Barcelona had the chance to cement second place in La Liga with a win over Girona tonight as they travelled to the other side of the city to clash horns with their domestic rivals.
Following a 2-4 defeat against them at home earlier this season, many would have expected Barça to be motivated and seeking a dominant win today, but the Catalans came up short, losing 4-2 once again.
Despite looking in control for an hour and up 1-2, Barça started making rookie mistakes as Portu ran away with the game, scoring two and assisting one in the win.
A mental issue
“It is hard to explain this. This is the summary of our season, we gifted them the match,” Xavi said following the loss, as quoted by MARCA.
“We dominated the game, and we had it under control. We could not score a third goal and then we gifted three.”
As has been the case so often this season, individual mistakes cost Barcelona the game, with Sergi Roberto and Pau Cubarsi giving away a goal each, while Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde defended thin air.
He also revealed what Girona coach Michel said to him following the full-time whistle, “Michel told me he could not believe how they won today.”
“We gift the matches to our opponents. It happened twice vs Madrid, now against Girona. Even against Paris.”
This match has put a cloud of doubt over Xavi’s future once again. The coach had only recently reversed his decision and decided to stay, but was questioned whether it will reopen the discussion.
“No,” he answered, “This situation is fixable. It is a mental issue.”
Eric Garcia put in another decent shift against Barcelona, much like earlier this season, and Xavi iterated once again that a spot in the team is open for him next season.
“I already said that Eric Garcia has a spot at Barça. He plays for Girona, now, but it was not my decision.”
Madrid were coming off another brilliant 0-3 win against Cadiz from earlier today, but Barcelona’s loss vs Girona gifted them the title early, pretty much as collateral damage. Xavi, almost with a heavy heart, congratulated them.
“Real Madrid won the most points, so yes. Congratulations to them.”
“I am the first one who is pissed off. I am furious. Above being the manager, I am a Barcelona fan,” he concluded.
Barcelona clashed heads with Girona at the Estadi Montilivi earlier this evening as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in La Liga. Xavi’s men made a quick start to the game as they scored the opener in the third minute when Andreas Christensen got his name on the scoresheet. However, Artem Dovbyk equalised for the home team just a minute later before Robert Lewandowski put Barca ahead once again via the penalty spot in the first half injury-time. The Catalan club went into the half-time break 2-1 up on the scoreline.
Girona were sensational in the second half and managed to equalise in the 65th minute thanks to Portu’s effort. Miguel Gutierrez completed the turnaround for Girona just two minutes later before Portu scored again in the 74th minute. Barcelona ended up crashing to a tough 4-2 loss away from home.
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – 5.5/10
The German keeper made a few important saves during the game but won’t be pleased after conceding four goals this evening.
RB: Jules Kounde – 6/10
He failed to keep things solid at the back and made one good run with the ball.
CB: Ronald Araujo – 5.5/10
Araujo was far from convincing on the defensive end of the field
CB: Pau Cubarsi – 6/10
He earned possession back twice but failed to keep things solid at the back.
LB: Joao Cancelo – 7/10
Cancelo was a positive influence at both ends of the field.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan – 7/10
He failed to protect his backline but was good on the ball.
CM: Andreas Christensen – 8/10
Christensen anchored the midfield well and managed to find the back of the net early in the game.
CM: Sergi Roberto – 5/10
He made some poor errors at the back but made two good chances for others around him.
RW: Lamine Yamal – 8/10
Yamal caused a lot of problems for the Girona defenders and has got an assist to show for his efforts.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – 7/10
Lewandowski managed to score his penalty late in the first half.
LW: Fermin Lopez – 6/10
He was quiet for most of his time on the pitch.
Substitutes:
LW: Raphinha – 6/10
Raphinha made one key chance in the final third.
CM: Pedri – 6/10
He struggled to influence the game.
ST: Ferran Torres – 6/10
He failed to register a goal.
CM: Oriol Romeu – 6.5/10
Romeu added some bite and steel to Xavi’s midfield.
Barcelona will finish the weekend in third place in the La Liga table with four games remaining thanks to a 4-2 defeat to Girona in Saturday’s Catalan derby at the Montilivi Stadium. The game delivered plenty of entertainment and Barça had multiple chances to win it early in the second half, but a 10-minute implosion in the final period led to another heavy loss to their local rivals as Girona completed the season sweep of their famous neighbors to move to second place and guarantee a spot in next season’s Champions League.
FIRST HALF
The start of the game was absolutely wild: before fans in the stadium or people watching on TV could even settle down in their seats, two goals were scored as Andreas Christensen scored a spectacular volley and Artem Dovbyk equalized with an easy header before the clock had even hit four minutes.
Barça and Girona were wide open to begin the game and big chances were created on both ends, and each side came close on multiple occasions to scoring a second. After 10 minutes of insanity the game finally settled down a bit, with Barça taking control of the ball while Girona decided to sit back and try to create problems on the counter.
The Blaugrana moved the ball quickly and with purpose, and Fermín López, Ilkay Gündogan and Lamine Yamal offered constant threats with their movements in the final third. Girona remained a threat on the break, with Sávio making Jules Kounde’s life a living hell on the wing with his direct running and dribbling.
The pace of the game slowed down towards the end of the half, but there was still time for one more twist: Miguel Gutiérrez kicked the heel of Lamine Yamal just inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot after being advised by VAR to look at the screen to review the play. Robert Lewandowski scored the penalty with ease, and Barça were in front once again.
A wildly entertaining first half came to an end with Barça in front, but Girona were very much still in the game and it looked as though we were in for a fun final period.
SECOND HALF
Girona naturally took the initiative to begin the second half as they looked for an early equalizer, having more possession and sending more bodies forward and forcing Barça to defend deeper. The Blaugrana remained well-organized near their box and offered a huge threat on the counter, creating and missing at least four big chances in the first 15 minutes of the period.
Míchel Sánchez made two attacking changes shortly after the hour mark to try and spark his team as they were in risk of going down by two goals, and the substitutions worked immediately thanks to some help by Barça: a terrible back pass by Sergi Roberto released Dovbyk all alone through the middle and the striker took his time to find a teammate as he squared it to Portu, who needed just 30 seconds on the pitch to score with his first touch off the bench.
90 seconds later Girona completed the comeback: Pau Cubarsí lost the ball in midfield and Portu was allowed to run all alone down the right wing until he found Miguel Gutiérrez inside the box, and the left back’s shot deflected off Jules Kounde and went into the net to put the home team in front.
Barça completely fell apart after conceding twice in less than two minutes, and even the introduction of Pedri and Raphinha off the bench didn’t help as the visitors continued to lose easy balls in midfield and concede huge chances to Girona, and Marc-André ter Stegen needed to make a big save on a shot by Yangel Herrera to stop the bleeding.
But with 15 minutes to go came the knockout blow: Sávio played a beautiful pass over the top to find Portu on the right wing at the edge of the box, and the winger continued his extraordinary substitute cameo with a spectacular volley to double his tally and the home team’s lead after a 10-minute dream sequence for Girona.
Barça were visibly impacted by the sudden turn of events, and struggled to create any meaningful offense in their attempt to get back in the game. Xavi Hernández sent on Ferran Torres and João Félix in the final 10 minutes to try and add a different element to the attack, but those changes had very little impact.
Girona cruised to the finish and missed at least three big chances to score a fifth, but Barça avoided further humiliation and the final whistle came to complete Girona’s season sweep of their famous local rivals.
The last big game of Barça’s depressing 2023-24 season ends like all the other ones did: a good first half performance, several individual mistakes that lead to a complete collapse in the second half, and a heavy, embarrassing defeat. It’s been the story of this campaign, which ends without a trophy and quite possibly with a costly third-place finish in La Liga that would be a massive blow to the club’s finances.
It’s once again not a good time to be a Barça fan.
Barcelona captain Sergi Roberto admitted he was really upset and was quick to apologize after making a dreadful error in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to Girona.
The visitors were leading 2-1 when Roberto played the ball back towards his own goal and gifted Girona an equaliser.
Michel’s side then went on to win the game 4-2 and move above Barcelona in the table with just four games left to play.
Here’s what Roberto said afterwards
“I think until the 60th or 65th minute we were superior. I think we were playing well but after the second goal the game ran away from us.
“I’m furious because it was my mistake so I’m really upset, I apologize to the team, because the team was working hard and playing brilliantly and we didn’t deserve this result and we are very angry.
“We had things under control, we were dominating possession. In the second half we had chances, we could have put the game to bed.
After it went to 2-2, Girona looked more comfortable. We gave what we could but couldn’t get it back. We are hurting, we feel it’s been unjust.”
Saturday’s result also hands Real Madrid the title and comes at a time when Barcelona are said to be close to completing a contract renewal for Roberto.
A bizarre game ends in a defeat for FC Barcelona as they succumb to their Catalan opponents. With a 4-2 defeat at Estadi Montilivi, mirroring the exact score from the defeat at the Montjuic, Barça lost another crucial game. As it stands, Barcelona drop down to third place behind Michel’s Girona.
Despite having good control and the lead on two separate occasions, Barcelona blundered it all away thanks to mistakes from the likes of Sergi Roberto and their defenders. A promising start ended in a frustrating defeat for La Blaugrana.
Here is how the FC Barcelona players fared against Girona.
Player Ratings:
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: 6.5
Despite conceding a few goals he could have done nothing about, the German goalkeeper was quite mediocre when defending the other goals. Ter Stegen really has to step up moving forward.
Joao Cancelo: 7.0
Expected to redeem himself for his recent disastrous displays, Joao Cancelo managed to do just that. However, it was not just his offensive contributions that bailed him out this time, but the Portuguese fullback was an ever-present asset for Barcelona on the defense and did well against many of Girona’s most potent forwards.
Pau Cubarsi: 5.5
Had a mediocre outing against an in-form Girona attack. Moreover, the overall performance from Pau Cubarsi was far from his ideal level, and he should have done better to mark Dobvik for Girona’s first goal as well.
Ronald Araujo: 6.0
Just like the rest of the defenders in the team, Ronald Araujo was overwhelmed by Girona’s potent attack. The Uruguayan defender needed to be at his best, but he was completely thrown off by Michel’s team and the way they conducted themselves.
Jules Kounde: 5.5
For much of the game, Jules Kounde played like a liability. The Frenchman was slow with his thinking process, bad with the way he executed his ideas, and completely all over the field with anything he tried.
Andreas Christensen: 7.5
While he was on the field, Barcelona were in good control of the game. His defensive stability, physical dominance, and even his world-class finish ended up giving Barça more hope than they perhaps deserved. Since his substitution, the Catalan giants managed to crumble sooner rather than later.
Sergi Roberto: 4.0
A stupid decision from Sergi Roberto gave Girona more than just an equalizer. Beyond the goal, it gave the opponents the momentum they needed to compete a comeback against Barcelona. Forgetful performance for the Barcelona captain.
Ilkay Gundogan: 5.0
A poor performance from Ilkay Gundogan led to Barcelona being quite wasteful in attack. Wasted passes, and wasteful shots were a common sight to see whenever the German was in possession of the ball and he was definitely below par on the day.
Fermin Lopez: 6.5
One of the only Barcelona players who seemed to be playing with heart. Despite his efforts and intentions to recover the ball and relaunch Barça’s attacks, the Spaniard’s additional input was wasted by his teammates more often than not.
Robert Lewandowski: 6.0
Apart from his penalty, Robert Lewandowski was not given too much service to work with. Moreover, despite some decent holdup play with his teammates, the Polish striker was more or less invisible in a crucial game.
Lamine Yamal: 8.5
Apart from a few names on the field, Lamine Yamal was the only bright spot for Barcelona. The 16-year-old constantly created and produced magic for his teammates, being directly responsible for both goals scored by Barcelona. Ended up on the losing team despite his best efforts, however.
Substitutes:
Pedri: 6.0
Tried to make an impact with some accurate passes and creative distribution but could not do much to put a dent on Girona.
Raphinha: 5.5
Was more or less insignificant in terms of the grand scheme of things, and was not too active in the gameplay as well once he came on.
Oriol Romeu: N/A
Not enough time or influence to warrant a rating.
Ferran Torres: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the field to warrant a rating.
Joao Felix: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the field to warrant a rating.
Leaked images of the 3rd kit set to be donned by La Liga giants Barcelona next season have on Saturday come to the fore online.
And they are no doubt set to spark widespread chatter amongst the Barcelona faithful.
This comes with manufacturer Nike having opted for an altogether striking new design…
The jersey will be a luminous green-ish colour at its base, albeit with lighter white-ish tones also featuring throughout.
Perhaps most striking of all is the Nike logo, which, as will prove the case with all 3rd kits produced by the manufacturer this season, will be rotated 90 degrees.
Elsewhere, the club’s crest – which is expected to be the same colour as the shirt’s base – will be accompanied by a 2nd more central Blaugrana emblem, in blue.
And rounding out the look will be further blue tones along the jersey’s collar, sides, and sleeves.
Check out the first images of Barcelona’s 3rd kit for the 2024/25 campaign, as per the reliable Footy Headlines, below:
Barcelona head coach Xavi is reportedly pushing for his club to sign Manchester City attacker Bernardo Silva during this summer’s transfer window.
Xavi had been set to leave the Catalan side at the end of the campaign, but he has now agreed to stay with the club, and he is heavily involved in the plans for the upcoming market.
Barcelona will be under pressure to make some first-team sales due to their financial issues, but they are also planning to be active, with the team looking to become a powerhouse in European football once again.
The reigning La Liga champions reached the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League, but they are set to finish behind Real Madrid in Spain’s top flight this term.
According to Sport, Xavi is pushing for his club to bring in Bernardo from Man City, with the Portugal international viewed as a leading transfer target.
Xavi ‘pushing for Barcelona to sign Bernardo Silva’
The report claims that Bernardo is ‘a priority’ for Barcelona, and there is believed to be a release clause of just €58m (£49.8m) in his contract for clubs outside of the Premier League.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also been credited with an interest in the forward, but Barcelona are believed to be his preferred choice, as he is keen to move closer to Portugal at this stage of his career.
At the start of April, Joao Felix, who is on loan at Barcelona from Atletico Madrid, urged Xavi’s side to move for Bernardo in the upcoming market.
The 29-year-old has again been a vital player for Pep Guardiola‘s side during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 11 goals and registering six assists in 44 appearances in all competitions.
Bernardo Silva is believed to favour switch to Barcelona
Meanwhile, since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Monaco in July 2017, the attacker has scored 66 goals and registered 62 assists in 350 appearances in all competitions.
At the start of 2023, Bernardo expressed a desire to begin “a new challenge” away from the reigning Premier League champions.
The forward could help Man City win a Premier League and FA Cup double this season before moving on despite the fact that he signed a new deal at the Etihad Stadium last August.
Xavi has refused to rule out a departure for Robert Lewandowski this summer, which would also put Barcelona in the market for a new centre-forward.
Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo are also among those being linked with big-money moves away from the Catalan team during this summer’s transfer window.
Spain has produced many great footballers, with some of the best talents operating in the middle of the park.
With World Cup-winning icons, Premier League stars and Champions League legends, there are many special Spanish midfielders.
Those who played for Barcelona dominate the list but there are some past Real Madrid stars too.
When you think of artistry on the pitch, you think of Spain. When you think of control, of creativity, you think of Spain. It is a nation which has a remarkable habit of creating the game’s greatest technicians. In Spain, football is more than a sport. It is a form of expression, of communication. Nobody does it quite like the Spanish.
The area of the pitch which requires the most control, expression, and communication is the midfield, and no other nation in the world can say that they have produced the same quantity and calibre of midfielders as La Roja. With that said, ten of the very best have been ranked.
Ranking factors
International achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
Club achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
Individual awards
Legacy within football
The Greatest Spanish Midfielders in Football History
Ranking
Player
Career span
10
Luis Enrique
1988 – 2004
9
Cesc Fabregas
2003 – 2023
8
Josep Guardiola
1988 – 2006
7
Xabi Alonso
1999 – 2017
6
Josep Samitier
1917 – 1939
5
David Silva
2003 – 2023
4
Sergio Busquets
2007 –
3
Luis Suarez
1953 – 1973
2
Xavi Hernandez
1997 – 2019
1
Andres Iniesta
2000 –
10Luis Enrique
Career span: 1988 – 2004
Kicking us off is the first of several players on this list to have had distinguished careers as both players and now managers. Luis Enrique is perhaps one of the lesser-known members of the exclusive club of players to have represented both Real Madrid and Barcelona, joining the latter on a free transfer in 1996 and going on to become captain of the Catalan club.
Not necessarily the archetypal Spanish midfielder in terms of playing style, Luis Enrique was valued for his leadership, tenacity, and versatility, being utilised in a multitude of positions, but most commonly as a box-crashing attacking midfielder with an eye for goal.
9Cesc Fabregas
Career span: 2003 – 2023
Undoubtedly one of the most gifted midfielders of his generation, Cesc Fabregas rose through the ranks at Barcelona, idolising then-captain and Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola, who he would go on to play under for a season upon his return to the club in 2011.
It was at Arsenal, however, where Fabregas would truly make a name for himself. He joined the Gunners in 2003, the same year in which he won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the U17 World Cup, as he soon became one of the world’s most exciting young prospects.
His move to England at a young age was a courageous one, with the Premier League at that time renowned for its physicality. Fabregas’ best qualities were his technical proficiency, so many were therefore sceptical of his early performances, but the now 36-year-old soon flourished into one of the Premier League’s great play-makers.
Fabregas’ talents were recognised when he was named Golden Boy in 2006, an award for the best-performing player under the age of 21 that calendar year. That same season he was voted Arsenal’s Player of the Season at just 19, and the following campaign, the Spaniard was named as the PFA Young Player of the Year. In 2014, Fabregas returned to England with London rivals Chelsea, twice winning the Premier League with the Blues and the FA Cup in his penultimate season with the club in 2017/18, retiring with the second-most assists in Premier League history.
8Pep Guardiola
Career span: 1988 – 2006
Better known for his unrivalled managerial success, Pep Guardiola, was also a fine footballer in his playing days, making 384 appearances for Barcelona across eleven seasons before spells in Italy, Qatar and Mexico. As a player, Guardiola was also hugely influential, making the pivot role his own in Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team of the early to mid-1990s and laying the path for players such as Sergio Busquets and Rodri, now the indispensable heartbeat of his dominant Manchester City side.
An elegant, disciplined and intelligent deep-lying midfielder, Guardiola was fondly regarded by Cruyff, and became a vital cog in the team that won four successive Spanish league titles, and in 1992, the club’s first European Cup.
7Xabi Alonso
Career span: 1999 – 2017
From a player with an immense standing in the game, to a young coach already creating history, Xabi Alonso, having recently guided Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title, just pips Pep to seventh. Another to have played under Guardiola, during their time together at Bayern Munich, the 42-year-old was a very different type of defensive midfielder to the City manager. An industrious, dogged midfielder, the Basque-born Alonso is best known for his impressive passing range and effortless raking through balls and switches of play.
Having started out at his boyhood side Real Sociedad, Alonso rose to global fame at Liverpool, winning the Champions League in his first season on Merseyside and scoring the equalising goal in the iconic Istanbul final against AC Milan. After several successful years in Red, Alonso returned to Spain with Real Madrid, totalling a career-high 236 appearances across all competitions. For his national side, Alonso featured at five major tournaments and played a vital role in Spain’s dominant spell winning three consecutive international tournaments. His 114 appearances for La Roja, make him the eighth most capped player in his country’s history.
6Josep Samitier
A name from years of old, Josep Samitier was one of football’s first true entertainers and one of the most important players in Spanish football history. Blurring the lines between the surrealist art movement of the time and football, Samitier defied logic and drew in record crowds for his balletic, performative displays, earning the nickname L’home llagosta (the Lobster Man) for his acrobatic efforts in front of goal.
Samitier, the star of FC Barcelona’s first era of dominance in the 1920s, pioneered what would now be regarded as the box-to-box midfield role, almost levitating from one end of the pitch to the other, becoming the first true midfield general in Spanish football history.
The Catalonian also had an incredible eye for goal, and at the time of his retirement, was the club’s record goal scorer with 187, a total that now puts him 5th. In a glistening 15-year career with first Barca and then Real Madrid, Samitier won twelve Campionat de Catalunya titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and the inaugural La Liga in 1929. In 1945 he returned to the Blaugrana as manager, guiding them to their first La Liga title since 1929, before again switching allegiances and playing his role as a scout in Real Madrid’s controversial acquisition of Alfredo di Stefano.
5David Silva
Career span: 2003 – 2023
Like Fabregas before him, David Silva’s own impeccable technique and elegance on the ball elevated the Premier League to another level – making him arguably the greatest Spaniard to ever play in England. The diminutive left-footer had already gained a reputation in his homeland as one of the country’s best prospects by the time of his move to Manchester City in 2010, rising up the ranks at Valencia where he amassed over 150 appearances and won the Copa del Rey in 2008.
Along with former teammates Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, Silva completely transformed Man City into England’s formidable force of the 2010s, helping the Sky Blues to two FA Cups, five League Cups and four Premier League titles. For Spain, Silva enjoyed an incredible 12 years, retiring as La Roja’s seventh most capped player, their fourth highest ever goal scorer, and second top assist provider. The 38-year-old formed an incredible midfield with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Buesquets and Xavi to win the 2008 and 2012 European Championship, and the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
4Sergio Busquets
Career span: 2007 –
Tactically one of the most important players of the last 15 years, Sergio Busquets has shown remarkable consistency and longevity across his illustrious 16-year career. Part of Guardiola’s Barcelona B side that earned promotion to the third division in the 2007/08 season, Busquets followed the City boss into the senior team ahead of the following campaign, starting his first La Liga match in September 2008.
Now reunited with several of his former Barca teammates at Inter Miami, Busquets went on to make a total of 722 appearances for the reigning La Liga champions, the third most in the club’s history, whilst also being the third most capped, and most capped midfielder, in Spain’s history.
An unlikely star in many respects, not being blessed with pace nor the aesthetic physicality usually associated with a player of his standing in the sport, but with unrivalled match intelligence and positioning, Busquets has executed the role of a pivot better than anyone in history.
3Luis Suarez
No, not that one. Luis Suarez Miramontes, born in 1935, is truly one of Spain’s greatest-ever players. Debuting for Barcelona on his 19th birthday as a fresh-faced, nimble attacking midfielder, it took several seasons for Suarez to make his impression in the first team. Indeed, it wasn’t until the arrival of Helenio Herrera ahead of the 1958/59 season that the elegant midfield became an established star of the side, a campaign in which Herrera led Barca won the domestic double.
Suarez reunited with Herrera at Inter Milan in 1961 for a then world-record £152,000 fee. It was at Inter where the Spaniard enjoyed his best years, now reinvented as a deep-lying playmaker, as he became an integral part of Herrera’s iconic Grande Inter side of the early 1960s that won three Serie A titles in four years and back-to-back European Cups. As well as his historic Ballon d’Or in 1960, Suarez came second in the 1961 and 1964 votes, and third in 1965.
2Xavi Hernandez
Career span: 1997 – 2019
One of only a handful of players to have made over 1000 professional appearances, Xavi Hernandez displayed longevity at the highest level like few others. One of the most iconic graduates of Barcelona’s illustrious La Masia academy, from his debut at 18 in 1998, Xavi made 767 official appearances for the Blaugrana, the most of any Spanish player in the club’s history, and only second to Lionel Messi.
Known for his near-faultless technical ability, positional understanding and passing range, Xavi was absolutely central to not only Barcelona’s incredible success but also in putting into practice the club’s deep-rooted passing philosophy.
His importance to the form of the best club and country at that time was recognised in three consecutive Ballon d’Or podium finishes, coming third in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Now back coaching at Barcelona, after time spent with Qatari side Al Sadd, Xavi won La Liga in his first full season in charge, and looks set for an equally memorable managerial career.
1Andres Iniesta
Career span: 2000 –
It is near impossible to select a number one, but with a World Cup Final winning goal to his name, and 35 major trophies, including nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, making him the most decorated Spanish player in history, it is hard to argue against Andres Iniesta – who is probably his nation’s greatest player, regardless of position.
Although not necessarily boasting the same longevity at the very top as his midfield partner Xavi, Iniesta captured the hearts and minds of a nation with his effortless, flowing movement and interchanges in midfield. Aided by his low centre of gravity, Iniesta, at his peak, was also an incredibly gifted dribbler, with his immaculate close control and signature La Croquetaskill allowing him to sidestep opponents with ease to seemingly glide up the pitch.
Now 39 and playing his football with UAE Pro League side Emirates, Iniesta was named La Liga Best Midfielder five out of six consecutive years from 2009 to 2014, and remains the only footballer in history to win the Man of the Match award in a Champions League Final, a European Championship Final and a World Cup Final.
FC Barcelona enter this upcoming transfer window with some very clear plans. La Blaugrana will not be going after any and every player they see, but will instead have to be composed. Certain targets are a bigger priority than others, and Barcelona is well aware of this.
However, that does not mean that no luxury or grand signings will not arrive either. After Barcelona sort out the issue with the signing of a pivot and potentially taking care of any fullback signings they may have to make, there is always room in there for Barça to address their concerns of finding a new winger.
Initially, many reports have suggested contacts between Barcelona and Dani Olmo’s representatives having taken place. Consequently, the RB Leipzig star began to be linked heavily to the Catalan club where he previously played as well.
However, as per the latest update provided by Toni Juanmarti (h/t Reshad Rahman), Barcelona have another player who they prioritize over Dani Olmo. Athletic Club winger and Spanish international Nico Williams is the name that has emerged as Barça’s go-to target on the wing if they have the right economy for such a pursuit.
Barcelona consider him to be the ‘ideal’ winger for them, as per the report. Aged just 21, the younger brother of Inaki Williams has exploded in La Liga this season and his progression has turned many heads around the world, with several considering him to be one of the most promising prospects within La Liga and even world football.
Possessing great physical characteristics, Nico Williams has extreme dynamism as his main weapon. Able to take a run at defenders and leave them in the dirt, the Athletic Club winger has speed, a creative eye, and even a dangerous yet unrefined shot in him as well.
For Barcelona, many would consider his profile a good alternative to the one lost when Ousmane Dembele left. However, what works in the favor of the 21-year-old winger is his connections from within the Spanish National team.
The likes of Lamine Yamal and others have already played with him, and their connection with one another seems to be strong enough to expect great things.
This season, Williams has scored 4 goals in La Liga and has provided 11 assists as well. Over in the Copa Del Ray, a competition he won with Athletic Club this season, he scored 3 goals and provided 5 assists in just six appearances.
When all is said and done, the 21-year-old winger looks to be exactly the kind of profile FC Barcelona need on their wings to instill a new level of dynamism.
Xavi Hernandez will make one major change to his lineup when FC Barcelona face Girona away from home in La Liga on Saturday.
With bitter rivals Real Madrid 11 points clear at the summit, and possibly making that 14 if they beat Cadiz earlier in the afternoon, this is essentially a battle for second place.
Sealing the berth not only confirms automatic qualification for second place, but also passage to the lucrative Spanish Super Cup at the turn of 2025.
Speaking at his prematch press conference on Friday, however, Xavi refused to accept that the showdown in Montilivi is a “final”.
“It’s not a final, but we approach it as something very, very important,” the manager said.
“Whatever happens won’t be definitive, but it’s very important for us. It got away from us the first time round,” he added, in reference to a 4-2 loss to Girona at the Montjuic Stadium back in December which was their first triumph over the Blaugrana.
Xavi was complimentary in saying that it is “a source of pride for Catalan football that Girona is in the Champions League competing with the best.”
“It’s fantastic the level they’ve shown,” he further commented.
That said, he couldn’t guarantee which of Michel’s men would be a starter in his first XI.
“I don’t know if they would be starters here. The context changes completely in a big team like Barca,” Xavi pointed out.
“There are players who perform at a high level at Girona, with less pressure. It’s not the same, it’s obvious, we’ve seen it in different players. I don’t know what to tell you. They have high-level players, they’ve shown that.”
Still Xavi will pay Girona the respect it deserves by going all out with his best possible line up, injuries considered.
This consists of Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal with a backline of Joao Cancelo, Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde.
In midfield, there is a major change with Pedri replacing Fermin Lopez. The Spain international joins Ilkay Gundogan, as center back Andreas Christensen provides pivot support.
Up top, it is the same trident as of late in Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Vs. Girona: Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Araujo, Kounde; Christensen, Pedri, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine
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