FC Barcelona went into the mid-season Christmas break on a positive note, securing a 2-0 win over Villarreal that consolidated their position at the top of the La Liga table. Following the loss to Chelsea in November, the Catalans have picked up seven wins in a row in all competitions and have momentum on their side heading into the decisive half of the campaign.
The Brazilian posted a video on his social media accounts earlier today, confirming that he was bringing down the curtains on his playing career in football. Following the announcement, FC Barcelona have sent a touching message congratulating the former La Masia graduate on his career and wishing him well for what lies ahead. "Thank you for your football and for defending these colours with pride and commitment. Good luck in this new stage, Rafinha," the message from Barcelona read.
FC Barcelona did not just end the year as La Liga leaders; they did so with 169 goals scored in 60 official matches. It is a number that immediately places this team in rare company and links it directly to the most glorious attacking chapters in the club's history. As such, only four Barcelona sides have ever surpassed that total in a calendar year,
More than anticipated, it is special. I spent almost 15 years at Barça, it is the club where I was practically my entire life. I have many friends there and countless memories,
Born in Granollers, to a Moroccan father and Spanish mother, Ziani has been at La Masia since a young age and is held in high regard at the club, where he is currently a part of the Juvenil B (U-18) setup. At the same time, Ziani is also the subject of an international tug-of-war between Morocco and Spain. He has already represented Morocco at the U-16 and U-17 levels, but the Spanish Football Federation is also closely monitoring his progress with an eye on the future.
FC Barcelona has issued a strong denial in response to claims from the platform Som un Clam, stating that the club is not using its resources to influence the vote of its members or conduct electoral campaigns. In an official statement, Barcelona clarified that "the club is not carrying out any opinion surveys among members, neither internally nor externally." The statement added that any polls currently circulating are completely independent of the club, and reminded that the personal data of members is protected under current data protection legislation.
The first one comes in attack where Ferran Torres replaces Robert Lewandowski as the team's central striker. Meanwhile, Fermin Lopez has been benched by the Barça head coach, paving the way for Marcus Rashford to start. The Englishman will slot in as the left winger, while Raphinha is set to occupy a central role behind the striker. Lamine Yamal will take up his usual spot in the right-side channel.
