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The Polish forward spoke to this newspaper about various topics over Christmas

Robert Lewandowski will not face Espanyol, Atletico Madrid or Getafe in January with Barcelona. He was sent off against Osasuna but given a longer ban for touching his nose which was intepreted as disrespectful by the officials. The Polish striker spoke about the incident to SPORT.

“With the referee, nothing happened,” said Lewy. “He showed me two yellow cards, that’s it. But the reason they have hit me with three games is nothing to do with the referee, but me and the coach. That’s all I can say.

“One or two weeks before we hhad a chat with Xavi and he told me we had to look out if the referee showed me a yellow card. But that was just a gesture to express that I could not understand what was happening. We had talked about it and it was between Xavi and me, I didn’t understand anything.”

On how he will face the ban, the striker said “it’s difficult because I feel that three games are too many for what i did, that’s for sure. And it’s painful not to play these three weeks for that.”

The Polish striker is banned for three matches and will need replacing

Robert Lewandowski is banned and will miss the clashes with Espanyol, Atletico and Getafe. Barcelona will be without their top goalscorer, with 18 strikes in 19 games.

At 34, Robert has shown age is just a number but he will have to take a break in January after his dismissal against Osasuna.

Xavi will have to find a new striker and there isn’t one clear and obvious replacement – instead, three forwards who could do the job.

Ferran Torres, Memphis Depay and Ansu Fati are the three options, barring a change in system.

FERRAN TORRES

He was chosen in Pilsen to do the job, the only game without Lewandowski this season, and responded with two goals. A year after landing at Barca, Ferran still wants and needs to take a step forward. He’s the second top goalscorer tied with Dembele at Barca, on five each. 

MEMPHIS DEPAY

The Dutchman started against Cadiz, the only other game without Lewandowski starting – he scored off the bench – but did not do well. His future is a big question. Various clubs are following him and he might move in January. However until there is further news, he will be here.

The cantera graduate has big expectations on him for the second half of the season, with both Xavi and Joan Laporta saying he should be important. Barca hope he can be the big winter ‘signing’. Lewandowski’s absence is a problem but one Barca should be able to cope with.

The midfielder spoke about the Dutchman replacing the veteran pivot

Pedri received the Kubala Trophy for the best goal of last season given by Catalunya Radio, and it was his strike against Galatasaray in the Europa League.

Here are some key quotes from his appearance on the radio station:

Do you like scoring goals? Everyone likes it, including the goalkeepers. Arriving (in the box) and bringing goals or assists to the team is always good.

Was it your best goal? Well, this one and the one against Sevilla I think were the goals that were hardest to score for how they were, but for me they are all important.

Return from World Cup: We played five games in a row, which were very demanding, but we have had time to recover and there’s still time before the game against Espanyol.

Blows: We are preparing well for what’s left of the season, we arrived well but it’s true we didn’t have the World Cup that we wanted. Now we have to focus on Barca.

Are you over World Cup disappointment? Yes, I think some time has passed and we have to concentrate on waht is to come. We have to change chip and put ourselves back in Barca mode.

Lucho’s goodbye: Luis has helped me a lot, he’s a coach who explains things very well. He made a good group and I think deserved more at the World Cup. It’s a pity, but now we are with Luis de la Fuente.

You had him at the U21s: Yes, also at the Olympics in Tokyo, where we did well. A pity we ended up with silver. We hope to achieve things with him.

Is Messi winning WC a consolation? I always said it, if we didn’t have the chance to win it, that I wanted Argentina and Leo Messi to, he deserves it and I played with him.

Messi WC performances: For me he’s the best player in history that I have seen. There are few words you can say about him because it’s all been said already.

Dembele and Kounde losing WC final: I haven’t had the chance to live it and if I get to a final I hope I win it, but I’m sure it’s a bitter pill. When they return we will support them to change chip and get back in Barca mode.

Xavi said Pedri and Gavi were better than him and Iniesta at the same age? It’s true that they, at our age, weren’t where we are now, but later they were at a great level, spectacular, for me a lot better than what me and Gavi are doing right now. To get to where they got to, we have a long way to go.

Last year of Busquets: Yes he’s a key piece. I love playing with him, it seems people don’t see his work but when he’s not on the pitch we notice it. I hope that he stays longer.

Is De Jong the replacement? Frenkie has a lot of quality, we have seen it when he plays with Holland in that position spectacularly. I think he could be a replacement.

Life without Pique: Gerard was a very important person in the dressing room, he helped us a lot and we laughed with him, but it was his decision. He will have his new life and I hope it goes well for him.

Who will bring the banter, you? I don’t know, I will, but not at Pique’s level.

The Catalan club will draw one of the lower league sides left in the cup

FC Barcelona now know who their possible rivals are in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey. At this stage, Xavi Hernández’s team can still not draw a team from LaLiga.

Barça will learn their cup opponent on Friday with the draw to be held from 12:30 p.m. at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas.

Here are there possible rivals:

It should be noted that the match between La Nucía and Las Palmas has gone to extra time and the former could also face FC Barcelona in the next round if they win.

The defender hopes to be fit for the Catalan derby on Dec. 31

Ronald Araujo suffered, as explained at the time by Barcelona’s injury statement, an “avulsion of the adductor longus tendon of the right thigh.”

It happened during a friendly on September 23 with Uruguay against Iran in Austria during preparations for the World Cup in Qatar. The defender was barely able to play six minutes. Since then, he has not played again, although he is optimistic ahead of the derby against Espanyol on December 31 at Camp Nou.

The Uruguayan, a few days after being injured, traveled to Finland to be operated on by doctor Lasse Lempainen. From then on, all his efforts were focused on arriving with options to play the World Cup in Qatar with the Uruguayan team. The centre-back joined Diego Alonso’s squad with the aim of, when the time came, being available to the coach during the knockout rounds. However, Uruguay fell in the group stage, so Araujo never played in the tournament.

He returned to Barcelona just after the World Cup to continue his recovery at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, although Xavi gave him a few days off to disconnect before getting back to work. Since then, he has evolved very well and, without the requirement of a tight schedule, has been able to focus solely and exclusively on returning in the best possible conditions.

The date that has been marked is December 31. Araujo was present at the presentation of the documentary series ‘FC Barcelona, a new era’ and, when asked if he would be ready to play the derby against Espanyol and his feelings, he responded with “yes, good, good.”

From the injury to the visit from rivals Espanyol, more than three months will have passed. He still has 10 days to test himself during training.

The Blaugrana club sees the moment as propitious to make clear its commitment to the winger
Contacts could begin in February to show their support for the player after the World Cup

Ousmane Dembélé is not having a good time after a bad World Cup with France. Despite everything, Xavi Hernández considers him essential for the project as a differential player and the Blaugrana club values ​​making contacts to renew his contract that expires in 2024. The negotiation was not wanted to be addressed until the end of the season, but now it could be advanced to february.

The Blaugrana club wants to send a clear message of support to the footballer, betting on him for the future. Dembélé finally chose to stay at the Blaugrana club once his previous contract ended, although there were many tensions with his environment, breaking negotiations several times. Finally, a short contract was agreed with a low termination clause.

At Barça they also believe that it is a good time because Dembélé might not arouse as much interest in the market now, so there would be much less interference in the conversations. Barça does not want to enter into any bid or start the next season without having renewed it to avoid all the problems that occurred in its previous renewal. Now you can give yourself a peace of mind that, in a few months, could change.

Dembélé has always made it clear that he wants to continue at the club. He feels comfortable at Barça and in Barcelona and his role in the locker room has improved a lot in this last season, feeling more supported and respected. Barça understands that he is a valid footballer despite the World Cup downturn and proof of this is that, together with Lewandowski, he is the footballer most used by Xavi Hernández in attack.

At the moment, Barça has not made any movement, although it is likely that their agent will be summoned in February to start talking. In the event that an entente cannot be finalized between now and the summer, Barça could be forced, again, to place him on the market, something that is not contemplated now.

The coach will run the rule over three options to stand in for the Pole goal grabber

Normality is returning to Barcelona. The players are returning, with Ansu Fati and Eric Garcia coming back to training early. Most of the others will be back from Monday.

Those who reached the quarter-finals can have longer off – Memphis, De Jong and Raphinha will be back on Thursday.

Dembele and Kounde will be the last to arrive after reaching the World Cup final with France.

They should be back on Monday Dec 26, six days before the clash with Espanyol that kicks off the league season again.

Xavi is working out what to do without striker Robert Lewandowski. Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Memphis Depay are his options up front.

Ansu will have two weeks to convince the coach, while Ferran has been used as a false nine before. Memphis, arriving later, has less time.

Memphis played the most of the three at the World Cup, 300 minutes, but scored just one goal.

Ferran played 219 and scored twice.

Ansu did not score and only had 44 minutes in two games.

The Japanese playmaker has been linked to the Catalans in Germany

Daichi Kamada, the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder, could be a surprise Barca signing in January, per the German media.

The Japanese playmaker’s deal ends in June and various bug sides are interested, including Borussia Dortmund and Barca. In Italy they say Serie A clubs are also interested.

Eintracht made him a juicy renewal offer but it seems he wants to change clubs. 

At 26 and with a market value of around 30m euros, Kamada shone against Barca last season in the Europa League. They are looking at replacements, including Julian Brandt, already.

The left-back will sign a new deal with the club until 2027

Alex Balde will renew his contract with Barcelona. There is the basis of a deal until 2027, with a 500m euro release clause.

The Barcelona full-back will improve his salary and along with Ronald Araujo and Gavi, is an important piece of the team locked down.

The announcement will be made when Barcelona can inscribe the new contract with La Liga, although because of the salary limit it’s not ruled out that he keeps playing as a B-teamer for now.

Balde’s renewal is important in a strategic sense for Barca. His deal expired in 2024, so the club started to speak with his agent Jorge Mendes last summer.

The deal is virtually agreed on now after the last few days were spent tying it up.

Balde had one of the lowest salaries in the squad, with a B-team contract plus a few first-team bonuses. 

Now he’s on the same salary scale as Gavi and Araujo, a little lower than Pedri and Ansu Fati, but with the opportunity to keep improving it through performance and variables.

Next the club will be looking at Marcos Alonso’s deal, at the end of January.

The deal for the Argentine striker was agreed after Ferran returned to Spain

Manchester City signed Julián Alvárez — the Argentina forward who shone in the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar against Croatia — in January this year for €20 million.

Alvárez won the penalty that Leo Messi netted, he scored the second goal with an individual effort and the third after a great Messi run.

Three goal involvements which took a career carved out at River Plate to the next level. It was his goal with River that captivated Pep Guardiola and the Manchester City scouts in South America.

Guardiola saw the operation clearly as he knew of Barcelona’s interest in Ferran Torres, whom he had signed 18 mon this previouslt for €25 million. So City decided to sell Ferran Torres to Barcelona for €55 million to spend part of that income on signing Alvárez.

On Jan. 31, 2022, the day he turned 22, Álvarez signed for Man City, although he did not move immediately, staying for six months at River Plate to end the season in Argentina before beginning the 22/23 season with Guardiola’s City.

With this signing tied up, City opened the door for Ferran Torres to Barcelona, who paid double what City had paid to Valencia for him.

The signing of Ferran not only helped City to sign Alvárez, but they also used the proceeds from the sale of Ferran, in part, to secure the services of Erling Haaland, paying €60 million for the Borussia Dortmund striker, commissions aside.