Does Andreas Christensen's injury open the door for Barcelona to sign another centre-back? What did we learn from the match in Villarreal? Hansi Flick weighs in on the club's 2026 presidential elections. All this and more at the link below. www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...

‘Death has come for me three times. I have evaded it, but it'll find me’. Julian Calero’s (Levante's coach) story goes far beyond football — from the 11M terrorist attack in Madrid to his work at Levante. One of the most powerful interviews I've ever done. www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

Last month, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati collected her third Ballon d'Or in a row at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. By the morning, she was at her favourite cafe in Sant Pere de Ribes, her hometown 40 minutes south of Barcelona. @laiacervello.bsky.social found out what she means to its people.

Barça faces a crucial point in the season. The CL is here, El Clásico is just around the corner, and Flick's team is coming off 2 painful defeats and has lost players to injury. Ask whatever you want in the link below and @polballus.bsky.social and I will answer it. www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...

Aitana Bonmati collected the Ballon d'Or on Monday evening, and on Tuesday morning she was having breakfast in the café in Sant Pere de Ribes, her hometown, where she still lives. We explore her roots and the places that shaped the player she is today. www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

If there is anything close to a footballing Hogwarts, it is probably La Masia. In this piece, we give you the names of the players who could be Barça's next young stars and why you should keep an eye on them. www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Two fellow residents at La Masia were named the best young players for the season: Lamine Yamal and Vicky Lopez. Their friendship and everything that unites them: Dembow, humble roots, uninhibited, cheerful, and both grew up memorising Neymar's moves. www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Marcus Rashford was left out of Barcelona’s starting line-up to face Getafe on Sunday night after arriving late to training on the morning of the game. Full story from @laiacervello.bsky.social ⬇️

Barça will play their first home game at the Johan Cruyff Stadium. What do we know about the venue? What is it like? www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

La Liga is back and Barça will play his 1st match at home this season at their 6,000-seat stadium will hold the game. @polballus and I will be responding anything you want to ask us, so drop your questions in the link below. www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

We still don’t know where Sunday’s match against Valencia will take place. @polballus.bsky.social and @laiacervello.bsky.social explain the latest on where will Barcelona's home matches will be played, and much more, in this week's edition of Inside Barca. 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Last weekend Liga F debuted FVS, a simpler type of VAR that works on demand. How does it differ from VAR? What advantages and problems did it give on the first matchday? www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Oriol Romeu's departure has been made official today. FC Barcelona and the player have reached an agreement to terminate his contract. www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

Many people are asking what is happening to the Barça women's team these days. The sale of so many players, some surprising ones like Fridolina Rolfo. Here are some answers so you can understand what is going on. www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

We are launching a new weekly series of articles to follow throughout the 2025-26 La Liga season. We explain the latest on Barca’s player registration issues, their plans to finally return to the Camp Nou in September and more. www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

@laiacervello.bsky.social explains what’s happening with the team, why players are leaving and if the financial issues are to be blamed on the men’s team. www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

Hansi Flick about Fermin Lopez: "I wasn't thrilled with him in pre-season, but he's improved a lot in recent weeks". 🤔

FC Barcelona will kick off their season tomorrow at RCD Mallorca, so now is a good time to ask any questions you may have. Write them all here and @polballus.bsky.social and I will answer them shortly. 👇 www.nytimes.com/athletic/655...

Marc Bernal could be the new breakout of the season. For Flick he is his 2nd choice at defensive pivot after De Jong and he has expectations on him. He was supposed to be the breakout of last season but got injured. Barcelona see him as the new Busquets. www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

The world champions may have lost to England in the final but this summer represents a huge step forward for the women's game in Spain. 📝 @laiacervello.bsky.social

Forgot to post this the other day...a profile of Patri Guijarro, probably the most consistent player at Euro 2025. With @laiacervello.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Spain did not win the final, but this Euro felt different. The soundtrack in the dressing room was 'El principio de algo' (the beginning of something) by La La Love You and this is just what this Euro was. All the changes Spain has made in 2 years. www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

Paralluelo is in front of the chance of winning the only title she has yet to win, and at just 21 years old: the Euros. Months ago she had to take a break, her body simply couldn't take any more. I chatted with her about how giving up athletics affected her body. www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

One of the secrets of Spain's success is having a core group of players from the same team behind it, and that team is one of the best in Europe, FC Barcelona. How many FC Barcelona players play for Spain? Why is that, and what are the pros and cons? www.nytimes.com/athletic/649...

Aitana Bonmati is in great shape for the final stretch of the Euro and we interviewed her before she faces Switzerland. This is how she experienced the meningitis she suffered days before the start of the Euro. How was her prodigious recovery? www.nytimes.com/athletic/649...

The case of Laia Balleste is an interesting story. She has dual Spanish and Swiss nationality, and decided to play for Switzerland. A Swiss grandfather who had to move to Catalonia due to illness. An emotional debt to her maternal family. www.nytimes.com/athletic/649...

I keep thinking about Alexia's flick and Athenea's goal. Is it the best goal of this Euro so far? I wrote about it after the match. www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...

Barça will return to Camp Nou this season. We explain what the return will be like and the questions that still remain to be answered. www.nytimes.com/athletic/646...

One of Barça's most promising young talents is playing this Euro at home: Sydney Schertenleib. We spoke to the scout who discovered her in 2022 and how negotiations began with a DM on Instagram: "You didn’t need a special eye because she stood out so much". www.nytimes.com/athletic/646...

Plot twist of events: Nico has renewed for Athletic Club for 10 years www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...

Today Spain makes its Euro debut, and it does so without Jennifer Hermoso. Without her, who is the team's next top scorer? Here are my candidates. www.nytimes.com/athletic/646...

Spain defender Irene Paredes will miss her side’s 2025 European Championship opener against Portugal due to a red card she received 12 months earlier. More from @laiacervello.bsky.social ⬇️

And here is the radar of the competition, made by The Athletic's women's football writters. A lot of hard work and a lot of analysis. I leave you the link below 👇🏼 www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

So Euros have officially started. Spain makes its debut tomorrow against Portugal and here is a guide to everything you need to know. www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

I'm back from holiday with some bad news... www.nytimes.com/athletic/645...

Barcelona are back on top thanks to a group of players that made the fans believe again. We spoke to some of their first coaches to hear about this group of champions’ early years in football… www.nytimes.com/athletic/638...

Barça was the best team in La Liga and the winner of the “honest title”. These are the 5 moments that defined the season: ◾️The Clásico of the offsides ◾️Shit November ◾️The comebacks ◾️Kounde's goal in the CR final ◾️Yamal's blossoming against Inter www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Barça is out of the Champions League, but they did so to the applause of fans who proudly bid farewell to their European campaign. ‘Where others see the end, we see the beginning of the comeback,’ Iñigo said after the game. And, in fact, we all agree. www.nytimes.com/athletic/633...

Triplete is one of the most repeated words in Barcelona since the Copa del Rey final. Barça could win it again but that's not all. The club could achieve a treble of trebles in its men's, women's and youth team (already achieved) When could that happen? www.nytimes.com/athletic/632...

Barcelona has won the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid and taken the first step towards regaining the treble. Kounde, the unexpected hero. ‘Viva la vida’ rang out once again in celebration, the soundtrack to Pep Guardiola's treble. www.nytimes.com/athletic/631...

Leo Román is playing the game of his life. Barça could easily be 4-0 up but they are 1-0 instead.

Ansu Fati is a starter against Mallorca.

Lamine Yamal and Gavi are at the Estadi Johan Cruyff watching the women's team play the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. Club players.

Yesterday Flick again chose Fermin over Gavi in Leganes. How is Gavi managing this season after returning from injury? His new role and his special relationship with Hansi Flick. www.nytimes.com/athletic/627...

Lamine Yamal is 17 years old and is already a superstar. A talent that goes beyond figures and statistics. Barcelona are inches away from the Champions League semi-finals, and so is Yamal. His elegant finish in the 4-0 and his game against BD 👇 www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...

Together with a lawyer, we explain the details of the new sentence for Dani Alves that absolves him of the crime of sexual assault 13 months after being sentenced to 4 years in prison. Why did the sentence make a 180 degree turn? www.nytimes.com/athletic/625...

Gavi has been very involved in the team's needs despite the fact that his prominence has diminished this season. He accept it, he work for the team without losing Flick's trust. What a well-deserved goal!

You can feel the excitement in Barcelona. As soon as the referee blew the final whistle in the match that saw Real Madrid lose against Valencia, firecrackers and fireworks were let off in my neighbourhood.

Hansi Flick arrived in Barcelona to be an oasis of calm in a hectic club. Why has the team changed so much in one season? What has the German brought to it? His adaptation to Barcelona and his changes to the team dynamics down here 👇 w/ @polballus.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/623...

Alejandro Balde is at the top of his game. He has put the physical discomfort of last season behind him. Why is he a key part of Hansi Flick's system? Why wasn't he called up by Luis de la Fuente for Spain? 👇 www.nytimes.com/athletic/623...