FC Barcelona News: 2 February 2020

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Setien forced to turn to the kids with only 17 first team players available | Marca
Upon the closing of the winter transfer window, Quique Setien feels as though he has what he needs at Barcelona to see him through until the end of the season. The coach has 18 first team players under his orders and with one of those, Luis Suarez, injured on a long-term basis, he’s having to turn to the academy to pad out his matchday squads.

Ousmane Dembele training again but ruled out of Levante game | Sport
Asked if there was any chance of the Frenchman making the squad for the league game, Setien completely ruled it out: “It would be premature to bring Dembele in. We will see for the coming games, but we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves.”

Barcelona boss Setien wants Champions League on his tombstone | ESPN
Quique Setien may have landed the job of his life when he was appointed Barcelona coach last month — but he is already thinking about how he wants to be remembered in death. ”I want my tombstone to say that I won the Champions League with Barca,” the 61-year-old said in an interview with Catalan newspaper L’Esportiu on Saturday.

Setien: Trincao deal was being worked on when I arrived | Marca
Barcelona’s plans to sign Francisco Trincao were in place long before Quique Setien’s arrival. The new coach only succeeded Ernesto Valverde in January and, although he had no say in the signing, he’s looking forward to working with the player next season.

Trincao’s former coach: He has the personality and talent to succeed at Barcelona | Marca
The signing of young Portuguese forward Francisco Trincao from Braga by Barcelona was one of the most notable pieces of business done by a LaLiga Santander side during January’s transfer window. The player - who’ll arrive in the summer - set the Blaugrana back 31 million euros and he is certainly seen as a hot prospect in the game.

SPORT meet Barcelona’s 30 million euros man Trincao in Portugal | Sport
Antonio Salvador put his hand on the player’s shoulder and told him: ‘One day we will sell you for 30 million euros.’ It was 2016 and Francisco Trincao was 16 when the Braga president said that to him. He thought it was just a way of congratulating him for the progress he’d made through the club’s youth academy.

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti rejected deadline day move to Arsenal | Football Espana
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti reportedly rejected a deadline day move to Arsenal. The French international has struggled to hold on to a regular starting place at the Camp Nou this year, and according to reports in French newspaper La Parisen, Mikel Arteta wanted to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.

Barcelona players restrict access for documentary - sources | ESPN
The first series, which aired last November, was not well received by the squad. In addition to not being paid what they had been promised, some of the players were not happy with certain elements of the documentary, including the scenes inside the dressing room following their Champions League elimination to Liverpool at Anfield.

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Barça vs Levante: Preview

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Barça look to build on a good performance in midweek and win a key league game against a tough opponent

FC Barcelona (2nd, 43pts) vs Levante UD (13th, 26pts)*

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*Points and positions at the time of writing on Saturday

Competition/Round: 2019-20 La Liga, Matchday 22

Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Luis Suárez, Neto, Ousmane Dembélé (out), Arturo Vidal (doubt)

Levante Outs & Doubts: Rober Pier, Iván López (out), Nemanja Radoja, Oier Olazábal, Enis Bardhi (doubt)

Date/Time: Sunday, February 2, 2020, 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Monday)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

How to watch on TV: beIN SPORTS (USA & Canada), LaLigaTV (UK), SuperSport 7 (Nigeria), Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Not Available (India), others

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

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Following a strong Copa del Rey win over Leganés to reach the Spanish Cup quarterfinals, Barcelona are back in action in La Liga with what promises to be a difficult game against Levante at the Greatest Stadium on Earth. The winter transfer window is closed and Barça haven’t done any big business, and with young players leaving the squad is smaller but filled with big names and good options for Quique Setién.

The challenge now is to make this team as solid and creative as possible ahead of the Champions League Round of 16 against Napoli, which is fast approaching, but at the same time the Blaugrana need to keep pace with a rapidly improving Real Madrid team that just won the Madrid Derby against Atlético and look really strong right now.

This does not need to be a lost season. This team is too talented and the new coach is good enough to make them favorites for everything, so every game from now on needs to be a big step forward. Levante is a very nice test, and a strong win will give the team and the fans some good reasons for optimism.

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POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, De Jong, Arthur; Messi, Griezmann, Ansu Fati

Levante (3-4-1-2): Aitor; Cabaco, Postigo, Vezo; Miramón, Radoja, Campaña, Toño; Rochina; Morales, Martí

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PREDICTION

Levante always make it tough and tricky, but Barça will make it two wins in a row to end the week: 3-0 to the good guys.

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Setien talks Dembele, Trincao and Vidal ahead of Levante

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The latest from the Barcelona boss

Quique Setien faced the press on Saturday ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Levante at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Barcelona boss spoke about the January transfer window, Ousmane Dembele’s fitness, Arturo Vidal missing training and the chances of the team winning the Champions League.

Here are the best bits:

Setien on Levante

Levante are not on a very good run of results. They’re an uncomfortable team to play against. They can cause you danger, a team we really have to worry about because they’ve really strong forwards, they play the ball around very nicely. If they’re inspired then they’re very hard to play against.

Setien on Dembele

It would be premature for Dembele to play [against Levante]. We will see for the following matches, but we will not accelerate his return.

Setien on Barca’s January exits

We have fewer player but I repeat that there is a B team behind us and the kids are ready. Today some kids have come to train who had not come so far and we’re getting a chance to look at them. What we do know is that we are going to make an extraordinary signing with Ousmane. It’s a huge incentive.

Setien on signing Francisco Trincao

It’s a deal I found out about when I came because the club were working on it. I don’t have much to say about it. Next year we’ll count on him and work with him.

Setien on Barca’s away form

Our away form is something we need to work on. We need to change our flow away from home. We need to work out what it is we are doing right at home and wrong away, and we’ve got two games we can work on that. They’ll be two very intense games, and a win tomorrow would be a huge boost for morale going into those two fixtures.

Setien on Arturo Vidal missing training

It is not serious. There is a bruise and let’s see how it evolves. I am not in favour of taking risks with players because there are many games and we do not have a very large squad.

Setien on Barca winning the Champions League

If I were the opponents I would certainly not rule Barça out at all. You can always have a bad day. Of the six or eight teams that aspire to win the Champions League, only one will. The reality is that we are going to be there. We’re excited, we have a chance, like all the other big teams do. No more or less than any of those.

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Vidal misses training ahead of Levante clash

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The midfielder has a knock and is a doubt

Barcelona were without Arturo Vidal for training on Saturday morning as they prepare for their La Liga clash against Levante on Sunday night.

The midfielder did specific work in the gym and did not join the session with the rest of the squad which suggests he may be a doubt for tomorrow’s game.

Quique Setien was asked about Vidal in his pre-match presser and said that the Chilean only has a knock but he does not want to take risks with any of his players.

Vidal has been an influential player this season but only five of his 17 La Liga appearances have been as a starter.

Ousmane Dembele trained again but is not fit enough to play tomorrow, while Barca B youngsters Inaki Pena, Ronaldo Araujo, Saverio, Alex Collado, Rey Manaj and Riqui Puig were also involved.

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Setien says he gets emotional watching Dembele train

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The Frenchman is closing in on a return from injury

Quique Setien has given a pretty big interview to Sport where he has talked about many topics and given some interesting comments on Ousmane Dembele.

The Frenchman is back in training after a long spell out with a hamstring injury and is expected to make his return to action later this month.

Setien said he gets emotional watching Dembele training even though he hasn’t really talked to him yet.

“With Dembele, we have not yet spoken. Like most, he has things he can improve on,” he said.

”You have to keep in mind that they are still young kids. Their dedication, from what I have seen, is total and absolute. I have tears when I see the capacity and intensity in which he works.”

Source | Sport

Dembele’s last appearance came in the Champions League win over Dortmund in November. He has been tipped to return by the time Barca face Napoli in the last 16 but could potentially feature before then.

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FC Barcelona News: 1 February 2020

Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images

Barcelona failed, spectacularly, to sign a striker. But do they really need one with Griezmann around? | ESPN
If you’re looking for a soundtrack to go with Barcelona’s search for a striker, maybe the Benny Hill theme is your best bet. In the final, quiet moments before last week’s 2-0 defeat at Valencia, Quique Setién was sitting on the bench watching his players warm up. He was watching a player whom most people thought would soon be his, too.

Setien: I have tears when I see the intensity of Dembele’s training | Goal
Barcelona coach Quique Setien says Ousmane Dembele’s intensity in training brings a tear to his eye and believes the winger will be like a new signing when he returns from injury. The 22-year-old has not had it easy since he joined Barca from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 as injuries and inconsistent performances have hindered his progress at Camp Nou.

Do Barcelona have replacements for their January exits? | Marca
Quique Setien has just 18 senior players available to him for the rest of the season - 17 if you count the injured Luis Suarez. Ansu Fati, Riqui Puig, Alex Collado and Ronald Araujo count as youth team players, but that’s still a limited number.

Agreement with SC Braga for the transfer of Trincão | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and SC Braga have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Francisco Trincão who will join the club on 1 July 2020. The transfer fee is 31 million euros and the player will sign a contract with the Club for the next five seasons, until the end of the 2024/25 campaign with a buy-out clause of 500 million euros.

Agreement with Palmeiras for the transfer of Matheus Fernandes | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and Palmeiras have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Matheus Fernandes Siqueira and he will join the Club on 1 July 2020. The transfer fee will be 7 million euros plus 3 million in add on and the player will sign a five year contract that will take him up to the end of the 2024/25 season and his buy out clause is set at 300 million euros.

Agreement with OGC Nice for the loan transfer of Wague | FC Barcelona
The French team will pay the player’s wages and has a non-obligatory purchase option of 10 million euros, plus 500,000 euros in variables. Should the French club decide to purchase the player outright, FC Barcelona would have a future purchase option for 15 million euros until June 2021. After the 2020/21 season, the club reserves the right of first refusal on any future sale of the player.

Abel Ruiz leaves for SC Braga | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona and SC Braga have reached an agreement for the transfer of Abel Ruiz until June 30, 2020. Thereafter, the Portuguese club will execute the mandatory purchase of the player for 8 million euros. Furthermore, FC Barcelona reserves the right buy back the player.

Winter ins and outs | FC Barcelona
The winter transfer window is now closed and it’s been a lively time at FC Barcelona. Here’s a round-up of all the coming and going in both the first and second team squads.

Arturo Vidal sits out training ahead of Barça’s game against Levante | Sport
Arturo Vidal did not take part in training with his Barcelona teammates at the Ciutat Deportiva in Sant Joan Despí on Saturday morning. The Chilean midfielder, who has earned new coach Quique Setien’s confidence, worked alone in the gym. His absence from the group was surprising as he doesn’t often miss sessions with good reason.

Willian won’t renew with Chelsea and is set for Barcelona in the summer | Marca
Barcelona are close to agreeing a deal to bring Willian to the Camp Nou once his contract at Chelsea expires at the end of the season. The Premier League club have tried to renew the Brazilian’s deal, which ends on June 30, but the forward wants a change of scene.

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How will Barcelona line up against Levante?

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The champions are back at the Camp Nou on Sunday

Barcelona are back in La Liga action on Sunday when they take on Leganes at the Camp Nou.

The champions have been knocked off top spot by Real Madrid after their defeat to Valencia but do head into the game on the back of a 5-0 Copa del Rey win against Leganes.

Let’s look at who might feature on Sunday.

Defence

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Quique Setien changed to a back four against Leganes in midweek and may be tempted to stick with that after his side’s emphatic win.

He could still make changes to freshen things up. Samuel Umtiti will be hoping to get his place back from Clement Lenglet, while Sergi Roberto could replace Nelson Semedo.

Midfield

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The Barca boss has plenty of options in midfield with everyone fit and healthy. Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Arturo Vidal all started on Thursday, while Ivan Rakitic and Arthur came off the bench.

The Brazilian’s goal may be enough to earn him a start, although Vidal has been increasingly influential for Barca this season both as a starter and off the bench.

Attack

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Barca have even less options in attack than in midweek with Carles Perez having sealed a move to Roma in the final week of the transfer window.

Ousmane Dembele is still a couple of weeks away from returning which means Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Lionel Messi are likely to continue in attack.

Possible XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; De Jong, Busquets, Vidal; Messi, Griezmann, Ansu.

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

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