Barcelona secured a place in the play-offs on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Tarazona on Saturday.
Goals from Naim García and Unai Hernández were enough to confirm a play-off spot, with the team currently second with just three games to play.
Rafa Marquez’s side are four points behind leaders Deportivo and must still play the table-toppers before the end of the campaign.
In fact Barca play Deportivo next in the league and have the chance to cut the gap to just three points and set up an exciting finale to the season.
Marquez’s side then go on to finish the campaign with games against Gimnastic and Celta, two teams who are also battling it out for a play-off spot.
It’s been a good season for Marquez’s side, even though they have been without some key players for long periods due to injuries and call-ups to the senior side, but it could get even better in the next few weeks.
Barca gift Girona second place and Madrid the title
Barcelona gifted Girona second place in the table and rivals Real Madrid the title with an error-strewn performance at Montilivi on Saturday.
Xavi’s side were 2-1 up and on course for an important win when Sergi Roberto came up with a ridiculous error that gifted Girona the chance to level the match.
Roberto was quick to apologize but it was a horrible moment and jars even more coming in a week where it’s been reported he’s about to sign a contract renewal.
Minutes later some more dismal defending saw Miguel Gutierrez make it 3-2, via a big deflection off Jules Kounde, before Portu wrapped it up late on.
The win means that Girona are now a point ahead of Barca in the table, and qualify for the Champions League for the first time ever, while Real Madrid have taken Barca’s title and have a massive lead over their rivals.
Meanwhile, Barca are left to rue yet another worrying collapse that will raise fresh questions over just where this team is going with familiar failings on show yet again.
Lamine Yamal’s efforts in vain
Barcelona’s dismal result masks another impressive performance from Lamine Yamal who was easily the Catalans’ best player yet again.
The 16-year-old bagged an assist for Andreas Christensen’s lovely opener and then won a penalty for Barcelona’s second goal just before half-time.
There was plenty more to like from Barca’s talented teen who has managed to live up to the incredible hype after breaking into the first team this season.
He’s actually played more than anyone would have imagined too. Saturday’s match means he’s featured in all but one of Barca’s La Liga games this season, starting 18 times. The fact Xavi is relying on a 16-year-old speaks volumes too and is another worrying sign.
Barcelona’s wonderkid likely won’t get a rest now either as Xavi’s team try to regain second spot, and that all important money-spinning Super Cup place, in the final weeks of the campaign.
Yet another Barcelona collapse
Barcelona’s defeat to Girona summed up what’s been a really difficult season for the Catalan giants in a performance that has become depressingly familiar.
The visitors controlled long periods, went ahead, had chances to kill the game, were then guilty of poor individual errors, collapsed mentally and ended up losing.
Barca have now conceded 68 goals this season in all competitions, their worst tally since 2012-13, and have been beaten home and away by both Girona and Real Madrid.
Xavi was fairly critical of his team afterwards, while Ronald Araujo got a bit closer to the crux of the problem by claiming a shift in mentality is needed. You’d love to know what Ilkay Gundogan thinks of it all.
Meanwhile, Joan Laporta was heard screaming in frustration. Not just with the result you suspect, but the fact that the team may miss out on a financially-rewarding trip to the Spanish Super Cup.
And through it all you can’t help wonder about next season. Xavi is staying but has little budget to work with unless a big star is sold, while Real Madrid will build on their title win by adding Kylian Mbappe.
Barcelona have officially surrendered the league title to Real Madrid this season, following a shameful 4-2 defeat at the hands of local rivals Girona.
The poor performance in the Catalan derby did not sit well with the management and it appears Barcelona have started making initial moves for the season ahead.
Frenkie de Jong listed on the market
According to Diario SPORT, one of Barcelona’s first courses of action after the Girona defeat was to put Frenkie de Jong on the market.
It appears the Catalans are prepared to offload the Dutchman at the end of the season, as part of their plans to trim the squad and balance the books ahead of the new season.
Despite his mixed spell at Barcelona, de Jong still has a considerable market in Europe thanks to his age and the experience he possesses at the highest level of football.
His sale, therefore, could go a long way in helping Barcelona bring in fresh revenue. There is no shortage of suitors either, with the PSG and Bayern Munich being linked with a move for the former Ajax starlet
Not the only one
Frenkie de Jong won’t be the only star player to leave Barcelona this summer. The club have refused to rule out sales of other stars as well, including Raphinha and even new signing Vitor Roque.
Ronald Araujo, too, has been linked with an exit for a while now, though Barcelona’s priority is to keep hold of the Uruguayan international.
As far as the midfield department is concerned, Barcelona look destined to offload both de Jong and Oriol Romeu. Their respective departures could help the Blaugrana new faces into the squad, with Bernardo Silva, for one, emerging as a potential target.
Barcelona eye Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez to replace Lewandowski, despite concerns over his inefficiency in front of goal.
Nunez’s work ethic is admired by fans and is considered a low-cost option due to Barca’s financial constraints and La Liga’s salary cap.
While Nunez shows promise with 11 goals this season, critics doubt his ability to match Lewandowski’s prolific goalscoring record.
Spanish giants Barcelona are eyeing up a shock summer move for Liverpool ace Darwin Nunez, according to The Sun, as Xavi and his entourage plan to replace the talismanic Robert Lewandowski.
The Uruguayan has been a divisive figure among the Anfield faithful since joining for a club record £85 million in the summer of 2022, with his substandard conversion rate being among the many worries.
Still just 24 years of age, Artigas-born Nunez has recorded 33 goals and 17 assists in 93 outings in a Liverpool strip and his tally for the current season sits at 11 goals and eight assists.
However, amid news that Barcelona are in dire need of a squad shake-up, the former Benfica man, thanks to his low wage demands, has been earmarked as a potential successor for Lewandowski ahead of the summer transfer window.
Barcelona Eye Nunez For Financial Reasons
La Liga salary cap may force Barca’s hand
While Nunez has obvious deficiencies in his game, his work ethic has been praised by fans and pundits alike and Barcelona, according to the report, are not only willing to meet Liverpool’s price tag, but they also feel like he is capable of taking over from Lewandowski’s duties.
In terms of Lewandowski, the 148-cap Poland international still has two years to run on his current contract, but the fact that La Liga imposed a £175 million salary cap earlier this season may force his employers to offload him once July hits.
Since arriving at the Nou Camp in a deal worth £42.5 million from Bayern Munich back in the summer of 2022, Lewandowski – who is still considered one of the best strikers in world football – has remained one of Barcelona’s highest-earning stars amid their ongoing financial difficulties.
And despite Nunez pocketing a healthy £140,000-per-week, making him one of the best-paid assets at Anfield, his take home is still considerably less than the Barcelona centre forward, who has chalked up 57 goals and 17 assists in 91 outings since his arrival.
Nunez and Lewandowski’s 23/24 League Stats Compared
Stat
Nunez
Lewandowski
Appearances
22(11)
28(3)
Goals
11
17
Assists
8
8
Shots per game
3.2
2.8
Dribbles per game
0.5
0.5
Key passes per game
1
0.8
Overall rating
6.97
7.18
The Sun’s report also insists that Nunez is keen to play for the Spanish outfit one day but, regardless, is still happy to continue plying his trade for the Merseysiders.
Before Benfica acquired his services from Almeria in 2020, Barcelona were adamant they had completed a deal for the now 24-year-old, but they fell short at the final hurdle as the Portuguese giants managed to strike a deal.
Nunez’s Wastefulness In Front of Goal
The question is: can Nunez match Lewandowski’s goalscoring output? Admittedly, in his second season at Anfield, the improvements in his all-round play have been evident, but whether he is on par with the Pole in terms of his prowess in front of goal is questionable.
The Athletic’s Simon Hughes recently suggested that Arne Slot, who will succeed the much-beloved Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield hot seat, must try and upgrade on Nunez this summer amid criticism over his potency.
There’s no doubt that he has progressed well, while not establishing himself as a reliable source of goals, since arriving in 2022 – but his 19.4% conversion rate of big chances this term is the lowest among any striker in Europe’s top five leagues.
Should Barcelona be willing to take a gamble on Nunez, whose pace and power could provide them with a different dimension, and table a genuine offer, they will certainly be wary of his substandard goalscoring ability.
Barcelona star Sergi Roberto has issued a message of apology to the club’s supporters.
As much comes owing to his role in Barca’s damaging defeat at the hands of Girona.
Xavi’s troops were of course back in action yesterday evening, making the short trip across Catalunya to take on high-flying Girona.
The Blaugrana headed into proceedings aware that a victory was something of a must, amid the ongoing battle for 2nd in the La Liga table.
The Blaugrana headed into proceedings aware that a victory was something of a must, amid the ongoing battle for 2nd in the La Liga table.
This marked the beginning of the end for the visitors to the Estadi Montilivi, who failed to recover in any way, shape or form.
Speaking to the media on the back of the full-time whistle, Roberto himself was in turn keen to take full responsibility for his side’s defeat, in explaining:
“I’m angry. We were superior until the 2-2. We were doing well and it was my mistake. I apologize to everyone.”
He continued:
“We didn’t deserve to lose. We had the match controlled, we had the ball. But after they equalized, their confidence grew.”
Barcelona knew the significance of playing at Montilivi against Girona. They needed a victory not just to keep up with Real Madrid but also to prevent their rivals from easily clinching the championship.
While everyone expected Carlo Ancelotti’s team to eventually secure the title due to their overwhelming lead, the magnitude of Barcelona’s collapse was unforeseen.
In the second half, Barcelona’s defensive performance was disappointing, allowing Girona to score four more goals and dominate the team.
The home team capitalized on every opportunity presented to them to walk out 4-2 victorious; something that was unexpected mostly because a place in next year’s Spanish Super Cup was also on the line.
What does Real Madrid’s title win mean for Barcelona?
While everything seems lost for Barcelona, there is still something to play for.
As it stands, the team’s chances of qualifying for the Spanish Super Cup are still possible since there are four games left, and they are only one point behind.
However, considering they have allowed 13 goals in just four games, it seems unlikely they will reach their goal. The numerous defensive errors are difficult to comprehend.
It seemed like they were in a good rhythm, but then their performance drastically declined. This is not a good sign.
Blessing in disguise?
Since Ronald Araujo’s error in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against PSG, the Uruguayan has lost his touch and so did the rest of the defenders.
It is surprising to see how much a player who excelled at Barcelona last season has struggled recently. In the last few matches, he has consistently underperformed.
But with time on their side, the coaching staff along with the management can evaluate what the team exactly needs and what all positions need to be strengthened.
While finances are likely to make things difficult, Barcelona now have enough time between now and the start of the next season.
As of today, though, the focus must be on securing the second spot as qualification for the Spanish Super Cup would bring in decent revenue within the books.
Barcelona knew what they had to do against Girona. Anything less than victory would hand the La Liga title to Real Madrid. Surely they wouldn’t directly hand their arch rivals the trophy, right?
At 2-1, that looked to be the case, but three unanswered goals from Girona left Barcelona bruised and broken as Madrid kicked off their celebrations. A horrible afternoon for everyone involved with the club.
Here are Barcelona’s best and worst players from the game according to 90min‘s player ratings.
Barcelona’s best player vs Girona
Lamine Yamal – 7/10
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Relying on a 16-year-old to do everything in attack is probably not the smartest tactic from Barcelona.
Regardless of what happened here, Lamine Yamal can hold his head high. He did everything he could to seal a win here, including winning a penalty with some tricky feet.
Honourable mention
Andreas Christensen – 7/10
Andreas Christensen scored probably the best goal he will ever score, and literally nobody will care anymore. Not only did the goal come in such a painful defeat, but it was also outdone by an absolute scorcher from Portu.
Unfortunate for the Dane, who continues to look at home at the base of Barcelona’s midfield.
Barcelona’s worst player vs Girona
Ronald Araujo – 3/10
Who is this guy and what has he done with the real Ronald Araujo?
The Uruguay international was probably the best defender in the world last season, but he has looked a shadow of himself this season, with his poor form continuing in a chaotic showing up against Artem Dovbyk here.
Dishonourable mention
Marc-Andre ter Stegen – 4/10
Girona created four big chances during the game and scored four goals. Questions have to be asked of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
To be fair to the German, there’s not a lot he could do about most of the goals – a deflection and a worldie are always hard to swallow – but Ter Stegen failed to inspire confidence throughout the game, with Girona clearly willing to try their luck whenever they got a sight of his goal.
Barcelona manager Xavi offered a pretty scathing assessment of his side after Saturday’s dismal 4-2 defeat to Girona.
The Catalans had control of the game after going 2-1 up but threw it away in a costly defeat that sees the team slip to third in the table.
Xavi says there was a lot lacking from his team’s performance and was particularly frustrated with the number of individual errors.
Barca now have their work cut out if they are to finish second. They sit a point behind Girona and must still play Real Sociedad, Almeria, Rayo and Sevilla.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta was overheard screaming “this can’t be!” in frustration after seeing his team lose 4-2 to Girona on Saturday.
Diario Sport are reporting that the president’s “monumental anger” was witnessed by a host of people at Montilivi after Barca were beaten by Michel’s side.
Barca had led twice in the game, thanks to goals from Andreas Christensen and a penalty by Robert Lewandowski, but went on to lose after making some huge errors.
As the final whistle blew, Laporta – who was with Deco and Rafa Yuste – was heard yelling in frustration at the defeat which drops Barcelona below Girona in the league table.
Finishing second place will hurt Barcelona financially. It means the club won’t qualify for next season’s Super Cup which offers a big economic boost.
Barcelona are hoping to return to the 1:1 rule this summer but that may be more complicated if the team end up third in the table.
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