Barcelona is preparing for a heavyweight La Liga match against Atlético Madrid next Sunday at the Metropolitano Stadium in the 28th round of the competition.
It is worth noting that Barcelona leads the La Liga standings with 57 points, level on goal difference with second-placed Real Madrid. Hansi Flick’s team also has a game in hand against Osasuna.
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According to information from the Spanish newspaper ‘‘El Nacional‘‘, the potential signing of Joshua Kimmich by Barcelona before his contract renewal with Bayern Munich did not receive unanimous support within the team’s dressing room.
Although the German player could have arrived for free this summer before renewing his contract with Bayern Munich, the idea did not convince everyone in the squad. Sources close to the club revealed that at least three players expressed their opposition to the midfielder joining Joan Laporta’s team.
At 30 years old, Kimmich remains one of the best midfielders in Europe, with exceptional experience and an enviable track record. However, there were serious doubts within the Barcelona dressing room about his ability to adapt and his potential impact on team cohesion.
Concerns arose that Kimmich might disrupt the good atmosphere in the dressing room. Some players received reports suggesting that the German is not easy to manage and that his strong personality may clash with some of the team’s leaders.
At 30, some believe that Kimmich may not possess the same ambition as younger players. Barcelona is clearly committed to promoting youth, and there are concerns that his signing could hinder the growth of players like Marc Casado.
Although Hansi Flick pushed for his signing, some in the dressing room believe that Kimmich is not as much of a priority as players like De Jong, Gavi, and Pedri. Some even think that Barcelona should focus on strengthening other positions rather than midfield.
The newspaper indicated that the trio (De Jong, Gavi, and Pedri) believed that signing Kimmich conflicted with Barcelona’s commitment to relying on young talent, something Laporta wants to prioritize in his project. Ultimately, Laporta and Flick acceded to the trio’s demands and rejected the German player, who ended up renewing his contract with Bayern Munich until 2029.
