friendly games so far. A slip up tonight would have catastrophic consequences at the club which could ultimately effect the team for the entire season. The fact that the last time Wisla visited Camp...