SETTABLOID

Over the past week or so, there has been a lot of speculation about whether Barcelona will be able to recover some of their most important players in time to face PSG.

The Blaugrana are scheduled to take on the French champions in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on April 10 at Parc des Princes.

Ahead of the game, Barcelona have been sweating over the fitness of key trio Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Andreas Christensen.

De Jong and Pedri have been out with an ankle and a thigh injury, respectively, for over a month now. Christensen, meanwhile, has been out with an Achilles tendon discomfort since before the international break.

It was reported earlier this week that Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez will arrange a small training match to assess the fitness levels and readiness of De Jong, Pedri, and Christensen ahead of the monumental clash against PSG.

Just four days away from their biggest test of the season so far, Barcelona are continuing their preparations for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal showdown against PSG.

The first leg of the tie will take place on April 10, next Wednesday, away at Parc des Princes, and Barcelona are sweating over the fitness of a few key players.

Pedri’s involvement remains uncertain as he still continues to recover from a thigh injury, although the chances of Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen arriving for the game are much higher.

Amidst all this, Javi Miguel of AS has now claimed that another key Barcelona player, Ronald Araujo, is suffering from some discomfort in recent days, heading into next week’s blockbuster clash.

It must be remembered that Araujo returned early from the international break without playing any game for the Uruguayan national team as he was dealing with a minor physical issue.

It has seemingly not gone completely away as Araujo is understood to be still suffering from some discomfort in recent days.

However, it does not mean that his presence for the PSG game is in danger as the Barcelona third captain has still been able to continue training relatively normally.

So, while there may be some minor issue, Araujo will be available for selection and ready to take on Kylian Mbappe & co. come Wednesday night in the French capital.

As mentioned earlier, the outlook surrounding De Jong and Christensen is very positive, but uncertainty remains when it comes to Pedri’s readiness.

It has been reported earlier that there will be an internal training match held today in order to assess their fitness levels and determine their availability for the game in Paris.

Staying up to date in all things concerning the club is crucial for FC Barcelona. For clubs of that size and magnitude, every minute detail can be vital. Similarly, this translates to the transfer policy of Barcelona as well, perhaps even more so.

One of the most pressing matters for Barcelona in the summer is bound to be their incomings and outgoings. Within this dilemma comes the added baggage of having to sort out the future of the loaned players.

While Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix are current Barcelona players that the club wants to retain, there are others away from the club whose future is still up in the air.

However, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona has a plan in mind to make things easier and more efficient. For now, no ultimate and final decision about their respective futures has been made, but what has been made and will continue to be made are monthly reports on said players.

The likes of Eric Garcia, Pablo Torre, Julian Araujo, Alex Valle, Ansu Fati, Sergino Dest, and Clement Lenglet are all being kept tabs on. As per MD, the main man responsible for the necessary feedback is Bojan Krkic, and through his help, the club is able to make more detailed and studied observations as well as decisions.

For now, these monthly reports will keep on being complied. Some players, such as Eric Garcia, Julian Araujo, Sergino Dest, and Alex Valle to an extent, are candidates who have thus far impressed enough to warrant a return back to Barcelona. Others, struggling for either minutes or performances, could potentially end up being sold.

It is almost inevitable that FC Barcelona continues to produce elite talents from their academy. The quarry for La Blaugrana has provided them with exceptional gems in recent times, and that trend still keeps on going. Even now, beyond just those in the first team, Barcelona have great prodigies waiting for their chance.

More often than not, these talents are initially tested by Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez in the first team training sessions, and then judged as being something worth working on or not. Those that manage to find themselves there often are, without a doubt, more likely to have a future with the first team.

Such is the case of two very talented members of the Fernandez family. As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Guille Fernandez and his cousin Toni Fernandez are both Xavi’s bets for the future. The two share almost a brotherly connection and are directly related by blood as cousins as well.

Guille, aged 15, is an exceptionally gifted midfielder who is highlighted by many as the next big thing. In fact, as Mundo Deportivo points out, beyond the eruption of Lamine Yamal, he is considered the next revelation of the Barcelona quarry. Having already taken Yamal’s record by becoming the youngest debutant ever for Barcelona Atletic, his sights are set even higher.

Then comes Toni, his cousin who also happens to be aged 15 as well. Primarily left-footed, he plays higher up on the field as a center forward. Whereas his cousin is known for his creativity and dynamic abilities as an attacking midfielder, Toni Fernandez Casino is a name more reputed for his striking ability.

Both cousins are exceptional pearls for Barcelona, especially given their age. Despite both of them being 15 years old, they regularly play in teams where the average age is higher than theirs. For instance, Toni’s age would correspond to the Cadet levels of Barcelona, but he instead plays regularly for the Juvenil teams.

Moreover, after having become regulars for Xavi Hernandez in recent first-team training sessions, they continue to show a lot of promise. While becoming regulars with the first team or even Barcelona Atletic is unlikely right now given the quality those senior teams already possess, they are considered to be exceptional talents who can end up leading the Barcelona of tomorrow.

According to SPORT, Barcelona are set to establish a new transfer system this summer to steer the club toward a different approach compared to previous years.

Over the last few years, Barcelona have been forced to alter their transfer strategies owing to financial limitations and the La Liga wage cap. However, as quoted by the outlet, the overarching plan, guided by Deco this season, will be summed up in two ways.

Significant investments would be limited to top-tier players, looking out for players nearing the end of their careers, and focusing on bolstering young talents.

Where would be the budget allocated?

It is evident that Barcelona’s financial situation is challenging, prompting the club to pursue major transfers only for a select few players that they feel are integral and truly game-changing, like the potential new defensive anchor.

Much of the available budget will be directed there, emphasizing the need for precise decision-making due to limited resources.

Another avenue being explored is signing players reaching the end of their contracts with their current clubs. These deals require long-term planning, often starting almost two years before the contract expires.

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been talking up his team’s chances of making it past Paris Saint-Germain and into the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The two teams meet in the French capital on Tuesday for the first leg of their tie, with Gundogan optimistic Barca have what it takes to knock out Luis Enrique’s side.

Gundogan also pointed out how crucial decision-making is in Europe’s top club competition as he prepares to come up against Kylian Mbappe and Co.

The winner of the tie between PSG and Barcelona will go on to play either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund for a place in this season’s final.

A number of high-profile absentees were noted in the latest training session held by La Liga giants Barcelona on Friday.

That’s according to Victor Navarro of COPE, who has provided an insight into the latest developments behind the scenes in Catalunya’s capital.

With no league fixture scheduled for the upcoming weekend owing to the Copa del Rey finale date between Athletic Club and RCD Mallorca, Barcelona’s coaching and playing staff alike have already turned their attentions towards matters on the continent.

As much comes with the Blaugrana primed to kick their Champions League adventure back into gear next Wednesday night, in the first leg of their quarter-final tie with French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

n the buildup to the clash, Barca have been forced to sweat over the wellbeing of three key figures, in the form of Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Andreas Christensen.

And, according to the aforementioned Victor Navarro, all three were again absent from group activities on Friday.

This includes De Jong, who was spotted back amongst Xavi’s squad in training on Thursday morning.

A match between ranks has been pencilled in for Saturday, though, which will allow Xavi and his staff to gain a better understanding of the respective fitness levels of Pedri, De Jong, and Christensen.

Long-term absentees Gavi and Alejandro Balde, as expected, were also absent from preparations for PSG earlier today.

Turning attentions towards those who were in attendance in Catalunya, Xavi afforded an opportunity to impress to five members of Barcelona’s youth ranks, in the form of Ander Astralaga, Marc Casadó, Moha Moukhliss, Mamadou Mbacke, and Gerard Martín.

After falling short two seasons in a row in the Champions League and falling to the Europa League, Barcelona have made it to the last eight of this season’s tournament, pitched against none other than Luis Enrique’s PSG.

The Catalans have managed to avoid all the big guns so far this season, a list that would ideally include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and of course, last season’s winners Manchester City.

All three of those sides, and Arsenal, are on the other side of the bracket, while Barcelona will face one of Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund should they be able to reach the semi-finals.

Gundogan hoping for City-Barça matchup

Ahead of the quarter-finals clash, Ilkay Gundogan spoke to SPORT as part of an interview, where he was asked whether he would like to face his former club Manchester City in the finals if it came to it.

“Would I like to face Man City in the Champions League final? Yes, of course. I would like to play the final with Barcelona. It would be great, then the opponent does not matter,” he said.

“City have a fantastic team, of course. But in the Champions League, it is always tricky.”

Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has on Friday hinted that Barcelona loanee João Félix is likely to stay put in Catalunya beyond the season’s close.

Frontman Félix has of course spent the season to date lining out for Xavi’s Barcelona.

And, despite regular criticism in the media, the Portuguese, for the most part, has proven himself a positive influence, adding some guile and ingenuity to the Blaugrana’s ranks in the final third.

Never was this more evident than this past weekend, when a sumptuous pass on Félix’s part broke down a stubborn Las Palmas backline, laying on Raphinha for the only goal of a 1-0 win.

The widespread understanding, in turn, is that those in a position of power at Barca are keen on extending Félix’s stay beyond its current close in the summer.

And, if the latest comments on the part of the aforementioned Enrique Cerezo are anything to go by, the 24-year-old’s parent club appear equally open to working out such a deal.

Speaking to the media, as cited by Mundo Deportivo, on Friday, Atlético’s president was inevitably asked for his take on Félix’s recent comments, confirming his hope of continuing at Barcelona next season.

And, in his response, Cerezo went on to suggest that as much would make ‘everyone happy’:

“Barcelona are lucky to have a very great player like João Félix.

“It is normal for João to want to stay at Barça because he plays a leader’s role there. He is a great player and the natural thing is that he wants to stay there. Barcelona wants him and loves him. Everyone is happy. He has adapted very well. We wish him all the best.”

With no La Liga action this weekend, FC Barcelona are completely focused on their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first-leg tie against PSG next week.

The Blaugrana take on the Ligue 1 champions, managed by Luis Enrique, away at Parc des Princes in the first leg.

Building up to the contest, Barcelona are sweating over the fitness of three key players in Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, and Pedri.

The former two are expected to recover, in what will be a big boost for Xavi Hernandez, although concerns persist with the latter.

Five days before the match, PSG also have received a fresh injury boost of their own.

As SPORT reports, PSG have recovered key forward Bradley Barcola from injury heading into the game against Barcelona next week.

PSG are scheduled to play Clermont in Ligue 1 this weekend before they turn their focus towards Barça. And in the press conference earlier today, Luis Enrique confirmed that Barcola had recovered from his injury.

“Barcola feels good. He trained with the group, I’m very happy,” Lucho told the press.