Koeman admits he’s worried about Barca after Alaves draw

Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

The team are missing too many chances

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman admitted he’s worried about his team after they failed to beat 10-man Alaves on Saturday.

The visitors had to come from behind to rescue a point after conceding a poor goal in the first half but could not find a winner despite having a man advantage.

Barca had plenty of chances in the closing stages, and Koeman said after the game he’s concerned by their lack of goals.

“I’m worried by our performance in attack. It’s not an attitude problem, nor concentration, but it’s a question of being more assured in front of goal.

“It happened to us against Juventus and today as well. Furthermore, we gifted Alaves their goal. But if we create that many chances, we can’t miss so many. If you create chances and you only score one, it’s not good.

“Of course I’m worried that we’ve only picked up two points from the last 12 [available]. I think the play has been, in general, very satisfactory. I’d be more worried if we weren’t creating chances. We have to perform better in front of goal. The final pass, the final shot. We can’t miss so many. We’re missing too many.

Source | Marca

Antoine Griezmann scored Barca’s equalizer with what was his first goal of the season for his club. Ansu Fati is the team’s top scorer with five in all competitions, while captain Lionel Messi is next with three.

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Barcelona ‘angry and upset’ at Alaves draw - Griezmann

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The Frenchman scored the equalizer

Antoine Griezmann says Barcelona are angry and upset after Saturday’s 1-1 La Liga draw with Alaves at Mendizorrotza.

The Frenchman rescued a point for Barca with his first goal of the season after the visitors had gone behind after a mix-up between Gerard Pique and Neto.

Griezmann’s neat chip made it 1-1 after Alaves had been reduced to 10 men when Jota was sent off early in the second half.

Barca looked set to go on and take the three points but couldn’t find another goal, and Griezmann spoke about the team’s disappointment after the match.

“We are angry, upset, we wanted the three points. We have a lot to work on and improve in all aspects. We had many chances but just took one,” he said.

“We are missing chances, starting with me. I try and improve in that. I don’t normally miss many chances, but lately I have been. But I just stay calm and work hard. I’ve a long way to go yet.”

The result means Barca have collected just two points from the last 12 available and leaves them already eight behind Real Madrid although they do have a game in hand.

Barca will need to pick themselves up quickly from another disappointing result. The team play Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday and then host Real Betis.

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Alavés 1-1 Barça: Recap

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One bad mistake and missed chances cost Barça two points

Barcelona continue their inconsisent run of results in La Liga thanks to a 1-1 draw away to Alavés on Saturday. Barça conceded a bizarre goal in the first half, brought the pressure and created many chances in the second, but couldn’t find the game-winner and dropped points in the league again.

FIRST HALF

Barça made a nice start to the game, passing the ball well and pressing with intensity to get it back, while Alavés tried to sit tight and defend their box and hopefully create danger on the counter. But their defense didn’t really play well early on and Barça had two giant chances, one for Ansu Fati and another for Antoine Griezmann, but both missed them badly.

Lionel Messi had a free-kick cleared off the line by Lejeune, and then Barça unraveled: after a terrible mistake by Neto, who couldn’t control the ball after receiving a pass from Gerard Piqué, Luis Rioja stole the ball inside the box and passed it to an open net to give Alavés the lead. As it’s usually the case away from home, Barça lost control and looked desperate with the ball, and easily became frustrated with refereeing decisions.

At halftime, Barça were losing and not looking like a team ready to make a comeback, and Ronald Koeman needed to find a way to rally the troops in the dressing room.

SECOND HALF

Koeman acted at halftime, making three substitutions to make the team more attacking and intense, and they clearly worked as Barça brought a barrage of pressure into the Alavés box, forcing the hosts into desperate, last-minute challenges to avoid conceding.

With 25 minutes to go, Griezmann scored to equalize just one minute after Jota Peteleiro was shown a red card, and Barça had the opportunity to play against 10 men for the rest of the game. Griezmann actually have Barça the lead with 20 minutes left, but the goal was disallowed for offside on Francisco Trincão.

Barça kept on attacking and trying to create but they were too central and players kept running into each other, which ruined a few good attacking moves. But in the final 10 minutes, the Blaugrana started finding spaces and created some really big chances, and Fernando Pacheco made a couple of impressive saves to keep Alavés alive.

Injury time was filled with game-saving blocks and deflections by Alavés defenders, and the final whistle came to end a hard-fought battle and share the points. Barça created enough to win, but they paid for a crucial mistake in the first half and loads of missed chances. It just wasn’t their night.

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Alavés: Pacheco; Navarro (Martín 40’), Laguardia, Lejeune, Duarte; Battaglia; Méndez (Tavares 58’), Pina (Marín 72’), Jota, Rioja (García 72’); Deyverson (Joselu 58’)

Goal: Rioja (31’)

Red Card: Jota (62’)

Barcelona: Neto; Roberto, Piqué, Lenglet (Pedri 46’), Alba (Dest 68’); Busquets (Pjanic 46’), De Jong; Dembélé (Trincão 46’), Messi, Fati (Braithwaite 77’); Griezmann

Goal: Griezmann (63’)

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Alavés vs Barça: LIVE BLOG!

Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!

WELCOME TO THE ESTADIO DE MENDIZORROTZA!!! The cozy home of Alavés is the site of a big La Liga match between the hosts and Barcelona, who come into this one on the back of an important victory against Juventus and needing points in La Liga against a solid Alavés team. This should be a fun game, 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 8

Date/Time: Saturday, October 31, 2020, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Sunday)

Venue: Estadio de Mendizorrotza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

VAR: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

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

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), 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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Pep rules out managing Barcelona again

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‘I think once in a lifetime you have to do things’

Pep Guardiola has made it crystal clear that he is not thinking about returning to Barcelona to take charge of the club again.

There’s been a bit of talk about Guardiola coming home in the future with presidential candidate Victor Font regularly talking up a move for the former boss.

Guardiola was asked about his former club once again on Saturday after Manchester City’s Premier League win over Sheffield United and ruled out coming back to the Camp Nou.

“My period as Barcelona manager is over. I think once in a lifetime you have to do things,

“There are incredible people who can be in charge there, now for example Ronald Koeman. It’s over, I will come back to my city to see my club, to watch the game, it’s done.”

Guardiola’s in the final year of his contract with the Citizens, and it’s not clear yet if he will extend his stay. He said last month he’d “love to stay longer here” but also added he thinks has to “deserve” more time at the club.

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FC Barcelona News: 31 October 2020

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

When and where to watch Alavés v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
Barça face Alavés in the Mendizorrotza stadium in a game that kicks off at 9.00pm CET and our guide should help you to work out what time that will be where you are.

The squad for Alavés v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
Ronald Koeman has named a 21 man squad for Saturday's game in Vitoria which kicks off at 9.00pm CET

Five facts you should know ahead of Alavés v Barça - FC Barcelona
Barça will try to extend their streak against a team that is looking for two consecutive victories in LaLiga for the first time since 2019

The lowdown on Alavés - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona are at Alavés this Saturday at 9.00pm CET as they look to end of a run of three league fixtures without a win. It’s time to take a closer look at the team that stands between them and three crucial points.

Barcelona presidential hopeful Victor Font wants Man City boss Pep Guardiola to return - Football Espana
Barcelona’s prospective presidential candidate Victor Font has reiterated his desire to bring Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez back to the club.

Barcelona boss Koeman calls on Ansu Fati to improve his concentration - Football Espana
Barcelona teenage star Ansu Fati has been lauded by the club’s boss Ronald Koeman, but the Dutchman has warned he must improve his concentration.

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Barça squad named for Alavés

Photo by Andrea Staccioli/LightRocket via Getty Images

Ronald Koeman has called up 21 players for Saturday’s match

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana return to La Liga action with an away game against Deportivo Alavés, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 21 players for Saturday’s clash:

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Goalkeepers: 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña, 36. Arnau Tenas

Defenders: 2. Sergiño Dest, 3. Gerard Piqué, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 20. Sergi Roberto, 24. Junior Firpo

Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Carles Aleñá, 8. Miralem Pjanic, 16. Pedri, 21. Frenkie De Jong

Forwards: 7. Antoine Griezmann, 9. Martin Braithwaite, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão, 22. Ansu Fati, 29. Konrad De La Fuente

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Even though Marc-André ter Stegen (knee) and Samuel Umtiti (knee) are back in training, the two are not yet fully fit and will miss out on Saturday’s game. Also out due to injury is Ronald Araujo (hamstring), while Riqui Puig and Matheus Fernandes won’t make the trip per the manager’s choice.

Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Neto; Dest, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, Busquets; Dembélé, Pedri, Fati; Messi

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The match kicks off at 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Sunday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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Alavés vs Barça: Preview

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

In desperate need of points in La Liga, Barça travel to the Basque Country for a tough game

Deportivo Alavés (15th, 7pts) vs FC Barcelona (12th, 7pts)*

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*Points and positions at the time of writing on Friday

Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Matchday 8

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Marc-André ter Stegen, Samuel Umtiti, Ronald Araujo, Riqui Puig, Matheus Fernandes (out)

Alavés Outs & Doubts: Pere Pons (out), Rodrigo Ely (doubt)

Date/Time: Saturday, October 31, 2020, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Sunday)

Venue: Estadio de Mendizorrotza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

VAR: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva

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

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), Premier Player (UK), Facebook Live (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others

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Following a very good Champions League victory away to Juventus in midweek, Barcelona are right back in action in La Liga with what promises to be a difficult away trip to face Deportivo Alavés in the Basque Country.

Despite their perfect record in Europe, this has not been a very good start to the season for the Blaugrana. With just seven points in their first five league games, Barça are already seven points behind leaders Real Sociedad, and must start picking up points in a hurry to avoid falling to far behind in what should be a hard-fought title race this season.

Barça have the same number of points as Alavés, who come into this one having won two of their last three and expected to play a defensive game and try and take chances on the counter. Ronald Koeman has clearly made a positive impact on the team when it comes to playing away from home, but they must translate a better attitude into wins on the road.

The problem so far this season has been a lack of consistency. Two wins and two good performances in a row will be a good way to start solving that problem. This should be fun.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Neto; Dest, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, Busquets; Dembélé, Pedri, Fati; Messi

Alavés (3-5-2): Pacheco; Lejeune, Navarro, Laguardia; Méndez, Jota, Battaglia, Pina, Duarte; Joselu, Pérez

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PREDICTION

No Bartomeu, All Party? Yes. 3-0 Barça.

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Koeman talks Ansu, Riqui Puig and Pedri ahead of Alaves

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

The latest from the Barcelona boss

Ronald Koeman spoke to the press on Friday to discuss all things Barcelona vs Alaves ahead of tomorrow’s La Liga clash.

The Dutch coach spoke about several of his players, his decision to leave Riqui Puig out of his squad as well as what he is expecting from his team against Alaves.

Here are the best bits:

Koeman on Alaves

Any game can be complicated, we are especially interested in the rhythm of the ball, if it is high we will find spaces and we know that at this moment in the league we need the points. The most important thing is to talk about ourselves and play a match with a high rhythm like the other day.

Koeman on leaving Riqui Puig out

It is a technical decision. In several games at the beginning of the season we have had 23 players and for me it is too much. The best thing is to travel with a maximum of 20 or 21. I prefer that there are players who train a very intense training in case I need them they are in good shape to play.

Koeman on right-backs

First of all I am very happy with the signing of Sergiño Dest. He is a young player who has to adapt. He showed his quality against Madrid but we put Sergi Roberto on because he played very well at the start of the season There is no reason to leave him out of the team. It is a good competition for both and both will have opportunities to show their qualities.

Koeman on Griezmann

With Antoine I have no complaints because In training he gives everything, I hope we have a bit of luck with him because the other day he did well in two plays and it would be good for him to score to be calmer.

Koeman on Araujo

He has very important defensive qualities, he is fast, he is strong, he has a good head, defensively he has shown it in the games he has played and in the minutes he has had. We know that he is a young player who has a big future and that he has to improve in different aspects, such as building his position from behind and his first touch of the ball. I am very happy, it’s a pity that he cannot play because of his injury.

Koeman on Ter Stegen

He has been training with the group since yesterday, he is fine but he still has a bit to play.But it is not good to set a date. He needs a couple more training sessions to be physically well without problems to play.

Koeman on Dembele

Dembele today is physically much better. He has trained well and has participated in the last games. He’s creative, he’s got speed, he’s good one-on-one, and he can play on both wings.

Koeman on Pedri

Pedri is a very humble boy, I think everything that has come out in the press after his game is normal, because having 17 years playing first the Clásico and then against Juventus to do so well, it is It is normal for the press to talk about him. He is a very humble boy who has his feet on the ground, and if not we are the ones who have to put them on. He enjoys his games and has the help of his teammates to shine if he plays.

Koeman on Ansu Fati

I would advise him to keep working and keep improving. Yesterday we talked about concentration for a while. In that sense, he has to improve. and he has our help every day. He is a great talent and we have to help him improve things.

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Barca want to make Pedri like Coutinho

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The club has a plan for the teenager

One of the bright spots on the Barca pitch so far this year has been Pedri González. The Barcelona youngster has gotten plenty of playing time under Ronald Koeman and chances to show his offensive prowess.

In particular, his performance against Juventus was noteworthy. He looked like he belonged in a top European matchup and proved out Koeman’s decision to start him.

Part of his longer term development will be his physicality. The top European leagues have proven to be some of the most demanding and physical football in the world. Part of his growing up will be adjusting to that and becoming more physically imposing and durable.

The fitness coaches at Barcelona have reportedly sent a clear message to Pedri that they wish to make him like Philippe Coutinho. I’m assuming they’re talking about Coutinho’s physical development as he’s aged. It’s important to slowly add on muscle while maintaining that same impressive level of fleet footedness.

Brazil fitness coach Fábio Mahseredjian recently revealed Coutinho put on four kilos of muscle mass during his time on loan with Bayern Munich last season.

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Marc-André ter Stegen set to return to action soon

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The goalkeeper could be back by the end of next week

Marc-André ter Stegen could be back in action next week to play against Real Betis in La Liga, according to a new report from Spain. The German has been sidelined after undergoing surgery in the off-season.

Tal como adelanto @diarioas los planes son que Ter Stegen reciba alta miercoles ante el Dinamo, pero sera titular Neto. El sabado ante el Betis es cuando podria estrenarse bajo los palos el meta aleman

— Javi Miguel Club (@fansjavimiguel) October 30, 2020

It’s understood Ter Stegen will receive the medical green light on Wednesday, in time for Barcelona’s match in the UEFA Champions League against Dynamo Kiev. However, out of precaution, Neto would continue as the starter for that match.

It would only be until next Saturday when Ter Stegen would return, to make his first appearance for Barcelona this season.

Ter Stegen has been progressing well and is already back in training, as is Samuel Umtiti. Neither player has featured so far this term.

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Riqui Puig left out as youngster continues to struggle for playing time

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Ronald Koeman says it was purely a “technical decision.”

Riqui Puig will not feature for FC Barcelona as the Catalans take on Deportivo Alavés on Saturday, as the youngster continues to struggle for minutes in Ronald Koeman’s set up.

“It’s a technical decision, normally we have 23 players, but for me it is too many, the best is 20 or 21 players,” the manager said.

Koeman has cut Puig’s minutes strongly compared to his predecessor, Quique Setién, even though Puig is a more experienced player now. Setién was sacked after a disastrous end to last season.

The Dutchman has changed the formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, and perhaps in part due to that, has not looked upon Puig quite as favorably.

The 21-year-old has only made one appearance in La Liga, and that only for three minutes.

Koeman has said he prefers Puig stays back and trains hard in order to be fit for a new match later on.

In the previous transfer window, Puig was linked with an exit from his hometown club via a loan or sale, but ultimately decided to stay and fight for minutes.

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Benfica manager criticizes Barcelona: “They have nothing”

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Jorge Jesus did not appreciate being compared to the Catalan giant

Perhaps this is a reflection of the reality of FC Barcelona today compared to the one from just a few years ago.

After Benfica’s 3-0 win over Standard Liege, Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez (who plays for the Belgians) commented: “with Pizzi and [Adel] Taarabt, Benfica look like Barcelona.”

However, Benfica boss Jorge Jesus rejected the comparison.

“I will not say we are like Barcelona are now, nor do I want us to look like what they are now,” said Jesus.

“The one from a few years ago, yes … the current team has nothing.

“I don’t want us to look like the one from now, I don’t care about the other one, though.”

Barcelona have continued from a bad end to last season with a rocky start to this one, although they showed a good version of themselves in their most recent match, a 2-0 away win to Juventus.

What version will we see from Barcelona in their upcoming matches? Will Jesus be proud to be compared to Barcelona once again?

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How will Barcelona line up against Alaves?

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Ronald Koeman’s side are at Mendizorrotza on Saturday

Barcelona return to La Liga action on Saturday with a trip to Alaves to face Pablo Machín’s side.

The visitors need a win after consecutive league defeats but head to the Basque Country after a morale-boosting Champions League victory over Juventus.

Let’s look at how Ronald Koeman might line his team up:

Defence

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Samuel Umtiti made a welcome return to training on Thursday, but it’s expected the game will come too soon for either to make a return.

Ronald Araujo is also out after picking up a hamstring problem against Juventus and is unlikely to be fit again until after the international break.

All of which means there are likely to be few changes in defence. Gerard Pique is back from suspension, while Sergino Dest could come back in at right-back.

Midfield

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Frenkie de Jong should head back into midfield after being forced to play the second half against Juventus in the backline because of Araujo’s injury.

Meanwhile, Miralem Pjanic and Sergio Busquets will be battling for the spot alongside the Dutchman. Busquets dropped out of the starting XI against Juventus but could return.

Attack

Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images

There’s still no Philippe Coutinho for Barcelona but all Ronald Koeman’s other attackers are fit and available which gives the coach plenty of options.

Lionel Messi has played every single minute for club and country so far and could be due a rest, while Ansu Fati could return after starting the Juventus clash on the bench.

Pedri and Ousmane Dembele may also continue from the start after good performances against Juve, while Antoine Griezmann will be hoping to keep his place.

Possible XI: Neto; Dest, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Dembele, Griezmann, Pedri; Ansu.

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

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FC Barcelona News: 30 October 2020

Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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

Dest describes playing 'best game in the world' - FC Barcelona
Sergiño Dest became the first US player to ever play in El Clásico on Saturday, what he calls the best game in the world’, and the Barça full-back spoke to CBS about the experience this Thursday.

Ter Stegen and Umtiti at training - FC Barcelona
The day after winning 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium, the squad were back at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Thursday as attention switches to the trip to face Alavés in Vitoria on Saturday (9.00pm CET).

Araujo out with hamstring injury - FC Barcelona
Test on Friday have revealed that Ronald Araujo has a femoral biceps (hamstring) injury in his right leg and his availability will now depend on how the injury develops.

Win in Turin by the numbers - FC Barcelona
A statistical look at a fantastic performance on Wednesday night against Juventus

Barcelona, Man United lead chase for Ajax teen Gravenberch - ESPN
Dutch side Ajax are preparing themselves for bids for teenage midfield sensation Ryan Gravenberch, with Manchester United, Barcelona and Juventus all said to be interested, according to the Mirror.

Barcelona's Bartomeu era ends with shame but shows the struggle of club's presidential model - ESPN
Josep Maria Bartomeu is no longer president of Barcelona. He resigned Tuesday after facing tons of public pressure -- including, he says, "threats and insults" -- and a de facto impeachment vote he would almost certainly have lost.

Many Barcelona stars feel liberated by president Bartomeu resignation - report - Football Espana
Many Barcelona players are delighted with the exit of outgoing club supremo Josep Maria Bartomeu and feel liberated by his exit, report Radio Marca.

Barcelona defender ruled out for a month with hamstring injury - Football Espana
Barcelona central defender Ronald Araujo will be out of action for a month with a hamstring injury sustained in Wednesday’s Champions League win at Juventus.

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WATCH: Ansu Fati has fun in Barcelona training

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

The teenager was caught messing about with the ball

Ansu Fati was captured having a bit of fun in Barcelona training on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva.

The 17-year-old has enjoyed a superb start to the season and is the club’s top scorer in 2020-21 with five goals already.

Fati latest contribution was as a second-half substitute in the Champions League win over Juventus on Wednesday.

The teenager replaced Ousmane Dembele and won the penalty from which Lionel Messi scored Barca’s second goal in stoppage time.

Barca were back on the training ground on Thursday with Fati showing off some impressive skills.

W W @ANSUFATI pic.twitter.com/baHU3uJJhn

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2020

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Dybala asked for Pedri’s shirt after UCL win - report

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The teenager impressed in Turin

Barcelona teenager Pedri was so impressive against Juventus on Wednesday that Paulo Dybala even reportedly asked for the 17-year-old’s shirt.

According to Sport, the Argentine “sought him out” after the game and made sure he swapped shirts with the Barcelona new-boy.

The report also reckons his Barca team-mates were pretty thrilled by his performance and joked about how he left Juan Cuadrado for dead in the second half.

29/31 passes successful. 93.5%. Four successful dribbles.@Pedri was simply dazzling. #JuveBarça pic.twitter.com/ZXKKSKYgLi

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2020

Pedri has certainly come in for plenty of praise in the media after the win over Juventus and seems to be taking it in his stride. Sport describe him as being as humble as ever after the game and taking the congratulations from his team-mates “timidly.”

The 17-year-old is the youngest player in the Barca dressing room and doesn’t turn 18 for another month. He admitted in a recent interview with Sport that there is “a lot” of banter in the dressing room about him being the youngest and joked “they tell me that when the older players speak, the kids keep quiet.”

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Fabio Capello: I’d never seen Lionel Messi run so much

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The former Juventus manager was impressed with the Barcelona star

Former Milan, Real Madrid, and Juventus manager Fabio Capello reflected on Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Juve in the UEFA Champions League, saying he was particularly impressed by the shift put in by Lionel Messi.

“I saw a super dynamic and aggressive Barça, in addition to the quality we know. With a Messi who I had never seen run quite as much,” Capello said.

The manager diagnosed his former side, saying that “Juventus have not looked for Federico Chiesa, despite the fact that he was frequently open. All the plays have been concentrated on Paulo Dybala’s flank.”

He also said Juve “did not know how to open the game, offering Barça the opportunity to recover the ball quickly.”

“Juventus suffered a lot and were lucky the result was only 2-0, even though the two goals scored were unjust, especially the first, which was deflected in.”

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Ter Stegen back in Barcelona training

Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

The German is closing in on a return

Barcelona received a boost on Thursday as goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen returned to training for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in August.

The Germany international took part in the workout with the rest of the team, while Samuel Umtiti also participated in part of the session.

Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper
@mterstegen1 trains with the group, @samumtiti joins part of the training
#ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/kec92rhSL3

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2020

Ter Stegen’s return suggests he’s close to making his first-team return. Barca play Alaves, Dynamo Kiev and Real Betis in the next week before the international break.

Neto has done a pretty good job while Ter Stegen has been out, but there’s no doubt that Ronald Koeman will be happy to have his No. 1 available again.

Ter Stegen seems pretty happy to be back on the training pitch.

De vuelta.
Part of the process is patience. Happy to be back with the team. @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/GK5Wo6VMag

— Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1) October 29, 2020

Meanwhile, Umtiti’s been almost forgotten about during his latest injury absence. The center-back has slipped down the pecking order in the last couple of seasons but his return to fitness will be a boost given Ronald Araujo has been ruled out with hamstring trouble.

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Barcelona centerback Ronald Araújo out for at least 2 weeks

Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images

He went off injured during the match against Juventus

Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo will be out at least two weeks after an injury to his right hamstring. The club did not give a timeline for his recovery, instead saying how he improves will determine how long he is out. But even the slightest injury of this kind will take at least two weeks to heal, according to medical experts.

That would mean he would be unavailable for the next three matches Barcelona are set to take on before the international break, after which it’s likely he’d be ready to return.

Araújo started the match against Juventus alongside Clemént Lenglet, with Piqué suspended due to a red card in his previous match. With Samuel Umtiti yet to appear this season due to recurring injury issues, Barcelona is out of natural centerbacks to supplant Piqué and Lenglet. Although the good news is that Umtiti has been on the mend and has participated in practice recently.

Against Juve, Sergio Busquets was subbed on, allowing, Frenkie de Jong to play in defense. If Umtiti is not ready to take part, then this seems to be manager Ronald Koeman’s emergency solution.

Apparently, Araújo started the match with a slight injury and only played because Barcelona were effectively out of options. He played until he could no longer go on.

Araujo comenzó el partido de ayer en Turín con una pequeña rotura de más de medio centímetro. Sabía de la necesidad del equipo y jugó hasta que no pudo más. Está a la espera de pruebas y posiblemente no viaje con Uruguay a las eliminatorias

Noticia @espnfc @ESPNDeportes

— moisESPN (@moillorens) October 29, 2020

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Koeman ponders if his job is under threat post-Bartomeu

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

The Dutch coach has been looking towards the future

Ronald Koeman is an interesting case study. He’s going to be questioned after each poor performance and praised after each decent one. Much alike many Barca managers, but even more so given the strange position Barcelona find themselves in this year.

Now that the much maligned man who hired him is gone, his job will be even more in question. He was asked about that after Barcelona’s win over Juventus.

“I don’t think [Bartomeu’s resignation] affects my position and if there is something that changes my situation they have to speak to me. I work as the head coach of Barcelona. We want to get the best results and perform well and improve our game individually and as a team.That is our job, where we are going to put our energy. “

“The things outside of sport are not in our hands. We will see what happens. I’m not liberated far from it. Everyone has their own thoughts about what happened [with Bartomeu]. What the team has shown today is that it has not affected us. If something affected us, we would now have played a game like we did today.”

Koeman | Source

Can’t imagine the scenes if Barca had lost. His job isn’t in jeopardy, even if Barca lose a few in a row.

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Vieri says he’ll throw his TV away when Messi stops playing

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

‘He’s the Harry Potter of soccer’

Juventus legend Christian Vieri discussed his team’s loss to Barcelona yesterday. The legend chatted about the match overall, but specifically talked about how impressed he was with Lionel Messi.

“An amazing Barcelona, there was no game. They could’ve scored six, seven goals easy. They played fantastic.

“Messi is a magician, he’s the Harry Potter of soccer and when he stops playing, I’m throwing my TVs away. I’m not going to work no more on TV, I’m going to watch Netflix, that’s it, because when he stops there’s nothing else to watch.

“I don’t know how they lost against Real Madrid, but if you see them [against Juventus] you’re going to say they can’t lose against anyone this year, it’s impossible the way they played.”

Vieri | Source

It’s nice to have some quotes talking about Barcelona looking impressive. A nice break from the usual comments about how horrible they’ve looked.

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Five talking points from Juventus 0-2 Barcelona

Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images

A good win for Ronald Koeman’s men

Koeman and Barca bounce back

Ronald Koeman and Barcelona badly needed a victory after defeats to Getafe and Real Madrid and bounced back well with a comfortable win in Turin.

The team started fast with Antoine Griezmann hitting the post early on, while Ousmane Dembele (more on him later) struck after 14 minutes to send Barca on their way.

Barca had to wait until stoppage time to scored a second through Lionel Messi’s penalty but would have made the game safe before then with better finishing.

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Koeman said after the win it was Barca’s “most complete game” since he took charge, and it was certainly a vast improvement on their last two outings.

There were also a lot of positives for Koeman to take after another chaotic week at the club, not least the warm embrace between manager and captain at the end of the match.

Dembele offers hope for the future

One decision Koeman certainly got spot on was to start Dembele out on the right, and the Frenchman offered hope he can finally enjoy a strong season with his performance.

His goal did take a big deflection but the crossfield pass from Lionel Messi was pure quality and Dembele’s run at the defence and decision to go for goal was a good one.

The Frenchman caused problems with his speed and trickery throughout the game, and his second goal in two Champions League should do wonders for his confidence.

2 - @Dembouz ha scored in back to back #ChampionsLeague games for the first time (27 appearances). The Frenchman has scored as many goals as he did in his previous 11 games in the competition. Growth. pic.twitter.com/RvySngPEKr

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 28, 2020

Barca will be praying that the talented 23-year-old can finally stay fit after a simply horrible time with injuries, and this performance shows if he can he will have a big role to play this season.

Pedri brings fresh excitement

Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images

Dembele’s performance was impressive but he was still eclipsed by 17-year-old Pedri who is fast making a name for himself at Barca just months after his summer move from Las Palmas.

Koeman’s faith in the youngster is evident already. The Dutch coach bravely started him in El Clasico and kept faith with the teenager again for the trip to Juventus.

Pedri didn’t let him down either with a fearless performance full of creativity against the Serie A champions on their own turf.

He showed a great bit of skill to leave Juan Cuadrado in his wake on the touchline, showed off some great turns near his own penalty area and offers fans genuine excitement for the future.

Time for Pjanic to start?

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Miralem Pjanic was also in the starting XI against Juventus alongside Frenkie de Jong, well for the first half at least, and enjoyed himself back at his former club.

It wasn’t a perfect performance from the midfielder, who still seems to be lacking bit of match sharpness, but certainly enough to suggest he might be a regular starter soon.

An early error almost gifted Juventus a goal, when Pjanic seemed to forget which team he was playing for with a poor pass, but he did get better as the game wore on.

It’s no secret Pjanic is a great passer of the ball, but he’s also a solid defender as well as being more than willing to go for goal when he gets a shooting chance.

Pjanic has made little impact at Barca since his summer move but may be set for more opportunities now, particularly with Sergio Busquets hardly impressing so far in 2020-21.

Araujo injury highlights defensive shortage

Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images

One sour note for Barcelona was the thigh injury to Ronald Araujo that forced the promising 21-year-old off at half-time for the match.

Araujo came in for the suspended Gerard Pique, but his injury highlighted just how short of options at center-back Barcelona are currently.

Frenkie de Jong deputised in the second half and did a pretty good job alongside Clement Lenglet, but it’s not a solution Koeman will want to use regularly.

Koeman had no other defenders in his squad, with Barca B’s Òscar Mingueza also picking up an injury before the game, while no-one seems to know if Samuel Umtiti will ever return.

Barca missed out on Eric Garcia in the summer transfer window but it looks increasingly likely they will reignite their interest when the transfer window opens in January.

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FC Barcelona News: 29 October 2020

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

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

Juventus v FC Barcelona: Two out of two (0-2) - FC Barcelona
An incredibly fast start from Barça at Allianz Stadium saw Miralem Pjanić go close and Antoine Griezmann hit the woodwork before two minutes had been played.

Ronald Araujo, replaced after some discomfort in the right thigh - FC Barcelona
Ronald Araujo was unable to complete the game against Juventus in Turin after feeling some discomfort in his right thigh.

A night of firsts for Barça - FC Barcelona
Barça win for the first time in Turin and Ronald Koeman wins in Italy for the first time in his career

Ronald Koeman labels Juventus win as Barcelona best performance of 2020/21 - Football Espana
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman was full of praise for his side following their 2-0 Champions League win at Juventus.

Sergi Roberto hails Barcelona resolve in Juventus win after El Clasico loss - Football Espana
Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto has praised the resolve of his teammates following their 2-0 Champions League win at Juventus.

Barcelona presidential elections will not happen this year - Football Espana
Barcelona will not hold new presidential elections this year following the exit of former club supremo Josep Maria Bartomeu, it has been reported by Marca.

New Barcelona interim president named after Bartomeu exit - Football Espana
Carlos Tusquets is the new interim president of Barcelona following the exit of former club supremo Josep Maria Bartomeu.

La Liga chief Tebas blasts outgoing Barcelona president Bartomeu and his "phantom" European Super League - Football Espana
La Liga president Javier Tebas has criticised outgoing Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his comments on a European Super League: “A phantom competition.”

European Super League to be 18-team tournament with basketball-style format - Football Espana
The European Super League is said to be coming closer to a reality and details of the discussions between elite clubs on the continent have been outlined by Spanish outlet Diario AS.

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Pedri shows he’s Barcelona’s newest superstar

Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images

What a performance!

Culers aren’t known for going over the top when it comes to praising players, but it’s time to get excited again.

Pedri’s performance against Juventus is right up there as one of Barca’s best of recent times.

At 17 years of age, playing football at that level against that standard of opponent is off the scale.

Credit to Ronald Koeman for keeping faith in the youngster because we have a real gem in the Canarian.

A double drag back in only his second Champions League game against one of the most historic European teams... are you kidding me?!

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

He is playing with such confidence, verve and purpose that his age hasn’t really even come into the conversation as a discussion point.

Pedri already looks completely at home with the responsibility of being given the ball, and he appears to instinctively know the Barca way.

The flashes of brilliance that do belie his tender years aren’t all he is about either.

It was great to see him working hard for the team, getting back when required and for all intents and purposes providing close to the perfect midfield performance.

Consider that the likes of Adrien Rabiot was up against him, a much more physical and mature player, and yet Pedri wasn’t ever overawed by him or any other opponent.

Juve are certainly a team in transition and Andrea Pirlo isn’t likely to last long if their start to the season continues in much the same way, but that shouldn’t take away from the performance of Ronald Koeman’s side.

Photo by Filippo Alfero - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images

We scored two, but we could quite easily have had five or six.

Perhaps Messi and Dembele will grab the headlines for being the scorers who secured Barca’s first-ever win against Juve in Turin, but the reality is that Pedri deserves all of the glory.

The difficulty for the club now will be ensuring Pedri handles the pressure because expectations will be quickly ramped up where he is concerned. As with Ansu Fati, who has made a similarly remarkable impression, supporters need to be patient too.

There’ll be plenty of occasions this season where mistakes will be made - Ansu made an awful one at the death in this match - and the important thing is that they learn from them, and culers allow them that learning curve.

After a disappointing El Clasico, this performance - on top of having Bartomeu gone - has been just the tonic.

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Sergi Roberto: Juventus win was perfect response

Photo by Alejandro Rios/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

It’s been another chaotic week for the Catalan giants

Sergi Roberto said Barcelona’s win over Juventus on Wednesday was the perfect response after another tumultuous week at the Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants sank to a disappointing defeat to Real Madrid at the weekend and then saw president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his board resign 24 hours before the game.

Roberto was asked about his team’s performance in the wake of recent events and felt the players had produced the perfect response out on the pitch.

“We are very happy, especially for scoring. Having six points is important. We have only scored two goals but but there could have been many more. The important thing is to make the chances. If we continue like this, we will end up scoring them. After the defeat against Madrid, it was important to score points. We must continue in this way.

“We want a Barça that dominate games, that have the ball. Today has been a great match, not only for the result, but for the sensations as well.

“There is a lot of talk about this [Bartomeu’s resignation], which is normal. But what the members want is to win games and that is what we have shown. The best response has been today’s game.”

Source | AS

The win puts Barca in great shape in Group G ahead of next week’s clash against Dynamo Kiev. Before then Koeman’s men take on Alaves in La Liga and could do with a win after defeats in their last two league outings.

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Koeman: Juventus win was our most complete match

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

The Barca boss was happy after victory in Turin

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman was a pretty happy man after overseeing a 2-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi saw the visitors run out comfortable winners and make it maximum points from their first two games.

Koeman offered his verdict on his team after the match and felt the three points were fully deserved.

“I think we have been superior, especially with our game, we could always reach the free man, we have even had depth to score more goals. It was a great victory and I am very happy, it was our most complete match,” he said.

“The only thing we lacked was to sentence the game before. We have had very clear chances to score goals, but I also have to say in the case of Antoine he had bad luck.

“The team has shown a lot of faith, confidence and a lot of personality against a strong team from Europe. It is the whole team that has stood out in this game.”

Source | Movistar

The Barca boss made plenty of changes to his team bringing Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Miralem Pjanic, Ronald Araujo and Sergi Roberto back into the team.

It was a good night for the visitors with the only real sour point being Araujo going off with an injury at half-time. Frenkie de Jong took his place in defence for the second half, and Koeman also took time to praise the Dutchman for his display after the match.

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IN PICS: Barcelona’s Champions League win over Juventus

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Ousmane Dembele & Lionel Messi were on target

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Juventus 0-2 Barça: Recap

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

A huge win in Turin

Barcelona remain perfect in the Champions League thanks to an impressive 2-0 win over Juventus at the Allianz Stadium thanks to goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Lionel Messi. Barça played a complete game as a team, with excellent individual performances as well and a clean sheet against Juve in Turin, which is a rarity.

FIRST HALF

Barça made a very fast start, with three big chances in less than two minutes and a lot of intensity and hunger to recover the ball. But they also had to deal with an intense and hungry Juventus team that pressed very high looking to force mistakes at the back.

The Blaugrana struggled to get out of their own half, but once they finally did they got a goal: Ousmane Dembélé received the ball in space, put on a couple of moves and fired a shot with his right foot that deflected off Leonardo Bonucci and went over Szczesny into the net.

Juventus got a hold of the ball and started to go forward looking for an equalizer, and Álvaro Morata scored twice only to have both goals disallowed for offside. Other than those two moments, the Old Lady looked dangerous at times but the Barça backline did a good job of avoiding big trouble.

At halftime, Barça were playing well with the ball, had a deserved lead and looked solid enough without the ball, but they still needed another goal to ensure the victory.

SECOND HALF

The second half started with another goal disallowed for Morata for offside, his third of the night. But that was about it for Juventus when it came to attacking prowess, as the hosts struggled mightily to create any meaningful offense with Paulo Dybala far from his best.

Barça did a masterful job of keeping possession and forcing Juve to run after the ball, and Miralem Pjanic continued to play an exceptional game in midfield controlling the tempo and creating dangerous chances with smart passes, and Barça continued to come up with big opportunities.

Messi, Pedri and Griezmann all had big chances to score but couldn’t, and as we reached the final 10 minutes there was still an opportunity for Juve to equalize despite their struggles in attack. But Barça did a great job of keeping the ball, and Lionel Messi scored a penalty in the 90th minute to ensure the win.

The final whiste came to end an excellent victory for Barça. In the first day without Josep Maria Bartomeu in charge, Barça put together their best performance of the season so far. Is this hope?

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Juventus: Szczesny; Cuadrado, Demiral, Bonucci, Danilo; Kulusevski (McKennie 75’), Bentancur (Arthur 83’), Rabiot (Bernardeschi 83’), Chiesa; Dybala, Morata

Goals: None

Red Card: Demiral (85’)

Barcelona: Neto; Roberto, Araujo (Busquets 46’), Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Dembélé (Fati 66’), Messi, Pedri (Braithwaite 90’+1); Griezmann (Firpo 88’)

Goals: Dembélé (14’), Messi (90’)

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Araujo forced off with thigh injury against Juventus

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Barcelona are running out of defenders

Barcelona lost center-back Ronald Araujo to injury against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old started the match in place of the suspended Gerard Pique but went off at half-time after picking up a thigh problem.

There’s no word yet of how serious Araujo’s injury is but it is a blow given Barca only have Pique and Clement Lenglet available as senior fit center-backs currently.

El jugador del primer equip R. Araujo té unes molèsties a la cuixa dreta. Pendent de proves per saber l’abast exacte de la lesió #JuveBarça pic.twitter.com/dhsXcpUfvO

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) October 28, 2020

Araujo’s injury meant that Sergio Busquets came on at the break. The 32-year-old went into midfield alongside Miralem Pjanic, with Frenkie de Jong dropping into defence alongside Lenglet.

Barca may offer an update on Araujo in the coming days but he looks to be a doubt for the last three games before the international break against Alaves, Dynamov Kiev and Real Betis.

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Juventus vs Barça: LIVE BLOG!

Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images

Join us for another Barcelona Champions League adventure!

WELCOME TO THE ALLIANZ STADIUM!!! The beautiful home of Juventus is the site of a big Champions League match between the hosts and Barcelona, who come into this one desperately in need of good news after a painful loss in El Clásico and the resignation of the club president. Juve won’t have Cristiano Ronaldo and have a lot of injuries at the back, but they are still Juventus and this should be a very good match. 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 Champions League, Group G, Matchday 2

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Thursday)

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)

VAR: Kevin Blom (NED)

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

How to watch on TV: TUDN (USA), BT Sport 3 (UK), Canal+ Sport 3 (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), BT Sport Live (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), DAZN (Canada), 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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FC Barcelona News: 28 October 2020

Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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

Miralem Pjanic cannot wait to face former club Juventus - FC Barcelona
Miralem Pjanic is no stranger to Juventus. The Bosnian midfielder returns to Turin where he spent four seasons with the bianconeri before joining Barça in the summer.

The squad for FC Barcelona v Juventus - FC Barcelona
After the excellent 5-1 win over Ferencváros in their opening fixture of group G in this season's Champions League, Barça take on their first away trip with a challenging contest against Serie A champions Juventus in Turin.

Juve v Barça, familiar faces - FC Barcelona
Barça and Juventus are two of the biggest clubs in Europe, and their players have a wealth of both club and country experience behind them.

Cristiano Ronaldo still positive for Covid-19 and out of Barcelona clash - Football Espana
Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo will sit out his side’s Champions League clash against Barcelona this week after registering a new positive Covid-19 test this morning, as per El Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona president Bartomeu and entire board resigns from club - Football Espana
Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his entire board have handed in their resignations and will leave the club, according to a landmark report from Diario Sport.

Outgoing Barcelona president Bartomeu confirms club accept proposal to play in European Super League - Football Espana
Outgoing Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed the club have accepted an invitation to play in a new European Super League.

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Barça squad named for Juventus

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Ronald Koeman has called up 21 players for Wednesday’s trip to Turin

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana play their second Champions League group stage game of the season away to Juventus at the Allianz Stadium, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 21 players for Wednesday night:

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Goalkeepers: 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña, 36. Arnau Tenas

Defenders: 2. Sergiño Dest, 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 20. Sergi Roberto, 24. Junior Firpo

Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Carles Aleñá, 8. Miralem Pjanic, 12. Riqui Puig, 16. Pedri, 21. Frenkie De Jong

Forwards: 7. Antoine Griezmann, 9. Martin Braithwaite, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Ousmane Dembélé, 17. Francisco Trincão, 22. Ansu Fati

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Barça will play the Italian champions without their best defender in Gerard Piqué, who is suspended for his red card against Ferencváros last week. Also out are Marc-André ter Stegen (knee), Philippe Coutinho (hamstring) and Samuel Umtiti (knee) due to injury, while Matheus Fernandes hasn’t made the trip per the coach’s decision.

Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Neto; Roberto, Araujo, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Griezmann, Pedri, Fati; Messi

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The match kicks off at 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Thursday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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Juventus vs Barça: Preview

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Barça play a big European match in the middle of a gigantic managerial crisis, trying to bring some hope to a broken club

Juventus FC (2nd, 3pts) vs FC Barcelona (1st, 3pts)

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Competition/Round: 2020-21 Champions League, Group G, Matchday 2

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Marc-André ter Stegen, Philippe Coutinho, Samuel Umtiti, Matheus Fernandes (out)

Juventus Outs & Doubts: Cristiano Ronaldo, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Matthijs De Ligt (out), Leonard Bonucci (doubt)

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 4pm ET, 1pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Thursday)

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)

VAR: Kevin Blom (NED)

How to watch on TV: TUDN (USA), BT Sport 3 (UK), Canal+ Sport 3 (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others

How to stream: FuboTV (USA), BT Sport Live (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), DAZN (Canada), others

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Following a bad defeat to Real Madrid in the first El Clásico of the season, Barcelona are right back in action for their second Champions League group stage match away to Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night.

But the game doesn’t feel like a big deal at all right now. The Barcelona news are dominated by the resignation of president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who has decided to quit along with his entire executive board, a decision that fans have wanted forever. It’s finally done, and yet things couldn’t feel more hopeless right now.

It’s impossible to expect the new board to change things for the better right away after all the damage done by the previous administration, the squad is still filled with giant egos who can’t really contribute in the same way but demand the same treatment, and the financial situation is REALLY bad right now.

Barça’s future looks bleak unless something dramatic happens, and for now the only hope is for Ronald Koeman and his team to find some consistency and start playing well and winning big games, which they haven’t done yet. Beating Juventus is a good start, and maybe they can get a good enough win to bring some kind of positivity.

But it won’t be easy. Juventus are nearly unbeatable at home, and despite a crazy amount of injuries to their defense the Bianconeri will be very dangerous in attack despite not having Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be missing out after failing to provide a negative COVID-19 test. Andrea Pirlo is off to a nice start in his managerial career, and Juve will play hard and try and take advantage of Barça’s inconsistency.

It feels like the future of the club is at stake on Wednesday night. Another bad loss to a big team in Europe and pessimism will kick in real fast.

Let’s dance, I guess?

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Neto; Roberto, Araujo, Lenglet, Alba; Pjanic, De Jong; Griezmann, Pedri, Fati; Messi

Juventus (4-4-2): Szczesny; Cuadrado, Demiral, Danilo, Frabotta; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Rabiot, Chiesa; Dybala, Morata

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PREDICTION

I just can’t trust this team right now, though I do think they’ll be able to score goals against such a weakened Juventus defense: 2-2 draw.

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