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That means the 2015 "Barcelona" team will not have any newcomers and coach Luis Enrique will have to work with the existing squad.
Or... turn to youth. Can the roots of the problem also be the solution? - asks Goal.com and describes Barcelona's possibility to turn the situation around.
The solution - find talents in the famous "Barcelona" youth academy.
Valley of superstars
Players like Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, and Sergio Busquets have all come from the academy to the main team.
"In the past, we have already dug out of difficult situations. We will dig out now as well. This ban will make us stronger," Xavi, the 34-year-old midfielder, remains optimistic.
A gaping hole in defense
"Barcelona" goalkeeper position is solid - last summer's acquisitions Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen fill the gaps. There is also a promising local talent Jordi Masip.
However, doubts arise in defense. Right-back Dani Alves's contract with "Barcelona" will end in the summer. His deputy, Martin Montoya, is likely to leave the team, and Douglas, who arrived in Barcelona in 2014, does not yet meet the club's standards.
In the center-back position, newcomers Jeremy Mathieu and Thomas Vermaelen brought freshness in the summer. However, Vermaelen has not yet recovered from a series of injuries, and Mathieu has not lived up to expectations.
Among the young Barcelona reserve defenders, left-back Alex Grimaldo and Portuguese center-back Edgar Ie stand out. However, the latter is still too young to fill the gap in the center of the field. L.Enrique has praised right-back Patric in the past.
Aging leaders
Midfielder Xavi will turn 35 in late January - he is experiencing the sunset of his career. Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets also play below their potential. The young full-back Sergi Samper shows promise, but it is questionable how he will replace Busquets or Javier Mascherano.
Kroatian super talent Alen Halilovic, who plays in the Barcelona reserve team, shines among the youth, but he is not yet ready to step into men's football.
The midfield raises concerns. It seems that only S.Samper is ready to step into the main team. It remains to be seen whether Alex Song, who returned to Barcelona from West Ham United on loan, can fit into the team.
Offensive potential
There are several interesting talents in the forward line. This season, Munir El Haddadi and Sandro have already shown flashes of talent. Meanwhile, Adama Traore reminded of the Brazilian Ronaldo with an impressive goal for "Huesca" in the King's Cup tournament. Another alternative is Jean Marie Dongou.
"Barcelona" may also bring back on loan forwards Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suarez from Sevilla.
In the summer, Barcelona may also bring back loaned-out forwards Cristian Tello from "Porto" and Ibrahim Afellay from Piraeus "Olympiakos.
However, with Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, and Pedro in the main lineup, Barcelona's coach does not need help in the attack.
Promising a title fight
"I am optimistic," said Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu. "The success of our youth academy will allow us to fill the gaps in the main team. In addition, we must not forget the newcomers who arrived at Barcelona in the summer. Together, these players will allow us to fight for titles in 2015."
On the other hand, when Madrid's "Real" roars powerfully through opponents in Spain, expecting the youth to drag Barcelona until the end of the season and the beginning of the next season is a very large request.
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