Barcelona FC news

Ansu Fati’s loan to AS Monaco was meant to be a reset, a chance to finally reclaim the promise that once made him Barcelona’s brightest young hope. For a moment, it looked like the move might deliver exactly that. Instead, the project has veered into a familiar territory of doubts, shifting roles and tough decisions ahead.

The 23-year-old eased into life in Ligue 1 more slowly than expected, with Monaco prioritizing a careful physical plan to avoid any recurrence of his long line of injuries. Once fully integrated, though, he exploded. Under Adi Hütter, Fati produced six goals in five matches, averaging a strike roughly every 41 minutes. He added assists, confidence and even earned a Player of the Match nod after a composed brace from the spot against Nice. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente even noted the resurgence, confirming that the forward was “on their radar” for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

That upward trend collapsed suddenly. While Fati was in scoring form, Monaco’s board dismissed Hütter and installed Sébastien Pocognoli. The change in structure and approach immediately seemd to work against the Spaniard. Since the switch, he has failed to score in six appearances and has seen his minutes drop sharply, accumulating just 55 minutes across Monaco’s last three league outings.

Barcelona, monitoring the loan closely, are now increasingly concerned. Earlier in the season, Fati’s form made it seem inevitable that Monaco would activate their purchase option, valued at 11 million euros. Now that decision, once considered straightforward, sits in limbo. Reduced playing time has stalled momentum for both club and player, turning what looked like a potential permanent transfer into a question mark.

With winter approaching, both Barcelona and Fati face a crossroads. If his minutes increase and his early-season rhythm returns, staying in Monaco could remain the preferred path. But if the current pattern continues, a January solution may be needed. The priority is clear: Fati must play consistently to regain full confidence and maintain his value, whether to Monaco or another suitor this summer.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Lamine Yamal seems to be relishing the prospect of returning to Camp Nou with Barcelona as he’s posted another message ahead of the weekend’s game against Athletic Club.

Barcelona’s teenager has already said “special nights are coming” ahead of the team’s first game back at their famous home and has now put out another update on social media.

Yamal’s new profile picture on Instagram is a picture of him clutching the Barcelona badge and the words: “Montjuïc was the beginning. Camp Nou is where history will be written.”

Yamal is expected to feature on Saturday despite missing out on international duty with Spain after undergoing treatment for his pubalgia issues.

The teenager has played at Camp Nou before but there are a host of first-teamers who are looking forward to their first senior appearance at the stadium including Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joan Garcia, Marc Bernal, Roony Bardghji, and Dro Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford and Wojciech Szczęsny have played at Camp Nou before but not in Barcelona colors.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

A wave of top center backs is approaching the end of their current deals, and the timing could trigger a scramble across Europe’s biggest clubs. With several high-profile defenders free to negotiate from January ahead of contracts expiring in June 2026, teams like Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Barcelona are watching closely.

Among them is Andreas Christensen, whose situation at Barcelona mirrors a broader trend. The 29-year-old acknowledged in an interview with Tipsbladet that for now “there is no plan B” regarding his future and that he has to keep “seeing what comes next”. Even without a guaranteed starting spot, his experience from Chelsea, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Barça makes him an attractive option for teams seeking stability at the back.

The list of impending free agents includes Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, and Marc Guehi, three defenders who would normally command major transfer fees. If no renewals are reached, they could instead move without compensation, creating the kind of domino effect that can reshape entire back lines.

Upamecano, 27, is drawing strong interest. Bayern Munich want to keep him, but his contract is running out, and reports in Germany suggest clubs such as Barça, Madrid, and PSG are monitoring his stance. In France, RMC Sport reported that PSG would be ready to act while Madrid are reportedly keeping close watch as well.

Konaté is on a similar timeline. Liverpool have offered a new deal, though the 26-year-old has yet to respond. That uncertainty has fueled speculation that the club might consider a winter sale to avoid losing him for nothing. He recently addressed the noise, saying “lately I’ve read a lot in the press” and noted that his representatives are still negotiating with Liverpool while he hopes a decision will arrive soon.

Guehi, meanwhile, is one of the most sought-after defenders in the Premier League. Crystal Palace resisted bids last summer, but with his contract also ending in June, interest has only intensified. Liverpool had a deal lined up late in the last window before it collapsed at the final moment. Bayern, Barça, and Madrid have all been linked as well, drawn by the England international’s blend of consistency and upside.

Barcelona, for their part, are still adjusting after losing Iñigo Martínez to Saudi Arabia at the end of the summer window. That departure left the squad without a natural left-footed center back, prompting continued speculation around Nico Schlotterbeck. The Dortmund defender fits the profile, though his contract runs until 2027, meaning any move would require significant negotiation.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

 Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has been full of praise for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres after seeing him score his 23rd international goal last time out.

The strike means Ferran has matched Sergio Ramos and Alfredo Di Stefano on Spain’s all-time goalscorer list and is now into the top 10.

De la Fuente says that Spain are lucky to have the Barcelona forward and hailed his versatility ahead of their final World Cup qualifier.

“I met Ferran when he was 16. He can play in any position: right wing, left wing, striker… His performance rate is spectacular. He has extraordinary stats, and wherever he plays, he always performs well. We’re lucky to have him, and we’ll see tomorrow what position he plays,” he told a pre-match press conference.

Spain take on Turkey next and will be aiming to seal qualification for World Cup 2026. De la Fuente says he will pick a strong team for the match.

“We approach the match with exceptional responsibility, for prestige, for the fans, because we want to keep winning and competing, to achieve our 31st unbeaten match,” he added.

“But the most important thing is that these players never tire of winning. And we will field a competitive team. Respect for our rivals compels us to field our best players. Here, every player is important.”

Spain have a perfect record in qualifying so far and are on the brink of qualification. Indeed Turkey need to win by a seven-goal margin when the teams meet on Tuesday to deny Spain top spot in the group.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

22 years since Leo Messi debuted for FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona
16 November 2003 is a day that goes down in FC Barcelona history, for it was then that the greatest player ever to wear the famous jersey, and probably any football jersey in the world, played his first ever game for the team. Leo Messi was a mere 16 years old when he came on as a substitute in a friendly against Porto to open the Portuguese club’s brand new stadium, Do Dragão.

More Blaugranes with 2026 World Cup chance – FC Barcelona
The 2026 World Cup is growing ever closer and the eyes of the football world will be on Canada, United States of America and Mexico from 11 June next year as the tournament gets under way. That comes at the end of this season, but there are already some FC Barcelona players with a chance to play as their nations are already through.

Espanyol B 1-0 Barça Atlètic: Defeat in the derby – FC Barcelona
The local derby in Sant Adrià de Besós saw Barça Atlétic go down to defeat against Espanyol B in the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque, a goal from Ferran deciding a tough, defensive contest in the second half.

Match Centre: Albania 0-2 England – England Football
England completed their near-perfect 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win away in Albania. Harry Kane scored twice after half time to confirm a maximum 24 points for the Three Lions in Group K.

Bardghji isn’t thinking about leaving: “The club and Flick trust me” – Mundo Deportivo
The Swedish international told ‘Fotbolskanalen’ that he feels the confidence of Barça and that he is happy with the minutes played.

Xavi Espart, out for two months with a knee injury – Mundo Deportivo
FC Barcelona announced that one of its young stars will be out for several weeks due to an injury suffered while playing for the Spanish Under-19 national team.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Lamine Yamal is relishing Barcelona’s imminent return to Camp Nou and has posted a video on Instagram to show off his excitement.

The Barcelona teenager has been filming the city’s skyline and then made sure to focus on the famous stadium which is still undergoing renovation work.

“Special night are coming” – is the caption he used to accompany his video.

Barcelona are expected to play their first game back at Camp Nou after the international break when Athletic Club visit in La Liga.

Hansi Flick’s side have already held an open training session at their ground, and the hope is now they will be given the green light to take on Ernesto Valverde’s side at Camp Nou in front of around 45,000 spectators.

Yamal is currently sidelined after undergoing treatment for his pubalgia issues, in a move that saw him ruled out of Spain’s World Cup qualifiers, but is expected to be fit for the game.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona have confirmed that young defender Xavi Espart has indeed suffered a knee injury and is facing a spell on the sidelines.

The teenager picked up the problem in training while on international duty and won’t be back for a couple of months.

Here’s the club’s official statement:

“Barça Atlètic player Xavi Espart has an injury to the internal collateral ligament of his right knee, which occurred during the last training camp with the Spanish U19 team. The expected recovery time will be between 8 and 10 weeks.”

📌 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞̀𝐝𝐢𝐜

El jugador del #BarçaAtlètic Xavi Espart té una lesió al lligament col·lateral intern del genoll dret, que es va fer durant l'última concentració amb la selecció espanyola Sub19. El temps previst de recuperació serà d'entre 8 i 10 setmanes

💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/spiYkQx0l4

— Barça Atlètic (@FCBarcelonaB) November 16, 2025

The news is a real setback for club and player and comes at a time when he was regularly training with the first-team and looked to definitely be in Hansi Flick’s thoughts.

However, he now faces a significant spell on the sidelines and won’t be back in action for Barcelona until next year. Let’s wish him a swift and full recovery.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Roony Bardghji has insisted he has no interest in leaving Barcelona in January on loan in search of regular game time in the second half of the season.

The summer signing has only made two starts for Barcelona since joining and has been linked with both Porto and Stuttgart.

Roony was asked about the speculation on international duty but insists he’s happy at Barcelona.

“I don’t know. That’s what the media writes. But it’s extremely fun and I have a good relationship with Hansi who is an incredible coach. He and the club have confidence in me, which means a lot. The other thing I don’t know. I just think it’s something that’s been written,” he told Fotbollskanalen.

“It feels extremely good. I’m developing every day and learning a lot. I’ve gotten a lot of playing time, so it feels extremely good. I’m patient. I’ve been there for three or four months, so it’s still early, says the talent.”

Roony also says he’s happy with his game time so far and is willing to be patient and wait for more opportunities.

“We have a lot of games and rotate players a lot. I don’t know if I would say I’m close, but I’ve gotten a lot of minutes and I’ve done well,” he added.

“It feels good and it’s just about patience. I’ve been there for three or four months now. I believe it will come at some point.”

Sweden and Roony are back in action on Tuesday in World Cup qualifying against Slovenia.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

75 years since stadium referendum – FC Barcelona
This November marks 75 years since a historic moment that proved, even in hostile political times, that participation, openness and democracy are part of FC Barcelona’s DNA. The year was 1950, and Barça had just emerged from the hardships of the post-war period thanks to the unwavering support of a social base that had grown exponentially since 1939.

Three home games in a row – FC Barcelona
When this international break ends, FC Barcelona’s players will finally be able to focus fully on the club, as there won’t be another break until March. That means almost four months of day-to-day work, during which much of each team’s end-of-season ambitions will be shaped.

FC Barcelona 4-0 Real Madrid: Festival in Montjuïc – FC Barcelona
The Clásico is Blaugrana once again. The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys played host to the first clash of the season between Barça Women and Real Madrid with the blaugranes putting four past their big rivals to take a 4-0 victory which also included a penalty save from Cata Coll.

MATCH REPORT | A resounding victory, a clean sheet, and one step closer to the World Cup (0-4) – RFEF
Spain beat Georgia with goals from Oyarzabal (2), Zubimendi and Ferran, setting a new record of 30 official matches without a loss.

Eric Garcia is moving forward with his contract, while PSG’s interest cools – Mundo Deportivo
The defender is working towards a four or five-year extension, while in France they acknowledge the difficulty of his signing.

Daniel Muñoz, the in-form number ‘2’, once again cites Barcelona among his preferred destinations – Mundo Deportivo
The Crystal Palace and Colombian national team right-back stated that “for me it would be a dream come true to play for a club like Barcelona, ​​PSG, Real Madrid or Manchester United and I work for that every day.”

Alexia: “The result of the Clásico is the consequence of many things” – Mundo Deportivo
Following Barça’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid, the captain highlighted the team’s effort in achieving a good result and the impact of Cata Coll.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz has admitted he would love to play for a big club amid talk of interest from Barcelona.

Deco is said to be a big fan of the Colombia international who has impressed in the Premier League with Oliver Glasner’s side.

Munoz has been asked about the speculation regarding his future and says it would be a dream to play for one of Europe’s top clubs.

“First of all, I think there’s a lot of talk about one club or another. If you ask me, it would be a dream come true to play for one of these clubs, whether it’s Barcelona, ​​PSG, Real Madrid, or Manchester United. I think I’m working towards that; I strive every day to one day attract the attention of one of these clubs, because it’s a dream of mine to get there,” he told AS.

“Right now I’m focused on my club, on doing things well at Crystal Palace. If you ask me, I don’t have any concrete information that any of these clubs are interested in me. My focus is on Crystal Palace; we’ll see when the winter transfer window gets closer. Right now, I’m fully focused on these two matches with the national team.”

It would be no surprise to see Munoz move on at some point, although whether Barcelona are in a position to make a move any time soon remains to be seen.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Andreas Christensen has addressed the concerns about his fitness after the Barcelona center-back missed a few training sessions and was rumored to have suffered a new injury a couple of weeks ago.

Christensen’s fitness has been the subject of much discussion since he missed almost all of last season with a persisent Achilles issue, and the fact he didn’t take part in a training session prior to the match against Elche two weeks ago fueled the concerns of another injury issue even further.

But it turns out the absence was agreed in advance with the medical and coaching staff so Christensen would do specific work to be in perfect physical condition for the match against Celta Vigo last weekend, and the defender admitted to Danish media last week that the constant questions about his fitness can be frustrating.

“Before last season there were hardly any questions about my fitness. But since then there have been many. Now I’m back in competition, without getting injured. In fact, apart from illnesses I’ve been fit all season. So it’s annoying, but I have to accept it. I’ll play with my head held high, as I always have.”

Christensen has played every minute for Denmark since his return to the national team in September, and it is true that Andreas has not missed any significant time due to injury. But the fitness concerns are unfortunately real, and they are the only obstacle Christensen needs to clear to earn the contract extension he wants to sign before his deal expires next summer.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Sometimes it is important to remind yourself as a Barcelona fan that Pedri is not a La Masia product; he just looks and plays like one, but he was not brought up in the Blaugrana academy. Plenty of his teammates have been, though, and one up-and-coming youngster is catching The Wizard’s eye.

In an interview on YouTube this week, Pedri was asked to name his favorite La Masia product currently, and he was quick to reveal the name Dro Fernández, who has been part of the first team squad all season and has already made three senior appearances at the age of 17, and grabbed an assist in his Champions League debut earlier in the campaign.

Pedri is impressed by Dro’s ability, and how easy the youngster makes things look.

“The one I like the most is Dro, he’s very good, he has a lot of quality and it seems like he doesn’t struggle with things.”

Dro has certainly shown a lot of promise despite limited playing time so far, and Hansi Flick will continue to look for the right time to give him more opportunities. And if Dro has the Pedri stamp of approval, it’s safe to say he’s a really good midfielder.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Is there anything worse in the regular football season than the incessant breaks for international football?!

Just when teams build up a head of steam in terms of form, they’re stopped in their tracks for a fortnight, and more often than not, players that are called up by their respective national teams come back with a niggle or more serious injury.

Fortunately for Barcelona, this current break has come at a good time for Joan Garcia.

The keeper, who was in sensational form before he picked up his injury, is believed to be on the verge of a return, and the fortnight where no club games are taking place gives the 24-year-old another opportune window to put in the work to make sure he’s as good as new when Barca take on Athletic Club a week on Saturday.

Whilst Wojciech Szczesny has been a relatively able deputy in Garcia’s absence, he’s clearly not at the latter’s level and, arguably, can transfer his nervousness to the back four at times.

Garcia is so commanding in his area, composed on the ball and with superior distribution, that his confidence can immediately settle the defence.

That’s a priceless commodity to possess as a goalkeeper, and why he’s already become so important to his team-mates and Hansi Flick.

The head coach will have to drill into the back four that they must do better in terms of utilising the high defensive line correctly, but Garcia’s presence and ability to sweep up behind them should calm everyone down.

Before his absence, he had played seven matches, conceding just five goals and keeping three clean sheets, and since then, Barca have conceded 17 goals in nine games in all competitions, with no clean sheets.

Behind every save, hours of hard work. 🧤 pic.twitter.com/dXbnyjzU10

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 12, 2025

There couldn’t be a more stark example of exactly why getting Garcia back as soon as possible is imperative.

After the date with Athletic, the Blaugranes face Chelsea and Atletico Madrid in two of their next three matches, and these are games which could have a real impact on the next few weeks of the season.

Showing the best face in the Champions League, particularly after the embarrassing showing at Club Brugge, is needed, and a win against Diego Simeone’s side could set Barca up nicely for the festive period.

A date with Garcia’s former side and local rivals Espanyol kicks off 2026 by which time, we all hope the custodian has continued to show why Barca signed him in the first place.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Hansi Flick was dealt a tough hand to start the season, and it only got worse as the weeks went by.

Losing Iñigo Martínez was more of a bombshell tactically than many of us realized. Combine that with the growing injury list, and you have a recipe for inconsistency making it hard to form a team identity.

Now, the clouds are starting to part in Barcelona, and rays of hope are finding their way through to suggest that brighter days are on the horizon.

Iñigo was Barca’s leader in season one under Flick, followed closely behind by Raphinha. The Spanish defender isn’t coming back, which will continue to leave a vacuum that will be hard to fill, but the return of Raphinha could be just the spark that Barcelona needs to get their season back on the rails.

The Brazilian was prolific a year ago, making himself a worthy contender for the Ballon d’Or. He was a goal scorer, a creator, and the spiritual leader of Flick’s high intensity, high pressing system.

My hope is that we see a proper rotation alongside Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski, with Ferran Torres used as a super sub. This would keep everyone fresh and motivated, and hopefully, get Barcelona back to their days as a goal scoring machine.

Luckily, it seems that Pedri will be back soon too. Let this be a warning to Flick that he needs a plan to manage the minutes of his midfield genius, to keep him on the field in the biggest moments of the dense calendar ahead.

Factor in the return of Joan García, and Flick is back to square one. He has the team he needs to challenge for every trophy in front of him.

In La Liga, Barcelona are right there at the top of the table, just three points behind Real Madrid who sit in first place.

In the Champions League, they have had a slow start, but then again, so did PSG a year ago, who went on to become champions after picking up steam in December.

The turn of the calendar also means Barcelona will have a chance to repeat as Spanish Supercopa champions, while making a run to defend their Copa del Rey title as well.

To even think about competing across all these competitions, Barcelona will need depth. At the moment, they are starting to get it back, and it’s coming at a perfect time.

We can put the debate about Flick’s tactics to bed for the moment.

He likely won’t change anything knowing the return of his star players is coming soon. Once they’re back, we can evaluate the manager and the team fairly, once and for all.

The moment of truth has arrived. At Barcelona, you’re judged by trophies.

The coming months will reveal if the Blaugrana are contenders once again.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona legend Xavi has admitted he let his standards slip during his final season as the first team head coach, which ultimately led to his departure in the summer of 2024.

Speaking at a conference this week, Xavi was self-critical and revealed he was no longer as demanding as he was during his excellent first full season as coach in which the team won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup and played with a real intensity and sense of pride.

Those qualities all disappeared during a tumultuous 23-24 campaign filled with injuries, inconsistent performances and a general apathy that led to an ugly Champions League exit at home to Paris Saint-Germain and no trophies, and Xavi took the blame for that outcome.

“I began my coaching career at Barca with high expectations for both the players and the club. The club was coming from a period where there weren’t many demands, but my mistake was maintaining those high standards for only one year, from when I arrived until we won La Liga and the Super Cup.

“Later on, I was able to be self-critical and I said to myself: ‘Damn, what happened to me?’ I had lowered those high standards and the players no longer had the same attitude, the same respect, the same effort. The standards kept dropping until, in my last season, we didn’t win anything. I learned a lot from this. I had to be self-critical.”

Xavi is now carefully preparing for his next job, rejecting approaches left and right as he waits for the right opportunity to return to management. Learning from previous mistakes is key to growth, so here’s hoping Xavi can learn from what went wrong in his last season at Barça and apply those lessons in his next stop.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona midfielder Pedri is reportedly making great progress on his recovery from injury and could return ahead of schedule.

Pedri was ruled out with a hamstring injury at the end of October and it was originally thought he would not be able to come back until December.

According to Diario AS, Pedri’s recovery is going extremely well and there’s even a chance he could enjoy some minutes in Barcelona’s first game back against Athletic Club after the international break.

Barcelona don’t want to rush things but certainly expect Pedri to be available for the Liga match against Atletico Madrid at the start of December. There’s hope he could even be ready for the Champions League trip to Chelsea on November 25th.

Hansi Flick hinted that Pedri could be available after the international break in the wake of Barcelona’s win over Celta. He said after the game: “I think Raphinha and Joan García will come back for next match. Maybe Pedri too, so we’ll see.”

An early return for Pedri would be a massive boost for Barcelona, as he’s been vital for Flick’s side, and it sounds like it won’t be too long until we can see him in action once more.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Last session of the week – FC Barcelona
The non-internationals work out on Wednesday and will now take a few days off.

Eric Garcia and Marcus Rashford ever-presents for Hansi Flick – FC Barcelona
Injuries have put a bit of a dampener on the start of the season for Barça, making things more difficult for Hansi Flick to manage. The coach has often needed to adjust his selections and as such, only two players have featured in the 16 competitive games played to date, namely Eric Garcia and Marcus Rashford.

FC Barcelona 3–0 OH Leuven: Unstoppable in the UWCL – FC Barcelona
If there’s one thing Barça Femení never tires of, it’s winning. Pere Romeu’s team is a football machine, and they proved it again in the Champions League against Leuven. In front of an enthusiastic Estadi Johan Cruyff, they swept the Belgian side aside to stay top of their group. Three games, three wins, unstoppable.

The ‘Lamine case’ angers De la Fuente: “Don’t come here lecturing me about taking care of players” – Mundo Deportivo
“I’ll talk to Flick, but this isn’t a matter between coaches, it’s a matter for institutions,” he said on ‘El Partidazo de COPE’, while he asked in other interview “that my decisions be respected.”

Yes, Barça notified the Federation about Lamine’s treatment – Mundo Deportivo
The club already reported on Monday morning about the radiofrequency procedure applied to the star player and that this would require a few days of rest.

Lewandowski is linked with Fenerbahçe as early as January, and Milan in July – Mundo Deportivo
The 37-year-old Polish striker, whose contract expires on June 30, 2026, has twice declared in seven days that “I’m in no hurry to renew,” and he is already being linked with two suitors in Turkey and Italy.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has warned Barcelona not to lecture him about taking care of players after seeing Lamine Yamal withdrawn from his latest squad.

The Barcelona teenager won’t feature in Spain’s final two World Cup qualifiers after undergoing treatment for his pubalgia issues, in a move which left De la Fuente “surprised.”

The Spain boss says he does plan to talk to Barcelona manager Hansi Flick but says he always looks after his players.

“I take care of the players, so don’t come here and lecture me about taking care of players. I think it’s fine that they say it, but nobody should come here and lecture me on that. Not Barça, not anyone,” he told Cope.

“I’ll talk to Flick , but this isn’t a matter between coaches, it’s an institutional matter. We each have to fulfill our roles. We’ll talk someday, and when the time comes, we’ll talk. This can’t be resolved between coaches; it has to be between institutions, and an agreement must be reached understanding the importance of being on the national team.”

Tensions between Barcelona and Spain have become strained due to a number of incidents over the years.

Gavi was seriously injured while on international duty, while Barca were annoyed after Yamal was given painkillers by Spain so he could play in a match back in September.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been urged to tell fans the “real reason” Lionel Messi left the club back in 2021.

Messi made an emotional secret return to Barcelona this week, with Laporta insisting the “Camp Nou is his home.”

Laporta also said he “doesn’t regret” Messi’s departure in 2021 and Xavier Vilajoana, former Barcelona board member and opponent of the Barca president, wants to know why the GOAT did leave.

“Messi’s departure was based on financial reasons. It was said that the club couldn’t afford the best player in the world. If the reason was financial, I don’t see it anywhere now,“ he told a press conference.

“I’ll end with a question: let Laporta tell us the real reason why Messi was let go.”

Vilajoana also criticised Laporta’s tenure at the club and says financial problems are still rife.

“If there isn’t responsible management, Barça has no future. In recent months, I’ve listened to the members. If the club belongs to the members, it makes no sense not to listen to them,” he added.

“They say they have saved the club, but if they hadn’t sold existing assets, they would have lost one billion euros, which is the current value of the first team.

“They’ve been lying and hiding the figures for four years. Barça is a serious club and should set an example. A president is given the responsibility to manage, not to take ownership of the club. The one billion figure is terrifying.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

So far, so very, very good for Marcus Rashford at Barcelona. At least in terms of the numbers he has posted to date.

After the win against Celta Vigo last time out, the Manchester United loanee now has six goals and eight assists in the 16 games he’s played in all competitions.

That’s better than Lamine Yamal – though the youngster has played five games less – and it has presented Hansi Flick with quite the conundrum when Raphinha is fully fit again.

Let’s not beat around the bush here… were the Brazilian not out of action, and had both Lamine and Robert Lewandowski also not been sidelined, we would have seen less of Rashford.

A lot less.

However, the 28-year-old has taken the chance afforded him with both hands and will want to lean into the fact that you don’t change a winning team.

Raphinha won’t accept being sidelined, of course, and clearly Lamine and Lewy are also confirmed starters, so where does Rashford fit in?

Suggestions that he could play as a second striker behind the Polish international aren’t without foundation, but that would likely require the loss of Fermin Lopez from the midfield, and given the Spaniard’s abilities and willingness in a defensive sense – something Rashford sorely lacks – that’s a no-go.

Indeed, the England international’s Achilles heel is a reticence to track back and supplement his defensive colleagues as needed.

Ruben Amorim clearly wasn’t happy with this side of his game whilst at United, and that may well have contributed to Rashford being made available for a loan.

No player in Europe's top 5 leagues has more assists than Marcus Rashford 🤯

807 minutes. 7 assists. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZGA9GQCOfn

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 10, 2025

Only on very odd occasions in 2025/26 has the player tracked back, and when one considers the effort Raphinha puts in to this side of his game, there’s a cogent argument that a lack of defensive work would be the reason Flick could leverage when deciding whether to leave Rashford out or not.

Of course, the German does have to consider whether the winger is a good stylistic fit for the first team too. It’s not the overriding point that will influence any decision, but it does have to be weighed up accordingly.

Ultimately, Flick will live and die by his decisions, just as he has done with his insistence on playing a high defensive line that clearly isn’t working well at present.

Whether or not he considers Rashford the right man for the job at various points during the season is his prerogative, and only at season’s end will those decisions be seen as positive or otherwise.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Another reduced training session – FC Barcelona
Tuesday brought more training at the Ciutat Esportiva, with the temperatures dropping as we head into winter. After a warm-down session on Monday, Tuesday was more intensive and the teams took to the Tito Vilanova field.

BY THE NUMBERS | Hansi Flick’s 50 Liga games – FC Barcelona
The 4-2 win away to Celta brought more than just three points. Alongside Lewandowski’s hat-trick and fresh assists from Rashford, there were statistics to savour on the touchline too. The German coach has now reached 50 LaLiga matches at the Barça helm.

FC Barcelona international agenda – FC Barcelona
Anew international break is upon us, with some crunch World Cup qualifiers for some of the FC Barcelona players while others will be involved in friendlies. Here are the fixtures with Blaugrana interest over the coming days.

Lamine Yamal withdrawn from the squad for matches against Georgia and Turkey – RFEF
The Medical Services of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) wish to express their surprise and concernupon learning, at 13:47 on Monday, 10 November — the day the national team’s official training camp began — that Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure earlier that same morning to treat discomfort in his pubic area.

Raphinha is closer to returning to play than Pedri – Mundo Deportivo
At Barça they are optimistic about the Brazilian’s availability against Athletic on November 22nd, but less so about the Canary Islander.

De Jong: “We’re better with Lewandowski, everyone knows it” – Mundo Deportivo
During his time with the Dutch national team, the Barcelona midfielder spoke about Barça and the reason for his contract renewal “despite the offers.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Lionel Messi has given a new interview and talked about how much he misses life in Barcelona and would love to return with his family.

The GOAT has been back in the city this week, posting a photo of himself making a midnight visit to the Camp Nou, and says he can’t wait to visit the stadium properly when it’s finished.

Messi was asked if he had a message for Barcelona fans and was happy to talk about coming home.

“We miss Barcelona a lot, that the children continuously, and my wife, talk about Barcelona, the idea of living there again. We have our house, everything, so it’s what we want,” he told Sport.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to the stadium when it’s finished because since I went to Paris I haven’t returned to the Camp Nou either [note: the interview took place before his trip to Barca this week] and then they went to Montjuic.

“It’s going to be weird to go back to the new stadium and see it because the last time I saw it was a long time ago and it’s going to be exciting to live again and remember everything that was, beyond the fact that the stadium is different. Grateful for the affection as always and nothing but thank you.”

Messi is expected to stay in MLS a while longer as he’s just signed a contract through to the end of the 2028 season with Inter Miami.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been dropped from the latest Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey in a shock move by Luis de la Fuente’s team.

Yamal was due to link up with La Roja for the two fixtures after playing for Barcelona in a 4-2 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday but has now been withdrawn from the call-up.

Here’s the statement from the RFEF:

“The Medical Services of the RFEF wish to express their surprise and discomfort after learning at 13:47 on Monday, November 10, the day of the start of the official training camp with the national team, that player Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure for the treatment of his pubic discomfort that same morning.

“This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the medical staff of the National Team, with knowledge of the details only through a report received at 22:40 last night, which indicated the medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days.

“Given this situation, and prioritizing at all times the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has made the decision to release the athlete from the current call-up.

“We are confident that he will recover well and wish him a speedy and full recovery.”

The move is likely to further inflame tensions between club and country over Yamal, particularly as De la Fuente had claimed the youngster “was in perfect condition” after including him on his list.

Yet Barcelona have made it clear that Yamal is having to manage what’s known to be a complicated injury, and he’ll now get a good rest over the international break.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Celta Vigo boss Claudio Giraldez rather bizarrely complained about Barcelona’s last-minute change to their starting XI after Marc Casado dropped out ahead of kick-off.

The midfielder has reportedly suffered an adductor strain and is due to undergo tests on Monday, with Hansi Flick replacing him with Dani Olmo.

Giraldez was asked about the incident after the game and revealed why he wasn’t happy about it.

“I don’t think it’s quite right when you go onto the pitch with eleven players, with a plan for eleven players, with a pre-match talk with eleven players, with a post-warm-up talk with eleven players, and then suddenly someone else comes along and changes things significantly,” he told reporters.

“It’s different if Casadó plays than if Olmo plays. I’m not saying they did it with bad intentions, but it seems strange to me that it doesn’t count as a substitution and then, on top of that, Casadó can play in the second half if they decide to. It’s a bit odd from a rules standpoint.”

It’s a strange complaint to make about a situation that happens from time-to-time when players pick up knocks in the warm-up. Barca clearly didn’t want to risk Casado after he admitted to feeling some discomfort and made the right call.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Celta Vigo 2-4 FC Barcelona: Closer to the top – FC Barcelona
Lewandowski hat-trick and a goal from Lamine Yamal earn victory at a traditionally difficult ground to move within three points of league leaders Real Madrid.

HIGHLIGHTS | Celta v Barça – FC Barcelona
All the action from the La Liga clash in the Balaídos stadium in Vigo.

Hansi Flick: ‘We controlled the game’ – FC Barcelona
The Barça coach, hat-trick hero Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford all look back on the win at Celta Vigo in La Liga.

Barça 8-0 Deportivo: Big win to get back on track – FC Barcelona
The defeat to Real Sociedad last week is now well and truly in the past, particularly so because Barça Women won a resounding 8-0 against Deportivo Abanca at Estadi Johan Cruyff.

Barça Atlètic 4-1 Torrent: Win to go second – FC Barcelona
A superb win for Barça Atlètic, who delivered an attacking masterclass at the Estadi Johan Cruyff to beat Torrent 4–1. An early own goal set things up, and after the break Ureña, Jofre Torrents and Toni Fernández turned it into a rout.

Flick: “The team is on the right track” – Mundo Deportivo
The Barcelona coach was happy with Barça’s victory and the great second half reaction in Vigo that gave them “confidence and pride”.

Source: barcablaugranes.com