FCBARCELONA.CAT

16.09.2008 23:03

The captain makes it to 400 games

Berta Brau

After appearing for FC Barcelona against Sporting Clube, Carles Puyol has now played in 400 games for the Barça first team.

Carles Puyol’s appearance against Sporting Clube was his 400th for Barça. Now captain of the side, he made his debut on October 2, 1999, under Louis Van Gaal against Valladolid in the sixth game of the 1999/2000 season. Carles Puyol stepped onto the Nuevo Zorrilla turf as replacement for Simao, and enjoyed 35 minutes on the field that day.

400 games in nine years

Almost nine years have passed since then, and his 400 appearances have come in seven different competitions, every one that FC Barcelona have played in over that time. The breakdown is as follows: 273 in the League, 30 in the Copa del Rey, 81 in the Champions League, 9 in the UEFA Cup, 4 in the Spanish Super Cup, 1 in the European Super Cup and 2 in the World Clubs Cup.

Six goals from the back

Although he is a defender, Carles Puyol does join the attack for certain plays. Even so, it took him until the 2001/2002 season to score his first goal, against Valladolid at the Camp Nou, the second of the four goals scored that day by a Barça team managed by Carles Rexach. He has scored another five since then, three in the League and two in the Champions League.

Captain’s armband

Carles Puyol first donned the captain’s armband on October 26, 2002 in the seventh game of the league season against Alavés. Luis Enrique, the first-choice captain back then, handed the armband to Cocu when he was substituted, and when the Dutchman also went off, third choice Carles Puyol got his first chance to lead the side.

On July 28, 2004, with Luis Enrique and Cocu gone, Carles Puyol was officially named the official team captain, a role he first undertook in an official encounter against Racing in the opening game of the 2004/2005 League season.

5 titles in 400 games

Over those nine years and 400 games, Carles Puyol has picked up plenty of honours. His five main titles were two Spanish Leagues, one Champions League and two Spanish Super Cups.