FC Barcelona in Europe

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FC Barcelona in Europe is an article about FC Barcelona and their record in European football competitions. They are the only team to have played in Europe in every season since European competitions began in the 1950s. They have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League twice. They have won the now defunct, European Cup Winners' Cup 4 times, and the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 3 times, which is more than any other club, for both trophies. They have also won the European Super Cup, and the Copa Latina, both of them on two occasions.

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[edit] History

[edit] Early years

FC Barcelona was among the pioneers of European football, and as early as 1904 the club began to play friendly games against teams from the neighbouring regions in France. Club president Arthur Witty organised the club's first trip abroad, which resulted in their first game against a non-Spanish team. On May 1, 1904, FC Barcelona defeated Stade Olympien des Étudiants Toulousains. The same opponents were then invited back to Barcelona to play the inaugural game at the Carrer Muntaner, one of the club's early homes. FC Barcelona won this game 4-0, with two goals from Joan Gamper.

By 1910, these games evolved into the Coupe de Pyrenées, a competition featuring the top teams from Languedoc, Le Midi, Aquitaine, Catalonia, and the Basque Country. Five competitions were played before 1914 with FC Barcelona winning in 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1913. The final competition was won by FC Espanya de Barcelona in 1914. During the 1920s, the club regularly hosted friendly games against visiting teams from throughout Europe, and in 1932, FC Barcelona was invited to enter the Copa Aniversario, a competition arranged to celebrate the anniversary of Benfica. FC Barcelona emerged triumphant after defeating Porto 2-1 and the host team 5-2. The Spanish Civil War and then the Second World War put a temporary hold on European football for the team. The opportunity to play European clubs again arrived with the emergence of summer tournaments such as the Trofero Teresa Herrera, hosted by Deportivo La Coruña. In 1948, FC Barcelona beat Porto 2-1 to win this trophy and they won it again in 1951, by beating Young Boys, 4-2. The club have also developed a feud with English giants Chelsea FC.In the 06/07 season,Barca lost their title after being knocked out by Liverpool FC in the Round of 16.

[edit] Copa Latina

In 1949, the football federations of Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal, came together and launched their own club competition. European clubs could not afford hefty travel costs so the Copa Latino was staged at the end of every season in a single host country. The competition featured two semi-finals, a third place play-off and a final. As La Liga champions in 1949, FC Barcelona represented Spain in the inaugural competition. They beat Reims 5-0 in their semi-final at Les Corts, before beating Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in the final at the Estadio Chamartín. FC Barcelona also played in and won the 1952 competition in Paris, beating Juventus 4-2 in the semi-final and then Nice 1-0 in the final.

[edit] Records

[edit] UEFA Champions League

FC Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League for the second time by defeating Arsenal 2-1, with late goals from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti, despite falling behind to a Sol Campbell header in the 37th minute. Both the goals were set up by substitute Henrik Larsson. Arsenal's goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, became the first player ever to be sent off in the final of the competition when he was dismissed in the 18th minute after bringing down Samuel Eto'o at the edge of the box.

[edit] European Cup

European Cup won by FC Barcelona in 1992
European Cup won by FC Barcelona in 1992

[edit] European Cup Winners Cup

[edit] European Super Cup

[edit] Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

[edit] Copa Latina

Team: Velasco - Calvet, Curta, Calo, Gonzalvo III, Gonzalvo II, Basora, Seguer, Canal, César, Navarro.

Team: Ramallets - Martin, Biosca, Seguer, Bosch, Escudero, Basora, César, Kubala, Aldecoa, Manchon.


As of the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, Barcelona have competed in:

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Red Star Belgrade
European Cup Champions
1991/92
Succeeded by
Olympique de Marseille
Preceded by
Liverpool F.C.
UEFA Champions League Champions
2005/06
Succeeded by
A.C. Milan