SETTABLOID

Amidst question marks over the futures of a host of FC Barcelona players, captain Sergi Roberto appears set to continue at the club.

The veteran defender’s contract expires on June 30, but reports suggest that he will be signing a new contract and furthering his stay at the Catalan outfit for one more season.

Even though his role in the team is not very prominent, Roberto is greatly valued at the club due to his experience, leadership, and commitment towards the team.

Roberto gives example of commitment

Giving an example of his commitment and dedication towards the club, SPORT reports that Roberto has been playing with an injury in the last four games for Barcelona.

Indeed, it is being suggested that the Spaniard suffered a broken rib during the game against Girona earlier this month, despite which he carried on the pitch.

Roberto’s mistake in that game cost the Blaugrana, but the captain came out to face the media after the match.

Following that, the versatile defender also featured for 20 minutes or so against Real Sociedad after coming on as a substitute in the second period.

Roberto then went on to start for Barça in both their matches last week against Almeria and Rayo Vallecano, playing over 110 minutes across the two clashes.

This sort of commitment and dedication makes Roberto a much-valued player in the locker room.

As such, the club officials will likely meet this week to discuss his contract situation, although an extension appears extremely plausible at this moment.

Barcelona secured qualification for the Spanish Super Cup next season after defeating Rayo Vallecano 3-0 on Sunday which earned them a second-place finish in La Liga.

Goals from Robert Lewandowski and Pedri (two) earned the victory for Xavi Hernandez’s men at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Having lost the title to Real Madrid, Barcelona had made it their top objective to finish second in the table and qualify for the Super Cup and accomplished their mission.

Fermin happy with win

Speaking after the game, young midfielder Fermin Lopez insisted that the Catalans were happy to have achieved their target, saying:

“We have achieved our objective and we are happy.”

Discussing the team’s performance against Rayo on the night, he added: “We played a good game, controlling and with chances. It’s a pity I didn’t score the one I had. Thanks to the fans and I hope we can give them a lot of joy next season.

“We hadn’t beaten Rayo for five games. They are a well-worked team, but we played a good game.”

On his own personal growth this season, Lopez remarked: “I’m very happy to fulfil my dream. I am very grateful to the coach and the club. I have learnt and improved a lot.”

Roberto admits outside noise affects players

Sergi Roberto also spoke to the media after the game and admitted that the outside noise does have an effect on the players despite their best attempts to shut it out.

“Everything affects, even if we try to isolate ourselves. It’s impossible. You get messages from friends,” the Barcelona captain remarked.

“In the stadium too, but we players have to focus on what’s happening on the pitch. The fewer problems there are outside, the better the players can work, but that’s it,” he added.

A report from SPORT has revealed that Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano has improved the chances of Xavi’s continuing as the team’s coach, despite recent tension between him and the club management.

It is suggested that after the match on Sunday, Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, met with Xavi in the locker room.

This meeting was highly anticipated due to the recent friction caused by Xavi’s comments before the game against Almeria, which had angered the president.

Interestingly enough, the meeting after the match did not address the topic of Xavi’s future with the club.

What did Laporta and Xavi discuss?

The meeting followed their usual routine, where they discussed the game’s outcome. This time, Laporta congratulated Xavi on the victory, which secured second place in the league and guaranteed a spot in next year’s Spanish Super Cup.

This achievement met the club’s minimum expectations, as they had no chance of winning other titles this season.

The issue of Xavi’s comments or his potential dismissal was not brought up. Laporta plans to hold a more conclusive meeting with Xavi after the final league game against Sevilla to decide on his future and discuss plans moving forward.

Fans want Xavi to continue

The events at Montjuic against Rayo Vallecano have positively impacted Xavi’s prospects for next season.

The team’s solid performance and the fans’ support for Xavi played a significant role. During the match, fans chanted for Xavi to stay and even expressed opposition to the club president, showing clear support for the coach.

Additionally, as time passes, the intensity of Laporta’s initial frustration with Xavi’s comments is likely to fade.

Although Laporta was deeply disappointed by Xavi’s remarks, his enthusiasm for making a change may diminish.

However, it goes without saying that Xavi now needs to be more cautious in his upcoming press conferences, as any controversial statements could reignite tensions.

Barcelona achieved an important objective on Sunday by taking down Rayo Vallecano, traditionally an intractable opponent, and wrapping up second place in the league.

With it comes important financial rewards, and a place in the Spanish Supercup next season.

These are not big prizes for the players themselves. But for club president Joan Laporta, and other figures in the front office, it was essential that Xavi and his men get the job done.

So why were there so many distractions this week?

After months of supporting Xavi, and asking him to return as manager, in spite of the coach’s declaration to leave, Laporta did a spectacular 180. Simply because he didn’t like a few words that were stated.

Meanwhile, the business of the game on the field has to go on.

In spite of the drama, the players maintained their focus, and put in a very professional performance to secure the all important victory.

Fans as well registered their opinion. Get over yourself Mr. President.

Enough of this club turning itself into a media circus that the rest of the world laughs at.

Thank God there is an academy system that continues to cultivate mature young professionals ready to take on the demands of life in the spotlight at such a pressure cooker of a club.

Lamine Yamal, braces and all, with a big almost naive smile on his face, led the way again, with a sublime assist to Robert Lewandowski within minutes of the opening whistle.

In the second half, it was Pedri, still just 21 years old, who came on to score two world class goals. Almost as if to say, I see you Fermin Lopez, and you won’t be stealing my job any time soon.

These young players have risen to challenge, and never complain, in spite of the obstacles put in front of them. Some, like injuries, are part of life as a footballer. Other obstacles are man made by grown adults who should know better.

Xavi has his shortcomings as a manager. Sometimes when he speaks to the media, you cringe because of his analysis of the games, and propensity to make excuses for poor performances.

But in his analysis of the club, he is spot on.

And Joan Laporta, if he were smart, should be transparent and own it too. He’s not fooling anyone.

The truth is, he’s done some good things as president. The club is better off now than it was the day he arrived for his second stint in charge.

But they are still deep in the woods, looking for a way out.

To get there, he will need to back his manager, and that starts with growing thicker skin.

You made the choice to keep Xavi on when you could have moved on. Now stability and a sense of calm is necessary as they move into the summer. The next moves they make, they will need to get right. There cannot be another Vitor Roque misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, the players are locked in. The youngest ones are stepping up and carrying themselves with a maturity well beyond their years.

If they can do it, the guys wearing the suits better follow suit.

Success going into next season will be a team effort from the dressing room to the board room.

It all starts with professionalism and taking yourself, and the institution you represent, seriously.

Thank you Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and company, for setting the example.

Barcelona wrap up second spot

Barcelona have struggled against Rayo in recent seasons but had no such problems on Sunday as goals from Robert Lewandowski and Pedri secured a 3-0 win at Montjuic.

Xavi’s side headed into the match having failed to win any of their last five games against Rayo and also having failed to score in their last two home games against Los Franjirrojos but eased to a win that puts them four clear of Girona with just one game left.

Lewandowski’s early goal sent Barca on their way before a quickfire brace from Pedri finished Rayo off midway through the second half.

Barca are now guaranteed second place, and more importantly a place in the Spanish Super Cup for next season, ahead of their last match of the season against Sevilla next weekend.

Fans make feelings clear as chaos continues

Barcelona came into the game after another tumultuous week for the club that has seen intense speculation that Joan Laporta is ready to fire Xavi from his position as first-team coach.

Xavi is thought to have angered Laporta with his comments about the club’s inability to compete next season, due to their financial issues, which has led Laporta to decide he won’t be in charge for the new campaign.

Supporters seem to be in two minds over who to back. There were some cries of “Barcelona yes, Laporta no” heard ringing around Montjuic during the game – but those shouts were also met by whistles.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal added yet another record to his growing collection on Sunday when he started against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

The start saw Yamal make his 50th senior appearance for the Blaugrana, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to hit the half-century mark.

Yamal goes past Bojan and Pedri to take top spot on the list at the age of just 16 years and 311 days.

Barcelona’s wonderkid wasted very little time making an impact too. Yamal teed up Robert Lewandowski after just two minutes to open the scoring.

The 16-year-old now has seven goals and seven assists for Barcelona since breaking into the first team this season under Xavi and was praised by his manager after the game.

“With Lamine Yamal, everyone can see that he’s 16 years old, but he’s a game changer. It’s marvelous. We have to enjoy him for many years to come,” he said.

Yamal’s emergence has indeed been one of the bright spots of what’s been a difficult campaign for the Blaugrana.

Barcelona head coach Xavi has tonight provided a fresh insight into his future.

A solid outing for FC Barcelona ended in victory for the Catalan giants over Rayo Vallecano. A 3-0 win at home was enough to see Xavi’s team clinch all three important points. Now, Barcelona have guaranteed themselves second place as they are now certain to play in the Spanish Super Cup next season.

Here are the player ratings for Xavi’s Barcelona players.

Player Ratings:

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: 7.5

Impeccable in his distribution, Rayo Vallecano could not do anything to dispossess or unsettle the Barcelona number one. The German international maintained another clean sheet, and also ended up being crucial in many of Barça’s buildups.

Joao Cancelo: 6.5

Much more progressive today, Joao Cancelo got to play his own brand of football. This allowed the Portuguese fullback to add more spark to the Barcelona attack, and it eventually paid off given the overload they had in Rayo’s box.

Inigo Martinez: 7.0

Strong and dominant at the back, Inigo Martinez was resilient in front of his own goal and kept Rayo Vallecano away from the Barcelona net. His performance was a solid one from start to finish.

Pau Cubarsi: 6.5

The youngster had a solid outing, maintaining another clean sheet for Barcelona before he ended up getting substituted. His passing, composure, and defensive positioning remain commendable even near the end of the season.

Jules Kounde: 6.5

Another key performer, while Jules Kounde was not as instrumental as he has been in recent games, he was solid nonetheless. His positioning and presence on the right flank gave Barcelona some much-needed cover in case they lost possession on that side or suffered a counter attack.

Just like the rest of his midfield partners, Sergi Roberto had a comfortable game against Rayo. While the opposition was not exactly flawless, the Spanish midfielder did what he could to pass to his teammates with good consistency and be a good outlet to the others dressed in Blaugrana.

Ilkay Gundogan: 7.0

Incredibly important in the way Barcelona distributed possession, he maintained composure and control in the heart of the midfield. With him in midfield, Barcelona looked quite comfortable across the entirety of the game.

Fermin Lopez: 6.5

As dynamic as always, Fermin Lopez received a heartfelt ovation from the fans as he came off the field. His energy was important for Barcelona in continuously thwarting any sort of danger that Rayo Vallecano could even think of conjuring up.

The Brazilian winger had a dangerous-looking performance that needed the Rayo keeper to make some good saves. However, he was ultimately unable to have the impact that he would have ideally liked to have had.

Robert Lewandowski: 8.0

While the Polish striker did not get to have many moments of brilliance, he made sure that he made his single best chance count. After a beautiful cross from Lamine Yamal reached him, he had the awareness to control the ball well and shoot it into the net with precision.

Lamine Yamal: 8.5

The young Barcelona winger was relentless in creating chances for his teammates. Moreover, he even had the guts to try some outrageous things himself, even if they did not always come to fruition. His assist to Lewandowski was brilliant as well.

Andreas Christensen: 6.0

A solid performance for Andreas Christensen again, who kept his cool and helped Barcelona maintain their structure in the second half.

Ronald Araujo: 7.0

Despite coming late into the game, the Uruguayan defender did well to get himself incorporated quickly. Eventually, one of his well-timed and well-placed long balls reached Pedri, who scored a third goal for Barcelona against Rayo.

Pedri: 8.5

The Spanish wonderkid came into the game as a substitute and gave Barcelona all the hope and relief they needed. With two very different kinds of goals, Pedri ended up scoring a wonderful brace for Barça.

It was thanks to the Portuguese forward’s sensational dribbling in the Rayo Vallecano box that led to the second goal for FC Barcelona.

Vitor Roque: 6.5

The young Brazilian forward showed some real sparks of brilliance after coming on, and it was good to see him get some proper involvement in the game.

Following a convincing 2-0 win over Almeria, Barcelona returned to home soil to take on Rayo Vallecano in their quest to solidify a top-two spot in La Liga.

With Vallecano in need of one point to secure permanence in the first division, they expectedly did not make life easy for the Catalan giants.

However, utilizing their home advantage and striking through moments of brilliance, Barcelona came out with the all-important three points.

Ter Stegen: 8

The German goalkeeper was busy in the first half, making two solid saves and confidently playing out from the back. He also contributed a couple of crucial saves after proceedings.

Jules Kounde: 6

Kounde was not his usual best while defending on the right flank, with Vallecano often getting the better of him. Proved to be a reliable presence on the ball, though.

Pau Cubarsi: 7.5

Cubarsi was cool as a cucumber with his distribution. The youngster also safeguarded Barcelona against Vallecano’s long balls in transition, although he picked up a yellow card for a rash foul. Eventually, he earned a much deserved break at the hour mark.

Inigo Martinez: 7

The veteran center-back defended diligently in duels, playing some lovely long balls when on possession. Moreover, he made a crucial tackle in the second half amidst a flurry of opposition players.

Still, Martinez struggled to keep Vallecano at bay when they opted to play balls over the top due to his waning pace.

Joao Cancelo: 7.5

Cancelo was tasked with holding width on the left flank as Raphinha roamed centrally. The Portuguese left-back had some trouble taking on his man but was responsible in possession and more alert than usual defensively.

Ilkay Gundogan: 7.5

As always, Gundogan oozed tranquility with his touches and time on the ball. The German midfielder successfully completed all of his long balls and progressed play through central channels.

Sergi Roberto: 7

Roberto put in a respectable shift in the first half, winning a majority of his duels and keeping his composure on the ball.

However, he barely advanced play and thus Xavi hooked him at halftime for Andreas Christensen.

Fermin Lopez: 7

Fermin did what he does best: crashing the box with late runs and sniffing spaces to exploit. Even so, Barcelona failed to put his goalscoring talents to use, as service for him was limited.

To his credit, though, the youngster struck the ball well from range a few times and forced Stole Dimitrievski to pull out a great save.

Lamine Yamal: 7.5

The teenage prodigy struck gold early in the game by drifting inward and serving a picture-perfect pass to Robert Lewandowski.

Apart from his stellar assist, Yamal’s influence was mostly minimal, as his passing was timid and he rarely took his man on.

Robert Lewandowski: 8

Continuing his lethal form inside the final third, Lewandowski maturely chested Yamal’s pass before volleying the ball past Stole Dimitrievski.

The Polish talisman executed good runs and seemed hungry to score more, with the prospect of winning the Pichichi likely occupying his mind. Villarreal’s Alexander Sørloth may have dashed those dreams, though.

Raphinha: 6.5

Raphinha looked rather quiet on the left-wing and was hardly seen creating chances or testing the opposition defenders. Still, the Brazilian combined well with his teammates.

Andreas Christensen: 7.5

The Danish international provided solutions under pressure and allowed the play to progress.

Ronald Araujo: 8

Replacing Pau Cubarsi, the Uruguayan exercised his defensive duties well but made the most notable mark with a sensational long ball to Pedri for the host’s third goal.

Joao Felix: 7.5

Felix played a huge hand in Pedri’s first goal, despite not earning a direct goal contribution. He tip-toed his way through the Vallecano defense immaculately before the ball landed at Pedri’s feet.

Pedri: 9.5

The Canary Islander turned out to be Barcelona’s savior in a game where the Catalans struggled to maintain any semblance of control.

In addition to bringing back order on the ball, Pedri scored twice to secure a convincing victory.

Roque: 6.5

Roque had little time to exert his influence, but went on a good run and unleashed a powerful shot that struck the defender.

An explanation for the absence of Ronald Araújo from Barcelona’s latest starting line-up as on Sunday been forthcoming.

Barca, of course, are set to return to action in short order.

In the club’s penultimate outing of the campaign, they are primed to play host to Rayo Vallecano, in a La Liga clash.