By Tim Stannard

Frenkie de Jong bags Copa del Rey winner to continue a Barcelona new year boost for player and club

Off the pitch, the week was a little bleak for Barcelona. As is tradition over the past 13 months or so. 

The presidential campaign is getting almost American in its tone between the candidates. The club reported a total debt of $1.5billion, at the same time as it was listed as having the most revenue from any soccer club in the 2019-20 season. 

The only realistic way that Barcelona can pay off the debt is invent time travel, go back six or seven years to peak Lionel Messi and clone him 10 times. That process would need to be invented too. Then sell the clones for about $150 million each - Messi inflation with eleven version of him out there - and the debt is taken care off. 

In the short term, Barcelona is putting together a solid run of form in 2021 with seven wins in eight - the one defeat being the Spanish Supercopa final. The latest victory was a 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano in the Last-16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, a match that saw a winning goal from Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutch midfielder is a key reason for an up kick in form for Barcelona. Previously, the Barca player had been in de Jong place at de Jong time and looked a little lost. The former Ajax man now seems to have found his role under Ronald Koeman to pick up three goals and an assist in his past four matches. "I'm getting into the box a little more now and that's why I can score more," said the cheery Dutchman after the game.

Barca will still need to go on and win nearly every single match in LaLiga to have any chance of catching Atletico Madrid at the top, a team that is ten points ahead with a match in hand. 

That challenge continues on Sunday from 2:30PM ET against Athletic Club, the side that beat Barca in that Supercopa blemish in the team's recent run of form. 

The Sports Burst live show will begin the weekend countdown live on our beIN SPORTS Facebook page and beIN XTRA channel at 12PM ET. Tune in to have your say, too.  

Thomas Bach renews pledge that Olympic Games will go on 

Thomas Bach, the head of the International Olympic Committee  has had a look at the social media squabbles, fighting and feuding and hotel room damage being done by the world's top tennis players in quarantine ahead of Australian Open and has thought that he fancies repeating the experience.

Times a 100. 

Despite rumors of a second cancellation of the 2020 Olympic Games in summer, Bach has reiterated plans to go forward with the event in July, no matter what constraints, quarantines, or spectator limitations may be in place due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19. 

"Everybody would love to have full-capacity stadia and the roaring crowds. But if that is not possible we will respect our principles, safety is our first priority,” said the IOC chief but enforced the message that the games must go on. "Our task is to organize the Games, not to cancel them." said Bach.

That means potentially the same treatment to the stars of tennis once again...and basketball...and track and field...and soccer. And don't get Sports Burst started on the rowdiness of some badminton players. They can be fierce.