Nonstop flights help start — and end — trips on a high note. There are fewer stressors like worrying about tight connections or if your suitcase will make it on the next plane. Plus, you save time by not having to wait around the airport for the next leg of your journey. Ready for takeoff? Pack your bags, and book a seat on one of these new nonstop routes.

Alaska Airlines: Seattle (SEA) to Rome (FCO)

For its first foray into Europe, Alaska Airlines is heading to Rome, with daily, seasonal summer service beginning April 28. Travelers will board a long-haul 787 Boeing Dreamliner with three sections: Main Cabin, Premium Class and Business Class, which features 34 enclosed suites with lie-flat beds.

Rome was one of the most requested nonstop destinations from Seattle customers, Alaska said, and flight frequency was bumped up from four times a week to daily due to travel demand. It’s not surprising that this is already a popular route, as the Eternal City sees millions of visitors during the summer months.

American Airlines: Miami (MIA) to Bimini, Bahamas (BIM)

On Feb. 14, American Airlines expanded its already robust service to the Bahamas, launching direct flights to Bimini on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is American’s seventh destination in the Bahamas and the sole nonstop flight from the U.S. to Bimini, a “collection of cays and islands” that “offer a mix of adventure and rest,” said Travel and Leisure. Divers come to swim through the “cerulean” water and explore a “coral reef system teeming with wildlife and tropical currents,” while anglers are drawn to the island’s “famous” bonefish flats.

Delta Airlines: Atlanta (ATL) to Riyadh (RUH)

This nonstop flight from Delta’s hub in Atlanta to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, will be both a “historic” and “strategic move reshaping global aviation routes,” said Fortune. Delta is the first U.S. airline to offer direct service to Saudi Arabia, and it comes at a time when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to “shift the country away from oil dependence and toward tourism, investment and technology.” When service begins on Oct. 23, flights will operate three times a week on Airbus A350-900 planes equipped with Delta Main, Delta Comfort, Delta Premium Select and Delta One.

JetBlue: Boston (BOS) to Barcelona (BCN)

JetBlue’s seasonal daily flight to Barcelona, set to launch on April 16, is the airline’s latest transatlantic offering. As with its treks to London, Paris, Edinburgh and Dublin, the company plans to fly Airbus A321LR narrow-body jets, which carry “fewer travelers” than twin-aisle planes but are “cheaper to operate since they require less fuel,” said CNBC.

Travelers should try their best to nap on the flight over; after touching down in Barcelona, you’ll want to immediately start exploring this “fabulous showcase of Catalan culture,” said Lonely Planet. Night arrivals are no exception; after dark, the city is “reimagined,” with plazas, parties and clubs “springing to life.”

Starlux: Phoenix (PHX) to Taipei (TPE)

Starlux’s nonstop flight from Phoenix to Taipei links the two destinations for the first time. Flights are taking off three times a week, with passengers boarding Airbus A350-900 planes featuring four “ultra-lavish” first-class seats and 26 lie-flats with direct aisle access, said Condé Nast Traveler. Upon arrival, travelers can hit the ground running, visiting the Longshan Temple and Elephant Mountain and stopping to enjoy “world-famous street food.”

United Airlines: Newark, New Jersey (EWR) to Seoul (ICN)

When United starts its daily nonstop service from Newark to Seoul on Sept. 4, the airline will be the only U.S. carrier offering direct flights to the South Korean capital from the New York City region. This route “capitalizes on Seoul’s rising popularity,” said Afar, with travelers flocking to the city year-round to experience its “four true and very scenic seasons.”

Seoul has an “extensive and efficient” subway system that makes it easy for visitors to “cover a lot of ground in a single trip,” said Afar. That includes the chance to sample the “storied food scene” and hunt for the “coolest new K-beauty brands.”

United Airlines: San Francisco (SFO) to Adelaide, Australia (ADL)

Koalas, kangaroos and delicious wines are now a 16-hour flight away. United’s new route from San Francisco to Adelaide is the first to directly connect the U.S. and South Australia, with the airline flying Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners three days a week.

Adelaide proper boasts a “walkable” center, with stops like the Adelaide Botanic Garden and Adelaide Central Market offering a “first taste” of the area, said Travel and Leisure. Outside of the city in the Adelaide Hills you’ll find 50 different wine cellars and Cleland Wildlife Park, where visitors can “interact with some of Australia’s most iconic animals,” like wallabies.

El Palace, situated in Barcelona's electric Eixample district, is one of the city's most iconic hotels. The historic former Ritz outpost has hosted some of Catalonia's most vaunted personalities over the decades and is home to 120 rooms and suites, ranging from the tastefully opulent to the gobsmackingly luxurious.

For two days, our home is the hotel's flagship Salvador Dalí Art Suite, an enormous complex of rooms that takes up what feels like an entire floor. Dalí was a frequent patron of the hotel – photos of him in the suite are dotted around the place – and this was his own personal hangout spot.

Why stay here?

Despite its flagship suite bearing the name of one of the greatest boundary-pushers of the 20th-century art world, El Palace Barcelona is soaked in tradition and old-world grandeur. It stands tall in the Eixample neighbourhood, offering the area a flourish of Roaring Twenties flair with rich red awnings and ornate electric lamps flanking the building.

Inside our suite, shimmering golds and rich vermilion tones dominate the living room's ornate furniture. Enormous, plush armchairs sit alongside a beautiful mahogany dining table and wonderful period piece wardrobes. And in the bedroom sits a four-poster bed that wouldn't look out of place in Anne of Cleves' house, so draped in rich, heavy brocade is it.

And yet the hotel is not remotely stuffy. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a bright interior colour palette ensure the suite feels airy and comfortable; the kind of room that gives you a little shot of adrenaline as you wake up and remember where you are.

Eating and drinking

One of the most idiosyncratic, yet genius, aspects of El Palace is the restaurant up on the roof, where the concept of seasonal fare is taken perhaps more seriously than in any other restaurant on the planet. We stepped out into the temperate climes of a Catalan January and on into an indoor section of the restaurant to be greeted with what can only be described as a Swiss chalet. A Swiss chalet, perched atop what is effectively a skyscraper in downtown Barcelona.

And yes, the menu reflects the fascinating design choice; we opted for an enormous Emmental fondue, complete with potatoes and crispy bread, pairing it with a glass of Ruinart, from the world's oldest champagne brand.

More traditional is El Palace's extraordinary breakfast taken in a large, chequered-floor courtyard topped with a glass ceiling and adorned with enormous white drapes. The food choices are vast and of exceptional quality, even by five-star hotel standards. A notable high point is pa amb tomaquet (bread and tomato), a local Catalan dish made from crusty bread infused with garlic and oil, topped with liquified tomato. It sounds simple, but when it's made with tomatoes this good, it's a total showstopper.

Things to do

After sampling any of the hotel's myriad bars and restaurants, guests can make their way to El Palace's gorgeous roof terrace, for this is where the magic happens. On one side is a splendid open-air pool overlooking the city to the south, towards the glimmering Mediterranean. But perform a 180 and you're face-to-face with the open-air cinema. Barcelona's gloriously moderate climate is perfect for the hotel's week-long monthly mini film festival, with a different movie shown on the big screen each night. Guests can hunker down in the terrace's comfy deckchairs and a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for a night of laughs – or tears – under the stars.

The verdict

Wonderfully decadent but restrained enough to know where to draw the line, El Palace is a touch of old-school refinement in a city known for its modern tourist scene. It's both cosy and luxurious, offering a unique twist on the dusty 'grand hotel' stereotype, particularly with its stupendous – and positively imaginative – gastronomic options. It's truly a palace in name and nature.

Gabriel Power was a guest at El Palace Barcelona

During your travels, you don't have to go to the Louvre or The Met to see a masterpiece. At these 9 hotels, art is everywhere and in all forms, including original sculptures that greet guests in the lobby, hands-on photography workshops and full-on museums that are open to the public.

Almanac Barcelona, Spain

Almanac Barcelona gives you the chance to play the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. Through the Hidden Art package, guests stay in one of the hotel's Art Suites, which feature works by emerging Spanish creatives. In every suite, artist Catherine Parra conceals an original abstract piece of art, and if you find it, you can take it home.

Hotel Ranga, Iceland

Nearly every wall tells a story at Hotel Ranga. Murals by local artists depict scenes from Icelandic sagas, like the Story of Burnt-Njal, but the focus is not just regional. Several suites are also "designed with themes inspired by the world's continents," Travel and Leisure said, "adding a fun, unique flair."

One Aldwych, UK

Art is an "integral" part of One Aldwych in London, Condé Nast Traveler said, the common thread that ties together the suites, the grounds and even the Lobby Bar's Gallery Cocktails menu. The hotel's impressive modern art collection includes 400 pieces, with an original work in every room. As part of One Aldwych's Curator program, guests can tour Covent Garden with royal silhouette portraitist Charles Burns and walk away with their own paper silhouette as a keepsake.

Quintessence Hotel, Anguilla

The Haitian art collection at Quintessence Hotel rivals any you could find in a gallery. Carefully curated by owner Geoffrey Fieger, this colorful assembly of more than 600 artifacts and works is spread across the manor and on-site art gallery. The view of Long Bay Beach's "white sands and sparkling blue waters" also wows guests, Forbes said.

Solaz Los Cabos, Mexico

The art at Solaz Los Cabos is not confined to Gabinete del Barco, its museum and gallery filled with Indigenous artifacts, tool replicas and a suspended grey whale skeleton.

Mexican visual artist César López-Negrete created more than 400 pieces that dot the property, including massive marble forms and gold sculptures. They take inspiration from Baja California's natural beauty and history.

The Memphian, US

The Memphian Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, was a blank canvas for artist Mary Loeb. With her team, she selected its playful art and decor, amplifying the work of 15 local creatives (with some of her pieces sprinkled in). The result is a "one-of-a-kind lodging experience," National Geographic said, with "nods to the city's heritage." Example: The chandelier in the lobby made of bobbins acknowledges the Mississippi River and Memphis' "love for fishing."

The Siam, Thailand

All of The Siam in Bangkok is infused with art. Every suite is "furnished around one specific theme and outfitted with artwork, antiques and other decorative pieces," Forbes said, and guests can even get a traditional Sak Yant tattoo at the on-site tattoo studio. For a different type of permanent memory, sign up for the collodion wet plate photography experience. This process dates to the 1850s and results in a photo that lasts forever.

21c Museum Hotel Lexington, US

Come here to live out your "Night at the Museum" dreams. Housed in a former bank building, 21c Museum Hotel Lexington has 88 rooms and a contemporary art museum with more than 2,000 works. Accommodations in the Lexington, Kentucky, hotel are "adorned with original artwork that's well-lit with natural sunlight," Condé Nast Traveler said, and guests can take free guided tours of the museum or do a yoga session in the main gallery.

Villa Bokeh, Guatemala

Villa Bokeh looks like a work of art. The "palatial" villa is in the middle of a six-acre garden, Elle said, with a "glittering pond" in the backyard. The owners' art collection is on display throughout the property, with paintings, photographs and sculptures in every room. Guests can unleash their own inner artist during Paint and Sip events held outside, with French wine serving as a conduit.

Spanish authorities are reeling after wanted Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was able to address a rally in Barcelona, despite a massive security operation designed to intercept him.

The founder of the Together for Catalonia party and one-time president of Catalonia returned from exile to address supporters in Barcelona – before disappearing into the crowd in a "stunt of which Houdini would have been proud", said Politico.

Puigdemont has been based in Brussels since 2017 after fleeing charges related to organising Catalonia's unauthorised independence referendum. On Wednesday, he announced his intention to return to the regional parliament in Barcelona for the investiture of the new Catalan president the following day.

Police set up roadblocks around Ciutadella park, where the parliament is located, sealed off all but one entrance to the building, and even searched its sewers in an attempt to prevent an appearance.

Nonetheless, Puigdemont emerged to address thousands of pro-independence supporters at a rally near the parliament, in which he said: "Let us be clear, holding a referendum is not and will never be a crime."

"We don't have the right to give in, the right to self-determination belongs to the people. Catalonia must be allowed to decide its future."

As he then proceeded towards the parliament building, "surrounded by a ring of prominent separatist lawmakers and die-hard supporters", Puigdemont "abruptly vanished" into the crowd, said Politico.

Despite a huge police manhunt to intercept him, including setting up checkpoints at all major roads out of Barcelona and deploying officers to railway stations and airports across Catalonia, Puigdemont was able to evade capture.

"After a tumultuous 24 hours on the run, Mr Puigdemont is now back in Belgium," the BBC reported, citing Together for Catalonia secretary general Jordi Turull.

On Thursday afternoon, a member of Catalonia's autonomous police force was arrested on suspicion of providing the vehicle used in the escape. A second serving officer has also reportedly been taken into custody on suspicion of assisting Puigdemont's escape, with more arrests said to be in the pipeline.

A judge on Spain's Supreme Court, Pablo Llarena, has ordered reports from the Catalan police and the interior ministry to "understand the factors that led to the 'failure' of the operation", Catalan News reported.

Tourism may be the lifeblood of many economies, but the negative impact of ever-rising visitor numbers could soon change the way we travel forever.

Amid a post-pandemic boom in international travel, this year appears to mark a tipping point for locals, with many destinations across the globe becoming "increasingly vocal about the kind of tourists they want on their streets – and the kind they don't", said Laura Hall for BBC Travel.

"On the yes list: tourists who spend money in local shops, boost the local economy and behave respectfully. On the no list: boozy tourists – often Brits – who behave badly, disrespect local traditions and negatively affect local lives and lifestyles."

What did the commentators say?

In the Balearics, whether it is party-goers flocking to Ibiza and Mallorca or sun-seekers descending on Formentera and Menorca, "overtourism on these blissful Spanish islands has grown into a major concern in recent years", said Lonely Planet.

With international travel finally returning to pre-pandemic levels, this year is expected to see growth in tourism numbers, compared to 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

In European hotspots such as the Balearics and the Canary Islands, as well as tourist-heavy cities such as Barcelona, Athens and Malaga, anger at ever-rising visitor numbers and the impact they have has finally erupted into protests.

In Mallorca, thousands of people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against what they say are the negative impacts of overtourism. Organisers of the 'Less Tourism, More Life' rally say uncontrolled tourist numbers are causing a drop in wages, loss of quality of life, noise and an increase in the price of housing, both to rent and to buy.

It follows similar protests in the Canary Islands and Barcelona – Spain's most-visited city receiving 12 million people a year – where rising visitor numbers are "putting pressure on health services, waste management, water supplies and housing at the expense of residents", reported Euronews, while "increased construction of hotel and housing developments is endangering historic sites, biodiversity and natural resources".

What next?

The Balearic authorities have taken a "pioneering role" by introducing a raft of new responsible tourism measures to become "the world's first circular destination" said Lonely Planet. The goal is to achieve a "more balanced and sustainable tourism model that also protects the islands' natural environment and the needs of the local population".

Measures include alcohol restrictions, a ban on new hotels and Airbnb-style tourist apartments, limiting vehicle access to non-residents during high season, and imposing restrictions on visitor numbers to beaches and national parks.

Following its mainland neighbour Catalonia, the region has introduced a tourism tax, with other regions set to follow.

Fees for daytrippers and tourism levies for popular sites has already been introduced in places like Venice and Bali but many are looking to Bhutan, which has the most expensive tourist tax in the world at $100 (£77) per day.

Paid up front, irrespective of accommodation, food, flights and other costs, this "undoubtedly deters many from visiting", said The Independent, "but if, like a safari or scuba-diving holiday, Bhutan is regarded as a place reserved for the well-off, the imposition of an extra $100 a day is hardly something for the non-affluent to lose sleep over".

While these measures are eye-catching, Sean Thomas in The Spectator doubts they will make any noticeable impact, "mainly because tourism is so enormously lucrative".

Last year, global tourism generated about $6 trillion, making it one of the world's biggest sectors. At least 150 nations on the planet cite tourism as one of their top five earners.

A case in point is Spain, which last year welcomed over 85 million overseas visitors and is "leading the grassroots fight -back" against overtourism, Euronews said. Its tourism lobby group Exceltur said holidaymakers accounted for 71% of real growth in the Spanish economy last year, and consumption by non-residents accounted for nearly a third of Spain's overall 2.5% growth in 2023, according to financial services firm BBVA.

In the end, controlling visitor numbers to some of the world's most in-demand destinations could come down to a form of "rationing", most likely decided by money, concluded Thomas.

"This means that in future travel to more enticing locales will become the province of the wealthy, as it was in the past", meaning the best advice is to "make the most of free travel while you can".

How dangerous to our health are aircraft exhaust fumes? Why is Airbnb being banished from Barcelona? And are Ukrainians really less stressed than Brits? 

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The mayor of Barcelona wants to ban short-term holiday lets in the city by 2028 in an "unexpectedly drastic move", said Sky News.

Jaume Collboni said he would drive Airbnb out of Catalonia's capital by not renewing licences for the 10,100 flats approved for short-term rental when they expire in 2028. Those apartments "will be used by the city's residents or will go on the market for rent or sale", he said, which would tackle the "largest problem" in Spain's most visited city.

Critics blame short-term rentals for skyrocketing rents and housing costs that are pricing out locals, amid a growing anti-tourism movement in Spain and around the world. "The decision puts the Catalan city at the forefront of a backlash against the effect of online-based short-stay rentals on cities," said The Times, "with the most radical global measure yet."

'With hordes of visitors comes great irresponsibility'

Barcelona is the "victim of its own success", said The Times in an editorial. Spain is the second most visited country in the world after France, and Barcelona attracted 10 million visitors last year. But that has created an "explosion in short-term rentals", many of which are advertised through Airbnb. 

Rents in the city have increased by 70% over the past decade, and the cost of buying a house by nearly 40%. In 2016, Barcelona became the first major European city to fine Airbnb for its users letting unregistered properties, and cracked down on illegal apartments altogether. No new short-term licences have been granted since, and nearly 10,000 illegal apartments have been shut. Almost 3,500 are said to have been recovered as primary housing for local residents. Collboni believes that this latest move will "restore some fairness to Barcelona's overheated housing market".

You might say Barcelona is "taking back control of its private rental sector from the disruptor platform", said Paul Clements in The Independent – and "there are plenty of places in Britain that would like to follow their lead". Since its European launch in 2010, Airbnb has "dramatically reshaped short-term lettings markets, depleting housing stock with a negative knock-on for residents' rents". Just ask locals in Britain's "prettiest seaside villages – if you can find them".

Local governments in Lisbon, Berlin and the Canary Islands have announced restrictions on short-term rentals, and last September New York began enforcing a 2022 law that banned people from renting their homes for fewer than 30 days – a de facto ban on Airbnb. Similar legislation was set to kick in in Ireland in 2022, but has since been held up. 

Yes, AirBnb "helped create new demand", said Clements. It "stretched the average tourist's length of stay", which has enabled "more than $10 billion in tourism taxes to be generated around the world". However, "with hordes of visitors comes great irresponsibility".

'Protesters should be careful what they wish for'

But anti-tourism protesters may be biting the hand that feeds them, said MailOnline. Take Mallorca. Last month up to 15,000 people took to the streets of Palma, the capital of the popular Balearic island, carrying posters that read "SOS residents" and "Enough mass tourism". Similar protests have taken place in Ibiza.

The Balearic president has said that Mallorca's 20 million annual tourists are "not sustainable". But tourism accounts for about 45% of the Balearic Islands' GDP, according to industry organisation Exceltur quoted in The Independent. Nearly half of those living in Mallorca are employed by the tourism industry

And protests are already putting off visitors. About 44% of those recently polled by Majorca Daily Bulletin said they would think twice about booking a holiday to the island. "If this survey is accurate, local protesters should be careful what they wish for," Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told MailOnline. It would be "a disaster for the area if the protests, however valid, cut off the flow of visitors and reduce income".

In Barcelona, Collboni is "making a mistake that will lead to higher poverty and unemployment", said the city's tourist apartments association Apartur. 

Ultimately, the sentiment against mass tourism is understandable but "the dangers are obvious", said The Times. After all, 11% of Spain's GDP comes from tourism. "Regarding the hospitality industry, the clue is in the name. Barcelona may come to regret its hostility to visitors."

Ready to put the drudgery of winter behind you? Step into warmer weather at one of these six hotels. Their locales are the perfect places to celebrate spring, from dry and mild Hanoi, Vietnam, to Dublin, Ireland, where the crowds are low but the temperature is rising. 

The Cove in Eleuthera, Bahamas

Eleuthera is an island you will want to get stranded on. Just one mile wide and 110 miles long, this little getaway has pristine pink and white sand beaches and coral reefs. The Cove Eleuthera is situated between two white sand coves and feels like a private paradise, with accommodations ranging from bungalows tucked away among the Kamalame trees to oceanfront rooms, suites and villas. All are just a few steps away from the on-site restaurants, bars and spa. The Cove also has two private beaches with attendants and ample opportunities to connect with other guests at sunset yoga and art workshops. 

Riad Dar Anika in Marrakech, Morocco

In the heart of the Medina of Marrakech is Riad Dar Anika. This boutique hotel is known for its impeccable service, with staff greeting guests to offer tea and sweets upon arrival and keeping them stocked with other goodies throughout their stay. The 12 rooms each have special touches like stained glass windows and lamps, ornate murals and four-poster beds, plus guests have access to a pool, hammam, rooftop terrace and restaurant that serves Moroccan delicacies. From the riad, it's a quick walk to palaces, monuments and Marrakech's main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa.

The Leinster Hotel in Dublin, Ireland

The Leinster Hotel is a stone's throw from Merrion Square, which boasts gardens, two museums and Georgian townhouses. A brand new property opening on March 7, the Leinster has 55 rooms and suites, each one with its own distinctive design. The rooms are all about pattern and texture play, with velvet couches and toile wallpaper, plus fun extra touches like retro-style telephones. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is opening his first-ever restaurant in Ireland at the Leinster, where guests will be able to dine on an outdoor terrace with lovely views of Dublin.

Capella Hanoi in Hanoi, Vietnam

Described as an "eternal celebration of opera in the Roaring '20s," the Capella Hanoi is enveloped in musical elements. The Art Deco hotel has swinging lounges and 47 rooms decorated with memorabilia paying homage to beloved opera singers, composers, designers and performances. The four Opera Suites are especially stunning, with gilded wall panels, rich fabrics and terraces. Guests tend to gather in the Living Room lounge, open 24 hours a day, where you can enjoy cocktails made from locally-distilled gin and rum, listen to live jazz or curl up with a book. Every day, a different cultural activity is held in the Living Room, like learning bamboo weaving from a master artisan.

Mvngata Beach Hotel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

After a cold winter, guests are probably more than ready to enjoy some sun at the modern Mvngata Beach Hotel in Playa del Carmen. Consider springing for a premium deluxe oceanfront room, which comes with a terrace and hot tub that overlook the water. For a real treat, book an outdoor massage at the Sand & Sea Spa, where you will face the ocean during your session. The main hub of the resort is its rooftop, where guests can swim in the heated infinity pool, relax in the Balinese beds, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and watch the sunset.

Almanac Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain

There is a room for everyone at Almanac Barcelona. Traveling with extended family? Book one of the hotel's multiple-bedroom suites so you can all be together in one place. Planning a romantic trip for two? Go with the stylish Terrace Suite, featuring a waterfall shower and private terrace with a fire pit and city views. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the fresh air — just head up to the rooftop, where there is a plunge pool and the Azimuth bar. Downstairs is restaurant Virens, specializing in "green cuisine" with a plant-forward menu. The Almanac Barcelona is off the Passeig de Gràcia, which means some of the city's finest shops and restaurants are only a few steps away. 

Football's aspiring breakaway competition, the European Super League (ESL), has scored what could prove a last-minute victory thanks to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

The court ruled that football's governing bodies Uefa and Fifa were "unlawful" in preventing clubs from joining the league through the threat of sanctions.

The case was brought by the ESL after its initial proposal in 2021, which included 12 of Europe's top teams, was met with "widespread fury and condemnation from fans, other European leagues and even government", the BBC said. Uefa handed out fines to many of the clubs involved as the plans quickly collapsed, but the ECJ ruling said the governing body, as well as global chiefs Fifa, had been "abusing a dominant position" to prevent new competitions from forming.

The court said its ruling did not equate to the breakaway league being "approved", but the ESL almost immediately released a proposal for a new competition.

The background

The original plans for a European Super League were revealed with a "sudden, poorly conceived announcement" in April 2021 that sparked anger from fans and the potential of government legislation preventing clubs from joining, said Tariq Panja in The New York Times. 

The league's structure, in particular its exclusivity to the biggest clubs in Europe, would mean that it "upended the competitive landscape for the sport on the continent and the century-old structures that underpinned it".

Six English clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – were all mooted participants in the ESL before fan pressure eventually forced them to pull out. Across Europe, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid also pulled out, leaving just Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Italy's Juventus, involved. Juventus eventually parted ways too, and now Madrid and Barcelona remain the "two driving forces" behind the league, said Ian Herbert in the Daily Mail.

The exodus of the clubs essentially spelt the end of the proposal, while Uefa "claimed a major victory" at the time, said Panja.

The latest

The ECJ ruling is a "seismic day" for European football, said Simon Stone at the BBC, and it left officials at Uefa "shocked".

Among the "thousands of words" in the verdict, "the only ones that really matter are whether or not the project can go ahead", said The Independent. The answer is that "it remains complicated". 

While the court said that Uefa's rules on new competitions had not been "transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate” and they were "contrary to competition law", the ruling still left "all advantage" lying with the governing body. As long as it makes its rules more "transparent" and "compliant with European Union law", then the Super League remains subject to its rulings.

The ESL, and its backing company, the Madrid-based A22, meanwhile declared that "the Uefa monopoly is over. Football is free", as it launched plans for new 64-team men's and 32-team women's competitions. But Uefa also went on the "counter-offensive", said Stone, telling the press that it would "not try to stop them" going ahead but was "not so sure" the ESL organisers "know what they are doing".

The reaction

The "heart" of the original Super League plan was the "chance to make more money", but it is "not clear it remains" in the new vision, wrote Paul MacInnes in The Guardian. With the initial proposals were "never that deep in the first place", the new ones remain "unpersuasive", he added.

Four of the six English clubs originally involved have ruled themselves out of rejoining the Super League and "pledged allegiance" to Uefa, MacInnes said. The UK government has also reacted to the ruling and "vowed to ban Premier League clubs from joining", said The Independent.

Barcelona and Real Madrid remain the key clubs propping up the Super League because they "desperately need some ready cash", wrote Herbert in the Daily Mail. Years of "hubris, greed and mismanagement" had led them to financial troubles, and they view the Super League as "the apparent release from this state of financial purgatory".

However, the "inconvenient truth" for those clubs is that "no one of significance" appears to "have any appetite for this", yet both have "ploughed on regardless" and are now "invigorated by the ECJ judgement", he added.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have publicly "hailed the decision", said ITV News, with Madrid president Florentino Perez saying it would make them "masters of their own destiny" and Barcelona boss Joan Laporta insisting it would end Uefa's "monopoly over the football world".

More than 140 years after the first cornerstone of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica was laid, the "famously incomplete" church is inching towards completion with five of its six central towers now finished.

But "would-be" pilgrims to the iconic site "should not expect to see Antoni Gaudí’s structurally audacious masterpiece fully realised" until at least 2026, said The New York Times. 

The Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, a foundation that oversees the church's construction, said work had now been completed on two of the church's main towers. These towers join the two completed last year, collectively symbolising the four Evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – traditionally recognised as the authors of the canonical Gospels detailing Jesus's life.

This week saw the installation of the final sculptural piece on the tower of Matthew the Evangelist, followed by the crowning of the tower of John the Evangelist with the figure of an eagle.

The foundation said it hopes that the tallest planned central tower, which will represent Jesus, will be finished for the centennial of Gaudí's death in 2026.

Antoni Gaudí, "the brilliant and idiosyncratic Catalan architect", devoted much of the latter half of his life to designing and constructing the church. The cornerstone was laid in 1882, and Gaudí "worked intensively on the project until he died after being struck by a tram at the age of 73", said The New York Times.

The cathedral's construction, like that of most cathedrals, has been extremely slow, and faced disruption in the late 1930s due to the Spanish Civil War, during which "most of the designs and models" of Gaudí's cathedral were destroyed, said CNN. The current designs being used to complete his masterpiece are "based on surviving and reconstructed materials, as well as reimagined adaptations of the original".

Designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1984, the Sagrada Familia was consecrated for religious worship by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. Upon completion, it will claim the title of "the world's tallest church", surpassing Germany's Ulm Minster.

The family of missing rugby player and X Factor star, Levi Davis, have issued another plea for him to contact them more than a week after he disappeared in Spain.

Speaking directly to her son on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Davis’s mother Julie said “I can’t begin to understand how you’re feeling but just know that I do love you”. His sister Candice and foster mother Suzanne Balfour also spoke to Kay Burley on Sky News, making a renewed appeal for him to get in touch.

The former Bath rugby player was last seen boarding a boat from the island of Ibiza to Barcelona, where he posted a video from The Old Irish Pub on 29 October.

The Sun said “the star, who has appeared on X Factor: Celebrity and Celebs Go Dating, was said to have left suddenly with only a small black backpack and is without clothes or cash.”

According to The Times, Davis had launched a profile on OnlyFans, a website often used by adult film performers to generate extra income from subscribers, shortly before his disappearance. He had reportedly posted photographs entitled “My first nudes” on the site on 28 October, a day before he was last heard from.

In 2020, the Birmingham-born winger became the first professional rugby player to come out as bisexual.

His mother told the MailOnline this week that the 24-year-old was suffering from depression and contemplating quitting rugby after suffering a serious injury, which left him without a club and requiring surgery. He had also spoken to her about financial problems and complained about his treatment by the rugby world, claiming he had suffered racism during his career.

In the last message he sent before he went missing, Davis told his family: “I’ll catch you guys soon, 100 per cent”. His sister, Candice, shared the recording with The Telegraph amid fears he had come to harm.

Police in Barcelona admitted on Sunday that they had yet to start looking for Davis because they were awaiting official confirmation that he is missing, “placing further pressure on them from concerned friends, relatives and well-wishers to begin the search in earnest”, reported The Independent.

A tissue allegedly used by a tearful Lionel Messi during his farewell address to Barcelona earlier this month is being sold at auction for $1m. The Argentinian star was emotional during his press conference where he addressed his departure and paused a few times to wipe away tears with a tissue. A seller has listed the item for $1m at international e-commerce platform Meikeduo.

Cuttlefish ‘have better memories than humans’

Cuttlefish can remember what, where, and when specific things happened right up to their final days of life, according to a new study. “The pedestal upon which humans place themselves in terms of neurological abilities continues to crumble,” said a professor. Although they only live for around two years, the cephalopods make the most of it by having three hearts, eight arms, blue-green blood and regenerating limbs.

Python takes over supermarket spice shelf

A three-metre-long python was spotted by shoppers in Sydney supermarket as it slithered along a shelf in the spice section. Helaina Alati was shopping for her dinner when she turned her head to the right and “just 20cm from my face” saw the diamond python. “It just wanted to say hello,” she told Guardian Australia. A Woolworths spokesperson said the “slippery and rare customer” was safely caught and released into bushland.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced that his government will pardon the nine leaders of Catalonia’s failed 2017 independence referendum in an effort to promote reconciliation in the divided nation.

“To reach an agreement, someone must make the first step. The Spanish government will make that first step now,” Sanchez told members of Catalan civil society at an event in Barcelona, adding that it should promote “a spirit of dialogue and concord”.

But the move “could be unpopular and risky”, Reuters reports, as “separatist protesters in Barcelona clamour for a new referendum on independence and opposition parties in Madrid threaten to challenge the pardons in court”.

Inflamed tensions

In 2019 Spain’s Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan leaders for their role in an unauthorised independence referendum and a short-lived declaration of independence. They included Oriol Junqueras, the deputy head of Catalonia’s government during the 2017 referendum, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison, and Raul Romeva, who was sentenced to 12 years for his role as Catalonia’s foreign affairs chief.

Speaking to The Times from his prison cell in Bages county, Jordi Cuixart responded to the news of his pardoning with a message of defiance.

“The pardons wouldn’t solve the political conflict between Catalonia and Spain,” Cuixart, president of Catalan organisation Omnium Cultural who was serving nine years, told the paper. “It is not an act of magnanimity granting the pardons.

“I should not have been in jail for merely exercising my right to freedom of speech and protest. I was condemned for asking people to go to vote,” he continued, adding that the pardons merely showed “the “weakness of the Spanish state”.

Cuixart’s refusal to accept his imprisonment was replicated by a boycott of Sanchez’s speech in Madrid by Catalonia’s pro-independence government. Opinion polls show “close to half” the population support independence, Reuters says.

Meanwhile, separate polls “suggest about 60% of Spaniards are against freeing the politicians and activists”, the news agency adds, with plans in place for opposition parties to challenge the pardons in court.

Sanchez’s political opponents have “threatened to launch legal challenges in Spain and Europe” if the pardons go ahead, EU Observer reports, with the centre-right Popular Party (PP) saying it would start a parliamentary battle of “institutional pressure” against the plan.

PP also said “that it will appeal against granting pardons at the Supreme Court”, the news site says, while far-right Vox party said it would “organise street protests if Sanchez pardons the separatist figures”.

Sanchez would find it difficult if the pardons are challenged in Spain’s highest court, which has already said it is against “total or partial” clemency, adding that the Catalan leaders have not shown “the slightest evidence or faintest hint of contrition”.

The prime minister faces a struggle balancing the competing demands of Spain’s majority parties, and the minority movement for Catalan independence, with Catalonian demonstrators claiming that even a pardon would be a “farce”, Reuters says.

“Pardons are a small thing, the truth is that they’ve taken our freedom of speech at all levels,” a pro-independence protester told the news agency. “We have our legitimate government in prison or in exile, and this is very serious in a democracy.”

Balancing act

Granting pardons is an “attempt to calm tensions in the 300-year-old dispute” over Catalan separatism, writes The Times’ Spain correspondent Isambard Wilkinson. But “it is a gamble that most Spaniards oppose – including 60% of Sanchez’s Socialist voters”.

The reaction of both pro- and anti-independence Spaniards, including the opposition parties, has shown “the risk of destabilising his fragile coalition government and refilling the sails of the independence movement”, he adds.

Sanchez told the assembled members of Catalan civil society that the measure would begin to heal the divided nation, ending his speech with the words: “Catalonia, Catalans we love you.” But speaking about unity is a far bigger task than achieving it.

Sanchez is unlikely to dwell on the pardons, The Times’ Wilkinson adds. Instead he will be hoping that “the political agenda will move on quickly” amid “hoped-for economic improvements and a successful vaccination campaign”.

On the weekend that Lionel Messi scored the 650th goal of his Barcelona career, a sensational news story broke over how much the Argentine is being paid at the Camp Nou.

Ahead of Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on 31 January, in which Messi scored the opening goal, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that Messi will earn a mind-boggling gross total of €555,237,619 (£494.m) throughout his current four-year deal, which expires on 30 June.

Signed in 2017, the contract is described as the “largest in the history of sport” and threatens to “ruin” Barca, El Mundo said. The Catalan club recently finished top of Deloitte’s Football Money League, but the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on their finances has left them “on the verge of bankruptcy”, The Guardian adds.

Messi’s future has been the subject of rumour following a torrid few years for Barcelona. They failed to win a trophy last season and were on the receiving end of an 8-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with signing the Argentine when his contract expires this summer.

‘People want to hurt Barca and Leo’

Head coach Ronald Koeman has been left “seething” by the leak and has vowed to identify and punish whoever is responsible, Goal reports.

“Whoever has leaked Messi’s contract cannot have a future at Barca,” Koeman said. “What has come out in the press about Messi was done maliciously.

“We have to try to know how this could have come out in the press. We have to concentrate on our season. The team’s been fine lately. We won a lot of games. We don’t have to focus on this issue, but there are people who want to hurt Barca and Leo.

“Messi has been demonstrating his quality as a footballer for years, has helped a lot to make this club great and has helped a lot to win titles.”

Barca threaten legal action

Reports in Spain say that Messi will take legal action against the newspaper. Barcelona have also said they will take “appropriate legal action” against the publication - after denying the club was the source of the leak.

In a statement Barca said: “In view of the information published today in the newspaper El Mundo, in relation to the professional contract signed between FC Barcelona and the player Lionel Messi, the club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties.

“FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.

“FC Barcelona expresses its absolute support for Lionel Messi, especially in the face of any attempt to discredit his image, and to damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history.”

The world of football is in shock after Lionel Messi handed in a transfer request at FC Barcelona.

According to BBC Sport, the Argentine sent a fax to the Spanish club requesting his right to exercise a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave for free with immediate effect.

Barcelona do not agree that the clause is still active, Sky Sports reports: it is said to have expired on 10 June. However, Messi and his team believe the clause should be extended to reflect the prolonged season.

His current deal expires in 2021 and he has a buy-out clause set at a whopping €700m (£631.7m). The BBC says a legal battle is set to follow between the club and player.

Sources have told ESPN that Manchester City are “crunching the numbers” to see if they can afford the six-time Ballon d’Or winner without breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

The Daily Mail reports that Messi has “already contacted Pep Guardiola over a sensational move to Manchester City”. But Barcelona believe Manchester United have started negotiations with the player’s agent.

Barca in crisis

Messi’s future has been the subject of rumour following a torrid season for Barcelona in which they failed to win a trophy.

Since the turn of the year the Catalans have sacked two head coaches, lost the La Liga title to Real Madrid and suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final.

In February Messi was also involved in a “row” with sporting director Eric Abidal following the sacking of Ernesto Valverde - which had already put Man City on “red alert”.

After Quique Setién’s firing last week, Ronald Koeman was appointed as the new head coach at Barca and Messi is regarded as a key “pillar” in the rebuild of the Camp Nou squad.

Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu says Messi is not for sale, but The Sun reports that City are willing to pay “whatever it takes” to clinch a deal for the world’s best footballer.

Do City really need Messi?

Man City head coach Guardiola would surely welcome Messi to the Etihad Stadium having previously managed the forward when he was Barcelona boss.

The pair won the Champions League together with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, but Guardiola and City are still to add Europe’s top club trophy to their cabinet.

The potential arrival of Messi would signal City’s intention to win back the Premier League title from Liverpool and try again to become champions of Europe.

However, is it in attack where City really need reinforcements?

Argentinian 32-year-old striker Sergio Agüero, City’s all-time record goalscorer, will need replacing in the next season or two, but is a 33-year-old Argentine (Messi) the right player to come in?

During Guardiola’s time at the Etihad, City have not exactly lacked goals. In the 2018-19 domestic treble-winning season City scored 169 goals as they lifted the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. And in 2019-20 they scored 149 goals with five players - Raheem Sterling (31), Gabriel Jesus (23), Agüero (17), Kevin De Bruyne (16) and Riyad Mahrez (13) - all reaching double figures.

But after finishing second in the Premier League, 18 points behind Liverpool, and also getting knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Lyon, Guardiola will be looking to improve his squad yet again.

Defence is key

If Guardiola is to win the Champions League for the first time with City, it will take a number of big signings to bring the silver trophy to the blue side of Manchester.

Securing Messi would no doubt bring more goals to his attacking line-up, but defensive reinforcements will also need to be made.

The Sky Blues have already announced the £41m signing of Dutchman Nathan Ake from Bournemouth and according to reports one of Europe’s most in-demand defenders could also be heading to the Etihad.

The Manchester Evening News says Napoli and Senegal centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly is City’s “top transfer target” this summer and a deal is reportedly close to completion.

With Ake already in and a deal for Koulibaly looking near, the new-look defence could make the vital difference for City’s ambitions of winning back the Premier League title.

Bringing in a superstar like Messi may just help City secure the Holy Grail, the Champions League. The finance department at the Etihad will no doubt be busy crunching those numbers.

Ronald Koeman may well be walking into one of the biggest - and hardest - jobs in world football right now.

The Dutchman has left his position as head coach of the Netherlands to take the top role at Spanish giants FC Barcelona, signing a two-year contract until 30 June 2022.

Formerly a manager of many clubs including Ajax, Feyenoord, Southampton and Everton, the 57-year-old is no stranger to Catalonia.

A defender or midfielder in his playing days, blaugrana legend Koeman spent six seasons at Barcelona and won four La Liga titles. He was also the club’s assistant coach from 1998 to 2000.

His career highlight, however, was scoring the winning goal at Wembley Stadium as Barca beat Sampdoria 1-0 to lift the European Cup for the first time in 1992.

Barca’s head coach at the old Wembley that day was the legendary Johan Cruyff. Koeman will be hoping to emulate his countryman by bringing “total football” back to the Camp Nou.

It will be a massive task.

Squad rebuild

It’s not been the best 12 months to be a head coach of Barcelona. Ernesto Valverde won two La Liga titles but was sacked in January this year after a run of poor results.

Quique Setién, Valverde’s replacement, lasted only 25 games before getting the axe. After watching rivals Real Madrid lift the Spanish league title all hopes on any trophies this season rested on Barca’s Champions League campaign.

Setién’s team beat Napoli 3-1 in the round of 16 but their next match would bring total humiliation.

The 8-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final has gone down as one of the worst results in Barcelona’s history and saw Setién’s spell in charge swiftly brought to a bitter end.

Koeman arrives at the Camp Nou with a brief of rebuilding the first-team squad and rebuilding the confidence of the club’s fans.

Before the official announcement was made on Wednesday, BBC Sport reported that Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed Koeman would replace Setién and indicated a squad overhaul was going to take place.

“The renewal will be as deep as necessary,” said Bartomeu. “I decided to give this generation the opportunity for another year. Maybe it was time to start the renovation last year. There is money but Covid-19 has reduced income so we have to reduce payroll to be able to bring in new footballers.

“It is not a club crisis. It is just a sports crisis, which we must fix.”

Build the team around ‘pillar’ Messi

Despite the poor results, Koeman does inherit a squad featuring the world’s best player.

There has been question marks over Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona, but Bartomeu is confident the Argentine star will stay and Koeman will build his team around the brilliant No.10.

“Messi wants to end his career at Barca, he has said that many times,” said the Barcelona president. “I have spoken with Koeman and the pillar of our project is Messi.

“He has a contract until 2021, I speak a lot with Leo and more regularly with his father. He is number one in the world. There is no doubt that in Koeman’s new project you can count on Messi.”

Only seven players not for sale

With the first-team now set to undergo a wider restructuring, a number of senior stars could be heading for the exit door at the Camp Nou.

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Bartomeu has named seven players who the club are not willing to sell this summer.

Speaking to Barca TV, Bartomeu said: “Who’s not for sale? Leo Messi. He knows that. He’s the best player in the world.

“We’d also be talking about [Marc-Andre] ter Stegen, [Nelson] Semedo, [Frenkie] de Jong, [Clement] Lenglet, [Ousmane] Dembele... [Antoine] Griezmann too.”

Teenager Ansu Fati is also expected to stay but Marca says the future is up in the air for players such as Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Luis Suarez.

With transfers and pre-season on the agenda, it promises to be a busy start to Koeman’s spell as the new Barcelona head coach.

Welcome back to the Camp Nou - the rebuild starts now.

1. Camp Nou rights to raise funds to fight Covid-19

FC Barcelona will sell the naming rights to their Camp Nou stadium for one season to raise money for the fight against Covid-19.

The club’s board of directors have approved the ceding of the title rights for the 2020-2021 season and the money will be invested in research projects being carried out in Catalonia and the rest of the world involved in the fight against the effects of Covid-19.

Jordi Cardoner, the first vice president of FC Barcelona and of the Barça Foundation, said: “We are facing a global crisis without precedent in our modern history and we have to assume with courage and calm the responsibility that we have.

“For that reason, from both the club and the Foundation, we consider it vital at this time of humanitarian crisis to use all the resources available at the organisation to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences. It forms part of our way of doing things and of being as an institution.”

The Spanish champions confirmed that the name will maintain “Camp Nou” as well as the sponsor.

2. Gunners agree deal - but Ozil snubs pay cut

Arsenal have become the first Premier League club to agree a wage cut with its players. Watford, West Ham and Southampton have all announced wage deferral schemes in recent weeks, but yesterday the Gunners revealed the terms of their deal.

The majority of Arsenal’s squad agreed to the deal but it’s widely reported that Mesut Ozil is one of three first-team players to reject the club’s 12.5% pay cut.

3. Nobbs: Arsenal is my everything

England women’s international Jordan Nobbs has signed a new contract with Arsenal. The Gunners’s vice-captain, 27, said: “Arsenal is my everything now. I think football has overtaken my life since the age of seven, but I think I’ve got Arsenal in my blood now and I’m very proud to say that. I think I’ve got some great years to come.”

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4. Depression worry for football

The Times reports that symptoms of depression among professional footballers have doubled in the wake of lockdown measures.

Between 1 January and 31 March, 299 members of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) sought therapy through Sporting Chance Clinic’s networks of therapists and a confidential helpline, “just under half as many as sought counselling services in the whole of 2019 [653]”.

5. Liverpool-Atleti link to virus

The Guardian reports the claim that Atletico Madrid supporters may have brought coronavirus with them when they came to Anfield for last month’s Uefa Champions League tie against Liverpool.

The match, on 11 March, saw 3,000 Spaniards make the journey at a time when Madrid was already in the throes of a partial lockdown.

6. Lewis ‘not trying to move’ to Ferrari

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has dismissed reports that he is trying to move to Ferrari and insists that he’s already with his “dream team”.

The six-time Formula 1 world champion said: “First off, there is no dream of a dash to another team. I am with my dream team. Second, there’s not a thing in my way as I’m not trying to move. I’m with the people who have cared from day one. We are the best team!”

7. Athletics mourns Neil Black

UK Athletics’s former performance director Neil Black passed away at the weekend at the age of 60. UK Athletics said: “Neil loved the sport of athletics and dedicated his life to supporting athletes - as a world-class physiotherapist, as head of sport science, and then in recent years as performance director for British Athletics.”

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8. GB hockey to lose sponsor

Great Britain and England Hockey’s nine-year relationship with sponsor Investec will come to an end in August. This leaves Team GB Hockey without a sponsor in the run up to next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

9. Toon takeover nearly complete

Sky Sports says that the proposed takeover of Newcastle United by Saudi-backed consortium PCP Capital Partners is nearing completion. A deposit has been paid and contracts have been exchanged with club owner Mike Ashley. Sky says the only aspect of the deal left to be completed is the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test.

10. Kane too expensive for Man Utd

Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be too expensive and “out of reach” for Manchester United, The Guardian reports.

Real Madrid and Juventus have also been linked with a move for the England captain but in the case of United the Red Devils will have to redraw their transfer strategy because of financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus.

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A crisis like the coronavirus is nothing if not a test of a person’s character and Pep Guardiola has shown his mettle by donating €1m (£920,000) to help fight the pandemic in his homeland.

Spain has been hit hardest of all European nations after Italy, with nearly 3,000 deaths and more than 42,000 cases.

The Manchester City manager has returned to his home in Barcelona to be close to his family, and according to BBC Sport Guardiola has been “working with his lawyers over the past few days to work out the best way of using the money”.

A decision has now been reached and the money will be donated to a campaign spearheaded by the Medical College of Barcelona and the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation.

Like every country badly affected by coronavirus, Spain desperately needs more medical equipment to deal with the growing number of people hospitalised with breathing difficulties.

The BBC says that Guardiola’s donation will be used to purchase medical equipment and protective material for the hospital staff working on the frontline of the war with coronavirus.

Arsenal support community in Covid-19 crisis

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Magnificent Messi

Guardiola’s munificence has been matched by that of FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

CBS reports that the Barca captain has also donated €1m which will be split between the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and a medical facility in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.

Although there have been fewer than 300 cases of coronavirus in Argentina so far, the country is in its third year of recession and there are concerns that if the pandemic takes hold it will struggle to respond.

It’s not the first time that Messi has acted in such a manner; in the past he helped fund a new cancer wing at the Sant Joan de Deu children’s hospital in Barcelona.

Barca stars to take a pay cut?

A study by France Football magazine has this week revealed that Messi is the world’s highest-paid player ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. The publication reports that the Argentine will have a total annual income this year of €131m (£121m).

However, with football suspended in Spain Messi and his team-mates could be hit hard in the pocket.

Barcelona are “locked in talks” with senior players - including Messi - to try and reduce their wage bill because of the economic impact of the virus.

According to reports the Catalan giants’s annual wage bill of £438m is the highest in Europe and Messi earns a staggering £1.15m a week.

Spanish newspaper Marca said: “The Barcelona board are in discussions with the captains of the club over a possible reduction to the players’ salaries due to the economic impact of the coronavirus.

“One of the measures that was discussed at a board meeting was the possibility of a wage cut until the end of the season.

“The reaction from the players has been positive, but no agreement can currently be reached without knowing for how long official competitions will be suspended.”

German giants do their bit

In Germany Bayern Munich have followed the example of rivals Borussia Dortmund and “agreed to take a 20% pay cut while there is no football”.

The Times reports that the Munich squad have accepted the measure in order to prevent the club laying off administrative staff.

Bayern’s annual wage bill is “roughly £308m, so the gesture has saved the club tens of millions of pounds”, and the Times predicts it will increase the pressure on Premier League players to show similar altruism in the coming weeks as English clubs struggle financially.

Today’s back pages

Olympic flame will continue to burn in Tokyo, football’s transfer window of opportunity, Kane on the mend

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Formula 1 second pre-season test

• When: 26-28 February
• Where: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
• Daily timings: 8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm (GMT)
• TV coverage: live on Sky Sports F1

Formula 1’s second pre-season test will take place this week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.

Starting on Wednesday and finishing on Friday, the three-day test will see the ten teams fine-tune their cars in preparation for the 2020 season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March.

All 20 drivers will be on track during the three days in Barcelona, but on Wednesday Alfa Romeo Racing reserve and test driver Robert Kubica will share duties with Kimi Raikkonen.

Here we take a look at the driver schedules and TV coverage for this week’s second test.

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Timings and TV coverage

In the UK pre-season testing will be shown live on Sky Sports F1. The broadcaster reports that the daily testing sessions take place in the morning from 8am-12pm (GMT) and in the afternoon from 1pm-5pm (GMT).

F1: five things we learned from the first pre-season test in Barcelona

Drivers and cars: who will take the wheel this week?

Mercedes W11

• Wednesday 26 February - day one: Lewis Hamilton (morning); Valtteri Bottas (afternoon)
• Thursday 27 February - day two: Valtteri Bottas (morning); Lewis Hamilton (afternoon)
• Friday 28 February - day three: Lewis Hamilton (morning); Valtteri Bottas (afternoon)

Ferrari SF1000

• Wednesday: Sebastian Vettel (morning); Charles Leclerc (afternoon)
• Thursday: Sebastian Vettel
• Friday: Charles Leclerc

Red Bull Racing RB16

• Wednesday: Alexander Albon (morning); Max Verstappen (afternoon)
• Thursday: Max Verstappen (morning); Alexander Albon (afternoon)
• Friday: Alexander Albon (morning); Max Verstappen (afternoon)

McLaren MCL35

• Wednesday: Carlos Sainz (morning); Lando Norris (afternoon)
• Thursday: Lando Norris
• Friday: Carlos Sainz

Renault R.S.20

• Wednesday: Daniel Ricciardo (morning); Esteban Ocon (afternoon)
• Thursday: Esteban Ocon (morning); Daniel Ricciardo (afternoon)
• Friday: Daniel Ricciardo (morning); Esteban Ocon (afternoon)

Alpha Tauri AT01

• Wednesday: Pierre Gasly (morning); Daniil Kvyat (afternoon)
• Thursday: Pierre Gasly
• Friday: Daniil Kvyat

Racing Point RP20

• Wednesday: Lance Stroll (morning); Sergio Perez (afternoon)
• Thursday: Lance Stroll
• Friday: Sergio Perez

Alfa Romeo C39

• Wednesday: Robert Kubica (morning); Kimi Raikkonen (afternoon)
• Thursday: Antonio Giovinazzi
• Friday: Kimi Raikkonen

Haas VF-20

• Wednesday: Romain Grosjean
• Thursday: Kevin Magnussen
• Friday: Kevin Magnussen (morning); Romain Grosjean (afternoon)

Williams FW43

• Wednesday: Nicholas Latifi (morning); George Russell (afternoon)
• Thursday: Nicholas Latifi
• Friday: George Russell

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1. Barca back boss Setien

FC Barcelona’s “crisis” got even worse last night after the Spanish giants were dumped out of the Copa del Rey.

Earlier this week a row erupted between club captain Lionel Messi and sporting director Eric Abidal, who claimed that players had not worked hard enough under former boss Ernesto Valverde.

In last night’s Copa del Rey quarter-final clash the Catalans were beaten 1-0 by Athletic Bilbao. Inaki Williams’s header in the third minute of stoppage time gave Bilbao the win.

ESPN reports that despite the defeat Barcelona head coach Quique Setien, who replaced Valverde last month, has been backed by the Camp Nou board.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told Barca TV: “We had clear chances and played well. We created a lot and I want to congratulate the players for how they played. They showed ambition and motivation.

“I reiterate that I liked the ambition shown by the team on the pitch, because it’s a tough place to come and the home fans are on top of you.

“Now we have La Liga and the Champions League to focus on. Playing like that, I am sure success will follow.”

On Sunday Barcelona are away at Real Betis in La Liga (8pm GMT).

2. Real lose seven-goal thriller

Real Madrid are also out of the Copa del Rey after losing 4-3 at home against Real Sociedad.

The defeats for Barca and Real means for the first time since 2010 the Copa del Rey final will not feature either of Spain’s top two sides.

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3. Murrayfield braced for Storm Ciara

Tomorrow’s Six Nations clash between Scotland and England could be played in wild weather.

Reports indicate that Storm Ciara will sweep across Scotland, bringing heavy rain and high winds, both of which could have a significant bearing on the Murrayfield clash.

“I’ve been looking at the weather forecast every day and it has started to close in,” said Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend. “It’s now looking like it’ll be wet and windy around kick-off time.”

Scotland vs. England: Six Nations preview

4. Everton star Christiansen eyes Olympic squad

Everton Women midfielder Izzy Christiansen has set her sights on playing for Team GB at this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The 28-year-old said: “I will be giving my everything so I am back in contention for a place in the squad. I understand where I am at and I have to control where I am, and I am in a fantastic place to do that. I know if I am fresh and ready I will be in the thoughts of the manager [for the Olympics].”

5. Folau left out by Dragons

Controversial rugby star Israel Folau has been left out of the Catalan Dragons’s squad for Sunday’s Super League clash at Wakefield Trinity.

Folau recently returned to rugby league after signing a one-year deal with the Dragons. The 30-year-old was last year sacked by the Australian Rugby Union after making homophobic comments on social media.

6. Joshua to fight at Tottenham?

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua’s next fight is likely to be held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London.

After bouts in New York and in Saudi Arabia, British heavyweight Joshua is keen to fight at home. The IBF, WBA and WBO champion is expected to face Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in June.

Hearn told Sky Sports: “We’ve had offers in from the Far East, Middle East, Africa, America, Turkey. He wants to fight in London in June. Spurs is the frontrunner and that’s what he’s asked me to do.”

7. Dubois to face Joyce in London

Boxing fans in the UK are in for a treat following today’s announcement that Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce will go head-to-head on 11 April. The British heavyweights are both undefeated and will put their records on the line at The O2 in London.

“Dynamite” Dubois, 22, is the British, Commonwealth, WBC Silver and WBO International champion while “Juggernaut” Joyce, 34, is the WBA Gold champion and the former Commonwealth and WBA Continental champion.

Daniel Dubois vs. Joe Joyce: boxing’s battle of London is on

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8. Archer out but could Anderson return?

Jofra Archer’s latest injury blow has forced the England pace bowler out of next month’s Test tour of Sri Lanka. The 24-year-old has also been withdrawn from the lucrative Indian Premier League season on account of his stress fracture in his right elbow.

While Archer is ruled out, fellow quick bowler James Anderson is targeting a return from injury to play in the tour of Sri Lanka.

England’s all-time wicket-taker told Sky Sports: “I’ve been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed. I feel really good. That’s the aim [to be ready for Sri Lanka]. The aim for me is to get fit for whatever is next and at the moment that is Sri Lanka.”

9. Gold fears West Ham fans

West Ham’s co-chairman David Gold is living in “terror” because he fears he will be subjected to an attack by angry fans similar to the one directed at Manchester United chief Ed Woodward last month.

An angry mob gathered outside Woodward’s home and chanted that he was “going to die”, and Gold fears he could be next. “You’ve got a couple of hundred belligerents who want to, metaphorically, burn your house down,” he is quoted as saying.

10. Back pages: Pogba set to leave United?

“Flog the Pog” screams the back page of The Sun, with the paper reporting that Paul Pogba’s troubled stay at Old Trafford is set to end.

Apparently the French midfielder, sidelined for months with an ankle injury, has “been given the green light” to leave Manchester United and the “fed-up Old Trafford hierarchy are now ready to sell him for £150m”.

Today’s newspaper back pages

Man Utd ready to flog Paul Pogba for £150m

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Messi to Man City?

Could Barcelona’s superstar striker Lionel Messi soon be wearing the sky blue of Manchester City?

According to the back page of The Times, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the goal machine might swap the Camp Nou for the Etihad after what the paper describes as a “spat” with Barcelona.

The Times states that City are “monitoring Lionel Messi’s situation amid claims that the Argentina star could leave Barcelona at the end of the season”.

Apparently Messi is hopping mad with Eric Abidal after the Barca sporting director suggested in an interview that the South American striker was involved in the sacking of the head coach Ernesto Valverde last month.

The Sun is also in on the act with a “Nou Dawn” headline.

The paper claims that City manager Pep Guardiola is on “red alert” in the hope of bringing his former charge to Manchester having coached Messi at Barcelona from 2008 to 2012.

Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: all-time career goals and records

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Spurs win five-goal cup thriller

Tottenham’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Southampton in their FA Cup fourth-round replay makes most of the back pages.

“Son’s top Gunn” is the headline in the Daily Express after Son Heung-min converted an 87th-minute penalty past Angus Gunn to break the hearts of the Saints.

The Daily Mail also pays homage to the South Korean ace with its “Son silences Saints” headline but both papers cover all the drama of the 90 minutes that saw Southampton fight back from a goal down to lead 2-1 only for Lucas Moura to level with 12 minutes left.

Then came Son’s moment of glory when he converted a penalty three minutes from time after being fouled by goalkeeper Gunn.

If that wasn’t enough drama, there was also the horrific knee injury suffered by Saints midfielder James Ward-Prowse, and the Sun’s back page is not for the faint-hearted.

Above a close-up photo of the injury, the paper screams “It’s emergency Ward-Prowse”. Tasteless but sharp.

Tottenham will now play Norwich City at home in the FA Cup fifth round.

FA Cup fifth-round draw

Ties to be played week commencing 2 March

• Sheffield Wednesday vs. Manchester City
• Reading vs. Sheffield United
• Chelsea vs. Liverpool
• West Bromwich Albion vs. Newcastle United
• Leicester City vs. Birmingham City
• Derby County vs. Manchester United
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Norwich City
• Portsmouth vs. Arsenal

Today’s sport headlines

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A storm has erupted at FC Barcelona with captain Lionel Messi hitting out at the club’s sporting director Eric Abidal.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Diario Sport, ex-Barca defender Abidal criticised the club’s players for not working hard enough under former head coach Ernesto Valverde.

Frenchman Abidal said: “I watched the games and didn’t look at the result. But I looked at how the games were played, the tactics and the work of the players who didn’t play much. I looked at those details.

“Many players were not satisfied or weren’t working hard and there was also an internal communication issue. The coach and dressing room relationship has always been good, but there are things that I can smell as a former player.

“I told the club what I thought and they had to make a decision.”

Messi’s response

Valverde was sacked by the Spanish champions in January and he was replaced by Quique Setien.

Abidal’s suggestion that the players were not working hard enough for Valverde has angered Messi, the club’s captain and star player.

In a post on Instagram the Argentine hit back at Abidal’s claims and called on the sporting director to “give names”.

Messi said: “I honestly do not like doing these things, but I think everyone has to be responsible for their tasks and take care of their decisions.

“The players are responsible for what happens on the pitch and we are also the first to recognise when we’re not doing well.

“Those responsible for the sports management must also assume their responsibilities and, above all, take ownership of the decisions they make.

“Finally, I think that when talking about players, names should be given. Because if not then we are tarred with comments that are said and are not true.”

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Major trust issues at the Camp Nou

Spanish newspaper Marca says there is a “minefield of distrust” within the club and the Catalans are “experiencing their worst crisis for years”.

Marca’s Luis F. Rojo wrote: “Barcelona are now in a situation wherein nobody trusts anyone, and tension is high. [Club president] Josep Maria Bartomeu doesn’t trust Abidal for all that happened this winter, particularly the failure to land Xavi Hernandez or a new forward.

“The dressing room is also surrounded by distrust. Barcelona have big problems, and they don’t look like they’re going away soon.”

AS writer Juan Jiménez says the Barcelona crisis has “boiled over” and he expects there will be consequences after the war of words.

Jiménez wrote: “Messi’s reaction highlights just how serious the institutional crisis at Barcelona has become - because every declaration made by the Argentinean in public, more so if it is critical, has immediate consequences. This will surely be no exception…”

Could Messi or Abidal leave?

ESPN senior writer Gabriele Marcotti says “make no mistake” Messi’s response is a “direct challenge to the Catalans’ hierarchy”.

Marcotti reports: “It’s also the kind of move that ends one of three ways: Abidal walks his comments back and issues a grovelling apology to Messi and his teammates, Barcelona get themselves a new sporting director [and possibly a new president at the next election], or Messi leaves the club.

“While that final one is about as likely as Liverpool not winning the 2019-20 Premier League, it is still, theoretically, a possibility.”

The Guardian’s Sid Lowe adds: “The spectre of losing Messi, so often the man holding Barcelona together in recent years, is a terrifying one for the club.”

Meanwhile, Sky Sports reports that Barca president Bartomeu has called a meeting with Abidal to discuss the sporting director’s future at the club.

Problems on the pitch

As well as issues off the pitch there has also been problems on it. After 22 matches in La Liga defending champions Barca are currently three points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Valverde was sacked in mid-January after a number of poor results in the first half of the season. New boss Setien has overseen four victories in his first five matches - two in La Liga and two in the Copa del Rey - but his team were beaten 2-0 by Valencia in a league clash on 25 January.

Barca have also been hit by injuries. French forward Ousmane Dembélé is out for the rest of the season with a ruptured tendon in his thigh. Striker Luis Suárez is also set for a long spell on the sidelines after having a knee operation.

Messi and his team-mates will hope to ease the club’s issues by performing on the pitch.

On Thursday night Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-final of the Copa del Rey (8pm GMT) and on Sunday they are away at Real Betis in La Liga (8pm GMT).

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Barcelona have topped football’s rich list for the first time as former leader Manchester United suffered a costly slide down the list of football's highest earning clubs.

With revenues growing by more than a fifth to £741m in the 2018-19 season, the Spanish giants overtook bitter rivals Real Madrid, who raked in £667m.

Deloitte, which compiles the list, expects Barcelona to remain number one in next year's standings. Analysts say the Catalan club is set to achieve its stated ambition to be the first to generate revenue of over one billion euros in years to come.

Meanwhile, Sky News says that Manchester United, who came in third on £627m, now seriously risk losing their prized position as the Premier League's top earning club for the first time after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Forecasted revenue for 2019-20 is somewhere between £560-£580m, partly because of the European failure. Deloitte told the BBC those figures “would likely see the Red Devils fall to their lowest ever Money League position in next year's edition”.

“This could also put the club at risk of losing its position as the Premier League's highest revenue generating club for the first time in Money League history,” Deloitte added.

Meanwhile, Tottenham achieved its highest-ever position of eighth as it increased revenue 21% to £459.3m. The club is now generating more money than any other club in London, with Chelsea ninth overall and Arsenal now outside the top 10 after going consecutive seasons without qualifying for the Champions League.

Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, remarked that: “Growth in the football industry continues to outpace that in other sectors, and the top 20 money league clubs are on track to generate over €10bn collectively in a single year in the near future.”

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Barcelona sack Valverde

Barcelona have sacked manager Ernesto Valverde and he will be replaced by Quique Setien, who has been given a deal until June 2022.

The dismissal of Valverde – the first coach to be sacked by Barcelona mid-season since they gave Louis van Gaal the boot in January 2003 – highlights the weight of expectations at the Camp Nou. The Catalan club lead La Liga on goal difference from Real Madrid, and they have progressed to the Last 16 of the Champions League as group winners, but recent results haven’t been good, and last week they lost to Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup.

Liverpool to blame?

Nonetheless, Valverde might have thought he had built up enough credit in the bank since replacing Luis Enrique in 2017. He has won back-to-back league titles since arriving in Barcelona, as well as Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup titles, but there is a growing feeling within the club that he’s not the man to re-establish the club as Europe’s dominant club.

According to Spanish paper Marca, Valverde’s fate was sealed last season by the manner of the semi-final defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League, which they describe as “continental shame”.

It’s now five years since Barcelona won the Champions League and the board believe change is required sooner rather than later.

Setien in hotseat

But is Setien the right man for the job? The 61-year-old has a modest CV, having coached Las Palmas and Real Betis in recent seasons, and he was sacked from the latter six months ago.

He’ll also be without striker Luis Suarez for the rest of the season with the Uruguayan ace sidelined with a serious knee injury. Sky Sports reports that Barcelona are looking at replacements, and although they have their eye on Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez they will have to meet his £95m (€111m) release clause

Reaction to Valverde’s dismissal

Gary Lineker: “Wish him well. Won @LaLigaEN last two years. Currently top of the table. Expectations run high at @FCBarcelona. Mes que un club [More than a club].”

Former Barca star Andres Iniesta: “The way the club have gone about things is a little ugly”.

Marca: ”Valverde doesn’t deserve this - something we all agree on - to be belittled like he has been in last few days. But Barcelona, the institution - not the board - didn’t deserve Valverde in the last few months.”

BBC Sport’s Spanish football expert Andy West: “Setien – whose stubborn nature makes him a divisive figure across Spain – is a devout disciple of Cruyffian football, and from now on it is certain that Barca will once again play ‘Barca’ football. Whether they can play it well, though, is another matter.”

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

• What: first against second in La Liga
• When: Wednesday 18 December
• Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona
• Kick-off time: 7pm (GMT)
• TV channel: Premier Sports

The first El Clasico of the season will be held tonight with Barcelona hosting bitter rivals Real Madrid at the Camp Nou.

Going into the match both teams are currently level on points at the top of La Liga with 35 each from the opening 16 games. Catalan giants Barca sit top of the table due to a better goal difference than the side from the Spanish capital.

El Clasico is one of world football’s fiercest rivalries but tonight’s clash is even more under the spotlight after the original fixture was postponed in October due to unrest in Catalonia.

Here we look at why El Clasico is more than just a football match, what the players and managers are saying, and a look back at memorable games between the La Liga giants.

Catalonia independence

Catalonia is a semi-autonomous region in north-east Spain with a distinct culture, traditions and language. Home to around 7.5 million people, it has its own flag, anthem, and pro-independence regional government. Barcelona is its capital city.

Amid a growing wave of sentiment for Catalan independence, in September 2017 regional president Carles Puigdemont “ignored warnings from the Spanish government and the country’s constitutional court and pushed ahead with a unilateral referendum” on the issue, The Guardian reported at the time.

Despite the Spanish government deploying thousands of police officers to Catalonia, the vote went ahead on 1 October 2017. According to the government of Catalonia, 90% of voters opted for independence from a turnout of 42%.

MPs in the region passed a declaration of independence on 27 October 2017, but around an hour later the Spanish government enacted Article 155 of the country’s constitution, rescinding all Catalan autonomy and suspending its parliament. It was repealed around a year later.

Why was the original game postponed?

The first Clasico of the season was originally scheduled for 26 October but the game was postponed following protests and civil unrest in Barcelona.

In October this year nine Catalan separatist leaders were jailed for between nine and 13 years for their role in the illegal referendum and a failed bid for independence. The sentencings prompted the violent protests in Barcelona.

Extra security and police escort

Because of the postponement in October, the build-up to tonight’s Clasico has been even more unique.

Spanish newspaper Sport says the security and organisation of the Clasico is “obliged to be controlled to the millimetre in order for the game to be played in as normal circumstances as possible”.

Real will fly from Madrid today before being taken to the Hotel Princesa Sofia, which is close to the stadium.

The Daily Mail reports that both teams will travel to the stadium from the same hotel two hours before kick-off amid security concerns. Sport says the teams will be on separate buses but with the same police escort.

With tensions growing security will be tight, but the match is set to go ahead at 7pm (GMT).

32,000 sign up for protest

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that 32,000 people have signed up to take part in Tsunami Democratic’s protest at the Camp Nou.

The protest, which is being held to make people aware of the political situation in Catalonia, will be staged two hours before kick-off. Organisers insist that the protest won’t affect the normal running of the match.

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What the managers and players are saying

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona head coach

“We are just focused on what we have to do. We are purely focused on the 90 minutes and a game of football. It shouldn’t affect us at all, it is a question of eating at the hotel. It is not going to affect us in any way. We are watching out for things, we know what people are saying, we are just focusing on the 90 minutes. I think we could have played the game on the original day and there is no reason why we can’t play the game.”

Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid head coach

“On the outside, this can be a week where many things are said, but people just want to watch a good football match. In the end, we have to put our energy out on the pitch. We believe the match is going to be played. It’s a football match and that’s the important thing. We know what we’re facing, we know they have [Lionel] Messi, but we also have our weapons. We want to play a good match against Barcelona, who also hope to do the same.”

Zidane on if the match could be called off again

“I don’t have to explain anything. I’m not here to do that, my job is to only think about what happens on the pitch. We’re preparing to play and that’s the only thing that interests us, I’m not worried about anything, we’re happy to play the Clasico.”

Lionel Messi, Barcelona captain, on playing Real at the Camp Nou

“When we play at the Bernabeu, a lot more space is generated. They’re obliged to come at us more because they’re the home team and the fans are pushing for that. At Camp Nou, they play a different game, looking more on the counter-attack with quick players in attack. In the Bernabeu, it’s face-to-face for 90 minutes. [At Camp Nou] the game is tighter, it’s more complicated.”

Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: all-time records and career goals

A kiss between Pique and Ramos

At international level Barca star Gerard Pique and Real icon Sergio Ramos were the backbone of Spain’s successful defence for many years. As national team-mates they won the Fifa World Cup in 2010 and the Uefa European Championship in 2012.

On and off the pitch the duo are known for having one of football’s most entertaining feuds. Ramos is the Spain and Real captain while Pique is a vocal supporter of Catalonia’s political situation.

Ahead of the Clasico, a graffiti artwork by urban artist Tvboy has appeared on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. The image of Pique and Ramos kissing calls for dialogue between Catalonia and Spain over the region’s push for independence.

Sport reports: “The Clasico is coming, a moment which is usually a genuine battle of titans. It usually throws up great footballing moments. However, this time, the game is not just about football but also about politics.

“Tvboy’s intention is clear: to promote a solution, passing through dialogue, to the political unrest in Catalonia. Pique represents Catalonia and Ramos Spain.”

As sports journalist Nicolai Lisberg said on Twitter: “El Clásico has become el político.”

El Clasico memorable matches

April 2017: Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 3

Lionel Messi scores a last-minute winner at the Bernabeu.

April 2012: Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 2

Cristiano Ronaldo scores the winner at the Camp Nou.

March 2007: Barcelona 3 Real Madrid 3

Messi nets his first-ever El Clasico hat-trick.

November 2005: Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 3

Barca star Ronaldinho gets a standing ovation from Real fans at the Bernabeu.

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Freddie Mercury certainly had a way with words. As the legendary frontman of Queen, Mercury was not only a genius when it came to writing lyrics, but also in the way he performed them on stage.

From multiple epic sections in Bohemian Rhapsody to the booming chorus of Somebody to Love, songs written by Mercury and his bandmates Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon will go down in musical history.

While best remembered for his time with Queen, Mercury also wrote a string of huge hits as a solo artist, including Barcelona, a collaboration with opera star Montserrat Caballé that was the theme song for the 1992 Olympic Games, held in the Catalan capital a year after the singer’s death.

The games, and song, helped introduce Barcelona to new audiences the world over - including this writer who has been wanting to visit ever since.

From Queen to a king

In preparation for the 1992 Olympic Games a number of hotels were built in Barcelona to house the dignitaries and thousands of international sports fans wanting to watch the action.

One property that was specifically constructed for the games was the Rey Juan Carlos I hotel, named after the King of Spain who reigned from November 1975 until his abdication in June 2014. Located on Avenida Diagonal and a few minutes walk from the Zona Universitaria Metro station (line 3 for the city centre and line 9 direct to the airport), the Rey Juan Carlos I is not your usual city hotel.

Owned and managed by Fairmont, this five-star property is more akin to a countryside retreat. Set in 25,000 square metres of gardens, it boasts outdoor pools, The Royal Club Fitness & Spa and has access to a number of tennis courts. In keeping with the monarchy theme, the hotel’s grounds are also home to the Royal Polo Club of Barcelona.

Glitz and glamour

While the outside of the hotel has a sport, fitness and equestrian feel, the property’s interior is designed to a very high spec.

Walking through the front entrance the first thing every hotel guest does is look up. All rooms are located on the sides of the building, leaving the view from the atrium to the top floor completely clear and unobstructed.

The ground floor lobby is also home to the check-in desks, the Market Restaurant and the hotel’s 24-hour bar, B·24, which serves a superb range of wines and cocktails. I really recommend visiting B·24 for its tapas and local food options.

Camp Nou views and a beautiful horizon

Spain has its monarchy but in this corner of Catalonia the real royalty is the city’s football team.

Captained by “king” Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona is a European football giant with millions of fans across the globe. With the iconic Camp Nou stadium only a 15 minute walk from the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I, the hotel is perfect for a weekender of football and tapas.

Even though we did not get to see Messi in action we did have amazing views of the Camp Nou from our spacious suite on the 15th floor. It wasn’t just views of the stadium that we enjoyed from our vantage point. Overlooking the polo club, we were also able to watch the riders and their horses prepare for the dressage and showjumping events that were being held in the facility that day.

The hotel views of this magnificent city were so good that it’s clear to see how Barcelona inspired Freddie Mercury to write such a great song. Because of this, it's only fitting to give the great man the final say...

"Barcelona, such a beautiful horizon. Barcelona, like a jewel in the sun."

Never a truer word has been spoken.

Standard room rates in low season at the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I Barcelona start from €269 (£229). For more information see fairmont.com

Travellers looking for an end of year trip to Barcelona should also note that the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I has a number of overnight festive packages from 25 December to 2 January. See fairmont.com/barcelona

1. La Liga seek El Clasico switch

La Liga have asked the Spanish Football Federation to switch the 26 October El Clasico to Madrid due to the ongoing tensions and protests in Catalonia.

Barcelona are set to host Real Madrid at the Camp Nou this month but AS reports that Spain’s top football division want the clash to be played at the Bernabéu instead.

The Daily Mail says that on Monday nine Catalan separatist leaders were jailed “for between nine and 13 years for their role in an illegal referendum and a failed bid for independence”.

The sentencing prompted violent protests in Barcelona and the Mail says that a “large demonstration” is planned in the Catalonia capital on the day of the match.

Will Catalonia ever gain independence?

2. The Hundred draft price list revealed

The price list for The Hundred men’s player draft has been revealed with Australian star Steve Smith and West Indies icon Chris Gayle two of the six overseas players available for the top reserve price of £125,000.

English cricket’s new 100-ball tournament takes place in July and August next year and the player draft will be held on Sunday evening at 7pm (live on Sky Sports and BBC Online).

Australians David Warner and Mitchell Starc, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada are also on the top-price list.

In Sunday’s draft the eight men’s teams will select 12 players on the night - with a maximum of three overseas picks - who will join the already-announced England red-ball contracted players and local icons.

See the full price list at thehundred.com.

Overseas reserve price: £125,000

• Chris Gayle (West Indies)
• Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
• Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
• Steven Smith (Australia)
• Mitchell Starc (Australia)
• David Warner (Australia)

3. Leicester to open memorial garden

Premier League football club Leicester City will open the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Garden a year to the day that five people tragically died in a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium.

Sunday 27 October will mark one year since the accident that claimed the lives of the late Leicester chairman, staff members Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai, and pilots Eric Swaffer and Izabela Lechowicz.

The memorial garden will be located on the site of the crash and will open on 27 October following a private ceremony.

4. Man Utd vs. Liverpool: a tale of two keepers

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is an injury doubt for Sunday’s home clash against Premier League leaders Liverpool at Old Trafford.

De Gea was injured playing for Spain against Sweden last night and was taken off after an hour of the Euro 2020 qualifying match.

Spain head coach Robert Moreno said: “He had pain in the abductor muscle but he received treatment at half-time and wanted to keep playing.”

There has been no further update from United’s medical staff.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have been handed a boost with news that Alisson Becker has returned to training. The Brazilian keeper has been out of action since the opening day of the season.

5. Williams: Wales can win the World Cup

Wales full-back Liam Williams believes the country can win the Rugby World Cup. On Sunday the Welsh face France in the last eight and should they progress they would play South Africa or Japan in the semi-finals.

Speaking ahead of the France clash, Williams said: “There is only one thing we think we can do and that is win it. I wouldn’t say we’ve got the easy route.

“We’ve got France next, and we need to beat them to be looking at the bigger picture. I think we can go on and win it.”

Rugby World Cup predictions: quarter-finals and tournament winners

6. Froome: 2020 Tour route is brutal

British cyclist Chris Froome has described the route for next year’s Tour de France as “brutal” and the hardest he’s seen anywhere in the past five years.

The 34-year-old is aiming to win a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title and he said: “It will be won and lost in the mountains but that suits me. There are loads of opportunities for the general classification to play out and the main rivals to go head to head. That’s what everyone wants to see.”

The 21-stage 2020 Tour de France starts in Nice on 27 June and will feature 29 mountains on the 3,470km (2,156-mile) route.

7. Juventus: Ronaldo is happy in Turin

There are rumours in Italy that Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Juventus before his contract runs out in 2022.

However, when asked about the Portuguese marvel’s future Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici said: “I do not think he can leave at the end of this season and I doubt he will leave at the end of the next one.

“Ronaldo is very focused on his goals as well as his own personal objectives. He is under contract: we are very happy with him and he is happy at Juventus.”

Portugal skipper Ronaldo, 34, scored the 700th goal of his professional career on Monday night playing for his country.

Juventus expect Cristiano Ronaldo to stay - will N’Golo Kante and Christian Eriksen join him?

8. F1 Miami GP deal ‘agreed in principal’

Formula 1 and Hard Rock Stadium have reached an agreement for the hosting of the new Miami Grand Prix. South Florida will be added to the F1 calendar from 2021 and designs for the Miami GP circuit layout have been revealed on social media. Hard Rock Stadium is the home ground for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

Pictures: F1 Miami Grand Prix circuit designs at Hard Rock Stadium

9. Hamilton: I want my life to mean something

Lewis Hamilton has triggered widespread for his mental well-being after telling fans that he feels “like giving up on everything” and just “shutting down completely”.

The British Formula 1 world champion posted a long, emotional message on his Instagram story yesterday saying that the world is “a mess” and that “people don’t seem to care”.

“I want my life to mean something, and honestly up until now my life has had no meaning,” he added.

The post comes days after Hamilton competed in the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, where he used his social media platform to highlight environmental issues, including uploading videos of dolphin hunters.

Why everyone’s talking about Lewis Hamilton

10. Arrests made in Bulgaria and head coach apologises

Four Bulgarian football fans have been arrested on suspicion of chanting racial abuse against England’s black players during the Euro 2020 match on Monday.

Bulgaria’s Ministry of the Interior said in a statement: “Work is still ongoing to identify others.”

Krassimir Balakov, Bulgaria’s head coach, originally claimed that he did not hear any of the racist chanting but he has since issued an apology to England.

Balakov said: “I unconditionally condemn all forms of racism as unacceptable behavior that contradicts the normal human relationships. I find that this form of prejudice should be buried deep down in our past and nobody should ever be subjected to it.

“I would like to state one thing very clearly - since there have been reported cases of racial discrimination at the stadium in Sofia I, as Bulgaria national team head coach, would like to offer my sincere apologies to the English footballers and to anyone who felt offended.”

Uefa want governments to help football ‘wage war on the racists’

Instant Opinion: Uefa ‘must not fail’ black footballers

Today’s back pages

Lions led by donkeys - ‘bottlers’ Uefa fail to condemn racists

If you think Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is having a tough time of it, then also spare a thought for FC Barcelona and their beleaguered boss Ernesto Valverde.

While United and Solskjaer are struggling in the English Premier League, over in Spain Valverde’s Barcelona have also had a poor start to the season.

Defending champions Barca are currently eighth in the La Liga table with a record of two wins, one draw and two defeats from their opening five matches.

Their latest defeat - 2-0 on Saturday away at Granada - has sparked fury among Barca fans and left the Spanish press questioning the future of head coach Valverde.

The 55-year-old former Valencia and Athletic Bilbao manager was appointed Barcelona boss in May 2017, replacing Luis Enrique.

He led the Catalans to the La Liga title last season, but suffered a 4-0 hammering at Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final. A shock result which saw the English side progress to the European final 4-3 on aggregate.

The Anfield hangover and an early-season injury to star player Lionel Messi has seen Barca stutter at the start of the 2019-20 league campaign. They were also held to a goalless draw by Borussia Dortmund in the opening game of the Champions League group stage.

So after the Granada debacle, what’s next for Valverde? Can he survive the chop?

We look at the how the Spanish press and Barcelona fans have reacted to the latest setback at the Camp Nou...

‘Granada must be a turning point’

“Barca, it’s time to react NOW!” says Catalan newspaper Sport on its website on Monday morning, following the club’s worst start to a La Liga season for 25 years.

Sport writer Toni Frieros says that while Valverde must “reflect” and “analyse” the poor situation - especially when playing away - it’s also down to the squad to improve their performances on the pitch.

Frieros writes: “Today, it is also obvious that there are many players performing below their level. It is Valverde’s responsibility to know how to recover them so that they can do their best again.

“From the bench, during the games, he has not known how to do it. It is not about shouting, but motivating. Granada must be a turning point.”

Third crisis

While Frieros believes that the coach and players must work to improve their displays on the pitch, AS.com claims that some of the Barca stars are losing confidence in their head coach. Valverde is “facing a big week” at the Camp Nou, AS reports, with a home game on Tuesday against Villarreal followed by a trip to Getafe on Saturday.

AS reporter Juan Jiménez says that after their Champions League capitulations against Roma in 2018 and against Liverpool last season, Valverde is facing a third crisis since being in charge.

Should the poor form continue then Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu could be forced into making a decision.

“Barcelona played without soul on Saturday night and there has been too many bad news stories to start the season,” said Jiménez.

“He [Valverde] is a smart man with some good work done at the club. But it’s his third crisis in three years and this one might last longer than the last two unless Bartomeu makes a decision.”

Away-day woes

In the 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Granada Barcelona only had two shots on target and are now without a win in their past eight away games in all competitions.

Valverde admitted that he was “worried” by his team’s away form. He said: “Away from home we are not getting good results and when that happens a few times, like now, it’s a symptom of not [playing] very well. We are not playing good games.”

Striker Luis Suarez also admitted that it’s going to be a tough season for the club. The Uruguayan star told AS: “It’s a worrying defeat, a defeat that hurts. And a defeat that we have to take a real good look at, because there are lots of things that we have to improve.

“What we have to look at is the way we’re performing on the road, because the lack of cutting edge and chances is worrying. We’re Barça, we have to go out there to win the game; we can’t start the way we did.”

On defending their title Suarez added: “There’s a long way to go yet, but these are the types of games that win you the title. We have to be tougher if we’re going to win the league. We have a tough year ahead of us.”

#ValverdeMustGo

During the defeat to Granada - and after the match - Barcelona fans did not hold back from making their feelings known on social media.

The hashtags #ValverdeMustGo and #ValverdeOut were trending on Twitter as Barca supporters called for the head coach to be sacked.

Barca’s official Twitter account tweeted “we fall, and we get back up”, but fans were vicious in their responses.

Xavi to return?

According to Spanish news outlet Diario Gol current captain Messi “has asked” the board to replace Valverde with club legend Xavi, who has been touted as a potential future head coach at the Camp Nou.

When asked if he could return to Barca the former midfielder told Diario ARA he would not have a problem managing Messi, Suarez and Co.

The 39-year-old Xavi said: “It wouldn’t be a problem [to manage former team-mates]. I know what Leo is like, and Luis, [Sergio] Busquets, Jordi [Alba], [Gerard] Pique or Sergi [Roberto].

“I know how they train, their capacity for leadership, I can tell if they are sad or angry. I hope as a coach I could have three, five, eight or 10 players that I already knew and that I already had a good relationship with.

“[Messi] is a player who, if you convince him, he can even be a brilliant defender. He has physical and mental speed. He has everything. If you convince him to run, what will the others do? They will run twice as much.”

Next Barca boss betting odds

Bookmaker Paddy Power ranks Xavi as third favourite to become Barcelona’s next permanent manager.

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez and former Barca and Spain head coach Luis Enrique are the two favourites should Valverde get sacked.

Last week it was also reported that Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp could be a contender.

• Roberto Martinez: 5/2
• Luis Enrique: 5/1
• Xavi Hernandez: 6/1
• Massimiliano Allegri: 13/2
• Ronald Koeman: 7/1
• Mauricio Pochettino: 12/1
• Quique Setien: 16/1
• Erik ten Hag: 20/1
• Nuno Espirito Santo: 25/1
• Pep Guardiola: 25/1
• Jose Mourinho: 33/1

Real and Barca eye Anfield duo

Reports in Spain claim that Real Madrid and Barcelona are both lining up a double raid on Anfield for two of Liverpool’s prized assets.

Spanish newspaper AS says that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and star defender Virgil van Dijk are both “priorities” for the La Liga giants, who see the duo as key additions to bring back European glory.

Off the pitch Klopp led the Reds to Champions League success last season while on the pitch Van Dijk was Liverpool’s star performer. Dutch centre-half Van Dijk is now being tipped to win the Ballon d’Or.

This season the Anfield side have continued their winning form and currently lead the Premier League table with five successive victories.

Neither Zinedine Zidane nor Ernesto Valverde are “living their best moments” in Madrid and Barcelona respectively, says AS, and both Spanish clubs are already considering possible alternatives.

The Daily Star, citing the AS report, adds that Real and Barca have “seen their standards already slip this season and there are worries that their status as European powerhouses is depleting”.

Kante to join former Blues at Real?

Another Premier League star regularly linked with a move to Spain is Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.

In the past couple of seasons Real Madrid have signed Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea and now they want a Stamford Bridge hat-trick.

The Athletic says that Blues midfielder Kante is on Zinedine Zidane’s wish list of targets to bring to the Bernabeu in 2020.

Last week it was also reported that Kante and fellow French World Cup winners Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba are wanted by Zidane to form a “new dynasty” in the Spanish capital.

David Beckham has reportedly approached Lionel Messi about making a sensational move to Major League Soccer (MLS).

Beckham’s Inter Miami will join the MLS in 2020 and the former England captain, president of the Florida franchise, is keen to make Messi the club’s marquee signing.

Radio Catalunya in Barcelona claims that Beckham has reached out to Messi’s representatives and ESPN says that the station’s presenter Xavi Campos believes a “huge” deal could interest the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The Miami Herald reports that the new MLS team are not commenting on the latest rumours, but Beckham has previously spoken about his wish-list of players, such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

In March former Manchester United midfielder Beckham said: “Everyone has their wish list, everyone does, but if you look at the way Leo and Cristiano are still playing, even at what you might think is the later stage of their careers, I don’t see it ending for them.

“They’re playing at such a high level that it’s hard to see them leaving the clubs they are at, but we will see. You never know what can happen in football.”

Could Messi ever leave Barca?

It was widely reported this week that despite Messi having a contract until 2021 the 32-year-old would be free to leave Barcelona at the end of the season.

However, the Catalan giants obviously don’t want to lose their captain and star player. Messi has only ever played senior club football for Barca and has scored 603 goals in 687 appearances.

Spanish newspaper AS, citing information published by Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo, says Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has hit back at claims that Messi could depart at the end of the 2019-20 season.

On Sunday Mundo Deportivo said that Barca are in fact planning to offer Messi a “lifetime contract”.

Camp Nou chief Bartomeu told Barca TV: “He signed until 2021. And it was agreed that, when the penultimate season finished, he would have the power to leave for free. He has the liberty to decide his future. But he is very ‘culé’ and I’m relaxed.

“Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Carles] Puyol had the same clause. To Messi, the best player of all time, we couldn’t give him a different clause.

“But I repeat: I have no doubt he will stay here for many years. He will be here as long as he is able to perform for Barcelona. Let’s hope we have him until he is 40 years old.”

The Daily Mirror reports that Paris Saint-Germain have rejected Barcelona’s opening offer in their bid to re-sign Neymar.

French champions PSG are ready to listen to what the Spanish giants have to say but with negotiations underway there is much to be resolved.

Spanish newspaper Marca says that PSG have agreed to Barca’s suggestion that they take Neymar on an initial loan move with an obligation to buy him permanently at the end of the season.

However, what has still to be decided is “the size of the fee due when the move becomes permanent”.

Reports in the French press claim that Barcelona have offered £136m for the Brazilian but PSG are holding out for £230m.

This summer Barcelona have splashed the cash on Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong and Marca says it seems unlikely the Catalans would be able to have a balance between incomings and sales.

Juve and Real also keen

Barcelona are not the only European giant eyeing a move for Neymar. Barca’s Spanish rivals Real Madrid and Italian champions Juventus are also interested in the 27-year-old.

Juventus could use Paulo Dybala as a bargaining chip in negotiations with PSG while Real are awaiting Barcelona’s next move.

With 13 days until the close of the La Liga transfer window Marca reports that Real are in “constant contact” with PSG.

Marca writer Carlos Carpio says: “As it stands, PSG are in talks with Barcelona over this loan option, while [Real president] Florentino Perez is calmly weighing up the pros and cons of signing Neymar.

“It seems like, for the first time in this saga, that Florentino and Real Madrid will have the final say in Operation Neymar.”

While the English Premier League clubs are busy getting their transfer deals done ahead of Thursday’s 5pm deadline there’s big news also coming out of France and Spain regarding Neymar’s future.

After joining Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for a world-record £200m fee in 2017 Neymar has told the French champions that he wants to leave. And Sky Sports is reporting that Real Madrid are holding talks with PSG over a deal for the Brazilian.

Despite suggestions that the 27-year-old will return to Barcelona, Spanish newspaper Sport says Real have made an offer of €120m (£110m) plus Croatian playmaker Luka Modric.

Sport’s Lluís Miguelsanz writes: “The two clubs are close to agreeing a deal. Florentino Perez has done everything to push things through and believes he will be able to complete the operation once he has the OK from Neymar.”

La Liga clubs have a 2 September deadline and Real are confident of getting a deal over the line.

Barca VP: it’s ruled out

It’s no secret that Neymar has expressed a desire to return to the Camp Nou, but Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner has ruled out a move for now.

Speaking to television station TV3 earlier this week, Cardoner said: “As of today, there’s no Neymar case, as the president said, and it’s complicated.

“We are passive actors. We know he’s not happy in Paris and it’s a situation that needs to be resolved in Paris.

“We haven’t spoken to them. There is a lot of respect between the clubs and if there is a Neymar case one day, we’ll talk. Today, at this time, it’s ruled out.”

Waiting on Barca

Sport says there’s “maximum tension” in Spain following Real Madrid’s move for the former Barcelona star.

Neymar will “wait for Barcelona” in case a deal can be done, but the talks with Real should act as a warning to the Catalans.

Barcelona’s big issue though is that Philippe Coutinho remains on their books and they would need to offload the former Liverpool player in order to re-sign his fellow Brazilian.

“Neymar wants to clear his future up this week and his priority is a Camp Nou return, but with Philippe Coutinho still at the club, it’s not straightforward,” said Sport journalist Miguelsanz.

“Neymar’s people believe a return will be unlikely if Coutinho doesn’t leave. Neymar will wait for Barcelona this week and will then make a decision. His main desire is to leave Paris, whatever it takes.”

This summer Coutinho has been linked with a move to Premier League clubs Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United.

However, talkSPORT reports that the playmaker “is desperate to be playing for Barcelona next season as he wants to fight for his place in the first-team”.

What does the future hold for Brazilian superstar Neymar?

The maverick forward has only been with Paris Saint-Germain for two seasons after his world-record £198m move from Barcelona, but according to reports he wants to leave the French champions.

Spanish newspaper Sport says that the 27-year-old has told PSG chief Nasser Al Khelaifi that he is not going to return to the French capital and is looking for a way out.

Sources told Sport that Neymar was “never happy in Paris” and the publication claims that the player’s “idyll in the city of love” lasted just a few weeks.

The Daily Mirror, citing the reports in Spain, say that Neymar is ready to sever ties with PSG in a bid to force through a transfer to Barcelona.

Back to Barca?

A return to Barcelona has been strongly suggested, but there could be a number of factors stopping the Catalan club from re-signing their former star.

The Daily Mail reports that Barcelona can’t afford the £198m fee they sold him for, or the £31m net wage he earns at PSG.

While Neymar is “desperate” to link up again with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at the Camp Nou, Barca head coach Ernesto Valverde has prioritised the signing of Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid this summer.

However, Sport says that Barca could strike a deal with PSG by offering €100m (£89.1m) plus Philippe Coutinho.

PSG initially asked for €300m (£267.6m) for Neymar but it’s claimed that the two clubs have started discussions.

Real to make giant offer?

If a return to Barcelona is not on the cards for Neymar could he sign for the Catalans’ biggest rivals Real Madrid?

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo reports that if Real want to sign the PSG star it could take a deal worth €500m (£446m) to get it over the line.

Mundo Deportivo says that Real have presented PSG with a €130m (£115.9) offer for Neymar and are also willing to include Gareth Bale or James Rodriguez as part of the deal.

According to TransferMarkt.com Welsh forward Bale is worth €60m (£53.5m) while Colombian playmaker James is valued at €50m (£44.6m).

Factoring in the transfer bid, the value of players in part-exchange and the Brazilian’s massive wages over a long contract, Mundo Deportivo says that the overall cost of Neymar’s arrival at the Bernabeu would reach “stratospheric limits” of around €500m.

While Bale and James have been suggested as possible swaps, Marca says that it’s Real defensive midfielder Casemiro who PSG are keen on.

The French champions are demanding that Brazilian star Casemiro be included in any deal for Neymar.

Rivaldo: choose Barca over Real

Brazil legend Rivaldo has had his say on where he thinks his compatriot should go.

Goal.com reports that Rivaldo, like Neymar, is an ex-Barcelona forward and he wants to see the 27-year-old choose the Camp Nou over the Bernabeu.

“I would love for Neymar to return,” Rivaldo said. “It would be good for Barca and for Neymar. It was a mistake that he left. He doesn’t say that, nor does his father, but it was.

“He’s 27 and has a lot of years left in him yet. He could win another treble, it would be incredible.

“I don’t know what is going to happen but I’d prefer he was in Barcelona rather than in Madrid. If he goes to Madrid, that isn’t good for Barca. If he goes there, they’ll be really strong.”

There’s still one round of matches remaining to be played in Spain’s La Liga but already big changes are happening with the division’s top teams.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid could be set for a big summer with ins and outs, squad reshuffles and long-term planning on the agenda.

One player who will definitely make a huge move at the end of the season is Antoine Griezmann. The French forward will leave Atletico after five years and is set to sign for Barcelona.

The World Cup winner said on Twitter: “It’s been an incredible five years. Thank you very much for everything, I take you in the heart.”

Sky Sports reports that Barca will trigger the £108m release clause in the 28-year-old’s contract.

Here we look at the latest transfer news and speculation surrounding La Liga’s biggest clubs and players.

Atletico Madrid: Simeone faces an exodus

Griezmann is the latest player to join the “exodus” from Atletico, Marca reports. Head coach Diego Simeone faces the tough task of building a new-look squad ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Lucas Hernandez, Griezmann’s French team-mate, has signed for Bayern Munich in an €80m (£69.5m) deal while star defender Diego Godin is also leaving. The Uruguay international’s contract is expiring and he is expected to join Inter Milan.

Juanfran is leaving on a free transfer and there’s also question marks surrounding the futures of Filipe Luis, Rodri, Nikola Kalinic, Gelson Martins and Saul Niguez.

Despite the old guard moving on Simeone could have €200m (£174m) to spend this summer on new recruits.

Players linked with a move to the Wanda Metropolitano include Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi and Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.

There could also be a triple raid on Porto with one ESPN reporting that Felipe, Hector Herrera and Alex Telles are all on Simeone’s hit-list.

Real Madrid: Zidane’s revolution

Real head coach Zinedine Zidane is also preparing to make wholesale changes to his squad this summer.

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Manchester United’s Paul Pogba could both move to the Bernabeu while other names linked in recent months include Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen and Paris Saint-Germain duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

If Zidane is to bring in a new set of Galacticos then he will need to clear some space in the dressing room and free up funds for transfer fees and wages.

Up to 14 players could leave the Bernabeu this summer, Football Espana reports, as Zidane plots Real’s aim of challenging for the La Liga and Champions League titles in 2019-20.

Players nearing the exit include Gareth Bale, Keylor Navas, Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente, Sergio Reguilon, Jesus Vallejo, James Rodriguez, Mateo Kovacic, Theo Hernandez, Borja Mayoral, Oscar, Raul de Tomas and Martin Odegaard.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported this week that French giants Paris Saint-Germain are lining up a triple swoop for Bale, Isco and Toni Kroos.

Barcelona: Griezmann in, Coutinho out?

The expected arrival of Antoine Griezmann from Atletico has been prompted by the Champions League semi-final horror-show against Liverpool.

Three goals up after the first leg, Barca were hotly tipped to reach the final on 1 June. However, a 4-0 hammering at Anfield saw Lionel Messi and Co crash out of Europe.

Barca have won another La Liga title this season but it’s the Champions League the club really crave.

In order to reign again in Europe head coach Ernesto Valverde must make changes ahead of the new season. But Valverde’s position is also on the line after the Anfield debacle.

One of the big casualties is expected to be Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho. Barca want to sell the former Liverpool man and he could end up returning to the Premier League. Chelsea and Manchester United are linked.

It was confirmed in January that Ajax star Frenkie de Jong, 22, will be joining Barca in the summer and it’s likely that his Dutch team-mate Matthijs de Ligt will also be heading to the Camp Nou. According to SPORT 19-year-old defender De Ligt is close to sealing the move to Barca.

AS reports that it could be an Ajax triple for Barca as the bookies say they are firm favourites to also sign Donny van de Beek. The 21-year-old midfielder is a target for PSG, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Players who could leave the Camp Nou this summer include full-back Nelson Semedo and goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen. Midfielder Ivan Rakitic has also been linked with Inter, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 (4-3 on aggregate)

Don’t waste time pinching yourselves, it wasn’t a dream. Liverpool really are in the Uefa Champions League final after producing one of the greatest comebacks in European football history.

Was it the greatest? That’s debatable. Remember how Barcelona beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 two years ago to overturn a 4-0 first leg deficit?

But at Anfield on Tuesday night the boot was on the other foot as Barca were blown away by the Merseyside club.

It was one of the most thrilling nights the famous Anfield stadium has seen - the greatest in the words of their former captain Jamie Carragher - as the Reds scored four unanswered goals to cancel out the three-goal advantage Barcelona had built in last week’s first leg at the Camp Nou.

Deja vu

This was the second successive season that Barcelona have gone to pieces in the Champions League knockout phase. Last season they lost 3-0 to Roma in the quarter-final second leg and the pressure will be intense this morning as Ernesto Valverde and his players wake to realise that, no, it wasn’t all a horrible nightmare.

In contrast, Liverpool have the unadulterated luxury of tuning in the TV on Wednesday night to see whether they’ll face Ajax or Tottenham in the final on 1 June in Madrid.

Big heart

“The whole game, the whole performance was too much,” said a stunned Jurgen Klopp at the end of the unforgettable 90 minutes. “It was overwhelming. I watched in my life so many football games but I can’t remember many like this.”

Asked to sum up his players and their never-say-die attitude, the Liverpool manager replied: “If I have to describe this club then it’s a big heart and tonight it was pounding like crazy. You could hear it all over the world.”

The heartbeat was heard loudest in Barcelona, a city that today is mourning, as their players became the first since 1986 to fail to defend a three-goal first-leg deficit to win a semi-final in this competition. The losers on that night were Sweden’s Gothenburg and the victors? Barcelona.

Gorgeous Georginio

But last night they had no answer to a rampant Liverpool side that scored their first goal on seven minutes when Divock Origi was on hand to tap a rebound into the visitors’ net.

That gave the Liverpool fans hope, and the hope turned to hysteria in the space of two minutes early in the second half when substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice to level the aggregate scores.

The force was now emphatically with the home side and Barcelona seemed to shrink as the atmosphere inside Anfield intensified.

Their defence looked dazed as Alexander-Arnold swung in a quick corner on 79 minutes and Origi found himself with the time, and the space, to bury the ball into the Barca net, and with it the Spanish side’s hopes of European glory.

What they said about the ‘greatest’ ever night at Anfield

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona head coach: “They kind of us rolled us over, really. It is a terrible result for our fans and for ourselves.”

Luis Suarez, Barcelona striker and former Liverpool star: “We are very sad, we are in a lot of pain. For their fourth goal we looked like schoolboys.”

Alan Shearer, former England striker: “I have never seen anything like this before.”

Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender: “Greatest night ever at Anfield.”

Rio Ferdinand: “What Liverpool produced here is breathtaking. It’s amazing. It’s only really football that does this to you.”

Spanish newspaper Sport headline: “Crushed like a cockroach.”

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager: “It’s 10 past 10, most of your children are probably in bed but these boys are f*****g talented giants. It’s unbelievable. Fine me if you want.”

Best tweets from the ‘miracle of Anfield’

Newspaper headlines

See all the front and back page headlines here

It really was a miracle result. Liverpool needed to score four times against Barcelona to reach the Uefa Champions League final and they did just that on the most memorable night ever at Anfield.

Trailing 3-0 from the first leg of the semi-final Jurgen Klopp’s side turned on the style to beat the Spanish giants 4-0 on the night, 4-3 on aggregate.

The miracle theme features heavily on today’s newspaper back and front pages. It was the “Miracle of Anfield” says The Times, Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror. While The Daily Telegraph calls it a “Mersey miracle”.

The Guardian goes a different direction by declaring Liverpool’s performance as “out of this world”. i Sport hails the “comeback kings” and Metro’s front page screams “Kop that!”.

Catalan newspaper Diari Ara does not hold back by calling the result a “debacle” for Barcelona and star man Lionel Messi. Spanish paper Marca was equally as damning with its “historical failure” headline.

1. Trump’s £1m season

Judd Trump has made snooker history by becoming the first player to win more than £1m in prize money in a single season.

The 29-year-old secured his first World Snooker Championship title on Monday after an 18-9 win in the final against John Higgins at The Crucible in Sheffield.

Pocketing a first prize of £500,000 Trump may plan for a big blow-out with his winnings.

He said: “It hasn’t sunk in yet, but when it hits my bank account I might go a bit wild.” (Metro)

2. Suarez will respect Anfield fans

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez says he will not celebrate tonight should he score against former club Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final second leg. Suarez celebrated his goal in Barca’s 3-0 first-leg win, but ahead of the Anfield clash he said: “I’m grateful to Liverpool and obviously if I score [on Tuesday] I won’t celebrate like I did at Camp Nou, just as I didn’t when I returned to other teams I have played for in my career.” (ESPN)

3. Salah and Firmino out

Liverpool’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final have been hit after star strikers Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were ruled out of the second leg against Barcelona. See our match guide for team news, possible starting XIs and predictions.

4. Haskell to retire

Northampton Saints flanker James Haskell will retire from rugby union at the end of the season. The 34-year-old former England international said: “I have loved every minute of my career in rugby and feel very privileged to have played with and against some exceptional players.” (BBC)

5. Casillas leaves hospital

Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas has been discharged from hospital after suffering a heart attack in training last Wednesday. When asked about his future the Spanish World Cup winner, 37, said: “The most important thing is to be here.” (BBC)

6. Tiger receives Medal of Freedom

Donald Trump awarded Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony on Monday at the White House in Washington. US golfer Woods won the Masters last month, his 15th career major. (Sky News)

7. Folau’s ‘high level’ breach of contract

An independent panel has ruled that Israel Folau committed a “high level” breach of his Rugby Australia contract. In April the Australian rugby union star posted social media messages saying “hell awaits” gay people. (7 News)

8. Leeds sack Furner

Head coach David Furner has been sacked by rugby league team Leeds Rhinos after their poor start to the season. Leeds director of rugby Kevin Sinfield said: “This was a very difficult decision and not one we have taken lightly.” (The Guardian)

9. Two new Fifa awards for women

The 2019 Best Fifa Football Awards will feature two new accolades for women footballers. The Best Fifa Women’s Goalkeeper and the Fifa FIFPro Women’s World11 will be named on 23 September in Milan.

10. Murray wild card for Queen’s

The Queen’s Club has reserved a wild card for Andy Murray for the 2019 Fever-Tree Championships from 17-23 June. Murray is recovering from hip surgery but is yet to announce if he will return to tennis. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool vs. Barcelona (0-3 on aggregate)

• What: Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg
• When: Tuesday 7 May
• Where: Anfield, Liverpool
• Kick-off time: 8pm (UK time)
• TV channel and live stream: BT Sport 2
• Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey)

If Liverpool are to reach the 2019 Uefa Champions League final they are going to have to record a victory even more memorable than the “Miracle of Istanbul”.

In the 2005 final in the Turkish capital the Merseyside club found themselves 3-0 down at half-time against AC Milan before hitting back to draw 3-3 then winning 3-2 on penalties.

On Tuesday night they have an equally big mountain to climb when they take on Barcelona in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final tie.

Despite a good performance at the Camp Nou by Liverpool goals from Lionel Messi (two) and Luis Suarez gave the Catalans a 3-0 victory in the first leg.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will now somehow have to overturn that deficit and do it without two of their star attackers. It was confirmed on Monday that Mohamed Salah (concussion) and Roberto Firmino (groin) have both been ruled out of the return leg at Anfield.

Salah was taken off with a head injury in the 3-2 win against Newcastle on Saturday and Klopp said: “It’s not good enough from a medical point of view. He is desperate to play but we cannot do it. It’s a concussion. That means he would not even be allowed to play.”

Barcelona meanwhile have already wrapped up the La Liga title in Spain and they rested the majority of their first team in the 2-0 loss against Celta Viga.

Klopp added: “We have to make a lot of decisions. [Tuesday] night is the third game in six days. Barcelona changed 11 positions at the weekend. We will see what the outcome is.”

Even with Liverpool needing to win by four clear goals in 90 minutes to go through - and without Salah and Firmino - Klopp insisted that his team will give it a real go against Messi and Co.

They will also take hope from the fact that Italian side AS Roma knocked out Barcelona in last year’s quarter-finals after losing by three goals (4-1) in the first leg in Spain.

“The character of the boys… two of the world’s best strikers are not available and we have to score four goals to go through in 90 minutes,” said the German.

“As long as we have 11 players on the pitch we will try for 90 minutes to celebrate the Champions League campaign to give it a proper finish.”

What the managers had to say

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool

“We try to win the game. That makes sense. The situation is not what you want to have. You can’t play against Barcelona and tell the world, ‘watch this’. If at a specific moment they give us an opportunity to go to the next round we try to do it. Together with our supporters it’s been a long season. There’s a little chance to make it longer but these are the last two home games of an incredible season. We should celebrate it with a good performance on the pitch and in the stands.”

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona

“Liverpool are a team that can make any opponent suffer. And of course last year we had a three-goal advantage in the quarter-finals. And we were knocked out. We have no reason to be complacent. The [first leg] result is good, I have no doubt about that, but the tie is still open.”

Team news and possible starting XIs

Liverpool injury news and suspensions

Already without Salah and Firmino Liverpool boss Klopp was given even more worries on Monday when defender Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain missed training.

However, Metro reports that Van Dijk could still start on Tuesday night. According to a Liverpool spokesman the Dutchman missed the open training because he was instead undertaking an individual, tailored session.

Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri and Daniel Sturridge will compete for the attacking roles left vacant by Salah and Firmino. Teenage striker Rhian Brewster is also an option.

Klopp said of Brewster: “He’s ready. There is a big chance. It’s nearly sure. It’s guaranteed. The situations are always like this. In an ideal world, in a season you always have much more players than you can involve in a squad. When you’re on the bench, you are an option to play.”

Midfielders Naby Keita (groin) and Adam Lallana (muscular) are also out.

Barcelona injury news and suspensions

Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho could start on his return to Anfield after Ousmane Dembele was injured at the weekend. Rafinha (knee) is the only other player missing for the Spanish champions.

Possible starting XIs

How the teams could line up at Anfield, according to Uefa.com.

• Liverpool possible starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Henderson; Mané, Origi
• Barcelona possible starting XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Roberto, Rakitić, Busquets, Vidal; Suárez, Messi

Score predictions

London Evening Standard: Liverpool 2 Barcelona 2 (2-5 on aggregate)

“Liverpool’s lack of an away goal at Camp Nou coupled with the respective absences of Salah and Firmino means they are left needing a near-miracle to overturn such a significant deficit on Merseyside. AS Roma were handily beaten by the Catalans in last year’s quarter-final first leg, but finding the net in that away drubbing meant they were able to complete a sensational turnaround on home soil. That second leg was the only game prolific Barcelona have lost in their last 22 in the Champions League and it is very difficult to see them being kept off the score-sheet at Anfield. Liverpool will give it their all on Tuesday, but the task just appears too great - especially without two of their leading marksmen.”

90min: Liverpool 2 Barcelona 1 (2-4 on aggregate)

“If you’re looking for entertainment then this is the match to watch. There’s likely to be an onslaught from the hosts as they look to resurrect this tie, though they will need to be wary of Barcelona counter-attacks. It’s difficult to see either side keeping a clean sheet given the sacrifices the Reds must make in their pursuit of goals. They will push hard, the ghost of Istanbul keeping alive hopes of a remarkable turnaround. However, there is a lethal marksman waiting to kill the contest off. As they commit men forward, the likelihood of a Messi sucker-punch increases. They will fight valiantly, but it may ultimately prove to be in vain.”

Sports Mole: Liverpool 1 Barcelona 1 (1-4 on aggregate)

“Liverpool are aiming to become only the third team in the history of the European Cup to come from three goals down after the first leg of a semi-final and progress to the final - Panathinaikos in 1971 and Barcelona in 1986 being the others. The Reds know all about what it takes to pull off a famous European comeback, and their opponents have more recently been on the wrong end of a three-goal turnaround, but Barca will be at pretty much full strength and should be able to see the job through to remain on course for a famous treble.”

ESPN: Liverpool 2 Barcelona 1 (2-4 on aggregate)

“Liverpool win 2-1 on the night, but Barcelona advance 4-2 on aggregate. It’s too much of a mountain to climb without two of their world-class front three.”

Liverpool vs. Barcelona betting odds

As of 7 May, see Oddschecker for the latest prices.

Match betting

• Liverpool to win: 6/4
• Draw: 14/5
• Barcelona to win: 15/8

To qualify for the final

• Liverpool to progress: 18/1
• Barcelona to progress: 1/20

To win the Champions League

• Barcelona: 4/9
• Ajax: 7/2
• Tottenham: 10/1
• Liverpool: 22/1

When is the Champions League final?

The 2018-19 Champions League final will be played at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday 1 June (8pm UK time). Barcelona or Liverpool will play Ajax or Tottenham in the final.

Ajax lead 1-0 after their first-leg win in north London last week. The Dutch side host Spurs in the second leg on Wednesday 8 May.

It may be possible that the world’s football writers and editors are running out of ways to describe the brilliance of Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

The Argentine was on target twice as Barca beat Liverpool 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. While Messi’s first goal was a rebound from close range, after Luis Suarez’s shot came off the crossbar, his second was truly spectacular.

Messi stepped up to curl a wonder free-kick into the top corner to not only score Barca’s third of the night but his 600th career club goal for the Catalans.

Today’s newspaper back pages focus on Messi and his superb set-piece. The Guardian describes him as “from another planet” while The Daily Telegraph calls him a “maestro”. Both the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express declare that the No.10 is a “genius”.

Suarez opened the scoring in the first-half and The Sun back page leads with a headline of “Chew know who!” as the former Liverpool striker and Messi ripped Jurgen Klopp’s side to bits.

The Daily Mail reports that Klopp and Liverpool have been “left in a right Messi” after the first leg defeat at the Camp Nou. Metro says the Premier League side have “Messed up” and were made to pay for their missed chances.

Ruby retires

The Racing Post leads the tributes to star jump jockey Ruby Walsh who has announced his retirement. In his final race the 39-year-old rode Kemboy to victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Uefa Champions League semi-final first leg Barcelona 3 Liverpool 0

Lionel Messi hurt Liverpool with two late goals last night to leave the Reds on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.

The visitors had made life uncomfortable for Barcelona the semi-final first leg in the Camp Nou but failed to take the chances that fell their way - in contrast to their hosts.

Former Anfield star Luis Suarez put Barca one up midway through the first half by timing a run into the penalty area to perfection, flicking home Jordi Alba’s gloriously weighted pass.

Messi magic

Then Messi doubled the advantage on 75 minutes, when he was first to pounce on the rebound as Suarez’s shot came off the bar.

Seven minutes later, the Argentine scored his second of the evening, and his 600th goal for Barcelona, weaving his magic from a free-kick.

Even Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had to smile as Messi put the ball into the Reds’ top corner from 25 yards out.

It was 14 years to the day since Messi scored his first for Barcelona - against Albacete - and since then he has established himself as one of the legends of the game, reaching 600 senior club goals in 118 games fewer than rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I’d rather not think about how he does it, to be honest, but he always shows up when we need him the most,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. “This time just when we were in situations in which we had to shake Liverpool’s domination off.”

Costly misses

Liverpool could, and should, have scored a crucial away goal, but James Milner was twice denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Roberto Firmino’s effort was cleared off the line, and Mohamed Salah hit the post as he followed up with the goal at his mercy.

Thoses misses could prove costly when the two sides meet at Anfield in the second leg on Tuesday 7 May (8pm, live on BT Sport).

The worry for Liverpool, as Klopp conceded, is that apart from burying their chances, his side played some great football.

“I think it was the best away game in the Champions League - not only this year, last year included,” said the German. “I told the boys I’m proud of how we played. Against a side like this, playing this kind of football, I was completely happy.”

Bravehearts

In the second half, Liverpool not only had more possession than their hosts (57.4%), they also had more shots on target (four to three). Those stats, explained Klopp, are reasons to be cheerful.

“I can work really well with this game,” he said. “I will use this game to show the boys what is possible. It was a brave performance that was very passionate, very lively and, in a lot of moments, creative and direct.”

What they said about the magic of Messi

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona head coach: “The truth is, Leo’s always surprising… In the end, I don’t know how he does it, but he always does.”

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager: “Obviously, we couldn’t defend the free-kick. What a strike. He’s a world-class player. In these moments, he’s unstoppable.”

Cesc Fabregas, former Barcelona midfielder: “Hats off to Liverpool, what an amazing performance. You can only lose a game like that if against you there is a good team but specially a player that is well above the rest.”

Gary Lineker, former England striker and BT Sport pundit: “WOW! Just Wow. Messi scores his 600th goal for @FCBarcelona with as good a freekick as you’ll ever see. The little genius defies logic.”

Rio Ferdinand, former England defender and BT Sport pundit: “Running at this pace with bodies all around him with his head high, and he always seems to release the ball just at the time when the defender is stretching and can’t get back.”

Messi free-kick: Twitter reactions and fan videos

Gunners get green light for Nkunku

Arsenal are closing in on Christopher Nkunku, according to The Sun, with the paper reporting that Paris Saint-Germain are “willing to let the talented midfielder leave for a fee in the region of £17.2m”.

Nkunku has a year left on his contract and the 21-year-old is apparently anxious about his lack of playing time having made just 13 league starts this season.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery is a fan of Nkunku, having nurtured him through the youth ranks during his time in charge of PSG.

The Sun says that the Gunners gaffer wanted to sign the playmaker on loan in January, but PSG chiefs turned down the approach and Emery had to turn instead to Barcelona’s Denis Suarez.

That move has flopped, but the Sun says that Arsenal have sent scouts to watch Nkunku in action recently and an offer will be tabled next month.

New deal for Monreal

The Daily Star says that the Gunners are “desperate” to pin down Nacho Monreal to a new contract because Barcelona are looking to lure the Spanish defender to the Camp Nou for nothing at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Sources in Spain report that the Catalan club are tracking Monreal and as a result Arsenal chiefs are “scrambling” to get a new deal sorted.

But if the Gunners fail to qualify for the Champions League it’s expected that Monreal will head to Barcelona where he’s wanted as the back-up to Jordi Alba.

Martinez threat

Someone else who could soon be leaving north London is Emiliano Martinez, says The Sun.

The 26-year-old is Arsenal’s third-choice goalkeeper and he has grown tired of being a bit-part player, warning Unai Emery that he’ll quit unless he is guaranteed more game time.

Martinez has impressed this season on loan for Reading and the Argentine believes his consistent form deserves to be recognised at the Emirates.

“I just want to know if they trust me,” he said. “If they want to give me the chance to become No.1, I will stay there, no doubt. Arsenal are a club of my dreams but if they can’t guarantee me any games then it’s time for me to move on.”

Frontrunners for Fraser

The Daily Star claims that Arsenal are the “frontrunners” to prise Scotland winger Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth this summer.

Chelsea are also interested in Fraser, seeing him as a possible replacement for Eden Hazard, but according to the Star the Blues “are not as advanced in their pursuit as Arsenal”.

Barcelona vs. Liverpool

• What: Uefa Champions League semi-final first leg
• When: Wednesday 1 May
• Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
• Kick-off: 8pm (UK time)
• TV channel and live stream: BT Sport
• Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)

If Liverpool are to progress to the Champions League final for the second successive year they will have to get past Barcelona and star forward Lionel Messi.

The No.10 has been in superb form in the Champions League this season and scored twice as Barca beat Manchester United 4-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. Against Premier League opposition Messi has 24 goals in 32 Champions League games.

It’s not just Messi who Liverpool will have to keep a close eye on in the two legs, but also former Anfield stars Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho.

Brazilian Coutinho has not had the best of starts to his Barca career since joining from Liverpool in January 2018. But he scored against United in the 3-0 win at the Camp Nou in what has been described as his best performance for the Catalans. He may start from the bench against Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The BBC’s Spanish football expert Andy West writes: “With that goal, it looked as if Coutinho was finally starting to feel comfortable alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the Barca forward line, suggesting he could yet convert his talent into meaningful end product on a consistent basis.”

Barca eye European glory

Suarez and Coutinho have spoken this week about facing their old club. Uruguay striker Suarez says that winning the Champions League is Barcelona’s main objective.

He told the Barcelona website: “It’s been years since we last played in a Champions League semi-final, and we are very keen to achieve our objective.

“You can’t get distracted for a second in the Champions League, because you pay dearly for it. The atmosphere at the Camp Nou will make clear that the fans want this trophy.”

On his former team, Suarez added: “Liverpool can bring the ball out from the back. They have very good players in the midfield who can get the ball to the forwards. They maybe have a similar shape to us. I don’t think that there will be too much of a difference in style, but we are both strong sides.”

Reds pose a big threat

While lots has been said about Messi, Saurez and Coutinho, Liverpool have their own attacking trio in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

However, Coutinho has warned his Barca team-mates that the English side have much more to offer than just their strikers.

He said: “They are a great team. They are very strong mentally. I have been watching them all season and they are excellent going forward and in defence, so we will have to be very alert.

“There are important players for them but it’s not just those three [Mane, Firmino, Salah]. There are the defenders, the midfielders who are all quality players and work hard to create goals for the team. We will have to be aware of the whole team and do our jobs as we have recently.”

TV and live stream details

Wednesday’s first leg between Barcelona and Liverpool is live on BT Sport 2. The broadcaster will also show a live stream for subscribers at sport.bt.com.

When is the second leg?

The semi-final second leg between Liverpool and Barcelona takes place at Anfield on Tuesday 7 May (8pm UK time).

What the managers say

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool

“We were in contention last year, but they have been in contention for nearly 20 years. It will be so difficult, but I couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity. Will we be perfect? That’s not possible. Will we make mistakes? Oh, yes. Will we suffer? Oh, yes, 100%. Will there be moments when we have a chance? Yes, 100%. I hope we will use them - that is what we will try to do. We can feel completely free to play our game. It is a brilliant team here at Barcelona.”

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona

“Liverpool play with a great level of pressure and rhythm. They’ll be a very difficult opponent to beat. Our intention is to win, but we know the value of stopping them from scoring. They’re very strong, extraordinary up front, they press and play with a very high rhythm and pace. It’s very similar to the way that [Jurgen] Klopp played at Dortmund and he brought that to Liverpool. You can’t make any mistakes, you can’t switch off.”

Team news and possible starting XIs

Barcelona injury news

The Spaniards will be without Rafinha but otherwise Valverde has a full squad to choose from. The Barca head coach rested a number of players as they wrapped up the La Liga title at the weekend.

Liverpool injury news

Roberto Firmino missed last week’s 5-0 win against Huddersfield but the Brazilian forward returned to training on Tuesday. Klopp will make a late decision on whether Firmino can start at the Camp Nou.

Midfielder Fabinho was also in training and is in contention. Adam Lallana remains a doubt but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back available from his serious knee injury.

Possible starting XIs

How the teams could line up at the Camp Nou, according to the London Evening Standard:

• Barcelona possible starting XI: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Lenglet, Pique, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Arthur, Messi, Suarez, Dembele
• Liverpool possible starting XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Salah, Mane, Firmino

Predictions

Michael Owen, former Liverpool striker, Metro: score prediction 2-2

“Barca are unbeaten in 31 home Champions League games but the Reds have never lost at the Camp Nou in four previous visits (W2 D2) and I expect Jurgen Klopp’s side to maintain that sequence on Wednesday. Lionel Messi has scored 24 goals in 32 Champions League games against Premier League opposition, but he has failed to score in his two previous games against Liverpool. How Liverpool cope with the little magician might be the key to the tie.”

Independent: score prediction 2-2

“In spite of their 4-0 aggregate win over Manchester United in the last round, Barcelona’s performances in the quarter-final led many football fans to label Liverpool clear favourites over the Catalan side ahead of the semi-final. Attempting to keep Messi quiet in his own backyard will be the trickiest test of the season so far for Virgil van Dijk - who was named PFA Player of the Year on Sunday - and for Liverpool, it’s about grabbing as many away goals as they can. If they succeed in doing that, they will position themselves promisingly for one of those famous nights of European football at Anfield in the return leg.”

Sports Mole: score prediction 2-2

“This is such a difficult match to call. It is hard to back against Barcelona at any stage when they have Messi in their ranks, but Liverpool match up well against their Spanish counterparts and seem to be strong in areas that Barca tend to struggle with - most notably attacking pace. It should be an entertaining contest whatever happens, and we cannot split the two teams.”

Barcelona vs. Liverpool betting odds

As of 1 May, see Oddschecker for the latest prices.

Match betting

• Barcelona to win: 10/11
• Draw: 11/4
• Liverpool to win: 3/1

To qualify for the final

• Barcelona to progress: 8/11
• Liverpool to progress: 6/5

To win the Champions League

• Barcelona: 13/8
• Liverpool: 9/4
• Ajax: 3/1
• Tottenham Hotspur: 11/1

Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg FC Porto 1 Liverpool 4 (1-6 on aggregate)

Liverpool will play Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals after a 6-1 aggregate win against FC Porto in the last eight.

Jurgen Klopp’s side travelled to Portugal with a two-goal lead for the quarter-final second leg and took full control of the tie when Sadio Mane made it 1-0 on the night after 26 minutes.

There was a question of offside but Mane’s goal was given after the referee consulted with VAR.

Mohamed Salah added a second just after the hour mark but on 68 minutes Porto were given hope when Eder Militao found the net. However, headers from Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk sealed the 4-1 victory for the Premier League leaders.

In the other quarter-final tie Tottenham Hotspur lost 4-3 in the second leg against Manchester City but they sealed their place in the semi-finals on the away goals rule after the aggregate score ended 4-4. Spurs will now face Ajax.

Messi and Co up next

In the semi-final first leg Liverpool will travel to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on 1 May. The return fixture will take place at Anfield on 7 May.

Reds boss Klopp has never faced Barcelona before and he is excited with the challenge of taking on Lionel Messi and Co.

After the game the German said: “We played better this season. It was always going to be a whirlwind here and that was what it was. Second half the energy level dropped for Porto and we could control the game and score the goals.

“We are more experienced, that is clear. We had difficult away games and we knew it would be the same as at [Man] City and Roma last year. It is all good. A difficult game but we go to the semi-finals.

“It is the first time for me to play Barcelona, apart from in friendlies. I am looking forward to that.”

He added: “For us to be in the semi-finals is unbelievable. The second time in a row is something really crazy. I’m really proud of the boys and what they did. To be in the semi-final is a big statement.

“The news that there’s a proper football game between Liverpool and Barcelona is really good news and I’m happy for all the people in the football club.

“We will find things that we think we can use against them, but I’m not worrying about that tonight.”

‘We dug in well’

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admitted that the scoreline on the night flattered the team but he was pleased to qualify for the last four.

The midfielder said: “They [Porto] are a good team, they made it intense and the lads dug in and defended really well. They had some half chances.

“When I came on I tried to keep the ball and be sensible. Joe [Gomez] made a great run [for Roberto Firmino’s goal], I just tried to hit an area and it’s a great finish from Bobby.

“The scoreline flattered us a little bit. Porto had a real good go. Even when we went in front it was a real good atmosphere.”

After VAR ruled his goal to stand striker Mane said: “I was thinking it was offside, to be honest. I told the boys to keep going and they said, ‘No, wait’. I was surprised. It was an important goal but the more important thing was to qualify for the semis and we did it - it’s great.

“The beginning was tough. I think the team spirit was great; we never gave up, we tried to push hard as a team. We created many chances and scored many goals, so I think we deserved the win.”

Champions League semi-final draw and fixtures

• Barcelona vs. Liverpool
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ajax

When are the semi-finals?

The Champions League semi-final first legs will be played on Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday 1 May. The second legs are on Tuesday 7 May and Wednesday 8 May.

Tottenham play Ajax at home in the first leg on 30 April. Spurs then travel to Amsterdam on 8 May.

Barcelona will host Liverpool at the Camp Nou on 1 May with the return fixture taking place at Anfield on 7 May.

All matches will kick off at 8pm UK time and are live on BT Sport.

Semi-final first-leg fixtures

• Tuesday 30 April: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ajax
• Wednesday 1 May: Barcelona vs. Liverpool

Semi-final second-leg fixtures

• Tuesday 7 May: Liverpool vs. Barcelona
• Wednesday 8 May: Ajax vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Barcelona’s 3-0 victory against Manchester United takes the top headlines in the UK’s newspapers on Wednesday morning.

United were outclassed at the Camp Nou as Barca eased into the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Liverpool or Porto.

The Daily Telegraph and i Sport called the performance a “masterclass” by Barcelona and their star striker Lionel Messi, who scored twice in the second-leg win.

You have to “hand it to Messi” says the Daily Express as David de Gea’s gaffe gifted Barca the win. The United goalkeeper’s howler is also the focus on the Daily Mirror back page headline which reads “Oh Nou!”.

United were “blown away” by the La Liga giants The Times reports and The Guardian says the Catalans left the Premier League side “on their knees” as they secured a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win.

Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg Barcelona 3 Manchester United 0 (4-0 on aggregate)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his side were outclassed by Barcelona as the Spaniards eased through to the semi-finals of the Champions League with a 3-0 win at the Camp Nou.

Two of their goals came from Lionel Messi, who has now scored 45 this season in 42 matches, and Barcelona will meet the winner of the tie between Porto and Liverpool who play on Wednesday.

Whoever earns the right to play Barcelona in the last four will feel a deep degree of trepidation at the prospect of facing a side who are now unbeaten in 31 Champions League home ties.

United started brightly as they sought to overturn a 1-0 deficit from last week’s first leg at Old Trafford, and Marcus Rashford’s dainty lofted shot skimmed the bar in the first minute as the visitors caused some problems for the hosts’ defence. But Barca soon struck the first blow as Messi put them ahead on 16 minutes with a shot from outside of the area.

De Gea disaster

Four minutes later the Argentine doubled his side’s advantage - with assistance from David De Gea. Messi’s weak shot from the edge of the area should have presented the United goalkeeper with no problems, but he let the ball squirm under his body and into the net.

That blunder shattered United’s self-belief and although they kept on running all night, they were chasing the shadows of a Barcelona side who underlined their superiority with a third goal on the hour mark.

It was the best of the lot with Philippe Coutinho’s exquisite strike one of those goals that will linger in the memory for many a year.

“We were a bit cold and nervous in the first five minutes,” admitted Messi. “But afterwards we took control and played spectacular football.”

Different level

Solskjaer took the defeat squarely on the chin, telling reporters: “They were a couple of levels above over the two games.”

The Norwegian’s immediate task is to lift his squad for the Premier League run-in. Currently sixth in the table, United have three daunting matches in the next ten days: away at Everton and then home games against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Realistically, if United want to finish in the top four and qualify for next season’s Champions League, they will need maximum points from the trio of games.

“We want to play these games again next year so we have a massive week coming up,” Solskjaer said. “There is no point dwelling on what could have been, we have to focus on that week.”

Work in progress

While he praised the brilliance of Messi, Solskjaer was more concerned with what United must do to regain their place among the European elite.

“We have to aspire to get to that level of Barcelona,” he said. “We can get there but we have loads of work to do. If we want to get back to Man Utd’s true level, true traditions, we have to challenge Barcelona.”

Asked how that will happen, Solskjaer replied: “We have got a rebuilding job but that starts with the coaches and the players, and one or two additions to the squad will happen in the summer.”

Champions League fixtures and results

Tuesday 16 April: quarter-final second-leg results

• Barcelona 3 Manchester United 0 (4-0 on aggregate)
• Juventus 1 Ajax 2 (2-3 on aggregate)

Wednesday 17 April: quarter-final second leg fixtures

• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0-1 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 2)
• FC Porto vs. Liverpool (0-2 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 3)

Quarter-final first-leg results and reports

• Liverpool 2 FC Porto 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 0
• Manchester United 0 Barcelona 1
• Ajax 1 Juventus 1

Champions League semi-final draw

The semi-final first legs will be on 30 April and 1 May, and the second legs are on 7/8 May.

• Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City vs. Ajax
• Barcelona vs. Liverpool or Porto

United name their price for Pogba

If Real Madrid are serious about prising Paul Pogba from Manchester United this summer then they will have to pay “upwards of £130m”.

So says the Daily Mirror, with the paper claiming that the Old Trafford board have decided to call Real’s bluff.

Believing that the Spanish giants won’t be able to afford the French midfielder when they are in need of a major overhaul of their squad, United told the Bernabeu outfit of their price tag last week.

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane has been making overtures at Pogba in recent weeks but according to Spanish newspaper Marca Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has been told by United “that the Frenchman will not be allowed to leave on the cheap”.

The Mirror adds that with Pogba’s contract set to expire in June 2021 United intend to open negotiations over a new deal “as soon as next month”.

Coutinho snubs United

Metro reports that Philippe Coutinho won’t be coming to United. Why not? Apparently the Brazilian playmaker has been “put off” after Barcelona’s win at Old Trafford last week in the Champions League.

Spanish newspaper Sport says that the Brazilian had been entertaining thoughts of a move back to England after a patchy spell in Spain, but his reception by United fans last week has convinced him otherwise.

He was booed by some United supporters, on account of his previous exploits for Liverpool, and Sport claims that Coutinho feels he would be “betraying” the Kop if he signed for their bitter rivals.

Instead it seems likely that the South American will leave Barcelona for French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Rashford to Barcelona?

The news that Coutinho is set to leave the Camp Nou is also carried by the Mirror, but more to the point the paper additionally declares that Barcelona are going to offload the former Liverpool star to fund a move for Marcus Rashford.

Describing the swoop as a “stunning £100m deal”, the Mirror says that the Catalan club have “identified” the England striker as their top transfer target this summer.

They’ll be seeing him up close on Tuesday evening in the return leg of the Champions League quarter-final, and according to the Mirror, Barcelona are determined to beat Real Madrid to Rashford’s signature.

Premier League results

• Leicester City 0 Newcastle United 1
• Tottenham Hotspur 4 Huddersfield Town 0
• Brighton & Hove Albion 0 AFC Bournemouth 5
• Burnley 2 Cardiff City 0
• Fulham 2 Everton 0
• Southampton 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
• Manchester United 2 West Ham United 1
• Crystal Palace 1 Manchester City 3
• Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0
• Watford 0 Arsenal 1

Premier League fixtures

Tuesday 16 April

• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Cardiff City (7.45pm)

Saturday 20 April (3pm unless stated)

• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (12.30, live on Sky Sports)
• AFC Bournemouth vs. Fulham
• Huddersfield Town vs. Watford
• West Ham United vs. Leicester City
• Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
• Newcastle United vs. Southampton (5.30pm, live on BT Sport)

Sunday 21 April

• Everton vs. Manchester United (1.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
• Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace (4pm)
• Cardiff City vs. Liverpool (4pm, live on Sky Sports)

Monday 22 April

• Chelsea vs. Burnley (8pm, live on Sky Sports)

Champions League quarter-final fixtures and TV guide

Tuesday 16 April: second legs

• Barcelona vs. Manchester United (1-0 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 2)
• Juventus vs. Ajax (1-1 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 3)

Wednesday 17 April: second legs

• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0-1 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 2)
• FC Porto vs. Liverpool (0-2 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 3)

Quarter-final first-leg results and reports

• Liverpool 2 FC Porto 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 0
• Manchester United 0 Barcelona 1
• Ajax 1 Juventus 1

Barcelona vs. Manchester United

• What: Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg (1-0 on aggregate)
• When: Tuesday 16 April
• Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
• Kick off: 8pm UK time
• TV channel and live stream: BT Sport 2
• Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)

“And Solskjaer has won it!” These words are etched into the history of Manchester United and fans of the Red Devils will be hoping to hear something similar on Tuesday night when their side face Barcelona.

Ever since Man Utd and Barcelona were drawn together in the Champions League quarter-finals, Old Trafford chief Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been a major topic of discussion.

The Norweigan scored a dramatic last-minute winner for United in the 1999 final win against Bayern Munich which was held at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.

United supporters around the world will be crossing their fingers that their manager can inspire another historic night for the club in Catalonia.

Defining moment

It’s nearly 20 years since Solskjaer’s winner against Bayern - a goal that defines his career, the BBC reports. The 46-year-old admits that he’s probably watched the goal back a “million times”.

Speaking to BBC Sport Solskjaer said: “That goal has been mentioned a few times, yes. So many people have congratulated me and talked to me about that night. They say ‘it was the best night of my life but don’t tell my wife’ - that kind of thing.

“Funnily enough, I have never seen the full game. I did watch the 15 minutes that I actually played once. Of course, the goal I have probably seen a million times. I don’t mind being remembered for something like that.”

Rashford is confident

United travel to Barca 1-0 down after losing the first leg at Old Trafford. But in the last 16 against Paris Saint-Germain they hit back to qualify after securing a memorable away win in the return fixture. United lost 2-0 at home against PSG before winning 3-1 in the French capital.

England striker Marcus Rashford admits that the task is different in Barcelona than it was in Paris, but the 21-year-old is feeling positive. He told manutd.com: “We’ll always take confidence from that but we also understand that it’s not PSG, it’s a different match, a different atmosphere, it’s a completely different ball game.

“We go there confident but if we’re going to win it’s probably going to be different to how we did it in Paris. For us now we need to forget about the past. We know we’ve done it before, but all the focus has to be on how we’re going to do it again because they’re a strong team.”

Spanish midfielder Juan Mata says “anything is possible” at the Camp Nou. “Being 0-1 behind isn’t a good scoreline, but we are Manchester United and, when you wear this shirt, anything is possible,” said Mata. “It is something that I have already repeated on many occasions, but it is real, and we have experienced it several times this season.”

Stopping Messi at the ‘fortress’ Camp Nou

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Barcelona have not lost a European match at the “fortress” Camp Nou since 2013.

In that run they have played 30 matches, winning 27 of them, so United have a tough task on their hands if they are to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

United will be up against a Barca side that features Lionel Messi. The Argentine No.10 has played in 26 of Barcelona’s 30 unbeaten home matches in Europe. He has scored 31 times and provided 11 assists in the run.

The winners of the Barcelona vs. Man Utd tie will face Liverpool or Porto in the Champions League semi-finals.

What the managers had to say

Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona: “We know the opposition will want to counter-attack us but we won’t let that happen by playing well with the ball and moving the ball quickly. It’s not a defensive question, it’s more about going forward. It’ll be important how we start and finish the game. United in the last minutes have something special. We’ve seen that at the Camp Nou before. All you can do is concentrate on what you think is good for you to do. We’ll do that. We’re aware of United’s threats and we won’t let it become an end-to-end game. We’ll look to close the spaces to limit their options.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Man Utd: “We need to score goals. If Romelu [Lukaku], Marcus [Rashford], Jesse [Lingard], Anthony [Martial] or Alexis play, we need a big performance. Paul [Pogba] as well, from all our forward players. We have to defend but we have to have that little bit of extra to score goals against teams like this. I expect whoever is going to start tomorrow, when they’re on the pitch, to know I want to see some good form. Of course, we have to.”

Team news and possible starting XIs

Man Utd injury news and suspensions

United manager Solskjaer has confirmed his squad for the trip to Spain. Matteo Darmian, Nemanja Matic and Alexis Sanchez have returned from injury and are included in the travelling party.

Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly and Ander Herrera are sidelined and Luke Shaw will miss the second leg because of suspension.

• Man Utd’s travelling squad to Barcelona: David De Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, Diogo Dalot, Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Victor Lindelof, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Fred, Nemanja Matic, Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford

Barcelona injury news and suspensions

Barca rested a number of players for the 0-0 draw against Huesca on Saturday. Messi, Philippe Coutinho, Nelson Semedo, Clement Lenglet, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez all sat out the La Liga game to prepare for Tuesday’s clash.

The London Evening Standard reports that Ousmane Dembele started against Huesca so could be on the bench to face United.

Ivan Rakitić, Sergi Roberto and Thomas Vermaelen are injury doubts and Rafinha is out with a knee injury.

Possible starting XIs

How the teams could line up at the Camp Nou, according to Uefa.com.

• Barcelona possible starting XI (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitić, Busquets, Arthur; Messi, Suárez, Dembélé
• Man Utd possible starting XI (4-3-3): De Gea; Dalot, Lindelöf, Smalling, Young; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Rashford, Lukaku, Martial

Predictions

London Evening Standard: “Barca were far off their best at Old Trafford yet still managed to get a result, and it is unlikely that Messi will be as off-colour as he was in Manchester. Expect United to offer more of an attacking threat at Camp Nou - it would be hard to do worse than the total of zero shots on target they managed in the first leg - but Barca will be fresh and ready. United certainly have a chance if they press well - and especially if they pressure Sergio Busquets, who has looked a weak link in recent weeks - but they are likely going to have to take every chance while somehow keeping Messi quiet. Score prediction: Barcelona 2 Man Utd 1.”

SportsMole: “Barcelona failed to score for the first time in 11 matches last time out but, perhaps more importantly, they kept out the opposition for the ninth time in their last 14 matches. Man Utd need to score if they are to progress, which should set up a more entertaining match compared to last week’s first leg. We are backing Barca to end their recent quarter-final hoodoo with a repeat scoreline from the opening 90 minutes. Score prediction: Barcelona 1 Man Utd 0.”

Barcelona vs. Man Utd betting odds

As of 15 April, see Oddschecker for the latest prices.

Match betting odds

• Barcelona to win: 2/5
• Draw: 9/2
• Man Utd to win: 17/2

To qualify for the semi-finals

• Barcelona: 1/9
• Man Utd: 9/1

To win the Champions League

• Barcelona: 5/2
• Man Utd: 50/1

Champions League fixtures, TV guide and results

Quarter-final second-leg fixtures and previews

Tuesday 16 April

• Barcelona vs. Manchester United (1-0 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 2)
• Juventus vs. Ajax (1-1 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 3)

Wednesday 17 April

• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0-1 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 2)
• FC Porto vs. Liverpool (0-2 on aggregate; 8pm live on BT Sport 3)

Quarter-final first-leg results and reports

• Liverpool 2 FC Porto 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 0
• Manchester United 0 Barcelona 1
• Ajax 1 Juventus 1

Uefa Champions League quarter-final first leg Manchester United 0 Barcelona 1

“Spirited” was the word that The Times and BBC Sport both chose to describe Manchester United’s performance against Barcelona.

But being damned with faint patronising praise is probably preferable for United fans than confronting the grim statistics of Wednesday night’s 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

United were restricted to just 33% of possession by their Spanish visitors and they did not manage a shot on target over the course of the 90 minutes, the first time they’ve produced such a blank in a Champions League game since losing 1-0 to AC Milan in 2005.

United should be praised for conceding no more goals once Luke Shaw had deflected Luis Suarez’s cross into his own net on 12 minutes. They showed character in standing up to Barcelona but this was one Goliath that was never going to be slain by David.

No more feel-good factor

Were it not for two fine saves from goalkeeper David de Gea - one against Philippe Coutinho and the other from Lionel Messi - United would be all but eliminated from the tournament ahead of the return leg at the Camp Nou on Tuesday 16 April.

As it is they will travel to Barcelona next week minus Shaw, who is ruled out after being booked for pulling back Messi, and wondering how to score twice against a side that were so utterly dominant.

For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer it was a fourth defeat in five matches and the feel-good factor that the Norwegian brought to Old Trafford in December when he replaced Jose Mourinho has evaporated.

“There were pluses and negatives,” said Solskjaer. “We started sloppy and a bit nervous. After their goal we settled and played well.”

We believe

Asked if he believed United could do to Barcelona what they did to Paris Saint-Germain in the last round, and win the second leg on the road, Solskjaer replied: “Of course the PSG performance away gives us hope and belief that we can do it. But we know that we are playing against the favourites in the tournament.

“Going to the Nou Camp is going to be a challenge and it will be a greater achievement winning that one because with the history of Barcelona as well, they’re not used to losing at home.

“But we can do it, no doubt about it, we know we can carry a goal threat.”

The winners of the Barcelona-Man Utd tie will play Liverpool or Porto in the Champions League semi-finals.

Champions League results and fixtures

Quarter-final first-leg results

• Liverpool 2 FC Porto 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 0
• Manchester United 0 Barcelona 1
• Ajax 1 Juventus 1

Quarter-final second-leg fixtures

• 16 April: Juventus vs. Ajax (1-1 on aggregate)
• 16 April: Barcelona vs. Manchester United (1-0 on aggregate)
• 17 April: Porto vs. Liverpool (0-2 on aggregate)
• 17 April: Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0-1 on aggregate)

Manchester United vs. Barcelona

• What: Uefa Champions League quarter-final first leg
• When: Wednesday 10 April
• Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
• Kick-off: 8pm (UK time)
• TV channel and live stream: BT Sport 2 and sport.bt.com
• Radio coverage: BBC Radio 5 live

Manchester United welcome Barcelona and Lionel Messi to Old Trafford for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie.

This season Messi has scored 43 goals for the La Liga leaders and has previously been the scourge of United having starred and scored in Barcelona’s 2009 and 2011 Champions League final wins against the Red Devils.

Despite five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi being in “typically brilliant form” this season, Sky Sports reports that United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has warned that the Catalans are not just a one-man team.

“He’s a fantastic player and he will go down in the history [of football] as one of the best individual players ever,” Solskjaer said of Messi.

“He will be difficult to stop but it is never impossible. It’s not like it’s Messi against Manchester United - it’s [Luis] Suarez, [Philippe] Coutinho, [Ivan] Rakitic, [Arturo] Vidal.

“There’s so many good players, we cannot just focus on one player. We know we have play against 11 of them.”

‘You can’t leave United alive’

Gerard Pique has urged Barcelona to go to Old Trafford and try to finish off his former team in the first leg or run the risk of leaving them “alive” in the tie.

Barca are favourites to progress to the semi-finals, but United pulled off a miracle by coming back to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. The Premier League side will be hopeful of more heroics against Pique, Messi and Co.

Pique, who played for the Red Devils from 2004 to 2008, told ESPN: “I think the PSG tie is a great example. I think [at Old Trafford], PSG played better. In the second half they scored and could have scored more.

“But you can’t leave United alive. If you can beat them [by] scoring a lot of goals, you have to do it. They have a great history and they showed that in Paris, even with a lot of young lads from the academy.

“It’s a great example for us. We have to be switched on from the first minute until the last.”

European classic

The quarter-final draw sees the clubs continue a classic European football rivalry. Barca beat United twice in Champions League finals - in 2009 and 2011 - while the Red Devils were 2-1 winners in the 1991 European Cup Winners’ Cup final.

Speaking ahead of the first leg Barca head coach Ernesto Valverde said: “They are a powerful team. They are going through a good run, even if they lost their last match. Physically they are really strong and they know how to put pressure on their opponents. They have players who are physically very powerful, and they can be dangerous strategically as well.

“This match is a classic in European football. Barcelona have never won at Old Trafford I believe and we are going to try and change that.”

Solskjaer is demanding hard work from his United stars. He said: “I want my players to really push each other and demand 100% attitude from each other every single day. That’s the only way you can improve and it’s the only way you can win.

“We’re playing against a good team but there is something special about this group of players. It will be fantastic.”

TV, live stream and radio coverage

The match at Old Trafford will be live on BT Sport 2. The broadcaster will also have a live stream for sport.bt.com subscribers. Radio coverage will be on BBC Radio 5 live.

When is the second leg?

The return fixture will be played at the Camp Nou in Barcelona on Tuesday 16 April (8pm, live on BT Sport).

Team news and possible starting XIs

Man Utd injury news and suspensions

United are hopeful that England striker Marcus Rashford will be fit to play, the BBC reports. The 21-year-old has been struggling with an ankle injury.

Midfielders Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera are doubts but could play. Despite returning to training Alexis Sanchez is not expected to feature against his old club.

The Sun says that Solskjaer will be also missing Matteo Darmian, Eric Bailly and Antonio Valencia, but Paul Pogba will return to the side. The French midfielder was suspended for the last-16 second-leg victory against PSG.

If booked Luke Shaw, Ashley Young, Herrera and Matic would miss the second leg at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona injury news and suspensions

Metro says that Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde is expected to name the same XI that beat Atletico Madrid in La Liga last weekend.

Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has fully recovered from an ankle injury, BT Sport reports, and will hope to impress at Old Trafford. French forward Ousmane Dembele has also been named in the squad and could be fit to play.

Rafinha has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Possible starting XIs

How the teams could line up at Old Trafford, according to the Independent.

• Man Utd possible starting XI (4-3-3): De Gea; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Matic, Herrera, Pogba; Lingard, Rashford, Lukaku
• Barcelona possible starting XI (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal; Messi, Suarez, Coutinho

Predictions: who will win the first leg?

Michael Owen, former Man Utd and England striker, Metro: “This is the first Champions League meeting between the sides since Barcelona’s famous 3-1 win in the 2011 final - a game I watched in awe from the United bench as an unused substitute at Wembley. Lionel Messi has failed to score in his last 11 Champions League quarter-final ties for Barcelona and has attempted 49 shots in this barren period. United have already lost at home to Juventus and PSG in the Champions League this season and I feel the Spanish giants will edge what promises to be a cracking game with opportunities at both ends. Score prediction: Manchester United 1 Barcelona 2.”

Charlie Nicolas, Sky Sports: “Barcelona can go at them and Luke Shaw will have to get tight to Lionel Messi. It is a big decision for Solskjaer as they like to attack. [Former Liverpool striker] Luis Suarez will want to do well back at Old Trafford and Messi is the best ever in my opinion. Philippe Coutinho may be in, and then Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets are the feeders for Messi and Suarez. Marcus Rashford is key for Man Utd with his pace and movement. Man Utd will be ready and if you give them too much respect they will beat you. Score prediction: Manchester United 1 Barcelona 2.”

Ben Burrows, Independent: “Manchester United did the unthinkable once in the last round [against PSG], and Barca aren’t the vaunted team of a few years previous, but it’s still hard to imagine the Spanish champions in waiting leaving Old Trafford without at least one away goal. They can be got at and there are goals to be had if United [Romelu Lukaku specifically] strap on their shooting boots - despite the brilliance of Marc-Andre ter Stegen between the sticks - but Messi and Co will be looking to kill the tie this week ahead of next week’s second leg. Expect Luis Suarez to get on the scoresheet, at least once, with United perhaps giving themselves a chance ahead of the trip to the Nou Camp with one in reply. Score prediction: Manchester United 1 Barcelona 3.”

Barney Corkhill, Sports Mole: “United do not come into this match in particularly good form and, while their most recent defeats have come away from home, it is at Old Trafford that they have struggled in Europe this term. Barcelona, by contrast, are in fine form and we are backing them to come away with a valuable away victory on Wednesday. Score prediction: Manchester United 1 Barcelona 2.”

Man Utd vs. Barcelona betting odds

All prices according to Oddschecker, as of 10 April.

Match betting

• Man Utd to win: 3/1
• Barcelona to win: 1/1
• Draw: 11/4

To qualify

• Man Utd: 3/1
• Barcelona: 2/7

To win the Champions League

• Man Utd: 20/1
• Barcelona: 10/3

Champions League results and fixtures

Quarter-final first-leg results: Tuesday 9 April

• Liverpool 2 FC Porto 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 0

First-leg fixtures: Wednesday 10 April

• Ajax vs. Juventus (8pm, live on BT Sport 3)
• Manchester United vs. Barcelona (8pm, live on BT Sport 2)

Quarter-final second-leg fixtures

• 16 April: Juventus vs. Ajax
• 16 April: Barcelona vs. Manchester United
• 17 April: Porto vs. Liverpool (0-2 on aggregate)
• 17 April: Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0-1 on aggregate)

Sam’s the man for Unai

Unai Emery has been singing the praises of Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti, fuelling rumours that the Arsenal manager is looking to lure the 25-year-old Frenchman to the Emirates.

Commentators in Spain are speculating that the central defender is being edged out of the Camp Nou after falling behind Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet in the Barca pecking order - and the Daily Express claims Emery is preparing to make a bid.

Asking about the rumours during an interview with French broadcaster RMC Sport, Emery said: “He’s a very good player. I’ve always had French players in my teams. At Valencia, Sevilla, PSG and here at Arsenal. I’ve always been able to count on those players.”

Tracking Tagliafico

Another defender on Arsenal’s radar is Nicolas Tagliafico, according to The Sun.

Currently impressing for Ajax, the Argentine full-back was rock solid for the Dutch outfit in their Champions League win over Real Madrid last month. Indeed, the 25-year-old is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.

Maddison to replace Ramsey?

With time about to be called on Aaron Ramsey’s Arsenal career, the Gunners’ faithful fears that the Welshman’s departure will leave a hole in the squad.

But according to the Daily Star, Emery is poised to fill that gap by making a swoop for Leicester City’s James Maddison in the summer.

The 22-year-old has been in fine form for the Foxes this season, and his attacking instinct combined with his work ethic are just what the Gunners need in the midfield. Maddison cost Leicester £20m when they signed him from Norwich City last summer.

Arsenal eyeing up Jordan?

Metro claims that it’s not Maddison who is top of Emery’s wishlist to replace Ramsey but rather Fiorentina’s Jordan Veretout.

The 26-year-old Frenchman was first linked with a move to the Gunners in 2014, when he played for Nantes. But the midfielder joined then-Premier League outfit Aston Villa instead, a move that he soon regretted.

Since 2017, Veretout has been plying his trade with Fiorentina in Italy, and he’s matured into a key player in the Serie A side.

Emery has sent his scouts to check out Veretout, and according to Metro, Arsenal are now “considering a £25m bid for the midfielder”.

Premier League results and fixtures

Results

• Southampton 1 Liverpool 3
• AFC Bournemouth 1 Burnley 3
• Huddersfield Town 1 Leicester City 4
• Newcastle United 0 Crystal Palace 1
• Everton 1 Arsenal 0
• Chelsea 2 West Ham United 0

Fixtures Friday 12 April

• Leicester City vs. Newcastle United (8pm, live on Sky Sports)

Saturday 13 April (3pm unless stated)

• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Huddersfield Town (12.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
• Brighton and Hove Albion vs. AFC Bournemouth
• Burnley vs. Cardiff City
• Fulham vs. Everton
• Southampton vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Manchester United vs. West Ham United (5.30pm, live on BT Sport 1)

Sunday 14 April

• Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City (2.05pm, live on Sky Sports)
• Liverpool vs. Chelsea (4.30pm, live on Sky Sports)

Monday 15 April

• Watford vs. Arsenal (8pm, live on Sky Sports)