Five Reasons Why Barca Will Win La Liga

Unfinished business with Mourinho, life after Guardiola & Messi still the best: Five reasons why Barcelona will win La Liga

The Catalans claimed 14 out of a possible 19 trophies under Pep, but missed out on a fourth consecutive Primera Division title last term. Here's why they will win it in 2012-13

Author-Leo Harsha

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FC Barcelona Team

Analysis-Leo Harsha

With their season set to start on Sunday, Barcelona appear ready. The Catalan club won all of their five friendlies in pre-season - although victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United came on penalties after those games were drawn - and seem to be settling seamlessly under new coach Tito Vilanova.

With their confidence renewed, Barca will set out to regain La Liga after losing out to fierce rivals Real Madrid in 2011-12. The Catalans committed too many errors last term and paid the price. This time, they hope and believe things will be different.

Here, we look at the five reasons why Barcelona can regain La Liga in 2012-13.

THERE IS LIFE AFTER PEP

The Barca squad are eager to show that they can extend the glorious era of the last four years, despite the departure of Pep Guardiola earlier in the summer.

Barcelona won 14 out of a possible 19 trophies under their former coach, but new boss Tito Vilanova was by his side for all of those successes and will now look to emulate his friend and mentor.

Vilanova has stepped up to the challenge and claims he will not compete with Guardiola. He will be aware, however, that comparisons will be constant. Everyone at the club wants him to succeed and hope he can bring about a smooth transition on the playing field over the next nine months.

The project remains the same, the players are all still there and Vilanova has the knowledge to make it work. Tito will prove there is life after Pep.

SHREWD SIGNINGS AND PLAYERS RETURNING

With a budget of €40 million for new recruits this summer, Barcelona have so far signed just one player: Jordi Alba. Arsenal midfielder Alex Song looks set to arrive in the coming days to strengthen a number of positions, and that should round off the Catalans' spending this summer.

Barca fans would like to see another striker join the club after Lionel Messi was left somewhat alone in that position last season, but with David Villa returning from injury, Pedro back in form after an inconsistent 2011-12 and Alexis Sanchez set to make an even bigger impact in his second season, the Catalans look to have good options in attack. And they surely won't have as many injuries as they did last term.

THE TEAM HAVE RECOVERED FROM LAST SEASON

Mistakes were made last season and the two most important titles slipped away. Barca claimed four trophies in 2011-12, but missed out on La Liga and the Champions League.

Nevertheless, the Catalans have overcome those disappointments in a busy summer and will now set their sights on regaining the two top prizes available to them this term.

Messi missed a penalty in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Chelsea last season, and the Argentine is desperate to overcome that error by returning the Catalan club to the peak of their powers in Europe this term. That spells danger for everyone else.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE ... AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH

For Barcelona there is unfinished business with Jose Mourinho after last season's unseemly clash between the Portuguese and Tito Vilanova, then assistant coach but now Barca boss, in the Spanish Supercopa.

Mourinho famously poked Vilanova in the eye and has only just apologised, almost a year after the event. Barca were upset at the Portuguese's failure to say sorry and the Catalans were even more put out as the Madrid coach escaped punishment from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Barca may still be upset, but believe that, instead of responding in kind, there would be no greater revenge than reclaiming La Liga from their greatest rivals - and from Mourinho - come next June.

THE WORLD'S BEST SQUAD AND THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYER

Barcelona are fiercely proud of La Masia and can today field a team comprised completely of homegrown players. With a large squad at his disposal, Tito can choose from a wide range of talents from La Masia and beyond, including the very best there is: Lionel Messi.

Barca suffered a number of injuries last term in what was something of a freak season for the Catalan club, but will be keen to show that their squad is the strongest in La Liga, and that in Messi, they have the competition's star performer.

Having made several mistakes in the transfer market in recent years and wasted money on players who failed to fit in at Camp Nou, the current vintage looks a balanced squad and, barring an excess of injuries like last season, should be capable of winning the very biggest trophies.

Germany - Argentina Preview

Germany - Argentina Preview: World heavyweights clash in Frankfurt

Author: Leo Harsha  Follow On Twitter https://twitter.com/LeomessiBBVA

            Simran Mehra

Joachim Low's men will try to put their European Championship disappointment behind them when they face the South American giants, who have been in impressive form of late

PROBABLE LINEUPS

GERMANY Zieler Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Schmelzer Khedira, Kroos Muller, Ozil, Schurrle Klose

ARGENTINA Romero Zabaleta, Fernandez, Garay, Rojo Sosa, Mascherano, Gago, Di Maria Messi, Aguero

Germany will be without a number of recognisable names for this prestige friendly. Mario Gomez is recovering from ankle surgery, Bastian Schweinsteiger has been struggling for fitness, Philipp Lahm is awaiting the birth of his second child, while Arsenal duo Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski have been granted time off with the new Premier League season fast approaching. Manuel Neuer, meanwhile, was a late withdrawal from the squad.

Marc Andre ter Stegen was called up as a replacement for the Bayern goalkeeper, but given his poor performance in May's friendly against Switzerland, the more experienced Ron-Robert Zieler will probably start between the sticks. Mertesacker's absence will allow Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber to continue their blossoming partnership at the heart of defence, while Jerome Boateng should retain his right-back spot, despite the challenge of Benedikt Howedes, with Marcel Schmelzer filling in on the opposite side.

Toni Kroos will start in Schweinsteiger's usual slot, with Andre Schurrle filling in for Podolski on the left wing. Miroslav Klose, the only No.9 selected for the squad, will start up front, but Low may want to gauge Marco Reus' credentials as an out-and-out striker as the match wears on.

Elsewhere, Argentina will continue with the 4-4-2 formation that has served them well in recent months. Fabricio Coloccini has returned to the squad, but is unlikely to displace Ezequiel Garay and Federico Fernandez at centre-back.

Boca Juniors full-back Clemente Rodriguez could get the nod on the left side of defence ahead of Sporting Lisbon's summer signing Marcos Rojo after making a comeback to the national team in recent years, with Javier Mascherano and Fernando Gago forming a shield in front of the defence.

Jose Sosa has made the slot on the right-hand side of midfield his own in recent years, and up front, Lionel Messi will partner either Sergio Aguero or Gonzalo Higuain. However, its seems the Manchester City man could get the nod due to his superior fitness levels, with the Premier League's commencement coming a week sooner than that of La Liga.

DID YOU KNOW?

• These two sides met one another in the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups, withGermany triumphing on both occasions. Jens Lehmann was the hero in 2006 as die Mannschaft won on penalties, before a Bastian Schweinsteiger-inspired team trounced the Argentines 4-0 in 2010.

• Miroslav Klose (pictured) scored his 64th international goal against Greece in the Euro 2012 quarter-final. The veteran forward needs just find the net four more times to match GerdMuller's all-time national team record.

• Apart from the former Bayern Munich striker, no player called up for the Argentina friendly is over the age of 25.

• West Germany beat the Albiceleste 1-0 in the 1990 World Cup final in Italy thanks to a late penalty from then-Inter star Andreas Brehme.

• However, their triumph in Rome was little more than a revenge mission, as Argentina had beaten 3-2 them four years previously on home soil thanks to an 84th minute Jorge Burruchaga strike.

• Jose Sosa, now of Metalist Kharkiv, spent a total of three years at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, and won his first international cap in 2007, a fortnight after sealing his move to Bavaria.

• Lionel Messi has scored hat-tricks in Argentina's last two friendlies; against Brazil in June and Switzerland in February. He has also netted a goal in each of their last two World Cup qualifiers.

• Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain will be coming up against their Real Madrid team-mates Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil on Wednesday.