Xavi set to unleash Ansu as Barca go all out for trophies

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Time to pick up the baton…

Although he’s been off the pace since his injury woes, there’s little doubt that Ansu Fati has always been an important player for FC Barcelona.

Given the way in which he burst onto the scene and how Lionel Messi’s blaugrana career abruptly ended, it wasn’t too much of a stretch for many culers to anoint the youngster as Barca’s new hope.

Certainly, if Ansu can get back to anywhere close to full fitness, Xavi will have some player on his hands.

A player that he’s set to unleash after the Christmas break, with Robert Lewandowski sidelined through suspension.

That enforced absence will see Ansu lead the line for three games, beginning with the Catalan derby against Espanyol and including a difficult test against Atletico Madrid.

Photo by Ion Alcoba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

“From now on, Ansu will be much more important for us,” Xavi noted. “We have been taking him progressively, but in these six months that he remains he must be very important for the team.”

Does he need to hit the goal trail immediately? Undoubtedly.

If there’s one element of his play that’s been most noticeable since his return from injury it’s that his natural instinct isn’t what it once was.

How does a player even begin to stop overthinking each time a ball comes his way in a decent goal scoring position?

That’s the conundrum that Xavi needs to help solve if Barca want to be successful in 2022/23 on all remaining fronts.

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Lewandowski has been such a hit since his arrival from Bayern Munich, hitting the back of the net with alarming regularity and from almost any attacking situation. Something that Ansu once did with ease.

A striker’s currency is goals and indeed, it’s time that Ansu started to cash in once more. With Xavi’s unwavering support, there’s every reason to believe that he can get back into the goal scoring groove sooner rather than later.

To fulfill the early promise he showed virtually every time he set foot on a football pitch.

Perhaps just as important is the support Ansu receives from the Camp Nou terraces. All strikers thrive on confidence after all and the home fans can play their part.

If Ansu can hit the ground running at the turn of the year, who’s to say that he can’t form the deadliest of partnerships with the Polish international to help fire Barca to glory…

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Xavi considering calling up Lamine Yamal for Copa del Rey

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The 15-year-old has impressed the boss

Barcelona coach Xavi is reportedly “seriously considering” calling up 15-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal for the club’s Copa del Rey clash with Intercity.

Yamal is the latest gem to emerge from La Masia and has been training with the first team this week, along with several other youngsters.

Diario AS report that Xavi has been impressed with the teenager and is given some considerable thought to including him in the squad for the game against Intercity.

The game is to be played on Wednesday 4 January and sees Barca face a team that plays in the third tier of Spanish football.

If Yamal does play in the match he will become the youngest player to debut in the Barcelona first team and smash the current record held by Vicente Martínez since 1941.

Martinez featured for Barcelona at the age of 16 years, 9 months and 7 days, while Yamal is just 15 years and five months currently.

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When will Dembele and Kounde return to Barcelona?

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The duo made it to the World Cup final with France

Barcelona are preparing for their first post-World Cup game against Espanyol on New Year’s Eve.

Xavi has his full squad of players available, apart from Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde who reached the World Cup final with France.

The duo are due to return until December 28, although they could choose to come back earlier, giving them little time to prepare for the game, according to AS.

Barcelona won’t train on the 29th either, meaning the two players will only have time for one group session before the game at the Camp Nou.

Xavi is still expected to include both players in his matchday squad, but it remains to be seen how much playing time either man will have.

Jules Kounde is perhaps the more likely to start, given concerns over Ronald Araujo’s fitness, either at center-back or at right-back.

Dembele could feature from the bench with Raphinha expected to start in his place on the right start of the attack.

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Barca eager for Jordi Alba to continue next season - report

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The defender has turned things around

Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba appears to have turned his situation at the club around after a tough start to the season.

Alba found himself out of the team and on the bench, with Alejandro Balde preferred on the left of the defense in the early weeks of the campaign.

The future for Alba wasn’t looking great at the time, with Marcos Alonso also in the squad, and rumors of interest from Inter kept popping up too.

However, Alba did manage to force his way back into the team and Barcelona are now keen for him to continue next season, according to Relevo.

The Catalans have been “very satisfied” with Alba’s attitude and the way he’s worked with Balde, despite the youngster being a real threat to starting spot.

Barca are happy for him to continue and want him to see out his contract, which runs until 2024, but “still don’t know” exactly what Alba is thinking regarding his future.

The left-back said before the World Cup he wants to stay and retire at Barcelona, but he did also admit that if he feels he’s not up to playing at the highest level any more he will go.

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Intercity want Copa del Rey tie vs Barca to be played at Hercules

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There could be a switch in venue

Barcelona have been drawn against CF Intercity in the Copa del Rey but it’s not clear yet where the game will be played.

Intercity president Salvador Marti has said the club want to play the match at Hercules rather than the club’s Antonio Solana Stadium which has a capacity of just 2,500.

“From this moment we get down to work to find a facility according to the team that visits us and that can accommodate all those who want to attend this great match,” he said.

“The Rico Pérez stadium is the first option. I think if we can play in this facility it would be good for the whole city.

“The Cup format is a success. The first time we played the Cup we faced Athletic Club Bilbao and now Barcelona. It is a great day for Intercity that will come out with the intention of competing in the match, although the first thing will be to enjoy it.”

Source | Marca

The game will be the first time the two sides have ever faced each other. It’s scheduled to take place on Wednesday 4 January at 9pm CET.

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WATCH: Araujo gets soaked in Barcelona training

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Watch out for those sprinklers!

Barcelona held an open training session on Friday which brought a fair bit of Christmas cheers from the players.

Ronald Araujo drew a few laughs after he was caught unawares by one of the many sprinklers on the pitch.

It certainly got him moving pretty quickly:

Compte @RonaldAraujo_4 #FCBLive pic.twitter.com/qq6oRZrScI

— Què T'hi Jugues (@QueThiJugues) December 23, 2022

Araujo has been training since returning from the World Cup with Uruguay but hasn’t been given medical clearance to play yet. It’s hoped he will be fit for Espanyol on New Year’s Eve but Barca surely won’t take any risks with the center-back.

We were also treated to the sight of a growing bromance between Robert Lewandowski and Gavi. The duo walked onto the training pitch arm in arm and are apparently becoming very good mates.

Cariñosos Lewandowski y Gavi en la salida al entrenamiento. Buena amistad se ha formado entre el delantero y el centrocampista #fcblive pic.twitter.com/loj7UnYTRT

— Albert Rogé (@albert_roge) December 23, 2022

Xavi once again had a host of young players training with the first team. Lamine Yamal, Chadi Riad, Arnau Casas, Dani Rodríguez and Ángel Alarcón all featured on Friday.

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Barcelona draw CF Intercity in Copa del Rey

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The draw has been made!

Barcelona have been drawn against CF Intercity in Friday’s third round Copa del Rey draw.

The team are based in Alicante and play in the third tier of Spanish football. Intercity faced Barca Atletic at the start of December and drew 0-0 in their league clash.

The third round games will be played on the 3,4 and 5 January 2023, with the exact day of Barca’s clash set to be confirmed later today.

Here’s a look at the draw in full:

CD Ibiza vs Real Betis

Cacereño vs Real Madrid

Intercity vs Barcelona

La Nucia vs Valencia

Logrones vs Real Sociedad

Eldense vs Athletic

Pontevedra vs Real Mallorca

Nastic vs Osasuna

Linares Deportivo vs Sevilla

Ceuta vs Elche

Alves vs Real Valladolid

Levante vs Getafe

Real Oviedo vs Atletico Madrid

Cartagena vs Villarreal

Sporting Gijon vs Rayo Vallecano

Espanyol vs Celta Vigo

All matches are one-off games that will go to extra-time and penalties if required.

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