How will Koeman replace Pedri against Sevilla?

Photo by Pressinphoto / Icon Sport

The midfielder is out with a calf injury

Barcelona face Sevilla on Wednesday in a crunch game at the Camp Nou with a place in this season’s Copa del Rey final up for grabs.

As we know, Sevilla lead 2-0 after the first leg but Barca beat the Andalusians by the same scoreline on Saturday in the league and will fancy their chances of turning the tie around.

Yet Koeman does have one big headache ahead of the game, namely how to replace Pedri who will miss out after suffering a calf problem against Sevilla.

The 18-year-old has been a regular fixture in the starting XI and his absence will be felt.

Koeman brought on 18-year-old Ilaix Moriba to replace Pedri on Saturday, and the youngster is certainly an option. The Barca boss handed Ilaix his debut in the Copa del Rey in January and then followed that up with a first La Liga start in the win over Alaves.

@IlaixMK's Impact: Came on in the 71st, set up #Messi's goal in the 85th. Not bad for an 18-year-old. #SevillaBarça pic.twitter.com/ATL8cdBRd9

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 27, 2021

The Dutchman clearly has plenty of faith in Ilaix but it would still be a big call to start the youngster in such a high-profile game given his lack of top-level experience. Moriba wasn’t part of the Barcelona B squad for today’s match with Lleida which suggests he’s likely to be in the matchday squad.

Another player hoping to get the nod is Riqui Puig. The midfielder hasn’t seen too much game time since starting in the win over Alaves but would be a good bet seeing as Barca will need to go on the attack to overturn the 2-0 deficit.

Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Miralem Pjanic, who missed Saturday’s match with an ankle problem, is another option but perhaps less likely to play. The midfielder is not having a great first season at Barcelona and was hooked at half-time against Elche in his last appearance.

The 30-year-old would offer more experience than both Puig and Ilaix but simply doesn’t seem to have Koeman’s faith and it would be something of a surprise if he did get the nod alongside Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets in midfield.

Koeman could also change his system again and bring in another attacker instead such as Francisco Trincao or Antoine Griezmann. Neither player got off the bench against Sevilla at the weekend but are capable of supplying goals.

The Barca boss got his tactics spot on during Saturday’s match as his team won 2-0 and will need to get the formula right again on Wednesday in a competition which still looks the club’s best chance of silverware this season.

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Beckham talks Messi to Inter Miami rumors

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The club’s owner hopes he can bring in some big stars

Inter Miami owner David Beckham has been talking about the possibility of Lionel Messi swapping Inter Miami for Barcelona at some point and admits he’d love to have some of the game’s biggest stars at his club.

Messi’s future remains the subject of much speculation with the captain out of contract at the end of the season. There have been reports that Messi, and Luis Suarez, could be tempted by a move to MLS, and in particular, Inter Miami at some point in the future.

Here’s what Beckham makes of it all:

“I know that in Miami our fans want to see big stars,” he said.

“We already have players like Gonzalo Higuaín and Blaise Matuidi, but in the future we want to have the opportunity to bring in big names.

“Leo and Cristiano have been mentioned, they have been at the top of their game and they have been the best for the last 15 years.

“We want to attract the best players. Miami has a great power of attraction and these are the players we want to bring here.”

Messi has also been linked with moves to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, although recent rumors have suggested he is currently “much more open to staying” at the Camp Nou.

The captain is expected to chat about his future with the club’s next president after the upcoming elections and has said previously he’ll wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

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Ter Stegen sends Barca message ahead of Sevilla tie

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The goalkeeper has some words of advice

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has a message for his team-mates ahead of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Sevilla.

The Catalan giants head into the match 2-0 down after the first leg but with hope they can pull off a comeback having beaten Sevilla by the same scoreline in La Liga on Saturday.

Ter Stegen wants a similar performance from his team on Wednesday as Ronald Koeman’s side bid to make it to the final of the competition.

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A post shared by Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1)

Ter Stegen suffered an injury scare in the warm-up before Saturday’s match. The goalkeeper appeared to injure his finger and went back into the dressing room for treatment.

Fortunately for Barcelona he was able to continue and had a pretty quiet game, keeping a clean sheet for the second match in a row.

Another clean sheet looks like being needed again on Wednesday if Barca are to progress. The task is already tough but if Sevilla were to add a third goal it would leave Koeman’s men with a real mountain to climb.

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Pedri expected to miss two weeks with injury

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The midfielder is sidelined

Barcelona confirmed on Sunday that Pedri is out of action and will miss the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Sevilla on Wednesday.

The midfielder, who has featured in all of Barca’s La Liga matches so far this season, has a muscle injury and is out of action for the time being.

BREAKING NEWS ❗

Test confirm that @Pedri is out after pulling the soleus muscle in his left leg pic.twitter.com/WLtE5Zwe29

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 28, 2021

Early reports suggest that Pedri will miss two weeks with the injury. If that proves correct then Pedri will also miss the trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League as well.

Pedri has taken to social media with a post that suggests the injury is not serious. He wrote, “Very happy for the results of the tests, for the game of the whole team and the very important victory yesterday. From now super motivated and working to return in a short time with my team-mates.”

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A post shared by Pedri González (@pedrigonzalez)

The news is still a blow given how integral Pedri has been this season. He’s featured 37 times in what is his first season with the club since moving from Las Palmas.

Pedri’s injury does open up a spot in the starting XI for the next few games, and it’ll be interesting to see how Ronald Koeman replaces the teenager.

Ilaix Moriba and Riqui Puig seem the most likely contenders to take Pedri’s place and will certainly be hoping to get another chance to stake a claim for more regular football.

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Five talking points from Sevilla 0-2 Barcelona

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A good La Liga win for the visitors

Koeman shakes things up

Barca’s teamsheet for Saturday’s match made for interesting reading as Ronald Koeman went with three center-backs and left Antoine Griezmann on the bench again.

It proved to be a great decision by the Barca boss as his new system worked perfectly and drew an excellent performance and all three points.

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Barca controlled the match throughout and won it through goals from Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi, although the visitors probably should have had a few more.

The new system also brought a second clean sheet in a row and allowed Sevilla very few sights of goal.

It also seemed to bring out the best in a number of players including Dembele, Sergio Busquets and Sergino Dest. Oscar Mingueza also had a fine game back at center-back. All in all a great afternoon’s work from all concerned.

More injuries for Barcelona

Of course, it wasn’t all good news for Barcelona as the Catalans saw Pedri and Ronald Araujo depart in the second half. Barca have since confirmed Pedri has a muscle injury and now looks set for a little spell out.

MEDICAL NEWS | @Pedri has a muscular injury in the lower part of his left leg. He will undergo further tests tomorrow to find out the exact extent. pic.twitter.com/aQmbMhzkXW

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 27, 2021

Araujo also went off 15 minutes after making his return from an ankle injury. Barca haven’t offered an injury update which suggests the problem isn’t serious, and he did appear to want to come back on but Koeman refused to take any risks.

The Uruguayan had looked set to start Wednesday’s Copa del Rey clash alongside Gerard Pique in central defense, but it’s not clear now if he will return to the starting XI or which formation Koeman will go with for the tie.

Ilaix makes an impact

Pedri’s injury did allow 18-year-old Ilaix Moriba some more first-team minutes, and the teenager certainly made the most of them. The youngster produced a great flick to send Lionel Messi away for Barca’s second and was rewarded with a big hug from the captain.

With the pic.twitter.com/KRxXh6PoIH

— Ilaix Moriba (@IlaixMK) February 27, 2021

Ilaix was spotted thanking Koeman for the opportunity after the match, and it was certainly a big call to throw the youngster on for the final 20 minutes of the match with the score still at 1-0.

Pedri looks likely to miss Wednesday’s Copa del Rey match on Wednesday which means we might see Ilaix again at the Camp Nou. That’s another big decision Koeman will have to make but he certainly appears to have plenty of faith in the youngster which is great to see.

Dembele drought ends, Messi streak continues

Dembele sent Barca on their win way to victory with his first goal of 2021 and ended a run of 16 games without a goal for the Frenchman.

The 23-year-old took his goal well and his huge smile as he turned away to celebrate was great to see.

Photo by Antonio Pozo/Pressinphoto / Icon Sport

Dembele’s pace caused the Sevilla defense all sorts of problems and one brilliant run should have brought a goal for Messi but the captain fired wastefully over the bar.

Still, it was another impressive display by the Argentine as he bagged his 19th league goal of the season late on to extend his lead in the race for the Pichichi.

The goal was Messi’s 30th against Sevilla in La Liga and the fifth straight game in all competitions in which he’s scored. Messi has also found the back of the net in each of his last eight league games.

It’s also worth pointing out that Messi also picked up his fourth booking of the season. One more and he’ll face an automatic one-match ban.

Wins fuels Copa belief

Photo by Antonio Pozo/Pressinphoto / Icon Sport

Both the result and the performance against Sevilla will instil belief that Barcelona can go on and pull off the comeback needed when the two teams meet again in three days’ time at the Camp Nou.

The Copa del Rey still looks Barca’s best chance of silverware, but it will need a similar performance again to come back from 2-0 down and book a place in the final.

Barca will know they can’t really afford to concede another goal and will have to take their chances when they come. An early goal would certainly help, although let’s not forget Barca were 2-0 down with two minutes to go at Granada earlier in the tournament.

Gerard Pique talked up Barca’s title hopes after the match but also admitted that if the team do the job on Wednesday “the season changes completely.”

Another dramatic week awaits.

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FC Barcelona News: 28 February 2021

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

Sevilla 0-2 Barça: Still in contention - FC Barcelona
It would be a few minutes after kick-off before Sevilla were able to approach Barça’s penalty area with even a half-chance, the visitors quickly out of the blocks in Nervión. The hosts were more than happy to sit back and soak up the pressure as Barça’s long periods of possession set the pace and rhythm.

Messi's 30th La Liga goal against Sevilla - FC Barcelona
Sevilla have become the first opponent that Lionel Messi has scored 30 goals against in LaLiga. The Argentine notched another against his favourite victim on Saturday, the goals coming in just 29 games that Messi has played against them in the competition.

Pedri injury news - FC Barcelona
The first team player Pedri has a muscle problem in the lower part of his left leg. Sunday, he will have more tests to find out the exact extent of the injury. The player from the Canary Islands was in the starting XI in the 2-0 win over Sevilla in the Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium and played 71 minutes before injury saw him replaced by Ilaix Moriba.

Pedri out of Sevilla cup game, doubt for PSG - SPORT
Pedri’s injury didn’t look good. He felt something go in the bottom part of his left leg, as Barcelona said in a medical statement, and he quickly asked for a change. The Canarian arrived at the hotel on crutches and obviously hurt. More tests will take place on Sunday but SPORT has learned he has a calf injury which could keep him out for around two weeks.

Pique reveals the real reason he was taken off in Barça's Sevilla win - SPORT
Gerard Pique calmed down Barcelona supporters after the game against Sevilla. The defender clarified that his substitution for Ronald Araujo was not because of an injury, but a plan put in place with the coach, Ronald Koeman.

Leo Messi on the verge of a suspension - SPORT
Lionel Messi received a yellow card against Sevilla and he is one away from a ban. If he gets booked against Osasuna next Saturday he would miss the clash with Huesca. That would be one way of cleaning up his suspension situation ahead of big games with Real Sociedad and Real Madrid.

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WATCH: Ilaix thanks Koeman after Barcelona win

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The midfielder came on in the second half

Ilaix Moriba enjoyed more first-team minutes on Saturday as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 win over Sevilla in La Liga.

Manager Ronald Koeman opted to bring on the 18-year-old after Pedri was forced off with injury. It was something of a surprise move given the youngster’s inexperience but proved a good move with Ilaix enjoying a strong cameo.

Indeed the youngster teed up Messi for Barcelona’s second of the afternoon that sealed the win at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

Ilaix was spotted after the final whistle offering his thanks to Koeman for another first-team chance.

En @MontonJordi ha seguit Ilaix Moriba al final del partit, amb la càmera de TV3. La reverència a Koeman il.lustra l’alegria del moment, l’agraïment per la confiança en els joves i les ganes de triomfar al Barça. #fcbarcelona pic.twitter.com/QW3Bm7uOyn

— Francesc Latorre (@FrancescLatorre) February 27, 2021

The youngster also seemed to have impressed Koeman who praised the midfielder after the match.

“He was very good. He was strong and very calm on the ball after coming on. He contributed in the little time he had. He helped us to win.”

Source | Marca

Ilaix will be hoping for more minutes next time out and looks to be in contention for Wednesday’s game against Sevilla with Pedri expected to miss out because of a leg injury.

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Koeman explains why he switched tactics for Barcelona’s trip to Sevilla

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The Dutchman’s changes paid off

Ronald Koeman was full of praise for his Barcelona team after Saturday’s impressive 2-0 win over Sevilla in La Liga.

Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi gave Barca all three points and moved the team into second place in the table.

Koeman changed his system for the game, using three center-backs, and spoke about his decision to switch tactics after the match.

“We tried to pressure the opponent, and playing with three centre-backs and full-backs pressed high made it easier for us to not let Sevilla play. That’s been the key. It’s a risky system, but without the ball we pressed and tried to play one-on-one. Our game off the ball was key. It was a complete game.

“It’s been a good change that we’ve seen in 2021, although we lost points at the beginning. Today we’ve show that we’re still very much alive and that’s very important. I’m proud, especially regarding the physical aspect. They have a physically very strong team and we were able to match them off the ball, and with the ball we were very good, very calm.”

Source | Marca

Barca’s new system worked well and the visitors could even have had more goals. It will be interesting to see now if Koeman stick with the formation when the teams meet again on Wednesday or changes things again.

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Barcelona produce a thriller in Sevilla

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Best performance of the season

Wow! What. A. Performance.

That’s as good as Barca have played this year, and in fact, was arguably their best 90 minutes of the entire 2020/21 campaign.

Sevilla don’t tend to do too well against the Catalans in La Liga it’s true, however, they hadn’t conceded in their last five in the competition, and Barca knew all about their strengths from a couple of weeks ago.

But something felt different from the off on Saturday afternoon.

Hats have to be tipped to Ronald Koeman for getting his formation and tactics spot on. The five-man midfield with Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest as willing runners completely nullified any threat from the wide areas, whilst the consistent high press knocked the hosts out of their stride.

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Aside from a 10-minute period towards the end of the match, in the lead up to Messi’s clincher, there was nothing Sevilla did that should worry the Blaugranes ahead of Wednesday.

The difficulty then will be keeping them out, with one goal from the away side probably spelling curtains for cup ambitions.

That said, on another day, Barca could’ve had at least another two or three goals when you consider Dest’s shot off the post, Lenglet’s offside, Messi’s uncharacteristic shot over when well-placed and Alba’s agonising slide that just couldn’t reach the ball.

So maybe it’s the Andalusians that will have to be on their guard again.

Injuries could be an issue. Although Gerard Pique had said in a post-match interview that he was fine and he had come off because of a lack of minutes in his legs, things didn’t look as positive for Ronald Araujo or Pedri.

Both of the youngsters acquitted themselves extremely well again, even if the former was only on the pitch for 15 minutes.

Ditto Ilaix Moriba.

Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Straight in on Bono with his first contribution, pointing and telling more senior team-mates where to be and who to mark, and then playing that sumptuous assist from Leo... the lack of any sort of fear is what’s most pleasing about this next generation.

There is a naturalness to their play which isn’t forced. Not unlike a young Messi it must be said, and you get the feeling that Leo knows it too.

The magnitude of this result at this point of the season can’t be understated either, and it’s just a shame that Barca couldn’t see out the match against Cadiz as they’d be sitting more than pretty now, even if Atleti have games in hand.

The Madrid derby could be crucial for the Catalans as long as they keep doing their bit, and if Barca play like they did on Saturday, that’s a foregone conclusion.

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Pique says Barca’s title hopes still alive after Sevilla win

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The center-back is feeling confident

Gerard Pique was in good spirits after Saturday’s win over Sevilla and feels the three points mean Barcelona are very much in the race for the title.

Saturday’s win lifted Ronald Koeman’s side into second in the table and just two points behind leaders Atletico, although Diego Simeone’s side do have two games in hand.

Pique was happy with his team’s performance at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium against a strong Sevilla team.

“Today we played a great game, it is one of the days that I am most proud of this team. Playing like this, this team can still do important things. We knew we had to play well after tough blows against Cadiz and PSG. We weren’t very good against Elche but we turned it around and we managed to keep a clean sheet. Today the team showed we have the talent and we believe we can fight for the title. We wil see what we can do on Wednesday.

“The league’s on. Until it’s mathematically impossible, it’s on. Worse things have been seen. In two games, we weren’t up to scratch, but we can have confidence with what this team’s done in 2021. A team like Sevilla, at home, have not created any chances. We dominated for 90 minutes, pressing high, playing in their half. It’s not the ideal situation, but we have confidence in the team.”

There were suggestions during the match that Pique was struggling a bit with a knee problem, but the center-back downplayed talk of any injury afterwards.

Pique said that he came off in the second half because “we just want to control the minutes” and that he’d been playing more than he’d expected when he first came back from injury after three months out.

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Barcelona hit by Pedri injury blow

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The midfielder went off during the win over Sevilla

Barcelona enjoyed a great 2-0 win over Sevilla on Saturday in La Liga, but the win was marred slightly by an injury to midfielder Pedri.

The teenager had to go off in the second half and was replaced by Ilaix Moriba.

Pedri was spotted after the game on crutches as the team returned to their hotel which is not great news.

Així han arribat Pedri i Araujo a l'hotel!! #SevillaBarça

@xlemus

https://t.co/zS3DSzLvhQ pic.twitter.com/vx3zC66I5Y

— Esport3 (@esport3) February 27, 2021

Barcelona offered an update after the match.

“The first team player Pedri has a muscle problem in the lower part of his left leg. Tomorrow, Sunday, he will have more tests to find out the exact extent of the injury.”

Source | FC Barcelona

Pedri now looks a real doubt for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Sevilla on Wednesday.

The teenager’s absence would be a big blow but Ronald Koeman does have options. He could stick with Ilaix, who did well after he came on, while Riqui Puig is also a possibility.

Ronald Araujo also went off in the second half after making his return from injury, but it’s not clear if he has picked up another problem or not.

The center-back went down holding his ankle and then did appear ready to come back on only for Koeman to send on Samuel Umtiti instead.

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Sevilla 0-2 Barça: Recap

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A very good performance in Seville!

Barcelona extended their unbeaten run in La Liga to 15 games and have now won 9 of their last 10 matches in the league thanks to a great 2-0 victory over Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Barça played an excellent game, especially at the back, and Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembélé scored the goals to give the Blaugrana three big points on the road.

FIRST HALF

The first half was intense and hard-fought, with very few chances and virtually zero space for either team to operate. Ronald Koeman surprised with a back three and a five across midfield but the plan worked well as the Blaugrana managed to press high up the pitch and always have width on the wings while also having movement and possession in the middle.

Messi and Dembélé played as a front two and were simply a living hell for the Sevilla defense, who could not find a way to deal with their movement as the two roamed freely around the final third and constantly dragged defenders out of position. Their work didn’t result in many chances, but Sevilla were so worried about them that they couldn’t get into a rhythm offensively and had to constantly foul to avoid getting in trouble.

Messi and Dembélé combined for the only goal of the half thanks to a marvelous through ball by the captain and a sublime finish by the Frenchman. Barça had nothing to worry about defensively and headed into halftime as the better team, but Sevilla were competing hard and the game was still up for grabs.

SECOND HALF

Barça started the second half well, continuing to press high and create chances, with three big ones before the 65th minute: first it was Jordi Alba who couldn’t get to a cross from Frenkie De Jong, then Sergiño Dest hit the post, and Messi missed a golden chance after an unbelievable run by Dembélé.

Unable to double their lead, Barça had to survive some pressure to Sevilla who brought on plenty of attacking players and started to fire crosses into the box, but the Blaugrana dealt very well with every wave of pressure from the home side with Clément Lenglet especially dominant at the back.

As we reached the final 10 minutes Barça grew into the game again thanks to a great substitute cameo by Ilaix Moriba, who brought plenty of energy and was involved in the second goal which was finished by Messi to wrap up the win for Barça.

The final whistle came to end a brilliant win for Barça, who played a complete game on both sides of the ball and had chances to win by at least three goals. The defense was impressive and the intensity was fantastic. Well done, boys!

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Sevilla: Bounou; Navas, Koundé, Carlos (Rekik 46’), Escudero; Jordán, Fernando; Gómez (Suso 46’), Rakitic (Rodríguez 63’), Munir (En-Nesyri 46’); De Jong (Torres 63’)

Goals: None

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Piqué (Araujo 67’ (Umtiti 82’)), Lenglet; Dest, De Jong, Busquets, Pedri (Moriba 71’), Alba; Messi, Dembélé (Braithwaite 82’)

Goals: Dembélé (29’), Messi (85’)

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Sevilla vs Barça: LIVE BLOG!

Photo by Joaquin Corchero / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images

Join us for another Barcelona La Liga adventure!

WELCOME TO THE ESTADIO RAMÓN SÁNCHEZ PIZJUÁN!!! The beautiful home of Sevilla is the site of a giant La Liga match, a third versus fourth battle between the hosts and Barcelona, who come into this one needing three points to cement their place in the Top 3 and keep Sevilla at a good distance. These two face off again in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday, so this will be the first of two huge games between them. This will be all kinds of fun, 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, Jornada 25

Date/Time: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 4.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 3.15pm GMT (UK), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 8.45pm IST (India)

Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain

Referee: Alejandro Jose Hernández Hernández

VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande

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, watch the swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another.

Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!

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FC Barcelona News: 27 February 2021

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

PREVIEW | Sevilla FC v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
Barça head back to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán just 17 days after their last visit, a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final. Coincidentally, the second leg of that tie will be played in the very next match on Wednesday, March 3.

22 man FC Barcelona squad for trip to Sevilla - FC Barcelona
La Liga continues a pace and after four successive home game at Camp Nou the blaugranes are on their travels again with a trip to the Ramon Sánchez Pizjuán stadium to take on Sevilla.

Spanish football losing over €1billion due to Covid-19 pandemic - Football Espana
The financial ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic have been felt across the sporting world and Spanish football has been particularly badly hit. Fans have not returned to stadiums across the top two divisions since the pandemic took grip across the continent in March 2020.

Barcelona presidential election: More than 20,000 have already voted via post - Football Espana
The Barcelona news is increasingly being dominated by the club’s presidential elections which are now just nine days away. Three candidates – Victor Font, Joan Laporta and Toni Freixa – are on the final ballot for the crucial vote, which had been delayed from 24 January due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The strange situation of Barcelona teenage star Ilaix Moriba - Football Espana
There is a lot of optimism and excitement in Barcelona news around teenage star Ilaix Moriba, who has broken into the first-team squad. The 18-year-old made his Blaugrana senior debut in January’s Copa del Rey victory Cornella and then played 64 minutes in the win over Alaves in La Liga this month.

Ronald Koeman: Barcelona attackers need to help Lionel Messi - Football Espana
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has called on his attackers to share the goal scoring burden with skipper Lionel Messi in the coming weeks. His side face a crucial La Liga clash against rivals Sevilla this weekend, with Messi in red hot form on the back of netting 13 goals in his 13 appearances in all competitions in 2021.

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Barça squad named for Sevilla

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Ronald Koeman has called up 22 players for Saturday’s match

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to Seville for a crucial La Liga game against Sevilla, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 22 players for Saturday’s clash:

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Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña

Defenders: 2. Sergiño Dest, 3. Gerard Piqué, 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 18. Jordi Alba, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Junior Firpo, 28. Óscar Mingueza

Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 12. Riqui Puig, 16. Pedri, 19. Matheus Fernandes, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 27. Ilaix Moriba

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

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There’s some big news for this one as Ronald Araujo returns from an ankle injury, but Barça will be missing Miralem Pjanic due to an ankle problem of his own. The other absentees for this one are Ansu Fati (knee), Philippe Coutinho (knee) and Sergi Roberto (thigh) due to injury.

Predicted starting XI (4-3-3):

Ter Stegen; Dest, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Dembélé, Messi, Griezmann

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The match kicks off at 4.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 3.15pm GMT (UK), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 8.45pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

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Sevilla vs Barça: Preview

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Barça travel to Seville for a crucial Top 3 battle before the two teams face off again in the Cup

Sevilla FC (4th, 48pts) vs FC Barcelona (3rd, 50pts)

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Competition/Round: 2020-21 La Liga, Jornada 25

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Ansu Fati, Philippe Coutinho, Sergi Roberto, Miralem Pjanic (out)

Sevilla Outs & Doubts: Marcos Acuña, Lucas Ocampos (out)

Date/Time: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 4.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 3.15pm GMT (UK), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 8.45pm IST (India)

Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain

Referee: Alejandro Jose Hernández Hernández (OH NO)

VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (OH DEAR LORD)

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 comfortable victory over Elche to get back to winning ways in La Liga, Barcelona are back in action for another huge league game, this time at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán against Sevilla.

This is a third versus fourth battle, and as much as we’d all hope to see Barça fighting for the title the truth is they must focus on guaranteeing Champions League football for next season. Being in the Top 3 without trouble is key, and if they beat Sevilla away they’ll open up a five-point gap to their rivals and take a big step towards finishing at least third.

But it obviously won’t be easy. Sevilla away is always a tough game for any La Liga team, and this has been a really good season for them under Julen Lopetegui. These are the two hottest teams in the league: with Sevilla having won their last six in Barça coming in on a 14-game unbeaten streak with eight wins in their last nine.

These teams faced off earlier in February in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, and Sevilla cruised to a 2-0 win at the Pizjuán in what was a very flat performance from Barça. The second leg takes place next week, so these two will face off twice in four days. Barça’s best shot at a trophy is the Cup so they will no doubt be looking ahead to Wednesday, and winning this one will be a big confidence boost ahead of that game.

Sevilla are healthy and confident and have a really good defense, but Barça have played well enough in the league since the start of 2021 to give us hope for a good performance and three big points. They haven’t played well in any big game this season, and two giant ones against the same tough opponent are ahead.

Let’s dance.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Dest, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Dembélé, Messi, Griezmann

Sevilla (4-3-3): Bounou; Navas, Koundé, Carlos, Escudero; Rakitic, Fernando, Jordán; Munir, En-Nesyri, Gómez

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PREDICTION

Sevilla away is never not brutal, but I see Barça responding to that Copa loss to keep the run going: 2-1 to the good guys.

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Pod: Breaking down Barca’s chances of a Sevilla comeback

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Chatting about all things Barca.

This week on the Barca Blaugranes podcast, I chat about Barcelona’s chances against Sevilla this weekend. The task is pretty tall, but there’s clearly a chance given the talent. I also chat a bit about Luis Suarez’s comments about his leaving Barcelona and look at the chances of a La Liga comeback.

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more here.

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Xavi picks up another trophy with Al Sadd

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The Barcelona legend has lifted his fifth title as boss

Xavi picked up another trophy with Al Sadd on Friday as his team beat Al Duhail 2-0 in the final of the Qatar Cup to retain the trophy.

Algerian international Baghdad Bounedjah scored both goals as Xavi’s side secured the win,

@AlsaddSC #QatarCup2021 CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/FriaDVb1Jx

— Qatar Stars League (@QSL_EN) February 26, 2021

It’s the fifth title Xavi has landed as manager of the Qatari side but it won’t be the last. His team are on the brink of being crowned league champions too.

Al Sadd are 13 points clear at the top of the table with five games left and are yet to taste defeat in 17 league encounters this season.

Indeed Al Sadd could be crowned champions on March 7 if they beat Umm Salal at home. The date is also significant as presidential elections will take place at Barcelona.

Xavi’s name has cropped up plenty of times in the build-up to the elections. Presidential hopeful Victor Font has long made it clear he wants the legend back as coach, while favorite Joan Laporta has also admitted he often talks to the former midfielder.

Meanwhile, Xavi has never hidden the fact he wants to be Barcelona coach and spoke about the possbility of returning again recently.

“Everyone sees me as Barcelona coach. I respect Barça a lot, and Koeman, the current coach. I don’t want to hide that I would like to coach Barcelona, ​​but always respecting the current coach and the club, that is in full competition, and I wish them the best. Elections will be held, so let’s see who wins and what the future brings. But of course, it would be a dream to manage Barça.”

Xavi could also pick up another trophy too before the season’s out. Al Sadd remain in contention in the Emir Cup and face Al Gharafa next on March 3.

The 41-year-old is contracted to Al Sadd until the end of the season after signing a one-year contract extension in July. It’s not clear if Xavi will stay on or if he’s maybe waiting for another call from Barcelona after the new president is installed.

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Koeman talks Araujo, pressure and Barca vs Sevilla

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The latest from the Barcelona boss

Ronald Koeman faced the press on Friday to talk about Barca’s upcoming game against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

It’s the first of two matches against Julen Lopetegui’s side with Saturday’s encounter offering Barca the chance to move five points ahead of Sevilla in the table.

Koeman only appeared quite briefly as he cut the presser short after suffering a nose bleed after about 10 minutes. It’s the second time that’s happened this season, so let’s hope it’s nothing to worry about.

Here are the best bits:

Koeman on Sevilla double header

They are two different games. Tomorrow we play for La Liga, and Wednesday for the Copa del Rey. We have to win both games. We know the Copa result is 2-0 and tomorrow we need to continue with our good run to add points and press the top teams in La Liga.

Koeman on Araujo

He’s in the squad and has the same chances as everyone else to play. We’ll see tomorrow if he’ll play.

Koeman on if Araujo will play alongside Pique

He’s been having a great season and has shown his quality and physicality. It’s really important to have people like him in the team. As I said the other day, he still needs to improve his game with the ball but defensively he’s always given us a lot.

Koeman on Barca facing decisive weeks

I don’t agree. It seems like we’re the only ones playing very important games. This weekend the top teams are playing against each other. There is pressure on everyone, not more on us and less on the others. If you are Barcelona coach, there is pressure in every game.

Koeman on elections

No, I’m not going to vote because I don’t think I am the one who has to vote. We know we are facing the last part of the campaign. We know the candidates, everyone has their reasons for representing the club. The members will decide the winner.

Koeman on possibility of a trophyless season

Obviously as a Barca coach you always have the pressure. If you don’t win then obviously the coach is the one who’s guilty. I know how it works, it’s not my first time as coach. I’ve been in the sport a long time. I’m doing the best I can. I never think about defeats, I just think about winning. I don’t know what will happen. I am an optimist and I’m thinking about winning tomorrow, not losing.

Koeman on senior players helping the youngsters

I think the older players are leading the team, obviously they can’t do this alone. They need the help of their team-mates. Leo’s scored 18, the other attackers have the same amount of goals combined, but it’s not necessary to ask the veteran players to help the team always, the responsibility is on all. Of course they have experience, personality, they help the youngsters, but it’s the entire team that has to give their best.

Koeman on Sevilla being more rested

I think they have a little bit of an advantage because they didn’t play in the week but we did but I think we’re ready.

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Araujo passed fit for Barcelona’s trip to Sevilla

Photo by Irina R. Hipolito / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images

But Miralem Pjanic misses out

Barcelona have received some good news ahead of Saturday’s trip to Sevilla with center-back Ronald Araujo passed fit for the game at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

Araujo has missed Barcelona’s last five matches in all competitions with a sprained ankle but does make Ronald Koeman’s squad for the big La Liga clash.

PLAYER UPDATE | @RonaldAraujo939 is fit and in the squad for #SevillaBarça pic.twitter.com/kJPWHGzZyB

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 26, 2021

The center-back’s return from injury comes at a good time with Barcelona facing Sevilla again in midweek in the Copa del Rey and the return against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League coming up on March 10.

Diario Sport are reporting on Friday that Araujo and Gerard Pique are likely to be Barca’s central defensive pairing for the rest of the season providing both players stay fit.

While Araujo is back in the squad for Saturday’s match, Barcelona will be without Miralem Pjanic for the game.

PLAYER UPDATE | @Miralem_Pjanic is out for #SevillaBarça pic.twitter.com/KN7sbEP83U

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 26, 2021

The midfielder trained alone on Friday and is not included in the squad. Sport report that the 30-year-old is out because of an ankle problem.

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FC Barcelona News: 26 February 2021

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

Recovery session - FC Barcelona
After the victory against Elche at the Camp Nou (3-0), this Thursday morning the first team squad returned to training. Those who played on Wednesday did post-match recovery work, while the rest trained on pitch 2.

Jordi Alba, the defender with the most goals and assists - FC Barcelona
Jordi Alba's offensive ability is well known, and this season the statistics reaffirm it because Barça's No.18 is the top scoring defender and provider of assists in the league.

When and where to watch Sevilla v Barça - FC Barcelona
Barça head back to the Sánchez Pizjuán on Saturday afternoon (4.15pm CET) for the first match of the double header against Sevilla. The Catalans will attempt to continue their good form in LaLiga before playing the same opponents in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final in midweek.

Ronald Araujo returns to group training ahead of Sevilla clash - SPORT
Araujo was injured against Real Betis, suffering an ankle sprain, and missed the first leg of that game and the 4-1 thrashing by PSG n the Champions League, among other games. The return of the Uruguayan, who has become crucial for Koeman, will be a breath of fresh air for the Catalans.

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How will Barcelona line up against Sevilla?

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A crunch game in La Liga on Saturday

Barcelona head to Sevilla on Saturday in La Liga for the first of two games against Julen Lopetegui’s side.

Ronald Koeman’s men head into the match a place and two points above Sevilla in the table, although Saturday’s opponents do have a game in hand.

Barca were beaten 2-0 on their last visit to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán but will be hoping for a much better result this time around.

Let’s see how they might line-up.

Defense

Photo by Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Koeman has some big decisions to make in defense after seeing his side finally keep a clean sheet against Elche. Ronald Araujo is close to a comeback but seems unlikely to start this one and may be kept in reserve for the Copa del Rey clash on Wednesday.

Gerard Pique looks set to continue and will probably be partnered by either Samuel Umtiti or Clement Lenglet. Umtiti got the nod in midweek with Lenglet benched after his error against Cadiz.

Oscar Mingueza and Sergino Dest are both options at right-back, while Jordi Alba should start on the opposite flank unless Koeman decides to give him a rest and turn to Junior Firpo instead.

Midfield

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Koeman is likely to make changes to his midfield after starting Miralem Pjanic against Elche and hauling the midfielder off at half-time after an ineffective showing. Sergio Busquets is the most likely player to return to the starting XI.

Frenkie de Jong and Pedri also look set to continue unless Koeman fancies giving Riqui Puig a rare outing. It’s also possible that Koeman could tweak formation. His switch to a 4-2-3-1 against Elche in midweek brought a much-improved showing and is also an option.

Attack

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Martin Braithwaite was handed a rare start in midweek and will be hoping he can keep his place after bagging two assists. If that’s the case then Antoine Griezmann may have to settle for a place on the bench. The Frenchman did come on as a substitute against Elche but was once again wasteful in front of goal.

Ousmane Dembele is another player who could return to the starting line-up on Saturday. The Frenchman was a half-time substitute in midweek and helped open up the game. Francisco Trincao is also an option and could feature as well as the Frenchman.

Lionel Messi will lead the team out once again and will hopefully maintain his rich vein of goalscoring form. The captain drew a blank last time out at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán but has six in his last four games and usually enjoys himself against Sevilla.

Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Dest, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; De Jong, Pedri; Trincao, Messi, Dembele; Braithwaite.

How do you think Barcelona should line up against Sevilla? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and teams in the comments below!

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Keys to the Game: Sevilla vs Barcelona

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The Catalans and Andalusians face off in a double header

Barcelona and Sevilla is one of the rivalries of the season.

Both have silverware on their mind with a spot in the Copa del Rey final at stake on Wednesday. Both are also comfortably in the top four in La Liga but with a chance to pull ahead in the race for next year’s Champions League with a win on Saturday.

For Barca, beating Sevilla and taking the heat off this race would be significant in their rebuilding efforts, offering the chance to experiment and take chances the rest of the way.

It won’t be easy with Sevilla on a six-game winning streak domestically, but a win would be a great way to build confidence ahead of the Copa semi-final.

Continue rotating and forcing competition

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

After the PSG humiliation, it was disappointing to see Ronald Koeman choose the same lineup against Cadiz.

The plan backfired, and against Elche we finally saw some new ideas and fresh faces.

Martin Braithwaite, as Jason Pettigrove highlighted, deserves playing time for being a shinning example of hard work and humility. PSG reminded Barcelona that these qualities are lacking systemically. Braithwaite has shown the power of these qualities to produce results individually, and for elevating teammates.

The big debate is who to play on the wing. Is choosing between Francisco Trincao and Ousmane Dembele a false choice? Maybe they could work together, it’s worth trying. Regardless, they can provide healthy competition for one another.

Koeman, risk averse most of the time, will likely take the same approach against a strong team like Sevilla.

It would be a sign of his commitment to rotating and creating competition, however, if we see the likes of Riqui Puig, Ilaix Moriba, Junior Firpo, and Konrad de la Fuente get into the mix.

Even a player like Pedri would benefit from the competition. You wouldn’t want to see him become complacent because all he ever receives is praise, even on days when he looks less effective. A rest would do him well too.

Messi as the number 10 makes sense

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Would Barca be better served with a return to the 4-2-3-1?

I say knock yourself out with the experimentation, but be ready to make adjustments quickly when needed.

One thing is clear to me about the 4-2-3-1. Messi’s best position there is as the number 10. Putting him anywhere else throws off the balance, and if that’s the case the team as a whole would be better off with a 4-3-3.

Surrounding Messi with dynamic wings, Dembele and Trincao for example, and a skilled number nine in the box, like Braithwaite, could generate creative combinations and firepower in all directions.

One major drawback is you don’t get what Frenkie de Jong and Pedri have been providing offensively.

There are no perfect solutions, but establishing a dynamic rotation of players that are flexible from game to game using different formations would be beneficial.

The key is putting players in their natural positions where their talents are maximized.

Respect Sevilla but don’t overestimate them

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Sevilla is pretty much always an overachieving team.

Much like the Unai Emery teams of the past, this version under Julen Lopetegui is well coached and capable of producing a result against any team on any day.

But Barca is still Barca, and Sevilla is still Sevilla.

As the old adage goes, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

This is the difference between the two teams. Barca has the talent, Sevilla has the work ethic.

If Barca fights hard they have the advantage. If they don’t, good luck.

Sevilla will be organized defensively, and they have goalscorers like Youssef En-Nesyri and Luuk de Jong who know their way to the goal.

Also, as a side note, Joules Kounde is the future of the defending. What a dream it would be to bring him to Barcelona one day.

Barcelona has a golden opportunity to make lemonade by beating Sevilla on Saturday, and going on to give them a game of it in the Copa semi-final on Tuesday.

Here’s to hoping they can get the train back on the tracks.

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Laporta says he wants to make Messi smile again at Barcelona

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The captain’s future at the club remains uncertain

Joan Laporta has been talking about Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona and in particular what it might take to keep the 33-year-old at the Camp Nou.

The Argentine is out of contract at the end of the season and has said he’ll wait until the end of the current campaign to make a final decision on his future.

Laporta, who is favorite to win the presidential elections, thinks the key to keeping Messi is to convince him the club has a winning project and make him feel loved.

“For [Messi] to stay, he has to be convinced that Barcelona he will continue to win,” he said.

“We Catalans have to stand by the team again. I think one of the keys to [Messi] staying is for him to feel loved again.

“We want him to smile again. If that happens, we can aspire to everything again.”

Source | Marca

The next few weeks may just prove crucial when it comes to Messi’s future. The club face important games in La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, while Messi is also expected to meet with the new president after the elections on March 7 for talks.

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Araujo back in Barcelona training ahead of Sevilla match

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Good news from the training ground

It’s fair to say Barcelona’s biggest obstacle in the way of consistency this season is injuries. You may argue the defensive strategy is lacking but most of the problems that Barca have faced are in some way related to a lack of consistency in the team’s overall availability.

Barcelona’s training this morning featured a nice return in the squad. One Ronald Araujo returned to training after being injured against Betis. The ankle sprain kept him out of key games against Sevilla and PSG.

@RonaldAraujo939 fa una part de l'entrenament amb el grup pic.twitter.com/BtGgIChtvu

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) February 25, 2021

Barca could really use any form of defensive help anywhere. So a return for Araujo would be massive ahead of Sevilla and PSG second legs. The biggest concern for Barca in those matches is being able to produce quick offensive production. But as all great football minds know, you have to stop goals as well as score them. Araujo can certainly assist with that.

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Five talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Elche

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An important win for the Catalans

A game of two halves for Barca

Barca ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Elche courtesy of a much-improved showing after the half-time break.

Ronald Koeman had made five changes to his team for the match but saw his team produce a pedestrian first-half performance lacking in ideas and energy.

The Barca boss made changes at half-time, bringing on Ousmane Dembele for Miralem Pjanic and tweaking his formation, which helped his team spark into life and run away with the three points.

It was not the most convincing of performance by Barca but it does put them back into third and should inject some belief and confidence after some tough results against Cadiz and PSG.

Koeman loses patience with Pjanic

Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Although it was a good night for Barcelona, Wednesday’s match is unlikely to be one that Pjanic remembers too fondly. It was a curious move to bring in Pjanic for Arthur over the summer, and the 30-year-old continues to struggle to adapt at the Camp Nou.

Koeman handed Pjanic just his sixth La Liga start of the season against Elche but could only watch as the midfielder looked rather lost alongside Frenkie de Jong and Pedri who both played key roles again.

#BarçaElche Performer
@Pedri

90 minutes
72/79 passing (91%)
3 successful tackles*
11 recoveries*
97 touches

*led game pic.twitter.com/HVvqSX5gDs

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 24, 2021

It was no surprise to see Pjanic hooked at the break and Barca improve as soon as Dembele arrived and Koeman tweaked the system. Koeman also had words of warning for Pjanic after the match telling the midfielder, “he has to improve his rhythm on the ball and know his position.”

Pjanic has complained on a couple of occasions about his lack of playing time at Barcelona, but this was not a performance that will convince anyone he deserves more minutes at the Camp Nou.

Messi takes lead in Pichichi race

Wednesday’s game brought two more goals for Lionel Messi and saw the captain move above Luis Suarez in the race for the Pichichi. The Barca captain is now on 18 for the season, two ahead of his close friend.

Messi is also outscoring the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland at the moment. Indeed no-one has scored more than the Argentine since the turn of the year.

Messi: 13
Lewandowski: 12
Haaland: 10

Lionel Messi has scored more goals in all competitions than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in 2021 pic.twitter.com/55DT2hR9Nh

— Goal (@goal) February 24, 2021

The 33-year-old has now scored six in his last four for Barcelona, has found the back of the net in each of the team’s last 10 La Liga matches and even took time out to hand over his shirt to a startled Edgar Badia after the match.

There’s no doubt that Messi is in great goalscoring form currently, and Barca will need him at his best ahead of two crunch games against Sevilla and with the return against PSG looming in the Champions League.

Barca finally keep a clean sheet

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Koeman fielded his 20th different defensive line-up of the season on Wednesday with Samuel Umtiti partnering Gerard Pique in central defense and Oscar Mingueza and Jordi Alba as the full-backs.

The new-look backline saw Barca pick up their first clean sheet in eight games, a run that stretches all the way back to January 24 when they beat, yep you’ve guessed it, Elche 2-0 away.

A clean sheet will be welcomed by Barca, although Elche should have scored early on when Lucas Boye was handed a great chance to punish the hosts but blazed over with just Marc-Andre ter Stegen to beat.

Koeman threw on Clement Lenglet and Sergino Dest late on to give Pique and Alba some rest and now has some big decisions to make in defense ahead of the double-header against Sevilla.

Barca cling onto title hopes

Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images

Barca blew a big chance to cut the gap to Atletico to six points on Sunday against Cadiz but victory over Elche does mean Koeman’s men move up to third and are now just five points behind the league leaders.

Diego Simeone’s men do have a game in hand but do also seem to be wobbling. The Rojiblancos have dropped points home and away against Levante in recent weeks and were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in midweek in the Champions League.

A tougher challenge awaits Barca at Sevilla on Saturday, while Atletico face Villarreal, Real Madrid and Athletic in their next three La Liga matches. Jordi Alba summed it up nicely after the game saying “some weeks we’re out of it and some weeks we’re in it, it seems.”

This week, so far at least, Barcelona are still in it.

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