Las Vegas (USA), August 2 (EFE), two wins in three games, as well as the more than likely departure of Ousmane Dembele to PSG.
The American pre-season tour started in Los Angeles bumpy for Barcelona when it had to cancel its first friendly against Juventus in San Francisco Bay due to a stomach virus afflicting a significant portion of the Barcelona team.
Javi Hernandez’s men were left without one of their four friendlies and they also had to change their training plan so that all the players could recover.
Having already overcome this misfortune, Barcelona made their pre-season debut against the more versatile, physical and powerful Arsenal, who defeated them 5-3 in Los Angeles.
In addition to the poor condition of the pitch at SoFi Stadium in the California city, Xavi lamented the “tension” of Mikel Arteta’s men, considering it was a friendly.
The next stop was the most special of the tour: a new classic friendly against Real Madrid, this time in Dallas.
The Whites seemed to have arrived with extra momentum after two wins in their first two U.S. friendlies, but the cules thrashed their main rival 3-0.
Barcelona have won three of their three pre-season games in the US against Real Madrid.
Apart from Dembele’s precious goal in a strategic move, a goal that will probably be his last goal in a Barcelona shirt, the great figure of this classic was the young Fermín López, who broke into the second half with a spectacular left foot strike to make his debut as a goalkeeper in Barcelona, and also helped Ferran Torres score the third and final goal.
“I caught the ball, I saw the goal, I rushed forward, I hit him with my soul, and it worked out well,” summed up the youth squad.
DEMBELE AND THE TEAM WILL BE CLOSED
The soap opera about Dembele’s future had grown in the days leading up to the classic and had already exploded following Barcelona’s 0-1 win over Milan on Tuesday, a game in Las Vegas in which Xavi admitted the French striker had asked to leave.
“Ousmane’s problem is simple: he came with a proposal from Paris, who wants to leave, who has talked to Luis Enrique and people from Paris, and who has a proposal that we cannot agree to,” the president said at a press conference. after a friendly match in which Dembele was not included in the squad.
“In the end, I think he will give an explanation, and what I feel is not important. Disappointed, perhaps yes, but the important thing is that the player was clear. He told us that he wants to leave and that he is an offer, and in this sense we cannot compete at the present time, ”he added.
Although Ansu Fati’s excellent goal against AC Milan brought him great joy in the wake of Dembele’s likely departure, Xavi insisted during those two weeks in the US that the team needed more contracts.
Of the new players already confirmed for this year, Ilkay Gündogan and Oriol Romeu were able to make their debuts in these friendlies, but Íñigo Martinez has yet to make his debut as a Barcelona player due to physical discomfort.
Gavi also leaves this tour empty, in his case due to back problems that prevented him from playing.
In addition to the entries and exits expected in a very busy market segment for Barcelona, this tour has identified four club captains for this new campaign: Sergi Roberto, Ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo and Frenkie. de Jong.
David Villafranca
(c) EFE Agency