Pique: Messi and Antoine Griezmann get on well at Barca

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The defender has played down reports to the contrary

Gerard Pique has been talking about the relationship between Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann and reckons the two players get on just fine.

There were reports over the summer that Messi wasn’t all that keen on Barca bringing in Griezmann and would much rather have signed Neymar instead.

Messi has since said there is no problem with Griezmann and that their relationship is growing, while the Frenchman has admitted he needs to understand his strike partners better.

Pique has now offered his thoughts on the two players and how he sees their relationship.

“It’s really good. Leo and Antoine get on just like Leo does with Dembele or Pedo or Villa. They get on well.

“With Luis, they’re practically like brothers and then after that there are different relationships.

“Just because he doesn’t get on with Griezmann like he does with Luis doesn’t mean they don’t get on well.”

Source | Cadena SER

Griezmann started on the bench last time out against Valladolid as Lionel Messi played a starring role for Barca, scoring twice and coming up with two assists in a 5-1 win.

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Rumors: Bentancur, Bernadeschi and Boca bargain

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A look at the latest gossip

Barcelona like Bernardeschi...but not as much as they did

Today’s rumors start with news that Barcelona quite like Federico Bernardeschi and have actually been monitoring him for some time.

Apparently, they even discussed a move for him last summer. The club met with Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici to talk Ivan Rakitic and Bernadeschi’s name cropped up.

Mundo Deportivo reckon the two clubs could not agree a deal because Juve wanted €23m plus Rakitic for 25-year-old.

Barcelona are said to still be interested in Bernadeschi but he is no longer seen as a priority, while Juve are thinking about offering him a contract renewal.

Barca to replace Busquets with Bentancur

And Bernadeschi is not the only Juventus player being linked with a move to Barcelona, as Rodrigo Bentancur is also believed to be a target for the Spanish champions.

Sport have been checking out Gazzetta dello Sport who reckon that Barcelona could replace Sergio Busquets with Bentancur, although they will also face competition from Manchester City.

Bentancur seems to have fallen out of favour under Maurizio Sarri, starting just three of 10 Serie A games, and would cost around €40 million.

Barcelona keen on Boca Juniors defender

Barcelona are also said to be keen on landing Boca Juniors’ 17-year-old defender Santiago Ramos Mingo in a cut-price deal.

According to TyC Sports, the teenager is yet to sign a professional contract with Boca but will turn 18 in November and will be able to join a big European club.

Barcelona’s head of youth development, Jose Maria Bakero, has been in touch with the youngster’s representatives and is hopeful of snapping up the centre-back.

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Messi back in Argentina squad for Brazil, Uruguay friendlies

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The Barcelona captain’s suspension is over

Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for November friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay.

The Barcelona captain has not featured for his country since being sent off at the Copa America and subsequently banned for his comments about corruption at the tournament.

However, he is named in Lionel Scaloni’s side for a couple of tasty looking fixtures over the international break.

#Convocatoria Lista de convocados de la Selección Mayor y Sub 23 para la doble fecha FIFA de noviembre. pic.twitter.com/Rrqj2vechK

— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) October 31, 2019

Argentina’s first game is against Copa America winners Brazil on November 15 in Saudi Arabia where he’ll come up against team-mate Arthur and Philippe Coutinho.

La Albiceleste then play Uruguay in Israel three days later, a match that will see Messi face strike partner Luis Suarez who is also back on international duty.

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Barça take next step with Cruzeiro midfielder Ederson - report

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The youngster has spoken about the reported interest

Barcelona are reportedly very interested and moving forward with transfer negotiations with Ederson. Barcelona delegate Eric Abidal is in Brazil apparently meeting with his agent Cesar Godoy.

“So far, my agents haven’t told me anything about the situation,” he said. “For that reason, there’s not much to talk about until I am told anything.

”If it is true, then I’m happy for the recognition. But it’s not the moment to think about leaving. It’s necessary to be 100 percent focused on Cruzeiro. I want to help the club which has given me so many chances. I want to be 100 percent here and that’s what I am doing and will keep on doing.”

Ederson | Source

The move would be an obvious upgrade for Ederson, whose contract runs till 2023. Right now, Cruzeiro own 50 percent of his rights while another 40 percent are Deportivo Brasil’s.

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FC Barcelona News: 31 October 2019

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Time to recover | FC Barcelona
After the tremendous 5-1 spree against Real Valladolid, it was straight back to the training ground as a busy week continues with preparations for a game at Levante on Saturday at 4.00pm CET. The team will take the day off on Thursday and return to work on Friday at 4.30pm CET, for a session that will be preceded an hour before by an Ernesto Valverde press conference that we’ll be streaming live here on the website.

Good atmosphere in Barcelona training session | Sport
The club is waiting for news on Jordi Alba who came off the field with a muscle problem. Ernesto Valverde called up various B team players for the session, including Ansu Fati, who played against Valladolid from the off.

Barcelona players were willing to sacrifice wages to bring Neymar back - Pique | Goal
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique revealed the team offered to lower their salaries so Neymar could return to the La Liga champions. Neymar attempted to engineer a return to Barca during the previous transfer window, just two years after his world-record €222 million ($248m) transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

Lionel Messi might be soccer’s best-ever player, but where does he fall short of GOAT status? | ESPN
When someone who’s unfamiliar or only slightly familiar with the sport of soccer asks me who is the best player in the world, I tell them “well, it’s Lionel Messi. ”Then, when they say “why?” I say “he’s the best goal scorer I’ve ever seen, and since goals are so scarce and so valuable, scoring goals is the most important thing a soccer player can do.”

Messi challenges Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or | Marca
Lionel Messi produced an extraordinary performance against Real Valladolid on Tuesday night, in some ways answering the reports from Italy that Cristiano Ronaldo will be this year’s Ballon d’Or winner. The Argentine forward scored a brace and assisted another two as he led Barcelona to a 5-1 victory.

Real Madrid, Barcelona battle for Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho | Football Espana
Borussia Dortmund are resigned to losing Jadon Sancho next summer with Real Madrid and Barcelona in the running, say Sport Bild. It follows on from a report last week in ESPN FC, via El Desmarque, which claimed Los Blancos have identified the teenager as a potential signing next year and have registered an interest.

The year that changed Ansu Fati’s life | Marca
If Ansu Fati had been asked on his 16th birthday where he saw himself in one year’s time, not even he could have imagined the answer. Barcelona’s youngest star turns 17 this Thursday and his life has changed dramatically in recent months, now an important player in the Catalan’s first team.

De la Fuente: “We have to make an effort so Ansu gets more playing time” | Sport
“He’s naturally talented and in time we’ll see his true value. He’s a special talent who can step up when the opportunity presents itself. After he received his documentation and a teammate was ruled out by injury, we didn’t have any doubts about calling him up. We know how talented he is and it isn’t common for players of his age to have the footballing quality he possesses,” de la Fuente said.

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Arturo Vidal is a tactical X-factor

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Welcome to our daily podcast!

Welcome to our new podcast, Barça Blaugranes Daily! On today’s episode Renato discusses how Arturo Vidal has all of a sudden become a key part of Barcelona’s system, and why his presence allows Lionel Messi to be at his best.

You can check out the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more here. Thanks for listening!

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Pique: Barca players offered to change contracts to bring Neymar back

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The defender says they knew there was an FFP issue

Gerard Pique has revealed the lengths Barcelona players were willing to go to last summer to help their club bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou.

Neymar made it clear he wanted to quit Paris Saint-Germain in the transfer window and go back to his former club but the two clubs were unable to agree a fee.

Pique says the Barcelona players did their bit to try and help the transfer go through and explained what they were willing to sacrifice.

“We didn’t stump up money,” he said.

”What we said to the president was whether we could change our contracts because we knew there was a Financial Fair Play issue... so we said to the president, rather than earn something in year one, we could earn it in year two or three or four.

”At the end of the day we want to go along with what the club is doing and if we can help the club, in this case avoiding a financial fair problem, we’ve got no problem in doing that.

”Rather than reducing our salary it was about finding a formula so that if the club wanted to sign Neymar they could. At the time they thought it was a good idea, but then other problems cropped up.”

Source | El Larguero (via Goal)

Pique also added that Barcelona players warned Neymar against going to PSG in the first place, telling him you are going to a “golden prison” but also said he wouldn’t be too surprised to see Neymar come back at some point.

The Brazilian missed the start of the season with PSG due to all the transfer speculation but returned to the pitch and scored four goals in five games for the French champions before being ruled out through injury yet again.

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Ansu is a ‘special talent,’ says Spain Under-21 boss

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The youngster possesses a rare talent

Spain Under-21 boss Luis de la Fuente has been talking about Barcelona starlet Ansu Fati and says the teenager possesses a “special talent.”

Fati has enjoyed a stellar rise this season that has seen him feature for the first team and become the club’s youngest ever La Liga goalscorer.

His performances saw him called into the Spain Under-21 squad in October, and De La Fuente says he has no hesitation in bringing him on to the international scene.

“He’s naturally talented and in time we’ll see his true value. He’s a special talent who can step up when the opportunity presents itself,” he said.

“After he received his documentation and a teammate was ruled out by injury, we didn’t have any doubts about calling him up.

“We know how talented he is and it isn’t common for players of his age to have the footballing quality he possesses.”

Source | Sport

Ansu has been back on the bench in recent weeks since Luis Suarez, LIonel Messi and Ousmane Dembele have returned to fitness, but he did start Tuesday’s win over Real Valladolid and will be hoping to remain with the first team.

De La Fuente also spoke about Ansu and his fellow youngsters needing to play “play as many matches as possible throughout the year” either with the first team or by dropping down to the youth team.

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Pep expects Xavi to manage Barca ‘sooner or later’

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The Man City boss is excited by the thought

Pep Guardiola expects Xavi to take charge of Barcelona “sooner or later” and says he’s excited by the prospect of the former midfielder taking charge at the Camp Nou.

Xavi has made no secret of his desire to return to Barca as manager one day and is currently in charge of Qatari side Al Sadd.

Guardiola spoke about Xavi in an interview with Catalunya Radio and made it clear he thinks Xavi will have a successful career in management.

“Xavi was already a manager when he played. His eyes sparkled watching football. He will be a manager for sure. There are people who play and you would never say they will be managers.

“This is not the case. Xavi could be a manager wherever he likes, not just at Barcelona. You have to give him time. Sooner or later, he will manage Barcelona. He’s still young, he knows football, he watches it, he has passion, dedication, he is brave and bold and he says things clearly too.

“It would excite me to see him manage Barcelona. On top of everything, he likes to manage and he focuses on everything.”

Source | AS

Xavi made a fine start to his career in charge of Al Sadd, winning his first trophy in August in the Qatar Super Cup. Yet his team hit a bit of a bad patch in October and lost three games in a row. They were also knocked out of the 2019 AFC Champions League 2019 in the semi-finals by Al Hilal.

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Atletico Madrid interested in Ivan Rakitic - report

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The midfielder could be on the move in January

If you haven’t noticed, the Barcelona midfield is a bit crowded. Frenkie de Jong and Arturo Vidal are playing their best football of the season. Sergio is continuing to improve on form and fitness, and that means the rumored Ivan Rakitic transfer we’ve all had to listen too for the last 18 months is back again.

This time, according to reports, Rakitic might be headed to Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone has tried to snag Rakitic before. Once as Rakitic moved from Germany to Sevilla, and then again before he moved to Barcelona. He would slide nicely into Simeone’s midfield and certainly get more playing time then he is currently at Barcelona.

If the move works out, Barcelona want 35 million euros for the midfielder. But since it’s Atletico, maybe we could slap a few more million on there for payback. GRIEZMANNNNN!!!!!!

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Barcelona scouting two Argentine youth stars - report

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Exequiel Zeballos (Boca Juniors) and Matías Palacios (San Lorenzo) are part of Argentina’s U17 squad

Barcelona scouts have taken a keen interest in two Argentine youngsters who are currently performing at the FIFA U17 World Cup, Mundo Deportivo reports.

Exequiel Zeballos (Boca Juniors) and Matías Palacios (San Lorenzo) are both aged 17 and tipped to become important players for Argentina one day.

Both started for Argentina in their 0-0 draw with Spain to open the albiceleste’s U17 World Cup campaign. Palacios, a midfielder, in particular, drew praise, notably hitting the bar in that game.

Palacios already debuted in the Argentine league and is San Lorenzo’s youngest ever debutant in the Primera.

Zeballos, primarily a left winger, is still awaiting a first-team debut but is an important player for Boca’s reserves.

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Pep credits Messi’s ‘short bursts of effort’ in aging success

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The coach has been talking about the Barcelona captain

Former Barcelona boss and current Manchester City overlord Pep Guardiola credits Lionel Messi’s management of effort for his continuing success. Great players, as they age, continue to learn and adapt to their aging bodies. It does appear that Messi is learning to contain his efforts in short bursts.

“Stars need to run like anyone else, if not the team can’t cope, you need to convince them to run. Sometimes, you say to them ‘I won’t make you run 40 metres like the 20-year-old athlete in the team, but give me a reason not to run’.

“If someone doesn’t run, but scores three goals every game I can buy that, but nobody scores three goals a game, only Messi comes close.

“Right now, you need to ask Messi to make short bursts of effort. He can’t run for the sake of running, no way. If Leo ran like he ran in his first season with me he’d be injured every three months. Managing legends of 30 and above is the hardest thing for a coach.”

Pep Guardiola | Source

This comes off the back of another legendary Messi performance in Barcelona’s 5-1 demolition of Real Valladolid. Beautiful passes and even more gorgeous offensive solo moves on the ball. His effort being contained in certain time frames is certainly helping him out this year.

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In the past 5 seasons, no team has scored as many free kicks as Lionel Messi

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Messi is without a doubt the master of free kicks

Lionel Messi scored his 20th free-kick goal over the past five league seasons against Real Valladolid yesterday in a 5-1 triumph for Barcelona. The Argentine was lauded for yet another masterclass in which he scored twice and assisted twice.

What’s especially notable about that stat of 20 free-kick goals in the past five seasons in La Liga is that not only does no player match him over the same span, no team has equalled his mark.

In the top 5 leagues, there is no team that has scored as many as Messi by himself - well, apart from Barcelona, of course.

Juventus is the one that comes closest, with 15 goals from different takers. Roma, Lyon, and Paris Saint-Germain have 13, followed by Bologna with 12.

Messi hit his 50th free kick in his career with his latest effort. The discussion about whether he is the best free-kick specialist in the world currently seems settled now, the question moves to where he stands among the best ever.

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FC Barcelona News: 30 October 2019

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Five-goal masterclass (5-1) | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi was at his brilliant best, but the whole team gelled in a game that was about attacking football from start to finish, with moments of sheer class, skill and total spectacle. And much as the 5-1 result is in no way flattering to Valladolid, today’s guests were anything but an easy opponent.

Ten things we learned from Barça 5-1 Valladolid | FC Barcelona
Clement Lenglet added his name to the list of Barça players to have got on the Liga scoresheet this season, and the thirteen different names are more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues.

Second best winning streak under Valverde | FC Barcelona
Barça are on stunning form. Again. Tuesday’s spectacular 5-1 defeat of Valladolid was the seventh win in a row, equalling the second best streak under Ernesto Valverde. And if the team can continue its rampant march with victories in the upcoming fixtures against Levante and Slavia Prague … That would equal his best ever run of nine wins!

Luis Suárez has scored against all 27 of his La Liga opponents | FC Barcelona
Luis Suárez has now scored against all of the 27 La Liga opponents that he has faced following his goal against Valladolid at Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Messi scores his 50th free kick | FC Barcelona
Another day, another landmark figure for Leo Messi. Such is the life of the Argentinian superstar. On Tuesday in Barcelona he made it 50 goals from free kicks in his professional career with another spectacular effort in the game against Valladolid. The first of those 50 came in Novermber 2008 in a league game against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, the beginning of a free kick extravaganza that has led him to a total of 44 for Barça and six for the Argentinian national side.

Toe Poke Daily: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi outscoring all of Europe’s top clubs from free kicks | ESPN
The Argentina captain scored two goals and assisted another two in the match, the ninth time he has done so in La Liga in the last decade. In effortlessly tucking away Barcelona’s third goal, Messi scored the 50th direct free kick of his senior career in all competitions (44 with Barca, six with Argentina).

Messi’s 6th Golden Shoe on display in Musum | FC Barcelona
Messi certainly put his boots on show against Valladolid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, with two goals and two assists, and the day after it’s happening again. This time it’s to honour his league 36 goals last season, and which earned yet another European Golden Shoe.

Messi, Ansu Fati and Abidal up for Globe Soccer Awards | FC Barcelona
The candidates for the Globe Soccer Awards were revealed on Wednesday and there is yet more blaugrana blood in the running for prizes. Leo Messi, Ansu Fati and Éric Abidal are all nominees for the ceremony to held on December 29 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

Sources: Barcelona open to Rakitic sale, Vidal to stay amid Inter interest in duo | ESPN
Inter Milan have expressed an interest in both players in recent months, although Barca have made it clear they do not want to lose Vidal midseason. The Chile international plays an important role in the squad and, even though he doesn’t start every week, the Spanish champions feel he will be needed as the season progresses.

Guardiola: Messi’s ‘short bursts of effort’ help Barcelona star perform like a 20-year-old | goal
Lionel Messi’s ‘short bursts of effort’ in games help him maintain the same levels of performance he had as a younger player, according to his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola backs Xavi for Barcelona coaching job: Sooner or later, it’ll happen | Goal
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes it is an inevitability that Xavi will one day coach Barcelona. Guardiola made his name as a trainer at Camp Nou, where he took charge of the first team in 2008, marking the beginning of a golden era for the club that included a treble in his debut season.

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid date changes a ‘state problem’ - La Liga chief | ESPN
La Liga president Javier Tebas has said the Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid is a “state problem.” The date for the clash between the country’s two biggest clubs was moved by the Royal Spanish Football Federation to Dec. 18 due to political and social unrest in Catalonia.

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Clement Lenglet says Barca ‘have fixed things’ since Slavia

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The Champions League display made the team angry

Clement Lenglet offered some insight into life at Barcelona on Tuesday after their win over Real Valladolid by claiming the club have “fixed things” in the dressing room.

The French centre-back says Barca were not happy after their unconvincing performance against Slavia Prague in the Champions League but reckons things have improved since then.

Barca certainly put in a much-improved performance against Valladolid, with Lenglet scoring the opening goal in a 5-1 win at Camp Nou.

“Things have been fixed in the dressing room, and on the pitch we’ve had a good game,” he said.

”After Prague we had a bad feeling because we suffered a lot and we were a little angry.”

Source | Marca

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was quite outspoken after the win over Slavia, saying Barcelona had to improve and needed to talk.

While Barcelona cruised to an emphatic win over Valladolid on Tuesday to move top, the real tests will come later in the season away from home in the Champions League.

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Messi is a joke... and Barca are the ones laughing

Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Valladolid performance was ridiculous

Look at that picture above. We’ll never tire of seeing that.

Six hundred and eight club goals, taking him two clear of Cristiano Ronaldo in the war that seems to have no end. 608!

We’re biased on this page of course, but the stats don’t lie.

Five more direct-free kick goals than any CLUB in the last five years. More free-kick goals than any other player in Europe since 2012. The first player to register one hundred 10 out of 10 performances since 2009. One hundred goals scored under Ernesto Valverde’s stewardship in little over two seasons.

Lionel Messi really is a joke.

Lionel Messi
695 Games
⚽️ 608 Goals
247 Assists

@Cristiano
813 Games
⚽️ 606 Goals
211 Assists

Messi overtakes @Cristiano for all-time club goals.

Witnessing greatness. pic.twitter.com/w5zBlVGV4s

— SPORF (@Sporf) October 30, 2019

Imagine if you’d never seen him play before and you were told about what he’s achieved in football. How, for a player with little height, he manages to stand head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch week in and week out, and for 15+ years. You simply wouldn’t believe it.

The ‘G.O.A.T’ phrase has become a little too overused for my liking, and depending on your preference of sport, it has been liberally applied to the likes of Federer, Ali and Woods et al.

Messi has to be part of that conversation. It’s no longer right for people to just dismiss his excellence.

In the aftermath of last night’s game, for example, there were multiple messages on social media suggesting he looked good because he was ‘only playing against Valladolid.’

He has set the bar time and time again, and even now people still line up to criticise him.How can they after his display against La Pucela?!

One of his best in a Barca shirt? Undoubtedly.

THE. BEST. pic.twitter.com/QA1SSRG8SR

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2019

The goals were magnificent, the assists expertly crafted, however, his entire performance lifted those around him. It was truly a captain’s effort.

To witness his continuing evolution from a goalscorer supreme into a goal creator of renown also shows us yet another example of his ability to adapt his game to fit the team and style required.

What’s more, he does it with effortless ease.

We know too, because we can see it with our own eyes, that these next couple of years are sure to be as successful for him as any other.

He might not score as many - although he’s started off rather well again in 2019/20 - but his football brain will ensure he’s a second or two ahead of his opponents when it comes to chance creation.

There has never been any ceiling to what he could achieve in the game, and that’s as true today as it was when he first stepped out on the pitch for the Catalans.

He stands alone. Period.

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There’s still life in Sergio Busquets

Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Welcome to our daily podcast!

Welcome to our new podcast, Barça Blaugranes Daily! On today’s episode Renato discusses Barcelona’s brilliant victory over Valladolid and gives some love to Sergio Busquets, who had a vintage performance on Tuesday and showed he can still play at a really high level.

You can check out the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more here. Thanks for listening!

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Three things we learned from Barca 5-1 Real Valladolid

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The champions return to the top of La Liga

Messi is back to his best

To say Messi was in the mood against Valladolid would be an understatement. The GOAT was at his magical best with a performance that drew several gasps from the Camp Nou supporters.

His glorious ball to Vidal for the opener was sublime, his free-kick that made it 3-1 was almost perfect, and he also popped up with two brilliant nutmegs in a superb first half showing.

Incredibly, his free-kick goal was the 50th of his career and also his 100th goal under Ernesto Valverde. Masip knew where it was going, has probably faced dozens before in training but still couldn’t keep it out.

There was more to follow after the break. He added his second of the night with a powerful finish after being played in by Ivan Rakitic and then grabbed a second assist by sending Luis Suarez away for Barca’s fifth.

Messi’s start to the campaign was interrupted by injury, which means he also missed pre-season, but there’s no doubt at all that he’s back to his best now.

Vidal shows he’s worth keeping hold of

Arturo Vidal was handed just his second La Liga start of the season on Tuesday on the same day that quotes emerged about how he’s not happy on the Barca bench and how he’s quite a big fan of Inter boss Antonio Conte.

Yet the Chilean certainly did not look too unhappy at the Camp Nou and produced the goods on the half-hour mark, putting Barcelona back in front after Olivas Alba had equalised for Real Valladolid.

Vidal was picked out by a gorgeous pass from Messi and managed to touch the ball past Masip. It was not the easiest chance either with the ball coming over his head but the 32-year-old made it look easy.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Despite his lack of game time the goal is Vidal’s third of the season already (as many as he scored throughout the whole of 2018-19), and while he may not have quite done enough to take Arthur’s place in the team he certainly offers something different.

Vidal may find himself back on the bench against Levante on Saturday which may well fuel further rumors over his future, but he showed again on Tuesday that he’s a more than useful option who Barca should be keen to keep hold of.

Suarez continues to confound

Luis Suarez put in another one of those performances that will have his critics fuming but then popped up with a late goal to ensure he has now scored against every single La Liga side he’s faced since joining Barca.

The Uruguayan swept home another brilliant pass from Messi to make it 5-1 on 77 minutes as Barcelona returned to the top of the table with a convincing win.

27 - With his goal against Real Valladolid, Luis Suarez has scored against every team he has faced for @FCBarcelona in LaLiga (137 goals in total). Collector. pic.twitter.com/zlJGn50e4Q

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 29, 2019

Yet it was not a convincing performance from Suarez despite the fact he netted his eighth goal of the season and is only one goal behind La Liga top scorers Gerard Moreno and Loren Moron.

Suarez rarely threatened until his goal but still played the full 90 minutes as Ernesto Valverde took off Frenkie de Jong, Ansu Fati and Jordi Alba in the second half. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann did come on late in the match but struggled to make an impact at all.

There’s still an argument that Barca may be better off making changes up front and playing Griezmann through the middle but that’s unlikely to happen while Suarez keeps banging the goals in.

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Lionel Messi ‘ sees what nobody else sees,’ says Valverde

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The boss hailed the GOAT after another masterclass

Ernesto Valverde was full of praise for Lionel Messi after his captain produced a sensational display in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over Real Valladolid.

The Argentine picked up two goals and two assists in another magical performance for the Spanish champions to leave his manager purring after the game.

“What can I say? Every time he gets it, something happens, good for us and bad for them.

“He has this talent that nobody else has. It’s not just that he makes one move and unbalances them, but he sees what nobody else sees.

“I’m convinced that what he sees, you can’t even see from the stands. And now he looks fresher. We’re happy because he’s doing well and because we’re enjoying how he plays.”

Source | Sport

Next up for Barcelona is a trip to Levante on Saturday which will bring back good memories for Messi. He hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over the Frogs last season in La Liga.

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Barcelona teen sensation almost joined Real Madrid

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Pedri was about to join Madrid, until a snowstorm and his grandfather intervened

Barcelona’s newest youth sensation is Pedro González López, also known as Pedri. The sixteen-year-old attacker currently plays for UD Las Palmas in the second division, but has agreed to join Barça starting next year. He’s turning heads at Las Palmas and is one of Spain’s biggest promises at the U17 FIFA World Cup.

In addition, Pedri is a lifelong Barcelona fan. His father is the president of the Barcelona fan club in his local Tenerife, and his grandfather was the founder. But it almost wasn’t to be. In fact, he almost joined Real Madrid.

That’s according to a story told by his father, Fernando González, on Cadena SER, He says that when Pedri was younger, Real Madrid offered him a trial. They traveled to Valdebebas in Madrid but the expedition happened to coincide with a “frightful snowstorm” that made it hard to see the qualities of the youngster, according to his dad. That seemed to ruin any chance of Pedri joining Madrid’s academy, leading the father to joke that it was the grandfather who sent the snowstorm.

Now that the youngster is set to join Barcelona, his father says it’s a dream come true for the whole family.

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Vidal has no words to describe Messi after Valladolid masterclass

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The Chilean praised his captain after Tuesday’s win

Arturo Vidal talked about Lionel Messi after Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.

The Barcelona captain was in sublime form with two goals, two assists and a couple of nutmegs thrown in too for good measure.

Vidal was also on the scoresheet from a glorious Messi pass and waxed lyrical about the GOAT after the game.

“We see it every day in training, but he surprises us every day. He is from another planet. We are happy, we won and the team felt good. I have no words to talk about Leo. You have to take advantage of it and make the most of it. ”

Source | Mundo Deportivo

Barcelona’s win puts them back on top of La Liga above Granada, while Messi is making up for lost time and now has five goals and five assists in 2019-20.

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Barcelona 5-1 Valladolid: Recap

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What a win. What a Messi.

Barcelona are back to the top of the La Liga table thanks to a comprehensive 5-1 win over Valladolid on Tuesday night at Camp Nou. The Catalans were the better team from start to finish and deserved the victory, and Lionel Messi gave us another magical performance. GOAT indeed.

FIRST HALF

Barça made a quick start to the game thanks to an early goal by Clément Lenglet on a very weird play inside the box, but the Blaugrana did a good job of quickly changing the gameplan of a Valladolid team that looked set to park the bus for a while.

The visitors had to go forward in search of an equalizer, and they got it just 10 minutes later after a cross to the box that wasn’t properly cleared by Marc-André ter Stegen and the defense before Olivas put the ball in the net.

The equalizer didn’t hurt Barça’s rhythm as the home team kept attacking with numbers and support from both full-backs, which led to many chances and a sense of inevitability about them taking the lead. And they did thanks to a couple of amazing Lionel Messi moments: first it was a fabulous lob to find a wide-open Arturo Vidal who scored a great volley, then the captain scored a sensational free-kick with a brilliant strike into the top corner.

At halftime, Barça had a lead they very much deserved, and Messi was putting on a show.

SECOND HALF

The second half was pretty uneventful with Valladolid lacking talent and creativity up front to make up a two-goal deficit while Barça were pretty satisfied with not conceding a second and waiting for the right moment to kill the game for good.

And eventually they did thanks to two more moments of Messi Magic: first he scored his second on the night to make it 4-1 after a nice assist from Rakitic, then he got his second assist with a beautiful pass to Luis Suárez for the fifth.

The final minutes were about Barça controlling the ball and running out the clock, and the final whistle came to end a very nice night for the leaders. And Messi is Messi.

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Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba (Roberto 78’); Vidal, Busquets, De Jong (Rakitic 59’); Messi, Suárez, Ansu Fati (Griezmann 62’)

Goals: Lenglet (2’), Vidal (29’), Messi (34’, 75’), Suárez (77’)

Valladolid: Masip; Porro, Joaquín, Olivas, Barba, Nacho (Salisu 32’); Míchel, Anuar (Hervías 53’); Plano (Enes Ünal 66’); Guardiola, Waldo

Goal: Olivas (15’)

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Messi scores 50th free-kick of his career against Valladolid

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The GOAT hit yet another landmark at the Camp Nou

Lionel Messi hit yet another landmark on Tuesday night as he scored the 50th free-kick of his career for Barcelona against Real Valladolid.

The Barcelona captain had already picked up an assist during the game by teeing up Arturo Vidal to make it 2-1 and added the hosts’ third on 34 minutes after Nelson Semedo had been fouled.

Messi whipped the ball over the wall and past a helpless Jordi Masip in the visitors’ goal to hit his half-century of free-kick goals;.

Leo #Messi's long-range strike just moments ago was his 50th free-kick goal as a professional!

44 ⚽
6 ⚽

Greatest
Of
All
Time... pic.twitter.com/MgkidrEcJN

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2019

He’s also miles ahead of anyone else when it comes to scoring free-kicks over recent seasons across Europe.

Most direct free-kick goals scored since the start of the 2016/17 season in Europe's top five leagues:

Lionel Messi (16)
Alexander Kolarov (6)
Paulo Dybala (6)
Nabil Fekir (6)
Enis Bardhi (6)

In a league of his own. pic.twitter.com/jQGnNS6GEr

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 29, 2019

The goal was Messi’s fourth of the season in his eighth appearance in all competitions, he’s also bagged four assists so far in 2019-20.

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Ex La Masia sensation Xavi Simons regrets leaving Barcelona for PSG - report

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A case of “Neymar syndrome”?

Xavi Simons, who developed quite a following at his young age as an FC Barcelona academy player, regrets having moved to PSG’s set-up, according to Cadena SER.

⚠️“@xavisimons està penedit d’haver marxat del Barça”#QuèThiJugues!#FCBLive

@martincristiann sobre les fugues @FCBmasia pic.twitter.com/aeppKX0aXv

— Què T'hi Jugues (@QueThiJugues) October 29, 2019

The sixteen-year-old has over 2 million Instagram followers, with many having tipped him to become the next big thing in world football one day. Simons has been trying to develop as a player at PSG’s academy while dealing with the sky-high expectations some have laid out for him.

The report says he regrets having left Barcelona’s academy for PSG’s just a few months ago, terming it a case of “Neymar syndrome,” in reference to the Brazilian star who also came to regret switching from Barça to Paris.

It is rumored that several players who left Barcelona’s La Masia academy recently for economic reasons came to regret their move.

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Vidal says he’s ‘not happy’ on the Barcelona bench

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But the Chilean will try to turn his situation around

Arturo Vidal has admitted he is not happy with his current bit-part role at Barcelona but is willing to work hard to try and force his way into the starting XI.

The Chilean has only made one La Liga start for Barca this season but has proved to be effective when coming on as a substitute.

However, that does not seem to be enough for the 32-year-old who has been talking about his current situation at the Camp Nou amid rumors of interest from Inter Milan.

“I will work hard to not leave this club and contribute to our seasonal objectives. But I’m not happy. Even if I’m trying to get through this situation and earn a place in the starting line-up.

“I have worked hard my whole career, my moment hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m calm, as I know it will.

“I don’t seem to be able to find an explanation. There are different ways to look at football, these are the decisions a coach must take. I try to help the squad when I’m called upon.”

Source | El Mercurio

Vidal has a chance of starting on Tuesday against Real Valladolid as Arthur has been given a breather and been left out of the squad.

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Barcelona are having a hard time without Arthur. They’ll be without him again tonight.

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Arthur is being rested

Barcelona will be without Arthur today when they take on Real Valladolid, which could spell trouble for the Catalans. The Brazilian has been having a very good season, however, he’s being rested by manager Ernesto Valverde.

The midfielder has been missed when he’s not on the pitch. In the three games this season Barcelona has played without him, they have won only one - against Real Betis - and lost twice - against Granada and Athletic Club.

There have always been questions about Arthur’s stamina, and it seems Valverde wants to make sure he’s in tip-top shape come the second half of the season by giving him generous amounts of time off. But in the meantime, Barça are just not the same without him.

Arturo Vidal is the favorite to take Arthur’s spot alongside Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park. Vidal offers a physical box-to-box presence that perhaps Arthur cannot match. But even at his young age, it is the Brazilian who offers the ability to turn away from pressure while dribbling, and the vision to pick a pass few others can. Those will be sorely missed, despite the Chilean’s qualities.

Vidal is usually one of the first subs Valverde turns to on the bench, so perhaps we will see Ivan Rakitić get the nod as a substitute despite rumors that he’s on his way out come the next transfer window.

It wouldn’t be a bad time to give Carles Aleñá some minutes as well. The academy product has been finding it hard to get on the pitch, with Valverde admitting that the youngster has played less than he deserves.

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Barcelona vs Valladolid: LIVE BLOG!

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Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!

WELCOME TO THE GREATEST STADIUM ON EARTH!!! The Camp Nou is finally ready for a Barcelona match after 23 days without hosting a game thanks to the postponement of El Clásico at the weekend. The Blaugrana are back home for an important La Liga game against Valladolid, which Barça must win to stay top of the table in points lost and keep Real Madrid behind them until they face off in two months. This should be fun, and you are welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. LET’S LIVE BLOG!

(Note: the comments will be open only when the team news come out, because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section)

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MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2019-20 La Liga, Matchday 11

Date/Time: Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 9.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8.15pm GMT (UK), 4.15pm ET, 1.15pm PT (USA), 1.45am IST (India, Wednesday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), Premier Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), Not Available (India), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA & Canada), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

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Matchday Thread Rules

We don’t have a lot of rules here, but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads:

Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game, be careful with the swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another.

Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!

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FC Barcelona News: 29 October 2019

Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

PREVIEW: FC Barcelona – Valladolid | FC Barcelona
Barça are currently on a four-game winning run in LaLiga, but face a Valladolid side who are unbeaten in the last five. Both games last season resulted in 1-0 wins for the blaugrana, and another on Tuesday could see them overhaul Granada at the top of the table.

The squad for Valladolid | FC Barcelona
Barça welcome Real Valladolid to the Camp Nou on Tuesday, the first time a league match has been played at the stadium since October 6 when the Blaugrana beat Sevilla 4-0. Ernesto Valverde’s team will face the side coached by Sergio González, and the Basque has called up 18 players for the game.

Luis Suárez has Valladolid in his sights | FC Barcelona
Luis Suárez has scored against 26 of the 27 La Liga opponents and the only name missing from his list is that of Valladolid, the visitors to Camp Nou on Tuesday. With kick off at 9.15pm CET, the striker will have another chance to chalk off the name of Sergio González’s side from his collection of La Liga victims.

Barcelona’s Ernesto Valverde cites Johan Cruyff in defending tactics | ESPN
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has hit back at criticism over his team’s running statistics by suggesting he is following the philosophy instilled at the club by the late Johan Cruyff. Barca ran fewer kilometres than any other team in the Champions League last week. Valverde’s side ran just 100.4 km, while opponents Slavia Prague travelled 115.2 km across the 90 minutes.

Umtiti trains but won’t play against Real Valladolid | Marca
Samuel Umtiti has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury which forced him out of Barcelona’s trip to Slavia Prague on Wednesday. The Frenchman completed part of the session with the main group on Monday but will not be available to Ernesto Valverde for the visit of Real Valladolid to the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.

Barcelona wrong for allowing Clasico to be postponed, says Laporta | Goal
Laporta, who was the president of Barca between 2003 and 2014, believes the match should have been played as initially planned and feels it is the Catalan side who are to blame for the postponement. ”Yes, [I would’ve played] the game on Saturday because if Real Madrid wanted to play then I don’t see the problem,” he said.

Barcelona and Ivan Rakitic agree on January exit | Football Espana
Barcelona and Ivan Rakitic have come to a mutual agreement about a parting of the ways in January, according to a report in Marca. The Croatia international has been an integral part of the club’s midfielder for five years but has featured only sparingly this season and whilst no transfer away has been finalised, it is now said to be a formality.

No Barcelona move for Carlos Vela - Ernesto Valverde | Football Espana
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has appeared to rule out a January move for Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela. Now aged 30, Vela netted a total of 66 La Liga goals for Real Sociedad across seven seasons having initially joined the club from Arsenal in 2011.

Barça join Bayern Munich and AC Milan in the race for Lille’s Osimhen | Sport
FC Barcelona are in the race for one of the young stars of France’s Ligue 1, the Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen who plays for Lille. The 21-year-old striker, who is already capped at international level, is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich and AC Milan, according to the website Soccer Link.

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Barça Blaugranes Daily: Valladolid, a Real Test

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Welcome to our daily podcast!

Welcome to our new daily podcast, Barça Blaugranes Daily! On today’s episode, Renato shares some team news and looks ahead to Barcelona’s La Liga match against red-hot Valladolid at Camp Nou, which is definitely not going to be easy.

You can check out the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more here. Thanks for listening!

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Barça squad named for Valladolid

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Ernesto Valverde has called up 18 players for Tuesday’s match

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana are back in action with an important La Liga game against Valladolid at Camp Nou, and Ernesto Valverde has called up the following 18 players for Tuesday’s match:

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Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto

Defenders: 2. Nélson Semedo, 3. Gerard Piqué, 6. Jean-Clair Todibo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 5. Sergio Busquets, 19. Carles Aleñá, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 22. Arturo Vidal

Forwards: 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 17. Antoine Griezmann, 27. Carles Pérez, 31. Ansu Fati

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There is some good injury news with the return of Sergi Roberto, who is back after missing the last two weeks with a knee issue. Out for this one are Samuel Umtiti (knee) and Ousmane Dembélé (suspension), with Arthur, Moussa Wagué and Junior Firpo also out per the manager’s decision.

Predicted starting XI (4-3-3):

Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal, De Jong, Rakitic; Messi, Suárez, Griezmann

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The match kicks off at 9.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8.15pm GMT (UK), 4.15pm ET, 1.15pm PT (USA), 1.45am IST (India, Wednesday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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Barcelona vs Valladolid: Preview

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Barça return to action after a weekend off looking to stay top of the real table

FC Barcelona (2nd, 19pts) vs Real Valladolid (9th, 14pts)*

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*Points and positions at the time of writing on Monday

Competition/Round: 2019-20 La Liga, Matchday 11

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Arthur, Ousmane Dembélé, Samuel Umtiti, Moussa Wagué, Junior Firpo (out)

Valladolid Outs & Doubts: Javi Sanchez (out), Fede San Emeterio, Ruben Alcaraz, Sandro Ramirez (doubt)

Date/Time: Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 9.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8.15pm GMT (UK), 4.15pm ET, 1.15pm PT (USA), 1.45am IST (India, Wednesday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), Premier Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), Not Available (India), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA & Canada), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

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Following a weekend with no game due to the postponement of El Clásico for security reasons, Barcelona finally return to action in La Liga with an important game against Valladolid at Camp Nou. Because of the weekend off Barça are technically in second place behind surprising leaders Granada, but what we have right now is not the real table.

The real table should be based on points lost instead of won until Barça and Madrid play in December because both teams have a game in hand now. And on points lost we still have the two biggest rivals in Spain in first and second place, so that’s the real table to look at for the next seven weeks.

And in order to stay in first place in the real table Barça must do their job and keep winning games. This week is tricky with two tougher games, including one on the road, in comparison to Madrid’s two home matches against teams in the relegation zone, so there can’t be any messing around and taking teams for granted just because they don’t sound tough.

Valladolid have been solid all season and like most teams in La Liga aren’t that afraid of Barça and believe they can actually win at Camp Nou. Ernesto Valverde might rotate his team a little bit with four games over the next 12 days until the international break, but the side that plays on Tuesday should be good enough to win and not have a lot of trouble.

Do your job and prepare for the Clásico. The next seven weeks are big.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal, De Jong, Rakitic; Messi, Suárez, Griezmann

Valladolid (4-4-2): Masip; Moyano, Salisu, Olivas, Nacho; Antoñito, Fernandez, Míchel, Villa; Guardiola, Plano

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PREDICTION

Slightly nervous for this game because Valladolid are actually good and could trouble us if they decide to press, but Barça usually do well at home against mid-table teams: 3-0 to the home team.

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Valverde talks Barca being outrun, Alena, Arthur and Vela

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The latest from the boss ahead of Real Valladolid

Ernesto Valverde faced the press on Monday ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga clash against Real Valladolid on Tuesday at the Camp Nou.

The Barcelona boss talked about Carles Alena’s lack of game time, Samuel Umtiti’s fitness, Arthur’s improvements and of course Tuesday’s opponents.

Here are the main talking points.

Valverde on Valladolid

Yes they are on a nice streak, five games unbeaten. They have played well away and have got good results against Real Madrid and Granada. I remember last year’s game we suffered a lot and won 1-0, it was a tough game. I expect a Valladolid similar to what we have seen in recent games. A solid team that is difficult to overcome, and who can hurt you

Valverde on Umtiti

We’re going to wait and see what happens in training. The other day he did part of the session but I think it will be tough for him. I can’t say anything else.

Valverde on Ansu and Perez

They are inside the dynamic of the first team and that’s the idea. Of course they could move down to get playing time but as of today they are in the first team

Valverde on Ansu playing against Valladolid

We’ll see tomorrow. We have three games in seven days, it’s a possibility

Valverde on Arthur

He’s done several good things and that’s what we’re looking for. He’s taking the ball in areas more involved in the attack. He can help us in attack and we have to exploit his ability to do that. Above all his passes have been very good and he’s threaded the needle to players when there wasn’t much space and that’s what we need from him in that position.

Valverde on Wague

I think he looks good. He’s taken a step forward this season with the first team. It’s tough to get playing time but he’s always had an exemplary attitude towards training and playing time and he knows that at some point he’ll play.

Valverde on Alena

It’s true he’s not playing as much as we thought he’d play. He probably deserves to play more. He gives 110 per cent in training but there’s a lot of competition for places in our team. That could change at any moment and he had to be ready.

Valverde on Carlos Vela

I remember it was talked about last season and it was a possibility that came up. I don’t think we are yet in the time to talk about the winter transfer market. We are going to play with the players we have.

Valverde on Barca being outrun agains Slavia

What I have to say is that it’s about attitude. I don’t know if this information about kilometres covered is 100 per cent accurate. But we almost always have the ball so the other teams have to run more to catch up. There are other physical stats that are more important. I once heard a coach say you have to run less than the opponent and manage the game better. And the guy I’m talking about has a statue here and a stadium named after him.

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Frenkie de Jong wows Barcelona staff with high level of preparation - report

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De Jong is “obsessed” with improving, they say

Frenkie de Jong is a perfectionist who has amazed the Barcelona staff with his high level of preparation, according to Diario SPORT. The Dutch midfielder is “never satisfied” with how he played, even when the team performs well.

Ever since arriving from Ajax, they say he has wowed the coaching staff because he knew the team’s movements perfectly from the off, like he was bred in the Barcelona academy since he was a child.

He is said to have a strong relationship with the team’s analysts, asking for information before each game and then watching videos of his own movements after the game to analyze his successes and failures. In the locker room, it is said that other players are impressed with his level of discipline, as well.

De Jong is only 22 but is already one of the best midfielders in the world according to many experts. Rumors say Barcelona expect him only to get better due to his level of dedication.

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García Pimienta ‘convinced’ Ansu and Perez will join him at Barca B

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The coach does not expect the duo to stay with the first team

Barcelona B coach Francisco Javier García Pimienta is not expecting Ansu Fati and Carles Perez to remain with the first team for the rest of the season.

The two youngsters have played key roles for Ernesto Valverde’s team in the early weeks of the campaign and filled in well when Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele were out injured.

Yet the trio’s return to fitness has seen Ansu and Perez out of the team in recent weeks, although the duo have continued to train with the first-team squad.

García Pimienta says he has not been told that the two players will step down from the first team but does believe they will be part of his Barcelona B squad before long.

“This week we have not talked about the case of Ansu Fati and Carles Pérez, because since the beginning of the season the two are with the first team on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

“It is true that they have not played for a long time, but nobody has told me that they will not go down, neither Carles, nor Ansu

“I am convinced that both will come with us sooner or later.”

Source | Mundo Deportivo

Reports earlier in the season suggested Ansu would stay with the first team for the rest of the season. The 16-year-old has never actually played for Barca B, going straight from Juvenil A to the first team, but has not featured since the win over Villarreal in September.

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Guardiola was unimpressed the first time he met Messi. Then everything changed.

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Guardiola recalled his time as Barcelona coach

Pep Guardiola has recently spoken about meeting Lionel Messi for the first time. The Manchester City boss took over as Barcelona coach in 2008.

Guardiola, speaking to Catalunya Ràdio, recalled meeting the Argentine in his early days at Barça.

“They had told me, in the academy there is an exceptionally talented kid. They told me he was very small, but he gave you lots of goals and he dribbled very well. I did not know him, and one day I saw him with his father in a Nike shop in El Prat. I saw him as small and shy, and I asked myself, ‘is this guy as good as they say?’”

While Messi in that time was becoming a sensation, he was far from the established star he would become. Messi had scored 16 goals in all competitions in 2007-08 in a team that finished a distant third in La Liga, a good return for a 20 year old but far from the astronomical heights he would reach soon after.

“We started the season in Scotland, we were winning 6-1, 5-0, and he would score three goals,” Guardiola mentioned, referencing pre-season friendlies that year.

Barcelona defeated Hibernian 6-0 with one goal from Messi and Dundee United 5-1 with a Messi hat-trick.

At that point, Guardiola says, he started to think: “With him, we will win it all.”

That’s exactly what they did, winning the treble that season.

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‘Ballon d’Or emissaries’ meet with Cristiano Ronaldo - report

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Speculation from Italy says Ronaldo is now the favorite to win

Emissaries from France Football, the magazine in charge of the Ballon d’Or award, met with Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo in Italy, according to Corriere dello Sport. This meeting is being taken as a sign in Italy that Ronaldo is now the favorite to win the award, contrary to conventional wisdom which says Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool are more favored.

The meeting could simply be part of an interview for a front-page story in France Football, but the Italian media seem to think it might mean more.tory in F

Messi already won FIFA’s analogous award, “The Best,” and in addition won the European Golden Shoe and was part of the Barcelona team that triumphed in La Liga last season. Van Dijk was part of the Liverpool team that won the UEFA Champions League, and placed second in “The Best.”

Ronaldo won last season’s Serie A with Juventus and the Nations League with Portugal. He placed third in FIFA’s award.

“The Best” is the closest award to the Ballon d’Or, so Messi winning it would point to him also winning France Football’s award. Previous winners of “The Best” have gone on to win that year’s Ballon d’Or.

However, the Ballon d’Or relies on votes from the media only, as opposed to also including national team captains and coaches. That could mean a potential win for Van Dijk, who did better in the media vote than Messi.

Ronaldo has been considered third-favorite in most cases.

Both Ronaldo and Messi have five Ballon d’Ors, while Van Dijk currently has none.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 October 2019

Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images

Sergi Roberto trains with the group | FC Barcelona
After two days rest, the league leaders have returned to training at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. S. Roberto was back with the group, two days before receiving Real Valladolid at Camp Nou for the week 11 league fixture (9.15pm CET). The available first team players worked out on the Tito Vilanova pitch, and were joined by C. Pérez of Barça B and Ansu Fati of the U19A team.

Samuel Umtiti misses Barcelona training | Football Espana
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti is a major injury doubt for their midweek clash at home to Real Valladolid. The French international has struggled with a persistent knee injury over the last 12 months, but the club stated in the summer that they were confident he had completed a full recovery.

Leo Messi: ‘I’ve learned to read the games better’ | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi has given an interview to TyC Sports where he talked extensively about his football career. The Argentine, who recently picked up his sixth Golden Shoe, confessed that he doesn’t feel like “a goal scorer” - despite being the top scorer in the history of FC Barcelona, and Argentina. He also assured that over time he has improved in certain aspects of the game.

Lionel Messi: I prefer to start on the bench than being substituted | ESPN
Lionel Messi has said he does not like to be substituted and would rather start the game from the bench. In the past, the Barcelona captain has refused to be taken out of a game even when his team is winning by a big margin.

Messi doubts dream return to Newell’s Old Boys will happen amid ‘daily madness’ in Argentina | Goal
Lionel Messi conceded his dreams of a fairytale return to Newell’s Old Boys are fading as he reflected on the “madness” of Argentina’s obsession with football. Barcelona superstar Messi has long expressed a desire to end his career in his hometown of Rosario, where he played for Newell’s as a child.

Carles Alena to leave Barcelona in January loan deal | Football Espana
Barcelona have decided to allow Carles Alena to leave on loan in January according to reports in Diario Sport.The 21-year old has been linked with a move away from Catalonia in recent months, with Premier League duo Tottenham and Arsenal both reported to be interested in signing him.

PSG alert to Ivan Rakitic’s movements | Sport
PSG have stayed alert to the movements over Ivan Rakitic’s future. He is not poised to continue at Barcelona, uncomfortable as a reserve in coach Ernesto Valverde’s schemes. Everything indicates he’s ready to leave in January and PSG, through Leonardo, are paying attention to the negotiations.

Granada win again to top La Liga ahead of Barcelona | ESPN
Promoted Granada continued their stunning start to the season by climbing above Barcelona to the top of La Liga on Sunday after beating Real Betis 1-0 for a fourth consecutive home win. Former Betis forward Alvaro Vadillo struck the only goal of the game just after the hour mark, tucking the ball inside the near post with one touch to complete a quick counter-attack.

Barça B 1-0 Sabadell: A prestigious victory | FC Barcelona
Monchu’s first half goal against Sabadell gave Barça B a fifth victory of the season, taking them up into the play-off places. The Johan Cruyff Stadium has become a fortress for the young side, and with five games played there they’ve yet to taste defeat (three wins and two draws).

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