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Tag: Barca

  • Xavi knows Barca and the system perfectly – Laporta

    Xavi knows Barca and the system perfectly – Laporta

    Barcelona president Joan Laporta says coach Xavi understands the club system perfectly and also retains the board’s confidence.

    Barca are reeling after their draw with Inter Milan left their chances of reaching the Champions League round of 16 hanging by a thread.

    Ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid, Laporta stressed that “confidence in Xavi remains intact, yes, of course.” And he added: “He knows the club and the system perfectly. He is a great person, a great coach, who will give us more success.”

    Laporta revealed how he found Xavi after the draw against Inter.

    “I saw him sad, touched, hurt. This also affected me because we were all touched,” he admitted. But he stressed that “Xavi has a virtue, that no one I’ve ever met has. Once we’re in a difficult situation, he immediately sees the positive side.”

    The president also explained that he encouraged Xavi: “I told him to go ahead. Let’s not think about the Champions League anymore and we are going to focus on the League. We are on the same page, convinced and focused on LaLiga.

    “We all had many illusions deposited in continuity in the Champions League, but after going through a few touched moments, I already see him strong. We will see each other tomorrow, we will go to Madrid together. It is an important game, at the Bernabéu, a game that we like to play.”

  • Inter have never been crushed by Barca – Cambiasso

    Inter have never been crushed by Barca – Cambiasso

    Esteban Cambiasso praised Inter Mlilan for their 3-3 draw at Barcelona.

    The result sees Inter well placed to reach the Champions League round of 16.

    Former Inter midfielder Cambiasso said: “Inter have never been crushed by Barcelona.

    “They also gave us always the feeling like they could win the three points.

    “It was truly a great match.”

  • We’re more effective than Barca – Nagelsmann

    We’re more effective than Barca – Nagelsmann

    Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann was pleased with their finishing for victory over Barcelona.

    Bayern won Tuesday night’s Champions League 2-0 thanks to goals from Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane.

    Nagelsmann said, “We have to be honest, in the first half we didn’t find the game and Barça created more chances for us.

    “But in the second half, we played better and with more speed. We have scored goals and we have had more effectiveness than them.”

    Nagelsmann was also asked about Robert Lewandowski’s performance on the night.

    He added: “He has not scored and that is positive; he has been found to be dangerous. I have greeted him, but I am no longer his coach, the one who has to talk about him is Xavi.”

  • ‘I’ve some unfinished business’ – Aubameyang speaks after joining Chelsea

    ‘I’ve some unfinished business’ – Aubameyang speaks after joining Chelsea

    Premier League club Chelsea have completed the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona.

    The striker joined Barca from Arsenal in January this year, but he has now returned to London in a deal worth £10.3m.

    Aubameyang has signed a two-year contract with the Blues.

    On becoming a Chelsea player, Aubameyang said: “I’m really happy. It’s an honour to be part of this team and I can’t wait to start.

    “I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it’s good to be back and really exciting.”

    Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly said: “Pierre-Emerick is an elite striker with a proven track record in the Premier League and his arrival strengthens our squad, giving us new attacking options. We are thrilled to have Pierre-Emerick on board with us in the new era at Chelsea and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”

    Aubameyang spent four years with Arsenal, where he scored 92 goals in 163 appearances.

  • I never had a coach who trusted me at Barca – Riqui Puig

    I never had a coach who trusted me at Barca – Riqui Puig

    LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig has revealed his disappointment at Barcelona coach Xavi.

    Puig left Barca for Los Angeles this month and has been open about his frustrations last season.

    In his latest interview with Fox, Puig said: “It was a total disappointment, and again more so after these seven years.

    “I stayed in Barcelona while all my teammates were playing in Los Angeles. It hurt me a lot. The pressure on the players? You can definitely act another way. But I have to thank Barcelona because they are the one that I am, even if I have never had a coach who fully trusted me.

    “As a player you can lose confidence but you can never lose continuity.”

  • La Liga: Barca new signings blocked to face Rayo Vallecano

    La Liga: Barca new signings blocked to face Rayo Vallecano

    Barcelona risk facing Rayo Vallecano in their opening LaLiga clash without any of their summer signings.

    Marca says the possibility of Barcelona being able to register their new signings in time for the opening day of LaLiga is beginning to look increasingly complicated.

    There are less than 48 hours left until the match and the Blaugrana have not yet activated the fourth economic lever or sent any documentation to LaLiga, so the response from LaLiga, which has to study everything in detail, may not arrive in time.

    Barcelona have the possibility of activating the lever on Friday morning, but even so, they are already taking a gamble.

    With the activation of the fourth lever, Barcelona could then register some of the signings, but not all of them. The club would then have to decide.

    If it wants to register everyone, in addition to the fourth lever, it would have to reduce the wage bill, which could include player sales.

    But without that fourth lever, it is impossible for the club to register the signings, and the time limit is already very tight.

  • Barca reject Gerard Pique offer to play for free

    Barca reject Gerard Pique offer to play for free

    Barcelona board has tuned down Gerard Pique’s offer to play for free at the La Liga club.

    The veteran defender has agreed to waive the outstanding wages he is owed after deferring part of his salary for the past two years.

    Sport says Pique, knowing Barca are still struggling to balance the books and register new signings, has agreed to return to his original contract terms before signing a new, improved deal during Josep Maria Bartomeu’s reign.

    The deal will continue to 2024, but Pique will now be paid the same terms he was on before the previous arrangement had been settled, which had included promised deferred wages to be paid over the coming two years.

    During negotiations, Pique even offered to play for free, but this was turned down. The defender has forgiven a huge amount of money owed by the club over the past two years to assist their cash problems.

  • What prepared me for Barca move – Lewandowski

    What prepared me for Barca move – Lewandowski

    Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski admits he’s loved his first weeks at the Nou Camp and playing under Pep Guardiola prepared him for the move.

    Lewandowski enjoyed his signing presentation last week.

    He said: “I feel like a small child who enters a huge store of new toys . What I feel in Barcelona so far is pure happiness and motivation to start this new chapter,” says the Pole, who adds that “in Munich I was missing new challenges. I won many titles and I recognize that I felt less and less intensity. I needed another challenge. A boost. A change of environment.”

    Lewandowski played for former Barca coach Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.

    He also said: “Guardiola’s philosophy and his style of caring for and managing the team I think basically was Barça at Bayern Munich. Xavi is very similar to Guardiola. They were both ‘6’, they worked together. They think football in the same way. With that memory in mind, Barça was the only option for me and it was a great preparation when I was there.

    “I didn’t talk to Guardiola before signing. But when I was with him at Bayern it was like a great preparation to get to Barça one day. All the staff were Spanish, there were eight Spanish players. During that period I had a very good relationship with Thiago and Javi Martínez. Both of them congratulated me when I signed for Barça.”

  • Chelsea ready to make multi-player swap offer for Barca midfielder

    Chelsea ready to make multi-player swap offer for Barca midfielder

    Premier League club, Chelsea are ready to set up a multi-player swap deal for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

    Sport says the Blues could possibly offer current defensive duo Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta in part exchange for De Jong.

    Barcelona have already been chasing the signings of the Chelsea pair this summer – despite having already sealed the services of Danish defender Andreas Christensen on a free transfer.

    Barcelona might well prefer to do a deal with Chelsea then considering their aforementioned interest in Alonso and Azpilicueta. President Joan Laporta has already praised their abilities but refused to comment on a potential move for the pair.

    He said from New York: “They are under contract at Chelsea and we respect this as well as the new owner. I don’t want to talk about players who belong to other teams.

    “I respect Cesar and Marcos as footballers. They are very, very good players. They show their quality and talent at Chelsea. But I don’t want to talk about them as a matter of respect for Chelsea.”

  • Messi deserves second chance at Barca – Xavi

    Messi deserves second chance at Barca – Xavi

    Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed he’d like to bring Lionel Messi back from Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.

    The Argentine forward departed the club last summer and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as, once his contract expired, Barcelona couldn’t afford to offer him a new deal due to their financial issues.

    “I wish Messi’s time was not over, I think he deserves a second chance, a last chance, but that’s next year,” Xavi said in a press conference when asked about the player.

    “He has a contract right now [with PSG], but I would like that.”

    Messi’s PSG deal expires at the end of the coming season.