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The Dutch striker will join Barça on a season-long loan
It’s official: Barcelona have signed 31-year-old striker Luuk De Jong from Sevilla on a season-long loan deal that was completed on Deadline Day, the club announced on Wednesday. Barça will not pay a loan fee but they will take De Jong’s wages and there is a buy option on the deal.
De Jong joins Barça in what has turned into a crazy Deadline Day for the Catalan giants, who tried to sign Edinson Cavani from Manchester United and João Félix from Atlético Madrid before finally finding a striker in the Dutch international.
Ronald Koeman coached De Jong with the Netherlands and has been in favor of the move since the beginning, and Luuk will not only be the new striker in the ranks but will also replace Antoine Griezmann who has returned to his former club Atlético Madrid in the biggest deal of Deadline Day.
De Jong scored 19 goals in 94 games in his two seasons with Sevilla and will provide an insurance policy for Sergio Agüero who is yet to debut for Barça due to a calf injury.
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It’s official: After a dramatic end to Deadline Day, Atlético Madrid have signed Antoine Griezmann from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal with an option for an extra year and an obligation to buy for a reported €40 million. Atlético will pay the player’s full wages.
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Agreement between Barça and Atlético Madrid for the loan of @AntoGriezmann
Griezmann has been linked with a return to Atlético all summer, and Barça tried to bring back a player as part of the deal. First they tried Saúl Ñíguez, but the two sides couldn’t agree on a transfer fee for the midfielder, then João Félix was briefly discussed before Atleti rejected the move early on Tuesday.
The two clubs then moved on to negotiating a Griezmann-only transfer, and with the player open to a return to his former home the deal was completed rather quickly. Griezmann will join a stacked Atlético squad and lead the attack alongside his former Barça teammate Luis Suárez, and the Colchoneros are now undisputed favorites to repeat as La Liga champions.
Griezmann finishes his Barça career with 35 goals and 17 assists in 102 appearances across two seasons, plus the first three games of the 2021-22 campaign.
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The Barça B captain is on his way to England for the season
After deciding to leave Barcelona twice in the same transfer window, Álex Collado is staying at the club after all as his move to Championship side Sheffield United collapsed at the last minute on Deadline Day, according to Fabrizio Romano and other reports in Spain.
Earlier in this transfer window Collado nearly joined Club Brugge, but decided against a move to the Belgian champions to compete for first team minutes at Barça with the departure of Lionel Messi.
Ronald Koeman told the press that Collado was not in his plans for the season even without Messi, and the player decided to move to England’s second division to earn some valuable experience in a competitive league. The deal hasn’t gone through, however, and Collado will try and earn Koeman’s trust throughout the season.
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The Dutch striker is set to move to Camp Nou
Barcelona are in advanced talks to sign Sevilla striker Luuk De Jong on Deadline Day, according to Fabrizio Romano. There are no details on whether it’s a loan or permanent transfer, but personal terms have already been agreed with the player and the two clubs are close to an agreement.
Barcelona are progressing in negotiations to sign Luuk de Jong from Sevilla. Talks now advanced to sign Dutch striker - personal terms agreed and club close to reach an agreement! #FCB#DeadlineDay
Barça have been linked with an experienced striker over the last 24 hours and tried to sign Edinson Cavani before the move was blocked by Manchester United. They then moved on to João Félix as part of a swap deal involving Antoine Griezmann, but Atlético Madrid rejected the proposal.
Griezmann is closing in on a return to Atlético according to several reports, and De Jong is Barça’s choice for his replacement. Ronald Koeman worked with De Jong in the Dutch national team and the 31-year-old striker is no longer a starter under Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui, so a deal seems very likely here.
Stay tuned!
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The Barça B star is going to England on loan
Barcelona midfielder Álex Collado is set to join Championship side Sheffield United on a season-long loan deal, according to Albert Rogé of Diario SPORT. Other reports in Spain also confirm the deal.
Collado was set to leave for Belgium and join Club Brugge on loan earlier in the window, but decided against the move to try and fight for first team minutes with the departure of Lionel Messi.
Ronald Koeman still made it clear in multiple press conferences that Collado was not in his plans, and the Barça B captain accepted his fate and is going to England to get some first team experience.
There are no options on the loan deal and Collado will return to Camp Nou next season, so the door is not yet shut on his Barça career.
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Antoine Griezmann wants to return to Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona might be happy moving him to get his massive salary off the books. That’s been the story of the transfer window, yet proposed deals have collapsed for one reason or another.
A proposed swap for Saúl Ñíguez fell through, as did rumors of a potential swap for João Félix.
Now, the latest rumor is that Barcelona may be willing to sell Griezmann straight up, without another player going the other way.
This would be a loan with a mandatory purchase clause that triggers in the next summer transfer window. The price that has been rumored is 50 million euro.
The Catalans could use the fact they have moved on a big salary off the books to bring in a new forward. Several players have been linked with a move to the Camp Nou, but so far, nothing has materialized. With the transfer deadline looming, Barcelona will have to move quickly to get any kind of deal done.
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The Brazilian has signed a five-year deal with Spurs
It’s official: Tottenham Hotspur have signed 22-year-old full-back Emerson Royal from Barcelona on a permanent deal. Spurs will pay a €25 million transfer fee, and Royal has signed a five-year deal with the North London club. 20% of the money will go to Emerson’s former club, Real Betis.
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Agreement with Tottenham @SpursOfficial for the transfer of Emerson Royal
Barça exercised their €9 million buy option to sign Emerson permanently after a two-year spell on loan at Betis and the player made three appearances for Ronald Koeman’s side, including his first and only start against Getafe on Sunday.
With Emerson’s departure, Sergiño Dest is the undisputed starting right-back for Barça with Óscar Mingueza and Sergi Roberto as the two backup options currently in the squad. There were rumors of Tottenham’s Serge Aurier moving to Camp Nou as part of the deal, but that was never a real possibility.
Good luck, Emerson!
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The youngster will stay for at least one more year, plus the option for two more
FC Barcelona has announced the renewal of Jandro Orellana’s contract. The young midfielder will extend his contract for one more year, with the option for two more.
The 21-year-old has risen through the ranks at La Masia and is a Spanish youth international.
He will join up with Barcelona B again starting this Wednesday. He was one of the B team captains last season.
He joined Barcelona’s academy in 2014, after spending time at Espanyol.
Jandro is right-footed and usually plays as a defensive midfielder. He was born in Gavà on August 7th, 2000.
Barcelona B are fresh from a 1-1 draw against Algeciras in the Spanish third tier, Segunda División B. Nils Mortimer scored for the Catalans in the eighth minute. Arnau Comas was sent off in the second half, and then Tomás Sánchez scored the equalizer in the 74th minute.
The B team will play against fellow Catalans, Gimnàstic de Tarragona, next.
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The Barça striker will play in Serie A for a season
It’s official: Barcelona striker Rey Manaj has joined Serie A club Spezia Calcio on a season-long loan deal. Barça will receive €300,000 as a loan fee and Spezia have a €2.7 million buy option.
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Agreement with Spezia Calcio for the loan of Rey Manaj
Manaj scored 14 goals in 22 games for Barça B last season and gained a lot of momentum this summer thanks to a great preseason, scoring four goals in four games and looking like he had a real shot at promotion to the first team to serve as Sergio Agüero’s backup.
But the 24-year-old will instead move to Italy, playing for a team expected to fight against relegation. Italian teams usually exercise their buy options, and given it’s such a small number there is a chance we don’t see Manaj playing for Barça again.
Good luck, Rey!
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The midfielder joins the German club on a five-year deal
It is official: RB Leipzig have signed 18-year-old midfielder Ilaix Moriba from Barcelona on a permanent deal. Leipzig will pay a €16 million fee plus €6 million in performances bonuses, and Moriba has signed a five-year contract with the Roten Bullen. Barça will receive 10% of a future sale.
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Agreement with Leipzig for the transfer of Ilaix Moriba
Moriba had a breakout season last year and made 18 appearances from the first team in all competitions, with one goal and three assists for Ronald Koeman’s side. Ilaix entered the final year of his contract this summer and his renewal became an ugly public soap opera, with the player’s agents reportedly asking for a high salary that wasn’t compatible with Barça’s financial situation.
Ilaix joins Leipzig as a replacement to midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who’s joined his former manager Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich.
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As has been rumored, the two captains have accepted lower pay to help Barcelona register Sergio Agüero
FC Barcelona has confirmed that Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have accepted wage cuts in order to help them register Sergio Agüero under La Liga’s salary cap rules.
Busquets and Alba are two of the team’s four captains and are products of Barcelona’s academy.
The pair join Gerard Piqué, who was the first of the team’s captains to accept a wage cut. Without the defender accepting a lower salary, Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia, and Rey Manaj would not have been registered as Barcelona players.
The Catalans have been caught in a financial crisis after years of mismanagement under Josep Maria Bartomeu were exacerbated by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to salary cap rules, Barcelona were unable to renew Lionel Messi’s contract.
Agüero is currently injured so registering him at the start of the season was not a priority. However, he would have been unable to take part even when fit again if not for the pair making a sacrifice.
Sergi Roberto, the team’s third captain, has also been rumored to be willing to accept a lower salary. However, there is still no official confirmation. Other players, such as Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanić, have been linked with salary cuts.
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All the stories from Barça’s 2021 summer transfer window deadline day
Check out all of Barça Blaugranes’ stories and updates from the summer 2021 transfer window deadline day, in one place. You can bookmark this space and check it often, and this stream will also be pinned to the front page.
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The two teams are discussing a potential Deadline Day deal
Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are discussing a potential Deadline Day swap deal that would involve Antoine Griezmann and João Félix, according to ESPN. The Frenchman has been a target of Atlético since early this summer, but a proposed swap with Saúl Ñíguez fell through in July.
According to the report, Barça approached Atlético about a Félix loan on Monday but nothing came of it. Then Barça returned with a new offer that included Aleti legend Griezmann in a potential return, which was of interest for the defending La Liga champions.
Griezmann’s camp reportedly says that a return to Atleti isn’t “impossible”, but talks will need to proceed quickly to get all the pieces sorted out before the end of the deadline. Griezmann has been underwhelming to say the least to start the season, and Diego Simeone would certainly enjoy having him back in Madrid.
João Félix is a player with a lot of potential and could benefit from a change of scenery, and playing for a more attack-minded team could unlock his abilities.
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Well, that was quick. Less than an hour after the rumors heated up, Edinson Cavani will not be joining Barcelona from Manchester United, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Edinson Cavani will not join Barcelona. He’s not leaving Manchester United in the final hours of the market, confirmed by all parties involved. #MUFC#FCB#DeadlineDay
Barça were looking for an experienced striker in the last day of the transfer window and the Cavani deal seemed like a great opporunity to sign a proven goalscorer as insurance in case Sergio Agüero struggles with injury all season, but convincing Manchester United to sell him at a discount was always going to be difficult.
It also doesn’t make sense for United to let Cavani go even with Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival. Cavani adds depth and was really good for them last season, and they’ll need every help they can get as they try to compete in a stacked Premier League title race.
Barça are unlikely to go for anyone else with just over 10 hours left in the window (as of this writing), so Martin Braithwaite and Sergio Agüero will be the strikers for the season. Yay?
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The Barça B star will move to Italy on loan
Barcelona striker Rey Manaj is set to join Serie A club Spezia on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy, according to Fabrizio Romano. Serie A clubs usually take that option in deals like this, so it is very likely this turns into a permanent move for the Albanian. Reports from Italy say Barça will receive a €3 million loan fee.
Rey Manaj deal between Barcelona and Spezia will be completed today. More details: it’s gonna be a loan with buy option. Personal terms agreed - final details between clubs. Done and confirmed. ⚪️ #FCB#DeadlineDay
Manaj was hoping for a chance with Barça’s first team this season and scored four goals in preseason, but stayed on the bench in the first three La Liga games and is leaving for Italy to get some top-flight experience.
The 24-year-old scored 14 goals in 22 games for Barça B last season and has showed some excellent potential, and if he impresses in Italy he may get a chance to prove himself at Camp Nou again.
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The Brazilian’s move to North London is all but done
Barcelona full-back Emerson Royal is set to join Tottenham Hotspur on a €30 million deal and has already completed his medicals, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Medical successfully completed for Emerson Royal as new Tottenham player. Paperworks to be signed in the next minutes, final details & announcement pending. €30m add ons included to Barcelona. ⚪️ #THFC#DeadlineDay
Emerson was allowed to miss training with his Barça teammates on Tuesday to fly to North London in order to complete the move, which should be announced very shorty. I suspect Emerson is currently posing for photos in front of a green screen so the Spurs social media team can craft a nice little GIF for the announcement because that’s football these days.
The full details of the deal, according to Spanish media: €25 million up front and €5 million on performance bonuses. 20% of the money will go to Real Betis as they owned part of Emerson’s contract, so Barça will eventually take in €24 million from a player who made two total appearances for the club. Not too bad.
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Barcelona are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani on Deadline Day, according to the ever reliable Gerard Romero and other outlets in Spain.
Romero says Barça and the player are very close to an agreement and the club is working with Manchester United on a deal that fits Barça’s complicated financial situation. United could be willing to let Cavani go having just signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus, and they wouldn’t be able to command a high transfer fee given Cavani is in the last year of his contract.
The negotiations “aren’t simple”, according to Romero. Barça don’t have that much money and English clubs are notoriously difficult sellers, but Cavani himself is pushing for the move which could help convince United to let him go at a smaller number.
This Deadline Day just got a lot more interesting.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
Recovery session after win over Getafe - FC Barcelona
An atypical week begins for Ronald Koeman's squad following on from the 2-1 win over Getafe at Camp Nou in La Liga on Sunday. With the international break upon us the players not on international duty took part in a recovery session at the Ciutat Esportiva.
An international break with a Barça flavour - FC Barcelona
With three games of La Liga now played the last of which being Barça's 2-1 win over Getafe at Camp Nou, Ronald Koeman's squad face a week without a league fixture at the weekend due to the break for international fixtures.
Miralem Pjanic closer to leaving Barcelona for Sevilla than Juventus - Football Espana
Miralem Pjanic seemed to be on track to leave Barcelona and return to Juventus, but the move has cooled down considerably according to Mundo Deportivo. His representative, Fali Ramadani, met with Federico Cherubini, the Juventus sporting director this morning, but no agreement was reached.
Tottenham Hotspur reach agreement with Barcelona to sign Emerson Royal - Football Espana
Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona have reached an agreement regarding the transfer of Emerson Royal according to Fabrizio Romano. It’ll be a permanent deal, for a fee of €30m. Emerson has accepted that Tottenham will be his next club, but conversations regarding personal terms are ongoing.
Ilaix Moriba is on the verge of leaving Barcelona for Leipzig - Football Espana
Ilaix Moriba is on the verge of joining Leipzig from Barcelona according to Fabrizio Romano. He’s in Germany today to sign on the dotted line and will undergo his medical tomorrow morning ahead of a €15m move. His agent, who has close links with the Bundesliga, is said to have been key in the move.
Koeman and Barcelona are happy to offload out of favour Puig - Football Espana
Barcelona could yet offload youngster Riqui Puig ahead of tomorrow night’s transfer deadline. The 22-year-old has not featured in any of Barcelona‘s first three games of the season, Ronald Koeman clear on who should make up his midfield. Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets have been the undisputed starters thus far, and it does not look as though Puig will get a look in.
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It’s been three long years since Gennaro Gattuso labelled Barcelona’s Riqui Puig ‘spectacular.’
The then 18-year-old looked every inch the typical La Masia graduate, as his darting movements, incisive running and inch-perfect passing elevated him towards a man-of-the-match showing against AC Milan.
It remains his best moment in a Barca shirt, and that really encompasses why he needs to move on from his boyhood club now if he wants to make a go of his professional career.
Ronald Koeman’s attitude towards him again this year leaves him in no doubt that there is no future for him with the blaugranes.
Let’s not pin all of this on Koeman though.
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Quique Setien before him and Ernesto Valverde before that were similarly unenthused by Riqui.
Perhaps it’s a matter of attitude as much as application. After all, Koeman has previously hinted that there’s a huge ego in play that belies the player’s lack of importance to the squad.
Of course, there will always be those culers who believe that if he’s never given the chance, how on earth is he supposed to show what he can do.
There’s an element of truth in that, but you can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of times he has affected a game when given the opportunity.
The only one that readily springs to mind is in January 2020, when coming on late in Setien’s first game against Granada.
That match wasn’t anything to write home about and was heading to a boring 0-0 draw on a freezing night - trust me, I was there - and then Riqui came on and warmed the crowd up with his cameo, Leo Messi scoring the winner.
Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images
I can’t think of any other games where he’s done something of note, however, and therein lies his problem. He’s too lightweight and not decisive enough in the big moments.
Pedri, four years his junior, has been markedly more effective from the get go, whilst Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets aren’t being dislodged from their own midfield positions anytime soon.
Even when any of the three are unavailable, there are plenty of other options available to the manager - eg Sergi Roberto, Philippe Coutinho, Nico Gonzalez and even Gavi.
Even on debut against Getafe, Gavi looked like he’d been playing in the Barca midfield for years. There was a natural flair to his play, that’s now missing from Riqui’s, who is consistently trying too hard, and therefore forcing things.
His ship has long since sailed, and this bloody-mindedness of seemingly wanting to come out on top in a battle of wills with the manager is only making his own personal situation worse.
Admit defeat, Riqui. Your time is up.
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Weeks after the transfer that changed the world, Barca’s future remains uncertain.
It has now been nearly a month since Barcelona announced that its superstar, hero, and icon was leaving.
And now, for the first time in his professional career, Lionel Messi has taken the pitch wearing a jersey that wasn’t Blaugrana.
The Argentine will have the time of his life linking up with longtime friends Neymar and Angel Di Maria, as well as young superstar Kylian Mbappe (if he stays). His former club, however? They have a daunting, daunting task ahead of them.
In the past weeks, Koeman and the squad have tried to distance themselves from the Messi news. Unsurprisingly, they’ve faced many questions on this topic, and the general consensus seems to be “it’s very sad, but we have to move on and look forward”.
Photo by John Berry/Getty Images
Of course, they’re right. We do need to move on and look forward. Many just don’t realize how difficult that will be.
Heading into the international break, we have learned a decent amount about how the team will look going forward.
We saw a very promising first match against Real Sociedad, where the opening half especially was the blueprint for what Ronald Koeman wants to achieve with his side. But then that was followed with two drab, largely lifeless performances, a 1-1 draw against Bilbao and a scrappy 2-1 win at home to Getafe.
During the last game, there were periods where the game just seemed dead; Barca looked completely bereft of ideas and had zero goalscoring threat. Koeman, just like his predecessors, may be ashamed to admit this, but these lifeless periods are nothing new. The only difference is before they had a certain someone to get his team out of them.
Messi’s greatest asset to Barcelona wasn’t his ability to dribble through an entire defence, which he’s also done countless times by the way. It was the fact that as long as the 34-year-old was on the pitch, there was always a threat.
He’d receive the ball, turn, attract a few defenders and play a crossfield pass. He did it like it was nothing because to him, it truly was. Small moments like that create space, which in turn creates goalscoring opportunities.
Whenever Messi was playing, the phrase “creating something out of nothing” didn’t exist, because as long as he was in the vicinity, there was always danger. Much like the legendary Walter White, he was the danger.
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
Now, Koeman and the squad don’t have that eternal get-out-of-jail-free card. Replacing Messi’s impact on a football match isn’t something that will happen overnight, and it also isn’t something that will ever fully happen, because he is irreplaceable.
The start to the season hasn’t exactly been a confidence boost either. An injury to new signing Kun Aguero, as well as existing injuries to Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele and Phillippe Coutinho, means that once again, Martin Braithwaite is our (figurative) No. 9.
Yes, his work rate is commendable, and no, he’s not at fault for the current situation, but he simply cannot be the starting striker for any side with major trophy aspirations. He’s solid, but nowhere near good enough.
As for Antoine Griezmann, let’s just say it’s problematic when your highest-paid attacker’s best strength is his ability to track back on defence. Simply put, he’s been invisible when his club needs him to step up the most. Three games isn’t that much to go on, but it’s not looking good so far.
Clement Lenglet is still Clement Lenglet, new signing Emerson has provided absolutely no attacking output so far, and Koeman doesn’t count on Miralem Pjanic or Alex Collado. And of course, there’s the constant question of whether or not the club should be counting on him in the first place.
The Dutchman has major weaknesses in his management, and it keeps getting clearer and clearer.
His in-game management is very questionable; it seems like no one told him that you can make subs before the 75th minute. The subs he does make are an issue too, as they’re almost always negative (unless he’s losing).
Barca ended the match on Sunday in a 5-4-1, with three holding mids, three centre-backs, and Memphis Depay fighting for lost causes all on his own up top. It was the kind of set-up employed by a Sam Allardyce team fighting for survival against Manchester City, not Barcelona playing at home to Getafe.
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
To add on, his treatment of some players is so poor, and I don’t think I have to explain who I’m referring to. His stubbornness is beyond normal levels, and it’s not just Riqui Puig; how many stinkers do Griezmann and Braithwaite need to put in before Collado gets even a chance to make the matchday squad?
It’s embarrassing, and it’s not Koeman’s first time doing this either. When he was at Everton, he decided he didn’t want Oumar Niasse in his squad. Rather than just recommend he be sold, Koeman reportedly took away his shirt number, told him he could no longer train, or even eat, with the first team, and to top it all off, he wasn’t even given a locker with the reserves.
It’s the kind of thing that makes Barca’s current treatment of Ilaix Moriba look like nothing, and the club has cause here; Koeman simply didn’t like the Senegalese.
He is a Blaugrana legend and he deserves our respect, and the truth is he did instill a great sense of fight into this team last season. But all of these things put together make you wonder if he’s out of his element here.
For this season at least, though, he’s staying, and it’s not all doom and gloom at the club.
The long-awaited and much, much-needed return of Fati is fast approaching, and he’ll be a huge asset if he can stay fit. Similarly, Coutinho is returning from a long injury layoff, and he had started very brightly last season before he went down, as did Fati.
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At the same time, Memphis has been a revelation, and he’s going to be a massive player this season. Frenkie de Jong has also kept up his top production, Ronald Araujo is dependable as ever at the back, and Pedri will come back fit and firing after his much-deserved vacation.
Youngsters Gavi and Nico Gonzalez show tremendous potential, and provided they’re given opportunities (a fellow young Masia midfielder will tell you they’re not guaranteed by any stretch), they can be a big boost to the team. As can Yusuf Demir, the Austrian gem who’s also crying out for minutes.
Old reliables Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique look to be back to their best, and the return of Marc-Andre ter Stegen will shore things up between the sticks as well.
Messi simply cannot be replaced by another player because there’s just no one else like him. Instead, the collective needs to step up, and the manager must implement a system that works. It won’t be quick, and it won’t be painless, but eventually the club will overcome this extended period of shock. And make no mistake, the shock of Messi leaving goes way beyond getting over that press conference.
One of the worst parts about his departure was the circumstances behind it, because it meant there was no replacement plan in place while he was still there. Now it means the process will be gradual, and it’ll have its speed bumps.
As fans, we’ll need to accept that this team is not in the right place to challenge for the Champions League at the moment, so in order to judge the rebuild accurately, we’ll need to temper our expectations for this season.
On the flip side, you can’t keep a beast down for too long, and Barca still has some magnificent youth talent, as well as some experienced legends. This means that a few strategic signings, as well as a proper system, could put the club on its path to the top once more.
Messi is gone, and gone with him are his goals, his assists, his magic, and his overall influence. But his legacy, that’s never going away. The wisdom he’s imparted, the lives he’s touched, and the youngsters at La Masia who watched his highlights on YouTube instead of doing their schoolwork, and dreamed of one day being able to follow in his footsteps.
Barcelona now need to channel their inner Messi, not as individuals, but as a collective, and finally begin the process every Culer hoped would never come: building the club back to the top without the greatest player of all time.
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Another young midfielder is on the way to the Camp Nou
Barcelona are set to complete the signing of 17-year-old Turkish midfielder Emre Demir from Kayserispor.
The news comes from Diario Sport who reckon the Catalans have been tracking the attacking midfielder for some time and will pay 4 million euros for his services.
Demir is expected to stay with Kayserispor for the rest of the campaign but will then head to the Camp Nou and link up with Barcelona B.
The youngster will become the second Demir to join Barca this summer. The Catalans have already brought in Yusuf Demir from Rapid Vienna who has already made quite an impression at the Camp Nou.
Demir was originally signed for Barcelona B but impressed in pre-season with the first team and remains with the squad. Ronald Koeman even handed the winger his La Liga debut against Athletic at San Mames.
It’s thought Demir will stay with the first-team squad for a bit longer but could drop back to Barca B once Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati are back from injury.
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The Catalans turned down the proposal
Before joining Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo was offered by to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, according to various reports and leaks. But most sensationally, the latest rumors say he was at one point offered to FC Barcelona by his agent, Jorge Mendes.
It would’ve been a shocking transfer for the ex-Real Madrid star to leave Juventus for his former rivals, but the Catalans themselves quickly shut down the idea.
This might seem less shocking if we remember he was very close to joining Manchester City, the rivals of his former club, Manchester United.
Still, it would’ve been very hard to pull off financially if for no other reason. The Catalans let Lionel Messi go due to salary cap issues. This rumor joins a long list of rumors about Ronaldo’s desperation to leave his “new challenge” in Serie A behind this summer.
The report states Barcelona were not interested, in the same way that PSG and Real Madrid turned Ronaldo’s offer to join them down. That ultimately left two suitors - United and City. According to various reports, both made an attempt to get the striker. However, United were more decisive in offering more money and were able to reunite with the Portuguese star.
To what degree City made a push for Ronaldo is under debate, Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, publicly stated that he did not think his club would have signed Ronaldo even if United had not snapped him up.
What seems to be clear though, is that both Manchester clubs were interested and Ronaldo strongly considered both options before opting for a reunion.
Ronaldo would end up at “either Manchester United or Manchester City, both are fighting to sign me and it’s going to be closed,” he said in leaked audio.
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The midfielder is due to fly out for a medical
Ilaix Moriba looks set to seal a late move away from Barcelona with reports claiming the Catalan giants have reached agreement with RB Leipzig regarding a move for the midfielder.
According to ESPN, the Bundesliga side have agreed a permanent deal with the youngster for a fee that could rise as high as 20 million euros ($27.5m).
The teenager is now expected to fly to Germany for a medical before putting pen to paper on a five-year deal with RB Leipzig.
Moriba’s future has been making headlines for weeks after the midfielder was unable to agree an extension to his contract which expires in 2022.
Barca have demoted the youngster to the reserves and threatened to leave him in the stands for the whole of the 2021-22 campaign if he failed to renew and did not move on.
Coach Ronald Koeman has spoken about Moriba’s situation and admitted it was “horrible” and also advised the teenager to be more focused on football than money.
RB Leipzig, Tottenham, and Chelsea had all been linked with a move for Moriba but it seems as if the Bundesliga side have won the race and the saga is finally over.
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The Catalans head into the break with a win
Sergi Roberto strikes back
Sergi Roberto has more than his fair share of critics but took over from Pedri on Sunday and needed just 99 seconds to open the scoring against Getafe. Incidentally, it’s the fastest goal Barca have scored under Ronald Koeman in the league.
That’s now two goals and an assist for Barca’s third captain in just 120 minutes of football since being restored to the midfield for the 2021-22 campaign by Koeman. Like it or not, it’s a strong start from Roberto after a dismal campaign last time out.
The 29-year-old does now seem Koeman’s first choice in midfield if any of the Dutchman’s favored trio drop out, although he’ll need to keep an eye out for youngsters Gavi and Nico Gonzalez who are also pushing hard for minutes.
Memphis already Barca’s talisman
Memphis Depay has only played three La Liga games for Barcelona but already seems to have become the club’s talisman following the departure of Lionel Messi.
He started off the season by setting up Barca’s first goal of the new campaign, followed that up with a brilliant equalizer against San Mames and scored another fine winner against Getafe.
Memphis also played the role of chief cheerleader, trying to whip up the crowd at the Camp Nou after his goal had restored Barca’s lead. There’s no doubt supporters have taken to Memphis straightaway and he’s in dreamland after an explosive start to life with the Catalan giants.
Memphis said afterwards, “Not even in my wildest dreams could I imagine my name being chanted at Camp Nou.”
We’re only three games in but Memphis is already staking a claim to be one of the signings of the summer in La Liga.
Barca defense still a soft touch
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images
While Memphis is keeping Barca’s attack firing there are continuing problems further back with the Catalans giants still a soft touch and without a clean sheet after their first three matches.
Koeman had to make changes to his backline with Eric Garcia suspended and Gerard Pique out injured, but once again the defense looked shaky and Sandro Ramirez was allowed to score far too easily.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen was back in goal but seemed poorly positioned for the equalizer, Sergio Busquets was also caught out, while Clement Lenglet still looks like an accident waiting to happen at center-back.
Koeman’s frustration with his defenders was also spotted during a water break in the first half. He was overhead telling his players about Sandro’s goal, “You have to stop that move, three or four players, make a foul if you have to.”
Emerson or Sergino Dest?
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Sunday’s match saw Emerson Royal handed his full debut for Barcelona with the Brazilian given a chance to stake a claim for a starting spot ahead of Sergino Dest.
It was a decent performance from the former Real Betis man, with the highlight being a challenge that prevented what looked set to be a certain goal from Carles Alena.
Yet he’ll need to step up defensively if he is to be a regular and also offer a little more going forward. Dest replaced Emerson in the second half and teed up Memphis for what should have been another goal.
There’s been speculation that Tottenham will push for Emerson before the window closes even though the Brazilian seems determined to stay. If he does continue at the club then competition with Dest should hopefully bring out the best in both players.
Gavi and Nico offer hope
There’s no doubt that Sunday’s match was uninspiring fare from Koeman and his team but the one big positive was the arrival of Gavi and Nico Gonzalez late on. Gavi only turned 17 a little over three weeks ago and is the fourth youngest player to debut for the Catalans in La Liga.
• 17-year old Gavi made his debut vs Getafe showing glimpses of his talent.
• He completed 12 passes (1 long), won 2 fouls & recovered 3 balls showing his defensive involvement.
• He lost possession at times which will surely improve with time.#FCB
It was a bright cameo too from the teenager which drew praise from Koeman and his opposite number after the match. Michel told reporters, “Gavi’s entry into the game was very important for Barcelona, they slowed down the pace of the game.”
Koeman was also happy with the youngster, and deserves credit for trusting the two midfielders late on. He said, “They’ve been training with us and have been showing their quality. They came on in a tricky game and that was very important for them to get the confidence and for me. I have no doubt about the young players that we have. They are going to be really good players.”
In fact the only bad news seems to be that Gavi and Nico have now jumped ahead of Riqui Puig in the pecking order at the Camp Nou. Puig still hasn’t played a single minute in 2021-22 and that situation does not look like changing any time soon.
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The Brazilian full-back could be on his way to North London
Just a little over two months after being announced as a new Barcelona player, Brazilian full-back Emerson Royal is reportedly already on his way out as the Catalan club is close to selling the 22-year-old to Tottenham Hotspur on a €30 million deal, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Tottenham and Barcelona are now close to reach an agreement for Emerson, as per @gbsans. Fee will be around €30m but negotiations are not completed yet ⚪️ #THFC#FCB
Serge Aurier won’t be involved in the deal. Personal terms still to be agreed. NO negotiations for Moriba-Spurs.
Emerson was signed permanently from Real Betis in the summer but was always rumored to be on his way out of the club if the right deal came along, and now it seems like Barça are getting a good amount of money for a player who only made one start for Barça in Sunday’s La Liga win over Getafe.
Romano says Spurs right-back Serge Aurier will not be coming to Barça as part of the deal, which means Óscar Mingueza will be Sergiño Dest’s backup with Sergi Roberto always available to play there if necessary.
If they do sell Emerson and the rumors of a €20 million Ilaix Moriba deal with RB Leipzig come true, Barça will make €50 million in sales at the end of the transfer window which will be of huge help to the club’s finances.
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One cost in excess of €100m, the other arrived at the Camp Nou as an emergency signing to account for the loss of Ousmane Dembele.
And yet, if you watched the match against Getafe, you’d be hard pressed to know which category Antoine Griezmann and Martin Braithwaite fell into.
The Frenchman had one of his worst games in a Barca shirt and there was little to say about his performance other than that.
Compare and contrast it to the Dane. Once again Braithwaite was happy to do the donkey work for the good of the team and at the expense of his own personal gain.
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
It never made any sense for culers to want Braithwaite out of the exit door as soon as the summer transfer window opened.
He may not be first choice once everyone is fit, but he’s a superb addition to any squad.
He’ll fight for every ball, bring others into play at every opportunity and always give his best.
Is he ‘Barcelona quality’ whatever that means? You’d probably have to say no. However, you’d take someone with his aggression, energy and purpose over a prima donna every single time.
Griezmann doesn’t set the transfer fees of course, and that probably shouldn’t be held against him.
However, there is an expectation for any player that costs a certain amount.
In the Frenchman’s case, being a World Cup winner also acknowledges a certain level of excellence.
He has had games where his defensive efforts have rightly drawn the plaudits, but Sunday afternoon wasn’t one of them.
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
With respect, Getafe, for all of their doggedness, shouldn’t be the most difficult of opponents, and nothing stuck whenever the ball was played into Griezmann.
Rarely involved, it was an instantly forgettable performance.
Moving forward, when the likes Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho return, there’s a legitimate question that needs to be asked as to whether Griezmann even gets a starting spot.
It still isn’t clear what his best place is in the team either. Is he a second striker, winger, attacking midfielder? It’s never really been defined.
Braithwaite isn’t a thoroughbred, but he’s a proper old school centre-forward with pluses and minuses to his skill set.
When all Barca need at present are players that will put a shift in, in the trenches, it’s the Dane that has to get the nod every single time.
And that’s an incredible indictment on a player who was once being talked about as a future Ballon d’Or winner.
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Gavi became the fourth youngest player to debut for Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday when he came on as a substitute against Getafe after 17 years and 24 days.
Leo Messi made his PSG debut on Sunday as a late substitute for Neymar in a 2-0 win at Reims. Kylian Mbappe was the match-winner with both goals for the visitors.
Barcelona’s trip to Sevilla in La Liga on September 11 could be postponed. La Liga has asked for the fixture to be moved because of the dates of the South America World Cup qualifiers.
Ilaix Moriba has turned down the chance to move to Tottenham and only wants to join Bundesliga sign RB Leipzig. Barca won’t let him go for less than 20 million euros.
Memphis Depay has been enjoying life at Barcelona since arriving on a free transfer and scored his first La Liga goal at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
The Dutchman’s strike ensured Barca took all three points against Getafe in a 2-1 win and continues his fine start to life with the Catalan giants.
Memphis now has two goals and an assist in his first three outings but thinks he can give even more to his new club.
“We got the three points so that’s what we need and that’s why we are happy, obviously my goal matters more now. Still not satisfied with the whole game. A lot of points to improve but we know that,” he said.
”Personally as well I know I can give more. I didn’t feel so fresh, a little bit of pain, but to keep the three points at home is the most important things and to hae the fans back, so feels great.”
Source | Barca TV
The forward, and teammate Frenkie de Jong, will now head away from Barcelona over the international break and link up with the Netherlands national team for World Cup qualifiers.
The Oranje are due to play Norway, Montenegro, and Turkey and kick off the latest round of fixtures in second place in Group G, one point behind leaders Turkey.
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Barcelona teenager Gavi could not hide his delight after making his La Liga debut for the Catalan giants in Sunday’s win over Getafe at the Camp Nou.
Gavi replaced Sergi Roberto on 74 minutes and enjoyed a bright cameo for Ronald Koeman’s men in midfield.
The youngster, who only turned 17 at the start of the month, spoke after the game and admitted it was a dream to play for the club.
“Right now I am the happiest kid in the world, since I was little I had that dream of making my debut in La Liga at the Camp Nou and today I have been able to achieve it.
“A thousand things are going through my head, I was a little nervous, I went to do it the best I could. At times like this I remember my family, my friends, all the coaches, La Masía, especially Sergi Milá, who helped me a lot throughout my career.”
Source | Barca TV
Nico Gonzalez also appeared late on for Barcelona and Koeman had praise for both youngsters after the final whistle.
The Dutchman told reporters, “When they came on we were much better positionally. I am really happy with how they played and with their character”
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An inconsistent start to the season for the Blaugrana
It was a hard-to-watch game at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
When the final whistle blew, the look on Memphis Depay’s face said it all.
Frustration. Relief. Anticlimax.
In spite of scoring a beautiful game-winning goal, and running around all corners of the pitch to impact the game in any way he could, there was a feeling that the Catalan giants played small and conservative against an inferior foe.
Momentum was on their side after an impressive team goal within minutes of the opening whistle. Kudos to Sergi Roberto for standing up to the doubters.
But instead of putting their foot on the gas and flexing, Barcelona played on as if their moment of quality was a fluke.
It didn’t take long for Getafe to pick apart the defense for an equalizer.
Such a shame to see the lack of confidence when there was an opportunity to go into the international break with the wind at your back.
That’s something Ronald Koeman will need to ponder before his team confronts the mighty Bayern Munich on September 14th.
We want to do more than avoid embarrassment. We want to see true team spirit.
What have we learned, if anything, from these early results?
One definitive answer: Memphis has answered the call
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
For the players who were healthy and rested enough to play in the first three games, it was the opportunity of the season to demonstrate their value to the team.
Only one player beyond a shadow of a doubt seized the moment, and that was Memphis Depay.
Ultimately, as a forward, if you’re not scoring goals, you’re not doing your job.
Memphis scored two spectacular goals that single-handedly captured points to keep his team top of the table, and relieve pressure on his manager.
Aside from the productivity, we’ll all be hoping his confidence is contagious.
A confident player gets touches. He takes his chances. His teammates look for him.
Compare that to Antoine Griezmann, who looks uncomfortable on the wing, and as a result is getting few touches on the ball, and literally no chances in front of goal. In fact, in the first three games, he’s had exactly 0 shots on goal.
Ronald Koeman needs to make an adjustment there. If he can succeed with the French national team, there must be a way to get more out of him in Barcelona.
But for now it looks like Koeman is buying time until Ansu Fati returns.
Memphis has bailed him out for now, but will need his manager to find a way to uplift the supporting cast.
Lots of questions left unanswered
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Koeman’s extremely conservative approach to seeing off Getafe was a bit embarrassing.
Forward number one comes off, defensive midfielder goes in.
Forward number two comes off, center back goes in.
Fortunately, the decision worked out this time, but it also sends the negative message to his team that he doesn’t trust they can finish off games.
What an opportunity it could have been to get Yusuf Demir’s feet wet with a like-for-like substitution. Instead, all the momentum he generated from the preseason is surely all but gone.
We can all cheer on young Gavi and Nico, but what an insult to keep Riqui Puig on the bench when he’s earned those minutes on merit.
This type of management may have been enough to buy time for his preferred players to rest and recover, but it will come back around to bite the team in the long run.
All the players on the roster need to believe that they are valued, and when their number is called, which could happen at any moment over the course of a long season, that their manager has confidence in them.
There is no guarantee that Ansu, Dembele, or Sergio Aguero will be the answers.
At this point, however, it looks like Koeman is putting all his money on the return of players who have been out for an extended time.
In the midfield, Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, and Pedri are on track to receive all the minutes their legs can handle.
In the defense, there’s a mix of hope and uncertainty.
One position Koeman has really tested is right fullback where we’ve learned there are two very solid options, and the competition is likely to continue.
Emerson looks stronger defensively, but Sergino Dest is working hard, and finding a way to contribute offensively.
Barca needs a complement to Jordi Alba on the right side.
Dest is routinely squaring up defenders, and whipping in dangerous balls. The American will be feeling good about where he stands going into World Cup qualifiers.
The center-backs are a mixed bag.
Gerard Pique will need reinforcements.
Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are the backups’ backups.
Ronald Araujo has moments where he looks truly world class.
Eric Garcia is a big question mark. Great technical ability, but is he big and fast enough to provide the protection this team needs?
At the end of the day, Koeman must take responsibility and show bravery in front of his players.
If the coach manages a game out of fear, his players will surely feel it.
If he wakes up and realizes how blessed he is to be managing a team with so much talent, his players will respond to that as well.
Instead of complaining about having too many players, see it as a chance to get the team playing hard and competing for their minutes.
The Bayern Munich game will be a symbolic milestone.
Has this team grown at all under his leadership?
Three games into the season, we’re left with many questions, and few answers.
All eyes are on the Dutchman.
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However, the 29-year-old didn’t last the match after going down following a heavy challenge, while Braithwaite also had to be replaced late on.
Here’s the latest from the club:
“First team player Sergi Roberto has a fractured rib. His recovery will dictate his return.
“Martin Braithwaite asked to be replaced due to a problem in his left knee. The Club’s medical staff are in contact with the Danish FA to follow up on the problem. The striker has scored two goals in the league this season, both coming in the opening fixture of La Liga against Real Sociedad.”
Braithwaite had been due to link up with the Denmark squad for World Cup qualifiers against Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Israel but may now miss out.
Meanwhile, Barca are not expected to play again until Bayern Munich visit the Camp Nou in the group stages of the Champions League on September 14.
Barca’s game with Sevilla, which was scheduled for September 12, looks set to be postponed because of the overlap with World Cup qualifiers in South America.
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The Barcelona boss has reacted to the win over Getafe
Ronald Koeman has offered his thoughts on Sunday’s 2-1 win over Getafe in La Liga and reckons it’s the sort of match his team would have dropped points in last season.
Barca made the perfect start to the game with an early goal from Sergi Roberto but were pegged back when Sandro Ramirez made it 1-1 after 19 minutes.
Memphis Depay proved to be Barca’s match-winner with another fine goal in the second half and Koeman seemed pretty happy with his team’s performance.
“A difficult game. Getafe is a strong team. We started very well, they tied us ... we had control of the game but we didn’t create many opportunities.
“I think that in the second half we lowered our game with the ball. We had more losses. It should be noted the work and the attitude we had to win the match. Different from last year. Last year we tied games like today. I’m very happy with the team.
“We lost balls in the second half, we were more worried and Getafe realized it. Defensively we have delivered. They have not had great opportunities. We have to win at home. Last year we lost points here and this year we have two victories at home.”
Koeman also defended forward Antoine Griezmann who was whistled by some sections of the support and endured another quiet game for the Catalan giants.
“As a coach, I can never understand why fans whistle one of our own players. You can criticise if their attitude is wrong of they don’t work hard. I know Griezmann didn’t get the rub of the green we hoped, but it’s just one game.”
Sunday’s result means Barca have started the campaign with two wins and a draw after the first three games of the new campaign. However, Sunday’s win over Getafe was far from convincing and Koeman will know his team must improve if they are to challenge for trophies.
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Barcelona remain unbeaten in La Liga and will go into the first international break of the season with 7 points from the opening three games thanks to a 2-1 win over Getafe. The Blaugrana were solid in the first half but were thoroughly outplayed in the second, and somehow held on to the result in the end despite a very poor performance.
FIRST HALF
Barça started the game with a goal after just 97 seconds following a great team move with passes from right to left and a smart finish by Sergi Roberto after an excellent cross by Jordi Alba.
The Blaugrana started with confidence and creativity in possession, but were as vulnerable as usual at the back and allowed Getafe to score with their first attack of the game as Sandro Ramírez scored against his former club with a shot from 20 yards that Ter Stegen couldn’t stop.
This is not the same Getafe team we’ve all grown to dislike, and the visitors showed courage and poise on the ball and played with some confidence after scoring, but were a little too carless in possession and gave away the ball in midfield to Frenkie De Jong, who found Memphis Depay with a perfect through ball and Memphis scored a great goal to fire Barça ahead.
The home team was back on top in the final 15 minutes of the first period and looked a little less chaotic at the back, and at halftime the Catalans looked in good shape to finish the job and get the three points.
SECOND HALF
Getafe switched formations to a 5-3-2 to start the second half and completely dominated the first 20 minutes of the period, pressing high up the pitch and sending plenty of players forward. The visitors fired plenty of shots at goal and looked a real threat, and Barça couldn’t hold on to the ball and have any measure of control.
Then Carles Aleñá went off, and almost shockingly that was Barça’s salvation. Getafe lost their best, most creative player and the away side could no longer trouble the Barça defense, and Ronald Koeman went with a back five and four defensive midfielders to try and hold on to the lead.
Barça finally held on to the ball in the final 10 minutes and barely made it to the finish line, but the final whistle came and the Blaugrana earned all three points. This was a really bad performance by a Barça team that needed to park the bus against Getafe at home, which isn’t a very encouraging sign for the season ahead.
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!
WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth is the site of Barcelona’s third match of the season as the Blaugrana welcome Getafe for what promises to be a tough La Liga match. Barça have four points from their first two games and have showed some good signs as they begin a new era, and Getafe will provide another difficult test for Ronald Koeman’s men. This is the final match before the first international break of the season, and it should be a good one. 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: 2021-22 La Liga, Matchday 3
Date/Time: Sunday, August 29, 2021, 5pm CET (Barcelona), 4pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 11am ET, 8am PT (USA), 8.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Pablo González Fuertes
VAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA
How to watch on TV: Not Available (USA), TSN 1 (Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), MTV (India), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), others
How to watch online: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), 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, 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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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
PREVIEW: Barça v Getafe - FC Barcelona
Following a 4-2 win against Real Sociedad on the opening day of La Liga 2021/22 and then a 1-1 draw at Athletic Club, Barça are back at Camp Nou for game three. Getafe are the opposition, after which La Liga takes a break for this season’s first set of international fixtures.
Ter Stegen and Mingueza back against Getafe - FC Barcelona
The big news is the return of both Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Òscar Mingueza, who have both been declared fully fit on Saturday morning. Gerard Piqué, Ousmane Dembélé, Ansu Fati and Sergio Agüero all miss out through injury, while Eric Garcia is suspended after being rec carded in Bilbao last week.
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