Party time before the Gamper

19.08.2009 22:36

Party time before the Gamper

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona's players were given a huge ovation as they took to the Camp Nou turf for the first time this season as the packed crowd cheered them on ahead of the Trofeo Joan Gamper game against Manchester City.

The presentation of the Barça squad for the 2009/10 season was the main event before the Wednesday game and the players were each cheered as they ran on to the pitch one-by-one while their names were announced on the tannoy system and their image was projected onto the centre of the pitch. Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Carles Puyol and coach Pep Guardiola were given the loudest welcome.

Prior to the presentation, a video was shown that captured all the best action from last season along with words such as effort, commitment and humility to sum up the campaign.

Coach and captain

In his speech to the fans, Guardiola repeated the words that he said at last year's presentation when he promised to bring success to the club while adding that a repeat of the treble would be the aim. The coach also wanted to thank the players that have left the club this summer for their services as he paid tribute to Sylvinho, Samuel Eto'o, Víctor Sánchez, Martín Cáceres and Aliaksandr Hleb.

Club captain Puyol also spoke to the fans and thanked them for their support and asked them to back the new players.

Pre-match entertainment

While the main event ahead of the game may have been the players' presentation, the festival had begun hours earlier on the forecourt of Camp Nou. From early afternoon the fans were going to the stadium to see what events were taking place.

There were concerts to keep the fans entertained inside the stadium, while many supporters began to do the Mexican wave and to sing the Barça hymn.