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Tag: Barca

  • Barca sign Ajax right back for €21m

    Barca sign Ajax right back for €21m

    Spanish giants FC Barcelona have announced the signing of right full-back Sergino Dest from Ajax for 21 million euros plus a further 5 million in variables.

    Dest, who signed a five-year contract, will have a buyout clause at 400 million euros.

    The Catalan club said the new signing will be presented on Friday afternoon.

    In a statement on its official website, Barcelona said: “Sergiño Dest combines many excellent qualities needed in a full back: attacking when called for, solid defensively, unruffled in possession and creative with it.

    “The defender has the ability to take players on and his pace is a virtue going forward and defending. Those qualities will be on display from now on in a Barça shirt, a challenge for a fearless young full back.”

    The 19-year-old American is the first signing of the Coach Ronald Koeman’s era.

  • Messi renews Barca war over Saurez exit

    Messi renews Barca war over Saurez exit

    Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has fired a new barb at the board this morning over Luis Suarez’s departure.

    The striker gave his farewell media conference yesterday ahead of joining Atletico Madrid.

    In a social media post today, Messi declared: “I had already begun to imagine it but today I went into the dressing room and it truly dawned on me. It’s going to be so difficult to not continue to share every day with you both on the pitches and away from them.

    “We’re going to miss you so much. We spent many years together, many lunches and many dinners. So many things we will never forget, all the time we spent together.

    “It will be strange to see you in another shirt and much more to come up against you on the pitch. You deserved a farewell that fit with who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club. Someone who achieved great things for the team and on an individual level.

    “You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did. But the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me anymore.”

  • Koeman puts 12 Barca players up for sale

    Koeman puts 12 Barca players up for sale

    Barcelona are set for a huge fire sale under new manager, Ronald Koeman – with 12 players reportedly up for grabs.

    Big names like Luis Suarez and Samuel Umtiti are facing the chop as the Spanish club looks to rebuild following their 8-2 Champions League humiliation and the prolonged Lionel Messi transfer saga.

    The Catalan giants are also believed to be on the hunt for new names in their dramatic squad overhaul.

    But with Lionel Messi set to stay, the inflated wage bill must first come down to accommodate expensive signings.

    Along with Suarez and French international Umtiti, the likes of ex-Middlesbrough flop Martin Braithwaite and Arturo Vidal could also be shown the door.

    Liverpool fan favourite Suarez, 33, is tipped with a move to Juventus costing around £2.8million plus £12 million in variables, which would link him up with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo after he spent the last few years alongside Messi.

    The deal appeared close before Atletico Madrid become involved and now the Uruguayan is considering staying in Spain, reports say.

    If he were to leave, that would leave Braithwaite as the only recognised out-and-out striker at the club.

    But Koeman is reportedly not keen on him either and is open to offers, despite the 29-year-old’s professionalism.

    Vidal’s move to Inter Milan has stalled, with reports suggesting this is due to the financial repercussions of the coronavirus lockdown.

    And Umtiti also looks set for a move away from the Nou Camp after Koeman told him he can go.

    Along with the big names, the clear out could also see centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo on his way – with Leicester and Everton linked to him – and Nelson Semedo’s position is far from secure.

    Rafinha’s future appears to lie in the Premier League with Arsenal and Leeds battling it out for his signature.

    Left backs Junior Firpo and Miranda, along with youngsters Moussa Wague, Barcelona B central midfielder Monchu and defensive midfielder Oriol Busquets, may also be axed from the club.

    Former Everton boss Koeman is believed to be taking no prisoners to fix the crisis-hit club.

    Along with their dismantling by Bayern Munich, the club also finished five points off La Liga champions Real Madrid in a disappointing domestic season, with Quique Setiens sacked after only eight months in charge.

    On the bright side for Barcelona fans, rumours persist that Lyon hotshot Memphis Depay is on his way to join his former international manager.

  • Finally, Lionel Messi agrees to stay with Barca

    Finally, Lionel Messi agrees to stay with Barca

    Captain Lionel Messi has confirmed he will stay in Barcelona after officially informing the club he wanted to leave.

    In a recorded interview with Goal, the Argentine talisman said: “I was not happy and wanted to leave. I have not been cleared in any way and will continue with the club so as not to get into a legal dispute. The management of the club led by Bartomeu is a disaster.”

    He said doesn’t want to leave Barcelona where he has played since he was a boy on the note of litigations.

  • Rivaldo: Why would Neymar join Barca in chaos?

    Rivaldo: Why would Neymar join Barca in chaos?

    Former Barcelona attacker Rivaldo does not believe Neymar has any reason to join the club.

    The Paris Saint-Germain striker is again being linked with a move back to his old club.

    But Rivaldo thinks the current chaos at Barcelona surrounding Lionel Messi means Neymar would have no interest in such a move.

    He told Betfair: “After everything he went through since his arrival at PSG, I think Neymar has to be congratulated for reaching the Champions League final after three seasons with the club.

    “He had a tough time in France after he tried to return to Barcelona, being booed at his own stadium, but he managed to turn things around and I admire him because of that.

    “Today, he is totally focused on the club and playing well, so the fans are supporting him. He has no reason to leave the club now, especially given the chaos at Barca.

    “PSG shouldn’t make too many changes to their squad for next season, so their understanding will improve a bit more and they should be strong contenders again in the Champions League.”

  • [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    The transfer request tabled by Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi has been uncovered.

    TMW has re-published a copy of the fax sent to Barca and president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    Messi, via his lawyers, informed Barca through the fax that he wished to terminate his contract and leave – with immediate effect.

    There are claims Messi could yet break his contract courtesy of an exit clause. Barca have insisted it was only available for July.

    But Messi’s legal team are now arguing the deadline must be extended due to the season also running into August.

    The letter, addressed to Bartomeu and Barca’s board of directors, loosely translates:

    “By means of this letter, I, Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, request that the employment benefit contract that I currently occupy in your distinguished club be terminated, based on clause number 24 that allows me to have this power.

    “I appreciate all the opportunities for personal growth and professional preparation that were offered to me during the time I worked.

    “Learnings that allowed me to consolidate my technical and human profile, but for personal reasons this [blank] difficult decision was made by me, which I hope will be made in the best way by the management of this club. Sincerely”.

  • Messi shuns Barcelona training

    Messi shuns Barcelona training

    Lionel Messi informed Barcelona coaches he was not going to turn up to training on Wednesday, according to Barcelona’s newly-appointed sporting director Ramon Planes.

    Messi asked Barca Tuesday to leave the club he has been with for 20 seasons, since he was 13 years old.

    “Messi informed us that he was not going to show up to training,” Planes said during the official unveiling of Portuguese striker Joao Trincao.

    “But all exchanges will remain between the two parties (the club and the player) and out of respect we will not communicate on what is said because we are putting all our efforts in this dialogue.”

    Planes took over his post from Eric Abidal, who was sacked a day after manager Quique Setien was released following the humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich, which left Barca without a trophy for the first time since 2007.

    Messi, Planes insisted, in the first official club reaction to the Argentinian’s want-away demand, was “important news. But what we think, and we’ve said it many times, is that we see Messi as a Barca player”.

    “Today Trincao arrives and we hope he will triumph alongside Messi.”

    Planes added: “Barca has rebuilt itself several times in its history, and it has always come back more powerful. Our idea is to do it once again, around the best player in the world.

    “You have to have enormous respect for what Messi is and for his history.

    “We’re not thinking about any clause in his contract. Messi’s marriage to Barca has brought a lot to both (the club and the player), a lot of joy to the supporters and, internally, we are working to convince Messi to find the best solution for Barca and for Messi.”

    Planes stressed that there was “not an argument between Messi and Barca — neither deserves it”.

    “We are working to make Barca a winner. There is no division within the club over Leo. Anyone who knows football wants him to stay here to win again. He’s a winner.

  • Barca boils as Messi insists on leaving

    Barca boils as Messi insists on leaving

    Team captain Lionel Messi’s bombshell request to leave Barcelona has deepened the turmoil within the Catalan side, less than two weeks after their humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich.

    The club received a burofax from Messi’s lawyers declaring that the player, who has spent his 19 years at Barca, wished to leave.

    A burofax is a service used in Spain to urgently dispatch a document through a certified email, which issues a digital certificate with legal validity.

    The club subsequently sent Messi a burofax, stating they wanted him to stay and finish his career at Barca, added the source.

    A second source added that the burofax Messi’s lawyers sent referred to a clause in the last contract the 33-year-old Argentine signed with the club in 2017.

    The clause allowed him to leave for free, a clause that expired on June 10 this year.

    Under the terms of the contract which expires in 2021, the only way Messi can leave without the club’s consent is if a rival side pays his release clause of 700 million euros (629.7 million pounds).

    The club considers that the contract is fully binding until 30 June 2021,” added the second source.

    The Argentine’s request to leave Barca comes a day after Spanish media reported that new coach Ronald Koeman had spoken with Messi’s close friend and strike partner, Luis Suarez.

    It was reported that Koeman does not wish the Uruguayan to stay at the club.

    Other reports said Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic and French defender Samuel Umtiti have also been told they are no longer wanted.

    Barca are in the midst of overhauling their squad following the 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals earlier this month.

    It was a defeat which condemned the club to a trophy-less season for the first time in 12 years.

    Messi, who has been named world player of the year a record six times, has grown increasingly unhappy in the last 12 months.

    He was unhappy with how the club is being run under president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    In February, he lashed out at then sporting director Eric Abidal on social media.

    A couple of months later, he turned his anger on the club hierarchy for the way in which players were forced to take a pay cut to cope with the financial hit of the coronanvirus pandemic.

    After Barca surrendered the La Liga title to Real Madrid in July, Messi slammed the team as being “weak” and “vulnerable” during an uncharacteristically fiery post-match interview.

    Former Barca captain Carles Puyol backed Messi’s wish to leave the club by writing on Twitter: “Respect and admiration, Leo. You have all my support, friend.”

    Ex-Barca president Joan Laporta blamed Bartomeu for the stance taken by Messi.

    “Bartomeu and his board should quit immediately. They have undermined Messi to save them from the sporting and financial mess they have created.

    “If they quit, there might be some hope that Messi stays at Barca,” he tweeted.

    Catalonia’s regional leader Quim Torra appeared to accept that Barca’s best ever player, who in 2019 was given the Creu de Sant Jordi award for services to the region, was about to leave.

    He tweeted: “Catalonia will always be your home. Many thanks for all the happy moments and for your extraordinary football.

    “We have been so lucky to share so many years of our lives with the best player in the world and a noble sportsman.”

  • Barca coach Koeman sees Depay as Suarez replacement

    Barca coach Koeman sees Depay as Suarez replacement

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman is lining up a move for Lyon attacker Memphis Depay.

    RAC1 says Koeman sees Depay as a striker and plans to replace Luis Suarez with the Holland international.

    Indeed, Koeman is arguing Depay would be a more affordable attacking signing than Inter Milan ace Lautaro Martinez.

    Depay has a deal with Lyon to 2021 and Barca rate the former Manchester United winger at €40m.

    Along with Depay, Koeman is also keen on fellow Dutchman Donny van de Beek, of Ajax.

  • Pique calls for ‘bottom to top’ changes after Barca’s ‘tremendously painful’ defeat

    Pique calls for ‘bottom to top’ changes after Barca’s ‘tremendously painful’ defeat

    FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says radical changes are needed from top to bottom after his side were annihilated 8-2 by Bayern Munich on Friday.

    The loss meant they made their exit from the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League in one of the Catalan side’s darkest ever nights.

    “We feel devastated, although ‘shame’ is the real word I’m looking for.

    “We cannot afford to compete like this because it’s not the first, the second or the third time that something like this has happened,” a tearful Pique told reporters after the quarter-final drubbing, their worst-ever result in Europe.

    “This is very painful but I hope it serves some purpose.”

    Pique is one of the surviving members of the team who won the UEFA Champions League in 2009 under Pep Guardiola to begin a golden era for the Catalans.

    But he said he was ready to leave the club in order to ensure they improve.

    Pique also appeared to blame the Barca hierarchy, which includes president Josep Maria Bartomeu, for the team’s predicament as he called for changes at the very top.

    “We all need to reflect deeply. The club needs lots of changes.

    “I’m not talking about the coach, players —- I don’t want to point the finger at anyone, but the club needs changes on a structural level,” he said.

    “If new blood needs to come for the club to change course then I’m not untouchable and I’ll be the first to leave if needs be, because it seems as if we’ve hit rock bottom.

    “We all have to reflect about what is the best thing for the club and for Barca.”

    Barca coach Quique Setien is unlikely to survive overseeing such a debacle, although he did not say whether or not he saw himself continuing in charge of the team.

    “I’m not going to go into all that as I’ve only been here for six months. But seeing as this is Pique, surely some of what he said is true,” said the coach.

    “Right now we feel enormous frustration and all we can do is make conclusions and think about the future.

    “Barca is a club that is so great that this will cause us a lot of damage and obviously some things will have to change.

    “The truth is this is a tremendously painful defeat.”