Barca is unbeaten in five games ahead of their trip to Granada this weekend, even if the 15-point gap to Real Madrid serves as a painful reminder of the long road that still lies ahead.
Narrow wins over Linares Deportivo of Spain’s third tier, Mallorca and Elche, to go with draws with Sevilla and Osasuna, might not, until very recently, have been taken as a sign of progress at Camp Nou.
But for a team that last month was sitting ninth in the table, there is at least a sense now that a youthful Barcelona side is starting to turn a corner.
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Performances have been encouraging, with last weekend’s 1-0 grind against Mallorca particularly noteworthy for its resilience as a patched-up team, deprived of eight players due to Covid, held on for a gutsy victory.
Optimism is being harnessed off the pitch too, with the club’s president Joan Laporta this week determined to drive home the message that Barcelona’s revival is now in full flow.
Everyone should get ready because we’re back, and with the desire to do good things”, Laporta said at the presentation of new signing, Ferran Torres, on Monday. We’ve got our status back. The resurgence of Barcelona is a reality.”
But if the arrival of Torres for 55 million euros, one of Spain’s most talented youngsters, creates excitement and optimism for the future, the signing also underlines the enduring reality of the club’s financial problems.
Torres has signed but cannot play until Barcelona free up enough money to comply with La Liga’s spending limit, which will depend on them now selling some players or convincing others to stay on adjusted terms.
With Torres out due to injury and a positive Covid test, Barca has extra time to find a solution but Xavi will not want to wait too long. His team have struggled for goals all season, which is the problem Torres is supposed to solve.
A win over Granada would lift Barcelona at least temporarily above Atletico Madrid, who play away at Villarreal on Sunday. (BeSoccer)
