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Barcelona's first Champions League game of the post-Lionel Messi era ended in a humiliating 3-0 loss against Bayern Munich. There is a lot of pressure on Ronald Koeman and his players to bounce back. Meanwhile, the Barcelona board is already drawing up plans for the next transfer window.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 16 September 2021.
Joan Laporta calls for patience after Champions League loss
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has called for the club's fans to show patience following their 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. It is the first game in which Barcelona have gone without registering a single shot on target in their Champions League history.
Laporta added that he had anticipated a difficult start to the season for the club after the kind of summer they've had.
Laporta said:
'I'm as disappointed and upset as all of you are. I need to tell you that what is happening is one of the situations we expected and I ask for your patience and that you continue supporting our club."
Barcelona confirm injuries to Pedri and Jordi Alba
Things have gone from bad to worse for Barcelona following their defeat to Bayern Munich. Pedri played 90 minutes but sustained an injury to his quads while Jordi Alba suffered a hamstring injury. Barcelona have released an official update on the same.
“The first team player Pedri has a quadriceps muscle injury in his left thigh. The player is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return.
“Tests carried out on Wednesday morning on Jordi Alba have revealed that he has inured the biceps femoris muscle in his right hamstring. As a result, the player is unavailable for selection until he has recovered.”
According to AS, Pedri is likely to be sidelined for two to three weeks while Jordi Alba is expected to be unavailable for a month.
Barcelona retain their interest in Cristian Romero
Tottenham Hotspur secured the services of Argentinian centre-back Cristian Romero on loan from Atalanta. Spurs have the option to make the deal permanent for €55 million at the end of the season.
According to Spanish publication Fichajes, Barcelona remain interested in the 23-year-old defender. The Catalans are looking to further reinforce their backline. However, if Romero goes on to have a great season with Spurs, they are likely to activate the option to buy him on a permanent basis.
Barcelona's financial issues have been well documented. They will find it difficult to offer the kind of money needed to price Tottenham Hotspur out of a deal. Romero scored three goals and provided five assists in 42 appearances across all competitions last season. He also helped Atalanta keep the fifth best defensive record in Serie A last term.
