Lautaro Martinez

[LABarcaFan]

You forgot about Haaland.

Sorry. You can add him to that list. Same as few other like Myron Boadu, Cyriel Dessers and few Croatian young and talented players like Mirko Maric, Mislav Orsic and Mijo Caktas. They are not yet big names in Europe but have very high potential.

Good points my ass.

Other than Saviola who was a midget and Riquelme who was a dying breed in modern foitball(classic 10), we mostly knew what to expect from those players.
It's not as if we got Di Maria, Higuain, Cambiasso and they were all shite.

For sure he is a better fit culturally because he would be in an environment that he is used to. With players that speak his language and have the same habits/values.

That is a thing that might not work for Werner or Haaland(and with raiola as manager we don't stand a chance anyway).

Dembele, Avila or Gomes are just 2nd tier players.

Dude. What sense make it to you that Lautaro speaks Spanish? From many years already players in European clubs communicate perfectly well on English.In a year or maximum two all Spanish veterans in our club will leave. How can you even bring the language as a something very important for Lautaro's adjustment in Barcelona, when our team is built from players from all over the globe. They may know Spanish as my compatriot Hristo Stoichkov but they all speak Ingles amigo, not Espanol.

As of the second tier players, I'll gladly take anyone of them over Lautaro and that is not only because his price tag. That is a smart management to me. Take 2-3 of these guys for between 35 - 60 mil and if they don't turn out as a good fits, just sell them with profit. All big European teams including Real are already practicing that system and works well for them. Barcelona is still living in that Pep's era and sooner they realize it is already in the past, better are their chances to rebuild this team.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Dude. What sense make it to you that Lautaro speaks Spanish? From many years already players in European clubs communicate perfectly well on English.In a year or maximum two all Spanish veterans in our club will leave. How can you even bring the language as a something very important for Lautaro's adjustment in Barcelona, when our team is built from players from all over the globe. They may know Spanish as my compatriot Hristo Stoichkov but they all speak Ingles amigo, not Espanol.

No, it is very well known fact that language of communication is Spanish. All our players are asked to learn the language in advance. Coach like Pep confronted players who used their mother tongue language communication to each other (Abidal and Henry), Hleb struggled when he didn't want to do so

Messi doesn't speak English at all, I think Iniesta and Xavi learned it late. Training is in Spanish in almost all Liga clubs. Just like top notch leagues in Europe, they are all too much proud to change that.

This is actually one of the reasons why we are always limited with our coaching choices

 

[Andresito]

No, it is very well known fact that language of communication is Spanish. All our players are asked to learn the language in advance. Coach like Pep confronted players who used their mother tongue language communication to each other (Abidal and Henry), Hleb struggled when he didn't want to do so

Messi doesn't speak English at all, I think Iniesta and Xavi learned it late. Training is in Spanish in almost all Liga clubs. Just like top notch leagues in Europe, they are all too much proud to change that.

This is actually one of the reasons why we are always limited with our coaching choices

+1. Claming that they speak English in the locker room is totally wrong and should be common knowledge. The Matchday documentary for example shows this clearly, not a single word of English from the players or coaches.

Could also draw a conclusion from Pep and what he did before he arrived at Bayern. He knew the importance of the language and culture from his time at Barca and started to learn German rather than opting for the easier option and improving his English which he already had basic knowledge of.

 

[LABarcaFan]

Umtiti, Lenglet, Todibo, Demebele, Griezmann speaks French

FDJ, Rakitic and MATS speaks German

Semedo, Arthur, Coutinho and Neto - speaks Portuguese

You have a 12 players from another countries and you expect them to speak Spanish? No way Jose. Not a chance. Setien is a villager and he probably can't speak clean Spanish, that is why he uses that language and on the training sessions they use certain amount of words. Outside of the training facility or Camp Nou, they all speaks their languages. It is the same every way in Europe, but in general, they all speaks English, which is the main tool for communication in Europe and big parts of the world.

Back to the topic. It will be big mistake to pay 111 mil. for Lautaro just because he is a Spanish and will communicate better with Messi and his amigos. He is a limited player with heavy mental issues, same as Neymar. I have said it many times already. I'll rather sign a player who does not speak a single word in Spanish, but will perform a lot better than him. But that is just me.

Barcelona need to start looking in Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and Germany for new players. They are a lot more disciplined, self responsible and hard working than the South Americans or the French.

 

[Andresito]

Umtiti, Lenglet, Todibo, Demebele, Griezmann speaks French

FDJ, Rakitic and MATS speaks German

Semedo, Arthur, Coutinho and Neto - speaks Portuguese

You have a 12 players from another countries and you expect them to speak Spanish? No way Jose. Not a chance. Setien is a villager and he probably can't speak clean Spanish, that is why he uses that language and on the training sessions they use certain amount of words. Outside of the training facility or Camp Nou, they all speaks their languages. It is the same every way in Europe, but in general, they all speaks English, which is the main tool for communication in Europe and big parts of the world.

Umtiti and Lenglet speak perfect Spanish, they've done plenty of interviews in Spanish, I'm sure you can Youtube it.

Griezmann has lived in Spain more than half his life, and his mother is of Portuguese descent.
Todibo I don't know about, Dembele has been criticized for not speaking better Spanish, but Valverde always spoke to him in Spanish without a translator.

Frenkie has been learning Spanish and recently showed his skills in a Barca Youtube video, and it was basic but still impressive. Rakitic has, like Griezmann, lived in Spain for a long time and is often referred to as someone with a Sevillan accent, so he does not only speak basic Spanish, but Spanish with a regional accent. Also his wife is Spanish.

ter Stegen has also done many interviews in Spanish. He started learning it 6 months before he arrived at Barcelona. Why? Because it was important.

The others speak perfect Spanish as well. Arthur is even studying Catalan now.

What they speak at home is up to them. But at the club Spanish is the main language everyone are supposed to know.

 

[Messigician]

Lmfao Americans thinking everyone should be speaking English and not Spanish in Spain

 

[BBZ8800]

BBZ - Larsson was not over 180cm and conveniently leave out the likes of Messi, Romario, Stoitchkov etc who were not either.

There is nothing in the idea 'Argentina players fail'.

You decide something that try to find 'facts' to back it up.

Martinez may not be good enough but none of the arguments based on height or nationality hold any water.

He could arrive and score 40 goals and CL and still you will find some long winded reason for him being a failure.

Sorin played half a season at Barca not a whole season and Milito despite injuries was not horror story either.

I wouldn't comment on nationalities at all, since I don't believe THAT much in that theory, even though there are some patterns (like Dutch players).
But a user Mc Lovin mentioned that Lautaro is culturally a good fit.
So, my reaction was: wtf? What, he will like music, sun and beaches, so let's buy him?

In that sense, I posted this part that historically, from South American players, Argentinians weren't such a good fit for us, inspite of a similar culture.
And there was always a connection between Inter Milan and Argentinians, and AC Milan and Brasilians.
AC Milan always played with more flair while Inter played a more combative football.
In that sense, I would again say that Brasilian type of football is historically closer to Barca's light and seductive football.
Argentina, outside of Messi historically wasn't a good fit for Barca.

But one more time, my reply was a comment at Mc Lovin's post.

Btw, Larsson was only 175 cm tall, but he was one of the best target mans in a football history.
And quite a different player to a current idea of: a mobile no9 who plays far from the box and who is more involved in a build up than scoring.
Btw, as always, for younger fans, look at the amount of crazy header goals scored by King Henrik.
His finishing, jumps, headers and a presence in the box were like a cheating codes, lol.
And in 2020, we came to paying 110 millions for a guy who can't score shit. What happened to us?

 

[mc_lovin]

I wouldn't comment on nationalities at all, since I don't believe THAT much in that theory, even though there are some patterns (like Dutch players).
But a user Mc Lovin mentioned that Lautaro is culturally a good fit.
So, my reaction was: wtf? What, he will like music, sun and beaches, so let's buy him?

Its really not that outrageous. The players who succeeded here are either Spanish, South American or well adapted, smart guys like Ter Stegen, De Jong, Rakitic etc. But honestly every player can succeed here if he has the quality, its not a knockout criteria - I share the same opinion. But theres little doubt that when the opportunity arises the club clearly prefers certain nationalities. And I guess from a teambuilding point of view it makes sense. With Lautaro its certainly an advantage in regards to Messi - that was my point.

 

[MTL_Barca]

Speaking the local language and being used to the living conditions always helps with adapting but in the end it still mostly depends on personality and of course quality on the pitch.

 

[BBZ8800]

Its really not that outrageous. The players who succeeded here are either Spanish, South American or well adapted, smart guys like Ter Stegen, De Jong, Rakitic etc. But honestly every player can succeed here if he has the quality, its not a knockout criteria - I share the same opinion. But theres little doubt that when the opportunity arises the club clearly prefers certain nationalities. And I guess from a teambuilding point of view it makes sense. With Lautaro its certainly an advantage in regards to Messi - that was my point.

Ok. I understand your point.
I am just saying that I don't agree with it.

Regarding South American players, there is a distinction.
And majority of our success was on the wings of Brasilian playmakers or attackers with flair.
Who played a sexy-Barca's style, like: Romario, Ronaldo R9, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho.

So, I wouldn't connect Barca, our style, history and a success with South Americans in general, but mostly with Brasilians.
Further, Portugal and Italy are also Latin countries, so in theory, their players should fit well to Barca.
But Italian football is different to Barca and Italian players don't fit well here.
About Portugal, even though they play similar, for some reason, Portuguese players were mostly a failure here.

So, historically, the safest bets are: Brasilian and Dutch players.
And some random superstars who click well.

So, again, I see where are you coming from, but if I were a sporting director, I wouldn't try things which failed too many times in a row.

About a Messi connection: Messi was barely walking in February.
He will be a few Months without a competitive football.
Who knows when we will play again and in which state will Messi be.
He will be 33 in a few weeks.
By the end of a season of 2020/21 he will be 34.
There is a very realistic chance that he will massively decline in the next season, that he will leave the club, or that he will be totally out of form due to age and too long pause due to coronavirus.
So, my point is: building a team around Messi doesn't make any sense anymore.

People have to realize that the same as with Suarez, Busi, Xavi, Iniesta, we will soon reach the day when we will ask questions: should Messi be on a field or should we try someone new and play him only here and there in the last 20 minutes?
That sounds like a blasphemy in this moment, but that question is only 6-24 Months away.

So: NO.
We shouldn't build a team around Messi or buy his buddies anymore.
Especially if that buddy is a player of a questionable quality, which Lautaro is in my eyes.

 

[mc_lovin]

Especially if that buddy is a player of a questionable quality, which Lautaro is in my eyes.

It comes down to that, not the other bullshit you or me wrote about nationalities (though I really dislike your way of arguing, form an opinion first and then construct an argument).

About Lautaro I just disagree and think hes the best striker on the market. And our scouting seems to agree with me (to be fair not that flattering).


Edit: To be more precise, I didnt say we should buy him /are interested in him because hes from Argentina, it was merely one plus point. No idea why that escalated so much ;-)

 

[FCBarca]

Want

 

[Andresito]

It comes down to that, not the other bullshit you or me wrote about nationalities (though I really dislike your way of arguing, form an opinion first and then construct an argument).

About Lautaro I just disagree and think hes the best striker on the market. And our scouting seems to agree with me (to be fair not that flattering).


Edit: To be more precise, I didnt say we should buy him /are interested in him because hes from Argentina, it was merely one plus point. No idea why that escalated so much ;-)

The most popular opinion in here is that Lautaro is a good player but expensive and not worth the money Inter are asking for.
You've probably mentioned it before, but seeing as you're one of the few that actually seem to really want Lautaro, how much would you be willing to spend on him? Is 111M a reasonable price?

 

[mc_lovin]

The most popular opinion in here is that Lautaro is a good player but expensive and not worth the money Inter are asking for.
You've probably mentioned it before, but seeing as you're one of the few that actually seem to really want Lautaro, how much would you be willing to spend on him? Is 111M a reasonable price?

I always said that 111ME would be excessive. For me a price similar to de Jongs would have been fair (pre Corona), but no idea how much he is worth now.

 

[Messi983]

I have four reasons for not wanting Lautaro.

1. Price. Even those who are in favour of his signing can probably agree that whatever Inter will ask for him is excessive and it will be also irresponsible from the club paying that sum in these uncertain times. Even without corona virus I'd be against another 100m signing but now more so. But since I'm 95% sure we'll buy him I hope we'll negotiate as good price as we can and possibly include players we don't want/need instead of those who could still be helpful or be sold for more on open market (Arthur, Semedo) than if included in a swap deal.

2. As long as Suarez is here he'll stay a starter and whichever striker we'll buy will need to play out of his best position. And I don't see Suarez leaving before 2022 or possibly 2023 together with Messi. I really hope to be wrong but iI believe if we'll buy Lautaro he'll be set to fail from the start, the same as Griezmann. Hopefully Suarez will leave or at least accept not starting 90%+ games anymore so we won't need to play Lautaro/Griezmann as wingers. But this is very unlikely.

3. I doubt he'll score enough. I don't care about forwards being good in link-up play, great passers or defensive workhorses if they can't do their primary job which is to score goals. That's why I want Haaland because I believe he's a killer infront of the goal and will score at every level/club he'll play for. On the other side Lautaro could be better in some aspects of the game so people will consider him as a better fit but I don't see him as someone who will score 30+ goals every season which is needed to replace Suarez. Really hope he'll prove me wrong.

4. I think it would be a much better use of our (probably limited) resources improving defense (CB) and midfield instead of buying another forward. We already have a good depth upfront. Hopefullly we'll still find a good CB and midfielder amongst cheaper alternatives we'll probably need to look after if we plan to splash big on Lautaro.