FC Barcelona

Barcelona are reportedly looking to strengthen in four key positions during this summer's transfer window, with the Blaugrana said to be seeking reinforcements in all areas of the squad.

Quique Setien's side led La Liga by two points before Spanish football organisers decided to suspend the season for two matchdays in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport wrote Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu met with the club's sporting directors in February after they were given emergency clearance to sign striker Martin Braithwaite from Leganes.

Barcelona are understood to be in the hunt for a centre-back, a goalscoring striker, an anchoring midfielder and a full-back, preferably a right-back.

Setien is said to have approved of the targets compiled by technical secretary Eric Abidal and his assistant, Ramon Planes.

The Catalan giants announced in January 2020 that a €31 million deal had been struck to sign 20-year-old winger Trincao from Braga, but the youngster isn't set to join from Braga until July.

Nelson Semedo joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2017 and has exchanged playing time this season with Sergi Roberto. The latter—a graduate of La Masia—has a little more than two years left on his contract, and Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi suggested he's not an essential component:

Alba is ok. Sergi Roberto? Meh

— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) February 25, 2020

BT Sport remembered Roberto's most famous moment in Barcelona colours, though the 28-year-old isn't certain to remain a long-term fixture at the club:

📆 8th March 2017
🏟 Camp Nou

One of the most unforgettable nights in Champions League history.

Take it away Sergi Roberto 👊pic.twitter.com/1SEAMZMjcS

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2020

Recruiting a striker remains a priority despite Braithwaite's winter arrival, with Setien having to deal without frontman Luis Suarez since he underwent knee surgery in January.

Miguelsanz also mentioned Barcelona's apparent interest in Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, who received praise from Lionel Messi in an interview with Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sport):

"He's spectacular. He's got a lot of impressive qualities. I can see he's going to become a great player, he's exploded onto the scene now and is showing what he's capable of. He's very strong, beats his man and scores goals. He'll fight with anyone in the box, holds onto the ball, and can produce moments by himself. He's got a lot of quality and is a very complete player."

It's also natural the Blaugrana will have one eye on the future of Sergio Busquets, though the 31-year-old's contract doesn't expire until 2023.

The type of midfielder said to be a priority this summer fits the mould of an heir to the Spain star, with none of the club's current options offering the same physicality and presence in the role. Yaya Toure is cited as a comparable player to the target they're seeking, which will encourage many at the Camp Nou.

Football writer Muhammad Butt commented on the club's misuse of Frenkie de Jong since he joined from Ajax in July 2019:

Madrid don't have an easier run-in. also now I'm just mad at how Barcelona are mis-using Frenkie. I get it, he's athletic and in the absence of other athleticism they're using him to stretch the field. but... ugh.

— Muhammad Butt (@muhammadbutt) March 5, 2020

It's also mentioned that the club's preference is to sign a left-footed centre-back, though it could be one of Clement Lenglet or Samuel Umtiti is sold by the club in order to raise funds before that can happen.

Bartomeu is expected to make strong moves in the summer transfer market with presidential elections approaching at the Camp Nou in June 2021.

Osasuna forward Chimy Avila has said he wasn't focused on transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla in January, and he would love to play with Blaugrana forward Lionel Messi.

Per Marca (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner), the 26-year-old was linked with all three clubs after a great start to the season, but an untimely injury put an end to the transfer talk.

A move could be possible when he returns to full health: "I was only thinking about achieving survival with Osasuna. I didn't think about those things. Maybe when I'm back my agent he will tell me things."

He was also asked about Barcelona star Messi, saying everyone wants to play alongside him: "Everyone would like to play with him because he's the best in the world. But it's not a dream, as such. All of this has to be overcome first, but it could happen with the national team as well [as at Barcelona]."

The Catalans were among the favourites to land the in-form striker in January, but those dreams came crashing down when he suffered a season-ending injury against Levante. Barcelona instead signed Martin Braithwaite as attacking depth.

Former Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos and current captain Sergio Ramos were among those who reached out to him after the setback:

Chimy Avila revealed that Sergio Ramos and Roberto Carlos sent messages after his tragic injury https://t.co/oprPjPAzZX

— Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) March 15, 2020

Avila scored nine goals and added two assists in La Liga before suffering the injury, emerging as Osasuna's top attacking option during the first half of the season. He was one of the top breakout performers in Spain, and the transfer chatter came as no surprise.

He'll have to rebuild the interest from top clubs once he returns to full health, and even if he does, a switch to the Camp Nou seems unlikely. Barcelona's interest came in large part because of the injury Luis Suarez suffered in January, leaving the Catalans short on depth.

They're expected to invest in a younger, high-upside forward in the summer, with Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez frequently mentioned as their top target:

Barcelona have agreed a deal with Lautaro Martinez's agent after making the Inter Milan striker their top summer transfer target #FCBarcelona https://t.co/0wYbu2V9nC pic.twitter.com/VIAo9oxJkU

— Daily Star Sport (@DailyStar_Sport) March 13, 2020

Lucas Ocampos is the only Sevilla player to have netted more than five La Liga goals so far, explaining the Andalusians' interest in Avila. They will likely keep an eye on him when he returns to action, and a transfer to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the near future would not be a surprise.

Osasuna have won just two matches across all competitions since losing their star man, highlighting just how important he is to the club.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has said he's self-isolating in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and enthused others to do the same to avoid catching or spreading the respiratory illness.

La Liga and UEFA each announced their competitions would be suspended following the rise in COVID-19 cases across Europe.

Messi took to Instagram (h/t ESPN FC) and told people to avoid public spaces where the coronavirus has spread, hoping to "turn this situation around as soon as possible."

A message from Lionel Messi. pic.twitter.com/hHdB43qC4u

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 14, 2020

Messi ended the post signing off with the hashtag "StayAtHome."

Barcelona confirmed on Friday that all first-team activity at the Camp Nou was suspended "until further notice," with players instead taking on personal training from their homes.

CNN reported 142,230 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide as of Saturday, which had resulted in 5,388 deaths. 

Messi announced his intention to self-isolate on the two-year anniversary of a UEFA Champions League landmark:

Two years ago today, Lionel Messi scored his 100th Champions League goal for Barcelona 🐐 pic.twitter.com/XnTgkY0yjy

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 14, 2020

Each of Europe's major leagues has made the decision to suspend their activities at least temporarily, with Barcelona currently leading Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga.

Spain's top flight is suspended until April 5, but there are doubts regarding Europe's top divisions and whether the domestic seasons will be finished because of the delays caused by COVID-19.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani was the first high-profile player to be diagnosed with the coronavirus, shortly before Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi each tested positive.

Hudson-Odoi posted a video soon after it emerged he had tested positive for COVD-19 and said he had recovered from the illness but was still isolating on medical advice:

Thank you for all your good wishes, as I said in the video I’m feeling good and hope to see you all soon!!🙏🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/hn5d0ikm60

— Callum Hudson-Odoi (@Calteck10) March 13, 2020

In his last game before the ban, Messi scored a 1-0 decider from the penalty when Barcelona beat Real Sociedad on March 7 having gone winless against Real Madrid (2-0) and Napoli (1-1) in their two matches prior to that.

All teams in La Liga have 11 games left to play this season, with Barcelona out to win their third straight league crown for the first time since 2009-11.

Former Barcelona player Marc Bartra has said he could be tempted by the prospect of returning to the Camp Nou in the future.

Catalonia-born Bartra is currently plying his trade for Real Betis, but he began his senior career at Barcelona after graduating from the club's famous La Masia academy.

Bartra made 59 La Liga appearances for the Blaugrana across seven seasons before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2016. He then made the switch to Betis in January 2018 when current Barca manager Quique Setien was in charge at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, and he has been a regular in the first team ever since.

Bartra, 29, has said he is committed to Betis, but he added that does not mean he would not be open to a return to Barca in the future, per Mundo Deportivo (h/t Chris Burton of Goal):

"Right now I am totally focused on Betis. I am feeling very good here, although I have never closed the doors on a return to Barca. I spent 15 years of my life there, and they were very beautiful years. I follow Barca very much. I have many friends in the locker room, and now there is also the coach who made me come here."

Bartra, who can play as a centre-back and a central midfielder, was part of the Betis side that did Barca a big favour on Sunday by beating Real Madrid 2-1.

As a result, Barcelona are back in charge of the La Liga title race despite some variable form of late:

With 11 matches remaining...

Can @FCBarcelona defend their #LaLigaSantander title? 💙👑❤️ pic.twitter.com/hQ8E0Za2CI

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) March 8, 2020

Barca's next outing is a visit to Mallorca on Saturday before next Wednesday's UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg against Napoli at the Camp Nou:

Barcelona-Napoli set to be played behind closed doors

— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) March 10, 2020

Setien's side were unconvincing in the first leg in Naples last month but still managed to come away with a 1-1 draw:

FT: Napoli 1-1 Barcelona

Can’t blow a first leg lead if you don’t have one 😉 pic.twitter.com/GhLNgQj6Ep

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 25, 2020

Antoine Griezmann's away goal, which cancelled out Dries Mertens' brilliant opener, could be crucial to Barca advancing their campaign to win a first Champions League title since 2015.

Barca have suffered humiliating exits in Europe's elite competition in the last two seasons, first giving up a 4-1 lead in the quarter-finals against Roma before last year's semi-final capitulation against Liverpool:

2018: Barcelona blow a 4-1 lead to Roma

2019: Barcelona blow a 3-0 lead to Liverpool

☠️ pic.twitter.com/Y6Q3VWXtSy

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 7, 2019

Those results were part of the reason Ernesto Valverde was sacked back in January, and Setien could find himself under pressure even this early on in his Barca tenure if they suffer another premature Champions League exit.

Jordi Alba has hit back at the supporters who booed Barcelona players during Saturday's 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga.

The Camp Nou crowd started to jeer its own players early in the contest, with Barcelona struggling to make inroads against La Real. Eventually, the team emerged victorious, with Lionel Messi converting a late penalty to take them back to the summit of the table.

Speaking after the game, Alba was candid in revealing his frustration with the Blaugrana supporters and the manner in which they made their displeasure known, per Samuel Marsden of ESPN FC:

"No one likes to play poorly or how we're playing at the moment, but I don't like it when in the 15th minute with the score goalless there are whistles.

"No one likes it when the fans go against you, especially in your own stadium. Our attitude is good and all the players are giving everything out on the pitch. I'm not going to hide. Just as I respect everyone, they also have to respect me.

"I respect Barca fans a lot. Even falling [early] in the Champions League [in recent seasons], they have stuck with the team. It's not easy when things are not coming off, but we have to live with that at the end of the day. We know that if we're not at our best, it's going to be hard. We have to be strong mentally to turn the situation around."

Here are the highlights from the game, as Barcelona did just enough to get past an impressive opponent:

As Marsden noted via Twitter, there were also some chants aimed towards club president Josep Maria Bartomeu:

Chants for Bartomeu to resign again as the match gets underway but nothing too ferocious. A smattering of white hankies, too.

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) March 7, 2020

Alba thought he had doubled his side's advantage late in the game, and he celebrated by putting his fingers in his ears. However, his goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

Barcelona's supporters were clearly unhappy with the performance on Saturday, although the previous game likely exacerbated that irritation. The Blaugrana were knocked off the top of the table by their great rivals, Real Madrid, limping to a 2-0 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The win over Sociedad represented a step in the right direction, although Spanish football journalist Andy West wasn't impressed with the display:

Deeply unimpressive performance from Barça. Got out of jail with yet another dodgy penalty exposing the weakness of the handball law. Some refs would give that, others wouldn't.

— Andy West (@andywest01) March 7, 2020

Per OptaJose, Messi's goal saw him pass a landmark:

438 - @FCBarcelona's Lionel Messi has become the all-time top-scorer in the top five European leagues (438 goals in 474 appearances), surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo (437 in 540). Battle. pic.twitter.com/konZO1J8Pr

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 7, 2020

Despite the upheaval and general frustration that has lingered around the Camp Nou this season, Barcelona remain in contention for both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. They will be watching on keenly when Real Madrid travel to Seville to take on Real Betis on Sunday.

Regardless, the team is clearly not functioning as well as it should be given the quality of the squad. With that in mind, it's no surprise that supporters are anxious to see more.

Barcelona overcame a major challenge in the La Liga title race on Saturday, beating in-form Real Sociedad 1-0 at home.

Lionel Messi converted a penalty after 81 minutes, but there was some controversy involved with the decision to put the ball on the spot for a handling offence. La Real had given the Catalans a great battle until that point. 

The win moves the Blaugrana two points ahead of Real Madrid, who will face Real Betis on Sunday.

The Txuri Urdin came into this match having won nine of their last 10 in all competitions, and they were more than willing to surge forward early.

It resulted in an open and expansive match between two attack-minded teams, although first-half chances were rare. An early mistake from Marc-Andre ter Stegen nearly set up Alexander Isak, and Martin Braithwaite―making his first start for Barcelona―saw an effort saved by Alex Remiro.

Braithwaite again put Remiro to work minutes later, and Gerard Pique made an excellent block to keep Isak from testing Ter Stegen on the other end of the pitch.

Messi struck a frustrated figure early against the Basques, who did a great job isolating him. It was telling Braithwaite was the most dangerous man on the pitch for the Catalans:

25 mins played at Camp Nou. Barça 0-0 La Real. Braithwaite the most dangerous-looking player on the pitch so far...

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 7, 2020

Ander Barrenetxea set up Isak for the visitors' best chance of the half, but his header missed the target. Remiro made a good save on Messi just past the half-hour mark, and Ivan Rakitic picked out Braithwaite on the resulting corner, with his header rising over the bar.

Cristian Portu came within inches of connecting with a sharp cross, and Messi tested Remiro again before running into a booking. Per Spanish football writer Euan McTear, the Ballon d'Or holder set a new―unwanted―milestone in the process:

Messi booked for the third match in a row. That has never happened before.

— Euan McTear (@emctear) March 7, 2020

He was lucky to still be on the pitch after he wasn't punished for this stamp on Diego Llorente:

La acción entre Messi y Llorente. #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/zlJMjyxCHz

— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) March 7, 2020

The half ended on a sour note for the Catalans, with Pique in visible pain and holding his neck after clearing a corner.

La Real started the second half on the front foot, with Barrenetxea shooting wide and Portu firing a dangerous cross into the box. Pique cleared but again reached for his neck after heading the ball.

On the other side of the pitch, Messi set up a nice attack with Jordi Alba before shooting wide. The Argentinian got a chance with a free-kick, but Mikel Merino headed it clear before it even crossed the penalty spot.

The Catalans started to increase the pace:

Griezmann wins the header in the box and it falls to Messi who shoots over with three defenders diving in. 60 mins played, 0-0

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 7, 2020

La Real responded by introducing Mikel Oyarzabal, who surprisingly started from the bench. 

Remiro made two big saves in quick succession, denying Rakitic's drive and Pique's header from the resulting corner. He appeared to be beaten when Alba flashed a teasing cross into the box, but none of the Barcelona players were able to reach it.

The Txuri Urdin were still a threat on the counter, and Nacho Monreal reminded the Catalans of the danger with a shot that was blocked. Oyarzabal also went close, blasting over after the defence forgot to close him down. 

Isak should have given the visitors the lead with 15 minutes left to play, finding himself close to Ter Stegen but firing wide. 

But just as La Real seemed the more likely team to score, the VAR threw Barcelona a lifeline. After Monreal missed a chance for the visitors, the replay went all the way back to the start of the counter and concluded Robin Le Normand handled the ball. Per sports writer Samuel Marsden, the action had advanced quite a bit already:

VAR checking for a possible Barça penalty for handball a few minutes ago..

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) March 7, 2020

Replays suggested the ball hit Le Normand on the upper arm, which was in line with his body. Messi stepped up for the penalty and converted.

The Txuri Urdin surged forward in search of an equaliser, but Barcelona did a good job shutting down their efforts. Alba thought he had added a second goal deep in added time, but this time the VAR did not cooperate, chalking it off for offside.

   

What's Next?

Barcelona visit Mallorca on Saturday, and La Real visit Eibar on Tuesday.

Barcelona manager Quique Setien has said he's not concerned by the recent form of Lionel Messi.

The forward has not found the net in six of his last seven matches and was ineffective on Sunday in the team's 2-0 loss to rivals Real Madrid. It was a defeat that sees Los Blancos lead the way by two points ahead of Barcelona going into the weekend's La Liga matches. 

Since Setien took over, the style of the team has shifted, as has the role of Messi. The manager said he's not worried about the blanks his star man has drawn as of late though, per Goal's Russell Greaves:

"I don't care that he didn't score recently. If he scored it would be better, but it has never bothered me. It could happen to Leo or anyone. He is having chances and that is the important thing, that chances are generated.

"He has been scoring goals for 14 years, if he now has a period in which he scores less it is not important."

Although Messi has failed to hit the back of the net in a number of games recently, in the one game he did score he struck on four occasions, helping Barcelona romp to a 5-0 win over Eibar:

However, his influence was diminished compared to his usual high standards in the Clasico. Squawka Football provided the numbers behind an afternoon to forget for the Barcelona captain:

Dribbles attempted: 4
Dribbles completed: 1
Dribbled past: 3

A Clásico to forget for Lionel Messi. pic.twitter.com/UdzNlWgfyS

— Squawka (@Squawka) March 1, 2020

Messi has been sensational for a long time at Barcelona, almost singlehandedly hauling the team to results on many occasions under previous boss Ernesto Valverde.

One of Setien's biggest challenges as manager will be relieving the 32-year-old of some of that burden, while ensuring he remains prolific in front of goal.

Under the new manager, Messi is picking up the ball in deeper areas, seeking to get Barcelona attacks moving. However, that's lessened the number of times he gets into goalscoring positions and the goals have dried up a little as such.

Per BR Football, even with the goals not flowing, Messi has still been able to provide a creative force and was recently recognised as La Liga's best player last month:

—4 games
—4 goals
—6 assists

Leo Messi is named La Liga Player of the Month for February 🌟 pic.twitter.com/6ePQdX02l4

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 6, 2020

Rafael Hernandez of the Grup14 fan site said that despite those numbers, Messi hasn't reached his usual heights lately:

Messi scored or assisted most of the goals Barça have under Setien, yes, but we know the man, he hasn’t been well for months now. It’s worrying, things have to be shaken up at the board level or we risk losing Messi’s final years in a worst way that we thought possible.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) March 2, 2020

As Setien himself noted, Messi's goalscoring record is remarkable and it would be a shock if he didn't start to find the net with unerring frequency again soon.

What Barcelona require if they are to seriously challenge for the La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles is more from the rest of what is currently an underperforming squad. As of yet, Setien has struggled to get that reaction, as did his predecessor.

Barcelona's new signing Martin Braithwaite has said he believes he's working with the "best passer in the world" in Lionel Messi.

The 28-year-old made a shock switch to the Camp Nou last month from Leganes, with injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele allowing the Catalan club to make an emergency acquisition.

Braithwaite was considered a surprise choice for the Blaugrana, although he made an impressive start to life at the club, helping to set up two goals in the recent 5-0 win over Eibar. He was also brought on as a substitute in the 2-0 Clasico loss to Real Madrid on Sunday.

Speaking to Javier Giraldo and Didac Peyret of Sport, Braithwaite detailed what it's like to be working with such a high calibre of player:

"I just see how the players play, look at how they do (things) naturally, it's more easy for me to adapt to them. If I do something they do naturally they don't have to change. I just have to be there where they put the ball."

When asked about how he can work with Messi, he said: "I just have to play my game. I like to make good runs and I have the best passer in the world, so for me, it's really easy."

In the win over Eibar, Braithwaite was given 18 minutes by manager Quique Setien, and he was able to build up an instant link with Messi:

After making his debut, the Dane spoke with great pride about being on the same side as the Barcelona icon:

2 assists in 18 minutes, including setting up Messi 🔥

Martin Braithwaite must still be pinching himself! pic.twitter.com/ZsgqngfKkB

— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 24, 2020

Braithwaite has struggled to find consistency in his career since leaving Toulouse for Middlesbrough in 2017. However, after spending last season on loan at Leganes and shining, his move was made permanent in the summer.

He scored six goals in 24 appearances for the team in 2019/20, which was enough to prompt Barcelona into paying his release clause. 

Although he may not be at the standard typically expected of a Blaugrana forward, Braithwaite's dynamism and versatility will be useful for Barcelona up until the end of the campaign. Dembele is poised to miss the rest of the season, whereas Suarez is anticipated to be out until April after knee surgery.

Spanish football journalist Alvaro Romeo said Barcelona should have ensured they had more depth up top ahead of the season:

4 1/2 years contract for 18M€ Braithwaite. No, injuries didn't lead Barça to this. Nobody in there had the vision to anticipate the risk of starting the season with just one injury prone striker. Reckless at best. Had Suárez not played every game maybe Alcácer would have stayed.

— Alvaro Romeo (@Alvaro_Romeo) February 20, 2020

Braithwaite will be seeking to stake his claim for a regular spot in the side in the coming weeks. Having watched his side fail to take chances in the loss to Real Madrid last weekend, the Dane may even be given an opportunity from the start against Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.  

With Messi alongside him in attack, there will be no shortage of quality service for the new Barcelona forward whenever they are on the field together. It's up to the former Leganes star to seize this opportunity.

Spain's Minister of Health has confirmed Barcelona's UEFA Champions League tie with Napoli does not need to be played behind closed doors amid concerns over the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Barca will host Napoli at the Camp Nou in the second leg of their last-16 tie on March 18.

Salvador Illa told RAC1 (h/t Football-Italia):

"The match is not at risk. There is no danger of the game having to be played behind closed doors.

"We have decided to close the stadiums only for the games that would be attended by people from the affected areas but that's not the case here.

"The only thing that we are preoccupied with is the exodus of many fans.

"The Champions League game between Barcelona and Napoli could be played regularly, as Naples is not currently in the zone at risk, like northern Italy."

Illa's comments come after UEFA confirmed Atalanta's Champions League clash with Valencia and Inter Milan's UEFA Europa League match with Getafe will be played in empty stadiums:

Following decisions taken by authorities in Italy and Spain respectively, and related to measures regarding the COVID-19 virus, two UEFA club competition matches will go ahead next week as scheduled, but behind closed doors...

🇪🇸 Valencia v Atalanta 🇮🇹
🇮🇹 Inter v Getafe 🇪🇸

— UEFA (@UEFA) March 5, 2020

Italy has been hit hard by the virus:

Another big spike in #coronavirus numbers in #ITALY. Death toll has again doubled in 48 hours- 148 dead now, 41 more than y’day. 3,858 infected- nearly 800 more than y’day. Its daily infections are 4 times higher than China’s.

— Bill Neely (@BillNeelyReport) March 5, 2020

Only China, where the virus was first discovered, and South Korea have had more confirmed cases.

Bergamo—where Atalanta are based—and Milan are located in the northern region of Lombardy, which has been one of the worst affected by the outbreak of the virus. Naples is in the southern region of Campania.

All matches to be played in Italy until April 3 will take place behind closed doors.

Several fixtures that were supposed to be played last weekend were also postponed, including Juventus' clash with Inter, a match that could have significant ramifications for the title race. It will be played on Sunday.

Barca and Napoli played out a 1-1 draw at the latter's San Paolo Stadium on February 25.

Antoine Griezmann cancelled out Dries Mertens' opener, giving the Catalan giants an away goal to bring back to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona boss Quique Setien said he apologised to the squad for coach Eder Sarabia's behaviour during their defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday.

Footage emerged of an animated Sarabia vocalising his displeasure at the team during the 2-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu (warning: NSFW language):

Full translation below. Enjoy!! #ElClasico #FCBlive pic.twitter.com/vBT2YG8kBP

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) March 2, 2020

Setien told El Periodico (h/t Reuters, via ESPN):

"We apologised to everyone, we cannot behave like that.

"We don't like to see things like this, we have committed an error and we should try to avoid something like this happening again.

"This situation has affected me a lot, because I am concerned about the image of the club. We need to take care of that image, because we can be criticised for substitutions, tactics, etc, but not for our behaviour."

Per The Spanish Football Podcast, he added on Sarabia:

Quique Setién on Eder Sarabia: "Eder is a guy with a great temperament. He has to learn to control himself. He's trying to improve because we've already had situations like this. More infrequent all the time... It's something we don't like" https://t.co/qCDSnXYhxR

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 5, 2020

Setien also said he dislikes cameras being pointed at the dugout:

🗣️ Setien is sick of being filmed on the sidelines: "That is embarrassing, that the media use a camera that is permanently following you on the bench.

"It is something that should be eradicated. It is something that should end." 🙅‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/fLA67qXMWQ

— GOAL (@goal) March 6, 2020

Amid reports that Barcelona's players were unhappy with Sarabia's behaviour, The Spanish Football Podcast suggested there was nothing out of the ordinary with the way he spoke:

We should say: what you see from the Barça bench there looks absolutely normal to us, and that kind of language is what you'll hear all day, every day in Spanish football...

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 3, 2020

ESPN's David Cartlidge and Football Espana's Colin Millar were similarly in agreement:

Genuinely can’t believe the furore around Eder Sarabia’s actions on the Barcelona bench. Everything that has come out in that video is pretty normal within football. Magnified because it’s Barça and during a defeat (in a Clásico too).

— David Cartlidge (@davidjaca) March 3, 2020

Tallies with all the indications that the players have de facto total control at the club and that power subsequently means any internal challenges or criticisms are magnified and blown up. It's clearly an unhealthy situation. Sarabia was just...doing his job?

— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) March 3, 2020

It's little wonder Sarabia was unhappy with what he saw from Barca's players during the match. The Catalan giants had the better of the first half, exerting a degree of control over proceedings and containing Madrid when they attempted to put pressure on the visitors.

They failed to make the most of their first-half chances, though, as Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois twice kept out Lionel Messi and also denied Arthur.

Real were much improved after the break, while Barca's performance dropped off significantly. Vinicius Jr. broke the deadlock in the 71st minute, and Mariano Diaz sealed the result in injury time.

Barca could have opened up a five-point lead atop La Liga with a victory—which would have effectively been six because they would have the superior head-to-head record—but instead they are one point behind with an inferior head-to-head record.

The Blaugrana face a tricky clash with sixth-place Real Sociedad on Saturday, while Madrid travel to Seville to face Real Betis, who are 14th, on Sunday.