A false 24 man squad for Barca

It hasn't happened to him like to Javi Gracia at Valencia... but almost. Barcelona did not make a move on the last day of the market and, if possible, Ronald Koeman was further weakened, as the team, allegedly in order to comply with the economic control of LaLiga, got rid of Rafinha and Todibo at the last minute.

The Dutch manager has a squad of 24 players that isn't much, as he doesn't count on various men and will have to keep the players that have made the minimum effort to leave the club despite them knowing that they aren't wanted.

To start, Riqui Puig didn't leave, who was recommended to go out on loan, nor did Braithwaite or Junior Firpo, who have it very complicated to get minutes. A separate case is that of Samuel Umtiti, who has preferred to continue devaluing himself on the Barcelona bench and in the stand before trying to find consistency at another club.

Aléña also has it difficult to play and even he didn't leave, like Matheus Fernandes, and Koeman has only signed Dest, as Trincao, Pedri, and Pjanic were signed before his arrival.

In the background, the Barca manager was confident that Depay and Eric García would arrive on deadline day, but the possibility, with Dembélé still in the team, was an authentic pipe dream.

The Frenchman is now criticised for staying when just three months ago he was one of the most expensive signings in history. It is in his right to want to succeed at the Camp Nou, although for that he has to change a lot of things. And not only him, because Koeman must also start thinking that he can contribute something that he doesn't have in the squad, even if now the only thing he feels is anger at the unobtained signings...