FC Barcelona Discussion

[SirBalon]

Both Dembélé and Rafinha are recovered from their injuries and will be finally included in match-day teams after a few months out. That will add much needed depth to the squad.

Javier Mascherano looks to be finally on his way to experience new adventures after almost 10 years at Can Barça. He is going to China and has begged the club to let him go as he wants first team football guaranteed before the World Cup in Russia this summer. FCB have given in and are going to let him go but that means having to bring in another centre-back which looks to be Mina (most likely) or Iñigo Martínez (less likely due to the price). 

There are other rumours for the January transfer window but they could be executed in the summer. 

[SirBalon]

Marc-André ter Stegen and Ernesto Valverde’s defensive reconstruction of FCB have left an un-Barcelona like stat at the end of the year...

11 clean sheets in 17 La Liga games!!!

 

 

[Carnivore Chris]

5 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Both Dembélé and Rafinha are recovered from their injuries and will be finally included in match-day teams after a few months out. That will add much needed depth to the squad.

Javier Mascherano looks to be finally on his way to experience new adventures after almost 10 years at Can Barça. He is going to China and has begged the club to let him go as he wants first team football guaranteed before the World Cup in Russia this summer. FCB have given in and are going to let him go but that means having to bring in another centre-back which looks to be Mina (most likely) or Iñigo Martínez (less likely due to the price). 

There are other rumours for the January transfer window but they could be executed in the summer. 

It#s sad to see Macherano going to China rather than going back to River Plate to see his days out as it's not like he doesn't still have plenty to give.

It's got to be Iñigo to replace him, but Mina does sound like someone who could come over and make the grade in Europe. There isn't much of a risk involved in terms of the price either.

In all fairness, if Vermaelen can continue to stay injury free, then he is a solid option. He did well against Madrid the other day. His only problem has always been injuries rather than lack of talent.

Edited December 26, 2017 by The Rebel CRS

[Philippe Coutinho]

"Nie vergessen" means "Never forget", as in "Don't forget" that it was FC Barcelona's Birthday on November 29th, mate  

[Philippe Coutinho]

On 12/3/2017 at 1:46 AM, SirBalon said:

 

There are two kits being rumoured to be the official one for next season mate. Check the “new season, new kit” Thread here at TF365. 

Thanks for the info. The footyheadlines link is definitely accurate. In all the years they've been doing this they've never been known to be wrong with their leaks.

 

https://www.footyheadlines.com/2017/07/barcelona-18-19-home-kit.html

[Philippe Coutinho]

Not again

https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/parisfans-barca-negotiating-with-psg-again-for-di-maria-6519661

[SirBalon]

21 minutes ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

Not again

https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/parisfans-barca-negotiating-with-psg-again-for-di-maria-6519661

I know... I’m just hoping to all the gods that this is rubbish but a few things Di María has said in the last few days in the media makes me afraid it might be true.

Apart from the fact Di María is a burnt out player, helping PSG sort out their MASSIVE financial issues with the international football authorities is absolutely retarded from Barça’s point of view. 

[Carnivore Chris]

Cuatro posibles candidatos:

Fekir (Lyon): Su precio no bajaría de los 50 millones. El Barça le sigue desde hace tiempo. Robert Fernández le ha visto varias veces en directo y gusta mucho en el club. Es un media punta de 24 años, internacional por Francia. No será una operación barata ya que no bajaría de los 50 millones.

Arthur (Gremio): El Barcelona ya ha contactado con el jugador. Robert Fernández estuvo en la final de la Libertadores y habló con el futbolista. Es un centrocampista de 21 años cuyo estilo es similar al de Xavi Hernández. El precio aproximado del futbolista rondaría los 25 millones de euros.

Ozil (Arsenal): Acaba contrato en el mes de junio. Ficharle ahora en invierno no sería muy caro en cuestión de fichaje. El problema con el alemán es que tiene una ficha en el Arsenal de 9 millones de euros netos, además de 29 años. Siempre ha estado en el punto de mira del Barcelona.

Oscar (Shanghai): Gana 24 millones de euros al año. Fue uno de los fichajes más sonados de la Liga China al llevarse a un futbolista del Chelsea de enorme proyección que ahora tiene 26 años. El Shanghai pagó 61 millones de euros por el traspaso y al jugador una ficha millonaria.

 

 

4 players who have been linked with Barcelona on Marca today as possible reinforcements in this January window for the midfield area.

@El_Loco What is the current situation with Arthur Henrique Ramos de Oliveira Melo?

Edited December 28, 2017 by The Rebel CRS

[Cicero]

Will piss myself if you lot buy Oscar

[SirBalon]

It looks as if Barça just want a stop-gap player that will take them to the end of the season where then whatever the real project is can be done in the summer. Obviously buying anyone top of the range in January is mental becauae you overpay massively (i.e. Liverpool) and anyone very good will probably be cup tied.

Many (myself included) laughed and complained about Paulinho joining and look at how that turned out!

[Cicero]

3 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

It looks as if Barça just want a stop-gap player that will take them to the end of the season where then whatever the real project is can be done in the summer. Obviously buying anyone top of the range in January is mental becauae you overpay massively (i.e. Liverpool) and anyone very good will probably be cup tied.

Many (myself included) laughed and complained about Paulinho joining and look at how that turned out!

You don't want Oscar. Believe me. 

[SirBalon]

Just now, Cicero said:

You don't want Oscar. Believe me. 

Neither do I and I doubt any Barça fan wants him or various of the players making the headlines these past few days. But I would want Di María even less than Oscar!

[Carnivore Chris]

Sergi Roberto excels in midfield, Paulinho is doing much better than expected, Iniesta isn't done yet, Busquets is a beast, Rakitic is doing well enough, Denis offers plenty, Aleña is the future and lastly, Rafinha, who deserves a crack of the whip, is back from injury.

A 4th defender is needed, but I'd say the squad is sound other than that until the summer. Dembele coming back from injury will also be like a new signing in itself when you consider how he has missed pretty much the whole season so far.

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by The Rebel CRS

[SirBalon]

3 hours ago, The Rebel CRS said:

Sergi Roberto excels in midfield, Paulinho is doing much better than expected, Iniesta isn't done yet, Busquets is a beast, Rakitic is doing well enough, Denis offers plenty, Aleña is the future and lastly, Rafinha, who deserves a crack of the whip, is back from injury.

A 4th defender is needed, but I'd say the squad is sound other than that until the summer. Dembele coming back from injury will also be like a new signing in itself when you consider how he has missed pretty much the whole season so far.

 

 

 

Just heard Celta have asked Barça for permission for a loan deal on Rafinha. It seems Celta have already spoken to the player and he’s keen on the move as he wants guaranteed first team football. 

[Philippe Coutinho]

10 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Just heard Celta have asked Barça for permission for a loan deal on Rafinha. It seems Celta have already spoken to the player and he’s keen on the move as he wants guaranteed first team football. 

Would love to retain Rafinha. Underrated utility player that we'll need as we get into the business end of the season.

Kinda off topic, whatever happened to those Sports Headlines posts you used to do, mate? You did an EXCELLENT job with those  

[SirBalon]

1 hour ago, 11Neymar Ousmane Dembélé11 said:

Would love to retain Rafinha. Underrated utility player that we'll need as we get into the business end of the season.

Kinda off topic, whatever happened to those Sports Headlines posts you used to do, mate? You did an EXCELLENT job with those  

The problem is that Rafinha doesn't see himself as a utility player and certainly not his father who is his agent. In the same fashion his brother (Thiago Alcántara) made a move for his career, the same will probably happen in the end with Rafinha. I doubt Rafinha will be a Barcelona player by the time the summer transfer window closes. 

As for my Spanish sports front pages thread, I've been really really busy mate and I'll get back to it in the new year. 

[SirBalon]

MARC-ANDRÉ TER STEGEN

How far off being the best keeper in the world?

 

[Cicero]

Still can't decide whether him or Neuer is better. 

[Carnivore Chris]

 

Well done Messi for being Marca's best player of 2017.

 

 

[SirBalon]

30 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Still can't decide whether him or Neuer is better. 

With all due respects to the Bundesliga, and I genuinely mean that. Neuer doesn’t come up against the same competition in the domestic league he plays in that Ter Stegen does... The only parallel analysis we can disect both of them on is the Champions League.

I rate Neuer highly, but without including international experience due to the fact Neuer has more than Ter Stegen, I would say the Barça man is superior. Simply due to the fact he’s tested and has been this season (for example) than his compatriot. 

[SirBalon]

28 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

The best? Come on now. Top five for sure.

Oh he’s definitely in the top 5. The question is of he’s better than De Gea. 

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, The Rebel CRS said:

 

Well done Messi for being Marca's best player of 2017.

 

 

He’s been the best player of the year. He didn’t just show up for four or five games... He was THE MAN when his team was in turmoil and this season which has had four of the 12 months of the year inserted into it all, he’s been a million light years ahead of anything playing the sport. 

[Carnivore Chris]

de Gea and Ter Stegen are the 2 keepers who stand out for me right now. Neuer's injuries put him behind them at the moment.

Neuer, career wise, has been the best, but those 2(de Gea and Ter Stegen) are currently the better in form keepers and have the talent to go on and have the same stature as Neuer.

 

[Cicero]

De Gea without a shadow of a doubt. Ter Stefan at least has a defence in front of him 

[SirBalon]

5 minutes ago, Cicero said:

De Gea without a shadow of a doubt. Ter Stefan at least has a defence in front of him 

10 players sitting back at Utd isn’t enough of a defence?