In a move that has shaken the foundations of FC Barcelona, president Joan Laporta has made a drastic decision following the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the league stage of the UEFA Champions League.
“They have disgraced the club and I cannot accept behavior like that on the field!” Laporta exclaimed in an improvised press conference at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, visibly indignant.
The official exclusion of five players from the starting lineup for the upcoming matches has left the football world in shock, especially because of the names involved: Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Jules Koundé, Ronald Araújo and Raphinha.
This internal purge comes at a critical moment for Barça, which is in fifteenth position in the table with only seven points after five games, on the brink of the playoffs and with morale at rock bottom.
Tuesday’s match at Stamford Bridge was an ordeal for the culés. Chelsea, led by Enzo Maresca, imposed its rhythm from the opening whistle in a stadium that has become a nightmare for Barcelona: four defeats in its last visits, with goals conceded on each occasion.
The scoring opened in the 27th minute with an unfortunate own goal by Jules Koundé, who deflected a pinpoint cross from Pedro Neto into his own goal.
The error was not just technical; Koundé, visibly frustrated, got into an altercation with the referee minutes later, gesticulating in an aggressive manner that bordered on the line of insubordination.
But the final blow came just before half-time: Ronald Araújo, Blaugrana captain, received a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Liam Delap, leaving the team with ten men.
“It was an act of desperation that does not represent our values,” admitted Laporta, pointing out that Araújo’s expulsion was the trigger for his fury.
The second half was a blue monologue. The young Brazilian prodigy Estêvão, only 19 years old, scored a great individual goal in the 55th minute that lifted the London fans’ hearts: a devilish dribble from the right wing, culminated with a curved shot into the corner that left Wojciech Szczęsny pinned.
“That boy danced for us like beginners,” Hansi Flick reflected post-match, his voice breaking. The shot came from Liam Delap in the 73rd minute, taking advantage of a lethal counterattack after a collective error in the release of the ball.
Barcelona hardly generated any chances: a long shot from Lamine Yamal that brushed the post and a header from Ferran Torres repelled by Robert Sánchez were the highlights of a disconnected team.
The culé possession, a usual lethal weapon, was diluted by 48%, and the interventions of Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernández in the Chelsea midfield completely neutralized Frenkie de Jong and Pedri (who, injured, did not even travel).
But beyond the result, what has turned Laporta on is the “unacceptable behavior” of certain players during and after the match. Sources inside the club reveal that, in the Stamford Bridge dressing room, a heated argument broke out.
Lewandowski, the 37-year-old Polish killer, threw a bottle of water against the wall shouting “This is a shame!”, according to witnesses. De Jong, for his part, got into a fight with teammates, blaming the defense for his lack of fluidity in the center of the field.
Raphinha, who came on in the second half and failed a resounding one-on-one, left the field crestfallen but murmuring criticism of the bench that reached Flick’s ears. “I will not tolerate internal divisions.
Barça is a family, not a circus,” said Laporta, who had already warned in September, after a draw against Las Palmas, that “any player who does not give 100% will leave the project.”
The exclusion of these five heavyweights – Lewandowski (top scorer with 9 goals this season), De Jong (midfield pillar), Koundé (undisputed starter in defense), Araújo (emotional leader) and Raphinha (unbalanced winger) – has caught even those closest to the locker room by surprise.
Laporta has confirmed that they will not be available for this Saturday’s league match against Deportivo Alavés at the Camp Nou, nor for the momentous Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen next Tuesday. “We need a collective reaction.
These players have failed in attitude and commitment, and the club cannot afford it in a year of reconstruction,” explained the president, flanked by Deco and Rafa Yuste.
Instead, Flick will have to turn to the youth team: Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí earn stripes, while Marc Guiu and Héctor Fort could debut in the first team. “It is an opportunity for young people who do understand the shield,” added Laporta, evoking his mantra of “More than a club.”
The impact on the workforce is immediate. Flick, hired in 2024 with a contract until 2027, receives the full support of the board – Laporta declared himself “delighted” with the German last week – but the pressure is growing.
Barça, leader in LaLiga with 28 points but with a hellish schedule (Real Madrid in December and Super Cup in January), cannot afford more European setbacks. The defeat against Chelsea leaves the culés in 15th place, with a playoff risk if they do not add in the remaining three matchdays.
“Winning against Leverkusen is mandatory. Otherwise, we will talk about a deep crisis,” warns an anonymous manager.
The fans, divided between anger and unconditional support, have flooded the networks with memes and hashtags such as #LaportaLíder or #BarçaReacciona. At the Camp Nou, a deafening whistle is expected if those excluded reappear soon, but Laporta insists: “This is not an eternal punishment, it is a lesson.
Whoever returns, will do so with humility.” Meanwhile, Chelsea celebrates its promotion to fifth place with 10 points, dreaming of a direct second round. For Barça, this purge could be the turning point… or the beginning of the end. Football, as always, will dictate the sentence on the green.
