FC Barcelona presents newcomers Jallouz and De Vargas at season start

With the presentation of two of its newcomers, Wael Jallouz and Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, Spanish champions and 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4 participants FC Barcelona on Monday officially started their preparations for the 2014/15 season.

The Tunisian 23-year-old left back Jallouz joined Barcelona from German champions THW Kiel, while 23-year-old goalkeeper Perez de Vargas returned to the club he played for in his youth and which he left in 2011, gaining experience in Granollers as well as Toulouse in the meantime.

Being among the youngest in the star-studded team, which features handball heavyweights such as Nikola Karabatic, Siarhei Rutenka, Kiril Lazarov and Victor Tomas, Jallouz and Perez de Vargas hope that the move will mean a boost to their careers.

"My intention is to give it all I have so that we stay above the other teams. I want to win titles, especially the Champions League, but above all I want to help this good team play well," Jallouz was quoted on the FC Barcelona website.

Perez de Vargas confirmed that he is not afraid of filling the void in the Barcelona goal left by Arpad Sterbik who joined Macedonian side Vardar Skopje. "I'm ready for the challenge," he said before echoing the aims of his teammate Jallouz.

Head coach Xavi Pascual is looking forward to the season, saying that he does not want to change the team's playing system in general, but that he wants to coach them to play with more pace.

He also said that everyone will work hard "to return to the FINAL4 in Cologne."