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‘He must wait for the right moment’
Luis Suarez reckons it’s not the time for Xavi to return to Barcelona as manager amid speculation the club legend could be set to replace Ronald Koeman in the hotseat.
The Atletico Madrid striker reckons Xavi can go on to be a great coach at the Camp Nou but he should bide his time and not rush home from Qatar just yet.
“I don’t think that today, tomorrow or the day after is the time to take the team. Xavi is intelligent, he knows the club’s difficulties and must wait for the right moment,” he said.
“He has ex-teammates at the club that he will have to make decisions with and it’s going to be difficult. It all depends on how the season ends, the project and everything else ...
“Of course, I see him as very qualified as a coach, but he must wait until they give him the possibility of being as great as a coach as he was as a player.”
Xavi is regularly linked with Barca but signed a new contract with Al-Sadd that runs until 2023 back in May. The most recent speculation suggests he is in the running to replace Koeman but is behind Roberto Martinez, Andrea Pirlo, and Marcelo Gallardo.
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Ronald Koeman’s future at Barcelona is dominating headlines once again with rumors coming thick and fast regarding who will replace the Dutchman at the Camp Nou.
It seems simply a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ the Dutchman is sacked following Wednesday’s horrible Champions League defeat at Benfica.
Speculation claims Koeman will be in charge against Atletico Madrid but could then get the boot to allow the new man in charge a couple of weeks to whip his new team into shape.
So who are the contenders?
Over at ESPN the word is that you can add Andrea Pirlo and Marcelo Gallardo to a list that already includes Xavi and Roberto Martinez. The report also suggests there’s a possibility Albert Capellas (who works in the academy) could take the job on an interim basis “as an urgent solution.”
RAC1 also have Martinez, Pirlo, Xavi, and Gallado as the names in the frame, while Guillem Balague has some interesting thoughts on the process for BBC Sport. The pundit thinks Laporta still believes Xavi is not ready yet and explains why Martinez’s name keeps being mentioned.
“Martinez is what Laporta is looking for,” he said. “He is someone who understands the club, who has an admiration for Johan Cruyff and his philosophy and he has adapted well wherever he has been. He plays the type of football - building from the back, playing through the thirds - that the president wants.”
Over at Catalunya Radio the word is that Laporta and Koeman have “virtually no relationship” and the Dutchman’s departure “is only a matter of time.”
Interestingly, the report reckons Martínez, Pirlo and Gallardo are all ahead of Xavi who is not thought to have been ruled out just yet but apparently is not expected to take over now.
So, with the four names in the frame who gets YOUR vote?
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We look ahead to this weekend’s big match with Robbie Dunne.
This week on the Barca Blaugranes podcast, I interview Robbie Dunne from Into the Calderon, We talk about Atletico Madrid before their matchup with Barcelona next week and dive into the odd relationship of Atletico fans and Antoine Griezmann.
After the high of Ansu Fati’s brilliant goalscoring return on Sunday came a fresh low for Barcelona as Ronald Koeman’s men suffered yet another disaster in the Champions League.
Benfica ran out deserved 3-0 winners at the Estadio da Luz to leave a hopeless, pointless Barcelona bottom of Group E and Koeman once again staring the sack in the face.
Barcelona's last five matches in the Champions League #UCL:
❌ 3-0 defeat to Benfica
❌ 3-0 defeat to Bayern
1-1 draw with PSG
❌ 4-1 defeat to PSG
❌ 3-0 defeat to Juventus
Once again the Dutchman switched formation and it only took two minutes and 13 seconds for Benfica to show Koeman had got things wrong once again as Darwin Nunez scored.
Barca still could have found a way back but Luuk de Jong, who only Koeman wanted don’t forget, missed another sitter and then got in the way of Pedri’s follow-up.
Koeman did make changes but dropping Frenkie de Jong, his team’s most effective player, back into defense was a very bad idea and by the second half it was just chaos. Again.
We all know there are plenty of problems at Barcelona right now due to the club’s finances and injuries but what is crystal clear is the team should still be performing far above the level they are currently.
Another nightmare for Eric
Eric Garcia has endured a pretty torrid time back at Barcelona since returning from Manchester City and had another nightmare in Benfica.
The center-back was at fault for Benfica’s first goal which left Barcelona reeling within minutes of kick-off and ended the night with another red card to add to his collection.
Eric Garciá has received as many red cards (2) as he has won games since re-joining Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/e0Y6QhUhU1
Garcia is obviously still only 20 but has offered very little evidence since coming back that he is really up to the job and you have to wonder why Koeman picked him as part of a back three instead of Oscar Mingueza.
In fairness the youngster wasn’t the only defender to struggle. Gerard Pique had to be substituted before he was sent off, Sergino Dest gave away a penalty and Sergi Roberto once again offered nothing at right wing-back.
Luuk de Jong found wanting
Garcia was not the only Barcelona player to suffer at the Estadio da Luz as Luuk de Jong put in another performance that left supporters wondering, not for the first time, why on earth Barca had signed him on deadline day.
Frenkie de Jong had put an equalizer on a plate for his namesake after just 10 minutes but somehow the Netherlands international managed to mess it up completely.
There was another clear chance after the break too that went begging, although he would probably have been offside if he had managed to find the back of the net in any case.
De Jong was clearly brought in as a Plan B, a player to come off the bench to grab a goal, but has had to play regularly due to the injuries to Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele, Sergio Aguero, and Martin Braithwaite.
The injuries meant he did have a chance to try and show what he can do this season on loan at the Camp Nou but has instead only managed to confirm that he should never have been signed in the first place.
Frenkie hits 100 for Barcelona
One of the few players to emerge with any credit from Wednesday’s match was Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman was the best player on the pitch in the opening stages until Koeman’s curious decision to put him into defense.
De Jong set up early chances for Luuk and Memphis Depay and his move out of midfield was a big loss for Barca and played a part in the team completely losing the plot in the second half.
5 - In just 45 minutes, Frenkie de Jong was directly involved in five shots (two attempted and three key passes), equalling his best record in a #UCL match (five, two and three with Ajax also against Benfica in October 2018). Lighthouse. pic.twitter.com/hvNqT89MAi
It ended up being a tough night for the Dutchman on what was his 100th appearance in all competitions for Barcelona. In that time he’s managed 60 wins, 19 draws, 21 defeats, scored 9 times and managed a pass accuracy of 91.9%.
De Jong was asked after the match if a change of coach would solve Barca’s problems and said he didn’t think that was the answer, although he hardly gave his compatriot his full backing.
“I don’t think changing the coach is the solution,” he said. “I can’t talk about Koeman, it’s not my place. We have to keep fighting, stay together and overcome this situation. We can only escape this with hard work and being united as a team.”
Can Barcelona still qualify?
Barcelona’s result means they face a real battle to qualify for the knockout stages and may even have to start thinking about the possibility of playing Europa League football this season if they finish third.
The next two games against Dynamo Kiev are crucial if Barca are to progress and will offer the team hope they can still nick second place. Koeman’s men did after all beat the Ukrainian champions home and away last season.
Mircea Lucescu’s side started off with a goalless draw against Benfica but were hammered 5-0 by Bayern Munich on Wednesday in a convincing win for the Bundesliga champions at the Allianz Arena.
Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong both talked up Barca’s chances of qualification after their match but it will need a huge improvement if the Catalan giants are to sneak into the last 16.
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If you were on the edge of your seat wondering about Ronald Koeman’s job status after another European debacle, you can sit back and relax. According to a report from Sport, Ronald Koeman won’t be sacked before the Atletico Madrid match on Saturday.
The Dutchman has done little to earn the support and trust of those in the club and despite getting a vote of confidence from Barca brass over the offseason, he’s in hot water already. Barcelona reportedly won’t be swayed by public opinion and want to show “respect” to Koeman by giving him time.
The upcoming international break may spell the end for Koeman, but for now, Barca and Koeman are going to stick at it despite another disastrous Champions League performance.
Wednesday’s defeat to Benfica has brought more speculation about Koeman with Andrea Pirlo reportedly joining Roberto Martinez, Xavi, and Marcelo Gallado as possible replacements for the Dutchman at the Camp Nou.
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The 17-year-old is the surprise inclusion
Barcelona midfielder Gavi has been handed a first call-up to the Spain national team after impressing for the Catalan giants in the early weeks of the season.
Luis Enrique has made the surprise decision to call up the 17-year-old to his squad for the Nations League semi-final against Italy on Wednesday, October 6 in Milan.
The other semi-final sees Belgium take on France in Turin with the winners set to meet in the final at the San Siro on October 10.
Gavi is included along with Barca team-mates Pedri, Sergio Busquets, and Eric Garcia.
Here’s the rest of Luis Enrique’s 23-man squad for the Nations League final four.
As expected, there’s no call-up yet for Barcelona’s Ansu Fati who is slowly coming back from a lengthy lay-off due to a knee injury.
The striker enjoyed a memorable goalscoring comeback against Levante on Sunday and managed another 22 minutes of first-team action against Benfica in the Champions League.
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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
Benfica 3-0 FC Barcelona: Painful defeat in Lisbon - FC Barcelona
Barça have suffered a second defeat in two games and from now on can’t afford any more slip-ups if they are to progress from Champions League Group E. Ronald Koeman’s former club, Benfica, took an early lead and although the Catalans had a host of opportunities to get back into the game, the Portuguese side were eventually able to build on that lead in the second half.
First century of appearances for De Jong - FC Barcelona
Against Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, Frenkie de Jong has made his 100th appearance for FC Barcelona, no mean feat considering it’s only just over two years since he joined the club.
Memphis nominated for LaLiga September Player of the Month - FC Barcelona
LaLiga has announced the names of the seven candidates for the September Player of the Month award. Following some tremendous displays in his new FC Barcelona shirt against Granada, Cádiz and Levante, Memphis Depay is one of the seven.
Ronald Koeman on his future after Barcelona's 3-0 defeat to Benfica: "It's not in my hands" - Football Espana
He was reluctant to discuss his future. “I can only comment on my work with the team,” he said. “I feel supported by my players and the attitude [they’ve shown me]. I don’t know about the rest. I don’t know about the club. I can’t say anything about my future because I don’t know how the club thinks in that sense. I don’t want to answer any more questions about this because it’s not in my hands. We’ll see.”
Barcelona won't rush decision on Koeman's future after Benfica crushing - SPORT
Barcelona's board of directors will not make a decision on Ronald Koeman's future while the team is still in Lisbon, despite the hammering Benfica handed them at the Stadium of Light. Any call on whether Koeman stays or goes before Saturday's LaLiga game against Atletico Madrid will be made on Thursday instead.
Busquets says Barcelona are in a “critical situation” after losing to Benfica - SPORT
Sergio Busquets says Barcelona are in a critical situation and assumed his share of the responsibility after Wednesday's 3-0 loss to Benfica. "The easy thing is to look at the coach but we are all responsible," the midfielder said when asked if Ronald Koeman's position was now in threat.
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There can’t be any other explanation for what was another disjointed performance from the Blaugranes.
Three centre-backs so Barça could flood the midfield was shown not to work within the opening two minutes.
Whilst at the other end, the visitors had a striker who couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. Frankly, it’s embarrassing just how bad Luuk de Jong is.
I mean no disrespect to him, however, he wasn’t ever going to be good enough for Barcelona.
Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images
Memphis Depay needs to up his game too. He’s not quite lowered himself to De Jong’s level but has dipped significantly in terms of his finishing of late.
No shots on target against a defence of Otamendi and Vertonghen!
Passing between the entire XI was laboured, with players lazy in possession.
Late into the second half, the hosts were still full of running, routinely beating any of those wearing yellow to the first and second balls, with any leadership and drive completely absent both on and off the pitch.
Two of the most experienced players in Gerard Pique and Marc-Andre ter Stegen completely lost their minds in either half too.
5 - Barcelona's last five Champions League matches:
Why didn’t either Oscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti or Clement Lenglet replace Pique after Koeman (quite rightly) subbed him off? Why did Frenkie, our best player to that point on the night, have to be sacrificed and used in defence, taking away any spark and verve the team had?
Why did Koeman take off Busquets when it was clear Barca needed an experienced head. The tactics and substitutions were abysmal and it felt as if Koeman had just given up. Was he saying to the board: ‘sack me. I dare you?’
That’s five Champions League games without a win if we take into account last season too, and the first time ever Barça have lost their opening two matches in the competition.
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
On the strength of Wednesday’s performance, can you honestly see the side overcoming Dynamo Kyiv?
The hardest thing to accept as a culer was the ‘hit and hope’ style the team appeared to employ for the most part. The type of anti-football that supporters of the club detest.
No one, with the possible exception of Pedri, on his return from injury, and Frenkie, got their foot on the ball, got it down on the deck and played the short, sharp passing style that’s expected.
Koeman will of course look for excuses but this one is on him.
Even taking into account the mitigating circumstances of playing the youngsters etc., the manager showed once again how utterly incompetent he is.
He has to go now.
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Ronald Koeman admits he’s in a “delicate situation” as Barcelona boss after another humiliating night in the Champions League.
The Catalan giants took on Benfica fresh from a morale-boosting La Liga win over Levante but were beaten 3-0 and now sit bottom of Group E.
The result piles huge pressure on Koeman and he was, unsurprisingly, asked about his future after the game.
“I feel supported by my players and their attitude. I don’t know about the rest. I don’t know about the club,” he said.
“I can’t say anything about my future because I don’t know how the club thinks in that sense. I don’t want to answer any more questions about this because it’s not in my hands. We’ll see.
“For any coach it is difficult to be at Barça if you lose two Champions League games, it is a delicate situation.
You need to try to change things, give the team time. There are physically stronger teams and what we have to do is play our way, have the ball and create chances, and we have done that, but if you don’t score, you don’t win.”
Koeman also spoke about the match and felt the main difference between the two sides was Benfica’s ability to convert their chances.
“Benfica were strong physically and they’re quick. I think that for the first and second goals we just had to defend much better.
“We had really good scoring chances and that’s how you change the direction of a match. The fact that Benfica put away the large majority of the few chances they actually created then that’s the big difference between the two teams tonight.
“It’s tough to accept this result. I don’t think the scoreline corresponds to the match we watched. Despite going behind quickly we played well until it went to 2-0.”
We can expect the rumor mill to go into overdrive now after another awful performance by Barcelona under Koeman. The Catalan giants play again on Saturday at Atletico Madrid in La Liga but it’s not clear if the Dutchman will still be in charge or if Barca will wait until after to make a change.
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Another embarrassing European night for the Catalans
Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets fronted up to the media after Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to Benfica and admitted the club are in a “critical situation.”
The Catalan giants were beaten 3-0 at the Estadio da Luz in yet another European humiliation that leaves Ronald Koeman’s side bottom of Group E and without a single point after two games.
Busquets admits things aren’t looking good for Barca but says the team have to try and stay positive ahead of the double header against Dynamo Kiev.
“We had chances but I’m not too sure if we got any of them on target. Statistics only say so much - if we didn’t put one on target that still doesn’t mean we didn’t create good opportunities.
“When we pushed up in the match Benfica broke and went one-on-one against our centre-halves. Two goals came that way.
“It’s easy to sack the manager. But the truth is we’re all responsible for this situation. And it’s a critical one, to be honest.
“But we are still only two games into the group and we need to focus on fighting back. We need to beat Dynamo Kyiv twice and watch what our rivals do. There’s a long road left in this group and we have to try to stay positive.”
The result leaves Barca with a mountain to climb to progress to the knockout stages and puts Koeman under even more pressure. Barca now head back home and face another crunch game on Saturday at Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
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Barcelona continued their terrible start to the European season with a 3-0 loss to Benfica at the Estádio da Luz in the second Champions League group stage game. The Blaugrana conceded early and looked terrible for most of the night, and the home team added two goals in the second half to destroy Barça for good.
FIRST HALF
The first half started badly for Barça as Pedri lost a ball in midfield to Julian Weigl, who launched it over the defense for Darwin Núñez to chase and the young Uruguayan took on Eric García and fired a shot into the bottom corner to give Benfica the lead after just 150 seconds.
Barça responded well to going behind and created a golden chance when Pedri found Frenkie De Jong all alone inside the box and the Dutchman set up Luuk De Jong for an easy tap-in, but the striker somehow miskicked the ball and allowed Lucas Veríssimo to clear away the danger.
After that chance, Barça could no longer threat the Benfica defense and Ronald Koeman decided to make a change, bringing Gavi off the bench after just 32 minutes to replace Gerard Piqué. The substitution seemed attacking but Barça remain in a defensive 3-5-2 formation with Frenkie at the back, and the Blaugrana struggled to the end of the half.
At halftime, Barça were losing and not playing well at all, and needed a lot of improvement to get a result in the second half.
SECOND HALF
The second half was an absolute disaster: Barça completely imploded and couldn’t create any danger, while Benfica had chance after chance on the counter. The Blaugrana lost easy balls in midfield and left acres of space in behind, and they continued to be punished.
First it was Rafa Silva who found the back of the net after a shot from João Mário was saved by Marc-André ter Stegen, then Sergiño Dest was called for a handball inside the box and Darwin Núñez scored his second of the night to make it 3-0. Eric García was sent off for two yellow cards, and the final whistle came to end another abysmal night for the Catalans.
The Ronald Koeman era has to end. This is too painful. This club is broken.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; García, Piqué (Gavi 33’), Araujo; Roberto (Mingueza 89’), F. De Jong, Busquets (Nico 68’), Pedri (Coutinho 68’), Dest; L. De Jong (Fati 68’), Memphis
Goals: None
Red Card: García (87’)
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Join us for another Barcelona Champions League adventure!
WELCOME TO THE ESTÁDIO DA LUZ!!! The beautiful home of SL Benfica in the Portuguese capital is the site of a big Champions League group stage game between the hosts and Barcelona, who come into this one needing all three points after the opening night loss to Bayern Munich. Benfica are a good team and Barça will need to be at their best, and you can join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos!
MATCH INFO
Competition/Round: 2021-22 UEFA Champions League, Group E, Matchday 2
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeira), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Thursday)
Venue: Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
How to watch on TV: Not Available (USA), BT Sport ESPN (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others
How to watch online: Paramount+ (USA), BT Sport Live (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), others
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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A round-up of the latest Barcelona news and rumors
PREVIEW | Benfica v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
The Stadium of Light is the venue for the second game in Champions League Group E, with the Catalans keen to bounce back after opening day defeat
Pedri and Sergi Roberto back in the squad for Benfica v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona face Benfica in Match Day 2 of the Champions League on Wednesday in the Estadio Da Luz in Lisbon, kick off 9pm CEST. The blaugranes will be looking for their first points of the group stage after defeat against Bayern Munich in their opening fixture.
When and where to watch Benfica v FC Barcelona - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona are back in Champions League action again this Wednesday. The second round of Group E fixtures sees them travel to Lisbon to face Benfica. It's at the usual 9.00pm CEST kick off time, and if you need to know what time that means where you are, here's all the info you need.
Lisbon, a familiar stomping ground for Koeman - FC Barcelona
Koeman is back in Lisbon, but this time as FC Barcelona coach, on what is likely to be a special night for the Dutchman. It's been 15 years since he was at the helm in Benfica, during a season of ups and downs in 2005/06.
Barcelona eyeing Valencia clash as Aguero's long-awaited debut - Football Espana
Sergio Aguero finally has a date for his return having missed the entirety of the season so far. Aguero joined Barca on a free transfer ahead of this season following his Manchester City exit at the end of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.
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Ronald Koeman has called up 22 players for Wednesday’s game
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to Lisbon for their second Champions League group stage game against Benfica, and Ronald Koeman has called up the following 22 players for Wednesday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Neto, 26. Iñaki Peña
Defenders: 2. Sergiño Dest, 3. Gerard Piqué, 4. Ronald Araujo, 15. Clément Lenglet, 22. Óscar Mingueza, 23. Samuel Umtiti, 24. Eric García
Midfielders: 5. Sergio Busquets, 6. Riqui Puig, 11. Yusuf Demir, 14. Philippe Coutinho, 16. Pedri, 20. Sergi Roberto, 21. Frenkie De Jong, 28. Nico González, 30. Gavi
Forwards: 9. Memphis Depay, 10. Ansu Fati, 17. Luuk De Jong
There’s some good news for this one as Pedri is cleared to play after missing two weeks with a thigh problem, and Frenkie De Jong returns from a suspension at the weekend. Jordi Alba has not recovered in time from a hamstring issue and misses this one, with Martin Braithwaite (knee), Ousmane Dembélé (knee), Alejandro Balde (back) and Sergio Agüero (calf) also out because of injury.
Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):
Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Piqué, Araujo, Dest; F. De Jong, Busquets; Gavi, Coutinho, Memphis; L. De Jong
The match kicks off at 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeira), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Thursday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
VISCA EL BARÇA!
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Date/Time: Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 9pm CET (Barcelona), 8pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeira), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12.30am IST (India, Thursday)
Venue: Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
How to watch on TV: Not Available (USA), BT Sport ESPN (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), SONY TEN 2 (India), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), others
How to watch online: Paramount+ (USA), BT Sport Live (UK), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Following an exciting victory over Levante over the weekend, Barcelona return to action for a crucial Champions League match as they travel to Lisbon to face Benfica at the Estádio da Luz.
The last time Barça played a Champions League game at the Estádio da Luz, they lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich. They lost again to Bayern at Camp Nou two weeks ago, so the first trip back to the stage of their worst-ever defeat comes with the pressure of winning to pick up their first points in the group stage.
Bayern will undoubtedly run away with the group, and with Dynamo Kiev set to face Barça twice in a row in this group, a win against Benfica would be crucial for the Blaugrana if they want to finish second. The Portuguese will be Barça’s main competition for that spot, and beating them at their place would be a big confidence boost and make the Catalans favorites to come out of the group behind the German champions.
But it won’t be easy. Jorge Jesus is a very good coach and his teams are known for their aggressive and intense style, and Barça have not had much success against those types of sides under Ronald Koeman. The win against Levante was encouraging but Sunday’s opponents didn’t put up much of a fight, so Benfica will be a much better measuring stick to see if Barça are really on the right path.
Frenkie De Jong and Pedri are back for this one which is very good news, and if the midfield can dominate again like they did at the weekend then Barça are more than capable of navigating a tricky away game and leaving Portugal with a victory.
Let’s dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Piqué, Araujo, Dest; F. De Jong, Busquets; Gavi, Coutinho, Memphis; L. De Jong
Not sure how to feel about this one. The win against Levante was great but inconsistency is the mark of Koeman’s team, and Benfica are good enough to make it very tough for Barça. But I’ll still be optimistic: 2-1 to the good guys.
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‘We have a great squad with great players’
Ronald Araujo spoke to the press on Tuesday ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League clash with Benfica and made it clear he expects his team to challenge for titles this season.
Coach Ronald Koeman has been pretty negative in several interviews about Barca’s chances this season, but Araujo is having none of it and wants to pick up trophies.
“Barça want to win it all and we have to fight for the biggest prizes. We can’t just wait to see what happens, we have to go out to win and challenge the biggest teams.
“Getting points in the league is really important. We played really well and that was key. Now we have a week with two key games against Benfica and Atlético and that is motivating. We have a great squad with great players and we have to go for everything.
“We are in good shape and we are coming off the back of a good performance and that’s the road to follow. We need to go for the three points.”
Barca head to Benfica after a good win over Levante which also saw the return of Ansu Fati from injury. Araujo lifted the teenager into the air after he’d scored in celebration and admitted he loved having the teenager back out on the pitch.
“The celebration was unplanned. I am really happy that he is back but we know what happened and it needed patience and hard work. I am happy that he is happy but this is just the beginning, we can’t rush things.”
Araujo was surprisingly left out of the starting XI against Levante, only appearing as a late substitute, but it seems certain he will be back in the team against Benfica on Wednesday night.
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Games against Valencia and Dynamo Kyiv will also see 60% attendance
FC Barcelona’s pivotal match against Real Madrid will be held at Camp Nou that will be 60% full, in accordance with the latest health directives from the Catalan government.
Local authorities have confirmed that stadiums with around 100,000 capacity will be allowed to hold about 60% of fans, around 60,000 in the case of Camp Nou.
Up to this point, the stadium was only open to be 40% filled. These restrictions of course, come after months of playing without any crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions. Thanks to vaccination efforts, fans are returning to stadiums.
These new guidelines will be first applied for the match against Valencia on October 17th. It’s also expected that the match against FC Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Champions League on October 20th will be 60% full.
The biggest event on the horizon, however, is el Clásico. which is scheduled for the 24th of next month.
If all continues well, we will see a mostly full crowd for that huge game.
And then if things continue to go well, we could go back to some normalcy with a full lift on restrictions of crowd capacity at sporting events.
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FC Barcelona’s youth academy is changing their strategy when it comes to building up young wingers and fullbacks. La Masia has changed a lot over the summer following Joan Laporta’s election as club president. With him came a whole different group in charge of the team’s youth academy, and they have different ways of doing things.
The biggest change then, seems to be down to how players on the flanks are being instructed.
For a long time, wingers coming out of the academy have often played on their opposite foot. That is, left-footed players on the right, and right-footed players on the left. This encouraged the players to cut inside and look to combine through the middle.
This may no longer be the case.
Now, wingers are being asked to take on players one-against-one, look to the outside, and create chances that way.
That change also impacts how fullbacks operate. When the wingers cut inside, that opened up a lane for attack-minded fullbacks to make runs beyond the forwards and open up the flanks that way.
However, with wingers making runs to the outside, it seems fullbacks will be instructed to stay behind a bit more to make the team more solid.
This policy has been described as controversial, and only time will tell whether it was the right choice.
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The striker is closing in on a return to action
One of the more disappointing realities of signing a legend like Sergio Aguero is unfortunately his injury history. The Argentinian legend got hurt before even made his debut and was expected to be out for 10 weeks.
Now that we’re in the midst of his recovery and nearing the end, hopefully, they’re getting close to nailing down a return date. The goal, according to Sport, is October 17th against Valencia.
Barcelona are due to play Benfica in the Champions League before then and then Atletico in La Liga before the season pauses once again for another international break. Valencia is the first game back after the break.
There’s no doubt the Camp Nou will be happy to see Aguero grace the pitch after such a strange offseason. His production, when healthy, is something that Barcelona could very much use this season. So hopefully they’re conservative enough with his minutes to allow for good health.
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His goal gave PSG a two goal cushion against Manchester City
Lionel Messi has for the first time in his illustrious career, scored a goal in club football that was not for FC Barcelona. With a trademark goal, the #30 gave Paris Saint-Germain an important goal against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.
Idrissa Gana Gueye gave PSG an early lead but the Parisians have been under pressure from the Citizens time and again. With his team under pressure, Messi scored an important goal to give PSG a two-goal lead in the 74th minute.
Messi took the ball on the counter and dribbled from the right towards the center. Achraf Hakimi made a darting run on the outside, but Messi used him as a decoy and looked to combine to the middle. He played a one-two with Kylian Mbappé, who flicked it back with the outside of his boot. Messi took it first time with his left, from just outside the 18-yard box. His powerful strike flew into the top right corner, leaving Ederson with no chance.
Messi has been hampered so far in the early stages of the season due to injuries. The wait for his first goal with his new club was left protracted. This was a huge goal for PSG, in the biggest match of the season so far. After a draw in their opening match in the Champions League against Club Brugge, PSG badly need to get back to winning ways to position themselves to try to win their group, and they are looking likely to do just that against City.
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“It’s clear Barca is my home and I have a lot of love for it”
Benfica defender Alejandro Grimaldo will get a fun opportunity this week. The left-back will get to face his former team Barcelona. Heading into the match he had an interview with Sport and chatted about what a potential Barcelona return could look like.
“It’s not a closed chapter. Barcelona is my home and I won’t shut the door to my home ever. It’s clear they’re still one of the v best teams and I’d never say no,” he said.
“It’s something I thought, that when I left it was a see you later, not a goodbye. I was there eight years. I’m very happy at Benfica, I feel important here. But it’s clear Barcelona is my home and I have a lot of love for it.”
Grimaldo was then asked about the potential of celebrating if he were to score against his former club.
“Even my parents have asked me that! I won’t celebrate if it comes up. I’m going to be happy because I want to win the game and I’ll fight to the death for Benfica.”
Benfica head into the match in pretty good shape. The team drew their only Champions League game so far 0-0 with Dynamo Kiev but have won seven out of seven in the Portuguese league.
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Here’s the latest from the coach
Ronald Koeman is back on speaking terms with the press and held his usual pre-match press conference on Tuesday to preview Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Benfica.
The Dutchman offered an update on Ansu Fati, after his heroics against Levante, spoke a little bit about Luuk de Jong and the threats that Benfica will pose his team.
Here are the best bits:
Koeman on Benfica
We know they are a strong team and have an important place in the world of football. It will be a nice match and a match where we need a good result. There are two teams with their own style who will play to win so it will be interesting.
Koeman on if Barca will play as they did against Levante
I think part of the match the other day without the ball we played well, perfectly, which is what we want, to pressure the opposition and not let them play. And then when we have the ball to try to find the spaces between the lines. We always try but some matches work out better. This is another match and it will depend on our attitude, how we can pressure them, recover the ball and play.
Koeman on if Ansu Fati will be called up for Spain
I don’t know because I’m not the manager of the national team. I think the player still has a long way to go. For me it was a great day, a good match, we got Ansu to play his 15 minutes and he scored the third goal which was perfect for us. I can’t really give my opinion as far as Spain goes. All I can say he’s been out for 10 months, he’s trained a few weeks with the team and he’s played 15 minutes. That’s it.
Koeman on his line-up
I think the most important thing is to plan the match. You have to look at the opposition and the youngsters. Playing five matches in 12 days is a lot for any player so we have to look where the team is physically fresher and plan the match to get the best result
Koeman on Luuk de Jong
His signing was very last minute and to reinforce our attack because of the attacking injuries. As we’ve seen, little by little, we are getting our forwards back. He gives us a lot, different to what we’ve had. He was good the other day, he scored, he brings experience, he’s played a lot of times for many important teams in Europe.
Koeman on what Barca can expect from Benfica
We can expect a complicated match. I know the atmosphere they can generate there and the strength they have at home. I don’t think they are a team who are open a lot and leave much space. The Portuguese mentality is to control the match and have a strong defense with talented players up front. I think that’s what we can expect.
Koeman on if Barca will play like they did against Levante or be more cautious
Barca always play to try and win the match. Our intention is to control the match, get the ball and find spaces with the players we have got. The other day we played almost without a right wing so there are clearly a lot of options to change the team. We are missing players on the wing so you have to fill the middle of the field with players.
Koeman on how Ansu Fati is feeling
He is very tired emotionally because it’s been a big impact for him after such a long time out, training, scoring, being with his family. We need to take all that into account and how that could influence his mental state. He trained today without any problem. We will try to give him as much time as possible in the matches but it depends on how he is physically and mentally. I can’t tell you before every match how many minutes he’ll get, it depends on the state of the player.
Koeman on Benfica’s speed in transition
We have analyzed Benfica. We know where they have their strong points. We’ll try and stop them taking the ball and we know they are quick on the counter, they can do a lot of damage. It’s important to keep the ball. If we lose it, we need to organise ourselves well in defense. That’s very important.
Koeman on Benfica’s approach
I think it’s always good to have respect for the opposition. They’ve got the advantage of playing at home where they’ll try to attack and try to win. I think they play to win, it’s not a team that doesn’t want to lose. We are the same.
Koeman on Benfica’s most dangerous players
I don’t like to talk about individuals despite the fact that they have very experienced players like Otamendi or Vertonghen in defense, or Gedson at the top who is very fast.
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But still no Jordi Alba for the Catalan giants
Barcelona have confirmed that Pedri has been passed fit for Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Benfica after recovering from a thigh injury.
The 18-year-old has not featured since the defeat to Bayern Munich on September 14 but is included in the squad travelling to Portugal.
Sergi Roberto has also been given the green light after missing the win over Levante due to illness, but there’s not return yet for Jordi Alba who remains sidelined.
The return of the duo will give Koeman more options for what’s an important game for Barcelona after kicking off their group stage with defeat to Bayern Munich.
However, Dutchman may also have one eye on another big league match at the weekend with Barcelona heading to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium to face Atletico Madrid.
Early reports suggest that Pedri won’t start at Benfica but Koeman does have plenty of midfielders available with Frenkie de Jong back from suspension and joining Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Riqui Puig, and Nico Gonzalez in the squad.
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A narrow shape and hunger off the ball set the stage for a dominant win
Barcelona finally brought some positivity back with an excellent 3-0 win over Levante on Sunday afternoon. While most of the post-match talk deservedly went to the triumphant return of Ansu Fati, the team played very well and gave us reasons to believe that they can be better than what we saw in the last few weeks.
When the team news were announced an hour before the game, though, Barça came out with a strange lineup, with players seemingly out of position and not a very clear idea of how they wanted to set up. Fans were understandbly worried about the game they were about to watch, but for the first time in a while we were all positively surprised by Ronald Koeman’s team.
Barça set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Nico González and Sergio Busquets as a double pivot and Gavi playing on the right wing alongside Philippe Coutinho and Memphis Depay, with Luuk De Jong alone up top.
But the interesting thing about that shape was how narrow it was. More specifically, how it overloaded the left side of Barça’s attack.
Look how, with the exception of right-back Óscar Mingueza, the entire team is playing on the left side of the pitch. Gavi was anything but a right winger in the game, acting more as a right interior midfielder to completely overload the central area. Levante were in a 4-4-2 shape, but their two central midfielders had very little help from the wide men and were simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of Barça players in the middle.
That’s how the Blaugrana established early dominance in the game, and that is how they were superior for the entire 90 minutes. Levante never adjusted, and Barça never went away from the plan. With Busquets and Nico as a double pivot and Mingueza picking his spots on when to make runs as a full-back, Barça concentrated their offense almost exclusively on the left, with Memphis and Sergiño Dest doubling up on the full-back and creating havoc on that side.
On the rare occasions in which they did attack down the right, Barça stayed very narrow with their midfield shape and there were always passing options all over the pitch to build effectively from the back.
Watching Barça play such a narrow shape gave me flashbacks to the wonderful 2018-19 Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals that season. Erik Ten Hag’s side played in a very similar way, overloading a particular side of the pitch depending on the opponent and not worrying at all about keeping width. It was all about having possession and winning the numbers battle in the middle, which was crucial for a team that didn’t have world-class attackers and relied on midfield dominance to create as many chances as possible to try and compete with the best teams in Europe.
Sounds familiar to the current Barça situation, doesn’t it? And interestingly enough, Alfred Schreuder, Ronald Koeman’s main assistant and acting head coach against Levante on Sunday, was Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax that season.
But the narrow shape overloading the left wing was just one of two crucial pieces to Barça’s dominance on Sunday. The other was pressing: the Catalans were absolute lions off the ball, but were also well-organized to press effectively on goal-kicks and constantly win the ball back high up the pitch to continue suffocating Levante.
Barça went with individual marking once again, but unlike the disaster pressing strategy against Bayern Munich the Blaugrana were much sharper and aggressive in their pursuit of the Levante players, denying space and forcing either long balls or bad passes through the middle. Óscar Mingueza and Sergiño Dest were especially effective in their pressing, following their designated targets all over the pitch if necessary and winning the ball back.
Mingueza follows his defender to the middle of the pitch and wins the ball backSergiño Dest aggressively presses his man and forces a bad touch to win the ball back
It wasn’t just about pressing on goal-kicks, however. Whenever they lost the ball, Barça would hunt in packs, sending as many bodies as possible to win it back instantly.
Four Barça players surround two Levante men to win the ball back
Levante couldn’t breathe on the ball, and Barça never ran out of gas and stayed committed to their pressing strategy for the whole 90 minutes. It was the most impressive defensive performance of the season by a mile.
The game is about the players at the end of the day, and Barça had several very impressive individual performances on Sunday. Gavi was amazing, Busquets and Nico shined together as a very effective double pivot, and Dest was absolutely brilliant with and without the ball for the entire game.
It’s also very important to point out how bad Levante were: there were zero adjustments to the midfield imbalance and they offered nothing in possession, especially since their best attacking players are all injured. Shkodran Mustafi was a disaster at the back (hello Arsenal fans reading this, sorry for all the PTSD I just gave you) and right-back Jorge Miramón was quite simply destroyed by Memphis and Dest and wasn’t given any help.
But Barça have faced other bad teams before and didn’t play nearly as well, and to me coaching had a lot to do with it. I don’t want to be unfair to Ronald Koeman and I think he was heavily involved in team selection and the gameplan, so I won’t make the easy joke that everyone on Twitter made that the only reason Barça played so well is because he wasn’t on the touchline.
Unlike several games under Koeman, Barça weren’t set up to fail. The attacking gameplan took advantage of the players’s strenghts instead of exposing their weaknesses. There was no Sergi Roberto isolated against Alphonso Davies this time.
Gavi isn’t a winger, so he didn’t play like one; he was asked to be himself and always be close to the ball even if it meant not being in his “original” position, and that’s why Gavi was praised by everyone for doing what he’s good at instead of criticized for trying to do something he can’t.
The defense is problematic, so Nico and Busquets sat back and Mingueza, a defensive full-back, only made timely runs into the attack. Barça still managed to be effective with the ball while offering solid protection to the center-backs, because the attack was well designed and players were comfortable playing in roles they know how to perform.
Sunday’s game, with the obvious caveat of how bad the opponent was, proved that there’s still a lot of talent on this squad, especially in midfield. If they are coached properly, Barça can put up a good fight against anyone. Yes, sometimes they will be outplayed by better opponents, but if they play with the same hunger off the ball and are continually given a solid platform to attack they can still make themselves and the fans proud of their effort.
Barça fans aren’t stupid. No one is arguing this team should play like 2011 or 2015. But it can be a lot better, and Sunday showed that being better is possible.
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A round-up of the altest Barcelona news and rumors
Nine Masia graduates against Levante - FC Barcelona
No fewer than nine La Masia graduates featured in the spectacular win against Levante on Sunday, all playing their part in a dominant display from start to finish, with some of the most magnificent football of the season so far.
No appeal against second game ban for Koeman - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona shall not be appealing against the second game for which Ronald Koeman is currently suspended in consideration of the Competition Committee’s verdict a minimum two-match suspension.
Pedri and Jordi Alba train with the rest of the squad - FC Barcelona
On Monday the first team squad returned to training after the win against Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday in which goals from Memphis, Luuk de Jong and a returning Ansu Fati gave them a much needed 3-0 win.
The lowdown on Benfica - FC Barcelona
After losing at home to Bayern Munich in their opening UEFA Champions League Group E fixture, Wednesday (9.00pm CEST) brings the first road trip of the campaign, a visit to Portugal to face Benfica. Here are all the essentials on the Eagles of Lisbon.
UEFA confirm no European Super League sanctions - Football Espana
UEFA have confirmed they will not be imposing any sanctions on the remaining three European Super League clubs. Europe’s governing body had previously warned of financial sanctions for any club who remained within the ill fated project in 2021 alongside potential future competition bans.
Ansu Fati believes the Barcelona number 10 is 'not a pressure' - Football Espana
Ansu Fati says taking the number 10 at Barcelona is ‘not a pressure’. The Barcelona starlet finally returned on Sunday after a the best part of a year out injured, suffering a serious knee injury last November. It has been a long wait to get back to action for Fati, but he made the most of it, scoring just 10 minutes after stepping back onto the Camp Nou grass as Barca defeated Levante 3-0.
Ansu Fati 'didn't imagine' dream Barcelona return would include a goal - Football Espana
Ansu Fati is delighted with his long-awaited return to action for Barcelona. Fati had been out since last November following a serious knee injury, but he finally returned on Sunday. In the 81st minute of Barcelona‘s win over Levante at Camp Nou, Fati was brought on and his return was made official.
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The Catalans are in Portugal for Matchday 2
Barcelona take on Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday and need a win after opening up with a 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou.
Ronald Koeman is still without several key men due to injury but there’s hope Pedri might be fit, while there may be some more minutes off the bench for Ansu Fati.
Let’s look at how they might line up in Portugal.
Defense
Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
There’s unlikely to be too many changes in defense with Koeman still expected to be without both Jordi Alba and Alejandro Balde.
Alba is back in training but is expected to miss out again which means Sergino Dest should continue on the left with Oscar Mingueza on the right.
Ronald Araujo looks set to return in central defense and partner Gerard Pique, although Eric Garcia, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti are also options.
Midfield
Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Pedri is closing in on a return to action after a thigh injury but it’s not clear if the 18-year-old will be fit enough to go straight back into the starting XI.
Barcelona will be able to call on Frenkie de Jong again after he missed the win over Levante because of his red card in the draw at Cadiz.
Nico Gonzalez and Gavi are both pushing for starts after impressing at the weekend, and Riqui Puig will be hoping for his first Champions League minutes in 2021-22.
Attack
Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
Ansu Fati stole all the headlines at the weekend after his triumphant return but will surely be back on the bench for this one with Barca needing to be careful with the teenager.
Luuk de Jong could continue up front after opening his account last time out, while Memphis Depay and Philippe Coutinho may also start again.
Injuries mean that Yusuf Demir is the only other real option to feature in attack but could have to settle for a place on the bench once again.
Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Pique, Araujo, Dest; Busquets, Frenkie; Gavi, Coutinho, Memphis; Luuk de Jong.
How do you think Barcelona should line up against Benfica? Let us know your thoughts, predictions and teams in the comments below.
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Barcelona received a fitness boost on Monday with both Pedri and Jordi Alba back in training at the Ciutat Esportiva after injury.
Both players have been sidelined since picking up problems in Barca’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich a little under two weeks ago.
Sergi Roberto also trained after being a late withdrawal from the squad to face Levante on Sunday in La Liga due to illness.
The team will train again on Tuesday morning before flying out to Portugal for their next game against Benfica in the Champions League.
Pedri could be ready to return against Benfica and is “working against the clock” to be ready in time for the match, according to Diario AS.
It’s thought the Spain international could possibly make the starting XI, while Jordi Alba may have to wait until Saturday’s trip to Atletico Madrid to return.
Barca will also have Frenkie de Jong available for the game against Benfica. The Dutchman was forced to sit out the win over Levante due to suspension.
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Former Netherlands, Ajax, and AC Milan great Marco van Basten expressed skepticism that Memphis Depay was the right player for FC Barcelona, in a new interview.
“I have my doubts that he is a player for Barça,” he was quoted as saying.
“I believe that Memphis is a good player, but I believe he is an artist, an individualist. He does his own thing and continues to do that a bit. I believe that in a team this big, you have to be more of a team player. You have to attack as a group and share the ball. I have the idea he does too much his own thing, and I don’t know if that is sufficient for an elite club.”
Van Basten also had a career as a manager, having coached the Netherlands at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and at the 2008 European Championship. He also managed several clubs in the Eredivisie in his time - Ajax, Heerenveen, and AZ Alkmaar.
Memphis arrived from Olympique Lyonnais to Barcelona on a free transfer. Since, he has scored three goals for the Catalans in six appearances this season.
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The “sport” involves tapping a balloon and keeping it from hitting the ground
Gerard Piqué has announced he is going to launch the first ever “Balloon World Cup” alongside Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos. Teams from different countries will participate, and big prizes are promised for the winners.
The “sport” involves tapping a balloon so it doesn’t fall to the ground. Due to its nature as a game played inside a house, the duo hinted that furniture will be deployed in the playing area as obstacles.
To get a better idea what this would look like, here is a clip of the sport in action:
Gerard Pique and Ibai Llanos want to host a Balloon World Cup, with games kind of like this but with national teams, big prizes, and so on.pic.twitter.com/cvwJyelMjN
Sixteen national teams - primarily from Latin America and Europe - will qualify. The organizers said they also wanted an Asian representative - perhaps China or Japan.
Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, France, Portugal, and the UK were mentioned as participant nations.
Llanos also mentioned he would like to see nearby Andorra qualify.
“It will depend a bit on the people, who shows up. We are organizing it now,” the FC Barcelona defender said.
“It’s a competition that we all have done at one point at home,” Llanos said.
The first match is slated to take place on October 14th. If you’d like to try to sign up as a national team, click here.
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Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
Big games week for Barcelona will test the power of positive thinking
Beware of the self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you say over and over again that you aren’t good enough, that’s exactly what you’ll be.
For Barcelona fans, the defeatist attitude has been one of the biggest frustrations with manager Ronald Koeman.
Perhaps it was fitting then that the Dutchman wasn’t on the touchline as his men made one of their most inspired performances in a long time, dominating Levante from start to finish.
In the end, the headlines will understandably focus on Ansu Fati and his fairytale comeback story.
Indeed, he’s back, and by the looks of it, maybe even better than ever.
Does this vindicate what Koeman has been saying all along? That we need to be patient and wait for the top players to return?
No. Ansu may have stolen the show, but it was still just a cameo performance. This victory was a collective triumph with every player pulling in the same direction.
Everyone did their job, but the catalysts were the youngest players on the field.
Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images
With Sergi Roberto unavailable at the last minute, Barcelona inserted 19-year-old Nico Gonzalez into the midfield to play alongside 17-year-old Gavi, who later on was joined by 22-year-old Riqui Puig, who soon will have to make room for 18-year-old Pedri.
They were fantastic. Eager to prove their value and ability to help win a game, and did so by commanding the midfield with 71% possession, and unleashing the attack to 12 shots on target.
Sergino Dest, Oscar Mingueza, and Eric Garcia were also outstanding on both ends of the ball. Dest in particular is showing forward thinking and becoming one of the top danger men, attacking with confidence and to great effect on both the left and right equally.
And how fitting that it was Ronald Araujo to raise Ansu Fati ten feet in the air to celebrate his goal properly for the magic it was.
Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
In that moment, the clouds had parted, and the potential of this team was illuminated.
There can be joy and success if Barcelona sees itself in a positive light again.
There is a future at this club because it continues to have one of the strongest academies in the world.
We know there is a future this season when we see players willing to fight hard for their fans and for each other.
Ansu is back, and will score goals.
Memphis Depay continues to be the man on a mission determined to prove he is one of the best players in the world that can make it at the biggest club.
Soon, they will have Ousmane Dembele rounding off the attack, and what a storm the three attackers could generate.
But above all else, there is a lesson for Ronald Koeman and president Joan Laporta.
No more fighting. No more negativity. Positive thinking works.
That should be a standard everyone at the club is held to.
Give the players credit for reminding us of that on Sunday.
Will the positive vibrations last?
It’s about to be tested in a big way.
The challenges must be taken on with confidence, courage, and belief.
Benfica is undefeated domestically, and Atletico Madrid are the reigning champions.
But they are not Barcelona.
Time to make sure they understand that, and to see if Koeman and his players finally believe it too.
Time to enjoy the beautiful game in Barcelona again.
Keep the momentum going.
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Barca fans haven’t had much to get excited about in recent weeks but the return of Ansu Fati on Sunday certainly got pulses racing at the Camp Nou.
Just seeing the 18-year-old back on the pitch after 323 days on the sidelines with a knee injury and the youngster’s smile as he ran on was something else.
Fati was straight back into the action and was unlucky not to win a penalty within minutes of his arrival. The decision wasn’t given but that didn’t seem to bother the 18-year-old one little bit.
With the game into stoppage time, the forward picked up possession, swivelled past a couple of defenders and then ran through on goal and smashed an early low shot past Aitor Fernandez.
It was a brilliant moment as the Camp Nou rose as one to salute their young hero with the No. 10 on his back for the first time. Fati ran into the stands to celebrate with the medical team, while his father couldn’t hold back the tears, and Barca fans started to dream again.
Nico and Gavi are here to stay
Fati wasn’t the only teenager getting fans excited about Barcelona’s future. Nico Gonzalez and Gavi both started the match in midfield and showed once again just how much they have to offer.
Gavi had looked set to steal all the headlines after a superb display in midfield, but ended up being overshadowed by Ansu’s moment of magic, while Nico grew into the match after a slow start.
Barca lost Ilaix Moriba over the summer but the 18-year-old has already been swiftly forgotten about such are the riches the Catalan giants now have in midfield.
The future of the Barca midfield looks very safe indeed with Nico and Gavi joining Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Riqui Puig as options and with Jandro Orellana potentially the next to make the breakthrough.
Dest enjoying life on the left
There was also a standout performance in defense where 20-year-old Sergino Dest played out of position again at left-back but thoroughly enjoyed himself against Levante.
This was Dest’s best performance for Barcelona in a long time and saw the USMNT star pick up just his second assist for the Catalan giants in the first half.
Dest sent Luuk de Jong through on goal with a perfectly-weighted pass that was just begging to be put away and the Netherlands international duly obliged.
The stats show just how impressive Dest was on Sunday.
Sergiño Dest (20) v. Levante:
☑️ 89 minutes
️ 1 assist
4 chances created
5/6 dribbles won
8 ball recoveries
⚔️ 11 duels won
99 touches
3-0 win
Playing on the left allows Dest to cut inside and link with more of his teammates, and he could well continue in that position against Benfica with Jordi Alba expected to miss out once again due to injury.
Barcelona’s Dutch duo deliver
Barcelona’s Dutch duo Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong were also on the scoresheet with early goals that made it a comfortable afternoon for the hosts.
Memphis looked far brighter after a quiet couple of games, winning and scoring a penalty, and probably should have had a few more but couldn’t beat Aitor Fernandez again.
Meanwhile, De Jong opened his account for his new club with a confident finish from a cute pass by Sergino Dest that sent him through on goal.
2 - Two different Dutch players (Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong) have scored in the same LaLiga game for the first time since March 2009 in Athletic-Real Madrid at San Mamés (Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben). Orange. pic.twitter.com/4fCK14kTSt
The tall striker admitted it was “beautiful” to score his first goal for Barcelona after failing to find the back of the net in his first three appearances for his new club.
De Jong’s already attracted plenty of criticism but took his goal well and worked hard throughout the 90 minutes. It was a good moment for the 31-year-old who will know game time will be hard to come by once Barca’s injured attackers return.
What now for Koeman?
Barca’s win over Levante came amid continuing speculation about Ronald Koeman’s future at the Camp Nou. The Dutchman still seems on very thin ice but it’s still not clear if any of Barca’s reported targets are willing to take on the job right now.
Koeman was forced to watch the game from the stands due to his touchline ban which meant Alfred Schreuder and his tight trousers took over. The assistant coach was noticeably vocal on the touchline as he urged his players on and shouted instructions throughout the 90 minutes.
A much-needed win duly arrived and may relieve some of the pressure on Koeman, for now at least, while the return of Ansu Fati will add some much-needed positivity around the club. The Barca boss was certainly happy to see the teenager back in action.
An important win today! Happy for @ansufati, who returned with a goal after a long time of rehabilitation! #ForçaBarça
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Una victoria importante hoy! Feliz por @ansufati, que ha vuelto con un gol después de un largo tiempo de recuperación! #ForçaBarçapic.twitter.com/LSwVLabRNV
Koeman will be back on the bench on Wednesday in the Champions League against Benfica but will be in the stands for a second time at the weekend against Atletico Madrid as he completes his ban.
It’s a big week for Barca ahead of the international break. A victory in Portugal will get their Champions League campaign up and running, while three points at the Wanda Metropolitano would see Barca leapfrog the champions in the table.
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