Barcelona FC news

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana welcome Osasuna for their next La Liga game at Camp Nou, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 23 players for Saturday’s clash:

Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Joan Garcia, 31. Diego Kochen

Defenders: 3. Alejandro Balde, 5. Pau Cubarsí, 15. Andreas Christensen, 18. Gerard Martín, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric Garcia, 26. Jofre Torrents

Midfielders: 8. Pedri, 16. Fermín López, 17. Marc Casadó, 21. Frenkie de Jong, 22. Marc Bernal, 27. Dro Fernández, 43. Tommy Marqués

Forwards: 7. Ferran Torres, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 10. Lamine Yamal, 11. Raphinha, 14. Marcus Rashford, 28. Roony Bardghji

There is a last-minute scratch for this one as backup goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is forced to miss out due to a stomatch bug, and he joins the injured Dani Olmo (shoulder) and Gavi (knee) on the absentee list, while Ronald Araujo remains away from the team for mental health reasons.

Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Martín, Balde; Eric, Pedri; Yamal, Fermín, Raphinha; Lewandowski

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The match kicks off at 6.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.30pm GMT (UK), 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT (USA), 11pm IST (India), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Osasuna – FC Barcelona
LaLiga time at the Spotify Camp Nou. Osasuna visit the Blaugrana home, as Hansi Flick will be looking to maintain the positive atmosphere to earn another three points and further consolidate top spot in the league.

Hansi Flick: ‘We need to focus on ourselves’ – FC Barcelona
The past few weeks have been very positive at Barça. The team has recovered from being five points behind Real Madrid in the league to being four points ahead of their closest rival. However, for Hansi Flick, who addressed the media in a press conference on Friday, “there’s still a very long road ahead, with many matches to be played.”

Gerard Martín returns, ready for Osasuna – Mundo Deportivo
After missing Thursday’s training session due to illness, the defender rejoined the group and will be available for selection for the match on Saturday.

Julián Álvarez speaks out about Barça’s interest: “I know there’s talk” – Mundo Deportivo
The Atletico Madrid striker told ‘Marca’ that he is not worried about being linked with Barcelona for next season.

Dumfries, with a “cyclical” clause of 25 million – Mundo Deportivo
The Dutch full-back for Inter, who has been linked with Barça among other clubs in recent transfer windows, could find himself on the same exit path next summer.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has been full or praise for loanee Marcus Rashford after seeing him pick up another assist in midweek against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

Rashford came off the bench in the game at Camp Nou and helped to turn the game in Barcelona’s favor, with the Catalans running out 2-1 victors.

Flick spoke out after the game and offered some insight into Rashford’s mentality this season at Barcelona.

“When he’s on the bench, it shows also we have a good team,” Flick he told reporters.

“In this position we have excellent players. What I can say, he’s an absolute professional player. His attitude, mentality is great. In the beginning, he had to adapt a little bit, but now he’s on his best level.

“I speak with the players when they’re not playing, explaining why, and what he said to me the last day, was ‘Boss, you don’t have to tell me this, it’s only about the team. We have to win three points, nothing else is important.’

“It’s the right attitude. The mentality he has is fantastic and I am really happy he is here.”

Rashford will be hoping he’s done enough to start on Saturday when Barcelona return to action in La Liga against Osasuna.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona have won all four games since the painful defeat at Stamford Bridge two and a half weeks ago, which also happened to be the last time Frenkie de Jong started a game.

The Dutchman went on to miss the next two with an illness, but since his return to the lineup Frenkie is yet to start and has played just over 50 total minutes as a substitute in the last two games.

Hansi Flick was asked in a press conference on Friday about Frenkie’s lack of minutes recently and explained it’s normal for De Jong to have to earn his spot back in the lineup after not playing a lot, especially given the form of Eric Garcia as a defensive midfielder.

“As I said before, this is the current situation, and we’ve played well recently with Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Alejandro Balde, and Eric García. Frenkie de Jong was ill and missed two matches, which is why he didn’t play. He needs to recover, and it’s normal that he was out after what happened to him. For me, it’s important that we field our best 11 players to win the three points.

“At the moment we’ve seen Eric as a ‘6’ and he’s done well. Perhaps he needs to continue like that for now. It’s important that everyone recovers well. We’ll decide tomorrow. Eric can play as a ‘6’.”

Flick’s quotes seem to indicate Eric will remain the starting pivot for Saturday’s game against Osasuna and likely the next few games, and that De Jong might have to wait his turn for at least a while.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is happy with the competition for places in his team during a strong recent run of form, especially between strikers Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Both players have scored hat-tricks over the last month and Ferran has been especially impressive, and that has created a good selection headache for the coach, who said at a press conference on Friday that he enjoys seeing the form of both of his goalscorers and thinks it’s a reflection of what’s happening to the team as a whole.

“In a team like Barça, at this level and with so many competitions, it’s important to have competition within the squad. This makes the players improve. What Ferran and Lewy are doing is good for the team. What I’ve seen in the last four weeks has delighted me. Ferran is playing at a very high level. The quality of training is different from what it was two months ago. This is the level at Barça. If we train at this level, we can improve; that’s the key.”

Despite the subpar performance against Frankfurt in midweek there is no doubt that Barça are returning to their best version, especially in an attacking sense, and having both strikers on fire will help to convert the many chances they’ve been creating recently into goals to continue the team’s strong run of form.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Back at work – FC Barcelona
LaLiga settings. After a day off, Hansi Flick’s squad were back in for training today for a session as part of preparations for the league match against Osasuna, the first game after the Champions League comeback against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Back to work with renewed energy but without Gerard Martín – Mundo Deportivo
After a day of rest, Barça began preparing for Saturday’s league match against Osasuna. The defender was unable to train due to illness and joins Olmo, Gavi and Araujo on the sidelines.

Eric Garcia signs his contract extension with Barça until 2031 – Mundo Deportivo
Eric Garcia signed with FC Barcelona on Thursday, extending his contract until 2031. The versatile Barça player joins the group of players with longer contracts, along with Joan Garcia, Ronald Araujo, and Lamine Yamal.

Eric: “I’m not the best for playing well, and I’m not the worst when I mess up” – Mundo Deportivo
Hansi Flick’s utility player celebrated being in great form, but is aware of how quickly football changes. He doesn’t see himself as aiming to become captain, although he admits that helping his teammates “comes naturally” to him.

Good news for Osasuna ahead of Barça trip – Mundo Deportivo
Osasuna began preparing for Saturday’s match at Camp Nou with several of the players who finished their last game with knocks, but are now back in the team’s training sessions.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia has become the latest player to send support to Ronald Araujo after he took a leave of absence from the club.

Garcia, who signed a new contract extension at the club this week, says Barcelona miss the Uruguay international and hope he returns to competitive action soon.

“We miss him, both as a player and as a person. He’s a very well-liked person. We’re waiting for him with open arms,” he told reporters.

“When it comes to health, everyone is in charge of their own decisions. I hope he’s patient and can return as soon as possible. He’s a very important player and we miss him.”

Pedri has also sent out a supportive message to Araujo, saying the center-back “is like a brother” and that he is still very much needed at Barcelona.

Araujo has this week taken a trip to Israel in search of spiritual guidance after being granted time away from the game by his club side.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona were back in training on Thursday morning but without Gerard Martin for the session at the Ciutat Esportiva.

The defender was absent due to illness, according to multiple reports, but it is hoped that he will be back tomorrow and available to face Osasuna on Saturday.

Martin is rapidly becoming an important player for Hansi Flick. He’s been partnered with Pau Cubarsi in central defence in recent games and may well be set to continue in that position rather than at left-back.

“Gerard gives us more opportunities to play the ball out from the back,” said Flick when quizzed about his decision to shift Martin into the heart of his backline.

Barcelona have just two La Liga games left in the calendar year and will be hoping to finish 2025 on top of the pile in Spain.

The Catalans have a four-point lead over Real Madrid ahead of the weekend’s round of fixtures and then wrap up their year next weekend against Villarreal.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona enjoyed a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League in midweek but remain two points off the top eight – and automatic qualification to the next round – following the completion of the latest round of fixtures.

Hansi Flick’s side sit down in 15th place in the table with 12 points from six games and a goal difference of plus three ahead of their final two matches in the group phase against Slavia Prague and FC Copenhagen.

Five teams have already qualified for the knockout phase already – Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Atalanta – as the race to progress really starts to hot up.

All of which means there are now just two points separating Inter in sixth place in the table from Barcelona down in 15th.

Here’s a look at how things are shaping up.

Four more teams into the knockout phase ✅#UCLpic.twitter.com/prqgwY2TM1

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 10, 2025

The situation means Flick’s side have work do ahead of their remaining games. Victories will be essential to secure a top eight place, while goal difference also looks like it may be crucial this year.

Flick admitted as much after seeing his side come from behind to beat Frankfurt.

“We have to focus on ourselves and on getting six more points than we have now. Of course, goal difference is important,” he said.

“We’re taking it game by game. It’s not easy to play in the Champions League. All the opponents hurt you. They fight. It’s the top competition in Europe and perhaps the world.”

On paper at least, Barcelona have a fairly kind fixture list but may have to win big if they are to reach the top eight. As things stand, it looks more likely they will go into the play-offs, but there’s a lot of football still to be played.

Will Barca make it into the top eight? Let us know your thoughts on this season’s Champions League in the comments below!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

A different kind of comeback – FC Barcelona
Barça’s season has had one clear theme: comebacks. Especially over the past month, with Flick’s side repeatedly overturning difficult scorelines to walk away with all three points. The latest example came on Tuesday in the Champions League against Eintracht Frankfurt, though this one had a twist.

Barcelona 3-1 Benfica | UEFA Women’s Champions League 25/26 | UEFA.com
Barcelona secure a crucial victory thanks to a brilliant team performance and strikes from Ewa Pajor, Laia Aleixandri and an own goal. Benfica fought hard and responded straight after half-time, but ultimately they had no answer to the hosts’ dominance.

Flick gives the team a breather after the victory against Eintracht – Mundo Deportivo
The German coach cancelled the usual recovery training session and gave the squad the day off to recharge ahead of Osasuna’s visit.

Dani Olmo targets Espanyol – Mundo Deportivo
The attacking midfielder is recovering well from his dislocated left shoulder and the conservative treatment is progressing as expected. The feeling is positive, and therefore the club’s objective is for Dani Olmo to return for the derby against Espanyol on January 3rd.

Pedri: “Araujo is like a brother to me, I love him very much and we need him” – Mundo Deportivo
The Canary Islander referred to the situation of the Barcelona defender and wished “that he will be with us as soon as possible, when he is well.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has sent out a message after seeing his team forced to come from behind yet against this season against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

The Catalan giants have picked up a nasty habit of conceding first in the 2025-26 campaign, and Tuesday’s win was their seventh comeback of the season and their fourth in a row. 

Flick was asked why Barca keep on going behind in games and had no ready answer, although he did tell his players he would much prefer to see his side score first.

“To answer this is not easy. For one side, I’m really happy how we come back. It shows a lot of our attitude and our mentality,” he told reporters.

“But sometimes it would also be good to start well and score the first goal! It is what it is. I’m really appreciative of what the team did today – we played fantastically in defence and it wasn’t easy to create good chances.”

Barcelona’s ability to turn games around deserves credit but it’s obvious that going a goal behind on a regular basis is not ideal.

Flick’s side now have three games left to play before the end of 2025 and will hope they don’t have to pull off any more comebacks. They face Osasuna and Villarreal in La Liga and Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

FC Barcelona’s under-16s opened their Messi Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against River Plate in Miami, battling back late on a humid first day that delivered goals, big storylines, and a strong dose of spotlight thanks to the presence of Lionel Messi himself.

The inaugural edition of the youth tournament, created by Messi’s production company and unveiled back in October, brings together eight of the world’s top academies for a week of competition at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium and the Florida Blue Training Center. It marks a new platform for standout young talents, framed by Messi’s own vision. As organizers described on social media, “Players chasing their dreams. A platform for the next era. One stage, one future. This is more than football, it’s a movement.”

Barça struck first against River when Ruslan Mba unleashed a driven effort from distance in the 33rd minute, a reward for the team’s early control. But the match flipped after the break. River equalized through Bruno Cabral from the penalty spot just before the hour, then took the lead four minutes later when Joaquín Amor reacted quickest inside the box to guide in an instinctive finish.

Barcelona grew more urgent as time wore on, and their pressure finally paid off in the 80th minute. After a set piece caused chaos in the area, Ahmed Abarkane pounced on the rebound to level the match and salvage a point for the Catalans. The draw leaves Barça in decent shape in a group expected to be tight from the outset. The club sees the tournament as a valuable test for a generation that has been progressing steadily this season.

Earlier in the day, Messi took center stage as he officially inaugurated the event. Coming off an MLS Cup triumph and a second consecutive MVP award with Inter Miami, he received an ovation that felt more like a celebration than a ceremony. Young players crowded around hoping for a moment with him, and some even managed a hug from the Argentine legend. Back in October, Messi explained his motivation for creating the tournament: “The future of the game will be on full display, and it’s more than just matches… This is about the next generation.”

Elsewhere in the group stage, several teams made early statements. Manchester City looked sharp in a composed 3-0 win over Inter Milan. Chelsea and Atletico Madrid produced the wildest match of the afternoon, with the English side emerging 4-2 victors. Inter Miami’s academy, playing on familiar ground, swept past Newell’s Old Boys 4-0 in a matchup carrying sentimental weight given Messi’s origins at the Argentine club.

With fixtures running through December 16, the top two teams in each group will progress to the semifinals. Matches are available on ESPN+ in the United States, Disney+ in Australia, and on ESPN UK’s YouTube channel across Europe.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona midfielder Pedri has sent out a heartfelt message of support to Ronald Araujo after the defender opted to take a leave of absence from the club.

Araujo has not played for Barcelona since being sent off in the Champions League against Chelsea and there is no date set yet for his return.

Pedri spoke about the situation after Barcelona’s win over Eintracht Frankfurt and made sure to let Araujo know just how loved he is in the dressing room.

“It’s not an easy situation. I want to give him all the support in the world; I’ve already spoken to him about it privately. He’s one of the family, we love him very much, and we need him both on and off the field,” he told TNT Sports.

“These things happen; there are mistakes on and off the field. We all make mistakes, and we need him because, for me, he’s like a brother. I love him very much and I hope he’s back with us as soon as possible, when he’s well.”

Araujo has reportedly travelled to Israel this week in seach of some spiritual guidance to help him after being granted some time away from football by Barcelona.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

FC Barcelona 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt: Kounde crowns comeback – FC Barcelona
That this Hansi Flick FC Barcelona team never gives up is nothing new at this point, and this UCL matchday six fixture between Barça and Eintracht Frankfurt just reinforces that view. Two headed goals by Jules Kounde early in the second half made the difference this time, confirming yet another comeback (2-1) and three vital UCL points from the first European match at Spotify Camp Nou in over two years.

A brace and Man of the Match for Jules Kounde – FC Barcelona
Jules Kounde was the man to shine on Barça’s return to Spotify Camp Nou in Europe. The French defender scored twice in the Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt to claim the UEFA Player of the Match award.

Lamine Yamal sets another record – FC Barcelona
Another record for Lamine Yamal, as his assist against Eintracht Frankfurt means he has 14 goal contributions with FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League — seven goals and seven assists — the most ever in the competition from a player aged 18 years or younger.

CD Guadalajara, in Copa del Rey Round of 16 – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will open their participation in the Copa del Rey 2025/26 with a Round of 16 fixture away to CD Guadalajara, as revealed in Tuesday’s draw held at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas.

Flick: “I’m proud of the team” – Mundo Deportivo
“They defended very deep, leaving little space, and we were able to create chances,” said the Barça coach after beating Eintracht.

Koundé, MVP after his brace: “Today was my day” – Mundo Deportivo
The Barça defender was decisive against Eintracht with his two goals and was elated to have contributed to the victory.

Pedri: “They’ve made it very difficult for us” – Mundo Deportivo
The Barça midfielder acknowledged the difficulties posed by Eintracht Frankfurt and praised Koundé after his brace.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Ronald Araujo is reportedly heading to Israel in a bid to help his current issues after being granted a leave of absence from Barcelona.

The defender has decided to make the trip “to get closer to his beliefs and find the emotional stability he seeks in order to return,” according to ESPN.

Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Araujo will head to Jerusalem where he will seek “spiritual guidance” during what is a difficult time for the defender.

Araujo’s visit will be a “short stay” which is “designed to disconnect, do some sightseeing and find a space of calm,” according to Diario Sport.

Barcelona are said to be fully supportive of Araujo’s trip and are hoping it can help him psychologically after he decided to take time away from the game after his red card against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Araujo has since been granted an indefinite leave of absence, with Deco having confirmed the club are not setting a date for the defender’s return to action.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana play their first Champions League game at Camp Nou in 1,140 days against Eintracht Frankfurt, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 22 players for Tuesday’s clash:

Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Joan Garcia, 25. Wojciech Szczesny

Defenders: 3. Alejandro Balde, 5. Pau Cubarsí, 15. Andreas Christensen, 18. Gerard Martín, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric Garcia, 26. Jofre Torrents

Midfielders: 8. Pedri, 16. Fermín López, 17. Marc Casadó, 21. Frenkie de Jong, 22. Marc Bernal, 27. Dro Fernández

Forwards: 7. Ferran Torres, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 10. Lamine Yamal, 11. Raphinha, 14. Marcus Rashford, 28. Roony Bardghji

The big news for this one is the return of Marc-André ter Stegen as the club captain gets his first call-up of the season after recovering from back surgery. That means Dani Olmo (shoulder) and Gavi (knee) are the only ones currently ruled out through injury, while Ronald Araujo remains away from the team for mental health reasons.

Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Martín, Balde; Eric, Pedri; Roony, Yamal, Raphinha; Lewandowski

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The match kicks off at 9pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 8pm GMT (UK), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 1.30am IST (India, Wednesday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Final touches for Eintracht Frankfurt match – FC Barcelona
It is Champions League time and FC Barcelona are fully focused on the next European challenge of Eintracht Frankfurt on 9 December, kick-off 9.00pm CET. As such, there was no day off for the blaugrana players, who were in for training in preparation for the league phase matchday six fixture at the Spotify Camp Nou.

When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Eintracht Frankfurt – FC Barcelona
Back to the Champions League after three consecutive LaLiga games, and at a very special venue of course, the Spotify Camp Nou, in what will be the first European night since the redevelopment, with Eintracht Frankfurt the visitors.

Hansi Flick: ‘It is a very important game’ – FC Barcelona
Blaugrana coach expresses his satisfaction with his players and wants the improvement to show in the Champions League, as the European nights return to the Spotify Camp Nou.

Gerard Martín: ‘We can’t drop more points’ – FC Barcelona
The defender has been one of the talking points of the last few weeks with Gerard Martín demonstrating his versatility by putting in a series of impressive performances at centre back. In the pre-game press conference ahead of Barça’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, his recent form was one of the many topics touched upon in his appearance before the press.

All set for the Copa del Rey draw – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s defence of their Copa del Rey title is about to get under way. Hansi Flick’s team enter the draw which will take place on Tuesday 9 December at 1pm CET for the last 32 of the competition with ties to be played on 16/17/18 of this month.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona finished the weekend four points clear in the La Liga standings thanks to Real Madrid’s 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo, but Barça’s coach was not watching it happen live.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Hansi Flick was asked if he saw Los Blancos lose and the boost it gives Barça in the title race, but the coach revealed he was already asleep while the game took place and made it clear he does not focus on the opponent’s results and wants his team to only care about themselves.

“I didn’t see it. I was sleeping. I saw the messages. I’m focused on us; I’m not wasting energy on this. I’m focused on my team. That’s the most important thing. That’s how it is.

“We always focus on ourselves. We don’t look at the opponent and we don’t want to talk about it. We are focused and we know it’s a long road.”

I absolutely love Flick’s answer. Barça control their own destiny in La Liga and it really doesn’t matter what is happening to Real Madrid. You’ve got to get your beauty sleep no matter what, especially if you’re a handsome man like Hansi.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Hansi Flick has confirmed that Marc-André ter Stegen will return to the Barcelona squad for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt, but the coach is not changing his plans for the goalkeeper position.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Flick had a brief but clear response to the questions about Ter Stegen’s return and said that summer signing Joan Garcia will remain the team’s number one shot-stopper.

“It’s clear, Joan is my number one goalkeeper. Yes, [Ter Stegen] could be included in the squad against Eintracht.”

Reports from Catalan media also say that Ter Stegen will be the team’s third goalkeeper behind backup Wojciech Szczesny, making it clear that the German will have to seek playing time elsewhere if he wants to return to action in time to earn his spot in the national team squad for the World Cup.

Plenty of teams around Europe have expressed interest in Ter Stegen’s services ahead of the January transfer window, and the goalkeeper already knows his current coach doesn’t plan on using him.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Recovery session after Betis win – FC Barcelona
The first team were in for training at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Sunday morning after the great victory against Betis (3-5). The recovery session took place as the upcoming Champion Leagues fixture at the Spotify Camp Nou comes into focus.

FC Barcelona equal third best ever scoring streak in La Liga – FC Barcelona
New milestone for Barça under Hansi Flick as in the match between FC Barcelona and Betis in week 15 of La Liga, the blaugranes reached 36 consecutive games scoring in the domestic competition. A streak that ranks as the third best in the Club’s history, tied with the run achieved between 1942 and 1944 under coach Juan José Nogués.

Comebacks keep coming – FC Barcelona
Yet more evidence that this FC Barcelona team never down tools. The great victory away to Betis (3-5) was the sixth comeback this season for Hansi Flick’s side and their third in a row, making it now 18 points earned from losing positions. The LaLiga season isn’t even halfway through and those 18 points have already matched those earned from comebacks across the entire 2024/25 season.

1800 La Liga wins for FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona
The La Liga Matchday 15 victory against Real Betis at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville saw FC Barcelona bring up the round number of 1800 wins in the domestic competition.

A Barça team for the future… and the present – FC Barcelona
Talent is said not to depend on age and La Masia is the best example of that. Year after year the Blaugrana youth system continues to provide players capable of understanding the game, competing like veterans and taking on responsibility without burden. The investment in young talent, combined with homegrown players and seamless additions has set Barça up well for now and for the future in particular.

Dream ending for Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets – FC Barcelona
The curtain has come down on the careers of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in the best possible way, as they have won a final and lifted a trophy before hanging up their boots. Both former blaugranes starred in the 3-1 MLS Cup win against the WhiteCaps, a golden farewell and perfect epilogue to careers that left their mark on FC Barcelona, and football both in Spain and worldwide.

Raphinha speaks out to deny his future in Saudi Arabia – Mundo Deportivo
The Brazilian star responded to a comment on Instagram, which indicated that he had already agreed to leave Barça next summer: “I don’t know where they get so much nonsense from, really,” he commented

Eintracht Frankfurt, seriously wounded before Barça: harsh self-criticism and a serious warning from the club – Mundo Deportivo
“We are too passive and that cannot be allowed,” declared sporting director Markus Krösche after the 6-0 defeat in Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

Girona want to repeat the ‘Eric formula’ with Marc Bernal – Mundo Deportivo
The midfielder is getting very few minutes after his serious knee injury, and those at Montilivi would welcome a loan until the end of the season.

Big week for Héctor Fort – Mundo Deportivo
After scoring the winning goal against Quintanar del Rey in the Cup, the full-back on loan from Barça provided two assists in Elche’s victory against Girona and is earning Éder Sarabia’s trust.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona star Raphinha has hit back at talk that he already has an agreement in place to leave the club in the summer transfer window if a lucrative offer arrives from Saudi Arabia.

It was reported earlier this week that the Brazilian has a verbal agreement with Deco to move on after World Cup 2026 if a big-money offers comes in from the Middle East.

However, Raphinha has moved quickly to shoot down the speculation. He responded to a post on social media about the story with some very strong words, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

“I don’t know where they get so much nonsense, really. Well, this one, where fake news always comes out, very nice,” he responded.

Raphinha has regularly made it clear that Barcelona is the only club he wants to play for and that he’d be happy to spend his entire career at Camp Nou.

After signing a new contract earlier this season he said: “I’ve told my family before that my dream is to be here until the end of my career and I hope to be able to do so but at my best level.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona’s 5-3 win over Real Betis saw Hansi Flick’s side awarded a penalty, converted by Lamine Yamal, that was hotly contested by the hosts.

Marc Bartra was penalised for handball in the second half after he blocked a shot by Marcus Rashford and the ball then rose up and hit his arm.

The decision to award a penalty was not given initially but VAR Iglesias Villanueva advised the match official to take another look.

“I recommend a review so that you can assess a potential penalty for handball. In the image you will see the shot on goal and how Bartra, at all times, has his arm up and after hitting him in the leg, he hits him in the arm, which is occupying a space,” match referee Hernández Maeso was told.

The ref watched the images and then replied: “It’s a shot and it’s punishable because Bartra, from the beginning, is throwing himself with his arm up. Therefore, it is occupying a space from the first moment. Even if there is a rebound in the leg, it is still punishable and is a penalty. Penalty without a card.”

The decision did not go down at all well with Betis, with manager Manuel Pellegrini saying afterwards he felt the match officials had “invented a penalty.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has insisted again there’s no problem between Lamine Yamal and Dani Carvajal and that the two are actually eager to see one another again.

The two Spain stars clashed during the latest Clasico, with the Real Madrid veteran seemingly riled up by some pre-match comments by Yamal.

Carvajal is currently sidelined due to injury but will be hoping to link up with Yamal and Spain again for World Cup 2026.

De la Fuente says he has no concerns about the relationship between the two players.

“My job is to maintain a healthy relationship. I’ve spoken with both of them and I know these things happen in football, at such a competitive level,” he told Marca.

“You have to distinguish between what happens on the pitch and what it means to be on the national team. They know this and are eager to see each other and give each other a hug.”

Spain will head into the tournament as one of the favorites, but De la Fuente insists it means nothing and there are plenty of other strong sides at the tournament.

“Being a favorite doesn’t guarantee anything. There are other teams just as much favorites as Spain: France, Argentina, Brazil, England, Portugal… There are many capable of winning the World Cup,” he added.

“Being considered one of them makes me proud, especially because nothing has been handed to us. Being number one in the FIFA ranking is the result of good work and having an exceptional generation of footballers.”

Spain will take on Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde in the group stages of next summer’s tournament.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Betis 3-5 FC Barcelona: Three glorious points – FC Barcelona
“When we play as team, everything works.” Those were Hansi Flick’s words before this tricky fixture away to Betis, and the players certainly gave him everything he wanted. A highly convincing 5-3 win ensures they remain top of the league table for another week regardless of what Real Madrid achieve against Celta tomorrow.

Hansi Flick: ‘The players gave everything’ – FC Barcelona
Hansi Flick was clearly very pleased after Barça’s victory over Betis, highlighting the team’s solidity and commitment, especially in the first half, emphasising that the side showed character and quality to win a very challenging encounter.

Ferran Torres: Record breaker – FC Barcelona
What a day for Ferran Torres. The Barça striker stole the show at La Cartuja, firing in a hat-trick and smashing several personal records along the way.

Roony Bardghji scores first goal for FC Barcelona – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona’s game away to Real Betis produced plenty of things to talk about, and one of those was the first ever goal for Roony Bardghji in the Blaugrana jersey.

Barça 2–0 UD Tenerife: Comfortable win – FC Barcelona
In Barça’s first game since the announcement of Aitana Bonmatí’s prolonged absence due to injury, the team took all three points against Tenerife without being at their fluent best. The 2-0 victory was sealed by late goals from Pajor and Alexia and the game also saw the return of Esmee Brugts after injury to make her 100th appearance as a Barça player.

CD Alcoyano – Barça Atlètic: Late punishment (3-2) – FC Barcelona
Barcelona’s reserve team loses in stoppage time after playing for over an hour with ten men.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

WELCOME TO THE LA CARTUJA STADIUM!!! This beautiful venue in the city of Seville, which serves as the home of the Copa del Rey Final, is also the temporary home of Real Betis over the next couple of seasons and today hosts a monster La Liga match between Betis and Barcelona, who come into this one looking to solidify their spot at the top of the table with three more points on the road. But this one won’t be easy at all against a Betis side which have lost just twice this season, and always give Barça hell when playing in front of their great home crowd. This should be all kinds of fun, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos!

LINEUPS

To be announced.

MATCH INFO

Competition/Round: 2025-26 La Liga, Matchday 15

Date/Time: Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 5.30pm GMT (UK), 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT (USA), 11pm IST (India)

Venue: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville, Spain

Referee: Francisco José Hernández Maeso

VAR: Javier Iglesias Villanueva

HOW TO WATCH

On TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar (Spain), others

Online: ESPN+ (USA), Premier Sports Player (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