Defenders that Barca should buy and sell next

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Roll up, roll up...

Whether or not LaLiga starts up by June or this season is written off altogether, there will be a transfer window at some point.

And then it could be all change at the back for Barca, who certainly need their defence freshening up.

There are definitely two candidates that should be thrown onto the blaugrana scrap heap whilst they are still relatively valuable.

First out the door has to be Samuel Umtiti.

Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Not necessarily because he decided on holistically healing himself rather than receiving medical intervention for his knee problem, though that’s hardly worked out well for him.

More because he’s about as far removed from the colossus that we purchased as it’s possible to be.

His form has been non-existent for a while now, and with the fee and interest that he can command, there are better players out there to give Messrs. Pique and Lenglet a run for their money.

Junior Firpo shouldn’t be too far behind.

Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

An absolute disaster of a signing. There’s barely a good word I can say about a player who can’t really string two forward passes together.

Was bought to provide cover for Jordi Alba, but when the time has come for him to shine, his light has always been out.

Has looked a totally different player to the one that played for Real Betis, seemingly devoid of confidence each time he’s pulled on the shirt.

But who should they be replaced with?

Paris Saint-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa will be available on a free transfer, and at 27 years of age, he can provide top level experience and become a real thorn in Alba’s side given half a chance.

Photo by Boris Streubel/Getty Images

With both Liverpool and Arsenal said to be interested too, he likely won’t be an easy hire, and potentially playing second fiddle won’t necessarily sit well with the Frenchman.

However, competition for places at least gives him the motivation to dislodge a player who has been a shoo-in for Barca’s starting XIs since 2012.

It’s already been documented that Eric Abidal has sent scouts to watch Rodrigo Caio on a number of occasions, and the 26-year-old centre-back has certainly impressed.

Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images

Currently with Copa Libertadores winners, Flamengo, it’s believed the Brazilian club will be looking for around the €30m mark for his service, though Barca would surely try to knock that down significantly.

Another name in the frame to replace Umtiti is Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen.

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Still only 23, the Dane impressed whilst on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach but has only managed 15 games for the Blues since his return.

Frank Lampard might not be keen to see him leave, however, a decent enough bid from the Catalans, or a players plus cash deal, might tempt him to change his mind.

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Cafu tells Coutinho to stay at Bayern Munich

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He can make the difference if played in the right position

Cafu reckons Philippe Coutinho should remain at Bayern Munich next season rather than return to Barcelona.

The Brazilian is on a season-long loan with the Bundesliga champions, but it seems unlikely the German club will take up the purchase option in his contract.

Recent rumors have suggested he’s not wanted at Barcelona next season either, and Cafu thinks he should try and stay at the Allianz Arena.

“I would advise him to stay with Bayern. Phil is a sensational football player, extremely talented, smart and dangerous. He has already demonstrated his skills in Barcelona and Liverpool, ” he said.

”In the right position, he can make a difference. You definitely have to play him in the center where he is much more important for the team.”

Source | Goal (via Mundo Deportivo)

Coutinho’s price tag is likely to prove a problem this summer if Barcelona do try and sell the 27-year-old, meaning another loan looks the most likely option currently.

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When Captain Tsubasa Joined FC Barcelona - episode 39

Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

Introducing: Shingo Aoi!

tCaptain Tsubasa might be the world’s most famous fictional footballer. This Japanese manga is loved around the world, although not always known by the same name. In Latin America, it’s known as Supercampeones. In Spain, it’s Oliver y Benji. In the USA, it’s Flash Kicker. In France, Olive et Tom, and in Italy, Holly e Benji. (Quite why they have to keep remaining characters, I’m not sure.)

It tells the story of a Japanese football prodigy named Tsubasa Ozora (known in different countries as Oliver Atom, Oliver Tsubasa, Majed, Andy Dai Zhiwei.. you get the point) and has been adapted into different anime and video games. It started in the 80s but its enduring popularity (even among professional footballers) has led to new issues of the manga, as well as more TV shows and more games being released up to this day.

You may know all this, but did you know Tsubasa joined FC Barcelona in the manga and show? We’re going to take a break from real football and watch some anime and relive the story...

Episode 39 - Shingo Aoi is Here

Previously:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 36

Episode 37

Episode 38

Watch in Japanese with English subtitles:

Watch in Spanish:

The episode starts with Katagiri telling the Japanese federation he’s confident the youth teamers can beat the Netherlands, and reveals he has one more secret player he wants to use. That player is Shingo Aoi, who has been playing for Inter Milan. None of the other Japanese players know him. Interestingly, the club’s name isn’t censored for copyright reasons, even though other teams like Barcelona and Juventus were. Also it’s not stated outright, but I’m sure they mean the Inter youth team.

Shingo Aoi means “green light,” and his main attribute is his nonstop running and speed. Weirdly, one of the journalists says Inter is one of the weakest teams in Italy. I guess he’s an AC Milan fan.

Ken Wakashimazu, the second goalkeeper, meets with the coach to tell him he wants to be the starting keeper against the Netherlands, but the coach tells him he will pick Genzo. Ken, upset, tells the other players he is giving up since the coach has decided not to pick him and storms off training. The other guys are not impressed, but Ken brushes them off. Hyuga launches a shot at his face in anger, but Ken blocks it easily with one hand, impressing everyone.

Shingo flashes back (this show loves flashbacks) to losing in school to Tsubasa’s team. He’s crying, thinking about quitting, but Tsubasa tells him to keep going. That apparently inspired him to become a professional player.

Katagiri tells Ken that Shingo started from nothing to get to where he was. This leads to another flashback in which Shingo somehow goes to Italy alone as a child, and gives a random man a bunch of money to allow him to do a trial with Inter. The guy leaves and obviously the youth coach has no idea about this arrangement, and tells him there are no trials at the moment.

Shingo is out of money and has no trial. He goes to a plaza and befriends someone who gives him food, who is then chased away by some men. The young player starts shoeshining for money, and then finds a ball and starts doing tricks. People give him money on the street for his ability with the ball, which allows him to eat.

He eventually goes to the youth coach and begs him to let him play. The coach lets him shine shoes, but then eventually an injury in the youth team allows Shingo a chance to play.

Back in our timeline, Shingo is still on the training pitch even though it’s night time. Ken goes down and tells him to practice shots with him. The rest of the team notices and are impressed.

Once the late night training is done, Ken notices Shingo has a necklace. Shingo says it’s his lucky charm, at which point we get another flashback in which we learn Tsubasa gave him a Brazilian coin as a good luck charm when Shingo showed up at the airport to wish him luck on his trip to Brazil.

The next day, Shingo expects to be first to the training ground as usual, but is surprised to see the entire team was early. Then, Ken apologizes to the coach for storming out of practice.

The players then start a practice match in which, coincidentally, the players from the Nankatsu school (including Tsubasa) are on one side and the players from Nakahara (including Shingo) on the other.

Shingo is able to dribble past a few players, but Tsubasa successfully tackles him. Tsubasa compliments him, revealing he still remembers him from their school matches, and says he still remembers him from the airport, as well. Shingo is touched and promises to do his best to help the Japanese team.

Time passes, and the hype for the Japanese team is building in the media, and the fans are starting to believe. Supporters are gathering at Yokohama stadium. The players are going down the tunnel... the match is seconds from kick off... and! The episode is over!

This episode is all about Shingo. The show often displays heroic characters with tragic backstories, with the overall message being “don’t give up.” And Shingo is definitely an example of that. Plus, the coach’s decision to pick him despite not being as famous (apparently) turns out to be an inspired bit of man-management, as he motivates the entire team to train more.

The next episode we will finally, definitely, get to see the match.

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Rumor round-up: Umtiti, Carles Alena and Pedri latest

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A quick check on the latest gossip

Chelsea contact Samuel Umtiti’s agent

Today’s rumor round-up starts with Samuel Umtiti and claims that Chelsea have been in touch with the defender’s agent over a possible summer move.

Journalist Nicolo Schira has reported Barcelona are willing to sell the French centre-back but want at least €50 million.

Arsenal were interested in his services last summer and it seems like Chelsea are the latest club to express an interest.

Real Betis want Alena for another season

Over at Mundo Deportivo the word is that Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena could stay at Real Betis for another season.

Alena went to Betis in an attempt to secure regular football but is still not a guaranteed starter for Los Verdiblancos.

Rubi is said to be keen for him to continue for another season at the Benito Villamarín Stadium, while Quique Setien would also quite like to have him back.

Pedri wanted by Betis

Alena could be joined at Real Betis by Pedri who is due to join Barcelona in the summer from Las Palmas but could head out on loan.

Sport report that La Liga clubs Real Betis, Celta and Real Sociedad are all interested in the youngster as well as Ajax.

However, Betis feel they have a good chance of landing Pedri, as they have enjoyed some good dealings with Barca in recent transfer windows.

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Barcelona president: Messi’s comments are not about me

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Josep Maria Bartomeu says he isn’t sure who they’re directed towards

FC Barcelona’s club president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has said he did not interpret comments of frustration from Lionel Messi and other players to be against him, the board, or club executives.

“You’ll have to ask [the players who they’re referring to.] There are many people at the club,” the president stated.

In a statement posted yesterday, Messi announced the squad had agreed to a 70% pay cut, while also displaying annoyance at reports in the media that players were unwilling to go through with a pay cut. The captain said the team was simply debating the right “formula” to get the most benefit out of the wage reduction. A report today explained several players’ lawyers disagreed about the technical details.

Bartomeu also confirmed Messi was always pushing for the players to reduce their salary to help the club during the coronavirus crisis.

Messi said the players were always willing to go through with it, something Bartomeu has confirmed, at least as far as the captain himself is concerned.

“From the first minute, he said we have to do this,” Bartomeu said.

In addition, the players agreed to give a little bit more so club employees could be retained at 100% wages.

“The agreement with the club employees comes from the captains. The club will complement part of the stoppage, and they are giving the rest,” Bartomeu continued.

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“Barçagate” weighed on players’ minds when discussing pay cut - report

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The secret social media campaign continues to have fallout

Barcelona players delayed agreeing to a 70% reduction in salary during the state of emergency called in Spain, leading to rumors they would not agree to such a pay cut. Ultimately, these rumors were proved wrong as the squad agreed to it yesterday, plus additional money to pay club employees. According to Lionel Messi, they always intended to agree to it, they just were looking for the right “formula” before proceeding.

A new report sheds light on this, saying part of it was a legal matter, with some players’ lawyers recommending different courses of action in terms of getting the most benefit for the club.

Another part was internal debate amongst the squad about the merits of the cut. Not all players were convinced right away, even though the team’s four captains (Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Piqué, and Sergi Roberto) reportedly were on board from the very start.

Interestingly, “Barçagate” was said to play a role in the debate, too. That is the nickname given to a scandal from earlier this year in which the Barcelona board was caught paying a social media company which created a secret campaign aimed at discrediting club president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s enemies. That campaign sometimes targeted the club’s own players.

One player reportedly asked, “will our money be used to pay the million euros used for Barçagate?”

Another factor: players were annoyed the club leaked its intention to cut pay before telling the squad itself.

Despite all this, the captains ultimately got a full agreement from all senior players to go ahead with the pay cut. The report says the process ultimately unified the dressing room.

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Bartomeu makes it clear Barcelona won’t go bankrupt

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The president has been talking finances

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu made it clear to the media this week that the club weren’t going to go bankrupt. The president said this on the back of the first-team players taking a massive pay cut to help the club out in a trying time.

“The situation is complex, “ he said.

”Since March 14 Barcelona have had no income, but we would not go bankrupt in June.

”If nothing has been established by June, then there will be losses.

”If we do not restore normality, obviously there will be losses, and that is why we’re making these reductions.”

Bartomeu | Source

The club is in an unprecedented moment. Barca are dealing with an economic situation that football clubs haven’t really had to deal with before. Hopefully, as Bartomeu goes on to say in the interview, they’re indeed doing all they can to protect the club’s staff.

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Papers: Lionel Messi likened to Che Guevara

Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The captain is headline news around Europe

Lionel Messi is all over the front pages across Europe on Tuesday after the captain released a statement confirming Barcelona pay cuts and hit out at the club’s board at the same time.

The most eye-catching headline of all comes from French daily L’Equipe which has Messi pictured as none other than Che Guevara. The headline reads: Lionel Messi, the Che of Barca.

Messi is also all over Marca where his shirt number has been changed to 70%, indicating the pay cuts agreed by the players, and the headline reads: Barcelona are ending Messi’s patience.

AS have Lionel Messi and the whole squad on their cover. The headline is ‘They Say Enough’ alluding to Monday’s statement which expressed frustration at the criticism the players had received for not announcing reductions earlier.

Sport’s front page shows Messi and a simple headline of ‘Thanks.’ The Catalan daily also has an exclusive interview with Bartomeu who says Messi told him salary cuts would be needed from the start.

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FC Barcelona News: 31 March 2020

Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Exclusive Bartomeu interview: It would have been irresponsible not to cut wages | Sport

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says it would have been irresponsible of the club not to have taken pay cuts because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Barcelona thank their players for agreeing to pay cuts | Marca

Barcelona have released a statement thanking their players for accepting 70 per cent pay cuts to help the club out during the current coronavirus crisis.

Manchester United & Leicester monitoring Coutinho situation | Sport

Premier League clubs Manchester United and Leicester City are both monitoring Philippe Coutinho’s situation at Barcelona with another loan move expected.

Messi’s latest tirade evidence of growing distance between squad and club | AS

Lionel Messi’s latest attack on the club adds to growing evidence of an increasing distance between the players and the board.

Barcelona’s women’s team clarify that they never refused pay cuts | Marca

Barcelona women’s team have released a statement to confirm they did not refuse to help out with pay cuts and will also take salary reductions of 70 per cent.

PSG’s Kurzawa emerges as a back-up left-back option for Barça | Sport

Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa has emerged as a possible option for Barcelona at left-back. He’s out of contract in the summer and will be a free agent.

Xavi, Puyol and Eto’o applaud the decision of the Barça players | Sport

Former Barcelona players Xavi, Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto’o have all applauded the first-team’s decision to take 70 per cent pay cuts and help out club employees financially.

Ajax fighting Barcelona and Real Madrid for New Kaka | Football Oranje

Dutch side Ajax are battling it out with Barcelona and Real Madrid for Sao Paulo midfielder Igor Gomes who has already been dubbed the ‘new Kaka.’

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Lautaro Martinez’s agent responds to Barcelona rumors

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‘We’ve talked to lots of people, but nothing more than that’

Lautaro Martinez’s agent, Beto Yaque, has admitted there’s plenty of interest in the Inter Milan striker amid speculation Barcelona will sign him in the summer.

Recent reports have claimed Barcelona have convinced the Argentine to prioritise a move to the Camp Nou if he does decide to leave the San Siro.

Yaque says he has been talking to interested parties but insists Martinez is fully focused on the Nerazzurri for now.

“It’s been said that Barcelona and Real Madrid both want him, but for him it’s like nothing is happening. Others wouldn’t sleep at night,” he said.

“He never calls me to ask if the rumours are true, he’s focused on where he is and his work.

“We’ve talked to lots of people, but nothing more than that. For now, those who are calling me aren’t directly registered by various clubs.

“There’s nothing formal or serious. Being wanted on the market is something you dream of, but he’s not expecting anything: all he wants to do is play and score goals.

“His constant growth means the best teams in the world are looking at Lautaro with interest. We hope his efforts will be rewarded like they deserve to.”

Source | Football Italia

Martinez has 19 goals in 32 appearances for club and country this season and a release clause set at €111 million.

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Messi said from day 1 Barca would need pay cuts - Bartomeu

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

The president has been talking salary reductions

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says captain Lionel Messi made it clear from day one that the players would need to take pay cuts due to the coronavirus crisis.

The players confirmed on Monday they would be taking a 70% salary reduction as well as contributing further to ensure club employees would receive all their wages.

Their statement also expressed frustration at criticism aimed at players for not coming to an agreement more quickly, and Bartomeu has now offered his thoughts on the developments.

“From the first moment, Messi said that this must be done. It is a gesture that shows his commitment to the club,” he said.

“From within the club there are those who try to put us under the magnifying glass and try to add pressure. Perhaps the players have been bothered by things that people inside and outside the club have said but they do not have all the information. The negotiations were carried out only by Oscar Grau and I and we have not said anything.”

Source | Sport

Bartomeu was also asked about his thoughts on when La Liga may resume and said he did not expect games to recommence until the end of June at the earliest.

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When Captain Tsubasa Joined FC Barcelona - episode 38

Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

Tsubasa getting called up to the national team

Captain Tsubasa might be the world’s most famous fictional footballer. This Japanese manga is loved around the world, although not always known by the same name. In Latin America, it’s known as Supercampeones. In Spain, it’s Oliver y Benji. In the USA, it’s Flash Kicker. In France, Olive et Tom, and in Italy, Holly e Benji. (Quite why they have to keep remaining characters, I’m not sure.)

It tells the story of a Japanese football prodigy named Tsubasa Ozora (known in different countries as Oliver Atom, Oliver Tsubasa, Majed, Andy Dai Zhiwei.. you get the point) and has been adapted into different anime and video games. It started in the 80s but its enduring popularity (even among professional footballers) has led to new issues of the manga, as well as more TV shows and more games being released up to this day.

You may know all this, but did you know Tsubasa joined FC Barcelona in the manga and show? We’re going to take a break from real football and watch some anime and relive the story...

Episode 38 - Golden Age of Hope

Previously:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 36

Episode 37

Watch in Japanese with English subtitles:

Watch in Spanish:

The episode starts with Katagiri, the Japanese scout, writing a report about the Japanese youth team players that won the championship recently. Tsubasa is with Barcelona, Hyuga with Juventus, Genzo with Hamburger SV, and another player, Taro Misaki (also known as Tom) apparently has announced a move to France after being last season’s J-League MVP.

We cut to Genzo talking to a club teammate, who tells him that the friendly against the Netherlands will be a real challenge. Despite not qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Dutch team is very strong, says the teammate. This is an interesting melding of the real world as the Netherlands did in fact fail to qualify to the World Cup hosted by Japan. I actually looked up if Japan played a friendly against the Netherlands before the World Cup, but that turned out to be fiction.

Hyuga is training hoping to best Davi in the friendly, and Tsubasa is thinking about showing up his Dutch teammates. Tsubasa gets a call from the Japanese team, which isn’t much of a surprise, but then we see the Japanese scout meeting with the Japanese FA. The squad list he gives is apparently the entire Japanese youth team, not just the four key players. The officials aren’t too impressed. The FA president tells him to think about it, but Katagiri doesn’t back down. He finds an ally in the team’s manager, who says it’ll be a good time to test out the young players ahead of the World Cup, which convinces the federation.

Meanwhile, Tsubasa comes back and sees Sanae. Apparently they hadn’t seen each other in four years. I thought they were in a relationship by now? A little confused by the skip I made. Oh well. Anyway, Ryo and a bunch of Tsubasa’s old schoolmates are having a kickabout in the park. Genzo shows up, announcing he is also called up for the friendly. Ryo is still trying to make his debut in the Japanese league, and the rest of the youth national team are there as well talking about their place in the professional football world. They start having a mini match in the park, when Katagiri shows up.

He lets them know the youth teamers will be allowed to earn their first cap. They’re shocked but they show they’re determined to beat the Netherlands. The scout tells the press he picked the youngsters because he thinks they’ll be good enough to win the FIFA World Cup. The manager then tells the team in a meeting that he wants them tuned up for the World Cup. If they can’t beat the Dutch team, he says, they have no chance to win the tournament. Interestingly, the Netherlands apparently saw the list of youth players and refused to send their best players.

Katagiri flashes back to his Japan national team playing days, when he lost to Korea 3-0. He thinks the new players will succeed where he failed, and travels to the Netherlands to tell them to bring their best players. Meanwhile, the Japanese players are in training and talking about the Netherlands not sending their best players, but Hyuga tells them that it doesn’t matter and they need to beat any opponent.

Katagiri meets with the Dutch federation but they insist on not sending their stars, while the coach continues drilling Japan back in Asia. The coach of the Netherlands, Otto Leigaat, is at Japan’s training to scout them. (I think he’s based on the coach of the Dutch team then, Louis van Gaal.)

That’s pretty odd to allow the opposition manager into your training routine but oh well. Otto is impressed with Japan’s ability and calls the federation. He tells them Japan are strong and he should be allowed to bring his starters. The episode ends with the friendly match nearing and the Netherlands sending their best.

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Trincao’s agent explains why Barca snapped him up in January

Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The Catalan giants have been following him for years

Francisco Trincao’s agent, Bruno Carvalho Santos, has said Barcelona have been following the young forward since 2018 but decided to sign him in January after his form “exploded” for Braga.

The Catalan giants confirmed in January that the 20-year-old will move to the Camp Nou in July on a five-year deal worth €31 million and will have a release clause of €500m.

Carvalho Santos said Barcelona had been watching Trincao for some time and weren’t the only club interested in the youngster.

“After the U19 Euro Cup in 2018, where Trincão was the best forward and Portugal won against Italy, I had a meeting with Barça’s technical structure. Since then, Barça began to follow him more closely. They watched him in every game,” he said.

“Then, between December and January of this season, he literally exploded and Barça decided to sign him immediately. They beat all the other clubs who were interested in him.”

Source | Sport

The 20-year-old was in great form for Braga before the 2019-20 season ground to a halt due to the current coronavirus pandemic.

Trincao netted his first goal of the season in December in the Europa League win over Slovan Bratislava and went on to score six in his next 13 games for the club.

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Messi took a pay cut, secured full salary for club employees, and slammed the board in a single statement

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

OK, this is epic.

Lionel Messi has dropped probably his most significant statement in his entire career. The Barcelona star announced that the club’s first team players would be taking a 70% pay cut during the coronavirus crisis, which has ravaged the club’s income.

Ig Messi. [leomessi]

(with English translation) pic.twitter.com/oNt7Bu6rM1

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 30, 2020

In addition, the captain stated that the club’s employees would continue earning 100% of their salary during this difficult time, with money from the first-team players’ own pockets being used to help the cause.

This news comes while the Catalan press had rumored that the club was not happy at the players because they had not agreed to a reduction quickly. The leaks in the press which painted the players in a bad light seemingly annoyed Messi. In the statement, Messi said the players were “surprised that from within the club, there were people who tried to put us under the magnifying glass and tried to put pressure on us to do something we always were clear that we would do.”

The already-fraught relationship between the board and the club’s biggest star surely will be even more strained now. The club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, was still recovering from a scandal which saw him accused of running a secretive social media campaign at his perceived enemies, including at times Messi himself. Now, he is certainly under more pressure.

Messi spoke for all players as team captain, with other important figures like Antoine Griezmann releasing the statement soon after. The Argentine is a huge figure at the club, obviously, but he is now clearly the players’ chosen leader on institutional matters as well.

Bartomeu is term-limited soon, but it will be hard for his hand-picked successor, whoever it may be, to win an election if he is seen as consistently angering Messi.

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Antoine Griezmann wants the No. 7 shirt at Barcelona

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

The number currently belongs to Philippe Coutinho

Antoine Griezmann says he wants to wear the No. 7 shirt at Barcelona in an online chat with eSports team Grizzi Esports over the weekend.

The Frenchman was handed the No. 17 shirt when he arrived from Atletico Madrid in July 2019, as the No. 7 belonged to Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian has spent the season out on loan at Bayern Munich and could be set for another loan in 2020-21 which could be good news for Griezmann.

“I’d like to recover the number 7 shirt with Barça. Quarantine is going well, but nothing can be done. I greatly miss football. I have no idea when the competition will resume, I don’t know when I will resume training.

“I’m disappointed by the Euro Cup being postponed but it was better because we had so many injured players this season. I have the World Cup in the middle of my dining room table.”

The No. 7 has long been Griezmann’s preferred number. He has worn the number for Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid and France and has said it’s because David Beckham was his idol when he was younger.

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Messi sets the record straight, confirms pay cuts

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

The captain issued a statement on Monday

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has taken to social media to confirm the first-team players will take a 70 per cent salary cut and will also “make contributions so that club employees can collect 100% of their salary while this situation lasts.”

The GOAT also hit out at those who had criticised the players for not taking a pay cut by stating they took their time to make sure they got the “formula” right.

Here’s the statement in full:

“Much has been written and said about the FC Barcelona first team in regards to the salaries of the players during this State of Alarm period.

“First of all, we want to make sure that our will has always been to apply a drop in the salary we receive, because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first ones who have ALWAYS helped the club when it has been lost. Even many times we have also done it on our own initiative, at other times that we thought necessary or important.

“Therefore, it does not cease to surprise us that from within the club there were those who tried to put us under the magnifying glass and tried to add pressure to do something that we always knew we would do. In fact, if the agreement has been delayed for a few days it is simply because we were looking for a formula to help the club and also its workers in these difficult times.

“For our part, the time has come to announce that, apart from the reduction of 70% of our salary during the State of Alarm, we will also make contributions so that club employees can collect 100% of their salary while this situation lasts.

“If we did not speak until now it was because the priority for us was to find solutions that were real to help the club, but also to those who were most affected by this situation.

“We do not want to say goodbye without sending an affectionate greeting and a lot of strength to all the culers who are having a hard time in these very difficult moments, as well as to all those who patiently await the end of this crisis in their homes. Very soon we are going to get out of this and we will all do it together.”

Source | Instagram

Barcelona players have all shared the statement on Instagram.

The news follows confirmation over the weekend that Italian champions Juventus will take a four-month pay cut to help the club during the pandemic. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are among other clubs to have also agreed temporary reductions.

Reports on Monday have suggested that Barcelona are expecting to lose around €100 million, or 10 per cent of their 2019-20 budget, due to the coronavirus crisis.

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Papers: Barca to included Junior Firpo in Lautaro deal

Photo by Marco Luzzani - Inter/Inter via Getty Images

Another day, another player linked with Inter Milan

Barcelona continue to be linked with a move for Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, and Monday brings news that Junior Firpo is the latest player rumored to be included in the deal.

Sport report that Barcelona are already looking to offload the full-back despite having only signed him from Real Betis in August 2019 for €18 million plus €12 million in add-ons.

The report reckons Barcelona are willing to sell for €20m and have already had plenty of interest from clubs in Italy such as as Roma, Napoli and and Torino.

However, they also think they could use him in the deal to sign Martinez as he is also liked by Inter Milan.

Interesting stuff, although it’s also worth noting that reports in Italy have suggested Inter have no interest in including players in the deal and only want cash.

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FC Barcelona News: 30 March 2020

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Lautaro would only leave Inter to go to Barça | Mundo Deportivo

Lautaro Martinez will only leave Inter Milan in the summer to join Barcelona. The striker does not want to join any other club, according to reports in Italy.

Barcelona, alert to the top level players who could go free in June | Sport

Barcelona are keeping tabs on some of the stars who will be out of contract in June including Jan Vertonghen, Dries Mertens and David Silva.

Messi is greater than Maradona - Cassano | Goal

Antonio Cassano has waded into the GOAT debate and reckons Lionel Messi is better than Diego Maradona because he’s been doing amazing things for 15 years.

Cucurella: My favourite goal was against Barcelona | Marca

Marc Cucurella says his favourite goal was for Getafe against Barcelona because he could “dedicate it to my partner and my son who was on the way.”

Barcelona staring into a black hole of 100 million euros | Marca

Barcelona are expecting to lose 100 million euros because of the coronavirus outbreak, which is 10 per cent of their budget for 2019-20.

Arturo Vidal’s new look during the coronavirus quarantine | Sport

Arturo Vidal has been sporting a new look while in quarantine. The Barcelona midfielder looks to have a given his famous mohawk a real trim in a picture on social media.

I’m not a big fan of diets’ - Barcelona keeper Ter Stegen reveals his nutrition habits | Goal

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been talking about what he’s been eating during the coronavirus lockdown and admits he’s not really into diets.

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Is Lionel Messi finally in decline at Barcelona?

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

We had an in-depth look at the captain’s form in 2019-20

Is this finally the year? The year of the Messi decline? This is a question that has plagued footballing circles ever since Messi crossed the wrong side of 30. Perhaps it’s a pertinent one, then? There’s no denying it, the Argentine is not getting any younger. He turns 33 in the summer.

This season has been an interesting one for Messi. While he remains the top goalscorer and assist provider in La Liga, with 19 and 12 respectively, many have felt as if this could be the beginning of the end. Messi has often looked dejected on the field, uninterested almost. Without his partner-in crime Luis Suarez, he is isolated in attack, tasked with every aspect of attacking play. In the first half of the season, Messi was producing at an unsustainable rate. At the time of Ernesto Valverde’s departure (January 5th), Messi had a xG of 6.70. He had already scored 13 goals by then. He was taking every chance he got, be it inside the box or far away from it.

For instance, Barça have an out of box xG of 5.72, yet they have scored 12 from that very situation, with Messi scoring eight of them. Now, yes, out of box situations always have a low xG value attached to them. But, the fact that the difference is sizeable, and that ¾ of the goals come from Messi, points to that fact that the difference comes down to him, not the collective.

Ever since Quique Setien’s appointment, the trend has reversed. The purple patch is gone. Since the Cantabrian’s arrival, Messi has scored six goals in La Liga against an xG of 8.47 (Importantly, four of those goals came in the same game). At the same time, Messi has also taken nearly double the shots p90 as he did under Valverde (6.75 to 3.94). In eight matches under Setien, Barça have scored 14 goals against an xG of 18.1. Barça have also created 4.13 big chances p90 in these games (as compared to 2.79 under Valverde) but have, nevertheless, seen their goals p90 drop down to 1.63 from 2.36.

How different is this season from the ones before, then? Is it really a *gasp* downturn? Well, not really. Messi’s creative numbers are down a little bit from 18/19 but not to the extent that it becomes worrisome. Moreover, the 18/19 season was freakish in every sense of the word, there was going to be at least a slight drop-off.

Messi as a goalscorer/provider

This season Messi has an xG+xA p90 of 0.96, as compared to 1.08 from last season. So, yes, there is a drop-off, but that was inevitable. 1.08 is not sustainable over the course of multiple seasons, and the data is a testament to this. In 17/18, his xG+xA was 1.01 and it was 0.9 in 16/17. Through that lens, 0.96 does not seem anomalous at all.

In terms of shots and dribbles, this season is not all that different either. In 19/20, Messi is averaging 4.5 shots on target p90 alongside 10.5 successful dribbles, as compared to 5.2 and 10.8 in 18/19, 5.4 and 11.3 in 17/18 and 4.2 and 10.2 in 16/17.

Messi as a dribbler/shooter

The numbers seem to suggest that this isn’t a drop-off at all. Messi is still operating within the range of the status quo ante, from previous seasons. It is a similar story in terms of creative passing. This season, Messi is averaging 8.49 passes into the final third, 6.4 passes into the box and 4.6 through balls p90, as compared to 9.5, 8.5 and 4.3 respectively in 18/19 and 8.9, 7.1 and 3.7 in 17/18. No drop-off. Nada.

Messi as a ball-progressor

Perhaps, to understand this “bad” patch form, at least as compared to last season, we need to look at the circumstances around Leo. Last season, Messi had an on-song Suarez around him alongside wide support from Ousmane Dembele. Without either of them, Messi has been forced to both create and get on the end of chances. A slowdown, therefore, is to be expected. Faulty planning in the transfer market has meant that, as it stands, Messi does not have an able deputy in either department. It is only a testament to his abilities that he is putting up similar underlying numbers across the board as he did in prior seasons.

However, and this is important, the club needs to treat this situation as if there has been a drop-off, even though that isn’t the case. There needs to be some sort of sharing of the workload, to ensure that Leo does not burn out. That is essential. His last few years must be utilised properly, as to ensure a smooth transition. The temporary ‘burnout’ this season could be a sign of things to come in the near future. After all, the clock only ticks one way. Soon, these burnouts could be longer and more severe. The club needs to ensure that doesn’t happen, and this complacent facade must be done away with.

Yes, it would be premature to draw long-term conclusions from this ‘drop-off’ ( if you can call it that). However, it is possibly indicative of the future. And that is something that cannot be ignored.

Hopefully, Barça are paying attention.

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Gossip: Klopp wants Liverpool to spend €90m on Dembele

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So this rumor is a lot of fun...

Ousmane Dembele may be in the midst of a six-month layoff after undergoing surgery on a serious hamstring tear in February but that is not enough to put off Liverpool, according to the latest report.

Sport have the surprise claim that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is a little bit in love with Dembele and wants to bring him to Anfield as he sees him as the “ideal reinforcement” for his attack.

Dembele has struggled with injury throughout his Barcelona career, but the report reckons Liverpool are still willing to make an offer of €90 million for the 22-year-old.

The report reckons that Barca had decided they would give Dembele another chance and would not allow him to leave in the summer.

However, the current coronavirus outbreak and the financial impact it will have on the club is likely to affect their transfer plans.

Indeed if a hefty offer were to arrive for Dembele in the next few months, which still seems unlikely given his injury problems, you suspect the club would be happy to let him go.

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Antoine Griezmann told he’s not happy at Barcelona

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Eric Olhats and Martin Lasarte have offered their views

Antoine Griezmann’s happiness at Barcelona seems to be the topic of much conversation at the moment.

Eric Olhats, the scout who discovered Griezmann and took him to Real Sociedad, has said it’s obvious the Frenchman is not enjoying life at the Camp Nou.

“I can understand why he would want to sign for Barcelona. Barca is Barca.

“Other players and friends said that his game was going to fit in and adapt very well to the way Barca play, tiki-taka and all that, but I don’t like his performances.

“You see that there are problems, that he isn’t enjoying it.”

Source | Mundo Deportivo

Meanwhile, Martin Lasarte, the coach who gave Griezmann his debut at Real Sociedad, reckons the World Cup winner is looking sad at his new club.

“His future there is in question because Barcelona themselves are in a difficult period,”

”We have to look for some scapegoats. We have to look for someone responsible. He’s the last one to arrive, a lot of money was paid for him. It seems to me that they’ve loaded a very heavy burden on him.

”Anybody other than Messi is in question. I see him sad, subdued; he’s not comfortable.”

Source | ElDesmarque

Griezmann has not had perhaps quite the impact you might expect from a player who cost €100 million, but he has still scored 14 goals in his debut season for Barca.

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Ter Stegen: I have no idea about football

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The goalkeeper doesn’t watch much football

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been talking about his life and explained that he’s not really a big football fan.

The German goalkeeper, rather surprisingly, says he struggles to recall the names of some of the players he comes up against in the Spanish top flight.

Here’s what he said:

“The people laugh when I tell them I have no idea about football, I don’t watch a lot, apart from the good games or when I’m interested in one match in particular because I have a friend in it.

“Sometimes they ask me about a player and I don’t have any idea. In La Liga, for example, I don’t know names. But later, when they give me the video, I realise I know perfectly well who it is. I remember better how they move on the pitch. how they shoot or how they get loose from other players than their names.”

Source | El Pais

Ter Stegen also spoke about how he liked playing at Napoli and Athletic Bilbao and said there’s a different atmosphere at the Camp Nou than in Germany because “the Barcelona fans appreciate the details.”

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Sevilla vs. Barcelona is suspended, so let’s see it in FIFA

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Let’s see what might have happened....

La Liga is suspended for the time being. So let’s play out Barcelona’s match against Sevilla in FIFA.

The current situation in the world means we don’t have football. So let’s play things out in FIFA. I also discuss my favorite books of all time in case you’re at home and looking for something to do. As always, if you’re looking for FIFA pro players, can you find some here!

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Xavi wants to return and ‘start a project from scratch’

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The club legend has been talking about the future

Xavi has given a pretty interesting interview to La Vanguardia where he’s talked about how he would like to return to Barcelona and “start a project from scratch.”

The Al Sadd coach turned down the chance to replace Ernesto Valverde in January but remains keen on taking charge of his former club at some point in the future.

“I am clear that I want to return to Barça, I am very excited. Now that I have seen myself training I think I can contribute things to the players. But I made it clear to them that I saw myself in a project that started from scratch, and in which decision-making was mine.”

Xavi went on to say he “there cannot be anyone toxic near the locker room” and added that he doe not “have a bad relationship with Bartomeu, I get along well with Joan Laporta and I’m friends with Víctor Font.”

The 40-year-old also discussed his ‘dream team’ consisting of the players already at the club and those he think might be good signings.

“Much of the staff seems extraordinary to me. Starting with the goalkeeper who seems to me the best in the world; Jordi Alba, for me, is the best left back in the world; Piqué, the best central defender in the world; Busquets, the best defensive midfielder in the world; and Messi, the best player in the world.

“And, if you add Suárez, De Jong and Arthur, they seem to me footballers with 10 more years at Barça. The base is very good. I would sign wingers like Neymar –I don’t know if he would fit in with the social issue, but footballing-wise I have no doubts that he would be a spectacular signing–; Barça already has a game inside ... but they lack wingers like Bayern does. You don’t need many new ones: Jadon Sancho, Serge Gnabry ...”

It seems clear that Xavi will return to Barcelona at some point in the future. His contract with Al Sadd runs until summer 2021, while Quique Setien’s deal runs until June 2022.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 March 2020

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Marc-Andre ter Stegen: I miss being on the pitch | Sport

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen admits he misses being out on the pitch and playing for the Spanish champions in an chat with the club’s fans.

Ter Stegen: I’ve been cleaning my house a lot, which is like exercise | Marca

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has also been talking about his daily routine under lockdown and how he has been busy doing housework as well as his Barcelona training regime.

Barcelona will donate 30,000 masks to health service | Sport

Barcelona will donate 30,000 makes to the Catalan health department to help in the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Bayern Munich join race to sign Barcelona target Luiz Felipe | Football Espana

Barcelona face competition from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in the race to sign defender Luiz Felipe from Lazio in the summer.

Barcelona’s players are hallucinating | Marca

Barcelona players are yet to come to an agreement regarding salary cuts. The squad feel they don’t fully understand the situation but are aware a gesture needs to be made.

‘We are still in shock’ - Former Barca keeper Recber hospitalised with coronavirus | Goal

Former Barcelona goalkeeper and Turkey legend Rustu Recber has been rushed to hospital after falling ill with coronavirus.

Tottenham handed Coutinho transfer boost as agent denies star holds a grudge | Express

Philippe Coutinho’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has denied the Brazilian holds a grudge against Tottenham after seeing a move to north London fall through last year.

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Pique: It’s a difficult time but together we are invincible

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

The defender called for unity in the fight against coronavirus

Gerard Pique took part in the LaLigaSantander Fest on Saturday, a charity initiative involving athletes and musicians aimed at raising funds to fight the coronavirus.

The Barcelona defender spoke about the difficult days the world is facing due to the pandemic but highlighted the importance of sticking together through the crisis.

“It’s not easy, but we’ll do it between us. We’re living in a very difficult situation and to do something like La Liga is doing makes us feel very proud.

“Not just the players but the clubs too and fans for having a role in this Liga Santander Fest. Any person can give their grain of sand and here we are, happy to participate in an initiative like

“It will be difficult, it’s hard, we will go through complicated moments. There will be people near you that will suffer, others will suffer directly, but among all of us we will move forward and together we are invincible.”

Source | Sport

Saturday’s LaLiga Fest was a four-hour event which was broadcast to over 180 countries, raising more than €625,000 in funds.

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UEFA president fears season could be lost

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Difficult to gauge when football will be able to return

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said 2019-20 season could be lost if leagues are unable to resume by the end of June due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Football across the world has been suspended due to the pandemic, with La Liga confirming on Monday the competition has been halted indefinitely.

Ceferin says UEFA do have plans for the future but much will depend on what happens in the next weeks and months.

“Nobody knows when the pandemic will end. We have a plan A, B or C: to restart in mid-May, in June or at the end of June.

“If then we wouldn’t be able to do any of these, the season would probably be lost. There is also the possibility of ending this season at the start of the next, which would then be postponed, starting a little later.

”We’re in touch with the leagues, the clubs, there is a working group and we’ll see what solution is best for all. We have to wait, like any other sector.”

Source | La Repubblica

Mundo Deportivo reported on Saturday that leagues could start again in June and finish in July, with the Champions League then played in August.

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Luis Enrique explains what it’s like to train Messi at Barca

The coach has spoken about the advice he would offer the GOAT

Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has been talking about what it’s like to train the world’s greatest player.

Enrique took part in a Q&A session with fans on social media where he was asked what it was like to train Lionel Messi and offered his view on what advice he gave the Argentine.

“How do we train Leo Messi? There is a little bit of everything. I cannot tell him how to dribble or how to pass or shoot because he is an artist at those things and it’s clear that we don’t have to advise him on these topics.

“But things relating to the systems we use, situations or things as a more general level that benefit us, for sure we tell him.

“How to create pressure in a certain way, where do we want the ball, what spaces on the pitch should he be taking up to try to receive the ball... we tried to influence him regarding all those things.”

Source | Goal

Lucho spent three years at Barca before leaving and subsequently taking on the role as Spain boss. He also spoke in the session about how he has not ruled out a return to Barcelona in the future.

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Suarez says he’s making ‘spectacular’ recovery from injury

Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images

The striker underwent surgery in January

Luis Suarez has offered another update on his recovery from injury and has described his current progress as “spectacular.”

The Uruguay international has been out of action since undergoing knee surgery in January that initially ruled him out for four months.

Suarez has been posting positive updates over the last few weeks, and his latest comments suggest he is closing in on a return to full fitness.

“My comeback is going spectacularly well,” he said.

“I am starting to run now, and when the team returns, I will be with them.”

Source | Football Espana

The current La Liga suspension means that it’s highly likely Suarez will be ready to return by the time Barcelona get back out on the pitch.

Reports on Saturday have suggested domestic football could resume in June, with the Champions League set to be played in August.

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Barcelona tell Semedo to renew or leave - report

Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The right-back could be off in the summer

Barcelona will reportedly look to sell Nelson Semedo in the summer if he does not renew his contract at the club which runs until 2022.

According to Sport, the club are “open to offers” for the Portugal international as they try to raise some cash to “invest elsewhere” in the squad.

Barcelona have already spoken to his agent, Jorge Mendes, to tell him they will look to offload him if he does not agree a contract extension.

There was speculation about Semedo’s future last summer, and the report claims there was interest from Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Manchester City.

Inter Milan are also said to be interested this time around, and Mendes sees Semedo as an “attractive option” for many clubs.

If Barcelona were to sell Semedo it would leave them short of right-back options ahead of next season.

There have been rumors of interest in Lukas Klostermann and Ricardo Pereira, while there’s also been talk Barca could try to bring Emerson in from Real Betis early.

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Papers: Barcelona closing in on Lautaro Martinez

Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Inter Milan striker’s future continues to make headlines

Barcelona’s reported hunt for Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is once again in the news on Saturday with the latest reports suggesting the club are closing in on the 22-year-old.

Sport bring word that Barca have convinced Martinez to prioritise a move to the Camp Nou over any other offers he may receive.

The club managed to make the breakthrough in February by convincing the striker he will be a starter at Barcelona even though Luis Suarez will still be at the club.

Martinez is keen to play alongside Lionel Messi and will tell Inter he wants to play for Barcelona, although he does not want to force an exit from the club.

Mundo Deportivo also have a similar update on Martinez. They reckon that Martinez is pretty sold on a move to Barca, and Messi’s recent praise helped make up his mind.

One factor that will complicate the deal is the current coronavirus and the financial impact it will have on both clubs.

This could mean that players are included as part of the deal, and the most likely man to move is Arturo Vidal who is loved by Antonio Conte and wants regular football.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 March 2020

Photo by Dave Winter/Icon Sport via Getty Images

A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and transfer rumors

Roberto Carlos tells star to snub Barcelona for Champions League glory | Evening Standard

Roberto Carlos has told Neymar to snub a move to Barcelona and join Real Madrid if he wants to win the Champions League.

Quique Setién in lockdown | FC Barcelona

Barcelona boss Quique Setien has been talking about how he spends his time during the current lockdown in Spain due to the coronavirus.

La Masia also hit by salary cuts | Marca

Barcelona have decided to take salary cuts due to the pandemic. This will also affect La Masia where all semi-professional staff will see their wages drop by 30 per cent.

Barcelona: Iniesta the closest to Messi – Luis Enrique | AS

Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique held a Q&A session with fans online and spoke about the two players who have impressed him the most during his career.

Champions League in August and the 2020/21 La Liga season in October? | Sport

There’s still no clear idea of when football will return, but it is being speculated the Champions League could be played in August and the new La Liga season start in October.

Coutinho would improve Arsenal or Spurs - Rio Ferdinand | Evening Standard

Rio Ferdinand says Manchester United don’t need Philippe Coutinho but he thinks the Brazilian would improve both Arsenal or Tottenham.

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Barcelona’s best La Liga goals of 2019-20 so far

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Ten great strikes from the champions

It may be a while before we see Barcelona back in action and banging in the goals so I decided to take a look back at the season so far and pick out their best (well, my favourite) goals of 2019-20.

All of which proved a little trickier than I had originally thought. Barca are comfortably the top scorers in La Liga with 63 goals from 27 matches, meaning there are quite a few great strikes that didn’t make the list. Feel free to disagree in the comments!

Here’s my top 10 (in no particular order):

Arthur: Barcelona 2-1 Villarreal

Arthur’s not known for his goalscoring ability but he came up with an absolute corker in the win over Villarreal back in September. Barca were already 1-0 up when the Brazilian was given way too much time and space and thumped one into the top corner from miles out.

Lionel Messi: Atletico Madrid 0-1 Barcelona

A tight game at the Wanda Metropolitano was heading for a goalless draw until Lionel Messi won it courtesy of a brilliant goal with four minutes of normal time remaining. The GOAT cut infield from the right, swapped passes with Luis Suarez and then fizzed the ball past Jan Oblak. Diego Simeone’s applause on the touchline afterwards said it all.

Ansu Fati: Barcelona 2-1 Levante

This goal gets in for two very good reasons. The first is the vision shown by Messi to send Ansu through on goal with a gorgeous pass, and the second is the exquisite finish from the youngster to put it though Aitor Fernandez’s legs.

Luis Suarez: Getafe 0-2 Barcelona

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is the main reason why this one makes the list. The German picked up his first (!) assist of the season as Barca took all three points at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Ter Stegen came out of his box, chested the ball down and then played it long for Suarez to run through and dink over David Soria.

Antoine Griezmann: Barcelona 5-2 Real Betis

You could probably pick any one of Barcelona’s goals from this game to make the list (Carles Perez and Arturo Vidal almost made it that’s for sure), but I’m going with Griezmann’s second of the night. The Frenchman had already scored his first goal for the club to equalise but topped it with a brilliant curling effort that flew into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.

Luis Suarez: Barcelona 4-0 Sevilla

Another game packed full of brilliant goals. Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi were both on target with great efforts, but Suarez gets my vote with his acrobatic effort because overhead kicks are my absolute favourites.

Lionel Messi: Barcelona 4-1 Alaves

Messi scored his 50th goal of 2019 in some style against Alaves. The captain went on a little run and was surrounded by six Alaves players when he curled a shot past Fernando Pacheco from 25 yards.

Frenkie de Jong: Real Betis 2-3 Barcelona

This one was just Frenkie de Jong’s second of the season, but it was worth waiting for and came in a great game. Lionel Messi was the creator, spotting the Dutchman’s run and drifting a superb ball for him to control on his chest and poke home from close range.

Luis Suarez: Barcelona 5-2 Real Mallorca

There are more great goals in this big win. An Antoine Griezmann dink from another Ter Stegen assist was nice, three stunning Lionel Messi efforts were better but again it’s Suarez who gets my vote with a pretty outrageous backheel.

Lionel Messi: Barcelona 5-0 Eibar

More Messi magic at the Camp Nou against Eibar. The Argentine opened the scoring with a great run which ended with a nutmeg on Anaitz Arbilla and a little dink past Marko Dmitrović. He went on to score four to secure Barca’s biggest win under Quique Setien so far.

There were plenty more goals that could have made the list (I haven’t included any Messi free-kicks for instance), so feel free to let me know your favourite goal of the season so far in the comments below.

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Carlos Vela says he tried to join Barcelona but LAFC blocked move

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The striker came close to the Camp Nou

LAFC striker Carlos Vela has been talking once again about interest from Barcelona and said he tried to move to the Camp Nou but his club made it difficult for him to leave.

The Catalan giants came in for the striker in the January 2019 transfer window but couldn’t seal a deal for the Mexican and ended up with Kevin-Prince Boateng instead.

Vela says he would have been happy to make the move but his club weren’t keen.

“Barca offered me the chance to join them for four months at that moment in time and I accepted it because it was a very good opportunity. It wasn’t ‘Ah, I want to go for two years and if not, I’m not going.’ They said four months and I said I would go for four,” he said.

“LAFC did not make it easy for me to leave although it’s understandable. In the order, they are looking for the best for themselves. I tried and it wasn’t to be. But it’s ok because I’m more than happy here.”

Source | GQ

Vela went on to enjoy a brilliant season with LAFC, scoring a record 34 goals (and 15 assists) to clinch the MLS Golden Boot. He was also named the MLS Most Valuable Player in November, beating Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the prize.

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