Barcelona - NouCamp Faithful

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Rayo Vallecano 1 - 0 Barcelona : Barcelona loses to Rayo on Falcao goal, prompts Ronald Koeman firing

Barcelona have suffered back-to-back defeats in LaLiga as they slumped to a 1-0 loss at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, which prompted the firing of Ronald Koeman as coach after the result.

The defeat -- Barca's third of the season -- comes just days after they had been beaten 2-1 against Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.

Striker Radamel Falcao fired Rayo into the lead on 30 minutes after a frantic start, the 35-year-old picking the ball up on a quick breakaway before slotting past goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Barca dominated possession but struggled to mount attacking pressure for much of the match -- the side's first shot on target came on 71 minutes when Memphis Depay stepped up to take a penalty, but Rayo goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski saved the attempt.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[lacoruna69]

Originally Posted by PaulPogba

Barcelona sacked Koeman.

Morning Barca lost to Rayo Vallecano.

Without Messi, Barca is nothing.

Goal scored by Man U old boy Radamel Falcao....at 35, still a very classy striker.
Effortlessly running into space n turning Pique before slotting pass ter Stegen at the far corner.

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Barcelona 1 - 1 Alavés : Barcelona held by Alaves in first match of post-Ronald Koeman era

Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Alaves at the Camp Nou on Saturday, with Sergi Barjuan overseeing his first match as interim coach.

An entertaining first half -- the first since Ronald Koeman was sacked midweek by the Catalans -- saw Barca probing early on and Alaves hitting on the counter-attack, but neither team found a way through and the teams went to the break tied 0-0.

A moment of individual brilliance from Memphis saw the hosts take the lead early in the second, as the Netherlands international cut onto his right foot and curled a lovely shot into the back of the net from distance.

Alaves struck right back after the Barca goal with a nifty combination that sprang Luis Rioja in the penalty area and he rounded Marc-Andre ter Stegen to fire into an empty net to level the score.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Dynamo Kiev 0 - 1 Barcelona : Ansu Fati leads Barcelona over Dynamo Kiev in Champions League win

Barcelona's Ansu Fati scored a superb second-half goal to secure a crucial 1-0 Champions League win at Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.

Barca's 19-year-old prospect rescued his team in the 70th minute with a fierce volley from inside the area after the home defence failed to clear Oscar Mingueza's cross from the right.

However, the Ukraine champions gave Barcelona a hard time in a frantic game, with both teams missing several chances.

The victory put Barca into second place in Group E with six points, two ahead of Benfica. Leaders Bayern Munich have qualified for the knockout stage with 12 points after beating Benfica 5-2.

It was Barca's first away win in all competitions this season.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[PaulPogba]

Barca squandered 3 goal lead to draw with Celta Vigo.

Final 3-3

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Celta Vigo 3 - 3 Barcelona : Barcelona kick off Xavi by blowing three-goal lead to draw at Celta Vigo

Barcelona kicked off the Xavi era by blowing a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Saturday.

The former Barca midfielder was announced as the club's new manager early on Saturday, though he was not in dug-out at Balaidos to watch his new side earn a first league win in four.

In a game of two halves, the visitors raced into a 3-0 lead inside 34 minutes, but were unable to hang on in the second half and fell to a draw as Iago Aspas scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Barca, led for third successive match by caretaker boss Sergi Barjuan following the dismissal of Ronald Koeman, have often struggled on trips to Vigo but were ahead after five minutes through Ansu Fati.

The club's new No. 10 continued his impressive form with another fine goal as he cut it back from the byline and bent an effort around Celta defender Hugo Mallo and into the corner of the net.

It was 2-0 on 18 minutes as Sergio Busquets -- who alongside his new manager was part of one of the all-time great midfield lineups for Barcelona and Spain -- passed the ball into the bottom of the net from the just outside the box.

Memphis Depay added superb a third on 34 minutes as Barca cut the hosts open before Jordi Alba's cross was headed home by the Netherlands international to finish off a fantastic team move.

Barca ended the half with a negative as Fati was replaced during the interval by Alejandro Balde.

Celta started the second half in much better form and got their reward on 52 minutes through Aspas following a mistake from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who spilled Javier Galan's cross. Ronald Araujo tried to clear but his kick only went as far as Aspas, who fired it straight down the middle.

The hosts then had the ball in the back of the net on 69 minutes, but it was ruled out for handball.

However, they did reduce the arrears seven minutes later through Nolito to set up a tense finish. The former Manchester City forward got in front of Clement Lenglet to head home Franco Cervi's cross.

And Celta got the equaliser at the death as Aspas expertly curled Galan's cross round Araujo and into the net.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 1 - 0 Espanyol : Xavi wins Barcelona coaching debut over Espanyol

Barcelona fans finally had a reason to celebrate again as their team played arguably their best game of the season to earn a much-needed 1-0 home win over local rivals Espanyol in LaLiga on their new head coach Xavi Hernandez's debut on Saturday.

Xavi probably could not have asked for much more in his first game managing a struggling Barca team who are sixth in the standings, eight points behind leaders Sevilla.

It was a dominating performance despite the scoreline and it happened in front of an almost sold-out Camp Nou that exuded hope and excitement for the first time in a long while.

After dominating the first half it took 40 seconds after the break for Barcelona to get a penalty. Gavi played a brilliant through pass to Memphis Depay who was caught by a sliding tackle from Leandro Cabrera. The Dutchman got up to net the spot kick.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 0 - 0 Benfica : Barcelona draw with Benfica as UCL round of 16 spot still on hold

Barcelona and Benfica played out a thrilling goalless draw in the Champions League in Xavi Hernandez's second match in charge on a rainy night at the Camp Nou.

The result leaves Barca still not assured of a spot in the knockout rounds of the Champions League pending results from the final matchday when they face Bayern Munich away in Group E.

Barcelona had the better of the play in the first half -- executing crisp passing in the final third and hitting on the counter when the chance arose -- but the end product was missing.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Villarreal 1 - 3 Barcelona : Late Memphis Depay, Philippe Coutinho goals secure back-to-back wins for Barcelona

Late goals from Memphis Depay and Philippe Coutinho secured a first away victory of the season in LaLiga for Barcelona as they made it two wins from two under Xavi Hernandez in the league by beating Villarreal 3-1 on Saturday.

Memphis took advantage of a Villarreal mistake to round goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 88th minute and roll home before substitute Coutinho won and converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal the three points.

Frenkie de Jong had opened the scoring earlier in the 48th minute but Samuel Chukwueze came off the bench to level and set up a frantic final 15 minutes.

Barca remain seventh after winning back-to-back league games for the first time this campaign, but they are now within three points of the Champions League places in LaLiga.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 0 - 1 Real Betis : Barcelona slump to late, disappointing defeat at home

Barcelona slumped to shock 1-0 defeat against Real Betis in LaLiga at Camp Nou on Saturday thanks to Juanmi's late winner.

The only goal of the game came on 79 minutes as Sergio Canales and Cristian Tello combined in a swift counterattack to set up Juanmi to coolly slot an effort past Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Bayern Munich 3 - 0 Barcelona : Bayern Munich down Barcelona to end 17-season knockout stage run

Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 3-0 to send the LaLiga side out of the Champions League knockout rounds and into the Europa League on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena.

First-half goals from Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane set Bayern on their way, with the result put well out of reach for Barca with Jamal Musiala's strike just past the hour mark sealing a perfect record in Group E for the Bavarians.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

[PaulPogba]

Originally Posted by lacoruna69

Bayern Munich 3 - 0 Barcelona : Bayern Munich down Barcelona to end 17-season knockout stage run

Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 3-0 to send the LaLiga side out of the Champions League knockout rounds and into the Europa League on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena.

First-half goals from Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane set Bayern on their way, with the result put well out of reach for Barca with Jamal Musiala's strike just past the hour mark sealing a perfect record in Group E for the Bavarians.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

Xavi was right to be frustrated. Barca had fallen since he left.

May not qualify for next season Champions League if they dun turn it around.

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Originally Posted by PaulPogba

Xavi was right to be frustrated. Barca had fallen since he left.

May not qualify for next season Champions League if they dun turn it around.

Messi's sudden departure also created a void. The team was too dependent on Messi previously.
It is always cyclical. Big teams go through ups n downs.
Xavi will need to rebuilt the team.
This will take time.

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Osasuna 2 - 2 Barcelona : Barcelona pegged back late in disappointing draw

Nico Gonzalez and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli scored their first career goals for Barcelona on Sunday as they were pegged back late to draw with Osasuna 2-2 at the El Sadar Stadium.

David Garcia and Chimy Avila both scored for Osasuna.

Gonzalez's and Ezzalzouli's goals mark the first time this century that Barca have had two different players under the age of 20 score in the same LaLiga season.

Xavi said the club needed "a reset," to create a new Barca.

"We are in a negative spiral and we need to find a way to break it," he added. "This draw is not enough. When we scored the second goal we should have taken control but we didn't and that made us suffer."

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)

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Barcelona 1 - 1 Boca Juniors : Boca Juniors beats Barcelona on penalties in Saudi Arabia exhibition

(Boca Juniors win 4-2 on penalties)

Boca Juniors beat Barcelona on penalties to claim the inaugural Diego Maradona Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Goalkeeper Agustin Rossi saved Matheus Pereira's penalty before Guillem Jaime blazed over to hand Boca, who scored all four of their spot-kicks, the victory.

Ferran Jutgla had given Barca the lead early in the second half, but Exequiel Zeballos levelled with 15 minutes to go to take the game to a shootout.

The match, which took place at Mrsool Park in Riyadh, was arranged to honour the late Maradona, who passed away on Nov. 25 last year.

Maradona, considered one of the best players to ever play the game, played for both Barca and Boca in a professional career which ran from 1976 to 1997.

(excerpt from ESPN Soccernet)