Just over a decade ago, Spanish football was in the midst of its greatest-ever era. Firstly under Luis Aragonés and then under Vicente Del Bosque, Las Rojas romped to back-to-back European Championships, with a first and only World Cup success sandwiched in the middle. And that success was built off the back of one club, FC Barcelona.

Back in 2008, Luis Aragonés led a new-look Spanish side to Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. Out went the old guard such as Real Madrid legend Raul and in came a wealth of younger technical players, including the likes of Cesc Fabregas and David Silva. But the jewel in the Spanish crown was of course the Catalonian duo of Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

With that pairing creating opportunity after opportunity in central midfield as well as David Villa and Fernando Torres feasting on a glut of service, Spain lifted the trophy for the first time since 1964. Aragonés left his post on a high at the end of the tournament and was replaced by Del Bosque, who continued the Atletico Madrid legend's incredible work.

Spain’s Rise Coincides with The Blaugrana Under Pep Guardiola

Just as Del Bosque was taking up the reigns with the national team, Barcelona also had a new man at the helm. A man that goes by the name of Pep Guardiola.

The club's former captain also helped usher in a new era in Spanish football. Out went two of Barcelona’s most decorated players, Ronaldinho and Deco, and in came opportunities for younger talent, with Lionel Messi of course being the spearhead.

In Guardiola’s first season in charge in the Nou Camp, his side swept all before them, winning all six competitions available to them in the year of 2009, including the first treble in the history of Spanish football. Two years later, they would win the Champions League again, with Spanish La Masia graduates Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Pedro, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol integral to the club's success.

As well as that, Guardiola also implemented a tiki-taka style similar to what Aragonés employed with the national team, with emphasis placed on technical ability rather than pace and power. The results were immediate, and it wasn’t just Barcelona that would reap the rewards.

Spain would go on to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with Iniesta firing home a 116th-minute winner in Johannesberg to down the Netherlands. And in that Soccer City Stadium showpiece, all six of Barca’s academy products started.

Spain At Qatar 2022

12 years on from Spain’s finest hour, current boss Luis Enrique is looking to implement the same Barcelona-centric tactics. Enrique of course led the Catalonians to their second-ever treble in 2015 however, that success was heavily reliant on a front three of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. The current Spanish team has no such luxuries.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer lines don’t favor Spain’s chances to lift the trophy in Qatar. Instead, that honor went to the likes of Brazil and the reigning champions of France. But not for long.

Just as Aragones did back in 2008, Enrique has had to usher in a new era for the Spain team. Gone are the glory days of Torres, Villa, Iniesta and Xavi, instead new diamonds must be found. And the former Barca boss has found them at the place he knows best, La Masia.

Enrique has handed debuts to a number of Barcelona’s youngest stars such as Pedri and Gavi, with the latter being barely 18 years of age. In fact, he was aged just 17 years and 62 days when he made his international debut last October. But the risk his manager took when gambling on his ability has already paid off.

In Spain’s opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they romped to a 7-0 victory over Costa Rica, with Gavi becoming the youngest scorer at the World Cup since Pele back in 1958. And just as was the case with Spain’s golden generation, this current squad is built around the stockpile of talent at Camp Nou. Barcelona stars Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Jordi Alba and Ferran Torres all started that victory - as well as the 1-1 draw with Germany days later - with an additional three on the bench, namely Ansu Fati, Alejandro Balde and Eric Garcia.

How far the Spanish go in the desert remains to be seen. A last-16 tie with any one of Belgium, Croatia or Morocco will await in the second round, with tournament favourites Brazil awaiting in the quarterfinals.

But this young Spain side under Luis Enrique shouldn’t fear anyone. They reached the semifinals of last year's European Championships, only to be downed by Italy on penalties when they had been the better team for long periods. They have also reached back-to-back UEFA Nations League Finals.

And with Brazil’s shining light - Neymar - sidelined with an ankle injury, Spain could go on and do the unthinkable again this winter.

How successful will be Xavi's side this Season? Will they be able to remain at the top of La Liga when the Season draws to an end?

FC Barcelona had a rather confusing season so far this season. They strangely find themselves at the top of the La Liga summit during the winter break. It's been some time since they have become the winter Champions. But at the same time, they find themselves out of Europe's Most Prestigious Competition - UEFA Champions League; and that too in a rather disastrous fashion. And they also lost the First Clasico in a similar way against the Current Champions.

Despite all these most of the bookies have Barcelona as their top target to win La Liga this season. But in reality how good is Barcelona's odds of gaining silverware, that too the most prestigious one in Spain this season?

How Good has been Xavi's Side this Season?

Just like the Season has unfolded so far, the team's performance also had a see-saw nature throughout the season so far. It never was disappointing and showed a great glimpse of the team which could emerge as the World beater in a season or so. But at the same time, in the biggest battles, the team has shown nerves which will hold them back as the World Winner. Kind of an Oxymoron isn't it?

That's been the case with Xavi at Barcelona for the last two seasons. He has justified everyone on their choice of selecting him as the head coach. But when it comes to the biggest of matches, he has also shown a kind of nerves which has affected his decision-making. One of the prime examples would be using of Alonso in these Champions League matches.

Alonso was a good backup option, but drafting him into the team straight away was a stupid choice. That too when the tea hasn't played with him. It appears his confidence in Balde and the youngster wilted when he was under the pressure. Similarly with a host of decisions.

One of the baffles would be the insistence on playing 4-3-3 and not trying a variation of that. With the kind of youngsters he has in his kitty, his core strength would be his ability to experiment. The team still hasn't found a clear-cut identity and establishing that would be Xavi's most significant task.

If he managed to do that, Barcelona could be quite successful this season. That success could catapult further success in coming seasons, both in Spain and Europe. The fans have been eagerly waiting for that.

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Barcelona joins Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in Group C, which is the Group to watch out for in this season's Champions League.

If Xavi was hoping to catch a break in his second year, all hopes were dashed with last night's Champions League draw. Barcelona has been drawn in Group C, which is considered the group of death in this season. Barcelona is joined by Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Viktoria Plzeň in the Group.

Barcelona is on the path of revival and this pairing ideally should not scare us. But in all honesty, we all were wishing for a lesser tough group. That would have eased the season, but now we have to be on our toes every moment. There is no room for complacency and mistakes in this Group for any side. Even the simplest of mistakes could cost dear.

Barcelona should Top the Group

I would consider it as a letdown if we fail to top the group here. Maybe many will put Bayern favourite here, but this Barcelona side is emerging to be a tougher unit. Without any doubt, the topper will be from either one of these teams but the Catalan side remains the favourite to top it. The draw schedule literally could have a huge impact on all this.

With the World Cup scheduled to start in November, the National team players from Inter, Bayern and Barcelona would feel like been undone. They were hoping not to have to fight high-intensity competition before the World cup. That would be difficult now. The German national team, the Spanish National team especially will be considering this drawing bad timing.

Apart from Group C, most of the other Groups could see tame affairs. Group B could be considered interesting with Porto, Atletico, Leverkusen and Brugge. All other groups are relatively straight forward and one can accurately could predict who all will qualify.

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of the current FIFA Player of the Year, Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich for 45 Million.

Robert Lewandowski has finally become a Barcelona player, or at least once he completes the medical which is just a formality. This has to be the most high-profile signing Barcelona did in a couple of seasons.

This seriously improves Xavi's attacking arsenal. The Polich maestro guarantees tons of goals even if he may be on his way down. This also improves Barcelona's marketing image, which was lacking a star to pin their campaign on.

With Lewandowski coming in, suddenly the midfield of Pedri and Gavi could become much more potent. They have two guys to supply now in Aubameyang and Lewandowski. Currently, Barcelona has got Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele, Ferran Torres, Braithwaite and Memphis Depay. Now Barcelona has to work full-time to sell some of these guys and get some cash in hand.

Xavi would have hoped for some reinforcement and a proper settling of his team. But the reality is quite different. Chaos could be the only constant at Barcelona!

What Xavi has done with this Barcelona side last season or half a season has been quite remarkable. Many pundits considered his appointment a foolish one. Others considered it a very risky move, especially from Xavi's point of view. He was given nothing new and inherited a very dysfunctional set of players and a team which was playing without any passion.

Xavi but did wonder with that kind of a team. The very fact that this team became a passionate one was a testimonial of what Xavi brought to the club - Identity and Passion. The results were secondary, and to some extent, everyone was surprised with Barcelona finishing second. Remember, we were thinking about not qualifying for Europe at all when he arrived!

But he managed the team and the limited resource with absolute brilliance. The match against Real Madrid was the highlight, which showcased the potential of the youngsters in the side. The way our midfield schooled Modric and company was quite a spectacle. That had raised the odds of Barcelona in La Liga for this season. As per Online Sports Betting Malaysia, they still are the second favourite to win the title.

This season he was expected to be finally given a chance to strengthen his squad. At least that was what was promised to him by the President and the company. But none of that looks like happening this season. His best bet will be finding a suitor for De Jong, and then using that cash to sign some players. Still, it's not clear whether La Liga will allow Barcelona to sign any players.

He most probably may have to work with the same squad he had last season. The return of Ansu Fati maybe even be his future lies in serious doubt. The arrival of Lewandowski and others remains as a pipe dream as ever.

Regardless of all these, once the season starts we expect Xavi to work his magic. That's because he made Barcelona a watchable unit once again. With the resources he has at his disposal we hope him to make a reasonable challenge to the title. But above all, we are all guaranteed to be entertained by his brand of football.

The Dutch Midfielder could be joining his former Manager at Manchester United soon.

With the arrival of Erik ten Hag in Manchester United, the future of Frankie De Jong at Barcelona was numbered. His potential transfer tothe Manchester side was a blessing in disuise for both the club, both struggling in the mess of their own making

As I explained in the last article, the exit of Frankie De Jong could be the most important task to be achieved at Barcelona in this transfer season. The financial situation of Barcelona is in such a mess that the only option of raising some money is to sell the beloved Dutchman. As per SGOnlineCasino, the odds of Dutch man joining Man U is very high.

De Jong could be the Key for Ten Hag at Man U!

Manchester United fans has been pretty ecstatic with the arrival of Ten Hag at the Club. Despite the initial Euphoria, deep within there is an acknowledgement of the lackof personels who fit into the Coach's playing style. Most of the current rooster is incapable of playing the Total Fotball kind of play which Ten Hag is sure to demand.

In this back drop, De Jong becomes the most important piece of the puzzle. He could be the key which makes an average midfield into one of the most promising and efficient one. For De Jong who may have went down the pecking order at Barcelona, this could be a welcome change. He could be the pivot on which a future Manchester United midfield could be formed.

A €65M Price Tag agreed for De Jong?

If the latest rumours is to be believed, there is a initial agreement between Manchester United and Barcelona for a price tag of €65 Million forthe transfer of player. The rumours and the rumoured price tag appears to be quite believable. Barcelona would have liked a higher price tag, but considering the kind of situation they are in, even this price is fine.

Barcelona also could be vary of pushing too much. They desperately don't want this deal to fall down at any cost!

Frankie De Jong looks like the only option Barcelona have got to raise money this summer. Even though it will complicate their plans, keeping him at the club this season may not be an option at all.

If necessity is the mother of invention, urgency is the uncle of change.Nell Scovell

Urgency, that's the catchword at Barcelona at the moment. Everything we do is driven not only by necessity but also by the "urgency of that necessity". It may sound confusing, but then confusion has been the state of Affairs in Barcelona for more than a year.

No Club has been hit hard by the Pandemic like Barcelona. From being one of the biggest powerhouses in World Football, Barcelona has been reduced to an average player on the global stage. Many of the fans and Club's supporters will blame the Pandemic, but in their inner self, they also agree that it was just a trigger. Everything that happened before it was the real cause of the rot.

La Liga makes it Difficult for Barcelona

The rumour mills have never stopped at Barcelona for so long. Remember, the stories of the numerous signings we were going to make once the transfer window opens! Turns out, that none of them was true. Maybe the fans should reconcile to the fact that the team they had last season could be their only hope coming next season.

Barcelona was hoping to obtain a degree of good measure leverage from La Liga authorities considering the big cuts they made last season. But Tebas and his board will have none of that. So the bottom line is as described by Laporta "We were practically Dead last season, we are better this season, but is still in Intensive Care".

Why does Barcelona need to Sell De Jong?

None of the big-name/small-name signings which were making news a few weeks earlier can be made without raising the money for it and getting the wage system in control. The biggest problem for Barcelona is as in last season, they are stuck with a lot of players on high wages which they don't want but will not leave. They don't have the money to terminate their contract right now. And most of them have no suitors who could vie for their service, which spells out why they are holding on to the Barcelona job.

Frankie De Jong, is a rare deviation from the aforementioned. Once billed as the pivot on which Barcelona's midfield for the future will be built remains still a main player in the squad. But with the arrival of Pedri and Gavi, the club could be thinking about letting him go if they get a good enough price.

That's the biggest point also, De Jong is the one player at the moment who evokes interest in the transfer market. Especially, with the arrival of Ten Haag at Machester United, the expectation is that the Manchester Club will try to get him to England. That means a good price tag ensured for Barcelona.

If Barcelona sells De Jong, it may create a future problem for Barcelona, especially when Busquets retire. De Jong was billed as a natural replacement for Busquets, but with the state of affairs at Barcelona, staying alive currently is the biggest task; the future is nowhere in sight.

One criticism that was levelled heavily against Xavi in his short span as a manager is that his team never won against a top team. He and his boys changed that spectacularly last night with a mind-blowing performance.

Xavi got his first victory against a top side at the Camp Nou with a 4-2 drubbing of Atletico Madrid last night. Goals from Alba, Gavi, Araujo and Dani Alves secured Barcelona the victory, which takes them to the top four in the table for the first time.

The performance lays rest to the many doubts people had about this team's ability to win big games and also to qualify for Champions League next season. The new signings all did well, especially Traore who was playing with a purpose, something Dembele never managed to do in his entire career.

Barcelona started with the 4-3-3 formation with a front three of Gavi, Torres and Traore. The midfield had De Jong, Busquets and Pedri. The defense had the ageless Dani Alves, Pique, Araujo and Alba. It seems Xavi has zeroed on to this formation to get all three of De Jong, Pedri and Gavi playing at the same time.

A Bolt at Start against Run of Play

As expected, Barcelona were quick off the block. They drove forward with purpose but one has to admit with so many new players in the line-up it was going to be a struggle. They were struggling a bit to put the final ball, but the most inspiring thing was to see them move forward. The passing and zip were back to Barcelona.

But then against the run of play, Atletico Madrid went ahead with a finish which we once expected Ter Stegan to save. That Ter Stegand has left the station for good. For a moment we all feared whether the recent times' issues are popping back where Xavi boys do well with the ball, but fails to create something substantial.

Barcelona was shocked a bit by going behind against the run of play but was not going to lay down. They came back with more purpose and equalized within a minute via Jordi Alba's excellent volley. That would be a goal that will be the contender for the 'Goal of the Season'.

That goal meant Barcelona was keener to establish their superiority. In the 22nd minute, Traore got past his marker on the right before sending an excellent cross into the middle which was met by Gavi making it 2-1.

Atletico Madrid had their moments throughout the match, especially with this Barcelona who is not only not defensively organized but also have too many new personals. Still, Barcelona held on and increased the lead to 3-1 in the 43rd minute when Araujo latched on to a rebound in the box.

A See-Saw Second Half in Offer

Soon from restart Barcelona increased the lead to 4-2 with a spectacular finish by Dani Alves. It was a classic movie from the prime Barcelona where Alba squared the ball from left, Gavi made the dummy and Alves finished in the centre. It appeared Barcelona would run riot in the rest of the match instead another twist awaited.

In the 58th minute Saurez got one back for Atletico and we all started to worry whether the second-half collapse which is so typical with Xavi's side so far this season has started or not? Those fears were magnified when Dani Alves was given a straight harsh red card. But Barcelona held on to the scoreline to start February spectacularly.

Viewed from any angle, the decision regarding Ousmane Demebel's future at Barcelona is a very simple one to take. A decision which would have taken a long time ago, even a school kid could have realized that. It appears that's a huge task for FC Barcelona management!

FC Barcelona continues to suprime us all! The ability to create newsworthy items out of rather Innocuous daily affairs surprises us all. The ability of Barcelona management to shoot itself on its foot is jaw-dropping. There is no explanation for this incredible phenomenon.

We are not talking about the earth-shattering news of Messi's departure or Griezmann's departure or Xavi's arrival. Instead what surprises is the ongoing saga of Ousmane Dembele's renewal at Barcelona. There is one logical decision regarding his renewal - his exit, something the Club failed to see the whole time!

No One can Understand the Reasons why Barcelona want to renew Dembele!

Dembele's record arrival to Barcelona was a knee-jerk reaction to Neymar's arrival. Due to that, there was a huge section of fans who wanted Dembele to succeed big time at Barcelona. It was their urge to prove that losing Neymar was no big thing that drove them collectively behind the Frenchman. That huge backing was the reason why there was always hope in a rather hopeless situation with Dembele.

Dembele spent more time on the medical table than on the playing field. If there is a player who never improved on his game at Barcelona, Dembele wins that award hands down. He was all about pace and after that, it was like picking a lottery. Mostly the final product will end up in row Z, or somewhere no other players are there and occasionally at the back of the net.

So it surprised everyone when we saw Barcelona re-opening negotiations with Demebele's team for renewal. There was no logic behind this move. It appears that Barcelona's desperation to have one hopeful superstar to improve its brand image was the driving force behind this. With Messi and Griezmann went, there was no across the nation stars for Barcelona. They were desperately hoping the Frenchman turns out to be one in the end.

Dembele's demands were astronomical. He wanted the new deal to help him earn 100 Million every year. Wow, simply wow. There is no way other than to describe this. Maybe this time Dembele has pushed his luck a bit too far. There are reports of the negotiation breaking down.

But with Barcelona, there is no guarantee. They have an uncanny ability to turn a situation that favours them into an unfavourable one in a flash. The logical decision the club could take is a simple one - sell Dembele to anyone who is ready to take him; if not possible release him. But there is no history in the recent past of Barcelona being capable of making simple, sensible and correct decisions!

With the January transfer window fast approaching, many club chairmen and head of recruitment will be looking at their squads, to see which positions need adding to. It can be a difficult time to find players at a reasonable price, but those who are desperate to improve their form will happily pay whatever is necessary, to make sure they get the players they require.

Just as each match has its own set of odds, once a transfer rumour is announced, many soccer fans will look for the betting odds to see how likely it is that a player's transfer will actually happen.

Barcelona are one side that are looking to add to their roster, which will have sports betting fans excited to check the odds for. They will be using their sports odds app to see if a certain player is odds on to make the move to Catalonia, or if it is just wild rumours circulating, trying to excite particularly gullible bettors. As soon as it strikes midnight on January the 1st, those soccer bettors who aren’t out celebrating the beginning of 2022 will be looking at their betting apps, to see if/when a signing is confirmed.

So, who exactly is it that FC Barcelona are looking to sign? Given their poor form in both La Liga and the Champions League this year, you’d imagine quite a few players! The one they’d most like to sign is former player Lionel Messi, who they have severely missed this season. However, given he has only just joined PSG, there aren’t any sportsbooks offering odds on this transfer actually happening.

Therefore, let’s look at some of the players who are more likely to join Barca, and also discuss how likely these moves are to happen.

Ferran Torres

One area that Barca are particularly short in is at the top of the pitch, where in the last 6 months they have not only lost Messi, but also Antoine Greizmann. Sergio Aguero was signed from Manchester City to fill in the gap, but he only managed a handful of games before he was forced to retire, due to a previously undiagnosed heart condition It was a real shame for both him and the Barcelona fans, as they never got to see the best of a truly phenomenal player.

So, who are Barcelona and their manager Xavi Hernandez looking to bring in to fill the gap? The frontrunner in the betting market is another Manchester City player, the Spanish forward Ferran Torres. Torres only joined City in 2020, but has failed to make an impact under Pep Guardiola (the former Barcelona player and manager) so appears set on a move away from the Etihad. Stories of Torres joining Barca have been circulating for a while, but in recent days it appears to have progressed from possible to very likely. Some sportsbooks are offering odds as low as 1/2 , which would suggest it is almost certain to happen. Barcelona will be hoping he is fit and back to his best as quickly as possible, as Torres has missed most of the season through injury.

Edison Cavani

Another striker that Barcelona are interested in is the Uruguayan Edison Cavani. Cavani spent many years at PSG, before signing for Manchester United in 2020. He has played well for the English side, but following the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford, he has dropped down the pecking order, and has struggled for playing time.

Moving to Spain could be a good choice for Cavani, who still has a lot to offer as a goalscorer, despite turning 35 in February. Barcelona are the oddsmakers favourite to seal his signature, with odds of 6/4, ahead of Newcastle United, New York City FC and Boca Juniors, who are all at 14/1. Fans would be more than happy to see him play at Camp Nou, and to hopefully score at the same sort of regularity that he managed during his time in Paris.

Cesar Azpilicueta

It is not just in attack that Barcelona are looking to sign players, as their defensive roster could also do with a few additions. One such player who is on their radar is Cesar Azpilicueta, the Chelsea captain. He is a versatile player, capable of playing right-back, right wing-back or on the right side of three man defence.

Chelsea fans would be loathed to see him go, as he has been a fan favourite for many years, helping them to Premier League titles and Champions League glory. However, he hasn’t played too much this season, with Chelsea boss preferring Reece James to the Spaniard. Given Chelsea are the 3rd favourites to win the Premier League at 12/1, it appears that Azpilicueta is a player they could afford to lose.

His signing to Barcelona would make sense, and would be a popular addition. Let’s keep an eye out on the news and the latest odds, to see how likely it is to happen this January.

source: @FCBarcelona | Twitter

FC Barcelona will be competing in Europe’s second club competition for the first time in 17 years in February, following the humiliating exit from the Champions League group stage earlier this season.

The Blaugrana needed a miracle in their final group game to progress to the knockout stages of the continent’s premier club competition, but barely fired a shot in anger against Bayern Munich and were dumped out by a second 3-0 loss to the German champions.

However it was the two results against Portuguese outfit Benfica - their rivals for the runners-up spot - that cost them dearly. A three-goal defeat in Lisbon on matchday two was followed by, on matchday five in a must-win tie, a goalless draw at Camp Nou to effectively end a long stint in the competition.

The one-goal victories against wooden spoons Dynamo Kyiv in-between proved meaningless. It was a dreadful group stage campaign for the club as they scored just two goals across their six matches and suffered three defeats by three goal margins.

The last time the team were dispatched in the group stage of Europe’s elite premier competition coincided with the first season Lionel Messi made his bow (2003-04 season) alongside a certain midfield maestro, Xavi Hernandez.

A steady change in fortunes

source: 90min.com

It became clear very quickly that things will take time to improve for the returning Xavi, now in his new role of dictating his teams play from the dugout as head coach. Speaking after the Champions League exit, which puts Barca into the competition now known as the Europa League for the first time ever since its evolution from the UEFA Cup, he spoke of the start of a new phase for success.

I said the same to the players, today a new phase must begin, we need to bounce back because Barcelona does not deserve to be where we are now. I say to the fans that we will work hard, that I love this club, I care about it and that we will work hard to bring Barcelona back where it belongs.Xavi Henandez

Xavi has watched over three unbeaten La Liga matches since that Champions League nadir last month, although it has been more of a ‘slow and steady’ new phase rather than something dramatic.

Away draws against Osasuna (2-2) and ten-man Sevilla (1-1) came either side of a thrilling 3-2 victory over lowly Elche at Camp Nou with a crop of young talent having been thrown into a rebranded team to try to make their mark.

22-year old Ferran Jutgla and Gavi - already a key playmaker at just 17 years of age - both found the net in that win to put Barca into a commanding first half lead. But Elche hit back in the second half and it took 19-year old substitute Nico Gonzalez to rescue a late win, having also scored in the draw in Pamplona.

Now Xavi will be calling on the new breed to show that they can help his side progress to the latter stages of the Europa League, starting with a tough test over two legs against Italian giants Napoli in the new “play-off round” of the competition.

New format freshens up the Europa

The format of the Europa League changed this year - all eight group stage winners of the competition have automatically progressed through to the round of 16 and will wait to see who they face next.

Meanwhile, the eight teams who finished runners-up in the group stage have been drawn against the eight third-placed sides from the Champions League group stage (including Barca) who dropped down into the competition.

Barca are one of four La Liga teams to enter at this round and have been drawn against arguably the toughest opponent they could have faced in Napoli. The Italians finished second in their group behind Spartak Moscow on head-to-head record and currently in the top three of their domestic league.

The first ever play-off round fixtures look like this:

• Sevilla (ESP) vs Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

• Atalanta (ITA) vs Olympiakos (GRE)

• RB Leipzig (GER) vs Real Sociedad (ESP)

• Barcelona (ESP) vs Napoli (ITA)

• Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) vs Real Betis (ESP)

• Borussia Dortmund (GER) vs Rangers (SCO)

• Sheriff (MDA) vs Braga (POR)

• FC Porto (POR) vs Lazio (ITA)

Barca have endured a terrible campaign so far on both the domestic and European fronts and there is a tough field just to make it through to the round of 16. Despite that, Barca are up as third favourites to win the entire competition at 9/1. You can browse the best sportsbook bonus options to maximize any bets on that outcome happening.

They are only ranked below Borussia Dortmund (6/1) and longstanding competition regular finalists and winners Sevilla (8/1) to claim the trophy in May. The latter have enough history in this competition to make those odds look like a great pick, and all three sides are involved in the new play-off round having all dropped down from the Champions League.

Another such team, Atalanta, are next at 10/1 whilst the highest-ranked teams in the odds to win the competition that started the season in it are West Ham United at 12/1, Barca’s play-off opponents Napoli at 16/1, Lyon at 20/1 and Bayer Leverkusen way out at 21/1.

Of the other two clubs from Spain, Sevilla’s city rivals Real Betis can be backed at 35/1 whilst Real Sociedad are at 33/1 - both teams are currently flying high in the La Liga standings and will hope any progress in the Europa League does not harm their Champions League ambitions for next season.

Will history repeat itself?

Barca have of course spent the majority of their recent history at the business end of the European Cup/Champions League which they have won five times, but they have never lifted the UEFA Cup/Europa League trophy, coming closest in 2000/01 when they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Liverpool.

The last time they featured in the UEFA Cup, three seasons later, ended in a shock 1-0 aggregate defeat to Scotland’s Glasgow Celtic in the round of 16. They lost the first leg at Celtic Park before struggling to a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou with Xavi heavily involved in both legs of the defeat.

Here is the team that played in the fateful second leg:

Victor Valdes; Michael Reiziger, Carles Puyol, Oleguer, Phillip Cocu; Xavi, Gerard Lopez, Gabri, Luis Enrique; Luis Garcia, Ronaldinho. Substitutes: Rafael Marquez, Sergio Garcia, Marc Overmars.

source: Goal.com

Now in the dugout hotseat Xavi will be hoping the youngest squad in decades can take the team further this time around than the talented and experienced side that surrounded him 17 years ago.

The first leg of the play-off round takes place at Camp Nou on 17.02 before the return meeting in Naples on 24.02. This season’s final will be held in Spain at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium, the home of six-time record winners Sevilla.

For many years, soccer fans have enjoyed the thrills and excitements that La Liga has to offer. In the last few seasons alone, we have seen Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona win the league, each with very strong sides who looked like they would go on to dominate for some time. Thankfully, soccer isn’t that predictable, with all of these sides having experienced dips in form.

Barcelona are in one right now, having started the season very poorly. They are now on their winter break, and soccer bettors will be taking time to evaluate the Catalan’s sides odds in their coming fixtures in January.

Many sports betting fans are always looking at what the different sportsbooks have to offer. Usually this relates mainly to odds and betting markets, but recently it also concerns deposit options. With the rise of cryptocurrency over the past few years, many bettors are looking for sportsbooks that accept Bitcoin, as they look to use this instead of more traditional currencies to bet with. We predict that the trend to bet with Bitcoin, or other similar cryptos, will only increase in the coming years, so most online sportsbooks will have to diversify and adapt to their customers' requirements, as we see it’s already happening.

As mentioned, Barcelona have just under 2 weeks off for Christmas, before their fixtures resume on the 2nd of January. To make sure you’re fully informed on the club before you bet on their match against Mallorca (currently Barca are 7/10 favourites) then read on to find out the latest news and updates coming out of Camp Nou.

Struggles in La Liga

Given that the Catalan club lost their talisman and leader Lionel Messi in the summer, it was always predicted that they would not be quite the force they once were in La Liga. Messi had for many years held the team up, dragging good performances out of his teammates who were not even close to his level. That they managed to finish in 3rd last season, and win the Copa del Rey, beating Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in the final, was testament to just how good the form of the little Argentinian was. So many fans were braced for a dip in performances when it was announced the club couldn’t renew his contract before the start of this season.

What wasn’t expected, however, was just how poor they would be. At the time of writing, they currently sit in 7th place, with just 7 wins all season. This poor form is what led Ronald Koeman to be sacked a few months ago, being replaced by Xavi. Results have improved marginally under the former Barcelona midfielder, but they are still a long way off where they should be. It is telling that their odds to win La Liga this season are now as long as 40/1, whilst their biggest rivals Real Madrid are 1/8 favourites. Xavi will have his work cut out to try and get them back to near the top of the table by the end of the season.

Europa League looms following Champions League

Barcelona’s dismal performances in La Liga were actually somehow not as bad as their showing in the Champions League, where they’ve been even worse. They were in a group with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv, so were expected to qualify for the knockout stages, even if not as group winners.

However, that was not how it transpired. They lost their opening game 3-0 at home to Bayern, and followed that up with another terrible showing against Benfica, which also ended 3-0. They did manage 2 wins against Kyiv, but couldn’t win either of their 2 final games, drawing 1-1 with Benfica, before losing again to Bayern, with the final score again 3-0. It meant they finished the group in 3rd place, so ended up dropping down into the Europa League. It is the first time since the 2003/04 season that they have dropped into the 2nd tier of European competition.

They don’t have an easy draw either, as they have to play the Italian side Napoli. They are marginal favourites in the betting stakes to qualify, with odds of 4/5 compared to Napoli’s 11/8, but few would be surprised if the Italians upset the odds, and qualified at Barcelona’s expense.

Are their financial woes actually sorted out?

Part of the reason that Barca couldn’t afford to keep Messi was because the club had debts of over £1 billion, due to years of financial mis-management.Given how huge his wages were, they had to make the difficult decision of letting him go, as they simply couldn’t afford to keep him on their books.

It seemed like they wouldn’t be able to make any significant signings for the foreseeable future, but there are stories emerging that they are in line to make several signings in the January transfer window. It seems bizarre that they could have funds available so soon, given their difficulties, but they have odds of 1/2 to sign Manchester City striker Ferran Torres, so it appears they have found some cash hiding somewhere.

Just one win in December! And with 3: 2 against Kellerkind Elche, they were actually quite happy. Hardly any club in the Primera División in Spain longed for the winter break as much as FC Barcelona. The "returnees" and a few new signings are now hoping for a good start into the new year.

It was already clear to everyone in the summer that after the fundamental upheaval at FC Barcelona (including Messi's departure!) this season, it was hardly a question of playing for the championship.

Nevertheless, especially the performances in the premier class caused plenty of disillusionment around the Nou Camp. League defeats against major national rivals Atlético and Real Madrid did the rest to make the inclined Culé feel the full implications of the end of an era.

Sportsbetting fans across the world are looking forward to see the new line-up of the team for 2022/23, with sites such as Kelbet.se offering news on bonuses and promotions for the next season.

Without the many brilliant moments of Lionel Messi, this FC Barcelona of the 2021/22 season has shrunk to the size of an ordinary team, which can be dangerous to any opponent on good days - but can also lose to almost any team on less good days.

Pedri and Fati another option for Xavi in January

Because a Pedri, for example, treated himself to the Summer Olympics as an encore after EURO2020, which was postponed by a year (also held a year later) - and from then on he was hardly seen on Spanish football fields.

The teenager played his last competitive game for Blaugrana in September. It looked only slightly better for Ansu Fati, who had already started the season with a training deficit (as a result of his meniscus tear in November 2020) and did not play a full 90 minutes in the first half of the season.

It is therefore all the more relieved for Xavi to have registered the two youngsters' progressive recovery. In Can Barça, it is expected that both can be a real option for the coach again as early as next January.

Due to the very limited financial resources, Xavi's predecessor in the coaching chair, Ronald Koeman, increasingly relied on the youngest jewels from his own offspring. And the pearls from La Masia seized their chances and sometimes even rose to be real performers (Gavi).

In fact, a potential starting eleven, consisting of ter Stegen, Alba, Piqué, Araújo, Alves, de Jong, Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Fati and Torres (with Dembélé, Depay, García and others on the bench) doesn't read too bad. The first signs that the club is on the way to its former strength and can act on equal terms with clubs like Real Madrid should then become visible at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

It has been a tough year for Barcelona – on and off the pitch. But the season is only halfway through, so what can the Camp Nou fans expect from 2022?

It has not been a good year at Barcelona

Barcelona’s (Realistic) Hopes for 2022

It is fair to say that 2021 will not go down as one that Barcelona fans look back fondly on. There has been chaos and farce behind the scenes – and the performances at the Camp Nou have not always been that much different.

We lost possibly the greatest player there has ever been due to internal and financial problems - and have recently crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage for the first time in nearly 20 years. We could be forgiven for thinking that this season should be written off. But there is still half of it to go – and there are still trophies to be won.

We are realistic here though. So read on to find out what can be expected from Barca in 2022 – and why the odds at the Vegas betting sites may well be worth a closer look.

2021 - A Year to Forget

For most Barcelona fans, the end of 2021 cannot come quickly enough. We have lost the greatest of all time, crashed out of last season’s Champions League to PSG – and then not even progressed from the group stage this season. There have been more players leaving the club in an attempt to get it back on track financially, and recently Sergio Aguero was forced to retire for health reasons.

As we near the end of the year, Barca could finish 2021 outside of the European places, let alone the Champions League spots. There is a very unhealthy gap between us and Real at the top of La Liga, and we now face the prospect of a tie against Napoli in the way of any chance of European glory. Surely things can only get better in 2022?

La Liga Hopes

Although there is still half the season still to play, even the most optimistic Barcelona fan must feel that the La Liga title is beyond us now. It is not the defeats to Atletico and Real – or even those against Rayo Vallecano and Betis – that have severely dented any hope of league glory though. It is the sheer number of draws already recorded this season.

There were five stalemates before the beginning of December – and all against sides that Barca would normally have been expected to beat. Picking up one point might be seen as better than nothing, but it is not the way to win the league. Finishing in the top four will become an absolute priority for Xavi now – and that should be attainable.

Too many points have been dropped at the Camp Nou

Can Barcelona Win in Europe?

Failing to qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League was a huge embarrassment. This is a club that was considering joining a European Super League not that long ago – and now it is unable to progress from the opening phase of the biggest club competition in Europe.

The good news here is that there is still a chance of silverware, after being transferred into the Europa League. Being paired with Napoli in the playoff round can be considered unlucky, but there are a lot of good teams in this competition this year. It will be tough, but Barcelona will be one of the favourites to win the Europa League – and that would mean automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League too.

Xavi is the Future

There were times during the Ronald Koeman reign when Barcelona fans were unsure of what they were watching. There were no discernible defensive tactics and a lack of confidence up front. Bringing in club legend Xavi as the new head coach could be the move that saves this club.

He has already identified making Barcelona feared again as task number one – and that is important. But his experience will also be crucial in guiding the likes of Pedri, Gavi and Nico through the next few seasons. There is an excellent young core of players at the club – and Xavi is the one to take them onto bigger things. Signing Haaland at the end of the season would be a great move too though!

With Xavi at helm, we have seen enough reason for hopes. But the fear still lingers around the background with the team collapsing towards the end of every match. This won't be an easy task for Xavi, and the good news is that Xavi acknowledges the same.

Barcelona moved to the 7th spot in the La Liga ranking with a 3-1 victory over Villareal. Many could be fooled thinking that the match was one-sided or at least an easy affair looking at the scoreline. Nothing could be far from the truth! Barcelona was pretty lucky to escape with three points at the end of the match.

Barcelona's new coach, Xavi Hernandez didn't hide the fact that the team got lucky last match. He also acknowledged that times will be tough and these tough times will decide Barcelona's season this season. He was happy seeing the results of the hard work that they put in the training. Even though the results were not fully satisfactory.

With the victory over Villareal, Barcelona managed to win two consecutive league matches for the first time this season. That one statistic explains how bad a season we are having. These victories have put Barcelona back in contention for a top-four finish. As per the latest Betting Odds Barcelona is destined to secure a Champions League spot this season. For a detailed analysis of how Barcelona's odds have changed in recent weeks, head over to Betting88 for the most accurate odds analysis.

Xavi's Midfield Looks Beautiful, but Firepower Lacking Upfront

The biggest handicap Xavi has been handed out at Barcelona is the inability to sign anyone. It appears he would like some newcomers in the January window. But to be honestly assuming some big guys coming in is a utopian wish at the moment.

Xavi will still love to have some striker signing in January. At the moment, anyone will be good enough then nothing. We simply lack any firepower upfront. Depay is slotted as the striker, but his profile is more suited somewhere else. He appears to be a one-trick horse at the moment, and if the opposition does not allow him to cut inside, he simply is clueless.

The midfield looked so far good. It's a big matter, especially considering we don't have Pedri available. Gavi and Nico look pretty good and with other options should dominate even the better sides in Europe. The same cannot be said about the goal-scoring department. Right now we don't have an outlet there.

The way the midfield plays, one is forced to wonder how they would have loved to gel with Lionel Messi. Messi's departure hurt a lot now, especially seeing the midfield dominating most of the time. He would have also loved to play with the kids under Xavi. Alas, that was never meant to be!

Second Half in a Problem for Xavi

In all the matches under Xavi, we have seen a pattern emerging. Barcelona plays a fabulous first half, barring the goals. But what worries everyone si how they go back to being Koeman's Barcelona somewhere in the second half.

One have to wonder whether it's a fitness issue due to the heavy pressing. If that's the case, then all the stories about the lack of training at Barcelona could be true. If it's something else, Xavi may need to immediately address it. Some players may be slacking, and they need to cut out off the team immediately.

Lionel Messi pipped Lewandowski to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or, his 7th Ballon d'Or overall. Messi managed this feat on the back of a great triumph in the Copa America Tournament.

Barcelona Legend and Ex-Barcelona Player, Lionel Messi secured the 2021 Ballon d'Or ahead of Robert Lewandowski. In the voting, Lionel Messi secured 613 points, 33 points ahead of second-placed Lewandowski who secured 580 points. Lionel Messi's crowning comes at the back of this summer's Copa America triumph where he was a Champion, Highest Goal Scorer and Highest Assist creator.

Alexia Putellas Wins Women's Ballon D'Or

For FC Barcelona, the Ballon D'Or has arrived once again at Camp Nou. This time it's our Femini Captain Alexia Putellas who brought the Award to our home. As everyone expected, Alexia Putellas won the Woman's Ballon D'Or award for 2021. This was not any surprise after she lead Barcelona to a treble last season and now continues destroying any team which gets in front of them.

Even though Lionel Messi was the Pichichi of La Liga last season, it is safe to assume what tipped the scale in his favour is the Copa America Triumph. Copa America triumph was one of the most beloved for Lionel Messi. It was his first triumph with the National team after a lot of heartaches throughout his career.

Haters are After Lionel Messi, and We are Loving It!

The Hate is Real, The Hurt is Real. But We Are Loving It!

This triumph has hurt a lot of haters badly. They simply are losing it. In front of the line is the ESPNFC and Goal.com crew. The likes of Steve Nikol, Jan, etc. were having a complete meltdown. But one has to give it to Shaka Hislop who just demolished all of their argument. It's a must-watch for all Messi fans.

They are trying to pit anyone against Messi, to try him not to win it. The argument put forward for Jorginho is nothing short of a joke. I have already wrote about this.

Lewandowski argument have more wait, even though many of them confuse the 2020 season with their argument. He had a good Bundesliga season, but his performance with Poland in Euro left a lot for wanting. No one expected Poland to win it. But they were expected to make a case for Quarter Finals, but instead, they finished fourth behind Slovakia.

With the failure to win against Benfica, Barcelona now needs a positive result in Allianz Arena, and that may be not enough!

In the end, Barcelona has to be considered extremely lucky to be still alive in the competition, even though that hope is more or less extinguished the moment you look into the next match. Benfica, who were the second-best team for the majority of the match had a great chance to secure their passage at the end. One has to wonder whether they have to pay a huge price for that miss.

Barcelona's hopes very much lies in the hope that Dinamo Kiev will be able to win against Benfica away from home. Barcelona's last match of the group is against Bayern Munich away from home. Getting a point from that itself is going to be very tough, but Barcelona will be hoping to prevent a massacre in the first place.

Lack of Fire Power upfront made Life Difficult for Barcelona

Let's be honest, the performance by Barcelona was really good for most of the matches. Obviously, in a lineup filled with youngsters, the lack of experience proved a big handicap. The lack of firepower up front prevented Barcelona from making inroads and Benfica who were always playing for the draw, made life more difficult.

If one is looking for hope for the future, this performance clearly showed that. But being Barcelona is not a simple affair, you are expected to make it to the knockout rounds and that appears quite difficult now.

Bayern Munich may rest the majority of stars in the next match. But still one has to wonder whether Barcelona has the firepower to get a good result at Allianz Arena. Bayern has its share of failures in Bundesliga, especially against non-fancied sides. Hence Barcelona has hope left, but at the moment that hope hangs by a thin thread, maybe an invisible thread!

It is safe to say that Barcelona FC are having a bad time as of late, but all is not lost for them just yet. Find out more here.

Heading into the November international break, Barcelona sit in ninth spot in the table, 11 points behind Real Sociedad, who are surprisingly sitting at the top of the table, having just lost the one game all season.

They are also 11 points behind Real Madrid and Sevilla, and six points behind Atletico Madrid in 4th spot.

A Tough Season So Far

Barcelona have only won a third of their games this season and have collected just the five points from their last six matches - something you do not expect from a club as big as Barcelona. Their season got off to the worst start possible when Lionel Messi, one of the best footballers in the world, headed to pastures new - it was also going to be very difficult to replace the magical Argentinian. To add to the loss of Messi, they also had to get rid of Antoine Griezmann due to money issues.

While Barca fans will be rightfully annoyed by their team's performances this season, the bookies will be loving it as people will always be willing to bet on Barcelona because of their reputation and the huge history that they have. Despite their current poor form, which will not last forever, they are still one of the biggest clubs in the world and any bookmaker that is serious about the industry that they are in, such as those you can find at https://www.betinireland.ie/, will offer odds for everything Barcelona related.

Xavi Can Turn Things Around

Ronald Koeman was the manager of Barca for 14 months, but when you are managing such a big club, you need the results to go your way, and that just was not happening. Therefore, it came as no surprise to hear the news that Koeman was sacked as their manager. The owners brought in club legend Xavi as his replacement, and we think that he will be a great replacement for Koeman and can turn things around for the Catalan club.

So, how can he turn things around and why is he the perfect for his old club? Well, Xavi spent a staggering 17 seasons at the Nou Camp and was a product of their youth system. He is now one of their most decorated players on their history, having won no fewer than 25 trophies during his time as a player - this includes eight La Liga titles and four Champions League titles. He made 767 appearances for the club, which is a number that has only been beaten by Messi.

Xavi was a player that helped to set the high standards for Barcelona during their glory years, and he should be given time to help get them back on track. Xavi is very familiar with the ethos of the club, and he will develop and back the club's youngsters and will not commit the same public errors that Koeman did by passing comments that did not sit too well with their fanbase.

The main gripe that Barca supporters had with Koeman is the direct playing style that he had them playing - they were heavily reliant on crosses, which is not what they are known for. We are sure that Xavi will get his team playing their traditional passing-based style that has helped them to so much success in the past. Xavi's team will crave the ball, just like he did when he played - he once said in an interview that he suffers when his team does not have the ball. Koeman thought that to win a game was enough for Barcelona, but this was because he did not understand that the fans not only want to win, but they want to win in style.

Xavi has already demonstrated that he can implement this style of play as manager of Al Sadd in Qatar. He led them to the league title during his second season as their manager. They won five other trophies under Xavi, and now feels that it is time that he tried his hand as Barcelona coach.

How Barcelona Could Line Up Under Xavi?

Joan Laporta, the club President, seems to prefer the 4-3-3 system so if Xavi sticks to this, then he will have to play Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia at centre-back. Garcia has the ability to play in the midfield, while Araujo is blessed with the speed to get back quickly and stop any counterattacks. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen will play in goal, while Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest will play at left-back and right-back.

With Busquets getting on a bit, it is likely that Xavi will play Frenkie de Jong and Busquets interchangeably. Then, for the attacking flair, we are sure that he will go for Pedri and Gavi, who are two youngsters who have been very good for Barcelona this season.

Xavi will look for width through Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele on the flanks, while Manchester City's Raheem Sterling has been linked as a possible transfer target. With Sergio Aguero not being available for Barcelona because of heart issues, it leaves Xavi with no proper striker in his squad. However, Memphis Depay has proved his ability as a striker, scoring six goals and providing two assists this season, so we expect Depay to play up front.

Barca Are Not Out of the Title Race

Barca might be 11 points behind Real Sociedad and many Spanish commentators are ruling out Barca picking up any silverware this season, and they definitely do not think that Barcelona have any hope of going on to lift the La Liga title. However, we still think that it is far too early to rule out Barcelona, and this is something that Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal has stressed recently. Although he conceded that Barcelona are a lot further behind at this stage than he could have imagined, he has far too much respect for his rivals to completely rule them out of staging a comeback.

In the end, there was no anger or bitterness of defeat. Fans have so much accustomed to disaster under Koeman, the 2-1 defeat at our own home felt like a colourless affair.

There was no discovery at the end of ninety minutes, just a rediscovery of the new normal. If there was no discovery, the realization part continued. The realization of how big was Messi's impact at Barcelona, especially at these last few seasons!

There were bright spots, definitely with the kids, Aguero goal and overall effort from Depay. One was left to wonder what would have happened if we had Messi also starting from the right.

With Koeman at Helm there is No Hope!

Koeman fans would argue that the coach is hamstrung with the squad he has. But the problem is not the results, but the way forward! Koeman has not shown anything to be a hope for the future. Instead, the excuses keep piling.

Some may argue that Real Madrid overall wasn't that much better. There is a huge amount of truth in that. They didn't need to be so much better. At no point in time, we made them vulnerable. They remain a weaker side, but aside from which is superior to this Barcelona outfit.

There were periods of the match where you felt Barcelona were nullified any Real Madrid threats, but even in that period, Barcelona fared no better at attack. The clearest cut chance came to Dest who should have put Barcelona 1-0 ahead. But instead, he squandered that opportunity.

After the match, Ter Stegan claimed that this match didn't deserved any winner. Maybe it's a bit misleading statement. Barcelona deserved nothing from the game, and we got exactly what we deserved. The worst thing is that everyone is happy that it was much more disastrous. That's Koeman's tenure in a nutshell!