BARCELONA TARGETS LAUTARO MARTíNEZ: IS HE LEWANDOWSKI'S TRUE SUCCESSOR
Inter's Martínez is a "key target" for Barcelona. We analyse if the prolific forward can thrive outside of a two-striker system to replace the veteran Lewandowski.
Reports say Barcelona is looking at Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez. This move could answer a question mark that has been hanging over his head for the last seven years while he has been in Serie A. But is he the right fit?
The Barcelona board is now thinking about who will take over for Robert Lewandowski. They know he is a great centre-forward, proven by his record of 109 goals in 163 matches for the team, but this will not last forever. The Polish striker is 37, and his goal numbers are still high this season, but it feels like it is only a matter of time before he starts to decline.
To prepare for that time, Barcelona wants a striker who is about 10–15 years younger. One option they like is Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, but it will be hard to get him from their LaLiga rivals.
So, Barcelona is looking at more players, and sources say that Martinez of Inter Milan is another ‘key target.’
Martinez is 28 years old and has scored 163 goals in 352 appearances for Inter, plus 10 goals in 17 games this season. He has a track record.
But if Barcelona begins to think about whether they want Martinez, there is something they need to think about before going all in.
During his seven and a half years with Inter, Martinez has almost always played in a formation with two strikers.
This is rare these days, but Inter has had success with a 3-5-2 shape under coaches like Antonio Conte and Simone Inzaghi.
But if Martinez wants to take his success and move it to a system that depends on one centre forward, can he be the main guy?
Martinez’s time with Inter makes you start asking questions.
At first, he assisted striker Mauro Icardi. Then, for the next few years, he played off Romelu Lukaku. After that, he was combined with Edin Dzeko, and his striker partner is now Marcus Thuram.
Martinez has always partnered with a bigger striker who acts as the focal point. Yes, sometimes he has scored more goals than them—he was Inter’s top scorer for three seasons in a row from 2021 to 2024—but would he have scored as much without a target man next to him?
At Barcelona, wingers like Raphinha and Lamine Yamal would create chances for him. But on paper, he does not have the same skills as Lewandowski.
That does not mean he cannot play as a lone striker. He just has not had the chance to try to do it for Inter because their tactics are working. He has sometimes done it for Argentina, and he has scored on some of those occasions, but doing it on a regular basis at the club level might be another thing.
BARTOMEU UNCOVERS SECRET 2017 MBAPPé BID DURING REVEALING CADENA SER INTERVIEW
Josep Maria Bartomeu reveals Barcelona targeted Kylian Mbappé in 2017, but coaches preferred a move for Ousmane Dembélé instead
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has just dropped a bit of a bombshell: right after Neymar left for PSG, Barcelona actually went after Kylian Mbappe. That chaotic summer in 2017, when Neymar's record-breaking move sent shockwaves through the club, left them scrambling for a new superstar.
Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER that Neymar’s shock exit caught everyone off guard. “Neymar’s departure came as a shock to the club; we didn’t want him to leave,” he said. Suddenly, Barcelona was scouring the market for big names, and with Mbappe starring at Monaco, he became their top target.
But here’s the twist: even though the club reached out for both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, the coaching staff made the final call. Bartomeu explained, “We made an offer for Mbappe and another for Dembele. The coaching staff preferred Dembele.” So, instead of pushing for Mbappe, Barcelona pressed ahead with Dembele, ultimately striking a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth €105 million plus add-ons.
Of course, there was the small matter of money, too. Bartomeu clarified that the price Monaco set for Mbappe was simply out of reach: €180 million, take it or leave it, and it was PSG who could step up. “It wasn’t an offer in the strict sense. They would say to you, "He's worth €180 million." If you want Mbappe, it’s €180 million, and Paris paid it.” Between the steep price and the coaching staff’s strong preference for Dembele, Barcelona backed off.
Bartomeu also opened up about how he handled transfers during his tenure. One thing stood out: after he pushed for the Luis Suarez signing from Liverpool despite all the controversy and got hammered with criticism, he decided to step back and trust the technical staff from then on. Suarez went on to win the Champions League and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, but that experience taught Bartomeu a lesson. “The only decision I made as president or as an administrator, and which I defended vigorously, was the signing of Suarez,” he said. “I was heavily criticised by all the media, so I learned the lesson that the president or administrators cannot interfere in sporting matters. We must trust the technical staff, the sporting directors, and the coaches; it is they who decide on signings.”
BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.
Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.
Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.
If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.
Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.
Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.
Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.
Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.
Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.
