Tag: Barcelona

2Oct By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

De Jong blown away by Barca fans after return from injury

Frenkie de Jong admitted he was blown away by Barcelona fans after receiving a standing ovation on his return to action after injury. The Dutchman made his first appearance since April in the win over Young Boys, with supporters at Montjuic delighted to see him back in action. “I’m very happy with the victory and personally to be back on the pitch, to play football, and also for the applause from the fans. I appreciate it. A happy night,” he told Movistar. “I didn’t expect such a standing ovation. I’m very happy with the way people treat me.” De Jong also spoke about the game itself and how he feels the team are shaping up under their new manager. “I see the team in good shape, in good form. Lots of energy, lots of dynamism, we are playing well. We have to continue like this and improve, l...

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29Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

TRANSFERS

Szczesny to arrive in Barca on Monday to complete move

Wojciech Szczesny is now expected to arrive in Barcelona on Monday to complete his move to the club after coming out of retirement. The goalkeeper will fly into the city for a medical and then sign a deal that runs until the end of the season, according to Polish outlet Meczyki. Szczesny is also then expected to watch Barcelona’s Champions League match against Young Boys from the stands. The goalkeeper had been expected at Barcelona last but week but it does seem now that the move is going ahead as planned. There’s been talk Szczesny only wants to come if he’s first choice which should make things interesting after he signs. La Liga is due to pause for an international break after next weekend’s clash with Alaves, giving Szczesny time to work on his fitness and get used to his new club for...

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29Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Flick’s first misstep sees Barcelona’s unbeaten run end

A first loss of the season had to come at some point but the manner of the humbling at Osasuna could easily have been avoided. Notwithstanding that one can sympathise with why Hansi Flick rotated his starting XI, multiple changes virtually handed the win to the team from Pamplona. On another night, if Barca’s second half chances had gone in, the Blaugranes could even have walked away with all three points, but frankly they wouldn’t have deserved it. Flick’s tactical nous was on show throughout the game, and his switches certainly affected things. Over the course of the season under this manager, Barca will undoubtedly win more than they lose. But he cannot escape criticism for leaving the likes of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Marc Casado and Inigo Martinez on the bench. One, or maybe two at a p...

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28Sep By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

TRANSFERS

Man City ‘planning move’ for Barcelona star as Catalan outfit ‘reach agreement’

Manchester City are reportedly planning to move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong next year, with a deal during the January transfer window not being ruled out. Frenkie de Jong is presenting the 2024-25 FC Barcelona squad at the Luis Companys Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on August 12, 2024. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images) The Citizens are expected to enter the winter market for a new central midfielder, having been hit with the news that Rodri will be out for the remainder of the campaign with a serious knee injury. Torino's Samuele Ricci has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, but according to Fichajes, De Jong is also firmly on the Manchester club's radar. The 27-year-old's contract at Camp Nou is due to expire in June 2026, ...

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28Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Raphinha explains why he’s thriving under Flick at Barca

PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 10: Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona at Parc des Princes on April 10, 2024 in Paris, France.(Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images) Raphinha has been talking about life at Barcelona under Hansi Flick and his fine form so far this season for the Catalan giants. The Brazilian has been key to Barcelona’s early-season form and was named La Liga’s Player of the Month for August.After picking up the award, Raphinha has been asked about his performances and why he’s thriving this season under Flick.“ During last season, Xavi had me defending several times and the truth is that I really like being closer to the goal,” he told...

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26Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

LALIGA

Hansi Flick discuss goalkeepers, Ansu Fati, Robert Lewandowski and Getafe after Barcelona win

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was a happy man after seeing his team beat Getafe 1-0 on Wednesday to maintain their perfect start to the Liga season. BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 25: Robert Lewandowski salutes Hansi Flick, head coach of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on September 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images) The Catalans had to work hard against a typically tough Getafe side, with Robert Lewandowski the match-winner for the hosts.Here are the best bits from Flick’s post-match presser:Flick on potentially signing a goalkeeperI’m only talking about the players I have, and Inaki is our goalkeeper. I’m happy today. We have three more points. Inaki is 25 years old an...

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24Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

La Liga rivals joins Barca stars in sending support to Ter Stegen

Barcelona players have been quick to send support to Marc-Andre ter Stegen after he suffered an awful knee injury against Villarreal that has seen him undergo surgery. Raphinha dedicated Barcelona’s win to Ter Stegen after the match when he spoke to the media, and team-mates have been quick to post messages on social media to their goalkeeper. Lamine Yamal posted on social media: “A lot of strength Marc, you are strong,” while Marc Bernal said “We are with you, captain” and Fermin Lopez added “With you captain.” Inigo Martinez posted on X: “You’ll come back stronger, captain. We’ll be waiting for you! Good luck Marc!” Sergi Roberto was also thinking about his good friend and former team-mate, writing: “Be strong Capi. I’m with you. Once again you will show your mentality and I have no doub...

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23Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona beat Villarreal 5-1 with the help of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha

Forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both scored twice to help Barcelona thrash hosts Villarreal 5-1 on Sunday as the visitors maintained their perfect start in La Liga with a sixth consecutive victory. Lewandowski found the net twice inside 35 minutes before Villarreal pulled a quick one back through Ayoze Perez but Pablo Torre made it 3-1 after the break and Raphinha completed the rout for Barca with two goals late in the second half. On Saturday, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said he was delighted with his side’s play and resiliency in their clash against Espanyol, fighting back to win 4-1 after falling behind due to a rare blunder by their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Ancelotti praised his players’ poise under pressure as they dominated proceedings, earning a win thanks to go...

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21Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

‘It’s a big game for us’ – Marcelino relishing taking on Barca & Yamal

Villarreal boss Marcelino has been talking about Barcelona ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash between the two sides at La Ceramica. Head coach of Villarreal CF, Marcelino Garcia Toral, during the La Liga match between Valencia CF and Villarreal CF at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, on August 31, 2024. (Photo by Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Barca head into the match top of the league and face a Villarreal side who have also enjoyed a start season and are looking forward to the game. “It’s a big game for us. We are playing against a great team, the best in the league at the moment. That’s what the results and the numbers say. We’re going to play a very nice game with great expectation,” he told reporters. “These are the kind of matches that we professi...

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20Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Champions League

Champions League: Barca lose to Monaco as Arsenal draw with Atalanta

On matchday 1 of the Champions League Barcelona dropped points, Manchester City and Arsenal failed to win and there were some banner results already. Bayern Munich scored nine goals. French club Monaco upset 10-man Barcelona by grinding out a 2-1 victory on Thursday in the Champions League, while a stunning David Raya double-save ensured Arsenal a goalless draw away to Europa League winners Atalanta. Barca have started the season with a perfect record after five La Liga matches but, hindered by a red card in the 11th minute for Eric Garcia, fell to defeat on the French Riviera. Maghnes Akliouche fired the French side into the lead five minutes after Garcia was dismissed for a last-man challenge on Takumi Minamino. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal equalised in the 28th minute with an arrowed ...

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19Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Barcelona among Europe’s biggest clubs in pursuit of latest Salzburg revelation

The aim for FC Barcelona moving forward remains to improve their squad in a cost-efficient way. Years of misspending and mismanagement have put them in enough trouble as it is, but the club can only work on avoiding any future mishaps. To do that, however, Barcelona has a plan to mainly pursue certain types of players. One of those types is young players who are seen as market opportunities but are also great sporting prospects. That is the way that the club managed to secure the signings of the likes of Pedri, Ronald Araujo, and other talents in the first place over the last few years. Now, moreover, they continue that trend by following promising youngsters across Europe and even across other continents. From the attack all the way to the back-line, there are no restrictions on what ...

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19Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

‘I am impressed’… Barcelona coach praises La Masia and the club’s youngsters

FC Barcelona has been quite reliant on the qualities of their youngsters to pull them through in recent years. While it is also true that the same can be said for the club’s golden period, it is now more about survival than thriving at times. Yet, with Hansi Flick’s arrival, Barcelona can dare to dream about reclaiming their place again. Players like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez, and many others have already given the club enough evidence to feel hopeful about. As the days and matches go by, that hope only continues to grow and the club aims higher and higher. Even now, ahead of the clash between Barcelona and Monaco in the UEFA Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick has decided to include two young 16-year-old cousins in his squad list for the upc...

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17Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ansu Fati continues to impress Hansi Flick

As Barcelona prepare to face Monaco on Thursday in the Champions League, the Blaugrana are taking stock of their current performances in LaLiga and have to love what they are seeing. Although Xavi did indeed do a strong job of setting the foundation for Barcelona, Hansi Flick has, as anticipated, taken the club to new heights from a tactical perspective and has done a significantly better job of working with the attacking players, especially young standouts. This past summer, there was concern that Ansu Fati could leave the club permanently after failing to get on the pitch long enough at Brighton, failing to answer the concerns that led to him temporarily leaving Barcelona in the first place. But instead of giving up on Fati, Flick is backing the 21-year-old, who was once, like Lamine Yam...

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16Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

BUNDESLIGA

Barcelona, PSG Target Shines with Impressive Stat in Bayern Munich’s Win over Holstein Kiel

During the summer transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain showed interest in Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich. However, the experienced midfielder chose to stay with the Bavarian club for the final year of his contract. Kimmich demonstrated precisely why both clubs hold him in such high regard this weekend. If Kimmich doesn’t sign a contract extension this season, he’ll have the freedom to decide his next move and could leave Bayern as a free agent next summer. Mundo Deportivo recently reported that Barcelona has set its sights on Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah and Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich as part of their 2025 plans to bolster both the midfield and defense. WhoScored spotlighted an impressive stat in Bayern Munich’s win this past weekend. According to the stats outlet, Kimmich won possession...

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16Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ferran Torres sends message to Barca fans after being sent off

Ferran Torres has sent out a message to Barcelona fans after being sent off in Sunday’s 4-1 La Liga win over Girona. The Shark came on in the second half but lasted just 17 minutes after being hit with a red card after an ugly challenge on Yaser Asprilla. Torres took to social media after the win to apologise for his sending off. He wrote on Instagram: “We won, which is the most important thing, but I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the team, the fans and the rival player. The desire has played a hard game on me. Thursday starts a new challenge.” The referee’s report noted that Torres was handed his marching orders “for making a tackle using excessive force on an opponent in the dispute for the ball.” Torres will now miss Barcelona’s next La Liga game against Villarreal on S...

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14Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Barcelona lineup vs. Girona: Predicted XI for La Liga clash

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick could select an unchanged lineup for Sunday's Catalan derby against Girona at Estadi Montilivi. BARCELONA CATALONIA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 11: FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick arrives at the wreath laying at the monument of Rafael Casanova, on the occasion of the Diada, at Ronda de Sant Pere-Ali Bei, on 11 September, 2024 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The Diada day in Catalonia begins with the floral offering to Rafael Casanova, to which a retinue of all institutions and parties, except PP and Vox, is expected. In addition, today is the first September 11 without a pro-independence president at the head of the Generalitat for 12 years and therefore, there will be no representatives of the Executiu in the pro-independence demonstration. (Photo By Lorena Sopena/Eur...

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13Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Yamal: I want to stay at Barca forever & become a legend

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has appeared on Spanish television and chatted about a range of topics following his rapid rise to superstardom. The teenager spoke about comparisons with Lionel Messi and how he hopes he can stay at the club for his whole career. “I want to stay at Barça forever, I want to be a legend,” he told El Hormiguero. “I like to be compared to the best player in the history of football, but I want to be myself. Reaching Messi’s level is impossible.” Rather inevitably, Lamine was also asked about his good friend Nico Williams after a summer where Barcelona were regularly linked with the forward. Yet Yamal had a pretty diplomatic answer when asked about the prospect of playing alongside his good mate at Barcelona. “I would like to play with him every week, hopefully,...

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12Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Gavi returns to Barcelona training after ACL tear

Barcelona midfielder Gavi returned to training on Thursday as he edges closer to a return to action after almost 10 months out with a serious knee injury. Gavi, 20, has not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing for Spain against Georgia in a qualifying match for the European Championship at the end of last year. BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 12: Pablo Martin 'Gavi' of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and AS Monaco at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 12, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images) A source has told Football Flame that no date has been fixed for a possible comeback at this stage, with the next steps dependent on how he responds to a gradual increase ...

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12Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Barcelona have the two most experienced teenagers in world football

La Masia is back on top, as Barcelona are easily producing the finest prospects in world football, assembling a star-studded lineup where the majority of the key players are homegrown talents. Gavi and Pedri have been anchoring the midfield for the past couple of seasons, Alejandro Balde was a massive breakout star at left back in 2022/23 when Barcelona last won LaLiga, and both Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi emerged as legitimately two of the best players in LaLiga in their respective positions. Yamal, in particular, was a revelation, dominating the competition at Euro 2024 as a key player for champions Spain. Both Yamal and Cubarsi are just 17 years old, so, in theory, Barcelona have two world-class players on their hands for the next 15 years. Cubarsi and Yamal are so good, i...

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11Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Deco explains why Barca signed Dani Olmo and not Nico

Barcelona sporting director Deco has revealed why the club decided to buy Dani Olmo rather than Nico Williams in the summer transfer window. The Catalans were linked with Williams all summer. Joan Laporta said the club could afford to sign the Athletic star, but Barca opted to splash out on Olmo instead. Here’s what Deco’s said in an interview with Barca One when asked about the transfers. “A high-level winger was needed. We have Raphinha, Ferran, the return of Ansu who was very good in pre-season but had a foot injury, we have Lamine ... We have players who can play as wingers like Fermín or Dani Olmo . “We were clear that to bring in a player he had to be of a very high level. But in the end, signing Dani Olmo gave you more options. It’s not that we haven’t spoken with clubs and play...

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