Lionel Messi began and performed 45 minutes in Barcelona’s first pre-season pleasant on Saturday as Ronald Koeman confirmed no hesitation in reintegrating the Argentinian. Barca beat third tier aspect Gimnastic Tarragona 3-1, with Ousmane Dembele opening the scoring on his first look since November. Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho, who was additionally returning after his mortgage spell at Bayern Munich, then every scored penalties, both aspect of Javier Bonilla pulling one again for the guests.
However Messi’s return on the Johan Cruyff Stadium was maybe the largest plus for Koeman, who was taking cost of his first sport since being appointed coach final month.
Messi additionally led the workforce out carrying the armband after Barcelona had confirmed earlier on Saturday that he’ll proceed as captain this season.
Each membership and participant seem eager to placed on a united entrance, no less than for now, forward of their return to La Liga later this month.
After condemning the board final week and admitting he had been pressured to remain, Messi arrived early on Monday for his return to pre-season training and labored on the squad’s days off in a bid to catch up.
Koeman, in the meantime, stated final month he solely wished gamers who wished to be at Barcelona however he was stuffed with reward for Messi on Friday, calling him “one of the best”, and backed that up in his first workforce choice.
Messi performed 45 minutes as a part of Koeman’s plan to discipline two completely different line-ups in every half.
But his beginning entrance three of Messi, Griezmann and Dembele appeared suspiciously like a first-choice assault, with Dembele making his first look since he tore his hamstring 9 months in the past.
Koeman additionally handed begins to children Carles Alena and Pedri in midfield whereas Jordi Alba, Clement Lenglet, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto shaped a well-recognized again 4, forward of Neto, who’s standing in for the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen in objective.
New signing Francisco Trincao, Coutinho, Frenkie de Jong and 19-year-old American worldwide Konrad de la Fuente had been amongst these to come back on for the second half.
There was no place within the squad for both Luis Suarez or Arturo Vidal, who’ve each been informed they’ll depart.
Barcelona won’t play their first La Liga sport towards Villarreal till spherical three on the finish of the month, having been granted additional day off as a result of their involvement in final season’s Champions League.
Reigning champions Actual Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are additionally sitting out the primary weekend.
However seven video games are scheduled this Saturday and Sunday, the primary of them ending goalless between Eibar and Celta Vigo.
Promoted
Nonetheless with out followers as a result of coronavirus pandemic, Spain’s high flight bought off to a sluggish begin at Ipurua, the place Eibar completed with 10 males after Pape Diop was despatched off within the 87th minute.
Granada then picked up the place they left off final season by defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-Zero at Los Carmenes whereas newly-promoted Cadiz, again in La Liga for the primary time in 14 years, misplaced 2-Zero at residence to Osasuna.
Subjects talked about on this article
