WHAT HANSI FLICK SECRETLY TOLD RONALD ARAUJO ABOUT HIS RETURN TO THE LINEUP
Barcelona hosts Real Oviedo, looking to reclaim first place. Hansi Flick confirms Pau Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo are ready to start.
Barcelona return to La Liga on Sunday afternoon, taking on Real Oviedo at the Spotify Camp Nou. After last weekend’s loss to Real Sociedad, the Catalans are looking for a response.
Head coach Hansi Flick knows what’s at stake. Real Madrid beat Villarreal on Saturday, so only a win gets Barcelona back to the top of the table.
“We’re at home again, and that’s always a plus,” Flick said. “It all comes down to us—how we start, how we play. Lately, we’ve been conceding early, and that has to stop.”
Pau Cubarsi, who sat out the last match for a rest, looks set to return. Flick trusts his young centre-back to deliver.
“He just turned 19. Of course, sometimes he’s not at his absolute best, but his potential is huge. For me, he’s already one of the best centre-backs in Spain.”
Ronald Araujo is back in the squad and could start alongside Cubarsi for the first time in a while. Flick’s keeping his options open but likes what he sees from the Uruguayan defender.
“We have to watch his minutes, but he’s in good shape and could start. We’ll make the call tomorrow.”
Fermin Lopez has caught Flick’s eye lately, and the coach isn’t hiding his admiration.
“Fermin can change a game at any moment. All we want is for him to play his game—calm on the ball, full of energy. When he finds space, he’s a real threat. He creates chances, and he works hard defensively too.”
On the injury front, fans are eager for Gavi’s return, but Flick isn’t rushing anything.
“He’s made a lot of progress, but the key is not skipping steps. We trust our medical staff. He’s got a long career ahead, and there’s no need to rush. If he’s back by February, everyone’s happy, but the main thing is he comes back right. That’s what matters, and that’s what we’re working toward.”
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.
