In an October 2019 interview with Money Heist actor Jaime Lorente, who played Denver, Neymar Jr. ended their conversation with the following words: “Choosing is difficult, but in life you have to choose, otherwise you’ll never be happy.” Moments before, he ruminated on his career and how he had evolved as
Tag: Barcelona
The making of Ronaldo – Leaving School, Impressing in Portugal and the 1994 World Cup
Arthur at Barça: A Moment’s Beginning Ends in a Moment
Sitting in the backseat of a car with an interviewer after signing for FC Barcelona, a starry-eyed Arthur Melo carries a beaming smile. Amid a long list of pre-prepared questions, came one that endeared the new boy to almost every cule around the world. The interviewer asks Arthur his biggest wish. He
Life after Leo
Embracing the ‘new normal’ will take time
The lockdown, due to the pandemic, has brought about the true sentiment behind the well-known axiom, 'you don't know what you have until it's gone'. While people are subconsciously aware of life and its sudden and frail nature, the virus has seemingly brought these feelings of trepidation to reality. People from
Barcelona’s problems are going to get worse
Arturo Vidal – Powerhouse of the Catalan midfield
FC Barcelona have been known for having a plethora of quality midfielders over the years. Having produced elite players like Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets etc, quality and strength in the centre has never been an issue for the azulgranas. But since the departure of Xavi and Iniesta in
Where does Philippe Coutinho go from here?
Dani Olmo – Following the footsteps of great Spanish playmakers
In the modern-day football world, teenagers and youth players seeking to deviate from their academies to foreign leagues for first-team chances seem to be the path trodden, as opposed to breaking into the home-grown club's first team. Although Jadon Sancho is the first name that comes to mind seeing that
The cost of winning – Athletes as role models
With the world of professional sports teetering on the edge due to the coronavirus crisis, Netflix's 10-part documentary series-The Last Dance, chronicling sporting icon Michael Jordan's emergence in the NBA until his final days in the empire that he built with the Chicago Bulls, has been a welcome consolation during
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” – How Adama Traoré finally made it
From a mining village in Chile to conquering South America and beyond – The Alexis Sánchez story
The key battles that could determine the outcome of the Clásico
The second El Clasico of the current La Liga season is upon us as Barcelona travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday evening. Today we'll be doing something slightly different from our usual tactical previews as we discuss the key battles that will define the outcome of this much-anticipated clash.
Lionel Messi – The Unconventional Leader
The game’s new boardroom masters – How directors of football are pulling the strings off the pitch
Barcelona youngsters to watch out for in the future
Despite being criticised in recent times, FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia is responsible for producing some of football’s greatest talents including the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pique and Thiago Alcantara. The list just goes on and on. Even though the talents produced in recent years are not
Quique Setién- Passion, Instruction, Rejuvenation
The Neymar saga will drag on but does it make any sense for Barcelona?
Life after Luis – Potential replacements for Suárez at the Camp Nou
Major Soccer Stars Not Satisfied with their FIFA 20 Ratings
The most scrutinized footballer in the World – Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia hosted two of the most passionate footballing nations in Argentina and Brazil. Both sides were a shadow of what they’re meant to represent in International football and it has been the case for decades now so we shouldn’t be surprised. On the night, Argentina were able
Carles Puyol – Més Que un Capitan
Ansu Fati – Making an impression
The curse of the high wage
(Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) | Written by Abheek Dasgupta In the last decade, there has been massive inflation in the football market. A hundred million pounds, which was very recently considered exorbitant for any footballer, is now merely an erstwhile barrier that is broken every summer, even for wunderkinds who
Analysing Barcelona’s tactical set up this season
The big three of La Liga: who’s most likely to win the title?
Junior Firpo – The missing piece in the Blaugrana puzzle
The understated value of the modern winger
Written by Tiki Taka Style Unpredictable forces, wizards of the dribble, electricity personified. Wingers have traditionally been seen as a lovable commodity and the primary source of entertainment for football romantics. A museum piece. Capable of lifting thousands of fans from their seats and making the whole crowd roar with a
Iconic Match Reviews: Barcelona vs Manchester United, Champions League Final, 2011
The 4v4+3 Rondo – The most effective training drill for positional football
Positional football has evolved at an astounding rate over the years. Most teams have adopted positional football as the pivot around which their respective individual game models are based. Positioning oneself efficiently with respect to the space, the ball, the teammates and the opponents throughout the course of 90 minutes
Frank Rijkaard – Barcelona’s Unsung Hero
Fitting the Griezmann piece into the Barca Puzzle
By Udhav Arora After what was a rather craggy and overstretched pursuit, FC Barcelona finally announced the transfer of Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid for €120 million. Griezmann had decided to stay in the capital last year after coming bizarrely close to a move. So much so, Barcelona's vice-captain, Gerard Pique,
What’s happening to Barcelona’s renowned academy La Masia?
Matthijs de Ligt Transfer Column – A momentous summer ahead for the Dutch wonderkid
Biggest ever Champions League final wins
This season’s Champions League has been nothing short of sensational, with plenty of shock results, breath-taking goals and individual moments of brilliance. As the competition comes to a close for another year, with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool battling it out in an all-English final at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid,
An ode to Clement Lenglet – Underrated, Classy and a player born for Barcelona
The Coutinho conundrum – Why the move hasn’t worked out
Written by Mohammed Al Sabah | Edited by Srinivas Sadhanand Much has been said about Philippe Coutinho's status at Barcelona since his high-profile departure from Merseyside, with the question that demands answering is why Coutinho is not performing as expected this season. A simple query such as this can only be dissected
Girona vs Barcelona – Match Preview, Team news, Predicted lineups & Predictions
Girona vs Barcelona Competition - La Liga, Matchday 21 Venue - Estadio Montilivi Timings: Sunday, 27th January 2019, 16:15 pm BST/WAT (UK and Nigeria), 10:15 am EST, 7:15 am PT (USA), 20:45 pm IST (India) Barcelona travel to Estadio Montilivi today for the Catalan Derby against Girona. The Blaugrana have been successful in maintaining their
Barcelona Vs Eibar – Team News, Preview, Predicted Lineups
Barcelona vs Eibar Competition: La Liga, Matchday 19 Venue: Camp Nou Timings: Sunday, 13th January 2019, 06:30 BST/WAT (UK and Nigeria), 12:30 am EST, 21:30 PT (USA), 23:00 IST (India) Barcelona are set to host Eibar at the Camp Nou on Matchday 19, as they look forward to increasing their lead at the top
Getafe vs Barcelona: Team News, Preview, Predicted Lineups
Getafe vs Barcelona Competition: La Liga, Matchday 18 Venue: Coliseum Alfonso Pérez Timings: Sunday, 6th January 2019, 19:45pm BST/WAT (UK and Nigeria), 14:45pm EST, 11:45am PT (USA), 01:15am IST (India) La Liga fixtures come thick and fast after the winter break, as FC Barcelona make a trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in the
André Gomes – reborn in Merseyside
There is a long, long list of successful Portuguese players to have hit the highs of the Premier League throughout the years. The names of Nani, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco and Paulo Ferreira spring to mind, with a youthful yet precocious Cristiano Ronaldo not to be forgotten about. Manchester City’s Bernardo
Xavi – What Made The Barca Metronome So Unique?
Edited by Srinivas Sadhanand This article was first published on Quora Xavi’s greatness is well documented Amongst few he’s resented Amongst many he’s respected His departure could have been extended The board’s antics could have been prevented A lack of his successor has left the fans disoriented He wasn't the Jack of all trades He was the master of
Arthur Melo – The Solution to Barcelona’s Identity Crisis?
Feature Image Designed by MhmdAo 6th June 2015 - The day we all saw arguably one of the finest Spanish footballers of our generation, Xavi Hernandez play his final competitive game for Barcelona. It was the Champions League final. In the 78th minute, when the score was 2-1 in favour of the Catalan club,
Valencia vs Barcelona: Team News, Preview, Predicted Lineups
Competition: La Liga, Matchday 8, Venue: Mestalla Timings: Sunday, 7th October 2018, 20:45 PM BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 14:45 AM EST, 11:45 AM PT (USA), 00:15 AM IST (India) Gameweek 8 in the La Liga brings to us a very special game before we're struck down by the international break. This intriguing match
The New Anoeta: The start of a blessing or another curse?
Written by Udhav Arora. Competition: La Liga, Matchday 4. Venue: Estadio de Anoeta Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande Timings: Saturday, September 15, 2018, 4.15pm CET (Barcelona), 3.15pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 7.45pm IST (India) The International Break is over, celebrations are on. Maybe not so soon for Barcelona fans
Barcelona Smash 8 Past Huesca as Messi and Suarez Grab Braces
Written by Guest Contributor Udhav Arora Ernesto Valverde seemed to have finally taken the right approach against newly promoted side Huesca who took the lead early on, within 3 minutes of the game. A previously seen attitude of determination was visible in the team that had lost some grip last season
Riqui Puig – La Perla De La Masia
Words by Sankalpa Nanda & Srinivas Sadhanand Many struggle to envisage the babyfaced Riqui Puig as a professional footballer. With several studies cementing the belief that the average body weight of an athlete in today’s day and age is 70% higher in comparison to the early 1900s, the 19-year old is an
Diego Simeone: Atlético Madrid’s Campeon
2018-19 Barcelona Season Preview
Written by Debnath Adhikary A quick check on last year's performance- In a season where Barcelona's talisman Neymar Jr. left the club to join Paris Saint Germain, followed by a complete humiliation in the hands of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona made a strong comeback. They retained the league
Chelsea 2017/18, A short summary
What’s next for Manchester United this season?
The Road Forks here~ Barcelona’s Catalan Conundrum
On the 1st of October 2017, thousands took to the streets of Barcelona, capital of Spain’s most prosperous and wealthiest region, Catalonia. This time, however, it wasn’t a procession to watch the game against Las Palmas, which was played behind closed doors. This was a procession that would mark what
U-17 World Cup:Turning Prodigy to Legacy
The model of football is witness to a tremendous change. Gone are those days when the colossal hype and fan craze were only for the European elites. With the dawn of the new age, football has become a medium to expand and explore new nations. It has become a new
Pep Guardiola – The Conductor
A detailed look into Pep Guardiola’s journey from a footballer to a genius manager empowering every team that was fortunate enough to be managed by him. It is difficult to quantify force. Sure, Mass times Acceleration, I know, I have received schooling (if not an education). But what about the force
Barcelona 3-0 Juventus: Messi glitz as barca see off juv
Lionel Messi ended his long barren run against Gianluigi Buffon and then left many wondering why it took him so long as he added another in show of strength from Barcelona. The Serie A champions beat Barca by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals last season before holding out for a
Champions League Matchday 1 Preview
Rafael Hernández @RafaelH117 44m44 minutes ago Dembélé gets his first start as a Barça player. Messi had his breakthrough match vs Juventus, will it be the same for him? Paul Pogba’s first CL game for @ManUtd. Played one Europa League game (v Athletic Bilbao) prior to return. Ashley Young started then
Champions League Group Analysis: Group D
This Griup features Barcelona, Juventus, Olympiakos and Sporting CP. It features a rematch of the last year’s Quarter finals. It might seem to many that there are two battles going on here, one for top spot between Barcelona and Juventus and one for who gets into the Europa league between
As the Dust Settles
DEPORTIVO ALAVES 0 BARCELONA 2: Messi steals the show again…
FC Barcelona traveled to Mendizorrotza to face Alaves in the second gameweek of La Liga 17/18The first half was a cagey affair as Alaves managed to resist Barca’s efforts with a combination of disciplined defensive display as well as good goalkeeping. They too carved out a few good chances as
How will Ousmane Dembele fit in at Barcelona?
A second exclusive by Anirudh Srinivas. Illustration by Norman Kopietz Ousmane Dembele completed his move to Barcelona earlier this week. The transfer fee of 105 million euros plus about 42 million euros in add-ons will make this the second most expensive transfer in football history, after Neymar’s move from Barcelona to
BREAKING: FCBarcelona confirm they have completed a deal to sign Ousmane Dembele
Barcelona have completed the signing of Borussia Dortmund attacker Ousmane Dembele for an initial fee of €105 million. They announced the signing on Twitter. Benvingut @Dembouz! ¡Bienvenido Dembélé! Welcome Dembélé! Bienvenue Dembélé! #BeBarça pic.twitter.com/gTl0YXCEd6 — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 25, 2017 The Barcelona faithful will hope that Dembele will be be able to
The Legacy Of Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
The Battle of the Boards : Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Featured image via GQ Real Madrid and Barcelona share a rivalry second to none. It’s true, of all the football rivalries hosted in the world nothing matches the intensity and the passion of an El Classico. These two teams are unique by way of their ownership. Their adoring fans, most