Why success for Barca stars at the Copa America might be bad for business

Yet another busy summer...

When the major international tournaments come around, it’s only right that the best players for each country are given the opportunity to extend their legend.

With a team like Barcelona, however, that can often be to the detriment of the club.

Unable to stop their employees from taking part in friendlies, qualifiers and then the summer showpieces, injuries and fatigue have become part and parcel.

Now that there’s more pressure than ever on the players at the club being able to deliver a longed-for Champions League, there’s a need for them to be at their sharpest for the entirety of a league campaign.

Messi again very quiet tonight , hasn’t performed well at all during this Copa America. Looks very tired from the season just past. Needs a break good to see others around him take responsibility and step up #ARGVEN

— Josh Bunting (@Buntingfootball) June 28, 2019

However, we’ve seen on more than one occasion in the recent past that this hasn’t been the case and that’s unforgivable.

Even if you take into account that the player is somewhat stuck in the middle of the club and country fight, surely his loyalties lie with the people who pay his weekly wage?

The Copa America semi-finals are on the horizon, and all of Messrs. Coutinho, Messi, Arthur and Vidal will be playing a part.

Win or lose, that means they’ll also either be in the third/fourth place play off or the final, the latter of which is just one week before Barcelona’s 2019/20 pre-season officially begins.

Of course they’ll get extra time off, but the tour of Japan follows just a fortnight after that, and all of the big names will be expected to play.

.@FCBarcelona & @ChelseaFC to face off in historic match next month in Japan. #RakutenCup https://t.co/HRZNRJgN2o

— Rakuten Today (@RakutenToday) June 28, 2019

Arthur has been struggling to play a complete match throughout his debut season at the Camp Nou, and probably needed a rest, Coutinho, perhaps needed the games to get his confidence back.

Arturo Vidal is getting no younger, and Messi hasn’t really stopped playing over the last few years. Ditto Luis Suarez (although he now has a week longer to recover).

The Copas in 2015 and 2016 came after the 2014 World Cup, meaning the only summer respite Barca’s two most senior players have had came during the 2017 summer break.

Messi himself has admitted that he hasn’t had the best tournament in 2019, and that could be put down to tiredness as much as anything else.

Lionel Messi’s confession: This has not been my best Copa America https://t.co/9JCfNbXmcm pic.twitter.com/TWx9kIbNBf

— Gidipoint.com (@officialgidip) June 29, 2019

Suarez has done better than his club colleague, but he had a pretty poor end to his league campaign.

Maybe the notion of signing both Neymar and Antoine Griezmann isn’t that fanciful after all, and there’s a more practical element to their arrivals.

We’re constantly told that a decent amount of rest is as important as exercise, and yet that’s the one thing that’s always on the back burner when we hit summer time.

If Ernesto Valverde doesn’t manage his rotation correctly again, might this come back to haunt us once more at the end of the upcoming season?

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Pep talks about what Barcelona must learn about the UCL

The club’s former coach has offered his view

Pep Guardiola has been talking about Barcelona and the Champions League and has told his former club they do not have to win the European Cup.

Barcelona have not won the Champions League since 2015, and their recent exits from the tournament have overshadowed their domestic successes.

Ernesto Valverde’s side suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Liverpool last season, and Guardiola has offered his thoughts on their European ambitions.

“I think there’s one area where Barça must learn and I say this with the greatest respect, not just because I’m a Barça fan: just because you’re Barça doesn’t mean you have to win the Champions League.

“It’s like Argentina and those who say they must win the World Cup. I know they’re very good but are others and they want to win the Champions League too.”

Source | Ara

Guardiola also went on to say that he did not want his Manchester City team to face Barcelona in the competition last season and thought if Barca had made it to the final they would have won the treble.

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Barcelona agree Denis Suarez deal with Celta Vigo

The midfielder becomes the latest player to leave the Camp Nou

Barcelona confirmed on Sunday that they have agreed a deal with Celta Vigo for midfielder Denis Suarez.

Celta will pay €12.9 million plus €3.1m in add-ons for the 25-year-old.

Agreement with @RCCelta for the transfer of @DenisSuarez6
More info: https://t.co/pxqpnXZafv pic.twitter.com/pAR7S4mRPB

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 30, 2019

Denis struggled for minutes last season and joined Arsenal on loan in January but had a pretty tough time with the Gunners.

He will now be hoping he can enjoy some regular football at Balaidos to get his career back on track.

Denis joins Marc Cucurella, Marc Cardona, Andre Gomes and Jasper Cillessen in departing the Camp Nou this summer.

Good luck at Celta Denis Suarez!

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Vidal, Arthur or Malcom must go if Neymar arrives - report

A non-EU spot will have to be freed up

Neymar and Barcelona continue to make headlines in the summer transfer window, and the latest report has focused on how departures may be needed if the Brazilian arrives.

According to AS, Neymar would become the club’s fourth non-EU player if he signs for the club this summer which is bad news for Arturo Vidal, Malcom and Arthur.

The trio are also non-EU players at the club, and La Liga rules state that three is the maximum, meaning one will have to go.

The least likely option would be Arthur, who only arrived at the club last summer but enjoyed a strong first season and looks to have a big future ahead of him.

Malcom has only been at the club for one season too, but he has struggled for game time and has been regularly linked with a move away.

And then there’s 32-year-old Vidal. He endured a slow start to his Barcelona career after joining from Bayern Munich but had become a key part of the squad by the end of the campaign.

The Chilean has been linked with a move to Inter Milan this summer already, and an unnamed Chinese club is also rumored to have made a big offer for the midfielder.

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FC Barcelona News: 30 June 2019

Neymar is edging closer to the exit door at PSG and a Barça return | Sport

Neymar’s move to Barcelona is moving even closer and the two intermediaries working on the deal, Pini Zahavi and Kia Joorbachian, have agreed a fee. Barcelona now need to organise how to structure the payments to PSG and to decide whether or not to include a player in the deal.

PSG not prepared to let Neymar go | Telefoot

However, reports in France reckon that PSG will not let Neymar go this summer despite all the speculation over his future. The player wants to quit the Ligue 1 champions, but the club’s Qatari owners want him to stay.

Liverpool ‘open door’ to Coutinho return after he makes Man Utd transfer claim | Mirror

Liverpool have opened the door to an Anfield return for Philippe Coutinho. The Reds are prepared to give the Brazilian a second chance after he made it clear he would not join the club’s bitter rivals Manchester United because of his feelings for the Merseysiders.

Guardiola rules out Barça return, reaffirms Man City commitment | AS

Pep Guardiola has ruled out a return to Barcelona and has talked about how happy he is at Premier League champions Manchester City. He said: “I extended my contract because we have a young team, I have everything I desire to do my job. I won’t go back here [to Barcelona] or Germany. Where can I find facilities so good and in such a beautiful league as the Premier League?”

Pep: “We had a lot of stars but without Messi we wouldn’t have won as much” | Sport

Pep Guardiola has also been talking about his time at Barcelona and how he would not have won as many trophies without Lionel Messi. He said: “There were a lot of generational stars in that team but without him, we wouldn’t have achieved as much. He was much more than the cherry on the top of the cake.”

Neymar could be a strategic signing for Barcelona | Marca

Barcelona could be set to bring Neymar back to the club for his influence on and off the pitch. The Brazilian has a big social media following, plenty of sponsorship deals and will bring in increased profit from shirt sales, match tickets and TV rights.

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Pep not sure if Neymar ‘would be the same’ back at Barca

The club’s former boss has offered his thoughts on the Brazilian

Pep Guardiola has been asked about a possible Barcelona move for Neymar and says he is not sure the Brazilian would be the same player he used to be back at the Camp Nou.

Rumors continue to circulate that Neymar will leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window and head back to Barcelona in a huge deal.

Guardiola has no doubts about Neymar’s quality but does not seem convinced a return to the Spanish giants is the best idea.

“Neymar is an extraordinary player,” he said.

“But I don’t know. It’s like if I go back to Barcelona, I am not the same person, and I don’t know if Neymar would be the same. Well, he is great, nobody doubts it.”

Source | Ara

Sport reported on Sunday that a possible move for Neymar is “advancing much faster than anyone had expected” and a fee has already been agreed.

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Thiago Silva says ‘you’ll never understand’ Messi’s quality

The Brazilian has been talking about the GOAT

Brazil defender Thiago Silva has been talking about his team’s forthcoming Copa America semi-final against Argentina and the threat Lionel Messi possesses.

The Barcelona captain has admitted he’s not having his best tournament, but Silva says there is no doubt he could still be the match-winner when the two teams clash.

“For me, Messi is the greatest player in history, the greatest player I’ve ever seen,” he said.

”Every time we face each other, whether in the national team or in the Champions League, it’s very difficult to face him,” he said.

”No matter how much you study, you will never understand the quality he has and the difference he can make.

”At certain times, he pulls something else out of the hat that you cannot imagine. That’s his difference.

”As a centre-back you have to study all the possibilities. We know he always pulls left, but many times he pulls right.”

Source | Goal

Argentina and Brazil face each other on Tuesday with the winner set to play either Chile or Peru in Sunday’s final at the Maracana.

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Rumors: Lautaro Martinez, Ricardo Rodríguez and Denis Suarez latest

Another round of tasty gossip

Barcelona to splash out €112m on Lautaro Martinez

Today’s rumors start with interesting news that Barcelona are willing to splash out a whopping €112m on Inter striker Lautaro Martinez.

According to Radio La Red in Argentina, Barcelona have been impressed with his performances at the Copa America and have decided he’s worth bringing to the Camp Nou.

It seems as though Martinez is an option if Antoine Griezmann and Neymar do not arrive, and his sale would allow Inter to reinvest in their squad.

Barca keeping tabs on Ricardo Rodriguez

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s search for a back-up left-back for Jordi Alba has reportedly taken them all the way to Italy and AC Milan’s Ricardo Rodriguez.

The Rossoneri would be willing to allow Rodriguez to leave as they have already agreed a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Theo Hernandez, according to Sport.

Rodriguez is seen as being a good option for Barcelona as he is not too expensive or too old, and they expect to make a decision on the left-back slot this week.

Denis Suarez on brink of Celta Vigo switch

Over at Marca there is news that Denis Suarez is closing in on a move to Celta Vigo.

Barcelona want the deal done before the start of July for accounting reasons, and the transfer could therefore go through on Sunday.

Denis is expected to sign a five-year contract with Celta and will cost somewhere in the region of €10 million plus add-ons.

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Neymar offers support to Suarez after penalty miss

Uruguay went out to Peru in the quarter-finals

Neymar sent a message of support to Luis Suarez after he missed a penalty in Uruguay’s shootout defeat to Peru at the Copa America on Saturday.

After a goalless draw La Celeste were knocked out 5-4 on penalties, and it is Peru who go on to play Chile for a place in the final.

Suarez started off the shootout but produced a pretty poor kick that was saved by goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, and he then left the pitch in tears after the defeat.

Neymar took to social media to send a message to his former team-mate, writing the following next to a video of Suarez in tears.

“Get your chin up,” he wrote. ”You are very great, brother. I love you friend.”

Uruguay’s exit means that Suarez’s international commitments are over and he can get some rest ahead of the start of the new season.

Meanwhile, Neymar continues to be linked with a move back to the Camp Nou which would see him reunited with former strike partners Suarez and Lionel Messi.

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How Frenkie de Jong will fit in at Barcelona

The midfielder will freshen up the club’s midfield

Frenkie de Jong has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest talents and it is no wonder that Barcelona acted quickly to snap him up and bring him to the Camp Nou. His intelligence on and off the ball, composure and calm presence has sent shockwaves around the footballing world, and the 22-year-old has already cemented his place in the Netherlands starting XI.

Barcelona have bought a real gem of a midfielder but integrating him into the starting eleven will be an interesting challenge for Ernesto Valverde. Here are the possible ways Barca might line up with Frenkie in the ranks:

1. Arthur-Busquets-Frenkie

If successful, this selection is guaranteed to be employed on a regular basis. This combination of Arthur with his ball distribution and retention, Sergio Busquets being the pivot and Frenkie linking up with the number 10 right ahead of him would prove to be a nightmare for the opposition. It might also correct vulnerabilities while counter-attacking, as when Busquets drops back, Frenkie will stay ahead. For a midfielder who is more of a deep-lying playmaker, all De Jong needs is a pass from the defence to get his team going. The formation will also ensure that Barcelona make the most of their possession.

2. Arthur-Frenkie-Rakitic

This combination will see Arthur and Ivan Rakitic bring their usual elan and Frenkie taking the role of Barcelona’s number five, ensuring Busquets gets enough rest and stays fit for the entirety of the season. He has all the qualities to be a top-class defensive midfielder, and one of the main reasons why Barcelona bought him in the first place is to slowly start preparing for life without the Spanish maestro.

3. Coutinho-Arthur-Frenkie

With Philippe Coutinho shining for Brazil at the Copa America, it’s evident he likes to play in an advanced midfield role just behind the main attacker. While he will be driving the ball ahead, Frenkie will be assigned the task of ball distribution, creating spaces and will work with Arthur in retaining possession. But the focal point of this arrangement will be Arthur; with his immaculate passing he can play as a regista in a combination that will evoke memories of 2009. It’s almost impossible to be Xavi, but there’s no harm in trying.

4. Coutinho-Frenkie-Vidal

This set-up would be great for matches where Valverde decides he needs to rotate. In Arturo Vidal, we have a midfield enforcer who will ensure we get hold of stray passes and if none, press the opponent hard to steal the ball. Coutinho and Frenkie will work in tandem to get the ball in the opposition half and create chances, with Frenkie often staying behind and Vidal storming ahead.

5. Coutinho-Busquets-Frenkie-Malcom (4-4-2)

A season without a 4-4-2 formation is an incomplete season, as Valverde has shown no intention of permanently giving up on this formation. With the traditional formation expected to pop up at least once, Barcelona can enter the pitch with four in midfield. Two holding midfielders at the back and two runners from the sides will ensure Valverde gets his wish. The Barcelona boss can experiment by swapping Malcom for Moussa Wague - the promising young right-back who loves to get forward.

How would you like to see Frenke de Jong fit in at Barcelona? Let us know your thoughts, formations and suggestions in the comments below!

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Uruguay 0-0 Peru (4-5 pen): Stunner

WOW!

The road to the 2019 Copa America title stops at the quarterfinals for Uruguay and Barcelona’s Luis Suárez thanks to a historic win by Peru on penalties after a 0-0 draw in normal time. La Celeste had three goals disallowed and created a whole lot of chances to win, but could not find the back of the net. Luis Suárez then missed a key penalty, and the Peruvians are through to the semifinals to face Arturo Vidal and Chile.

Wow. Just wow.

FIRST HALF

Unlike their game against Brazil at the end of the group stage, Peru looked much more solid in the first half, keeping the ball well and not making any bad mistakes at the back, and thanks to a Uruguay team that once again had problems with midfield creation they avoided going down early and always looked a threat when Cueva and Guerrero got on the ball.

Despite Peru’s possession and solid all-around play it was Uruguay who had all the best chances, with Cavani missing two of them in front of the keeper and De Arrascaeta having a goal disallowed for offside. The Celeste was dangerous as usual on set pieces, but neither Godín nor Giménez could find the back of the net.

At halftime, a well-organized Peru were giving Uruguay trouble, but the Celeste still looked more likely to score heading into the second half.

SECOND HALF

The second half was dominated by Uruguay as Peru sensed they had a real shot at penalties and decided to sit deep and survive. The Celeste found a lot of bodies in front of the box and struggled to find their strikers, but they still scored anyway: Cavani with a beautiful chip over the keeper, and Suárez with a poacher’s finish inside the six-yard box.

The bad news for Uruguay is that both players were offside on the goals, and they were correctly disallowed by the assistant and confirmed by VAR. Uruguay still tried to find a winner with set pieces and long throws, but had no success and we had a third quarterfinal to be decided on penalty kicks.

PENALTIES

Luis Suárez started things off with a terrible kick that was saved by Gallese, and despite the rest of his teammates making all of their penalties, the five Peruvian players took fantastic spot kicks and pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament.

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Uruguay: Muslera; González, Giménez, Godín, Cáceres; Nández (Torreira), Bentancur, Valverde (Stuani), Arrascaeta; Cavani, Suárez

Goals: None

Peru: Gallese; Advíncula, Zambrano, Abram, Trauco; Tapia, Yotún; Carillo (González), Cueva (Ruidíaz), Flores; Guerrero

Goals: None

Penalties: Uruguay 4 (Cavani, Stuani, Bentancur, Torreira), Peru 5 (Guerrero, Ruidíaz, Yotún, Advíncula, Flores)

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PSG prepared to drop Neymar price - report

The club have reportedly set their sights a little lower

Neymar’s possible departure from Paris Saint-Germain continues to make headlines, and the latest report from France reckons the Ligue 1 champions are ready to drop their price.

Le Parisien reports that PSG initially wanted a whopping €300m for the Brazilian but are now willing to accept €130-€150m plus a player.

Their preferred choice is Ousmane Dembele but they accept that is unlikely and Philippe Coutinho is mentioned as a more realistic target.

Certainly a summer departure for Coutinho would not be a surprise. He had a tough season last time out and has said recently he does not know if he will stay at Barcelona.

Barcelona will also need to raise some funds if they are to land Neymar and Antoine Griezmann in this transfer window, while the wage bill could seriously do with a trim.

Coutinho is one of three players who are regularly linked with an exit. Ivan Rakitic and Samuel Umtiti are the other two, although both have repeatedly insisted they are happy at the Camp Nou.

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Barca turn down Celta approach for Todibo - report

The club want the defender to stay

Barcelona have reportedly turned down an approach from Celta Vigo for 19-year-old defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Galicians had been discussing a move with Barcelona for midfielder Denis Suarez when they also dropped in the name of Todibo.

However, Celta were quickly given a resounding no from Barcelona who are keen to keep hold of the youngster.

Todibo arrived at the Camp Nou in January after a move from Toulouse was brought forward and managed two La Liga appearances for the club against Huesca and Celta.

There had been rumors Todibo could leave in the summer transfer window if Matthijs de Ligt arrived from Ajax. However, the Dutchman looks set for Juventus, meaning Todibo could get a chance to impress next season.

There are high expectations that the teenager can go on and flourish at Barcelona, and he will hopefully get more first-team opportunities next season.

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Uruguay vs Peru: How to Watch

Luis Suárez and La Celeste look to book a place in the semifinal

The fourth and last quarterfinal in the 2019 Copa America will hope to live up to an awesome Last Eight round so far, with 2011 winners Uruguay hoping to continue their march to the Final behind a great tournament so far by the attacking duo of Barcelona’s Luis Suárez and PSG’s Edinson Cavani.

Suárez-Cavani has always been Uruguay’s hopes of winning over the last decade, especially since Diego Forlán retired, but this specific Copa América has been a clear example: during a tournament where the rest of the team, especially the midfield, has struggled to live up to its reputation and the strike partners have pretty much been the reason for every good thing Uruguay has done so far.

Against a Peru team that was destroyed by Brazil in the last group stage game but still has enough talent to cause anyone problems, Suárez and Cavani once again need to be at their best to lead La Celeste and carry them to the semifinal for a rematch with Chile and Arturo Vidal.

This is going to be good.

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MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2019 Copa América, Quarterfinal 4

Date/Time: Saturday, June 29, 2019, 4pm local time, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Sunday)

Venue: Fonte Nova, Salvador

Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM COPA AMÉRICA 2019

How to watch on TV: Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports 1 (UK), Startimes World Football (Nigeria), others

How to stream: ESPN+, fuboTV (USA, affiliate links), TSN GO (Canada), Premier Player (UK), others

*Barca Blaugranes has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Barca Blaugranes may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 June 2019

Argentina and Brazil to meet in the semis | FC Barcelona
Argentina have beaten Venezuela 2-0 at the Maracaná to progress to the semi-finals of the Copa América thanks to goals from Lautaro Martínez and Lo Celso. Barça’s Leo Messi played the full ninety minutes and the reward is an enticing semi-final against Brazil, featuring Philippe Coutinho and Arthur, to be played in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday at 9.30pm local time, 2.30am Wednesday morning CEST.

Federer: What I love most about Messi is that he always has three options | Marca
Lionel Messi has won many admirers across the world and one of those is the tennis player Roger Federer. The Swiss has expressed his admiration for the Barcelona captain’s skills and vision on the pitch.

Antoine Griezmann agrees five-year Barcelona deal | Football Espana
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann will sign a five-year contract at Barcelona worth €17m per year, according to reports. It is claimed by L’Equipe - as cited by Marca - that the player will join the Blaugrana at the start of July when his release clause drops from €200m to €120m.

Manchester United return for Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic | Football Espana
Manchester United have made fresh contact with Barcelona for the transfer of midfielder Ivan Rakitic, report Diario Sport. The report claims that United are searching for midfield reinforcements with the anticipated departure of Paul Pogba, and the Croatian could be sold by the Blaugrana for €50m after knocking back an earlier €35m approach from United.

Second judge will look into Neymar’s 2013 move to Barcelona | Marca
A second judge is being sent to look into Neymar’s 2013 move from Santos to Barcelona. Spain’s National Audience have asked the case to be looked into for a second time, with concerns over whether Barcelona committed any financial crimes.

Le Parisien: PSG keep lowering the price for Neymar | Sport
PSG want to sell Neymar. The French club believe the relationship with him is broken. And even though they started off demanding 300 million euros it seems they are rapidly lowering that price. On Friday Le Parisien say PSG lowered their demands to the 222m euros they paid Barca for him in the first place.

‘Of course Neymar can return to Barcelona’ – Second spell at Camp Nou has Pedro’s support | Goal
Neymar would be welcome back at Barcelona, claims former Camp Nou team-mate Pedro, with the Brazilian having cemented a standing as “one of the best in the world”. A return to Catalunya for the Brazil international has been mooted during the summer transfer window amid reports the 27-year-old is said to be looking for a way out of Paris Saint-Germain after two years in France.

Ter Stegen and Alexia Putellas win Barça fair play award | FC Barcelona
Marc André TerStegen and Alexia Putellas have won the Premio Barça Jugadores award presented each year by the Barça Players Group in recognition of fair play demonstrated by male and females FC Barcelona stars over the course of the season. The jury met on Thursday at the Camp Nou to make their decision.

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Essential Messi is still ‘above everyone else,’ says Scaloni

The GOAT has had a quiet Copa America so far

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has been talking about how essential Lionel Messi remains to his team following the Albiceleste’s Copa America quarter-final win over Venezuela.

The Barcelona captain has managed just one goal at the tournament so far and has admitted he’s not having his best Copa America.

However, Scaloni says Messi remains the best player in the world and offers plenty both on and off the pitch.

“I think, along with many other people, that he [Messi] is an essential addition on the pitch,” he said.

”If you were here to see how much he contributes in the dressing room, how much he contributes on the pitch for his team-mates, maybe you would think differently.

”I can assure you he is a big part of the team, we have no doubts about that. Messi is Messi. He’s the best, above everyone else.”

Source | Goal

Goals from Lautaro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso gave Argentina their victory on Friday and helped set up a massive semi-final against hosts Brazil.

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Messi says ‘it’s not my best’ Copa America

The GOAT has found it tough going in Brazil

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has admitted he’s not having the best of times at the Copa America after helping his side into the semi-finals of the tournament.

Lionel Scaloni’s side beat Venezuela 2-0 to set up a last-four clash against Brazil on Friday, and Messi spoke about the tournament after the match.

“It is not my best Copa America, I am not having the one I had hoped,” he said.

“The important thing is that we won.

“It doesn’t help to play the ball fast and you always need some time because it doesn’t roll well.

“In all the pitches, the ball appears to be like a rabbit, it bounces all over the place. It is how it is and we have to adapt.”

Source | ESPN

Argentina and Messi will now take on hosts Brazil for a place in the final. The other semi will be between holders Chile and the winner of Saturday’s clash between Uruguay and Peru.

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Colombia 0-0 Chile (4-5 pen): Upset

The first upset of the knockouts belongs to the defending champs

The favorites are out. Colombia have been knocked out of the 2019 Copa America after a loss on penalty kicks to Chile in the third quarterfinal at the Arena Corinthians. The Chileans played a great match, and despite having two goals disallowed by VAR, one of them by Barcelona’s Arturo Vidal, La Roja never lost their composure and buried all five of their penalties to pull off the upset and move on to the Last Four.

FIRST HALF

The best word to describe the first 45 minutes is intensity. Both teams fought hard all half for possession and every inch of turf, and they didn’t pull any punches in trying to stop each other. Colombia were organized and absorbed more pressure, but always looked dangerous whenever James Rodríguez got on the ball. They didn’t create any real chances, but the Chile defense was never comfortable.

La Roja had the most intent and created some really good chances, and they would have gotten an early goal from Aránguiz if Alexis Sánchez wasn’t offside in the buildup, which was caught by VAR and ruled out the opening goal of the match.

At halftime, a very entertaining and intense first half had no goals but good football, and the promise of more excitement in the final period.

SECOND HALF

Colombia came out strong in the second half and took control of the game with high pressing and more bodies going forward, which made things tough for Chile who found it harder and harder to get out of their own half as time went on.

Just as Chile looked on the ropes they got a goal thanks to a brilliant finish inside the box by Arturo Vidal after a set piece, but VAR was involved once again and spotted a handball in the box by a Chilean player right before Vidal’s attempt and La Roja had a second goal disallowed by video review.

As we approached the end it was clear that we were going to penalty kicks, so both teams were concerned with not conceding instead of scoring and the final whistle came to end regulation.

PENALTIES

The first eight players scored with ease, with the Chile players especially sending rockets into the top corner, then Tesillo missed Colombia’s final spot kick and gave Alexis the chance to win it. He did with all the calm in the world, and Chile are going to the semifinal.

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Colombia: Ospina; Medina, Mina, Sánchez, Tesillo; Cuadrado, Barrios, Uribe (Cardona); James, Falcao (Zapata), Martínez (Díaz)

Goals: None

Chile: Arias; Isla, Medel, Maripán, Beausejour; Aránguiz, Pulgar, Vidal; Fuenzalida (Pavez), Vargas, Alexis

Goals: None

Penalties: Colombia 4 (James, Cardona, Cuadrado, Mina), Chile 5 (Vidal, Vargas, Pulgar, Aránguiz, Alexis)

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Barcelona linked with move for Gheorghe Hagi’s son

The youngster starred at the Under-21 Euros

Barcelona are reportedly close to signing Romania starlet Ianis Hagi, son of Gheorghe Hagi, from Viitorul Constanța.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is reportedly set to sign from Viitorul Constanța in a deal worth €7-8 million, according to Gazeta Sporturilor.

Hagi has recently been with the Romania Under-21 side at the European Championship in Italy and helped the team reach the semi-finals.

The youngster was one of the team’s most impressive players, along with George Puscas, and scored in the wins over Croatia and England.

This pass by Ianis Hagi #U21EURO | @hai_romania

— UEFA U21 EURO (@UEFAUnder21) June 25, 2019

Romania and Hagi played some great stuff at the tournament in Italy but saw their hopes ended in a 4-2 thriller against Germany in the last four.

Hagi certainly looks a real talent and a fee of €7-8m means Barcelona may be thinking he’s a gamble worth taking.

The report reckons that Barcelona could sign the youngster and then loan him initially to gain first-team football elsewhere.

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Venezuela 0-2 Argentina: Moving on

A much more comfortable win than expected, and a monster semifinal up next

Argentina are safely through to the 2019 Copa America semifinals thanks to a 2-0 win over Venezuela at the Maracanã in the tournament’s second quarterfinal. The Albiceleste followed the formula from their last game against Qatar with an early goal followed by a solid defensive performance and a late clincher to get the victory without any real trouble. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi played all 90 minutes but was extremely quiet, and once again he got some serious help from the team.

Up next it’s a blockbuster semifinal against Brazil, and Messi cannot be quiet in that one.

FIRST HALF

Argentina made a good start to the game, with Messi playing closer to the midfield than he did against Qatar and helping Paredes with possession while De Paul and Acuña provided the width. The plan worked early as Venezuela were forced to defend deep with numbers, and they were never a threat going forward.

An early goal always helps any team, and Argentina got one just 10 minutes into the game on a corner from Messi and shot by Agüero that was brilliantly redirected into the back of the net by Lautaro Martínez. For the rest of the half the Albiceleste tried to control the game with or without possession, looking to stop the Venezuela midfield before the ball got to Rondón and look to score on the counter.

For the last 15 minutes the match was very physical with a few hard challenges, but the referee did a good job not allowing things to get out of hand. There wasn’t a huge chance for either side later on, but Argentina was the closest to create real danger.

At halftime Argentina were just 45 minutes away from the semifinal thanks to a solid team performance.

SECOND HALF

With a one-goal lead and not a lot of trouble in the first half, Argentina made an interesting call at halftime: give Venezuela all the possession, sit deep and force them to create chances while trying to kill the game on the counter.

The Vinotinto isn’t full of creative players and trouble with the ball, although they did have one giant opportunity through Hernández that was brilliantly stopped by Armani.

As we reached the final 20 minutes Argentina were still comfortable and just waiting for that one chance to finish the quarterfinal, and they got it when De Paul recovered a ball high up the pitch and found Agüero, who tried a shot from outside the box that was not saved properly by Fariñez and was poked home by Lo Celso.

The second goal was a giant blow to Venezuela, who desperately went forward trying to stay alive with a quick response. They could not get anywhere near a real chance and Argentina simply waited for the final whistle and clinched a place in the semis.

So it’s now official: Brazil vs Argentina, Tuesday night in Belo Horizonte, for a place in the Copa América Final. Get ready.

---

Venezuela: Fariñez; Hernández, Chancellor, Del Pino (Soteldo), Rosales (Seijas); Moreno; Murillo, Herrera, Rincón, Machís (Martínez); Rondón

Goals: None

Argentina: Armani; Foyth, Pezzella, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Acuña (Lo Celso); Messi; Lautaro (Di María), Agüero (Dybala)

Goals: Lautaro (10’), Lo Celso (74’)

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Rumors: Griezmann, Neymar, Dembele and Semedo latest

A fresh batch of hot gossip

Barcelona negotiating Griezmann deal

Today’s rumors start with news that Barcelona have finally got around to negotiating a deal for Antoine Griezmann.

According to L’Equipe, the two sides met last week and Barcelona are hoping to sign the Frenchman for just less than his €120 million release clause.

The Spanish champions would also quite like to lower the fee by including a player, but the thing is Atletico want Nelson Semedo and Barca don’t want to let him go.

But Atletico really want Semedo...

Yet that is not putting off Atletico, according to Sport, who report that Diego Simeone’s side are pushing hard to land Semedo. They report Barca won’t include him in a deal for Griezmann but could consider selling him in a separate transfer.

The full-back wants to leave to play regularly and be first choice, and while Barca don’t really want to sell they do need to let some players go to raise funds.

Semedo’s release clause is set at €100m and Barcelona want at least €50m. However, Atletico are said to be thinking more along the lines of €30m.

Neymar already house hunting in Barcelona

Moving swiftly on to Neymar and Sport reckon that the Brazilian’s family are already house-hunting in Barcelona.

The Brazilian’s mother and sister have been put in charge of logistics regarding his return to Barcelona and have headed to the city to try and find somewhere to live

Neymar would ideally like to live in the same place that he did during his first stint with the club.

Neymar: PSG ready to accept money-back Barcelona deal

Talking of Neymar and PSG are reportedly willing to sell the Brazilian as long as they get back the €222m they paid for him in 2017.

Le Parisien report the Ligue 1 champions would be happy to offload the Brazilian this summer, but they want their money back.

Barcelona have a word with Dembele’s agent

Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo are running with news that Barcelona have had a little word with Ousmane Dembele’s agent about his future at the club.

The club do not want to lose the young Frenchman and have told his agent that if does depart the Camp Nou it will only be for his €400 million release clause.

Take Kubo chose Real Madrid because of the money on offer

Barcelona saw former La Masia starlet Take Kubo opt to sign for Real Madrid in the summer transfer window after the club reportedly made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

According to Sport, Barca offered €250,000 a season and an initial campaign with Barcelona B, while Real Madrid went for €2 million a season and a place in the first team in 2020.

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Colombia vs Chile: How to Watch

The best matchup in the quarterfinals gives Arturo Vidal and La Roja a chance to win as underdogs

The 2019 Copa America quarterfinals has one truly special matchup, and it takes place at the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo when Colombia meet Chile for a place in the semifinals on Wednesday.

After the group stage it’s safe to say these are the best two teams in the tournament so far, and it’s somewhat sad they’ll face each other so soon in the knockout rounds. They’ve both used different players and formations and looked really good so far, and Colombia have been especially impressive and James Rodríguez is having another great tournament for his national team.

Chile weren’t among the favorites but showed strength in the group stage, and they come into this match as underdogs who can easily pull off the upset thanks to the talent up front and their solid defense. Arturo Vidal will be back from injury and is ready to show all of his intensity that Barcelona fans love, and he’s also tasked with providing the service for Alexis Sánchez and Eduardo Vargas, who turn into scoring machines with La Roja and will hope to do it again on a big Copa América night.

There’s no way this is going to be boring. Watch it. It’s guaranteed fun.

---

MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2019 Copa América, Quarterfinal 3

Date/Time: Friday, June 28, 2019, 8pm local time, 1am CET (Barcelona, Saturday), 12am BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria, Saturday), 7pm ET, 4pm PT (USA), 4.30am IST (India, Saturday)

Venue: Arena Corinthians, São Paulo

Referee: Néstor Pitana (ARG)

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM COPA AMÉRICA 2019

How to watch on TV: Telemundo (USA), TSN2 (Canada), Premier Sports 1 (UK), Startimes World Football (Nigeria), others

How to stream: ESPN+, fuboTV (USA, affiliate links), TSN GO (Canada), Premier Player (UK), others

*Barca Blaugranes has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Barca Blaugranes may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

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Cillessen thanks Barcelona for ‘three amazing years’

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Venezuela vs Argentina: How to Watch

Lionel Messi and the Albiceleste look for a place in the semifinal

The 2019 Copa America quarterfinals are underway and the second matchup in the Last Eight will decide who faces Brazil in next Tuesday’s semifinal as Venezuela and Argentina face off at the Maracanã.

15 years ago this wouldn’t even be a contest. Argentina have always been light years ahead of the Vinotinto, but with Venezuela’s quiet but impressive rise and Argentina’s instituional collapse this is a much closer contest than we ever thought it could be.

Friday’s is an impossible match to predict. Venezuela haven’t lost to Argentina in four years and dominated them in a friendly back in March when both sides were at full strength. But the Albiceleste have Lionel Messi and showed small signs of improvement in their final group stage match, so they come into this one with a more settled team and a little bit of confidence.

Venzuela have better, more stable coaching but Argentina have the talent, and that’s why we have no idea who is going to win and why this is a must-watch game if you’re a Barcelona fan.

---

MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2019 Copa América, Quarterfinal 2

Date/Time: Friday, June 28, 2019, 4pm local time, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Saturday)

Venue: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro

Referee: Wilmar Roldán (COL)

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM COPA AMÉRICA 2019

How to watch on TV: Telemundo (USA), TSN2 (Canada), Premier Sports 1 (UK), Startimes World Football (Nigeria), others

How to stream: ESPN+, fuboTV (USA, affiliate links), TSN GO (Canada), Premier Player (UK), others

*Barca Blaugranes has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Barca Blaugranes may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 June 2019

Cillessen: I want to thank Barcelona for three incredible years | Marca
Jasper Cillessen has thanked Barcelona and their fans for their support during his three years at the Camp Nou as he completes a move to Valencia. The Catalan club received 35 million euros for the goalkeeper, who has signed a four-year deal with Los Che.

Celta and Barça very close to reaching an agreement for Denis Suarez | Sport
Negotiations are ongoing and both hope to wrap up the deal as soon as possible. Barça are continuing their selling spree as they look to generate even more funds this summer. However, there’s a slight difference between Celta and them about the cost of the Suarez deal.

Arthur and Coutinho advance to Copa América semis | FC Barcelona
Brazil are through to the semi-finals of the Copa América but did it the hard way, beating Paraguay on penalties after the game had ended without score. The host nation also had to play from the 58th minute onwards with a man less following the sending off of Fabián Balbuena. Arthur and Coutinho of Barça were on for the whole game, the latter converting one of the penalties.

L’Equipe: Barcelona and Atletico Madrid begin talks for Griezmann | Marca
Antoine Griezmann is edging closer to a move to the Camp Nou this summer with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona having already started talks. The Frenchman announced he was leaving Atletico Madrid in May after five years with Los Rojiblancos.

Barcelona VP: Neymar return not discussed | ESPN
Barcelona vice president Jordi Cardoner has said Neymar wants to return to the club this summer but that the Spanish champions have not looked into bringing him back yet. Neymar quit Barca for Paris Saint-Germain in a world record €222 million transfer two years ago but life in France has not lived up to expectations for the forward.

Jaguaré Becerra: Barça’s other Brazilian goalie | FC Barcelona
Neto has joined Barça, taking the overall number of Brazilians to have played for the club up to an amazing forty. These have included plenty of the country’s greatest legends of all time, from Romario through to Neymar Jr, but how many of them have been goalkeepers?

Barcelona starlet Jorge Alastuey signs new three-year deal | Marca
Barcelona have fended off interest in one of their most promising young talents, Jorge Alastuey, by renewing his contract with the club. The midfielder and current captain of the A team at La Masia has signed a new three-year deal with the Catalan giants.

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Brazil still messy, Messi wants Brazil, Vidal fights Colombia

It was way too hard for Brazil, and an amazing Friday awaits us

(Look, I won’t say I told you so, but I’m Brazilian and I’ve followed my national team for 20 years now. Come on, people!)

The 2019 Copa America quarterfinals began with a thrilling match between Brazil and Paraguay in Porto Alegre that went all the way to penalties after the visitors survived a 40-minute stretch in the second half with 10 men, and they were left heartbroken as the Seleção finally won after three straight PK decisions against the same team at the same stage.

But the victory cannot paper over the cracks: Brazil just don’t look good. The Peru game was the only bright spot in what has been a very mediocre tournament by the most talented team in the continent. They once again looked slow and poor in possession, and only after Balbuena’s red card did they find spaces and created chances.

Tite continues to do a terrible job of coaching this team, and he’s extremely lucky that the potential semifinal opponents are a Venezuela team without any real talent despite their tactical prowess and the mess that is Argentina. Yes, despite a very bad Copa América, Brazil might go to the Final and win the whole thing. And they just don’t deserve it.

******

The two potential opponents for Brazil clash at the Maracanã, and this is obviously the game Barcelona fans care the most about since it features Lionel Messi, who has a real shot at setting up an incredible Superclásico semifinal if he’s able to lead the Albiceleste to a win.

Argentina’s victory over Qatar in the final group stage game was somewhat of a positive sign, but they’re still not a good team and can only beat a sound Venezuela side if the attacking talent delivers. But if they do, we are going to have an unbelievable game next Tuesday.

Some of Messi’s best performances in an Argentina shirt have come against Brazil and there is no doubt the captain will relish the chance to beat the Vinotinto to have another game against his biggest rival. Friday will be fun, and please let us have Brazil vs Argentina next. Please.

******

The best matchup in the quarterfinals takes place at the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, and the stadium’s amazing pitch will facilitate what should be an amazing 90 minutes between Colombia and Chile. These have been the most consistent teams in the tournament so far, and both have shown they can play different styles, with different formations and different players and remain really organized and solid in all phases.

Colombia are favorites thanks to James Rodríguez and Duván Zapata who have been exceptional so far, and the Yerry Mina-Davinson Sánchez duo at the back has been almost impossible to get through. But Chile have Alexis Sánchez and Eduardo Vargas who would be Ballon D’Or candidates if they only played for La Roja, and Arturo Vidal will be 100% fit to start and fight against everybody to try and take his team to the semis.

This is going to be fun. Really fun.

---

Day 12 Results

Brazil 0-0 Paraguay (4-3 on penalties)

Goals: None

---

Day 13 Schedule

Quarterfinal 2: Venezuela vs Argentina (9pm CET)

Quarterfinal 3: Colombia vs Chile (1am CET, Saturday)

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Brazil 0-0 Paraguay (4-3 pen.): FINALLY

Third time’s a charm.

It was always going to be tough, but Brazil are going through to the 2019 Copa America quarterfinals thanks to a 4-3 win on penalties against Paraguay after a 0-0 draw in normal time. The visitors went down to 10 men early in the second half and survived an onslaught from the Seleção to take it to spot kicks, and Brazil were finally able to beat Paraguay on penalties and will play in the Last Four.

As for the Barcelona players on show, Arthur and Philippe Coutinho both played the entire match, and Coutinho scored one of the key penalties to give Brazil a huge victory.

FIRST HALF

The first half went exactly as expected: Brazil had all of the possession and needed to be patient against a Paraguay team parking the bus with eight players close to their own box and Almirón alongside Derlis González up front trying to create trouble, and the entire period was about which team’s plan would work better.

For most of it Paraguay won the battle with good defending and smart tactical fouls, plus a few harsh challenges that did warrant yellow cards but took Brazil out of their rythm. But in a few moments the Seleção managed to create a couple of dangerous chances, the best of which on a run and shot by Coutinho that was stopped by Fernández.

At halftime Paraguay were halfway through completing their mission of taking the game to penalties, while Brazil needed to stay patient but play better football around the box to find the winning goal.

SECOND HALF

Brazil started the final period by pressing higher up the pitch and not allowing Paraguay to create counter attacks, and the Seleção really started to dominate and look dangerous. Then Firmino won a penalty, but VAR showed that the foul occurred outside the box and the penalty was denied.

However, Balbuena was found to have denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and was shown a straight red card, which set the table for 30 minutes of all-out Brazilian pressure and Paraguay in pure survival mode.

Brazil sent everyone forward and created loads of giant chances: Firmino and Gabriel Jesus missed two in front of goal on the same play, Everton had two certain goals taken away by a couple of amazing blocks from Piris, Alex Sandro’s beautiful header was brilliantly stopped by Fernández, Willian hit the post.

Despite all the pressure and attacking intent the hosts could not break the bus, and for the third straight time a Brazil-Paraguay quarterfinal in the Copa América was going to penalty kicks.

PENALTIES

Third time’s a charm: Brazil made four and missed one of their penalties, Paraguay missed two, and with the clinching penalty scored by Gabriel Jesus the Seleção is moving on. Up next, Venezuela or Argentina. At least it’s not Paraguay again.

---

Brazil: Alisson; Alves (Paquetá), Marquinhos, Silva, Luís (Sandro); Arthur, Allan (Willian); Jesus, Coutinho, Everton; Firmino

Goals: None

Paraguay: Fernández; Piris, Balbuena, Gómez, Alonso; Pérez (Rojas), Sánchez (Escobar), Ortiz, Arzamendia (Valdez); Almirón; Derlis

Goals: None

Red Cards: Balbuena (58’)

Penalties: Brazil 4 (Willian, Marquinhos, Coutinho, Jesus), Paraguay 3 (Almirón, Valdez, Rojas)

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Xavi’s dad says Barca wanting Neymar back ‘stinks a bit’

Bringing the Brazilian back might not be the best idea

Xavi’s dad has been talking about the possibility of Neymar returning to Barcelona and reckons the whole thing “stinks a bit.”

There has been huge speculation that the Brazilian will leave Paris Saint-Germain and head back to the Camp Nou this summer, and vice-president Jordi Cardoner has said the forward wants to come back.

It is not completely clear if Barcelona are serious about bringing Neymar back, but if they are then it’s not a move that will sit well with Joaquim Hernandez.

“He’s a crack, a great player, but many people would not like him to be signed. His departure was traumatic and it was him who wanted to leave,” he said.

“I think that for the same thing, because he forced it, that now they to want to sign him back stinks a bit. But it’s up to the board and if they think his return could be positive then it’s welcome, that said there are many conditions.”

Source | Cadena SER

Bringing Neymar back to Barcelona will be an expensive and controversial move given how he left in 2017, although reports have claimed he would be welcomed back by the dressing room.

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PSG want Dembele in Neymar deal - report

The Frenchman is wanted by the Ligue 1 champions

A Barcelona and Neymar reunion tour is seemingly growing in likelihood. The former Barca player has been pretty clear about his dislike of the current PSG situation and his desire to get out and return to La Liga. Reports have been pretty clear that PSG and Barcelona have indeed started talks about a deal, Barcelona’s VP even confirmed it.

The latest news in the saga, is that PSG have started to ask for Ousmane Dembele in any deal with Barcelona that involves Neymar. At the start of the negotiations, PSG apparently told Barcelona they value Neymar at a laughable 300m euros.

Since Barcelona don’t want to fork over that much money, or anywhere close to that much money, they’ll need to include a player. The two that have been brought up, since they are valued the most, are Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele. Apparently, PSG are only interested in Demebele for the time being. Age and skill ceiling being the likely reasons.

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Barcelona VP confirms Neymar wants to return

But a move is ‘not on the table’

Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner has confirmed Neymar wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain and return to the Camp Nou.

However, Cardoner said his team are concentrating on selling players at the moment and has denied rumors Barcelona have already agreed a deal with the Brazilian.

“We are in a process of departures; it is a period that expires on the 30th of this month.” he said.

“The correct thing is to say that Neymar wants to return to Barcelona, ​​but I do not agree that Barcelona worry about signing Neymar, this is not on the table.

“There are many things about his departure that I did not like, many things.There are claims that we have signed Neymar. We have not signed anyone. We have not kept in touch with him. He and many more want to play for Barcelona.

“It does not surprise me that Neymar wants to come back, it has already happened before with others and sometimes they have returned – Cesc [Fabregas], [Gerard] Pique.

“Neymar is a great player, but the circumstances of how he left also have to be evaluated to see if this can become a reality.”

Source | Goal

Barcelona have seen Marc Cardona, Andre Gomes and Jasper Cillessen leave the club in recent days, while speculation over a move for Neymar continues to mount.

There have been reports they have agreed personal terms, while today’s rumors reckon PSG want Ousmane Dembele to be included in any potential deal.

Expect this transfer saga to dominate the whole of the summer window.

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FC Barcelona News: 27 June 2019

Agreement with Valencia for transfer of Norberto Murara ‘Neto’ | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Valencia CF have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Norberto Murara Neto. The cost of the transaction will be €26m plus 9m in add-ons. The player will be signing a contract with the club for the next four seasons, until the end of the 2022/23 season, and his buyout clause has been set at 200 million euros.

Agreement with Valencia for transfer of Jasper Cillessen | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Valencia CF have agreed to terms for the transfer of the player Jasper Cillessen. Valencia will pay FC Barcelona €35m. FC Barcelona would like to publicly express its gratitude to Jasper Cillessen for his commitment and dedication, and wishes him the best of luck and success in the future.

Messi back at the Maracanà | FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi is on his way back to the Maracanà. On Friday, Argentina meet Venezuela at one of the temples of world football in their quest to win the Copa America for the first time since 1993. It’s the third time that the Barça star will have appeared in the biggest stadium in Brazil, and what was once the biggest in the whole world.

‘Shy’ Coutinho urged to step out of Messi’s shadow by Barcelona icon Rivaldo | Goal
Philippe Coutinho has been urged to step out of the shadow cast by Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona, with Rivaldo claiming a fellow Brazilian has been too “shy” at Camp Nou. The 27-year-old became the latest in a long line of South American stars to make their way to Catalunya in the winter transfer window of 2018.

Guardiola: I’m not prepared to be president of Barcelona | Sport
The coach said he will “return to Barcelona, but not as president. One has to be prepared and have the knowledge and that is not me. I try to be a good caoch, things haven’t gone badly, but the presidency is another thing.” He joked “the official dinners are very boring”.

Barça and Roblox join forces to bring more than 90 million children and teenagers around the world closer to the Club | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona has joined forces with Roblox, the leading digital platform for the creation of online videogames for children and teens with more than 90 million users around the world, allowing members of the gaming community to access the exclusive limited edition avatar bundles “FC Barcelona: Talent takes different shapes”, customised with the new Blaugrana home kit for the 2019/20 season.

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Brazil are massive favorites against Paraguay (but not really)

This is waaaay more dangerous than you think

So here we are! As Barcelona fans continue to be mad about everything, the 2019 Copa America is now in the knockout phase, and we all hope for much better football than the boring, VAR-filled mess we saw in the group stage. The lone quarterfinal on Thursday night sees hosts Brazil face Paraguay in Porto Alegre, and on paper this should be an easy 90 minutes for the 2007 winners.

Let’s start with talent: it’s impossible to compare the quality of the two squads: only Miguel Almirón is good enough to be in this Brazil team filled with so many skilled and world-class players all over the roster. Brazil’s front five of Arthur, Philippe Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus, Everton and Roberto Firmino would walk into the starting lineup of almost every national team in the world, and think about the likes of Fabinho, Lucas Moura, Vinicius Jr and Neymar who aren’t even in the Copa América squad!

The performances in the tournament are also very different: Brazil did play mediocre at best in their first two matches, but were truly fantastic against Peru and will start the same team on Thursday with the exception of the suspended Casemiro, who will be replaced by Napoli midfielder Allan. Paraguay have been very bad so far, qualifying with just two points and only looking somewhat okay in the second half of their game against Argentina.

But here’s the funny thing, if you don’t know much about the Copa América: this is what Paraguay do. They don’t play well, ever, they always qualify with four, three or two points, and they come to the quarterfinals without any expectations of doing anything.

That’s what happened in 2011 and 2015. Who did they face in the quarterfinals in both tournaments? Brazil, who were the overwhelming favorites and expect to steamroll over their opponents. What happened? Paraguay parked the bus for 90 minutes, took the game to penalties and won. Both times.

Thursday night at the Arena do Grêmio this is what will happen: Paraguay will park the bus for 90 minutes, not care one bit about attacking and try to take the game to penalties. And then who knows.

---

Day 12 Schedule

Quarterfinal 1: Brazil vs Paraguay (2.30am CET, Friday)

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Barcelona sign Neto from Valencia

The goalkeeper arrives on a four-year deal

Barcelona have confirmed that goalkeeper Neto has joined the club from Valencia in a deal worth €26 million plus €9m in add-ons.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper replaces Japer Cillessen, who moved the other way on Wednesday, and will be back up to first choice Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Welcome @Neto_Murara! Bem-vindo
#ReadyToColor pic.twitter.com/gWhMuibLFK

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 27, 2019

Neto has signed a four-year deal at the club and has a release clause of €200 million.

The Brazilian has spent the last two seasons at Valencia after arriving from Juventus and enjoyed a pretty strong campaign last time out.

2- Neto Murara posted the second highest save percentage in LaLiga last season, saving 75.9% of the shots he faced (min. 30 games played) after Atletico’s Jan Oblak (79.4%). Signing. pic.twitter.com/Z9huKtumYt

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 27, 2019

However, there have been rumors he’s fallen out with coach Marcelino, which might help explain why he’s willing to give up a starting spot at Valencia for a place on the bench at Barcelona.

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Messi’s Betis strike up for La Liga goal of the season

The Barcelona captain’s goal is a cracker

Lionel Messi’s brilliant strike against Real Betis has been nominated for La Liga goal of the season which will be voted for by supporters.

The Barcelona captain bagged a hat-trick at the Benito Vilamarin back in March, but it was his third goal that really caught the eye as he chipped the goalie from the edge of the area.

It was a strike so outstandingly good that even the Betis fans joined in with the applause as Barcelona ran out 4-1 winners.

Messi is the only Barcelona player on the shortlist. The other strikes are Pablo Fornals’ spectacular long-ranger against Athletic, José Luis Morales’ fine individual goal against Betis, Iago Aspas’ effort against Huesca and and Chimy Avila’s rocket against Athletic.

Check them all out below and vote for your favourite here.

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Ronaldinho and Deco used to turn up to training drunk - Hleb

The duo were sold so they didn’t run Lionel Messi

Former Barcelona player Alexander Hleb has been talking about the days of Ronaldinho and Deco and tried to explain why the club sold the pair.

The two players left the Camp Nou in 2008 after an underwhelming campaign that also saw their commitment to the cause questioned and rumors of dressing room unrest abound.

Hleb reckons the two players would turn up for training the worse for wear, and the club ditched them to protect Lionel Messi.

“Ronaldinho and Deco turned up drunk to train,” he said.

“You know why Barca sold them in 2008? Because they were afraid they would ruin Messi.”

Source | Sport

Barcelona went on to achieve phenomenal success under Pep Guardiola, although Hleb barely featured in his four years at the club and didn’t manage a single goal.

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Barca prioritize Neymar, Griezmann deals over De Ligt, left-back

Bringing the megastar forwards in will cost quite a lot of money

FC Barcelona are prioritizing the signing of two star forwards, Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) and Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), over that of Matthijs de Ligt or a left-back, according to several sources.

According to rumor, De Ligt wanted to sign for Barcelona but ultimately seems destined to join Juventus instead because the Italian club offered him more money. The defender reportedly asked Barcelona to match that offer, but the Catalans stood firm on their proposition. Catalunya Ràdio reports that part of the reason for that is that the club wanted to save their money for a potential Neymar transfer.

Diario SPORT adds that the potential signings of Neymar and Griezmann not only influenced the strategy for trying to sign De Ligt, but also how Barcelona approach trying to get a backup for Jordi Alba. Simply, there won’t be quite as much money left for a left-back if the team goes all out for those two forwards.

Barcelona have reportedly not ruled out Junior Firpo (Real Betis) or Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) but one short-term option remains on the table: Filipe Luís. The left-back could be signed for a free transfer after leaving Atlético Madrid.

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Pep doesn’t want to be Barcelona president

The 48-year-old says he doesn’t have the right skills

Pep Guardiola says he is not interested in becoming Barcelona president, although he does expect to return to the city in the future.

The Manchester City boss was asked if he would ever consider returning to the club as the president but gave the idea short shrift.

“I will return to Barcelona sooner or later,” he affirmed. But as president, forget about it. To be president, you have to know [what you’re doing] and be prepared; to have knowledge that I don’t have.

”I’m trying to be a good coach; that hasn’t gone too badly in this decade. I will return to Barcelona to live, sooner or later.”

Source | Marca

Pep signed a new contract with Manchester City in 2018 that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

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