Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/271600
Sport 21 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 5 MARCH 2014 SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL SURFSKI Puyol to leave Barca in summer Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has announced he will be leaving the Spanish champions at the end of the season THE 35-year-old Spain internation- al had a contract with Barca until 2016 but has reached an agreement with the club to rescind the final two years of the deal. Puyol, who has spent his entire career at Barcelona and made his first-team debut in 1999, made the announcement at a press confer- ence on Tuesday afternoon. He said: "I want to announce that at the end of the season I will no longer be a Barcelona player. "There are three months of the season left and I will not give up. I will help the team." The defender, who only signed his contract extension with Barca a year ago, has seen his career dis- rupted by injuries. In his career he has suffered a to- tal of 36 injuries in 15 campaigns with the first team, eight of which have been knee problems. This season he has been limited to just five appearances in La Liga, one in the Champions League and six in the Copa del Rey. He said: "After two recent surger- ies, it has become harder for me to recover the level that I demand of myself and that I need to be at to play here." As to what he plans to do after leaving the Nou Camp, Puyol ad- mits he is not sure yet - save to take a break. "I don't know what I will do after June 30," he said. "But I'm sure that in the summer I will rest. "I would like to have a press con- ference at the end of the season to say a proper goodbye after a total of 19 years at the club." Puyol came through Barca's youth ranks and made his Primera Divi- sion debut in the 2-0 victory at Real Valladolid in October 1999. He has made 593 appearances for the Catalan giants and is the second most capped player in the club's history behind current team-mate Xavi. During his time with the first team, Puyol has won numerous tro- phies, including six La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns, two Spanish Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. The veteran central-back was also a pillar of the Spanish national side, making 100 appearances for La Ro- ja between 2000 and 2013. Puyol was a member of Spain's triumphant teams at Euro 2008 and the World Cup two years later. He missed Euro 2012 with a knee injury and made his last appear- ance for Spain in a friendly against Uruguay in February 2013. Carles Puyol Leg 1 for the King of the Bay Racing Series secured by Camilleri ON the 22nd of February, Surfski Malta launched a 6 part winter rac- ing series which is held at Ghadira bay. The races are going to be held weekly with distances alternating between 5 and 10km. The firt race was a 5km sprint. A spectacular start to the race saw the participants head towards the reef marker at ghadira bay with Chris Camilleri, Luka Knesevic and Matthew Schembri leading the way. The race pack soon spread thin and Camilleri took the lead at the reef fol- lowed closely by Knezevic. Not so far behind Schembri was being followed narrowly by Gerald De Gaetano. Jun- ior paddler Michael Aquilina was hot on DeGaetano's heel while making head way against Mark Darmanin and Peter Borg Costanzi. By the time the rest of the field ar- rived at the reef marker, the lead pack was already making its turning round the fish farm which served conven- iently as a half way mark for the 5km distance. At this point the Serbian made his attack and took the lead from Camilleri and a head to head battle was taken on in quite adverse condi- tions. At the turning, a fight for third place was also taking place and an ex- citing duel between Schembri and De- Gaetano ensued. Whilst the rest of the field was negotiating the cross winds at the half way point, the leading pack was still battling it out for first place with Camilleri close on Knesevic's tail for the lead. At 500m from the finish Camilleri shrugged off Knesevic's attack and powered on to win the race in an ex- citing finish with the two finishing off closely. Third place was claimed by Schembri in a decisive manner follow- ing a similar duel with DeGaetano. The next race will be held on Sunday 2nd March at Ghadira Bay and will kick off at 930am. The series ranking stands as follows: Points Chris Camilleri 10 Luka Knesevic 8 Matthew Schembri 6 Gerald DeGaetano 4 Michael Aquilina 3 Peter Borg Costanzi 2 Mark Darmanin 2 Left to right - Luka Knesevic (2nd), Chris Camilleri (1st), and Matthew Schembri (3rd)