Barcelona closed the season with victory in the friendly played in Australia. The azulgrana team went ahead with a goal from Dembélé (min. 33) but the ocean team came back with goals from Piscopo (min. 46) and Adama (min. 52). Adama (min. 72) and Ansu Fati (min. 77) certified the victory for the culé. The meeting was scheduled due to the serious economic problems of the entity chaired by Joan Laporta and that forces him to find formulas with which to generate income. This friendly in the other part of the world against a selection of players from the Australian league will bring the club five million euros, in addition to being able to export the Barça brand, open new markets and generate extra income.
Without any inducement, the soccer players who participated tried to look for motivations after having spent almost 24 hours locked up in a plane. For some it served as a farewell because they are clear that they will not continue next year. For others, the possibility of vindicating themselves, either to show that they have a place in the team or so that other teams have just convinced themselves that they have a future far from the Camp Nou.
Samuel Umtiti has been one of those who has passed a test this Wednesday at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. The Frenchman has been a starter and has been able to check his physical condition in a match against the All Star team of the Australian league. The footballer has felt good and has shown that he is fully recovered from the injury to the fifth metatarsal of his right foot that forced him to undergo surgery in January. Since then he has not played again and his presence in the team is summed up this season at 90 minutes in El Sadar against Osasuna on December 12. Umtiti is one of the players to whom Xavi told them that he did not have them, although his departure will be complicated, since Barcelona renewed him this year until 2026 in order to lighten the wage bill and be able to register Ferran Torres.
It also had the flavor of a farewell for footballers like Luuk de Jong, Adama Traoré and Ousmane Dembélé. The Dutchman, who has scored important goals and was one of Ronald Koeman’s bets to strengthen Barcelona’s forward line after the departure of Griezmann and Messi, will return to Sevilla, since the Catalan team will not prolong his loan. A case similar to that of Adama Traoré, who will return to Wolverhampton. The purchase clause of 30 million prevents Barcelona from keeping it. In addition, the international has been losing presence in Xavi’s team. Nor does it seem likely that Ousmane Dembélé, author of the first goal of the match, will continue. The Frenchman is still negotiating his continuity but from within the Barça club they are increasingly clear that he will not continue. “They have our proposal and a date to pronounce, because there is no more margin,” Joan Laporta recently warned.
The case of Dani Alves is special, since it is not a big expense and Xavi considers that his contribution is necessary on and off the pitch. “I don’t know if it was my last game. I live the present. The future is unknown and I only live in the present. I will try to represent this shield as best as I can. My wish everyone knows. I can continue contributing things and helping the club. If it were up to me, it would be done long ago. I’m going to continue fighting for the right to be in one place,” explained the Brazilian after playing against Villarreal last Sunday.
Among the footballers who claim an opportunity to stay in the first team are Alejandro Balde and Álvaro Sanz. Balde is a left back who could take over from Jordi Alba if Barcelona fails to close a signing to double one of the weakest positions in the squad. Sanz dreams of having a place in a midfield that is very populated at the moment, although everything will depend on how the market evolves.
