FC Barcelona News: 17 April 2019

To the semis! (3-0) | FC Barcelona
After a thoroughly professional performance, Barça sailed into their eighth Champions League semi-final in 12 years where they’ll meet either Liverpool or Porto.

The eighth Champions League semi-final in 12 years | FC Barcelona
Thanks to the 3-0 win in the second leg of the quarterfinals against Manchester United at the Camp Nou on Tuesday evening, Ernesto Valverde’s side are one of the four teams left in the 2018/19 Champions League. It’s Barça’s eighth appearance at the semi-final stage in the last 12 years, after consecutive appearances from 2007/08 to 2012/13 as well as in the 2014/15 season and the current campaign.

Messi reigns in Europe | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi never stops. With two goals on Tuesday night in Barça’s 3-0 win over Manchester United in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, the man they call the goat once again deserves every last bit of praise.

Messi: We were magnificent against Manchester United | Football Espana
The La Liga leaders over powered Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with Messi scoring two goals inside the first 20 minutes to put the tie beyond the Premier League side and Messi was full of praise at full time. ”We put in a spectacular performance, but that is what we can do. We did not perform well in the first five minutes, after that we dominated.”

Messi, the Barça player with second most appearances in the Champions League | FC Barcelona
ionel Messi had already surpassed Andrés Iniesta as the player with most League appearances for Barça, and now the Argentinian has overtaken the former blaugrana midfielder in terms of Champions League matches. With the game against Manchester United at the Camp Nou, Messi made his 133rd appearance in the biggest continental competition, surpassing the 132 of the former Barça No.8.

Porto or Liverpool, the rival in the semifinals | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona are looking forward to the semifinals of the Champions League. After eliminating Manchester United in the quarterfinals with a great win in the second leg at the Camp Nou, Ernesto Valverde’s team find themselves among the four best teams on the continent. The semi-final rival, however, won’t be known until this Wednesday and will be the winner of the tie between Porto and Liverpool.

Barcelona set to sign De Ligt as Ajax agreement nears - sources | ESPN
The La Liga leaders have the situation “under control,” according to the sources, and not getting the deal over the line now would provide similar levels of disappointment to last summer when they were turned down by Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann at the last minute.

There’s nothing to announce – De Ligt dismisses Barca talk | Goal
After scoring the winning goal as Ajax shocked Juventus 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the Champions League semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate, De Ligt was tight-lipped on his future. Asked when he would announce his transfer to Barca, De Ligt replied: “Announce? There is nothing to announce.”

De Jong tells De Ligt to join Barcelona | Goal
Former Ajax captain Siem de Jong would like to see in-demand teenage defender Matthijs de Ligt join La Liga champions Barcelona. Linked with Europe’s biggest clubs – including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Juventus, Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag said there is “zero chance” of skipper De Ligt remaining in Amsterdam.

Source: barcablaugranes.com