Barca sign Zambrotta and Thuram

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

Barca sign Zambrotta and Thuram

MADRID, July 21 (Reuters) - Barcelona have signed a deal with troubled Serie A club Juventus for Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta and France defender Lilian Thuram, the Primera Liga club have confirmed.

Zambrotta
Action Images/WireImage
Italy's full back Gianluca Zambrotta has signed for champions of Europe.

Zambrotta, 29, has agreed a four-year contract while 34-year-old Thuram has negotiated a two-year deal.

Spanish media have reported that Barca will pay 14 million euros (£11million) for the Italian and five million for the Frenchman.

They become the European and Spanish champions' second and third new recruits in the close season after Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen joined from Chelsea.

World Cup winner Zambrotta, who has 58 caps for Italy, was under contract to Juve until 2010. The fullback can play on either side of defence.

He joined Juve as a right-sided midfielder from Bari in 1999 but was converted to a left back by former Juve coach Marcello Lippi, who continued to use him in that role when he took over the Italian national team.

Thuram has won a record 121 caps with France and announced his international retirement after losing in the World Cup final to Italy earlier this month.

A key member of the French side that won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000, Thuram can play in the centre of defence or at right back.

A former Monaco and Parma player, Thuram has won four league titles with Juventus alongside team mate Zambrotta.

Juventus have been involved in a match-fixing scandal in Italy and last week were ordered to start next season in Serie B on minus 30 points by a tribunal investigating the case.

Zambrotta and Thuram will join up with the Barcelona squad in time for next month's pre-season tour of the United States and Mexico.

RockeY SG

Wah Barca and RM benefit from the Great Italian Sale sia. Mr. Green

alwaysdisturbed SG

but i really wonder the signing of thuram…

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

backup to oleguer, puyol n marquez. bench warmer wif experience

used SG

dream defence

zambrotta----------thuram----------puyol------------gio

f50_vapor SG

tink zambrotta might play on left ...

my feeling is that gio often leaves huge holes when he attacks... not defensivley sound.

belletti might be more preferred on the right... after all he scored the winning goal against Arsenal... dun tink he will be dropped so soon if ever..

used SG

that might be another possibility

The man who was death SG

silvinho looks to be out then

snowbird82 SG

Hmm, I think Gio could be dropped... Silvinho might stay ah

Valdes

Zambrotta --- Puyol --- Thuram ---- Oleguer

Marquez--- Edmilson

Xavi ---- Ronaldinho --- Deco

Eto-o

Bench

Jorquera , Belleti , Gio V Bronckhorst , Silvinho , Motta , Iniesta , Van Bommel , Messi , Giuly , Gudjohnsen , Saviola , Maxi Lopez and look out for Mexican wonderkid Giovanni Dos Santos

used SG

go back arsenal Laughing

Xtrider SG

nah.. it would be :

Valdes

Zambrotta --- Puyol --- Thuram--- Gio

Marquez

Xavi ---------- Deco

Messi/Giuly Ronaldinho

Eto'o

Bench : Jorquera, Belleti,Oleguer, Silvinho, Motta, Iniesta, Van Bommel, Messi/Giuly, Gudjohnsen, (Saviola?), (Giovanni Dos Santos?)

Maxi is out on loan

Mr. Green my first post so if i flounder any rules pls pardon me....

snowbird82 SG

saviola is back from loan at Sevilla and Giovanni Dos Santos is nicknamed the next Messi , the best youth player ever from Mexico. Anywhere, Barca plays 2 holding midfielders. So it will be Marquez and Edmilson/ Van Bommel. Maybe Oleguer will be dropped ah but I dun like Gio. Haa. Messi might have to resort only to playing when Barcas has injuries or as a sub.

f50_vapor SG

no, barca plays 1 holding midfielder only.

it's a 4-1-2-3 formation.

Belletti (Oleguer) .......... Puyol .............. Thuram (Marquez)....... Zambrotta

......................................... Edmilson (Motta)..............................................

.........................Deco(V.Bommel)...........................Xavi (Iniesta)

Giuly (Messi) ......................................................................................Ronnie
.................................... .............Eto'o (Gud?).......................................

This follows the formation they play last season.
Van Bommel tends to attack more than when he plays for Holland.
He is pushed further upfield.

Don't think Olguer will be dropped, he's a blaugrana born and breed, not so easy to drop him.

What a strong side nonetheless.

I know, cause I'm a barca fan for 4 years.

Very Happy

snowbird82 SG

I think its depends on the opposition. Perhaps Xavi will start in the holding role alongside Marquez instead of Edmilson. Deco slightly above them , then with Ronaldinho or Giuly/Messi attacking alongside Eto'o. They start with 4-2-1-3 and change to 4-1-2-3 in the game when switched to attack mode. Sometimes Deco drop back to be alongside Marquez.
The attackers like Ronaldinho and Messi are not expected to defend. So the midfield job is pretty down to the likes of Marquez , Xavi and Deco.

Well no offence, I have been following Barca since the likes of Stoichkov & Popescu and saw them through the likes of having strikers like Sonny Anderson and Giovanni. Razz Wana know how long ago was this?

f50_vapor SG

dono and dun care.

as long as you are a fellow barca fan.
Tt's most impt!

We are blaugrana!

Campions!

Laughing

btw, snowbird, i heard the new barca kit is on sale in weston, $97. Buying?

Xtrider SG

Hey hey!!! Fellow Barca Fans!! haha... i've supported them since the rivaldo and luis enrique days man....the first louis van gaal reign....

mmm.... dun really like belletti, everytime he att always leave holes behind so i still think zambrotta will replace him. Tt is why rijkaard used oleguer more often last season... Wink

weston? wheres tat? I saw the new kit on sale in Hk for only $90 bucks man... but i was broke by then... Sad

f50_vapor SG

weston...

in queensway and peninsular..

snowbird82 SG

Haa I prefer the away jersey , the flouresecent yellow one. Still thinking to get the Spurs one or the Barca jersey?

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

yeah rivaldo, ronaldo, sergi, patrik anderson, zenden, quaresma, simao, vitor baia, overmars, cocu.... wow so long ago Laughing

sgheartland SG

A two horse race is shaping up. I think next season Primera Liga will be more interesting.