Todibo’s loan deal includes an option to buy for €8.5 million, plus €7 million in variables, although it remains to be seen if Nice will take up the option to sign Todibo permanently.
Meanwhile, Barca are expected to boost their defensive options in the summer by signing Eric Garcia on a free transfer.
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The Bayern Munich man is heading to the Bernabeu
Well, this one hurts a bit. It didn’t seem all that likely that David Alaba was going to join Barcelona this summer as of late. However, I for one was still holding out hope.
According to a report from ESPN, David Alaba has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer once his contract at Bayern Munich runs out. The German defender has been at Bayern for 13 years and helped to solidify the empire that is Bayern Munich.
His impending free agency made the 28-year-old one of the most desirable players in the market. Barca recently found out about the commitment and backed out from negotiations. All we can hope for now is that the deal perhaps falls through and Barca are given second life.
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The coach was sent off against Granada on Thursday
Barcelona confirmed on Friday they plan to appeal coach Ronald Koeman’s two-match touchline ban.
Koeman has been sanctioned after being sent off in the second half of Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to Granada. The referee’s report stated he was handed his marching orders for saying, “What a character.”
ℹ El FC Barcelona presentarà recurs a la sanció a @RonaldKoeman
The Barca boss is now due to be banned from the bench for key games against Valencia on Sunday and Atletico Madrid on May 8 unless the appeal proves successful.
Koeman made it clear after the match he was not happy with the decision and felt he had done nothing wrong.
“I don’t understand it. According to Carlos Naval, I disrespected the fourth official, but I didn’t say anything bad.
“I didn’t insult him. It’s incredible. But if the fourth official wants to be the centre of attention... I said something, but with all due respect. He responded to me in a way that wasn’t so nice.
“He disrespected me. If they put something in the report that I haven’t said, then I’ll have to do something about it.”
Barca head into both games needing to bounce back from Thursday’s costly defeat and also needing Real Madrid to drop points if they are to win La Liga.
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The former goalkeeper is heading back to the Camp Nou
A report from Sport this week outlines what a Barcelona return from Victor Valdes may look like. Since Joan Laporta took over the presidency of Barca once again, he’s made it a mission to mend fences with some of those who’ve been spurned by Barcelona or left the club.
One of those people is reportedly Valdes. Laporta has reached out with the intent of getting Valdes to come back and coach goalkeepers who’re heading through La Masia.
Valdes previously came back to coach Juvenil A in 2019 but that didn’t work out too well. However, Laporta seems to be hoping Valdes can now succeed in a slightly different role with the club.
The way Valdes left the club as a player wasn’t the best, and I think all Barca fans can agree it’d be nice to have him influencing young players at the club again.
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Barca threw away the chance to go top of the table with five games left to play by gifting Granada a first-ever win at the Camp Nou.
Ronald Koeman’s men looked set for victory after Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann combined superbly to open the scoring after 23 minutes.
However, for the umpteenth time this season Barca failed to kill off the game, despite creating a host of chances, and were once again undone by some poor defending.
Barca really should have won the game and failure to do so has dealt the team’s title hopes a big blow. It’s not over just yet but Barca now need favors if they are to do the double.
Barca’s defensive troubles return
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
One thing Barca must cut out if they are to go on and win their last five games is the mistakes in defense which returned to haunt the team again on Thursday night.
Barca have looked stronger defensively since switching to a three-man central defense but Oscar Mingueza, Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti all had a poor night against Granada.
Mingueza managed to gift the ball to Darwin Machis for the equalizer, while Pique and Umtiti won’t want to see the second goal again. It’s no coincidence either that both goals came from Sergi Roberto’s side of the pitch.
Koeman must tighten up the defense quickly and he does have options if he wants to make changes with Ronald Araujo, Clement Lenglet and Sergino Dest all options to come back in.
Koeman facing touchline ban?
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
It was a tough night for Ronald Koeman who finally made changes to his side, bringing in Sergi Roberto, Samuel Umtiti and Ilaix Moriba, but saw the trio fail to impress in a sloppy showing by his team.
The Dutchman then managed to get himself sent off in the second half after a spat with the match officials as his frustrations boiled over. It did seem a harsh call with the referee’s report claiming he saw red for saying ‘what a character.’
Koeman duly complained about the sending off after the match insisting he’d done nothing wrong, but the red card could mean the boss is banished from the bench for Barca’s next two games.
They are important matches too against Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Win them both and confidence will be restored, drop points in either and the title will surely be over for another season.
Is this the end for Roberto and Umtiti?
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
There had been fresh talk about the futures of Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti before the game against Granada, but on Thursday night’s evidence you have to wonder if either player will be at the club next season.
Umtiti looks almost certain to leave, as long as Barca can find a club willing to take a risk on the defender, with injuries having taken their toll on the World Cup winner who continues to look a shadow of his former self.
Roberto’s future is also in doubt amid talk about a contract renewal for the versatile star whose current deal expires in 2022.
The 29-year-old has spent large chunks of the season out injured and hasn’t really been missed. He remains a decent squad option but with Sergino Dest and (potentially) Emerson around next season Barca must surely be tempted to sell if offers arrive this summer.
All eyes on Valencia
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Barca must bounce back quickly and face another tricky game on Sunday at Mestalla against Valencia. Los Che are having a pretty miserable campaign, and are only six points off the relegation zone, but tend to do well against Barca.
The Catalans have only won one of their last six matches against Valencia but simply must come away from Mestalla with all three points if they are to have chance of completing the double.
It’ll be another game when Mingueza, Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi must be careful as all four players remain a booking away from a suspension and will miss the visit of Atletico Madrid if they are booked.
Barca can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves despite Thursday’s disappointment as the title is still a possibility. All four title contenders still have some crunch games to play and it would be no surprise if there were still a few more twists in the title race to come.
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The deal includes a buyout clase set at €100 million
Barcelona confirmed on Friday that Oscar Mingueza has penned a contract extension at the Camp Nou that runs until 30 June 2023. The deal includes a buyout clause set at €100 million.
The new deal is a deserved reward for Mingueza who has broken into the first team this season and gone on to make 35 appearances with 19 of those as a starter.
BREAKING NEWS❗@OscarMingueza staying at Barça until 2023.
Mingueza has also lifted his first senior title with the Catalan giants, helping Ronald Koeman’s men win the Copa del Rey against Athletic earlier this month.
The 21-year-old has played at right-back and in the heart of the defense and seems to have cemented his place in the starting XI since Koeman starting using three center-backs.
Mingueza has also contributed two goals and three assists in 2020-21. The youngster’s first Barca goal came in the 4-1 win over Huesca and he was also on target in El Clasico against Real Madrid.
Happy new contract Oscar Mingueza!
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Frenkie de Jong: "We're very sad at the moment" - Football Espana
“We’re very sad at the moment,” Frenkie de Jong said post-game in comments carried by Marca. “It’s normal, and tomorrow will be the same. Then, we have to get up and continue to fight until the end. We have to keep working. In the first half we were good, and we continued to try to create danger in the second half, but it was difficult. They defended very well, and twice they shot, twice they scored.”
Barcelona aiming for 25,000 fans for Atletico Madrid clash - Football Espana
It is a clash that could go a long way to deciding this season’s La Liga title and it could be played in front of 25,000 fans. Barcelona want their home game against Atletico Madrid this month to have a capacity of 25,000 – a quarter of the full capacity of their Camp Nou stadium.
'What a character' - Why Koeman was sent off against Granada - SPORT
"After being warned about his observations, he again approached the fourth official saying the following: 'What a character.'" That is why González Fuertes sent Ronald Koeman off in the second half of Barcelona's 2-1 defeat to Granada on Thursday at Camp Nou.
Jordi Alba: This is a big blow, we must win our final five games now - SPORT
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba admitted the Blaugrana wasted a golden opportunity to go top of La Liga by losing to Granada on Thursday. "It's a s--- day," he said. "We tried until the end, but we weren't clinical. It was a unique opportunity to go top and now we don't depend on ourselves anymore.”
Luis Suarez tells Lionel Messi he shouldn't leave Barcelona - SPORT
Luis Suarez gave an interview to TV3, where he spoke about the future of Lionel Messi. The Atletico Madrid striker is a great friend of the Barcelona captain. “If Messi asked me as a friend, I would tell him I don’t see him anywhere other than Barca, it wouldn’t be good for him,” said Suarez. “He has to take the decision himself.”
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The brief was simple enough. Win all of your games and you’re champions. Starting with a team that have lost on EVERY SINGLE OCCASION they’ve played at Camp Nou - 24 times in total.
I don’t want to hear about Granada playing 10 men behind the ball, closing the lines, making life difficult for Barca to play their natural game.
The team have some old, experienced heads in there and young bucks looking to make their mark and, frankly, no one was really on it on Thursday night, save for the odd flash from Lionel Messi or Antoine Griezmann.
Sergio Busquets was excellent again but aside from that trio, from a Barcelona perspective, there was precious little to be excited about.
Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images
Whilst accepting that rotations need to be made at this stage of the season, Ronald Koeman got it badly wrong with picking Samuel Umtiti.
Everyone knows that his legs have gone and he’s as far from the player we signed as it’s possible to be. Why on earth not start Ronald Araujo if you’re going to drop Clement Lenglet?
It seems clear that the Dutchman felt that the Andalusians wouldn’t present a threat and therefore, Umtiti could be put in the shop window.
However, both goals for Granada were as a result of Umtiti’s pathetic excuse for defending and the club will be lucky to give him away for free at this rate.
On a night where Barcelona needed some invention and spark, there was precious little of it, and even Ousmane Dembele’s introduction came too late to affect proceedings, even if the Frenchman tried his best.
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
In this column previously, tiredness has been talked about as a potential killer of title ambitions for any of the teams at the top that are still in with a chance. Mental as well as physical tiredness too.
On the night where there was something on the line, Barca failed to show up - again. The Copa del Rey final has been the only ‘big’ game the Catalans have won this season.
It’s about time the team had the Zidane mentality of every game being a final, and played like their lives depended on it.
Complacency was certainly on show, more so after going in 1-0 up at half-time. That type of attitude is truly unforgivable, and it came back to bite the team just as it did against Cadiz earlier in the season.
Unfortunately, things are out of Barca’s hands again now.
They’ll just have to hope that the gods smile on them again over the course of the next five games.
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Despite Thursday’s disaster, the Blaugrana remain very much alive in the championship hunt
Barcelona wasted a giant chance to go top of the table and stamp their authority in the race for the La Liga title thanks to a shocking loss to Granada at home, but once the dust settles and the anger dissipates it is important to realize that Barça remain very much alive in the hunt for the league championship.
The loss does mean that Barça no longer rely only on their own results, but they remain just two points behind leaders Atlético Madrid and equal on points with second place Real Madrid. Because the head-to-head record is the first tiebreaker in La Liga and Barça lost the two games against Real this season, they cannot finish with the same amount of points as Los Blancos.
For that reason, Barça must win their remaining five games and rely on Madrid drawing once (assuming Real win the other four) to finish ahead of them. Because Barça face Atlético next week and simply need a win to overtake the Colchoneros for good, the race is really against Real — as long as Barça don’t have another Granada disaster and do their homework in the final five matches.
And the potential for a Madrid draw is quite high. In addition to a plethora of injuries and a squad running very low on energy with a Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea to come next week, Madrid face a tough schedule to finish the season. They play Osasuna this weekend, then it’s fourth-place Sevilla at home, Barça conquerors Granada away, Athletic Bilbao away and Villarreal at home.
Barça have Valencia away, the season-defining clash with Atlético at home, then Levante away, Celta Vigo at home and Eibar away on the last day. Barça certainly have a more favorable schedule on paper, but everything hinges on that Atlético game.
Winning at Valencia on Sunday is absolutely crucial not only to avoid making their job even harder, but to go into the biggest week of the season in good spirits. If they do win, Barça will still be alive, and then it’s all about rooting against Real Madrid.
That shouldn’t be too hard.
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Frenkie de Jong admitted Barcelona were feeling pretty sad after throwing away a 1-0 lead against Granada and crashing to a costly 2-1 defeat.
Ronald Koeman’s men had looked set to go top of the table when Lionel Messi fired them in front in the first half, but a poor second half performance allowed Granada to score twice and take the win.
De Jong spoke to reporters after the match and admitted the team is feeling down.
“We’re very sad at the moment. It’s normal, and tomorrow will be the same. Then, we have to get up and continue to fight until the end,” he said.
“We have to keep working. In the first half we were good, and we continued to try to create danger in the second half, but it was difficult. They defended very well, and twice they shot, twice they scored.”
It’s undoubtedly a big blow but there’s still a lot of football left to play. Barca head to Valencia next and then welcome Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid still have games against Athletic, Sevilla, and Villarreal to come and also have a Champions League semi-final second leg tie with Chelsea to think about.
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The coach was sent off in the second half
FinalizeRonald Koeman was pretty baffled to be shown a red card during Thursday’s shock defeat to Granada in La Liga at the Camp Nou.
The Barcelona boss was sent from the touchline in the second half, shortly after Darwin Machis has equalized for the visitors.
Koeman spoke about the decision after the match but insisted he had done nothing wrong.
“I don’t understand the reason for my red card. I didn’t say anything bad about him nor did I insult him...but hey, if the fourth official wants to be the star of the night, then very well.
“I said something to the referee and he answered me in a way that had disrespected me, and I answered him back. But I did not insult him or anything.”
Barcelona have wasted the chance to go top of the table and no longer control their destiny in the La Liga title race thanks to a shocking 2-1 loss to Granada at Camp Nou. Barça were excellent for 60 minutes and wasted a lot of chances to kill the game early, and a disastrous 15-minute period was enough to concede two bad goals and deliver a giant blow to their championship hopes.
FIRST HALF
Barça were in control from the start, dominating possession and doing a great job stopping Granada from bringing a threat on the counter. The visitors defended with intensity and committed a lot of tactical fouls to try and break up the rhythm, which worked to a degree as Barça struggled to create real chances in the first 20 minutes.
Then Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann combined beautifully inside the box before the captain found the bottom corner, and Barça had the lead. The Blaugrana improved after scoring, pressing higher up the pitch and recovering the ball in dangerous positions.
Messi almost had a second but Escandell made a great save, and Leo had two other dangerous shots blocked by the Granada backline to stop him from getting what could have easily been a first half hat-trick.
At halftime, Barça were dominant and deservedly ahead but the lead was slim and they still needed to keep the foot on the gas to finish the job in the second half.
SECOND HALF
Barça started the second half well, with Sergio Busquets running the show with some excellent passes and the midfield making great runs into the box. Griezmann and Sergi Roberto had two big chances, but their shots didn’t hit the target and after an hour it started to feel like Barça could play for all the missed opportunities.
And they did, in a big way: first it was Machís who took advantage of a mistake by Óscar Mingueza to find himself one-on-one with Ter Stegen and score the equalizer. Three minutes later Ronald Koeman was given a straight red card for dissent, and 15 minutes after that Molina headed home a cross from the left and Barça had fallen apart at home.
They had 10 minutes to find at least an equalizer to still control their destiny, but Barça had a lot of desperation and zero ideas and the final whistle came to end a disaster night for the Blaugrana. They are still alive in the league, but this is quite the blow.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mingueza (Pedri 72’), Piqué, Umtiti; Roberto, De Jong, Busquets (Trincão 81’), Ilaix (Dembélé 72’), Alba; Messi, Griezmann
Xabi Alonso has revealed that the game Real Madrid lost 5-0 to FC Barcelona in 2011 was the worst night in his career.
Alonso was a part of Real Madrid between 2009 and 2014, and won La Liga once, Copa del Rey twice, the Spanish Supercup, and the UEFA Champions League game.
Speaking to his former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher on his podcast The Greatest Game, Alonso talked about the rivalry and spectacle that surrounds el clásico.
In those days, FC Barcelona was managed by Pep Guardiola and Madrid by José Mourinho, and there were many epic encounters. They were tense, heated affairs that sometimes were marred by persistent fouling, diving, personal insults, and conspiracy theories.
“We had that hunger, we had that competitive side that we felt that, ‘wow, they are good, but we want to compete, we want to beat them.’ But it was tough to compete against them and sometimes the games, I won’t say I regret a few things, but they were not the nicest things to see the match reactions... but so was much at stake on those games because it was almost trying to finish that kingdom, trying to be able to get close to them. They were big, big battles.”
Barcelona had Lionel Messi and Madrid had Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, but it’s also true that the Catalans had pillars of the national team such as Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Carles Puyol, while the capital club had the likes of Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, and of course, Alonso.
The midfielder spoke about playing such high-stakes games at club level against his national team companions.
”On the pitch they are enemies for sure, out of the pitch they were teammates and we lived great things together. At the time we thought, If we were too nice, they were gonna kill us and they were gonna beat us.”
“The first league game in Camp Nou, we lost 5-0 and that was the worst night I have ever lived on a football pitch. After 20 minutes I wanted to leave. I wanted to go home. I wanted to go shower and go home. It was so painful that it gave us a big hunger, a big determination to change things. We couldn’t be too nice with them.”
Barcelona won the league and the UEFA Champions League that year, although Madrid did take the Copa del Rey and then the league the next year.
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WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth is the site of a huge game for Barcelona, who welcome Granada for what could be a season defining La Liga match. After months of chasing the leaders, Barça have a chance to go top of the table with just five games to go with a win on Thursday night, but it won’t be easy against a very solid Granada team. This should be good, 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 33
Date/Time: Thursday, April 29, 2021, 7pm CET (Barcelona), 6pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 10.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Pablo González Fuertes
VAR: Javier Alberola Rojas
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
LIVE BLOG
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, watch the swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another.
Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!
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This week on the Barca Blaugranes podcast, I chat about Barcelona taking control of their La Liga destiny. For the record, I recorded this before the Granada match. Then I chat a bit about Messi and PSG. Then about Neymar and Barca. Finally, wrapping things up with a bit of Champions League chat.
A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
PREVIEW | Barça v Granada - FC Barcelona
This Thursday, Barça receive a visit from Granada (7.00pm CEST). It's a key game which, if the Catalans win, they'll become outright LaLiga leaders with just a handful of games left until the end of the season. Barça also depend on themselves to be champions, and will leapfrog long-time leaders, Atlético Madrid, with a victory.
Session with thoughts turning to Granada - FC Barcelona
Work never stops and the players trained once again on Wednesday at the Ciutat Esportiva ahead of Thursday's clash with Granada at Camp Nou in La Liga, kick off 7.00pm CEST.
11 in a row for Ilaix Moriba - FC Barcelona
The name of Ilaix Moriba is coming to be a familiar one. Wearing the number 27 the talented Barça B midfielder has made 11 consecutive appearances for the first team, all of them coming off the bench as a substitute. Ronald Koeman sees him as a key weapon in maintaining an advantage in a game yet the La Masia product has many other virtues aside from his strength defensively.
Joan Laporta and Jorge Messi meet for dinner to discuss Lionel Messi's future - Football Espana
Barcelona are working hard to ensure that Lionel Messi stays at the club, although it’s not a subject that’s constantly discussed. Joan Laporta is personally taking care of the matter according to Marca, and has made it clear since before he was elected president that he’s going to do everything within his power to ensure Barcelona retain their captain.
Barcelona unaffected by news of Paris Saint-Germain offering Lionel Messi a contract - Football Espana
The news that Paris Saint-Germain have offered Barcelona captain Lionel Messi a contract of two years plus the option of an additional year came with the revelation that the terms being offered to the Argentine were unattainable for the Catalan club, but the story, carried by the Brazilian media yesterday, has been met with serenity at Camp Nou according to Mundo Deportivo.
Barcelona confirm exit of CEO Oscar Grau - Football Espana
The changes in the boardroom at Barcelona are continuing under new president Joan Laporta with CEO Oscar Grau the latest to depart the club. As per a report in El Mundo Deportivo, Grau’s successor Ferran Reverter and vice president Rafa Yuste informed him yesterday.
Barcelona appoint new director of sport - Football Espana
The club’s new president Joan Laporta has made multiple appointments in the club’s board over the past six weeks while a number of senior figures behind the scenes have been moved on, including CEO Oscar Grau.
Antoine Griezmann "has more confidence now" - Barcelona boss Koeman - Football Espana
The story of Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona has been one full of ups and downs but the Frenchman appears to be finding his true form. Following on from a run of 10 games in which he failed to find the back of the net, Griezmann has now scored eight goals across his most recent 10 matches for club and country including four in his last three.
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Photo by Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Ronald Koeman has called up 23 players for Thursday’s match
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana welcome Granada to Camp Nou with a chance to go top of the table in La Liga, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 23 players for Thursday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 36; Arnau Tenas
Forwards: 7. Antoine Griezmann, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão, 29. Konrad De La Fuente
There’s some good news in the injury front as Pjanic returns after missing 10 days with a knee injury, but Martin Braithwaite is yet to recover from his ankle issue and is out again. Ansu Fati (knee) and Philippe Coutinho (knee) continue to be out through injury, while Matheus Fernandes will watch from the stands per the manager’s decision.
Predicted starting XI (3-5-2):
Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Piqué, Lenglet; Dest, Roberto, Busquets, De Jong, Alba; Messi, Griezmann
The match kicks off at 7pm CET (Barcelona), 6pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 10.30pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
VISCA EL BARÇA!
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Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
Barça play their game-in-hand at home, against a tough opponent, with a chance to go top of the table
FC Barcelona (3rd, 71pts) vs Granada CF (8th, 42pts)
Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 33
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Ansu Fati, Philippe Coutinho (out), Martin Braithwaite, Miralem Pjanic (doubt)
Granada Outs & Doubts: Neyder Lozano, Domingos Duarte, Luis Milla, Rui Silva, Carlos Neva, Jesús Vallejo, Antonio Puertas, Ángel Montoro (out), Kenedy, Roberto Soldado, Alberto Soro (doubt)
Date/Time: Thursday, April 29, 2021, 7pm CET (Barcelona), 6pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 10.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Pablo González Fuertes
VAR: Javier Alberola Rojas
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 hard-fought win over Villarreal on the road to keep their La Liga title hopes alive, Barcelona are back in action for another midweek match as they welcome Granada to GSOE. And this is a big one.
For a team that was 14th in October and looked lost and hopeless, it’s almost unbelievable that Barça can actually go top of the table if they win their game-in-hand. The Blaugrana will climb to first place with five games to go, which would make them clear favorites for the league especially with a gigantic, potentially title-deciding game against Atlético Madrid just a week and a half away.
It’s been a remarkable rise to the top, but now it’s time to finish the job. And it won’t be easy against a Granada team that have been solid and tough to beat all season and made a run to the Europa League quarterfinals in their first-ever continental journey. They’re well-coached, intense and physical, and they’re not afraid to attack either.
Ronald Koeman has to, at some point, rotate his team and give the likes of Pedri, Pedri, Pedri, Pedri, Pedri and also Pedri a chance to rest for at least a little bit. With a trip to Valencia at the weekend and a full week to prepare for Atleti, this is definitely the best chance to maybe, just maybe, give Pedri a night off.
Seriously, Pedri is exhausted.
This will be a tough game from start to finish, but this is Barça’s chance to stamp their authority and take the lead to never give it back again. Playing well is always nice, but winning is crucial.
Let’s dance.
(Except Pedri. His feet hurt.)
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (3-5-2): Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Piqué, Lenglet; Dest, Roberto, Busquets, De Jong, Alba; Messi, Griezmann
I’m very interested to see how Barça will handle being the one under pressure now. It was fun to be the hunters, but they’re about to become the hunted. Granada are good enough to make Barça nervous, but I’ll still bet on the home team: 4-1 Barça.
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The club legend has been talking about his former team
Xavi has been talking about Barcelona and Lionel Messi and feels his former team have failed to take full advantage of having the greatest player in the history of the game at the club.
The Catalan giants have largely disappointed in the Champions League since last lifting the European Cup in 2015 and ended up last season empty-handed for the first time in 12 years.
Messi ended up asking to leave last summer and Xavi has urged his former club to do their best to make the captain happy again at the Camp Nou.
“I’m sorry that we have not taken enough advantage of Messi in recent years. Many times it has made me feel that Leo has not been happy on the pitch and I’m sorry as a culer that we have not taken enough advantage of having the best player of the world and of history,” he said.
“We have make Leo happy because with a happy Leo you have a lot more chances to win titles. That he hasn’t felt happy in what I consider the club of my life makes me sad.”
It’s still not clear what Messi will do next but optimism he will stay has grown as the season has progressed, particularly following the arrival of Joan Laporta as president for a second time and the team’s turnaround in form after a difficult start.
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Pep Guardiola has been talking about Lionel Messi amid speculation over the captain’s future and says the Argentine will “not find a better home” than Barcelona.
A new report this week has claimed Paris Saint-Germain have made Messi an offer, although the 33-year-old is not expected to make a decision on his future until the end of the season.
Manchester City have been previously linked with a move for Messi, but Guardiola has once again reiterated his desire for the forward to finish his career at the Camp Nou.
“I hope he can finish his career at Barça. Messi will not find a better home than at Barça,” he said.
“The only thing that needs to be done, as our dear teacher said, is to go back to the origins, to rescue the cause of things, which makes Barça special in many things in the way they play.
“We know how to do it. The founding thing is already done. All you have to do is dust it off, put some oil on it, the nails ... and do it again. There is no better club to do it.”
TV3 are also reporting that Messi’s father has met with Joan Laporta for the first time to talk about a new contract. A two-year deal was discussed and a possible future ambassadorial role with Barcelona.
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The youngster is being tipped to leave in the summer
One thing has been certain in Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona. If you’re a youth player who’s proven themselves at the top level, you’re going to get playing time regardless of the more senior player who may be competing for pitch time.
Early on, it seemed like Konrad de la Fuente may be one of those youth players who gained a footing in the senior team. The Barcelona B player now seems like he could be on his way out of the club at the end of the year for some consistent senior team time elsewhere.
He’s been called up 22 times to the senior team but has yet to earn the trust of the boss. This probably means we’ll be watching Konrad elsewhere next year. Which isn’t a bad thing. As an American myself, I’d like to see the young USMNT winger develop in a senior-team squad somewhere.
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Oscar Grau, former president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s right-hand man, has been sacked as FC Barcelona’s CEO. Joan Laporta, the new club president, has appointed Ferran Reverter to replace him.
Grau had been in charge since 2016, but his exit was communicated to him today. Pere Jansà, director of the club’s social section, has also been let go.
Bartomeu had put him in charge of negotiating transfers for the first team. A former handball player for FC Barcelona, he was also a Spanish international and a European Cup winner in that sport.
Grau wrote a letter to the club’s workers, which read: “Today my second stage at the club I love ends. The first was as a handball player, for more than 10 years in the first team, earning, among other titles, the first European Cup in the section. The second, starting in 2015, first as director of the FCB Escoles, and since September 2016, as CEO, the first athlete of the club to have reached this position. I have left it all on the track and in the offices, with successes and mistakes, but always looking for the best for Barça.”
He went on to thank “the previous Board of Directors for having thought of me for the position of CEO of the club that I love so much. And, of course, I want to thank the Management Committee and all the club’s workers for all the effort and work done during these years. You know me: I have always preached and tried to encourage teamwork. Without your help, effort and commitment, everything that has been achieved would not have been possible. Thanks with all my heart.”
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Joan Laporta is reportedly ‘close’ to securing a €500m deal
Sigh. Here we are again folks. According to a ‘report’ Barcelona are still trying to get our old pal Neymar back. This will come as no surprise to some of you who’ve been Barca fans for at least a few years. Rinse and repeat. Barca will probably keep trying to get Neymar back for the next half-decade.
The Brazilian star has continued to flourish since leaving Barcelona. Despite his contract ending at PSG next year, there seems to be little reason he would leave the capital of France and Kylian Mbappe to come back to Barcelona.
That won’t stop the Barca leadership from trying to secure a massive €500m sponsor deal to help pay off some debts and sign Neymar though. So if you want to truly believe there’s a chance Neymar could return to Barca and they could compete for Champions League glory yet again, I suppose you can hold onto this blog post like a nice comfortable blanket.
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Ronald Koeman faced the press to talk about all things Granada on Wednesday ahead of Barcelona’s next La Liga match at the Camp Nou.
The Dutchman discussed his team’s title hopes, Antoine Griezmann, rotation and recent rumors that Paris Saint-Germain have made Lionel Messi an offer.
Here are the best bits:
Koeman on chance to go top
We know that we can be leaders, it can be a reward, but first we have to win. If you look back it is an unexpected situation, fighting for the league is something great that we have achieved
Koeman on title race
All the games are important. We have already been under a lot of pressure, where we cannot fail. We need the points, all of them, also tomorrow’s. We know that it’s a fight between four teams to win the league.
Koeman on the return of fans
The return of the fans is important and beautiful. Having the public in your favor is important, the games are better. In Holland I saw games with a few thousand people and it’s more exciting. We miss our fans. Hopefully soon
Koeman on players getting carried away?
I’ve seen my team very concentrated. I haven’t seen the players being overly confident, thinking the job is done. A little while ago things were very different and now maybe some people have us as favorites but we certainly don’t think so. We know how tough it is to win all the games. The team has learned to take things game by game. We’re not going to go crazy now we have a chance to win the league. We are not going to worry too much about what’s ahead but focus on tomorrow which will be a complicated match.
Koeman on Griezmann
He’s always been an important player. Sure there’s been some criticism towards our forwards, the lack of efficiency, but he’s a kid I like. He’s a team player, he always works and trains very hard. He’s had some bad luck but it’s also true right now he has a lot of confidence. The first goal against Villarreal, you can’t score these goals if you lack confidence.
Koeman on Barca’s turnaround in form
These last 17 matches, almost half the league calendar, we’ve managed to achieve 15 wins, so you have to say that’s something very impressive. It had to be this way otherwise we couldn’t be in the title fight. You also need the other teams to drop points but the team took charge and improved and have a lot of confidence now.
Koeman on rotation
For me the most important thing is the team. If a player can’t play because he’s physically not 100% we can make a change. I’m not keen on making many changes because if a team is working not a lot of adjustments should be made. It’s difficult for the subs because they don’t play much but the team is most important. We are going to value freshness
Koeman on Mingueza, Griezmann, Messi & De Jong being on four yellows
It doesn’t worry me. It’s part of the game. it can happen, players suspended. I don’t understand why these questions are asked. Tomorrow we are playing a match, in two weeks we play another match. We have to win each match. The players know their responsibilities. Of course you have to be smart. If you pick up a yellow card too bad, another player will come in.
Koeman on PSG offer for Messi
It doesn’t interest me to be honest because I don’t know if it’s true. I hope Leo stays with us. For me, he has to end his career here. But it’s his decision. I’m just worried about winning, let’s see what happens at the end of the season
Koeman on looking for a new No. 9
We are working on next season because that’s part of our job. Taking into account that Ansu Fati has been out for five months, after six games he already had four goals. We’ve had to live without a very important player, despite his youth. We are the team that has generated the most chances and we have scored 76 goals. So without an important player up top, I think the team has done an excellent job.
Koeman on if Barca are favorites
The team who is first is the favorite and we are still not the first.
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Return to activity - FC Barcelona
The team was back at work on Tuesday morning following a rest day after an Antoine Griezmann brace had secured a crucial victory at the home of Villarreal.
When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Granada - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona play their game in hand this Thursday (Friday morning in much of the Asia/Pacific region), and it's a big one. Victory against Granada would put them back on top on the league table with just six games to go.
Tactics corner: the new look FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
It has been a difficult season for Ronald Koeman's team but as the months have passed by the squad has demonstrated a great capacity to overcome those difficulties. A Barça who have been able to persevere and adapt, a committed and varied who when called upon can change their system according to the situation.
Second anniversary of 2019 league title - FC Barcelona
It was on Saturday 27 April 2019, two years ago today, that a Barça team coached by Ernesto Valverde and captained by Leo Messi won the club’s 26th Liga title with a 1-0 win over Levante at Camp Nou. Hopefully, the 27th is just a few weeks away…
The surprise meeting between Gerard Pique, Ceferin and Joan Laporta - SPORT
Gerard Pique had a meeting with the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin a few weeks ago, according to a report on RAC1 this week. Barcelona president Joan Laporta joined the duo, too, just days before 12 clubs tried to leave UEFA's Champions League competition by launching the European Super League.
Barcelona maintain an interest in re-signing Emerson from Real Betis - SPORT
Barcelona want to keep Emerson Royal next season, according to the Brazilian journalist Marcelo Bechler. Barça must pay Betis nine million euros if they want to bring the right-back back to the club when the current campaign ends.
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A win will send the hosts top of the table
Barcelona take on Granada in La Liga at the Camp Nou on Thursday and know victory will send the team top with just five games left to play.
It promises to be another exciting night in the race for the league title as Barcelona take on a team they have already beaten twice this season.
Ronald Koeman’s side ran out 4-0 winners at Los Carmenes in January and then enjoyed a brilliant 5-3 comeback victory in February in the Copa del Rey.
Let’s see who might feature:
Defense
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There are plenty of options in defense for Barcelona with the entire backline fit and available for this one. Oscar Mingueza will have to be careful if he starts as he’s one of four Barca players a booking away from a one-match suspension.
Midfield
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The one big question in midfield is whether Pedri will get a rest with the youngster having looked in need of a breather in recent games. Frenkie de Jong is also an option to drop out given he’s also a yellow card away from a ban.
If Koeman does make changes then the player at the front of the queue to come in is surely Ilaix Moriba. The 18-year-old has been Koeman’s go-to man off the bench in recent games and could start here.
Riqui Puig is another possibility but that looks unlikely given the way the season’s gone, while Miralem Pjanic is fit after knee trouble and so can resume his usual spot on the bench.
Attack
Photo by Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images
Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi could both start but will need to be careful as a yellow card for either would rule them out of Sunday’s trip to Valencia too.
The Frenchman scored twice last time out against Villarreal and has four goals in two matches against Granada this season.
Ousmane Dembele is fit again and is an option to come into the team if Koeman is worried about suspensions, but Martin Braithwaite is still out with a sprained ankle.
Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Pique, Lenglet; Dest, De Jong, Busquets, Ilaix, Alba; Messi, Griezmann.
How do you think Barcelona should line up against Granada? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and teams in the comments below!
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The French champions are feeling confident apparently
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly still thinking about trying to land Lionel Messi at the end of the season on a free transfer.
According to Marcelo Bechler, the journalist who first broke the Neymar to PSG story, the French champions have already made an offer of two years with the option for one more.
PSG think the financial package offered to Messi will be “unbeatable” for any other teams and are also confident in their sports project as they reached the final of the Champions League season and are in the semi-finals again in 2020-21.
Barcelona do not appear to have made their move yet when it comes to Messi, and it seems the club still ‘dont know’ what they can offer their captain. The club still needs to figure how which players they can sell and buy in the summer.
Bechler adds that Messi, as he said back in December, does not want to hear any offers right now and will wait until the end of the season to make a decision. Barca has six games left, starting on Thursday against Granada, and could still end up with the double.
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The Parisians have offered less than 15 million euro
FC Barcelona have rejected the first offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Emerson Royal, meaning the chances of the fullback playing for the Catalans next season are increasing. That’s the latest news from Catalonia, which says PSG offered less than 15 million euro for the Brazilian, who plays on loan for Real Betis.
Barça bought Emerson from Atlético Mineiro in a joint financial agreement with Betis. For that reason, the Catalans must pay a fee to fully own the player’s rights.
The Catalans had already rejected an offer from AC Milan of less than 23 million for the player last year. PSG are offering less than 15 million now, meaning they are far from Barça’s valuation.
Manager Ronald Koeman thinks the right-back position is well-covered by Sergiño Dest and Sergi Roberto, meaning there’s not a clear place for Emerson. However, there’s a good chance he may start pre-season with Barcelona soon.
There’s a chance that he could become Dest’s backup and Roberto could be moved to other spots, particularly his preferred position in midfield. Also, Dest could play more games at left-back, as Jordi Alba’s deputy. The blaugrana do have Alejandro Baldé coming up through the ranks to play at left-back, but he may be blooded in at a slower pace.
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Juventus are joining FC Barcelona in the pursuit for Memphis Depay’s signature, according to the latest paper talk. Barça boss Ronald Koeman is a fan of the forward, as they know each other form their time in the Dutch national team.
Lyon are aware that he may leave in the summer as his contract is up. Juventus are known for signing players on free transfers and it seems Depay would be an option they are interested in. Rumors are in the air that their frontline could have a major shakeup, particularly if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves.
Barcelona tried to bring Depay last summer but the deal ultimately did not materialize. It seems that Barcelona’s new director of football, Mateu Alemany, is still interested in him, but they are offering less money than what the previous regime offered.
Still, the rumor is that Depay himself wants to go to Barcelona and wants to reunite with Koeman, which gives the Catalans some leverage even as Juve and other teams such as Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid are said to be making their own pushes to sign him.
Another factor that could push Depay to join Barcelona is the fact that the blaugrana are certainly going to be in the UEFA Champions League. Right now that is not assured for Juventus, who are tied for third with Napoli and AC Milan in the Serie A table. Although, they do have a game in hand compared to Milan and two compared to Napoli, so there is a good chance for them to stay in the top four.
Still, the chances are good for Depay to end up at the Camp Nou if the Catalans continue to want him.
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Barça hope to get approval from the government to open up the stadium
FC Barcelona is said to be planning the reopening of the Camp Nou to fans for their final two home matches of the season. The Catalans are working with local health authorities to have fans attend the matches against Atlético Madrid and Celta Vigo.
Barça hope to have the stadium at 25% capacity, which would mean 24,838 fans in attendance. They are weighing how to allot tickets, although they still need final approval from the government.
The two matches, particularly the one versus Atlético, will be pivotal as Barça pushes for the league title.
The plan is first to ask supporters which game they’d like to see, allowing them a chance to enter a lottery to get tickets. The lottery system would be similar to that used when giving out tickets for finals. In addition, a rotating system would be implemented, in which fans who have yet to attend a match will be given better chances of winning the lottery for later games. That points to the fact that Camp Nou may not be at full capacity next season as well, since not all fans would be able to attend one of the remaining two matches.
It is understood that Barcelona’s next home match, against Granada on Thursday, will still be without fans.
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The Juventus defender has long been on the Catalans’ wishlist
FC Barcelona are starting to plan for next season, and one player whose name is making the rounds as far as transfer targets now is Matthijs de Ligt. The Juventus defender has long been wanted by Barcelona. In fact, the Catalans made a push for him after his breakout season at AFC Ajax, only for him to choose the “Old Lady of Italian football” instead.
According to a new report, De Ligt is liked both by manager Ronald Koeman and new club president Joan Laporta. The 21-year-old has established himself as a starter for Juve, and it would take a good offer for Barcelona to pry him away.
Barça see him as a potential partner to another young central defender they are getting next summer: Manchester City’s Eric García. Plus, he would have a friend in the dressing room in Frenkie De Jong, who played with him at Ajax.
The main problem is cost. Barcelona are already trying to chase one of Europe’s most expensive transfer targets in Erling Haaland, and have spent so much in the past few years.
The Catalans already have Ronald Araújo, Óscar Mingueza, Clément Lenglet, Gerard Piqué, and Samuel Umtiti in defense, although some could leave (particularly Umtiti) and if Barcelona continues to use a three-man line, they will continue to need plenty of centerbacks.
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Pep Guardiola has claimed that Neymar would have won the UEFA Champions League “two or three more times” had he stayed at FC Barcelona, where he won it once as part of a legendary front three that included Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
Now Guardiola’s Manchester City faces him and a hungry Paris Saint-Germain that is looking for its first Champions League title.
The former Barcelona boss first crossed paths when his team played Santos at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2011.
“I remember against Santos, I showed some clips of Neymar. I told them this was the king of Santos and all the players were open mouthed, saying: ‘Oh my god, what a player.’”
“He’s a joy to watch. As a spectator, I enjoy it a lot every time. He has Brazil on his shoulders. The No 10 for Brazil, it’s not easy to wear. And I’m pretty sure if he’d stayed in Barcelona, Barcelona would’ve won two or three Champions Leagues more.
“I faced the Barcelona with Luis Enrique - Neymar, Messi, Luis Suárez - the best three unstoppable guys I’ve seen in my life. If he had stayed they would have achieved more in that situation, but he decided to go to Paris.”
Neymar moved for a world record fee of 222 million euros, against the wishes of the Catalans and Messi himself. Neymar has achieved domestic success in France and made the Champions League final last year, but rumors persist that he is unhappy in Paris and has tried several times to engineer a route back to Catalonia.
“I’d say it’s not a bad decision. It looks like a nice city, nice club. I’ve not been there but it looks like it from outside,” Guardiola said.
“What I want is for him to have stability, no injuries, play in a regular way, as the last few seasons he has not done it. But I’m a big admirer because he helps to make our football better and it’s a pleasure for me to play against them and him.”
PSG’s other star, Kylian Mbappé, whom many have tipped to inherit Messi’s title as the best player in the world, will also surely cause headaches for City.
“Always I believe that with the amount of quality that these players have, there are not defensive strategies to stop them,” Guardiola admitted.
“They are too good. I try to sleep well last night and I slept well when I was not thinking of them. That is the reality.
“They are incredibly top top players, that is why they play in that team with the quality they have. We are going to try to stop them and the way we are going to do that is to defend well altogether as a team and play good football as a team and try to score goals.
“Of course we have to adjust something when you play against those players a little bit but at the same time we will have no sense… we fought arriving in these stages for just the second time in our history these players for four or five years not to be who we are.
“We have to adjust something, like we did against Tottenham for example, like we will do against [Wilfried] Zaha against Palace.
“This is normal. But we will try to impose, to be what we have done in these five years together. I am sure we will try to be ourselves and get the result we need for the second leg.”
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The Brazilian is expected to join Barca in the summer
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly made a bid of €15 million for Real Betis full-back Emerson who is expected to move to Barcelona in the summer.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the French champions are keen on the Brazilian but the offer is unlikely to tempt Barca into a sale.
The current thinking is that Emerson will instead link up with Barcelona for pre-season training unless the Catalan giants receive a big offer for the 22-year-old.
It might well have to be a substantial fee too as it will be split between Barcelona and Betis which means a summer sale looks unlikely.
Emerson has featured regularly for Betis in 2020-21, making 29 La Liga appearances and contributing four assists. Betis are currently in sixth with five games to go.
If Emerson does arrive at Barcelona then he will rival Sergino Dest and Sergi Roberto for the right-back slot.
There’s a bit of speculation about Roberto’s future around too currently. The 29-year-old is out of contract in 2022 and is reportedly not convinced about the one-year renewal that’s on offer.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
Spectacular turnaround to the season - FC Barcelona
There are just six games to go in La Liga 2020/21. For FC Barcelona, there are seven, because on Thursday they face Granada in a game they have in hand. Win that and they’ll go one point clear at the top of the table.
Griezmann's goals are important - FC Barcelona
The great form of Antoine Griezmann continues. The French scored for the third game in a row on Sunday after grabbing a brace in the comeback win over Villarreal in the Estadio de la Cerámica.
How Barcelona's dressing room is feeling during the title race - SPORT
Their great run and Atletico’s collapse has given them a chance of glory. SPORT have learned within the dressing room there is a lot of confidence and maximum concentration, but no euphoria. A formula which has been working just fine.
Francisco Trincao’s arrival at Barcelona was eagerly anticipated after an impressive spell with Braga last season but the youngster has found it difficult to make an impression at the Camp Nou in 2020-21.
The Portugal international has been a regular off the bench for Ronald Koeman’s side but has only made two La Liga starts and doesn’t look like forcing his way into the starting XI on a regular basis any time soon.
Ousmane Dembele’s return to fitness and Koeman’s recent switch in formation has not helped Trincao’s cause and there are now whispers that Barca could loan Trincao out next season.
There was talk at the start of the campaign that Leicester City were willing to splash out on the youngster and those rumors seem to be back again due to Trincao’s lack of game time at the Camp Nou.
AS also report that “it is logical” that Barca must now “rethink” Trincao’s future. The Catalan giants are reportedly considering a loan in order to give Trincao the playing time and confidence he needs.
Trincao only turned 21 in December and is contracted to the club until 2025 so it would not be a big surprise if the youngster was loaned out next season. Barca’s financial situation means the club may also be tempted if an offer arrives for a player who cost the club €31 million.
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The deal finally seems to be getting done
Eric Garcia could finally be a Barcelona player again very soon with the center-back reportedly very close to reaching an agreement with his former club.
We’ve been here before of course, but it seems things changed and a lower salary was proposed, which seems to have complicated things a bit.
Anyway, both Mundo Deportivo and Marca are reporting on Monday that the Garcia deal is almost done and he will become the club’s first summer signing.
Former Barca coach Pep Guardiola said pretty much the same thing on Sunday after winning the League Cup yet again with Manchester City.
“There are players even who don’t play any matches. I think, for example, of Eric Garcia who is one of my favourite players,” he said.
“I would love to have 15 Eric Garcias for the way he conducts his behaviour. He is always thinking of the team. He’s always a good face in the good or bad moments. He helps the manager and the backroom staff all the time.
“He will go in an incredible team and when the people say they are unsatisfied if I don’t play, I think of Eric. Most of the time he’s not on the bench because he’s going to move to Barcelona, I hope so. It’s tough, but it is what it is.”
Garcia will move on a free transfer when his contract expires but an official announcement may not be made while Manchester City are still competing for the Premier League and the Champions League.
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The midfielder slash right-back wants a longer deal
Sergi Roberto’s renewal process is expected to take a long time due to a fundamental difference between what the player wants and what FC Barcelona is offering in terms of contract length, according to a new report.
The Catalans are offering a one year extension to his deal, but Roberto apparently feels he should get a longer contract.
The 29 year old midfielder / fullback wants a contract that is, at minimum two years, but Barcelona is wary of giving older players longer deals.
Barcelona’s director of football, Mateu Alemany, has met with Roberto’s agent, Josep Maria Orobitg, but the contacts have not been very productive, so far.
Roberto is said to be willing to negotiate in terms of salary, given the club’s current financial situation, but he is not willing to accept a one year deal.
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