#fc-barcelona

#fc-barcelona

Barcelona's 11-match winning run came to an end as 10-man Real Sociedad clung on to secure a 2-1 win over the LaLiga leaders in a gripping contest at the Reale Arena. Mikel Oyarzabal put Sociedad ahead at the interval after Barca had three goals chalked off and a penalty overturned for offside, but Marcus Rashford for the visitors levelled eight minutes after his introduction from the bench. Sociedad retook the lead less than a minute later through Gonçalo Guedes and not even Carlos Soler's straight red card in the closing stages could prevent them from claiming a hard-fought victory.

For over a decade, the back of the Barcelona shirt has been a space dedicated to social causes rather than commercial gain. Since 2012, the space below the number has been occupied by UNICEF, and later by UNHCR since the summer of 2022. Far from generating revenue, these partnerships actually saw the club pay €400,000 per season to the UN agency. However, with the UNHCR contract expiring this summer, the club has decided to monetise this asset for the first time.

FC Barcelona are already busy with their squad planning for the next season, with major focus on two major areas - the centre-back and striker positions. A left-footed central defender remains a top priority, while at the same time, the club are looking to solidify their options in the No. 9 department. Robert Lewandowski's future remains uncertain, which is why other top options like Julian Alvarez and Harry Kane are being considered.

According to a report by Gianluigi Longari (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Andres Cuenca, a left-footed centre-back and one of the most promising defensive prospects at FC Barcelona, has attracted interest from clubs in Serie A. Cuenca, 18, is part of the Barça Atletic setup currently, while he has already made his senior debut for the Blaugrana under Hansi Flick during the 2024/25 season.

Although Mingueza wasn't able to make an impact at Barcelona, the club managed to retain 50% of his transfer rights when they sold him to Celta Vigo, valid till the duration of his contract with the new club. It didn't take long for Mingueza to make an impact at Celta, and for a time, it appeared the Barcelona were going to earn a solid chunk of revenue as big clubs circled around the defender.

One of the most heartwarming moments during the celebrations came when senior midfielder Frenkie de Jong called young prospect Tommy Marques to click a picture together with the trophy. It was a nice touch from De Jong, given that the La Masia gem had gone on record a few months ago naming the Dutchman as one of his idols. Flick trusts the 'other Frenkie' Meanwhile, in the background, Pau Cubarsi, who was watching from close by, joked: "Two Frenkies, two Frenkies!"

According to a report from SPORT, while the process is moving forward, there is still no final agreement within the board of directors. As per the outlet, at the centre of the debate is Joan Laporta's preferred timeline. The current president is understood to favour holding the elections in March, but that view is not unanimously shared across his governing team. Instead, a wide range of possible dates remains on the table, stretching from mid-March to as late as mid-June.

"Harry Kane to Barcelona? I'm not sure because he is very comfortable. He is 32 now and he'll find it more difficult, I think. I would think that he will find it much more difficult because of the tempo of the game and that kind of stuff," Yorke told FootItalia. "I still think he would do well, but he won't do as well as he's doing at Bayern Munich. I would be very wary of that if I was his advisor or one of the people around him."

"Because Barça's defense has many problems with the high line. It's going to be difficult for them," Rami said.

Not long ago, Hamza Abdelkarim's transfer was being treated as a done deal around Barcelona. Reports out of Egypt pointed to documents being exchanged, travel plans discussed, and a January arrival that felt like a formality. That momentum has faded quickly. Instead of getting his bags ready to travel to Catalonia, the 18-year-old forward was back in an Al Ahly shirt this week. He played the final stretch of his team's League Cup match against Pharco, a 4-1 win.

After the win over Athletic Club, Hansi Flick has openly acknowledged that there is no clarity yet over whether Lewandowski will remain at the club beyond the end of the season, when his current contract expires. "I don't know where Robert Lewandowski will be next season. I'm really happy with him, but I am honest too. I spoke with him," he said, as quoted by MARCA. "We'll see what happens and we'll decide at the end of the season."

The Blaugrana, who won the title last season by beating Real Madrid handsomely, will be eager to retain the trophy. For that to happen, they must first deal with Athletic Club tonight to secure a place in Sunday's final. Barcelona go into the game on the back of a strong run of results, racking up eight wins in a row in all competitions, most recently beating local rivals Espanyol 2-0 this past weekend.