Barca’s board were right not to sign a striker

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Antoine Griezmann is the perfect fit

Here we are at the end of the transfer window with everyone fretting that Barca haven’t signed a striker to replace Luis Suarez until the end of the season.

It may well be a decision in hindsight that’s proved to be the correct one, but for now, I believe it’s the right one.

Why?

Let’s rewind a little. Kevin-Prince Boateng. Need I say more.

Yo @Transfermarkt change my transfer history with "Almost @FCBarcelona" please

No matter what happens we trust the process.
Thank God for everything

See you an other time @AntoGriezmann https://t.co/eeOzZMU7V2

— Cédric Bakambu (@Bakambu17) January 30, 2020

If the rumours are to be believed that we are going to go all-in for Lautaro Martinez in the summer, then why saddle ourselves with a striker that may well be first choice for a few months, but then we struggle to get rid of because he doesn’t fit our needs longer term?

Ousmane Dembele isn’t too far off of full fitness now, and his re-introduction to the side will allow Antoine Griezmann to develop in the No.9 role.

It’s not a way of working that is alien to him and, in fact, we might start to see the best out of him given that we’ve moaned since his signing that he’s never been allowed to flourish in a role that comes more naturally to him.

FCB 1-0 LEG (Griezmann 4 ' ) - It took 226 seconds for Griezmann to open the can. It is the earliest goal of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey since December 2, 2015 (Dani Alves against Villanovense at 221 seconds). pic.twitter.com/h5ZNpgKfdO

— Enock Kobina Essel Niccolò Makaveli (@EnockKobinaEsse) January 30, 2020

From a financial perspective too, panic buying at the end of the window made little sense either.

Martinez won’t come cheap, let alone any other reinforcements that Quique Setien may decide he needs in order to get the team playing in the manner which he, and we, expect.

It’s clear that supporters would like to see the team hit the ground running under Setien too, but a new striker won’t necessarily fix everything and certainly not in the immediate future either.

Therefore, perhaps patience - on our part - is a virtue in this respect.

— Setién: "Sign a striker? Dembele is returning from injury." [marca] pic.twitter.com/yeQDcYS8I1

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) January 31, 2020

Setien’s hire was greeted with optimism, and yet just a few games in some are calling for his head. Really?

There’s been more than enough positives in the matches Barca have played under him to know that good times are around the corner.

And even if they weren’t, how many supporters were crying out for Valverde’s removal and ‘any manager that will play our style of football (trophies irrelevant).’

how is setien supposed to win titles in his first 2 weeks? He needs time to implement what he wants from the players.... Nobody was calling valverde out in his first few weeks at the club

— jemusa (@jesamu07) January 25, 2020

Laying foundations takes time, and such knee-jerk reactions are unhelpful and what’s killing football.

I’m personally excited to see what Setien has to offer, and if that means seeing Antoine Griezmann in a role which benefits not only him but the team as a whole in the short term, then I’m all for it.

Buying for buying’s sake isn’t how we conduct our business.

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All of Barca’s January ins and outs

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A look at the latest transfer business

The January transfer window has closed and although Barcelona did not bring in a striker, despite all the rumors, it’s still been a pretty busy window for the Spanish champions.

New manager Quique Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde at the start of the month and has seen several young players depart and a few new faces arrive.

Here’s a look at all the January ins and outs at Camp Nou.

INs

Matheus Fernandes

Agreement with @Palmeiras for the transfer of @_matheusf
He will join the club in July 2020

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 31, 2020

The Brazilian midfielder will join the club in July from Palmeiras. Barcelona have confirmed they will pay €7 million plus €3m in add-ons, and Fernandes will join on a five-year contract with a €300m buy-out clause. We will see him in La Liga before then, as he’s spending the rest of the season on loan at Real Valladolid.

Francisco Trincão

Francisco Trincão
Agreement with @SCBragaOficial for Trincão transfer; he'll join FC Barcelona on 1 July 2020.

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 31, 2020

Trincao is a 20-year-old forward who will arrive from Braga on 1 July 2020 for €31m on a five-year deal that includes a €500 million buy-out clause. He’s a left-footer but can play on either flank and was the top scorer in Portugal’s Under-19 European Championship-winning squad in 2018.

Rey Manaj

Barcelona B have signed former Inter Milan man Rey Manaj from Albacete until June 2023. Quique Setien has already had an early look at the 22-year-old, who was called up for first-team training this week.

Matheus Pereira

Barcelona B have also signed midfielder Matheus Pereira from Juventus on loan in a deal that saw Alejandro Marques move the other way for €8.2m.

OUTs

Carles Alena

Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The midfielder has joined Real Betis on loan under the end of the season, but the deal does not include a purchase option. Alena made his first start in a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad and has made four appearances for his new club so far.

Carles Perez

Barcelona have lost another youngster in Carles Perez. The forward sealed a late loan move to Roma with a mandatory purchase option. Roma will sign him permanently in the summer for €11m plus €3.5m in add-ons.

Abel Ruiz

Abel Ruiz is another youngster who has moved abroad and will spend the rest of the season on loan at Braga and then join permanently for €8 million. Barca do retain a buyback option.

Jean-Clair Todibo

Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images

Barcelona have loaned Todibo to Schalke in a bizarre deal. The defender has joined on an initial loan for €1.5m. Schalke can buy him permanently for €25m plus add-ons, while Barcelona can buy him back after that for €50m plus €10m in add-ons. Bonkers.

Moussa Wague

Moussa Wague has said goodbye to Barcelona but he may be back. The full-back is off to Nice on loan for the rest of the campaign, although his deal includes a “non-obligatory purchase option of €10 million.”

Louie Barry

Young Louie Barry only arrived at Barcelona in July but moved back in England in January to join Aston Villa for just over €1m. The 16-year-old’s move to Barca failed to work out for a number of reasons (here’s a pretty good explanation if you’re interested) but he apparently left on good terms.

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Moussa Wague leaves Barcelona for Nice loan

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The defender is off to Ligue 1

Barcelona confirmed their another January departure late on Friday with Moussa Wague joining Ligue 1 side Nice on loan.

The deal sees the full-back move on loan until 30 June 2020 and includes a “non-obligatory purchase option” which means we could see him back at the Camp Nou.

Here are the full details:

“FC Barcelona and OGC Nice have reached an agreement for the loan transfer of Moussa Wague until June 30.

“The French team will pay the player’s wages and has a non-obligatory purchase option of 10 million euros, plus 500,000 euros in variables.

“Should the French club decide to purchase the player outright, FC Barcelona would have a future purchase option for 15 million euros until June 2021. After the 2020/21 season, the club reserves the right of first refusal on any future sale of the player.”

Source | FC Barcelona

Wague’s departure seems a bit of a shame. He hasn’t been given too many opportunities to impress but has shown potential on his rare first-team outings.

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Barca confirm Matheus Fernandes to join from Palmeiras in July

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Another youngster has been snapped up

Barcelona have been busy on deadline day in the January window and have confirmed another deal after reaching agreement with Palmeiras for midfielder Matheus Fernandes.

The 21-year-old midfielder will join the club in the summer for a fee of €7 million plus €3m in add-ons on a five-year contract.

Here’s the official statement:

“FC Barcelona and Palmeiras have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Matheus Fernandes Siqueira and he will join the Club on 1 July 2020.

“The transfer fee will be 7 million euros plus 3 million in add on and the player will sign a five year contract that will take him up to the end of the 2024/25 season and his buy out clause is set at 300 million euros.”

Source | FC Barcelona

Fernandes had already pretty much confirmed the deal on social media earlier in the day with a lengthy goodbye message and a change to his bio.

Barcelona say he “stands out for his defensive qualities in midfield” and describe him as a holding midfield who loves to win the ball back.

Welcome to Barcelona Matheus Fernandes!

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Abel Ruiz leaves Barca for Braga

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Another youngster departs the Camp Nou

Barcelona have confirmed that Abel Ruiz has left the club and signed for Portuguese side SC Braga.

The 20-year-old joins on loan until the end of the season when a mandatory purchase option of €8 million kicks in.

Barcelona also confirmed that Ruiz’s transfer does include a buyback option.

The forward becomes the latest youngster to leave Barcelona in the January transfer window in search of game time.

Ruiz follows Carles Alena, Jean-Clair Todibo and Carles Perez in leaving the club, and let’s wish him all the best for the future.

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Bakambu almost sealed last-minute transfer to Barcelona

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The striker has confirmed he almost made it to the Camp Nou

Reports were indicating that the deal was close, and now we can almost certainly say that Barcelona nearly signed Cedric Bakambu this week. The move would have likely been a loan deal with the option to buy, but after Barcelona canceled the deal at the last second, it looks like Bakambu will be staying put.

Yo @Transfermarkt change my transfer history with "Almost @FCBarcelona" please

No matter what happens we trust the process.
Thank God for everything

See you an other time @AntoGriezmann https://t.co/eeOzZMU7V2

— Cédric Bakambu (@Bakambu17) January 30, 2020

It’s not often enough that we, the online football blogger community, get this sort of content to attribute to the many reports we see about football transfers. Bakambu all but confirming the validity of the reports we were seeing online gives me hope that one day, Neymar will blow up on social media when Barcelona eventually tell him he’s never welcome back.

A blogger can hope.

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Barca sign Francisco Trincão for €31m from Braga

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The youngster will join in the summer

Barcelona confirmed on Thursday they have signed Francisco Trincão from Braga. The 20-year-old will join in the summer for a fee of €31 million on a five-year deal.

The forward is a highly-rated young talent who has three goals and six assists for Braga in his 21 appearances for the club this season.

He came come through the ranks at Braga, making his debut in 2018 and going on to establish himself in the team.

Here’s Barcelona’s official statement:

“FC Barcelona and SC Braga have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Francisco Trincão who will join the club on 1 July 2020.

“The transfer fee is 31 million euros and the player will sign a contract with the Club for the next five seasons, until the end of the 2014/25 campaign with a buy-out clause of 500 million euros.”

Source | FC Barcelona

Trincão is a left-footer but can play on either flank and was also part of Portugal’s Under-19 side who won the European Champions in 2018, finishing as the joint top goalscorer with five goals and the mosts assists too.

Welcome to Barca!

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Barcelona draw Athletic in Copa del Rey quarter-finals

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The two sides will clash at San Mames

Barcelona have been drawn to face Athletic Club at San Mames in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Quique Setien’s side eased into the last eight with a 5-0 thrashing of Leganes on Thursday, while Athletic overcame Tenerife on penalties.

Barcelona and Athletic have already met in La Liga this season. The hosts won 1-0 at San Mames on the opening day of 2019-20.

Here’s a look at the full draw:

⚠ OFICIAL | Estos son los emparejamientos de los cuartos de final de la #CopaDelRey

⚽ @realmadrid @RealSociedad

⚽ @AthleticClub @FCBarcelona_es

⚽ @GranadaCdeF @valenciacf

⚽ @CDMirandes @VillarrealCF #LaCopaMola pic.twitter.com/3VglBybfO1

— RFEF (@rfef) January 31, 2020

Ties are due to be played on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week and will again be single-legged affairs.

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FC Barcelona News: 31 January 2020

Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images

Five star performance | FC Barcelona
Barça started in fine style at the Camp Nou and they had a reward as early as the fourth minute. A Leo Messi pass set Nelson Semedo free down the right-hand side before the right-back crossed for Antoine Griezmann to slot home. The Frenchman almost had a second before 10 minutes had been played, but after consultation with VAR, the goal was ruled out.

Possible rivals in the Copa quarter-finals | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will be in the draw for the Copa del Rey quarterfinals (Friday 31, 1.00pm CET) after dismantling Leganés, and their potential rivals are Athletic Club, Valencia, Villarreal, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Granada and Mirandés. The tie will be played next week at the stadium of the team that will be drawn first from the bowl, and will be another one-legged affair.

Messi reaches 500 wins as an FC Barcelona player | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi and records go hand in hand. The Argentine star has now recorded 500 victories as an FC Barcelona player thanks to the 5-0 victory against Leganés in the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou. The Barça number 10 sits at the head of the ranking of wins, ahead of second placed Xavi Hernández (476) and Andrés Iniesta (459).

Antoine Griezmann: “Play as Barça’s No.9? I am here to help the team” | Sport
Antoine Griezmann scored the opening goal as Barcelona beat Leganes 5-0 on Thursday to make the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, with the draw for the last eight taking place on Friday. Griezmann played in a central role with Luis Suarez injured for four months.

Barcelona end search for Luis Suarez replacement after failed Richarlison bid | Sky Sports
Barcelona have attempted to sign a replacement for him this month but have been unable to agree deals for their four main targets - Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan, Valencia’s Rodrigo, Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder and Everton forward Richarlison.

Setien backs ‘amazing’ Dembele to make up for Barcelona’s failure to sign a striker | Goal
Setien acknowledged the lack of a new signing leaves Barca’s attack in a precarious position, though Dembele has been eased back into full training since the weekend having been sidelined since November with a thigh injury. The 22-year-old signed from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €105 million (£88m/$116m) in August 2017 but has frequently struggled with injuries.

Barcelona’s Carles Perez joins Roma in deal worth up to €15.5 million | ESPN
Barcelona forward Carles Perez has joined Serie A side Roma in a deal worth an initial €11 million, the two clubs confirmed on Thursday. A further €4.5m is potentially due in performance-related add-ons. Perez has signed a contract with Roma until 2024.

Manchester United want Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic | Football Espana
Manchester United are considering a late bid to land Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic in the January transfer window. Diario Sport cite a report from ESPN that the Red Devils are keen to bolster their midfield further after landing Sporting CP captain Bruno Fernandes this week.

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Matheus Fernandes seems to confirm he’s leaving Palmeiras for Barcelona

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The midfielder is expected to be loaned to Real Valladolid

Palmeiras midfielder Matheus Fernandes seems to have confirmed speculation he will join Barcelona in January with a post on Instagram.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou for a few weeks now and his social media activity suggests a deal is pretty much done.

The midfielder has changed his Instagram bio which seems to confirm rumors he will sign for the Catalan giants and then spend the rest of the season on loan at Real Valladolid.

⚠️ El Barça ficha a Matheus Fernandes y lo cede al Valladolid. Confirmado por él mismo en Instagram. Operación de 7M #fcblive pic.twitter.com/AbC8IIgx4a

— Albert Rogé (@albert_roge) January 31, 2020

He’s also posted a lengthy goodbye message to Palmeiras fans. Although he does not mention Barca he says he’s “never been good at goodbyes but sometimes they are necessary” and also explains “today has come to realise a dream of playing in Europe.”

View this post on Instagram

Nunca fui bom em despedidas, mas às vezes elas são necessárias, apesar de difíceis. Me despeço e agradeço ao @palmeiras, clube que confiou no meu potencial, e me contratou no ano passado. Meu obrigado também ao @botafogo por ter aberto as portas da base para um menino cheio de sonhos. Muito honrado por ter vestido camisas com tanta história do futebol brasileiro. Claro, não posso esquecer dos maiores incentivadores da minha curta carreira. Pai, mãe, minha família.... toda vez que duvidei onde poderia chegar vocês estavam lá. Incondicionalmente me apoiando! Cada vitória conquistada na minha carreira não foi minha. Foi nossa! Sofremos e vencemos juntos! Hoje chegou o dia de realizar um sonho de jogar na europa. Sou grato a Deus por tudo que me proporcionou. Em breve, novos desafios, metas e sonhos! Vamos em frente que é só começo. ⚽ #gratidao #palmeiras #AvantiPalestra #botafogo #CriadeGeneral

A post shared by Matheus Fernandes (@matheusfernandes) on Jan 30, 2020 at 6:33pm PST

Official confirmation from Barcelona is expected but it’s believed he will sign for €7 million plus variables.

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Three things we learned from Barca 5-0 Leganes

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The Catalans cruised to victory in the Copa del Rey

Griezmann eases Barcelona’s No. 9 worries

Barcelona have spent the last week of the transfer window getting themselves into a tangle trying to bring in a No. 9. The club were linked with dozens of players, saw a reported deal for Rodrigo fall through and then admitted before kick-off they had given up.

Meanwhile, Quique Setien named Griezmann as his No.9 and saw the Frenchman open the scoring inside four minutes with his fourth goal in his last five games for the Spanish champions.

Griezmann had another goal ruled out for offside, saw another effort deflected just wide and put in a typically hard-working display that saw him willing to track back to help out his side defensively.

The World Cup winner said after the game he’s happy to play out wide or in the middle, while Setien said he was “calm” about the lack of a striker signing before also talking up the forthcoming return of Ousmane Dembele.

Setien’s taking the Copa del Rey seriously

Setien needed a late goal to secure a nervy 2-1 win over UD Ibiza in the last round but was taking no chances against Leganes, naming a strong starting XI at the Camp Nou to face a team currently 19th in the table.

Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets all missed the trip to Ibiza but all played 90 minutes on Thursday. This time around Riqui Puig did not even make the squad, while Alex Collado was an unused substitute.

Setien’s team selection may have been influenced by Sunday’s demoralising 2-0 defeat to Valencia but also showed he was in no mood to mess about and wanted his team to secure their quarter-final spot.

Barcelona went on to do precisely that, scoring five goals at the Camp Nou for the fifth time this season to book their place in Friday’s last eight draw.

Still question marks over Barcelona’s defence

Setien has favoured a back three in his first few games in charge of Barcelona but reverted to a back four against Leganes of Nelson Semedo, Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba.

Semedo put in a good shift at right-back and picked up his third assist of the season which may convince Setien to keep him there for the next few games.

3 - @_nelsonsemedo_ has provided 3 assists in 22 games for @FCBarcelona this season, one more than in the previous 82 in all competitions for the Catalonian side. Glove. pic.twitter.com/gaRMFKJ9M5

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 30, 2020

Clement Lenglet came in for Samuel Umtiti and may keep his place too after scoring Barca’s second, while Jordi Alba came within a whisker of getting on the scoresheet too.

Yet defensively Barcelona continued to look vulnerable, giving up opportunities to Leganes who managed seven shots in the first half alone and 11 throughout the match. Setien will know that more clinical teams than Javier Aguirre’s will punish Barcelona if they don’t tighten up.

The new Barcelona boss acknowledged as match after the game saying he was unhappy with the way his side lost control of the game and admitting Leganes “could have hurt us.”

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Setien not completely happy with 5-0 win

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The boss felt his side lost control at times

Quique Setien was not completely happy with his Barcelona side despite seeing them cruise past Leganes 5-0 in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

The Barcelona boss was pleased with the way his team started the game but felt they lost their way after goals from Antoine Griezmann and Clement Lenglet had put them 2-0 up.

Here’s what Setien made of the victory at the Camp Nou.

“We have done many things well, but I am not happy at all because we lost control of the game in the final stretch of the first half.

“We have done very well for the first 20 to 25 minutes, we have been precise and we have had control.

“It is true that they could have hurt us and that they have reached us.

“Do not see I am completely satisfied because we have lost control at some points in the game, especially at the end of the first half.”

Source | FourFourTwo

The victory sends Barca into the quarter-finals of the competition and means Setien has won three of his four games in charge. Barcelona return to acation on Sunday against Levante in La Liga at Camp Nou.

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When is the Copa del Rey draw and who can Barca face?

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Quique Setien’s men progressed with victory over Leganes

Barcelona booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday with a 5-0 win over Leganes at the Camp Nou.

The victory puts Quique Setien’s men into Friday’s draw for the last eight which takes place on Friday at 1pm CET (12pm GMT, 7am ET).

You can stream it live via the RFEF’s website or via their social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Here’s a look at who else is left in the competition:

Real Madrid

Valencia

Athletic Club

Real Sociedad

Villarreal

Granada

Mirandés

Second-tier side Mirandes are the surprise name in the draw. They pulled off a shock in the last 16 on Thursday, beating Sevilla 3-1 to progress.

The quarter-finals will again be single-legged ties and games will be played on Tue 4th, Weds 5th and Thurs 6th February. The semi-final draw takes place on Fri 7th.

Who do you want Barca to draw in the quarter-finals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Griezmann is happy to be Barcelona’s No. 9

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The Frenchman says he just wants to help the team

Antoine Griezmann says he is happy to play as a No. 9 for Barcelona after scoring in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Leganes in the Copa del Rey.

The Frenchman started the game in a central role and opened the scoring after just four minutes with his 12th Barcelona goal of the season.

Griezmann spoke after the match about his position at the club and how he just wants to help Quique Setien’s team.

“If the club need me as a No.9, I’m here to help. If I’m on the left or in the middle, perfect,” he said.

”All I want is to help the team. I’m used to playing inside. I know where to move and I have more freedom, but I’m at this club to help.”

Source | Marca

Barcelona confirmed before kick-off that they will not be signing a No. 9 in the January transfer window, meaning Griezmann could continue in the role with Luis Suarez out for four months.

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Messi reaches 500 wins for Barcelona

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Another day, another milestone for the GOAT

Lionel Messi made yet more history on Thursday night as he became the first player in the history of Spanish football to reach 500 club victories.

The GOAT secured the landmark during Barca’s 5-0 win over Leganes in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey at the Camp Nou.

And Messi being Messi he did it with a bit of style too, scoring two goals and grabbing an assist as Quique Setien’s men bounced back from the weekend’s defeat to Valencia.

... And chalk up another #Messi milestone! Congratulations, Leo! pic.twitter.com/5y7tfk6Keo

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 30, 2020

It has taken Mesi 710 games to register his 500th victory, and he has scored 622 goals and picked up 241 assists along the way. Not bad.

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Barca 5-0 Leganes: Recap

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The hosts cruised to victory at the Camp Nou

Barcelona booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Leganes at the Camp Nou.

First-half goals from Antoine Griezmann and Clement Lenglet sent the hosts on their way to victory, while Lionel Messi scored twice and Arthur was also on target after the break.

FIRST HALF

Barcelona got off to the perfect start when Griezmann netted the opener with less than four minutes on the clock. Lionel Messi sent Nelson Semedo running into acres of space down the right, and he cut the ball back to the Frenchman to take a touch and fire past Cuellar.

Griezmann thought he had a second five minutes later from close range only to see his effort ruled out for an offside by Jordi Alba in the build-up after a lengthy VAR check.

Barcelona continued to dominate possession and Alba and Griezmann both fired shots wide before Lenglet made it 2-0 just before the half-hour mark. The centre-back flicked home Messi’s corner to put the hosts in charge.

SECOND HALF

The second half started in similar fashion, and Barca finished off the tie with a third just before the hour. Messi sprinted clear down the right, beat a couple of defenders and saw his shot take a big deflection on its way into the back of the net.

Quique Setien made use of his substitutes after the third goal went in, sending on Ivan Rakitic and Junior Firpo for Vidal and Alba. Arthur also came on for the last 20 minutes and handed Griezmann a well-earned breather.

Indeed the Brazilian midfielder added Barca’s fourth just five minutes after coming on, knocking home a loose ball after Messi and Ansu Fati had both been denied by Cuellar.

Messi then completed the scoring in the final minute of normal time. The GOAT was released by Rakitic and rounded Cuellar before slamming his shot high into the net.

---

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba (Junior); De Jong, Busquets, Vidal (Rakitic); Messi, Griezmann (Arthur).

Goals: (Griezmann 4’, Lenglet 27’, Messi 59’, 89’, Arthur 77’)

Leganes: Cuéllar; Tarín, Siovas, Awaziem; Rosales, Roque Mesa (Eraso), Pérez, Silva (Rodrigues); Ruibal, Braithwaite (Plomer), Óscar

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Barcelona confirm they won’t sign a No. 9 in January

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The club will stick with what they have got

Barcelona confirmed on Thursday that they will not be signing a new striker to replace the injured Luis Suarez in the January transfer window.

The Spanish champions have been linked with a host of players since Suarez underwent knee surgery but have been unable to complete any deals.

Guillermo Amor, the club’s director of institutional relations, has said the search is now over and the club will not be bringing anyone in before Friday’s deadline.

He said: “Closing the market tomorrow night, there were no optimal options to track a good negotiation to help the team.”

Source | Mundo Deportivo

Barcelona’s only fit forwards currently are Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi and 17-year-old Ansu Fati, although Ousmane Dembele should return to action in the next few weeks.

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OFFICIAL: Carles Perez leaves Barcelona for Roma

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The youngster has said goodbye to the Camp Nou

Barcelona confirmed on Thursday that Carles Perez has left the club and joined Serie A side Roma.

The Catalan giants have confirmed he will join on an initial loan with a mandatory purchase option.

“FC Barcelona and AS Roma have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Carles Pérez until 30 June for a fee of 1 million euros.

“The Italian club will pay the player’s wages and are obliged to pay 11 million euros for the player plus 3.5 million in add-ons once the loan period is over. Furthermore, FC Barcelona retains the right of first refusal on any future sale of the player.”

Source | FC Barcelona

Perez has spent most of 2019-20 with the first team, making 12 appearances in all competitions and scoring twice.

Speculation has claimed he was told he could leave once Quique Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde, although the new Barca boss said in yesterday’s presence conference it was a “mutual decision” for him to leave.

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Barça vs Leganés: LIVE BLOG!

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Join us for a Barcelona Spanish Cup adventure!

WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth is the site of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey Round of 16 match against Leganés, and after a painful defeat at the weekend Barça need this win to book a place in the quarterfinals and get some much needed confidence going into a decisive month of February. This should be a fun game, and you are welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. LET’S LIVE BLOG!

(Note: the comments will be open only when the team news come out, because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section)

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MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2019-20 Copa del Rey, Round of 16

Date/Time: Thursday, January 30, 2020, 7pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 6pm GMT (UK), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 11.30pm IST (India)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM COPA DEL REY

How to watch on TV: StarTimes World Football (Nigeria), Not Available (USA, UK, India), others

How to stream: ESPN+ (USA), DAZN (Spain), others

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Matchday Thread Rules

We don’t have a lot of rules here, but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads:

Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game, be careful with 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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Barça squad named for Leganés

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Quique Setien has called up 18 players for Thursday’s game

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana play their Copa del Rey Round of 16 tie against Leganés at Camp Nou, and manager Quique Setién has called up the following 18 players for Thursday’s game:

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Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 26. Iñaki Peña

Defenders: 2. Nélson Semedo, 3. Gerard Piqué, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Junior Firpo

Midfielders: 4. Ivan Rakitic, 5. Sergio Busquets, 8. Arthur, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 22. Arturo Vidal, 30. Álex Collado

Forwards: 10. Lionel Messi, 17. Antoine Griezmann, 31. Ansu Fati

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There aren’t a lot of surprises with this list, with perhaps the biggest being Riqui Puig out of the squad. Luis Suárez (knee), Neto (ankle) and Ousmane Dembélé (hamstring) miss out through injury, and Moussa Wagué will watch from the stands per the manager’s decision.

Predicted starting XI (3-5-2):

Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet; Ansu Fati, Vidal, De Jong, Rakitic, Firpo; Messi, Griezmann

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The match kicks off at 7pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 6pm GMT (UK), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 11.30pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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FC Barcelona News: 30 January 2020

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PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Leganés | FC Barcelona
Thursday evening’s Copa del Rey, Round of 16 game is a winner-take-all affair, with everything to be decided at the Camp Nou. It’s the first time the two teams have met in the cup competition, but Leganés have visited the Camp Nou on three previous occasions and lost each time.

Three previous games at home to Leganés | FC Barcelona
This Thursday, Barça and Leganés will be meeting for the first time ever in the Copa del Rey. But the side from the south of Madrid have visited the camp Nou in each of the last three league seasons. So far, it’s been wins all the way for the Catalans.

Setien calls up Rey Manaj for Barcelona first-team training | Marca
Barcelona B striker Rey Manaj participated in the Blaugrana’s first-team training session on Wednesday ahead of their Copa del Rey clash against Leganes. The 22-year-old signed for Barcelona from Albacete just over a week ago and he played his first game for the B team against Egea last Saturday.

Barça-Eibar kick-off time confirmed | FC Barcelona
Barça-Eibar will be played on Saturday, February 22 at 4.00pm CET. The league match will take place three days before Quique Setién’s team visit Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16. The week prior to the Eibar fixture, Barça will also have played at home to Getafe (Saturday, February 15, 4.00pm CET).

Willian: Barcelona preparing £20m bid for Chelsea winger | Sky Sports
Barcelona are preparing a last-minute £20m bid for Chelsea winger Willian. The La Liga side have been long-term admirers of the Brazilian, who will be out of contract at Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Richarlison: Everton reject Barcelona’s £85m offer | Sky Sports
Everton have turned down an offer of €100m (£85m) from Barcelona for Brazilian striker Richarlison. Everton rejected the offer immediately, unwilling to sell one of their prized assets as they look to strengthen their squad - rather than deplete it.

No Barcelona move for Betis striker Loren Moron | Football Espana
Barcelona will not move to sign Real Betis striker Loren Moron this week, according to ESPN journalist Moisés Llorens. It comes following speculation that the Catalan giants are attempting to add to their depleted forward line ahead of the close of the January transfer window on Friday.

Barcelona pushing to sell Rakitic before transfer window closes | Sport
FC Barcelona have still not ruled out selling Ivan Rakitic before the transfer window closes this winter. The player insists he’s not keen on leaving at the moment but the club are convinced that if the player gets an offer from a big club he would reconsider that stance.

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Barça vs Leganés: Preview

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Quique Setién’s fourth game in charge is an important Cup tie at home for a place in the quarterfinal

FC Barcelona vs CD Leganés

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Competition/Round: 2019-20 Copa del Rey, Round of 16

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Luis Suárez (out), Ousmane Dembélé, Neto (doubt)

Leganés Outs & Doubts: Alexander Szymanowski (out)

Date/Time: Thursday, January 30, 2020, 7pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 6pm GMT (UK), 1pm ET, 10am PT (USA), 11.30pm IST (India)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández

How to watch on TV: StarTimes World Football (Nigeria), Not Available (USA, UK, India), others

How to stream: ESPN+ (USA), DAZN (Spain), others

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Following a painful defeat to Valencia that cost them first place in La Liga and exposed a few big issues within the new manager’s system, Barcelona try to return to winning ways as they welcome Leganés to Camp Nou for the Copa del Rey Round of 16.

The new format of the Spanish Cup makes this a one-off game which doesn’t allow a lot of experimentation and the chance to test players and maybe have a bad result ahead of the second leg, which nearly cost Barça against Ibiza in the Round of 32. Quique Setién has probably learned that lesson and is expected to go with a very strong team on Thursday, which makes Barça big favorites at home.

Setién’s start has been filled with positives but also some big negatives like too much passing and very little chances, but the style is clearly there and it reminds Barça fans of the good times. Quique has only coached this team for 12 days and we can’t expect him to undo 30 months of Valverde in less than two weeks, but there must be good signs and more goals in this one.

Let’s do this, Barça. Let’s win big and get some confidence. Please.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (3-5-2): Ter Stegen; Semedo, Ronald, Lenglet; Ansu Fati, Vidal, De Jong, Rakitic, Firpo; Messi, Griezmann

Leganés (5-4-1): Cuéllar; Rosales, Tarín, Siovas, Awaziem, Silva; Pérez, Recio, Óscar, Rodrigues; Braithwaite

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PREDICTION

I believe in Quique and I believe this game will show us why: 5-1 Barça.

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Setien talks striker search, Carles Perez exit and Arthur

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The latest from the Barcelona boss

Quique Setien spoke to the press on Wednesday ahead of tomorrow’s Copa del Rey clash with Leganes at the Camp Nou.

The new Barcelona boss was asked about Thursday’s opponents, transfer ins and out, Arthur’s form and Carles Perez’s departure.

Here are the best bits:

Setien on Leganes

Controlling the game is our main objective. We have to avoid counter-attacks and we’re going to try and take the initiative in the game. But we have to control the options Leganes have and try to minimise them. It won’t be easy. I think Leganes don’t have much to lose. For us it’s a very important game. Everybody here wants to get through to the next round and win the competition.

Setien on signing a No. 9

First of all I’m delighted with the options I have in my squad. I’m not going to deny that it would have been interesting for us to bring in a player, but I always focus on what I have and if anyone comes in then they’ll be welcome. It it doesn’t happen then I’ll be delighted to work with the squad I have. I’m used to working with what I have. I’m sure this side is prepared to compete in every competition.

Setien on Carles Perez’s departure

It was a shared decision. What I talked with him about was very clear. In the decisions made by the club, I gave my opinion. That’s it. Carles Pérez knows what I told him and also he is aware of the opinion of the club.

Setien on Arthur

The other day he played in the starting XI. He played 55 mins and he did a lot of good things without a doubt. He’s lacking a little bit of spark at the moment after the problems he’s had. I’m sure he will get better as he keeps feeling better.

Setien on departures

Any more departures? I can’t guarantee anything. We’ll see, these are decisions the club takes but I think it’s clear that nobody leaves if they don’t want to leave

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Barcelona working on shock return of Philippe Coutinho in the coming days - report

Photo credit should read CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images

The Brazilian has only been at Bayern Munich for half a season

FC Barcelona are trying to bring Philippe Coutinho back from his loan at Bayern Munich after only half a season, according to a new report. This, because they have been told that Bayern will not use their purchase option, valued at 120 million euro, at the end of the season, meaning the player will return to the Camp Nou soon anyway.

The transfer will be difficult, if not impossible, to pull off, the report says, but it’s something Barça are willing to try as their other attempts to bring fresh blood into the team have been so far unsuccessful.

Coutinho could benefit from the appointment of Quique Setién as Barcelona coach, who would perhaps give him a new role in a new formation, and within a philosophy that better suits his strengths than the one employed by former manager Ernesto Valverde.

Barcelona are in danger of not signing anyone after pursuing several options during the winter transfer window. The team has let go of a few prospects so far this window, but has yet to bring in a first team player.

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Striker search: who’s in, who’s out for a Barcelona move?

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We get the status of Rodrigo, Aubameyang, Tadić, and more

Barcelona’s search for a striker to supplant the injured Luis Suárez continues, but only a few days are left for a deal to be agreed. Barça tried to find a deal with Valencia for Rodrigo, but the two parties never agreed terms and talks broke down. Now, the Catalans are scrambling.

Dušan Tadić (Ajax) was mentioned as a possibility yesterday but new reports say he’s off the table. In addition, a few other names are being scratched off the list: Willian José (Real Sociedad), Fernando Llorente (Napoli), Krzysztof Piątek (AC Milan), Pedro (Chelsea) and Islam Slimani (AS Monaco.)

ESPN sources have also said that Richarlison (Everton), Loren Morón (Real Betis), Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus), and Dušan Tadić (Ajax) are not options.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been mentioned as costing 60 million by The Sun, however, he may also have been crossed off the list.

Diario SPORT says Aubameyang, Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), and Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) are too costly. SPORT mentions a few possibilities, a couple that have been discard by others - Piątek, Morón, and Pedro - and a couple new names - Carlos Vela (Los Angeles FC), Dries Mertens (Napoli) and Olivier Giroud (Chelsea).

Finally there’s some new murmurs that there either won’t be a signing at all, or that it won’t be a forward or striker at all who is signed...

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Bartomeu confident Setien will bring positive change

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The president is backing the new boss

Josep Maria Bartomeu seems very confident that Barcelona will see positive change under the leadership of Quique Setien. The newly-crowned Barcelona boss enjoyed wins in his first two matches as manager before losing to Valencia most recently.

“He’s a coach that we like, as much his style of play as his way of thinking,” he said.

”We know that it’s never easy when a coach comes in. There have been few matches and few training sessions but we’re going to see positive changes before long.”

Bartomeu | Source

It’s nice to see Bartomeu back his manager a few matches into his tenure. Let’s hope he continues to back Setien if he believes in him for some time. The last thing Barcelona need this year is any uncertainty at the managerial level.

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Barcelona still attempting to sell Rakitic in January

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But time is running out...

According to a report from Sport, Barcelona are willing and trying to sell Ivan Rakitic before the January transfer window. Rakitic is apparently fine with the sale not taking place.

However, should a large club, say Juventus, come back into the picture, Barcelona are confident that the midfielder would change his mind. Should Rakitic agree to move on, from the recent reports, it seems like Barcelona wouldn’t be all that disappointed.

The Rakitic saga continues on until either someone else from the Barcelona midfield moves on, or Rakitic does. The Barca midfield is too crowded at this point, and Rakitic still seems like the man to go.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 January 2020

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When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Leganés | FC Barcelona
The Copa del Rey returns to action for FC Barcelona on Thursday (7pm CET) when they take on Leganés in the last 16. Below is a guide to kick-off times in various major cities around the world, plus the TV channels that hold the rights to show games this season.

The lowdown on Leganés | FC Barcelona
The city of Leganés (population 186,000) lies on the south-western outskirts of Madrid, and to most madrileños is best known for being home to Parquesur, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. One of its most popular attractions is a street named after heavy metal kings AC/DC, who came to town for its inauguration. They have a road named after German rocksters The Scorpions too.

Carles Perez has passed medical ahead of move to Serie A side Roma | Sport
Carles Perez arrived in Rome on Wednesday ahead of his transfer from Barcelona. The forward will move to Roma on loan with an obligation for the Serie A side to make the move permanent in the summer for 14 million euros. Barça will only have the right to match any future bid made by another club which is accepted by Roma. They had hoped to include a buyback clause.

Barcelona target Tadic after discarding Rodrigo | Marca
Barcelona’s plans to sign a new forward this January have seen their attentions turn away from Valencia’s Rodrigo Moreno and towards Ajax’s Dusan Tadic. Valencia’s refusal to reduce their demands left the Catalan club frustrated, and they’ve now given up on his signing.

Abel Ruiz leaves Barcelona for Braga | Marca
Abel Ruiz has become the latest player to leave Barcelona this winter and he’ll spend the rest of the season on loan at SC Braga.Although the Catalans’ transfer market hasn’t gone totally to plan, with frustration in their attempts to sign Rodrigo Moreno from Valencia, they have been willing to let players leave.

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Barca’s striker search is running out of time

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The champions are light on options in attack

Barcelona’s search for a striker in the January transfer window has not gone well so far and the Spanish champions are rapidly running out of time to add to their squad.

Valencia’s Rodrigo seemed to be the first choice but talks have broken down, Arsenal have made it clear they don’t want to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while a crazy rumor involving Bruno Fernandes emerged and then just as quickly disappeared.

Since then there have been reports that Barca could turn to Dusan Tadic instead. Yet even those rumors have fizzled out with Ajax reportedly not interested in losing the 31-year-old.

So where does that leave Barca? Well they now have only three days to add to their squad, and the whole world knows they’re pretty desperate which will influence any talks.

Barca also can’t afford to spend big in this window which has reduced their options and means names such as Lautaro Martinez and Timo Werner have been ruled out.

A deal for Rodrigo could be revived, or maybe Aubameyang and Arsenal can be convinced, but neither of those scenarios are looking likely at present. Rumors involving players like Carlos Vela and Olivier Giroud are probably likely to re-emerge in the next few days instead.

Of course Barca don’t have to add to their squad, they could look to Barca B instead. Except those options seem to be dwindling too. Carles Perez is in Italy to complete a move to Roma, while Abel Ruiz is expected to sign for Braga this week.

All of which leaves Barca increasingly short of options in attack, something which was highlighted at the weekend when Quique Setien named just three forwards in his squad for Sunday’s defeat to Valencia: Ansu Fati, Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi.

There are 19 players listed in the official first-team squad, two are out injured (Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele) and one (Moussa Wague) could depart on loan this week. Hence the amount of B teamers on the training ground.

There is still time for Barca to bring someone in but perhaps fans should not be too disappointed if they don’t. The club’s recent winter signings have been Yerry Mina, Philippe Coutinho, Jeison Murillo, Jean-Clair Todibo and Kevin-Prince Boateng, none of whom have been a success.

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How will Barcelona line up against Leganes?

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It’s Copa del Rey time again

Barcelona are back in Copa del Rey action on Thursday when Leganes visit the Camp Nou with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.

Quique Setien’s men made hard work of their last match in the competition, a 2-1 win over UD Ibiza, and will need to bounce back from the weekend’s defeat to Valencia.

Let’s have a look at who might feature on Thursday:

Defence

Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Neto is still out with a sprained ankle which means Marc-Andre ter Stegen is likely to start in goal, although there is a chance Barca B’s Inaki Pena could feature.

In defence we may get to see Ronald Araujo at centre-back, while Clement Lenglet may be his partner as he seems to be behind Samuel Umtiti in Setien’s pecking order so far.

Nelson Semedo and Junior Firpo both started against UD Ibiza and may get another chance at full-back at the Camp Nou.

Midfield

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Riqui Puig trained with the first team again on Tuesday after being ill last week and will be hoping for another start in the competition.

Barca B team-mate Alex Collado also took part in the session and will also be hoping for some first-team minutes against Leganes.

The 20-year-old replaced Ansu Fati against Valencia and could feature in midfield or further forward as a winger.

Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Arthur all started in the defeat against Valencia so may drop out, meaning Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal could come in.

Attack

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Barcelona have struggled to score goals under Quique Setien and are pretty light on options in attack due to the injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

They may also be without Carles Perez and Abel Ruiz who are being tipped to move away from the club this week but would otherwise probably have been involved.

The absences mean that Setien may have to go with a pretty strong attack and could mean Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi both start the game.

Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Araujo, Lenglet, Firpo; Vidal, Rakitic, Riqui; Ansu, Messi, Griezmann.

How do you think Barcelona will line up against Leganes? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and line-ups in the comments below!

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Abel Ruiz to leave Barcelona for Braga - reports

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The youngster is expected to seal a late move

Barcelona look set to wave goodbye to another young player with reports claiming Abel Ruiz will join Portuguese side Sporting Braga before the close of the transfer window.

Mundo Deportivo report that Ruiz will travel to the club tomorrow ahead of joining in a €10 million deal, making him the club’s record signing.

Ruiz is expected to sign a five-year deal with the Portuguese side who are sixth in the Primeira Liga table.

Sport are also reporting Ruiz will fly out for a medical on Wednesday and reckon the deal includes a buy-back option.

Ruiz made one La Liga appearance for Barcelona last season but has not managed a single minute of first-team action in 2019-20.

He said in November that he’s always wanted to be at Barca but may have to look elsewhere for opportunities and appears to have decided his future lies away from the Camp Nou.

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Barcelona turn attention to Dusan Tadic - reports

The champions have given up on Rodrigo

Barcelona have reportedly turned their attention to Ajax’s Dusan Tadic after giving up on a move for Valencia striker Rodrigo.

The Catalan giants also appear unlikely to sign Bruno Fernandes, with reports claiming he is now close to signing for Manchester United.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Barca are now targeting Tadic and will make a move if the Rodrigo deal does “permanently collapse.”

Apparently, Barcelona have already been in touch to discuss a move for the 31-year-old and Tadic’s agent will fly to Spain tomorrow.

There are no details yet about what kind of deal Barcelona are considering, although you would guess it would be a loan until the end of the season.

It remains to be seen what Barca’s next move will be but time is running out in the transfer market, and they only have a few days left to try and bring in reinforcements.

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Talks for Rodrigo break down, Barça looking elsewhere - report

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Bruno Fernandes doesn’t look like he’s going to Valencia either

FC Barcelona’s talks with Valencia have reached an impasse. New reports say that once again, the two parties have failed to agree on a deal over the transfer of Rodrigo.

Yesterday, the clubs reportedly met to try to hammer out an agreement over the player, but no deal was struck. Today, the two parties once again talked. The new offer from Barcelona reportedly included another team and another player. Barcelona would have signed Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP, sent him on loan to Valencia, and then Rodrigo would go to Barça on loan. Fernandes by all accounts is on his way to Manchester United.

The Catalans reportedly thought the price was just too high for the player, and they did not want to agree to a loan with a mandatory purchase clause.

Other options are now being explored as Barcelona try to sign a replacement for the injured Luis Suárez. The chances of Rodrigo coming to the Camp Nou have plummeted.

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Barcelona and AS Roma agree on Carles Pérez transfer - reports

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The young forward has already reportedly said goodbye to his teammates

Carles Pérez has agreed to join AS Roma, according to reports from Mundo Deportivo and Diario SPORT.

The young winger’s move has been rumored for a while and it seems the final steps are being taken before its made official. The player has reportedly already said goodbye to his teammates in anticipation of a flight to Rome tomorrow.

The move was on the verge of being completed before, but Barcelona had halted it because they wanted to include a buyback clause, according to rumor. However, it seems that this was for naught as the new reports say that the sale will go through without a buyback option. Barcelona do reportedly have a right to a percentage of any future sale, however. The fee is supposed to be around 15 million euro, with Pérez signing until 2024.

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Barcelona’s failed planing to find a backup for Luis Suárez

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The pursuit of Rodrigo is part of a failed planning over many years

FC Barcelona are in pursuit of Valencia’s Rodrigo because of an injury to Luis Suárez. The fact that Barça are scrambling to pay 60 million euro for a striker with two league goals this season is a result of poor planning.

It started, really, in 2014 when Suárez was signed. As a backup, Luis Enrique had three options: Pedro, Munir, and Sandro. The first was once a starting winger, given a bench role with the arrival of Neymar and Suárez. The other two were proper centerforwards who came from Barcelona B and were given their debuts under Lucho.

Pedro was used in Suárez’s absence in important games. He started in a title-deciding game against Atlético Madrid when Barcelona won La Liga, and was a late substitute in the UEFA Champions League Final against Juventus once again for the Uruguayan.

However, he left the Camp Nou to join Chelsea in search of more playing time. Sandro and Munir were given the chance to backup the MSN trio that year, although they played little. Still, they were developing and could have been used the next year.

But Barcelona were not convinced. Sandro was allowed to go to Málaga, while Munir was loaned to Valencia. Paco Alcácer was brought in, from Valencia himself, to be the new backup forward. Sandro finished La Liga with 14 goals that season, including one against Barça in a 2-0 Málaga win that probably sealed the league for Real Madrid. Munir and Paco finished with 6 each.

Alcácer was given a second season at Barcelona, while Munir was loaned once again, this time to Alavés, while Sandro moved to Everton.

In the 17-18 season, Alcácer got only four goals while Munir got 10. Sandro’s move was a bust and he failed to score for the Toffees.

Barcelona thought they had their winner. They shipped Alcácer off to Borussia Dortmund and brought Munir back into the fold. Alcácer picked up form for the German club, while Munir struggled to make an impact. Further, it came to light that Munir had an agreement to join Sevilla for free the next summer when his contract ran out. Barcelona forced him out in the winter, bringing in Kevin-Prince Boateng as an emergency replacement. Boateng had zero goals in just three league appearances for Barcelona, playing mostly rather poorly. Alcácer ended with 18 Bundesliga goals, while Munir had six in La Liga. Sandro, now with Sevilla, had zero goals that year.

Which brings us to today. Barcelona had no true backup to Suárez. Antoine Griezmann was signed, but effectively as a replacement for Philippe Coutinho on the left wing. And now, Barcelona are racing to sign Rodrigo, or any decent striker they can.

With all the wheeling and dealing, did Barcelona really improve their situation? Should they have stuck by Munir from the start?

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