3 talented individuals whom Barcelona could push out the door after meltdown vs. PSG

Barcelona disappointed on a grand scale again, imploding in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals with a 4-1 loss to a PSG side that had consistently been disappointing themselves in the knockouts of this competition.

Instead, the Parisians demolished Barcelona, who came into the Spotify Camp Nou after a 3-2 lead on aggregate, courtesy of a Player of the Week performance from right winger Raphinha.

For so many years, regardless of the squad or manager, Barcelona have collapsed in the second leg of Champions League knockouts, and this result against PSG looks as embarrassing as any of those defeats, save for perhaps Bayern Munich’s 8-2 conquest of the Blaugrana.

Here are three important men in the Barcelona locker room who were already part of rumors of an exit and just increased their chances of getting pushed out by the club.

Xavi

Xavi’s case is a weird one, because even though he already told everyone he wants to step down as Barcelona manager at the end of the season after receiving ridiculous amounts of pressure from Culers and even his own locker room, there have been recent reports of a surge to keep the legendary midfielder around.

Joan Laporta has been trying to get Xavi to change his mind after recent results indicated a turnaround for Barcelona, including that 3-2 first leg victory over PSG in the Champions League quarterfinals at the Parc des Princes.

However, after Xavi received a red card and coached yet another Barcelona collapse in which the Blaugrana were completely played off the pitch by former manager Luis Enrique, it’s hard envisioning key decision-makers in Catalunya, including new sporting director Deco, wanting Xavi back.

The managerial candidates on the open market are slim pickings at this point, but with 8-2 architect Hansi Flick still available and another Champions League-winning German Bayern Munich coach in Thomas Tuchel set to join him, there are intriguing options. Michel from local rivals Girona figures to be another top candidate, too.

Jules Kounde

Barcelona were seemingly trying to push Jules Kounde out of the club, based on the tea leaves of the transfer rumor mill, despite signing him for 50 million euros from Sevilla in the summer 2022 transfer window.

Kounde had a highly successful first season in Barcelona, playing a pivotal role in the Blaugrana’s title charge despite spending most of his time at an unfamiliar position at right back.

This season, Kounde had a lull in performance that led to those transfer rumors, with the reasoning being that if the Blaugrana must sacrifice one central defender this summer, then it would be Kounde. Ronald Araujo is too talented, Andreas Christensen is too solid, Pau Cubarsi is an untouchable prospect, and Inigo Martinez may not even fetch a fee or be a moveable transfer piece.

Amidst the speculation, Kounde stepped up his performances, but after a disastrous night at the Camp Nou against PSG, Barcelona may, once again, reconsider their stance regarding the Frenchman’s future.

Kounde completed fewer than 70 percent of his passes vs. PSG, recording zero interceptions as part of a lousy team defensive performance against Kylian Mbappe’s Ligue 1 champions. There may be a sense that Kounde is too sloppy and unreliable, especially in big matches, to be a part of the future, and he is one of the players Barcelona could sacrifice for a significant transfer fee in order to sign a much-needed superstar like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Martin Zubimendi.

Ronald Araujo

Although there are may who believe Barcelona need to make Ronald Araujo as untouchable as Gavi, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsi, the reality is that the Uruguayan center back is no longer a prospect.

Araujo is 25 and getting closer to the prime of his career. He is no longer even considered a young player in the modern game with how things are trending.

The central defender is versatile, tough, incredibly athletic, and growing as an intelligent leader at the heart of a Barcelona defense that was indeed in Europe’s best during the 2022/23 league season.

Now, Barcelona are a shell defensively, and Araujo was anything but a leader by getting sent off within the first half-hour of an eventual 4-1 collapse against PSG.

Araujo shoulders more blame than Kounde or anyone else in that regard, even if it seems harsh to tag too much responsibility to one player for getting sent off.

But that’s the thing about football at the elite level. It is harsh. When figures like 80 million euros or even 100 million are thrown around, Barcelona could be tempted into accepting a big-money offer from the Premier League or even Bayern Munich for Araujo.

So many teams value Araujo highly, and while Barcelona do, too, they may not value Araujo as much, especially if they see bigger needs. They could roll with Christensen and Cubarsi as their starters, sell Araujo, and use the money to sign an elite left winger or defensive midfielder. It remains unlikely and too much of a knee-jerk reaction, but it has become just a little more plausible after this defeat to PSG in the Champions League.