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Changes in store with qualification assured?
Barcelona take on Ferencvaros in the Champions League on Wednesday but go into the game with the pressure off as they are already through to the knockout stages.
Ronald Koeman is therefore expected to rotate his squad again in order to rest key stars and allow some of his fringe players some game time.
Let’s look at who might feature on Wednesday in Hungary.
Defence
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Koeman has real problems in defence with Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Ronald Araujo, and Sergi Roberto all injured and unavailable for this one.
There’s an outside chance Araujo could be passed fit for the trip but there’s no point risking the Uruguay international who is returning from a hamstring injury.
All of which is good news for Oscar Mingueza who should start for the third game in a row for Barcelona. Frenkie de Jong seems the most likely option to partner him at center-back.
Sergino Dest shrugged off a knock to feature against Osasuna and should continue at right-back, while Junior Firpo could get more minutes at left-back in order to give Jordi Alba a breather.
Midfield
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Miralem Pjanic should come back into the team after dropping back down to the bench for Sunday’s La Liga win. The midfielder has started all four of Barca’s Champions League matches and looks set to continue that run.
Sergio Busquets could return to the starting XI after making his return from injury as a half-time substitute against Osasuna, although Carles Alena will be hoping he’s done enough recently to get the nod.
Attack
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Koeman’s choice of attack will be interesting given he has a wealth of options and his team have scored eight times without reply in their last two matches against Dynamo Kiev and Osasuna.
Martin Braithwaite could start again after scoring three times in his last two outings, while players such as Ousmane Dembele, Francisco Trincao, and Riqui Puig will be hoping for a start.
Much will depend on who Koeman fancies taking a look at and which senior stars he wants to rest. Given the team are in the midst of a hectic schedule it’s likely that Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann could get the night off.
Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Dest, Mingueza, De Jong, Junior; Pjanic, Alena; Dembele, Pedri, Coutinho; Braithwaite.
How do you think Barcelona will line up against Ferencvaros? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and teams in the comments below!
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Barcelona have been hit by defensive injuries so far in 2020-21 that has left Ronald Koeman desperately short of options for his backline.
All four senior center-backs are currently sidelined with Gerard Pique not expected back for another few months at least.
The injuries have already fuelled speculation Barca will dip into the transfer market in January to bolster their backline but of course finances are a real problem.
Yet there are also rumors that Jean-Clair Todibo could be heading back to Barcelona in January after failing to make much of an impression on loan at Benfica.
The 20-year-old has been struggling with injury and is yet to feature for Benfica so far this season which could mean his loan is cut short, according to O Jogo.
Jorge Jesus’s side reportedly want to bring in Lucas Verissimo from Santos in the winter but would need to free up a spot in the defence.
Todibo could be deemed surplus to requirements with Jesus preferring to keep hold of experienced duo Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi.
Barcelona sent Todibo out on loan to Schalke for the second half of last season and agreed another loan with Benfica in October that also includes a €20 million purchase option.
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Messi didn’t just have Maradona’s shirt and celebration
Lionel Messi paid tribute to his former manager and spiritual predecessor with a celebration in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Osasuna. After scoring, Messi took off his shirt and revealed Diego Maradona’s #10 shirt from his time at Newell’s Old Boys. Messi also celebrated by adopting Maradona’s celebratory pose.
Maradona was, according to many, the best to ever play, and had died a few days before the match. But it wasn’t just the shirt and the celebration that Messi copied, but, astonishingly, the goal itself.
Maradona's first goal for Newell's vs. Messi's tribute goal after his passing pic.twitter.com/LupW7apwMm
Messi’s goal looked like a mirror of Maradona’s goal against Emelec, his only for Newell’s, Messi’s boyhood club.
Messi has been compared to Maradona his whole life. They are of a similar stature (Maradona is 5’5”, Messi 5’7”), both are left footed, both are Argentine, both wear #10, and both are attacking playmakers with similar styles. They are perhaps the two greatest dribblers to ever play, and both are known as much for their scoring as their ability to create opportunities for others.
As a 19 year old, Messi scored a goal that looked almost like an exact copy of Maradona’s most famous goal, which he scored against England in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Messi also somewhat recreated another famous Maradona goal from the same match, the “Hand of God” goal which Maradona scored with his hand.
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Memphis Depay has once again hinted at his exit from his current club, Olympique Lyonnais, this time through his Twitter account.
The tweet reads: “Y’all will appreciate me when im gone. Enjoy the Sunday.“
This came after he was substituted in Lyon’s 3-0 win over Reims.
Last summer, he was close to joining Barcelona but the deal reportedly fell through because Barcelona lacked the funds to pull it off. His relationship with Ronald Koeman is strong from their time in the national team together, and the injury to Ansu Fati has made Barcelona even more likely to need a reinforcement in the forward line.
However, it is not known if Barcelona will have the cash to finally make the deal work. One possibility that has been rumored in the media is that the sale of Martin Braithwaite could raise money to sign Depay. But interestingly, Braithwaite has scored three times in the past two games, perhaps convincing Koeman not to let him go.
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The Argentine megastar is being remembered by the club and the city who saw him up-close
Diego Maradona is a name that will live on forever. His exploits are world-famous, and after his recent passing, his achievements were once again reviewed by longtime fans and newcomers alike.
He’s remembered mostly playing for Argentina and Napoli, but he made his mark in many other clubs. He started out playing for Argentinos Juniors, before moving to one of Argentina’s biggest clubs, Boca Juniors. It was his time at Boca that convinced Barcelona to make a record breaking purchase to secure his services. Later in his life, he played for Sevilla, and as Lionel Messi reminded us, Newell’s Old Boys, before returning to retire at Boca.
It was in his first stint with Boca, in 1981, that he won the Argentine league, a campaign so brilliant it made Barcelona make their move. They paid £5 million, a record fee at the time, in order to secure his services for the next season. Coincidentally, the 1982 FIFA World Cup took place in Spain, and Argentina’s first match was at Camp Nou, which was perfect for the Catalan audience awaiting to see their new star.
The defending champion Argentina, however, stumbled out of the gate against Belgium, losing 1-0. Maradona was considered to have disappointed, as the Argentine team struggled to mesh its new faces with the veterans who won the 1978 World Cup. Maradona was desperate to impress after missing out on being a part of that team that won the World Cup, but the Belgian defense took the view that if you could stop him, you could stop Argentina, and it didn’t much matter how you did stop him, so long as you did. This set the tone for the tournament, as teams took turns fouling Maradona persistently, and referees generally took a lenient view towards the behavior.
Argentina won their next match 4-1 against Hungary, with Maradona scoring twice. Those would be his last goals in the tournament, however. Argentina did make it past the group stage but faltered in the second group stage. With Argentina losing 3-0 to Brazil, and looking at an almost-certain elimination, Maradona got himself sent off in the 85th minute. The albiceleste pulled one back in the 89th, but time expired and Argentina were sent home.
Maradona’s temper and excess are now legendary, but at the time it was a persistent source of trouble for a new star trying to adapt to the Spanish league. Barça had hoped to improve upon their showing in the 1981-82 season, when they were second, but it wasn’t to be. They also were unable to defend their Cup Winners’ Cup crown, crashing out in the quarterfinals.
But despite it all, Maradona was the team’s top scorer that season and showed at times why he would later be considered, perhaps, the best of all time. His time at Barcelona would be marked by a bout of hepatitis, some successes, fights, a long injury, the “discovery” of cocaine, a near-riot, and a transfer to Napoli - an ultimately frustrating but sometimes brilliant two years.
In his first season, he scored a memorable goal in the league in March 1983, when Real Madrid were leading 1-0 at Camp Nou. After a free kick resulted in a scramble in the box, Maradona (who was famously short) headed the ball in for the equalizer. And later on, Maradona beat the offside trap and crossed for Perico Alonso, who finished expertly to make it 2-1.
Manager Udo Lattek was sacked in March, with José Luis Romero taking charge on an interim basis until César Luis Menotti was appointed. The thinking was that as a countryman and World Cup winner to boot, Menotti would get the best out of Maradona and improve the team’s defending with his famous “closing down spaces” system. There was improvement, but it took time.
Athletic Bilbao were going through a golden age at that time, and they would win the league that season. They defeated Barcelona in the first meeting 2-0, and while Maradona did score against them in the second meeting, it was a consolation goal only as Athletic won 3-2.
Barcelona lost their first leg against Athletic in the Copa del Rey, by 1-0 thanks to a penalty. The second leg would be just a few days after Barcelona had lost to them in La Liga, and they had already lost three times to Athletic that season. But Menotti’s men responded well to the challenge. Lobo Carrasco scored in the opening minute to level the aggregate score, then Alonso would put Barcelona ahead in the 69th, and finally Maradona himself would deliver the final blow to make it 3-1 on aggregate.
Barça would dispatch Real Sociedad 4-1 on aggregate in the semis, with Maradona scoring in each leg. The final was set up for another round of El Clásico. Maradona was the star man, dribbling past defenders and being hacked down as was often the case. But that only lasted for so long. In a typical play from the era, Bernd Schuster would drive a long pass towards Maradona. The number 10 got behind the defense and cut the ball back to Víctor Muñoz in the box with a clear scoring opportunity. He did not miss, and Barcelona led the final 1-0.
A horrific defensive mistake let Madrid equalize via Santillana, but Barcelona would win it in the last minute thanks to a diving header by Marcos Alonso, that came after Julio Alberto crossed from the wing, having himself received a long pass from Maradona.
Barcelona were Copa del Rey champions, and the future looked bright.
A few weeks later, Barcelona got past Atlético Madrid in the semis of the inaugural Copa de la Liga tournament. The other finalists were once again Real Madrid. The first leg took place at the Santiago Bernabéu, and Maradona once again wowed the crowd with his typical dribbling and vision. Early in the second half, he skipped past three defenders in a trademark run, before crossing to the far post. Carrasco was there to meet it with a looping header that made it 1-0.
Madrid’s troubles would increase when Maradona received the ball in total solitude in front of the keeper. The #10 dribbled past Agustín, and stopped as an onrushing Juan José made a last-ditch attempt to block him. The defender instead crashed into the post, and Maradona calmly finished into an empty net. The goal drew a rare roar of approval towards a Barcelona goal from the Madrid crowd, something repeated only by Ronaldinho and Andrés Iniesta since.
To the home side’s credit, Vicente del Bosque, who would later win the World Cup as a manager, and Juanito would score and save a draw for Madrid, 2-2.
At Camp Nou, Maradona scored a penalty and then Alexanko made it 2-0. Santillana would score a late consolation, but that was it. Barcelona secured a double of Copa del Rey and Copa de la Liga wins that was never repeated by any other club.
For the 1983-84 season, there was optimism that Barcelona could capitalize on their cup successes. There was hope that after a year of settling in, plus the appointment of Menotti, might tame Maradona, at least a little.
But even Menotti could not control “el Diego.” Maradona’s failure to appear at morning training was said to have led the manager to schedule trainings for afternoons, lying to the press that this was better for the players metabolism since most matches took place in the afternoon.
Maradona’s house was said to resemble a hotel where friends and acquaintances came to party at all times. In unauthorized biographies about his life, it was revealed that this bad company he kept in Barcelona introduced him to a habit that would come to control his life: cocaine. Still, the drugs would not come to define his tournaments with Barcelona as they would later, and the problem was much less understood at the time.
Regardless of the storm clouds perhaps gathering, Barcelona would win the next season’s Supercopa de España in October 1983, against the league champions, Athletic Bilbao. The budding rivalry between the sides would explode during the ensuing 83-84 campaign.
It was under that rivalry that the first of two big calamities that season would come.
Ironically, the blaugrana played an excellent game in the first meeting between the sides in La Liga that season. With Barcelona ahead 2-0 in the second half, Maradona was on the ball and Andoni Goikoetxea, known as the “Butcher of Bilbao” by some for his aggressive playstyle, dove into his left ankle. The injury would put Maradona out of action for four months, and is usually thought of as the beginning of the end for “el Diego’s” time in Catalonia. Barcelona won 4-0 but that was obviously tempered by Maradona’s serious injury.
Maradona would return to play, but it seems the magic from the end of the previous season perhaps had faded. Once again he was the club’s top scorer that season (14, tied with Marcos Alonso), but this time Barcelona did not win any more titles after the Supercup.
The bad feeling between Maradona and Bilbao only increased after he returned from injury. In a tense meeting, Maradona scored twice in a 2-1 win in the league against his hated rival, but Bilbao got their revenge by winning the Copa del Rey final against him. That game featured this all-out brawl, with Maradona in the middle:
The fight resulted in something of a riot, with some of the 100,00 fans in attendance throwing solid objects onto the pitch. Sixty people were hurt in the chaos, with all of Spain watching on TV and the Spanish King Juan Carlos in attendance.
Fair or not, Maradona was largely blamed for the scenes. It would be his final game for Barcelona, with executives later admitting it was the final straw.
He was sold to Napoli for another record-breaking fee (£6.9 million). Amazingly, Maradona’s greatest triumphs - and his most notorious controversies - were still ahead of him.
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The Dane has impressed in his first starts under Ronald Koeman
Winning is a cure all, and Barcelona got two big ones this week thanks to the next men up on the roster who are officially new weapons at manager Ronald Koeman’s disposal.
Although concerns continue to grow around defensive injuries, Barca reminded themselves that a dominant offense can provide needed cover, putting four goals past their last two opponents, and earning two shutouts. Martin Braithwaite in particular has surprised by taking advantage of his first starts under manager Ronald Koeman, scoring three goals, and elevating the level of play of the players around him.
Against Dynamo Kiev, the team looked risk averse to start the game, which was understandable given the new faces in the line up, and the comfortable lead in the standings. But once the tempo picked up in the second half, Barcelona were reminded of their superior talent, and the value of being aggressive and direct.
It was a team effort for sure, but the impact of Braithwaite should not be discounted.
The first goal was, first and foremost, an incredible bit of determination from Sergiño Dest, and skill from Pedri, as they linked up in the final third, looking to break down a stubborn defense. The goal isn’t scored, however, without the presence of a center forward who knows his way around the box. Braithwaite peeled out and brought the defenders with him, Dest continued his run, and two of them combined to ignite a team in desperate need of life.
Just five minutes later, the Dane showed again his instinct in front of goal by converting a corner kick at the back post off a flick from Oscar Mingueza, who was also involved in the first one.
After that, Barcelona was locked in, and pressing for more goals. Jordi Alba received a clever ball over the top from Carles Aleñá, and found Braithwaite breaking forward, leaving a defender chasing his heals. The Dane not only earned the penalty, but had the confidence as a natural goalscorer to step up to the spot and convert.
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Going into the game against Osasuna, in spite of his breakthrough performance, it was surprising to see Koeman reward Braithwaite with another start, choosing him over the in-form Ousmane Dembele. In large part, it’s because the experiment needed to continue.
What’s the true value of a number nine? When you have two of the most skilled players in the world in Messi and Griezmann, it’s tempting to think that a false nine can get the job done. This season, however, we’ve learned it doesn’t always yield goals, but Braithwaite has revealed that using him there creates problems for defenses, resulting in opportunities for himself and teammates.
On Sunday, his goal wasn’t pretty, and it didn’t have to be. His value is in being in the right place at the right time, and when you have full-backs in Alba and Dest who are eager to provide service, there’s going to be garbage to collect. It’s been encouraging to see increased intent to get the ball in the box, but it only works with the presence of a forward who knows how to navigate it.
Barcelona should be assured this week knowing that they have depth, and more options than they have given themself credit for. The nice thing about experimenting with new players is seeing the way their additions affect everyone else.
It’s no coincidence that Griezmann and Messi looked so lively and creative. Martin Braithwaite may not be a superstar himself, but he can help his team-mates return to their best form. Necessity is the mother of invention, and in this case injuries created the need for Koeman to experiment, and if this last week was an indicator, it looks like in Braithwaite and other rarely used players, he has some good options going forward.
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The duo trained on Monday
Barcelona received some good news on the injury front with both Clement Lenglet and Ronald Araujo able to take some part in Monday’s training session.
Lenglet suffered an ankle injury in the win over Osasuna but did a light session which suggests it’s not a serious problem, although he’s unlikely to be fit for the trip to Ferencvaros.
Araujo is also stepping up his recovery from a hamstring problem. He trained with the group for the first time and is closing in on a return, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The defender could be passed fit for Wednesday’s game but may not be risked in the match because Barcelona have already qualified for the knockout stages.
It’s more likely we may see Lenglet or Araujo back at the weekend when Barcelona travel to Cadiz which would be a big boost for Ronald Koeman and his team.
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Barca celebrated the club’s 121st birthday on Sunday and fittingly went on to produce a fine attacking display that yielded four goals, a clean sheet, and all three points.
It was a much-needed win for Ronald Koeman’s side after a disappointing start to their La Liga campaign and follows on from another four-goal victory in midweek against Dynamo Kiev.
Ronald Koeman made changes to his team which worked well. Martin Braithwaite scored again on his first La Liga start, Pedri surprisingly partnered Frenkie de Jong in midfield, and Oscar Mingueza did well on his La Liga debut.
All four attackers got on the scoresheet which also allowed Koeman to rest some of his players in the second half ahead of a busy end to the year. The win moves Barca back in the top half and offers hope they can go on a winning run and propel themselves up the table.
Barca’s defensive injury crisis deepens
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The one big negative from Sunday’s win was yet another defensive injury. Clement Lenglet hobbled off in the second half with an ankle problem and joins Ronald Araujo, Samuel Umtiti, and Gerard Pique on the injured list.
All of which means all of Barca’s senior center-backs are currently sidelined, although Koeman did play down Lenglet’s injury after the match. Hopefully the problem is not too serious but it seems highly unlikely the Frenchman will be fit for Ferencvaros.
Mingueza should therefore enjoy more game time. The youngster was guilty of a few stray passess, which Koeman picked him up on after the match, but has otherwise had a great week since being called up for first-team action.
Koeman may now be thinking about calling up some more Barca B defenders to bolster his backline if Lenglet is out for a while, such as Arnau Comas and Santiago Ramos Mingo, although De Jong is also an option at center-back.
Braithwaite gets Barca attack firing
Braithwaite’s two goals against Dynamo Kiev in midweek saw the Denmark international retain his place in the starting XI and the striker certainly helped get the Barca attack firing against Osasauna.
4 - Martin Braithwaite has been involved in four of the last five FC Barcelona's goals in all competitions (three goals and one assist). Run. pic.twitter.com/ZfHloRwFEQ
Antoine Griezmann seemed to thrive with a No. 9 on the pitch and notably linked up well with Braithwaite and Lionel Messi in what was easily the Frenchman’s best performance of the season.
Braithwaite also scored again with an untidy effort that broke the deadlock. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest goal he’s ever scored but Braithwaite won’t care after netting his third goal in two games for the Catalan giants
Griezmann hitting form
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Barcelona’s first may not have been a looker but the second came from an absolute cracker from Griezmann. The Frenchman unleashed a brilliant volley from outside their area that simply flew past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.
Griezmann has now scored in back-to-back games for Barcelona for the first time and is clearly finding some form after a tough start. It’s four goals and two assists for Griezmann now in his last six outings and the forward drew praise from Koeman after the match.
“Today he looked like the player we all want to see, someone who fights, who works hard and is effective in front of goal. He played with a lot of freedom, he provided an assist and scored a great goal. He has not changed, he has always worked as hard as he could, but today he created a lot more space with his movement. And his goal is sure to give him confidence.”
This is certainly the Griezmann that Barca will hope they see more of now. He had earlier teed up a great chance for Coutinho after showing great feet to go around Herrera and then set up the Brazilian again for Barca’s third.
Messi’s perfect tribute
Barca’s fourth came, fittingly, from the feet of Lionel Messi with his seventh goal of the season and just his second from open play. It was another lovely goal from the Barcelona captain who paid a pretty perfect tribute to Diego Maradona with his celebration.
Koeman was impressed with Messi’s strike and also the way he dedicated his goal to Maradona by taking off his shirt to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys jersey underneath.
“These are the things of a great player: first because of the play and the goal, and second because of the gesture towards Maradona. It was something really great in every sense.”
Messi was back in the team after being rested in midweek and looked to have benefited from his breather. The captain also seemed happier with Braithwaite in the line-up which allowed him greater freedom.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors
FC Barcelona 4-0 Osasuna: Anniversary tribute win - FC Barcelona
Martin Braithwaite’s great scoring run continued, with Antoine Griezmann’s spectacular volley, Philippe Coutinho and Leo Messi rounding off a great afternoon when the club played tribute to former star, Diego Maradona
10 years since the 5-0 against Real Madrid - FC Barcelona
November 29 is a date marked on the Barça calendar. Not only because it is the anniversary of the day the club was formed (121 years old in 2020), but also because it's a day to remember a historic match; the 5-0 against Real Madrid, at the Camp Nou in the 2010/11 season, with goals from Xavi, Pedro, Villa (2) and Jeffren.
Quique Setien considering legal action of Barcelona exit - Football Espana
According to reports from Catalunya Radio, reported via Marca, the ex Real Betis coach could now push for legal action over a loss of earnings. Setien is rumoured to be unhappy with the amount of compensation offered by the Barcelona board in order to sever his connection with the club.
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The Brazilian was on target against Osasuna
Philippe Coutinho offered his thoughts on Barcelona’s season and the team’s win over Osasuna on Sunday after the final whistle at the Camp Nou.
The Brazilian was in the starting XI for the match and on target, scoring Barca’s third goal after good work from Antoine Griezmann.
Coutinho admitted he’s found it difficult coming back from a month out with injury but thinks Barca can keep improving if they continue to enjoy themselves out on the pitch.
“We’re a long way behind Atletico but the season is very long. We have to fight hard and take things game by game. Little by little, we’re getting better. The key is to enjoy ourselves on the pitch, as we did today, and to win games, because we want to fight for the title, that’s our objective.”
“When you come back after an injury it’s difficult at first. I am trying to get back to my best and help the team. Today I was able to do that, thanks to a great pass from Griezmann, but, above all, I am happy with the great performance from the team.”
Source | Sport
It was a simple finish in the end for Coutinho who also saw a shot blocked on the goalline in the first half. The Brazilian wasn’t at his best against Osasuna but does now have three goals and two assists in nine outings this season.
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The Frenchman played down his goal
Antoine Griezmann was in pretty honest mood when it came to talking about his goal for Barcelona in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Osasuna at the Camp Nou.
The Frenchman scored an eye-catching strike to make it 2-0, volleying home from outside the penalty area on 42 minutes after Martin Braithwaite had opened the scoring.
It was an impressive performance from Griezmann, who also set up Philippe Coutinho for Barca’s third, and he offered his thoughts after the match.
“It’s one of those that either flies in or goes into the stands... luckily today it’s gone in.
“This morning, I was having breakfast with my daughter and I asked her how she would like me to celebrate a goal. She told me to do this and that’s how it came about!
“It was an important win because those at the top keep winning and we have to be close to them. We know the season is long and we want to be champions. Seeing how we played in the Champions League and again today, there are reasons to believe we can reach that objective.”
Manager Ronald Koeman was also impressed by Griezmann’s performance and singled the France international out for praise after the full-time whistle.
“Today he looked like the player we all want to see, someone who fights, who works hard and is effective in front of goal.
“He played with a lot of freedom, he provided an assist and scored a great goal. He has not changed, he has always worked as hard as he could, but today he created a lot more space with his movement. And his goal is sure to give him confidence.”
Griezman now has four goals and two assists in his last six games for Barca in all competitions and looks to have found some form after a slow start to the 2020-21 campaign.
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Martin Braithwaite earns his corn again
That’s what we’ve been waiting for.
It’s taken a while but Antoine Griezmann’s performance against a stubborn Osasuna side was exactly what he needed.
He showed character, a solid work ethic and an eye for goal, and his general all-round play, for once, couldn’t be faulted.
Is it too little, too late?
With the transfer window just a few weeks away, the Frenchman could still fetch a pretty penny in the market and, injuries permitting, Barca certainly have the players to cover for his absence in the short term at the very least.
Maybe this was a clarion call of sorts to culers and the Barca hierarchy. ‘I’m still here.’
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
That volley was absolutely sublime, but will be overshadowed on the day by Leo Messi’s simple but highly effective tribute to Diego Maradona.
Messi himself, whilst not really hitting the heights he is capable of at times, probably played his best game of the season so far.
Enjoying playing in the pockets, the diminutive Argentinian picked those of Osasuna’s defence at every possible opportunity.
He was afforded the chance to do so thanks to some highly intelligent centre-forward play from Martin Braithwaite.
The Dane still finds himself much maligned by a section of the Barcelona fan base, but he can do no more than make life difficult for Ronald Koeman when he plays.
Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
A scrappy goal is a goal nonetheless, and he gives the Catalans an edge and a purpose in attack. If you get the chance to watch the highlights back, do nothing other than track Braithwaite’s movement.
That should settle the argument that the striker is only at the Camp Nou to make up the numbers. He needs only to add more goals to his Barca CV at this point in truth.
Although the trio may have appeared to have been a surprise pick from Koeman, they all dovetailed nicely and worked well together.
By having Braithwaite as the natural spearhead and Griezmann in the areas that he normally loves to roam, Barça looked much more threatening.
It not only opened up the channels for Messi to find space, but allowed the late runners to come virtually unchallenged.
Four goals on this occasion, and the truth is it could’ve been six or seven.
If there’s one sour note to take away from the experience other than Clement Lenglet’s wretched ankle injury, it’s that Philippe Coutinho was still a shadow of the player we know he can be.
With Ousmane Dembele deserving of a start, perhaps the Brazilian will be the fall guy in the long run.
However, now’s not the time to wallow. Great performance, goals galore and only three points behind Real Madrid with a game in hand.
We’d have all taken that before the weekend.
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Francisco Javier García Pimienta’s side back to winning ways
Konrad de la Fuente was target for Barcelona B on Sunday in a 2-1 win for the hosts over Lleida at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
It was an important win for García Pimienta’s men who, like the first team, had been on a poor run and had gone four games with victory ahead of Sunday’s match.
The hosts didn’t have to wait too long to open the scoring. Nils Mortimer broke the deadlock after just 12 minutes following a good run from Peque. The 19-year-old stroked a confident finish across goal and into the far corner from inside the penalty area.
Konrad almost doubled Barca’s lead just before half-time after a brilliant run from a throw out by goalkeeper Arnau Tenas but was denied by goalkeeper Pau Torres. However, the 19-year-old did get on the scoresheet in the second half with a fine strike.
Konrad de la Fuente gets his first goal of the season for Barcelona B. Great finish from outside the box pic.twitter.com/JAArPvxeKw
Lleida pulled one back through an unfortunate Arnau Comas own goal which set up a pretty nervy finish for the hosts. Yet Barca B managed to hang on and secure an important three points
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The defender was forced off in the second half
Ronald Koeman offered an update on Clement Lenglet’s injury after Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday in La Liga.
The Frenchman was forced off with an ankle problem in the second half, leaving Barca with no fit senior center-backs currently as Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo, and Samuel Umtiti are all sidelined.
Koeman thinks Lenglet’s injury is not too serious but says the club must wait until tomorrow to find out how long he’s likely to be out of action for.
“I have spoken with the doctor and it seems we will have to wait for tomorrow for tests, but it does not seem that that serious. I don’t know about Wednesday’s game but I hope it’s nothing major.”
Barcelona play Ferenvaros next in the Champions League and then take on Cadiz in La Liga. Araujo and Umtiti have been back in training, but it’s not clear yet when they might be fit for first-team action.
Mingueza can therefore expect more game time, although Koeman did have a few words of warning for the youngster after the match.
“I told him that he played really well, but he lost the ball two times in areas where you cannot lose it. We spoke about that. One poor touch can lead to a chance for the opponent. You can have a good game, but two mistakes can cost you the match. He has to learn and improve.”
Barca are likely to need Mingueza again in midweek due to their injury situation. Frenkie de Jong could also play in central defence if none of the center-backs are available.
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Lionel Messi scored Barcelona’s fourth goal of the afternoon against Osasuna on Sunday and celebrated by dedicating his strike to Diego Maradona.
The Barcelona captain scored a typically brilliant goal to cap off a fine afternoon’s work for Ronald Koeman’s men at the Camp Nou.
Messi then took off his shirt to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys shirt with a No. 10 on the back in honor of Maradona. The Argentine had a brief spell with Messi’s boyhood club towards the end of his career.
Barcelona also paid tribute to Maradona before kick-off at the Camp Nou. There was a minute’s silence and a Maradona shirt was laid in the center-circle and also in the directors’ box.
Koeman’s men then went on and did their talking on the pitch with a dominant win that also featured some great goals. Martin Braithwaite’s opener was scruffy but Antoine Griezmann scored a superb volley before setting up Philippe Coutinho for Barca’s third.
The last word was fittingly left to captain Messi, who looked pretty emotional during the minute’s silence, but signed off with a classy goal and a moment that will live long in the memory.
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That was very, very good.
Barcelona returned to winning ways in La Liga in impressive fashion thanks to a dominant, well-deserved 4-0 victory over Osasuna at Camp Nou. Barça attacked from the start and were in control for the entire match, providing a lot of entertainment and some beautiful goals in the process.
FIRST HALF
Ronald Koeman started the game with a lot of attacking midfielders in odd positions and it was clear in the first 10 minutes that Barça’s offensive players were just looking to figure out what the heck was going on, trying to find spaces and not run into each other while at the same time attempting to produce creative and dangerous attacks.
After a disorganized start, they settled into a nice rhythm of passing and movement, and the chances started to come in waves. Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi and Martin Braithwaite were always looking for each other, and Jordi Alba was a constant overlapping threat throughout the half.
It took half an hour but the goals finally came: first it was Braithwaite who scored an awkward goal with his knee at the end of a beautiful move and an amazing double save by Herrera, then Griezmann scored a spectacular volley from the edge of the box to complete an excellent first half for him and give Barça a deserved two-goal lead.
At halftime the Blaugrana were playing well and winning comfortably, and they had a chance to make this a blowout in the second half.
SECOND HALF
Koeman brought on Sergio Busquets at halftime to add more structure to midfield and free the front four to roam around and both full-backs to join the attack, and Barça continued to apply pressure and create chances.
The goals kept coming: Philippe Coutinho made it 3-0 with a tap-in following a Griezmann assist, then Ousmane Dembélé had a goal disallowed by VAR for a Trincão offside in the buildup, but Messi made it 4-0 for real with a beautiful strike into the top corner and an amazing tribute to Diego Maradona in his celebration.
Nothing happened in the final minutes as Osasuna offered no threat and Barça just ran out the clock, and the final whistle came to give the Blaugrana three big points after an excellent team performance. This was seriously impressive and very entertaining. More of this, please.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dest (Firpo 60’), Mingueza, Lenglet (Aleñá 67’), Alba; Pedri (Busquets 46’), De Jong; Messi, Griezmann, Coutinho (Dembélé 60’); Braithwaite (Trincão 60’)
Barcelona’s defensive injury crisis deepened on Sunday when Clement Lenglet was forced off with what looked like an ankle injury.
The Frenchman hobbled off after a challenge by Ruben Garcia on 67 minutes with Carles Alena coming on to replace him. Frenkie de Jong dropped back into defense to partner Oscar Mingueza for the rest of the game.
Lenglet’s injury is a real problem for Barcelona who are already without Samuel Umtiti, Gerard Pique, and Ronald Araujo due to injury. Mingueza started again on Sunday in what was his La Liga debut.
De Jong is an option in central defense and may well be needed there in the coming weeks if Lenglet is ruled out for a little while. Barca should be able to call on Araujo soon, but it’s not quite clear when the Uruguayan will be fit to return.
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Samuel Umtiti's last chance at Barcelona - Football Espana
The French centre-back hasn’t featured for the Blaugrana so far this season, but has been working on hard on resolving the issue he’s had with his left knee through an intensive rehabilitation process.
CM: Barcelona have offered Philippe Coutinho to Juventus - SPORT
The good relationship between Barcelona and Juventus may appear again in January. According to 'calciomercato', after the Arthur-Pjanic deal in the summer, the two clubs are now negotiating a possible transfer involving Philippe Coutinho.
Koeman praises Carles Aleña's transformation into complete midfielder - SPORT
Ronald Koeman made a number of changes against Dynamo Kiev and everything went perfectly. Many players given a chance to impress seized the moment. One of them was Carles Aleña, who previously had only played eight minutes of football this season.
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WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth is the site of another important Barcelona match on Sunday afternoon as the Blaugrana welcome Osasuna for a big La Liga game. Barça continue to play well in the Champions League but haven’t found any consistency in the league, and hope to start a winning streak at home against a tough team that beat Barça at Camp Nou last season. This should be 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)
MATCH INFO
Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 12
Date/Time: Sunday, November 29, 2020, 2pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 1pm GMT (UK), 8am ET, 5am PT (USA), 6.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz
VAR: Pablo González Fuertes
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA
How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others
How to stream: FuboTV (USA), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others
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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Ronald Koeman has called up 21 players for Sunday’s match
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana return to action in La Liga with an important home game against Osasuna at Camp Nou, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 21 players for Sunday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña
Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Carles Aleñá, 8. Miralem Pjanic, 12. Riqui Puig, 14. Philippe Coutinho, 16. Pedri, 19. Matheus Fernandes, 21. Frenkie De Jong
Forwards: 7. Antoine Griezmann, 9. Martin Braithwaite, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão
Barça get three key players back from this one: Messi and De Jong are back from a rest in midweek, while Sergio Busquets returns after recovering from a knee injury suffered in international duty. That’s the only good news though, with Ansu Fati (knee), Gerard Piqué (knee), Sergi Roberto (thigh), Ronald Araujo (hamstring) and Samuel Umtiti (knee) all out with injuries, though it is expected that Araujo will be returning soon, possibly next week.
Predicted starting XI (4-4-2):
Ter Stegen; Mingueza, De Jong, Lenglet, Alba; Dembélé, Pjanic, Busquets, Coutinho; Messi, Griezmann
The match kicks off at 2pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 1pm GMT (UK), 8am ET, 5am PT (USA), 6.30pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
VISCA EL BARÇA!
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Barça return home looking to maybe, perhaps, somehow, start a winning streak in the league
FC Barcelona (13th, 11pts) vs CA Osasuna (14th, 11pts)*
*Points and positions at the time of writing on Saturday
Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 12
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Ansu Fati, Gerard Piqué, Sergi Roberto, Ronald Araujo, Samuel Umtiti (out), Sergiño Dest (doubt)
Osasuna Outs & Doubts: Chimy Ávila, Brandon, David García, Adrián López (out), Jonathan Calleri, Aridane Hernández, Juan Pérez, Lucas Torró (doubt)
Date/Time: Sunday, November 29, 2020, 2pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 1pm GMT (UK), 8am ET, 5am PT (USA), 6.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz
VAR: Pablo González Fuertes
How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others
How to stream: FuboTV (USA), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following a dominant victory over Dynamo Kiev to ensure a place in the Champions League knockout stages, Barcelona return to action in La Liga against Osasuna at the Greatest Stadium on Earth on Sunday afternoon in Catalonia.
Barça remain perfect in Europe, but that’s where the good news stop this season. The Blaugrana actually have more wins and more points after four Champions League than they do after eight league games, and the 11 points so far make this the worst La Liga start after eight matches in three decades.
This is Ronald Koeman’s biggest challenge: consistency, both of performances and results. Barça were excellent against Real Betis three weeks ago, then looked awful against Atlético Madrid and played a fantastic match despite all the changes in Ukraine. The talent is obviously there, the ability to play well for 90 minutes is also clearly there, but doing it game after game is the goal.
It was against Osasuna less than five months ago that Barça officially lost the La Liga title last season with an embarrassing performance and defeat at home, so this promises to be a tough one against a well-organized defense.
Let’s dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-4-2): Ter Stegen; Mingueza, De Jong, Lenglet, Alba; Dembélé, Pjanic, Busquets, Coutinho; Messi, Griezmann
Osasuna (5-3-2): Herrera; Vidal, Roncaglia, U. Garcia, Navas, Jony; Moncayola, Oier, Pérez; Budimir, R. García
PREDICTION
I shouldn’t be this optimistic about a Barcelona game in La Liga in 2020, but a rested Messi and an on-form Dembélé gives me cause to expect a big win: 4-1 to the good guys.
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Los Rojillos won on their last visit to the Camp Nou
Osasuna boss Jagoba Arrasate has offered his thoughts on Sunday’s La Liga match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Arrasate’s side ran out 2-1 winners on their last visit back in July despite finishing the game with only 10 men after Enric Gallego was sent off in the second half.
The Osasuna boss is expecting a much different game on Sunday and feels the hosts have improved a lot under new manager Ronald Koeman.
“I think it is a very different Barcelona from last year. From my point of view the results do not reflect what they really are, because I think they have very good things. I see a much faster, more electric, different Barcelona.
“We have to bear in mind that everything will come to us faster. Last year we were able to be well positioned and put them under pressure well, but this year that is much more difficult. I think that in transition they have also improved because they have more vertical players.
“At the Camp Nou they are a different team and still a fearsome team .They are capable of beating Villarreal, Betis ... I hope for the best Barcelona. To get a good result we have to have a good plan and believe in that plan, execute it like a charm and hope that they do not have a good day and have no success.”
Barcelona will be expected to win the game pretty comfortably and really can’t afford to drop points again. Atletico’s win on Saturday means Barca are now 12 points behind Diego Simeone’s men but have played a game less.
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The Brazilian has no plans to leave Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho’s agent has rubbished rumors that Barcelona have offered the Brazilian to Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.
Calciomercato reported earlier today that Barca would be willing to offload the former Liverpool man and suggested the Serie A champions were a potential destination.
Mundo Deportivo were quickly on the phone to Kia Joorabchian to ask what he thought of it all and were given a fairly brief and swift response.
“I have not heard anything and we have no plans to move from Barça, and yes Coutinho can contribute to a successful season.”
Coutinho is back to full fitness after missing a month with a hamstring injury and will be hoping to retain his place in the starting XI for Sunday’s clash with Osasuna.
Yet Ronald Koeman will make changes to his attack for the game. Captain Lionel Messi will return after a rest, while Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite are pushing for starts.
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The latest from the Barcelona boss
Ronald Koeman faced the press on Saturday to talk all things Barcelona ahead of their next match against Osasuna at the Camp Nou.
The Dutch boss discussed Sunday’s opponents, the club’s injury problems, Carles Alena’s form and of course Diego Maradona.
Here are the best bits:
Koeman on Osasuna
We need the three points. A difficult game awaits us, they are going to defend well. We have to create opportunities and score. We’ve spoken about the opponents, yes they did a good match last season, but this is another season.
Koeman on Busquets
We need to look at how he’ll be tomorrow. We’ve seen him training normally today but we have to wait until tomorrow to see if he’s fit to play.
Koeman on Dest
Dest trained well today, but tomorrow we know for sure. Today we’ve talked about who will play there if Dest can’t play. It isn’t serious because he did the session today. But he came back really tired after Kiev and had some problems in his leg. We need to make a decision and we are not willing to take risks with him because we know in his position at that minute there are injuries. If he’s OK he will start, if we have doubts he won’t.
Koeman on Messi and De Jong
They had a good rest, they were the ones who had played almost everything, as with their national team. In order not to get into physical problems we decided to leave them at home. Hopefully tomorrow they can offer the best of them with freshness because We need them.
Koeman on Maradona
We know that will affect us and the Argentinian players because we can only imagine how big Maradona was for them. It will affect them in the sense they will want to show their quality on the pitch, and that’s the best thing we can do to remember Maradona.
Koeman on Alena
January things I can’t speak about now. The system change cost him a bit at the beginning of the season but he is improving a lot to be a pivot for this team. He is changing things he needs to be a Barça player in midfield. He plays very intensely, very defensively. I need to give him time to keep improving.
Koeman on Mingueza
Mingueza has a lot of chances to play due to the injuries we have.
Koeman on UCL vs La Liga form
It is not easy to explain why. Sometimes you get games in which you dominate more, in the league it has cost us with more teams that play more close in defense and in the Champions League sometimes more open. At the end of the season we can decide what are we missing. I think that in the league we did not deserve to lose so many points and in the Champions League, I think that winning against Juve gave us confidence and made us more relaxed.
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The right-back is a doubt for Sunday’s match
Sergino Dest trained as normal ahead of Barcelona’s clash with Osasuna on Sunday in La Liga despite reports the right-back has suffered a muscular issue.
Ronald Koeman spoke about the right-back after the session in his pre-match press conference but admitted there’s no guarantee Dest will be able to start the match.
“Dest trained well today, but tomorrow we know for sure. Today we’ve talked about who will play there if Dest can’t play.
“It isn’t serious because he did the session today. But he came back really tired after Kiev and had some problems in his leg.
“We need to make a decision and we are not willing to take risks with him because we know in his position at the minute there are injuries. If he’s OK he will start, if we have doubts he won’t”.
It seems as though Barcelona will make a late call on Dest, but they will certainly want the American starlet available given their injuries in defense.
There’s speculation Oscar Mingueza could fill in for Dest at right-back if the 20-year-old doesn’t make it after a strong debut in midweek against Dynamo Kiev.
Koeman wasn’t giving away too much about his possible line-up but did also admit he’d made a late call on Sergio Busquets after including the midfielder in his squad too.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors
Joint statement from the FC Barcelona salary negotiation table - FC Barcelona
The parties have reached an agreement in principle that allows an adjustment to salaries for the current season, for an amount of 122 million euros fixed remuneration, to which is added the deferral for 3 years of variable remuneration from this season, budgeted at an approximate figure of 50 million euros.
Minute's silence for Maradona before training - FC Barcelona
Before the start of Friday training for the game against Osasuna, the FC Barcelona squad held a minute's silence in memory of Diego Maradona on the Tito Vilanova pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva.
The lowdown on CA Osasuna - FC Barcelona
Osasuna are from the city of Pamplona, the largest city and capital of the region of Navarra. Known as Iruñea in the Basque language, the city of 209,000 people is best known internationally for the San Fermín festival in July, which features the famous ‘running of the bulls’.
Gerard Pique describes "dream" of becoming Barcelona president - Football Espana
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has confirmed he would one day like to be president of the club but conceded such an eventuality was far from a formality. Pique said that holding such a position was a “dream” of his as he reiterated his love of the club and how he could be suited to it.
Man United want Ousmane Dembele, but not at any price - SPORT
Ousmane Dembele is still of interest elsewhere in Europe. The Barcelona winger has not shone in the Catalan capital but has many years ahead of him. Manchester United are still interested in him, even though they didn't manage to sign him in the summer.
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Ronald Koeman’s side need a win at the Camp Nou
Barcelona are back in La Liga action on Sunday when they welcome Osasuna to the Camp Nou.
Ronald Koeman’s side have made a pretty unimpressive start to their league campaign and could do with a win to move them up the table.
The Barca boss will be without some key players due to injury but did see his team pick up a morale-boosting win in midweek in the Champions League.
Let’s see how they might line up on Sunday.
Defence
Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images
Jordi Alba should return to the starting XI after getting a bit of a breather against Dynamo Kiev, while Sergino Dest will be expected to continue on the opposite flank in the absence of the injured Sergi Roberto. There are a few doubts about Dest’s fitness but let’s hope he can play.
The big question in central defence is who will partner Clement Lenglet? Frenkie de Jong is an option and could return after being rested, while Oscar Mingueza could continue after a strong debut in the Champions League win.
Midfield
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Sergio Busquets returned to training this week and is likely to be named in the squad after a knee injury, but it’s not clear if he will start and Koeman may not be inclined to rush the Spain international back.
Miralem Pjanic is available and could continue in midfield, while De Jong will also be fresh for this one. And then there’s Carles Alena who will be hoping to keep his place in the starting XI after getting the nod in Kiev.
Attack
Photo by Stanislav Vedmid/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Lionel Messi should return after missing the Champions League win after a busy start to the season. Antoine Griezmann was also left out of the starting XI but did come on and score Barca’s fourth of the night.
Yet Martin Braithwaite may just have played his way into contention with two goals and an assist. Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, Philippe Coutinho, and Francisco Trincao are also fit and available and offer Koeman plenty of options for his attack.
Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Dest, Mingueza, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Dembele, Messi, Coutinho; Griezmann.
How do you think Barcelona should line up against Osasuna? Let us know your thought, teams and predictions in the comments below!
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The right-back has picked up a problem
Barcelona’s injury problems look to be deepening with a report that Sergino Dest may miss Sunday’s La Liga clash with Osasuna.
According to Catalunya Radio, the right-back has some muscular discomfort that may force him out of the match at the Camp Nou.
If the 20-year-old is sidelined then Ronald Koeman is planning on using Oscar Mingueza on the right side of the defence as he’s aready without Sergi Roberto due to injury.
Dest’s injury could also then mean a reshuffle in midfield too. Frenkie de Jong may be needed in central defence, leaving a spot up for grabs in midfield alongside Miralem Pjanic.
Sergio Busquets is expected to be passed fit in time for the match after knee trouble, although Carles Alena will be hoping he gets his retain his place in the starting XI.
Barca are due to train again in the morning for a final time before the match which should offer an indication of whether Dest will be fit for the match or not.
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Gerard Pique has discussed the possibility of becoming Barcelona president one day in the future and also offered his thoughts on Lionel Messi.
The club is due to hold presidential elections in January with a new man set to come in and replacement Josep Maria Bartomeu at the helm.
Pique was asked if it’s job he fancies taking on in the future and made it clear it’s something he could see himself doing.
“Not in the upcoming elections because I can’t. I’m still a player and when you’re a player you can’t stand, but in the future you never know. I’m a massive Barcelona fan, as you all know.
“I’d like to help the club I love in the best way I know how, and that means being really well prepared to be president, if one day I think I can contribute something. If not I won’t put myself forward. It’s something I’ll decide in the future, it’s a dream I’ve always had, but I don’t know if it will happen in the future.”
The center-back was also asked about Messi and if he thought the Argentina international would stay at the Camp Nou beyond this season. The captain is out of contract next summer and Pique is crossing his fingers that he will stay.
“We’ll have to ask Leo, I don’t know. We hope that we will stay. It’s a very personal decision and we’ll see. As long as he continues at Barca, there is hope, and we hope that he can be seduced into staying.”
Reports have suggested that Messi will wait to see the identity of the next president before he decides what to do next, while rumors Manchester City may try and bring him to the club have surfaced again recently.
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Barcelona announced on Friday they have reached agreement with the players over pay cuts that will save around €122 million.
The two parties have been in talks for some time now about making further cuts due to the club’s difficult financial situation.
The situation now appears resolved with Barcelona announcing the news in a statement on their official website.
“Today, the parties have reached an agreement in principle that allows an adjustment to salaries for the current season, for an amount of 122 million euros fixed remuneration, to which is added the deferral for 3 years of variable remuneration from this season, budgeted at an approximate figure of 50 million euros.”
Argentine defender Ezequiel Garay has reportedly emerged as a possible target for Barcelona and Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window.
Both clubs have suffered plenty of defensive injuries this season and have lost key players to long-term problems. Virgil van Dijk had knee surgery in October, while Gerard Pique has also suffered a serious knee problem and looks set for a long lay-off.
Garay has now emerged as a possible option for both clubs in the winter market as he is a free agent after his contract with Valencia expired in the summer, according to Sport.
Barcelona’s main target remains Manchester City defender Eric Garcia, but the club have found negotiations with the Premier League club tricky and may wait until the end of the season when he’s free.
Garay could be a possible short-term option to bolster the defence, although it’s possible Barca could actually trust in their young players instead and give Oscar Mingueza a chance after a strong debut in the Champions League.
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The update means that Ronald Koeman still just has one senior center-back available for Sunday’s game and increases the chances of Oscar Mingueza keeping his place in the backline alongside Clement Lenglet.
Barcelona’s final training session before the match is on Saturday morning, and we’ll then likely get an update on injuries afterwards when Koeman holds his pre-match press conference.
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