Barcelona’s 26th LaLiga title in 2019 was their second consecutive championship. Being champions of Spanish football has been the norm for one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. Their dominance and permanent residence atop LaLiga has equated to one of the most powerful dynasties in the sport.
Hoisting the trophy in 2019 was the last time Barcelona found themselves as champions. For a fanbase that has been spoiled with success, Barca’s recent absence from the top of the table has left an entire supporting group disgruntled. They have been able to keep pace with the eventual winners but have fallen short in recent years. And this season, the club is attempting to regain its glory as league champion.
How does a club compete with other top dogs like Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid? Well, you need to bring in top talents of course! That’s exactly what Barca did. For a club used to winning (and spending money), Barca knew they needed to improve from years prior.
One of the biggest splashes in LaLiga (and professional football for that matter) was the inking of Robert Lewandowski. After winning it all with Bayern-Munich, the 34-year-old forward signed a 4-year deal with Barcelona worth €45 million. The addition of Lewandowski was Barcelona telling the world they were done placing second or third. It was also a commitment to a passionate fanbase that FC Barcelona would be champions again. After losing Messi, Barcelona yearned for another star and Lewandoski was the chosen superstar.
Not done there, FC Barcelona knew they needed to fix holes with their starting 11. 25-year-old Raphael Dias Belloli, also known as Raphinha, joined the club after a £55m transfer. A dominant player that will help Brazil at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Raphinha should slide nicely into Barcelona’s starting lineup. The former winger from Leeds, Raphinha netted 17 goals in two seasons in the English Premier League. Outside of his incredible skill, the front office of Leeds and its supporters have commented on Raphinha’s attitude. Described as a leader, the quality person he is will reflect on the pitch and off it.
Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Koundé (another one of Barcelona’s transfers) will be prominent figures at the upcoming World Cup. As the tournament quickly approaches, FIFA World Cup betting tips have become a topic among soccer bettors.
Lewandowski (Poland), Raphinha (Brazil) and Koundé (France) are all looking to capture the World Cup in 2022. Of the aforementioned countries, Brazil owns the best odds at +450, while France sits comfortably at +550. For those looking to support Lewandoski and Poland, they enter the tournament at +12500, so they are considered longshots to capture the World Cup in 2022.
Shifting back to Barcelona and their vengeance to resurge atop LaLiga football, the addition of Jules Koundé was another critical piece for Barcelona. However, the club is unable to register Koundé due to LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play rules. To register Koundé, they need to abide by LaLiga’s salary cap and are awaiting the sales of other players to comply with the salary cap. Koundé has yet to suit up for Barca in 2022 but the former Sevilla FC Centre-Back has shown his promise with other clubs on the domestic and international stage. Once Barca can comply with the salary cap, Koundé’s addition to Xavi’s starting 11 will be noticeable.
Longtime rival Real Madrid is not only the favorite to win LaLiga this season but as expected, they made moves of their own. Aurélien Tchouameni was a huge addition to the defending champions. Among other moves, the arrival of Tchouameni solidified Real’s commitment to staying at the top of the table. While a failure of a Real Madrid season would be beautiful for Barca fans, beating them when they are at their best is a way to flex on their rivals.
Barcelona needed to upgrade their squad and they have taken the appropriate measures to do so. The addition of Lewandowski, Raphinha and Koundé will help Barcelona take the next step to hopefully become LaLiga champions once again. As manager, Xavi has the squad to get it done. Competing with another giant is never easy but once Barca figures out their salary cap issue with Koundé, they will be powerful on the pitch.
Barcelona made a financial commitment to capturing another trophy. They have the talent but will this squad live up to the hype and bring another trophy home to Camp Nou?
