FC Barcelona News: 18 January 2020

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Great starts to the year at Camp Nou | FC Barcelona
We’re nearly three weeks into the year and Barça have yet to play a game at Camp Nou, an unusual situation that has a lot to do with the team featuring in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. The wait is over, and after a 2-2 draw away to Espanyol to start the Liga year, Granada will be the first visitors to the Barça stadium in 2020.

Riqui Puig remains with the first team as Arthur and Ter Stegen return | Sport
FC Barcelona completed their penultimate training session ahead of the Granada match this afternoon. Quique Setien will make his debut in the Barça dugout this weekend and there were only three youth players with the first team squad: Ansu Fati, Carles Perez and Riqui Puig.

10 quotes from Quique Setién | FC Barcelona
Quique Setién, the new FC Barcelona coach, has marked his arrival at the club with an interview with Barça TV. We select some of the most memorable phrases: ”The hours following signing the contract have been emotional. I experienced one of the most beautiful days of my life. It all happened so quickly and I am starting to realise what is happening to me.”

Ter Stegen: We’re listening to Setien and trying to do what he’s asking of us | Marca
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has revealed how the Barcelona players are adapting to life under their new coach, Quique Setien. The 61-year-old is set to take charge of his first match against Granada on Sunday night after replacing Ernesto Valverde at the Camp Nou.

The doors are open for Ansu Fati | Marca
Luis Suarez’s meniscus operation clearly hasn’t come as good news for Barcelona, with the Uruguayan now likely to miss the rest of the season. But his absence, along with Ousmane Dembele’s injury, has opened the door to the first team for Ansu Fati.

How Barcelona replaced Valverde with Setien: Inside the changes in the Camp Nou dugout | ESPN
On Monday night, after overseeing Barcelona training for the final time that morning, Ernesto Valverde changed into his cycling gear, dusted down his bike and hit the road. He was still officially the Barca manager, but the club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, had already informed him his time was up. Now, Valverde just wanted to be away from it all.

Ronald Araujo is preventing Barcelona from signing a non-EU striker | Marca
The promotion of Ronald Araujo to the first team will prevent Barcelona from signing any non-EU strikers in January. The Uruguayan defender is the most natural replacement for Jean-Clair Todibo in Quique Setien’s squad, with the Frenchman having left for Schalke, but he will take up the third and final non-EU spot that Barcelona are allowed.

La Repubblica: Juventus want a swap deal involving Rakitic-Bernardeschi | Sport
The plan is for Juve to send 25-year-old Federico Bernardeschi to the Camp Nou in exchange for adding Rakitic’s experience to their midfield. This was a transfer that was originally talked about back in the summer.

Source: barcablaugranes.com