FC Barcelona

Getafe wide man Marc Cucurella has taken a shot at parent club Barcelona ahead of Saturday's La Liga clash, saying the Blaugrana lack patience with their youngsters and don't give them the chances they deserve.

Cucurella spoke to Sport ahead of the anticipated clash, which will see third-placed Getafe try to win their fifth La Liga match in a row. Second-placed Barcelona sit three points behind leaders Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old said Barcelona's emphasis on winning comes at a cost to the academy:

"I think that at Barcelona, which is a big club, the important thing is to win in the end. Maybe they don't have the patience that they had. As a cantera player, which I am, they don't give you the chances you deserve. I don't like it because I expected they would be more confident in the youth academy (cantera). In football the important thing is to win. Winning is more important than having patience."

Cucurella spent half a decade in the Barcelona academy, but he barely played for the senior team. He moved to Eibar on loan in 2018, and the Basques used a clause in the deal to make the switch permanent after a successful season for the full-back and winger.

Barcelona triggered their buyback option less than three weeks after Eibar made the deal permanent, only to loan Cucurella out once again, this time with an option set at €6 million.

Per Sport Witness, they effectively treated Cucurella like a commodity, rather than a prospect:

Marc Cucurella | Player accuses Barcelona of lacking patience with youngsters – Says winning now more important.

To be fair, he has been treated like a commodity. https://t.co/ftE9UP86bH #fcblive

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) February 13, 2020

Getafe are likely to use their option to make this latest loan permanent, but the Blaugrana will maintain a stake in the player: They will be entitled to 40 percent of any future sale.

Barcelona's famed La Masia academy has long been the foundation of the club's success, but it has produced less talent in recent years. Youngsters haven't had many opportunities to make an impact, with promising forwards Abel Ruiz and Carles Perez the latest to try their luck elsewhere in January.

Talented midfielder Carles Alena was sent on loan to Real Betis, and Riqui Puig has yet to make a single La Liga start this season.

Ansu Fati has been a smash hit since making his debut, but Chumi, Alex Collado, Inaki Pena and Ronald Araujo are just a few of his fellow youngsters who are barely featuring for the senior team.

The list of top talents who have left the academy in search of opportunities elsewhere includes star prospects such as Paris Saint-Germain's Xavi Simons and Juventus' Pablo Moreno:

Cucurella may not have the tremendous upside of those prospects, but his play for Eibar and Getafe has been stellar, and his versatility would have been a welcome addition to this year's Blaugrana squad.

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic spoke to Bleacher Report in an exclusive AMA, explaining what it is like playing with Lionel Messi and how he would love Neymar to return to the team.

He also discussed Croatia's run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, dealing with transfer rumours and the possibility of playing with Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo.

Here are some of the best parts of Thursday's AMA.

   

@AndrewMayer777: How does it feel to play with Messi? Do you think he is the GOAT? 

Ivan Rakitic: Yes just amazing to play with him and I think it's really special and if he is the GOAT, I think in every moment there was special players, for sure he was the best player in the last 15 year and in my opinion he is the best of all time and I think for me to play with him on the left side for the last six years was amazing.

   

@KevRalios11: Would you want Neymar to return to Barca? 

Rakitic: First of all I would like to have Neymar in my team for sure, he needs to decide what's best for him as he's my big friend and I want to see him happy and for sure when he is happy he is one of the best players in the world.

   

@lwilso6679: Do you agree with your FIFA rating?

Rakitic: Just found out, that's good!

   

@josuediaz_: Would you ever want to play with Ronaldo?

Rakitic: Of course I would like he is also one of the biggest players in history, you really enjoy watching him and you see now what he's doing at Juventus and for me is one of the best players in history.

    

@Momisaroman: How has the 2018 World Cup changed your life? What things were better or worse?

Rakitic: It changed a lot, to have an experience where we were there until the last day, to lose it was really hard. To feel the love from the whole world was really special for us and I will never forget it for sure.

   

@MustafaJafri: Who is the best player you've played with? And who's the best you've played against? How do they compare?

Rakitic: For me is easy, Messi vs Messi haha.

   

@StriplingWarrior: What is the best part about playing with Messi?

Rakitic: Everything just to enjoy being around him, to play against him to defend him is so hard, it's like he's playing another sport.

      

@CR7GOAT7: Who is the most under-rated player in the world?

Rakitic: There are a lot, Jose Mourinho told it was me haha and he was right (joking) there are a lot of players in this way and I think there are a lot. For me though [Miralem] Pjanic.

   

@Draw: Who was most influential on your career? Would you trade your UCL title for the World Cup if you could?

Rakitic: In every station there are special people, I would change it for sure as there are plenty of opportunities to win a Champions League but it is difficult for a World Cup.

      

@se13dtg Funniest player you've played with? 

Rakitic: Dani Alves.

      

@SCARYTERRY01: Favorite soccer player of all time? 

Rakitic: Robert Prosinicki.

    

@WhatALegend: Who is your favourite rapper? 

Rakitic: Eminem, I was in Miami last summer and Nikki Jam was really surprised how good he was!

      

@inixon: How was that defeat to Liverpool? 

Rakitic: Really hard, it was a heartbreaking moment, we have to have a lot of respect to Liverpool but yeah it's also what football is all about and you have to fight to the last minute, that's what football is about.

   

@pepguardiola: Favourite stadium that's not Camp Nou? 

Rakitic: Sevilla stadium.

     

@JayToledo: Can you please stop scoring golazos vs. Madrid? Thank you. You're a crack. You deserve more playing time

Rakitic: Haha no I can't, I'm sorry!

   

@cerofksgiven: How do you feel with all your transfer rumours? Btw, all admiration and respect. You have contributed so much to Barca

Rakitic: It's also a part of football, you have to understand and be ready in January, you have to be happy and I have to think of my family and I have to play and if I play for Barcelona then I'm happy.

    

@Jac_BD: What are your thoughts on the Barca kit? 

Rakitic: This year I love it because it's really similar to Croatia.

   

@Rakita_MI: What do you usually eat for breakfast? Any pre-game rituals?

Rakitic: I'm a big Coffee drinker, sometimes I go without breakfast but toast and really easy.

     

@geeeee320: Toughest goalkeeper you've faced? 

Rakitic: Maybe I play with the two best goalkeepers in the world with [Manuel] Neuer and [Marc-Andre] Ter Stegen but it's really amazing to have these guys on your team.

   

@allenico: Best defender you've faced? 

Rakitic: [Gerard] Pique, playing with him you can see he's the best in the last ten years.

   

@sdlt00: Best goal you've seen Messi score? 

Rakitic: Getafe, cup final against Bilbao, there is a lot! To pick one of them is really hard!

      

@Twill03_09:  If you had to choose, would you prefer the Euros or the Champions League this year?

Rakitic: I prefer the Euros because I've already won the Champions League and would love to win the Euros with Croatia.

   

@messiazad: What is your favourite goal of all time?

Rakitic: My first professional goal for Basel in Switzerland a left footed volley!

   

@allenico: Do you think Croatia can continue to succeed when the golden generation (you, Luka [Modric], [Ivan] Perisic) step down? 

Rakitic: We hope so, there are a lot of young really good guys and hopefully the guys can do it better than the generation

   

@Fj21: How does [Quique] Setien's style compare to [Ernesto] Valverde's?   

Rakitic: It's impossible and if you take 20 different coaches, it's impossible to compare one to another.

Ousmane Dembele has returned to Barcelona to recover from the hamstring surgery he underwent in Turku, Finland, on Tuesday. 

The operation was needed after the winger suffered a tear in his hamstring earlier in February, shortly before he was ready to return to action from another hamstring injury.

He returned to Barcelona on crutches on Wednesday night:

#ExclusivaSPORT 📸

🔵🔴 Dembélé llega a Barcelona con muletas pic.twitter.com/FaZdCaSi1l

— Diario SPORT (@sport) February 12, 2020

#PortadaSPORT

🚨 LÍMITE 72 HORAS

➡️ https://t.co/7sUSUMweHe pic.twitter.com/1MPDkJ1f5B

— Diario SPORT (@sport) February 12, 2020

Lasse Lempainen, who carried out the surgery, told AS' Juan Jimenez:

"Dembele's operation went well and according to plan. What we found during the operation was exactly what the MRI scans initially revealed.

"The tear was located in the upper part of the biceps femoris muscle in his right leg. I am very satisfied with the results of the procedure.

"This injury on the right side was bigger and more demanding than the injury on the left side I operated on in 2017."

Dembele suffered a hamstring injury shortly after he signed for Barcelona in 2017, which kept him out for 20 matches in all competitions. He then missed another seven games soon after his return, when he suffered a relapse.

His latest issue is set to keep him out for the next six months, based on Lempainen's estimates.

The surgeon added he is "extremely confident that with careful and continuous treatment, Dembele will be back playing top-level football" and that "his best years in football [have] yet to come."

Despite Lempainen's confidence, Dembele's frequent injury problems—many of them related to his hamstrings—are a significant concern.

Barca signed him in 2017 following Neymar's departure to Paris Saint-Germain. They paid an initial €105 million fee—with the agreement of a potential €42 million in add-ons—after he racked up 10 goals and 22 assists in one season with Borussia Dortmund at the age of 19.

The Frenchman has been absent almost as much as he's been available for the club since the move, though:

900 days exactly since Dembele signed for Barca. He’s been out due to injury for 330 of them.

By the time the next 6 months is up he’ll have been out for 504/1075, almost half.

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) February 11, 2020

Football writer Zach Lowy is concerned about the winger's future:

Next season is a make-or-break season for Ousmane at Barcelona, it’s last chance saloon. His contract expires in 2022, so if he doesn’t improve, then next year will be their last chance to sell him.

And if he doesn’t convince, that’s going to be one hell of a drop from the top.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) February 12, 2020

He will be 23 by the time he's fit to play again. Youth is still on his side, but spending so much time on the sidelines during his formative years will have done his development no good, not to mention the toll the injuries themselves will have taken.

Dembele's injuries mean that in three seasons at the Camp Nou he will have made just 74 appearances. In that time, he has scored 19 goals and laid on 17 assists.

Getafe manager Jose Bordalas believes Barcelona boss Quique Setien has shown him a lack of respect in the past. 

During his time as Real Betis manager, Setien was critical of the brand of football played by Bordalas' outfit and the Getafe chief was quizzed on the comments before this weekend's showdown between the two teams.

"Well...maybe," he said when speaking to Cadena Ser (h/t Sport) about whether he felt disrespected. Bordalas was also asked if he was hurt by the remarks: "Yes, at times. But I'm not resentful, for me Setien's a magnificent coach."

The Getafe boss also said he "didn't call Setien to congratulate him on his appointment at Barcelona, I don't have the relationship with him for that."

The two sides will go head-to-head in La Liga on Saturday, in a clash that's set to have major ramifications at the top of the table.

Barcelona are seeking to keep pace with Real Madrid, who are three points clear of the Catalan giants at the summit of the table. Getafe have enjoyed a remarkable season to this point, as they sit in third place after a 3-0 mauling of Valencia last weekend.

Per Dermot Corrigan of Unibet, there's longstanding needle between the two managers. After a 2-2 draw between Betis and Getafe in 2017, Setien said of Bordalas' team that "this is not football, it’s something else."

Regardless of the style being deployed by the Getafe head coach, the team is flourishing. Despite the modest resources they have compared to some of the division's other elite outfits, they are incredibly competitive.

Phil Kitromilides of The Spanish Football Podcast believes they are the best side outside of Real and Barcelona:

Getafe are by some distance the third best team in La Liga

— Phil Kitromilides (@PhilKitro) February 8, 2020

Per WhoScored.com, Bordalas' team don't place a great emphasis on keeping hold of the ball:

🇪🇸 Getafe have a pass accuracy of 61.7% in LaLiga this season - at least 6.9% worse than any other team in Europe's top five leagues

🥉 Third in LaLiga as things stand... pic.twitter.com/VUxbetgmlc

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) February 11, 2020

Setien is the complete opposite. While it's still the early days of his Barcelona tenure, throughout his time at Real Betis he was unbending in his desire for his players to dominate the ball.

That's often led to his sides being entertaining to watch from an attacking perspective, albeit they may not be as resolute as an outfit like Getafe.

Per Spanish football writer Euan McTear, the influence of Setien has been clear in the early stages of his tenure with the Catalan giants:

2,587 passes for Barcelona under Setién in three games.
Goal difference of 0.

— Euan McTear (@emctear) January 25, 2020

It will be fascinating to see how these two managers with contrasting mindsets and a history of agitating one another send out their teams on Saturday. 

If Getafe were to spring a surprise and win at the Camp Nou, then they would move to within five points of Barcelona. However, Setien will be desperate for his brand of football to prevail in what is arguably his biggest test so far as Blaugrana boss to date.

Getafe forward Angel Rodriguez has played down speculation he could leave Jose Bordalas' side and sign for Barcelona. 

Barcelona are expected to make an emergency signing outside of the transfer window following news Ousmane Dembele has been ruled out for six months after undergoing hamstring surgery.

Angel is one of several forwards to have been linked with a move to Barcelona, but the 32-year-old is not thinking about joining the Catalan giants, per EFE (h/t AS):

"All I know is what has come out in the press. There's nothing at the moment. I'm calm and focused on Getafe. I am giving everything for this club and in principle, there's nothing. When the news is about a club as big as Barcelona, the repercussions are bigger. But they're only rumours for now so I'm calm."

Goal's Ignasi Oliva Gispert has reported that Barca are hoping to sign Angel who is thought to have a €10 million release clause.

The relatively low transfer fee is likely to appeal to Barcelona, who spent the January transfer window trying to balance their books, according to football writer Dermot Corrigan:

Barca don't have €100m to sign anyone, never mind Richarlison. They've spent Jan so far frantically looking to offload kids - Todibo, Perez, Wague, Abel Ruiz - just to balance books.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) January 29, 2020

Getafe president Angel Torres Sanchez has said the club have not heard from Barcelona but are prepared for the potential exit of Angel, per Goal.

"For us, Angel would be an important loss, but we are prepared for that situation," he said. "We have no news of this interest of FC Barcelona."

Angel is Getafe's highest scorer in La Liga this season with nine goals from 20 appearances and has been particularly effective off the bench:

7 - Ángel Rodríguez is the substitute player to have scored more goals in the Top 5 European Leagues this season (seven goals). Revulsive@LaLigaEN#LaLiga #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/hZ6BmICw6y

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 26, 2020

Los Azulones are enjoying an impressive season both at home and abroad. The team are in third place in La Liga and into the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.

Barcelona will get the opportunity to see Angel up close on Saturday when Bordalas brings his Getafe team to the Camp Nou to take on the defending champions in La Liga.

Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil has told Barcelona they must pay €70 million if they want to sign forward Willian Jose. 

Alguacil told reporters that the Catalan giants will have to meet the player's release clause if they want to bring him to the Camp Nou and added that he expects the 29-year-old to stay at his side at least until the end of the season:

"If they put the 70 million euros on the table then fine, there's nothing left to say. The whole thing about Willian Jose is starting to get a bit much. He's our player and he wants to continue to be our player. I don't know how long for but as far as I understand it he’ll be with us until the end of the season."

Willian Jose has emerged as Barcelona's top target after the club were granted permission to bring in a replacement for Ousmane Dembele outside of the transfer window by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), according to Sky Sports News.

Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday that Dembele would miss the next six months after undergoing surgery on a torn hamstring:

⚠️ MEDICAL UPDATE | @Dembouz undergoes successful hamstring surgery; French striker to be out 6 months

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 11, 2020

The club are already without Luis Suarez, after he underwent knee surgery in January, leaving them short on attacking options.

Willian Jose has eight La Liga goals for the Basque side this season and attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window, per Fabrizio Romano at the Guardian.

Yet Alguacil's comments mean Barca are likely to look elsewhere as the club "only have a budget of up to €12 million" to spend on a new addition, according to Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens at ESPN FC. Real Betis striker Loren Moron and Getafe's Angel Rodriguez are also options, per the report.

Girona striker Cristhian Stuani is another player who has been mentioned, per Deportes Cuatro (h/t Spanish Football Podcast):

Deportes Cuatro say Cristhian Stuani is Barça's no.1 target if they're allowed to sign an emergency striker, ahead of Ángel, Loren, Willian José https://t.co/PiNMxEBNpk

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

Barcelona manager Quique Setien has told reporters it is "obvious" his club need to bring in a striker and added that there are "several names on the table."

Currently, the 61-year-old has Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Ansu Fati as his only attacking options, and the coach seems unwilling to play the trio together in case of another injury, according to Hugo Cerezo at Marca.

Setien will be hoping Barca can strengthen as they face some crucial league fixtures in the coming weeks. The defending champions play third-placed Getafe at the Camp Nou on Saturday, while their next away match is against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barcelona's Luis Suarez is reportedly ahead of schedule in his efforts to return from a serious knee injury, with the striker said to be walking normally following surgery. 

The 33-year-old underwent an operation on the "external meniscus of his right knee" in mid-January, and there were fears he wouldn't feature again this season.

However, Ruben Uria and Ignasi Oliva of Goal reported Suarez is off crutches and hopeful of returning to action in time for Barca's last four league fixtures of the campaign.

Barcelona have five league fixtures scheduled in May: They'll host Espanyol and Osasuna at the Camp Nou, while they're due to face Villarreal, Real Valladolid and Alaves away from home.

The new injury estimate could also see Suarez return in time for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals should the Blaugrana make it that far. They're due to face Napoli in their round-of-16 opening leg on February 25.

Manager Quique Setien suffered a separate setback on Tuesday when it was confirmed winger Ousmane Dembele will be out of action for six months due to a ruptured hamstring tendon.

Commentator Mark Brown remarked upon the frustration felt in Catalonia after Barcelona lost another of their best attacking talents to a long-term injury, via Premier Sports:

🤕 Another injury for Ousmane Dembele

🚑 With Luis Suarez already injured, @MarkBrownbcn discusses the shortage of options Setien has up front

📺 For more information on LaLiga TV, register here:https://t.co/4pTGWKoRwS pic.twitter.com/NHt0epSRu2

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 6, 2020

Suarez's early return might prove critical in La Liga's title chase should it come to fruition, with three points separating the defending champions in second from leaders Real Madrid.

The positive results from his recent medical review could be a boon come the end of the season, though Setien is desperately low on options up front right now.

The one positive to come from Dembele's injury confirmation is that Barcelona will be allowed to make an emergency forward signing from another Spanish club, per Uria and Oliva.

The Spanish Football Podcast supported the idea of Barca looking to Real Zaragoza for a like-for-like replacement:

Please let this happen... Barça could replace the injured Luis Suárez with ANOTHER LUIS SUÁREZ https://t.co/ejMAYeQRpn

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

Cadena Ser (h/t Football Espana's Colin Millar) reported Watford—parent club of the Zaragoza-based Suarez—wanted to block the namesake's transfer to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona's frontman has scored 14 goals and recorded 11 assists in 23 appearances for the Blaugrana this season, second only to Lionel Messi.

The Catalan giants fought to clinch a dramatic 3-2 victory at Real Betis in their last outing, and they host third-place Getafe on Saturday hoping to move back level on points at the summit.

Barcelona have announced Ousmane Dembele is expected to be out for six months after undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury. 

According to the club's official website, the France international completed the medical procedure for "a ruptured tendon in his proximal hamstring in his right thigh" in Finland.

Dembele recently pulled up in training as he battled to complete his rehabilitation, but his latest setback will now see the forward miss a significant spell of football.

The 22-year-old is expected to miss the rest of the campaign, and a place in France's Euro 2020 squad now appears unlikely given the timeline for his recovery.

According to BBC Sport, Barca initially paid Borussia Dortmund £96.8 million in 2017 to sign the winger, with the deal potentially rising to £135.5 million. The transfer was the second-biggest fee in history at the time behind Neymar's £200 million switch to Paris Saint-German.

Considering the scale of the fee, Dembele has failed to meet the expectations on his young shoulders since leaving the Bundesliga for La Liga.

Per Pete Jenson for MailOnline, Dembele has completed 90 minutes only 10 times during 74 Blaugrana appearances.

Dembele has suffered a succession of injuries since moving to Catalonia, consistently nursing hamstring and muscle issues, per Transfermarkt.

It's yet another injury blow for Barca's forward pack, with Luis Suarez also out with a knee injury.

Barcelona full-back Nelson Semedo is convinced the Blaugrana can still successfully defend their La Liga title despite recent problems on and off the pitch.

The Catalan giants are only three points behind leaders Real Madrid in the league table:

✅ Matchday 23!

🤔 Where is your team in #LaLigaSantander Standings now? pic.twitter.com/CoNMlVJ5uV

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 9, 2020

But recent performances have not been impressive.

Under new manager Quique Setien, who replaced Ernesto Valverde in the Camp Nou dugout last month, Barca have lost 2-0 to Valencia in the league and been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Bilbao.

Even victories against Real Betis, Granada and third-tier club Ibiza have looked unconvincing.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was recently involved in a public spat with club sporting director Eric Abidal:

Lionel Messi hits out at Barcelona's Sporting Director and former team-mate Eric Abidal 👀 pic.twitter.com/8FCBU48YE5

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 4, 2020

Semedo has been a regular starter under Setien, and he said he is focussed on continuing to impress the new boss, per A Bola (h/t Sport, via Football Espana's Colin Millar):

"Things are going well for me, the new coach trusts me a lot and what I do is work as hard as I can to justify that confidence. This may be my best season in Barcelona. I am very happy with what is happening to me, it is a pity that the team is not leading (in La Liga). But there is still a lot of games ahead of us and we can still become champions."

Semedo, 26, joined Barca from Benfica in July 2017.

The Portugal international was in and out of the starting XI under Valverde, who often preferred to use Sergi Roberto at right-back.

Under Setien, though, Semedo has started four games in succession in all competitions up to Sunday's 3-2 win against Betis, when Barca twice had to come from behind:

Two red cards, three Lionel Messi assists and five goals.

An incredible game of football at El Stadio Benito Villamarín.  pic.twitter.com/lH725Sks4M

— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) February 9, 2020

Despite the doom and gloom surrounding Barca recently, they could still have a successful 2019-20 if Setien can get them playing consistently well in the coming weeks.

They welcome Getafe, who have won their last four matches, to the Camp Nou on Saturday in La Liga, before hosting Eibar a week later.

Then comes a potentially season-defining week when Barca visit Napoli for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie before a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu for El Clasico on March 1.

Barcelona should re-sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain if they want to improve results, according to former club vice-president Jordi Mestre. 

Neymar left the Catalan club in acrimonious circumstances for a world-record £200 million fee in 2017.

The Brazilian has won two Ligue 1 titles since moving to PSG, but during his time at the club the French giants have suffered two premature exits from the UEFA Champions League.

Late last season, after an injury-hit campaign, Neymar's relationship with the club's hierarchy looked irreparable. 

His departure from the Parc des Princes seemed inevitable, and a return to Barca was mooted.

In the end, though, a deal could not be struck, and Neymar remained at PSG, where he has been successfully reintegrated into the side by manager Thomas Tuchel and is thriving despite his recent rib injury:

Neymar this season 💫

🔵 18 games
⚽️ 15 goals
🅰️ 10 assists#UCL pic.twitter.com/EJUTDtNViP

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 4, 2020

Barca, meanwhile, are enduring difficulties both on and off the pitch, with manager Ernesto Valverde having recently been replaced by Quique Setien, and Lionel Messi having had a public spat with sporting director Eric Abidal:

Lionel Messi hits out at Barcelona's Sporting Director and former team-mate Eric Abidal 👀 pic.twitter.com/8FCBU48YE5

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 4, 2020

Mestre, who resigned from his role in July, is aware that there will be some who do not want to see Neymar back at the Camp Nou due to the circumstances of his initial departure. 

But he believes the return of the 28-year-old would improve results on the pitch, per El Mundo Deportivo (h/t Football Espana's Colin Millar):

"From the emotional point of view for how he left, I would not sign him. From a sporting point of view, I would sign him. In my opinion, he provides a skill-set that very few players have, it is the one-on-one talent and he scores lots of goal. 

"Something we need in many games where the opponent is locked back. Yes, I would sign him if, of course we could afford it. For a securities issue? If we want to fool ourselves, go ahead, in the end we are so used to winning titles that we talk about values, which is also very good, of course. 

"But in the end what interests are the results. If we value above all values, then let's dedicate ourselves to rugby, [where] values​​ far exceed football. If we didn't win anything, we would sign Neymar and whoever was needed."

There is no doubt Barca could benefit from having a player of Neymar's ability back at the club, not least because of the weight of his goalscoring.

Injuries have kept him regularly sidelined at PSG, but in the 51 Ligue 1 games he has played in the last three seasons, he has netted 47 goals, and also provided 26 assists.

Since Neymar left Barca, the goalscoring burden on Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez has only increased—the pair have netted 25 of the club's 55 league goals this term. 

The Uruguayan striker is now sidelined after knee surgery, meaning Messi has to take up even more slack.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner is, of course, more than capable of carrying his side through almost anything:

1⃣4⃣ goals
1⃣1⃣ assists

✨ Leo Messi has been involved in a goal every 61 minutes in #LaLigaSantander this season!

💙 @FCBarcelona ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JI0ZhUAHnT

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 10, 2020

But it is clear that Barca are short in attack.

Ousmane Dembele is sidelined along with Suarez, and summer signing Antoine Griezmann is not firing; his last league goal came in December.

Ansu Fati continues to impress, but he is only 17.

It does not bode well for a club that need to win at least one of La Liga or the Champions League this season in order for it to be considered a success.

They are still in the running for both. But Barca's season is in a precarious position with March 1's El Clasico against league leaders Real Madrid coming in between the two legs of their Champions League last 16 tie against Napoli.