Barcelona willing to part ways with 4 key players to reinforce squad in the summer - Reports
According to Fichajes.net, Barcelona will be looking to part ways with four key players: Sergi Roberto, Marcos Alonso, Oriol Romeu, and Raphinha, this summer in order to restructure their squad. La Blaugrana are looking to make some signings and infuse the team with new life this summer, but must sell to do so given their precarious financial position.
Captain Sergi Roberto's contract expires this summer and according to reports, he has not received a new offer from the club. Roberto has played 363 games for La Blaugrana since graduating from the club's academy. His spell with the Catalan giants might finally be coming to an end, however, as the club will be looking to free up space on their wage bill.
Former Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso is also likely to leave Barca this summer, according to the report. Alonso has failed to cement his place in the team's starting XI this season, with just four La Liga matches under his belt. There are rumors that he will join Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona look to bolster their left-back position with an improved option.
Oriol Romeu's return to Camp Nou hasn't gone according to plan as the midfielder is yet to make a big impression with his performances. He has played 20 La Liga games this season, starting half of those on the bench. Barca will be looking to sell him this summer to reinforce their midfield.
Despite his talent and the high expectations that came with his move from Leeds, Raphinha has fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona. The Brazilian winger has been over-shadowed by Lamine Yamal since the 16-year-old's rise to prominence. With his contract set to expire in 2027, Raphinha could bring in the highest transfer fee for the club this summer.
Xavi Hernandez laments Barcelona draw against Athletic Club in La Liga
Barcelona missed out on a great opportunity to climb to second position in the league standings as they were unable held to a 0-0 draw by Athletic Club in La Liga on Sunday, March 3. They struggled throughout the game and to make matters worse, midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong were forced off the pitch in the first half due to injury.
These injuries made it difficult for the Catalan giants to exhibit their typical inventiveness during the match. Manager Xavi Hernandez said to the press after the game (via Forbes):
"We didn't play a good game. We didn't attack well and we had to take a step forward. We're sad because we didn't give our best and the game required more from us. We're saddened by the missed opportunity, the team could have given so much more."
League leaders Real Madrid failed to win their match against Valencia, which handed Barca a chance to reduce the gap between them to six points. However, Xavi's men came away with just one point and are still third in the standings, one point behind Girona.