Barcelona

Barcelona have announced the signing of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, becoming the LaLiga club's fifth arrival this summer.

He had 12 months remaining on his Bayern contract and moved to Barcelona for €45m with a possible €5m in add-ons, the 26-time Spanish champions confirmed. He won the Bundesliga in all eight seasons at the club, as well as the Champions League in 2020, and was named Best FIFA Men's Player in 2020 and 2021. He began his career in Poland, winning a league title with Lech Poznan. He joined Borussia Dortmund in 2010 and became one of Europe's most highly-rated forwards as he won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund and reached the Champions League final before joining Bayern on a free transfer in 2014.

Barcelona have signed big names this summer despite having money issues. How do they do it? Here's a look at Barca's creative ways to free up cash.

But it seems like an astonishing risk, particularly when there was an obvious opportunity for gradual consolidation based around the current fleet of exceptional young players, using Xavi to return the club to its philosophical roots. The gamble appears to be that buying now will get Barcelona out of its slump and the success it generates will raise revenues sufficiently for the club to reach a level of sustainability. In a $300 million deal with Spotify, the team will rename their stadium the Camp Nou and feature them on their jerseys. At the same time, the team refinanced their club debt with Goldman Sachs in a loan of more than $528 million that gives the club breathing space. As a result, Barcelona has agreed to sell 10 percent of their league TV rights for the next 25 years in return for $207.5 million. The pinnacle of their problems took place last summer when the storied Catalan club was forced to let go of Lionel Messi. Over the course of last season, Barca had a topsy-turvy campaign.

Barcelona have been one of the biggest transfer spenders in recent years and are now over $1 billion in debt because of it. But what if they didn't sign ...

There would be no financial problems -- the exact opposite, in fact -- and the club would still have all of its future TV and merchandising revenue still in place. Since the team have been managed so prudently, Suarez will stay with the club rather than moving to Atletico in the summer of 2020. No Frenkie de Jong arriving this summer -- and also no Antoine Griezmann. But the biggest non-arrival would be Pedri. We could go either way with him -- is he a first-team signing if he was immediately loaned out for a year? In the midfield next to Rakitic and Busquets, we'd be piecing together some Roberto minutes, along with some burn for Rafinha and prospects like Carles Alena and Riqui Puig. At center-back, we'd likely be rolling with mostly Bartra and some time for an aging Mascherano, Mathieu and Vermaelen. Worst case, Bartra is the same average LaLiga center-back that he became outside of Barcelona. Also, rather than loaning out left-back Marc Cucurella, we give him minutes as Alba's backup. This is maybe where the lack of first-team arrivals really starts to put on a squeeze, but at the same time, your core hasn't changed at all. None of these players ever started 25 LaLiga games in a season for the club, and only one of them -- Umtiti, who has made 17 league starts over the past three years -- is still with the team. Umtiti became a starter immediately, but instead you'd be piecing together his minutes with a combo of Bartra, Mascherano, and Jeremy Mathieu. The other guys were all squad players, and you've got Pedro, Deulofeu, Cristian Tello (who went on loan to Fiorentina), Alves, Rafinha and Montoya to fill in those gaps. So, without making any transfer additions, Barcelona would be where they actually ended up in 2015-16: easy LaLiga winners and one of the favorites for the Champions League. And well, that's always been an option at Barcelona. So, given that a risky transfer strategy got them here in the first place -- and that Laporta seems to think it's the only way to get them out of it, too -- I've got a couple questions: What if Barcelona just didn't sign anyone? Rather than chasing the transfer market, you decide that you can use the money you save to take the academy to another level, or take care of your current squad, or pay yourself or whatever. Most of Barca's revenue streams were shut off, and there was no cushion to be provided by a benevolent billionaire since the team is member-owned. Given those dreams of billion-dollar revenues, you rarely heard the cap mentioned in reference to Barcelona. They spent wildly on transfer fees and even more wildly on player salaries when life was good -- and then a pandemic hit.

Barcelona have recently splashed a fortune by securing the services of Robert Lewandowski. The former Bayern Munich forward is set to sign a four-year ...

He is also arguably the most high-profile signing Barcelona have made since the capture of Luis Suarez in 2014. Barcelona have recently splashed a fortune by securing the services of Robert Lewandowski. The former Bayern Munich forward is set to sign a four-year contract at Camp Nou, with the club likely to fork out a fee of around €45 million, plus €5 million in performance-related variables. Widely regarded as one of the best strikers to ever grace the beautiful game, Lewandowski is indeed one of the most popular players in world football.

Only earlier today, there had been claims that Chelsea could cause difficulties in Barça's pursuit of Cesar Azpilicueta if they miss out on signing Jules Kounde ...

As per the report, Azpilicueta’s move to Barça could be finalised in the next few days. Azpilicueta has spent a decade with Chelsea, having joined them back in 2012. However, given the defender’s services to the club over the past ten years, they have decided to let him leave and join Barcelona for an affordable fee.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros ($50.2 million)

His official signing and presentation were originally scheduled for Monday but it was delayed without an official reason given by Barcelona. Skip Advertisement Skip Advertisement

It had been thought for some time that there was no possibility of Barcelona managing to secure a deal for the Polish forward, with the club said to be in ...

Speaking upon the confirmation of the signing, De Ligt told Bayern Munich's website: 'I'm very happy to become a player for this great club. A deal has stalled recently with De Jong said to be keen to remain at Barcelona. It had been thought that Barcelona needed to get rid of players this summer before bringing any in.

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta claimed that the "Catalans" had to fight for Robert Lewandowski's signature on the deal with Chelsea and Paris ...

- - Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. Lewandowski believes that the Catalan team will return to the right track. We have to thank him for that. During his eight years in Bayern, Lewandowski scored 344 goals to secure six Bundesliga top goalscorer titles.

Barcelona have been one of the biggest transfer spenders in recent years and are now over $1 billion in debt because of it. But what if they didn't sign ...

There would be no financial problems -- the exact opposite, in fact -- and the club would still have all of its future TV and merchandising revenue still in place. Since the team have been managed so prudently, Suarez will stay with the club rather than moving to Atletico in the summer of 2020. No Frenkie de Jong arriving this summer -- and also no Antoine Griezmann. But the biggest non-arrival would be Pedri. We could go either way with him -- is he a first-team signing if he was immediately loaned out for a year? In the midfield next to Rakitic and Busquets, we'd be piecing together some Roberto minutes, along with some burn for Rafinha and prospects like Carles Alena and Riqui Puig. At center-back, we'd likely be rolling with mostly Bartra and some time for an aging Mascherano, Mathieu and Vermaelen. Worst case, Bartra is the same average LaLiga center-back that he became outside of Barcelona. Also, rather than loaning out left-back Marc Cucurella, we give him minutes as Alba's backup. This is maybe where the lack of first-team arrivals really starts to put on a squeeze, but at the same time, your core hasn't changed at all. None of these players ever started 25 LaLiga games in a season for the club, and only one of them -- Umtiti, who has made 17 league starts over the past three years -- is still with the team. Umtiti became a starter immediately, but instead you'd be piecing together his minutes with a combo of Bartra, Mascherano, and Jeremy Mathieu. The other guys were all squad players, and you've got Pedro, Deulofeu, Cristian Tello (who went on loan to Fiorentina), Alves, Rafinha and Montoya to fill in those gaps. So, without making any transfer additions, Barcelona would be where they actually ended up in 2015-16: easy LaLiga winners and one of the favorites for the Champions League. And well, that's always been an option at Barcelona. So, given that a risky transfer strategy got them here in the first place -- and that Laporta seems to think it's the only way to get them out of it, too -- I've got a couple questions: What if Barcelona just didn't sign anyone? Rather than chasing the transfer market, you decide that you can use the money you save to take the academy to another level, or take care of your current squad, or pay yourself or whatever. Most of Barca's revenue streams were shut off, and there was no cushion to be provided by a benevolent billionaire since the team is member-owned. Given those dreams of billion-dollar revenues, you rarely heard the cap mentioned in reference to Barcelona. They spent wildly on transfer fees and even more wildly on player salaries when life was good -- and then a pandemic hit.

When is Inter Miami vs. Barcelona? Here's all of the information you need to know about the high-profile preseason friendly taking place this week.

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FC Barcelona continue their 2022 preseason fixture schedule with a trip to sunny South Florida for a club friendly against David Beckham's MLS club Inter ...

Still, Inter Miami is not expected to win the match, and the odds reflect that. 120 mins to kick: No matter the result, Inter Miami players and fans will relish the chance to take on one of the world's high-profile clubs. The Inter Miami defense is all over the place, and it starts with a Pedri backheel to Raphinha who finds Aubameyang while falling down. He took the field for warmups with his teammates to get some cardio in before eventually seeing himself to a place in the stands. With his back to goal diving level with the ground, it's a miracle he was even able to come close with that chance. Inter Miami hardly have a dangerous kick in the entire match. 26th min: GOAL, BARCELONA! This time coming down the left flank, Barcelona attacks again and it's a poor showing from Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman to let the visitors double the lead. He had a good opportunity to find the back of the net but was too unselfish for the moment. A rocketed delivery into the mixer comes to the feet of Gavi who rips it into the back of the net. It was almost fitting that a player with the glitz and flair of Raphinha made his first Barcelona appearance in a city of equal glamor. This time, Ousmane Dembele does it all by himself, charging down the right on the ball before cutting inside at the top of the box and making the entire Inter Miami back line look silly. Inter Miami brought both David Beckham's son Romeo and Neville's son Harvey off the bench for cameos, but it was only a slight respite on an otherwise comprehensive defeat.

Barcelona kick off their pre-season tour of the United States this evening at 20:00 local time – that's 02:00 in Spain. They face Inter Miami, ...

Barcelona drew their first pre-season friendly – against Catalan side Olot – 1-1. After facing Inter Miami they take on Real Madrid at the weekend in Las Vegas before locking horns with Juventus. They finish the trip against New York Red Bulls and then fly home to contest the Joan Gamper Trophy at Camp Nou with Mexican side Pumas. Barcelona should set up in a 4-3-3 with Inaki Pena starting in goal behind a back four of Sergino Dest, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia and Jordi Alba. Sergio Busquets will anchor the midfield with Pedri and Gavi either side of him and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – flanked by Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele – will lead the line.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros ($50.2 million).

His official signing and presentation were originally scheduled for Monday but it was delayed without an official reason given by Barcelona. BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros ($50.2 million). Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros ($50.2 million).

Barcelona are in the midst of arguably their most important summer of since Joan Laporta first came to power at the club in 2003. With the club undergoing ...

A source from within Barcelona tells Relevo, “he is an executioner, you tell him who you have to sign and he signs them for the minimum price possible. Seemingly Alemany places a special emphasis on performance-related bonuses and is trying to implement a culture of them at Barcelona. Only time will tell if he manages to get it right this transfer window. Once he starts, he is on straight to the point and does not deviate from his plan. He is also very conscious of the art of negotiation and the factor time can play. With the club undergoing attempting to return to their former glories and revamp the squad in record time, it is a hectic transfer window for the Blaugrana.

Barcelona have confirmed they have reached an agreement of €45million + €5 million in variables (£42.5million total) with Bayern Munich for the signing of.

Raphael Honigstein Raphael Honigstein 238 of those came in a Bayern shirt.

Fans got a glimpse of the new home kit for the upcoming campaign at the DRV PNK Stadium. They were also treated to the sight of Barça's new signings Raphinha ...

“We are building a very competitive team with top players,” the Spaniard said. We have to fight for all of the major titles.” Fellow forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ansu Fati scored on either side of his strike in the first period.

Barcelona have taken no prisoners in the summer transfer window. Despite having been the butt of many a joke in world football over the last few years…

The result is a gamble of sorts where the Blaugrana are hoping that continued investment in the quality of their playing staff helps to spur them on to triumphs that will, in turn, bolster their financial situation. Compiling a fascinating breakdown of the situation and bagging over 33,000 ‘likes’ for their troubles, the way in which Barcelona are able to make these major signings while keeping their head above water is laid bare for the world. And with all of this unfolding within the strict financial rules of La Liga, it seems absolutely mind-boggling that the Catalan giants are still able to throw their weight around in the transfer market.

Barcelona kicked off their US pre-season tour in a sensational fashion as they thrashed Inter Miami 0-6 at the DRV PNK Stadium.

In fact, it’s a blessing for us. And Oscar Hernandez believes that such depth is a good thing for the team. The club made a big effort when bringing him in.”

Barcelona have seemingly been defying logic to complete transfer business this summer. It's a huge gamble, and Liverpool will be part of making sure it ...

But any competition quite clearly designed with the aim of bailing out Barcelona will not be well-received at Anfield. FSG have managed to stay competitive without jeopardising the future of the club, but it is only going to get harder to keep up with the hyper-clubs. The aim at Barcelona is surely to try and limp through until the Super League returns, the golden cash cow that will solve all of their problems. Nevertheless, the Super League is not the answer. Meanwhile, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski have been unveiled as exciting new additions in the transfer market, with the signings totalling £92m. The juxtaposition is jarring. The sheer strength of backlash caused a near-instant climbdown from all but three of the founder members, Liverpool included.

New FC Barcelona signing Raphinha has boasted that his new club are better than bitter rivals Real Madrid.

"Everyone will make an extra [effort] to want to play. Competition is good for the players, but especially for the team," he concluded. "Barca is in good hands and must fight for big titles," he insisted.

Lewandowski will sign a four-year contract with a release clause set at 500 million euros ($511.35 million), Barcelona said in a statement.

Lewandowski will sign a four-year contract with a release clause set at 500 million euros ($511.35 million), Barcelona said in a statement. Barcelona have signed Poland striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich for up to 50 million euros ($51.14 million), the two clubs said on Tuesday.

After a memorable stint spanning eight years with Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski left the German club after winning eight Bundesliga titles and one ...

There is a €500 million buyout clause in the contract. 7 mins read 9 mins read

Barça are having a brilliant transfer window so far, having first brought in Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on Bosman deals, which was followed by the ...

It is true that heading into the transfer window, there were a lot of concerns regarding Barcelona’s financial situation and their ability to pull off big deals. The sponsorship agreement with Spotify has also helped generate revenue. But the cherry on top came in the form of Lewandowski’s capture from Bayern after months of speculations and negotiations.

Barcelona's official club shop cannot sell Robert Lewandowski shirts right now - because they have run out of the letter W.

"I've always wanted to play in La Liga and for the big clubs. Lewandowski shirts are unavailable at the megastore outside the Camp Nou thanks to a letter shortage. He told Barcelona's official website: "I'm finally here.

Robert Lewandowski's transfer to Barcelona was announced on Tuesday, and it's fair to say Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is baffled by it.

to bring in hundreds of millions of euros to help ease the burden in the short term, most notably through the sale of a percentage of their La Liga TV rights for the next 25 years. I don't know how." And for a club which has gone through years of financial mismanagement, resulting in huge debt and a bloated wage bill, the vast sums of money spent have left Nagelsmann confused.

Miami, July 20, 2022 (AFP) - Raphinha marked his Barcelona debut with a goal and two assists as the Spanish giants kicked off their four match U.S. tour ...

This was a great learning experience for us, but now we have to concentrate on MLS and a big game on Saturday against New York City." It was a brilliant occasion to be part of, but from a playing point of view, this was something to enjoy," Neville said. "Their movements are hard to track. "It was a big challenge for us. "This is a system which favors me, and I think I can really help the team moving forward." "Some young players would have taken a lot away from an experience like that.

Manchester United have chased Frenkie de Jong but Barcelona have been unsurprisingly tricky to deal with. They owe the midfielder €17m in deferred wages ...

Aunque, de momento, sigue cerrado en banda y mantiene que quiere quedarse. Condis reports that Barca think that De Jong will change his mind, but he now he maintains he wants to stay. They owe the midfielder €17m in deferred wages which they’re reluctant to pay, as per The Independent, because it is not technically due now.

New Barcelona signing Raphinha ripped Inter Miami apart on his debut and the highlights are something else.

I'm very happy and hope to continue it." "I'm very happy to have scored my first goal. The former Rennes man told reporters post-match: "One always tries to score against anyone, but if it's in a derby, even more.

It is looking increasingly likely that Robert Lewandowski will make his Barcelona debut during Saturday's Clasico against Real Madrid in Las Vegas.

It is looking increasingly likely that Robert Lewandowski will make his Barcelona debut during Saturday's Clasico against Real Madrid in Las Vegas. Robert Lewandowski Likely To Make Barcelona Debut In Vegas Clasico Against Real Madrid Lewandowski delighted fans by taking part in a public training session on the field before kick-off.

Are you a Barcelona fan looking for a Robert Lewandowski jersey? Well, you may be disappointed.

The Catalan club will return to action on Sunday against bitter rivals Real Madrid, and there is a probability that Xavi might use Lewandowski on that day. However the Nike store at the premises of Camp Nou has run out of stock - because they have run out of the letter W to put on their strips for fans. Well, you may be disappointed.

Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros (US$50.2 million).

His official signing and presentation were originally scheduled for Monday but it was delayed without an official reason given by Barcelona. Barcelona's deal for Lewandowski could surpass US$50 million Barcelona's deal for Lewandowski could surpass US$50 million

Indeed, the Blaugrana brought in Raphinha, re-signed Ousmane Dembele before landing Robert Lewandowski. These signings came after the free transfer arrivals of ...

The Ivorian, who arrived on a free transfer from AC Milan, showcased his abilities as he was everywhere on the pitch for Barça, making things happen with regularity. With Lewandowski likely to feature from the next game onwards, things could get much better for Barça. The 25-year-old was at hand once again to set Ansu Fati up for the third.

Chelsea could be set to beat Barcelona to the signing of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde by sending Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso to the Camp Nou.

Paper Round’s view: Chelsea have just lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen for free after their contracts expired at Stamford Bridge. The club will not want this to happen again any time soon. The Standard report that new deals for England duo Mason Mount and Reece James has become a priority and is viewed as a “statement of intent” from the new owners. West Ham would be a smarter decision as he would be able to settle back in quite easily – rather than taking a risk going to Forest just for a potentially better wage packet. They need to replace Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and now Azpilicueta – who is reported to be heading to Barcelona. Thomas Tuchel could end up with a whole new set of centre-backs (except Thiago Silva). Kounde would be a brilliant addition alongside Koulibaly, while Kimpembe would give them the defensive depth needed to compete for multiple trophies this coming season. Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde, according to the Standard. The 23-year-old has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, but Barcelona are also in the race to secure Kounde’s signature. Chelsea are hoping to add to the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly with Kounde and Kimpembe. It makes sense – even though they will end up spending a huge amount of money on centre-backs this summer.

The club have indeed managed to bring in the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Franck Kessie, among many others. They are now looking to add a bit more ...

His potential move to Chelsea could force Barcelona to look elsewhere. It is no secret that the club were concerned about Kounde’s departure taking an eternity. The club have indeed managed to bring in the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Franck Kessie, among many others.

"We don't have any more of the letter 'W' and Lewandowski has two. It's sold out," a Barcelona club store staff member told a customer.

Lewandowski flew to Miami, where Barcelona have been based for the start of their preseason U.S. tour, to meet his new teammates and pass a medical as the final details of his contract were agreed. The letter W is extremely rare in Spanish and in Catalan, with the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) saying the letter's use is restricted to "words of Germanic origin such as Wagnerian... or Anglicisms, as in Washingtonian or whiskey." Barcelona's signing of Robert Lewandowski has caused such excitement that a club store had to stop selling jerseys bearing his name -- because it has run out of the letter "W."

Barcelona kicked off their pre-season tour of the United States in style, beating Inter Miami 6-0 at the DRV PNK Stadium in Florida.

“We’re friends and we all know what a great player he is, but I don’t know what will happen.” Competition is good for players but especially for the team.” “I haven’t spoken with him,” he said. I still have to adapt to the team’s game, but they’re helping me and I hope to help them too. Barcelona have a great team with very talented players and I think the future is theirs. Ansu Fati made it 3-0 four minutes before the half-time whistle.

Barcelona last weekend reached a deal to sign the Poland striker from Bayern Munich in a transfer worth nearly 50 million euros ($50.8 million). His official ...

We are putting Barça back in its place in the world. “We have a lot of work to do.” Robert Lewandowski was officially introduced by Barcelona on Wednesday, saying he is ready to make history with the Spanish club.

According to reports by SPORT, Ferran Torres will be fit to play in FC Barcelona's third pre-season friendly against domestic rivals, Real Madrid.

He missed the first friendly against UE Olot and did not participate in the clash against versus Inter Miami either. The winger is said to have trained hard during the summer break to work on his physical fitness. It is also reported that despite missing the pre-season so far, the former Manchester City winger is in top physical condition.