In some somewhat strange circumstances, Barcelona have delayed the announcement of Sergi Roberto’s contract extension. At least according to Mundo, the contract was set to be signed today but instead will take place later this week or the next.
It would seem that they want to announce the deal under more positive circumstances. Honestly, it doesn’t really add up to me but what do I know?
Barcelona haven’t had the greatest of weeks having been knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United and being beaten in La Liga by struggling Almeria. The Catalans have also lost Robert Lewandowski to injury to make matters even worse.
Xavis side now have a match with eternal rivals Real Madrid coming up in the Copa del Rey, so perhaps after Sergi puts in a positive shift against Los Blancos they can float out the news of the one-year extension?
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La Liga president Javier Tebas spoke out on some controversial topics this week. The big boss made it clear to reporters that he doesn’t have it in for Barcelona despite most of the fan base and club president Joan Laporta seemingly believing it to be true.
“Joan Laporta cannot say that there is someone in charge of financial control to whom I have told that he has to do something because I don’t like Barcelona, no,” he said.
“I don’t have it in for the club and he knows it, the rules are not from Tebas, but of all LaLiga’s departments. It’s only a matter of complying with them.”
Barcelona and La Liga are just permanently fueding at this point. The two arguing goes together like steak and ketchup. They do really like going at each other though, whether it be for FPP or the refereeing controversy. Just add this as another chapter.
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The votes for the FIFA The Best award have been revealed, giving some insights how the captains of various national teams voted.
Obviously, the big winner was Lionel Messi, and it should perhaps not be any surprise that the two FC Barcelona players to vote gave their #1 votes to him.
Sergio Busquets, representing Spain, voted for Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, in that order.
For his part, Lewandowski, representing Poland, voted for Messi, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé, and Real Madrid’s Luka Modrić.
Lewandowski was the only Barcelona player nominated for the men’s award, and he received votes from 23 players. coaches, and sportswriters. Notably, Germany captain Manuel Neuer and coach Hansi Flick voted him third. So too, did former Portugal and current Poland coach Fernando Santos, who voted for Mbappé first and Messi second. Luis Fernando Suárez, the coach of Costa Rica, was the only person to vote for Lewandowski as the #1. Overall, Lewandowski finished 12th, with 7 points.
Speaking of Portugal, former Real Madrid player Pepe was in charge of the votes instead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who usually captains them. He voted for Mbappé, Modrić, and Benzema. Portugal’s current coach, Roberto Martínez, voted for Messi, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mbappé.
Modrić himself voted for his teammate Benzema first, followed by Messi and Mbappé. David Alaba, another Madrid player, caused quite the stir with his vote, which went #1 Messi, #2 Benzema, and #3 Mbappé.
His decision to put a former Barcelona player first resulted in outrage from some Madrid fans, some of whom abused him online, even resorting to racist attacks. The defender was forced to release a statement afterwards saying his vote was decided by the Austrian national team as a whole and that he always admired his teammate, Benzema.
While Lewandowski was the only Barcelona player nominated on the men’s side, the women’s side was a different story.
Aitana Bonmatí, Keira Walsh, and Alexia Putellas were nominated for the award, with Putellas winning it for a second time. Bonmatí finished 5th and Walsh 13th.
In addition, Sandra Paños García-Villamil was nominated for The Best Women’s Goalkeeper, She finished 4th for the award.
No Barcelona players made it onto the FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11 but four made the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11: Putellas, Walsh, Lucy Bronze, and María León.
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Barcelona forward Ansu Fati is still yet to return to training ahead of Thursday’s Clasico clash with Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey.
Fati was ruled out of action last week with a bruised knee but Xavi said he expected the youngster to be fit for the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Yet the forward was not at training on Tuesday morning, according to Mundo Deportivo, and is rated doubtful for the crunch match against Los Blancos.
Xavi will certainly be hoping Ansu is available given he is already without Pedri, Ousmane Dembele and Robert Lewandowski for the tie.
Fati has not hit top form yet this season but Barcelona’s don’t have too many attacking options due to the current injury situation.
Raphinha and Ferran Torres are fit and available, while Angel Alarcon is also available but it would be a huge call to throw him into a game of such importance due to his inexperience.
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Cesc Fabregas has been talking about Barcelona under Xavi and thinks the team are heading in the right direction under the coach.
The Catalans have hit a bit of a sticky patch after losing to Manchester United and Almeria, and with injuries piling up ahead of a Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid.
Yet Fabregas thinks Barcelona look good under Xavi and believes winning the league this season will be a big boost for his former club.
“I like it. You see things you haven’t seen in years. I think he will say that there are things to improve, but I think there is already a lot of improvement,” he said.
“The Europa League setback makes you see that you are not at that European level, although you see that you are competing better every time.
“If the league is won this year, it will already be a big step forward.”
Barcelona remain seven points clear at the top of the table, after 23 games played, but will face Valencia next without Gavi, Pedri, Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele.
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Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas has won Fifa’s The Best award for the second time. The captain won the league, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa in the 2021-22 season.
Barcelona winger Ez Abde has reportedly emerged as a target for Premier League side Nottingham Forest ahead of the summer transfer window.
Forest have made a habit of buying players since being promoted to the English top flight and have now turned their attentions to Abde.
Relevo reckon that Barcelona are expecting lots of offers for Abde in the summer, with Forest really keen on the Morocco international.
Abde is thought to want to stay at Barcelona but it’s not clear yet if that is what will happen. He is due back from Osasuna at the end of the season and will chat about his future with the club then.
The winger has enjoyed regular football this season at Osasuna, featuring 16 times in La Liga and making three appearances in the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona did not include a purchase option in his Osasuna loan and also extended his contract before he left. His current deal now runs until June 2026.
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Ousmane Dembele has made a donation to boyhood French club Evreux FC 27, where he played as a youngster before moving to Rennes.
Reports claim the Barcelona winger has handed over around €100k to help out Evrex who have endured financial difficulties recently which resulted in a points deduction.
The club have confirmed that Dembele has put his hand in his pocket in a post on Facebook.
“The President of Evreux Football Club 27, Samuel Brigantino and Guy Lefrand, Mayor of Evreux, would like to thank Ousmane Dembélé for his outpouring of generosity and the financial support given to the club in this difficult period,” said the club.
“Ousmane has always backed the club and he allows us today, with volunteers and educators, to offer 700 players better circumstances to perform in their game and follow in his footsteps.“
It’s a very generous gesture by Dembele who remains on the injured list currently for Barcelona after sustaining a thigh problem.
Xavi has confirmed that he is back in training and the hope is will be ready to return to first-team action in the next couple of weeks.
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The Premier League club were interested
Barcelona’s director of football Mateu Alemany has reportedly turned down an offer to join Aston Villa in favor of staying at the Camp Nou.
Diario Sport report that Alemany’s work at Barcelona has attracted interest from all over Europe and he does not lack for admirers.
Aston Villa who are “planning an ambitious project for the future” have even made an approach but have been rebuffed by Alemany.
The Barca chief is said to be “committed” to Joan Laporta’s project and is not thinking about leaving the Camp Nou at the moment.
Alemany has his work cut out this summer, with reports claiming Barcelona need to reduce the wage bill by around 200 million euros to keep Javier Tebas happy.
Barcelona also still need to register Ronald Araujo’s new contract as well as thinking about extensions for Alejandro Balde and Ousmane Dembele this summer.
Xavi is also likely to want new signings, despite all the financial difficulties, meaning Barca will really need some more Alemany magic at the end of the season.
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A costly night for the Catalans
Almeria pick up first ever win against Barcelona
Barcelona headed to Almeria aiming to go 10 points clear at the top of La Liga and pretty much put one hand on the trophy after seeing Real Madrid drop points in the Madrid derby on Saturday night.
0 - #Almería ⚪️ are winless in their 13 games against @FCBarcelona in @LaLigaEn (D2 L11), conceding three goals-per-game on average. They have faced the Azulgranas more times without winning in the top-flight than any other opponent. Challenge. pic.twitter.com/ydt6NdhtnX
The Catalans had never lost to Almeria before and the result seemed a certainty, even Frenkie de Jong admitted that Barcelona weren’t expecting to lose on Sunday night.
Barcelona had over 70% possession but conceded a sloppy goal, lacked intensity, fight, passion, sense and barely posed Rubi’s struggling side any danger at all. The Catalans mustered one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes which tells you all you need to know.
Xavi mentioned fatigue after the match, which may well be a factor, but the team’s lack of cohesion or even the vague semblance of a game plan was far more of a problem here.
It’s been a bad week for Xavi
Sunday’s defeat made it a very bad week for Xavi. The coach saw his team’s European dreams end in midweek at Old Trafford and a surprise loss at Almeria means his team are really wobbling.
Barca still have a healthy seven-point lead at the top of the table but defeat to Real Madrid on Thursday in the Copa del Rey will increase Xavi’s problems ahead of Sunday’s visit from Valencia in La Liga.
Xavi won’t be on the touchline for that game either. The coach is banned after being booked again versus Almeria and will have to watch the game from the stands.
Barcelona’s resilience and strength in depth will certainly be tested in that game. Gavi, Pedri, and Ousmane Dembele are all out and Xavi will need others to step up in their absence.
Look away now Eric Garcia
Eric Garcia was back in the starting XI against Almeria in a game which saw Barcelona concede just their eighth goal of the season in La Liga.
Dig a little deeper and you find out that five of the eight goals that Barcelona have let in this season have come when Eric’s been on the pitch. Dig deeper still and you realize that of the 10 games played without Eric, Barcelona have conceded just three goals.
Many Culers are focusing criticism of tonight's defeat on Eric García
❌ Five of the eight goals Barcelona have conceded in LaLiga this season have come with him on the pitch
All of which does not make good reading for Eric. Xavi has said recently that Eric deserves more playing time, but the fact he hasn’t had it speaks volumes. He’s the fourth choice center-back for a reason.
Eric has been justifiably criticized since returning to Barcelona from Manchester City and there have been whispers already that he could be sold this summer. At this point it would be no surprise at all to see him leave at the end of the season.
How many crosses?
Barcelona clearly ran out of attacking ideas against Almeria and simply resorted to firing crosses into the box. It was a tactic that didn’t work and was the sort of thing we saw previously when a certain Ronald Koeman was in charge.
Xavi even threw Ronald Araujo up front in the hope the center-back could find a goal but to no avail.
47 - #Barcelona have made 47 crosses against Almería ⚪️ , their highest tally in a single away game in @LaLigaEn since 2005/06. They failed to win all five games with 47+ crosses in the competition in this period (D3 L2). Siege. pic.twitter.com/IWlv5e8760
Almeria boss Rubi admitted after the game that he was pretty happy to see Barcelona sending the ball into the penalty area time after time.
“When they are crossing, crossing, crossing, I think we are OK. We didn’t suffer in that area too much. I worried more when they played through the lines,” he said. “We worked extraordinarily hard, scored a goal we have worked on and our goalkeeper has hardly had a save to make. Everything came off and it’s a day we will remember for a long time.”
Barcelona’s attack is certainly a worry. Dembele is badly missed, Raphinha and Ferran Torres aren’t doing enough and Robert Lewandowski is in the middle of a slump that is really hurting Xavi’s side.
Pedri can’t come back soon enough
The loss of Pedri to injury is also being keenly felt at Barcelona. The midfielder may only be 20 but Barcelona are really struggling without him.
Last season Barcelona’s win percentage with Pedri in the team was 89%, dropping to 52% when he was absent. Pedri has now missed Barcelona’s last three games and has seen his team lose two without him.
Gavi was back in the team after missing out in midweek but looked lost without his mate next to him. The supply line to Lewandowski is also broken without Pedri around to supply Barcelona’s creativity.
Frenkie de Jong admitted Barcelona hadn’t expected to lose to Almeria after Sunday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat in Andalusia.
A single goal from El Bilal Toure gave the struggling hosts all three points and a real boost in their bid to avoid relegation.
For Barcelona, it was a missed opportunity to go 10 points clear at the top of the table, and De Jong was pretty dejected after the final whistle.
“We are really disappointed,” he said “We had the chance to go 10 clear. Now it’s still seven but we did not expect to lose this game.
“They were really good defensively. We crossed a lot, especially second half, but they defended well. We have to attack better and create more danger.”
Barcelona now head into a Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid, but De Jong denied his team had been distracted by Thursday’s big game.
“We have not thought about the Clasico. LaLiga is very important and the next game is always the most important ... things did not come off, especially in the first half. Now we have to keep going and work hard to improve.”
Xavi will have his work cut out getting the team back on track after consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Almeria and with Pedri and Ousmane Dembele still out through injury.
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Just like they used to say about those famous red London buses... you wait an age for one to come and then two or more arrive at once.
Before their ill-fated midweek trip to Old Trafford, Xavi’s Barcelona had been unbeaten in 18 games and seemed pretty comfortable in the vast majority of those, despite a number of them being slender single-goal margin victories.
An under-par showing in Manchester, whilst not necessarily expected, wasn’t a surprise either given the injuries and suspensions the Catalans had to contend with against a resurgent Red Devils side.
There can be no such excuse for the garbage that was served up in Almeria on Sunday though.
Frankly, it was a disgusting performance from a number of Barca players, and another poor showing from the coach.
Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Since when did the blaugranes spend their time pumping aimless ball after aimless ball into the box against a five-man (sometimes seven-man) defence?
That it took until the 81st minute for the visitors to have a meaningful effort on goal, and that coming from sub, Angel Alarcon, spoke volumes.
There genuinely didn’t appear to be any real game plan at all, and in a game which Barca should’ve won on paper, they were second best all over the pitch.
Xavi can’t be blamed for rotating his staff for this one, however, one could reasonably expect that the starting XI might still have something about them rather than meandering around for the best part of 90 minutes.
League titles are earned not given, and after a surprising slip-up from Real Madrid in the derby on Saturday night, the chance to take a double-digit lead over their nearest pursuers was there for Barca.
Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Perhaps the strength of conviction in Almeria’s play came as something as a surprise to a team that are coasting through some games. It’s the only possible explanation I can think of as to why the table-toppers were so far off the pace all game.
Barca are well used to European hangovers of course. Sunday wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last, and they’ve always struggled against teams that play a low block and pack the midfield and defence.
With such quality available at his disposal though, Xavi needs to find solutions to win all types of games.
He was badly let down by his players but by the same token he was hardly the model of decisiveness that he needs to be on the occasions when game plans must be changed or adapted.
That was about as far away from a typical Barca performance as it’s possible to be and that isn’t good enough. Not now, not ever.
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The best and the worst from a pathetic performance
Barcelona suffered their first loss of 2023 in domestic competition and wasted the chance of going 10 points clear at the top of the table thanks to an embarrassing 1-0 defeat away to Almería. Barça were awful all night and lost their second game in three days, and they now go into a massive Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid playing their worst football of the season.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s action in Almería.
Note:Applying the labels “winners” and “losers” is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these players. It’s just a simple way to grade their performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.
Winners
Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Angel Alarcón: It’s hard to find anything to be happy about after such a terrible defeat, but young striker Angel Alarcón had an important contribution off the bench. He was one of the very few players who seemed to care at all about the game, and he was responsible for the only shot on target from Barça in the entire match. With all forwards struggling in this one, Alarcón certainly made a case to get real minutes in the next few games.
Pablo Torre: The other youngster who came off the bench in the second half was the forgotten man in the squad but showed Xavi Hernández that he deserves more playing time. Like Alarcón he actually played with urgency and intensity, and showed some really nice composure and dribbling skills in tight spaces and was the only midfielder interested in moving the ball quickly so the Almería defense didn’t feel so comfortable. An important night for Torre, who like Alarcón definitely deserves more chances.
Losers
Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images
Xavi Hernández: Another really bad night for the boss, who selected a lineup that was way too defensive against what was always going to be a parked bus from Almería, and waited 30 minutes in the second half to bring on Torre and Alarcón. He continues his fixation with Marcos Alonso who once again had zero impact on the game, and there were no tactical adjustments at all. It’s ultimately his responsibility even though the players also deserve a ton of blame for this showing, but the boss offered very little solutions on a night full of problems. Again.
Gavi: Even though he always plays on the edge and gets himself in trouble way too often through sheer immaturity, Gavi truly looked like an 18-year-old today. He could have easily been sent off for a couple of hard fouls and two embarrasing temple tantrums, and he’s now been suspended for the second time in a week. Every young player goes through bad spells, but Gavi is having a really rough time when the team needs him most with Pedri out.
Eric García: There is a reason Eric is Barça’s fourth center-back, and after a poor showing against Cádiz last week he was even worse today. He put no pressure on the ball in the buildup to Almería’s goal, and he was constantly bullied off the ball and late on his interceptions. He was also well below par with his passing, and the positioning problems that plague him were fully on show in this one. Tough night for the Spaniard.
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A terrible performance and a deserved defeat
Barcelona wasted a golden chance to go 10 points clear at the top of the La Liga table and saw their lead shrink down to seven points instead thanks to an embarrassing 1-0 defeat away to relegation candidates Almería at the Power Horse Stadium on Sunday. The Blaugrana played a pathetic match from start to finish and deservedly lost a game they didn’t seem to take seriously, and have now lost two in a row for the first time this season.
FIRST HALF
The first 45 minutes were among the worst of Barcelona’s season so far, with a lethargic, uncreative attacking display with lots of possession but so many sideways and backwards passes that brought no threat to an Almería backline that barely had to work at all in the entire period.
Barça never came close to a real chance, and allowed Almería to score with their first attack of the game as Luis Suárez played a pass over the top to El Bilal Touré who beat Andreas Christensen for pace and fired it home off the crossbar.
The home team had two big chances to double the lead immediately after the opener and Marc-André ter Stegen needed to make an important save, and despite the threats from the hosts there was no urgency or intensity to Barça’s play in the final 20 minutes after Almería’s goal.
The Blaugrana kept playing as if they were winning 4-0, and at halftime they needed a lot of improvement in all areas to have a shot at a second half comeback.
SECOND HALF
Xavi Hernández made a halftime change with Raphinha replacing Franck Kessie as Barça became more attacking, but it didn’t improve their play at all. The Catalans kept moving the ball very slowly and sending pointless crosses into the box that resulted in absolutely nothing, and the Almería center-backs got to practice their headers in the first 30 minutes of the period.
As we reached the final 15 minutes, Xavi decided to send youngsters Pablo Torre and Angel Alarcón off the bench to try and inject some youth and energy into a pathetic performance, and both kids played well and made the team slightly more dangerous as they kept sending crosses and creating a few good chances through the air.
But time quickly ran out on the visitors, who avoided further embarassment thanks to a save from Ter Stegen to stop Embarba on a late counter-attack. But the final whistle came to sentence a horrible loss for a Barça team that clearly took Almería for granted and paid for it.
They deserved to lose, and unlike the Old Trafford defeat there are no reasons to feel encouraged or proud. Barça were pathetic, and the entire team and Xavi should be ashamed. Just plain horrible.
Barcelona slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat to Almeria on Sunday and also picked up a couple of costly bookings along the way.
Gavi saw yellow for the fifth time in the league this season and will have to sit out the visit of Los Che. Xavi will also be absent from the touchline after being booked yet again.
The manager went into the referee’s notebook for protesting on the touchline, while Gavi was also booked for some angry protests.
Raphinha was also booked after taking a free-kick too early and it was reported that he’d be suspended too. However, it seems the yellow was only his fourth of the season and he is available for next weekend.
The suspensions come at a bit of a bad time for Barcelona. The Catalans are still without Pedri and Ousmane Dembele because of injury and neither are due back yet.
Ansu Fati is also currently on the injury list but is expected back next time out when Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
The suspensions and injuries may be good news for players such as Pablo Torre and Angel Alarcon. The duo came on against Almeria and will be hoping for more minutes now.
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Barca did not go for the new sensation at Real Madrid - SPORT
His breakthrough at El Sadar left everyone stunned. It was just 10 minutes and the game was broken, yes, but it was enough to see that Álvaro Rodriguez has the makings to become a great player. Special. He stands out for his physique (1.93 metres), for being apparently a little uncoordinated, but for having great ball skills and agility.
How midfielder Sergi Roberto can secure Barcelona stay until 2025 - SPORT
Next Tuesday, if Barcelona win at Almeria on Sunday, Sergi Roberto's contract renewal will be signed. The player from Reus, the second captain in the squad, reached an agreement with the club a few days ago to extend his contract, which expires on 30 June, for one more season plus an optional one.
Ansu Fati not ruled out of Copa del Rey Clasico yet - SPORT
FC Barcelona striker Ansu Fati has suffered a bruised left knee and is out of Sunday's game against Almeria, the club said on Friday. However, the '10' is not ruled out for the next game, the Copa del Rey derby (first leg) at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday 2 March.
Almeria's Ramazani hails Busquets ahead of Barca clash - SPORT
Belgian winger Largie Ramazani, who plays for Almeria, said on Friday that in next Sunday's match against Barcelona at the Power Horse Stadium, if he had the chance to choose a player not to play, he would choose Sergio Busquets because, although "at Barça there are many very good (players), Busquets is 'top', he plays very well and it is very difficult to defend against him".
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Xavi Hernández has called up 20 players for Sunday’s clash
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana to beautiful Andalusia for an important La Liga game against Almería, and Xavi Hernández has called up the following 20 players for Sunday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Iñaki Peña, 36. Arnau Tenas
Defenders: 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Andreas Christensen, 17. Marcos Alonso, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric García, 28. Alejandro Balde
Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Gavi, 19. Franck Kessie, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 32. Pablo Torre
Barça’s bad run of injuries continues as Ansu Fati has been ruled out for this one with a knee injury, and he joins Pedri (hamstring) and Ousmane Dembélé (thigh) on the injured list. Gavi returns from suspension, and under-19 star Angel Alarcón is back in the squad.
The match kicks off at 6.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.30pm GMT (UK), 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT (USA), 11pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
VISCA EL BARÇA!
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Barça look to rebound from their European exit with a win on the road to increase their lead at the top of the table
UD Almería (18th, 22pts) vs FC Barcelona (1st, 59pts)*
*Points and positions at the time of writing on Saturday
Competition/Round: 2022-23 La Liga, Matchday 23
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Pedri, Ousmane Dembélé, Ansu Fati (out)
Almería Outs & Doubts: Alejandro Pozo (out)
Date/Time: Sunday, February 26, 2023, 6.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.30pm GMT (UK), 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT (USA), 11pm IST (India)
Venue: Power Horse Stadium, Almería, Spain
Referee: Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias
VAR: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva
How to watch on TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), Not Available (Canada, UK), Sports18 (India), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), others
How to watch online: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following a painful loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford to end their European journey this season, Barcelona have very little time to recover as they make another trip, this time to beautiful Andalusia for a Sunday evening clash against relegation candidates Almería at the Power Horse Stadium.
Barça come into this one after another hugely disappointing night in Europe that raised more questions about Xavi Hernández’s ability to lead his team to continental success, but his dominance over La Liga is undeniable. And thanks to a huge favor from Atlético Madrid who held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Saturday’s derby at the Santiago Bernabéu, Barça can officially become title favorites on Sunday.
If the Blaugrana get the win against Almería they will open up a 10-point lead at the top of the table with 15 matches to go, the type of gap that becomes nearly insurmountable at this point of the season. Barça will face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, and it would be a big confidence boost to be up double digits on Los Blancos before they face off twice in the next three weeks.
But it won’t be easy to overcome Almería, who despite their record and a three-game losing streak are very tough to beat at home, as Atlético and Real themselves can attest. Almería play a high-intensity defensive style with tons of physical play that brings the crowd into the game, and they have dangerous counter-attacking weapons and good set piece routines as well.
Another important factor is Barça’s fitness level considering they’ll have less than 72 hours between the end of the United match and the kickoff in this one and had to travel twice in that period. Xavi will have no choice but to make at least a couple of changes to the lineup, resting some key players and giving reserves a run from the start.
Gavi’s return to the lineup is excellent news, but Ansu Fati is out with a knee injury in addition to Pedri and Ousmane Dembélé’s absences. There is basically no depth up front and all three of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres will have to start. If they can’t be at their best, there won’t be anyone on the bench to change things up.
Barça will have to fight through the tired legs and try to play their best against a dangerous team, but knowing that Madrid dropped two points will serve as big motivation to stay perfect in La Liga in 2023 and take a big step towards the title they’ve prioritized since the season started.
Xavi and players promised they would learn the lessons from the United defeat and bounce back quickly. It’s time to show they’re telling the truth.
Let’s dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Araujo, Christensen, Alba; Kessie, Busquets, Gavi; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Ferran
Almería (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Mendes, Ely, Babic, Akieme; De La Hoz, Samu; Baptistão, Robertone, Embarba; Suárez
PREDICTION
Almería know how to make it tough at home for big teams, but Barça will be motivated to go 10 points clear and get back to winning ways after Thursday: 3-0 to the good guys.
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Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has faced the press ahead of Sunday’s trip to struggling Almeria in La Liga.
The coach spoke about the defeat to Manchester United, offered fitness updates on several players and shared his thoughts on Sunday’s opponents.
Here are the best bits:
Xavi on Almeria
They are strong at home. They have quick and potent players. They have won a lot of points in their stadium. After the loss against Girona, maybe they will be a bit more defensive. They are a difficult opponent, especially at home.
Xavi on one eye on Real Madrid
We depend on these games and these points. We can’t think about Thursday. Tomorrow it’s the league, we want to win it, so tomorrow there are three vital points up for grabs. We will think about Thursday afterwards.
Xavi on Ousmane Dembele
He’s good. Yesterday he trained with us. He seems in good form. He’s not 100% yet but he’s just about ready to come back with the group. It depends on how he feels as well. We can’t force it. We trust in his judgement to announce his return, but he’s doing good so far and that’s important.
Xavi on Ansu and Araujo
Araujo is 100% and Ansu got knocked up a bit in training yesterday. I don’t expect him to play tomorrow but Thursday he’ll be ready.
Xavi on loss to Man Utd
The message is life goes on. We have other objectives. The biggest disappointment was going out of the Champions League to be honest. This one hurts too but we still have the league and the cup and it’s essential for us to finish the season in the best way possible.
Xavi on Lewandowski
He’s good. He conscious of the fact that this is a process with mid to long-term objectives. He decided to come here last year and I think now we are much more competitive than when he arrived. We have won one title so far. He is conscious that we can compete with the best. Robert is now focused on wining the league and the cup.
Xavi on Barcelona’s second halves
I don’t think we need to generalise. We lost against United. In the second half our concentration levels dipped and we need to control these little details. That’s what we are missing.
Xavi on Ferran Torres
I think there has been a change, a switch in mentality. The other game at home helped him gain confidence, which he still needed to make a difference. The other day it went very well and he will be important in the next games.
Xavi on Lewandowski
I think he participates a lot. He comes down to receive the ball, he links with other players. We need to look for him more in the 18-year-old box. I think we are missing that final pass towards him in the penalty area.
Xavi on Sergi Roberto
He can adapt both to the left and to the right. He played a good game the other day. We found him between the lines. In the second half we suffered because we didn’t have as much possession.
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Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has confirmed the club would like to keep hold of Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti if possible.
Umtiti is enjoying a loan spell with the Italian side and has made 12 Serie A appearances this season for the club.
It’s not clear yet what will happen with Umtiti next season, but Corvino says he’d be happy to talk to Barcelona about extending the Frenchman’s stay.
“If we have the go-ahead from the player and from Barça, that can be explored. In the summer, Umtiti already chose our project,” he said.
“We hope to be able to implement other opportunities with the availability that Barça has. Barça took our chances very much into account and that’s how everything could be done.
“His arrival responded to our need to incorporate some experienced players to help the youngsters on the squad. Umtiti arrived and it has worked.”
Source | Calciomercato
There is no purchase option in Umtiti’s contract with Lecce and it’s thought Barca are paying his salary during his season in Serie A. Umtiti is contracted to Barcelona until 2026.
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The 25-year-old is a free agent this summer
Marcus Thuram’s agents have reportedly offered the Borussia Monchengladbach forward to Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 25-year-old is a free agent at the end of the season and is set to leave the Bundesliga club for a fresh challenge.
Barca are said to like Thuram’s profile, particularly his versatility, according to Mundo Deportivo. The fact that he’s free is likely to be another reason.
There’s also the obvious family link as Thuram’s father Lilian played for the Catalans for two years and has already said he’d love to see his son follow in his footsteps.
Barcelona aren’t alone in being interested in Thuram. Chelsea, PSG, Atletico, Inter and Manchester United are also said to be keen.
Meanwhile, Gladbach chief Roland Virkus has already pretty much confirmed Thuram will be off in a few months.
“We have to accept that there are even bigger clubs where Marcus might go,” he told Sport1. “The fact that players will leave us for free is not a positive situation and I am not going to sugarcoat this.”
Thuram has scored 11 goals in 21 Bundesliga appearances so far this season.
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The midfielder is hopeful he come back ahead of schedule
Barcelona midfielder Pedri is hoping to return ahead of schedule and be available to feature against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on March 12 at San Mames.
Diario AS reckon Pedri hasn’t been ruled out of the clash in a couple of weeks, although it is thought to be “very difficult, but not impossible” for the youngster to play.
Pedri has been out since injuring a hamstring in the first leg of Barcelona’s Europa League tie with Manchester United and was expected to miss a month.
It was initially thought that Pedri would return a week later against Real Madrid but there is a chance he could be back a week ahead of schedule.
The report states that Pedri’s been feeling pretty good as he hits the recovery trail which has led to optimism he’s not too far away from a return.
Barcelona certainly missed Pedri against Manchester United but will be able to welcome Gavi back at the weekend as he returns after missing out in midweek through suspension.
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Barcelona are reportedly keeping a close watch on former La Masia prospect and current Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo. The Japanese winger has performed exceptionally this season at Sociedad and it’s caught Xavi and the club’s attention.
The winger’s time at Barcelona ended in strange fashion and he ended up at Real Madrid, who still have 50% of his rights. All of which means it would be a very tricky deal to bring him to the Camp Nou and pretty unlikely truth be told.
Barcelona would somehow have to find €60 million, Kubo’s termination clause, and would then see half of that amount heading to Madrid as a result.
Los Blancos get preferential buyback preferences if they want him back, but as of now, they don’t seem interested. I’m sure if Barca do get close to wanting him back, somehow Real will make things tough on them.
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Inter Miami coach Phil Neville has confirmed the club’s interest in signing Lionel Messi and Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets this summer.
Both players are out of contract at their respective clubs, and it’s not clear yet where either will play their football next season.
If Neville and Inter Miami get their way, it will be for the MLS club.
“We want to bring the best players in the world to this football club. Messi and Busquets are the two that stand out more in recent years,” he said. “They’re great players who would still be a massive benefit to this organisation. For MLS, it would be a game-changer.
“Since I joined Miami, I think we’ve been linked with every single top player in world football. From Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves, Robert Lewandowski, Willian, Cesc Fàbregas, Luis Suárez . . . all of them you can rattle off.
“We’re always going to be linked with the best players in the world. We had Gonzalo Higuaín and Blaise Matuidi. Now we’ve got the opportunity to bring in some new designated players [who fall outside the league’s salary cap] following their retirements.”
Barcelona coach Xavi has repeatedly said he wants Busquets to stay but admits it’s up to the midfielder to make up his mind. Busquets is still yet to confirm if he’ll stay or finally call time on his Barca career.
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The forward will miss the trip to Almeria
Barcelona have ruled Ansu Fati out of action with a knee injury picked up in training on Friday.
The Catalan giants confirmed the news in an official statement. There’s no word on how long Fati will be out for, but early reports reckon the injury is not too serious and he’ll be back soon.
MEDICAL NEWS | Ansu Fati suffered a left knee contusion during this afternoon’s training session. He is out and his recovery will determine his availability. pic.twitter.com/EvGv2QyDCW
Fati will miss Sunday’s trip to Almeria in La Liga. Xavi’s side head into the match fresh from Thursday’s disappointing Champions League defeat to Manchester United.
Xavi will be without Fati, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele but otherwise has no fresh injury concerns for Sunday’s game.
Barcelona will be heavy favorites to win against the struggling La Liga side who sit just one place above the drop zone in the Spanish top flight.
However, Xavi may well have one eye on Thursday’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu when it comes to his team selection.
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Barcelona legend Gerard Pique wasn’t too keen on how his former club performed at Old Trafford yesterday. The defender was on the Kings League show on Twitch and ended up commenting on the loss amidst comments from the chat.
Pique isn’t alone in how he felt after the loss. Despite missing some key players in the tie, such as Pedri, Gavi and Ousmane Dembele, the way Barcelona performed in the second half was a literal disaster. Getting picked apart by United’s predictable adjustments.
At the end of the day, Barca are still in the driver’s seat for La Liga and could finish up with the double if they lift the Copa del Rey, and that certainly isn’t a disaster.
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Xavi’s side are out of the Europa League
European reality check for Barcelona
Barcelona suffered more misery in Europe as they were dumped out of the Europa League before the last 16 stage by Manchester United.
Xavi’s side faced a tough test up against an in-form United team but had progression in their own hands after going 1-0 up at Old Trafford thanks to a Robert Lewandowski penalty.
Yet the hosts came roaring back in the second half, inspired by Erik ten Hag’s changes, scoring twice to book their place in the draw for the last 16.
All of which means that it’s yet another poor night in Europe for Barcelona and continues their recent abysmal record on the continent.
1 - #Barcelona have just won one of their last 15 games in Europe against teams from the top 5 European leagues (D5 L9), as many defeats as in their 50 previous such games (W31 D10 L9). Fall. pic.twitter.com/6BCmCIBpYM
It’s worth pointing out that Barcelona were without some key players for the game and things may have been very different if Pedri, Gavi and Ousmane Dembele had been available.
However, the fact remains that Barcelona’s only wins in Europe this season have come against Viktoria Plzen which offers Xavi and his side a big reality check despite all the improvements this season.
Xavi outdone by Ten Hag
All eyes were on Xavi for this game to see if he could deliver Barcelona the big result in Europe that everyone at the club craved.
It was a tall order without Pedri, Gavi and Dembele and with Erik ten Hag enjoying life in his first season at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag looked to have got things all wrong in the first half with in-form striker Rashford barely involved, Wout Weghorst struggling and Barcelona taking control of the tie through Lewandowski’s penalty.
However, the Dutchman promptly changed things at half-time, swapping the ineffective Weghorst for Antony and saw his side equalise within minutes of the restart.
19 - Manchester United have had 19 goals scored by substitutes in all competitions this season, the most of any big five European league side in 2022-23. Depth. pic.twitter.com/Bc8DqEXQin
Antony went on to score the winner, while fellow sub Alejandro Garnacho also made an impact with his pace on the ball and direct running.
The changes forced Alejandro Balde, who had been superb in the first half, back and also put Bruno Fernandes back into the game after a grouchy and ineffective first half.
Xavi didn’t have too many options on his bench, due to injuries and suspensions, but had little answer to Manchester United’s second-half salvo as Ten Hag outshone his opposite number.
Raphinha goes missing
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Raphinha has improved his end-product in recent weeks but went missing against Manchester United in a really frustrating showing from the Brazilian.
Barcelona invested heavily in Raphinha in the summer and he was needed for nights like these, particularly with Dembele out injured.
Yet Raphinha had a night to forget, his shooting was wayward, he struggled to link up with Lewandowski and Sergi Roberto and the only surprising thing was that he lasted until the 75th minute.
The forward has been heavily backed by Xavi this season, and clearly needs time to adapt, but you can’t help but think that if similar offers are around in the summer then Barcelona won’t say no a second time.
What’s going on with Lewandowski?
One of Barcelona’s problems against Manchester United was that they couldn’t match the hosts’ attacking verve and intensity.
Lewandowski was on target, just about, with a penalty that takes him to 25 goals from 30 games this season. It’s a brilliant record but there’s no doubt that something isn’t quite right with Barca’s striker.
He may have scored on his first ever visit to Old Trafford, and would have had a second but for Raphael Varane, but the Poland international isn’t his usual ruthless self and isn’t clicking with the rest of the team.
12 - Robert Lewandowski has scored 25 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this season, the 12th successive campaign in which he's netted 25+ goals at club level. Marksman. pic.twitter.com/LOvGHfmbZX
Xavi said last weekend his team were the most attacking side in Europe along with Manchester City but it sure didn’t look like it. Lewandowski is lacking service from his team-mates and it showed again at Old Trafford.
The absence of Dembele seems to be being keenly felt by Lewandowski in particular. The Frenchman has established a good relationship on the pitch with the summer signing and Lewandowski hasn’t been as prolific without the winger on the pitch.
Busquets’s last European game?
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Thursday’s game may well have been Sergio Busquets’s last in Europe for Barcelona if he decides not to continue at the club past the end of the season.
The midfielder shone in the first half before fizzling out, like the rest of his team, after the break as Manchester United came back to life.
Busquets has seen it all in Europe. He’s lifted the trophy three times but also been on the pitch for Barca’s recent awful defeats against Roma, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
Thursday brought another defeat but Busquets said it’s different this time.
“They are different eliminations (this season),” he added. “In the Champions League we had no luck in the draw, then a lot of things happened in the games, it was incredible. We also have to say we were not at the level at certain moments, we have to be self critical,” he said.
“This was totally different, a two-legged legged tie, against one of the most in-form sides in Europe, doing well in the Premier League, with great players.”
Xavi has managed to turn his team into title challengers in the current campaign but clearly has work to do if Barcelona are to triumph in Europe again. The boss will try again next season but may do so with a new captain leading the charge.
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The relationship between the star and his former club could be on the mend...
FC Barcelonareportedly met with the father and agent of Lionel Messi in a secret meeting to discuss many topics. The first item on the agenda was a tribute to the Argentine star, who left in a shock move to Paris Saint-Germain after spending most of his life at the Camp Nou.
The existence of the meeting itself has been a source of controversy, with reports contradicting each other on whether club president Joan Laporta met with Jorge Messi.
But the latest rumors say that the smoke and mirrors are intentional, because the contact is supposed to be kept practically above top secret.
Of course, the biggest interest surrounding the meeting is a potential return home for the Argentine superstar, who is out of contract with PSG at the end of the season.
But the meeting was partly to soothe the relationship between the club’s top brass and the Messi tribe. It wasn’t long ago when the player’s brother, Matias, posted a video in which he claimed Laporta should be sacked and that Barcelona were a small club before the arrival of one Leo Messi.
And even if he were not to return to Barcelona next season, there is still a chance for him to attend the tribute match. Supposedly, it’s being planned for the beginning of the 2024-25 season, so in the summer of next year. That would coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary and would also be after some planned improvements to the Camp Nou have been finalized.
Whether Messi would attend as a member of FC Barcelona or not remains to be decided.
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The Catalans are OUT of Europe
Jules Kounde admits that Barcelona’s defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League is “very painful” but should act as a learning process for the players.
Barcelona were beaten 2-1 at Old Trafford in the second leg of the play-off tie, going out 4-3 on aggregate to Erik ten Hag’s side.
Kounde says the dressing room is very disappointed by the loss and apologized to supporters for the early exit from the competition.
“This elimination is very painful. We had a good first half and in the second half we conceded too quickly. We lost control after the equalizer. We are very disappointed.” he said.
“I think we also have to give credit to our rival, who put in an extra gear in the second half. It was difficult for us.
“We have struggled, it is true that there is a lot of disappointment. I am sorry for the fans that came today and for the group because the goal was to win the Europa League.”
Barcelona were without Pedri, Gavi and Ousmane Dembele for the tie, which Kounde admitted was a crucial factor, but says the team can learn from this result
“I think we’ve had a lot of casualties in the Champions League and the rivals are stronger. This should help us learn. We have to go one step further and I’m sure we’ll do it next year,” he added.
“I think this is not a failure because of how we have competed. We are playing against a very fit opponent. We are a young squad and we must continue to grow.”
Barcelona now head home to prepare for a La Liga clash away to Almeria on Sunday.
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The best and the worst from a painful night at Old Trafford
Barcelona’s unbeaten start to 2023 came to an end on Thursday as the Blaugrana bid farewell to European football this season thanks to a 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford. After dominating the first half the Blaugrana allowed the home team to come back and couldn’t create enough offense to find a late equalizer, and have been eliminated from the Europa League for the second straight season.
Here are the winners and losers from Thursday’s action.
Note:Applying the labels “winners” and “losers” is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these players. It’s just a simple way to grade their performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.
Winners
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Frenkie De Jong: United fans dreamed of watching Frenkie at Old Trafford all of last summer, and tonight they got see why Erik Ten Hag wanted the Dutchman so badly. Frenkie was sublime in the first half, solving every problem that came his way and always making quick decisions to beat the United press. He was at fault on Fred’s equalizer as he didn’t close the space on the Brazilian fast enough to affect his shot, but he responded well to that mistake and was one of the only Barça players with enough clarity to try and create a chance late in the game.
Jules Kounde: After a few shaky performances in the last couple of weeks the Frenchman rebounded well tonight, facing Marcus Rashford directly in the first 60 minutes and pretty much shutting down United’s biggest weapon. Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen offered help behind him and also deserve credit for their excellent performances on the night, but Kounde was the primary defender on the other team’s best player and more than held his own.
Franck Kessie: Another rebound performance from a player who struggled at the weekend. Kessie was arguably Barça’s best player in the first half, with incredible intensity in his high pressing, constant runs into space to offer passing options to his teammates, and great movements into the box that broke lines and created chances. He could have given up on his Barça career and returned to Italy in January, but the Ivorian kept fighting for his place and is now an important part of the team.
Losers
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Xavi Hernández: Another big European night, another huge letdown from the Barça coach. These are now routine, and extremely frustrating. He does deserve credit for the first half plan that stopped United’s best attacking players and provided a strong attacking platform with full domination of midfield and great high pressing. But everyone knew at halftime that United would amp up the intensity and probably score a goal, and everyone wanted to know if Xavi would finally rise to the occassion and push the right buttons to avoid a second half collapse.
Instead, we got more of the same. An early goal because of bad defending followed by head-scratching, desperate substitutions that don’t answer the questions being asked by the opposition, and a general fear of conceding more goals when the team is already being eliminated and has nothing to lose but isn’t given enough attacking weapons to try and create chances late.
Xavi had the perfect excuse tonight with Pedri, Gavi and Ousmane Dembélé out. All he needed to do was try his best with what was available, and make sound decisions if things went wrong in the second half. Yet he made the wrong calls again, and the obsession with Marcos Alonso in the biggest games just doesn’t make any sense. He might be great in La Liga against mostly mediocre teams, but Xavi is proving time and time again that the big leagues might be too big for him.
Marcos Alonso: It’s not Alonso’s fault. He was handpicked by Xavi Hernández, and the coach will continue to try and prove a point by using a player who has no business being on the pitch in big European games. His 10-minute substitute cameo was an absolute disaster as he was brought on seemingly for the reason he’s a better passer than Ronald Araujo and could make dangerous passes and crosses into the box, but he missed every single thing he tried and ruined a couple of promising moves. Once again, Alonso is not the one to blame. It’s about who wanted him.
Ansu Fati: I’ve always been a massive fan of the young man and thought he had a real chance of becoming a great Barcelona player who would be a foundational piece for the next decade-plus. But the two major injuries he suffered have clearly destroyed his confidence, and Ansu looks like a shell of his incredibly promising self. I’m sad to see who Fati has become, but it’s time to seriously consider a future without him.
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A painful defeat in the second leg
Barcelona have been eliminated from the 2022-23 Europa League thanks to a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday evening in the second leg of their Knockout Playoff tie. Barça played a brilliant first half and took the lead but couldn’t sustain the same level in the second half and conceded two goals, and they really missed Pedri, Gavi and Ousmane Dembélé when trying to make a late comeback.
FIRST HALF
Barça made a very shaky start to the game, losing easy balls in midfield and conceding a huge chance to Bruno Fernandes that required a world-class save from Marc-André ter Stegen. The first five minutes were very concerning for Barça fans, but the last 40 were completely different.
The Blaugrana utterly dominated the first period, with all four midfielders playing fantastic football on both ends and the back four completely shutting down United’s best attacking players.
The Catalans took the lead 18 minutes in when Fernandes was called for a penalty when he fouled Alejandro Balde inside the box, and Robert Lewandowski barely got it past David De Gea to find the back of the net and put the Catalans ahead.
Barça then nullified any threat of a United comeback by keeping the ball and moving it quickly through the lines and using the wings to great effect. They also pressed really high up the pitch and forced the Red Devils into bad mistakes at the back, and they had a couple of real opportunities to double the lead.
At halftime a fantastic performance from Barça had earned them a valuable one-goal lead, but United were certainly going to up their level and launch a blitz in the second half. Would Barça remain poised and finish the job?
SECOND HALF
United started the second half with an equalizer just 90 seconds in as Fred received a pass from Fernandes at the edge of the box and had plenty of time to take a touch and fire it past Ter Stegen to make it 1-1 and immediately change the game.
The goal brought the crowd back into the match and United totally dominated the following 10 minutes, and Barça started making some really poor mistakes in possession which increased the pressure even more.
The visitors managed to weather the storm without conceding a second, hower, and slowly got back into the game by returning to their first half plan of keeping the ball and finding spaces in behind United’s high line.
Barça created a huge chance in the 65th minute with a cross from Balde that found Jules Kounde at the far post, but De Gea made a sensational save to send the Frenchman’s header over the bar.
The Catalans finally started to look settled and back to their rhythm, which made it even more painful when they conceded a second: after Andreas Christensen and Frenkie De Jong made two big blocks inside the box, the ball fell to Antony on the right wing and the Brazilian found the bottom corner to give United the lead.
Barça had 15 minutes to find a goal and send the tie to extra-time, and both Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati came on as Xavi Hernández looked for his two attacking substitutes to make a decisive impact.
Ferran nearly came up with some late magic with a beautiful pass to Lewandowski, who managed to beat De Gea before Raphaël Varane made a brilliant goalline clearance. That was Barça’s best chance in the dying moments, and the final whistle came to end their European journey this season.
This one is extra painful because Barça played really well at Old Trafford without their three most creative players, but they were sorely missed at the end when the team needed a late goal. But Barça fans should be proud of this team. They definitely weren’t embarrassed in Europe and held their own against arguably the best team in the world right now on both legs.
Now they can concentrate fully on La Liga, and learn the lessons from this painful night to continue evolving and try again in Europe next season.
AC Milan are said to be interested in signing FIFA World Cup Winner Samuel Umtiti from FC Barcelona. The French international was considered one of the best defenders in the world at his peak, but his career took a turn following a major injury.
He opted not to get surgery during a pivotal summer, which allowed him to play for France in the 2018 World Cup, but sadly, affected his career in the long run. Barcelona were desperate to get rid of him, and his relatively big salary, over the past few transfer windows.
They eventually found a willing partner in Lecce, who took him on loan. Barcelona still paid the majority of his salary, but at the very least it gave him a chance to regain his form, leading to a potential sale down the line.
And now it seems that plan could be coming to fruition. While he’s not performed like his prime, Umtiti has shown a better level than he has before. And crucially he’s been able to keep it up longer than he has in the past few years.
The player is said to be focused solely on finishing the season well for Lecce, but come the summer he may have a decision to make. Barcelona are willing to let him go to any club he wants on a free transfer, as his contract does not run out until 2026. That’s where Milan could enter the picture.
There are also said to be Ligue 1 clubs monitoring his situation.
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Join us for a gigantic Barcelona European adventure!
WELCOME TO OLD TRAFFORD!!! One of the most legendary stadiums in the world is the site of a gigantic match between Manchester United and Barcelona who meet in the second leg of their Europa League Playoff tie. These two played a fantastic match last week and left it all to be decided tonight after a 2-2 draw, and even more fun is expected as they fight for a place in the Round of 16. But it won’t be easy for Barça who are missing three crucial players against a United side that’s been nearly unbeatable at home. This should be all kinds of fun, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos!
(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: 2022-23 UEFA Europa League, Playoff Knockouts, Second Leg
Date/Time: Thursday, February 23, 2023, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Friday)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA)
VAR: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)
HOW TO WATCH
On TV: TUDN (USA), Not Available (Canada), BT Sport 2 (UK), SONY TEN 2 (India), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others
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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