Barcelona thrashed Celta Vigo to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals | BBC
Lionel Messi scored twice in the opening 15 minutes as Barcelona thrashed Celta Vigo to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
A weakened Barca side drew the first leg 1-1 last week. But they named a stronger line-up for the home game, and Messi swept in twice from Jordi Alba crosses. The Argentine then set up Alba to slide home a goal, Luis Suarez scored from Pione Sisto’s poor back-pass and Ivan Rakitic headed a late fifth. More here.
What will Coutinho add to Barcelona? Offloading struggles and Isaiah Cambron interview [TBPod56]
Listen to Francesc and Dan debating where Coutinho fits in the current Barcelona squad, what he brings to Valverde’s team and what his signing means for club finances and future success. We are then joined by the brilliant Isaiah Cambron from Barcelona Football Blog. The show ends with La Ronda of Quick-Fire Listener Questions.
OFFICIAL: Yerry Mina joins Barcelona from Palmeiras for 11.8 million euros | Sport
Barça had an option to sign Yerry Mina for €9 million in the summer but in the end had to pay an additional €2.8 million to bring the deal forward, with €600,000 due to a dispute over formation rights between Palmeiras and Mina’s fomer club Santa Fe.
“FC Barcelona and Palmeiras have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Yerry Mina for the remainder of the season and five more until June 30, 2023,” the Catalan club said in a statement. The cost of the transfer is 11.8 million euros and the termination clause is 100 million.” More here.
The Messi-Alba partnership continues to thrive | Marca
It’s no secret that the 2017/18 campaign has brought out the very best of the partnership between Barcelona‘s Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, however, the pair took their success to new heights on Thursday in a 15 minute spell which saw them contribute three goals.
Messi has scored seven goals from an Alba assist already this season, conversely the Spanish international has now scored twice from a pass from his teammate. More here.
Barca must sell after Coutinho, Mina arrivals but bargaining position is weak | ESPN
Not that bringing in Coutinho and Mina was easy. Liverpool forced them to wait six months and then spend €160 million on the former. It made the Brazilian the third most expensive player on the planet, despite the fact, as good as he is, he’s not anywhere near being one of the best three players in the world at the moment.
Even Palmeiras, who had a long-standing agreement to sell Colombian international defender Mina to Barca for €9m in the summer, managed to wrangle an additional €2.8m out of the La Liga leaders. That’s pennies in the current market but it’s also a sign that clubs can often dictate the negotiations when Barca come calling for their star performers. More here.
Barça’s Arda Turan on way back to Istanbul after talks with Barcelona | Hurriyet
Turkish Super League leader Istanbul Başaksehir has said it is in talks with Barcelona to bring midfielder Arda Turan back to his home country, after a disappointing spell at the Camp Nou.
“The process is continuing. I don’t think there is any problem with him but this part of the talks with Barcelona is not easy,” Başakşehir head coach Abdullah Avcı told the Turkish media on Jan. 10. “I am feeling positive. We have agreed in principle on many issues but there are still some steps that need to be taken.” More here.
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The Barcelona Podcast is brought to you by Francesc Tomas (as seen in ESPN, The Guardian) and Dan Hilton (Barcablog). Listen in for the hottest breaking stories from the Camp Nou!
