#barcelona

#barcelona

Another day, and more across Europe this weekend!

Barcelona look to bounce back from a painful defeat in El Clasico with a home game against newly-promoted Elche at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. The Catalans continue to struggle to play consistent football in the middle of an injury crisis that got even worse with the confirmed absence of Pedri for the next several weeks, and the first game without The Wizard is against the surprise package of La Liga after the first three months of the season.

One of the club's biggest weaknesses this season has been their inability to cover ground effectively, something that was once a defining strength under Hansi Flick's high-pressing philosophy. As reported earlier, Barcelona have dropped dramatically in this metric. Before the match against Real Madrid, the team ranked 15th in La Liga for distance covered, averaging just 113.4 kilometres per match. That figure is nearly four kilometres less than last season's average and even below the current La Liga mean of 115 kilometres per game. For a club that prided itself on intensity and energy, these numbers are alarming.

Barcelona have reportedly already agreed a fee for Dinamo Zagreb teenager Cardoso Varela who has been linked with the club for some time now. A new report from Mundo Deportivo states that Barca already have a potential deal in place for Varela. The club will play €5 million fixed plus €20m in add-ons. Varela is currently with the Croatian side for two seasons but, as things stand, it seems that he is expected to move to Barcelona after that.

Barcelona's recent form has led to plenty of scrutiny and debate about what's going wrong for Hansi Flick's side in the 2025-26 season. What's clear is that several players are yet to rediscover their best form, including Jules Kounde at right-back. The Frenchman simply didn't stop playing last season as Barca won three titles. Kounde ended the season with eight assists and four goals to his name, including a brilliant winner in the Copa del Rey final.

"His arrival in La Liga has been very positive. I identify with his courage and his willingness to propose different things. Last season was a great season, and this year they haven't quite reached that level yet," he said. "He's a fantastic professional, and we remember the eight goals he scored against us with Bayern. He's a coach who creates a great atmosphere and keeps the players fresh and energetic. It will be an honour for me to greet him and spend time with him."

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona City Council conducted its routine visits on Wednesday and Thursday to assess the progress of the work, focusing on the main stand. With Phase 1A of the renovation now complete, the Main Stand and South Goal sections are officially open, giving the stadium a First Occupancy License for approximately 27,000 people. The next and crucial step is the approval of Phase 1B.

Honestly, it's difficult," he began.

Karl Etta Eyong is fast becoming one of the most talked-about players in La Liga, with the young striker producing a series of consistent performances for Levante. Aged just 22, Eyong already has six goals and three assists to his name so far this season. His brilliant performances have led to interest from several clubs across Europe, including Barcelona. With the Catalans looking to find a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, Eyong has emerged as the ideal target.

Barcelona's defensive frailties have become one of the most concerning storylines of their season so far. The team's recent dip in form can largely be traced to their inability to maintain stability at the back, something uncharacteristic of Hansi Flick's usually well-structured setup. The fact of the matter is that Barcelona have been leaking goals far too easily. Even more worrying, their ability to keep clean sheets has completely vanished.

It was a brief contact to review the 19-year-old's current situation at the club and analyse how he is adapting following his arrival during this transfer window. As per the report, the feeling conveyed by the Barça sporting management is that the plan for the youngster's development is progressing well. The Catalans value Bardghji's professionalism in daily training sessions and the way he responds when given opportunities to play by manager Hansi Flick.

For the first time in this campaign, the Catalans have fielded the same backline in three consecutive matches against Girona, Olympiacos, and Real Madrid - three crucial fixtures in Barcelona's calendar. In each of the three matches, Flick relied on the defensive line of Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, and Alejandro Balde - giving an indication that this could well be his preferred defence for the 2025/26 season.

However, one player who has impressed a lot and overall this season is Fermin Lopez, who is seemingly making a case for becoming the club's number one choice in the No. 10 position. Fermin, after all, is one of the few players who have performed well for Barcelona lately. He notably scored a hat-trick in the win over Olympiacos, while the Spaniard quietly produced one of the better performances for Barcelona in the defeat to Real Madrid.

Pedri also earns his deserved place among the nominees. The midfielder was the heartbeat of Barcelona's treble-winning campaign, delivering six goals and nine assists across 59 appearances. Beyond the statistics, Pedri's intelligence, passing precision, and leadership were instrumental to the team's success. What about Raphinha and Yamal? Meanwhile, Raphinha enjoyed arguably the best season of his career. The Brazilian winger was directly involved in 57 goals - 34 scored and 23 assisted - an extraordinary tally that cements his place among Europe's most decisive attackers.