FCBARCELONA.CAT

28.01.2010 14:05

Touré closes in on his century

Sandra Sarmiento

In his third season at the club, Touré Yayá could make his 100th appearance this Saturday in Gijon, joining Henry, Abidal and Bojan Krkic, who’ve also celebrated their century this season.

Touré Yaya’s goal in last season’s Spanish Cup Final is surely one of his high points at the club as he demonstrated his strength, his dribbling skills and his shooting with a strike that left the Bilbao keeper with no chance at all. The Ivorian is back with the team after his spell at the African Nations Cup and Guardiola can again count on him as he begins the second half of the league season with a full squad.

First season: 26 games in the League, 9 in the Champions and 3 in the Cup

Touré Yaya is undoubtedly one of the most successful signings of the Laporta era. Although he needed time to settle into Rijkaard’s system in his first season and played the final part of the campaign with a hernia, he won the respect of the Nou Camp crowd with his commitment to the team.

Second season: 25 games in the League, 12 in the Champions and 6 in the Cup

Guardiola arrival and Busquets’ bursting onto the scene, limited Touré’s appearences at the start of the 2008/09 season, but he proved his worth as the season went on and proved a vital part at the business end of the season, both as a defensive midfielder and a central defender in the big games at Stamford Bridge, Mestalla and Roma.

2009/10: 18 games so far

After 8 league appearances, 4 in the Champions League, 2 games in Abu Dhabi, a cup game, both legs of the Spanish Super Cup and the final of the European Super Cup,Touré may get the chance to mark his 100th game for the club on Staurday at the Molinon, a ground where he was only a sub last season.