Lille and Lyon interested in Toulouse's Yann Gboho
There could yet be a further departure. Yann Gboho (24) has impressed since joining Toulouse from Cercle Brugge. In 52 games, he has nine goals and eight assists. However, his impact and ability to eliminate opponents is what makes the winger so important to Le TéFéCé.
However, he could join King, Aboukhlal, and Babicka in departing. As per a report from RMC Sport journalist , two Ligue 1 clubs, Lille OSC and Olympique Lyonnais, are interested in the winger. Turkish side Beşiktaş are also in the race to sign Gboho, who is valued at €12m by his club. Hawkins adds that it is Beşiktaş who are currently best placed in the race.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
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New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Alternative Premier League Table: No 1 – Making sense of season predictions and projections
Introducing The Alternative Premier League Table, a new series you can enjoy on The Athletic every Thursday during the season. We all know how compelling it is to stare at a league table. Whether your team is in the middle of a winning run or mired in terrible form, five minutes looking at the standings can convince you that a hundred different futures are possible. Advertisement Everyone knows the standard layout of a league table, and ours will contain several of those elements. What it will also have each week is one or two guest metrics that tap into the conversations taking place across the competition. It could be how the 20 sides are performing versus their expected goals, how many teenagers each team have fielded so far this season, how sides take corners, or how many times the coaching staff have been shown yellow cards. Frankly, the possibilities are endless — and exciting. Our aim is to enhance your holistic knowledge of the most popular football league on the planet, unearth and explain some of the season's underlying trends. Each week, Anantaajith Raghuraman will analyse the whole division, but in week one, with the games yet to begin, he starts by breaking down the Premier League season predictions and projections… The Premier League is back, and that means everyone from armchair fans to the most advanced supercomputers has plenty of thoughts about how the next nine months will play out. Opta's expected points model — based on 10,000 simulations of the upcoming season using their team strength model — is a solid starting point. And the first edition of The Alternative Premier League table below orders all 20 teams by their xPT (as of Monday, August 11). We have also included The Athletic's staff predictions by way of comparison. Oh, and you can sort the table by any metric each week by clicking the column title. While xPT will be our starting point for assessing the new season, it would be remiss not to acknowledge some of its limitations. Recent competitive form — which for most clubs means the 2024-25 season — is a significant indicator, which may explain some of the rankings in the above table. While taking in transfer activity via the impact of player trading on betting markets, the metric cannot measure the projected success of signings or the impact of departures. The same applies to managerial changes, too. Keeping all that in mind, we have divided the 20 teams into three distinct categories. Last season's big-name underperformers, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, have been similarly rated by the xPT model, with predicted finishes of 12th and 14th, respectively. United have retooled their attack by spending about £200million ($270m) on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. The need for an athletic midfielder and perhaps a reliable goalkeeper remains but this now feels like a squad with enough depth for a no-European-games campaign. Advertisement Ruben Amorim's methods required time on the training ground and following a busy preseason, they should get plenty of it during the campaign too. Their start to the campaign, by Opta's fixture difficulty scale, is the toughest in the league with Arsenal, Fulham, Burnley, Manchester City and Chelsea in their opening five games. Results early on, a Conference League spot and a deep cup run should be bare minimums for Amorim's second season. Who has the hardest (and easiest) start to the season? It's bad news for Manchester United, Bournemouth and Arsenal fans... United start with Arsenal, Fulham, Burnley, Man City and Chelsea — the hardest first five games of any team, based on Opta Power Rankings. Arsenal's… — Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) August 11, 2025 As for Tottenham, Europa League success has been followed by the departures of coach Ange Postecoglou and captain Son Heung-min, and the arrivals of new coach Thomas Frank, winger Mohammed Kudus, and midfielder Joao Palhinha. The misfortune with injuries that hit the club for most of last season has continued into this summer. James Maddison may well be out for the entire season with a knee injury, while Dejan Kulusevski is still recuperating from knee surgery and Dominic Solanke missed plenty of pre-season. Playing in the expanded Champions League will pose its challenges, too. Tottenham hit their absolute floor in the league last season, but pre-season and Frank's press conferences have hinted at promise. Their expectation should be to finish somewhere between sixth, as predicted on average by our staff, and 14th. Newcastle's projected finish — above weekend opponents Aston Villa — may raise eyebrows too. Their form to end last season was middling, with two wins in their final six games, while their transfer window, as has been discussed endlessly, has been a struggle. With Callum Wilson gone and Alexander Isak — as it stands — in effective exile, a frontline that boasts Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, and Jacob Murphy still needs some extra firepower. Advertisement Pre-season has been tricky too, with defeats against Celtic, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, and the K-League XI. While Newcastle have kept hold of many of their key players, have added defender Malick Thiaw and are pursuing forwards before the end of the window, their midfield still feels light outside of the first-choice trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. Joe Willock, who is currently injured, and Lewis Miley are their only real backups, which explains the interest in Jacob Ramsey. Ahead of the season's first game, it's tough to see them combine another top-five finish with Champions League participation. The wave of optimism has reached the banks of Selhurst Park too, with the xPT model seeing Crystal Palace mount a seventh-place finish. Success in the FA Cup and Community Shield are undoubtedly a factor, as is the fact that they have — so far — kept hold of their core from last season. Even considering all that, Conference League football is bound to take its toll and Palace's squad is not deep enough. Wide defender Borna Sosa is their only outfield addition of the window so far, while Eddie Nketiah, Matheus Franca, Cheick Doucoure, and Chadi Riad are all injured. Daichi Kamada joined that list after hobbling off against Liverpool at Wembley. The futures of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze are in doubt, too. Unless there's a flurry of activity in the final weeks of the window, a club-record seventh-place finish feels far-fetched. The same may be felt about Brentford, predicted to finish 10th by the xPT model. Along with Frank, his coaching staff and Mbeumo, they have also lost captain Christian Norgaard and goalkeeper Mark Flekken, while Yoane Wissa could depart too. The foundations currently in place should serve new manager Keith Andrews well. Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson are handy additions, while Kevin Schade, Mikkel Damsgaard, Nathan Collins and Yegor Yarmolyuk, among others, are fantastic players. Advertisement Having finished 10th last season, a regression looks likely, though relegation — as predicted by a fair few of our staff — may be a step too far in a negative direction. Fulham, after an 11th-place finish in a campaign where they competed for a European spot for large swathes, have been predicted to drop all the way to 15th. They have been the least active Premier League side in this transfer window, only signing goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from Montpellier. Rodrigo Muniz, who has 17 league goals across the last two campaigns despite starting just 26 matches, is being linked with a move away. If so, he will need replacing but with most of last season's stars and Marco Silva still at Craven Cottage, another top-half finish shouldn't be ruled out. The three newly-promoted sides are an apt place to start this tier. Sunderland have signed Reinildo, Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Simon Adingra, Omar Alderete and Marc Guiu (on loan), with more deals in the works too. While some may deem a predicted finish at the very bottom, below Burnley and Leeds United, to be unfair, there is an undeniable 2018-19 Fulham feel to it all. At best, Regis Le Bris' team could fight for 17th. But a season akin to 2023-24 Luton Town and 2024-25 Ipswich Town ending in relegation after inciting brief whispers of 'Could they do it?' is a very real possibility. Leeds have also bolstered their ranks. Lucas Perri should be an upgrade over Illan Meslier, while Sean Longstaff, Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha add Premier League-level physicality and potential. They drew with Manchester United, Villarreal and Milan in pre-season and the need for a goalscorer is evident, hence the upcoming signing of free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Leeds' vocal fans and proud history are welcome additions, and the club will hope our staff's 17th-place prediction comes true. But a Daniel Farke departure midway through the season and a swift return to the Championship by the end of it are also very much on the cards. Advertisement Burnley head coach Scott Parker's Premier League record (nine wins and 30 losses in 52 matches) is only a minor improvement on Farke's (six wins and 35 losses in 49 matches). Parker's side have a more solid defensive identity than Vincent Kompany's 2023-24 side, but the overall structure of Burnley's squad should still breed scepticism. They are a largely inexperienced team with few Premier League-ready starters. They might put up a better fight than they did last time out in the top flight, but it's difficult to see them displace one of the established names. If one of these three are to stay up, Wolves could be that team to make way, according to our staff, who predict them to finish 19th, and they are not too far away on xPT either at 17th. They have lost three trusted players in captain Nelson Semedo, Matheus Cunha, and Rayan Ait-Nouri, with the latter two contributing a combined 19 goals and 13 assists in the league last season. Vitor Pereira has done an admirable job so far. Jhon Arias and David Moller Wolfe profile as direct replacements for Cunha and Ait-Nouri, and Fer Lopez is a talented player too. Jorgen Strand Larsen's loan deal from Celta Vigo has been turned permanent but he is the subject of interest from Newcastle United. Wolves still need more incomings, potentially in central midfield and central defence, to build on the second half of last season. At the other end of the table, the usual suspects Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are expected to fill the top three in exactly that order. A three-pronged fight for the title is on the cards, with all three teams given sizeable probabilities of a finish across the top three by our staff… … and Opta's prediction model. Liverpool are the consensus favourite to repeat their title success after adding Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, all of whom started their Community Shield defeat on penalties to Palace. Isak and Parma defender Giovanni Leoni may yet be added, too. Optimism at Anfield is through the roof but Arne Slot admitted after last Sunday's match that they need to find a balance between attack and defence. Liverpool have conceded 11 goals in seven games in preseason, having taken 14 games to do so in the league last season. Arsenal, meanwhile, struck that balance in their final preseason match, a 3-0 win over Athletic Club. Marquee signing Viktor Gyokeres scored while the Spanish side were limited to just two shots all game. Martin Zubimendi looks at home in midfield alongside Declan Rice, while Noni Madueke, Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera, along with teenage sensation Max Dowman, have shown their value across pre-season. Jurrien Timber, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori are back to full fitness too. The vibes are good and having come second thrice in a row, perhaps this will be Arsenal's year. How their reconfigured attack functions will be decisive. As for Manchester City, they will have to cope with a Rodri-shaped hole in midfield in the early weeks at least, with the Spaniard not expected to be fully fit before the September international break. The 3-0 pre-season win over Palermo showed that Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki together could provide some solutions in and out of possession. Pep Guardiola finally has a true left-back in Ait-Nouri, while Omar Marmoush should be better after a full pre-season. Advertisement Defensive transitions could hurt them again if Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are forced to play lots of minutes, but otherwise, this City team is much better equipped to deal with the top two than last season's. Right below the current 'Big Three' are Chelsea. Another busy summer has included Club World Cup success (and the theatrics that came with it) in the U.S. and eight arrivals, including Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and Estevao. This still-massive squad has been trimmed too, with 11 permanent departures. Levi Colwill's ACL injury is the only blot on an otherwise successful preparatory period that has included convincing wins over Bayer Leverkusen and Milan. This is still an inexperienced team, so a title charge could perhaps be a step too far but given their quality in depth, they can trouble all of Liverpool, Arsenal, and City. Nottingham Forest, 11th on the xPT table and predicted to finish 12th by our staff, round out this tier. An unexpectedly successful 2024-25 season had a further win at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which confirmed Forest's presence in the Europa League, replacing Crystal Palace. The summer has seen one key change in Elanga's departure to Newcastle, but the other changes have been around the periphery, with Danilo, Ramon Sosa, Andrew Omobamidele, Matt Turner, and Harry Toffolo all leaving. Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, and Angus Gunn have joined. Even when considering Nuno Espirito Santo's simple tactical improvements, Forest overperformed in many regards last season. Can Chris Wood score 20 league goals from just 13.4xG again? Will tiring legs and the variance that accompanies their direct approach turn in the opposite direction as they did late last season? The dreaded Thursday-Sunday double-act will undoubtedly bring complications too, and a fall-off feels inevitable. Aston Villa have had a quiet summer, which has led to varying opinions on their floor and ceiling. Evann Guessand is the only signing expected to improve their senior squad that did not bring Marcus Rashford, but kept hold of Ollie Watkins (for now). Ramsey could depart to Newcastle, but Emi Buendia, back from a loan spell at Leverkusen, could act as his in-house replacement. Advertisement Villa dropped two spots in the league last season after finishing fourth in 2023-24 and will also tread the Thursday-Sunday path this season. Another drop-off would be understandable but with Unai Emery, a settled squad, and the likes of Newcastle, their opening-day opponents, in turmoil, maybe less is more, and a European spot for the fourth season running is in the post. Also expected to compete for a European spot once again are Brighton and Hove Albion, predicted to finish ninth by our writers and eighth on xPT. They have been busy this summer, adding Charalampos Kostoulas, Maxim De Cuyper, Diego Coppola and Olivier Boscagli, while Joao Pedro, Simon Adingra, Pervis Estupinan and Valentin Barco have all departed. Joao Pedro, who scored 10 times in 27 league games last season, could be a big miss. Kostoulas, only 18, has big boots to fill alongside 34-year-old Danny Welbeck. Brighton's defence has improved on paper, though, and if they can hold onto Carlos Baleba amid interest from Manchester United, they should be primed for another season in and around the elite teams. Everton provide a more interesting case study. The second half of last season under David Moyes has prompted optimism, which has been compounded by the arrivals of Thierno Barry and Jack Grealish (on loan), even if fans remain divided on the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Our staff have them finishing 14th, while the xPT model has them one place higher. But a quick glance at my colleague Carl Anka's amnesty for outrageous takes ahead of 2025-26 has seen several suggest Everton to fight for a top-half finish or even European qualification. Moyes did that with West Ham when few expected him to, so it may not be beyond the realms of possibility. Speaking of West Ham, they have said goodbye to multiple players, including a few stalwarts, this summer. Michail Antonio, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma and Danny Ings have all left upon the expiry of their contracts, while Kudus was sold to Tottenham. El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mads Hermansen, Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson have joined. Advertisement A full pre-season should aid Graham Potter after the team struggled to break out of its Julen Lopetegui funk in the second half of last season. But the ceiling of this team still looks quite bleak, with our writers expecting them to finish 15th while they are 16th on xPT. Perhaps West Ham will surprise us all, but after the topsy-turvy nature of the last three seasons, nobody knows what to expect apart from Jarrod Bowen (13 goals and eight assists in the league last season) to be good again. The final team on this list are Bournemouth, coming off a summer in which they lost Milos Kerkez to Liverpool, Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Illia Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain, while Kepa Arrizabalaga departed after his loan spell. Adrien Truffert, Bafode Diakite and Djordje Petrovic have come in, with more activity expected before the end of this month. Keeping hold of Andoni Iraola and Antoine Semenyo is a positive and the hope will be for fewer injuries after Adam Smith, Evanilson and Luis Sinisterra all spent extended time on the sidelines. Lewis Cook, Ryan Christie and Enes Unal are all currently on the injury table, though. Dango Ouattara could depart amid interest from Brentford, with The Athletic reporting on Wednesday that Bayer Leverkusen's Amine Adli could be his replacement. Bournemouth are ninth in xPT and were picked to finish 11th by our staff but could end up several places either side of those due to the chaotic nature of their football and big-name departures from last season's successful core. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
Picking Wolves' 2025-26 breakout player: Ki-Jana Hoever
It is more than three years since Ki-Jana Hoever played a competitive game for Wolverhampton Wanderers. This weekend, there is a high chance that his long wait to add to his 25 Wolves appearances will come to an end, possibly even heralding a highly unexpected second chance at Molineux. Hoever's departure from the first-team picture was far from ordinary. Substituted 25 minutes into a 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace in March 2022, the Dutchman was then accused by then-head coach Bruno Lage of failing to prepare properly for matches, leaving himself more susceptible to injuries. There were promises of reintegration and even appearances for the club's under-23s, but until this summer, the chances of a first-team return seemed remote. Partly through necessity, the outlook has changed under a new head coach. Vitor Pereira has made Hoever his first-choice right wing-back throughout pre-season, albeit from a squad featuring precious few options. 'It's a new manager for me, and it's been good so far,' Hoever told the Express & Star in an interview during pre-season. 'I enjoy working with the team, but also with the staff. They really try to get me to the next level. I feel like they gave me an opportunity this time and I'm trying to do well. Advertisement 'I think this coach and the way we want to play suits me. So, hopefully I can be involved. He (Pereira) just tries to improve me as a player. That's the most important. I really love to work with him and with the staff. They just want to help me become a better player.' Hoever signed for Wolves from Liverpool in the summer of 2020 on the same day that the late Diogo Jota moved in the opposite direction, from Molineux to Anfield, although his £9million ($12.1m) move to the Midlands was accounted for separately to Jota's £41m transfer to Merseyside. He was regarded as a talented prospect and made 20 Premier League appearances, including nine starts, before his run-in with Lage appeared to have brought an end to his Molineux career. Much has changed at Wolves since his effective banishment. There have been two head coaches — Julen Lopetegui and Gary O'Neil — for whom he never played a game and three complete seasons, featuring relegation battles, a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals and some memorable wins. From the 19 players in the squad for Hoever's last Wolves appearance against Palace, only Jose Sa and Hwang Hee-chan remain at Molineux. Meanwhile, Hoever has made 100 appearances on loan for three clubs in three countries in eight different competitions. So much has happened that it would be easy to forget that Hoever is still just 23. While his days at Wolves appeared to be numbered when Lage decided to farm him out — first to PSV and then to Stoke City before last season's loan at Auxerre in France — he is still young enough to be considered for a second 'breakthrough' in England. Whether or not he gets it will depend in no small part on Wolves' activity in the remainder of this summer's transfer window. Signing a replacement for departed captain Nelson Semedo at right wing-back remains a priority before the transfer deadline and that player is likely to become Pereira's first-choice option in the position. What happens to Hoever at that time will be down at least in part to whether he and Wolves are happy for him to offer backup and possibly competition to the new arrival. But Wolves are unlikely to make two signings in the same position and Pereira's selection decisions throughout pre-season suggest that Hoever could well have a part to play, having started repeatedly ahead of another youngster, Rodrigo Gomes, who is currently his most obvious rival for the role. Advertisement That means that even when a new starter arrives, it seems very possible that Hoever will remain part of Pereira's squad plans. For much of the last three years, even that has felt almost impossible for Hoever. 'I hope I can be important for them as well, for the club,' he told the Express & Star. 'I obviously know I've been away for some years, but for me it's a big opportunity. 'I feel like when I came here when I was 18 years old, it was a long time ago. I was still really young, and I've developed a lot as a person, as a player, becoming an adult, and I feel like I'm ready, and hopefully I can show the staff, the gaffer, but also the fans, the club.' (Top image:) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
Hansi Flick and the unique challenges of a second season at Barcelona
Back when he was Barcelona manager, the legendary Johan Cruyff used to say there was no tougher time in a managerial project than the second season at a club. The Dutchman saw it as an especially difficult period because a coach faced greater pressure and expectation than in the honeymoon days of their debut campaign — while still having to face the risks of reinvention. Advertisement This is exactly the stage Hansi Flick's Barcelona is entering now. But sticking on the topic of former managers for a moment longer, the situation at the club now feels a lot like an accelerated version of Frank Rijkaard's Barca — a team that was also led by Joan Laporta in the senior offices. After Rijkaard landed in 2003, his debut season was a successful one as Barca progressed significantly to finish second in La Liga behind Valencia, an improvement on the previous season's sixth under Louis van Gaal. The next season, having strengthened with additions that included Samuel Eto'o and Deco, they looked ready to take the domestic throne — and they won La Liga and the Copa del Rey. The evolution kept going, and one season later they won the Champions League, beating Arsenal in the 2006 final. Flick's team won a domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa titles in his debut year last term. And his team is more talented than the one Rijkaard inherited. The season has not begun, but this Barca side now looks miles better than they were a year ago. Spirits are higher. The manager's ideas are well-absorbed. Every squad member has his role well-defined — and accepted. This summer's reinforcements of Joan Garcia and Marcus Rashford provide clear improvements to areas both the coaching team and the sporting direction wanted to bolster. Barcelona's players know they are in a good place. But they also seem convinced they can go further still and achieve greatness. There is a feeling of unfinished business within the squad, mostly related to the Champions League. Last season's semi-final heartbreak against Inter is still firmly in the minds of all dressing-room members, who want to use it as fuel to dream big again. The ambitions are massive. But there is room for improvement too. And knowing what we know about Flick, it wouldn't be surprising to learn that he is already well aware of the potential perils Cruyff was pointing to. Advertisement Flick has already proved excellent in navigating the particular challenges posed by Barcelona's entorno — the description coined by Cruyff (literally translated as environment or surroundings) to describe the unique pressures that constantly swirl around the club. Rare is the manager who does not fall foul of its fiery nature. Flick has shown himself to have something of a superpower when it comes to being a Barcelona manager; he does not want to be involved in the noise around the club any more than he has to be — a contrast to many previous coaches. He knows it's there, but tries not to care too much. Barca not only approves of his approach, they have taken steps so that he can pay it even less attention. This summer, Barca restructured their communications department, adding a new role of first-team director of communications. This was taken up by Gabriel Martinez, who previously worked at Barcelona-based PR firm Roman and Spanish bank Banco Sabadell. The idea behind the move was for the new position to act as a bridge between Flick and Deco, as well as other senior executives, to make sure key decision-makers are on the same page and there is a unified message on key talking points across the club. Ultimately, it means Flick should not have to worry too much about the busy world of Barca politics. Instead, he has to focus on the pitch, which is exactly what he wants to do. Flick's biggest challenge right now is improving Barca's defensive structure. His team did not have an awful defensive record last season; their 39 La Liga goals conceded were the fourth-best in the competition, one goal more than Real Madrid, nine behind Atletico and 10 behind Athletic Club. But there was certainly a sense that, at certain moments against certain teams, things could really get out of hand. Advertisement Barca let in seven goals against Inter over the two legs of their Champions League semi-final. Earlier in the competition, both Benfica and Borussia Dortmund put four past them in single games. Flick's aggressive instructions for his side to commit to a very high defensive line definitely brought rewards too, but it will be interesting to see if the situation is tweaked, especially against more serious opposition. On top of that, there is Inigo Martinez's departure. The centre-back was a fundamental piece of Flick's system last term and is a painful loss that can't easily be replaced with a new signing, given Barcelona's struggles with their salary limit. The German manager was disappointed to see Martinez go, but accepted his decision as the centre-back, after an excellent season and with one year remaining on his contract, earned his right to choose. It leaves Barcelona with Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen as the men tipped to replace him. The latter was not even eligible for selection for most of last term through injury while Araujo, far from his best, was heavily criticised for his performances. This is where Flick's man-management will have to make the difference again. He's tried hard with Araujo. Those close to the Uruguayan defender admit he was at his lowest point of confidence at Barca at times last season. In three league games out of the 11 he started, he was taken off at half-time or earlier. But Flick sees a player with a physical prowess like no other defender in the team. Araujo was given breathing space last season when he needed it, and this summer has been backed to stay and have a full pre-season with the team. 'Araujo to leave? I am surprised by those rumours,' Flick said during this summer's tour of Japan and South Korea. 'I don't have any indication he wants to leave, and I am very happy with him and the team I have.' Advertisement The 26-year-old is expected to start for Barca in Saturday's La Liga's opener, with Flick throwing him a lifeline in his career at the club. Araujo is not the only example of a player Flick has worked on, keeping them involved and connected with the team. There is also the case of Marc Bernal, the 18-year-old holding midfielder who suffered a season-ending knee injury in August last year, just as he was breaking into the first team. Flick stayed close to him during the recovery process, paying him visits in hospital to check on his progress. He gave him a book entitled 'Supera tus limites' (Overcome Your Limits) by psychologist Jordi Gil Martin. We can also look at Gavi, who did not have a dream 2024-25 campaign after coming back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury himself, failing to earn a regular spot in the team. Flick never stopped praising his talent, though, and this pre-season the 21-year-old has been a standout performer, scoring three goals in four games. And finally we can mention Eric Garcia, who has gone from being on the verge of leaving Barca permanently last January to being a likely starter this weekend. Flick blocked his departure in the winter window, granted the 24-year-old a chance to impress and has now unleashed a multi-functional and clever performer who is close to extending his contract at the club. There is an eye set on Robert Lewandowski, too. The striker turns 37 on Wednesday and is in the last year of his Barca deal. There is a belief at the club that the Pole might not have the same involvement as last season, when he registered 52 appearances across all competitions, scoring 42 goals. Given his age, and that Barca have to start thinking about life after him, the roles played by Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford might be more important than expected. As with every football club, there are unresolved questions and key points of improvement that need to be handled carefully. But Barcelona fans still have every right to be very excited for the season ahead — so long as their usual registration issues can be sorted and the club's Camp Nou return finally goes to plan. Despite all the usual and unusual noise surrounding the club, the fundamental factor is simple: Barca have not looked this close to being a complete package for a long time. And that has a lot to do with the honest, careful work of their manager in his debut season. Now onto the next one. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
