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New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Barcelona's 4-3 Clasico win summed up a season of all-out attack – but should they add more control?
In a period when a small handful of superclubs regularly win the league, it can be difficult to differentiate between various title-winning campaigns. But Barcelona's 2024-25 La Liga victory — albeit not yet mathematically certain — will live long in the memory. There are certain elements of this Barca season that are very specific to this particular title success. They're playing in the city's Olympic stadium rather than the Camp Nou. They're using a new generation of world-class teenagers, led by Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi. The thrilling victory over Real Madrid on Sunday completed a clean sweep of four Clasico victories this season. But, above all else, this Barcelona side has a distinct way of playing, broadly in keeping with the club's traditions but also more daring, more extreme, and more end-to-end than anything in recent memory. Advertisement Sunday's 4-3 victory summed it up. Barcelona were clearly the better side on the day, but they also had several scares. They fell 2-0 behind. At 3-2 up, they thought they'd conceded a penalty, but were saved by a VAR overturn. At 4-3, they allowed Real Madrid two one-on-one chances in the dying stages, through Victor Munoz… …and Kylian Mbappe. Barcelona could have had more goals themselves, of course, with Raphinha uncharacteristically squandering some sublime crosses from Yamal. But this was typical 2024-25 Barcelona, the side that have launched extraordinary comebacks and have, when leading, taken extraordinary risks. They'd previously won matches 5-4 against Benfica, 4-3 against Celta Vigo and 3-2 against Borussia Dortmund. Maybe the most telling match was the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atletico Madrid, when they went 2-0 down, then came back to lead 4-2, but then collapsed late on and drew 4-4. Or maybe it was three weeks later, when they went to Atleti in the league, went 2-0 down and won 4-2. Or maybe it was their semi-final exit against Inter, when they drew 3-3 at home and then lost 4-3 away. On Sunday, Mbappe became the fourth player this season to score a hat-trick against Barcelona but finish on the losing side. Compared to two seasons ago, the last time they won the league, Barcelona have scored 25 more goals, and conceded 16 more goals. And there are still three games left this season. Of course, this is what Hansi Flick is all about. When his Bayern Munich won the Champions League in 2019-20, their defensive line was probably the most aggressive European football has seen (at least in the modern period when there are more liberal interpretations of 'interfering with play' compared to the 1970s, when catching anyone offside brought a stop to the game, even if they were nowhere near the ball). It was an 8-2 victory over Barcelona which demonstrated that approach most succinctly. Flick has replicated that approach at Barcelona with a largely inexperienced backline, and even when Wojciech Szczesny, now 35, was tempted out of retirement as an emergency goalkeeper after Marc-Andre ter Stegen was injured. Szczesny was never the most mobile, even in his peak years, and Flick admits the Pole still enjoys the odd cigarette. His rash challenge on Mbappe on Sunday hinted at his tardiness, although overall he's swept off his line effectively. It helps that Szczesny has always come across as not being too bothered if he makes a mistake, which is conducive to playing in a system where players will find themselves exposed and embarrassed from time to time. Advertisement Flick's calculation, like that of Johan Cruyff when manager in the early 1990s, is that the approach plays off overall. This graph shows that Barcelona are in a world of their own in terms of catching the opposition offside, and they and Bayern are also in a different league in terms of playing through-balls. In other words, Barcelona leave space in behind, and they exploit space in behind. That demonstrates Flick has paired that aggressive defensive line with an aggressive attack. Barcelona have always been a front-foot side, but during their most recent period of consistent dominance, under Pep Guardiola, they interpreted this as a mission to dominate possession through long, drawn-out spells on the ball. Xavi Hernandez, the poster boy for that approach, often used to turn down the opportunity to release runners on the break, in order to let Barcelona organise their structure through possession play, and impose himself on the ball in the opposition half. In contrast, this Barca side break in behind immediately. Raphinha has been a revelation, not merely playing as a flashy winger but by breaking in behind to become a consistent goalscorer, often taking advantage of Robert Lewandowski's clever movement and subtle directing of passing and runs. Ferran Torres has provided runs in behind in recent weeks, with the likes of Yamal and Dani Olmo also bursting into the box, not always to reach precise, slide-rule passes, but longer, diagonal passes from deep. Lewandowski has also played the role of target man at times, encouraging Barcelona to cross the ball: sometimes simply taking a chance and hoofing it into the box. Previous Barcelona regimes would scoff at this; there was a belief that the faster you attacked, the faster the ball would come back at you. Guardiola always wanted to avoid basketball-style games. But Flick embraces it. The only question is whether, at times, Barcelona can, or need to, offer more control. It does seem wrong, for example, that (even when accounting for them scoring 23 more), Barcelona have conceded one fewer goal this season than a desperately disorganised Real Madrid side, who have regressed towards their old obsession with star players rather than balance. On Sunday, as in most big games this season, Carlo Ancelotti's side were a shapeless mess. Advertisement Indeed, both third-placed Atletico and fourth-placed Athletic Club have conceded fewer goals than Barca. In this respect, the issue hasn't generally been the high line, which has largely worked beautifully. But there are periods when Barcelona could afford to be more cautious in possession, more reserved in terms of moving the ball forward quickly. When leading Inter in the dying stages of that thrilling semi-final second leg, Barcelona tried to extend their lead and ended up losing it. Some might suggest that killing the game isn't what Barcelona are all about. That's true of this season, but not of past sides. Things might change next year. This season, we've rarely seen Gavi in the side. To be frank, when he's played Barca have been less exciting: in the 12 games Gavi has started, Barcelona have scored only once in seven of them. In another, against Sevilla, they scored once before half-time, then three after the break when Gavi was replaced by Fermin Lopez, who pushed on more. It feels strange to cite fewer goals scored as a positive. But at times, maybe that's what Barcelona need. Granted, they very nearly defeated Inter playing in this all-out-attack manner. But really, they shouldn't have lost it: Inter weren't close to their best, and Barcelona still allowed too many transitions. If you concede seven goals in a two-legged semi-final, you're unlikely to progress. More tactical intelligence should come with experience; Barcelona's starting XI this season has been the joint-youngest in La Liga, alongside Valencia. More cautious possession might prove useful in the must-not-lose nature of European knockout matches, but the attack-minded approach this season has clearly suited the win-as-much-as-you-can nature of a league campaign. And they've done it in style — a style which has been more attack-minded than anyone else in Europe, and more attack-minded than even the most legendary Barcelona sides of the past. (Header photo:)
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Kylian Mbappe completes El Clasico hat-trick as Real Madrid bring it back to 4-3
Barcelona had looked comfortably on their way to another El Clasico victory, but Real Madrid have thrown a spanner in the works by making it 4-3 at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Errors from Pau Cubarsi and Wojciech Szczesny lead to the latter fouling Kylian Mbappe inside the penalty area, and the Real Madrid man stepped up to score from 12 yards. The Barcelona goalkeeper dived the right way, but the ball was just out of his reach. And Mbappe added his second inside the opening 14 minutes. He was played in behind, and with only Szczesny to beat, he made no mistake. Advertisement It was the worst possible start for Barcelona, but they do now have a goal back. And it has come from Eric Garcia, who has headed home from close range following a Ferran Torres flick-on from a corner. And on 32 minutes, Lamine Yamal curled home to make it 2-2. Two minutes after, Raphinha completed the comeback to make it 3-2 following a Real Madrid error, and the Brazilian has added his second of the afternoon just before half time after pouncing on a Lucas Vazquez mistake.
New York Times
07-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Barcelona president Joan Laporta: ‘Refereeing mistakes' kept us out of Champions League final
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed refereeing mistakes are the reason behind the club failing to make the Champions League final. Inter prevailed in the semi-finals on Tuesday after a 4-3 comeback victory at San Siro, claiming a place in the Munich final with a 7-6 aggregate win. The second leg ended 3-3 after 90 minutes before Davide Frattesi scored the winner in extra time. Speaking to club media on Wednesday, Laporta said of the defeat: 'It was not meant to be last night. We fought, but in the end we could not make it. We are not in the Champions League final, basically, due to refereeing mistakes that damaged us, but it has to make us stronger. 'The over 4,000 fans that travelled to Milan deserve everything, as well as everyone who's helped us through the season. Altogether we need to keep helping them now and make them recover the best mentality to win La Liga 'We will come back to the Champions League and we will fight to win it. It is a tough moment after last night's defeat because we were so close.' There were several decisions in the game that drew criticism from Barca players on Tuesday, including two claims for a penalty in the first half before Inter were themselves awarded a spot-kick for a foul by Pau Cubarsi on Lautaro Martinez. Originally referee Szymon Marciniak waved away appeals from the Inter players but after being asked to view the incident on the pitch-side monitor by the video assistant referee, Marciniak awarded a penalty, which Inter score to lead 2-0 on the night. Barca's Inigo Martinez was forced to deny spitting at Inter defender Francesco Acerbi after Inter scored their second goal. Footage appeared to show Martinez spitting in the direction of Acerbi as he celebrated Hakan Calhanoglu's converted spot kick, but VAR did not intervene in the incident. Barcelona levelled the scores in the second half through Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo, before forward Lamine Yamal was awarded a penalty after a Henrikh Mkhitaryan foul. However, VAR intervened and identified that the initial foul had taken place outside of the penalty area — although the foul did appear to continue inside the box, which should result in a spot kick being given. A free kick was instead awarded. Despite the penalty decision not going in their favour, Barca took the lead for the first time in the tie through an 87th-minute Raphinha goal, only for Acerbi to score a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser for Inter. The Serie A side went on to win the tie in extra-time to deny Barcelona a first Champions League final appearance since 2015. Hansi Flick's side return to action on Sunday with the visit of Real Madrid, who they lead by four points at the top of La Liga with four league matches remaining. (Top photo: Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images)
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chelsea and Juventus keen on €65m Barcelona star
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo could be on his way out of the club this summer, and it looks as if he will have options across Europe should he want to do so. The 26-year-old recently renewed his contract until 2031, and has reaffirmed his desire to remain at the club, but circumstance could push him towards a move. Araujo missed the first half of the season through injury as he recovered from surgery in the summer, and since he has come back, has been unable to find his way back into the starting team under Hansi Flick. Inigo Martinez, who will remain at the club next season too, and Pau Cubarsi have been preferred by the German manager. So far this season, Araujo has played just 20 times, accumulating 1,266 minutes, with just 14 starts. It is notable too that Araujo did not start in the semi-finals or final of the Copa del Rey clashes, and in the knockout stages of the Champions League, he has started two of the four games, but in both cases there were mitigating factors in terms of suspension to Pau Cubarsi and saving Martinez from a suspension in the semi-finals during the second leg against Borussia Dortmund. Photo by Felipe Mondino/SOPA Images/LightRocket Following news that Bayern Munich have renewed their interest in Araujo, Sport also note that Juventus and Chelsea are also keen on Araujo. Like Bayern Munich, they are also keen on Dean Huijsen of Bournemouth, but the Barcelona man could be an alternative. In the first 15 days of July, when the transfer market opens, Araujo will be available for just €65m. The variables in the equation of Araujo's future are Barcelona's plans. It is not yet clear whether the Blaugrana would rather sell Araujo now and bring in Jonathan Tah as a free agent this summer, as appeared to be the case in January. They may prefer to hold onto the younger Araujo, with no clear long-term partner for Cubarsi once Martinez, 33, leaves the club.
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
FC Barcelona Wins Record 32nd Copa Del Rey Title Against Real Madrid
FC Barcelona won the Copa del Rey title against Real Madrid. FC Barcelona won a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title on Saturday by beating bitter rival Real Madrid 3-2 in a thrilling final that required extra time. Barca went 1-0 ahead through midfielder Pedri, who, with help from a Pau Cubarsi that had pulled off a masterful block near his penalty area, started the move through a long ball. Lamine Yamal held things up in Madrid's box, and then laid off a cool diagonal pass for Pedri that was fired into Thibaut Courtois' top corner. Deep into the second half, Kylian Mbappe equalized on 70 minutes with a rare converted free kick after Frenkie de Jong brought him down via a tactical foul that consisted of tugging at the Frenchman's shirt. Aurelien Tchouameni scored a header from a corner seven minutes later, but Ferran was set up by Lamine to force extra time. With 116 minutes down on the clock, Jules Kounde was sharp when cutting a Luka Modric pass meant for a slow Brahim Diaz and firing past Courtois. Barca held on for the win, and in turn sealed a record-extending Copa del Rey title. More to follow…
