FC Barcelona: 10 Bold Predictions for La Blaugrana in 2012

FC Barcelona ended 2011 with a frenzy of activities that left the club in the forefront of online magazines and other media. The Blaugrana won the 2010-11 UEFA Champions League, defeating Manchester United.

Barca won the FIFA Club World Cup by defeating Santos at the end of the year for the second time in three seasons. The match between La Blaugrana and Chivas of Guadalajara at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Florida holds the world record in Florida for the presence of more than 70,000 spectators.

The club signed Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez during the summer Transfer Window. The club was in the news with the romance between Gerard Pique and Shakira.

The result of that romance was the union of FC Barcelona and Pies Descalzos (Shakira's Foundation) in helping the disadvantaged in the US Hispanic community. The year 2012 is beginning and FC Barcelona is destined to be at center stage.

The following predictions for 2012 may or may not occur. The important thing is for the readers to sit back, relax and enjoy the 10 bold predictions for Barca.

FC Barcelona Will Win La Liga

Peter Webster predicted in his B/R article that Real Madrid will win La Liga. FC Barcelona will defeat Real Madrid and clinch the 2011-12 La Liga trophy.

The reason is that Barca is an organized team under the leadership of Pep Guardiola. Guardiola has been instrumental in the following: 143 victories within 200 matches (72 percent), 306 points in La Liga, 500 goals for and 143 goals against.

The Blaugrana under Guardiola won three Ligas, three Spanish Supercups, two UEFA Champions League, two Europa Cups, one Copa Del Rey and a recent victory in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The arrival of Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez to Barca complements the squad that has Messi and Iniesta. The sky is the limit for FC Barcelona.

FC Barcelona Will Win the UEFA Champions League

FC Barcelona will surprise the world and retain the UEFA Champions League trophy. The reasons for a Barca victory in the UEFA Champions League are a well-organized team with two recent signings.

The reasons for a UEFA Champions League victory are the same as a Barca victory in La Liga.

Fernando Torres Will Not Go to La Blaugrana

Fernando Torres is not going to play for FC Barcelona in the present or the future. The reason is that Barca is not going to spend money on a striker with poor results in another club.

Torres has scored five goals since his arrival at Chelsea FC while others have had better results. He was unable to find the back of a goal net during the September 2011 match between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Torres complicated matters by speaking ill of his teammates in Chelsea and Liverpool.

Gareth Bale Will Not Go to Barca

Gareth Bale is another candidate for a move to La Blaugrana, but that will not materialize. Bale is content with the Tottenham Hotspurs.

The club is willing to keep him in the near future. Bale is also not well-suited for the type of game that is practiced in La Blaugrana.

Pep Guardiola Will Remain at Barca

Pep Guardiola will renew his contract with FC Barcelona for another year. The rumors of his resignation will vanish into thin air since this scenario will play itself out.

FC Barcelona will win La Liga and the UEFA Champions League at the end of the 2010-11 season. Guardiola and La Blaugrana will be the center of praise from everyone connected with the club.

The result will be an extension of Guardiola's contract for a couple of years.

Robin Van Persie Will Not Go to La Blaugrana

Robin Van Persie has been mentioned as another Premier League player who may move to La Blaugrana. The idea of Van Persie moving to Barca is a chimeric one.

Van Persie is currently the captain of the Arsenal FC and is popular with the team. He has admitted to enjoying his stay with the Gunners by saying he had a "fantastic year."

Mikel Arteta has praised Van Persie's period in Arsenal. Van Persie is great at Arsenal and people should remember that it is better to have no change than one which could be a disaster for the player.

John Jairo Ruiz Will Join La Blaugrana

John Jairo Ruiz will sign with FC Barcelona during the January Transfer Window. Ruiz is a player from Costa Rica and is a member of Club Deportivo Saprissa.

Ruiz, his agent (Ricardo Cabanas) and Club Deportivo Saprissa received a formal offer from La Blaugrana last summer. Rubin Kazan of Russia and Palermo of Costa Rica have expressed a formal interest in Ruiz.

The feeling is that Ruiz will accept the offer from FC Barcelona since the club can offer better opportunities. The opportunities are in widening his knowledge of world football by playing with one of the greatest teams in the world.

Note:

I would like to ask people to excuse me for being unable to find a photo of John Jairo Ruiz. I wanted to add a photo of the FC Barcelona symbol instead.

Ravel Morrison Will Sign with Barca

Ravel Morrison will likely sign with FC Barcelona while Eric Abidal will leave. Ravel Morrison is a graduate of the Manchester United Youth Academy.

Morrison currently plays for the club and his contract expires at the end of the current season. FC Barcelona needs an attacker who is aggressive in his play, which fits Morrison.

Morrison can play in the center between the lines or from the wide areas of the world football field. Morrison will probably want to improve his skills and FC Barcelona will help him creating a win-win situation.

Return Trip to Miami

FC Barcelona faced Chivas of Guadalajara on a hot August night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida. While La Blaugrana lost to Chivas, the match was seen by more than 70,000 people at the stadium.

FC Barcelona stole the show in Miami with their first trip to Miami. Gerard Pique and Shakira were the talk of the town.

The rest of La Blaugrana toured Miami and visited the Miami Seaquarium. The team enjoyed the city and the city enjoyed the team.

The general prediction is that FC Barcelona may tour Miami this summer or at least before the end of the year.

Eric Abidal Will Leave for Paris Saint-Germain

Eric Abidal will leave FC Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the current season. Manchester City, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain have been exploring the possibilities of signing Abidal.

Abidal prefers to remain with La Blaugrana, but the response has been lukewarm. The scenario will be that Abidal will spend his remaining world football years in his native France at Paris Saint-Germain.

Conclusion

What can be said about the bold predictions for La Blaugrana in 2012? The predictions may or may not be realized.

It remains to be seen what will transpire in the year that is just beginning. An invitation is made to the B/R readers to look at the predictions and see if they come true or not.

I would like to express my thanks to the readers of B/R for taking the time to read my first article which deals with bold predictions.