Some transfers cause a ripple effect, this one could cause a tidal wave that even crashes into Barça B v Balona this September.
It’s clearly a sad day for all Spanish football as Lionel Messi has agreed to join PSG on a two-year deal. The greatest FC Barcelona player of all time leaves a legacy that will never be matched and stats of goals per game and assists per game you can’t even achieve if you cheat the database on a football manager computer game.
Messi has been nothing short of incomparable. He delivered goal after goal and trophy after trophy for the Catalan giants. All good things however must come to an end and today they have.
Barcelona’s financial crisis is well documented and with La Liga forbidding Barça from re-registering Messi after his contract had expired it seemed despite his wanting to stay that his time at Camp Nou was over.
Of course, he went to the Copa America and duly delivered. Unemployed at club level he captained Argentina to glory against the host nation and arch rivals Brazil. A warm embrace with Neymar Jr. at full time was heart-warming. The two great friends saying goodbye before returning to Paris and Barcelona. How wrong we all were. Messi and Neymar would be seeing each other sooner than we thought.
The blow of losing Messi was compounded yesterday when it was also announced that new signing Sergio Agüero will be out injured for ten weeks. A double blow for the Blaugrana.
Ansu Fati, the potential heir to Messi’s throne, has been out since last November and we aren’t expected to see him back until mid-September.
Teenage sensation Pedri has played and played and played again going to the Euros and the Olympics so must be due some time off, although reports are to the contrary. A risk Barça seem willing to take with this mercurial talent.
Francisco Trincão played numerous times off the right for Barcelona last year but he has been loaned to Wolves as the plan seemed to be to get as many off the books as possible so Messi can stay.
So, what has all of this got to do with Balona I hear you ask!
Well it’s just over 6 weeks until Balona take the trip north to the Estadi Johan Cruyff to face Barcelona B in the Primera RFEF. The first team losses, financial crisis and the negative media circus surrounding the club is going to make an impact. Let’s look at some more factors.
Last season for Barça B, Ronald Araújo, Riqui Puig and Mingueza played many games in Segunda B as Barça’s filial missed out on promotion in the play-offs. It seems fair to say these three players are all first team squad members now. That’s a big loss of experience for a side that is ultimately made up of youth players.
There constantly seems to be question marks from Koeman over Riqui Puig though. He’s even been encouraged to leave the club completely. I can only give my opinion and I think Puig is excellent, a talent that can change games, a magician who is unpredictable and belongs at the top table.
Alex Collado is one who is likely to step up to the first team squad. Collado captained the B side last season and his leadership will be missed.
Then there is Ilaix Moriba. Barça have given him an ultimatum. Sign the contract on offer or spend a year in the stands and leave on a free. The young starlet made several first team appearances last season and did not look out of place. Reports suggest he is willing to sit it out. Real Madrid, Chelsea and RB Leipzig are alleged to be monitoring this situation.
Konrad de la Fuente looked a star of the future for Barça B last season. He wasn’t prepared to wait for first team football and now he’s a star of the present at Marseille in Ligue 1.
Many of Barça B’s players have featured in the first team during pre-season. This is normal at big clubs. However, what this will have meant is that new gaffer at Barça B, Sergi Barjuán will have had less preparation time with his actual squad than Romerito.
Of those featuring in those earlier friendly games there was some stand outs. Rey Manaj notably notching a hat trick in one game before hitting the back of net again in the next.
So, will Sergi have a settled squad to work with over the next 6 weeks prior to facing Balona?
What impact will the absence of Messi around the training camp on Barça’s young talent? After all Messi came through the ranks as did many others to form the greatest Barça side we have ever seen. That must be a motivating factor for the B side players.
Ilaix Moriba has clearly decided Barça is no longer the place to be? Will others now think the grass is maybe greener elsewhere
Is Alex Collado solely a first team player now? Have Barça B lost their skipper for good?
Will the departure of Konrad de la Fuente prove to be another damaging loss?
Will the departure of Konrad de la Fuente prove to be anotherCould Koeman be forced to pinch attacking talent for the first team?
Such is the impact of the financial crisis at Barcelona. Barça B have been loaning in players for this season with an option to buy. A club of their magnitude loaning players to fill up their reserve squad.
Many Culés would welcome an influx of La Masia talent to the senior ranks, but with each one that goes does Balona face an easier task?
One stand out piece of business though seems to be the promotion of Alejandro Balde. At just 18 years old Barça have tied him down to a contract to 2024 with a buyout clause of €500m. The boy looks to be a huge talent. Koroma v Balde is going to be epic.
They’ve also added Antonio Aranda from Granada. The attacking midfielder struck a goal on his debut, which will have pleased Sergi.
There are so many questions to be answered, we will watch with interest how Barça B perform in their opener against Algeciras. On that very same opening weekend of the season Balona host Real Madrid Castilla.
This season promises to be something quite spectacular. History is ready to be written. Bring it on!!!
Group 2 fixtures for Primera RFEF 2021/22
Copy: Les McKee | Images: Getty & Real Balompédica Linense
PEÑA PICHIGÜEY 