Gerard Martín’s new Barcelona squad number confirmed as defender finally registered
The wait is finally over for Barcelona defender Gerard Martín to make his season debut as the full-back has been registered with La Liga and given a new first team squad number.
The league’s website now shows Gerard as part of the squad ahead of Sunday’s match against Rayo Vallecano, and Martín’s new number is 18, which belonged to legendary Barça left-back Jordi Alba during his very successful decade at the club.
Gerard signed a new contract until 2028 which included a first team promotion, and he needed to wait until the final four days days of the transfer window to finally be registered as Barça cleared enough salary cap space with the recent departures of Iñaki Peña and Jan Virgili.
Martín could be a key piece this season as Hansi Flick plans to use the 23-year-old as a left-sided center-back after the departure of Iñigo Martínez, but Gerard will also be used in his customary left-back role as Alejandro Balde’s backup throughout the campaign.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Seven Barcelona players called up as Spain announce squad for World Cup Qualifiers
The Barcelona contingent once again headlines the latest Spain squad for their first two World Cup Qualifiers away to Bulgaria (Sept. 4) and Turkey (Sept. 7) as coach Luis de la Fuente announced the full 26-man squad on Friday.
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic), David Raya (Arsenal), Álex Remiro (Real Sociedad)
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Robin Le Normand (Atlético Madrid), Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Dani Vivian (Athletic), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Álex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Rodri (Man City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Pedri (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Fermín López (Barcelona)
Barça have seven players in the squad, but there are two notable omissions as goalkeeper Joan Garcia and Alejandro Balde have been left out once again. Balde has been out of the squad for a long time now and his chances of playing in next year’s World Cup don’t look great, and Garcia still has a long way to go to displace the three keepers currently in the squad squad, especially for a coach as loyal as De La Fuente.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 29 August 2025; Barça’s Champions League opponents revealed, Fermín López rumors heating up
Another session, same objective – FC Barcelona
Barça back at work to be in the best possible shape for the match at Vallecas stadium, with coming away with a third LaLiga win before the international break the aim.
Chelsea makes a move for Fermín – Mundo Deportivo
The English club is offering 50 million plus bonuses, although at the moment they have not fully finalized the player’s approval, according to the player’s camp.
Barcelona raise Fermín López price tag to €90 million amid Chelsea transfer talk
Barcelona are putting their foot down when it comes to Fermín López and his transfer status amid the rumors of strong interest from Chelsea.
After setting a price tag of €70 million for the midfielder on Tuesday, the Catalans have now raised their asking price to €90 million, according to Fernando Polo of Mundo Deportivo. Barça’s stance on the matter is clear: they have zero desire to sell and will only consider Fermín’s exit if the player himself requests a move and Chelsea are willing to meet the Blaugrana’s new asking price.
Chelsea gave Fermín 48 hours on Tuesday to decide whether he wanted to join them, and the deadline is quickly approaching. Fermín has been promised a “protagonist role” in Enzo Maresca’s team and Chelsea certainly have the money to meet Barça’s asking price, but the Blaugrana have now taken such a strong position that Chelsea may have no choice but to back off.
The Catalans will be hoping to go one better this year after a heartbreaking semi-final exit last season, but they dominated the League Phase despite a very difficult draw and will look for a crucial Top 2 finish once again this season.
Barça are in Pot 1 as usual and will draw two teams from each pot until they find out the eight opponents they’ll face starting next month. Per UEFA’s rules, Barça cannot face teams from the same association — Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao or Villarreal — and cannot be drawn against more than two teams from the same country.
Here’s a reminder of the 36 teams and the four pots:
Pot 1: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge.
Pot 3: Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Olympique Marseille.
Pot 4: Copenhagen, AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union Saint-Gilloise, Qarabag, Athletic Bilbao, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat Almaty.
The draw can be watched live on the UEFA website, and you are free to follow and comment all the action in the comments below. Vamos!
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Why Iñaki Peña made surprising choice to join Elche on loan from Barcelona
It was somewhat of a surprising choice by the 26-year-old, who had offers from more established teams, such as Cesc Fàbregas Como, who were very interested in Peña.
But the choice to go to Elche is about more than just football. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Peña made the decision for two main reasons: his personal relationship with Elche’s manager and a strong personal connection to the city where they play.
Elche’s manager is Eder Sarabia, who coached Peña at Villarreal’s youth teams and then reunited with Iñaki during his brief stint as Quique Setien’s assistant at Barça, and Sarabia spent considerable time in the last few days recruiting Peña and explaining how he would fit into the team’s play style.
Peña also made the decision because the city of Alicante, where Elche play, is the home of Iñaki’s family as well as his partner’s. Playing at Elche will give Iñaki much-needed stability on and off the pitch.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 28 August 2025; Preparations begin for Rayo Vallecano, Iñaki Peña loaned to Elche
Preparations begin for Rayo – FC Barcelona
A new week has begun at FC Barcelona. After taking two days off, the players were back at work this Wednesday morning as their attention switches to Sunday’s visit to Rayo Vallecano.
Iñaki Peña contract extension to 2029 and loan to Elche – FC Barcelona
Agreement reached between FC Barcelona and first team player Iñaki Peña to extend his contract to 30 June 2029. Agreement also reached between FC Barcelona and Elche Club de Fútbol for the keeper to go on loan for this season up to 30 June 2026.
All you need to know about UEFA Champions League draw – FC Barcelona
We are all set for the UEFA Champions League 2025/26. On Thursday 28 August the wheels will be set in motion for FC Barcelona in the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, with the draw that begins at 6pm CEST. The Blaugranes, along with the other 35 clubs involved, will find out their opponents in the initial league phase of the competition.
Kounde called up for France and and Bardghji with Sweden U21s – FC Barcelona
Another two FC Barcelona players now know they have work to do in the upcoming international break, the first of the season. Both Jules Kounde and new signing Roony Bardghji have been called up to their respective national sides for the games after the trip to the Vallecas stadium on Sunday.
Andreas Christensen returns to Barcelona training ahead of Rayo Vallecano clash
Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen has return to the training pitch as the team began preparations for Sunday’s La Liga clash against Rayo Vallecano.
Hansi Flick gave his squad Monday and Tuesday off after the weekend win over Levante but there was a light recovery session on Sunday that was missed by Christensen due to what was described by reports as “general discomfort”, most likely an illness.
But the Dane, who made his season debut playing the final 20 minutes at Levante, seems be fully over whatever the issue was and was back with his teammates on Wednesday morning. Iñaki Peña, who has traveled to Alicante to complete his loan move to Elche, was not present in the session.
Christensen was called up by Denmark for their upcoming international commitments for the first time in 14 months, and his national team will certainly be happy to know Andreas is back training with Barça.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Barcelona hold consecutive meetings with Mallorca to discuss three players
The final week of the transfer window looks to be a pretty busy one for Barcelona. Not only are the Catalans dealing with a huge potential exit as Fermín López is considering a shock move to Chelsea, but the Blaugrana could be also working on the departures of three young players before next Monday’s deadline.
According to multiple reports from Catalan media, sporting director Deco held meetings on consecutive days with a delegation from Real Mallorca to discuss three players: full-back Héctor Fort and wingers Dani Rodríguez and Jan Virgili.
The Mallorca delegation met with Deco on Tuesday and were suddenly called to return on Wednesday, which indicates that talks could be advancing towards a resolution.
Fort is out of Hansi Flick’s plans and Barça want to find a partner for a season-long loan so the 19-year-old can gain some important experience before his return to the squad next year, and Mallorca want to secure his signing amid interest from Cesc Fàbregas’ Como.
But Mallorca, who have already signed Pablo Torre from Barça earlier this summer, also want Rodríguez and Virgili to join Fort and Torre in their squad. The two exciting Barça Atlètic wingers are not thrilled about having to play in the Fourth Division this season and would like to play for top-flight teams to help their development, but their first team chances at Barça are very limited with the current depth in midfield and attack.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 27 August 2025; Iñaki Peña set for Elche move, Fermín López wanted by Chelsea
Barça under Flick: The team that never gives up – FC Barcelona Once again, Flick’s Barça has risen in the face of adversity. With Saturday’s comeback at Levante, when the they turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory, the German coach has now recorded ten comebacks as Barça manager. In their very first opportunity this season the Culers managed to overturn the scoreline, adding to the nine achieved last season, in 2024/25.
Raphinha and Christensen called up for international duty – FC Barcelona September is coming, and with it the first international break of the season. One of the squads with the most call-ups will be Barça’s, and as of today two players have already been summoned by their national teams: Raphinha with Brazil and Christensen with Denmark.
Iñaki Peña leaves and Szczesny enters – Mundo Deportivo Peña has already signed his contract renewal with Barça until 2029 and is on his way to Alicante to undergo his medical, so his departure to Elche on loan should be announced in the next few hours. His loan will free up salary space to allow Barça to register the Polish goalkeeper with La Liga.
Chelsea ‘evaluating possibility of move’ for Barcelona midfielder Fermín López
Some big transfer news to rock the Barcelona world: reigning Club World Cup champions Chelsea are interested in signing midfielder Fermín López from the Blaugrana and have already made initial contact with the player’s camp, according to the ultra-reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic.
🚨 Chelsea evaluating possibility of move for Fermin Lopez. No contact yet with Barcelona but #CFC speaking to 22yo attacking midfielder’s camp as options explored in case of exits & given #FCBarcelona depth in Spain international’s position @TheAthleticFChttps://t.co/ZdQ4FcB7nX
Ornstein says there has been no direct contact between clubs as Chelsea first want to understand Fermín’s perspective on his situation in Catalonia. From Chelsea’s view there is major competition for places in the Barça midfield, and the Blues are sensing a big opportunity given the Blaugrana’s necessity to make a big sale to balance their books.
Flick said last week that he doesn’t want Fermín or anyone else to leave, and López himself has been very vocal about his desire to stay. But Chelsea have the pockets to offer Fermín a major salary upgrade, and that worked with another young, promising Barça player — Marc Guiu — just last summer.
This will be a fascinating story to watch.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
‘Sometimes he comes across as arrogant’ – Emmanuel Petit sends warning to Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal
Former French international and Barcelona player Emmanuel Petit offered some words of advice for teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
Petit, who played one season for Barça and made his name playing for France and Arsenal, was full of praise for Yamal’s qualities as a player, even comparing him to Lionel Messi, and believes Lamine can win the Ballon d’Or if he and Barça can claim the Champions League title.
“He reminds me of Messi on the right wing. Every time he touches the ball, you can see he creates danger. He usually draws two or even three opponents into his area, which opens up space for his teammates. That’s why Barça is so dangerous. With Raphinha and a great midfield, the threat can come from anywhere.
“I’ve seen many teams try to defend by putting two or three players against Yamal, and it doesn’t work. At his age, he’s a phenomenon. If he maintains this level, he’ll win the Ballon d’Or. And he knows he has to repeat it, both at Barça and with the Spanish national team. The World Cup is coming up at the end of the season, another big goal for him, but to really establish himself, he needs to win the Champions League.”
Petit then went on to detail what he thinks Yamal should improve upon, specifically his mentality and his tendency to come off as ‘arrogant’ with his use of social media.
“His qualities — technique, vision, power, intelligence in his movements — are unique. The only thing he needs to improve is his mentality. Right now, everything is going well for him. But if something negative happens, there will be many waiting to bring him down. We’ll see how he reacts.
“Yamal needs to be careful with his communication and social media management. Sometimes a touch of arrogance comes across. In the past, great footballers tended to be quite shy. Some were arrogant, yes, but they backed it up with their play. The problem arises when the results aren’t there. He’s still very young, and his brilliance is due in part to pure talent; maturity will come. The player who’s on the pitch should grow off it as well.”
Do you agree with Petit that Yamal needs to improve his mentality and does he come across as arrogant, Barça fans? And do you believe that’s a problem?
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 26 August 2025; Hansi Flick wins award, Barça interested in Villarreal rising star Etta Eyong
Hansi Flick, Bild’s coach of the year – FC Barcelona Barça head coach Hansi Flick has been named Coach of the Year at the 2025 SPORT BILD gala, organised by the prestigious German sports newspaper of the same name, one of the most widely read in the country. The event took place this Monday in Hamburg.
Agreement to loan Dragoni to Roma – FC Barcelona Agreement reached between FC Barcelona and Roma for the loan of Giulia Dragoni for this season. The Italian midfielder was on loan at the Italian side last season too, and is still recovering from a torn deltoid ligament in her right ankle in Barcelona. She is set to join Roma in the coming weeks.
Barça could pull off a major coup with Etta Eyong – SPORT Barcelona have a big opportunity on the market. The Blaugrana club is considering paying the release clause of Karl Etta Eyong, the Cameroonian Villarreal striker who has become one of the sensations of the early La Liga season.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Barcelona will not allow Marc Bernal to play for Spain in U-20 World Cup
Barcelona have rejected an approach from the Spanish Federation and will not allow 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal to represent La Roja in the upcoming U-20 World Cup in Chile.
That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, who report there was a recent contact from the RFEF regarding the status of Bernal for the tournament that begins in late September in Chile, but were told by Barça that the player won’t be anywhere near physically ready for a tournament as demanding and competitive as a World Cup.
The report says the RFEF understood Barça’s reasoning completely and there are no hard feelings regarding their rejection.
Bernal, who suffered an ACL injury almost exactly a year ago, will be carefully reintegrated into the first team dynamic over the next couple of weeks with the goal of having him in the squad for the first game after the international break against Valencia.
Hansi Flick and his medical staff will take every precaution necessary to ensure Bernal’s minutes and workload are handed properly in his first few weeks and months back in action to avoid any setbacks.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Barcelona denied request by La Liga to move Valencia clash to Mestalla
We are just three weeks away from Barcelona’s home opener in the 2025-26 La Liga season, a match that was supposed to be played at the partially renovated Camp Nou, and the club continue to race against the clock to have their home ready in time for that game.
The club had hoped to buy some more time by requesting the league to reverse the calendar and move the Matchday 4 match to Mestalla, home of Valencia, but La Liga has denied Barça’s request according to Cadena COPE.
The Blaugrana must play that game at home in the weekend of 13-14 September, and despite securing a return to Montjuïc until the end of February 2026, Barça cannot face Valencia at the Olympic Stadium because of a concert taking place that same weekend.
If Camp Nou isn’t ready in time, the two current backup options for the Valencia match are the Estadi Johan Cruyff, home of Barça Femení and Barça Atlètic, or the Montilivi Stadium, home of Barça’s local rivals Girona.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 25 August 2025; Andreas Christensen misses training, Roony Bardghji rules out Barça exit
Recovery followed by two-day break – FC Barcelona It was happy faces all round after the 3-2 win at Levante, an especially pleasing result after trailing 2-0 at the interval. Back in the Catalan capital, the players reported to the Ciutat Esportiva on Sunday morning for a routine post-game recovery session.
Pedri, man of the match – FC Barcelona Week 2 of La Liga saw FC Barcelona complete their first comeback of the 2025/26 season. Two goals down at halftime against Levante in the Ciutat de València stadium, in the second half Hansi Flick’s team turn the game on its head to take a 3-2 victory with midfielder Pedri the catalyst for the team’s second win two matches in this season’s La Liga campaign.
VAR audio of Alejandro Balde’s handball released after Barcelona beat Levante
Barcelona’s dramatic comeback win over Levante on Saturday featured a highly controversial moment when Alejandro Balde was called for a penalty that gave Levante a chance to score their second goal just before halftime.
Balde was called for a handball after a VAR review, and the Spanish Federation has released the audio conversation between VAR Jorge Figueroa and match referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández.
Here’s the exchange:
Figueroa: Alejandro, I recommend you come see a potential penalty for handball. Let me know when you’re at the screen, please.
Hernández Hernández: The hand is quite far apart, correct, the shot is on target. Put it in super slow motion, I want to see it slowly. It’s only a penalty, no booking for [Balde].
Figueroa: Correct.
Balde’s penalty brought comparisons to the highly controversial call involving Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouameni in the final El Clásico of last season, in which Hernández Hernández was called to the screen to review a very similar situation and decided not to point to the spot.
Now the same referee gave a penalty against Barcelona for a handball that was a lot less clear than Tchouameni’s. Go figure.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Barcelona’s grit has become one of their defining characteristics under Hansi Flick
For as good as this Barcelona team has been, they are still far from perfect.
As we saw against Levante, some of the same ailments from a year ago are still present. The offside trap is a high-risk gambit, even against lower level teams. Breaking down an opponent who is happy with 18% possession is no walk in the park.
What makes this Barça team so dangerous, though, is not simply their talent or superior tactics, but rather an audacious belief that a comeback is always possible. Even when they’re down, they’re not out, and so long as there’s time on the clock, there’s time to fight for a result.
That’s what we saw in the second half in València. At halftime, the manager made two smart changes to rectify what wasn’t working in the first period, and the players came out with an intention to knock the door down.
Of course, it helps a lot to have a player like Pedri who can produce magic out of a hat. No matter what the moment calls for, he can conjure it up. Not known for long distance screamers, nonetheless, the imperial Canarian bravely stepped up and took matters into his own hands.
Hansi Flick will certainly be encouraged to see the mentality of champions on display. At the same time he will know that the game was a foreshadowing of challenges to come.
The world is well aware of Barcelona’s prowess.
Teams like Levante won’t be naive when they face off against the Catalan giants. They are happy to play anti-football, and do what has proven to be successful in the past. One or two moments that beat the high line after a lost possession.
I don’t see Flick changing his tactics. Right now, it looks like he’s just looking to find out who his best backline lineup will be. He’s starting off with Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde get their chance soon.
Above all else, Barcelona needs to be a menace to La Liga teams. The intensity and attacking threat should create a fear factor, and there can’t be breaks that give the opponent reason to believe that they have a chance.
Flick will need to find his best starting eleven. The players he can trust most to execute on the gameplan. All the while knowing he has a deep bench to turn to that can hold everyone accountable, and keep the hunger high.
It’s the early going. There’s time, and Flick is trusting for now that he can give opportunities to everyone, and let the cream rise to the top.
A comeback is thrilling, and Barcelona make them look easy.
The hard part will be refining the tactics so they can be the best version of themselves on a consistent basis.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 24 August 2025; Barça make dramatic comeback against Levante, Guille Fernández decides to stay
Flamengo U20 2-2 (6-5 pens) FC Barcelona U20: Epic and cruel defeat – FC Barcelona Football is a cruel game and Barça went down to a cruel defeat in the U20 Intercontinental final against Brazilian side Flamengo. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, a penalty shoot out defeat in the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro saw the South Americans crowned champions.
Levante vs Barcelona live stream: Lineups, Kickoff time, TV channel, How to watch La Liga online
WELCOME TO THE CIUTAT DE VALÈNCIA STADIUM!!! The beautiful home of Levante in the city of València hosts a La Liga match for the first time in over three years as last season’s Second Division champions welcome the reigning First Division title holders as Barcelona come to town looking for a second straight win after last week’s victory away to Mallorca in the home opener. But it won’t be easy against a Levante team that always cause Barça huge problems at home, and will be hungry for their first points of the season after a defeat last week. This should be fun, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos!
Note: the comments will be opened only when the team news come out, because our commenter people love commenting and sometimes there are too many comments in the comments section)
MATCH INFO
Competition/Round: 2025-26 La Liga, Matchday 2
Date/Time: Saturday, August 23, 2025, 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 13.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Sunday)
Venue: Estadi Ciutat de València, València, Spain
Referee: Alejandro Hernández
VAR: Jorge Figueroa
HOW TO WATCH
On TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar (Spain), others
Online: ESPN+ (USA), Prime Video (UK), FanCode (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others
Matchday Thread Rules
We don’t have a lot of rules here, but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads:
Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game, watch the swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another.
Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!
Source: barcablaugranes.com
Hansi Flick says Barcelona will ‘enjoy a fantastic Marcus Rashford’ this season
Hansi Flick is expecting Marcus Rashford to make quite the splash for Barcelona in his season-long loan spell from Manchester United in 2025-26.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Flick was asked about Rashford and what his best position is after being around the player for the last month or so. The coach hinted that he plans to use the Englishman in his preferred spot on the left wing, and spoke highly of his qualities and how his talent can help Barça this season.
“Of course, he gives us more options. He feels better playing as an ‘11’ on the wing, but his strength, his first touch, his speed… helps us a lot with our style of play, and we can enjoy a fantastic Marcus Rashford this season.”
Hansi Flick is the perfect kind of coach to take a player with so much raw talent like Rashford and get the very best out of him, and it’s really exciting to see what kind of impact Marcus will have once he’s fully settled in Catalonia and knows the system well.
Rashford has everything you want in a great forward player, and he adds depth and quality to a Barça squad that missed one more special attacking option on the wing beyond Lamine Yamal and Raphinha last season. They have one now, and if Flick’s words are anything to go by, we are in for a fun ride.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona announce squad for La Liga match against Levante
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to València for their second La Liga game of the season against Levante, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 22 players for Saturday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: Iñaki Peña, Joan Garcia, Diego Kochen
Defenders: Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric García, Jofre Torrents
Midfielders: Gavi, Pedri, Fermín López, Marc Casadó, Dani Olmo, Dro Fernández, Toni Fernández
Forwards: Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Marcus Rashford
Barça get their striker back for this one as Robert Lewandowski receives the medical green light after missing the season opener due to a hamstring issue, but they will be without Frenkie de Jong who doesn’t make the trip for personal reasons. Wojciech Szczesny, Gerard Martín and Roony Bardghji have not been registered yet, and are forced to sit this one out. Marc-André ter Stegen (back) and Marc Bernal (knee) are out due to injury, while Oriol Romeu and Héctor Fort are no longer in the coach’s plans and are also left out.
The match kicks off at 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.3pam PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Sunday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
VISCA EL BARÇA!
Source: barcablaugranes.com
FC Barcelona News: 23 August 2025; All set for Levante clash, Iñaki Peña close to Barça exit
Last session before Levante – FC Barcelona Work continues with the trip to Levante for the second fixture of the Liga season now just a day away. The 9.30pm CEST kick-off on Saturday was on everybody’s minds as the players took to the field this Friday morning for their final wortkout before the trip to Valencia.
When and where to watch Levante v FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona Another away trip for Hansi Flick and the squad, this time to the Valencian Community for the second league game of the season. The blaugranes are in the hunt for a second win and will take on promoted side Levante.
Levante v Barça: Did you know? – FC Barcelona Levante and Barça go head-to-head this Saturday night at the Ciutat de València (kick-off 21:30pm CEST), in what promises to be a lively clash in the second weekend of La Liga action. It marks the first meeting between the two sides in four seasons, with Levante making their return to the top flight after earning promotion last season.
Elche, a new option for Iñaki Peña – Mundo Deportivo According to ‘Jijantes’, the Barça goalkeeper will renew his contract with Barça for three more seasons, until 2029, and will go on loan to Eder Sarabia’s team until the end of the season.
Barcelona’s last La Liga visit to Levante was saved by Luuk de Legend
Barcelona travel to the city of València on Saturday for their second La Liga match of the campaign against last season’s Second Division champions Levante, in what will be Barça’s first visit to the Ciutat de València Stadium in three and a half years.
Barça have not exactly enjoyed their away games against Levante, winning just two of their last six matches on the road against them. There is the infamous 5-4 loss that ended their bid for an invincible season in the penultimate matchday of their La Liga campaign in 2018, but their most recent clash was just as wild, chaotic, and unforgettable.
The date was April 10, 2022, and Xavi Hernández was six months into his job after taking over for Ronald Koeman mid-season. The former midfield legend changed the entire mood around the club, made some key signings in January, and took Barça from 9th place in October to a second-place finish and a historic 4-0 win in El Clásico.
The Catalans were riding a six-game winning streak in the league and faced a Levante team almost assured of relegation, and everyone expected an easy night. We got anything but that.
Levante were awarded not one, not two, but three penalties, one of which was saved by Marc-André ter Stegen, but scored twice from the spot to shock Barça. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Pedri both found the net to even the game at 2-2, and it looked as though the Blaugrana’s winning streak was going to end.
Then Luuk de Jong happened: the tall Dutch striker, signed on Deadline Day of the previous summer window by Koeman in a move hated by every single Barça fan alive, had become an instant folk hero by turning into Xavi’s Super Sub: whenever Barça were in trouble on the road, De Jong would come off the bench with three minutes to go, score a last-minute header and rescue an impossible win for the Catalans.
Those of us who are Barça fans and experienced every day of the pain from 2020 to late 2021 know just how big those crazy, impossible wins in the early Xavi days were, and we will truly never forget what Luuk de Legend did for us.
The 2025 version of Barça doesn’t need to go through all the same drama on Saturday, but that night in April 2022 should serve as a reminder of not only how tough Levante can be at home, but of how far Barça have come.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
‘He doesn’t want to leave and I want him to stay’ – Hansi Flick sends strong message amid Marc Casadó Barcelona exit talk
This week in Barcelona land has mostly been dominated by the talk of Marc Casadó’s potential exit amid the midfield congestion and the club’s financial struggles, but Hansi Flick decided to put an end to all the noise.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the coach was asked about the rumors of Casadó’s possible departure, with several clubs interested and the club willing to accept offers of €30 million or more if the player decides to leave in search of more playing time.
But Flick decided to send a strong and decisive message: Marc Casadó doesn’t want to leave, and Hansi wants him to stay.
“I’ve spoken to him, and he doesn’t want to leave. And I want him to stay. It’s going to be a difficult season, and we need all the players we have right now. He gives us confidence, and that’s what I want from him. It’s not easy for the coach. We want to achieve a lot of things, and that’s why we need all the players.”
That’s as clear as it gets. Barça want to go one further than a domestic treble, and they’ll need all their midfield depth to survive and thrive this season. Marc Casadó is part of that, he wants to stay, and he coach wants him to stay too.
