text: In 2011, Wayne held a press conference in London to announce the release of a new version of the original album, titled "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds – The New Generation". Wayne explained that the idea was to return to the original album and explore the characters in more detail, and develop the love story between Herbert and his fiancée Carrie. The project also gave Wayne the opportunity to re-interpret his compositions with contemporary production techniques. The cast features actor Liam Neeson as the Narrator and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson as the Artilleryman. The album was released in November 2012 by Sony Music Entertainment, and peaked at No. 13 in the UK chart. It was supported by an arena tour, followed by a stage show adaptation, running at the Dominion Theatre in London's West End from February to April 2016.


On 15 October 2018 it was announced on the Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds Official Twitter page and on the official website that after over a year in work, a brand new production of Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The Musical Drama will be available on Audible.com on 29 November 2018. This is a brand new 5-hour Audible Original Production based upon Jeff's Musical Version and HG Wells’ dark Victorian tale featuring new story and musical content. It will feature an all-star cast including Michael Sheen as The Journalist, Taron Egerton as The Artilleryman, Ade Edmondson as Ogilvy, Theo James as Parson Nathaniel, with Anna Marie Wayne as Carrie, The Journalist's wife.


title: Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

text: In May 2019, an immersive experience named Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience opened to the public in London. Set across 22,000 sq. ft of space, the 2-hour experience combines music from the album, immersive theatre, virtual reality, 5-D effects, holograms, and other technological features to put visitors in at the scene of the Martian invasion across 24 scenes. The cast includes Tom Brittney, Anna-Marie Wayne, Carrie Hope Fletcher, and David Burnett, who are joined by a live cast of 12 actors.


title: Shuttlecock

text: A shuttlecock (also called a birdie or shuttle) is a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open conical shape formed by feathers or plastic (or a synthetic alternative) embedded into a rounded cork (or rubber) base. The shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly cork first, and remain in the cork-first orientation.


title: Shuttlecock

text: The object resembles a hawk's lure, used from ancient times in the training of hunting birds. It is frequently shortened to shuttle. The "shuttle" part of the name is derived from its back-and-forth motion during the game, resembling the shuttle of a 14th-century loom, while the "cock" part of the name is derived from the resemblance of the feathers to those on a rooster.


title: Shuttlecock

text: A regulation standard shuttlecock weighs around . It has 16 feathers with each feather in length, and the diameter of the cork is . The diameter of the circle that the feathers make is around .


title: Shuttlecock

text: A shuttlecock is formed from 16 or so overlapping feathers, usually goose or duck, embedded into a rounded cork base. Feathers are plucked from the wings of a live goose or duck, a method which has been deemed cruel by animal rights activists in recent years. The cork is covered with thin leather. To ensure satisfactory flight properties, it is considered preferable to use feathers from right or left wings only in each shuttlecock, and not mix feathers from different wings, as the feathers from different wings are shaped differently. Badminton companies make shuttlecock corks by sandwiching polyurethane between corks and/or using a whole piece of natural cork. With the first method, the cork becomes misshaped after use, while the cork in the latter method changes very little after use. This is because the structure of the shuttlecock is more durable when made with a single piece of natural cork.


title: Shuttlecock

text: The feathers are brittle; shuttlecocks break easily and often need to be replaced several times during a game. For this reason, synthetic shuttlecocks have been developed that replace the feathers with a plastic skirt. Players often refer to synthetic shuttlecocks as "plastics" and feathered shuttlecocks as "feathers'.


title: Shuttlecock

text: Feather shuttles need to be properly humidified for at least 4 hours prior to play in order to fly the correct distance at the proper speed and to last longer. Properly humidified feathers flex during play, enhancing the shuttle's speed change and durability. Dry feathers are brittle and break easily, causing the shuttle to wobble. Saturated feathers are 'mushy', making the feather cone narrow too much when strongly hit, which causes the shuttle to fly overly far and fast. Typically a humidification box is used, or a small moist sponge is inserted in the feather end of the closed shuttle tube container, avoiding any water contact with the cork of the shuttle. Shuttles are tested prior to play to make sure they fly true and at the proper speed, and cover the proper distance. Different weights of shuttles are used to compensate for local atmospheric conditions. Both humidity and height above sea level affect shuttle flight. World Badminton Federation Rules say the shuttle should reach the far doubles service line plus or minus half the width of the tram. According to manufacturers proper shuttle will generally travel from the back line of the court to just short of the long doubles service line on the opposite side of the net, with a full underhand hit from an average player.


title: Shuttlecock

text: The cost of good quality feathers is similar to that of good quality plastics, but plastics are far more durable, typically lasting many matches without any impairment to their flight. Feather shuttles are easily damaged and should be replaced every three or four games or sooner if they are damaged and do not fly straight. Damaged shuttles interfere with play as any impairment may misdirect the flight of the shuttlecock.


title: Shuttlecock

text: Most experienced and skillful players greatly prefer feathers, and serious tournaments or leagues are always played using feather shuttlecocks of the highest quality.


title: Shuttlecock

text: The playing characteristics of plastics and feathers are substantially different. Plastics fly more slowly on initial impact, but slow down less towards the end of their flight. While feathers tend to drop straight down on a clear shot, plastics never quite return to a straight drop, falling more on a diagonal. Feather shuttles may come off the strings at speeds in excess of 320 km/h (200 mph) but slow down faster as they drop.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Dead Space 2 is a 2011 survival horror game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in January. The second mainline entry in the "Dead Space" series, set on the Titan-based Sprawl space station, the story follows series protagonist Isaac Clarke as he fights against both an outbreak of the monstrous Necromorphs and debilitating mental illness induced by the alien Markers. Gameplay features Isaac exploring a series of levels, solving puzzles to progress, and finding resources while fighting off Necromorphs. The game included a competitive multiplayer, with the Sprawl's security forces fighting teams of Necromorphs.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Pre-production began in 2008, immediately following the release of the original "Dead Space". The storyline, alongside building upon and expanding the series lore, focused on Isaac's deteriorating mental state, with classic nursery rhymes being used as motifs playing into the narrative and Isaac's visions. The gameplay was adjusted based on feedback from players and the team's experience, in addition to making it faster-paced and having more overt action elements. Multiplayer was included as a separate mode based on both fan feedback and requests from Electronic Arts.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Announced in 2010, "Dead Space 2" saw an extensive marketing campaign from its publisher. It was supplemented by several other multimedia projects including the novel "", the animated movie "", the spin-off game "Dead Space Ignition", and a mobile prequel. A downloadable content expansion, subtitled "Severed", was released in March 2011 and followed characters from the spin-off "".


title: Dead Space 2

text: "Dead Space 2" received critical acclaim. Reviews of the game praised its gameplay, narrative, atmosphere, graphics, and audio and level design, with many calling it superior to the original "Dead Space". The game sold two million copies during its opening week, but according to later developer interviews Electronic Arts was disappointed in its commercial performance. A direct sequel, "Dead Space 3", was released in 2013.


title: Dead Space 2

text: "Dead Space 2" is a science-fiction-themed survival horror video game. Players control lead character Isaac Clarke from a third-person perspective through a level-based narrative campaign. Isaac navigates the Sprawl space station completing narrative-based missions, solving puzzles within the environment, and fighting monsters dubbed Necromorphs. Saving is done manually at crafting stations, and automatically at checkpoints. The New Game Plus allows players to carry over all current items and equipment into a new campaign. There are four difficulty levels unlocked at the game's start; Casual, Normal, Survivalist, Zealot. A fifth difficulty level, Hard Core, is unlocked after the first playthrough; Hard Core restarts the player from their last save with each death and only allows three saves across the campaign.


title: Dead Space 2

text: As with the original "Dead Space", in-game information is shown through diegetic holographic projections. Isaac's health and energy meters are shown on the back of his RIG suit, ammunition counts are shown on the weapons themselves, and opening the inventory screen does not pause the game. Audio and text logs can be picked up and reviewed during gameplay. A guideline can display the route to the next objective. While exploring, Isaac can break crates in the environment using either his melee attack or a stomp action. Two further abilities are Kinesis, which can move or pull objects in the environment including using Necromorph limbs as makeshift projectile weapons, and Stasis, which slows a target's movement for a limited time. Some areas are subject to zero-G, with Isaac using his RIG suit to explore areas, with jet packs allowing manoeuvrers across all directions and a boost function to speed through the environment. During some sections, Isaac can explore vacuum areas, though he has a limited air supply which must be replenished using oxygen tanks. Before using some devices or opening some doors, a hacking minigame must be completed on a time limit. Displaying as a circular graphic with a bar showing a display area, the player must manoeuvrer the bar and press a button when the highlighted area is green, with pressing the button when the color is red causing an electric shock for Isaac.


title: Dead Space 2

text: While exploring, Isaac must fight different types of Necromorphs which emerge from the environment; on any but the lowest difficulty, Necromorphs can remain active and attack despite heavy damage. Using his assigned weapon, Isaac must cut off the Necromorphs' limbs to kill them, able to switch several weapons between horizontal and vertical firing modes. He can also stomp them to deal damage. There are also cinematic sections such as using the RIG suit's jets to avoid debris, and quick time events that can lead to a game over if failed. Weapons can be upgraded using nodes, which are installed at crafting stations and increase their power or ammunition. During exploration, items such as health packs and upgrade nodes, and ammunition for Isaac's weapons, can be either bought from shopping terminals, or picked up in the environment. In the latter case they can also be found on enemy corpses or retrieved from crates. Weapon schematics can also be found, being uploaded to the store on the next visit after being found and allowing Isaac to acquire new weapons and armor. Isaac's inventory is limited, with excess items able to be stored in a safe at save terminals.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Alongside the single-player campaign, a separate competitive multiplayer mode is included. Known as Outbreak mode, teams of four players take control of either a team defending the Sprawl, or a set of four Necromorph types whose goal is to kill the human team and feature slightly different controls. In the various modes, the human team is given different objectives ranging from defending a point, killing the Necromorph team, or completing an assigned technical task. The human team is given a series of five objectives to complete with each map. Each round swaps the players between the human and Necromorph teams. Necromorph players can choose the Necromorph they will spawn as: a Lurker, a Puker, a Spitter, or a member of the Pack. The maps, while using Sprawl locations mentioned in the main campaign, are unique to the multiplayer. Completing matches rewards experience points, unlocking rewards tailored to each side up to the level cap of 60.


title: Dead Space 2

text: "Dead Space 2" takes place in the year 2511, three years after the events of "Dead Space". The action takes place on the Sprawl, a space station built in the remains of Saturn's moon Titan in a period where humanity survived near-extinction due to resource depletion by mining other planets. During the previous game's events on the planet Aegis VII, an artifact called the Red Marker−copied from an alien artefact by the Earth Government (EarthGov) during a disastrous attempt to harvest its energy−was uncovered during an illegal mining operation. The mining colony was funded by the Church of Unitology, a group that worships the Markers as divine and seek an event of physical and spiritual union called Convergence. The Marker's influence triggered crippling mental illness in the colony, then the outbreak of a virus-like organism that reanimates corpses and turns them into Necromorphs, which overwhelmed the colony and the mining ship USG "Ishimura". By the events of "Dead Space 2", the Aegis VII incident has been covered up, and new Marker experiments begun on the Sprawl.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The main protagonist is Isaac Clarke, a Concordance Extraction Corporation (CEC) engineer who was sent with a team to the "Ishimura" and narrowly survived the infestation while destroying the Marker and the Necromorphs. The incident left him with crippling mental illness and an imprint of the Marker's design on his mind. Captured by EarthGov, he is confined to an asylum on the Sprawl and tortured for the Marker plans. Other characters Isaac interacts with are Ellie Langford, a CEC heavy machinery pilot; Hans Tiedemann, the Sprawl's administrative director; Nolan Stross, a fellow patient of Isaac whose exposure to the Aegis VII Marker has left him insane; and Daina le Guin, who initially provides aid to Isaac. An early character is Frank Delille, who was sent to rescue Isaac from the EarthGov asylum. Isaac is also periodically tormented by visions of Nicole Brennan, his girlfriend who died on the "Ishimura". The downloadable content (DLC) scenario "Severed" follows Gabe Weller and Lexine Murdoch, two lead characters in the spin-off "".


title: Dead Space 2

text: Isaac, suffering from Marker-induced dementia and violent hallucinations, is freed from the asylum by Delille, who is immediately killed and turned into a Necromorph. Isaac escapes, finding the Sprawl overrun by Necromorphs and its survivors either being killed or committing suicide due to the Marker's influence. Guin reveals that Tiedemann recreated a Marker using the data in Isaac's mind, using memory blocking drugs on Isaac to prevent that data from destroying his mind. During his escape, Isaac runs into Stross, whose mental state is far worse than Isaac's but also knows how to access the Marker data and destroy the new Marker. Guin is revealed to be a Unitologist sent to capture Isaac, but an EarthGov ambush kills her and Isaac narrowly escapes. He soon allies with Ellie, who reluctantly guards Stross as they navigate the Sprawl, fighting both the Necromorphs and Tiedemann's attempts to contain them. Isaac is regularly tormented by visions of Nicole, who keeps asking Isaac to make them "whole". To reach the Sprawl's government sector where Tiedemann is holding up with the Marker, Isaac is forced to navigate the remains of the "Ishimura", triggering more hallucinations.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Stross's mental state worsens to the point of attacking Ellie, gouging out her right eye with a screwdriver, then attacking Isaac later and being killed in self-defence. Ellie helps Isaac get into the government sector, then he tricks her aboard a shuttle and sends her away, having grown attached to her and not wanting her to share Nicole's fate. Guided by a passive version of Nicole, he gets inside the government sector, letting the Necromorphs inside to distract Tiedemann's security. The Necromorphs gather at the Marker, starting off Convergence, and Isaac uses a machine to unlock the Marker data in his mind. He kills Tiedemann, but is then forced to fight off a final hallucination of Nicole as she was used by the Marker to fulfil its wish of completing Convergence by merging with its creator, Isaac. As the Sprawl begins collapsing from the damage caused by the Marker, Ellie flies in and rescues Isaac. In a post-credits audio conversation, two EarthGov agents discuss further Marker sites.


title: Dead Space 2

text: During "Severed", Weller is on patrol in the Sprawl's mines when the Necromorph attacks begin, warning Lexine−who is pregnant with their child−as he makes his way back to her. Weller is betrayed by his superior Victor Bartlett, who reveals the pair were subjects of the Oracle Program, intended to study both Lexine and Weller's survival of the Aegis VII incident and the potential use of their child. Bartlett, who was ordered by Tiedemann to kill all Marker-related subjects, is later attacked by two high-ranking EarthGov agents called the Oracles, who take Lexine. Weller chases after them, with Lexine escaping into a shuttle when the Oracles are killed by Necromorphs. Bartlett launches a final attack on Weller before he can board; Bartlett is killed and Weller fatally injured, with Weller's last act being helping Lexine to escape. An epilogue reveals Gabe's body has been taken for study by EarthGov, while the missing Lexine is ordered killed.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Pre-production on "Dead Space 2" began in 2008 immediately following the release of "Dead Space", which was released to critical praise. During this time, series publisher Electronic Arts rebranded the developer EA Redwood Shores as Visceral Games, restructuring it as a genre studio; it worked in parallel on "Dead Space 2" and the hack and slash game "Dante's Inferno". Describing their relationship with Electronic Arts, producer Shereif Fattouh said Visceral Games was given a large amount of autonomy as they had built up a lot of good will and internal support due to the success and quality of their projects. Executive producer Steve Papoutsis noted that the team felt under pressure, but described it as a self-imposed pressure to meet or surpass fan expectations and produce a quality product. The game was developed for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, later described as the series main platforms. A Wii port was in production, but was cancelled in 2011 so Electronic Arts could focus on other projects. There are different reports of the game's budget; level designer Zach Wilson reported a budget of $60 million and called Electronic Arts "merciless" with its allocation, while director Wright Bagwell described the budget as "pretty small" without specifying a figure. Production took roughly two and a half years.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The development team was estimated as having 150 people at its peak, with the studio's focus fully shifting to "Dead Space 2" once "Dante's Inferno" was complete. While many core staff members remained, series creators Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey had left with several other staff members to found Sledgehammer Games. Bagwell took over as director after the first game's director Bret Robbins left the company, working on "Dead Space 2" in parallel with his role as director for "Dead Space: Extraction". Fattouh, Scott Probst, Cate Latchford, and Rich Briggs acted as producers for the game. David Woldman was senior producer. Papoutsis remained as executive producer. John Calhoun was senior designer, while Matthias Worch acted as senior level designer. The character animator was Veronique Garcia, who had done modeling and animation work for "", while Electronic Arts veteran Tony Gialdini was animation director.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The team's aim was to create a more polished version of "Dead Space" which would appeal to a larger audience; this included incorporating action elements, and making controlling Isaac easier. The shift towards action tone was described as a combination of the influence of new staff members, a wish to broaden the series' appeal, and portray Isaac's character growth. Enemies were redesigned to accommodate the action elements, though the team also worked to maintain the horror elements and atmosphere from the first game. The incorporation of cinematic set pieces were influenced by other popular games of the time including "". The area around the "Ishimura" was one of the first areas built as a test for the scale of the Sprawl. When creating the cutscenes, most during chapters were done without hard cuts, instead being merged into the gameplay. The motion capture for story sequences was supervised by Latchford. The scene were first rehearsed, then shot with the actors in motion capture suits shot with over two hundred cameras to create a composite view of characters during cutscenes.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Gameplay elements were included based on positive feedback from the first game. The main additions were destructible environments, included to offer gameplay variety and increase the realism, and launching objects at enemies, which allowed for players to fight when out of ammunition. The team wanted each level to feel unique for players, with Papoutis citing the level in a Unitologist Church as an example of "[keeping] players on their toes". The "Ishimura" level had little to no enemy encounters to reinforce the tension and the game's themes, with art director Ian Milham successfully pushing back against requests to add in more enemy encounters. Some of the puzzle and level designs were toned down for the final release after negative tester feedback about their difficulty. An early suggested concept was having Isaac voice suggestions if players were struggling with a puzzle. The diegetic UI design was carried over from the original game, with some elements during the opening section tying into the portrayal of Isaac's mental state.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Multiplayer was one of the more requested additions by series fans, which was considered by the development team as they planned out "Dead Space 2". According to artist Ben Wanat, the incorporation of multiplayer was also done to appease Electronic Arts, who had been pushing for a multiplayer component since the first game to broaden the series market appeal. As a compromise, the team included it as an entirely separate gameplay mode. Probst acted as supervisor for the multiplayer section of the game. The team started out with asking what would make the multiplayer stand out, choosing a scenario pitting a human team against Necromorphs. The team referenced at other series which incorporated multiplayer around a single-player focused campaign, including the "Call of Duty", "BioShock" and "Uncharted" series, and "Left 4 Dead". They team chose playable Necromorph types based on their design, usability, and potential for players to enjoy. Story elements from the single-player campaign were incorporated into multiplayer, but not in a way that would spoil the story campaign for players who tried the multiplayer first.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Chuck Beaver acted as story producer, as he did for the rest of the series. Beaver and Wanat together coordinated the lore with documentation to ensure continuity. The script was handled by television writer Jeremy Bernstein, brought on board through a chance conversation with one of the game's producers at a Game Developer Conference. Antony Johnston, who worked on "Dead Space" and its expanded media, jokingly described Bernstein as having "basically hustled the job out from under [him]". While Bernstein drafted the script, the story creation was a collaborative effort between Bernstein and multiple senior designers. As part of the wish to evolve the storytelling of the series, Isaac was changed from a silent protagonist as he was in the first game to one with a voice. The decision was also driven by the wish for Isaac to be a sympathetic character, to be able to interact properly with the game's larger cast, and to show more independence and agency compared to the original where he was generally following orders. Giving Isaac a voice was one of the first decisions made by the developers. One of the concerns was balancing Isaac's dialogue so it would not drag or seem out of place. Speaking about Isaac's portrayal across the series, Papoutsis said Isaac turned a corner from being a victim of events to having a motivation due to his conflict with Tiedmann. Chapter Twelve was intended to have a lighter tone after the previous darker events through the banter between Isaac and Ellie.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Papoutis described Isaac's character following "Dead Space" as "broken", reflected in his actions and state of mind during "Dead Space 2". Isaac's mental illness was portrayed in-game through classic nursery rhymes, with a late-game scene involving Isaac's using a needle probe in his eye taking direct influence from the saying "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." As part of the exploration of Isaac's mental state, Nicole was included as an illusory character, reflecting both Isaac's specific trauma and reference real-life situations where people lost loved ones. The questioning of Isaac's sanity and perceptions was reinforced using the hallucinations he experiences during the "Ishimura" level. A larger supporting cast was another early decision, with the large number of female characters described as a naturally-emerging decision for the world design. Ellie was described by a staff member as the "female interest" for Isaac. During early production Ellie was known as Rose. Stross was created to communicate backstory to Isaac, acting as a possible vision of Isaac's future mental state, additionally playing into the eye theme through his obsessions. During the script drafting, an extensive subplot surrounding Tiedmann was planned; as an unwilling participant in the Marker project, he would have suffered from Marker-driven hallucinations involving survivors revealed to be long dead, giving his arc a tragic conclusion. This was seen as too sympathetic and left the game without a central villain, so he was rewritten as a "more conventional bad guy".


title: Dead Space 2

text: The team also expanded backstory elements that had only been roughly thought through to support the main narrative of "Dead Space", turning drafted backstory elements into a cohesive overarching narrative. As with the original, standard cutscenes were supplemented with audio calls between Isaac and other characters, and audio and text logs found during exploration. The opening, which showed Delille being turned into a Necromorph in front of Isaac, was created to set the tone for the game. For the scene, a model for Denille was built to be as anatomically correct as possible, with the death and transformations being a complex process. Denille's face was modelled on Briggs. Unitology remained a core part of the story, with Beaver describing its portrayal as both a general commentary on how organised religion and cults could cause harm, and adding detail for players about its role in the game's universe. Another element given focus was the secret conflict between EarthGov and Unitology, which had only been hinted at in earlier parts of the series and became a main focus for the story design of the Sprawl. The team also continued to deny the religion was an explicit critique of Scientology, with the similar terms and structure shown in "Dead Space 2" along with other media being coincidental.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Milham returned from the first game as art director, Wanat as production designer, and Alex Muscat came on board as lead environmental artist. As one of the senior leads remaining from the first game, Milham's task was to ensure artistic continuity. During the planning phase, Milham planned out the chapters with different color themes based on the story and atmosphere; an example was the opening level, which used cold blue and white lights due to its hospital setting. Whenever possible, inspiration for the visuals and scenes was drawn from real life rather than using films or other games. Milham wanted to stay away from traditional science fiction imagery, with the first year of development being dedicated to creating concept artwork for the Sprawl. When discussing the lighting, Milham said he wanted to avoid the blue filter used by James Cameron for "" or the "green and black sliminess" of "Alien", instead using darker lighting styles and color use associated with the work of David Fincher.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Using both player feedback and the new setting, the Sprawl was designed around the concept of an organically-growing city with multiple residents and associated businesses, alongside different utilitarian and leisure spaces. The Sprawl designs drew inspiration from interior design of the 1970s and 80s, with part of the horror based around the Necromorphs' destructive presence. The Unitology cathedral drew from the team's experience creating Gothic-style architecture for the "Ishimura" interior, additionally visually communicating the religion's beliefs and symbolism including the Marker symbol, modelled on a DNA strand. The EarthGov areas and Marker experiment zone contrasted against other areas with sleek and "cold" designs, emulating other popular science fiction such as "" and the work of Chris Cunningham. The level set within the "Ishimura" was both an incorporation for returning players, and a level that could be built using older assets and a low budget allocation as much of the art team were new hires unfamiliar with the game and technology.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Character design was led by Garcia. Isaac's default RIG suit was designed to appear strong without taking away from Isaac's non-military background, with strengthening ribs as a motif and component. The Advanced RIG suit followed the opposite design path, intending to evoke Isaac's growing combat ability against the Necromorphs. Several suit designs reinforced the general aesthetic, but some were designed to have a vintage look, including a suit based on a historic diving suit. The RIG helmet was redesigned slightly so it could realistically fold away to reveal his face for cutscenes and dialogue, while retaining its established shape. His weapons were all designed to have distinctive yet simple shapes, emulating the design of modern tools.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The new Necromorph designs, including child Necromorphs, were influenced by the new Sprawl environment. Several Necromorph designs also served a mechanical purpose, allowing the developers to rely less on closed-room combat scenarios to alter the pacing of the game. As with the first game, their design was intended to be unsettling and unnatural, being frightening without being too conventionally monstrous. The trauma created by the transformations were selected to play into common fears people had around something happening to a body part, alongside fractures and bodily warping being more realistic and disturbing than something like wounds from a laser gun. Alongside returning Necromorphs designs, new larger versions were designed, with the challenge being to realistically portray these larger Necromorphs as amalgamations of the normally human-sized monsters. The disturbing behavior of the Necrmorphs and associated violence was something the team paid attention to so it would be graphic and disturbing without becoming gratuitous.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The chief audio director for "Dead Space 2" was Andrew Boyd. The original game has been lauded for its sound design, with the team wanting to improve for "Dead Space 2". Boyd highlighted the importance of sound design in evoking horror, citing a section where Isaac travels through a residential area and hears noises from inside the sealed apartments. Nicole's visions had different approaches in sound design; hostile visions had sharp and uncomfortable sounds, while her friendly visions used comforting sounds. To distinguish her from the other environmental elements, Nicole was given dedicated sound effects which would play when approach an encounter with her. The Necromorph sounds were based on distorted real-world sounds, with one example being a staff member who dry heaved to the point where he was actually sick. As with the original, the space vacuum used a muffled sound environment, focusing on sounds from within Isaac's suit including his heartbeat and grunts. The "Ishimura" level was able to recycle sound effects and music from the first game, used by Boyd to reinforce the tension of the area.


title: Dead Space 2

text: American actor Gunner Wright voiced and provided motion capture for Isaac, describing the role as interesting due to Isaac's everyman portrayal. During the table reading phase, Wright was given some advice by Beaver about his portrayal, basing it on the character of John McClane as a man forced into a desperate situation. After an initial test recording, it took nine months to get Wright's likeness into the system before more scenes could be filmed. Ellie was portrayed by Sonita Henry, who originally auditioned for a side character called the Therapist, but was recast and remained unaware until the first script reading. Henry described Ellie as a complex person who was unwilling to trust in others after the events she experienced. "Dead Space 2" was both her first role in a video game, and her first time using motion capture, while Henry found odd at first due to the lack of visible props and the need to imagine the scenes she was filming with Wright. Stross was voiced by Curt Cornelius. The cast also included Tanya Clarke as Nicole, Lester Purry as Tiedemann, and Tahyna Tozzi as Daina. Voice work was recorded during motion capture sessions whenever possible.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Jason Graves returned as composer from the first game, being involved from an early stage. He drew inspiration from classical music from the first half of the 20th century, citing Krzysztof Penderecki's "Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima" as a point of comparison for the game's focus on strings. Isaac's leitmotif uses the note order D-E-A-D—spelling the word 'DEAD'—and appears throughout the score. Other recurring musical elements include newly-written themes for Isaac and the story-centric Marker artifact, with Nicole's theme returning from "Dead Space". The game's main theme, "Lacrimosa", was performed by a string quartet. The music cues in-game were dictated by "fear markers", software flags tripped by the player which altered the music's flow and volume.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Rumors of "Dead Space 2" emerged in 2009, with a report from "Variety" indicating both the series's continuation as a trilogy and a feature film adaptation. The game was officially announced on December 7, 2009. During 2010, footage was shown at E3, and a demo version was showcased at Gamescom. The marketing budget was reportedly a further $60 million. As part of the marketing, Electronic Arts partnered with the design group Renegade Effects to create a real-life version of Isaac's RIG suit, which had become an icon of the series. The suit was featured at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. A notable and controversial campaign was a video series using the slogan "Your Mom Hates "Dead Space 2""; a group of women were selected based on their conservative attitudes and recorded seeing some of the more violent parts of the game. A "Dead Space"-themed armor set could be unlocked in "Dragon Age II" with a code released with "Dead Space 2". A PS3-exclusive closed multiplayer beta began on September 23, 2010. Papoutsis said the game was in its "final stretch" of development by October 2010. A demo was released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on December 8, 2010.


title: Dead Space 2

text: "Dead Space 2" released worldwide in January 2011; it released in North America on January 25, in Australia on January 27, and in Europe on January 28. In German, the game was delayed into February as the country's rating laws required the friendly fire option be removed from the game, though otherwise its content was unchanged. In response to a petition due to a disabled player being unable to remap the PC controls, Visceral Games developed a patch allowing full button remapping on the platform. Alongside the standard edition, a limited Collector's Edition was released that included a soundtrack CD, a Unitology-themed armor and weapon set, and concept art lithographis. The PC and 360 versions included a replica of the game's standard plasma cutter weapon. A port of "Dead Space: Extraction" was bundled with both the PS3 Collector's Edition and standard first prints for free, and also released parallel to "Dead Space 2 "on PlayStation Network. The PS3 version also came with a version of the Rivet Gun from "Extraction" as an in-game weapon. Having a save file of the first "Dead Space" unlocked the original plasma cutter as an early bonus weapon.


title: Dead Space 2

text: On January 27, three paid DLC packs were released dubbed "Hazard," "Martial Law" and "Supernova", each containing a themed armour and weapon set. On February 11, a multiplayer contest was held where players fought against a team made up of staff from the game, with winning earning players new armor sets. The DLC expansion "Dead Space 2: Severed" was announced on January 25. Producer Scott Probst described the DLC as being designed as having a greater action focus playing into Weller's profession as a security guard. The DLC is exclusive to the console versions, though Electronic Arts gave no detailed explanation for the lack of a PC release. It was released March 1 in North America and Europe, and March 2 in Australia. A final DLC release came on May 24 with the free addition of multiplayer maps based on areas of the main game.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Based on the success of the original game, Electronic Arts decided to expanded the series into a "trans-media franchise", with pieces of the series lore distributed through means outside the main series including spin-off titles, movies, and printed media. Multiple titles were created to help promote the release "Dead Space 2". While the expanded media was handled by different people, Beaver and Wanat acted as supervisors to ensure continuity. Several pieces of the media surrounding "Dead Space 2" was written by Johnston, commenting afterwards that it would likely be his final work on the series.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The spin-off action puzzle game "Dead Space Ignition", which followed Delille's actions during the initial Necromorph outbreak, was co-developed with Visceral by Sumo Digital and released on October 12, 2010 for PS3 and October 13 for 360. Completing "Ignition" unlocked bonuses on the console versions of "Dead Space 2". A mobile spin-off developed by IronMonkey Studios, again set during the initial outbreak and using gameplay similar to the main series, was released in 2011 for iOS and Android.


title: Dead Space 2

text: A prequel novel "", written by B. K. Evenson, was released on July 20, 2010 by Tor Books; it focuses on the original Black Marker and the role of Michael Altman in Unitology's foundation. The animated movie "", produced by many of the same team as "" in 2008, was released direct-to-video on the same day as the North American release of "Dead Space 2"; the storyline follows EarthGov's investigation of the "Ishimura" and accounts of different survivors from an investigation team. Stross was introduced in this movie, with Cornelius voicing the character in both "Aftermath" and "Dead Space 2".


title: Dead Space 2

text: A graphic novel, "Dead Space: Salvage", was released on November 24, 2010 by IDW Publishing. Set between the two mainline games, it shows events after a group of salvagers called the Magpies find the wreck of the "Ishimura". "Salvage" was illustrated by Christopher Shy of Studio Ronin. It took roughly a year to finalise the details of his work on the project, and during that time he created sketches and paintings to determine its style. As a fan of the original game, he made notes as to how he could translate his feelings about it into art. At Studio Ronin he created ship models and photographed them using similar lighting to "Dead Space", then created the first concept pieces based on those and Johnston's script. As the graphic novel was a spin-off without direct continuity with other titles, he was allowed creative freedom with his designs and artwork. He designed the characters as having a punk rock style with their clothes, with a lived-in appearance that would contrast with the game characters. He also wanted to convincingly portray the insanity of those who worshipped or were enthralled by the Marker. He later described his character designs as having an outlandish aesthetic compared to his later work on the series. Johnston described his work on the story of "Salvage" as exciting due to it covering an entirely new aspect of the "Dead Space" universe.


title: Dead Space 2

text: All versions of "Dead Space 2" met with a "generally favorable" reception according to review aggregator website "Metacritic". The 360 version was the highest ranked with a score of 90 out of 100 based on 83 reviews. The PS3 version scored 89 based on 78 reviews, while the PC version scored 87 based on 28 reviews. Reviews gave general praise to the game for its atmosphere and design, with several critics calling it an improvement over the original. Both Thierry Nguyen of "1Up.com" and Carolyn Petit of "GameSpot" noted the PS3 version as a more attractive version due to the inclusion of "Extraction" in early copies. The control scheme for the PC version was positively noted by Petit as providing an easier experience for aiming.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Nguyen gave minimal comment towards the story aside from noting its change in pacing and incorporating of cinematic setpieces as part of a general shift towards action. Andy Robinson, writing for "Computer and Video Games", praised the more cinematic delivery. Gaming magazine "Edge" felt that Isaac's new voiced role improved him as a protagonist, praising his interactions with the cast and reactions to the environment. Simon Parkin of "Eurogamer" enjoyed Isaac's voiced role, and noted the use of Nicole to both scare the player and explore Isaac's mind. "Game Informer"s Andrew Reiner cited Isaac's mental state as the main strength of the game's plot, Petit praised the combined focus on Isaac and the Necromorph threat, citing the opening and ending sections as the strongest parts of the game. "GameTrailers" noted a lack of development in the cast and found the visions of Nicole wore thin over time, calling the overall plot forgettable until the final section of the game. "IGN"s Greg Miller praised the more personal focus of the narrative also noting the rest of the cast as enjoyable but found the mission structure lacking and central plot surrounding the Marker fairly weak. Francesca Reyes, writing for the United States edition of "Official Xbox Magazine", enjoyed the story's presentation and Isaac's interactions with the cast, though she felt the later narrative and the handling of Nicole's appearances bogged down the experience. "PC Gamer"s Dan Stapleton felt the story delivery had improved considerably over the first game, Jeremy Jastrzab of "PALGN" called the story "remarkably well told" and highlighted the use of audio and text logs to flesh out the Sprawl. The focus on Isaac's mental state was frequently cited as the strongest part of the narrative.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Parkin called the sound design "second to none", and Reiner gave praise to both the sound design and the soundtrack for emphasising the horror atmosphere. Petit cited the sound design as a key part of the experience. Speaking of the audio design, "GameTrailers" praised its implementation and design, but calling the soundtrack "droning". Miller found himself becoming so immersed in the world because of the sound design that he was having trouble distinguishing real-world sounds from those in "Dead Space 2". Jastrzab felt that both the sound and music of "Dead Space 2" should be placed among the best in games overall.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Nguyen positively noted the level design and visual spectacle of the set piece scenarios. "Edge" referred to the visual design as "nothing short of brilliant" and praised the use of lighting when communicating the horror elements, Parkin enjoyed the greater variety of environments alongside the design of the set piece sequences. Reiner felt the new setting of the Sprawl evoked more unsettling horror than the abandoned ship of the original game, additionally praising the graphical detail. Petit praised the diversity of environments, saying the altered pacing and environment helped give the game its own identity. Reyes gave general praise to the visual design of the Sprawl, while "Gametrailers" lauded the increase in graphical quality and environmental variety between the first and second games. Stapleton positively noted the visual variety of levels, and Jastrzab felt the graphics had improved slightly over the first game and the visual design was utilized better.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Nguyen enjoyed the improvements to Isaac's movement and found the gameplay solid, but faulted the later sections for repetitive combat scenarios and having generic mission objectives. Robinson praised the handling of action without diluting the survival horror elements, and positively noted the incorporation of dedicated cinematic sequences with their own mechanics. "Edge" positively cited the introductions of new enemies and weapons as not disrupting the established gameplay balance, but faulted the game's pace during later sections relying on waves of enemies. Parkin enjoyed the increased pace of Isaac's character growth and the tension created by the aggressive enemy types, with his main complaint being the number of quick time events used during some sections. Reiner felt some of the spawn points were unfair due to Isaac's lack of defences against attacks from behind, but otherwise praised the gameplay tension and variety of weapons and enemies. Petit enjoyed the gameplay, but found the single-player structure predictable after a time, impacting both gameplay and story. "GameTrailers" enjoyed the gameplay, positively noting improvements to its design and balance over the first game, but noting a lack of enemy variety and reused encounters and scare tactics. Miller lauded the gameplay as an improvement over the original in its control and speed, additionally praising the lack of backtracking and unlockable extras. Reyes called the gameplay the real star of the experience, praising its improved pacing and mechanics while noting Necromorph spawn points growing predictable over time. Stapleton generally called the gameplay and improvement over the original despite some remaining frustrations with the lack of autosaving, and Jastrzab noted the gameplay remained solid despite a shift towards action and cinematic sequences over horror-based gameplay. The multiplayer split opinion; some called it an enjoyable if shallow bonus to the single-player campaign, while others found it disappointing or lacking compared to the single-player campaign.


title: Dead Space 2

text: The DLC campaign "Severed" met with "mixed or average" reviews, with "Metacritic" scoring it with 65 out of 100 on PS3 and 57 out of 100 on 360. Anthony Gallegos of "IGN" praised the more action-focused combat related to Weller's character and profession, but missed the puzzle sections and felt a lack of connection to Weller despite enjoying the DLC as a fun if short extension of the game world. Petit praised the pace of gameplay and felt the sound and graphics were equal to the original, but disliked the recycling of environments from the main game and found the story uninteresting.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Electronic Arts reported that "Dead Space 2" shipped nearly 2 million units in the first week of its release. According to Electronic Arts chief financial officer Eric Brown, the game was outselling the original at a ratio of two to one. In the United States during January, "Dead Space 2" was the third best-selling game of the month behind "" and "Just Dance 2" for the Wii. The following month it was still in the top ten best-selling games, though it fell to fifth place. In the United Kingdom, "Dead Space 2" reached the top of multiplatform sales charts, with the 360 version seeing the largest share of sales, followed by the PS3 and PC. Speaking in 2017, Wilson said the game ultimately sold four million units worldwide, but the combined marketing and production budget together with fees to Microsoft and Sony meant Electronic Arts considered it a commercial failure. Milham and Wanat, speaking in a 2018 retrospective on the series, said it sold similar numbers to the first game while costing more to make.


title: Dead Space 2

text: In 2011, "Dead Space 2" was nominated as "Action Game of the Year" at the Interactive Achievement Awards. At that year's National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers award ceremony, the game was nominated in seven categories, winning in the "Camera Direction in a Game Engine" category. The other nominates were in the "Animation", "Control Precision", "Direction in a Game Cinema", "Lighting/Texturing", "Sound Effects" and "Use of Sound in a Franchise" categories. It was nominated in the "Audio Achievement" category at the 8th British Academy Games Awards. At the 2012 Game Developers Choice Awards, the title was nominated for in the "Best Audio" category. At that year's Game Audio Network Guild Awards, it was nominated in the "Audio of the Year" and "Best Interactive Score", and "Best Original Soundtrack Album" categories.


title: Dead Space 2

text: Following "Dead Space 2", Electronic Arts wanted to garner additional sales for the series. To this end, Visceral Games ended up incorporating a number of elements into the next game "Dead Space 3" due to external pressure, including cooperative multiplayer, an increased focus on action over horror, and microtransactions. Wanat returned as director, Woldman as producer, and Graves continued as a composer. It was intended to close out the series. Releasing worldwide in 2013, "Dead Space 3" released to low sales, with the team ultimately dispanding onto other projects before Visceral Games was closed down in 2017.


title: Eesha Rebba

text: Eesha Rebba (born 19 April 1990) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu films. She is known for her roles in "Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha" (2013), "Bandipotu" (2015), "Oyee" (2016), "Ami Thumi" (2017), "Darsakudu" (2017), and "Awe" (2018).


title: Eesha Rebba

text: Eesha Rebba was born in a Telugu-speaking family in Warangal, and was brought up in Hyderabad. She holds an MBA. Rebba worked as a model during college, after which she received an audition call from director Mohana Krishna Indraganti.


title: Eesha Rebba

text: Rebba made her debut in 2012 with the film "Life Is Beautiful." She then made her first appearance in a lead role in the film "Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha". The film was successful at the box office and was nominated for Best Film at the International Indian Film festival in South Africa.


title: Eesha Rebba

text: Her performance in the romantic-comedy film "Ami Thumi" received wide response and fetched her two awards. Rebba played the character of a lesbian woman in the film "Awe" (2018)"." Critics praised her performance in the film. Later, the same year she acted in four other films "Brand Babu", "Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava", "Subrahmanyapuram" and "Savyasachi". She made her Malayalam cinema debut in 2021 with the film "Ottu". She learned archery and kickboxing for her role in the film.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Benedict Saul "Benni" McCarthy (born 12 November 1977) is a South African coach and former footballer who is a first-team coach at Manchester United. He previously worked as head coach of South African Premier Division team AmaZulu.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: A former forward, McCarthy is the South Africa national team's all-time top scorer with 31 goals. He is also the only South African to have won the UEFA Champions League, doing so with Porto in 2003–04.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy was born in Cape Town and grew up in Hanover Park in the Cape Flats, an area notorious for its high unemployment rate and gang violence. He is the son of Dudley and Dora McCarthy and has two brothers and a sister. His older brother is Jerome McCarthy, a former professional footballer who played for Kaizer Chiefs and Manning Rangers, among other clubs, while his younger brother Mark played football at Franklin Pierce University in the United States.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy began playing at a local side called Young Pirates, which was managed by his uncles. He then joined the youth structures of a local amateur club called Crusaders. At age 17, he was signed by first division club Seven Stars.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Playing for Seven Stars, the 18-year-old McCarthy scored 1 goal in 29 matches in the 1995–96 season, followed by another 12 goals in 20 matches, which earned him a transfer to Cape Town Spurs, which two years later merged with Seven Stars to form Dutch club Ajax's feeder team, Ajax Cape Town.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In 1997, after an impressive showing at the African Youth Championship and FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, he joined Ajax in the Eredivisie, where he scored nine goals and was crowned champion in his first season. After a relatively successful 1998–99 season, he was sold to Spanish side Celta de Vigo for a transfer fee reported to be over €6 million, at the time the most expensive transfer for a South African player.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Although regarded as one of the best African players at the time, McCarthy never established himself as a regular choice for Celta's manager, Víctor Fernández. After two poor seasons at the Galician club, he was loaned to struggling Porto in the 2001–02 season, where he soon rediscovered the form that took him to Europe.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: At Porto, McCarthy played under the then newly appointed coach José Mourinho for an underperforming team that since winning the European Cup in 1987 had never been quite good enough to challenge for the top honours in Europe. However, that would soon change.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: After representing "Bafana Bafana" in the 2002 African Nations Cup, where his national side was eliminated in the quarter-finals, McCarthy returned to Porto, where he became the main force behind the team's recovery. He helped them to third place in the Primeira Liga and automatic qualification for the UEFA Cup by scoring an impressive 12 goals in 11 matches, but Porto's finances did not allow them to keep the player, despite the desire of both sides to continue.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In 2002–03, McCarthy therefore returned to Celta, where he spent much of his time on the substitutes' bench as a squad player as Porto captured the Taça de Portugal, the Portuguese League and the UEFA Cup. When Porto sold striker Hélder Postiga to Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2003–04 season, Porto finally acquired McCarthy for a sum of €7.856 million, (later re-sold part of the rights to GestiFute and First Portuguese Football Players Fund.)


title: Benni McCarthy

text: For the 2003–04 Primeira Liga season, he earned the Golden Boot award (with 20 goals in 23 matches) on the season's final matchday with a hat-trick, and was instrumental in Porto's run in the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League, which they won. He scored two goals against Manchester United to defeat them in the second round.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 25 July 2006, McCarthy flew out to England to undergo a medical and probable contract signing to join Blackburn Rovers. Three days later, he signed a four-year contract with Blackburn for a £2.5 million transfer fee. The move meant that Rovers regularly fielded a side that contained two South African Internationals, the other being Aaron Mokoena who joined the club the year previous.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: After a disappointing performance in the side's 3–0 defeat to Portsmouth, McCarthy found the net on his debut at Ewood Park against Everton on 23 August 2006. McCarthy further endeared himself to Rovers fans, scoring a goal on his European debut for the club in a 2–2 against Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Cup, and scoring another in the return leg. He finished second top scorer in the Premier League in 2006–07 with 18 league goals, as well as 24 in all competitions.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: The following season got off to a poor start for McCarthy when he was stretchered off in the Premier League opening day win against Middlesbrough. McCarthy was out of action for a few weeks and found first team opportunities limited, largely because the form of new striking arrival Roque Santa Cruz. Despite being limited to largely substitute appearances, McCarthy did find the net 11 times in all competitions.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In the 2008–09 season, McCarthy appeared to be out of favour with new manager Paul Ince, as the club's strike force was strengthened with the arrivals of Carlos Villanueva and Robbie Fowler to join the already established Roque Santa Cruz, Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire. However, McCarthy answered these critics by scoring his first goal of the campaign – a 94th-minute equaliser in a Premier League match against Middlesbrough.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy completed a move to West Ham United for an undisclosed fee on transfer deadline day, 1 February 2010. He signed a two and a half-year contract that was due to run until the summer of 2012. He made his Premier League debut for West Ham against Burnley at Turf Moor in a 2–1 defeat on 6 February 2010, where he sustained an injury which would keep him out for six weeks. In February 2011, having played just 326 minutes of football, making only three starts and failing to score any goals for West Ham, McCarthy was omitted from West Ham's 25-man squad for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. He was also offered a £1 million pay-off in exchange for terminating his contract prematurely. In April 2011, McCarthy left West Ham by mutual agreement after the parties agreed to terminate his contract.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: After leaving West Ham, McCarthy trained with former club Ajax Cape Town during the ABSA Premier League off-season. On 2 August, Orlando Pirates confirmed the signing of McCarthy on a two-year deal, ending his 14-year spell in Europe. On signing, McCarthy said, "I'm thrilled and delighted and hope I can show my appreciation by coming in and playing good football and hope to score as many goals as possible to put the team where they belong."


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy scored two goals in the final half-hour to help the Pirates defeat the Golden Arrows 4–2 on 19 May 2012 to retain their Premier League title. He finished his successful season with ten league goals, ending the campaign as the fourth leading goal-scorer in the Premier League, helping the club secure their second successive treble. Having already won a league championship with Ajax in the Netherlands as well with Porto both domestically and in Europe, McCarthy would make football history by winning the league championship with Orlando Pirates in South Africa. This meant McCarthy was the first South African footballer to win three league titles with three different football clubs on two different continents.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy, who is affectionately known as "Big Brother" by the Orlando Pirates faithful, was handed a red card for dissent in the MTN 8 secondleg semi-final played on 25 August 2012 after he charged Franklin Cale after a reckless challenge on Daine Klate. This incident lead to protesting fans whom, in their view, Cale was equally guilty in the incident and should have also been shown red. McCarthy announced his retirement from professional football on 6 June 2013, aged 35.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 13 July 2014, McCarthy made a guest appearance for Scottish Lowland league club Whitehill Welfare in a pre-season friendly against a Hamilton Academical XI, scoring in the 14th minute and providing an assist for Whitehill Welfare player Kerr Dodds to score in the 20th minute. McCarthy has a connection with the club through one of the Whitehill players, John Hall.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy made his full international debut for South Africa in a friendly against the Netherlands on 4 June 1997.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Along with veteran Egyptian striker Hossam Hassan, McCarthy was the joint top scorer in the 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso with seven goals, including four in 13 minutes against Namibia. In addition, he was named Player of the Tournament.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: The 1998 FIFA World Cup in France was the first time South Africa's national football team had reached the later stages of the competition, and McCarthy was one of their key players. After a 3–0 defeat against eventual champions France, South Africa played their second match against Denmark. Trailing since the 13th minute, McCarthy tied the game at 1–1 in the 52nd minute and gave South Africa a chance for qualification after a 1–1 draw. However, the third match also ended in a draw, against Saudi Arabia, which left the South Africans in third place and eliminated from the competition.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: The 2002 World Cup saw history repeating for the South Africans. After a 2–2 draw against Paraguay and a 1–0 victory over Slovenia, McCarthy's 30th-minute equaliser in the last match against Spain was not enough, as South Africa eventually lost 3–2 and finished with another third place in the group stage.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: There was often conflict over McCarthy's lack of participation in national team matches (whose interests often collide with his club's) and he actually retired from international matches after the 2002 World Cup. However, he returned to the national team in 2004 and eventually set the record for most international goals for South Africa; McCarthy's strike in the second half of a 3–0 win against Paraguay in a 2008 friendly eclipsed the previous record of 29 goals held by Shaun Bartlett.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Prior to the 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa, McCarthy announced his support for the Gun-Free World Cup campaign being run by International Action Network on Small Arms. He said, "This World Cup will be the biggest in football history and the fact that it is taking place in South Africa is a chance for us to show the world everything that is good about our country. It's great that guns will be banned from stadiums – it's going to be a fantastic party, and guns have no place in that." After struggling with his fitness and facing criticism in his nation for being overweight, McCarthy was omitted from the final South African 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup, which was announced on 1 June 2010.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: Living in Edinburgh since 2013, McCarthy confirmed in April 2015, that he had joined the coaching staff of Alan Stubbs at Scottish club Hibernian. Stubbs had invited McCarthy so he could just learn the coaching side of things. McCarthy knew Stubbs back from their playing days when McCarthy was at Blackburn Rovers and Stubbs was at Everton. McCarthy said, that he was going to help out with the U20s, and assisting with the first team.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In February 2015, he did a short internship at Sint-Truidense VV club under Yannick Ferrera. On 8 September 2015, McCarthy was appointed assistant manager to manager Chris O'Loughlin, who replaced Yannick Ferrera. Working his way through the different tiers of the UEFA Coaching Badges system, McCarthy met O'Loughlin.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 20 April 2016, McCarthy stopped working with Sint-Truiden for personal reasons, after it was previously announced that his contract was not renewed.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 13 June 2017, McCarthy was unveiled as the new Cape Town City head coach, replacing Eric Tinkler, who moved to manage SuperSport United.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: McCarthy would complete his UEFA Pro License while coaching City, and would win his first silverware as a coach in 2018 when he guided City to the MTN 8 cup.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 4 November 2019, McCarthy was dismissed as head coach of Cape Town City after just two wins in 18 games .


title: Benni McCarthy

text: On 14 December 2020, McCarthy was unveiled as the new AmaZulu F.C. head coach, replacing Ayanda Dlamini, who stepped down from the position on 7 December 2020. He took the club to a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership, a record high for AmaZulu in the modern era of the game in South Africa. As a result, AmaZulu qualified for the preliminary rounds of the 2021–22 CAF Champions League. McCarthy led AmaZulu to the group stages of the 2021–22 CAF Champions League in their debut season before exiting the competition. McCarthy and AmaZulu parted company on 25 March 2022.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In 2004, McCarthy married Maria Santos from Spain. They have three daughters together: Minna, Mya and Allegra. In 2007, they separated. In May 2014, McCarthy married Scottish model Stacey Munro. Together, they have one daughter, Lima Rose and one son, Lio Romero, born in 2019.


title: Benni McCarthy

text: In 1998, McCarthy collaborated with South African kwaito music group TKZee in "Shibobo". The song released in the run-up to the 1998 World Cup in France samples greatly on "The Final Countdown" by Europe and features McCarthy rapping part of the lyrics. He also appears in the football-themed music video for the song. Sales of the single topped the 100,000 mark in just over a month in South Africa, making "Shibobo" the fastest and biggest selling CD single by TKZee or other South African recording artists. The song was also a hit in other African music charts. The song enjoyed a comeback in a re-release in 2010–11.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Five Easy Pieces is a 1970 American drama film directed by Bob Rafelson, written by Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce) and Rafelson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite. The film tells the story of surly oil rig worker Bobby Dupea, whose rootless blue-collar existence belies his privileged youth as a piano prodigy. When Bobby learns that his father is dying, he travels to his family home in Washington to visit him, taking along his uncouth girlfriend.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards, and in 2000, was included in the annual selection of 25 motion pictures added to the United States National Film Registry of the Library of Congress being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and recommended for preservation.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Bobby Dupea works in an oil field in Kern County, California. He spends most of his time with his girlfriend Rayette, a waitress who has dreams of singing country music, or with his friend, fellow oil worker Elton, with whom he bowls, gets drunk, and philanders. While Bobby acts the part of a blue-collar laborer, he is secretly a former classical pianist who comes from an upper-class family of musicians.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: When Bobby gets Rayette pregnant and Elton is arrested, Bobby quits his job and goes to Los Angeles, where his sister Partita, also a pianist, is making a recording. Partita tells him that their father, from whom Bobby is estranged, has suffered two strokes, and urges him to return to the family home in Washington.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Rayette threatens to kill herself if Bobby leaves her, so he reluctantly asks her along. Driving north, they pick up two stranded women headed for Alaska, Terry and Palm. The latter launches into a monologue about the evils of consumerism. The four are thrown out of a restaurant after Bobby gets into a sarcastic argument with an obstinate waitress who refuses to accommodate his request for toast.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Embarrassed by Rayette's lack of polish, Bobby registers her in a motel before driving alone to the family home on an island in Puget Sound. He finds Partita giving their father a haircut, and the old man seems completely oblivious to him. At dinner, Bobby meets Catherine Van Oost, a young pianist engaged to his amiable brother Carl, a violinist. Despite personality differences, Catherine and Bobby are immediately attracted to each other and later have sex in her room.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Rayette runs out of money at the motel and comes to the Dupea estate unannounced. Her presence creates an awkward situation, but when a pompous family friend, Samia Glavia, ridicules her, Bobby comes to her defense. Storming from the room in search of Catherine, he discovers his father's male nurse giving Partita a massage. He picks a fight with the very strong nurse, who easily subdues him.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Bobby tries to persuade Catherine to go away with him, but she declines, telling him he cannot ask for love when he does not love himself, or anything at all. After trying to talk to his unresponsive father, Bobby leaves with Rayette. Shortly into the trip, they stop for gas, and while Rayette goes into a diner for coffee, Bobby abandons her, hitching a ride on a truck headed north.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: While the film's earlier scenes were shot in California, the majority was filmed in the Pacific Northwest. Filming primarily occurred on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, with additional photography occurring in Florence and Portland, Oregon. The film's diner sequence, in which Robert pesters an obstinate waitress, was filmed at a Denny's along Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon. To prepare for his role, Jack Nicholson undertook piano lessons from Polish concert pianist Josef Pacholczyk.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: In 2022, Sally Struthers revealed that director Bob Rafelson coerced her into appearing nude on set, against her stated wishes, and made a false promise that she would not appear nude in the final cut.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: The opening credits list the five classical piano pieces played in the film and referenced in the title. Pearl Kaufman is credited as the pianist.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Also listed are four songs sung by Tammy Wynette: "Stand by Your Man", "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", "Don't Touch Me", and "When There's a Fire in Your Heart".


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: The film earned $1.2 million in North America in 1970. By 1976 the film had earned $8.9 million in North America.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: The film opened to positive reviews. It holds an 88% "Certified Fresh" rating on online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 8.60/10. The critics' consensus states: "An important touchstone of the New Hollywood era, "Five Easy Pieces" is a haunting portrait of alienation that features one of Jack Nicholson's greatest performances."


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Roger Ebert gave the film four stars out of four, describing it as “one of the best American films”, one that “becomes a masterpiece of heartbreaking intensity” as it develops its lead character’s arc. Ebert called Bobby Dupea “one of the most unforgettable characters in American movies.“ Ebert named the film the best of 1970, and later added it to his "Great Movies" series.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: John Simon criticized "Five Easy Pieces" for its pretentiousness and oversimplification but said if anything saved the film from triviality, it was the performances, especially those of Karen Black, Lois Smith, and Billy Green Bush.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: In 2022 retrospective review, Polish writer Jacek Szafranowicz called the film "one of the masterpieces of the New Hollywood era", concluding that it is "flawless".


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: On November 16, 1999, Columbia TriStar Home Video released the film on two-sided DVD-Video, featuring both fullscreen (4:3) and widescreen formats.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: Grover Crisp of Sony Pictures conducted a 4K restoration of the film, and it was screening theatrically in DCP by 2012.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection in November 2010 as part of the box set "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story". It includes audio commentary featuring director Bob Rafelson and interior designer Toby Rafelson (originally recorded for a Criterion laserdisc); "Soul Searching in "Five Easy Pieces"", a 2009 video piece with Rafelson; "BBStory", a 2009 documentary about the BBS era, with Rafelson, actors Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and Ellen Burstyn, and directors Peter Bogdanovich and Henry Jaglom, among others; and audio excerpts from a 1976 AFI interview with Rafelson.


title: Five Easy Pieces

text: On June 30, 2015, "Five Easy Pieces" was released as a stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: The 2014–15 season was Futbol Club Barcelona's 115th in existence and the club's 84th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. This was the first of the three seasons under head coach Luis Enrique.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: The season was one of the most successful ones in the club's history, as Barcelona clinched its second continental treble after winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League. The league title was won in a closely fought title race with Real Madrid, while the Copa victory was achieved with a brilliant 3–1 victory over Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou in the final. In the Champions League, Barcelona overcame Bayern Munich (3–0 home, 2–3 away) to set up the final against Juventus in Berlin, where Barça triumphed 3–1. Barcelona's success may be in large part attributed to their formidable attacking trio composed of Lionel Messi, Neymar and summer signing Luis Suárez, who scored a record 122 goals in all competitions to become the trio with most goals in a single season in Spanish football history.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: The season was the first since 1998–99 without former captain Carles Puyol, who retired after the 2013–14 season and without goalkeeper Víctor Valdés, who left to Manchester United in January 2015.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: At the end of the 2013–14 FC Barcelona season, goalkeepers José Manuel Pinto and Víctor Valdés expired contracts were not renewed. Barcelona quickly signed Marc-André ter Stegen from Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Claudio Bravo from fellow La Liga outfit Real Sociedad. On 15 May, long-time captain Carles Puyol announced his retirement from football after a 15-year career on the first team. Puyol was subsequently named Assistant to Sports Management under Director of football Andoni Zubizarreta. On 19 May, Luis Enrique was named the new manager after it was announced that Gerardo Martino would step down at the end of the season. Luis Enrique returned to Barça after being the B Team manager from 2008 to 2011.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 12 June, Barcelona and Premier League club Chelsea reached an agreement for the transfer of midfielder Cesc Fàbregas for a reported fee of €33 million. With the move, Fàbregas returns to London where he started his first team career as an Arsenal player. On 16 June, Barcelona signed Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitić from Sevilla for €18 million along with the loan of Barcelona B midfielder Denis Suárez for the next two seasons. Rakitić joins after leading Sevilla to the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League title, where he was named man of the match in the final.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 9 July, Barcelona announced the transfer of Jonathan dos Santos to Villarreal for a fee of €2 million. Most of his last season with the club was spent recovering from an ACL tear which he suffered in training on 23 October 2013. With the move, Jonathan reunites with his older brother Giovani dos Santos, since both players shared time on the Barcelona youth team. On 10 July, Barcelona announced it had rescinded the contract of forward Isaac Cuenca. Cuenca then made the move to Deportivo de La Coruña, where he signed for one season to join the Galician club. Later in the day, Barcelona completed the transfer of Alexis Sánchez to Arsenal for €42 million. Sánchez left after three years when he had played 141 matches and scored 47 goals, including a season personal best of 21 goals during the 2013–14 season.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 11 July, Barcelona and English club Liverpool announced the transfer of Uruguayan international forward Luis Suárez for a reported fee of £75 million. The reigning European Golden Shoe winner joins after spending four seasons with the Merseyside club in which he scored 82 goals in 133 appearances. Barcelona will be without Suárez's services after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee banned the player for four months of any football-related activity after he was found guilty of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's final World Cup group stage match. The suspension means Suárez is unable to play for Barcelona until 26 October. Later in the day, goalkeeper Oier moved to Granada on a free transfer to the Andalusian club. The transfer, however, includes the caveat that "Barcelona reserves the economic rights to any future transfer of the player".


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 16 July, Barcelona announced that Spanish winger Cristian Tello would be moving on a two-year loan deal to Portuguese club Porto for a loan fee of €2 million. The deal includes a purchase option for Porto of €8 million. Barcelona also informed that left back Adriano would be out four-to-six weeks with an abnormal heart rhythm discovered during his return medical. On 19 July, Barcelona played their first friendly of the pre-season against Recreativo de Huelva at the Nuevo Colombino in Huelva. The match ended 0–1 with the only goal coming from Barcelona B winger Joan Àngel Román in the 66th minute that gave Barça the Trofeo Colombino for the first time.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 22 July, Barcelona parted ways with La Masia graduate and youth system all-time leading scorer Bojan. Bojan moved to English club Stoke City where he joins fellow La Masia graduate Marc Muniesa and ex-Barça striker and current manager Mark Hughes. On 23 July, Barcelona announced the transfer of French international central defender Jérémy Mathieu from Valencia for a transfer fee of €20 million. Mathieu signed a contract for four seasons, with an optional season, and a buyout fee of €50 million. With the move, Mathieu becomes the most expensive defender over 30 years old to be transferred.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 9 August, Barcelona announced the signing of Belgium international defender Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal for a fee of €19 million. The next day, Barcelona also announced that Ibrahim Afellay would be headed to Olympiacos in the Superleague Greece for a season-long loan. On 14 August, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed the ban imposed by FIFA against Suárez, who remains suspended from football for four months, as well as a nine international match ban. However, the CAS removed the player's "football-related activities" ban, and was allowed to train with Barcelona. Barcelona also announced it had reached an agreement with Sevilla for the loan of forward Gerard Deulofeu for the 2014–15 season.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 19 August, the FIFA Appeal Committee upheld its transfer ban on Barcelona in regards to "breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18." Barcelona will be unable to transfer players during both the 2015 winter and summer transfer windows. Barcelona released a statement stating "that it shall continue defending its interests before the highest sporting authority, in this case the CAS". On 24 August, Barcelona started the season campaign with a 3-0 victory over Elche at the Camp Nou. A brace by Lionel Messi and a third by youth player Munir sealed the win for the "Blaugrana". On 27 August, Barcelona announced it had reached an agreement with Brazilian club São Paulo for the transfer of right-back Douglas.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 30 August, Barcelona and West Ham United announced the loan for Cameroonian international Alex Song for the remainder of the season to the Premier League club. The next day, Barcelona won their first away match at El Madrigal 0–1 versus Villarreal with the lone goal scored by Barça B forward Sandro.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 13 September, Barcelona played their first match after the FIFA international break and for the first time in their history, wore their Senyera shirts from the previous season in a home game. The Senyera was used to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Siege of Barcelona in 1714. The match finished 2–0 victory against Athletic Bilbao with two second half goals from Neymar. On 17 September, Barcelona played their first match in the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League edition against Cypriot champions APOEL. It was the official debut of youngster Sergi Samper for the first team and the 300th match for Dani Alves at Barcelona. Barça won the match 1–0 with Lionel Messi heading the winning goal in 28th minute. Piqué was named Man of the Match.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 21 September, Barcelona played against Levante. Goals from Neymar, Ivan Rakitić, Sandro, Pedro and Messi ensured that Barcelona had maintained their perfect record. On 24 September, Barcelona took on Málaga at La Rosaleda. It was the debut match for Douglas. Barcelona dropped first point of the season in La Liga as the game ended as a goalless draw. On 27 September, Barcelona played against Granada at Camp Nou. Barcelona kept up home form with a big win thanks to Neymar's first hat-trick of the season and a brace from Messi; the other goal came from Rakitić. On 30 September, Barcelona played its second match in the Champions League, against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. It was the first defeat of the season and also the first time in the season Barça conceded a goal; PSG won 3–2, were goals from Messi and Neymar were not enough to escape defeat.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 4 October, Barcelona played Rayo Vallecano at the Campo de Vallecas. In an eventual 0–2 win with goals from Messi and Neymar, goalkeeper Claudio Bravo made La Liga history by going 630 minutes without conceding a goal, surpassing former Barça goalkeeper Pedro María Artola's record of 560 minutes, set in 1978. After an international break, Barcelona faced Eibar at Camp Nou on 18 October. Barça won the match 3–0, with late goals from Messi, Neymar and Xavi. On 21 October, Barcelona hosted Ajax at Camp Nou. Goals from Messi and Neymar and a late goal from youngster Sandro gave Barcelona a comfortable 3–1 win. On 25 October, Barcelona played the first "Clásico" of the season at the Santiago Bernabéu. This was the official debut match of star forward Luis Suárez due to his ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chellini during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Neymar gave Barcelona an early lead but Barcelona could not further capitalize on the lead; a converted penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo and goals from Pepe and Karim Benzema resulted in a 3–1 defeat. This was the first defeat for Barcelona in their 2014–15 Liga campaign. Claudio Bravo's clean sheet run ended at 754 minutes..


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 1 November, Barcelona played against Celta de Vigo. Barcelona's losing streak continued as they experienced their first home defeat of the season at Camp Nou; a single goal from Joaquín Larrivey decided the outcome of the match. Barça were down to the fourth position in the league table with the loss. On 5 November, Barca played against Ajax at Amsterdam Arena; Messi scored a brace as Barcelona won the match 0–2. With these two goals, Messi equalized the Raúl's record as the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 8 November, Barcelona visited Juegos Mediterráneos to play against Almería. Barcelona earned a hard-fought win thanks to late goals from Neymar and Jordi Alba as Thievy Bifouma gave Almería the lead after 37 minutes. This win brought Barcelona to second in the table. After the last international break of the year, Barça took on Sevilla at Camp Nou, winning 5–1 off goals by Neymar and Rakitić and a hat-trick from Messi, with Alba scoring an own goal. With his second goal, Messi broke the record of Telmo Zarra to become the all-time top scorer of La Liga.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 25 November, Barça won 0–4 against APOEL at GSP Stadium of Nicosia, Cyprus. Messi scored a hat-trick and Luis Suárez scored his first official goal for Barcelona. The hat-trick made Messi the all-time top scorer of the Champions League, surpassing Raúl. On 30 November, Barcelona earned a dramatic win against Valencia at Mestalla after an injury time goal from Sergio Busquets gave Barça the 0–1 win. At the time of celebrating the goal, Messi was struck by a bottle by a Valencia fan. When Messi tried to report the incident to referee, he was shown a yellow card due to misunderstanding. Later on, due to the appeal from the club, the card was rescinded.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 2 December, Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen, who was yet to make his official debut with Barcelona, underwent successful knee surgery in Finland. He would be out for next five-to-six months. Barcelona played the first match of 2014–15 Copa del Rey against Huesca at Estadio El Alcoraz on 3 December 2014. They won the round of 32 first leg by 0–4. Rakitić, Andrés Iniesta, Pedro and Rafinha scored the goals. Luis Enrique rested many of first team starters and handed Barça B defender Edgar Ié his debut. On 7 December, Barcelona played against Espanyol, the first Catalan Derby of 2014–15 La Liga at Camp Nou. Espanyol took the lead by a goal from Sergio García, but Barcelona eventually won the match 5–1 thanks to a hat-trick from Messi and goals from Piqué and Pedro. On 10 December, Barca played last match of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage, against Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou. The lead given by Zlatan Ibrahimović for PSG did not last long, as goals from Messi, Neymar and Suárez gave Barcelona the 3–1 win, ensuring the top spot in Group F. Barça played against Getafe on 13 December at Coliseum Alfonso Pérez; the match ended in a goalless draw.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 16 December, Barca played against Huesca in the second leg of Copa del Rey at Camp Nou. Huesca was thrashed 8–1 as Pedro scored a hat-trick and Barça B winger Adama Traoré scoring his first goal of the season for the first team. Other goalscorers were Sergi Roberto, Iniesta, Adriano and Sandro. A goal from Carlos David only minimised the difference. By their 12–1 aggregate win, Barcelona are through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey. Barça took on Córdoba at Camp Nou on 20 December, the last match of the 2014 calendar year. Barcelona ended the year with a convincing 5–0 win off goals from Pedro, Suárez, Piqué and a late double from Messi. On 30 December, Barça's appeal against two window transfer ban allotted by FIFA was rejected by CAS. As a result, Barcelona will not be allowed to sign any new player until January 2016 and have to pay a fine of approximately €375,000.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: Barcelona's new year started on 4 January with an away match against Real Sociedad at Anoeta Stadium. A poor start for Barcelona as they lost the match 1–0. An own goal from Jordi Alba decided the result. On 5 January, Barcelona announced that they had terminated the contract of director of football Andoni Zubizarreta. He had been sacked after serving for more than four years starting from July 2010. On the same day, Carles Puyol, the assistant director of football, quit his position. On 7 January, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu called for early presidential election at the end of the 2014–15 season.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 8 January, Barcelona played the first leg of Round of 16 of Copa del Rey against Elche at Camp Nou. Barça won the match 5–0 from a brace by Neymar and goals from Suárez, Alba and a penalty from Messi. On 11 January, Barcelona played against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, winning 3–1. Neymar, Suárez and Messi scored for Barça, and Mario Mandžukić reduced the gap from a penalty for Atlético. On 15 January, Barcelona played against Elche in the second leg of Round of 16 of Copa del Rey at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. Despite resting many first team players, Barca won 4–0 as Jérémy Mathieu, Sergi Roberto, Pedro and Adriano scored. With the win, Barça were through to the Quarter-finals of Copa del Rey with an aggregate 9–0 victory.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 18 January, Barça took on Deportivo at Estadio Riazor, the last match of the first half of La Liga. Barca won the match 0–4 from Messi's hat-trick and an own goal by Sidnei. It was Messi's 22nd career hat-trick in La Liga. On 21 January, the first leg of quarter-finals of Copa del Rey took place between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, where Barça won 1–0 thanks to a late goal from Messi. On 24 January, Barca played against Elche at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. Barça won the match 0–6 as Messi and Neymar scored braces and Pedro and Piqué each scored once. Barça defeated Atlético Madrid in the second leg of the quarter-finals of Copa del Rey 2–3 goals on 28 January at the Vicente Calderón, completing a 4–2 aggregate win. Neymar scored a brace and Miranda scored an own goal for Barcelona, while Fernando Torres and Raúl García scored for Atlético.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 1 February, Barcelona played the 21st match of La Liga against Villarreal at Camp Nou. Barça won the thrilling encounter 3-2 thanks to goals from Neymar, Rafinha and Messi; Denis Cheryshev and Luciano Vietto scored for Villarreal. On 8 February, Barcelona played Athletic Bilbao at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao. Barcelona won the match 5–2 as Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar and Pedro scored. The other Barcelona goal was an own goal by Óscar de Marcos, while Mikel Rico and Aritz Aduriz reduced the gap for Athletic. On 11 February, Barcelona played Villarreal in the first leg of semi-finals of Copa del Rey at Camp Nou. Barça won the match 3–1 as Messi, Iniesta and Piqué scored for Barcelona, while Manu Trigueros scored for Villarreal. Neymar, meanwhile, missed a penalty.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 15 February, Barcelona played the 23rd match of La Liga against Levante at the Camp Nou. It was Messi's 300th La Liga appearance. Barcelona won the match 5–0 as Messi scored his 23rd La Liga hat-trick, while Neymar and Suárez scored one each. On 21 February, Barça's eleven-match winning streak came to an end as they lost to Málaga, 1–0. Juanmi scored the only goal at Camp Nou. On 25 February, FC Barcelona flew to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester to play the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Manchester City. Barça won the game 2–1 thanks to a brace from Suárez. Sergio Agüero reduced the gap for City in the second half of the game. On 28 February, Barcelona took on Granada at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes. The "Blaugranes" won the match 3–1. The goals were scored by Rakitić and Suárez. Fran Rico scored for Granada, however Messi ensured Barça's victory by scoring his 27th league goal of the season.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 4 March, Barcelona played the second leg of semi-finals of Copa del Rey against Villarreal at El Madrigal. Barça won the match 1–3 and went through to the final by a 6–2 aggregate scoreline. Neymar scored a brace while Suárez added one; Jonathan dos Santos scored the only goal for Villarreal. On 8 March, Barça played the 26th match of La Liga against Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou, winning 6–1 as Messi scored his 24th La Liga hat-trick, Suárez scored a brace and Piqué scored the other. Alberto Bueno reduced the gap from a penalty while Dani Alves was sent off. With his hat-trick, Messi set the record for most hat-tricks in the history of La Liga. Additionally, Barcelona climbed to the top position of the league table with this win.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 14 March, Barça took on Eibar at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium. Messi scored both goals as Barça won 0–2. On 18 March, Barça faced Manchester City at home for the second leg of Champions League round of 16. Barça won 1–0 on a goal by Rakitić, and as a result, Barcelona qualified for the quarter-final with a 3–1 aggregate score. Barcelona were drawn with Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals draw. The second "El Clásico" of the Liga season was held on 22 March, during which Barcelona defeated their archrivals 2–1 at Camp Nou. The opener from Jérémy Mathieu was canceled out by Cristiano Ronaldo, but Suárez ensured a victory for Barcelona after scoring his team's second. Mathieu scored the first goal of his Barça career on the match. The win gave Barça a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 5 April, Barcelona played their 29th La Liga match at the Balaídos and won 0–1 against Celta Vigo, with the only goal scored by Mathieu. On 8 April, Barça took on Almería at Camp Nou, defeating the visitors 4–0, as Suárez scored a brace and Messi and Marc Bartra scored one each. On 11 April, Barcelona played against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. The teams drew 2–2, which saw Barcelona's table lead fall to two points.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 15 April, Barcelona flew to the Parc des Princes in Paris to play the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain. Barça won the game 1–3 via a brace from Suárez and a goal from Neymar. Mathieu reduced the gap for PSG by scoring an own goal in the second half of the game. On 18 April, Barcelona took on Valencia at home, winning 2–0 after an opening goal by Suárez and a late goal by Messi in the injury time, his 400th career goal for Barça. On 21 April, Barca took on PSG at the Camp Nou for the second leg of Champions League quarter-finals. Neymar scored both goals as Barça won 2–0, thus qualifying for the semi-finals with a 5–1 aggregate score. With victory, Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals for the seventh time in the last eight years.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: Barcelona were drawn with Bayern Munich in the semi-finals during the semi-final draw in Nyon. On 25 April, Barcelona defeated Espanyol 0–2 at the Cornellà-El Prat and won the second derby of the season. On 28 April, Barça played its 34th match of the league season against Getafe at the Camp Nou, winning 6–0 as Messi and Suárez each scored a brace and Neymar and Xavi each got a goal.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 2 May, Barcelona took on Córdoba at Estadio Nuevo Arcángel. Barcelona won the match 0–8 as Suárez scored his first Barcelona hat-trick, Messi scored twice and Neymar, Rakitić and Piqué each scored one. Messi had a chance to score a hat-trick when Córdoba conceded a penalty but he gave the chance to Neymar, who duly obliged. On 6 May, Barcelona played the first leg of the semi-finals of the Champions League against Bayern Munich, winning 3–0 as Messi scored twice in three minutes and assisted for Neymar, who scored one in injury time. Messi's second goal in the match won the UEFA Goal of the Year award.


title: 2014–15 FC Barcelona season

text: On 9 May, Barcelona played the 2014–15 La Liga 36th matchday at Camp Nou against Real Sociedad, a game Barça won 2–0, with Neymar scoring the first with a header and Pedro scoring the second goal with a bicycle kick. With the win, Barcelona were one win away from winning the 2014–15 La Liga title as they were four points above Real Madrid with only two games left. On 12 May, Barcelona flew to the Allianz Arena in Munich to play the second leg of the semi-finals of the Champions League against Bayern Munich. Neymar scored both goals in a 2–3 Barça loss, though the team nonetheless won 5–3 on aggregate and booked their place in the final of Champions League. On 17 May, Barcelona clinched their 23rd La Liga title after winning 0–1 against Atlético Madrid at the Vicente Calderón. The game's only goal, by Messi, was enough to win the title. This was Barcelona's seventh La Liga title in the last ten years. On 21 May, Xavi had announced that he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season for Al-Sadd in Qatar.