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Tag: Barca

  • Laporta has brought calm to Barca – Ter Stegen

    Laporta has brought calm to Barca – Ter Stegen

    Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen says the club is in a better place after the election of president Joan Laporta.

    Barca are set for a massive clash with Atletico Madrid with the LaLiga leadership up for grabs.

    Ter Stegen said, “The arrival of a new president brought calm to the club. And it’s good for the club. I’m sure that Barca will keep being successful in the future. Laporta is good with us, he transmits energy and is optimistic. He encourages us and that is important.

    “After the hard start, now we’re still able to become champions. It will be open until the last week. Coming back against Valencia was very important for us and will give us confidence ahead of the clash with Atletico.”

  • I spoke with Messi about Barca move – Lautaro

    I spoke with Messi about Barca move – Lautaro

    Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez admits he was close to joining Barcelona.

    Lautaro says moving to Barca was considered last summer.

    “I was truly very close to joining Barcelona and I even talked it over with Messi,” the 23-year-old confessed to ESPN Argentina.

    “However, the Blaugrana had economic problems at that moment, so I decided to stay at Inter. It proved to be the right decision, especially as we then won the Scudetto.

    “It’s just incredible to win the title at such an important club.”

    El Toro also reveals he had been approached by the other Spanish giants too.

    “Real Madrid did come for me twice when I was in the Racing youth team, but I wanted to make my name in Argentinean football first and only made the move to Europe when I was ready.

    “I do dream one day of returning to Racing. The fans are just as ‘crazy’ and passionate as the Inter ones.”

  • Laporta approves sale of two Barca stars

    Laporta approves sale of two Barca stars

    Barcelona president Joan Laporta is dropping a sale bombshell on the dressing room ahead of the summer market.

    That’s according to El Chiringuito’s Alfredo Duro, who says Laporta has approved the sales of two Barca stalwarts.

    “Laporta has put (Sergi) Busquets and Jordi Alba up for sale because of their salary,” revealed Duro.

    Both senior players are La Masia products, with Busquets making his debut with Barca in 2008.

    Alba, meanwhile, was brought back to Barca from Valencia in 2012 and has been an outstanding performer this season.

  • I dream of playing with Argentina star at Barca – Gotze

    I dream of playing with Argentina star at Barca – Gotze

    World Cup winner Mario Gotze has revealed his dream to play alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona while talking up his chances of earning a recall to the Germany national team.

    The 28-year-old says Camp Nou would be his first choice next destination, having long been an admirer of Barca’s style of play and their club captain Messi.

    “To celebrate possession football with this [Barca] team, alongside Lionel Messi, that would be a dream,” Gotze told 11Freunde. “I want to play the Champions League again.”

    Gotze did, however, go on to insist that he is ready to sit down with PSV to discuss extending his contract beyond 2022, with the only stipulation being that head coach Roger Schmidt remains at the club alongside him.

    “If Roger wanted to leave, I would worry,” he said. “We have agreed with PSV that we will sit down on an extraordinary offer.”

  • Barca approach PSG for Neymar transfer talks

    Barca approach PSG for Neymar transfer talks

    La Liga giant Barcelona have approached Paris Saint-Germain about talks over Neymar.

    RAC1 reports Barcelona continue to dream of bringing Neymar back to the Camp Nou to play alongside Lionel Messi and have reached out to Paris Saint-Germain to test the waters.

    The Brazilian hasn’t hidden his desire to play with Messi again and Joan Laporta would love to make it happen this summer.

    The Parisian club have informed Barcelona that he is not for sale.

    PSG are in fact trying to extend Neymar’s current deal, which expires in summer 2022, but the Blaugrana are not giving up hope, especially if no deal is reached betweent the player and his current club.

  • We need to leave Messi alone – Barca chief

    We need to leave Messi alone – Barca chief

    Barcelona chief Guillermo Amor says Lionel Messi is in good spirits.

    Amor says Messi was fine after last night’s disappointing defeat at home to Granada.

    “I saw him very well, as always, he scored the goal but it was difficult for him,” said Amor.

    “His future? We want him to stay but we must leave him alone and let him decide what he wants to do and when he wants it.”

    The defeat saw Barca miss the chance to go top of the LaLiga table.

  • Barcelona without Messi is no longer Barca – Iniesta

    Barcelona without Messi is no longer Barca – Iniesta

    Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta is eager to see Lionel Messi stay.

    Off contract in June, the future of Messi remains in doubt, despite his good relationship with new Barca president Joan Laporta.

    Iniesta, now with Vissel Kobe, says he wants to see Messi stay.

    He said, “My desire and I believe that of all Barca fans is that Leo can stay at Barcelona until he retires.

    “Barça without Leo is no longer Barça.”

  • Barca blow chance to go top after home loss to Granada

    Barca blow chance to go top after home loss to Granada

    FC Barcelona missed the chance to go top of La Liga with just five games left when they were stunned 2-1 by Granada at Camp Nou on Thursday night.

    Although Barca controlled most of the ball and had the majority of the chances, two defensive lapses did them in.

    They allowed Darwin Machis and Jorge Molina to overturn Leo Messi’s opener for the home side.

    But they remain third in the table, two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

    With a difficult visit to Valencia on Sunday, FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman made three changes to his starting 11.

    Samuel Umtiti, Ilaix Moriba and Sergi Roberto came in for Clement Lenglet, Pedri, and Sergino Dest.

    As expected, Barca controlled the ball, but they could not test Aaron in the Granada goal until the 20th minute.

    Three minutes later, Antoine Griezmann, who is in his best form of the season, set up Leo Messi to put Barca ahead.

    It was the French forward’s seventh assist of the season.

    Griezmann and Messi combined again shortly afterward, only for Messi to drag his shot wide and with Barca in the ascendency.

    Aaron did magnificently to deny Messi when he was able to deflect the ball just wide after a pass from Sergio Busquets.

    The second half began with Griezmann shooting just wide from the edge of the Granada penalty area.

    Shortly after, Sergi Roberto fired just over the bar after a flowing move involving Messi and Frenkie de Jong.

    The home side looked to be in complete control as they stroked the ball around.

    But they were caught flat-footed in the 63rd minute when Oscar Mingueza failed to cut out a through ball.

    It allowed Darwin Machis to race forward and beat Marc Andre Ter Stegen and level the scores.

    Koeman was sent off for his protests, but TV replays showed there was no offside in the move.

    Although his side again took control after Ousmane Dembele and Pedri came into the game, Jorge Molina again made Barca pay for more poor defending.

    This was when he nodded home Granada’s second goal in the 80th minute completely unmarked from five metres out.

  • Former Barca captain stunned over Messi transfer talk

    Former Barca captain stunned over Messi transfer talk

    Barcelona legend Xavi is baffled that there’s doubt about the future at the club of Lionel Messi.

    The Al Sadd coach has had his say on Messi’s situation as the Barca captain’s contract runs down.

    Xavi said, “We have to see that Leo is happy because with a happy Messi, you have more chances to win titles and that things work.

    “Many times it has given me the feeling that Leo was not happy on the field, he looked sad, and that as a Culé it gave me a lot of pain.

    “We have not taken enough advantage over these years to have the best player in the world with us.

    “That he has not felt happy in the club makes me sad. Things must have been done very badly so that Leo has not felt happy there.”

  • The Super League is a necessity – Barca president

    The Super League is a necessity – Barca president

    Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has described the new Super League as a “necessity” affirming that he remains fully behind the plans for the controversial breakaway.

    The announcement of a new competition including 12 of the richest clubs in European football last Sunday was met with fierce opposition from supporters and players alike, leading to many of the founding members performing a swift U-turn.

    Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have all withdrawn, but Barca are one of four founding clubs still on board, and Laporta is not yet ready to give up on the initiative.

    “We had a position and we still have one and we will explain,” the Barca president told TV3. “The position is one of caution but it [Super League] is a necessity. On the other hand as it should be, our members will have the last word on it.

    “It’s absolutely necessary that the big clubs, given that we generate a lot of revenue, we want to have the capacity to have our say on the sharing process. And also, we believe that it’s important that this is accompanied by an attractive competition based on sporting merit.”

    Laporta added: “We are the defenders of maintaining local leagues and therefore, we are always open to dialogue with UEFA. That is the premise. Everyone wants to make football better and have the necessary resources to make it a great spectacle.

    “Because if the big clubs don’t have these resources, football will be damaged. There will be institutional harmony and a willingness to think about all this.

    “There was a series of pressure which made some clubs pull out or value it in a different way, but the fact is that the proposal still exists but more resources are needed given that we have important investment, we paid important salaries and if we want football to be a spectacle through sporting merits, whoever wants this level of quality to be maintained must take into account what we are proposing.”