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Risks and rewards for Barcelona in Spanish league

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Aligning Luis Suarez with Lionel Messi and Neymar to spear Barcelona’s attack looks like a winning formula, if the three can set aside their problems and possible distractions.

The club has turned to former midfielder Luis Enrique, known for his forthright approach, to lead the rebuilding project that will likely have its unique set of challenges.

“Luis Enrique is our most important signing,” Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said. “We expect a lot from him.”

Here are five things you should about Barcelona before it opens the Spanish league against Elche on Sunday.

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GOALS OR GORE?

There is no way around it: Barcelona is putting its reputation as a “values first” club at stake by signing Luis Suarez following his biting incident at the World Cup, earning the Uruguay forward a four-month suspension.

Suarez’s chomp into the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini led to his third ban for biting an opponent after similar incidents while at former clubs Liverpool and Ajax. He was also suspended in 2011 for making racist insults during a match.

But Suarez’s knack for scoring and his Premier League-leading 31 goals last season were enough to convince Barcelona that he was needed to re-conquer the league title and was worth an 81 million euro ($108 million) investment.

His ban by FIFA was softened to let him practice and play friendlies. He won’t play a competitive match until Oct. 25.

Suarez has pledged not to bite again.

“I say to all the fans, don’t worry, because I won’t do that anymore,” Suarez said at his presentation.

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MESSI’S MESSES

Oddly enough, Suarez’s ban may not be the biggest problem Barcelona faces this season.

Two major questions are swirling around the team’s all-time leading scorer and the centerpiece of its decade of success.

First, how will Lionel Messi react to Argentina’s loss in the World Cup final? Will he be hungrier than ever to win or continue his off-an-on performances from last season?

And second, will Messi be seen in court facing charges for tax fraud?

In July, a Spanish judge rejected a prosecutor’s request to drop the tax fraud case against Messi also involving his father. That means Messi could be obliged to appear in court if the judge rules the case must go ahead with an indictment.

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MORE FROM NEYMAR

Neymar was supposed to be Barcelona’s next star to pave the way for a future, post-Messi era.

In his first season, the Brazil striker showed some flashes of brilliance, while the legal case involving the exact cost of his transfer from Santos brought down Barcelona’s club president.

That investigation continues and will loom over the club this season.

The immediate concern is his health. Neymar has just returned from a fractured vertebra. He looked fine in his first action during a friendly on Monday when he scored twice.

When he is back up to full speed, Barcelona will be expecting more of the verve and command Neymar displays with Brazil’s national team, and less of the deference he paid to Messi in their first season together.

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TRANSFER BAN

Barcelona spent about 181 million euros ($242 million) to add eight new players after the exit of veterans Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes and the sale of Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.

A big reason why Barcelona was so active is that it may be the last chance it can sign players for quite some time.

Barcelona is appealing a one-year transfer embargo handed to it by FIFA as punishment for signing youth players from overseas in breach of rules designed to prevent child trafficking. That ban was later temporarily lifted to let the club complete its current transfer business.

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NEW COACH, OLD FACE

After Gerard Martino lost control of the team midway through last season, Barcelona decided to again bring back a former player as its coach.

Luis Enrique was hired to restore the line that recently included Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova, both former players-turned-coaches who brought the club success.

Considered to be a firmer hand than Martino, Luis Enrique must help his new players mesh with the remaining midfield core of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

“The coach has to design the team around the squad he has, and we have an incredible squad,” Luis Enrique said. “We have done well to reinforce our team. The club has made a big effort and I have a one-of-a-kind squad.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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