Barcelona FC news

Joan Laporta has spoken about his relationship with Lionel Messi and admits the relationship between the pair is still “damaged” and that the GOAT snubbed him at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

“The relationship with Messi isn’t what it used to be. There was also an incident at the Ballon d’Or ceremony where I went to greet him, and he felt we shouldn’t greet each other,” he told Catalunya Radio.

“Since then, there has been some rapprochement, and hopefully, this will continue in the future. The relationship is strained, but he’s a Barcelona legend.”

Laporta also spoke again about Messi’s emotional departure from the club.

“They wanted us to sign a 50-year agreement with CVC to register Leo. We couldn’t do it. The club is bigger than any individual. That’s what has saddened me the most,” he added.

“These are difficult decisions. We couldn’t have it all. If we renewed his contract, we couldn’t afford his salary.”

Laporta is currently on the campaign trail and hoping to continue as Barcelona president. The elections are due to take place next month on March 15th.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

FC Barcelona 3-0 Levante: Back on top – FC Barcelona
Last Monday Barcelona surrendered their lead in La Liga when they lost in Girona, but it has only taken them a week to recover their place at the top of the pile. While Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Osasuna on Saturday, the Catalans got the job done today with a convincing 3-0 defeat of Levante.

HIGHLIGHTS | FC Barcelona v Levante – FC Barcelona
All the action from the La Liga clash at Spotify Camp Nou.

Hansi Flick: ‘We responded well’ – FC Barcelona
Speaking after the game, Hansi Flick highlighted the “good response” from his players after a run of two consecutive losses to Atlético Madrid and Girona. “We know it isn’t easy to start winning again after two defeats, but the team gave a very good response”, he said.

Pedri returns to action – FC Barcelona
He was sorely missed. A full month without Pedri had felt like a long, uneasy journey for FC Barcelona, but that stretch is now behind them. The Barça metronome made his return in the win over Levante at Spotify Camp Nou, a day that brought the smiles back to the faces of the blaugrana faithful.

Lamine Yamal has 100 wins with Barça – FC Barcelona
Barça forward Lamine Yamal is no stranger to precocious achievements and on Sunday in the win over Levante he added another to his collection. The 3-0 victory was number 100 for the teenager in a Barça shirt in official competition, making him the youngest player ever to reach a century of wins.

Barça Atlètic 1-1 CD Alcoyano: A point at home – FC Barcelona
Barça Atlètic were held to a draw by CD Alcoyano in the Estadi Johan Cruyff in the Segunda Federación clash. A Raúl González own goal early in the second half earned Juliano Belletti’s team a point after Soler had put Alcoyano ahead in the opening period. The draw means Barça Atlètic stay in fifth place in the table in the league.

Joao Cancelo, MVP against Levante: “I felt the coach was going to put me in” – Mundo Deportivo
The Portuguese full-back, chosen as the best player of the Barça-Levante match (3-0), explained that “when you train well, things simply flow on the pitch.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona are back to winning ways and have reclaimed their spot on top of the La Liga table thanks to a very comfortable 3-0 win against Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon. The Blaugrana dominated the entire game and created really good chances throughout the game, and João Cancelo was the standout performer as Barça picked up all three points, kept a clean sheet and bounced back from a couple of bad defeats in impressive fashion.

Reactions & Observations

• The first couple of minutes of the game had a nervous feeling as Levante created two goalmouth chances and Joan Garcia was called to the rescue, and it seemed as though the visitors were ready to wreak havoc.
• But as soon as a short corner routine from the home team ended with an assist by Eric Garcia and a tap-in for Marc Bernal in the fourth minute, the game changed completely and Barça were in full control for the rest of the half.
• The Catalans looked a lot like themselves again, passing the ball quickly and with purpose and finding spaces inside the Levante low block with good runs in behind and constant overlapping from both full-backs.
• The star of the show in the first half was João Cancelo, who erased all doubts about his surprise inclusion in the starting lineup with a very strong performance. The Portuguese played basically as a left winger and was responsible for every one of the several good attacks Barça created throughout the period, and it was his assist to Frenkie de Jong that doubled the Blaugrana lead and gave them crucial separation in the scoreline.
• Barça had a deserved lead at halftime and were playing their best football in a while, but they still needed another goal or two in the second half to make sure of the win without any drama.
• The Blaugrana played a really solid second half, managing the game perfectly by dominating possession and not allowing a single meaningful chance on the counter to a Levante side that seemed content to not lose by much.
• Pedri returned from injury to a very nice ovation and the Catalans created a few good chances without finding the net, but in the 80th minute Fermín López fired an absolute rocket with his weaker left foot that went in off the post and guaranteed the victory in style.
• This was a very good win with a strong team performance that helps restore at least some of the good vibes and puts Barça back on top of the table. Levante were not good at all and there will be much tougher tests to come in the coming weeks, but this was a good first step to recover from two bad losses.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Joan Laporta has told Real Madrid not to complain in the wake of their surprise defeat to Osasuna on Saturday in La Liga.

Los Blancos went down 2-1 in a game that saw Osasuna awarded a penalty after a VAR check for a foul on Ante Budimir.

The match referee originally booked Budimir for diving but awarded a spot-kick after reviewing the footage and deciding goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois caught the striker.

It’s the latest in a series of high profile decisions in La Liga this season but Laporta thinks Madrid should accept the decision with grace.

“Madrid has been awarded a thousand penalties like that,” he told Cope.

“For once they don’t get a penalty handed to them on a plate for some dive, they shouldn’t complain.”

The defeat means that Barcelona can return to the top of the table in La Liga if they beat Levante at Camp Nou this afternoon.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

WELCOME TO CAMP NOU!!! The Greatest Stadium on Earth is the site of a crucial La Liga match for Barcelona as the defending champions welcome Levante for a Sunday afternoon game that Barça must win to bounce back from two painful defeats and reclaim top spot in the table. This should be 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 25

Date/Time: Sunday, February 22, 2026, 4.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 3.15pm GMT (UK), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 8.45pm IST (India)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas

VAR: Jorge Figueroa Vázquez

HOW TO WATCH

On TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), Premier Sports 1 (UK), 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

Last session before Levante home match – FC Barcelona
The finishing touches to preparations are in place for the upcoming LaLiga gameweek 25 fixture for Hansi Flick’s side, when they will be wanting to get back to winning ways and rack up another positive run of results.

Hansi Flick: ‘It’s a good opportunity to turn the situation around’ – FC Barcelona
It’s time to react for FC Barcelona against Levante at the Spotify Camp Nou. After two defeats in a row, Hansi Flick’s side have another opportunity to get back to winning ways in front of the fans. The German coach is quite clear on how to achieve this – get the confidence back and their best version as a group.

Barça v Levante: Did you know? – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona take on Levante UD this Sunday at Spotify Camp Nou. It’s a homecoming after two painful away trips (to Atlético Madrid and Girona), and the Catalans are eager to bounce back and get back to winning ways. As for the visitors, they arrive in Barcelona in poor form, having lost their last three league matches and sitting second from bottom in the table.

Granada 0-2 FC Barcelona: Good win – FC Barcelona
Unstoppable Barça Women as they took their 20th win in the league of the season with a 2-0 win away from home at Nuevo Estadio de los Cármenes in Granada. The Blaugranes now have 60 points from 60 in the Liga F.

Flick reveals details of the chat with the team – Mundo Deportivo
The German coach explained that “we had a very honest and open conversation” regarding what happened in the locker room.

Pedri’s return confirmed – Mundo Deportivo
“He’s back, maybe he can play a few minutes,” Flick said on the eve of the Barça-Levante match, highlighting that he can be “one of the leaders” needed to face the challenges ahead.

Luis Castro expects his Levante side to face a Barça team that is “more dangerous because they lost” – Mundo Deportivo
The Levante coach wants to get points at the Spotify Camp Nou by exploiting the spaces left by Barcelona, ​​who attack differently than Real Madrid.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Despite the poor recent run of results, it is undeniable that Hansi Flick has made a giant impact in the recent history of Barcelona, returning the club to a competitive place while playing some of the most exciting football we’ve seen from the Blaugrana in quite a while.

The coach’s arrival also served as a break from the usual pattern of hiring managers with the “Barça DNA”, as ex-players came and went looking to respect the tradition and the identity built by Johan Cruyff and La Masia. Flick brought a more intense, risky, counter-attacking style to Catalonia, and it led to trophies, great victories and loads of goals — for and against.

So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is this:

Does this current Barça team feel like a “true Barça side”? Why or why not?

Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona’s La Masia academy is the gift that keeps on giving for the Catalan giants and continues to churn out some incredible talent.

Óscar Jorquera, who worked for nine years in Barça’s youth academy and coached players including Lamine Yamal, has now been asked about the next generation who could make an impact.

And one position in particular was put to Jorquera. He was asked if there’s any player in the academy who could replace Pedri and did manage to come up with a couple of names.

“It is very difficult to find a player like Pedri,” he told Sport.

“I really like Pedro Villar and Guille Fernández as interiors.

“When we signed him from Espanyol I thought that Guille could occupy that role but he is a player with different characteristics. I see Pedro Villar as very prepared for that.”

Guille Fernandez has long been tipped to make it into the first team and made history in 2024 when he beat Lamine Yamal’s record to become the youngest player ever to feature for Barca Atletic at the age of just 15 years and 287 days.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barça’s 4-2 win over Slavia Prague was a good win. Fermín López struck twice, Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski added the others, and the team walked away from Eden Arena in a strong position in the UEFA Champions League league phase. But there’s been a few hiccups that have developed since from that fixture, on the administrative side, that is.

UEFA have fined the club €30,500 for what happened that night. €15,500 is tied to flares lit by Barça supporters in the stands, a breach of Article 16(c) of the disciplinary regulations. The remaining €15,000 relates to the team taking too long to reappear after the interval.

And that last part reflected on Hansi Flick. UEFA have issued him a formal warning, holding the coach responsible for the delay. It is the lowest level of disciplinary action, but it is still a note on his file. Repeat it and their tone is bound to change, and quickly.

Flick is not new to UEFA’s radar. His animated protests during last season’s semi-final against Inter did not go unnoticed either.

Slavia Prague have their own problems. The Czech club were fined €20,000 for blocking spectator passageways and another €20,000 for flares. UEFA have also ordered a partial closure of the Eden Arena for their next European fixture, although that sanction has been suspended for two years.

The amount is fairly manageable for Barça, although of course, not welcome. The worst part was that it was avoidable: European nights are demanding enough without adding small, self-inflicted issues to the mix.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Gavi back with the group – FC Barcelona
The FC Barcelona squad were back at training this Friday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. And there was wonderful news because Gavi was able to join in with some of the group exercises.

Olmo, self-critical: “We have to change many things if we want to win the Champions League” – Mundo Deportivo
“The style is what it is. We’re not going to create a catastrophe over two matches,” he insisted.

Gerard Martín believes in a comeback and closes the door on leaving Barça – Mundo Deportivo
The defender analyzed the team’s current situation after two consecutive defeats, expressed confidence in turning around the Copa del Rey semi-final tie against Atlético de Madrid, and reaffirmed his desire to remain at the club.

Dates and times for the Champions League Clásicos and the rest of the matches have been confirmed – Mundo Deportivo
UEFA announced that the first leg of the quarter-finals will be played at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium on Wednesday, March 25, at 6:45pm, the same time as the return leg at the Spotify Camp Nou on April 2.

Vilajoana: “We have made contact with Harry Kane’s entourage” – Mundo Deportivo
The presidential candidate acknowledged the start of talks regarding the possible signing of the English striker. “It could be a key reinforcement, but we won’t make any hasty decisions.”

The supposed and exorbitant price that Atlético ask for Julián – Mundo Deportivo
According to El Larguero, Atlético Madrid have reportedly asked Barcelona for €200 million for their star player.

Huge Saudi offer to tempt Casadó – Mundo Deportivo
The Barça midfielder is one of the footballers on the list of targets of the PIF, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, to revitalize the league in the country.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

With the World Cup fast approaching, dozens of Barcelona’s best players will travel to America this summer looking to win the biggest prize in the game for their countries.

International football often annoys fans of clubs who have their schedules interrupted by constant international break, but tournaments such as the World Cup bring all fans together as they either root for their nation or their favorite players to do well on the biggest stage.

Several Barça stars have a real chance to lift the trophy this summer, with most of them playing for reigning European champions Spain. Others, such as Jules Kounde (France), Marcus Rashford (England) and Raphinha (Brazil), are also in contention to win it all.

Playing for their countries certainly means a lot to those players, even if their international exploits might hurt their ability to fully contribute at the club level due to injuries, long travel and heavy minute loads for their nations. But some can benefit from playing high-stakes matches internationally as well, and that is the subject of today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day:

Which Barça player benefits the most from international football — and which one suffers from it?

Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona defender Gerard Martin has rubbished talk he could be tempted away from the Camp Nou in the summer transfer window.

AC Milan have been linked with a move for the defender, while the left-back was also asked if he would ever consider a move to bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Here’s what he had to say…

“Real Madrid? Not in a million years! There are some things that money can’t buy,” he told TV3.

“AC Milan? That’s what they’re saying. I haven’t heard anything of the sort. I’m very happy here and I have no intention of leaving.”

Martin is also backing Barca to bounce back strongly from their defeats to Atletico Madrid and Girona when they return to action on Sunday against Levante.

“We will recover from these two defeats. We’re not exactly relaxed either; we’ve lost two matches, but the advantage is that we have another game on Sunday and we can turn things aroun.,” he added.

“A little self-criticism and we’ll move forward.”

The defender was also asked about his new nickname at Barcelona: “My Gerard Maldini nickname? It’s quite funny. My teammates call me Maldini. I take it well and am happy to be performing at a good level as a centre-back to be named like that.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Team back at work, as Pedri and Rashford join in – FC Barcelona
Back out on the pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva. Hansi Flick’s squad train for the first time this week to begin preparations for the clash against Levante at the Spotify Camp Nou. And there were two new faces, as Pedri and Rashford joined in for part of the session with the team.

When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Levante – FC Barcelona
International kickoff times and viewing guide to the upcoming LaLiga game at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Barça Women to return to the Spotify Camp Nou – FC Barcelona
The best women’s football is set to return to the Spotify Camp Nou on 2 April. Barca Women will host none other than Real Madrid for the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final return leg (kick-off 6.45pm CEST) in a notable fixture in the Blaugrana calendar.

FC Barcelona official statement – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona informs that, once approval is obtained from the Barcelona City Council for Phase 1C of the Spotify Camp Nou, corresponding to the North Stand, the Club will allocate 100% of the planned increase in capacity in this new stage of the progressive reopening of the Stadium to season ticket–holding members.

Hansi Flick meets with the squad to seek a reaction – Mundo Deportivo
The Barcelona coach made it clear that he will not abandon his playing style, which yielded such good results last season, and asked his players to recover their intensity, tactical discipline, and effectiveness.

Eric Garcia: “We’ve been in worse situations and we can turn things around in the League and the Cup” – Mundo Deportivo
“With this style of play we have won four titles and it’s about regaining control of the ball to find balance,” the centre-back told Catalunya Ràdio. “The meeting we had with Flick was positive and we all left happy. The key is that they’re creating more chances against us. We’ve been losing possession a lot lately, and it’s killing us,” he emphasized.

In Argentina they say that Julián Alvarez will join Barça after the World Cup – Mundo Deportivo
Radio La Red reported that the Atlético de Madrid striker has decided to “go to a team that can be champions” and that his destination will be Barça.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

It’s election season in Barcelona and presidential candidates are doing their best to stand out from the crowd.

Xavi Vilajoana is no exception and has posted a message to supporters on social media telling them how the club could afford to land a player such as Harry Kane in the future.

“Caring for our La Masia players has been my utmost priority, but we will always need the ability to attract elite talent,” he posted along with a picture of Harry Kane in a Barca shirt.

“We can make it happen. By putting an end to financial chaos and returning to the 1:1 rule. A signing for me is a signing for an ambitious Barcelona.”

Cuidar els nostres jugadors de La Masia ha estat la meva màxima prioritat, però sempre necessitarem la capacitat d’atreure talent d’elit.

Podem fer-ho realitat.

Posant fi al caos financer i tornant a la regla de l’1:1.

Una signatura per mi és una signatura per a un Barcelona… pic.twitter.com/dgG69SBEma

— Xavier Vilajoana (@XaviVilajoana) February 19, 2026

Harry Kane has been linked with Barcelona in recent months but seems set to extend his contract with Bayern Munich instead.

And Vilajoana isn’t the only presidential candidate talking up top signings. Victor Font has claimed recently: “If things are done right, Haaland or Julián Álvarez are possible.”

Meanwhile, Marc Ciria unveiled a huge banner in the city centre yesterday featuring a picture of Lionel Messi and Joan Laporta’s old slogan: “Looking forward to seeing you again.”

Ganes de tornar-te a veure ❤️ pic.twitter.com/papPkddCVB

— Marc Ciria i Roig (@CiriaMarc) February 18, 2026

The candidates are currently trying to reach 10,000 signatures by March 2nd which would seem them make it through the pre-candidacy process.

The final candidates will then be revealed, with elections scheduled for March 15.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Joan Laporta is campaigning hard to win next month’s Barcelona elections and has taken aim at match officials in his latest speech.

The Barca chief was speaking after seeing Hansi Flick’s team left fuming by an eight-minute VAR delay against Atletico Madrid and angry at the decision to allow a late winner for Girona despite a foul on Jules Kounde.

Laporta claims some match officials have a real problem with Barcelona and has called on the team to play even better in the face of adversity.

“There are certain referees who, when they officiate our games, screw us over. Excuse my language, but it’s true. It’s a recurring issue, a constant problem. It’s a reality. I could name them all,” he told reporters.

“This hasn’t happened just once, but many times. In identical plays, they’ve been able to call the wrong thing to harm Barça. It’s blatant.

“We are defending Barça against everything and everyone. Against people who simply can’t accept who we are and what we represent. They can’t stand what we are achieving with our team. This is the only way they can stop us because they can’t stop us on the field.

“We have a team that can aspire to almost anything and face every possible adversity. The best way to deal with this dysfunction and its intentions is to be better and play better , to have a better team and overcome this adversity.”

Laporta also took aim at Real Madrid and feels Los Blancos receive preferential treatment.

“When we’re down, they try to take advantage and crush us. And when others are down, they help them,” he added.

“They’ve learned to swim and they dive in like a pro. We know we have to fight against all that too.”

Barcelona and Real Madrid are back in La Liga action this weekend. Real Madrid are up first on Saturday at Osasuna, while Barcelona play on Sunday against Levante.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Gavi continues recovery – FC Barcelona
Gavi is taking things step by step at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The FC Barcelona midfielder is fully immersed in his recovery process from an internal meniscus injury.

Barça foiled by the frame 25 times – FC Barcelona
Flick’s side lead the way for most efforts hitting the woodwork across the major European leagues.

Real Madrid next up for Barça in the Women’s Champions League – FC Barcelona
Next opponent in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals confirmed for FC Barcelona. The blaugranes had finished top of the League Phase and they now know will face Real Madrid in the WCL quarterfinal knockout round.

Gerard Martín is not listening to Milan – Mundo Deportivo
In recent days, the Barcelona defender has been linked with the Italian club, but the player has no interest in leaving because he feels he is fulfilling a dream and is important.

Man United burst onto the scene for Balde – Mundo Deportivo
The FC Barcelona full-back, who is under contract until 2028, has appeared on the radar of the English club, who would consider an offer of around 40 million euros.

Man Utd chiefs REGRET Marcus Rashford deal and believe he is now worth £50m – Mirror
Senior figures at Manchester United left scratching their heads at the terms of the deal that is expected to see them sell Marcus Rashford to Barcelona for just £26m this summer.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

The Champions League play-offs have kicked off this week and fortunately don’t include Barcelona as Hansi Flick’s side made it safely through to the knockout stages of the 2025-26 Champions League by finishing fifth in the standings, behind Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Chelsea, Sporting and Manchester City were the three other teams to seal automatic promotion and so have avoided having to go into a two-legged play-off to reach the next round of Europe’s top club competition.

Barcelona won five of their eight group games but suffered defeats to Chelsea and PSG in games which raised question marks over how far they can actually go in the competition this season.

So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is this:

How confident are you heading into the Champions League knockouts – and which opponent scares you the most?

Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Manchester United reportedly believe that Marcus Rashford is now worth around £50 million after impressing on loan with Barcelona.

Rashford has enjoyed life with Hansi Flick’s side and has 10 goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances so far this season in all competitions.

There is a purchase option in his current contract for him to stay at Barcelona which is set at around £26m. Barca are reportedly hoping to lower that amount but United aren’t interested in negotiating.

And a new report from The Mirror claims that the Red Devils are actually regretting the terms of the loan and now think he’s worth more like £50 million. There’s also a claim that “several other clubs” are now interested in signing the England star.

All of which means it’s difficult to know what will happen with Rashford after the current campaign. He has said he wants to stay at Barcelona but it’s not clear if the Catalans will pay the £26m option.

There has been talk that Michael Carrick wants Rashford back at United, but it’s not guaranteed yet he will stay on as coach after taking over on a caretaker basis until the end of the season.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona defender Gerard Martin has been linked with a move to AC Milan in recent weeks but it seems the left-back is not keen on heading to the Serie A giants.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Martin “has no interest whatsoever” in a move amid claims the Rossoneri could be willing to offer up to €30 million for the defender.

Martin is happy at Barcelona and has even become an important member of the first-team squad under Hansi Flick.

His versatility has proved to be a very useful asset, as he’s been used at left-back and in central defence again this season. The stats also show that  he is the 12th most-used player by Flick so far in 2025-26.

Martin also put pen to paper on a new contract at Barcelona in January 2025 which runs until 2028.

He spoke of his delight at the new deal at the time: “For me this renewal is everything. Basically because I have been a Barça player since I was very young and when I arrived here I always had the dream of reaching the first team.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Joan Garcia, unrewarded MVP – FC Barcelona
Despite one of his best performances since joining FC Barcelona, the goalkeeper was on the losing side in Girona.

Tests on Eric Garcia rule out injury – Mundo Deportivo
The Barça center-back asked to be substituted in Girona after feeling discomfort in his left hamstring, but nothing more serious.

‘Damn post!’: Flick’s Barça leads the ranking with a brutal figure – Mundo Deportivo
Barcelona are the ‘Kings of the woodwork’ in Europe and four of their players are in the Top 10.

Laporta: “I’m sure we’re going to win the league against all odds” – Mundo Deportivo
Joan Laporta’s pre-candidacy presented its electoral headquarters this afternoon and officially launched its slogan ‘Defensem el Barça’ (Let’s defend Barça) with a reference to the refereeing in the Girona-Barça match and full support for Flick’s work and the players’ character.

Raphinha’s harsh message against the refereeing establishment – Mundo Deportivo
“We have many things to improve, but not only us. It’s very complicated when the rules are different, whether they’re in your favor or against you. But if we have to play against everyone to win, so be it… We’ll do it,” the Brazilian wrote.

Víctor Font raises his voice and prepares complaints: “Barça have never been so unprotected” – Mundo Deportivo
“Populism and personalism are not good for Barça. The members are angry because we have never been so unprotected as we are now, and that is serious,” criticized the candidate for the presidency of FC Barcelona.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Joan Laporta says he remains convinced Barcelona will win La Liga this season after seeing Hansi Flick’s side knocked off the top of the table by Real Madrid.

It’s been a tough week for the Catalan giants, with a defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey being followed by a 2-1 loss to Girona on Monday night in La Liga.

Both games featured some controversial refereeing decisions, but Laporta says that despite everything Barcelona can still prevail this season.

“We defend Barça to enjoy sporting success. We have a treasure trove of people in the Barça dressing room, with homegrown players and players from other countries who are functioning well thanks to Flick and Deco,” he said via Mundo Deportivo.

“I know the atmosphere there, Flick’s work the players’ character, and I’m sure we’ll win La Liga. It will be a league against everything and everyone because they don’t just want to beat us on the pitch. They want to beat us off the pitch too, obviously.

“There are many people who don’t want us to win it; there are certain power circles that don’t get along with us. We’ve had a tough time playing Sundays and Wednesdays lately, and it’s normal to have a dip in form. And when we have that dip, there are others who take advantage. For example, the stamp on Koundé … We’ll turn things around and rediscover our style of play. I spoke with them, and they’re very focused.”

Barcelona have a couple of days off now to regroup before returning to action against Levante in a game which could see Pedri make his return from injury.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

The word of the day in Barcelona is frustration.

This Girona game should have been put away in the first half, but that of course assumes Barcelona is able to put away their chances.

Lamine Yamal alone missed three point blank opportunities in the opening 45 minutes, one of which was a penalty.

When Barcelona finally took the lead behind a redemptive goal from Pau Cubarsí, Girona pulled one back within minutes.

And again, because of course there was, we had referee controversy.

Jules Kounde lay on the floor at the top of the penalty area after being stomped on, and watched as Fran Beltrán slotted home the game winning goal. No whistle from the referee, and no VAR intervention.

This team can’t buy a break at the moment.

Hansi Flick will leave the game feeling a sense of consternation. His tactics continue to produce so much offense, 26 shots on the night against their Catalan rivals, and yet Barcelona are not in control of games. In fact, Girona had the better chances on the night and should have scored more. In the end, they had nine shots on target, compared to just four for Barcelona.

Luckily, the Blaugrana will get a midweek break since they don’t have to play in the Champions League knockout playoff round.

They need physical rest, but they also need a mental break, and an official reset before the home stretch of the season begins.

Recall that this time last year, even though Barcelona went on to win the league and the Copa del Rey, their energy started to drop off as fatigue from the long campaign set in.

It won’t get any easier from here, but one thing that helps as an infusion of energy is scoring goals. Success begets success, as the mental can jumpstart the physical.

Barcelona can’t lose belief in themselves, but that’s the danger of where they’re at.

The tactics aren’t changing, and maybe that’s ok, so long as they find their finishing boots again.

Raphinha is back, and soon Pedri and Marcus Rashford will return to the lineup too. Even Gavi, who may have a role to play as someone who can bring much-needed intensity off the bench in critical moments.

Now is not the time panic.

The best path forward is to see the glass as half full.

You can draw a line from Girona to Real Sociedad, the last two league losses that have allowed Real Madrid to climb back into first place.

Barcelona must know that success is in their hands. They didn’t lose these two games to their opponents as much as they beat themselves. If they see it that way, it should give them hope going forward that they have the power to turn around their own fortunes.

As their best players return to action, so should Barcelona return to the best version of themselves, one that can outscore any rival on any given day.

If you’re hoping for pragmatism, keep dreaming.

Hansi Flick, so long as he’s the manager, knows only one way of playing, and for the most part, his attacking philosophy has brought Barcelona a lot of success.

There’s no time to make excuses, and nothing constructive will come from questioning the gameplan. There is lots of football to be played.

These players know the winning formula. They have it in them to do better.

There’s nothing to it but to stay positive and keep the foot on the gas.

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Girona 2-1 FC Barcelona: Defeat at Montilivi – FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona have lost an action-packed Catalan derby away to struggling Girona, and it’s a result that means they have surrendered top spot in the league to Real Madrid.

HIGHLIGHTS | Girona v Barça – FC Barcelona
All the action from the Catalan derby in Montilivi in La Liga.

Hansi Flick vows to ‘fight back to our best’ – FC Barcelona
After Monday’s 2-1 defeat in Girona, Barça coach Hansi Flick was self-critical and acknowledged that the team is not going through its best moment. “I don’t want to talk about the referee. Everyone saw the match,” he said firmly.

Barça reach 100 goals this season – FC Barcelona
The Blaugranes reach a century in all competitions with a strike from Pau Cubarsí against Girona in La Liga.

Cubarsi: “People already know what has happened” – Mundo Deportivo
The center-back was self-critical about the defeat in Girona, but regarding the controversy surrounding the final 2-1 scoreline, he pointed out that “everyone saw it.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com

Barcelona had a pretty quiet January transfer window, bringing only Joao Cancelo into Hansi Flick’s first-team squad on loan for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign.

The summer could be quite different, however, and Barcelona will have a lot of decisions to make regarding the senior squad.

Robert Lewandowski is coming to the end of his contract, while Marcus Rashford’s loan is due to expire but does include a purchase option set at around €30 million. There’s also talk that a new center-back could arrive.

Barcelona also need to make a decision on Ferran Torres. His contract expires in 2027, so it’s time to think about offering him a new contract or moving him on.

There are also decisions to be made in the backline, with Barca thought to be prioritising the arrival of a new center-back to bolster the defence.

So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is this:

What is the single most important thing Barcelona must do this summer?

Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Source: barcablaugranes.com

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana play a must-win La Liga game against Catalan rivals Girona at Montilivi, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 21 players for Monday’s clash:

Goalkeepers: 13. Joan Garcia, 25. Wojciech Szczesny, 31. Diego Kochen

Defenders: 2. João Cancelo, 3. Alejandro Balde, 4. Ronald Araujo, 5. Pau Cubarsí, 18. Gerard Martín, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric Garcia

Midfielders: 16. Fermín López, 17. Marc Casadó, 20. Dani Olmo, 21. Frenkie de Jong, 22. Marc Bernal, 43. Tommy Marqués

Forwards: 7. Ferran Torres, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 10. Lamine Yamal, 11. Raphinha, 19. Roony Bardghji

Barça get one of their best players back for this one as Raphinha returns after missing three games with an adductor injury, but the good news stops there as Marcus Rashford hasn’t recovered from a knee issue yet and misses out along with Pedri (hamstring), Gavi (knee) and Andreas Christensen (knee).

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

Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, Fermín, Ferran; 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, Tuesday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.

VISCA EL BARÇA!

Source: barcablaugranes.com