Barça has returned in form from the international break and has steamrolled a Getafe side that barely made it past midfield (3-0). The team remains switched on, with an offensive mindset, and is capable of winning even when rotating or missing key injured players. Below, some hot takes.

The remodeling of the Spotify Camp Nou has been a masterclass for many people who are not accustomed to architectural concepts. Few works of this magnitude, not even public ones, have had such exhaustive monitoring. Joan Laporta's board has experienced them with a mixture of passion and nervousness. At the club, they are perfectly aware of the importance of having a state-of-the-art stadium that is capable of giving a boost to the entity's income. At the same time, they know that the delays and cost overruns have strained the economy to the limit with a huge debt. For this reason, some decisions have been made by prioritizing the income statement over the recommendations of some architects. At the club, which has already been using the stadium again for almost a year –at 60% capacity–, and which will probably reopen the museum next month, they are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, although the last obstacle to claim victory is still missing.

Who can stop this Barça? It is a giant that rolls over rivals who shrink as the game progresses. Hansi Flick has a plan to win everything and puts it into practice methodically. His team defeats opponents with a ease that can often be deceiving, because it seems too easy. Usually, when you have to face José Bordalás's Getafe, you find yourself condemned to an unpleasant combat with an opponent that sticks to you like a tick. And many times, after an international break, you drop points in trap games like this one. Things of the past. Flick's Barça seems to have solutions for any obstacle and with a new 3-0 thrashing, it equaled the record for the best start in the club's history in La Liga, with eight wins in eight games. A record that dated back to the era of Tata Martino.

Simple, emotional, and familiar. Nothing less was expected for the farewell ceremony of Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma, the silent hero of the best Barça in history. The Canarian forward says goodbye to 19 years of professional career. He will blow out 40 candles in 2027 and feels that the time has come to retire to spend more time with his partner, Patricia, and his four children. The youngest, Alejandra, spent the ceremony sitting on her father's lap, who brought her up on stage to silence her crying. It won't be long before she understands the impact of Pedrito, later Pedro, the son of a humble gas station attendant from Tenerife who one day landed in Barcelona and the next day, so to speak, became a legend.

1. The crux of the transaction between Junts and the PSOE to facilitate Pedro Sánchez's investiture was the amnesty, which finally materialized after much struggle and effort. The agreement unleashed a wave of resentment the likes of which had never been seen in Madrid (we, however, already knew it well enough here). Judges, economic powers, media outlets, and all the mechanisms of the deep state reacted to the offense by orchestrating a major hunt for the Spanish prime minister and his inner circle. Finally, in an ending worthy of a Greek tragedy, Sánchez has ended up struck down by those who had been giving him air for more than three years. What is my assessment of all this? Junts has squandered a truly historic opportunity to assert the country's interests instead of focusing everything on the restitution of grievances for the victims of the 'Procés'. Both causes were legitimate, of course, but priorities had to be chosen. And the facts are stubborn: it is either one thing or the other. With a government on the horizon in which the PP and Vox will have a comfortable majority, we can forget for many years about better financing, the forgiveness of a part of the FLA debt, transparency in fiscal balances, and necessary investments in infrastructure. Nothing at all will remain of it.

Barça has not skimped on social media posts to report on the return this week of Frenkie de Jong to group training. 136 days after the last time, the Dutch midfielder placed himself under Hansi Flick's orders on Tuesday. He worked for a while at the same pace as his teammates. There are reasons, therefore, to celebrate a little at the end of a long and tedious international break. But the road to this good news has not been easy. It has involved losses of confidence that are difficult to repair. On the verge of seeing him play a match again, De Jong faces (to use cycling jargon) the most demanding stage since he arrived at the Camp Nou.

The Barça museum was key to securing funding from Goldman Sachs for the remodeling of the Camp Nou. The 'blaugrana' club had anticipated that the work would serve to multiply the revenue of a facility that in 2019 received 1.7 million visitors and was by far the most frequented in Catalonia. But the financial firm was not entirely convinced. It did not understand how it could go from 40 million in annual turnover to the 80 projected. Many reports and market studies were needed to convince the American bankers that the projections were realistic.

"Naval, 71, arrived at FC Barcelona in 1972 –more than 54 years ago– and began working as the first team delegate in the 1986-87 season. He has lived with a great number of coaches and players, and has become a true institution. Four decades alongside the team, sharing the dressing room, experiences and moments that are part of the club's history. And still today, he is a key piece in the dressing room". This is how the commemoration act of Carles Naval's 40 years as first team delegate was summarized on the Barça website. More than half a life at the service of the club of his loves and for as long as his strength continues.

At the 2019 assembly of delegates, Florentino Pérez argued for the purchase of CD Tacón as "the moment to build a team capable of competing and of which you can all feel proud." As of July 1, 2020, that Madrid club became Real Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenino and began to enjoy better facilities and an increasing budget that was supposed to catapult it to the elite. The reality is that, six seasons later, the team still cannot overshadow a Barça that continues to win everything. Sunday's 7-0 at the Camp Nou, with 40,000 fans in the stands despite the weather conditions, a balance of 25 Azulgrana victories and only one for Madrid, and the 99 goals for and 12 against are the perfect proof of this.

There is no contest. This is the feeling with which the 40,533 people present at the Camp Nou went home. Neither the torrential rains, nor the hurricane, nor the absences the team of Pere Romeu had –Laia Aleixandri, Kika Nazareth and Vicky López–, nor the improvement in the Real Madrid squad. Nothing could prevent another rout by the 'blaugranes' against their eternal rival (7-0), the biggest difference in a Barça-Madrid so far.

There are matches that are marked on the calendar in red, and this Sunday's is one of them. The Barça women's team returns to the Camp Nou to host Real Madrid (19:00 hours, DAZN), but is keeping an eye on the sky due to the risk of storms in Catalonia. The match, which was supposed to be played at 17:00 hours, has been postponed for two hours due to the forecast of extreme rain and the risk of flooding. The blue and red club had asked the League for the postponement, which it finally ended up granting. The Catalan entity reminds that one can access the stadium with small, foldable umbrellas, while long and rigid umbrellas are not permitted in accordance with current safety regulations.

Barça has faced this first international break, lasting more than two weeks (16 days) and with up to 17 players called up –now there are 15, with the return of Eric and Raphinha– by their countries, with "constant and fluid" communication. This is done between departments and, especially, with the Spanish national team, which has the largest group of Barça players, and with "specific plans for each footballer who has not traveled with the national teams," they explain to ARA from the Ciutat Esportiva.

Barça Women mean business this season. After an intense summer in which they pushed until the month of June to secure the continuity of some important pieces, the Catalan club has the renewal of Esmee Brugts on track and is advancing on that of Ewa Pajor. The desire of both players to continue wearing the blue and garnet has been a fundamental part in allowing the negotiations to take place months in advance.

The classic of last season was very special. The Barça-Madrid match was played again at the Camp Nou after two years of exile in Montjuïc and, furthermore, the blue and garnet team could be proclaimed League champion. With a stadium still at 60% of its capacity, and with a club in need of income to repay the Goldman Sachs credit, the board saw a golden opportunity to make money. Despite the criticism from some members and fans who considered the prices abusive, 16.3 million euros were finally raised. Quite a turnover record.

Two matches, two victories. Barça does not forgive in Rome and will arrive at Sunday's classic at the Camp Nou (17:00, DAZN) after another triumph, the seventh of the season (0-6). Graham Hansen once again put on a show in the eternal city—as Rome is known for the large number of historical monuments it has—and once again demonstrated why she continues to be one of the most destabilizing footballers of the present day.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has released Raphinha from the friendly he was scheduled to play in India this weekend. Medical tests have determined that the Barcelona forward does not suffer from any serious injury, only an "edema" in his thigh, but "as a precaution" he is leaving the national team and returning to Barcelona.

As ARA has learned, Manel del Río will cease to be the CEO of Barça. The executive, who has already communicated his resignation to president Joan Laporta, will leave the position at the end of this month. This Monday, Del Río said goodbye to the club's management committee and confirmed that he was leaving the post. The position of CEO remains, for the moment, vacant. Sergio Serrano, who has held the financial directorship of the organization since this season, will assume a good part of the functions for the time being. Sources consulted at the 'blaugrana' club assure that the departure is "by mutual agreement" and value Del Río's "great work". "We are beginning a new financial management and a new stage," they state to this newspaper from Barça's executive offices.

The Spanish national team call-ups at the beginning of last season caused a previously unheard-of event at Barça: Hansi Flick raised his voice in a press conference and was seen to be frankly annoyed. The star from Rocafonda started the season conditioned by a pubalgia that was bothering him, and this generated friction between the Barcelona coach and his counterpart in the Spanish national team, Luis de la Fuente. On Saturday, September 13, 2025, in the preview of a Barça-Valencia match, Flick exploded: "[Lamine] went to the Spanish national team with discomfort. He played both matches, 73 and 79 minutes, even though the team was winning by a landslide, with painkillers. He didn't train but he played. I don't think that is the way to take care of the players. I am very sad".

Anthony Gordon explains that when he was three years old he already knew he wanted to play for Barça. He watched the Catalan club's matches on television and when it was time to choose a team in video games, he did not hesitate. He would bet on Barça, the club he dreamed of playing for, convinced that his destiny was written. And in this case, he was right. Even though his family were Liverpool fans, little Anthony had more in common with Guardiola, Iniesta or Xavi when he played, than with Steven Gerrard, his idol. And in fact, as has happened to many midfielders trained at La Masia, Gordon was also told that he was too small a boy. Too short and thin. He didn't have the body and energy of Steven Gerrard. So the Liverpool Academy closed its door to him. Initially, they didn't want him at Everton either, although that club realized their mistake shortly after and brought him back, making him debut in the First Division. At Liverpool, on the other hand, they didn't realize Gordon's potential until recently, when he was already playing in the Champions League with Newcastle. It was already too late.

Barça's good sporting streak suggested a calm assembly of delegates for Joan Laporta, but neither the president nor the executives breathed completely easily until the fourth item on the agenda was approved. The social base authorized the expansion of the Espai Barça credit by 300 million and validated the issuance of bonds for an additional 210 million. Money that was essential to finish the remodeling of a Camp Nou that has ended up costing more and has also taken longer than expected.