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Xavi hoping Barca avoid 'catastrophe' of not beating Girona to keep up title charge
Xavi believes it will be a "catastrophe" if Barcelona do not beat Girona on Saturday as they look to keep up their LaLiga title charge.
A run of seven wins in eight league matches has put Xavi's men top of the table, holding a three-point lead over rivals Real Madrid in second.
They continue their bid to win their first LaLiga title since the 2018-19 season on Saturday at home to Girona, who sit 11th and just four points above the relegation zone.
Xavi hopes his team can pick up another three points amid the pressure of a title race, telling reporters: "You have to beat Girona. This is Barca.
"This is the Barca environment, I know it very well. If we don't win tomorrow, it will be a catastrophe.
"Try to win it because it will be a difficult match. Michel [Girona head coach] has said that they have nothing to lose and we will come out with pressure because we want to win LaLiga."
Xavi is hoping Ousmane Dembele will extend his Barcelona contract amid rumours of a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Dembele scored Barca's winner as they beat Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Wednesday, continuing his excellent form this season after a tough 2021-22 campaign.
The France international has been involved in 15 goals with Barcelona in all competitions this season, already equalling his record of last term, but with his contract set to expire in 2024, there had been rumours of a move to PSG.
But Xavi wants Dembele to remain with the Spanish giants, telling reporters: "Ousmane is an important player, someone who makes a difference.
"It's difficult to find these kind of players. For me, he's a key player. Ousmane knows it, the club knows it.
"He has changed his mentality and I hope to have him here for many more years."
Barca overcame wastefulness in front of goal to overcome La Real and reach the Copa del Rey final four, with Dembele's goal enough to secure a narrow 1-0 win despite having 20 shots.
While Xavi is concerned about his side's profligacy in front of goal in tight matches, he believes his team are much improved from last season, saying: "I am worried about not finishing them [close games]. Many things have to be improved
"We have to value how we were last year and how we are now. There are things to improve, obviously, but I think we are in a very good moment of form and it should be valued."
Rumour Has It: Chelsea turn attention to unsettled Everton midfielder Onana
Chelsea have spent plenty of money on recruitment during the January transfer window, landing Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueka, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
But the Blues may not be done with transfer activity before Tuesday's window closure.
Chelsea are still eager to bolster their midfield options, having missed out on a few key targets.
TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO MOVE FOR EVERTON MIDFIELDER
Chelsea will move to sign unsettled Everton defensive midfielder Amadou Onana, according to The Times.
The Blues will divert their attention to the Senegal-born Belgium international after missing out on Benfica's Enzo Fernandez and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.
Onana was given a leave of absence from Everton training earlier this week and is unhappy given the club's plight with Frank Lampard sacked as manager this week.
– Ferran Torres could be sold by Barcelona in the off-season, despite only joining the Blaugrana in January last year, reports Sport. Barca have ignored offers for the forward in January, despite some clubs wanting him on loan while the report links Atletico Madrid with the 22-year-old.
– Milan are monitoring the status of Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, according to The Sun. The Portuguese has struggled for games since the World Cup and could be open to a move.
– Tottenham are getting closer to completing a deal for Sporting full-back Pedro Porro, reports The Guardian. Sporting are determined to recoup his buyout clause of €45 million (£39.7m), with talks, ongoing since the start of the month, getting towards a conclusion.
– Fabrizio Romano claims Weston McKennie has agreed personal terms with Leeds United however the move hinges on negotiations with Juventus about the transfer fee. Leeds' opening bid was €28m, but the Bianconeri want €35m.
– Everton are plotting a shock £25m move to sign Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Sky Sports. Roma are also interested in the 29-year-old too, while PSG are keeping tabs on him, according to Media Foot.
– Nottingham Forest are weighing up a bid to sign 28-year-old Italian midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from Inter, claims Calciomercato.
Xavi says increased confidence has led to improved Dembele performances
Xavi credited Ousmane Dembele with changing his mentality in order to discover the form he has shown for Barcelona this season.
Barca reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey thanks to a second-half strike from Dembele to beat Real Sociedad 1-0 at Camp Nou, aided by the sending off of La Real midfielder Brais Mendez late in the first half.
Dembele attempted 11 dribbles during the game, equalling the highest total by a Barca player in a game this season, which came from the French winger himself against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.
Speaking to the media after the win, Xavi said that filling Dembele with confidence is the major difference from the player he inherited when he took charge of the club in November 2021.
"The only thing we have given Ousmane is confidence. I believe a lot in him," the Barca head coach said.
"I always think he can generate many things for us. I see the faces of the full-backs and they suffer. The only thing that had to change was his decision-making at the last moment.
"I'm very happy for him because he got the winning goal. I think he's enjoying it and he's managed to turn his situation around.
"We try to guide Dembele so he makes the best decision on the field. I see tremendous conditions for him and he continues to be one of the best in his position.
"At Barca you have to have the ability to change your mentality and believe it, and I think at this stage he is succeeding. I see him very happy."
Dembele has been involved in 15 goals for the Blaugrana this season (eight goals, seven assists), already equalling his record of last campaign (two goals, 13 assists), while only Robert Lewandowski (27 – 22 goals and five assists) has been involved in more among Barca players.
The hosts dominated much of the quarter-final on Wednesday, though were grateful to Marc-Andre ter Stegen for making a vital save from Robert Navarro late on.
"The game at the end was complicated for us, where Ter Stegen saved us," Xavi added. "This is football and we have to learn, but we cannot end up suffering like this.
"We have dominated Real Sociedad with 11 [players], a team who had just won nine games in a row. The feelings are very positive and we are where we wanted to be, but we want to improve our effectiveness and we want to close games earlier."
La Real boss Imanol Alguacil said he was "annoyed" by Mendez's red card, suggesting the incident in which his player caught Sergio Busquets' ankle with his studs did not warrant overturning once the referee had initially decided on a yellow card.
"I don't like to use the word pride, because that means we lost," he said. "But today the sending off marked us... I think we have to value the effort of the team since we have had very clear situations and we have competed even with one less player.
"In the last 10 minutes the draw was much closer than 2-0."
Barcelona 1-0 Real Sociedad: Dembele sends Xavi's side through to Copa del Rey final four
Barcelona are through to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey after a 1-0 win against 10-man Real Sociedad at Camp Nou.
The hosts were unable to find the breakthrough in the first half despite dominating, but were handed an advantage when Brais Mendez was sent off in the 40th minute.
Ousmane Dembele gave the Blaugrana the lead early in the second half after being played through by Jules Kounde, finishing powerfully past Alex Remiro.
The contest between LaLiga's first and third-placed teams was rarely as close as the scoreline suggested until a late push from Sociedad, and Xavi's men march on looking to add another trophy to their recent Supercopa de Espana success.
Barca started brightly and had the ball in the net in the 11th minute, but Robert Lewandowski's goal-bound strike deflected off the offside Frenkie de Jong on its way in.
The dangerous Dembele threatened shortly after when a determined run ended with a curled effort just wide of the left-hand post, while Takefusa Kubo struck the crossbar just before the half-hour with the visitors' first attempt.
There were borderline ironic cheers before half-time from the home fans as referee Gil Manzano, who sent off Lewandowski earlier in the season, handed a red card to La Real's Mendez when a VAR review showed the midfielder had caught Sergio Busquets on the ankle with his studs.
Dembele opened the scoring in the 52nd minute when he raced onto a pass down the right channel from Kounde, before firing his shot past Remiro at his near post.
La Real should have been level on the hour when Alexander Sorloth somehow turned Kubo's cross over the bar from close range, while Gavi hit the woodwork at the other end.
One goal was enough to seal Barca's passage to the final four, though, thanks to late Marc-Andre ter Stegen saves to deny Roberto Navarro and then Jon Ander Olasagasti.
Xavi hits back at 'silly' Gavi criticism: 'He should play with even more passion'
Barcelona head coach Xavi has hit back at "silly" criticism about Gavi's perceived overly physical playing style and told the midfielder to show even more passion.
The 18-year-old has featured in all 17 of league-leading Barcelona's LaLiga fixtures this season, starting 12 of those.
Gavi leads the way among Barca players for fouls conceded this campaign with 41 – at least 22 more than any other team-mate and the third-highest tally in the division.
He also tops the list in terms of duels contested (146) among Barca players and is behind only Sergio Busquets (1.73) for tackles per game with 1.65.
Some have suggested Gavi too often gets away with bad challenges, having been cautioned only three times, but Barca head coach Xavi does not agree with that assessment.
"That seems silly to me. There is a referee who decides, right? In the end, he is the one who decides," Xavi told reporters. "Gavi puts passion and courage into his game.
"I consider it that the whistle is blown for very few fouls on him. For me, it's the other way around. He's a player who's fouled a lot and the whistle is blown for a few of them."
Gavi's playing style has earned comparisons to Brazil international Casemiro, who won 18 trophies in nine years at Real Madrid prior to joining Manchester United last August.
But Xavi feels the young midfielder is only praised when representing Spain, rather than when putting on the Blaugrana strip.
"It seems to me that when he goes to the [Spanish] national team he is wonderful, and when he plays for Barca, he crosses the line," Xavi said.
"This is what it seems to me from the outside, yes. He's an example of grit and courage [for Spain] and, when he's at Barca, he is not liked, right?
"Well, it's normal. It is normal. And on top of that, if we win, he is liked even less. It is the way that it is.
"To Gavi, I say be calm, to put in the same passion, or even more, and also more courage and sacrifice... and that he doesn't stop. He doesn't have to slow down."
Gavi is in line to feature when Barca host Real Sociedad – who are third in LaLiga – in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
"It's a key match for us," Xavi added at Tuesday's pre-match press conference. "It's a quarter-final and a one-off match. We're playing in front of 80,000 of our fans.
"We are in good form and they are in a good moment also in terms of results and confidence. I expect we'll see a good game."
Barcelona will 'fight for women's team's rights' with appeal after Copa de la Reina expulsion
Barcelona have promised to "take every possible action" to overturn the decision to turf their women's team out of the Copa de la Reina.
The Catalans have won the Spanish league and cup double for the last three seasons, but it emerged they fielded an ineligible player when beating Osasuna 9-0 at the last-16 stage of this season's cup competition.
Osasuna were overpowered on January 10 but have been declared winners of the tie on a technicality, with Barcelona striker Geyse having played and scored when she should have been serving a suspension.
Brazilian Geyse was sent off in her previous match in the competition, playing for Madrid CFF against eventual finalists Sporting Huelva in last season's quarter-finals.
Barcelona believe there are grounds for the ruling to be successfully challenged, with ESPN reporting the club are adamant Geyse was not listed on pre-match lists of disciplinary disqualifications issued by cup organisers the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
In a statement issued after Tuesday's expulsion, the Camp Nou giants said: "FC Barcelona announces that the club is to continue to fight for the women's team's rights after they were sanctioned by the competition committee for fielding an ineligible line-up, with an appeal to be presented in due course.
"Should the sanction not be revoked on appeal, FC Barcelona will take every possible action, as it is considered that the line-up ended up being deemed ineligible due to technicalities in this case."
Barcelona, who beat Real Sociedad 3-0 in the Supercopa on Sunday, appear well on course to claim the Spanish league title for a fourth season in a row after winning 14 consecutive games in the competition since the start of the season.
Barcelona have also been fined €1,001 by the RFEF over the ineligibility episode, while Sevilla have been thrown out of this season's cup, too, after Nagore Calderon played in a 1-0 win against Villarreal, when she too had a suspension hanging over her from last season.
Sevilla said they presented arguments against such a punishment but will not appeal any further.
Barcelona thrown out of Copa de la Reina despite 9-0 thrashing of Osasuna
Barcelona have seen hopes of a women's league and cup double scuppered after it emerged they fielded an ineligible player against Osasuna in the Copa de la Reina.
Osasuna lost the last-16 match 9-0 on January 10 but have been declared winners of the tie on a technicality, with Barcelona striker Geyse having played and scored when she should have been serving a suspension.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Osasuna said: "The Royal Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] has favourably resolved the claim made by the Osasuna Women's Foundation in relation to the improper team selection committed by Barcelona Football Club in the round-of-16 match of the Copa de la Reina played on January 10 in El Sadar.
"The disciplinary judge has decided 'to give FC Barcelona the game as lost and to consider the tie resolved in favour of CDF Osasuna Femenino'.
"It is possible to file an appeal to the appeals committee against the resolution published this morning by the federal body."
They were defending the Copa de la Reina they won by beating Sporting Huelva 6-1 in last year's final, and reports have said Barcelona, who have also been fined €1,001 by the RFEF, plan to appeal against their expulsion.
Brazilian player Geyse was sent off in her previous match in the competition, playing for Madrid CFF against Sporting in last season's quarter-finals.
Sevilla have also been expelled from this season's cup after Nagore Calderon played in a 1-0 win against Villarreal, when she too had a suspension hanging over her from last season.
Referee who sent off Lewandowski not going to lower Barcelona's mood – Xavi
Xavi insists there is no problem with referee Gil Manzano taking charge of Barcelona's Copa del Rey quarter-final with Real Sociedad.
Manzano was the official who showed Robert Lewandowski a red card when Barca faced Osasuna in LaLiga in November, before including mention of a gesture the Polish striker made when leaving the pitch in his report, which landed Lewandowski a three-match ban.
Speaking ahead of the Blaugrana's home game against La Real, Xavi was relaxed about involving his top scorer with Manzano in the middle.
"There is no problem. Let it go unnoticed," he told reporters on Tuesday. "We hope it will be a pleasant match. Robert is a professional who will be aware of the game, which we can control.
"I always tell [the players] to forget about the referee. It's a situation that we can't control. This is not going to lower our mood."
Following their 1-0 league win against Getafe on Sunday, Barca have still conceded just six goals in their 17 LaLiga outings, and Xavi paid tribute to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for his role in their airtight backline.
"Marc is at a spectacular level. At the best moment," he said. "He reminds me of Ter Stegen from his first year. He gives us a lot and makes a difference to us.
"We give importance to the defensive line. We work on it and it bears fruit in the league in this case."
With a week left of the January transfer window, Xavi seemed to rule out an exit for Franck Kessie, who has been linked with a loan move away from Camp Nou.
The former Milan midfielder has made just two starts in LaLiga this season, but impressed in Barca's previous Copa del Rey clash against Cueta, recording a goal and two assists.
"Kessie, at no time did I consider leaving," his boss said. "He gives us many alternatives in our game."
On general transfer market intentions, Xavi added: "I predicted a calm market. I'm happy with the team and there's nothing new, although I haven't ruled anything out."
Barcelona deny Laporta broke club rules over Camp Nou development
Barcelona have denied allegations claiming president Joan Laporta broke club rules when handing out the Camp Nou development contract.
The 'Espai Barca' project was first approved in April 2014, when club members voted in favour of the massive remodelling job that would develop Camp Nou and the surrounding areas.
A further referendum in April 2021 ratified the financial proposal that took the project's maximum budget to €1.5billion.
It will lead to the stadium's capacity increasing by 6,000 to 105,000 spectators plus the installation of a retractable roof, while 40,000 square metres of land is set to be improved.
An announcement earlier this month confirmed Turkish company Limak would be in charge of remodelling the stadium, but a report by Spanish digital newspaper El Confidencial claimed on Monday the club's bidding process for the contract should have excluded the business in question.
According to El Confidencial, Limak should have been ineligible because it allegedly could not provide evidence of building a stadium with more than 40,000 capacity in the past 10 years and did not present two references of buildings constructed in Spain for greater than €150m over the same period.
The publication suggested the alleged oversight put Barca's building licence with the local council at risk, but the club insists the accusations are inaccurate, pointing to a "new tender process" dated from September 1, 2022.
A long statement began: "Barcelona wants to refute the story published today, Monday, January 23, 2023 in El Confidencial titled: 'Laporta broke the Barca rules to award the Camp Nou work to the Turkish company Limak'."
The letter highlighted five specific sections of the report followed by "FALSE" and an explanation, with most points coming back to Barca highlighting the start of a new tender process in September.
"The bid specifications for the restructuring work on Camp Nou were announced to all the companies that submitted bids and were effective date from September 1, 2022," the statement continued. "The terms and conditions set forth therein established no requirement for bidding companies to have built a football stadium with more than 40,000 seats or two constructions in Spain.
"Prior to this bidding process, there was a process that commenced in 2017, and which was cancelled in December 2020 by means of an official communication on the Barcelona supplier portal to all participating companies at that time.
"It was not until September 2022 when the new bidding process began, the outcome of which was for the project to be awarded to LIMAK as the best rated company.
"There was no breach of the terms and conditions as these were associated to the new tender process, which is dated from September 1, 2022."
It added: "As we have set out previously, the document [that El Confidencial claimed to have seen] referred to is for the pre-qualification that began in 2017, and in no way corresponds to the requisites in the conditions laid down on September 1, 2022.
"The process of obtaining a building licence from Barcelona City Council is totally independent of the adjudication process for the company to carry out the construction.
"In no way is the building licence at risk because the name on the licence is that of Barcelona as the initiator of the construction, not the construction company."
Rumour Has It: Rice favours Arsenal as Chelsea and Man Utd circle for West Ham star
Declan Rice appears certain to leave West Ham at the end of this season, with the ambition to test himself in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old midfielder is contracted with the Hammers until 2024, with the Hammers having the option of an additional year.
West Ham reportedly want more than £100million for the England international, but may settle for around £80m.
TOP STORY – ARSENAL CONFIDENT OF WINNING RICE RACE
Arsenal are winning the chase to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, who favours a move to the Gunners, according to The Guardian.
Rice has also drawn interest from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United.
The London-born defensive midfielder is excited by the prospect of working with Mikel Arteta, according to the report, and Arsenal's manager has plans to integrate Rice into his starting XI.
– Milan are monitoring Nicolo Zaniolo's situation, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that Tottenham are only offering an initial loan with a buy option, with Roma wanting a €35/40m (£30.7m/35m) guaranteed fee. Zaniolo is keen to join Antonio Conte's Spurs.
– Football Insider claims that Tottenham have offered Spanish winger Bryan Gil to Roma as part of their proposed Zaniolo deal. The report claims he is one of three players Spurs have presented to the Italian club.
– The Sun reports Roma are also in talks with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech about a move to the Italian capital. The Moroccan has also been linked with Barcelona.
– Inter want to sign Roma's English centre-back Chris Smalling on a free transfer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Smalling's contract expires at the end of this season, although he has the option to extend for another year.
– Marseille want to sign Hellas Verona defensive midfielder Ivan Ilic, according to Sky Sport Italia, though OM would leave the 21-year-old on loan at Verona for the rest of the season.
– The Daily Telegraph claims Everton have held talks on the future of manager Frank Lampard, following reports he would be sacked on Sunday.
Ter Stegen's golden gloves hailed as Barcelona 'life insurance' after Camp Nou masterclass
Marc-Andre ter Stegen was described as Barcelona's "life insurance" as the German goalkeeper came to the rescue against Getafe.
Pedri's goal in the 35th minute was enough for Barcelona as they ground out a 1-0 victory at Camp Nou, preserving their three-point cushion over Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
Ter Stegen, a sturdy presence throughout, saved brilliantly from Borja Mayoral six minutes after the goal, standing up to the Getafe man and making himself big after Pedri almost undid his earlier good work with a dreadful backpass.
Grateful defender Eric Garcia said: "Marc is life insurance with us. Everything he brings us with his footwork and then his saves, he has shown it again. He is very important for us."
Germany international Ter Stegen said the points were "worth gold" after what he recognised was a sloppy performance from Barcelona, a week on from winning the Supercopa de Espana.
The hosts were without Robert Lewandowski due to the striker's suspension, and it showed, with Ansu Fati not posing the same threat and struggling to impress himself on the game.
Ter Stegen, with 13 clean sheets in 17 LaLiga games this season, said: "What I try to do is always be in the game. I was being attentive and at the right moment I was able to get closer and make it a little more difficult for them."
Quoted in Mundo Deportivo, he said: "I try to give 100 per cent, for myself and for the team. Victories like today's make us stronger.
"It's true that we had opportunities to close the game and we didn't. So you have to suffer until the end.
"Perhaps in some victories you have to suffer, but when we're 2-0 it always benefits you, and you finish the game earlier."
Xavi thankful for Ter Stegen heroics as Barcelona fend off Getafe
Xavi thanked goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for coming to Barcelona's rescue as they scrambled a 1-0 win over Getafe.
The German shot-stopper made a string of crunch interventions that meant Pedri's first-half strike was enough to bring three points on Sunday.
Barcelona stretched their league run at Camp Nou to nine games without defeat, but coach Xavi accepted the LaLiga leaders were well short of their best.
"We haven't known how to attack well, and in general we have been quite untidy," Xavi said. "We lacked aggressiveness and the knowledge of how to attack spaces better. We have won without playing well.
"There are times when you are untidy and things don't turn out as you expect, but even so the team believe, defend well, and all the players are generous in their collective work.
"We haven't been too sharp in attack, but we managed to keep a clean sheet again, so without having played well we got the three points."
For that, Xavi said Ter Stegen deserved rich plaudits, with the 30-year-old making three outright saves and commanding his penalty area expertly.
"We are seeing the best Ter Stegen that has been seen in a long time," Xavi said.
"In one-against-ones he has been spectacular. He is a leader for the squad, he is being decisive, and it is important that the goalkeeper also saves points."
Xavi is not overly concerned by his team's so-so performance, and he was thankful they found a way to win while playing beneath their usual level, even if Ter Stegen had to dig them out of trouble.
"I think that in 70 or 80 per cent of games we have been good, so I think that in general we are closer to a good Barca than to an untidy Barca," Xavi said.
"We will surely find ourselves with more games like today's, but there we must be more practical.
"Of course you want to play better, but the opponent also play and make it difficult for you, as happened today."
Xavi apologises as Barca boss faces heavy criticism for Dani Alves arrest comments
Barcelona head coach Xavi apologised on Sunday after facing a wave of criticism for his comments after the arrest of Dani Alves on sexual assault allegations.
Xavi, a former team-mate and coach of Alves, said in a press conference on Saturday he was "in a state of shock" after hearing the news.
Brazilian right-back Alves was arrested in Barcelona on Friday after it was alleged he assaulted a woman in a nightclub bathroom.
The 39-year-old, who has been refused bail, denied committing the offence when he spoke to Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 in early January.
Xavi also said on Saturday that "justice will dictate" the situation, but he faced flak, particularly on social media, for focusing on Alves, rather than expressing concern for the alleged victim.
He looked to clear that up following Barcelona's 1-0 win against Getafe on Sunday, saying: "What I said was misinterpreted, or I was not as forceful as I should have been, but it is important that I explain myself.
"It is a difficult and delicate subject. Yesterday I ignored the victim, but I want to make it clear that any act of gender-based violence or rape must be condemned, whether Dani or anyone else does it.
"I feel bad that Dani could have done it, but on this issue you have to be very strong. Yesterday I was not very lucky with my words and I apologise. I know that my voice is very important, because I represent a club like Barca. I am truly sorry, it has not been a pleasant day for me."
Barcelona 1-0 Getafe: Pedri sends Blaugrana six points clear at summit
Pedri scored the only goal of the game as LaLiga leaders Barcelona maintained their unbeaten top-flight streak at home with a 1-0 win against Getafe.
The midfielder's first-half strike sent Xavi's side six points clear of Real Madrid, who face Athletic Bilbao later on Sunday, but it was far from a routine victory.
Getafe frustrated their opponents throughout with a resolute defensive showing, while calling Marc-Andre ter Stegen into action with several decisive saves.
Quique Sanchez Flores' visitors could not find an equaliser, however, as Barca made it nine games without defeat in the league at Camp Nou.
Getafe thought they had taken a shock lead four minutes in, Borja Mayoral drilling an effort into the near corner past Ter Stegen but the offside flag was raised for an earlier infringement.
Having been limited to shots from distance, Barca found a breakthrough after 35 minutes as Raphinha found space before cutting across goal for Pedri to tuck home.
Pedri's poor pass almost handed Getafe an equaliser but Ter Stegen produced a crucial save against Mayoral to keep Barca ahead at the interval.
Xavi's hosts continued to dominate proceedings in the second half as Getafe defended with resilience, though Ousmane Dembele went close after whistling a strike just wide.
Substitute Franck Kessie wasted a fine opportunity late on after firing straight at David Soria, but that mattered for little as Barca maintained their title charge.
Rumour Has It: Juventus forward Vlahovic offered to Manchester United
Dusan Vlahovic only joined Juventus from Fiorentina last January on a four-year deal, but he could be on the move already.
That is part of the immediate fallout from the Serie A giants' 15-point deduction for alleged financial irregularities and false accounting.
Juventus will appeal the court decision but it does leave them in a major battle to remain in European contention, slipping to 10th already, and reports suggest they will have a tough task on their hands to keep hold of some of their key players.
TOP STORY – VLAHOVIC OFFERED TO MAN UTD
Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic has been offered to Manchester United according to 90min, amid the fallout from the Bianconeri's 15-point deduction.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been alerted to his availability.
Playing Champions League football is key for the Serbian striker, who has 16 goals in 36 games for Juventus, and the club understands the player's position and could sell in January or at the end of the season.
– Jude Bellingham is set to turn down a new Borussia Dortmund contract offer, with Manchester City confident they are in the box seat to land him, reports the Star. Liverpool and Real Madrid are also interested in the England midfielder.
– Arsenal have commenced discussions with Ivan Fresneda as they look to sign the Real Valladolid right-back, according to Fabrizio Romano.
– Sport reports that Chelsea are willing to exchange Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.
– Roma are set to move for Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu should they sell Nicolo Zaniolo, claims Calciomercato.
– The Athletic reports Manchester City are discussing a contract extension with Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Barcelona.
– The Daily Mail claims that Frank Lampard is on the verge of being sacked as Everton manager following Saturday's 2-0 loss to West Ham.


This is my review of Life of Pi [DVD].
Not having read the bestselling book on which this film is based, I came to the cinema with no great expectations, apart from thinking, as proved the case, that judging by the trailer this would be an excellent theme for 3D film and the use of CGI.
From the outside we are transported to the magical beauty of the Botanical Gardens of Pondicherry, where the oddly named hero Pi's father runs a zoo. Political pressures cause him to take a Japanese ship for French-speaking Canada, with his animals caged in the hold, but disaster strikes when the vessel sinks in a storm and Pi finds himself in a waking nightmare, confined to a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger inappropriately named "Richard Parker".
We know that Pi will survive the ensuing Odyssey, since he is narrating the tale years later to a young writer, but that does not detract from the tension of his struggle to exist, leavened by moments of humour and the astonishing beauty of vast starlit skies, oceans suffused with phosphorescence and a passing school of leaping dolphins. The striking scenes give you a real sense of Pi's loneliness, leading to a subtle identification with the tiger, and of his increasing sense of closeness to the natural world. This in turn helps you to appreciate how such experiences may give people a "sense of god", and Pi is, as we know, very susceptible to spiritual experiences anyway.
At some points the story turns to magical realism, which the computer graphics makes wonderfully vivid and somehow more plausible than might be the case in a novel. The mind plays tricks on people under stress, so we are left uncertain as to whether Pi may have imagined or even invented the story to replace a more mundane and sordid truth.
I recommend this film which can be enjoyed both as simple entertainment, or taken on a deeper level. But to do it justice, you must see it in 3D.


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Private Judging For Disputes
Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques can be very effective alternatives to the costly and time consuming litigation process. In this article we will be discussing the technique of private judging, explaining what it is and how it can be used in the construction industry.
What is Private Judging?
Private judging typically involves disputing parties bringing in a retired judge to oversee their case. Similar to arbitration, private judging can only be done with the consent of both parties, and in most cases the parties will agree that the private judge's decision will be legally binding. A private judge will usually be given the same powers of a court, and for the most part the hearing will resemble a typical courtroom proceeding. The main advantage of private judging over the litigation route is that the process is much shorter and more efficient.
What Makes Private Judging Stand Out From Other ADR Techniques?
There are a few distinguishing characteristics that makes private judging stand out from the other ADR techniques available.
1. A private judge has the authority to manage a legal dispute, only if the parties have mutually agreed to this form of ADR. The parties must be able to mutually agree on private judging, whether they have it written in their contract before hand, or decide to take that step when dealing with a dispute. The parties also have the option to mutually select the private judge. For help adding a private judging clause to a contract, it's recommended you seek the counsel of an Orlando construction attorney.
2. While the decision from the private judge is legally binding for the parties, they will have the opportunity to appeal a private judgement much like a traditional court judgement.
What Does a Private Judge Do?
A private judge can serve as either a temporary judge or a referee between the disputing parties.To become a temporary judge, one must be a licensed attorney with their State's Bar. The parties involved with the legal dispute can only appoint a temporary judge after a lawsuit has been filed, and they must have a written agreement. The judge that is selected to preside over the lawsuit is required to approve the agreement and the private judge the parties have appointed to the legal dispute. On the other hand, a referee is not required to be a licensed attorney. A referee can be appointed before a lawsuit is filed and the parties have the power to delegate the referee's authority in an agreement. If the parties choose a referee, they must keep in mind that the referee only has twenty days to make a decision on the matter.
To schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Orlando construction attorneys, please call us today at 407.378.6575 or submit our consultation request form.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


GET INVOLVED WITH GREENACTION TO STOP FRACKING NOW!
Fracking ("hydraulic fracturing") is the process by which natural gas and oil is extracted from land using vertical and horizontal wells that are drilled underground and pumped full of a liquid mixture of water, sand and chemicals at a high pressure. This fracking liquid mixture forces rock formations thousands of feet below ground to break apart and release oil and gas deposits that were previously trapped and can be used as fossil fuels.
consequences of using the dangerous chemicals that make this process possible are uncertain, but the many threats to our health and safety are known.
Oil and gas companies are currently not required to disclose the chemicals they use to frack because they are considered "trade secrets". This makes it nearly impossible to determine the extent of contamination resulting from these processes, and private settlements have assured the silence of people whose health has been directly affected. In addition, fracking companies are exempt from key federal legislation like the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Fracking is inherently dangerous and cannot be done safely. The lack of fracking regulation helps oil companies avoid taking responsibility for their actions, but it's the fracking process itself that threatens our resources, our health, and the health of our planet.


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EIContest2019
2019 TIRC
關於中心
創新科技學會
問題及建議
Top Robotic News in the World
20th FIRA RoboWorld Cup 2015 (Korea)
目前位置:主選單>RRC
Robotics Research Center, STUST
Organizing Competition - TIRC, Taiwan Intelligent Robot Competition (since 2007)
On May 23 Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) held 2010 Taiwan Intelligent Robot Competition. It was attended by 92 teams from home and abroad including the contestants from Soongsil University, South Korea, 24 high schools and universities from Taiwan. The smart robot competitions took place in eight groups at 6 venues, attracting crowds of citizens and students.
President Dr. Tai Chein of STUST said that over the recent years STUST had been hosting many national scale robot competitions that were also open to the world. By hosting such competitions the school hopes to open up more chances for experience exchanges with institutes and labs abroad to catch up with the international technological advancement. The subordinate departments of College of Engineering also co-established the Robotics Research Center dedicated to studying the core techniques in developing robotics.
The competition included various events such as the soccer game, the scavenger hunt, creative robot designing, the cross-country race, and robot fun games. It was hoped that the general public would get an easier access to robots and learn more about the technology through such professional robot competition while highly interactive and fun as well.
Generally speaking, robot competitions or displays as such are less available in the south than in the north. People here seldom have access to real robots and usually depend on mass media for more related information. To give the event a brilliant start, STUST invited the renowned Shayang Ye Industrial Co., Ltd. to put on a robot show, joined by more than one hundred robots competing on the scene. STUST said they would hold a series of such activities in the future to provide a stage for students to exhibit their energy and creativity.
Join FIRA RoboWorld Cup , World Championship 2011, 2013, 2015
About FIRA Cup
Robot soccer can be portrayed as a competition of advanced robot technology within a confined space. It offers a challenging arena to the young generation and researchers working with autonomous mobile robotic systems. It is hoped that FIRA's flagship event, called the FIRA Robot World Cup (or the FIRA Cup in short), which started in 1996, together with many other FIRA events, will help generate interests in robotics in the young minds.
Through these events, FIRA hopes to help them better understand and appreciate, with interests, the scientific concepts and technological developments involved. FIRA believes that some of these interests will fuel scientific and engineering skills that ultimately develop into research outcomes to serve mankind in a variety of ways.
Ever since its establishment, FIRA has had venues for its annual FIRA Cup in Australia, Brazil, China, France and Korea. Making progress over successive years since 1996, FIRA Cup has now attained world recognition as a robot festival.
FIRA Cup Competition Categories
Like soccer, robot-soccer has well-defined game rules. The FIRA Cup event is organized into several categories, including the Micro-Robot Soccer Tournament (MiroSot), the Simulated Robot Soccer Tournament (SimuroSot) and the Humanoid Robot Soccer Tournament (HuroSot). These games are played under the watchful eyes of a human referee and the participants who are the robot players' managers and trainers.
In MiroSot, participants need to devise good strategies using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, and develop sharp sensing and precise real-time control for the physical robot-soccer players. These basic capabilities are needed for the robot-soccer players to cooperate and coordinate autonomously (i.e., with "human hands-off"), and are crucial to winning the game against an opponent team.
As many who have witnessed a MiroSot game will testify, the excitement always runs high especially when two strong robot-soccer teams meet. During the match, the robot players autonomously tackle many unfamiliar situations that arise due to the different strategies, hardware and control software technologies employed in the opponent robot players. Like in a FIFA World Cup soccer match, no one knows for sure which team will win until the final whistle.
In SimuroSot, the game is played on a computer between two teams. With no physical robot involved, the game is decidedly one of complex strategy development using advanced AI techniques.
In HuroSot, a robot player is more human-like in that it has two legs, hence the term humanoid. Given the current state of the art, the participants are only expected to endow their humanoid robot with, for instance, the ability to walk steadily, avoid obstacles simulating stationary opponent players and take penalty shots, all under the remote guidance of its human trainer.
AndroSot - 3 vs 3 competition with two biped robots
Championship in 2011
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"Sell all that you have . . ." (Luke 18:22*). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 13:18-23: "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
I would advise reading the previous devotional, as the two share an unusual relation together.
My own pastor has recounted how common occurrence it is for young, spiritually on fire individuals to come up to him and say that they are willing to do anything for the Lord, and are ready to give their lives to Him. A typical response from my pastor would be to say, "Alright. Then I want you to write a check, and give your entire bank account to the church." I'm not entirely certain how serious my pastor would be about going through with such a thing, but he has informed me that so far no one has jumped on the idea.
Re: Have You Ever Been Speechless with Sorrow?
Well, honestly, it is not exactly a responsible thing to just give all your money to the church, and God did not call us to do such a thing. Just because you have money doesn't mean that you are not living for God. God understands this, and that is why he blessed those in the Old Testament with riches. While today we might receive more spiritual blessings than earthly blessings, but that does not take away the fact that managing your money is important. After all, there are more than 800 verses about money, so God obviously cares that we manage it wisely.
drill wrote: Well, honestly, it is not exactly a responsible thing to just give all your money to the church, and God did not call us to do such a thing. Just because you have money doesn't mean that you are not living for God. God understands this, and that is why he blessed those in the Old Testament with riches. While today we might receive more spiritual blessings than earthly blessings, but that does not take away the fact that managing your money is important. After all, there are more than 800 verses about money, so God obviously cares that we manage it wisely.
Absolutely true. And really thank-you for writing this, I should have made that evidently clear before. I wrote a paragraph that would have explained that, but I didn't like it and deleted it.
The point I attempted to make (which itself was sort of cherry-picked from the Chambers' passage) is that sometimes we think we're all fired up and ready to do something for God, but "when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately" we stumble.
Well, I commented on the other one, so I don't have much to add, except that one thing Chambers said really struck me.
"Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself?"
I think he may have hit the nail on the head. I've had a zeal for serving God for as long as I can remember, but quite frankly, I realize it has been more a focus of how I can be the model Christian and do what I'm supposed to do than to truly devote myself to Jesus Christ Himself. It may seem and feel like I'm taking the right approach, but am I really? That's a very thought-provoking concept. It's definitely causing me to do some soul-searching, and to check my motives. What exactly am I devoted to?


The Church has a number of ways in which it recognizes individual contributions to church thought. Most notably, there are Doctors of the Church, there are a few dozen of those. Then there are those on whom the title of "Great" is bestowed. On the list of hundreds of saints, there aren't too many we call Great. Two of them were popes, Gregory and Leo, last Friday's saint of the day. Leo the Great is also a Doctor. Today and tomorrow we celebrate two of the Greats, Gertrude and Albert. Like Leo, Albert is also a Doctor of the Church.
The contributions of many of the Greats are often within the realm of academics - theology and philosophy or in the area of doctrinal development. Today's Gertrude the Great, a 13th c. nun, was a mystic who achieved a great level of oneness with God thru personal prayer and contemplation. Mysticism can be thought of as the direct union of the human soul with the fullness of God. Gertrude's relationship with Christ as her bridegroom has become known as nuptial mysticism.
Mysticism comes from a deep and consistent prayer life. Not everyone can get there. But the celebration of the day is Gertrude the Great, not Gertrude the Mystic. To varying degrees, we are all called to some level of greatness. We are all endowed with seeds of greatness we nurture within our own prayer life. Through our pursuit of the right kind of greatness, we can all achieve union with God.
Spend some quiet time with yourself today and see if you might identify one aspect of yourself that might be destined for greatness. Once you find it, remember, it's a seed that needs to be nurtured.


My insight is surely informed by my profession — I am an academic librarian — but I think the best route to go in terms of getting TRIP's name and features out there is to work on academic librarians, particularly in the health and science fields. After all, they can do much of the proselytizing for you, esp. with younger scholars who are still finding their best sources of data and analysis.
If you do opt to go that route, an aspect to bear in mind is that some (or many) of those librarians may work in the science field without practicing science themselves — familiar with the customs of the country, so to speak, but not full citizens. Because of that, they may need more fundamentals-level introductions to TRIP, what it's capable of, and how it's used most often, why it's valued and how it's different from other products, etc. This is probably, again, me speaking from my own perspective, as a person only semi-literate in scientific inquiry and current issues.
Nevertheless, that's my 2 cents — chat up the librarians, and they can do powerful word-of-mouth marketing for you. They may be esp. eager to do so once they become aware that you are an independent, one-man shop. Librarians spend a scandalous amount of time bargaining with enormous publishers, trying to get reasonable prices out of multi-national content behemoths, so we're usually keen to support the little guy!