Sergio Busquets not giving up on title just yet

Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The midfielder wants his team to keep going

Sergio Busquets says Barcelona are not giving up on the title just yet despite dropping points again on Tuesday night at the Camp Nou.

Quique Setien’s side were held to a 2-2 draw by Atletico Madrid that leaves them a point behind Real Madrid who also have a game in hand.

Busquets admits it will be difficult to retain their title now and said the team had found it tough going since La Liga restarted.

“To fight for the title is really complicated if you drop points in two games but we’ll keep fighting to the end. We know it’s going to be difficult but we are going to try.

“We were leaders and so in the perfect situation before the break and I think it’s been difficult for us after the break. Some games we’ve played better, others we haven’t, but dropping points today and at the weekend means we are a little bit further away from our goal which is to retain the title.”

Real Madrid can move four points clear on Thursday if they beat Getafe, while Barcelona are back in action on Sunday at Villarreal.

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Messi joins elite group with 700th career goal

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

And the captain hit the landmark in some style

Lionel Messi finally netted his 700th career goal on Tuesday against Atletico Madrid to join a select band of just six other players to have achieved the feat.

The captain’s Panenka penalty put Barcelona 2-1 up at the Camp Nou but wasn’t quite enough for victory, as Saul Niguez’s second spot-kick of the match secured a draw.

It’s a disappointing night for Barcelona with the title slipping further away but another incredible landmark for Messi.

Only Romario, Gerd Muller, Pele, Josef Bican, Ferenc Puskas and Cristiano Ronaldo have reached 700 career goals before which highlights how rare Messi’s latest feat is.

Lionel Messi joins an elite club pic.twitter.com/6NuCJQNPUz

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 30, 2020

Messi has now scored 630 goals for Barcelona and 70 for Argentina which means he’s also closing in on another very special record.

The GOAT now just needs 14 more goals to surpass Pele’s landmark of 643 goals for a single club.

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Barça 2-2 Atleti: Recap

Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images

Goodbye, La Liga title.

Barcelona’s domestic season is most likely over. The Blaugrana could finish Matchday 33 four points behind leaders Real Madrid and say goodbye to the title race thanks to a 2-2 draw against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou. A wild game that saw an own goal, three penalties given, four penalties taken, four goals scored and Lionel Messi’s 700th career goal ended up with two more points dropped for the two-time defending champions, who are almost certainly not going to successfully defend their title this season.

FIRST HALF

The first half was very lively to start, with a dangerous free-kick by Carrasco for Atlético and a dangerous free-kick by Messi that was cleared by Diego Costa at the near post. The very next play, Costa tried to clear Messi’s corner at the near post, but he missed the header and the ball went in off his right leg to give Barça an early lead.

Almost immediately after Barça’s opener, Gerard Piqué missed a tackle and Carrasco was through on goal, and Arturo Vidal was forced to commit a penalty to stop the play. Then hilarity ensued: Diego Costa had his penalty brilliantly stopped by Ter Stegen, but VAR brought the play back and Ter Stegen was given a yellow card for stepping over the line with both feet, which is now a bookable offense according to the new rules, which haven’t been enforced anywhere until that very moment.

Saúl Ñíguez stepped up to take the second penalty and scored it easily, and we were all square after 20 wild minutes of football. Then nothing else happened exceot for a million sideways passes from Barça midfielders and a good save by Jan Oblak to stop a Messi free-kick.

Halftime.

SECOND HALF

The second half started lively just as the first, with Felipe bringing down Nélson Semedo in the box for a Barcelona penalty. Messi stepped up to the spot, sent Oblak the wrong way with a Panenka and scored his 700th career goal.

Atlético didn’t look discouraged with the early goal and continued to attack searching for an equalizer, and they got a chance when Carrasco was brought down again in the box, this time by Semedo, and Atleti had another penalty. Saúl stepped up again and scored his second of the night, and the game was all square again with 30 minutes to go.

Barça looked very strong for about 15 minutes after Atleti’s equalizer, moving the ball quicker and attempting more direct passes. Vidal came close to scoring twice, but the team lost momentum after the second half water break and once again looked slow and uninspired as we reached stoppage time.

Nothing else happened except for Antoine Griezmann coming on in the 90th minute and misplacing two passes with his first two touches, and the final whistle came to end a hard-fought battle at Camp Nou. Bye bye, La Liga title. No three-peat this year.

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Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal (Griezmann 90’), Busquets (Ansu Fati 85’), Rakitic (Roberto 62’); Puig; Messi, Suárez

Goals: Diego Costa (12’ OG), Messi (49’ pen)

Atlético: Oblak; Arias, Giménez, Felipe, Lodi; Correa (Vitolo 84’), Thomas, Saúl, Carrasco (Lemar 84’); Llorente (Félix 69’), Costa (Morata 77’)

Goals: Saúl (19’ pen, 62’ pen)

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We made Lionel Messi 700 T-shirts!

Check out our very special GOAT shirts

Buy the shirt here from our friends at Breaking T.

We all love Lionel Messi and even more so after he banged in goal No. 700 against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in La Liga. That’s right goal No. 700 of a simply ridiculous career.

In case you missed it (where were you?) here it is:

7️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ has arrived!
Lionel Messi's landmark goal comes in the form of a Panenka to give @FCBarcelona a 2-1 lead over @atletienglish!#BarcaAtleti
- beIN SPORTS
- beIN SPORTS CONNECT: https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/dXnI0kJhAa

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) June 30, 2020

To celebrate Messi’s continued GOATness with our community, we got together with BreakingT and came up with our very own T-shirts to celebrate his landmark strike.

So, if you like what you see and want to pick up one of these special T-shirts, click on this link and give a GOAT a good home.

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Garcia Pimienta agrees contract renewal with Barcelona B

Photo by Xavi Torrent/Getty Images for The Times

The coach will stay for another season

Francesc Xavier Garcia Pimienta is set to continue as Barcelona B boss after agreeing a one-year contract extension with the club.

Barcelona announced on Tuesday that Garcia Pimienta has agreed a renewal that runs until the end of June 2021 and can be extended for another season.

[ÚLTIMA HORA] Acord per a la renovació del contracte de Garcia Pimienta.

El tècnic del Barça B continuarà a la banqueta del filial fins el 30 de juny del 2021 ampliable una segona temporada.

➡ https://t.co/QfRn4vaQBs ⬅#ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/sJfjHWsfVo

— FC Barcelona B (@FCBarcelonaB) June 30, 2020

The news is a big boost after a good season for Barca B. They are back in action next month when they will be hoping to secure promotion through the playoffs.

It’s been a busy day for Barca B who also announced that Chumi, Kike Saverio, Sergi Puig and Guillem Jaime would all be leaving the club.

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Chances of Lautaro Martínez signing for Barcelona dropping - report

Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images

Time is running out

Despite a prolonged flirtation with Lautaro Martínez, Barcelona may not sign the Argentine striker after all. His release clause, valued at 111 million euros, expires in seven days. And the Catalans do not have the money and will find it hard to raise it so quickly, according to a new report.

Inter Milan are expected to ask for 90 million plus a player to be included in exchange for their star striker, and it’s unclear if Barcelona have it all ready to go in such short notice.

Barcelona recently sold Arthur to Juventus, but bought Miralem Pjanić for a sum approaching the incoming fee.

While it has been reported that Lautaro always prioritized joining Barcelona, the new report says he is unwilling to agitate too much at his current club to force a move. That puts the ball firmly in the Catalans’ court, if they want to make a deal happen.

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Riqui Puig fires up Barca ahead of Atleti clash

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The midfielder has posted an inspirational message

Riqui Puig has tried his best to fire up Barcelona ahead of tonight’s crucial clash against Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

The midfielder posted a photo of himself on Instagram celebrating with Lionel Messi during Saturday’s draw at Celta Vigo with the following message:

“We are Barca and we will leave our skins out there, let’s go!”

View this post on Instagram

Som el Barça i ens hi deixarem la pell. Som-hi!

A post shared by R I C A R D P U I G (@riquipuig) on Jun 30, 2020 at 6:40am PDT

Barcelona head into the game under real pressure. They need a win to keep their title hopes alive but face an Atletico Madrid side in good form.

There are also rumors circulating about disagreements between players and the coaching staff and speculation over manager Quique Setien’s future.

Meanwhile, Puig will be hoping to start the game at the Camp Nou. The youngster has impressed in Barca’s last two games and could keep his place in the team.

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Barça vs Atleti: TV & Streaming, LIVE BLOG!

Photo by Marc Gonzalez Aloma / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images

Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!

WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth will be empty once again on Tuesday night for maybe the last chance for Barcelona to stay in the fight for the La Liga title: the two-time defending champions welcome Atlético Madrid for what is always a very competitive game between two of the best teams in the world, and this should be very fun. And you’re 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 33

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 30, 2020, 10pm CET (Barcelona), 9pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Wednesday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

VAR: Antonio Mateu Lahoz

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), 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, no 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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Miralem Pjanić speaks on camera after signing for Barcelona

Photo by Alberto Gandolfo/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

The midfielder gave a quick hi to his new club

Miralem Pjanić has spoken on camera for the first time since signing for Barcelona, posting a quick message to greet the supporters of his new club.

In a video posted over social media, the Bosnian spoke a bit of Catalan as a way to endear himself to the fans.

The quick message simply said: “I’m so happy. I’ll give everything for this club. See you soon. Força Barça!”

Pjanić giving Catalan a try: “I’m so happy. I’ll give everything for this club. See you soon. Força Barça!”

"Estic molt feliç" is practically a cliche saying for new signings, I remember Neymar saying that after leaving Santospic.twitter.com/vIXi5W9YV7

— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) June 30, 2020

Pjanić was involved in a swap with Juventus that sent Arthur the other way. Both players will not join until the end of the season. Barcelona will pocket some money as an additional fee, as well.

The deal has been called a “creative accounting trick” to balance the books, and Barcelona fans responded in anger and disappointment on social media at the prospect of selling the 23-year-old Arthur for the 30-year-old Pjanić.

However, other observers have praised Pjanić’s ability, considering him an upgrade over Arthur, including former Juventus director Luciano Moggi.

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Barcelona squad said to liken result in Vigo to Anoeta debacle of 2015

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

But are things going to be different?

Tensions between the Barcelona squad and manager Quique Setién (and his second-in-command, Eder Sarabia) flared to a boiling point after a draw against Celta Vigo. This, to the point that one unnamed player has been quoted as likening the fallout to a legendary debacle in 2015, according to a new report.

Luis Enrique was nearly sacked midway through his first season in January 2015 after a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad at Anoeta. The club went into full crisis mode and there was a very intense spat between the squad and the manager.

History could be repeating itself, although the report says the player assured that “things have been redirected” towards a more positive direction.

“There have been tense situations, but they have served for people to say things to each other’s faces, find positive conclusions, and get to a point at which we are all convinced that we have to be united for the rest of the season,” the player reportedly said.

Barcelona must be hoping that history is in fact repeating itself in full. After 2015’s loss, Luis Enrique was not sacked. Instead, his team responded with a thrilling win over Atlético Madrid, and eventually, a spectacular treble-winning end of the season.

And who is Barcelona’s opponent tonight? Atlético Madrid.

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Griezmann knows he can do better - Lenglet

Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images

The defender is backing his compatriot

Clement Lenglet says Antoine Griezmann knows he can do better at Barcelona but feels he’s had a decent first season at the Camp Nou.

The French striker has come under scrutiny recently for a lack of goals which has seen him left out of the starting XI by Quique Setien.

Griezmann has gone seven games without finding the back of the net for Barcelona, but Lenglet insists he’s still working hard.

“Antoine is well integrated in the dressing room, really there’s no problem,” he said.

“On the pitch he knows that he can do better. We shouldn’t forget his stats, he’s got 14 goals and various assists, for a first season that’s not bad.

“We are very demanding of him, but I see him working hard in training, he can only improve. I’m sure that everything will go well for Antoine at Barca.”

Source | Le Parisien

Griezmann will come up against former side Atletico Madrid tonight at the Camp Nou and will be hoping to start after only being a late substitute last time out against Celta Vigo.

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Getafe take up purchase option on Cucurella

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

The youngster leaves for €10 million

Barcelona announced on Tuesday that Getafe have taken up their purchase option to sign on loan youngster Marc Cucurella.

The 21-year-old joins Jose Bordalas’ side for €10m, Barcelona “hold the right to 10% of the sale of the player in the future.”

It seems Barca have actually tweaked that option from the original agreement.

The actual option was €6m + 40 percent of future sale. Barca have given up 30 percent of any future sale in exchange for €4m now.

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) June 30, 2020

Cucurella has played in all but one of Getafe’s La Liga matches this season, picking up five assists along the way. The team have enjoyed a strong campaign and are currently fifth.

It’s not a big surprise to see him join Getafe permanently, although there had been reports Barcelona were considering bringing him back.

Cucurella has been pretty critical of Barca’s treatment of youngsters. He said back in February that he felt young players don’t get the chances they deserve at the Camp Nou.

He joins fellow youngsters Carles Perez, Abel Ruiz in departing this season, while speculation suggests Jean-Clair Todibo could be next out of the exit door.

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FC Barcelona News: 30 June 2020

Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

When and where to watch Barça v Atlético Madrid - FC Barcelona
After the draw at Balaídos against Celta, Barça will host Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, June 30 at 10.00pm CEST at the Camp Nou. It's a match in which Quique Setién's team will try to add another three points against the Rojiblancos in order to continue fighting for the championship.

The squad for the visit of Atlético Madrid - FC Barcelona
Quique Setién names his 23 man list with Sergio Busquets back after suspension and Sergi Roberto after injury

FC Barcelona sign Miralem Pjanić - FC Barcelona
The player will sign a contract with the club for the next four seasons, until the end of the 2023/24 campaign, with a buy out clause of 400 million euros

Agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Arthur - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Juventus FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of player Arthur Melo. The Italian club will pay 72 million euros, plus 10 million euros in variables.

Arda Turan's calamitous five-year stay at Barça finally comes to an end - SPORT
Tuesday will officially bring an end to Arda Turan's five years at FC Barcelona. It was an experience that both sides will want to immediately forget as the former Atletico Madrid talisman never looked like fitting in at the Camp Nou.

The key financial benefits of the Arthur-Pjanic swap deal - SPORT
Now that FC Barcelona and Juventus have agreed terms on a swap deal involving Miralem Pjanic and Arthur Melo, it's time for a deeper look at the financial side of the operation. For Barça, it will see them earn a net profit of €52m for the 2019/20 season.

Barça have offered PSG the chance to sign Rakitic this summer - SPORT
According to 'Footmercato', Barça have offered the Croatian to PSG and the player is keen on the move too. Barça need to generate as much cash as possible and despite Rakitic losing his untouchable status at the Camp Nou, he's still someone who has considerable value in the transfer market.

Ser: Tense meeting between Setien and the players - SPORT
The team drew 2-2 at Balaidos and tempers were raised. The radio said there was "a tense meeting" after the session, with the coach highlighting different sporting aspects. There is the chance this meeting could be an inflexion point ahead of the clash with Atlético Madrid.

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Papers: ‘Maximum Tension’ at Barca ahead of Atleti clash

Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

A look at the top headlines

Barcelona’s latest crisis is front page news on Tuesday with the papers in Spain seemingly keen to make the most out of the drama at the Camp Nou.

Sport go with ‘Maximum Tension’ on their front page and report that Barca take on Atletico on Tuesday amid disagreements between the players and the coaching staff.

The report also highlights just how crucial a game it is for Barcelona and that they simply must take all three points at the Camp Nou against Diego Simeone’s side.

The front page of Marca has Quique Setien and Simeone and a headline that reads ‘Atletico visit a powder keg.’

Their report also talks about what a crucial game it is for Setien and warns Barcelona that Atletico head into the match in good form.

Mundo Deportivo are focused more on the league title than Quique Setien and his players.

‘Here goes the league’ is their headline with the report noting Barcelona simply don’t have any margin for error now.

There’s also mention of a meeting between Bartomeu and Setien where the Barca boss was given the president’s support (for now at least).

And finally AS are also looking at tonight’s big match. They run with ‘Judges of La Liga’ and also talk about how Atletico are an in-form team, while Barca’s preparations have been overshadowed by growing tension at the club.

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Barça squad named for Atleti

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

Quique Setién has called up 23 players for Tuesday’s big game

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana are back in action for one last attempt to save their La Liga season against Atlético Madrid, and Quique Setién has called up the following 23 players to be in uniform for Tuesday’s game:

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Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña

Defenders: 2. Nélson Semedo, 3. Gerard Piqué, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Junior Firpo, 33. Ronald Araujo

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 5. Sergio Busquets, 8. Arthur, 20. Sergi Roberto, 22. Arturo Vidal, 28. Riqui Puig, 30. Álex Collado, 42. Monchu

Forwards: 9. Luis Suárez, 10. Lionel Messi, 17. Antoine Griezmann, 19. Martin Braithwaite, 31. Ansu Fati

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There’s some good news ahead of this one: Sergi Roberto is finally cleared to play after missing a few games with a rib fracture, but the midfielder/full-back is available and expected to start. With Roberto’s return only two players remain on the injured list: Frenkie De Jong (calf) and Ousmane Dembélé (hamstring).

Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3):

Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Messi, Suárez, Griezmann

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The match kicks off on Tuesday at 10pm CET (Barcelona), 9pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Wednesday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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Setien meets with Bartomeu and Abidal to talk Barcelona

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

It’s been a tough week for the defending champions

Barcelona manager Quique Setien reportedly met with president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Eric Abidal on Monday at his house to discuss the club’s current situation.

The Catalan giants are now in second place in La Liga, two points behind Real Madrid, with six games left to play after the latest round of results.

RAC1 have reported that the meeting between the club’s heavyweights lasted a couple of hours as they analysed how things are going.

Setien appears to have the club’s support for now, despite reports to the contrary, and there is appreciation that the draw with Celta came from a tough decision by the referee.

It could be a different story if results continue to go against Barcelona, however, the Catalan giants play Atletico Madrid at home on Tuesday and then head to Villarreal on Sunday.

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Barça vs Atleti: Preview

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Barça make one final, desperate attempt to save their season against a red-hot bunch of Colchoneros

FC Barcelona (2nd, 69pts) vs Atlético Madrid (3rd, 58pts)

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Competition/Round: 2019-20 La Liga, Matchday 33

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Frenkie De Jong, Ousmane Dembélé (out)

Atlético Outs & Doubts: Koke, Stefan Savic, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Hermoso (out)

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 30, 2020, 10pm CET (Barcelona), 9pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Wednesday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (OH NO)

VAR: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (OH MY DEAR LORD)

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), 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 heartbreaking, frustrating and infuriating draw away to Celta Vigo, Barcelona return to action in La Liga for one last attempt to save their season and stay in the title race when they welcome Atlético Madrid to an empty Camp Nou on Tuesday night in Catalonia.

This is once again not a very good time to be a Barça fan, with a terrifying away from continuing to cost the Blaugrana vital points in what was always going to be a tight title race, and unless Real Madrid somehow drop points unexpectedly in what is a quite comfortable schedule, Barça are simply trying to save face and keep the players in good rhythm for the Champions League in August.

But it won’t be easy at all against a red-hot Atlético side: the Colchoneros are unbeaten since the season restart and have won four in a row with three clean sheets, and Diego Simeone’s side seem to have found new life ever since that magical March night at Anfield. Diego Llorente is their new star, but everybody else is doing their part as well and Atleti look much, much better than they did back in February, when it looked like Simeone’s magic was finally starting to disappear.

Nope, Atleti’s back. Big time. And they’re ready to beat Barça. Here’s hoping the two-time champions find something within them to respond, win and go ahead of Madrid in the table for a few hours. You never know with football.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Messi, Suárez, Griezmann

Atlético (4-4-2): Oblak; Trippier, Giménez, Felipe, Lodi; Llorente, Thomas, Herrera, Saúl; Félix, Costa

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PREDICTION

Simeone has never beaten Barcelona in La Liga. It has to happen one day: 3-1 to the away team. I don’t even care anymore. I just want next season.

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Pjanic’s first words since signing for Barcelona

Photo by Alberto Gandolfo/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

The midfielder will arrive from Juventus

Miralem Pjanic posted a message on social media on Monday after his transfer from Juventus was announced by the Catalan giants.

The midfielder has moved on a four-year deal from the Serie A giants in a deal worth €60 million plus €5m in variables.

Arthur, of course, moves the other way in a transfer that seems to have been done mainly for accounting reasons.

In any case, Pjanic has said a quick hello on Twitter: “I am very happy, I will give my all for this club. See you soon!”

Estic molt feliç, ho donaré tot per aquest club. Ens veiem aviat!
Força Barça! Més que un Club!#Pjanist @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/UsBJRS4hWG

— Miralem Pjanic (@Miralem_Pjanic) June 29, 2020

Pjanic and Arthur will both spend the rest of the season with their respective clubs and then complete their moves in time for the 2020-21 campaign.

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Arthur posts message after Juventus move is confirmed

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The midfielder will leave at the end of the season

Arthur took to social media on Monday after his move from Barcelona to Juventus was confirmed with a message to supporters of both clubs.

The Brazilian has agreed a five-year deal with the Serie A champions and will cost €72 million plus €10 million in variables.

Here’s what he’s had to say:

“Thank you for the huge effort Juventus have made to bring me to their club. I know I’m joining a great club and we have a lot of challenges that we can achieve together.”

“For now, we must focus on the present and the many important objectives we have at Barcelona. I’m going to give my all until the end: for my teammates and all the fans. Thank you so much for the support. See you soon.”

Ringrazio per il grande interesse da parte della @juventusfc per l'integrazione alla società. Sò di andare ad appartenere ad un grande club; ci aspettano molte sfide da superare insieme ai bianconeri. pic.twitter.com/SN6ud64xie

— Arthur Melo (@arthurhromelo) June 29, 2020

Arthur was pictured speaking to his Barcelona team-mates at the start of training this morning where it seems like he broke the news of his move to Juve.

The midfielder will see out the season with Quique Setien’s side and is in the squad for tomorrow’s La Liga clash with Atletico Madrid.

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Ivan Rakitić offered to Paris Saint-Germain - report

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The Croatian could be part of a continuing Barcelona midfield exodus

FC Barcelona could continue a midfield exodus after the departure of Arthur to Juventus. A new report tells us that the Catalans are offering Ivan Rakitić to Paris Saint-Germain, a club that has pursued him in the past.

The Croatian is 32 years old and reaching the end of his deal, and Barça may be happy to find a buyer so they do not lose him on a free transfer.

PSG have always appreciated Rakitić, but it has been the midfielder who has turned them down in the past. The most recent time was when he was reportedly included in a part exchange for Neymar. PSG accepted the idea, but the player turned it down. Before that, there was a deal in the works to buy him outright, but Barcelona convinced him to stay and rejected the offer.

The rumor is that PSG have yet to respond one way or the other, but if the past is any guide, they would be interested in the deal. The bigger issue is whether the Croatian will accept a deal from PSG, or if he will turn them down once again.

Another player who has been linked with an exit is another veteran midfielder - Arturo Vidal.

The inclusion of Miralem Pjanićis already certain. Will Barcelona sign any other midfielders to make up the numbers, or will the return of Carles Aleñá from loan be enough?

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OFFICIAL: Barcelona sign Pjanic for €60m

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The 30-year-old arrives on a four-year deal

Barcelona finally announced on Monday that Miralem Pjanic will join the club at the end of the season from Juventus.

The 30-year-old has signed a four-year deal at the Camp Nou and arrives for a fee of €60 million plus €5m in variables. He has a buyout clause of €400m.

LATEST NEWS | Agreement with @juventusfcen for the transfer of @Miralem_Pjanic
Welcome!
❤️ #PjanicCuler

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 29, 2020

The announcement comes after Barca confirmed that Arthur was moving in the other direction for a fee of €72m plus €10m in variables.

Pjanic will finish the season with Juventus and then head over to the Camp Nou at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

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OFFICIAL: Barca confirm Arthur to Juve for €72m plus variables

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The midfielder will depart at the end of the season

Barcelona announced on Monday that Brazil international Arthur will join Juventus at the end of the season on a five-year deal.

The deal has been rumored for some time now but has finally been completed. The 23-year-old will finish the season with Barca and then complete his move to the Serie A champions.

LATEST NEWS | Agreement with @juventusfcen for the transfer of @arthurhromelo

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 29, 2020

Juventus will pay €72 million, plus €10 million in variables for Arthur. The club are expected to announce Miralem Pjanic will move the other way shortly.

Arthur initially insisted he did not want to leave Barcelona when speculation first arose, but he has been convinced to leave the club after less than two seasons and move to Italy.

Barca and Juve were in a rush to get the deal done before the end of the month for accounting reasons.

Arthur could still feature for Barcelona tomorrow against Atletico. The midfielder was back in training on Monday, after flying out to Turin over the weekend for a medical, and is in the squad.

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Barcelona players fed up with Quique Setién - report

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Five points from the dressing room that show the players are annoyed

The FC Barcelona dressing room has “divorced itself” from Quique Setién, according to Marcelo Bechler, an extremely well-connected Brazilian journalist.

Bechler was the first to know that Neymar would leave FC Barcelona, so it is safe to say his knowledge of the Brazilian contingent at the club is unparalleled.

And there’s good reason to think this information comes from Arthur and Neto, Barcelona’s two Brazilian players - and perhaps especially the first. Bechler lists five key statements the dressing room has said, and one has to do with Arthur specifically.

“The players did not like how he treated Arthur on Friday,” one unnamed figure in the squad reportedly said.

The four other statements the report attributes to players are:

“The players do not speak to the manager.”

“The dressing room is not with Setién.”

“Today’s interview was yet another problem.”

“There is a huge problem in the coaching staff.”

The report does not reveal who said these things, only that the five statements were uttered by three different Barcelona players.

The report says that not only are the players annoyed with Setién, but the board itself regrets bringing the ex-Betis manager on board.

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It’s crisis time at Barcelona - but there’s no time to dwell

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A pivotal clash against Atlético Madrid awaits

A few disappointing results and a coach on the edge - oh yes, it’s just another day of crisis at FC Barcelona. It’s not the first and not the last. It lead to the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde. It almost got Luis Enrique fired - twice. These are periods in which the results are bad, the play isn’t great, and the coach is questioned.

Normally, the team has a bit of time to reflect. Not so now. With the schedule tightly packed due to the pandemic, there is a match right around the corner. And not just any match, but Atlético Madrid. Possibly the most difficult match left, at least on paper. And not winning would probably signify a knockout blow in the title race.

Barcelona simply can’t afford to dwell on the bad, at least not if they want to keep their title hopes alive.

Quique Setién was brought into an extremely difficult position. He had no role in creating the squad, and in fact, he came in just as the team sold off many players. Meanwhile, long-term injuries to key figures sapped the team as well. And after all that, coronavirus hit.

Still, the confidence in him is reaching rock-bottom. The players seemed genuinely annoyed at him lately, with Luis Suárez publicly blaming him for some of the team’s deficiencies.

Setién came in as an ideologue, attempting to shift the team into a more possession-heavy version and even going to a three-man line at one point. That’s all gone, and instead he has a team that seems to be reverting to the Valverde model. Perhaps that’s the only way this squad can play, given the way it was built, but if that was the case, then what exactly was the point of sacking Valverde in the first place?

For all the legitimate complaints about Valverde, he was two out of two in league crowns, and he was in the lead for this title race as well. That’s going to weigh heavily on whether Barcelona decide to keep Setién at the end of the season - if indeed, he even makes it that far.

There’s a reason Xavi did not accept joining in the middle of the season, and Setién probably only did because he knew he’d likely never get another chance.

But none of that matters right now. There’s a game tomorrow.

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Setien talks Barca tension, Arthur & Griezmann ahead of Atleti

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The latest from the boss

Quique Setien was back facing questions on Monday ahead of Barcelona’s big clash with Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou.

The Barcelona boss spoke about Atletico, reports of tension in the dressing room and his own position at the Camp Nou.

Here are the best bits:

Setien on Atletico

Games against Atletico are very competitive, they are a great side and they are going to make things very difficult for us. Defensively they are tremendously solid. You have to have the ability to move well between the lines and have that lucidity on the ball and precision to handle things in the reduced space they allow you. You also have to reduce their chances of counterattacking and their set pieces. They have players with a lot of talent.

Setien on reported tension in the dressing room

When there aren’t victories, when things happen with an isolated move in a game, like the foul that led to the qualiser and you don’t win, everybody sharpens their knives. This is the circus we are involved in. We are more worried by general things. The relationship we have with the players is good. There are moments when you can disagree with them. I don’t perceive any problem that is worth mentioning. Not at all.

Setien on Barcelona’s play

We have meetings a lot. Yesterday we spoke about a lot of things. But what we focused on was football, that’s what really concerns us, that’s what we have to try and improve and do better. There are moments especially at the start of the game when we are a lot better but aren’t able to score goals. That generates some nervousness and sometimes frustrates us. I think what is happening now is normal, things can change quickly if we get a comprehensive victory.

Setien on his position at Barcelona

I think we all need to concede a little bit of our own identity, including the players, for the good of the team. You can’t carry out everything you want to do. I can’t tell a full-back not to go past the halfway line. This is a team. Players know they have to act like a team and make sacrifices, sometimes for the benefit of the team. That’s what will give us victories the majority of the time. There are things I have no problem admitting. Like this situation is new for me and I’m having a period maybe of learning things. It’s then that you can do things you really want to do. I’m not going to say I’ve done everything I want to do, but it’s not down to the players, it’s happened before. It’s a process that needs time.

Setien on Arthur

I say the same thing I told him the other day. We have no doubt over his commitment to the final day he’s here. He’s still a Barcelona player until the final game ends this season. He’s personally committed and dedicated to achieving our ojectives. I have no doubts about him and neither do his team-mates.

Setien on Arthur playing time

It depends on the circumstances in the game. For me the important thing is he’s said he’s available and is in the best condition. I’m the one who decides if he’ll play or not but he’s certainly available.

Setien on Griezmann being dropped

In terms of the lineups and the players. Only 11 can play. You are always asking me why Riqui and Ansu aren’t playing. They aren’t playing because I can only field 11. If I can put out more then great. It depends on the game, how the players are feeling, what I see in training. Everyone has a chance.

Setien on Sarabia and Messi

Nothing happened. There was an instruction and that was it. I don’t know what you want me to say.

Can you prepare calmly for Atletico?

Of course. The outside noise is your business. I stay out of it. I said from Day 1 that I focus on what I have to focus on. I don’t pay too much attention except for when the press department tell me things. I know how this works. I don’t waste my energy on that and that’s what I tell the players as well. I understand that’s what they do in the majority of cases.

Setien on whether Real Madrid will drop points

We can control what we can control. That’s us. We can try and improve so that what happens to us the other day doesn’t happen again. That’s the only thing we should focus on. What we can do.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 June 2020

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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Arthur completes Juventus switch by signing a five-year deal | Marca

Arthur has completed his transfer to Juventus and signed a five-year deal with the Serie A chmpions. He will move at the end of the season.

Konrad de la Fuente renews his contract through to 2022 | FC Barcelona

Konrad de la Fuente has signed a new contract at Barcelona until 2022. The deal includes a buyout clause set at €50m that will rise to €100m if he joins the first team.

Barcelona plan to sack Setien unless there is a radical improvement | Goal

Barcelona are planning to sack Quique Setien at the end of the season unless there is a radical improvement between now and the end of the campaign.

Hernandez Hernandez will referee Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid | Sport

Referee Hernandez Hernandez will take charge of Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Arthur’s message to the squad at the start of training | Sport

Arthur spoke to his team-mates at the start of Monday’s training session to let them know he’s signed for Juventus but he will continue until the end of the season.

Sergi Roberto resumes group training | FC Barcelona

Sergi Roberto was back training with the group on Monday ahead of Barcelona’s game against Atletico Madrid tomorrow.

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WATCH: Tension between Messi and Sarabia at Celta

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

The Barcelona captain seemed to ignore instructions

The fallout from Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo continued on Monday with footage from El Partidazo de Movistar emerging that seems to show Lionel Messi ignoring assistant coach Eder Sarabia.

The incident occurs during a drinks break in the second half of the draw at Balaidos. Sarabia is seen trying to talk to Messi, but the captain doesn’t seem interested in listening.

pic.twitter.com/C5CPSjxzGs

— FCBW Media (@FCBW_Med1a) June 28, 2020

Luis Suarez appears to call Messi back to come over and, although he wanders back towards Sarabia’s direction he simply drops his drinks bottle and then walks offf again.

Meanwhile, the look on Pique’s face is priceless...

Las cámaras de @MovistarFutbol recogieron las imágenes de lo que aconteció el sábado durante la segunda pausa de hidratación del Celta-Barça en Balaídos entre Leo Messi y Eder Sarabia https://t.co/yulbldPN4W

— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) June 29, 2020

The footage comes after reports yesterday that there was an argument in the dressing room after the draw at Balaidos.

Has Quique Setien lost the dressing room already?

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How will Barcelona line up against Atletico?

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A big clash at the Camp Nou on Tuesday

Barcelona are back in action again on Tuesday as Atletico Madrid are the visitors to the Camp Nou in La Liga.

The hosts are in need of a good result after Saturday’s disappointment and do possess an excellent home record.

Of course the last time these two sides met in January, Atletico ran ou 3-2 winners in the Spanish Super Cup, a result that led to the sacking of Ernesto Valverde.

Let’s look at how they might line-up:

Defence

Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Clement Lenglet is likely to come into the backline on Tuesday and replace Samuel Umtiti in the heart of the defence alongside Gerard Pique.

Elsewhere, it’s difficult to see too many changes. Sergi Roberto has only just returned to training, while it’s unlikely Junior Firpo will be trusted in such an important game.

Midfield

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Will Riqui Puig keep his place in the starting XI? That’s the big question in midfield and the 20-year-old will feel he deserves to continue after his performance against Celta.

Sergio Busquets will return from suspension for this one, while Ivan Rakitic could be given the nod again. Arturo Vidal has started the last three and could drop to the bench.

Arthur is also available but it’s not clear how much game time he’ll see now after flying out to Turin over the weekend to finalise his move to Juventus.

Attack

Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images

Luis Suarez scored twice on Saturday which means he should start again versus Atletico, while Lionel Messi will lead the team out.

Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite and Atnoine Griezmann will all be hoping to grab the final spot in attack against Diego Simeone’s side.

Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Puig; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.

How do you think Barcelona should line up against Atleti? Let us know your thoughts, starting XIs and predictions in the comments below!

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Pjanic signs four-year deal with Barcelona - report

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The deal is done

Miralem Pjanic has reportedly signed a four-year deal with Barcelona with the transfer set to be officially announced on Monday.

The 30-year-old will head to the Camp Nou after the end of the season with Arthur heading the other way. The Brazilian has signed on for five seasons with the Serie A champions.

Pjanic had agreed a deal with Barcelona some time ago and passed a medical in Turin on Sunday, according to Sport.

Both clubs need the deal to go through before the end of June for accounting reasons, it’s still being reported that Juve are handing over Pjanic plus €10m for Arthur.

The 23-year-old is expected back in Barcelona for training on Monday as the Catalans prepare for their next league match against Atletico.

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Xavi says he’s preparing to return and wants to get ‘back to winning ways’

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The club legend wants to start from scratch

Xavi has been talking about coming back to Barcelona yet again and says his team are preparing for a return to the Camp Nou.

The Al-Sadd coach turned down the chance to replace Ernesto Valverde in January but is still dreaming of taking charge of the Catalan giants in the future.

He’s outlined his plans for the future and insists he wants to start from scratch and get the club back to winning way.

“The biggest hope I have now is to be Barca coach and get Barca back to winning ways. Not me but these players and Barca triumphing. And as a consequence, our technical staff, who are preparing for it a lot and it makes us really excited,” he said.

“I’m a club man. I would like to return at the right moment to start a project from zero. I’ve said it a lot of times but I want to take footballing decisions at Barcelona.

“It’s clear that after the elections the stage would be set, of course. I’m not ruling anything out. They came for me in January, we were speaking. I told them the circumstances and timing weren’t right.”

Source | Sport

Of course Quique Setien is currently Barca’s coach and was handed a contract until June 2022 earlier this year. Yet the coach is likely to come under pressure if Barca finish the season empty-handed.

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Anger in the Barca dressing room after Celta draw - reports

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There is tension between the players and the coaching staff

The Barcelona dressing room was reportedly a pretty tense place to be on Saturday afternoon after the 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo.

According to Mundo Deportivo, some of the players were not happy and approached Quique Setien about some of his tactical decisions during the match.

It seems the players felt some of Setien’s moves cost them the win and are pretty disappointed with the new man in charge.

Marca, unsurprisingly, go a step further and reckon there was an “argument” between Setien and the squad after the match.

They report the players weren’t happy with his decision to bring on Antoine Griezmann and Arthur and claim the locker room discussion was “very tense.”

Luis Suarez certainly appeared pretty frustrated after the match with his “ask the coaches” comments. He was taken off on 81 minutes and replaced by Griezmann.

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Sergi Roberto back in training ahead of Atletico clash

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An injury boost for the Catalans

Barcelona were handed a boost on Sunday as Sergi Roberto was back in training ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid.

The versatile 28-year-old has been out since the 2-0 win over Leganes with a rib injury but joined the group for their recovery session.

♂️ Recovery session after #CeltaBarça

@SergiRoberto10 joined part of the session with the grouphttps://t.co/ZPPTPGWtIE

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 28, 2020

Barcelona need to bounce back quickly from Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Celta but face a tough game against Diego Simeone’s side.

Roberto’s recovery will give Quique Setien more options, while Sergio Busquets will be back from suspension for the match at the Camp Nou.

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Pique sends defiant message after Barca’s draw with Celta

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The defender is in defiant move

Gerard Pique has sent a defiant message after Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo on Saturday.

The draw has hit Barcelona’s title hopes and means they can slip two points behind Real Madrid if Los Blancos beat Espanyol later today.

Barcelona still have six games left to play, starting with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday at the Camp Nou, and Pique is ready for a tense run-in.

He tweeted: “Remember one thing, we are Barça and that is not over yet. Fighting to the end is part of our DNA. Head high and on Tuesday, we’ll all go!”

Recordeu una cosa, som el Barça i això encara no s’ha acabat. Lluitar fins al final forma part del nostre ADN. Cap ben alt i el dimarts, anirem a totes!

— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) June 28, 2020

Atletico will head to the Camp Nou in pretty good form. Diego Simeone’s side have won four and drawn once in their five matches since La Liga resumed.

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García Pimienta set to extend stay with Barcelona B

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Some good news

Barcelona B coach Francisco Javier García Pimienta is set to extend his stay with the club early next week by signing a new contract.

The coach’s current deal expires at the end of the month but he will put pen to paper on a new deal on Monday or Tuesday, according to reports.

The 45-year-old’s team have had a good season and are still in contention for promotion to Second Division A. Barca B were second in in the table when the league was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The RFEF subsequently decided to skip the rest of the campaign and go straight to play-offs to determine promotion. The games will be held in July in Andalusia.

Barcelona B have been drawn to play Real Valladolid Promesas in the first round of the play-offs.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 June 2020

Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Celta 2-2 Barça: Twice ahead, but points shared - FC Barcelona
Luis Suárez, assisted on both occasions by Leo Messi, scored twice in a fascinating encounter on the Galician coast this Saturday afternoon.

Luis Suárez back on target - FC Barcelona
Barça got a point in Balaídos, but they really needed all three. And although 2-2 was not the result that was needed, we were at least treated to the positive sight of Luis Suárez finding his goalscoring touch with two goals.

Suarez on frustration of more dropped points & poor away form - SPORT
Luis Suarez scored twice against Celta Vigo on Saturday but his goals did not prevent Barcelona dropping points for the second time in three games as they drew 2-2 at Balaidos.

Arthur-Pjanic: Barcelona and Juventus finalise deal at last - SPORT
The deal which will see Barcelona's Arthur Melo move to Juventus and Miralem Pjanic in the other direction is now complete. Everything was finalised through the night on Friday, with the players' contracts also sorted.

Barça midfielder Arthur Melo will be a Juventus player on Sunday - SPORT
The Pjanic-Arthur swap deal is practically done. The only thing missing was the OK from the Brazilian to reach a definitive pre-agreement and it seems that Arthur's camp have finalised the last details of his exit from Barcelona through the night.

Juventus midfielder Pjanic could have Barça medical on Sunday - SPORT
Everything is prepared for the swap deal between Barcelona and Juventus involving Arthur Melo and Miralem Pjanic to be made official.

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Arthur in Italy for Juventus medical

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The midfielder has flown out to finalise his move

Arthur Melo is in Turin to finalise his move to Juventus following Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo.

The midfielder was a late substitute in the match at Balaidos on Saturday afternoon and was then given permission by the club to fly to Italy for a medical.

#Juve: #Arthur è atterrato a Torino, domani mattina le visite mediche // Arthur has landed in Turin ahead of his medical with Juve @Goalitalia @Goal ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/iFxDoMKYB0

— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) June 27, 2020

Arthur has reportedly agreed a five-year deal with the Serie A champions and will finalise his move today with an announcement expected soon.

The 23-year-old will miss Barcelona’s training session on Sunday but is expected back on Monday for training ahead of Wednesday’s game against Atletico, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Miralem Pjanic is also set for a medical on Sunday which could take place in Turin rather than Barcelona, due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

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Five talking points from Barcelona’s draw at Celta

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Quique Setien’s side drop away points again

Suarez back in the goals

There’s no doubt Saturday’s result was a huge disappointment for Barcelona, but one bright spot was Luis Suarez finding the back of the net for the first time since returning from injury.

His first goal was put on a plate for him after a brilliant free-kick from Lionel Messi. While everyone was expecting the captain to shoot he simply plonked it on Suarez’s head instead.

The second goal was a lethal finish from the Uruguayan. Again Messi was the creator, finding Suarez in the box to instinctively turn and find the far corner.

Riqui stakes his claim

Riqui Puig’s name being on the starting XI was a welcome sight after his impressive performance in midweek and the youngster did not disappoint again.

Simply put, Barcelona look a far better team with Puig on the pitch at the moment. His passing was excellent and he always looked to go forward. Celta seemed to sense it too, given the couple of hefty challenges that came his way in the second half.

Riqui Puig with just two misplaced passes in that half. pic.twitter.com/RpiWCVtjuA

— Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne) June 27, 2020

Indeed the youngster did enough to show he should keep his place in the team next time out against Atletico Madrid.

Quique Setien will have Sergio Busquets back for Wednesday’s clash but will he be brave enough to start Puig against Diego Simeone’s side?

La Liga title is slipping away

Barcelona’s draw means the team will fall two points behind Real Madrid if Los Blancos beat Espanyol on Sunday. That’s an Espanyol team that have lost 17 times already, conceding 50 goals in the process. They’ve also just fired Aberlardo and have appointed Francisco Rufete as their fourth head coach of 2019-20.

Setien admitted after the match Barcelona have “little room for error” if they are to retain their title but they still have some tough games to come, starting with the visit of an in-form Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

They also still have three away fixtures left to play, which is bad news considering they’ve only won two of their last eight games on the road and still have to go to Villarreal, Real Valladolid and Alaves.

What’s happened to Umtiti?

Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images

Barcelona’s defence continues to be part of the problem. Samuel Umtiti came into the backline on Saturday but put in a performance that impressed no-one.

The Frenchman got caught out for the opener and then showed no great desire to get back and try to salvage the situation either, ambling back as Celta equalised through Fyodor Smolov.

It wasn’t the only time Umtiti was caught out of position in a poor performance from the center-back who is looking a shadow of the player that used to be so dominant at the back for Barca.

Barca continue to struggle at Balaidos

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Barcelona’s draw at Celta means they have now failed to win at Celta since all the way back in March 2015 when, believe it or not, Jeremy Mathieu was the match-winner.

Since then Barcelona have drawn twice and been beaten three times. They’ve also conceded 14 goals in those five games.

Of course it’s not just at Balaidos where Barca have been poor. The team have now taken just 23 points from 48 away from home which is simply not title-winning form.

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