Tag: Barca

Letting Messi go my saddest decision of all – Laporta

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has again defended allowing Lionel Messi to leave last summer.

The Argentine forward ended up parting ways with the Blaugrana and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as the Catalan club had to comply with LaLiga’s wage cap rules.

“It is the saddest decision of all,” Laporta told Barcelona’s official media.

“I would never have wanted to make it, but I am not sorry either because we had to put the club above everything, which is what we did, even ahead of the best player. The situation was what it was.

“We came up against reality. It seemed that afterwards there was nothing, but Barcelona’s history continues and with work and good thought-out decisions we could return to the path of success, which is what we are doing.”

Laporta went on to express his gratitude towards Ronald Koeman for giving opportunities to youngsters, but stressed that his decision to sack him was correct.

“I had doubts after the first season, but out of respect for him we tried [to see how things would go],” added Laporta.

“There came a time when I saw that another painful decision had to be made. If I had had to make it earlier? Yes. I had to have listened to the intuition.

“I will always remember Koeman for the goal at Wembley, for a coach who had the courage to use young people. If he is hurt, I hope it will go away.”

March 8, 2022
La Liga: Barca coach Xavi slammed over Pedri comments

Barcelona coach Xavi has been criticised over his management of Pedri.

Local pundit Edu Aguirre, speaking on El Chiringuito, is baffled over Xavi publicly likening Pedri to his former Barca teammate Andres Iniesta.

“I couldn’t get Xavi’s statements about Pedri out of my head,” Aguirre said.

“Those words really got me thinking. Xavi made a terrible mistake. Just imagine what a boy of nineteen years old when he goes to bed… His trainer says that he is better than De Bruyne, that he is better than Modric and that he is the successor of Iniesta, one of the best athletes in Spanish history, and he says he is the greatest talent in the world…

“Fans say things like that on Twitter, but the trainer…”, continues Aguirre. “The coach is there to keep a player with both feet on the ground. He has to keep the head of a nineteen-year-old boy in order. The trainer must be Pedri’s football father and tell him: ‘When you wake up tomorrow and start training, you train as if you have achieved nothing. That will take you to success.’”

“’You shouldn’t let anyone bite your ear’, they always say. But Xavi is the one who bites the ear off. You just can’t say those things to a nineteen year old.

“Xavi is just raising Pedri badly. Pedri is going to be very good, and he already is. But Xavi can’t just say everything about him. He’s only nineteen! You can say it to a thirty-year-old who has been through it all. Tomorrow he’ll get up and say, ‘I already know everything. Hey, I’m better than Modric, I’m better than De Bruyne, I’m the next Iniesta. Why? That’s what Xavi says.’ Xavi must put him in his place and ensure that he continues to work hard every day. Xavi is making a big mistake.”

March 2, 2022
Shakira reveals main reason she fights with Gerard Pique

Popular pop singer, Shakira has revealed the reason she fought with Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique in the past.

The Colombia singer has been in a relationship with Pique for over a decade and both celebrities are yet to exchange marital vows despite sharing two kids, Milan and Sasha, together.

Shakira met Pique on the sets of one of her music videos and the two work on different clocks.

The 45-year-old has now shed light on the impact it has on their relationship.

“My poor husband, slash boyfriend, slash baby daddy, whatever you want to call him; he has to wait up for me so long. He is tired of waiting up,” Shakira told podcast Planet Hero with H (via GOAL).

She added, “Because Colombian time is not the same as Catalonian time, Spanish time, his mind is structured like that and mine… I have become a lot more punctual since I met him.

“[But] the times that we actually fight is because I am late, and he’s waiting up.”

March 2, 2022
REVEALED: Chelsea defender passed ‘secret’ Barca medical

Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has passed a “secret” Barcelona medical, it has been revealed.

The Dane is off contract at Chelsea this summer and has been in talks with Barca about a Bosman move.

Okdiario’s chief pundit Eduardo Inda, speaking on El Chiringuito, has revealed Christensen is closing on a move to the Nou Camp.

He said: “They tell me that this Monday a Chelsea footballer who wants Barça has passed the medical examination in London, in secret.

“He is Danish, central and his name is Andreas Christensen.

“The (Cesar) Azpilicueta thing is more complicated because he has an optional season (with Chelsea). The departure of Christensen, that of (Toni) Rüdiger and that of Azpilicueta would leave Chelsea without a defence.”

March 1, 2022
La Liga: Xavi reveals impact of new signings at Barca

Barcelona coach Xavi says their January signings have made a big difference.

Wins against Atletico Madrid and Valencia have helped push Barcelona into a Champions League spot and they can consolidate their fourth place position with another victory on Sunday against Athletic Bilbao.

Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have strengthened Barcelona’s attacking options since joining the club and Xavi has been impressed by the trio.

“Without the new signings, we would not have achieved our goals,” Xavi said.

“Auba did not surprise me because he’s always been a top goalscorer.

“Torres is an amazing player, with the work he brings and how he plays for the team. We are talking about a high-level player. He is the player that surprised me the most. He is awesome.

“Adama surprised me with his decision-making, which has improved recently.”

February 27, 2022
Coutinho reveals reason leaving Liverpool for Barca

Aston Villa player Philippe Coutinho insists he has no regrets about moving to Barcelona.

The 29 year-old left Barca in January for Villa on-loan.

Coutinho said: “Regrets for having signed with Barça? No.

“At times we have to make decisions, and one of my big dreams was to play for Barcelona, and at that time I decided to make that decision, but always with great affection, respect and of gratitude for Liverpool and for the friendships over the years I have been with the club.

“But at that time, I had a decision to make and I don’t regret it.”

February 26, 2022
People now think Barca are Europa favourites – Adama Traore

Barcelona attacker Adama Traore was delighted with victory at Napoli.

Barca won 4-2 in Naples to win the Europa League playoff 5-3 on aggregate.

“The team has been intense, they have worked, we have been very effective. This is the path and the line to follow,” said Adama.

“It’s important to also be dangerous on the counterattack. Our game is to have the ball and look for free spaces, but if we have that quality and exploit our speed, it’s good for us. We have to keep growing as a team.

“People may think that we are favourites. Our mentality is to win any match, that is the requirement.”

February 26, 2022
Barca to face Galatasaray, Sevilla play West Ham in Europa League [Full draw]

FC Barcelona will face Galatasaray in the 2021/2022 Europa League round of 16 while Sevilla will take on West Ham United following Friday’s draw in Nyon.

Spartak Moscow, the only Russian club left in the competition, have been drawn against RB Leipzig.

Spartak will however be unable to play their home game in their country and will have to find a neutral venue.

This was after a decision taken by UEFA’s Executive Committee on Friday following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.

FC Barcelona, who have never won the competition, are looking to become the third consecutive Spanish side to lift the title after Sevilla and Villarreal.

FC Barcelona failed to make it past the UEFA Champions League group stages for the first time in 22 years and are taking part in their first Europa League competition since 2004.

Xavi Hernandez’s side reached the round of 16 after a convincing 4-2 win (5-3 on aggregate) at Napoli on Thursday.

FC Barcelona will play the opener at home and then travel to Turkey for the return leg.

Record six-time Europa League winners Sevilla will take on West Ham, a team they have never faced and are presently sixth in the English Premier League.

They have an added motivation to go all the way in the competition with the final being staged on May 18 at their Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

In spite of Thursday’s 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb, Sevilla progressed 3-2 on aggregate.

“We were drawn with perhaps the most difficult [rival] of all,” Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi said.

“A very well-built team, that is having a great season in the Premier League. They have players of a high level, both technical and physical.

“We haven’t been very lucky, but we must assume that draws are like that and look forward with optimism. I don’t think they will be too happy either.

“It’s a good tie, worthy of the importance of the competition.

“It will be a beautiful experience, because England is the cradle of the game of football and this tie will allow us to measure our ability to overcome challenges.”

The other Spanish side left in the competition, Real Betis, square off against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Real Betis knocked Sevilla out of the Copa del Rey last month.

They eliminated Russian Premier League champions Zenit 3-2 on aggregate.

Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers, who saw off Borussia Dortmund and their Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland on Thursday, are back in the round of 16 for a third straight season.

They take on Red Star Belgrade.

Bayer Leverkusen, third in the Bundesliga, have a tricky round of 16 tie against Italian outfit Atalanta.

Meanwhile, in the Europa Conference League, Leicester City have been drawn against Stade Rennais.

The English Premier League side reached the round of 16 after eliminating Danish side Randers 7-2 on aggregate.

AS Roma, who are eighth in Serie A, will take on Dutch side Vitesse.

The round of 16 first leg matches will be played on March 10, except for FC Porto and Real Betis who will play at home a day earlier, while the return matches will be taking place on March 17.

Europa League round of 16

Rangers vs Red Star Belgrade
Braga vs AS Monaco
FC Porto vs Lyon
Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen
Sevilla vs West Ham United
FC Barcelona vs Galatasaray
RB Leipzig vs Spartak Moscow
Real Betis vs Eintracht Frankfurt

Europa Conference League round of 16

Leicester City vs Stade Rennais
Marseille vs FC Basel
PAOK Salonika vs KAA Gent
Vitesse vs AS Roma
PSV Eindhoven vs Copenhagen
Slavia Praha vs LASK
Bodo/Glimt vs AZ Alkmaar
Partizan Belgrade vs Feyenoord Rotterdam

February 25, 2022
Europa: Barca defeat tough in front of our fans – Napoli coach

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti concedes Barcelona deserved their victory in Thursday night’s Europa League playoff.

Barca won 4-2 in Naples to win the tie 5-3 on aggregate.

“We have to be honest, they made far fewer mistakes than we did in possession. We made more mistakes than we are accustomed to, but Barcelona did really well in moving the ball around,” Spalletti told Sky Italia.

“They were also aided by the initial incident on the corner, then De Jong curling it into the top corner, which made it all more difficult.

“When we got back into it after the penalty and were in our best period of the game, we conceded the third out of nowhere.

“It’s very disappointing, because we had a real Napoli atmosphere tonight, we worked so hard for everyone to be back here together again and it leaves us doubly disappointed. Perhaps it’s even more disappointing than the result.

“We also did some things well, but were unable to get the game back on level terms, because every time we got close to them, they’d knock us back down with a KO.”

Spalletti also said: “I am always the first person responsible when the team doesn’t have the right attitude.

“Perhaps in those moments we tried to play it out from the back forcefully, but instead we didn’t find the right passes in the final third and they were very aggressive, especially down the right.

“This high press blocked our exits and after those goals, Barcelona could carry on secure in their status.”

February 25, 2022
I tried every means to return to Barca – Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar has revealed that he “tried everything” to return to Barcelona before Lionel Messi’s move to Paris.

PSG paid a world-record €222 million (£185m/$252m) fee to sign Neymar from Barca in 2017, bringing to an end his hugely successful four-year stint at Camp Nou.

Neymar recorded plenty of goals and assists in his first two seasons at PSG, but also struggled with niggling injuries and ill-discipline, with supporters seemingly turning against him following an incident after the French Cup final in 2019 that saw him punch a spectator.

The forward was strongly linked with a move back to Barca in the summer transfer window of the same year, but a deal never materialised and he has since worked his way back into favour with the PSG faithful.

“I tried to return to Barca. We tried everything, but it wasn’t possible,” Neymar confirmed when quizzed on the saga on the Fenomenos podcast.

February 23, 2022