FC Barcelona – Sports Africa

Champions League: Pique keeps Barca’s hopes alive

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MADRID, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) — Defender Gerard Pique’s 36th minute goal gave FC Barcelona a nervy 1-0 win at home to Dinamo Kiev to keep alive their hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League last 16.

The central defender peeled off and found space to smash home Jordi Alba’s cross from the left to give his side the lead in a game they had to win after losing 3-0 to both Bayern Munich and Benfica.

Until that moment the fans in a Camp Nou stadium that again failed to attract 50,000 supporters had begun to show their frustration, after seeing Sergino Dest and Luuk de Jong miss chances to put the Catalans ahead.

De Jong was preferred in attack to Ansu Fati, who Barca coach Ronald Koeman had said prior to the game was still not fit enough to start three games in a week, and the big Dutch striker had a complicated first half.

He headed wide from six meters out after 18 minutes, and seven minutes later rose to meet a Memphis Depay corner, but once again failed to hit the target.

Dest was also guilty of missing a header before firing straight at the keeper when he had the goal at his mercy.

Fati and Philippe Coutinho came on for De Jong and Oscar Mingueza for the start of the second half to allow Dest to drop back into defense and Fati went close with an overhead kick.

Kiev struggled to create much in attack, although Pique did well to block an effort from Viktor Tsyhankov following a set piece.

Coutinho had a good chance to ensure the win for Barca with just under 20 minutes to play but sliced his effort wide, although Barca held on for a win which, although far from convincing, means they keep their Champions League hopes alive ahead of Sunday’s ‘Clasico’ against Real Madrid.

Big test for Koeman as Barca face Valencia

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MADRID, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — Ronald Koeman faces a key game on Sunday that could well decide his future and the club’s entire season.

Barcelona entertain Valencia two weeks after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid that virtually everyone expected to be Koeman’s last game in charge.

However, a late U-turn by club president Joan Laporta (who has probably failed to convince anyone else to take on the cash-strapped club) means the Dutchman remains in his job for a decisive eight-day period.

Barcelona face Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday in a match they have to win to keep their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the competition intact after defeats to Bayern Munich and Benfica, before entertaining Real Madrid in the first ‘Clasico’ of the campaign next Sunday.

Even given the lack of alternatives, it’s hard to see how Koeman could survive another week of bad results.

Fortunately for the coach, he has some players returning after injury: Kun Aguero scored in a midweek friendly and should be able to play some role against Valencia, while Ousmane Dembele looks to be edging towards full fitness and two weeks of training could mean that Ansu Fati is considered fit enough to start a game after three substitute appearances before the international break.

However, Pedri (who on Friday signed a four-year contract extension) is still out for an indefinite period of time, while central defender Ronald Araujo (arguably Barca’s best player this term) picked up a hamstring injury on international duty and joins Martin Brathwaite and Jordi Alba on the injury list.

Araujo’s injury means Koeman will have to reshuffle the Barca defense, with Eric Garcia partnering Gerard Pique. However, the fact that Garcia is suspended for the Champions League game could tempt the coach to give minutes to either Clement Lenglet or Samuel Umtiti.

Teenager Gavi is likely to keep his place in the side after impressing on his international debut and will partner Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong.

Valencia travel to Barcelona without a win in their last four games, but with Pepe Bordalas in charge, they can be expected to pack their defense and break up the play as much as possible. That’s the sort of tactic that Barca have struggled against in recent times and with the patience of fans in the Camp Nou already wearing very thin, Barca and Koeman need an early goal to settle nerves.

Barca insert one billion euros release clause in new Pedri contract

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MADRID, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — FC Barcelona teenage star Pedri has signed contract extension until the end of June 2026 with a release clause of one billion euros.

The club published the news on its official website, informing that the player will sign the new deal on Friday.

Pedri joined Barca as a 17-year-old in the summer of 2020 and was one of the few successes of last season, forcing his way into the first team and then earning a place in the Spanish national team for Euro 2020 and the Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal.

He has made 55 first-team appearances for Barca, while his international appearances meant he played a total of 74 games last season.

With his original contract due to expire at the end of June 2022, Pedri was a tempting target for other clubs and Barca have now assured his future by extending his deal by four more years.

Koeman on the brink as Atletico beat Barca

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MADRID, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) — Ronald Koeman is on the verge of losing his job after FC Barcelona were beaten 2-0 away to Atletico Madrid in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday night.

Barca failed to create real chances in attack while Atletico found holes between their midfield and defense, with Luis Suarez one of their tormentors in chief as they punished Barca’s mistakes.

The defeat comes on the back of a 3-0 humiliation away to Benfica and with no games next weekend, Koeman is likely to be sacked within hours rather than days.

With his job on the line, Koeman, who was watching from the stands due to suspension, bravely included teenage midfielders Gavi and Nico Gonzalez in his starting 11.

Despite the pressure Barca started brightly and looked to control the ball, they were undone midway through the first half when Joao Felix picked out Suarez, who created space and slipped the ball for Thomas Lemar to run into space and crash the ball past Marc Andre Ter Stegen.

Philippe Coutinho went close for Barca with a volley just minutes afterwards, but anyone who saw the discussion between Barca veterans Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets after Atletico’s opener would have had no problems in guessing something was wrong with Barca.

Suarez highlighted the problems before the half hour when he placed wide with just Ter Stegen to beat, but he made no mistake shortly before halftime when he ran into space from Lemar’s through ball and slid the ball into the Barca net.

Koeman brought Sergi Roberto on for Nico at the start of a second half which saw both sides threaten, with Coutinho having the best chance after excellent work from Gavi, who showed why he has been called into the Spain squad with a pass that split the Atletico defense only for Jan Oblak to smother Coutinho’s effort.

However, Atletico continued to look threatening on the break and moments after Ansu Fati replaced Coutinho, as Felix fired powerfully at Ter Stegen after Suarez again found space.

Angel Correa and Antoine Griezmann came on for Suarez and Felix with 20 minutes left to play and Griezmann almost set up Correa immediately after winning possession in the Atletico half and sprinting into the Barca half before just overhitting his pass.

While Atletico celebrated with their fans at the end of the game, Koeman cut a frustrated figure high in the stands in what will be his last game in charge.

Araujo saves a point for Barca but can’t hide deep crisis at the club

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MADRID, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) — FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo headed home an 89th-minute equalizer for his side to save a 1-1 draw at home to Granada, but the goal and an excellent performance from the Uruguayan does little to hide the fact that Barca are a club desperately struggling for form and confidence.

Under pressure after his side’s 3-0 defeat at home to Bayern Munich six days ago and with a host of injuries in his squad, Barca coach Ronald Koeman gave starts to B-team players, Yusuf Demir and Alejandro Balde, who covered for the injured Pedri and Jordi Alba respectively.

Barca needed a good start to the game but got just the opposite after just 90 seconds when Granada left-back Sergio Escudero crossed for Domingos Duarte to head home unopposed at the far post.

The goal made an already nervous Barca more nervous and they were close to falling 2-0 behind when Jorge Molina volleyed just over in the 11th minute.

Sergi Roberto hit the post for Barca with a snap-shot following a corner in the 11th minute, but Barca were struggling to find any fluency against a rival that looked to waste time at any opportunity and the visitors again went close when Marc Andre Ter Stegen produced a flying save to deny Monchu.

Barca’s best chance of the first half came through an Araujo header which was denied by a flying save from Granada keeper Luis Maximiamo, but prior to that Koeman drew the ire of the crowd by replacing Balde (who appeared to be suffering from a back problem) with Oscar Mingueza.

Luuk de Jong replaced Sergi Roberto at the start of the second half as Barca looked for an equalizer, but although they were pegging Granada back, their only chance was an effort from Memphis Depay that went over the bar.

17-year-old midfielder Gavi replaced Philippe Coutinho just before the hour, but Barca were so lacking in creativity that with 15 minutes left to play, central defender Gerard Pique came on to play in attack.

To fans used to seeing Leo Messi lead the Barca line, seeing the veteran defender used as a target man must have been a painful reminder of how things have changed over the past two years.

De Jong headed over when he should have scored and Mingueza hit the top of the bar with a cross from the right, but the sensation in Barcelona’s play was one of desperation. Even Araujo’s equalizing header from a Gavi cross in the last minute will do little to ease the feeling that this is a club in crisis.

Bayern ahead of trend-setting test run in Champions League against Barcelona

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BERLIN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) — The 2021/2022 Champions League campaign has turned into a test run for Bayern Munich.

The 2020 treble winner seems to want to prove that international success can be achieved following an alternative concept.

The Bavarians kept out of the overheated transfer market and costly activities initiated by several leading European clubs.

Bayern’s group opener against Spanish giant FC Barcelona this Tuesday might deliver the first hints of how successful the reigning German Champions concept can be.

In advance of the duel against Barca, former Bayern CEO and UEFA-Executive-Commission member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge demanded UEFA and FIFA take actions to gain re-control of the transfer market that in his perspective “got out of control.”

The 65-year-old said the huge investments made by Premier League sides and Paris Saint-Germain under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, “are difficult to understand.”

The Spanish La Liga losing its most valuable icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the former German international called an “own-goal,” caused by an excessive spending policy.

Rummenigge renewed Bayern’s commitment not to join an unlimited race leading to financial turbulences.

The 1974 world champion said chances of the Bundesliga to keep a star such as Erling Haaland, are rather small. Rummenigge is expecting a competitive race in the case of the Norwegian striker.

As Haaland can count on an exit-clause worth assumedly 75 million euros, the club paying the highest salary will cross the finish line first, Rummenigge is predicting.

He said a transfer of that size is close to impossible for Bayern, Germany’s financially most potent side. “We won’t join the line of applicants.”

Rummenigge said, UEFA will take a close look at the recent activities, but a final judgment can only be made by summer 2022, “when all figures come to an investigation.”

Bayern might have secured its exceptional position in the national league by crushing domestic rival RB Leipzig last weekend 4-1, crossing swords with Barca means to enter a higher stage.

Despite a reluctant spending policy, Bayern intends to stick to his claims to always reach the last four of the Champions League.

Despite its sense-making financial restrictions, the German Bundesliga must think about future strategies to face international challenges, he said. Rummenigge suggested leaving it to every club to decide to what extent doors for new investors open.

To address his new club’s demands, coach Julian Nagelsmann only implemented small changes in his team’s tactics. Youngsters such as Josip Stanisic (21), Jamal Musiala (18), and Alphonso Davies (20) made their way into the first team.

According to media reports, Bayern signed Croatian talent Lovro Zvonarek from Slaven Belupo for 1.8 million euros. The 16-year-old will stay at his home club on loan for another year.

Trying to deliver a satisfying start in this Champions League season, Nagelsmann can count on Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman. Both returned to training after slight injuries, while Serge Gnabry is side-lined due to an injury.

Bayern’s Leipzig fraction facing icy atmosphere ahead of Barcelona clash

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BERLIN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — Four days ahead of their Champions League opener against FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich is facing a delicate stress test.

In the Bundesliga’s fourth round of matches, the Bavarians are crossing swords with national league rival RB Leipzig this Saturday evening.

The Bavarian’s trip turns into a special challenge as Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann, defender Dayot Upamecano, and midfielder Marcel Sabitzer return to their former club.

The farewell is ongoingly causing turbulences as Leipzig’s fans announced to give their lost heroes a painful welcome.

While Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff demanded fair treatment by his side’s supporters is the returning trio expecting an overheated atmosphere.

The Bayern coach spoke about his concern Leipzig fans won’t be overwhelmingly happy to see him again.

Accusations that Bayern once again used their overwhelming financial muscle to crush its domestic competition unfairly by signing its nearest rivals’ top players, something that hurt the fortunes of other clubs in the country too.

RB fans accuse Nagelsmann of having betrayed them after the 34-year-old had promised not to take any of Leipzig’s footballers with him.

But soon after Nagelsmann signed his Bayern contract, 22-year-old French international Upamecano followed for 42.5 million euros accompanied by Austrian international Sabitzer for a reported 15 million.

Bayern for many years has been confronted with accusations to follow the pattern to undermine his opponents to secure its leading role on the national stage.

Clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen are said to have made similar experiences. Robert Lewandowski (2014) and Mats Hummels (2016) joined Bayern from the Black and Yellows aside from coaches and top performers of other clubs.

Leipzig last season ended up second behind Bayern ahead of established clubs such as Dortmund. The club was seen as a new financially strong rival able to endanger Bayern’s exceptional position.

Upamecano joined Bayern to close the gap caused by the departure of David Alaba and Jerome Boateng. Sabitzer pushed his transfer by publicly announcing he wants to leave and help Bayern to update its midfield line.

Willi Orban, Leipzig defender and Lewandowski’s Saturday bodyguard, said: “It doesn’t make things easier to every season lose some of your best and restart. Our challenge is to develop our new arrivals to keep our level and stay a threat for Bayern.”

The 28-year-old Hungarian international demanded the help of the 34,000 fans allowed and his teammates to stop the big favorites from Bavaria including Lewandowski.

A satisfying result might not only please the clubs’ fans but provide additional motivation for Leipzig’s Champions League encounter next Wednesday when meeting Premier League giant Manchester City.

Good news for Barca as Ansu Fati returns to full training

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MADRID, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) — There was good news for FC Barcelona on Tuesday when young forward Ansu Fati completed his first training session with the rest of the Barca first team squad.

It was the first time the 18-year-old Spain international, who many see as the natural successor to Leo Messi at the club, has been able to complete a full session with his teammates since damaging the meniscus ligament in his left knee in Barca’s 5-2 win at home to Betis on November 7th last year.

At first, Fati was only expected to be sidelined for four months, but problems with his recovery, including an infection, mean he needed a total of three operations, with his recovery dragging on for six months longer than expected.

Although he will not be able to play in this weekend’s home game against Getafe, if things continue as planned, Fati is expected to be able to play some part in Barca’s visit to Sevilla in the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium following the international break on September 11th.

On Monday night, Erik Lamela’s injury time goal gave Sevilla a 1-0 win away to Getafe to take them top of LaLiga ahead of Atletico Madrid on goal difference. After just two games in the new season, Sevilla and Atletico are the only two sides in Spain with a 100 percent record.

Memphis saves Barca from defeat, while VAR plays a role in La Liga

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MADRID, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Memphis Depay’s first goal for FC Barcelona saved his side from their first defeat of the season as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Athletic Club Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday.

Athletic dominated the first 70 minutes of the game, but Barca were able to save a point as the Basque side tired in the closing minutes.

The first half saw Athletic take the game to Barca, pressuring the ball high up the pitch and causing all sorts of problems for the visitors.

Martin Braithwaite fired over in a rare Barca attack, before Oihan Sancet rattled a shot against the Barca crossbar and Ronald Koeman’s side suffered a setback midway through the half when Gerard Pique was forced off injured and replaced by Ronald Araujo.

Araujo miraculously cleared off the line from Alex Berenguer in the first minute of the second half, but Athletic got their reward when Inigo Martinez headed home from a corner but for Neto saving from Sancet, they would have doubled their lead.

Frenkie de Jong kept Barca afloat and his pass to Memphis with 16 minutes left saw the recent arrival score with a powerful left foot shot.

Barca then threatened to go on and win the game, but Athletic’s changes brought some fresh legs into the game and in virtually the last move of the game Barca defender Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Nico Williams who was running clean through on goal.

Wu Lei had a last minute ‘goal’ ruled out as Espanyol drew 0-0 at home to Villarreal. The striker came on as a substitute for the recently promoted side and thought he had netted the winning goal only for it to be ruled out after the ball was shown to have impacted on his hand.

The VAR also caused late drama in the 1-1 draw between Granada and Valencia. The home side took the lead in the 16th minute after Luis Suarez finished off a counter-attack.

Valencia kept looking for an equalizer and got their reward two minutes from time when Carlos Soler scored his second penalty in two games after he’d been brought down in the area.

Granada thought they had scored a winning goal in the second minute of injury time only for the video to rule out Montoro’s effort for a tight offside.

Fer Nino celebrated his debut on loan at Mallorca with an 80th minute goal that gave his side a 1-0 win away to Alaves who ended up with 10 men after defender Ruben Duarte was sent off in the 66th minute of the game.

Mallorca have four points from two games on their return to the top flight while Alaves have lost consecutive home games at the start of the season.

The round of games began on Friday night as Betis and Cadiz drew 1-1 in an entertaining game either side could have won.

La Liga: Tough away games for Barca and Real Madrid, Atletico to entertain Elche

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MADRID, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — The second round of games in the new LaLiga season sees both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid face difficult away trips while defending champions Atletico Madrid return home to take on an easy-looking game against Elche.

The round of matches kicks off on Friday night when Betis entertain Cadiz in an Andalusian derby after both teams kicked off the season with draws.

Saturday’s big game sees FC Barcelona travel to face Athletic Club Bilbao, with 10,000 fans (20 percent capacity) back in Athletic’s San Mames Stadium for the first time since March 2020 to see if their side can take their first win of the season.

After a good pre-season, Athletic disappointed with a 0-0 draw in Elche in their first league match and coach Marcelino Garcia Toral has problems at right-back where Oscar de Marcos, Ander Capa and Alex Petxarroman are all injured.

Barca impressed in their season opener as they beat Real Sociedad 4-2, although they too have Philippe Coutinho, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele all out with long-term problems.

Saturday’s other games kick off with Alaves at home to newly-promoted Mallorca as the home side look to recover from their 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid last weekend. Striker Lucas Perez has been allowed to leave the Basque club, although that means top scorer Joselu is likely to stay.

It should be a close game when Granada entertain Valencia, who are without the suspended Hugo Guillamon after his early red card in last weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Getafe, while Espanyol faces a tough match at home to Villarreal, who are still without injured midfielder, Dani Parejo.

Espanyol signed midfielders Aleix Vidal and midfielder Manu Morlanes during the week, with Morlanes joining on loan from Villarreal.

Alexander Isak is back for Real Sociedad as they entertain Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon with both teams looking for their first points after kicking off with defeats.

Luka Zidane misses out for Rayo after the keeper’s sending off against Sevilla a week ago.

Real Madrid got off to a confident start with their win away to Alaves and play away again this weekend as work continues revamping the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Levante could pose more of a challenge than Alaves did, with Paco Lopez’s side looking solid in defense and midfield, while players such as Jorge de Frutos, Jose Luis Morales and Roger Marti give them more bite in attack.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to make changes to the team that beat Alaves with Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard partnering with Karim Benzema in attack.

New Getafe coach Michel Gonzalez faces one of his former clubs as Sevilla visit the Coliseum Alfonso Perez and he will need a big improvement from last week’s tepid display in Valencia if Getafe are to take anything from the match against a team tipped for another top-four finish. The good news for Getafe is that defender Erick Cabaco will be able to play after having one of the two yellow cards he was shown against Valencia rescinded.

Mario Hermoso is out for Atletico’s game at home to Elche after his sending off at the end of last weekend’s win away to Celta with Felipe replacing him in defense as Atletico prepares to show their league title off to the fans in the Wanda. Atletico’s ground has been one of the key vaccination centers against COVID-19 in the Spanish capital, although vaccination will be stopped on matchdays for sanitary reasons.

The round of games ends on Monday when Osasuna play Celta Vigo in what should be an even game with Celta missing Hugo Mallo after his incident with Hermoso last week.

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