FC Barcelona Atlètic

Football club infobox
clubname = Barcelona Atlètic


fullname = Futbol Club Barcelona Atlètic
nickname = "Barça B"
founded = 1970
ground = Mini Estadi
Barcelona, Catalonia
Spain
capacity = 15,276
chairman = flagicon|Spain Joan Laporta
coach = flagicon|Spain Luis Enrique
league = 2ªB Group 3
season = 2007-08
position = 3ª Group 5 1st
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_lightbluestripes|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=00CCFF|body2=007FFF|rightarm2=00CCFF|shorts2=00CCFF|socks2=00CCFF|

Barcelona Atlètic ("formerly FC Barcelona B") is a Spanish football team. They are the reserve team of FC Barcelona. Reserve teams in the Spanish football league system play in the same football pyramid as their senior team rather than a separate league. However reserve teams cannot play in the same division as their senior team. Therefore the team is ineligible for promotion to the "Primera Division". Reserve teams are also no longer permitted to enter the Copa del Rey. In the past the reserve teams of both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have blurred the lines between being a reserve team and a separate entity.

The team has a history distinct from the senior team and only became known as "FC Barcelona B" in the 1990s. Previously the club has been known as "CD Espanya Industrial", "CD Condal" and "Barcelona Atlètic". From 1993 to 2007 there was also an FC Barcelona C, founded in 1967 as "Barcelona Amateur". Although FC Barcelona is traditionally regarded as being a very cosmopolitan club, it also has a history of producing players from the "cantera barcelonista". Numerous senior players have graduated through the ranks of these junior teams.

FC Barcelona B play their home games at the Mini Estadi, next door to the Camp Nou. The Mini Estadi is one of the most impressive reserve team stadiums in the world. It was opened in 1982 and has also hosted the FC Barcelona Dragons and Andorra internationals.

Starting in 2008 Barcelona B is going to be known as Barcelona Atlètic. Luis Enrique took over when Josep Guardiola was promoted to senior first team coach

History

CD Espanya Industrial

Founded on August 1 1934 as "Societat Esportiva Industrial Espanya", the club was originally the sports club of the factory with the same name. The club shirt featured blue and white vertical stripes. The company was owned by the family of "Josep Antoni de Albert" who was briefly president of CF Barcelona in 1943. During Alberts’ presidency the club, now known as "Club Deportivo Espanya Industrial", became the CF Barcelona reserve team and began to play their home games at "Les Corts". Initially the club played in the local regional leagues but in 1950 they were promoted to the Tercera División and by 1952 they had been promoted to the Segunda División. In 1953 they finished as runners-up in both the "Segunda División, Group I" and the subsequent promotion play-off but because they were a nursery club of CF Barcelona, they were unable to move up a division.

CD Condal

After winning another promotion play-off in 1956, "CD Espanya Industrial" became independent of CF Barcelona and were renamed "Club Deportivo Condal". The club wore blue shirts with two white diagonals stripes. The club were now able to be promoted to the "Primera División". However they survived only one season and were relegated in 1957. In 1968 the club rejoined the FC Barcelona family as the reserve team and adopted the "blaugrana".

Barcelona Atlètic

In 1970 FC Barcelona president "Agustí Montal" decided to merge "CD Condal" with another junior club, "Atlètic Catalunya", and formed "Barcelona Atlètic". "Atlètic Catalunya" had only been formed in 1965 as a result of the merger of two other clubs "UE Catalunya de Les Corts", founded in 1918 as "Catalunya Sporting Club", and "CD Fabra Coats", founded in 1926.

La Masia

In 1979 FC Barcelona established "La Masia" as the headquarters of its youth academy. Since its inception it has nurtured numerous talented players for the senior team. Among them are Francisco José Carrasco, Ramon Maria Calderé, Guillermo Amor, Albert Ferrer, Josep Guardiola, Sergi, Víctor Valdés, Carles Puyol, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Giovani dos Santos and Bojan Krkić, all of whom played for "FC Barcelona B". However not all the graduates of "La Masia" established themselves at FC Barcelona and some have moved to other clubs to advance their careers. These have include Iván de la Peña, David Sánchez, Luis García, Pepe Reina, Mikel Arteta, Fran Merida, Gerard Piqué, Cesc Fàbregas, Albert Luque and Giovanni dos Santos.

Trophies

* Segunda Division Play-Off Champions
**1955-56
* Segunda Division B Champions
** 1981-82, 1990-91, 1997-98, 2001-02
* Tercera Division Champions
** 1973-74, 2007-08

tatistics

"CD Espanya Industrial"
* Seasons in Segunda Division: 4"CD Condal"
* Seasons in Primera Division: 1
* Seasons in Segunda Division: 4"Barcelona Atlètic / Barcelona B"
* Seasons in Segunda A: 17
* Seasons in Segunda B: 15
* Seasons in Tercera: 4

Current players 2008-09

"As of August 28 2008" source [http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/futbol/temporada_08-09/futbol_base/FCB_B.html]

Out on loan

In

Out

elected former players

"see also cl|FC Barcelona footballers"

elected managers

* Josep Guardiola (2007-08)
* Juande Ramos (1996-97)
* Carles Rexach (1981-87)

External links

* [http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/futbol/futbol_base/futbol_base.html FC Barcelona B at official website]
* [http://www.ezilon.com/information/article_11653.shtml The lost boys of Barcelona] by Ronald Atkin
* [http://www.penyaunionblaugrana.co.uk Official FC Barcelona UK Penya]