I have seen and heard some stupid things about football in my time, a lot of them from just around the corner at White Hart lane but also a fair few from the red side of north London, but this latest bit of silliness has to come close to taking the biscuit.
Barcelona joining the English Premier League is actually being talked about. Not by the Spanish or English football authorities though, or at least not to our knowledge, but by some folk in the football media. The reason is the vote about Catalan independence that had already been ruled as an illegal and illegitimate ballot by the Spanish government.
The scenes from Catalonia on Sunday were shocking and with FC Barcelona being a symbol for the Catalan people, the club has been dragged in and the president has suggested that Barca could leave La Liga if Catalan does ever go independent.
Does that mean they would join the EPL? Well as much as the money men might think it a good idea, logistics would disagree, as would the way fans having to travel every week. And there is the not very small matter of clubs like Arsenal not particularly relishing the idea of having to compete with one of the best sides ever to walk the planet.
Arsene Wenger was more circumspect when asked about the issue, as reported by Sky Sports, but the Frenchman still made it clear that he thought the idea was at best a pipe dream.
He said, “If Barcelona want to join the Premier League, it makes things even more difficult for everybody.
“I don’t think they have gotten as far as that. It is interesting and there will be incidents on the sporting side as Barcelona are a highly political club. I think it will be interesting to see how they respond in the championship.
“We have enough clubs here with 20 but if you want to go up to 24, we have to invite the Scottish clubs before we go for the Spanish.”
The Gunners have enough problems with the likes of Man City and Chelsea blocking our way to the Premier League trophy. Does any Arsenal fan think it is a good idea to have to get past Barcelona as well?
Bob.
I don’t see why not. The club is in great shape and a match for anybody. I say bring on Barcelona. It will be even more satisfying winning the league having them in it.
Be careful not to bump into any sane fan. Their sanity might actually infect you and make you sane too. Though I see no way someone who thinks “Mustafi is world class” as you wrote twice yesterday, is in any danger of imminent sanity! If you wonder why I am picking on you, it is because I enjoy challenging dullards, sinc e they have NO proper argument with which to fight back. Perhaps “world class Mustafi” can captain Barcelona to the Prem title eh? Meanwhile, back on Planet Earth……!
I highly doubt that Barca will leave Laliga, and if they did they will most likely end up in France (Just when Neymer thought he was finally away from Messi).
If ever Barca pushes to come to the EPL, throw them in the championship first and let them battle with the likes of Aston Villa, Sunderland, Norwich, etc and earn a spot in the EPL.
So many “if’s”, this will never work. They is a greater chance of creating a UEFA super league than Barca joining the EPL
As if that will ever happen. What if they got relegated? Barcelona in the Championship? They’d go home first.
This ar all dreams.
barca is not joining EPL.
iniesta mascherano is old.messi suarez also getting there. without those players barca n arsenal dont have much difference tbh
Why is everyone bothered about Barca joining EPL.. Is it in Our hands? No right? And if You Guys hate Barca soo much than We ll never win the UCL.. Are You going to stop Barca from getting into Champions league also? With this mentality.. We’re going to be nowhere.. Just say bring it on.. Why the hell do U take Arsenal smaller than these teams.. Every team has its tough times.. But the important thing is to get back up n claim our place among the European elite.. Rather than getting scared n avoid Barcelona.. #COYG
It’s called the English Premier League for a reason!
Before anyone reminds me that Swansea are Welsh, when they were formed there was no Welsh League. Makes more sense anyway for Barca to play in France if anywhere other than Spain.
Will not happen. End of story.
Monaco a sovereign nation has its clubs playing in the french league.I dont see why Catalans clubs cant play in la liga.this is all just political bs.
I really don’t understand the seeming assumption by some reporters/analyst that is Catalonian independence is fully realized (there’s still a long way to go after a positive vote) that this means Barca (and perhaps Espanyol & Girona) cannot simply continue in La Liga or would want to leave. There are Welsh teams in the EFL after all. More plausible (but still seeming unlikely) would be some incorporation of Scottish teams (or at least the old firm ones) into the EFL system in some form, but that would be hugely detrimental to SPFL and likely resisted on multiple fronts.