La Liga giants Barcelona are doing their best to convince their manager Xavi Hernandez to remain with the club past this summer. According to influential Catalan media outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barca’s latest attempt to make Xavi change his mind is a move for Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland.

Xavi announced his decision to step down as Barca manager back in January following a series of poor results. But since then, the club embarked on an 11-game unbeaten run that included advancing to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona’s brass has been impressed with the turnaround and now wants to continue building under club legend.

Reportedly, the move for Haaland would be part of an extensive recruitment plan for the future. Barca would attempt to sign the player in the summer of 2025 and believe the 23-year-old Norwegian is interested in coming to Camp Nou. Haaland was linked with Barca in 2021, but decided to stay with Borussia Dortmund for another season before joining City.

It remains to be seen whether the promise of Haaland will be enough to keep Xavi in his post. Poor results were just part of the reason why he wanted to step down, with the outside pressure and frequent criticism that comes with the position also playing a role.

Haaland is enjoying another prolific campaign with City, scoring 29 goals in all competitions in 2023-24. He is under contract with the club through 2027 but reportedly has an undisclosed exit clause.

The post Barcelona Plotting Erling Haaland Move in Hopes to Convince Manager Xavi to Stay appeared first on SportzBonanza.

La Liga powerhouse Barcelona will have to look for a new manager in the summer. Barca’s current manager and legend, Xavi, announced he will step down from his position at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Xavi announced the news following Barcelona’s unexpected 5-3 loss to Villarreal on Saturday, which increased their gap behind league leaders Real Madrid.

“I would like to announce that I will not remain Barça manager beyond the end of this season,” Xavi said. “I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists around the club. A change of dynamic is needed.”

Xavi added that he believes his decision is in the best interest of the club.

“No one is bigger than the club, and I am a supporter above all. I love this club,” he concluded.

Xavi took over his boyhood club midway through the 2021-22 campaign during a challenging period for the club. He managed to get the club from No. 9 to No. 2 on the standings by the end of the season and followed that up with a La Liga title and Spanish Super Cup trophy in 2022-23.

However, things didn’t go as planned this season for Xavi and Barcelona. The club has been in a crisis in recent months and has already been eliminated from Supercopa and Copa del Rey. Barca is sitting in third place in La Liga, with 10 points behind Real and eight points behind second-placed Girona.

The only hope for a successful season seems to be the UEFA Champions League, where Barca is through to the knockout stage and facing Napoli in the round of 16.

The post Xavi Announces He’ll Step Down as Barcelona Manager at the End of the Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona continues to support manager Xavi Hernandez amid calls for a change in management, a club source revealed on Wednesday. Frustration at the club escalated after the Catalan giants’ shock 1-0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

This account of the club’s faith in Xavi correlates with the accounts of sources close to the manager who claimed that any questions about his future were “out of place” given his track record at the club. Last season, Xavi guided Barca to the La Liga title, and while the loss to Donetsk is a difficult pill to swallow, the team remains on top of their Champions League group.

Gerard Pique, Xavi’s former Barca teammate, called for “patience” with Xavi, explaining: “You should only sack the manager when you don’t see solutions. Xavi knows the place, he’s been there for many years. He grew up with the style of play. I can’t see anyone better than him to take this forward.”

The post Barca Back Xavi Amid Calls for Dismissal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-0 in their El Clasico showdown in Dallas, Texas as part of both teams’ preseason tours of the United States.

Ousmane Dembele put Barca ahead in the 15th minute after capitalizing on a pass from central midfielder Pedri. While Madrid hit back with a series of attempts on goal, the Blaugranes doubled their lead five minutes from the final whistle when substitute Fermín López scored from long-range. Ferran Torres added a third goal for the Catalan giants one minute into stoppage time.

“It was a good game that we played, with and without the ball, we pressed them, we had chances, a lot of mobility,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti stated after the game. “The bad thing is the result. At the end we were too attacking, with not enough balance. The result hurts, but I’ll focus on the good things we did. Overall the team played well, we had a lot of opportunities.”

This is the third time that Barcelona and Real Madrid have taken their El Clasico rivalry to the United States. To date, Barca have won all three encounters.

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15-year-old Lamine Yamal made history on Saturday night as the youngest-ever FC Barcelona player to appear in a La Liga game. The Blaugranes thumped Real Betis 4-0 at the Camp Nou.

Barca opened the scoring in the 14th minute when center-back Andreas Christensen headered the ball into the net from a corner. In the 33rd minute, the game went from bad to worse for the visitors when Edgar Gonzalez was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in a matter of minutes.

Just three minutes later, Barca made the most of their one-man advantage as striker Robert Lewandowski scored his nineteenth La Liga goal this season courtesy of a Jules Kounde assist. Raphina added a third goal just three minutes later, giving Barca a comfortable lead going into halftime.

Yamal came on in the 83rd minute, almost scoring just moments later in what would have been a dream start to his professional career. On the other end of the spectrum, Real Betis midfielder Joaquin came on in the second half in what will be his final appearance at the Camp Nou. The 41-year-old player is set to retire at the end of the season.

The post 15-Year-Old Makes History in Barcelona Win Over Betis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona has reached a verbal agreement to sign Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window, multiple sources reported on Tuesday. While he has been tracked by Barca for years, Martinez is now being seriously tracked by Barcelona as he will be available for free at the end of the season. The Athletic Club defender’s move to Camp Nou will depend on Barca’s ability to reduce its wage bill.

In addition, the Catalan giants are also looking to sign Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who will be out of contract with the Premier League club in June. Despite being low-cost signings, Barcelona will need to improve its ongoing financial situation if they hope to pursue both signings.

La Liga president Javier Tebas stated that Barcelona will need to reduce its expenses by approximately €150 million in order to be able to register midfielder Gavi as a first-team player under his new contract.

The post Barca Signs Martinez, Eyes Gundogan Deal Amid Financial Struggles appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona’s poor form so far in 2021-22 will reportedly prompt the La Liga powerhouse to make some additions to their squad during the January transfer window. However, in order to have money to spend on transfers, the Spanish club will have to offload some players and one of them might be USMNT’s star right back Sergino Dest.

According to ESPN, Barcelona will listen to offers for Dest in January and are prepared to let the 21-year-old leave if they receive a proper offer. The sources close to the situation say that the U.S. international is valued at Camp Nou but that the club also views him as one of the players whom they could move the fastest.

If Dest actually becomes available, expect several high-profile clubs to be in play for his signature. The first that comes to mind is Bayern Munich, who already had its sights on the American previously. The Bundesliga giants tried to acquire Dest while he was with Ajax a few years ago, and even made a move for the player this summer but saw their loan offer rejected by Barca.

Sergino Dest emerged as a mainstay for Barcelona on the right side since arriving in 2020. He played 57 games in all competitions while scoring three goals and providing four assists and helping Barca win Copa del Rey last season.

Barca would like to move on from several other players, but that is proving to be quite a challenge. The likes of Philippe Coutinho and Samuel Umtiti have been on the transfer list for a while now but the offers are lacking due to their high salaries.

The Catalan club is currently seventh in La Liga and finds itself 16 points behind leaders and their bitter rivals Real Madrid.

The post Barca Will Listen to Offers for USMNT’s Sergino Dest in January appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The career of Barcelona’s striker Sergio Aguero is facing an uncertain future after he experienced heart issues in late October. However, retirement doesn’t seem to be on the cards for the Argentinian at the moment, according to a report by ESPN.

Aguero’s problems started during a 1-1 draw with Alaves on October 30th, when he reportedly experienced significant chest pain. The 33-year-old underwent several tests shortly after the game and was found to have a case of cardiac arrhythmia. Barca immediately ruled him out for at least three months, during which Aguero will undergo a series of treatments.

Recent reports from Spain indicated that Sergio Aguero’s condition is worse than it was originally believed and that he will have no choice but to walk away from professional soccer. However, sources close to the club and the player have denied this and reiterated that Aguero won’t rush into any decisions until he completes the treatment.

Aguero also acknowledged the rumors via Twitter.

“Given the rumors, I can tell you that I am following the instructions from the club’s medical team, having tests and treatment, and seeing how I evolve during the 90 day process. Always positive,” he wrote on social media on Friday.

Aguero joined Barca on a free transfer this summer after previously spending 10 years with Manchester City. So far, he has made five appearances for the La Liga side and scored one goal.

The post Sergio Aguero Not Thinking About Retirement Despite Heart Problems appeared first on SportzBonanza.

La Liga giants Barcelona are doing their best to convince their manager Xavi Hernandez to remain with the club past this summer. According to influential Catalan media outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barca’s latest attempt to make Xavi change his mind is a move for Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland.

Xavi announced his decision to step down as Barca manager back in January following a series of poor results. But since then, the club embarked on an 11-game unbeaten run that included advancing to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona’s brass has been impressed with the turnaround and now wants to continue building under club legend.

Reportedly, the move for Haaland would be part of an extensive recruitment plan for the future. Barca would attempt to sign the player in the summer of 2025 and believe the 23-year-old Norwegian is interested in coming to Camp Nou. Haaland was linked with Barca in 2021, but decided to stay with Borussia Dortmund for another season before joining City.

It remains to be seen whether the promise of Haaland will be enough to keep Xavi in his post. Poor results were just part of the reason why he wanted to step down, with the outside pressure and frequent criticism that comes with the position also playing a role.

Haaland is enjoying another prolific campaign with City, scoring 29 goals in all competitions in 2023-24. He is under contract with the club through 2027 but reportedly has an undisclosed exit clause.

The post Barcelona Plotting Erling Haaland Move in Hopes to Convince Manager Xavi to Stay appeared first on SportzBonanza.

La Liga powerhouse Barcelona will have to look for a new manager in the summer. Barca’s current manager and legend, Xavi, announced he will step down from his position at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Xavi announced the news following Barcelona’s unexpected 5-3 loss to Villarreal on Saturday, which increased their gap behind league leaders Real Madrid.

“I would like to announce that I will not remain Barça manager beyond the end of this season,” Xavi said. “I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists around the club. A change of dynamic is needed.”

Xavi added that he believes his decision is in the best interest of the club.

“No one is bigger than the club, and I am a supporter above all. I love this club,” he concluded.

Xavi took over his boyhood club midway through the 2021-22 campaign during a challenging period for the club. He managed to get the club from No. 9 to No. 2 on the standings by the end of the season and followed that up with a La Liga title and Spanish Super Cup trophy in 2022-23.

However, things didn’t go as planned this season for Xavi and Barcelona. The club has been in a crisis in recent months and has already been eliminated from Supercopa and Copa del Rey. Barca is sitting in third place in La Liga, with 10 points behind Real and eight points behind second-placed Girona.

The only hope for a successful season seems to be the UEFA Champions League, where Barca is through to the knockout stage and facing Napoli in the round of 16.

The post Xavi Announces He’ll Step Down as Barcelona Manager at the End of the Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona continues to support manager Xavi Hernandez amid calls for a change in management, a club source revealed on Wednesday. Frustration at the club escalated after the Catalan giants’ shock 1-0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

This account of the club’s faith in Xavi correlates with the accounts of sources close to the manager who claimed that any questions about his future were “out of place” given his track record at the club. Last season, Xavi guided Barca to the La Liga title, and while the loss to Donetsk is a difficult pill to swallow, the team remains on top of their Champions League group.

Gerard Pique, Xavi’s former Barca teammate, called for “patience” with Xavi, explaining: “You should only sack the manager when you don’t see solutions. Xavi knows the place, he’s been there for many years. He grew up with the style of play. I can’t see anyone better than him to take this forward.”

The post Barca Back Xavi Amid Calls for Dismissal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-0 in their El Clasico showdown in Dallas, Texas as part of both teams’ preseason tours of the United States.

Ousmane Dembele put Barca ahead in the 15th minute after capitalizing on a pass from central midfielder Pedri. While Madrid hit back with a series of attempts on goal, the Blaugranes doubled their lead five minutes from the final whistle when substitute Fermín López scored from long-range. Ferran Torres added a third goal for the Catalan giants one minute into stoppage time.

“It was a good game that we played, with and without the ball, we pressed them, we had chances, a lot of mobility,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti stated after the game. “The bad thing is the result. At the end we were too attacking, with not enough balance. The result hurts, but I’ll focus on the good things we did. Overall the team played well, we had a lot of opportunities.”

This is the third time that Barcelona and Real Madrid have taken their El Clasico rivalry to the United States. To date, Barca have won all three encounters.

The post Barcelona Defeat Real Madrid in Preseason USA Tour appeared first on SportzBonanza.

15-year-old Lamine Yamal made history on Saturday night as the youngest-ever FC Barcelona player to appear in a La Liga game. The Blaugranes thumped Real Betis 4-0 at the Camp Nou.

Barca opened the scoring in the 14th minute when center-back Andreas Christensen headered the ball into the net from a corner. In the 33rd minute, the game went from bad to worse for the visitors when Edgar Gonzalez was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in a matter of minutes.

Just three minutes later, Barca made the most of their one-man advantage as striker Robert Lewandowski scored his nineteenth La Liga goal this season courtesy of a Jules Kounde assist. Raphina added a third goal just three minutes later, giving Barca a comfortable lead going into halftime.

Yamal came on in the 83rd minute, almost scoring just moments later in what would have been a dream start to his professional career. On the other end of the spectrum, Real Betis midfielder Joaquin came on in the second half in what will be his final appearance at the Camp Nou. The 41-year-old player is set to retire at the end of the season.

The post 15-Year-Old Makes History in Barcelona Win Over Betis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona has reached a verbal agreement to sign Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window, multiple sources reported on Tuesday. While he has been tracked by Barca for years, Martinez is now being seriously tracked by Barcelona as he will be available for free at the end of the season. The Athletic Club defender’s move to Camp Nou will depend on Barca’s ability to reduce its wage bill.

In addition, the Catalan giants are also looking to sign Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who will be out of contract with the Premier League club in June. Despite being low-cost signings, Barcelona will need to improve its ongoing financial situation if they hope to pursue both signings.

La Liga president Javier Tebas stated that Barcelona will need to reduce its expenses by approximately €150 million in order to be able to register midfielder Gavi as a first-team player under his new contract.

The post Barca Signs Martinez, Eyes Gundogan Deal Amid Financial Struggles appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona’s poor form so far in 2021-22 will reportedly prompt the La Liga powerhouse to make some additions to their squad during the January transfer window. However, in order to have money to spend on transfers, the Spanish club will have to offload some players and one of them might be USMNT’s star right back Sergino Dest.

According to ESPN, Barcelona will listen to offers for Dest in January and are prepared to let the 21-year-old leave if they receive a proper offer. The sources close to the situation say that the U.S. international is valued at Camp Nou but that the club also views him as one of the players whom they could move the fastest.

If Dest actually becomes available, expect several high-profile clubs to be in play for his signature. The first that comes to mind is Bayern Munich, who already had its sights on the American previously. The Bundesliga giants tried to acquire Dest while he was with Ajax a few years ago, and even made a move for the player this summer but saw their loan offer rejected by Barca.

Sergino Dest emerged as a mainstay for Barcelona on the right side since arriving in 2020. He played 57 games in all competitions while scoring three goals and providing four assists and helping Barca win Copa del Rey last season.

Barca would like to move on from several other players, but that is proving to be quite a challenge. The likes of Philippe Coutinho and Samuel Umtiti have been on the transfer list for a while now but the offers are lacking due to their high salaries.

The Catalan club is currently seventh in La Liga and finds itself 16 points behind leaders and their bitter rivals Real Madrid.

The post Barca Will Listen to Offers for USMNT’s Sergino Dest in January appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The career of Barcelona’s striker Sergio Aguero is facing an uncertain future after he experienced heart issues in late October. However, retirement doesn’t seem to be on the cards for the Argentinian at the moment, according to a report by ESPN.

Aguero’s problems started during a 1-1 draw with Alaves on October 30th, when he reportedly experienced significant chest pain. The 33-year-old underwent several tests shortly after the game and was found to have a case of cardiac arrhythmia. Barca immediately ruled him out for at least three months, during which Aguero will undergo a series of treatments.

Recent reports from Spain indicated that Sergio Aguero’s condition is worse than it was originally believed and that he will have no choice but to walk away from professional soccer. However, sources close to the club and the player have denied this and reiterated that Aguero won’t rush into any decisions until he completes the treatment.

Aguero also acknowledged the rumors via Twitter.

“Given the rumors, I can tell you that I am following the instructions from the club’s medical team, having tests and treatment, and seeing how I evolve during the 90 day process. Always positive,” he wrote on social media on Friday.

Aguero joined Barca on a free transfer this summer after previously spending 10 years with Manchester City. So far, he has made five appearances for the La Liga side and scored one goal.

The post Sergio Aguero Not Thinking About Retirement Despite Heart Problems appeared first on SportzBonanza.