2011–12 FC Barcelona season facts for kids
| 2011–12 season | ||||
| President | Sandro Rosell | |||
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| Head coach | Pep Guardiola | |||
| Stadium | Camp Nou | |||
| La Liga | 2nd | |||
| Copa del Rey | Winners | |||
| Supercopa de España | Winners | |||
| UEFA Champions League | Semi-finals | |||
| UEFA Super Cup | Winners | |||
| FIFA Club World Cup | Winners | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Lionel Messi (50) All: Lionel Messi (73) |
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| Highest home attendance | 99,252 vs Real Madrid (21 April 2012) |
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| Lowest home attendance | 37,374 vs BATE Borisov (6 December 2011) |
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| Average home attendance | 75,212 (including Joan Gamper Trophy) |
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The 2011–12 season was a very exciting time for FC Barcelona, often called Barça. It was their 112th year as a club and their 81st year in a row playing in Spain's top football league, La Liga. This season was special because it was the first time Barcelona had a paid shirt sponsor, Qatar Foundation. Their agreement with UNICEF continued, but the UNICEF name moved to the back of the shirt.
For this season, Barcelona introduced a new black away kit. Their third kit was the same as the one from the previous season.
Even though they had a great season, Barcelona couldn't win two big trophies. They finished second in La Liga, nine points behind their rivals Real Madrid. Their journey in the UEFA Champions League ended in the semi-finals after losing to Chelsea. At the end of the season, their coach, Pep Guardiola, decided to step down. However, the season ended on a high note when Barcelona won the Copa del Rey by beating Athletic Bilbao 3–0 in the final.
Contents
Barcelona's Amazing 2011–12 Season
Early Season Successes
The 2011–12 season started with some big changes for Barcelona. In July, they welcomed Chilean player Alexis Sánchez from Udinese. They also said goodbye to some players, like Bojan and Jeffrén. A very important moment was when Spanish midfielder Cesc Fàbregas returned to Barcelona from Arsenal in August.
Barcelona quickly showed their strength by winning the Supercopa de España against Real Madrid. It was a thrilling match, with Barcelona winning 5–4 on total goals after two games. Lionel Messi scored the winning goal in the second match. Just a few days later, they won another trophy, the UEFA Super Cup, by beating Porto 2–0. Messi scored again, and Fàbregas got his first goal for Barcelona.
Key Moments and Milestones
The team faced some challenges early on, with players like Alexis Sánchez and Andrés Iniesta getting injured. However, they bounced back strongly. In September, Barcelona had a huge 8–0 win against Osasuna, with Lionel Messi scoring three goals. This win helped them overcome a "mini-crisis" feeling.
In October, Barcelona took the top spot in La Liga for the first time that season. They also continued their strong performance in the Champions League. A match against Sevilla ended in a 0–0 draw, which was unusual for Barcelona. This game also had a small argument between players, but they later apologized.
November was a big month for records. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Viktoria Plzeň, reaching over 200 goals for Barcelona. Their goalkeeper, Víctor Valdés, also set a new club record for the longest time without letting in a goal.
Winning More Trophies
In December, Barcelona played their big rival, Real Madrid, in the first el Clásico of the season. Barcelona won 3–1 at Real Madrid's stadium, which was a huge achievement. Sadly, during the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final, David Villa got a serious injury that kept him out for months.
Despite Villa's injury, Barcelona went on to win the Club World Cup by beating Santos 4–0 in the final. Messi scored two goals in that match, helping Barcelona win their fifth trophy in 2011. This showed how dominant they were in world football.
Challenges and Changes
The new year, 2012, started with more wins in the Copa del Rey. In January, Lionel Messi won his third straight FIFA Ballon d'Or award, and Pep Guardiola was named FIFA Coach of the Year. This was a proud moment for the club.
Barcelona continued to face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. They won the first game 2–1 and drew the second 2–2, which meant they won the overall match and moved on. However, in La Liga, they started to fall behind Real Madrid.
In March, Barcelona had an amazing 7–1 win against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, with Lionel Messi scoring an incredible five goals! This made him the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match. Later that month, Messi also became Barcelona's all-time top scorer in competitive matches, passing César.
A challenging moment came in March when defender Eric Abidal needed a liver transplant. The team dedicated their next wins to him, showing their support.
End of an Era
April brought mixed results. Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals but then lost two important games in a row: one to Chelsea in the Champions League and another to Real Madrid in La Liga. The Champions League semi-final against Chelsea was a tough one, ending in a 2–3 loss on total goals.
After the Champions League exit, coach Pep Guardiola announced he would leave the club at the end of the season. He had been incredibly successful, winning 13 trophies in four years. His assistant, Tito Vilanova, was chosen to take over as the new head coach.
The season ended on a high note in May. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Málaga, breaking Gerd Müller's record for most goals in all competitions in a single season. Messi finished the season with an astonishing 73 goals! He also became the first player in La Liga history to score 50 goals in a single league season.
Finally, Barcelona won the Copa del Rey by beating Athletic Bilbao 3–0. This was a great way to end the season and a fitting farewell for Pep Guardiola.
Player Information
Main Squad Players
Here are some of the main players who were part of FC Barcelona's team during the 2011–12 season:
- Víctor Valdés (Goalkeeper)
- Dani Alves (Defender)
- Gerard Piqué (Defender)
- Carles Puyol (Defender and Captain)
- Adriano (Defender)
- Eric Abidal (Defender)
- Javier Mascherano (Midfielder/Defender)
- Cesc Fàbregas (Midfielder)
- Xavi (Midfielder and Vice-Captain)
- Andrés Iniesta (Midfielder)
- Sergio Busquets (Midfielder)
- Seydou Keita (Midfielder)
- Thiago (Midfielder)
- Lionel Messi (Forward)
- David Villa (Forward)
- Alexis Sánchez (Forward)
- Pedro (Forward)
- Isaac Cuenca (Forward)
- Cristian Tello (Forward)
Club Staff
Coaching Team
- Head coach: Pep Guardiola
- Assistant coach: Tito Vilanova
- Goalkeeping coach: Juan Carlos Unzué
- Physical fitness coach: Lorenzo Buenaventura
- Director of football: Andoni Zubizarreta
Competitions Summary
Supercopa de España
Barcelona won the Supercopa de España by beating their rivals Real Madrid with a total score of 5–4 over two games.
UEFA Super Cup
They also won the UEFA Super Cup, defeating Porto 2–0 in the final.
FIFA Club World Cup
Barcelona became champions of the world by winning the FIFA Club World Cup. They beat Santos 4–0 in the final match in Japan.
La Liga (Spanish League)
Barcelona finished second in La Liga, the Spanish football league. Real Madrid won the league that season.
League Table
2011–12 La Liga
Results by Round
Copa del Rey
Barcelona won the Copa del Rey, a major Spanish cup competition. They beat Athletic Bilbao 3–0 in the final.
UEFA Champions League
In the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona reached the semi-finals. They were knocked out by Chelsea, who went on to win the competition.
Images for kids
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The FC Barcelona team in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Temporada 2011-12 del Fútbol Club Barcelona para niños
