Barcelona and Chelsea are two of the most popular, influential, and powerful clubs in the football world nonetheless both of them suffered from some unpleasant consequences.
In Barcelona’s case, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Catalan club hard. Results were deteriorating on the pitch also. Lack of vision, inability to guide the club properly, and exorbitant expenditures all sum up and suffocated the institution financially.
Things are changing though. Joan Laporta was elected as the new president in March. He sacked Ronald Koeman and appointed club legend Xavi as the new head coach. Laporta trying to solve the perilous economic condition, at the same time he intends to build a new Barcelona team who can fight for the title.
On the other hand, Chelsea faced an unprecedented problem that was unimaginable. They just won their 2nd UCL under the ownership of Roman Abramovich nevertheless, Russia invaded Ukraine and Roman had the ban from the UK government. He had his love intact for the club and was forced to sell his beloved property.
After a series of dramas, Todd Bohely, an American businessman and investor form a consortium and bought the club for a reported fee of over £3 billion. This transfer window is the first one of the Bohely era. The American promised to back the club during the transfer window.
Chelsea and Barcelona are getting face-to-face:
Both the Spanish and the English clubs had a poor outing last season and the new stewards of the clubs are eager to bring the best crop to their den to make their respective clubs the stronger ones. To do so, both clubs showed their attraction to the same players.
Raphinha:
Chelsea loaned Lukaku out to bring the harmony back to the dressing room but that means they need attacking reinforcement. They targeted Leeds United’s Brazilian winger Raphinha as the perfect attacker for their team. They discussed with both the player and the club authority.
Barca had an interest in the Brazilian too and the irony was, that the player wanted the Camp Nou to move over the Stamford Bridge. At a certain point, the north London club believed that they had their last laugh. British media announced that the transfer had been done, however, the deal wasn’t done. The Brazilian opted to sign for Barcelona and the club acted quickly. The result is, that Raphinha is a Barcelona player.
Jules Kounde:
Almost the same kind of scenario is repeated here in the case of Jules Kounde. The French defender is a long-term target of Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea tried hard to bring the defender to Stamford Bridge last season. They are even more eager to secure the service of French International this time as two of their center-backs left the club. They have signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
Tuchel thinks that signing Jules will solve his defense problem for a foreseeable future. They offered Sevilla more than €50 million for the player and the Spanish side is convinced that the offer is perfect. Again, the player wants to go to Barcelona and Xavi wants the player also. According to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea is now out of the race for the signing of the player.
The north London club feels that Barca hijacked both the players from their grasp at the last minute. Both players are quality full and very much in the plan of their manager Tuchel. Now, they need to look elsewhere.
Barca wanted two of the Chelsea players Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso for a long time. After that two transfers, Chelsea is now in no mood for negotiations for the later mentioned two stars. Things are getting heated between the two clubs and seem like, it’s going to continue for some time.
- Read Also: Dortmund tries to bring the glory days back
