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Barcelona suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Al-Awwal stadium in Riyadh on Sunday (January 14) in the Spanish Super Cup final. Robert Lewandowski’s strike turned out to be mere consolation for Xavi’s team, who were taken apart by their bitter rivals.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrna are reportedly losing their patience with manager Xavi following another setback. Elsewhere, Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha wants to move to the Camp Nou.
On that note, here's a look at the key Barcelona transfer stories as on January 15, 2024:
Barcelona lose patience with Xavi
Barcelona are losing patience with Xavi after another setback on Sunday, according to journalist Joan Fontes.
The Blaugrana were outrun in the Spanish Super Cup final by Real Madrid, and their poor performance marked one of the lowest points of the campaign. Xavi has struggled to get his team firing on all cylinders this season, giving rise to doubts about his future.
The Spanish manager enjoyed great success in the 2022-23 campaign, winning the league and Spanish Supercup. He was expected to build on his good work, but the La Liga champions look to have regressed instead. Barcelona are trailing in the title race and are fourth in the points table, eight points behind leaders Girona but with a game in hand.
The Blaugrana have lacked consistency under Xavi this season, and Sunday was another outing to forget. The Spanish manager failed to get his tactics right, and his team were lacklustre against Madrid. Xavi’s position has been questioned in recent weeks following a topsy turvy season, and the club hierarchy has reportedly lost faith in him now.
Xavi now knows that his days at the Camp Nou could be numbered. Sporting director Deco is unimpressed by some of the Spaniard’s signings as well, although publicly he has backed the manager after the defeat. If things don’t improve soon, president Joan Laporta could soon have a decision to make.
Joao Palhinha wants Camp Nou move
Joao Palhinha is keen to join Barcelona this year, according to SPORT. The Portuguese midfielder has gone from strength to strength recently with Fulham and remains linked with an exit from the club.
Palhinha was very close to moving to Bayern Munich last summer, but a deal couldn’t be completed in time. He went on to sign a new contract with the Cottagers, but is looking to take the next step in his career now.
The 28-year-old dreams of a move to Camp Nou, with the club also interested in his services. The Blaugrna are in the market for a midfield reinforcements following the recent injury to Gavi. Meanwhile, Oriol Romeu has failed to live up to the task of replacing the legendary Sergio Busquets, prompting the Spanish champions to head back to the market.
Palhinha has emerged as an option, given his fine performances for Fulham. Liverpool and Arsenal also have their eyes on the Portuguese, as per reports. However, Barcelona are apparently the favourites for the 28-year-old, who has his heart set on joining the club.
Blaugrana will not listen to offers for Gavi and Pedri
Barcelona consider Gavi and Pedri untouchable members of their squad, according to AS.
The two young midfielders are vital components of Xavi’s starting XI. Both players have endured injury woes this season, which has added to speculation regarding their future at the club.
While Gavi is out for the season with an ACL injury picked up in November, Pedri has been troubled with niggling injuries as well. However, there’s no doubting the duo’s qualities when fit.
As such, any talk of a departure from the club is unlikely. The La Liga champions reckon the two men are the backbone of the team and will not consider any offers for them.
