Barcelona News, Transfers, Injuries, Updates, Ratings

Ronald Araujo isn’t even Barcelona’s best defender

1May

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Ronald Araujo isn’t even Barcelona’s best defender

Barcelona had the best defense in European football last season, as the likes of Ronald Araujo, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, and surprise star Andreas Christensen led the Blaugrana to the summit of LaLiga. This season, unfortunately, the Barcelona defense has taken a step back. New additions Joao Cancelo and Inigo Martinez haven't made the team better, while the loss of Sergio Busquets took the back four's greatest shield away. Individual performances have waned, too, with ter Stegen going back to frustrating fans. And recently, star center back Ronald Araujo has been responsible for some negative results, including a head-scratching red card in the Champions League crumbling vs. PSG. Make no mistake, Araujo is one of the most talented players in world foo...

The player even Barcelona need to stop underrating

30Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The player even Barcelona need to stop underrating

On the one hand, Barcelona will be disappointed with their 2023/24 season, as they have fallen far behind Real Madrid in the LaLiga title race after pretty handily winning the league last year. Perhaps just as bad, Barcelona were humiliated by PSG in the Champions League knockout stages, making it yet another season in which the Blaugrana failed to deliver on Europe's elite stage. They blew a 3-2 lead and were taken down 4-1 in the second leg. But amidst all the negativity, there are some positives for Barcelona to take away, specifically the emergence of a few more excellent young players. Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have understandably soaked up much of the plaudits as teenagers who already look like elite players in LaLiga. Yet it seems like even Barcelona are underrating y...

Barcelona can’t make the same Pedri mistake with Lamine Yamal

30Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Barcelona can’t make the same Pedri mistake with Lamine Yamal

Barcelona right winger Lamine Yamal has been one of the biggest breakout stars in world football this season, following in the footsteps of a handful of world-class youngsters in Catalunya who have taken LaLiga by storm over the last several years. Yamal already looks like the future face of Barcelona, with PSG reportedly keen on signing the teenager to a 200 million euro offer, presumably to pair with another former Barca star in Ousmane Dembele as future Real Madrid man Kylian Mbappe's replacement. Instead, Barcelona are standing firm on keeping Yamal, which is music to the ears of Culers. Although many players are for sale at the Camp Nou, the likes of Yamal are too priceless to ever part ways with and should be building blocks of the team for the next decade to come. Pedri sta...

Barcelona’s biggest flop of the season is obvious

29Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Barcelona’s biggest flop of the season is obvious

Barcelona have disappointed in the 2023/24 season, as they are nowhere near Real Madrid in the LaLiga title race after winning the league quite handily in 2022/23. In the Champions League, Barcelona suffered another ignominy, blowing a 3-2 lead on aggregate at the Camp Nou by losing 4-1 to Kylian Mbappe's PSG. There are more questions than answers surrounding Barcelona as the club gears up for an important summer transfer window, as Xavi will remain in charge of the team despite groans from the fanbase. Barcelona made a number of mistakes in the last summer transfer window, but their biggest mistake was undoubtedly thinking that Oriol Romeu would be an adequate replacement for Sergio Busquets. Often disrespected because of his age and lack of pace, Busquets was the underappreci...

The most sensible LW option for Barcelona this summer

28Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The most sensible LW option for Barcelona this summer

Barcelona need to sign a new star left winger in the summer 2024 transfer window, because they cannot go into another season without a true goal-scoring option from that side of the formation. Joao Felix has been the main starter on the left wing, but he is more of a central playmaker than a true winger. He can play out wide but only on the right as an inverted, left-footed playmaker. When Felix is on the left, Barcelona do not have enough width, nor do they have a consistent enough goal-scoring presence to relieve pressure off an aging Robert Lewandowski. There are a number of left wing options for Barcelona this summer, and two former Serie A MVPs, Rafael Leao and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, are the apparent dream options for the Blaugrana. But both players will likely cause in ex...

Barcelona’s two top No. 6 transfer targets don’t actually make sense

28Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Barcelona’s two top No. 6 transfer targets don’t actually make sense

Barcelona are chasing a new No. 6 in the summer 2024 transfer window after learning the hard way that signing a bargain-bin option like Oriol Romeu simply isn't an adequate way to replace a club legend like Sergio Busquets. The Blaugrana have plodded through the 2023/24 LaLiga season without much of a prayer at the league title, and the entire midfield has collapsed due to injuries and the lack of a stabilizing anchoring presence anywhere near the level of Busquets. According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich and Everton standout Amadou Onana as the two favorites to fulfill the No. 6 position in 2024/25 and beyond. Kimmich and Onana are two fine players and among the elite options in their leagues in midfield - at any midfield posit...

Barcelona can look to Manchester United for their LW solution

27Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga, Premier League

Barcelona can look to Manchester United for their LW solution

Barcelona have one of the best right wingers in world football in teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who looks like the new face of the club. However, the rest of their attacking situation is far from settled. Robert Lewandowski is one of the better strikers in LaLiga, but his periodic slumps and bizarre technical errors have made it apparent that his best days are behind him. Meanwhile, the left wing position is a real black hole for Barcelona. Joao Felix is a left-footed playmaker masquerading as a left winger, while Ferran Torres is simply too inconsistent to trust as a starter. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been tabbed as the dream transfer solution for Barcelona on the left wing, but because of his importance to Napoli, he could cost well over 100 million euros. That's money Barcelo...

The 3 players Barcelona would have to considering selling in order to sign Bernardo Silva

27Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The 3 players Barcelona would have to considering selling in order to sign Bernardo Silva

Barcelona have been closely linked to Manchester City forward and attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva over the past couple of months, but the transfer rumors are starting to cool down as the reality of a deal starts to set in. On paper, acquiring Bernardo Silva sounds like a dream for Barcelona. Silva is one of the best and most versatile players in the world - and all-around attacking weapon who is a willing and able ball-winner. However, even with a release clause, Barcelona would have to severely strain themselves financially in order to acquire Silva from Manchester City, because the Portuguese international will cost nearly 60 million euros. Signing Silva would come at the cost of upgrading key positions like the left wing and defensive midfield, and with Silva set to turn 30...

The problem with Joshua Kimmich as a ‘pivot’ for Barcelona

27Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The problem with Joshua Kimmich as a ‘pivot’ for Barcelona

Joshua Kimmich is one of the big names linked to Barcelona in the summer 2024 transfer window, as he is one of their top options to fill the defensive midfield void still left unfilled after the departure of club legend Sergio Busquets to MLS last season. The Bayern Munich star may want to leave Bavaria this summer amidst clashes with manager Thomas Tuchel. Although Tuchel is set to step down at the end of the campaign, the damage may already be done. Kimmich was integral to Bayern Munich winning the treble under Hansi Flick's management in the 2019/20 season, which included an unforgettable 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the Champions League knockout stages. That season, Kimmich bossed the midfield with four goals, seven assists, and 2.3 key passes per game. In the previous three...

Barcelona are already putting Alejandro Balde under pressure

26Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Barcelona are already putting Alejandro Balde under pressure

Barcelona unearthed arguably the best left back in world football for the 2022/23 season in Spanish international Alejandro Balde, who was an absolute menace on both sides of the pitch. Even as a teenager, Balde was the best left back in LaLiga and played a vital role in Barcelona recapturing the crown as champions of Spanish football. Balde could lock down any winger in LaLiga in one-on-ones, while he was a stud progressor who even impacted games in the final third with his clever understanding off the ball. Unfortunately, Balde has been one of the big players to take a surprising step back in the 2023/24 season, hurt by the lack of cohesiveness and the declines from surrounding players. Barcelona want to make sure players like Balde are performing at their best possible level...