Tag: BARCELONA

Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo could face sanctions for failing to turn up at training with Barcelona, who concluded a deal to sell him to Juventus a month ago.

The Catalan club say the player is under contract until the end of the season and have demanded he return, with the local press claiming he was in his native Brazil.

“The player has not joined the squad as expected and we are considering a course of action,” a club statement said.

Arthur has been sold to Juventus in a deal worth 72 million euros ($81 million) with Bosnian playmaker Miralem Pjanic moving in the opposite direction for a similar fee at season’s end.

The player had been reluctant to leave the Camp Nou and even released a statement in April, insisting his “idea was clear” and that he wanted to play at Barcelona “for many years”.

Barca coach Quique Setien said in a press conference at the time of the sale: “We expect the greatest commitment from him until the last day he is here.”

Sources from the spanish club say the player maintains Setien had told him he had played his last game with the La Liga club. Arthur has not featured for Barca since the transfer was announced on June 29.

Barcelona resumed training on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League last-16 second leg with Napoli next month.

Arthur Melo and Barcelona are negotiating the midfielder’s early release from the club following a lack of minutes since his transfer to Juventus was confirmed, sources say.

The relationship between Arthur and Barca has soured in recent weeks to the point that he no longer wants to be involved in the club’s Champions League campaign, which resumes against Napoli on Aug. 8.

Barca’s players underwent the latest round of coronavirus testing on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s return to training to plan for that last-16 second-leg game (they drew 1-1 in Italy).

However, Arthur did not turn up and Spanish sources said that he doesn’t want to be involved in the preparations and would prefer that his Camp Nou stay ended immediately.

Arthur, 23, did not feature in any of Barca’s final six games after the Juve deal, which is worth a potential €82 million, was announced on June 30.

At the time, Barca said Arthur would remain available for selection for the rest of the season, as would Miralem Pjanic for Juventus, who is moving in the other direction for €60m.

However, the Brazil international has grown frustrated by his lack of game time since the deal was confirmed. He wasn’t among the substitutes for the final league game against Alaves, despite Barca having only three outfield changes.

Coach Quique Setien said Arthur claimed he had an ankle problem but the Catalan club did not release a statement regarding any injury, which is customary when players miss matches with fitness issues.

Setien had previously said that Arthur would play for the club again only if it was absolutely necessary.

That could have been the case against Napoli, with midfielders Sergio Busquets and Arturo Vidal both suspended, but the emergence of Riqui Puig has further pushed Arthur down the pecking order, making it highly unlikely he features again before moving to Italy.

Lionel Messi won his seventh La Liga golden boot – and his fourth in a row – after scoring twice in Barcelona’s win over Alaves on the final day.

The Barca captain finished on 25 goals, four clear of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

The game was not of importance as Real clinched the La Liga title on Thursday.

Messi rounded the keeper to make it 2-0 and swept in a fifth – with teenager Ansu Fati, Luis Suarez and Nelson Semedo scoring the other goals.

Riqui Puig, Messi and Arturo Vidal all hit the woodwork before Fati opened the scoring.

This is the first time La Liga’s top scorer has managed fewer than 30 goals since Mallorca’s Daniel Guiza 12 years ago.

Barca, who only named five out of a possible 12 substitutes, host Napoli in the Champions League last-16 second leg on 8 August, having drawn 1-1 in Italy.