Serie A club Fiorentina has announced on its official website that they are negotiating with FC Barcelona over a move for their Brazilian striker Keirrison de Souza on a two season loan deal.

Florentina said the deal also includes a clause which would allow them make the transfer permanent after the loan deal expires. The negotiations will be formalized pending a medical test that will be carried out on Monday.

Renowned football expert Jose Altafini spoke about the move on ‘Sky Italia’: “Kerrison is liked a lot by Brazilian national team coach Dunga. He has a great nose for goals, someone who scores a lot and would help the Viola a lot. He is a bit of an introvert though.”

The player cost Barcelona a reported transfer fee of 14 million euros plus 2 million in variables. He signed on 23 July 2009 from Brazilian club Palmeiras for a 5 year contract.

Loaned to Benfica this summer, Keirrison was supposed to be gathering European footballing experience at the club but was  barely getting them after the team is having a great run in the Portuguese Liga this season with their front pairing of Cardozo and Saviola. The situation was made more precarious when Benfica announced the signing of another striker from Brazil – Alan Kardec (20) recently, to be followed with another in the near future – Eder Luis (24).

“We wouldn’t be where we are this season without Puyol. He’s the player who’s performed most often and he’s solving a lot of problems.”

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola praises skipper Carles Puyol at the post match press conference on Saturday.

Several players were voicing their opinions at the post-match press conference and heres what they had to say:

Rafa Marquez

“we did the job. I’m happy with how I played and my performance in general. I want to continue like this and I know I have to make the most of the chances the boss gives me”.

“it was a tough game, because the pitch was in a bit of a state. We had plenty of chances in the first half, but weren’t able to put them away and then in the second we had to withstand their onslaught. The team continue in good form and playing the way the boss wants us to”.

Finally, Marquez refused to be drawn on the fight at the top with Madrid, insisting: “we have to focus on our work and then see what happens!.

Iniesta:

“We came through a tough game. We passed the ball around and made plenty of chances, but maybe we needed another goal to seal the game”.

“We are happy because we achieved our aim and took the three points. I want to keep on improving; I’ve been playing well since the start of the year”.

“Ibra brings a lot to the team. He may be going through a bit of a goal drought right now, but a player of his quality will soon be scoring again”.

Sergio Busquets:

“I’m happy with the win and my performance and I felt physically fine”

“Sporting have supporters who are behind their team for the full 90 minutes and to come here and win is really difficult”

“We are a squad of twenty odd players and we are all capable of playing in the team. Everyone wants to be in the starting line up, but the important thing is the team, not any individual”.

“I think Ibra is doing a good job. The important thing isn’t just the goals, it’s all the work he does. The goals will come again soon”.

Piqué:

“We dominated the first half and we could have scored more goals. The pitch was very heavy in the second half, but the win was very important and positive for us”.

“If teams pressure us high up the pitch, it’s much harder to bring the ball out under control”.

Other than talk about the match against Sporting Gijon in the La Liga post-match press conference last night, the FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola also touched on his team’s set-up.

“It is normal that we will eventually suffer towards the end of a match if we fail to kill it early. The pitch is very bad but despite that, we played a very good game of football.”

“We created a lot of opportunities but failed to convert them, but I’m happy with the team’s attitude and disposition.”

“We were much better defensively that Sporting only managed to produce two shots on goal. It was unlike against Tenerife, Villarreal and Valladolid, where Victor had to save us. The team is very well-balanced in every respect tonight.”

“We were lacking the killer instinct. Our final passes were not that good. Despite this small criticism, the team has been faultless. It was one of the best matches of this year.”

Among the names that the coach mentioned was defender Rafael Marquez: “I have said it before, and tonight, I have again seen the Rafa that I know from the previous years. He needed to get his form back, and he’ll get it.”

On match-winner, Pedro Rodriguez, the coach said, “He played a very good game, helps a lot in defence, and his off-the-balls movements were just perfect.” Asked about the player’s comparison with Thierry Henry, Guardiola said, “Titi was a crack in the last month, and only lacked the goal. His assists had been outstanding.”

Referring to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s impotency in front of goal lately, the coach acknowledged, “It doesn’t bother me because he had played well. He still has that obsession to score goals, and I love that attitude.”

Finally, Guardiola also had some good words for the captain Carles Puyol, who yesterday played in the right-back position: “Alves gives us width and depth, but Carles gives us other things. We often don’t talk about it, but without him, we would not have achieved a year like the one we just had. He is a god-sent; a player who has given us a lot. He never complains about playing in any position, and I have been very lucky to have him.”

“INVICTUS” (Unbeatable)

Sporting 0 – 1 Barça

Pedro’s ‘golazo’ (great goal) won the team a victory which deserved to be by a bigger margin.

Barça, which is still undefeated,  had 8 ‘canteranos’ in the starting line-up.

[Non Barça Related]

Espanyol 1 – 0 Athletic. Three golden points that move Espanyol away from the danger zone

Depor 1 – 3 Madrid. Madrid bears blaugrana’s pressure and breaks its Riazor’s curse.

SUPER PEDRO

Barça won in Gijón with another goal from the ‘canterano’.

Sporting 0 – 1 Barça

New record: 20 matches without defeat in la Liga.

Pedrito, who started instead of Henry, has scored 15 goals so far this season and last night was decisive again for the blaugrana’s victory. They are still unbeatable.

In the Pic: Pedro and Messi hugged after scoring the goal which would give the three points to the blaugranas. The goal was the result of a quick freekick in minute 29.

[Non Barça Related]

Deportivo 1 – 3 Madrid. Madrid broke his Riazor’s losing strike.

Espanyol 1 – 0 Athletic. Luís García gave the victory.

British sports tabloid, Daily Mail has linked FC Barcelona forward and France international striker Thierry Henry (32) with a return to the premier league with Manchester City looking to sign him up.

It seems Henry’s future at Barcelona looks to be drawing to a close, with the European champions apparently deciding on Valencia’s David Silva or Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery as their main options for the left-sided attacking role.

Henry’s injury-blighted season has seen him score just twice in 13 games and the club would be willing to sell him this summer, one year before his contract expires.

Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini is interested in signing the French striker from Barcelona. Henry has also been linked with a move to New York Red Bulls in the Major League Soccer.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, speaking at the post-match press conference, said he was satisfied with his sides victory against Sporting but added they were lacking in the final third.

“It was a good win considering very few teams have won on this ground. It (the win) carries a lot of merit.”

“Defensively we were good as Sporting have created very few opportunities but offensively we we were lacking in the final third.”

“In the end anything could have happened with the two freekicks Sporting had”, Guardiola said.