Juliano Belletti has signed a one-year extension to his current deal that will keep him at the Club until 30th June 2009. His buy-out clause remains at 60 million euros.
Juliano Belletti will continue to compete for the rightback spot for a further year after the
Brazilian international agrred a year’s extension to his current deal with the Club which
finalised at the end of the 2007-08 season. As a result of the agreement, Belletti’s earnings
will increase from next season.
Belletti delighted
Belletti spoke at a Nou Camp press conference on Thursday just minutes after putting pen to
paper and expressed his delight at extending his stay with “the greatest club in the
world”. He went on to add: “I’m very happy here, as is my family. There are many
players who want to come to Barca. I’d be delighted to stay here for many years more and
I’m aware that that depends on my performances”.
The team above all
Belletti revealed: “I’m not playing as often as I’d like [but] that’s
the manager’s decision”. Howvere, he insisted: “The interests of the team are
above anything else. My obligation is to demonstate every day to the boss during training that
I’m fit and that he can count on me when needed”.
His debut
Belletti, who was born on 20th June 1976, joined Barca for the 2004-05 season. He made his
debut in the opening game of the season against Racing Santander on 29th August 2004. In his first
year, Belletti played 31 league matches and 8 in the Champions League. In the 2005-06 season,
Belletti shared the rightback position with Oleguer Presas, playing 27 league matches.
A goal to remember
Above all else, Belletti will be remembered by all Barca fans as the man who scored the
second and decisive goal in the final of the Champions League against Arsenal in Paris on 17th May
2006. It was his first goal in a Barca shirt and handed the Club it’s second European Cup.
His statistics this season
This season, Belletti has had to compete with Oleguer Presas and Gianluca Zambrotta for a
place in the back four. So far he’s played 10 league macthes – 8 in the starting lineup
and 2 as a sub – 2 matches in the Champions League, at home against Levski Sofia and
Liverpool, and 2 in the Spanish Cup, against Badalona in the Nou Camp and away to Alavés.
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Ronaldinho on everyone’s lips
There has been a lot of gossip in the international sporting press of late concerning the
footballing future of Ronaldinho. Speaking at today’s press conference, Belletti was cystal
clear on the matter. “I’ve been in this profession for many years and it’s a
reality that we’re at that stage of the season when everyone talks about who will be joining
and leaving each team. Ronaldinho is happy at Barca, he’s always said so. We all know what
Ronadinho is like, what he’s given to the Club. He’s a point of reference for everyone.
I’d like him to stay. Player and club are a marriage”.