FCBARCELONA.CAT

31.08.2009 23:55

Puyol makes 300th appearance

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Carles Puyol made his 300th appearance for FC Barcelona in the game against Sporting de Gijón on Monday evening.

The Blaugrana captain was given his first-team debut on October 2, 1999 by coach Louis van Gaal and he has gone on to become a fixture in the team ever since. The Barça number 5 has become one of the most important players at the club and one of the historic icons of the Catalan giants. Puyol also became the first club captain to lift the European Cup on two occasions as he held the Champions League trophy aloft in Paris in 2006 and again in Rome this year.

Van Gaal to Guardiola

Born in La Pobla de Segur, Puyol has played under numerous coaches including Van Gaal, Llorenç Serra Ferrer, Charly Rexach, Radomir Antic, Frank Rijkaard and now Pep Guardiola. All of them have relied upon his ability to play anywhere across the defence and his outstanding ability. While having played in the centre for the majority of his career he has played at right-back and on the left too on a few occasions.

Sixth highest

When Puyol made his 300th appearance for the club against Sporting he moved into sixth position in FC Barcelona’s all-time record appearances list behind Migueli (391), Rexach (328), Xavi (317), Guillermo Amor (311) and Andoni Zubizarreta (301). In his 300 matches, Puyol has scored six times for Barça.