COPA SCARE: ANDREAS CHRISTENSEN & MARCUS RASHFORD SAVE FLICK'S ROTATED BARçA IN GUADALAJARA.
Barcelona's rotated squad struggled until Andreas Christensen's late goal broke Guadalajara’s defence, followed by a clincher from Marcus Rashford (2-0).
Hansi Flick rotated the squad for their trip to face Guadalajara, a third-division team, at Pedro Escartin, but the team still had plenty of talent. Even so, Barcelona didn't have an easy time in their first Copa del Rey game of the season.
The game was delayed by half an hour to allow fans to enter the temporary stands. The start of the match was slow-paced in the cold weather of Guadalajara. Barcelona searched for openings in Guadalajara's tight defense. Fermin Lopez had a shot from just outside the box, which was their best chance in the first half. Eric Garcia also had two late runs into the box, getting free headers both times. The first header went into the goalkeeper's hands, and the second went over the top.
Barcelona finally broke through after a set piece
At the start of the second half, Marcus Rashford had Barcelona's best chance but couldn't beat Daniel Vicente in goal. Flick started making changes, with Marc Bernal subbed off first. Then, Pau Cubarsi, Jules Kounde, Alejandro Balde, and Pedri came on to save the game as the second half continued.
Barcelona wasn't making clear progress toward scoring, as Lamine Yamal's attempts were stopped repeatedly. Andreas Christensen had to intercept a cross to stop Guadalajara's best attack. Then, he scored at the other end. With just under 15 minutes left, a cleared corner reached Frenkie de Jong through Pedri. De Jong's cross to the far post found Christensen, whose header deflected off a defender and into the net.
After conceding a goal, Guadalajara showed ambition and energy in pushing forward. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona's captain and goalkeeper for the first time this season, had to make two saves, including a great one to push away a strong shot from Salifo Caropitchi.
With more space for Barcelona on the counterattack, Guadalajara's failure to score first would be punished. Lamine Yamal cut in from the right and passed behind the right-back to Rashford, who calmly went around Vicente and scored into the top of the net.
Guadalajara received loud support throughout the game, which they deserved for their effort. Many La Liga teams have lost by more. For Flick, the positives were the playing time for youngsters Bernal and Torrents and a strong game from Andreas Christensen.
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.
