FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona

Barcelona's already complicated search for defensive reinforcements in January appears to have suffered another setback, with a report from SPORT pointing towards what is effectively the end of the road in their pursuit of Nathan Ake. Ake had emerged as a serious option for Barcelona as they explored short-term solutions to reinforce the back line. The Dutch international is open to leaving Manchester City, and the idea of playing for Barça was particularly appealing to him.

He has a lot of energy and he transmits that to the team. When he's on the pitch and you see how he goes under pressure, how he gets unmarked, the intensity he has in every move he makes,

FC Barcelona are set to enter into 2026 with the league position that Hansi Flick would have hoped for at the beginning of the season. Top of La Liga, 46 points from 18 games and a four-point cushion over Real Madrid make for good reading. The numbers are loud: 51 goals scored already, but the feeling is even louder. This is a team that plays with incisive attacking power, sometimes, even at the cost of defensive solidity.

After being branded as a flop for the longest time during his spell at Barcelona, Ferran Torres finally appears to have woken up. Under the leadership of Hansi Flick, the Spaniard has gone from being a backup striker at Barcelona to someone who is taking Robert Lewandowski head-on. Ferran's success has been backed up by data as well, as the forward has registered brilliant numbers in 2025, his first full year under Flick.

At first, I wasn't used to the ball being so fast. I wondered if I would be able to play at that level. Now I watch videos from last year and this year, and I can see that I've been able to adapt. This season is the best of my career.

According to a recent report from A Bola, Jose Mourinho has personally stepped in after learning of FC Barcelona's interest in Nicolas Otamendi. The Portuguese coach has urged Benfica to move quickly and secure the Argentine defender's future with a contract renewal. The report suggests that Mourinho and Benfica president Rui Costa are fully aligned on the issue. Both believe that Otamendi remains far too important to lose, especially to a direct European rival like Barcelona.

Christmas has offered the Blaugrana stars a rare moment to slow down, reconnect with loved ones, and share glimpses of their private lives with fans through social media. After Christmas Eve celebrations, several players chose to post photos of dinners, decorated homes, and intimate gatherings. Some shared moments directly on their own accounts, while others appeared in posts uploaded by partners or family members.

Work at Spotify Camp Nou continues to move forward at pace, with Barcelona determined not to lose momentum even during the Christmas period. In fact, according to a report from SPORT, construction has not slowed down, which largely explains the club's urgency to increase stadium capacity as soon as possible and boost matchday revenue. Barcelona's objective to bring fans back in larger numbers at the earliest opportunity and the next major step could arrive very soon.

Andreas Christensen's injury has opened a regulatory window that allows Barcelona to temporarily use part of the defender's wages to register a replacement. However, turning that possibility into a completed signing will depend entirely on meeting a strict set of deadlines. As reported before, La Liga regulations allow clubs to use up to 80% of an injured player's salary to register a replacement, but this figure is adjusted depending on when the request is submitted during the season.

Barcelona are looking to improve the defensive unit, and they are keeping tabs on the Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie, as per Fichajes. The 23-year-old Ecuadorian is on loan at the Premier League club, but he has not been a regular starter for them. Arsenal have an option to sign him permanently for 45 million at the end of the season. It will be interesting to see if they take up the opportunity.

The serious knee injury sustained by Andreas Christensen has sparked concerns at FC Barcelona, compelling the club to consider entering the market for reinforcements in January. As already reported, the Catalans intend to formalise the long-term absence of Christensen before the end of 2026 with La Liga, opening the door for them to use 80% of his salary to sign and register a new player.

After a fierce and unforgettable match against Athletic Club, Maradona removed the jersey and handed it over as usual to the woman responsible for collecting, washing, and preparing the kits for the next game. However, the encounter had been so intense and physical that the shirt was badly torn, ripped open at the chest. Considering it unusable, she decided to discard it. Instead of throwing it away, she passed it on in its damaged state to a friend who owned a bar.

Barcelona held an interest in Eyong last summer as well, before he left Villarreal to join Levante, and continue to keep an eye on him. In fact, according to SPORT, the Blaugrana are closely following the 22-year-old centre-forward at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, where he is playing for Cameroon. The forward is one of the names Barça are considering for the upcoming summer transfer window.

One of the players that the Blaugrana are closely tracking at the tournament happens to be Levante striker Etta Eyong. The 22-year-old Cameroonian striker started the tournament with the only goal of the game in his team's win over Gabon. However, as it so happens, Eyong was not the only player who happened to catch the eyes of the Blaugrana scouts in the game.