FCBARCELONA.CAT

07.11.2008 12:35

Player enjoy official photo

Marc Guillén

FC Barcelona have taken their official team photograph on Friday morning for the 2008/09 season. There was an atmosphere of fun around the squad with plenty of laughing and joking as the players and coaches posed for the snap.

The 24 Blaugrana stars and all the backroom staff lined up along with president Joan Laporta for the photo that was able to be taken under bright sunshine in Camp Nou. Laporta met and spoke to every player individually and spoke to the coaches before the start of the photographic session.

First photo call

The photograph was the first official shot that has been taken of the first team this season. Josep Guardiola, who participated in numerous sessions like this as a player with Barça, was one of nine newcomers from the photo taken last summer. Along with the coach there were José Manuel Pinto, DAni Alves, Martín Cáceres, Gersard Piqué, Seydou Keita and Aliaksandr Hleb, from the first team, and Víctor Sánchez, Sergio Busquets and Pedro, who were called up from Barça Atlètic for the occasion.

Alves after sunglasses

The jokes and smiles were present throughout the session, that began at 9.30am and one of the main protagonists was Alves, who asked for sunglasses just before stepping forward to join the squad for the photo.

During the morning, the Brazilian was involved in most of the laughter and lighter moments until it came time to have the photo taken. As well as being snapped in the first team kit, the players also posed in shirts with the name Sacoor printed on. All had black footwear, apart from Alves, who had brown and had to race to the stand to change them.

‘Captain Lettuce

The three goalkeepers all donned different coloured shirts for the occasion with Albert Jorquera in green and he was quickly dubbed ‘Capità Enciam’ (Captain Lettuce) by victor Valdés as he reminded him of an television character from years gone by.

Pinto prepared for the photo with his gloves held up and goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué stated that he looked like a custodian from a previous era, when it was the custom to have a photo taken with your palms on your chest.