Barcelona ends preseason optimistic with team’s potential

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona stunned many within the offseason by making a number of high-profile signings regardless of enduring a troublesome scenario financially.

The membership’s ways to spice up its squad — principally by giving up future revenue so as to add new gamers now — prompted loads of doubts and criticism.

However even probably the most involved Barcelona followers can’t disguise their optimism with the workforce’s potential forward of the season that begins subsequent weekend.

The brand new signings confirmed loads of promise within the preseason that ended Sunday with a 6-0 rout of Mexican membership Pumas on the Joan Camper event on the Camp Nou.

A crowd of greater than 83,000 noticed the workforce’s high signing, Robert Lewandowski, rating his first purpose for the Catalan membership and join nicely with younger playmaker Pedri González. In addition they noticed new defender Jules Koundé make his debut, and new ahead Raphinha and returning ahead Ousmane Dembélé play nicely once more.

Barcelona additionally defeated Inter Miami, the New York Pink Bulls and Spanish rival Actual Madrid throughout its preseason, along with drawing 2-2 with Juventus.

Earlier than Sunday’s match, followers had already obtained some excellent news as president Joan Laporta stated the membership would meet the Spanish league’s truthful play necessities to register all new signings in time for the season.

“We will register all gamers,” he stated, dismissing considerations that some gamers must be left off the squad till the membership might convey in additional income.

Barcelona not too long ago offered 25% of its Spanish league tv rights for the following 25 years for practically 670 million euros ($682.1 million), and offered a 25% stake of its manufacturing hub for 100 million euros ($101.8 million). On Sunday, it performed its first recreation on the Camp Nou because it was renamed following a sponsorship and naming rights cope with Spotify.

“There is no such thing as a time to attend in soccer, there isn’t a transition season,” Laporta advised Spanish media. “We did what we have now to do to make Barcelona a reference once more.”

After a trophyless season during which it didn’t have Lionel Messi for the primary time in practically twenty years, the membership went to the market and rapidly turned the highest offseason spender in Europe.

Lewandowski arrived from Bayern Munich in a deal price practically 50 million euros ($50.9 million), whereas Raphinha got here from Leeds United for practically 60 million euros ($61.1 million) and Koundé from Sevilla for practically 50 million euros ($50.9 million).

Barcelona additionally added younger midfielder Franck Kessié and central defender Andreas Christensen, and renewed the contract of Dembélé, who had already proven throughout the preseason that he might be an essential piece within the assault of coach Xavi Hernández.

The workforce’s offense additionally has proficient teen Ansu Fati, Dutch worldwide Memphis Depay, Danish worldwide Martin Braithwaite and Spanish worldwide Ferran Torres. Within the midfield, it nonetheless has the likes of Gavi Páez and Pedri, who scored each of his targets in opposition to Pumas off assists by Lewandowski.

“This Barça is horrifying,” stated a headline by the Marca sports activities day by day on Monday.

“Spectacular,” stated the front-page headline of the Sport newspaper, on high of a Lewandowski photograph.

The Camp Nou is predicted to be packed once more for the workforce’s league debut on Saturday in opposition to Rayo Vallecano, when one other good efficiency would additional assist Laporta make his case that the membership’s excessive spending will finally be justified.

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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