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

Alhassan steals the headlines again as friendly ends in a draw.

Real Balompedica Linense 1-1 Atletico Baleares

Having had the glamourous experiences of seeing Balona test their skills and strength against the likes of Bournemouth, Cádiz and Granada there was a different feel amongst the fans ahead of this encounter.

Atlético Baleares were the visitors to the Estadio Municipal, a side that will be in the same division as Balona this season. This would give us a clearer indication of how Romerito’s plans are being put into action and what we can expect to see moving forward.

There was a lot to feel positive about when this one was done and dusted. Although a lapse in defence with 10 minutes remaining allowed Atletico Baleares to gain a share of the spoils, there was enough to give hope that Balona can create the perfect storm so that when Real Madrid Castilla come to town in the opening fixture of the new season they leave with nothing.

A bigger concern than the goal conceded will be the condition of Loren after he went off injured close to the final whistle. During the game the local lad had worked tirelessly up and down the right flank. Tracking back to support the right back and getting several crosses into the box. There is a saying “it is not about the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog”. As Loren squared up against the huge striker Vinicius Tanque he showed his passion. Words were exchanged and whilst only Loren and Tanque know what was said it was hard not to be impressed with the local lad’s passion and desire to fight for everything and to protect his teammates. Transferring his love for the club into the new signings will be imperative this season. Loren is like having a second captain on the pitch.

In the first half Nacho Miras was twice called into action and twice he showed us exactly why he is adored by players and fans alike. His first save from Carlos Delgado’s header towards the top corner had the fans standing to applaud. There is no doubt that Nacho Miras would not look out of place playing at a higher level. Let’s hope he gets to do this with Balona. He had departed when the goal was conceded. Young Polish keeper Mateusz Kania has shown he has talent, but he was powerless to stop the close-range header.

The Albinegros goal came in the first half from Alhassan Koroma and it was a rocket. On this occasion he popped up on the edge of the box proving to be the calm to a frantic situation. Baleares headed clear and as the ball ping-ponged around the little magician took over. He brought the ball down using his body to shield, with one touch he moved the ball to the side and let fly. The ball flew high into the net sending all the fans in the stadium to their feet

Koroma is fantastic. As he hugs the touchline, he is the outlet, when he drifts inside, he is a goal threat. In the early part of last season, he seemed to lose confidence and get a little shy after taking a kick from the opposition full back. In the latter part of the season he had grown and become a lion. Absolutely tenacious and wanting the ball constantly. He will take people on and leave them on their backside and bring others into play. It will be great to see his development continue with Balona this year. The downside is Koroma is no longer a surprise and he was often double teamed by the Baleares side and on one occasion in the second half, as he set off on yet another dribble, he was chopped down with a tackle that was at best mistimed. We’ll put that one down to it being pre-season, but it would be naïve to expect anything less than forceful treatment from all opposition this season.

Another positive was the leadership and organisation shown by Fran Morante at the back. The 29-year-old has a world of experience and his organisational skills and take charge attitude is needed in a much changed side for the new season ahead.

A player entering his second season with the club that will be pivotal is Aly Coulibaly. Balona didn’t look as good after a treble substitution on 63 minutes with saw Coulibaly, Miras and Dorrio depart. Coulibaly is a box to box midfielder and always plays with his head up. Loren and Koroma on the flanks must be delighted when they see the Frenchman pick up possession in the middle of the park as it means they will be getting in behind the defenders in the next few seconds due to Coulibaly pace of pass and vision.

Ultimately, Balona could and maybe should have gone on and won this game. However, it is pre-season and the team are not at peak fitness yet, there are many new signings and it would be impossible for everything to have gelled at this early stage. With games against El Ejido and Cordoba to come before the league opener there is lots to build on.

I’ve said before and still believe that Romerito’s Balona side will surprise a few people this season.