Barcelona’s next six fixtures after La Liga opener against Getafe

Whether it is all the way down to the ceaseless calls for of their expectant fanbase or the inflexible necessities of La Liga’s accountants, Barcelona can’t afford a season of transition.

The membership could also be shifting away from their residence for the primary time in six a long time and filling yawning chasms left by the departure of a number of hulking figures, together with captain Sergio Busquets and the enigmatic winger Ousmane Dembele, however Xavi Hernandez’s job stays unchanged; win all of it.

After a La Liga opener against Getafe on Sunday night time, here is what lies forward for Barcelona within the coming marketing campaign.

It’s protected to say that Xavi sees the sport another way to Cadiz’s head coach Sergio. Barcelona’s boss is open about his obsession with possession. “It’s clear to me my team has to control the ball,” he as soon as stated, “I suffer when I don’t have it.”

No crew in La Liga tried fewer passes than Cadiz final season. Barcelona will definitely dominate the ball for his or her first aggressive fixture at their new residence in Montjuic next Sunday, however will they put it within the internet? (Probably.)

Quique Setien is one other possession addict, preaching from the altar of Johan Cruyff with such enthusiasm that he talked his approach into briefly turning into Barcelona supervisor in 2020.

Unai Emery’s alternative at Villarreal final time period earned only one level fewer than Real Madrid throughout his 27 league video games in cost. After dropping two star forwards within the type of Nicolas Jackson (to Chelsea) and Samu Chukwueze (AC Milan), it stays to be seen if the Yellow Submarine can rediscover their type.

Barcelona journey to Osasuna’s famed El Sadar stadium simply three days after the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off.

Last season’s shock package deal in seventh place and likewise reached the Copa del Rey ultimate – the place they have been overwhelmed by Real Madrid. Barcelona may encounter a crew driving excessive as they embark upon their first group stage of a European competitors since 2006/07.

READ THE LATEST BARCELONA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP

Real Betis have been a weird anomaly final season; regardless of committing the second-fewest fouls in La Liga, Manuel Pellegrini’s aspect collected a league-high 15 purple playing cards.

In each of Betis’ matches with Barcelona final time period, the Seville outfit ended the competition with simply ten gamers. Xavi’s aspect, by comparability, recorded extra fouls than Betis however solely acquired six purple playing cards.

Xavi loved outstanding success within the Champions League as a participant however has repeatedly come unstuck within the competitors throughout his embryonic managerial profession.

After consecutive group-stage exits, Barcelona merely must advance to the knockout levels. Winning La Liga ensures that the Catalans are in Pot 1 for the draw and so keep away from some other European champion. However, Xavi may nonetheless come up against certainly one of Manchester United, Inter, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Porto or Arsenal.

Gabri Veiga was already a goal for quite a few European golf equipment earlier than he single-handedly hauled Celta Vigo to security on the ultimate day of the La Liga season in June.

Two Veiga objectives against the freshly topped league champions have been sufficient to earn Celta three treasured factors and safe the membership’s top-flight standing for another season. Veiga could have declared his love for Celta on the ultimate whistle that day however few anticipated him to stay round after the summer season.

Veiga began the primary match of the season on Celta’s bench however could not nonetheless be a part of the membership by the point they journey to Catalonia in September after the switch window has closed.

On this week’s version of Talking Transfers, a part of the 90min podcast community, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to debate the ever-changing Moises Caicedo saga, Harry Kane’s transfer to Bayern Munich and extra! 

If you may’t see this embed, click on right here to hearken to the podcast!