FCBARCELONA.CAT

26.05.2008 14:17

Strength and technique in midfield

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Seydou Keita is Barça’s first signing for the 2008-09 season. The Mali player will reinforce the side’s midfield.

Keita has been signed from Sevilla FC and combines physical strength with technical quality and tactical awareness. He is the first of the reinforcements for Barça’s first team for next season.

8 years in France

Barça’s new player first made his name in European football in the French League. At the start of the 1999-2000 season he signed for Olympique de Marseille where he spent a not very successful year. He then had two years at Lorient where he won the French Cup before moving on to Lens for 5 campaigns between 2002-03 and 2006-07. His last season there was his best as he scored 11 goals in 37 games and was seen as the second best player in the French first division after Florent Malouda.

A year in Seville

Keita already knows a lot about Spanish football as, having been signed from Lens, he played in 31 out of Seville’s 38 League matches last season. He was in the starting XI on 29 occasions and scored 4 goals, demonstrating the quality of his long-range shooting.

With Mali

The new FC Barcelona player has been in Mali’s national team since 2003. He played with “The Eagles” in the African Cup of Nations last January and February when, in spite of being one of the favourites, the side went out in the first round.