Celta vs Barça: Preview

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Barça play their first road game of the season looking to build on a solid opening win

RC Celta Vigo (8th, 5pts) vs FC Barcelona (10th, 3pts)*

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*Points and positions at the time of writing on Wednesday

Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 4

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Marc-André ter Stegen, Samuel Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Rafinha (out)

Celta Vigo Outs & Doubts: Sergio Álvarez, Rubén Blanco, David Juncà (out)

Date/Time: Thursday, October 1, 2020, 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Friday)

Venue: Estadio de Balaídos, Vigo, Spain

Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), Startimes Sports (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others

How to stream: fuboTV (USA), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA & Canada), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

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Following an impressive start to the season with a resounding 4-0 victory against Villarreal at Camp Nou, Barcelona hit the road for the first time in this La Liga season to play a historically tough fixture away to Celta Vigo at Balaídos.

Ever since the days of Ernesto Valverde, Barça have been simply awful away from home. Even with post-pandemic football happening with empty stadiums in Spain, which could contribute to Barça improving their form without having to face a hostile crowd, the Blaugrana are still terrible away from Camp Nou, and that is the biggest job facing Ronald Koeman as manager.

More often than not, Barça will be really good at home like they were on Sunday. There is just too much talent in this squad and familiar surroundings make it easier for that talent to shine. It’s the mental side that is always lacking on the road: Barça simply cannot respond well to going down early away from home, and even when they take the lead, which happened the last time they faced Celta away, they can’t find a way to protect it and lose points in mostly laughable fashion.

Starting on Thursday against a tough opponent, Koeman’s Barça needs to be different away from home to give any hopes of a successful season. Rome, Anfield, Lisbon. The biggest embarrassments in club history happened away from Camp Nou. Let’s start changing that, shall we?

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Neto; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, De Jong; Griezmann, Coutinho, Ansu Fati; Messi

Celta Vigo (3-4-1-2): Villar; Aidoo, Murillo, Araújo; Vázquez, Tapia, Yokuslu, Olaza; Méndez; Aspas, Santi Mina

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PREDICTION

I am very nervous for every road game Barça plays, and that won’t change until they change: 2-1 Celta.

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Who can Barcelona draw in the 2020-21 Champions League?

Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

The group stages will be set on Thursday

Barcelona will discover who they will face in the group stages of the 2020-21 Champions League on Thursday when the draw for the latest edition of the tournament is made.

Ronald Koeman’s side find themselves in Pot 2 this time around which means they could get a tasty draw. They can’t face Real Madrid or Sevilla, who are both in Pot 1 after winning La Liga and the Europa League, but they can face any of the six other teams.

Here’s a look at how the draw’s looking:

POT 1

Bayern, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus, PSG, Zenit, Porto

POT 2

Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Ajax

POT 3

Dynamo Kiev, FC Salzburg, RB Leipzig, Inter, Olympiacos, Lazio, Krasnodar, Atalanta

POT 4

Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Club Brugge, Borussia Monchengladbach, Istanbul Basaksehir, FC Midtjylland, Rennes, Ferencváros

The draw takes place on Thursday in Switzerland at 17:00 CET, 11:00 ET. The first round of matches are scheduled for 20-21 October.

UEFA will stream the draw live on their official website, and we’ll also provide a live blog.

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Gossip: Man Utd want Dembele on loan, Rafinha to stay

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A look at the latest rumors

Ousmane Dembele’s name keeps cropping up in the gossip columns as the end of the transfer window nears.

The latest reports suggest that Manchester United are still keen, but the talk is now very much of a loan deal for the Frenchman.

Fabrizio Romano and Sky Sports both report the Red Devils are in talks with Dembele about a loan move and that he’s seen as a Plan B if United fail to land Jadon Sancho.

Previous speculation has claimed Dembele doesn’t want to leave Barca right now, while Ronald Koeman was asked about the rumors in his presser and was pretty non-committal.

“The first thing to say is that it is up to the club and to the player. But he is with us and as we’ve seen in recent weeks I am counting on him....he has to wait to play but he is training well, getting fitter. I want to say that I am counting on him.”

Meanwhile, Rafinha’s future is also the subject of speculation, but the Brazilian has decided he’s not going anywhere until January.

The 27-year-old has been left out of Koeman’s squad for the trip to Celta, and the Dutch coach explained he might be better off leaving.

“For the players who don’t have much chance of playing, it’s better to leave. We have a lot of midfielders, he was on the previous list but not on this one, these are technical decisions.”

According to Sport, Rafinha isn’t going anywhere until January at least. He’s not been convinced by the offers he’s received so far and will wait a few months to decide his next move.

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Spanish Federation gets rid of “Braithwaite rule”

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Controversial rule allowed Barcelona to sign a player outside the transfer window

The Spanish Federation has removed the rule which allowed Barcelona to sign Martin Braithwaite outside the transfer window, bringing the Spanish league in line with all other European leagues.

The rule, article 124.3 in the federation’s regulations, allowed clubs to make an emergency signing outside of the transfer window as a replacement for an injured player.

The long-standing rule was available for all clubs inside the Spanish league system, and allowed them to sign one player from within the Spanish league system (or a free agent) to play domestic competitions.

Barcelona were the first to use it when they got Braithwaite from Leganés after Ousmane Dembélé went out for the season.

Celta Vigo followed suit, using the same rule to land winger Nolito after their backup keeper, Sergio Álvarez, went down injured.

The rule was deemed unfair by the media as teams had no recourse when a player’s release clause was triggered. Leganés were relegated, in part because they could not themselves use that rule to replace Braithwaite - their main striker - as they themselves had no long-term injury.

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Oscar Garcia: Celta must show ‘a lot of personality’ vs Barca

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The coach has looked forward to tomorrow’s game

Celta Vigo boss Oscar Garcia has been talking about the prospect of taking on Barcelona in La Liga on Thursday night.

The hosts have a strong record against Barcelona at Balaidos, and are unbeaten in their last five home league meetings with the Catalan giants.

The two teams played out a 2-2 draw the last time they met in June, but Garcia played down the importance of past results in his pre-match press conference.

“We know that the game is going to require a lot of concentration and above all a lot of personality. We play against a very difficult opponent who is going to fight for all the titles and have a lot of danger.

“Each game is a story that has yet to be written and what happened before is of little use. They have another coach, a new scheme with double pivot and we both have new players and others who have left.

“You can play a tactically perfect game and in an oversight or a genius they can decide the game for you. Any player who comes off the bench at Barcelona can change the match. They have a very good squad.”

Celta have started the season with two draws and a win. They only victory came in a 2-1 win over Valencia with Iago Aspas scoring twice.

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Koeman talks Sergino Dest, Messi and Dembele

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The latest from the Barcelona boss

Ronald Koeman faced the press on Wednesday to discuss all things Barcelona ahead of the team’s first La Liga away match of the season at Celta Vigo.

The Dutch coach offered his thoughts on Lionel Messi’s recent interview, gave an update on Sergino Dest and Ousmane Dembele and talked about Barca’s transfer plans.

Here are the best bits:

Koeman on Celta Vigo

We expect a difficult match because in recent years Barcelona haven’t been able to win at this ground. Winning at Balaidos is complicated. They have a very good team and so we have to be at a good level and play our match well to win.

Koeman on Messi’s interview

It’s very positive that the captain has shown that we need to be united. I hope we can be a bit more relaxed than we have been recently.

I don’t know if I have everything in my power so that Messi is happy here. We have to find the best team for him, where he can shine and the best position for him. And formulas in training because he lives for football and he always wants to win even in training.

Koeman on Sergino Dest

I think he is doing his medical check-up. He still has to sign his contract and until he’s signed I prefer not to give my opinion. It seems clear he will be here and so we can count on a young winger. It’s time to change things here, sign some younger players and consider the full-backs we have got. He’s a young player, he’s played in the Champions League and I’m sure he will be a useful player.

Koeman on Dembele

First I want to say that these decisions are made by the club and the player. As we have seen, I am going to count on him. He has not played from the beginning because there are more players and Ansu has proven to be very good for this team. He was better physically the first weeks But today he trained well and I’m going to count on him

Koeman on potential signings

We have to anyalse the lineup and see what we’re missing, but there are a couple of positions at the club we are looking at improving. We know that the club has financial problems, like all clubs. We are working to have another option at No. 9. The club will work hard to bring it in. If not we’ll count on the players we have. There are no complaints about the players we have.

Koeman on Griezmann

I’m not worried in this sense because I think Antoine is doing things very well. He’s playing from the right and has much more freedom to get into the center. When I was Netherlands coach we played a match against France and I saw Antoine on the right wing, so I don’t think we need to worry about him only playing in the centre. He has different qualities and from the outside to the inside is his danger and he loses his man really well. I’m very happy with his work.

Koeman on transfer priorities

One position is not more important than the other. In terms of type of players we are a bit weak centrally with Gerard with Lenglet and Araujo. That is why we have called up Santi from Barça B, to have one more center back.

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How will Barcelona line up against Celta Vigo?

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Ronald Koeman’s side are at Balaidos on Thursday

Barcelona play their first away La Liga fixture of 2020-21 on Thursday and it’s a tricky one too at Celta Vigo.

The Catalan giants started the season well with a 4-0 win over Villarreal but have a pretty poor record at Balaidos.

Ronald Koeman could be tempted to stick with the same team that beat Villarreal, although he will be aware Barca play again on Sunday and will need to get the balance right.

Defence

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Barcelona kept a clean sheet at Sunday and it’s difficult to see there being any changes in defence. Neto will continue in goal as Marc-Andre ter Stegen is still some weeks away from returning.

Sergi Roberto’s place at right-back is safe for now, but possibly not for much longer with Sergino Dest set to complete his move from Ajax shortly, while Jordi Alba will continue on the opposite flank.

Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet are also set to continue in central defence.

Midfield

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Koeman has made it clear he wants to play with a double pivot in midfield but has decisions to make over which two players will feature against Celta. Frenkie de Jong looks a certain starter but there are questions marks over his partner.

Sergio Busquets did not have his best game against Villarreal and is facing serious competition for his place from new arrival Miralem Pjanic. The former Juventus man came off the bench against Sunday and will be eyeing a first La Liga start.

Attack

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Barcelona have plenty of attacking options which means it will be interesting to see who starts against Celta. Francisco Trincao, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele all came off the bench against Villarreal but could any start?

Ansu Fati looks undroppable after his double against the Yellow Submarine, as does captain Lionel Messi who opened his account from the penalty spot. The skipper also has a great record against Celta, scoring 11 times in his last 16 La Liga meetings against the Sky Blues.

Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann also started last time out but did they do enough to convince Koeman and keep their places in the starting XI?

Possible XI: Neto; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Messi, Coutinho, Fati; Griezmann

How do you think Barcelona should line up at Celta? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and line-ups in the comments below!

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Much of the same, or something new? Barça’s start to the season

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A look at the win over Villarreal

A slick Barcelona attack downed Villarreal 4-0 at the Camp Nou. It was a great start to Ronald Koeman’s tenure as Barça boss, with his favoured 4-2-3-1 system looking especially handy. With goals from Ansu and Lionel Messi, Barça looked a far cry from the team that got hammered by Hansi Flick’s Bayern a month ago.

But, is this 4-2-3-1 a sustainable set-up? As of now, Koeman has seemed almost bullish with his tactical decision making, and has stuck to his guns. Right from the off, he’s implemented the double pivot, and has looked to offer structural support to a weak defence. With Frenkie receiving from zone 4, in and around the half-space, this has worked well up to now, at least for him. The same cannot be said about Sergio Busquets, who has struggled in this setup. He has often looked lost, due to his receiving zones being occupied by De Jong. Perhaps, Miralem Pjanić may be a better fit in this system. It is vital that Koeman finds a sustainable midfield pairing in this supporting pivot, which is key to the functioning of a 2-2-5-1 staggered build-up.

What of the full-backs then? Against Villareal, both full-backs were high, and wide, with Jordi Alba proving especially adept at holding width. This is nothing new, of course. Barça have been playing with stretched full-backs for years now. However, Koeman’s insistence on two midfielders as a base may help Barça’s cause in defensive transitions, where they will rarely be caught in 2v3’s (provided there is positional adherence, of course). It remains to be seen what actually happens, but this is a potential positive.

Now, the attack. Last time out, Koeman featured a front four of Messi, Ansu Fati, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho. This attack worked well, except for a few teething problems here and there. However, natural width remained a problem, especially with Griezmann putting in another “nothing” shift on the right. Perhaps, he should be replaced by Ousmane Dembélé or Francisco Trincão against Celta. If not, then Koeman may be looking at similar problems of centrality as 19/20 Barça did. It just does not make sense to start Griezmann as a winger when Barça have three young wingers raring to go. Dembélé, Trincão and Pedri are all capable of holding width and creating 1v1’s. Griezmann can do none of that. As of now, it seems as his reputation, and price tag, is all that’s keeping him on the pitch. For his own sake, Koeman should rectify that.

In all, things are not looking as bad as they were last month. The squad is in better shape than many expected, and the addition of Sergino Dest is very welcome.

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FC Barcelona News: 30 September 2020

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

Second session of the week ahead of Celta game - FC Barcelona
Second session of the week for 13 players from the squad on Tuesday as preparations continue for the next league fixture which is against Celta Vigo in Balaídos on Thursday, 9.30pm CEST kick off.

When and where to watch Celta Vigo v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
For Barça, first away game of the La Liga season on Thursday. And here's all you need to know to make sure you don't miss a thing!

Everton join the race for Barcelona star Jean-Clair Todibo - Football Espana
Everton will reportedly challenge Premier League rivals Fulham in the race to sign Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

Manchester United poised to sign Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele - report - Football Espana
Manchester United are negotiating with Barcelona to sign their forward Ousmane Dembele in a deal between €50m-60m, report Diario AS.

Barcelona president Bartomeu faces no confidence vote as member signature verification begins - Football Espana
Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu is set to face a vote of no confidence after the initial round of signature verification for the motion found that just 32 of 1,500 were false.

EXCLUSIVE Leo Messi interview: Everything I did was for the good of Barcelona - SPORT
Leo Messi has spoken exclusively to SPORT for the first time since he announced he would stay at Barcelona. The full interview will be available in SPORT on Wednesday.

Porto plot move for out of favour Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig - SPORT
Porto are weighing up asking Barcelona to take Riqui Puig on loan for the 2020-21 season, according to a report in Portuguese newspaper Record.

Forward Ousmane Dembele late for Barcelona training once again - SPORT
Ousmane Dembele played his first minutes of the new season on Sunday in the win against Villarreal but was back in the spotlight on Monday for the wrong reasons when he turned up late to training.

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Iago Aspas praises Ansu Fati ahead of Barcelona’s clash with Celta

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The two sides meet on Thursday at Balaidos

Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas has praised Barcelona’s Ansu Fati ahead of the league clash between the two clubs on Thursday.

Fati played a starring role in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Villarreal on Sunday, scoring twice and winning a penalty for Ronald Koeman’s side.

Aspas knows just how special the teenager is and has spoken about just how impressed he’s been by the youngster.

“Ansu’s given several exhibitions like the one on Sunday against Villarreal,” he said. “I hope he maintains it for the good of Spanish football and the national team.

“He’s started this season on fire, but what surprises me most is his self-confidence, playing for such a big team without fear. If he takes on a player twice and loses the ball twice, he will still try it a third time.”

Source | Sport

Celta have started the season with two draws and a win but won’t lack for confidence against Barcelona on Thursday. The Catalan giants have struggled at Balaidos in recent seasons and haven’t won there since April 2015.

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Signature counts begin in motion to censure Josep Maria Bartomeu

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Error rate reportedly low

Officials have begun counting signatures in a motion to formally censure Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Més que una Moció, the group organizing the movement, submitted 20,731 signatures, much more than the 16,521 required to launch a recall vote that could force Bartomeu out.

With so many extra signatures, it is expected that even with a particularly high error rate, the motion would be successful. An error rate around 3% is normal, but even one at 20% would not be high enough to put the number of good signatures below the required amount.

Around 3,800 signatures have been analyzed so far, and the error rate is reportedly between 2 and 3%. If a ballot is considered “doubtful,” they are forwarded to a handwriting expert. If he has doubts, the phone number associated with the signature is called to confirm. One in 20 are randomly sent to the expert as well. If a signature is considered valid, a confirmation is sent to the phone number via text message.

‼️ NOVETATS MOCIÓ

️ Després d'unes 3.800 butlletes analitzades, el percentatge d'invalidades oscil·la entre el 2 i el 3%

N'hi ha de dubtoses que s'han de comprovar

❌ Només dues de duplicades

via @AdriaSoldevila

⏭️ Explicat a La Graderiahttps://t.co/4YLfz0mUFn pic.twitter.com/9H4hG9imyh

— Què T'hi Jugues (@QueThiJugues) September 29, 2020

Unless something really unforeseen happens, there will be more than enough verified signatures for Bartomeu to face a recall vote. Two-thirds of voters must vote against him in order to force him out.

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We’re all here for the Lionel Messi-Ansu Fati mentorship

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The youngster was on fire and the old master must be loving it

Ansu Fati had a monster game in Barcelona’s 4-0 triumph over Villarreal. The youngster scored twice and won a penalty, in effect having a hand in three of the four goals.

Lionel Messi was on hand as well to contribute, scoring one goal and forcing an own goal.

For a long time, Luis Suárez was Messi’s best friend in the Barcelona squad. Now, he has left the team. While Fati probably can’t replace Suárez as Messi’s best friend, there’s a burgeoning partnership between the old master and the prodigal student.

Suárez and Messi are similar in age and come from neighboring countries. Messi is nearly twice Fati’s age, and they come from different continents - although to be fair both have lived in Spain for a while.

Fati moved from Guinea-Bissau to Seville at the age of six, while Messi was around 13 when he moved from Argentina to Barcelona. Fati chose to represent Spain internationally. Messi turned them down for his native Argentina. Both broke onto the scene at very young ages, having turned La Masia upside down with their enormous talent. The stories are not the same, but they’re similar enough that perhaps Messi sees a bit of himself in Fati.

It’s still too early to declare Fati the next Messi, and their playing styles are not even all that similar anyway. Fati is right-footed and a few inches taller than the left-footed Messi. Undeniably, Fati has potential to reach heights most can only dream of. But we’ve seen many young stars fizzle out. The fact that Fati broke many youth records held by Bojan Krkić should be a warning. The stress of expectation sunk Bojan despite all his promise.

Messi has always been complimentary towards the teenager, saying since his earliest days in the first team that Fati was “a fantastic player” who “has what it takes to succeed.”

A few days ago, Fati spoke about the Argentine, saying that “playing with Messi is a dream I had since I was a child and now I am living it.”

“He gives me a lot of advice, he helps me a lot on the pitch and in training, but away from it too, and that makes me very happy.”

Their burgeoning relationship was in evidence in the win against Villarreal, most notably after Fati won the penalty. If you’re on a hat trick, perhaps it would be fair to expect Messi to allow you to take the penalty you just won. Messi is known for “donating” penalty attempts to players who are low on confidence who might need the goal to help them start a scoring streak.

Fati could have lobbied for consideration to take it. Instead, the youngster got up, spotted Messi, and flipped the ball to him with a smile.

Ansu gave the ball to Messi right away after winning the penalty. After Leo scored, he said something to Fati. Commentator speculates he said "don't worry, you'll take the next one"pic.twitter.com/xxJb2ZnRo9

— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) September 29, 2020

Messi took the penalty, scored, and was quick to go to Fati and whisper into his ear. Perhaps he said something along the lines of, “don’t worry, you’ll get to take a few of these, too.”

Messi may not have his best friend on the team anymore, but he does have a star pupil he can mentor. Just like Ronaldinho was, at some point, a bit of a mentor to him. It could be quite something to watch this season.

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Lionel Messi: My commitment to Barcelona is total

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Messi bounces back after he tried to leave during the transfer window

Lionel Messi has reassured Barcelona fans that he is 100% committed to the team after he tried to leave for Manchester City during the transfer window, which incidentally, is still open.

“After so many disagreements, I would like to put an end to it. All Barça fans must unite and know that the best is yet to come,” the Argentine told Diario SPORT.

Striking a conciliatory tone, Messi assured the club’s members and fans that if they were upset with something he did, they should be sure that he always acted in the best interests of the club.

“We must leave aside our differences. In particular I take responsibility for my mistakes, which, if they exist, were made as I attempted to make a stronger and better Barcelona,” Messi said.

“The only way for us to achieve our goals is by bringing passion and excitement, always united and rowing in the same direction.

“Today, my commitment to this shirt and to this shield is total, it remains intact,” the captain said.

Messi’s contract is said to expire next season.

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Dest arrives in Barcelona to complete move from Ajax

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The right-back has been spotted in the city

After days of speculation it seems that Sergino Dest has finally arrived in Barcelona to complete his move from Ajax.

The right-back was spotted at the airport late on Tuesday after flying in from Amsterdam.

Sergiño Dest ya está en Barcelona . Pronto será oficial el fichaje . El Barcelona ya tiene lateral derecho de futuro !! pic.twitter.com/41HvC9B2Jb

— Alfredo Martínez (@Alfremartinezz) September 29, 2020

Sergiño Dest ya está en Barcelona. Lo vemos en @gol a las 23:30. pic.twitter.com/KYn1wQBfjS

— Alex Pintanel (@alexpintanel) September 29, 2020

The 19-year-old is expected to sign a five-year deal at the Camp Nou and be officially unveiled as a Barcelona player later this week.

Dest will replace Nelson Semedo in the squad, after the Portugal international completed his move to Wolves, and will rival Sergi Roberto for the right-back spot.

Barcelona have beaten off competition from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for Dest who is expected to cost the club around €25 million.

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Gossip: Barcelona to sell Dembele and bring in Memphis

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Conflicting reports about the Frenchman

Barcelona are reportedly “very close” to selling Ousmane Dembele to Manchester United for a fee of around €50 to 60 million.

According to AS, Barca are “willing to let Dembele” go and would also be happy to have the Frenchman off the wage bill.

The club would use part of the funds brought in from Dembele’s sale to bring in Memphis Depay from Lyon who is reportedly a top target of Ronald Koeman’s.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho all summer but are struggling to complete a deal for the England international.

Mundo Deportivo’s Francesc Aguilar has backed up the report on Twitter, although RAC1’s Gerard Romero isn’t quite as certain.

He brings news that Barcelona are denying having received an offer from Manchester United and reckon any move would only be a loan. Romero also reports that Dembele is not thinking about leaving.

Yet he also points out that Barca do still need to bring in money and reduce the wage bill and claims anything could happen between now and the close of the transfer window.

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Memphis Depay to Barcelona transfer rumor getting colder

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Barcelona are looking to a player swap deal

Barcelona still want Memphis Depay, but his transfer is looking more and more complicated as the club doesn’t have a ton of money after the impact of the pandemic on the budget.

As such, the only way the Lyon forward would come is if the French team were open to a swap deal, as Barcelona thinks they don’t have enough money to buy him through cash only, according to a new report.

The loss of Luis Suárez to Atlético Madrid has left Barcelona with a potential opening in the starting XI, one that could be filled by Depay. He is not a pure #9 but in Ronald Koeman’s system that might be a good thing.

There is the possibility that Samuel Umtiti could return to his old club, although the stumbling block has always been his relatively massive salary compared to Lyon’s budget.

In any case a sale could help Barcelona. Jean-Clair Todibo and Rafinha are possible exits.

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Ter Stegen says injury recovery is going ‘very well’

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The German had knee surgery in August

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen says his recovery from a knee injury is going “very well” after going under the knife last month.

The Germany international is not expected back until the end of next month at the earliest and has been asked about his injury at a recent promotional event.

“It’s going well, the knee is doing very well,” he told reporters and also went on to speak about life at the Camp Nou under new manager Ronald Koeman.

“There have been some changes and we have to create a new group, with new ‘feelings’. The final goal has not changed and we will fight for everything. We need people to understand the changes and be in perfect shape during the season because it will be very long.

“It is true that at first it was difficult for us to adapt to the restrictions, but we have to accept it and try to manage it in the best way possible”.

Source | AS

There’s no clear update yet on when Ter Stegen is set to return. Neto has taken his place in goal in the meantime and kept a clean sheet on Sunday in Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Villarreal.

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Barcelona want to offload three more players

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It could be a busy week at the Camp Nou

Barcelona have already offloaded a few players this summer but reportedly want at least three more departures before the close of the transfer window.

Mundo Deportivo report there are quite a few players who the club would be willing to wave goodbye to this week in order to reduce the wage bill further.

Jean-Clair Todibo, Rafinha, Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite are all potential candidates but not all of the quartet are attracting interest.

Umtiti’s injury problems have been well-documented and make a sale difficult, while Braithwaite only arrived in February and has made it clear he does not want to leave.

Rafinha is in the final year of his contract and could go, but his asking price could be a problem. Reports elsewhere have suggested Barca want €16 million.

The most likely player to leave looks like being Todibo. The 20-year-old has been linked with clubs in England and France and could bring in around €20m if he’s sold.

MD also talk about Riqui Puig and Carles Alena. Ronald Koeman’s already said he would prefer Puig to go out on loan but would also not be against Alena leaving on a temporary deal.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 September 2020

Photo by Soccrates/Getty Images

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

Barcelona close on €25m Dest deal but worrying finances hamper further signings | Goal

Barcelona are close to landing Sergino Dest but may struggle to sign any other players because of their current difficult financial situation.

Ousmane Dembele is late for training... again | Marca

Ousmane Dembele turned up 15 minutes late for training at Barcelona on Monday. It’s not the first time his time-keeping has been called into question.

Barcelona to start verifying signatures for no confidence motion against Bartomeu | AS

Barcelona will start verifying signatures received for the vote of no confidence against president Josep Maria Bartomeu. The procedure will take up to 10 days.

Scaloni disagrees with Koeman: Messi won’t play as false No.9 for Argentina | Marca

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni says he won’t play Lionel Messi as a false 9 for Argentina when the World Cup qualifiers swing around next month.

Barcelona’s Jean-Clair Todibo linked with Fulham switch | Football Espana

Jean-Clair Todibo is being linked with a move to Barcelona in a €20m move. The newly-promoted Premier League team want a new defender before the transfer window closes.

Porto plot move for out of favour Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig | Sport

Portuguese side Porto are plotting a fresh move for Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig. The team are in the Champions League, but it’s not clear if Puig will be tempted to leave.

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Barcelona told they have until Friday to sign Memphis

Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Lyon have set a deadline

Barcelona have been told they have until Friday to sign Lyon captain Memphis Depay.

Club president Jean-Michel Aulas has said he wants all transfer business sorted by the end of the week and will tell his players and management the same.

“We will tell the players that whatever will not be settled in terms of departures before Friday, there will be no more departures,” he said.

“So for us the [closing] date of the transfer window will be Friday. I think I will propose it tomorrow (Tuesday) to Rudi Garcia and Juninho, because it’s understandable.

“And all people of goodwill can see that there is something wrong [with the results of the team]. It can be because of that, but it can also be a lot of other things. In any case, from Friday, the players who have not left will not leave.”

Source | Telefoot

Manager Ronald Koeman is said to be keen to bring in Depay to help replace Luis Suarez who has left for Atletico Madrid. However, it’s not clear if Barca can actually afford to land the Netherlands international.

Barca are expected to complete the signing of Sergino Dest from Ajax which means they may have to offload more players before they can secure any more transfers.

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Ronald Koeman already convinced by Pedri

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The youngster’s made an early impression

Pedri has not been at Barcelona for too long but it seems the 17-year-old has already convinced Ronald Koeman of his qualities.

The teenager has been handed a first-team squad number and made his La Liga debut on Sunday against Villarreal, coming on as a late substitute for Philippe Coutinho.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Koeman is a big fan of the youngster. He likes his versatility, work-rate and the way he’s taken on and implemented instructions from the coaching staff.

The report suggests Pedri already feels pretty at home at Barcelona and is not satisfied with just being in the first-team squad and wants much more.

Certainly, Koeman took time out to praise Pedri and Ansu Fati after Barcelona’s win on Sunday night at the Camp Nou.

“Ansu’s performance has to be highlighted. I’m very happy with him. We know he’s only 17 and has things to improve. He has to find consistency and sometimes he lacks concentration.

“He wasn’t so good against Elche but today he was. He had a great match. I’m very happy with him and Pedri. They both have great futures.”

Source | Marca

Both players are still only 17 but look to have big futures ahead of them at the Camp Nou. Fati already looks like he’s a key player for Koeman, and Pedri will be hoping he can continue to have chances to impress in his first season with the club.

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Barca to make final attempt to land Eric Garcia

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The defender is wanted back at the Camp Nou

Barcelona will reportedly make one final attempt to sign center-back Eric Garcia from Manchester City before the transfer window closes.

According to ESPN, the Catalan giants have already had a bid of €10 million turned down, with Pep Guardiola’s side wanting closer to €30m for the teenager.

Barca can’t afford that but also know that Garcia is willing to spend the season in the Premier League and then head back to the Camp Nou for free next season.

Yet they would prefer to bring him in this summer and are hoping City might be willing to reduce their asking price now they’ve signed Rubén Días from Benfica.

Barcelona may also have to make some room in their hefty squad for Garcia. There are rumors Samuel Umtiti and Jean-Clair Todibo could go, but time is running out in the transfer window.

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Martin Braithwaite back in light training with Barcelona

Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images

The striker’s been out with a leg injury

Martin Braithwaite is close to making a return from injury for Barcelona after taking part in some of Monday’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva.

The Denmark international has missed the start of the season with a leg injury but joined part of Monday’s recovery session after the 4-0 win over Villarreal.

Ciutat Esportiva | Camp 2
⚽ Entrenament de recuperació post partit
▶ Braithwaite fa part de la sessió amb el grup pic.twitter.com/u6WGixBf0z

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) September 28, 2020

There’s been a bit of speculation Braithwaite could leave the club this summer, but he said in August he’s not been in talks with any other clubs and wants to stay.

Braithwaite struggled for game time at the end of last season under Quique Setien, and it’s not clear how often he’ll feature under Ronald Koeman.

The 29-year-old could still come in handy, particularly if Barca don’t bring in a new No. 9 to replace Luis Suarez. Speculation persists Barca will dip into the transfer market, but if they land Sergino Dest they may have little funds left for any other players.

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Koeman gives his verdict on Barcelona’s win over Villarreal

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The Dutch coach was happy with his team

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman was pretty happy with his team after their 4-0 victory over Villarreal on Sunday at the Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants made a strong start to their 2020-21 La Liga campaign after a difficult summer, with two goals from Ansu Fati, a Lionel Messi penalty and a Pau Torres own goal sealing the win.

Koeman spoke about Barcelona’s performance and also singled out Fati for praise after the game.

“I am really happy with the way we played in the first half, we dominated. We played like a great team, robbing the ball back, our transition in the attack was optimum.

“We have to highlight Ansu’s performance. I complained a little but last week about not being at his best in the friendly. He’s only 17, he will have a great future, but he can still improve things. Sometimes he lacks concentration.

“One of my criticisms was in the game against Elche. He wasn’t good. Today, yes. The width he offers on the left was huge, he played really well and we took advantage of his qualities.”

Source | Sport

Barca now head into a pretty hectic week. The team head to Balaidos to take on Celta Vigo on Thursday before hosting Europa League winners Sevilla on Thursday.

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Talking points from Barcelona 4-0 Villarreal

Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images

A dream start for Ronald Koeman

Ansu brings smiles back to Barca

There’s no doubt that Barcelona have had a rollercoaster 2020, and there are probably still more twists and turns to come. Yet one player who continues to bring joy and hope for the future is 17-year-old Ansu Fati.

The teenager broke records all over the place last season and was the star of the show again on Sunday. He smashed home Barca’s first goal of the season, coolly added a second a few minutes later and even won a penalty before the first half was up too.

Ansu Fati's game by numbers vs. Villarreal:

83% pass accuracy
63 touches
10 touches in the opp. box
3 take-ons completed
2 chances created
2 fouls won
2 shots
2 goals
1 penalty won

17 years old. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/jyTlm0ySOc

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 27, 2020

Fati’s goals put Barcelona on the way to a comfortable win in their opening game and helped get their season off to a great start. Thoughts of Luis Suarez, who had earlier enjoyed a goalscoring debut with Atletico, were quickly forgotten and for once a Barcelona win wasn’t all about Messi.

Koeman makes his presence felt

Ronald Koeman’s first competitive game in charge of Barca couldn’t have gone much better. His team scored four times, had the game won by half-time and even managed a clean sheet too.

It’s no surprise Koeman was beaming after watching his new-look team dismantle a pretty poor Villarreal side.

❝We scored four times and that was very good.❞
— @RonaldKoeman pic.twitter.com/BOJtmmzdRM

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 28, 2020

There will, of course, be much, much toughter tests to come but this was a promising start to the Koeman era. There was plenty of young talent on the pitch, Philippe Coutinho shone, Lionel Messi scored and Ousmane Dembele made his first La Liga appearance November 2019.

Busquets heading for the bench?

Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images

Koeman’s arrival has also brought a new system which will take some getting used to. Sergio Busquets played alongside Frenkie de Jong in the double pivot and had a pretty horrible first half.

The 32-year-old frequently gave the ball away and was careless in possession. He did improve as the game wore on and somehow even looked as though he was going to net Barca’s fourth until Pau Torres did the job for him.

Yet with Miralem Pjanic now at the club following his move from Juventus it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see Busquets heading for the bench. Pjanic had a decent cameo off the bench and will provide serious competition for a starting spot alongside De Jong.

Debuts for Barca’s new-boys

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Barcelona’s healthy lead allowed Koeman to hand his new signings debuts on Sunday. Youngsters Pedri and Francisco Trincao, fresh from being handed first-team squad numbers, were given a little run out in the second half and will be hoping for more.

There has been a bit of speculation about Pedri going out on loan this season, but it seems as though Koeman has been convinced enough to give the 17-year-old a chance to impress with the first team.

Trincao also came on and looked sharp during his brief time on the pitch. A congested fixture list means the 21-year-old could be handed plenty of opportunities to stake a claim this season.

Meanwhile, Miralem Pjanic was also handed his first La Liga minutes after replacing Busquets for the final 10 minutes or so. A first La Liga start for the 30-year-old may not be too far away.

Messi scores for 17th straight season

Sunday’s win also saw another goal for Messi, the 17th season in a row in which he’s scored in La Liga, something that looked like it might not happen a few weeks ago after he’d told Barca he wanted to leave.

The captain netted from the penalty spot and could have had a few more but was denied on several occasions by Villarreal goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo. Even so, he moves closer to Pele’s all-time record of goals scored for a single club and is now just eight behind.

Pictured: 3 goals and an assist pic.twitter.com/oUrHldz8tu

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 27, 2020

Messi may not be completely happy at Barca right now, and his Instagram message to Luis Suarez last week made that fact all too clear, but it’s certainly not going to affect his work on the pitch.

The captain is likely to need a lot of convincing to stay at the Camp Nou, but Sunday’s performance will have helped and it was certainly felt good to see him smiling again in a Barcelona shirt.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 September 2020

Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

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

FC Barcelona v Villarreal: Four-midable (4-0) - FC Barcelona
Barça started the first official match of Ronald Koeman’s tenure on the front foot, pegging Villarreal back at every opportunity.

Ansu Fati, the 'MVP' of Barça's debut fixture in LaLiga 20/21 - FC Barcelona
Ansu Fati began the 20/21 LaLiga season with his goalscoring instincts intact. The young Barça forward, now a first-team player and wearing his new No.22, was key in FC Barcelona's victory against Villarreal (4-0).

The week ahead... with two games - FC Barcelona
n Thursday, Barça will travel to Vigo to face Celta (9.30pm CEST) at Balaídos, and on Sunday they will receive a visit from Sevilla at the Camp Nou (9.00pm CEST). Here is the full schedule for the week

Ronald Koeman hints at key role for Ansu Fati in 2020-21 - Football Espana
Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman is confident Ansu Fati can play a key first team role this season, but called for calm over the 17-year old’s development.

Lionel Messi will stay at Barcelona if club win trophies this season - Sergi Roberto - Football Espana
Lionel Messi may be persuaded to stay at Barcelona beyond this season if the club win trophies this campaign, believes Sergi Roberto.

Arsenal's Aubameyang: Barcelona among clubs I rejected to sign new deal - ESPN
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has said he rejected multiple offers to leave Arsenal this summer, including one from Barcelona, but was convinced to stay by manager Mikel Arteta and his relationship with the club's supporters.

Transfer Talk: Barcelona turn to Isak as Suarez replacement - ESPN
Barcelona are looking to sign Real Sociedad forward Alexander Isak as coach Ronald Koeman works to strengthen in attack after longtime striker Luis Suarez made the high-profile move to Atletico Madrid, according to Mundo Deportivo.

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Ansu helps the Koeman era at Barcelona get off to a flyer

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Great start for the Catalan giants

It couldn’t really have gone any better.

Villarreal, and Unai Emery, were certainly very accommodating opponents, but that shouldn’t take away from the quality on show.

Particularly as many culers were still wallowing in the desperate 90 minutes played against Bayern.

This was a continuation of a reasonable pre-season, and quickly saw the difference that Ronald Koeman has made on the first-team.

How long has it been since we’ve seen Barca pressing in the manner which they did across the 90 minutes and most successfully in the first 45?

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

What a joy it was to see hungry players again going hunting for scraps. A willingness to get involved at every opportunity. Seeing Philippe Coutinho in his rightful position and looking totally transformed.

The 4-2-3-1, despite it not being a favoured formation for Barca, worked well in the main.

Messi up top allowed more space to develop in behind, consequently ensuring that the blaugranes had Villarreal’s defence on the rack from the opening exchanges.

By committing so many defenders in and around Leo, it opened up passing channels with ease, and the room that Ansu had for his second goal was a great illustration of that.

We saw his fearlessness throughout that opening half, and defences are going to have to be on their guard against him more than they were last season as his development continues apace.

As his understanding with team-mates also matures, we should expect him to get better and better, and that’s a frightening thought.

Given the other attacking exponents at his disposal, and injuries aside, it does beg the question as to why the club might be considering bringing in Memphis Depay.

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Perhaps it makes sense from the point of view of cover, but after the performance against the Yellow Submarine, Koeman certainly shouldn’t be looking at parachuting anyone else into the front four.

Defensively we looked a little shaky when pressed, which could be a concern, though perhaps the biggest worry on the night was how out of sync Sergio Busquets looked.

One game in is certainly not a time to be digging him out mind, although Miralem Pjanic looked a breath of fresh air when he replaced Busi. Ditto Trincao and Pedri in their cameos.

There’s a long, long way to go but at least the Koeman era has got off on the best possible footing, and it’ll be interesting to see how, by this time next week, the team have fared away at Celta and then against a hard-working Sevilla.

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Fati vows to ‘make the best’ of every chance he gets

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The youngster impressed again with two goals

Ansu Fati says he’ll continue to try and make the most of every opportunity he’s given after starting the season with two goals in Barcelona’s 4-0 victory over Villarreal.

The 17-year-old also won a penalty in another superb performance and offered his thoughts about the game and how he’s feeling after the full-time whistle.

“Every opportunity I get I try to make the best of it,” he said.

“When a striker scores goals he always wants more. Alba’s pass has been very good and I just had to accompany him. We really want to keep improving, especially in the first half, it’s the way to go.

“I’m playing alongside the best players and the truth is that I face every game with the greatest enthusiasm. Playing with Messi has been a dream of mine since I was a child. He always helps me and gives me advice.”

Fati also came in for praise from manager Ronald Koeman. The Dutch coach said he was “very happy” with the teenager and added he has a “great future” ahead of him at the Camp Nou.

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Busquets: Barca feeling good after Villarreal win

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The team got off to a great start

Sergio Busquets says Barcelona are feeling good after Sunday’s 4-0 win over Villarreal at the Camp Nou.

Ronald Koeman’s side got off to the perfect start to the new La Liga season with a comfortable win over Unai Emery’s men.

Two goals from Ansu Fati, a Lionel Messi penalty and a Pau Torres own goal did the damage for the hosts, and Busquets seemed pretty happy after the full-time whistle.

“It was a good game for us, especially in the first half, we were superior, created a lot of chances, scored four goals. We dropped our intensity a little in the second half, but we kept a clean sheet. They made it a bit more difficult, played through the middle but we have good sensations for the first game. We’re close to the team we want to be.”

The midfielder also urged calm over Ansu Fati after yet another eye-catching performance from the 17-year-old Spain international.

“We have to be calm with Ansu Fati, we know how young he is, we know how good he is, we can’t get carried away. He has great team-mates alongside him and he’ll learn a lot from that. The sky’s the limit for him.”

Busquets started the match alongside Frenkie de Jong in midfield and played 78 minutes before being replaced late on by new signing Miralem Pjanic.

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Ansu Fati continues lethal goalscoring form with Villarreal double

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The teenager was on target again at the Camp Nou

Ansu Fati started his 2020-21 La Liga campaign in some style on Sunday night against Villarreal at the Camp Nou.

The 17-year-old scored twice and won a penalty in Barca’s impressive victory over the Yellow Submarine to continue a rich vein of form.

Opta highlighted just how lethal Fati has been in his last nine starts for club and country.

7 - Between @FCBarcelona and Spain, Ansu Fati has scored seven goals in his last nine starts in all competitions, scoring with his nine shots on target and winning two penalties in his last two starts. Amazing. pic.twitter.com/rmKrPnTSzV

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 27, 2020

It’s been a pretty good September for Fati. He was handed his Spain debut, made history with his first international goal and then bagged a brace on his first La Liga start.

Fati has also been officially promoted to the first-team squad, is now the proud owner of the No. 22 shirt and seen his buyout clause increased to €400 million. It’s also worth remembering that he’s not 18 for another month.

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Barça 4-0 Villarreal: Recap

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Second half was boring, but OMG THE FIRST HALF!!!

Barcelona made their official La Liga season debut on Sunday and it was a successful one as the Blaugrana dominated Villarreal en route to a 4-0 victory at Camp Nou. All the goals came in a scintillating first half that gave us plenty of encouraging signs and showed that Ronald Koeman may be putting together a pretty good team.

FIRST HALF

Villarreal were the better team to start the game. For three minutes. After that, it was almost scary to watch how dominant Barça looked against a pretty good team. The Blaugrana showed great intensity whenever they lost the ball and pressed really high at all times, and the front four of Griezmann, Coutinho, Ansu Fati and Messi constantly moved around the final third looking to create chances with smart passing and movement.

The chances started coming, and so did the goals: Ansu Fati scored two really good ones in a span of four minutes, then won a penalty to give Messi a chance to score the third, which the captain did. And there was also an own goal by Pau Torres to make it 4-0 at halftime. But the goals weren’t the whole story: Barça were truly dominant on both sides of the ball and put together a couple of truly special attacking moves that we hadn’t seen in a while.

At halftime, Barça were not just winning. They weren’t just playing well. They were dominant, and that was very fun to watch.

SECOND HALF

Villarreal had more of the ball to start the second half as they looked for a consolation goal and had a few dangerous moments, but nothing to truly bother the Barça defense. The Blaugrana weren’t as intense as they were in the first half but still managed to have a few good moments in attack whenever Ansu Fati, Coutinho, Alba and Messi were involved.

But nothing really interesting happened and the final whistle came to end a solid opening win for the Catalan giants. Barça were awesome in the first half, cruised in the second and are off and running for the season.

---

Barcelona: Neto; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets (Pjanic 78’), De Jong; Griezmann (Trincão 78’), Coutinho (Pedri 70’), Ansu Fati (Dembélé (70’); Messi

Goals: Ansu Fati (15’, 19’), Messi (35’ pen.), Torres (45’ OG)

Villarreal: Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol (Funes Mori 84’), Torres, Estupiñán; Chukwueze (Kubo 74’), Coquelin (Trigueros 46’), Parejo, Gómez; Gerard (Bacca 84’), Alcácer (Iborra 46’)

Goals: None

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5 things to look out for at Barcelona in 2020-21

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

The Catalans start their campaign against Villarreal

Barcelona kick off a new La Liga season on Sunday against Villarreal.

This will be a year unlike any other. The future is clouded with uncertainty, but also hope as Ronald Koeman looks to steer the club in a positive direction.

Although much could go wrong given the delicate state of affairs, let’s take a glass half-full look at the team for the Barca fans searching for something to believe in.

1. New manager Ronald Koeman brings new ideas

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Barcelona has not had a manager truly in charge since Luis Enrique.

To be honest, Tito Vilanova, Tata Martino, Ernesto Valverde, and Quique Setien shared the same quality that they were deferential to the players, and afraid to assert their own vision on the team.

No one knows if Koeman’s project will yield success, but it will be intriguing to observe his ideas in action.

Given his strong personality there have been reports that he’s already clashing with some players.

His lack of belief in Luis Suarez and Riqui Puig has raised eyebrows, myself included, but at least we see someone whose brain is cooking.

In the end his options are limited in terms of signings and transfers. He’s already resigned himself to the fact that he’s stuck with certain players he’d rather not have, but one sign of encouragement is the new 4-2-3-1 formation.

To be fair it seems like every manager in the world is using this formation now by default. But give Koeman credit for recognizing that the old 4-3-3 was stale, and wasn’t serving to get the most out of the players on the roster.

2. Real Madrid and Atletico look good but not great

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

I expect the table to remain tight at the top, and this benefits Barcelona in a year where their performances will likely be inconsistent.

Real Madrid, as the reigning champions, are the favorites. Watching them drop points to Real Sociedad, and struggle against Betis, is evidence that they are no shoe-in. Still, you can expect Zinedine Zidane to keep his squad focused and in contention for the title until the very end.

The two wild card teams are Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. Don’t be surprised if you see them hanging around the top as potential sleepers for the title.

Atleti made a game changing signing by adding Luis Suarez, and Sevilla looked surprisingly strong against Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup on Thursday.

If Barcelona runs this season like a marathon, even with all the turbulence surrounding them, they can compete for the La Liga title.

3. Youngsters have the opportunity to impress

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Ansu Fati is worth the price of admission this year.

He’s only 17 years old but he has the confidence and composure of a veteran.

Watching him play for Spain and in the Joan Gamper shows a player ready to lead, as opposed to last season where he excelled as a member of the supporting cast.

He will be in the starting XI, and Barca fans will be looking to him for hope that the team will have someone to build around in the future.

With Riqui Puig asserting himself by refusing to go on loan sitting down, the club has the chance of a second La Masia prospect breaking through this season.

It was surprising to learn that Koeman doesn’t believe Riqui is a better option than the other midfielders.

Regardless, it looks like he will have a chance to remain with the first team and prove his manager wrong. One thing about Riqui that he’s already proven is that he doesn’t lack for a work ethic, so fans should not count him out.

Ronald Araujo and Konrad de la Fuente will be the next two up from La Masia who are worth watching out for. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either receiving first team minutes, and making their case that they should be part of the future.

4. Big-names have chance of redemption

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

This one for me, the chance for redemption, is the most exciting element going into the season.

Antoine Griezmann, Philipe Coutinho, and Ousmane Dembele were all written off. Fans and pundits alike described them as not true Barca players. Here’s the thing, they looked renewed in preseason. Not just their performance on the field, but the look of confidence on their face.

For the first time, all three look like they know they belong, and they have nothing to lose.

On the other side, the Barca veterans also have the opportunity to protect their legacies that they’ve built at the club the past decade.

Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, and Jordi Alba in particular will want to rebound and demonstrate they have as much to give as ever.

In order for this to work they will need to evolve. The old way of doing things won’t work anymore, so the question is can they adapt to the new system that Koeman is implementing.

If so they can lead the team to trophies and glory. If not, they will not be with the team much longer.

5. Messi will be motivated with his future up in the air

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Will this be the last year of Messi at Barcelona?

Most people are assuming yes, but the truth is it depends on the results.

Messi won’t suffer another humiliating season. If this year is more of the same from the club’s leadership, and if the team doesn’t win titles, then he’s gone.

But Messi himself will play hard. He knows there isn’t much time left in his career. Every season counts, and is an opportunity to definitively prove he’s the best of all time.

In addition to that a stellar season will present opportunities at new clubs for next year.

But make no mistake Messi loves Barcelona, even if he has contempt for Josep Bartomeu.

He wants things to get better and he wants to stay. He just needs a reason to.

This La Liga season has plenty for Barca fans to be interested in. Regardless of how things turn out, it will be fascinating to see what approach they take and whether or not it works.

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Barça vs Villarreal: LIVE BLOG!

Photo by Xavi B. / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images

Join us for the first Barcelona adventure of the season!

WELCOME TO THE GREATEST STADIUM ON EARTH!!! For the first time this season the Camp Nou will open its doors for an official Barcelona match, and it is a good one: the Blaugrana kick off the La Liga season against a very strong Villarreal team, and this should be a very fun 90 minutes. And you’re 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: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 3

Date/Time: Sunday, September 27, 2020, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport Football (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others

How to stream: fuboTV (USA), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA & Canada), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (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, no 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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