French in the Barça: a history with happy final

One of the first questions that had to face Ludovic Giuly like player of the Barça was if it had thought well his signing by the Barcelona club, seen the reiterated failures of the French. The small forward went out as it could. Perhaps it had not stopped to think in the effect that produced in the barcelonismo surnames like Dugarry, Déhu, Dutruel, Petit or Christanval, recited together. Giuly, champion of Europe with the Barça in 2006, broke the bad luck that seemed to pursue to the French that played in the Barça, at least the ones of the recent history.

The first French documented like player of the Barça is René Fenouillere, that played in the starts of the club, to the 1902, and later died combating in the First World War. Also it is remarkable the step of Lucien Muller, but especially because it was player (1965-68) and trainer (1978-1979) of the team, no so much by the footprint that left.

The thickness of the French players in the Barça has intensified in the last 20 years, specifically since it established the "law Bosman", that allowed to range without limit community players. The first in arriving under this new frame was Laurent Blanc, fichado by Johan Cruyff, but that played under the orders of Bobby Robson an only season before going to the Naples. Elegant head office, some punctual errors and the loss of the League eclipsaron his go through the Barça.

But they are the following of the list those that hint that the French do not work in the Camp Nou: the leading Christophe Dugarry (1997), the central Frédéric Déhu, the goalkeeper Richard Dutruel (2000-2002), the midfield player -although it ficharon like central- Emmanuel Petit (1999-2000) and the central Philippe Christanval (2001-03) had a very discreet step by Can Barça.

Until it arrived Giuly, champion of League (2005) and of Glass of Europe (2006), that broke the bad luck, but that it was the first big victim of the hatching of a jovencito called Leo Messi. And, from then, all have been, like minimum, approved. Two champions of the world, Lilian Thuram and Thierry Henry, arrived to the Barça perhaps too greater, but the forward formed a fearsome trident with Leo Messi and Samuel Eto'or, and was present in the Barça of the six titles.

The last French that has played up to now also is the best. Éric Abidal (2007-2013) arrived like fast left side and consolidated like central before his fight against the cancer woke up a general empathy by him between the barcelonismo. The past season, no renewed him the agreement by sportive criteria, and fichó by the Monaco. "Abi" is the one who has gone up the slat of the French and the referent in which it will have to look Matthieu, left-handed and head office reconverted like him.