Club with big problems: How the FC Barcelona and his season trying to save

Aurelio de Laurentiis, a film producer and Chairman of Napoli, is furious. "From Spain we hear of confusion and fear, but Uefa are not interested in all of this." The reason for the Protest: The Italians will have to compete for the eighth-final second leg in the Champions League this Saturday night against FC Barcelona in the Catalan capital (21.00 in F. A. Z.-Liveticker zur Champions League and DAZN); ended the first leg 1:1.

your President would rather have played in Germany. The entire Region of Catalonia is one of the Hotspots of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spain. However, a request from the European football Union (Uefa) at the regional Ministry of health revealed that the game in Barcelona means no health risks for the players. Will be played on Saturday at the Camp Nou stadium in front of empty stands, decided by the Association.

the concern of The Italians in front of a contagion in Spain is understandable. The number of daily new infections with the Coronavirus has been increasing since July across the country rapidly, from around 60 new infections are among on a day to last more than 1600. The authorities are strong in the criticism, because they have neglected preventive measures, whereby the clip-on should be again out of control. Catalonia and Barcelona since weeks to the Hotspots. Over 150 new infections per 100,000 population has been achieved in the Region, not least in the last two weeks. This is one of the highest values in the so-called 14-day incidence in the whole country. In Italy there are only 6.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks.

Defensive football professionals

The Situation on the roads is, however, on the professional football transferable. The professionals also live in Spain completely isolated from the Rest of the world, isolated from the Worries in the city. The Spaniards call the "football bubble", with numerous Tests on the Virus, as well as in the Bundesliga. So Spain could also be the game of the League on 19. July exit – Real Madrid became the champion. In the middle of June to the end of the long break from the game because of the pandemic had kept hardly someone for possible.

The FC Barcelona came back in June with five positively tested players and coaches from the forced break. But the cases were isolated, in the meantime, the squad is healthy. In the short break after the end of the League and the resumption of training at the beginning of the month has infected not a player. All have been tested, and in the empty stadium and the only Video held press conferences will not infect the player to spectators or journalists.

coach Quique Setién can almost access the entire squad. Only the former Dortmund Ousmane Dembélé will probably sit on the bench or in the stadium. He has been able to train four muscle injuries in the season just this week, again. Supposedly Barça is looking for him a new club, also to have money for reinforcements free. Antoine Griezmann will be after a thigh injury, however, in the squad.

Not a good season for Barca

Although he may be in the preparation to the Fullest, acting coach Setién not happy. The season didn't go well, nine points delivered by Barça in the League after the Corona-break and the championship to Real lost. The coach came in the criticism of their own players. After a 2:2 in Vigo, Luis Suárez urged Setién had to find a solution for the bad game Barca's. He was not, apparently, for two game days before the end of the striker from Uruguay, said that the championship was lost, although at least the computer was still possible.