Jordi Alba In Talks to Join Former Teammates Lionel Messi & Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami CF

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jordi Alba may be reuniting with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets soon…

The 34-year-old Spanish professional footballer is thisclose to joining his former Barcelona teammates at Inter Miami CF, the MLS club’s co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed..

Meanwhile, the club is trying to reach a deal with a fourth former Barca teammate, Grêmio striker Luis Suárez, as he and the Brazilian side haggle over an exit fee.

“We’re going to sign Alba today,” Mas told reporters after Inter Miami’s training session in Ft. Lauderdale. “I know that [manager] Tata [Martino] is counting on him for the second half of the Cup.”

Earlier, sources told ESPN that the left-back was in the final stages of talks with the club.

Alba announced that he would be leaving Barcelona — with a year left on his contract — on May 24 after 11 seasons with the LaLiga giants.

The defender subsequently attracted interest from teams in Europe and Saudi Arabia but was persuaded by Inter Miami’s offer.

Alba was a priority for Miami, sources said, but negotiations had taken longer than expected because of problems fitting him within MLS’ strict salary restrictions.

A potential move by Suárez is also complicated by the league’s roster restrictions.

Following the signings of Messi and Busquets, Miami already had its full quota of three designated players, alongside forward Leonardo Campana.

It’s possible Alba, Suárez or Campana could be registered using targeted allocation money (TAM), but even then Miami is limited.

Mas’ comments suggest the club believes those issues have been resolved and Alba will be able to join Messi and Busquets in MLS.

For the 2023 season, the MLS salary budget is $5,210,000 per team, which excludes DPs and allocation money. Teams have $2,720,000 in TAM available in 2023 — essentially supplementing the salary cap.

But as part of the sanctions levied against Inter Miami for past violations, the club has had $2,271,250 deducted from its allocation allotment spread across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Meanwhile, Suárez, 36, is willing to return a total of $10 million of his earnings to walk away from Brazil, but sources said Grêmio also want guarantees that the Uruguayan player will not play at any other club in 2023.

Suárez is keen to join his former Camp Nou teammates Messi and Busquets despite saying in June that it would be “impossible.”

On Tuesday, Mas also said: “I don’t know how Luis Suárez can leave Grêmio. But if he does, we are free to talk to Luis and bring him to Inter Miami. That possibility would be there.”

“I consider him a star player, with an incredible career. And we all know he has a personal relationship with Lionel [Messi], Busi [Busquets] and Jordi [Alba]. We are all in and we will welcome any player with the kind of career that Luis has but we have to know more about his future before doing any move,” Mas added in an interview with ESPN.

Suárez, who has a contract with Grêmio through 2024 and has scored 13 goals in 30 games for the club, has repeatedly complained of pain in his right knee.

Sources said the impasse is over Suárez’s fitness regarding the knee pain he has had since May. Grêmio manager Renato Gaúcho and club officials are aware of the knee issues, but sources told ESPN that Suárez has said that if he is released from the club and recovers before the end of the year, he should have the right to return to play with his new team.

Three Grêmio club doctors have examined Suárez’s knee, and sources said Suárez has been obliged to play through the pain until the club can find a substitute for the striker.

Sources said Suárez feels as though his knee cannot handle the sheer number of matches required by the Brazil league and does not want to let the fans down. Suárez has said he would prefer to play in a league with an easier calendar, such as MLS, according to sources.

Suárez signed with the Porto Alegre-based club on a free transfer with a two-year deal in 2022 after leaving his boyhood club Nacional in Uruguay. In three months with Nacional, he scored eight goals in 16 games and won the Uruguayan championship.

Previously, the 35-year-old enjoyed success in Europe with Ajax Amsterdam, Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. He won five LaLiga titles in seven years in Spain.

Inter Miami hasn’t won an MLS match in more than two months. It has gone 0-8-3 in regular-season play since beating New England on May 13.

Inter Miami Completes Signing of Sergio Busquets

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Sergio Busquets will be playing Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami has completed the signing of the 35-year-old Spanish professional footballer and former Barcelona midfielder on a deal until 2025, the MLS side has revealed.

The 2010 World Cup winner will join the squad in the coming days and will occupy a designated player slot, the club added.

“I am excited to welcome Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami,” said managing owner Jorge Mas. “Since day one we have set out to bring the world’s best players. Sergio’s repertoire speaks for itself.”

The former Barcelona captain, who retired from international duty last year, played more than 700 games for the Spanish champions, winning nine LaLiga crowns, seven Copa del Rey titles, three Champions League trophies and three Club World Cups.

Busquets was also linked with a move to Saudi Arabia as Al Hilal and Al Nassr made bids for his services, according to media reports.

Miami expect Busquets to be available to play next Saturday when they host Mexican side Cruz Azul for their Leagues Cup opener, when Messi is set to make his debut.

The MLS designated player rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the salary cap.

Barcelona Reaches Agreement to Sign Brazilian Teen Vitor Roque from Brazil’s Athletico Paranaense

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Vitor Roque is switching sides…

Barcelona has reached an agreement to sign the 18-year-old Brazilian professional footballer and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Athletico Paranaense forward for approximately €40 million ($43.6m).

It remains unclear when the Brazilian teenager will be able to join the club, according to ESPN.

ESPN revealed in June that Barca was optimistic of landing Roque as they look for a backup and heir to veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, who will turn 35 in August.

Roque ticked all the boxes and following negotiations led by new sporting director Deco, Barca has struck a deal for the Brazil international.

However, due to the club’s financial problems, it remains unclear when he’ll be able to join his new team, with Barca currently in excess of their LaLiga-imposed spending limit and only able to spend 50% of anything they save or raise on registering new players.

Therefore, the LaLiga champions are working on three different scenarios, which involve Roque either arriving in January, next summer or in the current transfer window.

On Tuesday, Barca’s directors put up a guarantee of €6.7m ($7.3m) against their viability plan to ensure they will be able to inscribe the new contracts signed by Ronald Araújo, Marcos Alonso, Sergi Roberto and Iñaki Peña.

They also still need to register Ilkay Gündoğan, who has arrived from Manchester City as a free agent, and defender Iñigo Martínez, whose signing from Athletic Club is expected to be confirmed this week.

Therefore, any further additions will be subject to players leaving first, with Barca also keen to lighten the load in attack before bringing in Roque, who can also play wide if needed but is predominantly a No.9.

Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati have been competing for just two places in the front line since coach Xavi Hernandez switched to a midfield four.

Despite closing a deal for Roque, Barca’s main aim after signing Gündoğan and Martínez is still to find a midfield replacement for Sergio Busquets, who will join Inter Miami CF.

Girona‘s Oriol Romeu is currently the leading target, while ESPN revealed on Tuesday the club are also in talks to sign Real Valladolid right-back Iván Fresneda.

Therefore, sources say signing and registering Roque in the current transfer window is complicated, with January perhaps more likely, although the window remains open until Sept. 1.

Roque caught Barca’s attention after starring for Athletico and Brazil’s youth teams. He helped his club reach the final of the Copa Libertadores last season and recently earned his first senior cap for his country.

The teenager has scored 22 goals in 65 appearances for Athletico, including six in his last five games and one at the weekend in a 2-2 draw against Palmeiras, for whom Real Madrid-bound Endrick was also on target.

Gerardo “Tata” Martino Named Coach of Inter Miami CF

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gerardo “Tata” Martino is returning to Major League Soccer…

The 60-year-old Argentine professional football manager and former player has been hired as the coach of Inter Miami CF, the club has revealed.

The hire comes in the wake of fellow Argentine Lionel Messi‘s announcement earlier this month that he intends to sign with the club. Martino previously coached Messi with Barcelona (2013-14) and the Argentina national team (2014-16).

“We are very happy to be able to welcome Tata to Inter Miami. We feel he is a coach who matches our ambitions as a club and we’re optimistic about what we can accomplish together,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“Tata has coached at the highest levels and we believe that experience will be hugely beneficial to us as we aim to compete for titles here.”

Most recently, Martino coached the Mexico national team (2019-2022) after a two-year stint with Atlanta United, where he won MLS Cup and the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year award in 2018.

“Right now, this is a team that shows an adverse picture in the standings,” Martino said of the Eastern Conference‘s last-place team. “It is also decimated by injuries and by the players called up to their national teams.

“But there are great expectations around the new players that are going to come soon. They are really important. I hope that they can help us to make the team better from an emotional and playing point of view so we can have a season-ending more in line with what is expected of this club.”

Martino is the third permanent head coach Inter Miami has had since joining the league in the 2020 season. Former Uruguay national team coach Diego Alonso coached the team during its expansion season before Phil Neville was hired prior to the 2021 season.

Miami qualified as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs last season but was eliminated in the first round. Neville was fired earlier this month with the team in last place.

Mas told media outlets last week he expects Messi to play his first game for the club on July 21 in the Leagues Cup against Liga MX‘s Cruz Azul. The club also announced Messi’s longtime teammate at Barcelona, Sergio Busquets, will also make the move to South Florida and Inter Miami this summer.

Sergio Busquets to Reunite with Lionel Messi Following Agreement to Join the Team at Inter Miami

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sergio Busquets is headed to Southern Florida…

The 34-year-old Spanish professional footballer, a midfielder for Barcelona, will join former teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami FC this summer.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) side has announced the arrival of the ex-Spain international on its social media accounts.

Busquets’ contract with Barca expires at the end of June and, after announcing his decision to end his 18-year stay at Camp Nou, he has been mulling over offers from the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Sources tell ESPN that Barca left-back Jordi Alba has also received interest from Miami and will make a decision on his future in the coming weeks after winning the UEFA Nations League with Spain.

Busquets held negotiations with Saudi sides Al Nassr and Al Hilal in recent weeks but opted for Miami’s offer, which sources say was financially inferior, having previously spoken of his desire to play in the U.S.

He will be reunited in South Florida with seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who announced his intention to move to MLS earlier this month following the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

Busquets and Messi spent 13 years playing alongside each other in Barca‘s first team before Messi’s move to Paris in 2021. The two have remained close friends since.

Busquets made 722 appearances for Barca in total, winning nine league titles and three Champions Leagues during that time.

He has also been capped 143 times by Spain, winning the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012 before announcing his retirement from international football after last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Busquets and Messi could yet be joined in Miami by Alba, who reached an agreement with Barca last month to end his contract — which was due to expire in 2024 — one year early.

The left-back is also courting interest from Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and clubs in Saudi Arabia, with sources telling ESPN he will take some time with his family following the conclusion of the Nations League before making a final decision.

Alba’s desire to represent Spain in next summer’s European Championship, coupled with the fact that his partner is due to give birth to their third child in July, could influence his next move.

Joan Laporta Elected New President of FC Barcelona

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Joan Laporta is returning to Camp Nou…

The 58-year-old Spanish lawyer has been elected the new president of FC Barcelona, returning to the post he previously held from 2003 to 2010.

Barca members voted Laporta into power on Sunday ahead of rival candidates Victor Font and Toni Freixa. The club called the election on Sunday night, with Laporta winning with 30,184 votes and Font coming in second and Freixa third with 16,679 and 4,769 votes, respectively.

Barca said 51,765 out of 109,531 eligible members had voted in the election, which was postponed from January due to coronavirus restrictions in Catalonia.

Among those to vote were first-team players Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, as well as the club’s former coach and current Spain boss Luis Enrique.

“I want to thank all the members for coming out to vote what has been the most important election in the club’s history due to [the effects of] the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed our lives,” Laporta said in a brief speech.

“I want to thank the members that have supported our campaign. This has been a celebration of democracy and of Barcelona. I also want to pay special thanks to Johan Cruyff, who’s no longer with us. I am sure he’s helped us.

“Barcelona is a huge family, and we will overcome the difficulties together. We will achieve the objectives that we have set out.”

Laporta takes over at a critical moment in the club’s history. Gross debt has risen to €1.2 billion during the coronavirus pandemic, with players forced to accept pay cuts, and star player Messi is out of contract in June and will walk away for free if new terms cannot be agreed upon.

Laporta said the fact that Messi voted on Sunday was “significant.”

“Today, 20 years ago, Messi made his debut for Barca’s youth teams,” he added. “To see the best player in the world, the player in the history of football, coming to vote, is a sign of what we have said throughout the campaign: that Messi loves Barca.

“The best player in the world loves Barca, and that is very significant. We’re going to encourage him to continue with the club, which is what we all want.”

Messi Earns Third Consecutive Golden Boot Award…

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is getting the boot yet again…

The 26-year-old Argentine soccer star, currently sidelined by persistent thigh muscle issues, has picked up his third European Golden Boot award.

Messi, who hopes to return for Barcelona’s first game of 2014, was presented with the award by former Blaugrana striker — and 1990 Golden Boot winner — Hristo Stoichkov at a ceremony in central Barcelona on Wednesday.

Asked by reporters at the event if he might be back to play at home on January 5 — Barca’s first game after the winter break — Messi said: “I hope so.

“The truth is I have not put a date on the return. If all goes well it will be that date, but we will see what happens. I will be back when it is supposed to happen.”

Messi, who will spend part of his recovery back at home in Argentina, said nobody wanted to rush things as the most important thing was to put an end to a frustrating last six months, during which he has suffered five similar thigh and hamstring problems.

“My objective is to return in good shape, to strengthen the body so that, God willing, I can play without injuries,” he said. “I am improving bit by bit — it does not hurt any more. I am starting to do things.”

Messi scored 46 goals in the 2012-13 season to take the European Golden Boot, which he also claimed in 2009-10, when he scored 34 goals, and in 2011-12, when he scored 50 goals.

He dedicated his latest personal trophy to teammates including Xavi Hernandez, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Jose Pinto, who were all present at the ceremony.

“It was a lot of goals, and I would not have scored them without my teammates,” he said. “Without them I would not have won this Golden Boot, nor the others. I appreciate them being here.”

Messi did not speak about the controversy surrounding the extension of this year’s Ballon d’Or voting, which some have suggested will favor Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances of winning the award.

Barca president Sandro Rosell, though, was on hand to push his club’s player’s chances.

“If people vote on what they have seen on the pitch this year, and do not put on political or media pressure, then Messi should win,” Rosell said in Mundo Deportivo. “I would vote first for Leo, second for Leo and third for Leo. Fourth, fifth and sixth would be Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Sergio] Busquets.”

Soccer Star Xavi Weds Fiancee Nuria Cunillera

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Xavi Hernandez is officially off the market…

The 33-year-old Spanish soccer star, a midfielder for Futbol Club Barcelona, has married his fiancée Nuria Cunillera.

The couple tied the knot in a ceremony at the Marimurtra Botanical Garden in the Spanish city of Blanes on Saturday night before some 180 invited guests, including most of the soccer team.

Following the ceremony, Hernandez and his new wife held the reception at the neighboring building “El Convent,” a 16th century structure.

The Barça star’s nuptials attracted about 100 curious members of the public who cheered Hernandez when he arrived at the botanical garden, which offers several magnificent views of the Costa Brava.

Among the guests at the ceremony were Barça midfielder Sergio Busquets, former players Santi Ezquerro, Oleguer Presas, Gabri Garcia and Albert Jorquera, as well as former Athletic Bilbao player Joseba Etxeberria.

The last guests to arrive, accompanied by their spouses or girlfriends, were Cesc Fabregas, Leo Messi, Javier Mascherano, Pedro Rodriguez, Jordi Alba and Andres Iniesta, who all showed up together in one vehicle and sparked a frenzy among fans who were waiting at the door.

Cunillera was the last to arrive riding in an antique Bentley.

The newly married couple are said to be planning a honeymoon in the Seychelles this summer.

Messi Could Pick Up a Fourth FIFA Ballon d’Or Award

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi has the chance to make soccer history…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star, who just claimed his second Golden Boot award, is among the 23 players in the running for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

Should he come out on top, Messi, who made history by claiming the award the last three years in a row, would become the only player to claim the award four times.

But Messi will face stiff competition from several noted players, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi Hernandez, this year’s runners-up for the world’s best player award.

Here’s a look at the nominees:

Real Madrid Players:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Iker Casillas
Mesut Ozil
Karim Benzema
Sergio Ramos
Xabi Alonso

Barcelona Players:
Lionel Messi
Andres Iniesta
Sergio Busquets
Gerard Pique
Xavi Hernandez

Atletico Madrid Player:
Radamel Falcao

Manchester City Players:
Mario Balotelli
Sergio Aguero
Yaya Toure

Manchester United Players:
Wayne Rooney
Robin van Persie

Juventus Players:
Andrea Pirlo
Gianluigi Buffon

Shanghai Shenhua Player:
Didier Drogba

PSG Player:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Bayern Munich Player:
Manuel Neuer

Santos Player:
Neymar

The final three candidates will be revealed on November 29 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in Zurich on January 7, 2013, when the player who receives the most votes from coaches and captains of international teams, as well as reporters, will be announced.

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