BARCA

 Liverpool has one of the strongest squads in the world, without a doubt. But there is always more work to be done in the market and the planning for the next windows is always ongoing. Before Liverpool knows exactly what the long-term future will look like, it will need to make a decision on who its next sporting director might be. Jörg Schmadtke did a good job during the summer but a more permanent appointment would seem logical. No matter when an announcement might be coming about that, though, Liverpool must be considering doing more business in the January transfer window when that opens. Thiago Alcântara and Joël Matip are both out of contract at the conclusion of this season, so if nothing else, it would make sense to sign players in those positions ahead of time. Jamie Carragher left fuming during live game as Liverpool legend calls for rule change And then there is the Moisés Caicedo-shaped hole in the squad that will one day need to be filled. Whether the right elite hold...

Lionel Messi had some significant and disappointing moments during his two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain. One came in the first leg against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 matchup. The Argentine had an opportunity to open the scoring via a penalty kick midway through the second half. However, Messi would step into the box, and Thibaut Courtois made the save to keep the score 0-0.  Messi spoke about that penalty kick and matchup loss to Real Madrid in L’Equipe’s documentary Ballon d’Or 2022: la course vers l’éternité. “This elimination was very painful because we had two good matches, especially in the first leg, where we deserved to obtain a better result,” Messi said (h/t Le10Sport). “I missed a penalty, and for me, it was hard to swallow.” PSG did score late in that first leg, thanks to Kylian Mbappé. However, the meltdown in the second leg and the final scoreline of 3-2 means that the penalty kick that Messi missed was noticeable.  It could’ve been a...

The defending La Liga champions kick off their preparations for the 2023/2024 season in the United States with a series of friendlies. Meeting Juventus first at the Levi's Stadium home of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, they then head to Los Angeles to meet Arsenal on July 26 ahead of a Dallas installment of El Clasico on July 29 that comes before the tour is wrapped up in Las Vegas by a showdown with AC Milan. Head coach Xavi Hernandez will be able to include new signings Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez in his travelling squad after the veterans joined the club on free transfers in recent weeks. In the past few days, however, Barca have been disappointed by missing out on Arda Guler to bitter rivals Real Madrid and are also struggling to nail down Vitor Roque from Athletico Paranaense. There is good news to be had elsewhere, though, with midfielder Pedri, who is likely to partner Gundogan in attacking midfield for the forseeable future, confirming online that he will be f...

Arsenal are on the verge of selling Granit Xhaka after an agreement was struck about a new valuation for the Swiss star, who may not be the only midfielder leaving the club this summer. While Arsenal focus on bolstering their midfield with the club-record signing of Declan Rice from West Ham, Xhaka has become a top target for Bayer Leverkusen this summer, after a season in which he was a hugely important part of the squad that finished as runners up to Manchester City in the Premier League. Indeed, Xhaka has come a long way since a clash with supporters in 2019 that almost led to his exit from the club. If he does leave this year, it will be with more than a hint of sadness for the Arsenal faithful. Amid rumours that Bayer Leverkusen have a long-term contract waiting for him in Germany, Arsenal reportedly raised their asking price for Xhaka recently. Nevertheless, Football London claims an improved bid from Bayer Leverkusen has now been accepted by Arsenal and the deal should be finali...

Barca B currently compete in the third tier of Spanish football, and they’re hoping to complete the signing of Azeez on a free transfer with a sell-on clause. Azeez still has a contract until 2024 with Arsenal, so the Gunners would have to agree to such a deal. On the surface of it, you’d think a free-transfer move wouldn’t be particularly appealing to Arsenal, failing to net them any money for a young player they’ve invested significant time and resources in. But Azeez’s recent career trajectory might make the Barcelona option more appealing. At the start of the 2021/22 campaign, Azeez went out on loan to Portsmouth, but he was recalled in January having only made 10 appearances for the League One side, and he spent the rest of the season with the Arsenal academy. Last season, Azeez went back out on loan to UD Ibiza, but once again, he was recalled in January after 11 appearances. This time, Arsenal re-loaned the midfielder to Wigan Athletic, where he played just twice in the second h...

Lionel Messi joined PSG from Barcelona in the summer of 2021. The Argentine intends to return to Barcelona and live there when his career comes to an end. The biggest chunk of Lionel Messi's professional career is behind him. The Argentina legend won the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, beating France in the final, to complete the final piece of his career jigsaw. Presently playing club football in Paris Saint-Germain, Messi has often been linked with a return to Barcelona, his boyhood club. While it isn't yet certain if the Argentine will ever play for the Catalans again, he will surely live in Barcelona once he announces finishes his career. In an interview with Dario Ole, Messi confirmed that he intends to live in Barcelona after his playing days are over. Because of age, it'll be difficult to make 2026. I love playing football and while I feel like I'm in good shape and enjoying this, I'm going to keep at it. It seems like a long time until the next World Cup, but ...

After an eventful end to the transfer deadline day, Barcelona will look to focus on their affairs on the pitch as they take on Real Betis tonight. It is a must-win contest for the Catalans as they look to maintain their healthy five-point lead over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the league table. After an eventful end to the transfer deadline day, Barcelona will look to focus on their affairs on the pitch as they take on Real Betis tonight. It is a must-win contest for the Catalans as they look to maintain their healthy five-point lead over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the league table. The club have performed exceedingly well since the turn of the year. But ahead of a tough February schedule, they must proceed with caution, especially with a host of players already running the risk of suspension in the upcoming game against Sevilla in the event of a booking versus Real Betis. There are, in fact, four Barcelona players that could face suspension against Sevilla if they ...

The frenetic last days of European soccer’s midseason player trading market — that whirlwind of spending and sales known as the January transfer window — are always full of drama. Rumors fly. Deals are made. For most clubs, the final hours, which arrived Tuesday, are spent engaged in last-minute haggling over the prices for new players. At FC Barcelona, the Spanish club trapped in a yearslong financial crisis, the close of this year’s window was even stranger than usual: While most of its rivals scoured the market for players, Barcelona went to court to keep hold of one of its own. The crisis was of the club’s own making. Having spent heavily on new talent last summer despite repeated warnings that its spending violated league cost controls, Barcelona was told by the Spanish league that it could not register any new players until it could find savings or new revenues. That did not stop the team from offering a new contract to Gavi, a prodigiously talented teenager who is one of the clu...

FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta has lauded Xavi, who currently coaches the Catalans, as one of the architects of the Spanish national team’s success so far in the FIFA World Cup. While Spain have yet to book their ticket into the knockout rounds, their demolishing of Costa Rica by a score of 7-0 and a high level draw against Germany that ended 1-1 have been quite a solid start for la roja. “A lot of credit for this team could be attributed to Xavi because he is making them play in Barça’s first team. It is a consequence of his great work,” Laporta said. Luis Enrique, who once managed Barcelona, is now Spain’s coach, and he has relied on many Barcelona players. Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, and Ferran Torres all start for Spain. In addition, Alejandro Balde, Ansu Fati, and Eric García are in the squad. Laporta has said that the World Cup has been “looking fantastic” so far, with many Barcelona players involved and doing the business for their countries. FC Barcelona is p...

Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets has a host of young team-mates under his charge this season, with teenagers such as Pedri, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde all regulars in Xavi’s starting XI. All three players are also with Busquets in the Spain national team for the World Cup squad and he’s admitted he has to keep an eye on all the Barca youngsters in an interview with Marca. However, there’s one player in particular who needs a little more attention than the others. I have to control all of them a little, but Gavi more. That’s the thing about the youngsters. They can be funnier, more clueless, but when it comes down to it, they all pitch in and listen to the older ones,” he said. “He’s like that. I am lucky that he is on my team. Nobody beats him for character and intensity. He has some very good things for the team and others that he has to polish. At his age, imagine the things he can add to his repertoire.” Gavi only turned 18 in August but is already a key player for club and country....