Barcelona's Luis Suarez Posts Treadmill Clip, Says He Will 'Focus on the Future'
Mar 5, 2020
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 05: Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona during a training session at Estadi Johan Cruyff on January 05, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez appears to have stepped up his injury rehabilitation.
The striker has been out of action since January 9, having undergone surgery on an injured knee. It was expected he would be sidelined for four months following the operation.
Suarez appears to be edging closer to a return to full fitness, though, sharing a clip on his Instagram account of himself on a treadmill, per infosfcb:
Accompanying the video was a message that read "focus on the future."
This season, the Uruguay international has netted 14 goals in 23 matches. He's always a threat:
10 - Luis Suárez has been involved in each one of the @FCBarcelona’s last nine goals in #LaLiga (four goals & six assists). The Uruguayan is the player to have scored & assisted both in a single LaLiga game more often (four as Karim Benzema). Key#EspanyolBarça#Derbyhttps://t.co/pL0rDO9day
With that in mind, it's no surprise that Barcelona have been a little blunted without the 33-year-old at the point of the attack.
Under new manager Quique Setien, the team have largely dominated possession of the ball in all of their matches, although they've lacked a ruthless edge when chances do come their way. Suarez is typically the man who can finish those opportunities.
Lionel Messi hasn't been at his fluid best under Setien:
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.
While Messi and Antoine Griezmann are both world-class, they are each at their best when playing in withdrawn roles in attack. When Barcelona have been at their peak in recent years, it's when Suarez has been the focal point up top.
Although he lacks the dynamism that once made him the best striker in the world at Liverpool and in the early days of his Camp Nou tenure, the striker is still sharp, intelligent and clinical when opportunities come his way.
With that in mind, getting Suarez back earlier than expected would be a major boost for Barcelona, with La Liga and UEFA Champions League success still up for grabs for the Catalan giants.
Ronald Koeman Confirms Barcelona January Approach, Talks Frenkie de Jong
Mar 4, 2020
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - NOVEMBER 19: head coach Ronald Koeman of Netherlands looks on prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier between The Netherlands and Estonia on November 19, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed Barcelona spoke to him in January about replacing former head coach Ernesto Valverde.
The Catalan giants ultimately replaced Valverde with Quique Setien after letting slip a winning position to lose 3-2 to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Per Goal's Sam France, former Barca player Koeman was asked whether the club approached him: "Yes. I said 'no' because I am with the national team."
Koeman has been in charge of the Netherlands since 2018, and this summer he'll take charge of the team at a major tournament for the first time at UEFA Euro 2020, having guided them to the UEFA Nations League final last year.
Setien had been out of work since he left Real Betis at the end of last season. Squawka's Muhammad Butt was pleased with the 61-year-old's work in February:
if there's one annoying thing about Barcelona's turnaround under Setién it's that he wasn't apponted in the summer. if he got the job then, as he should have given Anfield, Barcelona would be FLYING now.
Under their coach, Barca play with a slower tempo and tend to dominate possession much more, but the team have sometimes lacked a cutting edge despite recording two 5-0 wins.
The Spanish champions won seven of his first nine games in charge before drawing 1-1 at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League and losing 2-0 to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
Football broadcaster Juan G. Arango was critical of Setien after the defeat, in which Barca dominated the first half but failed to take their chances:
Frenkie de Jong has remained a regular fixture in the team under the new manager, and Koeman gave his take on his compatriot's start to life at the Camp Nou:
"De Jong plays a lot at Barca, and that is positive.
"But he is playing in a different position than he is used to. But that is the decision of the coach.
"He's very young, and from playing games, you learn a lot of things. But I think he plays differently with me in the national team."
The midfielder appeared to be a natural fit at Barca, whom he joined from Ajax last summer for an initial €75 million.
He has made 36 appearances, 32 of them starts, so game time has not been an issue.
However, he has had to perform a different role to the one he played at Ajax and has struggled somewhat, as Barcelona blogger Kevin Williams and football writer Zach Lowy have observed:
You expect players who cost €60 million to be able to do it all. But football isn’t that simple.
You’re asking a player who’s spent his entire role specializing in certain plays, who’s focused on certain training practices, to learn a completely different role that takes time.
De Jong served as Ajax's deep-lying playmaker and excelled in that role, but Sergio Busquets' presence in the side has necessitated he be used further forward so they don't occupy the same space, per football writer Graham Ruthven.
The midfielder is only 22, though, and he signed a five-year deal at the Camp Nou when he joined the club.
Busquets has been a vital player for Barca over the years, but he'll be 32 this summer. Therefore, De Jong should receive more opportunities to play in his preferred role as the team transitions away from Busquets in the coming seasons.
Rivaldo Says Lionel Messi 'Is the Only Barcelona Player Taking Responsibility'
Mar 3, 2020
Former FC Barcelona player Rivaldo runs during a friendly soccer match between FC Barcelona legends and Manchester United legends at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, June, 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Lionel Messi's performances for Barcelona have been defended by club legend Rivaldo, who believes the attacking talisman is being left to do it all himself this season.
Messi endured a tough night when Barca lost 2-0 against bitter rivals Real Madrid in Sunday's Clasico. The result knocked the Blaugrana off the top spot in La Liga and highlighted the problems facing Messi while Barca are beset by key injuries up front.
Despite Messi's struggles, which include failing to score away from home in the division since December 1, Rivaldo, who won a pair of La Liga titles at the Camp Nou before joining AC Milan in 2002, told Betfair (h/t Goal's Chris Burton):
"As usual, Lionel Messi had little space to play in.
"He is Barca's match winner and if he is well defended their chances of being threatening in attack are severely reduced.
"At the moment, he is the only Barcelona player taking responsibility with the ball, shooting from outside the box and trying to unbalance opposing defenders.
"No one else in the team seems capable of helping him in that department."
Messi is alone in trying to provide inspiration in the final third while fellow striker Luis Suarez is on the shelf after undergoing knee surgery. The Uruguayan is out until May, and Rivaldo believes Messi is missing having the versatile No. 9 next to him:
"Without Luis Suarez, Barcelona loses a lot because, apart from Messi, they have no other player who can surprise opponents. The Uruguayan works hard, is fearless and puts opposing defences to the sword very often. Barca are missing Suarez and, in his absence, they're putting all the responsibility on Messi. When they lose, everyone starts asking what happened to Messi. He is always the target of fans' frustration when things don't go so well for the team but that's unfair."
Rivaldo's assertion about the importance of Suarez makes sense. The 33-year-old is capable of moments of magic thanks to his quick feet, flair and natural improvisational skills:
Defences can't zero in on Messi when Suarez is fully fit. The striker's absence has been compounded since Ousmane Dembele is out for the season with a hamstring problem. The mercurial winger's pace and eye for a pass would also help ease the burden on Messi.
Without Suarez and Dembele, the onus has increased on Antoine Griezmann to get up to speed. The former Atletico Madrid forward has struggled for consistency since arriving from Atletico Madrid last summer in a deal worth €120 million.
Showing his talent only in sporadic patches, Griezmann has still helped himself to 14 goals and a quartet of assists in all competitions.
The first big chance of the match falls to @AntoGriezmann! 💥
While there have been glimpses of improvement from the France international, Griezmann is a different type of player to Messi and Suarez. The latter pair can unlock a defence with individual trickery, but Griezmann thrives thanks to the speed and timing of his runs.
Griezmann is a player reliant on the vision and technique of others to bring out the best in his game. Messi embodies those qualities, but he no longer enjoys the support he used to get from midfield when maestros Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta played for the club.
Artistry no longer defines a Barcelona engine room now underpinned by the industry and brawn of Arturo Vidal and Frenkie de Jong. It means Messi has been lumbered with the dual responsibility of being his team's primary goalscorer and chief creator.
The workload would be too much for most good players, and It's even beginning to weigh down arguably the greatest talent of his generation.
Gerard Pique Slams Real Madrid's El Clasico Performance; Sergio Ramos Hits Back
Mar 2, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 01, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Gerard Pique bemoaned Barcelona's failure to capitalise on Real Madrid's first-half performance in El Clasico on Sunday after Los Blancos ran out 2-0 winners at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real won the match courtesy of second-half goals from Vinicius Jr. and Mariano Diaz, but Barca had enjoyed much better chances in the opening period.
Per MailOnline's Matt Porter, Pique said: "That was one of the worst Real Madrid displays that I've come across at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first half."
The defender felt Barcelona "controlled the game" prior to the break and rued their missed opportunities:
"If only we'd made the most of the game in the first half. I'm not saying it as a criticism [of Madrid]. Each team has their problems. We're hardly very good.
"We were able to stamp our authority. If we'd made the most of our chances in the first half, they would've had a mountain to climb."
Pique's comments were put to Real counterpart Sergio Ramos, who responded: "I would sign now to win every Clasico if it meant playing as badly in the first half as he thinks we played."
Thibaut Courtois had to make three saves in the first half, denying Lionel Messi twice either side of a strong stop to keep out Arthur. He also made an important save from Martin Braithwaite in the second half before Vinicius' opener:
Barcelona failed to maintain their level of performance after the break:
in the first-half Barcelona slowed the tempo down when Madrid were getting hot. second-half they just failed completely to do that. Vidal was on for far too long.
Unlike Barca, Real capitalised while they were on top in the game, giving them their first La Liga win over the Catalan giants at the Bernabeu since 2014.
One of Barcelona's biggest problems is their over-reliance on Messi. The 32-year-old is good enough to get them through most matches, but they often struggle if he's not at his best.
Sunday's match was one to forget for the Argentinian:
Messi isn't getting any younger—he will turn 33 in June—so the problem is only going to get worse until the club can give him more support on the pitch.
The defeat has handed the initiative back to Los Blancos in the title race too. Defeat to Levante and a draw with Celta Vigo in their previous two matches had seen Real slip behind Barcelona, but they are now a point ahead with 12 matches remaining.
Given the two played out a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in the reverse fixture, Real have a superior head-to-head record this season, so their lead over Barca is effectively two points.
Lucas Perez Rejected Barcelona, Didn't Want 'Another Misstep' After Arsenal Move
Feb 28, 2020
VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 23: Lucas Perez of Deportivo Alaves celebrates after scoring goal during the Liga match between Deportivo Alaves and Athletic Club at Estadio de Mendizorroza on February 23, 2020 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Alaves striker Lucas Perez has revealed he rejected Barcelona because he wanted to avoid a repeat of his experience at Arsenal.
The Blaugrana signed Martin Braithwaite from Leganes earlier in February after being granted permission to make an emergency signing following injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.
Perez told Marca (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner) he was called by Barcelona and other clubs during the January transfer window, but he turned them down because he is "very settled" and "very happy" at Alaves.
He added:
"I didn't want to take another misstep, where I would not have opportunities, as happened to me in England. In no case did I plan to leave midseason, I want to stay here until the end.
"It is not the first time that Barcelona has called me, like other great clubs. The truth is that that does not distract me. What is clear to me is that I want to do well and I want to feel like a player again, as I am doing here, where they have given me love since day one."
Perez signed for Arsenal in 2016 on the back of a strong season with Deportivo La Coruna, in which he'd notched 19 goals and 11 assists in 39 matches.
He started the following campaign strongly, too, as he bagged a goal and an assist for Deportivo in the first game of the 2016-17 season before making the switch to the Gunners.
However, he made just 21 appearances for Arsenal that season, nine of which were starts.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: Lucas Perez of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Arsenal FC and FC Bayern Muenchen at Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Gett
Despite his limited opportunities, he managed to contribute seven goals and five assists, but he was loaned back to Deportivo for the 2017-18 season before being sold to West Ham United.
He started just six times for the Hammers, scoring six goals, before Alaves bought him last summer.
While he did not have a happy time in the Premier League, he said the move out of Spain "helped me to grow on a personal and football level" and believes "it's something that all players should try."
He evidently wasn't keen to repeat the experience of being a bit-part player, though.
The 31-year-old has made 24 La Liga appearances this season, starting 19 of them. He has 10 goals and five assists to his name:
Lucas Pérez has scored 10 LaLiga goals in a season for the second time:
⚽️ 2015-16 (Deportivo La Coruna) ⚽️ 2019-20 (Alavés)
His tally this season includes a stretch in which he scored for seven games in a row. Alaves have only scored 27 in total this season, so he's had a hand in over half of them.
He scored and assisted against Athletic Bilbao as Alaves recorded a 2-1 victory on Sunday:
Earlier in the month, he broke the deadlock against Eibar in another 2-1 win:
Perez has shown at both Arsenal and West Ham that he can contribute despite limited minutes on the pitch, and he has enjoyed a strong campaign with Alaves, so he could have been a shrewd choice for Barca given their circumstances.
Braithwaite had eight goals and one assist in 27 matches for Leganes this season, including six of their 18 goals in La Liga.
The Dane made a significant impact on his debut and had a hand in creating two goals for Barca as they beat Eibar 5-0 on Saturday.
Although he was not credited with an assist in either case, it was his cross that Marko Dmitrovic parried into Lionel Messi's path for Barca's fourth and his shot that rebounded to Arthur from Dmitrovic for their fifth.
Quique Setien 'Optimistic' About Barcelona's UCL Chances After Napoli Draw
Feb 26, 2020
NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 25: Quique Setien, head coach of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona at Stadio San Paolo on February 25, 2020 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Barcelona manager Quique Setien has called for optimism after Barcelona came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Napoli in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday.
Dries Mertens put the hosts ahead on the half-hour mark, but Antoine Griezmann equalised soon after half-time and honours finished even:
Due to their away goal and the fact that they return to the Camp Nou for the second leg on March 18, Barca remain strong favourites to advance to the quarter-finals, per Caesars Palace.
However, they were not overly convincing in Naples and were indebted to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for keeping the score at 1-1:
Furthermore, Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal were ruled out of the second leg because of a yellow and red card, respectively, at the San Paolo, and Gerard Pique had to be substituted late on due to injury, adding further to Barca's squad-depth concerns:
Injured: Suarez, Dembele, Alba, Roberto, Pique Suspended for the second leg: Busquets, Vidal ⁰⁰ 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/nwH4SyKv17
Setien, though, said he is confident his side have the resources to advance, per Guy Atkinson of Goal:
"We will look for solutions. We have lost important players, but we will recover two others—Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto. We have to look at things with optimism. We will be optimistic and think positively. It is a good result considering that we have a return game at home.
"They have defended with 10 players very close to their area. It is true that we have not generated much, but we knew that it was a matter of patience. It has been a close match, and I consider it fair. We have had control, but in the first half they defended well and took advantage of the only occasion they had. The second half was different; there were more spaces, and we have done more damage. A 1-1 draw is fine for the second leg."
More pressingly for Barca is Sunday's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid in La Liga.
The Blaugrana have a two-point lead over Zinedine Zidane's side at the top of the table, and the second El Clasico of the season could be crucial in deciding the destination of the title this term.
Barca are in good form in the league having won four games on the bounce since losing 2-0 at Valencia in January.
They beat Eibar 5-0 on Saturday, with Lionel Messi ending his mini goal drought by scoring four times:
How do you respond when you go 4⃣ games without a goal❓
If you’re Lionel Messi, with 4⃣ goals 🆚 a side who had conceded only 4⃣ goals in their previous 7⃣ @LaLigaEN matches
3⃣0⃣ combined goals & assists in 2⃣0⃣ league appearances this season 🤩👏 https://t.co/7dwxwloGPp
Real, meanwhile, have allowed Barca to leapfrog them by dropping five points in their last two league games—a draw with Celta Vigo and loss to Levante.
Meetings between Real and Barca are hotly anticipated across the globe and can often prove explosive.
Given how close the pair are in La Liga, though, it would not be a huge surprise were Sunday's clash to play out like the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou in December, which ended 0-0.
Barcelona's Gerard Pique Doubtful for El Clasico After Ankle Injury vs. Napoli
Feb 26, 2020
NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 25: Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona looks on during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona at Stadio San Paolo on February 25, 2020 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Gerard Pique's fitness is in doubt for Barcelona's trip to Real Madrid on Sunday after he suffered an ankle injury in their 1-1 draw with Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Per AS' Robbie Dunne, the defender had to be substituted in added time against the Partenopei after an awkward fall. Despite being in the final minutes of the match Pique "immediately" reached out to the Barca dugout and was replaced by Clement Lenglet.
As football writer Dermot Corrigan observed, the injury appeared painful:
Pique falls awkwardly on ankle and looks in serious pain...
Per Marca's R. Aldunate (h/t Football Espana's Colin Millar), manager Quique Setien said ahead of the Clasico: "We will look for solutions, but the Pique thing is a problem."
Meanwhile, the centre-back's team-mate, Sergio Busquets, said he hopes "Pique's thing is nothing," perSport.
After the Blaugrana loaned Jean-Clair Todibo to Schalke in January, the club only have three senior centre-backs to see them through the remainder of the season.
If Pique is unable to feature against Real Madrid, Setien can still turn to Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti, but if anything were to happen to either of them, he may be forced to use Busquets as an emergency defender.
Per Transfermarkt, the Spaniard has been used in such a role on 19 occasions over the course of his Barcelona career, but he wouldn't be as effective as a natural defender and moving there would deprive the team of his presence in midfield.
A victory for Barcelona on Sunday would be a significant step in La Liga's title race. The Catalan side are two points ahead of Real, so the opportunity is there to open up some breathing room.
It would also give them the advantage in their head-to-head record, as the pair played out a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou.
Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic Critical of Barcelona's Small Squad, Lack of Depth
Feb 26, 2020
NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 25: Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona reacts during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona at Stadio San Paolo on February 25, 2020 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic were critical of Barcelona's squad planning after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Busquets and Arturo Vidal will be suspended for the second leg of their last-16 tie, while Gerard Pique suffered an ankle injury in added time at the Stadio San Paolo.
Per Sport, Busquets said: "We had Arturo's red card, I hope Pique's thing is nothing. We'll take [the second leg] on with what we are. We're a small squad, unfortunately the planning was like this."
He added: "We are a small squad; we don't have players of this profile to attack. We have to reinvent ourselves."
Rakitic was also asked about Barcelona lacking depth in their squad, per Marca: "Yes, but this was already known to those responsible. The solution is what it is. Those of us who are here are going to join forces because we have a very important game in the return [leg]."
Busquets was booked in the match, taking him to three yellow cards in the Champions League this season, while Vidal earned two yellow cards for fouling and clashing with Mario Rui late on, leaving Barcelona in a precarious position:
Injured: Suarez, Dembele, Alba, Roberto, Pique Suspended for the second leg: Busquets, Vidal ⁰⁰ 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/nwH4SyKv17
Football writer Dermot Corrigan put it in further perspective:
Unless Jordi Alba and / or Sergi Roberto are back from injury, Barca will have just 10 senior outfield players available for the second leg on Mar 18 [that not including Pique who's hurt ankle now].
Even if the trio are able to recover in time for the second leg on March 18, the club's activity in the January transfer window did them no favours.
Firstly, the club banked on Ousmane Dembele's fitness after Luis Suarez was ruled out for four months following knee surgery and so did not sign another forward.
After Dembele suffered a hamstring tear at the start of February and was subsequently ruled out for six months, the club had to sign Leganes' Martin Braithwaite as an emergency recruit, and he will only be eligible in La Liga.
What's more, the club allowed Jean-Clair Todibo, Carles Perez, Carles Alena and Moussa Wague—centre-back, winger, midfielder and full-back, respectively—to leave the Camp Nou on loan.
Under normal circumstances the quartet may not have got much game time—they'd made just 14 starts between them in the first half of the campaign—but their cover could have been invaluable during the run-in given Barca's injuries and suspensions.
Bernardo Silva Wants Lionel Messi Link-Up Amid Barcelona Transfer Rumours
Feb 25, 2020
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 26: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City in action during the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Fulham at Etihad Stadium on January 26, 2020 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Visionhaus)
Bernardo Silva has signalled his admiration for Lionel Messi and said he would like to play alongside the six-time Ballon d'Or winner amid rumours Barcelona are interested in the Manchester City winger.
The 43-times capped Portugal international has extensive experience playing alongside compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, the other most hallowed star of his generation, but he's yet to call Messi a team-mate.
Silva, 25, was asked whether he'd like to play alongside Messi and told SER Catalunya (h/t Goal's Chris Burton): "Of course. I play with Cristiano in the national team, and if I played with Messi, being able to say that I played with the best in history would be a pleasure, but it is a complicated matter. At City or in Barca it will be welcome."
The report referred to rumours in the past linking Silva with a move to Barcelona, whose right-sided winger, Ousmane Dembele, was recently ruled out for around six months with a hamstring injury.
Burton suggested City's two-year suspension from the UEFA Champions League could impact which players remain at the Etihad Stadium beyond this summer, though the club intend to appeal their punishment.
The Premier League outfit was hit with the ban and a €30 million (£25 million) fine for "overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information" between 2012 and 2016.
The Athletic's David Ornstein said players at the Etihad are "keenly observing" the appeal through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) with regards to their future at the club:
🎙️ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗜𝗡 & 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 @David_Ornstein assesses what Manchester City's UEFA ban could mean for their star players... #MCFC
Silva joined City in July 2017 after spending three years at AS Monaco (initially on a season-long loan from Benfica), and he's started in 99 of his 140 appearances for the Manchester powerhouse.
It wasn't long after City's two-year European ban was announced that Silva said he intended to one day return to his boyhood club at the Estadio da Luz:
Messi, 32, has a contract at the Camp Nou until June 2021, but the Argentinian recently allayed fears of an exit after he told Mundo Deportivo (h/t Barcelona's official website) his "idea is to stay at Barca."
Silva has scored five goals and recorded five assists in 23 Premier League appearances this season, though three of his strikes came during an 8-0 mauling of Watford in September:
The Portuguese playmaker could be a sensible option if Quique Setien's side were to recruit competition for the injury-prone Dembele this summer, with Riyad Mahrez also among Pep Guardiola's options on the right.
Silva's deal at the Etihad doesn't expire until 2025 after he signed a six-year contract in March 2019, however, meaning City could face little pressure to sell their player even if Barcelona were to come calling.
Gerard Pique Talks Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona Comparisons; Messi at Napoli
Feb 25, 2020
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona v Eibar at the Camp Nou on February 22, 2020 in Barcelona Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Gerard Pique has given his take on comparisons between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona and discussed the possibility of his Barcelona team-mate following in his Argentinian compatriot's footsteps.
Barca take on Napoli, where Maradona spent a significant portion of his playing career, in the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.
Per Goal's Sean Wilson, Pique said of the two Argentinian legends:
"Maradona was a unique player in the history of football, he went through Barca and Napoli, he will be remembered forever.
"But if you ask me to choose between Leo or Diego, I would say Messi because of his consistency and the magic he produces on a daily basis."
Per Dejan Kalinic of the same outlet, when asked if Messi might sign for Napoli one day, he added:
"You can never say never in football, but I guess that is complicated.
"You should ask him as he decides his future. I would like him to retire with us. I can't tell you more."
Messi has long been compared with Maradona since he burst onto the scene as a teenager at Barcelona in 2004.
Football writer Carlo Garganese disagreed with Pique choosing the former over the latter:
Pique is wrong...Messi is the greatest one-club player in history. Maradona is the greatest player in history. It's that simple. Can't be the GOAT with Messi's performances at major international tournaments. And no, there are no excuses after 15 years #NAPBARhttps://t.co/HO1M8OnGcu
Argentinian football expert Roy Nemer favours Messi:
Up until a few short years ago, I truly thought Maradona would not be eclipsed. With time, my opinion changed. For me, Messi has surpassed Maradona. We all have our opinions. If someone tells me they think Diego was better, I'd understand their logic. No need to attack others.
Until Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo came along, Maradona was the most enduring rival to Brazil legend Pele's claim as the best player in history.
The playmaker scored 45 goals in 75 games for Barcelona, helping them win the Copa del Rey, the League Cup and the Spanish Super Cup during his two seasons at the Camp Nou.
The 59-year-old also played for the likes of Boca Juniors and Sevilla, but his career at club level was largely defined by his achievements at Napoli.
He led the Partenopei to the Serie A title in 1986-87 and 1989-90, the only Scudetto in the club's history, as well as the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup.
Napoli's supporters deploy a giant flag showing Argentinian football star Diego Maradona the UEFA Champions League football match Napoli vs Manchester City on November 1, 2017 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. / AFP PHOTO / Carlo Hermann (Photo
Maradona was Napoli's record goalscorer with 115 in 259 games, until he was overtaken by Marek Hamsik in December 2017. Dries Mertens became the second player to surpass his total in October last year.
His crowning achievement as a player was at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where he captained Argentina to their second success in the competition.
International glory has eluded Messi outside of a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He helped La Albiceleste reach the 2014 World Cup final and the final of the Copa America in 2007, 2015 and 2016, but they lost on each occasion.
He is Argentina's record goalscorer, though, with 70 goals in 138 games for his country. Maradona has 34 goals for Argentina in 90 appearances.
Messi's longevity at the pinnacle of the sport is virtually unrivalled outside of Ronaldo.
The 32-year-old is arguably the greatest goalscorer and playmaker in the game's history:
696 goals. 306 assists.
Lionel Messi has now scored or assisted more than 1,000 goals for club and country 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Z1vGsjACDE
Since the 2009-10 season, his lowest goal tally is 41 in all competitions. This season he has 23 in 28 matches as well as 16 assists, having missed the start of the campaign through injury.
A sensational move to Napoli late in his career seems highly unlikely, though. Messi's career has invited enough comparisons with Maradona's; joining the club he is most associated with would only increase that.
What's more, despite being regulars in the Champions League in recent years, Napoli aren't among the select group of sides with the resources to pull off such a move.
Messi stated earlier this season his intention to retire at the Camp Nou, so Pique should get his wish.
