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Tag: Barca

  • Ter Stegen loses Barca captaincy

    Ter Stegen loses Barca captaincy

    Barcelona stripped Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the captaincy on Thursday as a feud escalated between the Germany goalkeeper and the club over his injury status amid the Catalans’ attempts to register new signings.

    Barca signed 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol last month, with the club likely expecting to sell Ter Stegen, 33, to make space in their wage bill for Garcia and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford.

    However, Ter Stegen had to have more surgery to finish repairing a multiple knee ligament tear sustained last season, closing the door for him to leave in the close-season transfer window and forcing Barca to try a different approach.

    The club asked Ter Stegen to sign a long-term medical leave that would allow them to clear 80% of his wages until mid-season and comply with LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play rules.

    But Ter Stegen’s announcement on social media that he would be sidelined for only three months irked the club management as LaLiga rules require a player to remain out of action for at least four months to be considered a long-term injury.

    “FC Barcelona announces that, following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, in agreement with the Sports Management and the technical staff, has decided to temporarily remove him as captain of the first team,” Barca said in a statement.

    “During this period, the duties of first captain will be assumed by the current vice-captain, Ronald Araujo.”

    The controversy highlights Barcelona’s financial struggles as they have battled to register new signings for several years running. The club are set to begin their LaLiga title defence on August 16 at Mallorca amid the continuing captaincy crisis.

    Tribalfootball

  • Barca star, Yamal in trouble after hiring dwarves for 18th birthday party

    Barca star, Yamal in trouble after hiring dwarves for 18th birthday party

    Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is facing an investigation regarding the presence of a group of people with dwarfism as entertainers at his 18th birthday party last weekend, Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights told AFP Tuesday.

    The winger celebrated with a private event in Olivella, around 50 kilometres west of Barcelona, which the ministry asked the prosecutor’s office to probe, following a complaint from the Association for People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE).

    Yamal turned 18 on July 13th, the day after his party on Saturday night, which many of his teammates attended, along with celebrities from the music world, including Bizarrap and Bad Gyal.

    “The ADEE has filed a complaint, so this ministry has asked the prosecutor’s office to investigate to see if the law has been violated and, therefore, the rights of people with disabilities (have been),” Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights told AFP.

    ADEE “publicly denounces the hiring of people with dwarfism as part of the entertainment” and said they would take legal action as it “perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination, and undermines the image and rights” of people with disabilities.

    Guests were not permitted to film at the event, but a video emerged of a group of people with dwarfism heading into the party.

    “No one disrespected us, we were allowed to work in peace,” said one of the performers anonymously on Catalan radio station RAC1, saying there were four of them present.

    “We’re normal people who dedicate ourselves to what we love doing in an absolutely legal way…

    “For a couple of years, these people (the ADEE) have wanted to harm us, they want to prevent us from doing what we like, but they have not offered any work or training to those who are affected…

    “All this fuss has come about purely because it was Lamine Yamal’s party.”

    The performer said they dance, deliver drinks and do magic tricks to entertain guests at the events they work at.

    Dominican rapper Chimbala, of short stature, published a video on Instagram of himself singing on stage with Yamal, with Barça teammates Gavi and Alejandro Balde dancing in the background.

    “Lamine Yamal at 18, the best player in the world, signing my song ‘Abusadora’, thank you for inviting me to your (birthday),” wrote Chimbala.

    Yamal is a candidate to win the Ballon d’Or after helping Barcelona to a domestic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup last season.

    The Spain international has scored 25 goals for the club in 106 appearances, having made his debut at just 15 years old in 2023.

    Yamal’s representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

    Tribalfootball

  • La Liga: Mbappe reacts to El Classico defeat

    La Liga: Mbappe reacts to El Classico defeat

    Real Madrid Kylian Mbappe has admitted his side’s 4-3 La Liga defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona on Sunday was ‘painful.’

    The 26-year-old scored a hattrick for Los Blancos, but it wasn’t enough to stop Barcelona taking a huge step towards the La Liga title.

    Hansi Flick’s side are now seven points clear of Real Madrid with three games to go, meaning if they win their next game against Espanyol, they will be crowned champions.

    On a personal level, Mbappe will doubtless be delighted to score the most goals in a debut season for Real Madrid (38 goals in 52 games), a record previously held by Ivan Zamorano (37 goals in 45 games).

    Real Madrid will likely go without a single piece of silverware this season but Mbappe took to Instagram to send a defiant message to his fans.

    Xabi Alonso now looks set to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season with the legendary Italian taking charge of Brazil for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

  • UCL: Inter defeat Barca in all-time classic to reach final

    UCL: Inter defeat Barca in all-time classic to reach final

    Inter Milan produced a dramatic late turnaround to beat Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in a thrilling, all-time classic of a Champions League semi-final.

    With just two minutes of added time left, Inter trailed 3-2 on the night and were heading out when centre-back Francesco Acerbi smashed a cross into the roof of the net to level the tie, the 37-year-old charging around with his shirt off in wild celebrations.

    And there were more ecstatic scenes when substitute Davide Frattesi won it for the Italian champions, curling a beautiful left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the first period of extra time before climbing up a security fence to celebrate in front of Inter’s fans.

    It means a second Champions League final in three seasons for three-time European champions Inter after two legs of incredible drama which saw 13 goals and a tie turned on its head on several occasions.

    Barca were only two minutes away from their first final in 10 years having fought back from 2-0 down – in a similar scenario to the first leg – to lead 3-2 on the night.

    Lamine Yamal almost took the game to penalties but was twice denied by superb saves by Yann Sommer as Inter held on to reach the final and spark incredible scenes of celebration.

    Inter, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 final, will play either Paris St-Germain or Arsenal at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday, 31 May in the 2025 showpiece.

    The Gunners head into Wednesday’s second leg in France after losing 1-0 at Emirates Stadium last week.

    BBC

  • Raphinha’s 98th-minute penalty wins thriller for Barca

    Raphinha’s 98th-minute penalty wins thriller for Barca

    Raphinha scored a penalty in the eighth minute of injury time as La Liga leaders Barcelona completed a remarkable comeback to beat Celta Vigo 4-3.

    The Brazil forward scored with almost the last kick of the game after a video assistant referee review ruled that Dani Olmo was tripped inside the area.

    Hansi Flick’s side had been staring at a shock home defeat after 62 minutes, with Borja Iglesias’ hat-trick wiping out Ferran Torres’ early finish to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.

    Barcelona regrouped and scored two goals in four second-half minutes – through Dani Olmo and Raphinha – to get back level and piled on the pressure.

    It appeared as though Celta had weathered the storm and were going to see out the game for a point but then Olmo was tripped, the penalty was given on VAR advice and Raphinha stepped up to score.

    The win extends Barcelona’s lead over second-placed Real Madrid to seven points, before Los Blancos host Athletic Club on Sunday.

    BBC

  • The one concern I have about Barca – Flick

    The one concern I have about Barca – Flick

    Barcelona coach Hansi Flick concedes he has one major concern about his team this season.

    Ahead of tonight’s clash with Real Betis, the German admits there’s one worry he has.

    “In ball possession, when we do well and you can see the rhythm, it is really amazing, but many teams know how to punish us,” he reflected.

    “It could be a ball loss or a bad ball touch – an unprovoked mistake, as they say in tennis.

    :We must eliminate that. With the ball in attack we are good, but the counter-attacks the other way we must eliminate.”

    Barca currently lead the LaLiga table, are into the final of the Copa del Rey and have a Champions League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund ahead of them.

  • Impossible for me to leave Barca for another club – Yamal

    Impossible for me to leave Barca for another club – Yamal

    Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has pledged his future to Barcelona.

    The teenage whiz says he can’t see himself ever playing in another shirt.

    Yamal told Mundo Deportivo: “I don’t hear about it. If someone in my camp did receive (an approach), they wouldn’t tell me either.

    “First of all because I have a contract and then because I think it is impossible for me to go to another club.”

    Yamal has a contract until 2026, but is expected to extend it until 2030 as soon as he turns 18 this summer.

    “I don’t think anyone doubts how much I love this club.

    “I’ve said it since I made my debut and everything will work out in the end. If both parties want something to happen, it will happen. In July (when he turns 18), when the next season starts, everything will be worked out and everyone will see. But right now I’m focused on La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.”

  • Barca chief reaches Tah agreement after Leverkusen meeting

    Barca chief reaches Tah agreement after Leverkusen meeting

    Barcelona are closing on a deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah.

    Off contract in June, Tah has announced he will leave Bayer at the end of the season.

    And Jijantes says a deal is in place between Tah and Barca.

    Barca sports chief Deco recently traveled to Germany and met  with Tah and his agent in Leverkusen. The meeting was held at a local restaurant and broke up in a positive fashion.

    An agreement was reached leaving all parties satisfied.

    Tah, as it stands, will play out the season with Bayer, though commit to a pre-contract with Barca next month.

    Tribalfootball

  • UCL: Monaco deserved the win – Barca coach, Flick

    UCL: Monaco deserved the win – Barca coach, Flick

    Barcelona coach, Hansi Flick has reacted to his team’s 2-1 loss to the French side Monaco in the Champions League on Thursday

    The Ligue 1 club have not played in the competition in five years, but they took the lead through Maghnes Akilouche after Barcelona were reduced to 10 men via Garcia’s red card.

    Lamine Yamal then equalized for the LaLiga giants, before George Ilenikhena found the winner for Monaco.

    Speaking at his post-match interview, Flick admitted that “the sending off [Garcia’s red card] changed the game completely.

    “Monaco deserved the win. We have to look at what happened but we have to be proud even though we are disappointed. Now we have to focus on Sunday’s challenge.”

  • Yamal hits double as Barca maintain perfect start

    Yamal hits double as Barca maintain perfect start

    Lamine Yamal scored twice as Barcelona ruthlessly maintained their perfect start to the season with a 4-1 away win at Girona.

    The 17-year-old Spain winger opened the scoring in the 30th minute after dispossessing David Lopez deep in his own half before lifting the ball beyond goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

    Yamal needed scored a second seven minutes later with a composed, first-time finish from the edge of the box after Raphinha’s free-kick rebounded to him.

    Girona, who finished third last season, thought they had been awarded a penalty after Bryan Gil’s header struck the arm of Inigo Martinez but the decision was reversed after a video assistant referee review.

    Dani Olmo became the first player to score in his first three Barcelona league matches since Cesc Fabregas in 2011 with a fine finish from a tight angle in the 47th minute to make it 3-0.

    Midfielder Pedri latched on to Marc Casado’s defence-splitting pass to slot beyond Gazzaniga to put the gloss on the performance 17 minutes later.

    Substitute Cristhian Stuani scored a consolation for the home side 10 minutes from time with a first-time finish inside the penalty area.

    Six minutes later, former Manchester City winger Ferran Torres, who had only been on the pitch for 17 minutes, was shown a red card for a heavy challenge on Yaser Asprilla.

    Victory moved Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga after their fifth consecutive win.

    BBC