Former Spain coach Luis Enrique has announced the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana following a battle with cancer.

Luis Enrique quit his role with the national team in June to spend time with his daughter, who lost her five-month fight against the disease on Thursday.

"Our daughter Xana passed away this afternoon aged nine after fighting for five intense months with osteosarcoma (bone cancer)," he said in a statement.

"We want to say thanks for all the shows of warmth received over the past few months and we appreciate the discretion and comprehension shown.

"We also want to thank the staff at the Sant Joan de Deu and Sant Pau hospital for their dedication and treatment, to the doctors, nurses and all the volunteers. With a special mention to the palliative care team at Sant Joan de Deu.

"We will miss you a lot but we will remember you every day of our lives with the hope that one day in the future we will meet again. You will be the star that guides our family. Rest (in peace) Xanita."

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All of our support and compassion goes to <a href="https://twitter.com/LUISENRIQUE21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@luisenrique21</a>, his wife and all of his family at this particularly painful time. All the Barça family are touched by the loss of Xana. Our condolences and all our sympathy for the Martínez Cullell family. <a href="https://t.co/yLWe4J4j70">https://t.co/yLWe4J4j70</a>
— Josep Maria Bartomeu (@jmbartomeu) <a href="https://twitter.com/jmbartomeu/status/1167175404916019200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of Barcelona where Luis Enrique won two Liga titles both as a player and coach and spent 11 years in all, sent condolences on behalf of the Catalan club.

"All of our support and compassion goes to Luis Enrique, his wife and all of his family at this particularly painful time," Bartomeu said in a tweet.

"All the Barca family are touched by the loss of Xana. Our condolences and all our sympathy for the Martinez Cullell family."

Osteosarcoma is the most common form of bone cancer and is most prevalent in teenagers and young adults.

Former Spain coach Luis Enrique has announced the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana following a battle with cancer. Luis Enrique quit his role with the national team in June to spend time with his daughter, who lost her five-month fight against the disease on Thursday.

Former Spain coach Luis Enrique has announced the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana following a battle with cancer. Luis Enrique quit his role with the national team in June to spend time with his daughter, who lost her five-month fight against the disease on Thursday. "Our daughter Xana passed away this afternoon aged nine after fighting for five intense months with osteosarcoma (bone cancer)," he said in a statement. "We want to say thanks for all the shows of warmth received over the past few months and we appreciate the discretion and comprehension shown. "We also want to thank the staff at the Sant Joan de Deu and Sant Pau hospital for their dedication and treatment, to the doctors, nurses and all the volunteers. With a special mention to the palliative care team at Sant Joan de Deu. "We will miss you a lot but we will remember you every day of our lives with the hope that one day in the future we will meet again. You will be the star that guides our family. Rest (in peace) Xanita." All of our support and compassion goes to @luisenrique21, his wife and all of his family at this particularly painful time. All the Barça family are touched by the loss of Xana. Our condolences and all our sympathy for the Martínez Cullell family. https://t.co/yLWe4J4j70 — Josep Maria Bartomeu (@jmbartomeu) August 29, 2019 × Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of Barcelona where Luis Enrique won two Liga titles both as a player and coach and spent 11 years in all, sent condolences on behalf of the Catalan club. "All of our support and compassion goes to Luis Enrique, his wife and all of his family at this particularly painful time," Bartomeu said in a tweet. "All the Barca family are touched by the loss of Xana. Our condolences and all our sympathy for the Martinez Cullell family." Osteosarcoma is the most common form of bone cancer and is most prevalent in teenagers and young adults.

Former Spain coach Luis Enrique’s daughter loses cancer battle

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most popular rivalries in sports, was spotted in a completely different avatar during Thursday's Champions League draw in Monaco.&nbsp;

Messi and Ronaldo were seated next to each other during the ceremony and were seen sharing smiles.&nbsp;

During the ceremony, Ronaldo was asked about his relationship with Barcelona's Messi, he said he hopes the pair could share dinner.&nbsp;

"We have shared the stage 15 years. I don't know if that's happened before - the same two guys on the same stage all the time," Ronaldo said.&nbsp;

"Of course, we have a good relationship. We haven't had dinner together yet, but I hope in the future," he added.&nbsp;

"We had that battle in Spain. I pushed him and he pushed me as well. So it's good to be part of the history of football," said Juventus star.&nbsp;

Watch the video:

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The perfect ingredients for some GOAT soup... 🐐🥣 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CR7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CR7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Legends?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Legends</a> <a href="https://t.co/180ZFCMteA">pic.twitter.com/180ZFCMteA</a>
— Mpho Letsholonyane (@M_Letsholonyane) <a href="https://twitter.com/M_Letsholonyane/status/1167306611024515072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Legends of all time.. a video of a decade and half legendary!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOAT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOAT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ronaldo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ronaldo</a> <a href="https://t.co/JhjKW77O5x">pic.twitter.com/JhjKW77O5x</a>
— 👨🏽‍💻 (@BraKingsley) <a href="https://twitter.com/BraKingsley/status/1167233496844312581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed a fierce rivalry at the pinnacle of the sport, and dominated the football landscape having swept individual and team accolades for well over a decade.&nbsp;

Messi and Ronaldo had claimed five of the previous eight awards between them, with Andres Iniesta (2012), Franck Ribery (2013) and Luka Modric (2018) completing the winners' list.

Though the two lost out to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the men's Player of the Year award category in Monaco on Thursday.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most popular rivalries in sports, was spotted in a completely different avatar during Thursday's Champions League draw in Monaco.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most popular rivalries in sports, was spotted in a completely different avatar during Thursday's Champions League draw in Monaco. Messi and Ronaldo were seated next to each other during the ceremony and were seen sharing smiles. During the ceremony, Ronaldo was asked about his relationship with Barcelona's Messi, he said he hopes the pair could share dinner. "We have shared the stage 15 years. I don't know if that's happened before - the same two guys on the same stage all the time," Ronaldo said. "Of course, we have a good relationship. We haven't had dinner together yet, but I hope in the future," he added. "We had that battle in Spain. I pushed him and he pushed me as well. So it's good to be part of the history of football," said Juventus star. Watch the video: The perfect ingredients for some GOAT soup... 🐐🥣 #Messi #CR7 #Legends pic.twitter.com/180ZFCMteA — Mpho Letsholonyane (@M_Letsholonyane) August 30, 2019 × Legends of all time.. a video of a decade and half legendary!! #GOAT #Messi #Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/JhjKW77O5x — 👨🏽‍💻 (@BraKingsley) August 30, 2019 × Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed a fierce rivalry at the pinnacle of the sport, and dominated the football landscape having swept individual and team accolades for well over a decade. Messi and Ronaldo had claimed five of the previous eight awards between them, with Andres Iniesta (2012), Franck Ribery (2013) and Luka Modric (2018) completing the winners' list. Though the two lost out to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the men's Player of the Year award category in Monaco on Thursday.

Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi's bromance lights up UEFA awards

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk pipped Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi to win UEFA Men's Player of the Year award on Thursday.&nbsp;

The Reds defender was a vital cog in Liverpool's first major trophy since 2012 last term after defeating Tottenham Hotspur in final.&nbsp;

During the UEFA awards ceremony, the defender was asked about Liverpool's stunning 4-0 win against Barcelona in the semi-final at Anfield.&nbsp;

The result sealed a 4-3 aggregate win&nbsp;and a spot in the UCL final.&nbsp;

However, van Dijk's reply — in front of Barcelona's Lionel Messi — was rather awkward.&nbsp;

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MUST LISTEN: Virgil bullying Messi about Anfield semifinal😂 
My CB❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Virgil?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Virgil</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanDijk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vanDijk</a> <a href="https://t.co/7dSTDLcQCM">pic.twitter.com/7dSTDLcQCM</a>
— 6 TIMES (@kloppoynwa) <a href="https://twitter.com/kloppoynwa/status/1167135174926225408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Van Dijk said, "Anfield played a massive role. After the game in Spain we felt 3-0 wasn't the right result on the night but it was reality. We had to overcome it by doing the unthinkable.&nbsp;

"I think we had a crazy couple of days, we travelled back and played Newcastle and scored in the last few minutes to get the three points in a close title race. We travelled back from Newcastle and had one day to prepare for the Barcelona game.

"To actually do it, was unbelievable. The atmosphere was outstanding, it was something special and everything clicked on that night. We scored the goals at the right times, it was just a fantastic evening."

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk pipped Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi to win UEFA Men's Player of the Year award on Thursday. The Reds defender was a vital cog in Liverpool's first major trophy since 2012 last term after defeating Tottenham Hotspur in final.

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk pipped Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi to win UEFA Men's Player of the Year award on Thursday. The Reds defender was a vital cog in Liverpool's first major trophy since 2012 last term after defeating Tottenham Hotspur in final. During the UEFA awards ceremony, the defender was asked about Liverpool's stunning 4-0 win against Barcelona in the semi-final at Anfield. The result sealed a 4-3 aggregate win and a spot in the UCL final. However, van Dijk's reply — in front of Barcelona's Lionel Messi — was rather awkward. MUST LISTEN: Virgil bullying Messi about Anfield semifinal😂 My CB❤️ #LFC #Virgil #vanDijk pic.twitter.com/7dSTDLcQCM — 6 TIMES (@kloppoynwa) August 29, 2019 × Van Dijk said, "Anfield played a massive role. After the game in Spain we felt 3-0 wasn't the right result on the night but it was reality. We had to overcome it by doing the unthinkable. "I think we had a crazy couple of days, we travelled back and played Newcastle and scored in the last few minutes to get the three points in a close title race. We travelled back from Newcastle and had one day to prepare for the Barcelona game. "To actually do it, was unbelievable. The atmosphere was outstanding, it was something special and everything clicked on that night. We scored the goals at the right times, it was just a fantastic evening."

'Awkward': Virgil van Dijk talks about defeating Barcelona is semi-final last season in front of Lionel Messi

Barcelona will have to come through a section containing both Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan after the three former winners all came out together in Thursday's UEFA&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League&nbsp;group stage draw in Monaco, while holders Liverpool will face Napoli again.

Barcelona, Dortmund and Inter, with nine European Cups between them, were drawn together in Group F along with the Czech&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Slavia Prague.

Beaten by Liverpool in the semi-finals last season, Lionel Messi and Barcelona remain favourites to advance as they seek a first&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League&nbsp;crown since 2015.

Dortmund won the trophy in 1997 and lost in the final in 2013. Now coached by Antonio Conte, Inter beat Barcelona in the semi-finals en route to winning the most recent of their three titles in 2010.

"That really is a very tough group, which makes it an even bigger challenge for us," said the Dortmund coach, Lucien Favre. His team host Barca in the opening round of matches on Tuesday, September 17.

Liverpool advanced from their group at the expense of Napoli last season on the way to lifting their sixth European Cup in Madrid, and Carlo Ancelotti's side now have a chance to gain revenge.

Beaten in Naples a year ago, Liverpool will head back to the San Paolo in their first match on September 17.

Both clubs will be fancied to progress from Group E, which is completed by Austrian&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Salzburg and Genk, the Belgian title-holders.

"Napoli again! I don't know how often I've now played against Napoli, but they're obviously a very experienced side," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who faced the Italians with Dortmund in the 2013-14 group stage.

Liverpool are hoping to return to this year's final which will be played in Istanbul, where they won their fifth title back in 2005.

After losing in last season's final, Tottenham Hotspur can look forward to a meeting with German&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Bayern Munich in Group B.

Tottenham entertain Bayern in London in their second group game on October 1, which will be the first meeting of the clubs since the 1983-84 UEFA Cup. They will then go to Munich in December.

The teams will also meet Greek&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Olympiakos and Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, the 1991 European Cup winners, in Group B.

After winning the Europa&nbsp;League, Chelsea are back in the&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League&nbsp;and can look forward to taking on last season's semi-finalists Ajax as well as former runners-up Valencia and Lille in Group H. Frank Lampard's team kick off at home to Valencia.

Ronaldo 'always confident'

Premier&nbsp;League&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Manchester City were handed the kindest draw of all four English representatives, with Pep Guardiola's men coming up against Italian debutants Atalanta along with Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb in Group C.

City beat Shakhtar 3-0 in Ukraine in last season's group stage before a 6-0 victory in the return. The teams meet in Kharkiv in their first game on September 18.

"We have to keep being strong in our country and if we do that, we know we will have a chance in this competition," said Txiki Begiristain, the director of football at City, who have lost in the quarter-finals in the last two seasons.

There will be glamour ties between familiar opponents elsewhere, with Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid renewing acquaintances with Paris Saint-Germain in Group A, the sides meeting in their opening game at the Parc des Princes.

Real eliminated the French&nbsp;champions&nbsp;in the last 16 on the way to winning the trophy two seasons ago.

Turkish&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Galatasaray and Club Brugge of Belgium complete Group A.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus will come up against Atletico Madrid again after beating the Spanish side in the last 16 last season. They will begin their campaign by clashing in Madrid and will also face Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow in Group D.

"I don't know what's going to happen this year but when the year starts I'm always confident. This year I'm not changing my mind," Ronaldo, whose side lost to Ajax in the quarter-finals last season, told BT Sport.

Perhaps the most balanced section sees Zenit Saint Petersburg, Benfica, Lyon and RB Leipzig clash in Group G.

Barcelona will have to come through a section containing both Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan after the three former winners all came out together in Thursday's UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco, while holders Liverpool will face Napoli again.

Barcelona will have to come through a section containing both Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan after the three former winners all came out together in Thursday's UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco, while holders Liverpool will face Napoli again. Barcelona, Dortmund and Inter, with nine European Cups between them, were drawn together in Group F along with the Czech champions Slavia Prague. Beaten by Liverpool in the semi-finals last season, Lionel Messi and Barcelona remain favourites to advance as they seek a first Champions League crown since 2015. Dortmund won the trophy in 1997 and lost in the final in 2013. Now coached by Antonio Conte, Inter beat Barcelona in the semi-finals en route to winning the most recent of their three titles in 2010. "That really is a very tough group, which makes it an even bigger challenge for us," said the Dortmund coach, Lucien Favre. His team host Barca in the opening round of matches on Tuesday, September 17. Liverpool advanced from their group at the expense of Napoli last season on the way to lifting their sixth European Cup in Madrid, and Carlo Ancelotti's side now have a chance to gain revenge. Beaten in Naples a year ago, Liverpool will head back to the San Paolo in their first match on September 17. Both clubs will be fancied to progress from Group E, which is completed by Austrian champions Salzburg and Genk, the Belgian title-holders. "Napoli again! I don't know how often I've now played against Napoli, but they're obviously a very experienced side," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who faced the Italians with Dortmund in the 2013-14 group stage. Liverpool are hoping to return to this year's final which will be played in Istanbul, where they won their fifth title back in 2005. After losing in last season's final, Tottenham Hotspur can look forward to a meeting with German champions Bayern Munich in Group B. Tottenham entertain Bayern in London in their second group game on October 1, which will be the first meeting of the clubs since the 1983-84 UEFA Cup. They will then go to Munich in December. The teams will also meet Greek champions Olympiakos and Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, the 1991 European Cup winners, in Group B. After winning the Europa League, Chelsea are back in the Champions League and can look forward to taking on last season's semi-finalists Ajax as well as former runners-up Valencia and Lille in Group H. Frank Lampard's team kick off at home to Valencia. Ronaldo 'always confident' Premier League champions Manchester City were handed the kindest draw of all four English representatives, with Pep Guardiola's men coming up against Italian debutants Atalanta along with Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb in Group C. City beat Shakhtar 3-0 in Ukraine in last season's group stage before a 6-0 victory in the return. The teams meet in Kharkiv in their first game on September 18. "We have to keep being strong in our country and if we do that, we know we will have a chance in this competition," said Txiki Begiristain, the director of football at City, who have lost in the quarter-finals in the last two seasons. There will be glamour ties between familiar opponents elsewhere, with Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid renewing acquaintances with Paris Saint-Germain in Group A, the sides meeting in their opening game at the Parc des Princes. Real eliminated the French champions in the last 16 on the way to winning the trophy two seasons ago. Turkish champions Galatasaray and Club Brugge of Belgium complete Group A. Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus will come up against Atletico Madrid again after beating the Spanish side in the last 16 last season. They will begin their campaign by clashing in Madrid and will also face Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow in Group D. "I don't know what's going to happen this year but when the year starts I'm always confident. This year I'm not changing my mind," Ronaldo, whose side lost to Ajax in the quarter-finals last season, told BT Sport. Perhaps the most balanced section sees Zenit Saint Petersburg, Benfica, Lyon and RB Leipzig clash in Group G.

Barcelona handed tough Champions League draw as Liverpool face Napoli again

Interesting facts about Barcelona's young gem, Ansu Fati

Lionel Messi's son Mateo was spotted on the camera celebrating a goal netted by an opponent player <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/griezmann-double-helps-barcelona-to-return-to-winning-ways-245624">during Barcelona vs Real Betis</a> clash on Sunday.&nbsp;

The video, which questioned Messi Junior's allegiances (in a funny way), went viral on the social forums.&nbsp;

Messi, who was left out of the squad for Barca's&nbsp;first home game against Betis due to a calf injury, watched the clash from the stands with his elder son Thiago and Mateo. His&nbsp;teammate Luis Suarez, who is nursing a calf injury, was also there with his son.&nbsp;

Before being corrected by Suarez, Mateo frivolously celebrated after Nabil Fekir scored the opener for Betis.&nbsp;

Suarez and Messi laughed on the situation but later on reminded Mateo of his loyalty.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

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Lionel Messi’s son, Mateo, accidentally celebrated Real Betis taking the lead against Barcelona yesterday 😂 
 
This is adorable ❤️<a href="https://t.co/SD1eWIxuxu">pic.twitter.com/SD1eWIxuxu</a>
— Football HQ (@FootbaII_HQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/FootbaII_HQ/status/1165977159036481536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Messi had earlier mentioned that how the three-year-old taunts him&nbsp;when he loses.&nbsp;

"Mateo likes all the shirts and he puts them on, but last time on the Playstation he said, 'I'm being Liverpool, the ones who beat you. I'm Liverpool and you're Barcelona'," Messi had told earlier. &nbsp;

"He understands a little but doesn't realise it yet."

"Just like when we lost to Valencia, [he said] 'Valencia won, ehhh'. Or we watch TV and he cheers Real Madrid's goals," Messi added.&nbsp;

Well, despite getting visible support from Messi's kid, Real Betis end up losing the match.&nbsp;

In the absence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona's new signing Antoine Griezmann scored twice on his Camp Nou debut, to earn a 5-2 victory for the Spanish champions.&nbsp;

Carles Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal scored Barcelona's remaining goals.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi's son Mateo was spotted on the camera celebrating a goal netted by an opponent player during Barcelona vs Real Betis clash on Sunday. The video, which questioned Messi Junior's allegiances (in a funny way), went viral on the social forums.

Lionel Messi's son Mateo was spotted on the camera celebrating a goal netted by an opponent player during Barcelona vs Real Betis clash on Sunday. The video, which questioned Messi Junior's allegiances (in a funny way), went viral on the social forums. Messi, who was left out of the squad for Barca's first home game against Betis due to a calf injury, watched the clash from the stands with his elder son Thiago and Mateo. His teammate Luis Suarez, who is nursing a calf injury, was also there with his son. Before being corrected by Suarez, Mateo frivolously celebrated after Nabil Fekir scored the opener for Betis. Suarez and Messi laughed on the situation but later on reminded Mateo of his loyalty. Watch the video: Lionel Messi’s son, Mateo, accidentally celebrated Real Betis taking the lead against Barcelona yesterday 😂 This is adorable ❤️pic.twitter.com/SD1eWIxuxu — Football HQ (@FootbaII_HQ) August 26, 2019 × Messi had earlier mentioned that how the three-year-old taunts him when he loses. "Mateo likes all the shirts and he puts them on, but last time on the Playstation he said, 'I'm being Liverpool, the ones who beat you. I'm Liverpool and you're Barcelona'," Messi had told earlier. "He understands a little but doesn't realise it yet." "Just like when we lost to Valencia, [he said] 'Valencia won, ehhh'. Or we watch TV and he cheers Real Madrid's goals," Messi added. Well, despite getting visible support from Messi's kid, Real Betis end up losing the match. In the absence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona's new signing Antoine Griezmann scored twice on his Camp Nou debut, to earn a 5-2 victory for the Spanish champions. Carles Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal scored Barcelona's remaining goals.

Watch: Lionel Messi's son Mateo messes up as he celebrates opponent's goal

An Antoine Griezmann double allowed Barcelona to return to winning ways with an emphatic 5-2 La Liga win over Real Betis on Sunday. After the champions were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by Athletic Bilbao in their opening match of the season last week, they rebounded in style on Sunday.

An Antoine Griezmann double allowed Barcelona to return to winning ways with an emphatic 5-2 La Liga win over Real Betis on Sunday. After the champions were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by Athletic Bilbao in their opening match of the season last week, they rebounded in style on Sunday. Strikes from Carles Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal completed a memorable day for the Catalans as they marked defender Gerard Pique's 500th appearance for the club. Barca, who were without injured talisman Lionel Messi, started on the back foot and fell behind when Nabil Fekir netted with a sublime angled strike in the 15th minute. Griezmann, who joined Barca last month from rivals Atletico Madrid, scored four minutes before halftime to level the scores. The French World Cup winner's maiden goal for the club proved to be the catalyst for the Spanish champions as they went on to score four more unanswered goals in 27 second-half minutes. "I was pleased with how we did in the first half, but when you go behind you always think that there's stuff to change," coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters. "We needed to score and the goal to make it 1-1 changed things for the better and we might have even scored a second [before halftime]. The game was high tempo and we like it that way." Griezmann then curled in from the edge of the box five minutes after the restart and Valverde admitted it had been a big night for the new arrival. "I have to admit it was a really important day for him given the absentees we had," Valverde said. "He responded brilliantly. He dropped deep to help the midfield, but also pushed on and can lose his man brilliantly. "For us, it's fundamental to have players who can clock up goals and the fact Griezmann debuted at the Camp Nou and scored is great news." Perez, making his first start for the club, then made it 3-1 after 56 minutes before Alba struck on the hour from close range. Substitute Vidal then finished off a wonderful team move 13 minutes from the end following a wonderful through ball from Griezmann. Two minutes later, Loren netted a stunning consolation strike from 25 metres for the visitors. Valverde was able to bring on academy player Ansu Fati, who at 16 years and 298 days became the second-youngest player in Barcelona's history, late on. The Catalans have three points from two La Liga games, while Real Betis have lost both of them games this season.

Griezmann double helps Barcelona to return to winning ways

Neymar was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's third consecutive Ligue 1 match on Sunday as his employers await a resolution to the Brazilian's protracted transfer saga.

Neymar was declared fit to play for the first time since injuring his ankle in May by PSG coach Thomas Tuchel on the eve of Toulouse's visit to the Parc des Princes.

But the club's Qatari owners and sporting director Leonardo have sidelined him as the uncertainty over his future continues to dominate their early season landscape.

In the squad list published ahead of the 1900 GMT kick-off Neymar was marked down as "absent".

The 27-year-old wants a return to Spain, to his former club Barca who sold him to the French champions for a world record 222 million euros ($264 million at the time) in 2017.

Or to Real Madrid, who reportedly had a 100 million euros bid plus players rejected this week.

Tuchel, when quizzed about his wantaway forward on Saturday, told reporters: "He can play (against Toulouse) if the situation between him and the club is clear.... Today it's not clear, perhaps tomorrow it will be".

Pressed, the German added Neymar was "ready to play" but the final decision rested with the club's sporting director.

"Perhaps you have to speak to Leonardo," he suggested. "Neymar's had a good week (training) with all the squad, a week with a lot of work and intensity."

The European transfer window closes on September 2. Whether Neymar figures in PSG's fourth league outing next Friday at Metz could be up to the negotiators.

Neymar was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's third consecutive Ligue 1 match on Sunday as his employers await a resolution to the Brazilian's protracted transfer saga.

Neymar was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's third consecutive Ligue 1 match on Sunday as his employers await a resolution to the Brazilian's protracted transfer saga. Neymar was declared fit to play for the first time since injuring his ankle in May by PSG coach Thomas Tuchel on the eve of Toulouse's visit to the Parc des Princes. But the club's Qatari owners and sporting director Leonardo have sidelined him as the uncertainty over his future continues to dominate their early season landscape. In the squad list published ahead of the 1900 GMT kick-off Neymar was marked down as "absent". The 27-year-old wants a return to Spain, to his former club Barca who sold him to the French champions for a world record 222 million euros ($264 million at the time) in 2017. Or to Real Madrid, who reportedly had a 100 million euros bid plus players rejected this week. Tuchel, when quizzed about his wantaway forward on Saturday, told reporters: "He can play (against Toulouse) if the situation between him and the club is clear.... Today it's not clear, perhaps tomorrow it will be". Pressed, the German added Neymar was "ready to play" but the final decision rested with the club's sporting director. "Perhaps you have to speak to Leonardo," he suggested. "Neymar's had a good week (training) with all the squad, a week with a lot of work and intensity." The European transfer window closes on September 2. Whether Neymar figures in PSG's fourth league outing next Friday at Metz could be up to the negotiators.

Neymar excluded from PSG's Toulouse clash as transfer saga drags on

Lionel Messi could be ready to play against Real Betis on Sunday and Barcelona could do with him back.&nbsp;

In other circumstances, Messi might have left it another week, having missed the whole of pre-season with a calf injury he sustained in his first training session back.

But after re-joining his team-mates on Wednesday, the temptation will be to put Messi straight to work, to lift the mood and minimise the chances of what would be a disastrous second slip in La Liga.&nbsp;

One defeat, by Athletic Bilbao inside a bouncing San Mames on the opening night and inflicted by a freakishly brilliant bicycle kick in the 89th minute, might ordinarily have been accepted as a blip.&nbsp;

"San Mames is always a difficult place to play," said Gerard Pique. "When you're not at your best, they make you look stupid."

Yet memories of Barcelona's capitulation in May remain fresh.&nbsp;

The humiliation in the Champions League and submission in the final of the Copa del Rey mean this team and, in particular, their coach begin the season very much on the back foot.&nbsp;

Ernesto Valverde is never far from blame, suspicion about his style and suitability always bubbling under the surface, despite the fact he is hoping to become the first Barca coach since Pep Guardiola to win three La Liga titles in a row.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When Messi tweaked his calf, it was assumed an attacking roster of Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele would cope.&nbsp;

Lure of Neymar

Instead, Suarez and Dembele both picked up strains against Bilbao while Griezmann delivered the sort of hesitant display to suggest he may also need time to adapt.&nbsp;

"This league is hard," Griezmann said. "We have to bounce back."

Another muscle injury for Dembele, his fifth in two years at Barcelona, is a concern, especially after the 22-year-old reportedly took time off in France instead of undergoing medical tests.&nbsp;

It all means Messi's return carries added urgency, even if it remains more likely the Argentinian will come off the bench at Camp Nou than be named in the starting line-up.&nbsp;

The lure of Neymar also grows, even if Barcelona are yet to agree a deal with Paris Saint-Germain. The prospect of Real Madrid jumping in too, surely plays on the mind of president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Coming into the season, it was Madrid with the darker clouds hanging over them after a poor pre-season left some wondering whether Zinedine Zidane, more than Valverde, would soon be feeling the heat.&nbsp;

Instead, a retro-looking side, without a single summer signing, and with Gareth Bale, opened up last weekend with an assertive 3-1 win away at Celta Vigo.&nbsp;

"We had difficulties in pre-season with our results but not our work," Zidane said. "It was essential to start this way, by playing well and winning."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bale was excellent and with Eden Hazard not expected back until after the international break, the Welshman should continue his reintegration against Real Valladolid on Saturday.

"We have to turn over a new leaf," said Sergio Ramos. "We can't regret or celebrate what's happened before. We start from scratch."

Atletico Madrid made a winning start too, at home to Getafe, even if a slightly nervy 1-0 win felt rather familiar, despite a handful of attacking signings this summer, including the hugely talented Joao Felix.

Still, Getafe were arguably the toughest opponent to break down last season. Atletico might have more joy on Saturday away at Leganes.&nbsp;

Fixtures&nbsp;(all times GMT)

Friday&nbsp;

Granada v Sevilla (1800), Levante v Villarreal (2000)&nbsp;

Saturday&nbsp;

Osasuna v Eibar (1500), Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1700), Celta Vigo v Valencia (1900), Getafe v Athletic Club (1900)&nbsp;

Sunday&nbsp;

Alaves v Espanyol (1500), Mallorca v Real Sociedad (1500), Leganes v Atletico Madrid (1700), Barcelona v Real Betis (1900)&nbsp;

Lionel Messi could be ready to play against Real Betis on Sunday and Barcelona could do with him back. In other circumstances, Messi might have left it another week, having missed the whole of pre-season with a calf injury he sustained in his first training session back.

Lionel Messi could be ready to play against Real Betis on Sunday and Barcelona could do with him back. In other circumstances, Messi might have left it another week, having missed the whole of pre-season with a calf injury he sustained in his first training session back. But after re-joining his team-mates on Wednesday, the temptation will be to put Messi straight to work, to lift the mood and minimise the chances of what would be a disastrous second slip in La Liga. One defeat, by Athletic Bilbao inside a bouncing San Mames on the opening night and inflicted by a freakishly brilliant bicycle kick in the 89th minute, might ordinarily have been accepted as a blip. "San Mames is always a difficult place to play," said Gerard Pique. "When you're not at your best, they make you look stupid." Yet memories of Barcelona's capitulation in May remain fresh. The humiliation in the Champions League and submission in the final of the Copa del Rey mean this team and, in particular, their coach begin the season very much on the back foot. Ernesto Valverde is never far from blame, suspicion about his style and suitability always bubbling under the surface, despite the fact he is hoping to become the first Barca coach since Pep Guardiola to win three La Liga titles in a row. When Messi tweaked his calf, it was assumed an attacking roster of Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele would cope. Lure of Neymar Instead, Suarez and Dembele both picked up strains against Bilbao while Griezmann delivered the sort of hesitant display to suggest he may also need time to adapt. "This league is hard," Griezmann said. "We have to bounce back." Another muscle injury for Dembele, his fifth in two years at Barcelona, is a concern, especially after the 22-year-old reportedly took time off in France instead of undergoing medical tests. It all means Messi's return carries added urgency, even if it remains more likely the Argentinian will come off the bench at Camp Nou than be named in the starting line-up. The lure of Neymar also grows, even if Barcelona are yet to agree a deal with Paris Saint-Germain. The prospect of Real Madrid jumping in too, surely plays on the mind of president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Coming into the season, it was Madrid with the darker clouds hanging over them after a poor pre-season left some wondering whether Zinedine Zidane, more than Valverde, would soon be feeling the heat. Instead, a retro-looking side, without a single summer signing, and with Gareth Bale, opened up last weekend with an assertive 3-1 win away at Celta Vigo. "We had difficulties in pre-season with our results but not our work," Zidane said. "It was essential to start this way, by playing well and winning." Bale was excellent and with Eden Hazard not expected back until after the international break, the Welshman should continue his reintegration against Real Valladolid on Saturday. "We have to turn over a new leaf," said Sergio Ramos. "We can't regret or celebrate what's happened before. We start from scratch." Atletico Madrid made a winning start too, at home to Getafe, even if a slightly nervy 1-0 win felt rather familiar, despite a handful of attacking signings this summer, including the hugely talented Joao Felix. Still, Getafe were arguably the toughest opponent to break down last season. Atletico might have more joy on Saturday away at Leganes. Fixtures (all times GMT) Friday Granada v Sevilla (1800), Levante v Villarreal (2000) Saturday Osasuna v Eibar (1500), Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1700), Celta Vigo v Valencia (1900), Getafe v Athletic Club (1900) Sunday Alaves v Espanyol (1500), Mallorca v Real Sociedad (1500), Leganes v Atletico Madrid (1700), Barcelona v Real Betis (1900)

Troubled Barcelona look to Lionel Messi for inspiration

Afghanistan's ambassador to Spain was mugged at the weekend in Barcelona, police and diplomatic sources said Monday, the latest in a string of high-profile crimes in the city.

The assailants attacked Humayoon Rasaw late Sunday on a street in the centre of town, throwing him to the ground to steal his watch, a police spokeswoman said.

The ambassador, who was in Barcelona for celebrations marking war-torn Afghanistan's national day, suffered a leg injury but "is fine," according to a source at the Afghan embassy in Madrid.

The robbery comes as Barcelona, one of Europe's most visited cities, has seen a sharp rise in crimes, including several involving foreigners which have made global headlines.

The Mediterranean city has seen eight murders since July, an unusually high number in Spain which has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe.

Robberies, especially those targeting foreign visitors, have also risen.

Recorded thefts in Spain's second-largest city, home to around 1.6 million people, have doubled over the past four years.

In the first half of 2019, violent robberies jumped by 31 per cent over the same period last year.

In late June a South Korean woman who was part of an official government delegation died after a thief snatched her purse, causing her to fall and seriously injure her head.

Earlier this month a Chinese man died in a fight outside a Barcelona nightclub.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Spain was mugged at the weekend in Barcelona, police and diplomatic sources said Monday, the latest in a string of high-profile crimes in the city.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Spain was mugged at the weekend in Barcelona, police and diplomatic sources said Monday, the latest in a string of high-profile crimes in the city. The assailants attacked Humayoon Rasaw late Sunday on a street in the centre of town, throwing him to the ground to steal his watch, a police spokeswoman said. The ambassador, who was in Barcelona for celebrations marking war-torn Afghanistan's national day, suffered a leg injury but "is fine," according to a source at the Afghan embassy in Madrid. The robbery comes as Barcelona, one of Europe's most visited cities, has seen a sharp rise in crimes, including several involving foreigners which have made global headlines. The Mediterranean city has seen eight murders since July, an unusually high number in Spain which has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. Robberies, especially those targeting foreign visitors, have also risen. Recorded thefts in Spain's second-largest city, home to around 1.6 million people, have doubled over the past four years. In the first half of 2019, violent robberies jumped by 31 per cent over the same period last year. In late June a South Korean woman who was part of an official government delegation died after a thief snatched her purse, causing her to fall and seriously injure her head. Earlier this month a Chinese man died in a fight outside a Barcelona nightclub.

Afghanistan ambassador to Spain hurt in Barcelona mugging

Barcelona's&nbsp;Philippe&nbsp;Coutinho&nbsp;has joined Bayern Munich on a one-year loan worth €8.5 million ($9.5 million) with an option to buy, the Spanish club confirmed Monday.

"The agreement provides for an option for Bayern to buy at a €120-million fee," Barcelona said.

The 27-year-old Brazilian joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 for an initial €120 million&nbsp;in a deal that included another €40 million in potential add-ons.

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/philippe-coutinho-joins-bayern-munich-new-challenges-await-brazilian-star-244151">New challenges await Philippe&nbsp;Coutinho</a>

But the international midfielder's stint at Barcelona never worked out as hoped despite huge excitement around his arrival at the Camp Nou.

Initially tried in midfield where he plays for Brazil,&nbsp;Coutinho&nbsp;was pushed into the front three by Ernesto Valverde last season but the switch never paid off and fans rarely glimpsed the form he showed at Liverpool.

"Coutinho: story of a massive disaster," headlined Monday's Barcelona-based Sport newspaper.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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"I can't wait to pull on this shirt and play" 🔴⚪<a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Coutinho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phil_Coutinho</a> is officially an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBayern?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBayern</a> player 👌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ServusCoutinho?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ServusCoutinho</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ovigYxuA7">pic.twitter.com/3ovigYxuA7</a>
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBayernEN/status/1163374672026771461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Speculation about his future had shadowed&nbsp;Coutinho&nbsp;over the summer with French champions Paris Saint-Germain mentioned as a likely destination in a deal linked to a potential Neymar return to Barcelona.

Coutinho's place in the side looked shaky following the arrival of French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann from Atletico in July and he was left out of the squad for the first game of the new La Liga season on Friday, a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao.

The player, who has scored 21 goals in 75 games for Barca in all competitions despite being unsettled, said he was delighted with the move to Germany.

"For me, this move means a new challenge in a new country with one of the best clubs in Europe,"&nbsp;Coutinho&nbsp;said on Bayern's website.

"I'm very much looking forward to that. Like FC Bayern, I have big ambitions and I'm convinced that I can achieve them together with my new teammates."

The German club hope he will provide reinforcement in attack following the departure of veteran duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the end of last season.

"With his creativity and outstanding skills,&nbsp;Philippe&nbsp;is a player who will immediately strengthen our attack," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho has joined Bayern Munich on a one-year loan worth €8.5 million ($9.5 million) with an option to buy, the Spanish club confirmed Monday.

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho has joined Bayern Munich on a one-year loan worth €8.5 million ($9.5 million) with an option to buy, the Spanish club confirmed Monday. "The agreement provides for an option for Bayern to buy at a €120-million fee," Barcelona said. The 27-year-old Brazilian joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 for an initial €120 million in a deal that included another €40 million in potential add-ons. In pics: New challenges await Philippe Coutinho But the international midfielder's stint at Barcelona never worked out as hoped despite huge excitement around his arrival at the Camp Nou. Initially tried in midfield where he plays for Brazil, Coutinho was pushed into the front three by Ernesto Valverde last season but the switch never paid off and fans rarely glimpsed the form he showed at Liverpool. "Coutinho: story of a massive disaster," headlined Monday's Barcelona-based Sport newspaper. "I can't wait to pull on this shirt and play" 🔴⚪@Phil_Coutinho is officially an #FCBayern player 👌 #ServusCoutinho pic.twitter.com/3ovigYxuA7 — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) August 19, 2019 × Speculation about his future had shadowed Coutinho over the summer with French champions Paris Saint-Germain mentioned as a likely destination in a deal linked to a potential Neymar return to Barcelona. Coutinho's place in the side looked shaky following the arrival of French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann from Atletico in July and he was left out of the squad for the first game of the new La Liga season on Friday, a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao. The player, who has scored 21 goals in 75 games for Barca in all competitions despite being unsettled, said he was delighted with the move to Germany. "For me, this move means a new challenge in a new country with one of the best clubs in Europe," Coutinho said on Bayern's website. "I'm very much looking forward to that. Like FC Bayern, I have big ambitions and I'm convinced that I can achieve them together with my new teammates." The German club hope he will provide reinforcement in attack following the departure of veteran duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the end of last season. "With his creativity and outstanding skills, Philippe is a player who will immediately strengthen our attack," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

Barca's Philippe Coutinho joins Bayern Munich on loan

Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva believes that Neymar is a key player for the team and also hoped that the Brazilian striker will stay at the club.&nbsp;

In the absence of Neymar, the French champions suffered a shock&nbsp;2-1 defeat at Rennes in Ligue 1 on Sunday. Ahead of the Rennes clash, Neymar had trained with the squad but was left out of the team.&nbsp;

Neymar has been linked with a move back to his former club Barcelona - and uncertainty over his future has seen him left out of the French champions squad for two weeks in a row.&nbsp;

After the match, Silva interacted with media and said, "I think that Neymar is a key player of this team. If he is happy to stay or not, we will have to wait, we can not say now if he will stay or if he will leave, but my feeling is that he could stay with us."

"I hope that he will stay with us because with him we are much stronger," Silva added.&nbsp;

Silva admired Neymar's skills, he said, "Even on one leg, Neymar could do incredible things like (Lionel) Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo)."

"He is still a player of Paris Saint-Germain, and I hope he will stay with us because he is an incredible guy and he is essential for our team," he said.&nbsp;

"But we will have to wait till the end of the transfer market to see what is going to happen," Silva added.&nbsp;

Neymar had joined PSG from Barcelona in 2017 in a deal valued at a record €222 million ($246 million) but his stint with the Qatari-owned club was injury-interrupted.&nbsp;

Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva believes that Neymar is a key player for the team and also hoped that the Brazilian striker will stay at the club. In the absence of Neymar, the French champions suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rennes in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva believes that Neymar is a key player for the team and also hoped that the Brazilian striker will stay at the club. In the absence of Neymar, the French champions suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rennes in Ligue 1 on Sunday. Ahead of the Rennes clash, Neymar had trained with the squad but was left out of the team. Neymar has been linked with a move back to his former club Barcelona - and uncertainty over his future has seen him left out of the French champions squad for two weeks in a row. After the match, Silva interacted with media and said, "I think that Neymar is a key player of this team. If he is happy to stay or not, we will have to wait, we can not say now if he will stay or if he will leave, but my feeling is that he could stay with us." "I hope that he will stay with us because with him we are much stronger," Silva added. Silva admired Neymar's skills, he said, "Even on one leg, Neymar could do incredible things like (Lionel) Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo)." "He is still a player of Paris Saint-Germain, and I hope he will stay with us because he is an incredible guy and he is essential for our team," he said. "But we will have to wait till the end of the transfer market to see what is going to happen," Silva added. Neymar had joined PSG from Barcelona in 2017 in a deal valued at a record €222 million ($246 million) but his stint with the Qatari-owned club was injury-interrupted.

Thiago Silva hopes Neymar will stay at PSG

La Liga champions Barcelona fell to their first opening day defeat of the season in 11 years when they were beaten 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao thanks to a sensational late overhead kick from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz.

La Liga champions Barcelona fell to their first opening day defeat of the season in 11 years when they were beaten 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao thanks to a sensational late overhead kick from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz. The 38-year-old came off the bench late in the game and soon made Barca pay for squandering several chances by acrobatically lashing an unstoppable shot into the net in the 89th minute. The Catalans were without injured captain Lionel Messi but lined up with 200 million euros of new talent in France forward Antoine Griezmann and Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. However, they lacked sparkle against an energetic Bilbao side who had the better run of play for the first half even though Barca came closest to scoring before the interval. Luis Suarez struck the near post in the first half when presented with a terrible back pass from Athletic's Unai Lopez and was soon forced off with a calf injury, while substitute Rafinha rattled the crossbar after coming on. Barca improved after the break as coach Ernesto Valverde replaced young midfielder Carles Alena with the more experienced Ivan Rakitic and spent most of the second period in the home side's area. Rakitic and Rafinha each came close to scoring for the visitors but they were outdone by one of Spanish football's best loved players in Aduriz, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the season. "Sometimes football is so beautiful and when you least expect it a ball like that comes to your feet and goes into the net," Aduriz told reporters. "Barcelona are the best team around and it's very difficult to last a whole game taking them on and matching them for space but we knew exactly how to manage our energy." It was the first time Barca have lost their opening game of the season since 2008, when they were beaten 1-0 by Numancia in Pep Guardiola's debut game in charge, although they swiftly recovered from that setback and went on to win the treble. "This is a very difficult ground to come to and we were made to see how tough the competition is," said Barca defender Gerard Pique. "We did not play like we usually do and they put us under a lot of pressure and if you're not at your very best then a team like Athletic walks all over you."

Aduriz's late overhead kick stuns defending league champions Barcelona

Amid transfer rumours, Brazilian star footballer Neymar on Saturday trained with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammates ahead of their Ligue 1 trip to Rennes.&nbsp;

Neymar has been linked heavily with a return to Spain with either former club Barcelona.

Barca's arch-rivals Real Madrid are also interested in signing the&nbsp;27-year-old forward.&nbsp;

Neymar arrived in France in 2017 and since moving to PSG, he has played in almost exactly half of his club's matches.

In the previous season, Neymar dealt with troublesome foot injuries and remain out of action in the majority of matches.

Foot injuries saw him miss three of the four UEFA Champions League knockout matches the Qatar-owned club have played in since his arrival.&nbsp;

Without him, they lost in the last 16 to Real Madrid in 2018 and then to Manchester United this year.&nbsp;

But now, he has been declared fully fit although speculation continues about his future.&nbsp;

The French champions began the defence of their league title with a 3-0 win over Nimes last seek.&nbsp;

Rennes began their campaign with a 1-0 victory at Montpellier.&nbsp;

Amid transfer rumours, Brazilian star footballer Neymar on Saturday trained with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammates ahead of their Ligue 1 trip to Rennes. Neymar has been linked heavily with a return to Spain with either former club Barcelona.

Amid transfer rumours, Brazilian star footballer Neymar on Saturday trained with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammates ahead of their Ligue 1 trip to Rennes. Neymar has been linked heavily with a return to Spain with either former club Barcelona. Barca's arch-rivals Real Madrid are also interested in signing the 27-year-old forward. Neymar arrived in France in 2017 and since moving to PSG, he has played in almost exactly half of his club's matches. In the previous season, Neymar dealt with troublesome foot injuries and remain out of action in the majority of matches. Foot injuries saw him miss three of the four UEFA Champions League knockout matches the Qatar-owned club have played in since his arrival. Without him, they lost in the last 16 to Real Madrid in 2018 and then to Manchester United this year. But now, he has been declared fully fit although speculation continues about his future. The French champions began the defence of their league title with a 3-0 win over Nimes last seek. Rennes began their campaign with a 1-0 victory at Montpellier.

Amid transfer rumours, Neymar trains with PSG teammates

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez suffered a right leg injury during his side's defeat at Athletic Bilbao in Friday's La Liga opener, the Spanish champions have confirmed.

Suarez joins Lionel Messi on the sidelines after hobbling off in the 37th minute at San Mames, leaving Barca without their two premium strikers.

Messi sustained a calf injury in training earlier this month and was not deemed ready for the match.

Barcelona did not reveal how long Suarez would be out of action for, saying on Saturday he had a "right leg" injury and that his availability depended on his recovery.

The Uruguayan was replaced in the central striker's role by new signing Antoine Griezmann, but Bilbao veteran Aritz Aduriz stole the show by coming off the bench and snatching a 1-0 win with a spectacular scissor kick.

As well as Messi, Suarez and Griezmann, Barcelona have Ousmane Dembele as another option in the front three while the club are negotiating with Paris Saint-Germain over re-signing Neymar.

Philippe Coutinho, however, looks set to leave the club. Barca director Guillermo Amor told Movistar on Friday that there was an "agreement in principle" for the Brazilian to join Bayern Munich on loan.

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez suffered a right leg injury during his side's defeat at Athletic Bilbao in Friday's La Liga opener, the Spanish champions have confirmed.

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez suffered a right leg injury during his side's defeat at Athletic Bilbao in Friday's La Liga opener, the Spanish champions have confirmed. Suarez joins Lionel Messi on the sidelines after hobbling off in the 37th minute at San Mames, leaving Barca without their two premium strikers. Messi sustained a calf injury in training earlier this month and was not deemed ready for the match. Barcelona did not reveal how long Suarez would be out of action for, saying on Saturday he had a "right leg" injury and that his availability depended on his recovery. The Uruguayan was replaced in the central striker's role by new signing Antoine Griezmann, but Bilbao veteran Aritz Aduriz stole the show by coming off the bench and snatching a 1-0 win with a spectacular scissor kick. As well as Messi, Suarez and Griezmann, Barcelona have Ousmane Dembele as another option in the front three while the club are negotiating with Paris Saint-Germain over re-signing Neymar. Philippe Coutinho, however, looks set to leave the club. Barca director Guillermo Amor told Movistar on Friday that there was an "agreement in principle" for the Brazilian to join Bayern Munich on loan.

Barcelona confirm Suarez suffered leg injury in La Liga opener

The saga of Neymar's seemingly inevitable departure from Paris Saint-Germain is proving a long, drawn-out affair bringing the curtain down on what will ultimately feel like a fleeting and failed experiment.

The saga of Neymar's seemingly inevitable departure from Paris Saint-Germain is proving a long, drawn-out affair bringing the curtain down on what will ultimately feel like a fleeting and failed experiment. Having arrived in France in 2017 hoping a world-record transfer to PSG would help him emerge from the shadow of Lionel Messi at Barcelona and win the Ballon d'Or, two years on he looks set to leave with his reputation having taken a serious hit. There is no doubting the 27-year-old forward is a brilliant player, and there is every chance he will get the success he craves -- collectively and, chiefly, individually -- by returning to Spain, whether with his old club or Real Madrid. However, there is every reason to believe a Kylian Mbappe-led PSG, and football in France in general, will ultimately be better off without him. The French champions' first Ligue 1 game of the campaign last Sunday, a 3-0 win against Nimes, saw supporters unfurl banners insulting the 222 million-euro ($264 million at the time) man. Neymar himself was not involved in that game, left out amid the uncertainty over his future. He already missed the season-opening Champions Trophy against Rennes in China due to suspension. Since moving to the Parc des Princes, he has played in almost exactly half of his club's matches. When he has been on the field he has frequently been brilliant, scoring 51 goals in 58 games, but when it has really mattered he has been absent. Foot injuries saw him miss three of the four Champions League knockout matches the Qatar-owned club have played in since his arrival. Without him, they lost in the last 16 to Real Madrid in 2018 and then to Manchester United this year. "I like Neymar, I want to keep playing with him, with Kylian and with everyone," coach Thomas Tuchel said last weekend. "But the reality is that we must find solutions without 'Ney'. You can't lose Neymar and just find someone else who will do the same things." Mbappe added that "without Neymar, it's not the same team," but PSG can still improve by investing in a more balanced squad -- summer signings made so far under sporting director Leonardo are a step in the right direction. Centre-back Abdou Diallo, midfielders Ander Herrera, Pablo Sarabia and Idrissa Gueye have arrived. With the money recouped from the eventual sale of Neymar, not to mention the saving on his 36 million-euro annual wage, more reinforcements can be brought in. Off-field circus The off-field circus around Neymar has been an unwelcome distraction for too long. On the field, Paris will still have Mbappe. The other side of the coin is what this means for PSG's brand. After all, Neymar's following on social media far outstrips that of his current club. Similarly, when the French league (LFP) put their television rights up for auction last year, they capitalised on the Brazilian's presence. Rights for the four seasons from 2020 were sold to Chinese-owned group Mediapro for 1.15 billion euros a year, a huge increase on previous deals. Television stations could be forgiven for being a little concerned now, but LFP chief Didier Quillot remains bullish. "It's always better to have several stars in your league. That said, during the Champions Trophy in China, it was Kylian Mbappe who was the star. His popularity is growing around the world," he told sports daily L'Equipe. In any case, Ligue 1 is in a constant state of renewal, forever prepared to see star players move abroad. Nicolas Pepe, Ferland Mendy, Tanguy Ndombele and Ismaila Sarr have all left this summer. The game in France can move on from Neymar, and everyone will be relieved to let the football on the field do the talking if and when he departs.

Paris Saint-Germain and French football braced for Neymar exit

The La Liga season begins on Friday with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all set to be far stronger units after a record-smashing transfer window which saw Spain's biggest three clubs splurge over €800 million on new players.

Champions Barcelona have been practically in a league of their own in the last two seasons and are favourites to win a third consecutive title after making some smart moves in the summer to replenish their squad of serial winners.

Barca start on Friday away to Athletic Bilbao, where they will flaunt France's World Cup-winning forward Antoine Griezmann and fresh-faced Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, signed for a combined €195 million.

The Catalans, though, will be without talisman and usual top scorer Lionel Messi for their curtain-raiser as he recovers from a muscle injury, while the club continues to be linked with a sensational move to re-sign Neymar from Paris St Germain.

Thirty-three times champions Real Madrid, meanwhile, plot an attempted resurgence in the domestic competition away to Celta Vigo on Saturday, after two disastrous campaigns in a row saw them finish 17 and 19 points adrift of Barcelona respectively.

Madrid have spent a staggering €305 million in the close season, a third of that going on Belgium forward Eden Hazard, but the mood at the Santiago Bernabeu is far from optimistic after a terrible run of results in pre-season.

Last year's runners-up Atletico Madrid have also thrown money around this summer after cashing in on the sales of Griezmann, Lucas Hernandez and Rodri and they host Getafe in a euphoric mood after an outstanding pre-season campaign.

"I’ve never been more excited about a new season," said Atletico midfielder Koke.

"New players have come in with lots of hope and humility and they are prepared to word hard."

Huge price tag

Portuguese teenager Joao Felix will be the player to watch at the Wanda Metropolitano after an €126-million&nbsp;move from Benfica, although the forward's impressive early performances indicate he will not be intimidated by his huge price tag.

Valencia finished fourth last season but will face a stern battle for the final Champions League spot with Sevilla, with new coach Julen Lopetegui determined to rebuild his reputation after being sacked by the Spain team and Real Madrid last year.

Sevilla are the biggest spenders outside the top three, shelling out some €150 million on 13 new arrivals, although they have bid farewell to crucial players in Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia.

Real Mallorca make a long-awaited return to the top flight after a six-year absence and are joined by Osasuna and Granada, who were both relegated from La Liga two years ago.

It is also set to be an intriguing season off the pitch due to the ongoing feud between La Liga's organising body and the national football federation (RFEF), who have been in legal battles over when games should be scheduled.&nbsp;

There is also expected to be renewed tensions between the two organisations when the RFEF reveals plans to hold a revamped Spanish Super Cup outside of Spain in January, proposals La Liga have said they will vehemently oppose.&nbsp;

The La Liga season begins on Friday with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all set to be far stronger units after a record-smashing transfer window which saw Spain's biggest three clubs splurge over €800 million on new players.

The La Liga season begins on Friday with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all set to be far stronger units after a record-smashing transfer window which saw Spain's biggest three clubs splurge over €800 million on new players. Champions Barcelona have been practically in a league of their own in the last two seasons and are favourites to win a third consecutive title after making some smart moves in the summer to replenish their squad of serial winners. Barca start on Friday away to Athletic Bilbao, where they will flaunt France's World Cup-winning forward Antoine Griezmann and fresh-faced Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, signed for a combined €195 million. The Catalans, though, will be without talisman and usual top scorer Lionel Messi for their curtain-raiser as he recovers from a muscle injury, while the club continues to be linked with a sensational move to re-sign Neymar from Paris St Germain. Thirty-three times champions Real Madrid, meanwhile, plot an attempted resurgence in the domestic competition away to Celta Vigo on Saturday, after two disastrous campaigns in a row saw them finish 17 and 19 points adrift of Barcelona respectively. Madrid have spent a staggering €305 million in the close season, a third of that going on Belgium forward Eden Hazard, but the mood at the Santiago Bernabeu is far from optimistic after a terrible run of results in pre-season. Last year's runners-up Atletico Madrid have also thrown money around this summer after cashing in on the sales of Griezmann, Lucas Hernandez and Rodri and they host Getafe in a euphoric mood after an outstanding pre-season campaign. "I’ve never been more excited about a new season," said Atletico midfielder Koke. "New players have come in with lots of hope and humility and they are prepared to word hard." Huge price tag Portuguese teenager Joao Felix will be the player to watch at the Wanda Metropolitano after an €126-million move from Benfica, although the forward's impressive early performances indicate he will not be intimidated by his huge price tag. Valencia finished fourth last season but will face a stern battle for the final Champions League spot with Sevilla, with new coach Julen Lopetegui determined to rebuild his reputation after being sacked by the Spain team and Real Madrid last year. Sevilla are the biggest spenders outside the top three, shelling out some €150 million on 13 new arrivals, although they have bid farewell to crucial players in Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia. Real Mallorca make a long-awaited return to the top flight after a six-year absence and are joined by Osasuna and Granada, who were both relegated from La Liga two years ago. It is also set to be an intriguing season off the pitch due to the ongoing feud between La Liga's organising body and the national football federation (RFEF), who have been in legal battles over when games should be scheduled. There is also expected to be renewed tensions between the two organisations when the RFEF reveals plans to hold a revamped Spanish Super Cup outside of Spain in January, proposals La Liga have said they will vehemently oppose.

La Liga set for close-run race after Barca, Real, Atletico transfer blitz

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he underwent surgery Tuesday on his injured wrist, the club said.

Neto, who suffered the injury in training while on a US tour, will, therefore, miss Barca's opening La Liga game away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday.&nbsp;

"Doctor Xavier Mir successfully carried out surgery this morning on a fractured scaphoid bone on the left hand of first team player Neto. The down time will be around six to eight weeks," a club statement read.&nbsp;

Neto joined Barcelona this summer from Valencia, with fellow goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen leaving Camp Nou and going the other way.&nbsp;

Coach Ernesto Valverde is already likely to be without Lionel Messi against Bilbao. Messi missed the friendly win over Napoli on Saturday after sustaining a calf tear in training last week.

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he underwent surgery Tuesday on his injured wrist, the club said. Neto, who suffered the injury in training while on a US tour, will, therefore, miss Barca's opening La Liga game away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday.

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he underwent surgery Tuesday on his injured wrist, the club said. Neto, who suffered the injury in training while on a US tour, will, therefore, miss Barca's opening La Liga game away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday. "Doctor Xavier Mir successfully carried out surgery this morning on a fractured scaphoid bone on the left hand of first team player Neto. The down time will be around six to eight weeks," a club statement read. Neto joined Barcelona this summer from Valencia, with fellow goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen leaving Camp Nou and going the other way. Coach Ernesto Valverde is already likely to be without Lionel Messi against Bilbao. Messi missed the friendly win over Napoli on Saturday after sustaining a calf tear in training last week.

Barcelona goalkeeper Neto sidelined after wrist surgery

Barcelona officials headed to France on Tuesday for talks with<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neymar-out-of-psg-opener-exit-talks-more-advanced-than-before-club-242036"> Paris Saint-Germain</a> to seal a return to the Spanish club for Brazilian star Neymar, reports said.

The club's director for football, retired French international Eric Abidal, and two other top club officials flew to Paris to meet with their Paris Saint-Germain counterparts, Catalan radio Rac1 and Catalan television TV3 reported.

"The breakthrough is significant as PSG had up until now refused to meet with Barcelona emissaries but it does not mean that the deal is close," Rac1 wrote on its website.

The deal which the Barcelona officials will propose could include other players such as Philippe Coutinho or Ivan Rakitic, it added.

Paris Saint-Germain revealed on Saturday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-go-head-to-head-with-barcelona-for-neymar-reports-241808">Neymar transfer talks </a>are "more advanced than before" after the Brazilian was dropped for the French champions' opening Ligue 1 match.

Sporting director Leonardo confirmed to reporters that the Brazilian was near the exit door but that PSG were "not yet ready to give their approval" for the transfer.

Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer who won two La Liga titles and the 2015 Champions League in four years with the Catalan side.

Sports newspaper AS has reported that Neymar has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros ($249 million) they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount with players included in the deal.

But Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo says that he would prefer a move back to Catalonia to play alongside former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Barcelona officials headed to France on Tuesday for talks with Paris Saint-Germain to seal a return to the Spanish club for Brazilian star Neymar, reports said. The club's director for football, retired French international Eric Abidal, and two other top club officials flew to Paris to meet with their Paris Saint-Germain counterparts, Catalan radio Rac1 and Catalan television TV3 reported.

Barcelona officials headed to France on Tuesday for talks with Paris Saint-Germain to seal a return to the Spanish club for Brazilian star Neymar, reports said. The club's director for football, retired French international Eric Abidal, and two other top club officials flew to Paris to meet with their Paris Saint-Germain counterparts, Catalan radio Rac1 and Catalan television TV3 reported. "The breakthrough is significant as PSG had up until now refused to meet with Barcelona emissaries but it does not mean that the deal is close," Rac1 wrote on its website. The deal which the Barcelona officials will propose could include other players such as Philippe Coutinho or Ivan Rakitic, it added. Paris Saint-Germain revealed on Saturday that Neymar transfer talks are "more advanced than before" after the Brazilian was dropped for the French champions' opening Ligue 1 match. Sporting director Leonardo confirmed to reporters that the Brazilian was near the exit door but that PSG were "not yet ready to give their approval" for the transfer. Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer who won two La Liga titles and the 2015 Champions League in four years with the Catalan side. Sports newspaper AS has reported that Neymar has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros ($249 million) they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount with players included in the deal. But Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo says that he would prefer a move back to Catalonia to play alongside former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Barcelona officials head to Paris for Neymar talks: Reports

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto, who joined the club this summer from Valencia, to undergo surgery on his left wrist on Tuesday, the club released a statement to announce the news.&nbsp;

Neto&nbsp;had injured his left wrist during a training session&nbsp;while on the pre-season US tour, which turned out to be&nbsp;a fracture is&nbsp;scaphoid bone.&nbsp;

The Brazilian is unlikely to be fit for Barca's opening La Liga game away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday.&nbsp;

"Goalkeeper Neto is to undergo surgery this Tuesday on a fractured scaphoid bone in his left hand sustained in training while on the US tour," the statement released by the club read.&nbsp;

The club also gave information about the operation, which will happen on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"Doctor Xavier Mir will perform the operation in the presence of the Club Medical Services," the club's statement said.&nbsp;

"Afterwards, he will make a statement to explain how the surgery has gone and to offer an approximate recovery date," it added.&nbsp;

Neto joined Barcelona this summer from Valencia, with fellow goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen leaving Camp Nou and going the other way.&nbsp;

Coach Ernesto Valverde is already likely to be without Lionel Messi against Bilbao. Messi missed the friendly win over Napoli on Saturday after sustaining a calf tear in training last week.

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto, who joined the club this summer from Valencia, to undergo surgery on his left wrist on Tuesday, the club released a statement to announce the news.

Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Neto, who joined the club this summer from Valencia, to undergo surgery on his left wrist on Tuesday, the club released a statement to announce the news. Neto had injured his left wrist during a training session while on the pre-season US tour, which turned out to be a fracture is scaphoid bone. The Brazilian is unlikely to be fit for Barca's opening La Liga game away to Athletic Bilbao on Friday. "Goalkeeper Neto is to undergo surgery this Tuesday on a fractured scaphoid bone in his left hand sustained in training while on the US tour," the statement released by the club read. The club also gave information about the operation, which will happen on Tuesday. "Doctor Xavier Mir will perform the operation in the presence of the Club Medical Services," the club's statement said. "Afterwards, he will make a statement to explain how the surgery has gone and to offer an approximate recovery date," it added. Neto joined Barcelona this summer from Valencia, with fellow goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen leaving Camp Nou and going the other way. Coach Ernesto Valverde is already likely to be without Lionel Messi against Bilbao. Messi missed the friendly win over Napoli on Saturday after sustaining a calf tear in training last week.

Barcelona goalkeeper Neto to undergo surgery on wrist injury

Barcelona's £107-million star signing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/luis-suarezs-brace-antoine-griezmann-goal-power-barca-over-napoli-242151">Antoine Griezmann</a> netted his first goal for the team in the final La Liga season tuneup on Saturday against Napoli.&nbsp;

Griezmann scored in the 56th minute after an impressive run by defender Jordi Alba. The Spaniard charged deep into the box, then flicked a pass to his right and Griezmann netted a left-footed tap-in. &nbsp;

Having opened his account for the Catalans, Griezmann looked pleased in a video shared by the Barca's Twitter handle after the match. He said, "I am very happy to score my first goal with this shirt."&nbsp;

"I hope it will be the first of many," added the French forward.&nbsp;

A crowd of 60,043 at 110,000-seat Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated to an exquisite passing display by Barcelona.&nbsp;

Suarez opened the scoring in the 48th minute and netted twice. Griezmann and the other French striker Ousmane Dembele scored one goal each to sink Napoli 4-0.&nbsp;

Earlier, Barcelona coach had said that Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.&nbsp;"It's true that some players who are a good fit in together easier," Valverde had told media.

Watch Griezmann's first&nbsp;goal for Barcelona:

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Antoine Griezmann scores his first goal for Barcelona 😍🤩 🔵🔴<a href="https://t.co/0VsUKZiT2B">pic.twitter.com/0VsUKZiT2B</a>
— .♛. #BBNaija (@theCyberNewt) <a href="https://twitter.com/theCyberNewt/status/1160321376814862336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Watch&nbsp;Griezmann's reaction:

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Play for the crest on the front, so they'll remember the name on the back 💙❤ <a href="https://twitter.com/AntoGriezmann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AntoGriezmann</a> <a href="https://t.co/U5KSNC2uCc">pic.twitter.com/U5KSNC2uCc</a>
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1160471334759075841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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La Liga champions will start the title defence against Atletico Bilbao on August 17.&nbsp;

Barcelona's £107-million star signing Antoine Griezmann netted his first goal for the team in the final La Liga season tuneup on Saturday against Napoli. Griezmann scored in the 56th minute after an impressive run by defender Jordi Alba.

Barcelona's £107-million star signing Antoine Griezmann netted his first goal for the team in the final La Liga season tuneup on Saturday against Napoli. Griezmann scored in the 56th minute after an impressive run by defender Jordi Alba. The Spaniard charged deep into the box, then flicked a pass to his right and Griezmann netted a left-footed tap-in. Having opened his account for the Catalans, Griezmann looked pleased in a video shared by the Barca's Twitter handle after the match. He said, "I am very happy to score my first goal with this shirt." "I hope it will be the first of many," added the French forward. A crowd of 60,043 at 110,000-seat Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated to an exquisite passing display by Barcelona. Suarez opened the scoring in the 48th minute and netted twice. Griezmann and the other French striker Ousmane Dembele scored one goal each to sink Napoli 4-0. Earlier, Barcelona coach had said that Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. "It's true that some players who are a good fit in together easier," Valverde had told media. Watch Griezmann's first goal for Barcelona: Antoine Griezmann scores his first goal for Barcelona 😍🤩 🔵🔴pic.twitter.com/0VsUKZiT2B — .♛. #BBNaija (@theCyberNewt) August 10, 2019 × Watch Griezmann's reaction: Play for the crest on the front, so they'll remember the name on the back 💙❤ @AntoGriezmann pic.twitter.com/U5KSNC2uCc — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 11, 2019 × La Liga champions will start the title defence against Atletico Bilbao on August 17.

Watch: Antoine Griezmann's reaction after scoring his first goal for Barcelona

Luis Suarez scored twice, Antoine Griezmann netted his first goal for Barcelona and the Lionel Messi-less Spanish side ripped Napoli 4-0 Saturday in its final La Liga season tuneup.

Six days before Barcelona's opener against Atletico Bilbao, and with new talk swirling about a possible Neymar return to Camp Nou, the Spanish club routed the same Italian side that fell 2-1 to Barca on Wednesday in Miami.

Messi did not make the US trip due to a calf injury but no Messi proved no problem for Barcelona.

A crowd of 60,043 at 110,000-seat Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated to an exquisite passing display by Barcelona, which netted four goals in 15 minutes to seal Napoli's fate.

Suarez opened the scoring in the 48th minute, the Uruguayan forward blasting in a rebound after a Griezmann shot had been denied, Napoli protesting in vain the French striker had been offside.

Griezmann opened his Barcelona goal account in the 56th minute after an impressive run by defender Jordi Alba. The Spaniard charged deep into the box, then flicked a pass to his right and Griezmann netted a left-footed tap-in to lift Barcelona ahead 2-0.

Before Napoli could regain composure, Suarez found the net against with a beauty in the 58th minute, the South American firing a right-footed blast from the top of the box and tucking the ball just inside the right goalpost.

French striker Ousmane Dembele completed the scoring in the 63rd minute, his right-footed blast for the right side tucking just inside the far post.

In France, meanwhile, Neymar was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's opener and club sporting director Leonardo said transfer talks are "more advanced than before" regarding the Brazilian.

A move to Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are seen as the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer, with Spanish media on Friday saying that Zinedine Zidane's side will battle Barca for the 27-year-old's signature.

Luis Suarez scored twice, Antoine Griezmann netted his first goal for Barcelona and the Lionel Messi-less Spanish side ripped Napoli 4-0 Saturday in its final La Liga season tuneup.

Luis Suarez scored twice, Antoine Griezmann netted his first goal for Barcelona and the Lionel Messi-less Spanish side ripped Napoli 4-0 Saturday in its final La Liga season tuneup. Six days before Barcelona's opener against Atletico Bilbao, and with new talk swirling about a possible Neymar return to Camp Nou, the Spanish club routed the same Italian side that fell 2-1 to Barca on Wednesday in Miami. Messi did not make the US trip due to a calf injury but no Messi proved no problem for Barcelona. A crowd of 60,043 at 110,000-seat Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was treated to an exquisite passing display by Barcelona, which netted four goals in 15 minutes to seal Napoli's fate. Suarez opened the scoring in the 48th minute, the Uruguayan forward blasting in a rebound after a Griezmann shot had been denied, Napoli protesting in vain the French striker had been offside. Griezmann opened his Barcelona goal account in the 56th minute after an impressive run by defender Jordi Alba. The Spaniard charged deep into the box, then flicked a pass to his right and Griezmann netted a left-footed tap-in to lift Barcelona ahead 2-0. Before Napoli could regain composure, Suarez found the net against with a beauty in the 58th minute, the South American firing a right-footed blast from the top of the box and tucking the ball just inside the right goalpost. French striker Ousmane Dembele completed the scoring in the 63rd minute, his right-footed blast for the right side tucking just inside the far post. In France, meanwhile, Neymar was left out of Paris Saint-Germain's opener and club sporting director Leonardo said transfer talks are "more advanced than before" regarding the Brazilian. A move to Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are seen as the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer, with Spanish media on Friday saying that Zinedine Zidane's side will battle Barca for the 27-year-old's signature.

Luis Suarez's brace, Antoine Griezmann goal power Barca over Napoli

Paris Saint-Germain revealed on Saturday that Neymar transfer talks are "more advanced than before" after the Brazilian was dropped for the French champions' opening Ligue 1 match.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neymar-can-leave-psg-if-we-get-an-offer-says-club-director-leonardo-234404">Sporting director Leonardo </a>confirmed to reporters that the Brazilian was near the exit door but that PSG was "not yet ready to give their approval (to the transfer)" ahead of Sunday's match at the Parc des Princes.

Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer, with Spanish media on Friday saying that Zinedine Zidane's side will battle Barca for the 27-year-old's signature.

Sports newspaper AS claimed Neymar has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros&nbsp;they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount with players included in the deal.

Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo says that he would prefer a move back to Catalonia to play alongside former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Neymar started the new season by angering the Qatari-backed club when he turned up one week late for training. 
The player's camp maintained he had a prior agreement to stay away but that didn't wash with his employers who threatened to take 'appropriate action'.

Off the pitch, Neymar was informed by a Brazilian judge on Friday that the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neymar-rape-case-dismissed-court-241855"> rape case which has been hanging over the footballer</a> for months had been dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

Neymar had vehemently denied allegations he raped a Brazilian woman in a Paris hotel in May.

The forward, whose time in France has been marked by injuries and controversies, has made a series of remarks that strained his relationship further with the club and sparked outrage on social media.

Asked by an online sports channel about his best memory in football, he cited Barcelona's incredible 2017 Champions League victory over PSG when he was part of the team that overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit by winning 6-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

Paris Saint-Germain revealed on Saturday that Neymar transfer talks are "more advanced than before" after the Brazilian was dropped for the French champions' opening Ligue 1 match.

Paris Saint-Germain revealed on Saturday that Neymar transfer talks are "more advanced than before" after the Brazilian was dropped for the French champions' opening Ligue 1 match. Sporting director Leonardo confirmed to reporters that the Brazilian was near the exit door but that PSG was "not yet ready to give their approval (to the transfer)" ahead of Sunday's match at the Parc des Princes. Real Madrid or a return to Barcelona are the most likely destinations for the world's most expensive footballer, with Spanish media on Friday saying that Zinedine Zidane's side will battle Barca for the 27-year-old's signature. Sports newspaper AS claimed Neymar has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount with players included in the deal. Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo says that he would prefer a move back to Catalonia to play alongside former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Neymar started the new season by angering the Qatari-backed club when he turned up one week late for training. The player's camp maintained he had a prior agreement to stay away but that didn't wash with his employers who threatened to take 'appropriate action'. Off the pitch, Neymar was informed by a Brazilian judge on Friday that the rape case which has been hanging over the footballer for months had been dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Neymar had vehemently denied allegations he raped a Brazilian woman in a Paris hotel in May. The forward, whose time in France has been marked by injuries and controversies, has made a series of remarks that strained his relationship further with the club and sparked outrage on social media. Asked by an online sports channel about his best memory in football, he cited Barcelona's incredible 2017 Champions League victory over PSG when he was part of the team that overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit by winning 6-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

Neymar out of PSG opener, exit talks 'more advanced than before': Club

Barcelona's opening match of their La Liga title defence at Athletic Bilbao will take place next Friday after a judge ruled that matches could be played on that day but not on Mondays.

The decision from a court in Madrid means matches scheduled for Fridays in the opening three rounds, which were announced at the start of July, can be played, while matches planned for Mondays will have to be reorganised.

But La Liga has announced it will appeal the ruling as it aims for both Friday and Monday matches to be allowed this season.

"While the ruling has partially respected La Liga's requests with regards to interim measures, this organisation ... does not agree with the ruling and will proceed to exercise its right to appeal the decision," La Liga said in a statement.

Bilbao will host Barca at 9pm local time (1900 GMT) at San Mames stadium on August 16.

Confirmation of the date of the La Liga curtain-raiser comes just one week before the fixture kicks off, leaving supporters little time to arrange tickets and transport.

The decision also means existing matches due to take place on Mondays, including Eibar's trip to Mallorca and Real Betis' clash with Real Valladolid on August 19, will have to be moved.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) claimed a victory over the country's top division, who backed the controversial Friday and Monday matches and argued removing those slots would risk losing lucrative television contracts.

"We are very satisfied and happy," said RFEF president Luis Rubiales.&nbsp; 
"It's a historic day. The RFEF's position and my commitment to Spanish football and fans have been fulfilled."

However, the RFEF had wanted the removal of both Monday and Friday matches, which have proven controversial in Spain, where they have attracted disappointing attendances and been reserved primarily for teams lower down in the league table.

Barcelona's opening match of their La Liga title defence at Athletic Bilbao will take place next Friday after a judge ruled that matches could be played on that day but not on Mondays.

Barcelona's opening match of their La Liga title defence at Athletic Bilbao will take place next Friday after a judge ruled that matches could be played on that day but not on Mondays. The decision from a court in Madrid means matches scheduled for Fridays in the opening three rounds, which were announced at the start of July, can be played, while matches planned for Mondays will have to be reorganised. But La Liga has announced it will appeal the ruling as it aims for both Friday and Monday matches to be allowed this season. "While the ruling has partially respected La Liga's requests with regards to interim measures, this organisation ... does not agree with the ruling and will proceed to exercise its right to appeal the decision," La Liga said in a statement. Bilbao will host Barca at 9pm local time (1900 GMT) at San Mames stadium on August 16. Confirmation of the date of the La Liga curtain-raiser comes just one week before the fixture kicks off, leaving supporters little time to arrange tickets and transport. The decision also means existing matches due to take place on Mondays, including Eibar's trip to Mallorca and Real Betis' clash with Real Valladolid on August 19, will have to be moved. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) claimed a victory over the country's top division, who backed the controversial Friday and Monday matches and argued removing those slots would risk losing lucrative television contracts. "We are very satisfied and happy," said RFEF president Luis Rubiales. "It's a historic day. The RFEF's position and my commitment to Spanish football and fans have been fulfilled." However, the RFEF had wanted the removal of both Monday and Friday matches, which have proven controversial in Spain, where they have attracted disappointing attendances and been reserved primarily for teams lower down in the league table.

Barcelona to kick off La Liga next Friday after court's fixture ruling

Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/prosecutors-to-drop-rape-charges-against-neymar-241655">Neymar</a> this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press on Friday.&nbsp;

Madrid have shifted focus to Neymar after the close of the English Premier League's transfer window on Thursday ended their hopes of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

According to Marca, Neymar has "returned to the scene" with the club "believing for some time that the team is lacking a big star up front".&nbsp;

Sports newspaper AS claims the Brazilian has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount, with players included in the deal.&nbsp;

It means La Liga's two greatest rivals are set to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Neymar before the Spanish transfer window closes on September 2.&nbsp;

Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo says the 27-year-old will wait until August 20 for Barcelona to make a decisive move, after which "PSG's number 10 does not rule out any option in order to leave the French champions, where it is clear he does not want to stay any longer."&nbsp;

But Mundo adds that "it is clear Neymar wants to play for Barcelona" while Diario Sport agrees, writing that "the winning card Barca continues to hold is the will of the striker to runite with players like Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. With them he has a great understanding on the pitch and also a strong friendship off it."&nbsp;

Marca believes Madrid also have factors in their favour. "Neymar's priority is not to go to Barcelona. His priority is to leave the PSG," wrote Marca, also citing their "magnificent relationship" with PSG, "quite the opposite" of how the French club view Barcelona.&nbsp;

Luka Modric is mentioned as a possible makeweight while Philippe Coutinho, who reportedly rejected an offer from Tottenham this week, could be included in an offer from Barcelona.&nbsp;

Sport admits whichever team signs Neymar will "inflict a blow on their rivals by snatching a star player from the other's grasp".&nbsp;

"From now on, it will be Neymar that decides," Sport added. "Barcelona want the player to go public but he understands such a move would be risky. If Barca and PSG do not reach an agreement he would be stuck in the French capital for a third year."&nbsp;

Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press on Friday. Madrid have shifted focus to Neymar after the close of the English Premier League's transfer window on Thursday ended their hopes of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press on Friday. Madrid have shifted focus to Neymar after the close of the English Premier League's transfer window on Thursday ended their hopes of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba. According to Marca, Neymar has "returned to the scene" with the club "believing for some time that the team is lacking a big star up front". Sports newspaper AS claims the Brazilian has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount, with players included in the deal. It means La Liga's two greatest rivals are set to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Neymar before the Spanish transfer window closes on September 2. Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo says the 27-year-old will wait until August 20 for Barcelona to make a decisive move, after which "PSG's number 10 does not rule out any option in order to leave the French champions, where it is clear he does not want to stay any longer." But Mundo adds that "it is clear Neymar wants to play for Barcelona" while Diario Sport agrees, writing that "the winning card Barca continues to hold is the will of the striker to runite with players like Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. With them he has a great understanding on the pitch and also a strong friendship off it." Marca believes Madrid also have factors in their favour. "Neymar's priority is not to go to Barcelona. His priority is to leave the PSG," wrote Marca, also citing their "magnificent relationship" with PSG, "quite the opposite" of how the French club view Barcelona. Luka Modric is mentioned as a possible makeweight while Philippe Coutinho, who reportedly rejected an offer from Tottenham this week, could be included in an offer from Barcelona. Sport admits whichever team signs Neymar will "inflict a blow on their rivals by snatching a star player from the other's grasp". "From now on, it will be Neymar that decides," Sport added. "Barcelona want the player to go public but he understands such a move would be risky. If Barca and PSG do not reach an agreement he would be stuck in the French capital for a third year."

Real Madrid go head-to-head with Barcelona for Neymar: Reports

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday.

The Argentine forward experienced discomfort in his right leg during Monday's training session and tests confirmed that the 32-year-old had suffered a grade one calf strain, forcing him out of the tour.

"Messi will remain in Barcelona... his availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery," Barcelona said in a statement on their website.

Barcelona are set to travel to the US&nbsp;later on Monday, with two friendly matches scheduled against Italian Serie A side Napoli on Aug. 7 (Miami) and 10 (Michigan).

Messi was banned from international duty for three months and fined $50,000 after levelling accusations of "corruption" at South American soccer chiefs during last month's Copa America.

He was sent off against Chile in the third-place playoff and later alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of hosts Brazil, who defeated Argentina in the semi-final on their way to the title.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close-season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday. The Argentine forward experienced discomfort in his right leg during Monday's training session and tests confirmed that the 32-year-old had suffered a grade one calf strain, forcing him out of the tour. "Messi will remain in Barcelona... his availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery," Barcelona said in a statement on their website. Barcelona are set to travel to the US later on Monday, with two friendly matches scheduled against Italian Serie A side Napoli on Aug. 7 (Miami) and 10 (Michigan). Messi was banned from international duty for three months and fined $50,000 after levelling accusations of "corruption" at South American soccer chiefs during last month's Copa America. He was sent off against Chile in the third-place playoff and later alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of hosts Brazil, who defeated Argentina in the semi-final on their way to the title.

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi out of US tour with calf strain

Luis Suarez's late volley saw Barcelona to a 2-1 win in the Joan Gamper Trophy friendly in front of a bumper crowd at the Camp Nou, as Antoine Griezmann made his home debut following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid.

Suarez flashed home Sergi Roberto's lofted pass in the 89th minute in front of nearly 99,000 people, who packed the stands to see new signings Griezmann and Frenckie De Jong, with his strike and Ainsley Maitland-Niles' comical own goal&nbsp;cancelling out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's fine first-half opener.

"It was an entertaining game, the atmosphere was great and it was a privilege to reunite with our fans," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde.

"I think we did well, but perhaps in the first half we lacked a bit of rhythm."

Barca are aiming for European glory this campaign after suffering Champions League humiliations against Roma and Liverpool the last two seasons.

Before the match captain, Lionel Messi addressed those defeats -- which saw Barca throw away comfortable first-leg leads before being dumped out -- in a speech to the crowd.

However, Messi didn't take the field and it was&nbsp;left to his long-time strike partner rather than the new boys to see off the Gunners after a powerful second-half display.

Luis Suarez's late volley saw Barcelona to a 2-1 win in the Joan Gamper Trophy friendly in front of a bumper crowd at the Camp Nou, as Antoine Griezmann made his home debut following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid.

Luis Suarez's late volley saw Barcelona to a 2-1 win in the Joan Gamper Trophy friendly in front of a bumper crowd at the Camp Nou, as Antoine Griezmann made his home debut following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid. Suarez flashed home Sergi Roberto's lofted pass in the 89th minute in front of nearly 99,000 people, who packed the stands to see new signings Griezmann and Frenckie De Jong, with his strike and Ainsley Maitland-Niles' comical own goal cancelling out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's fine first-half opener. "It was an entertaining game, the atmosphere was great and it was a privilege to reunite with our fans," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. "I think we did well, but perhaps in the first half we lacked a bit of rhythm." Barca are aiming for European glory this campaign after suffering Champions League humiliations against Roma and Liverpool the last two seasons. Before the match captain, Lionel Messi addressed those defeats -- which saw Barca throw away comfortable first-leg leads before being dumped out -- in a speech to the crowd. However, Messi didn't take the field and it was left to his long-time strike partner rather than the new boys to see off the Gunners after a powerful second-half display.

99,000 fans see Luis Suarez sink Arsenal in Antoine Griezman's Camp Nou debut

Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto hailed club's £107-million star signing Antoine Griezmann as a "great player" and insisted that the former Atletico Madrid player will help Spanish champions in future.&nbsp;

During a post-match chat after defeating J-League outfit Vissel Kobe 2-0 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, Roberto said, "He (Griezmann) is a great player. He arrived to be better than last year."&nbsp;

"I am sure he will score a lot of goals. That's the reason he joined the club and I am sure he will help us a lot," the Spaniard added.&nbsp;

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is also confident that Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.&nbsp;

"It's true that some players who are a good fit in together easier," said Valverde.

"We will see the relationship socially and at the camp. We are excited about this opportunity," said the coach.&nbsp;

"We believe in balance in the team, in front or in the back, he (Griezmann) moves quick, he passes well, and finds space and this is what we were missing," added&nbsp;Valverde.&nbsp;

Win over Vissel Kobe wrapped up Barcelona's pre-season friendlies in Japan following their 2-1 loss to Chelsea earlier this week. Catalans' next pre-season match is against Arsenal at the Nou Camp on August 7.&nbsp;

Barcelona will start their La Liga campaign against Athletic Club Bilbao on Saturday, 17th August and Chelsea will start their Premier League season with a mouth-watering clash against Manchester United on August 10.&nbsp;

Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto hailed club's £107-million star signing Antoine Griezmann as a "great player" and insisted that the former Atletico Madrid player will help Spanish champions in future.

Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto hailed club's £107-million star signing Antoine Griezmann as a "great player" and insisted that the former Atletico Madrid player will help Spanish champions in future. During a post-match chat after defeating J-League outfit Vissel Kobe 2-0 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, Roberto said, "He (Griezmann) is a great player. He arrived to be better than last year." "I am sure he will score a lot of goals. That's the reason he joined the club and I am sure he will help us a lot," the Spaniard added. Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is also confident that Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. "It's true that some players who are a good fit in together easier," said Valverde. "We will see the relationship socially and at the camp. We are excited about this opportunity," said the coach. "We believe in balance in the team, in front or in the back, he (Griezmann) moves quick, he passes well, and finds space and this is what we were missing," added Valverde. Win over Vissel Kobe wrapped up Barcelona's pre-season friendlies in Japan following their 2-1 loss to Chelsea earlier this week. Catalans' next pre-season match is against Arsenal at the Nou Camp on August 7. Barcelona will start their La Liga campaign against Athletic Club Bilbao on Saturday, 17th August and Chelsea will start their Premier League season with a mouth-watering clash against Manchester United on August 10.

'Antoine Griezmann is a great player and will help us a lot,' says Sergi Roberto

Belgian international defender Thomas&nbsp;Vermaelen&nbsp;has become the latest high profile player to move to Vissel Kobe, the Japanese club announced on Saturday.

The 33-year-old, whose contract with Barcelona has now expired, will team up with David Silva, Lucas Podolski and his former Barca captain Andres Iniesta.

Vermaelen, who is reported to have turned down an offer to join Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht, passed his medical and visited the club's training complex.

"I'm very excited to be here to help the team, to improve the team," he told a news conference in Kobe, western Japan, ahead of a friendly between Bercelona and Vissel Kobe.

"I will do all my best to make this team better and I will show you that I will give my everything for this club," he said.

Vermaelen&nbsp;said he planned to share his experience at Barcelona with the Japanese club, saying: "I try to bring the complete package into this team."

Vermaelen&nbsp;began his career at Ajax before moving on to Arsenal and Barcelona with a loan spell at Roma.

He has played 74 times for Belgium, most recently in the 3-0 Euro qualifier win against Scotland in June.

Vissel Kobe are currently 15th in the 18-team J-league.&nbsp;

Belgian international defender Thomas Vermaelen has become the latest high profile player to move to Vissel Kobe, the Japanese club announced on Saturday. The 33-year-old, whose contract with Barcelona has now expired, will team up with David Silva, Lucas Podolski and his former Barca captain Andres Iniesta.

Belgian international defender Thomas Vermaelen has become the latest high profile player to move to Vissel Kobe, the Japanese club announced on Saturday. The 33-year-old, whose contract with Barcelona has now expired, will team up with David Silva, Lucas Podolski and his former Barca captain Andres Iniesta. Vermaelen, who is reported to have turned down an offer to join Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht, passed his medical and visited the club's training complex. "I'm very excited to be here to help the team, to improve the team," he told a news conference in Kobe, western Japan, ahead of a friendly between Bercelona and Vissel Kobe. "I will do all my best to make this team better and I will show you that I will give my everything for this club," he said. Vermaelen said he planned to share his experience at Barcelona with the Japanese club, saying: "I try to bring the complete package into this team." Vermaelen began his career at Ajax before moving on to Arsenal and Barcelona with a loan spell at Roma. He has played 74 times for Belgium, most recently in the 3-0 Euro qualifier win against Scotland in June. Vissel Kobe are currently 15th in the 18-team J-league.

Thomas Vermaelen signs for Japanese side Vissel Kobe

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is confident new signing Antoine Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez when the trio finally appear in the same team together.

Griezmann, who signed from La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid earlier this month, has been with the squad on Barcelona’s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/carles-perez-double-as-barcelona-beat-iniestas-vissel-kobe-2-0-238859">tour of Japan</a> and featured in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/carles-perez-double-as-barcelona-beat-iniestas-vissel-kobe-2-0-238859">side’s 2-0 win over Vissel Kobe</a> on Saturday.

However, following their exploits in the Copa America, Messi and Suarez have been given an extended break and will not link up with the team until they return from Japan.

With 682 La Liga goals between them, Valverde is understandably excited about the attacking trident and believes Griezmann might be the missing part of the puzzle as Barcelona chase their first Champions League trophy since 2015.

"It's true that some players who are good fit in together easier," said Valverde.

"We will see the relationship socially and at the camp. We are excited for this opportunity.

"We believe in balance in the team, in front or in the back, he (Griezmann) moves quick, he passes well, and finds space and this is what we were missing."

Two second-half goals from 21-year-old academy graduate Carles Perez were enough to seal the win over Kobe, who featured former Barca players Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Sergi Samper on Saturday.

"Carles Perez scored two goals today, so it's a good news for his potential and shows how we can bring the young guys forward," Valverde said.

Former Barca captain Iniesta, who left the club after 16 trophy-filled years last year, said it was an odd afternoon playing against former teammates such as Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic.

"Well, it's a bit strange of course (to play against Barcelona)," said the 35-year-old.

"You spend so long playing with the same players... it's strange, special.

"But at the start of the match you are clearly focusing on playing and trying to give a good impression."

Barcelona's next pre-season match is against Arsenal at the Nou Camp on August 7.

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is confident new signing Antoine Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez when the trio finally appear in the same team together.

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is confident new signing Antoine Griezmann will have no problems linking up with strike partners Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez when the trio finally appear in the same team together. Griezmann, who signed from La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid earlier this month, has been with the squad on Barcelona’s tour of Japan and featured in the side’s 2-0 win over Vissel Kobe on Saturday. However, following their exploits in the Copa America, Messi and Suarez have been given an extended break and will not link up with the team until they return from Japan. With 682 La Liga goals between them, Valverde is understandably excited about the attacking trident and believes Griezmann might be the missing part of the puzzle as Barcelona chase their first Champions League trophy since 2015. "It's true that some players who are good fit in together easier," said Valverde. "We will see the relationship socially and at the camp. We are excited for this opportunity. "We believe in balance in the team, in front or in the back, he (Griezmann) moves quick, he passes well, and finds space and this is what we were missing." Two second-half goals from 21-year-old academy graduate Carles Perez were enough to seal the win over Kobe, who featured former Barca players Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Sergi Samper on Saturday. "Carles Perez scored two goals today, so it's a good news for his potential and shows how we can bring the young guys forward," Valverde said. Former Barca captain Iniesta, who left the club after 16 trophy-filled years last year, said it was an odd afternoon playing against former teammates such as Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic. "Well, it's a bit strange of course (to play against Barcelona)," said the 35-year-old. "You spend so long playing with the same players... it's strange, special. "But at the start of the match you are clearly focusing on playing and trying to give a good impression." Barcelona's next pre-season match is against Arsenal at the Nou Camp on August 7.

Ernesto Valverde backs Griezmann to connect with Messi, Suarez

Carles Perez scored his first two goals for Barcelona as the Spanish giants won 2-0 against a Vissel Kobe side featuring Andres Iniesta, a legend of the Catalan club.

As Kobe's Iniesta, David Villa and Sergi Samper were all reunited with their former team, it was Perez who stole the limelight with a top-class double.

The 21-year-old, a product of Barcelona's academy, played a one-two inside the box and nutmegged the goalkeeper for his first goal, and fired a stunning left-footer for his second in the dying minutes.

Iniesta had his chances and 28,000 fans sighed their frustration as he put a fierce shot just wide.

"It was my first goal for Barcelona and I'm glad to score even two," Perez said.

"It's been my dream to score goals for this great team since my childhood," he added.

The win wrapped up Barcelona's pre-season friendlies in Japan following their 2-1 loss to Chelsea earlier this week.

Carles Perez scored his first two goals for Barcelona as the Spanish giants won 2-0 against a Vissel Kobe side featuring Andres Iniesta, a legend of the Catalan club.

Carles Perez scored his first two goals for Barcelona as the Spanish giants won 2-0 against a Vissel Kobe side featuring Andres Iniesta, a legend of the Catalan club. As Kobe's Iniesta, David Villa and Sergi Samper were all reunited with their former team, it was Perez who stole the limelight with a top-class double. The 21-year-old, a product of Barcelona's academy, played a one-two inside the box and nutmegged the goalkeeper for his first goal, and fired a stunning left-footer for his second in the dying minutes. Iniesta had his chances and 28,000 fans sighed their frustration as he put a fierce shot just wide. "It was my first goal for Barcelona and I'm glad to score even two," Perez said. "It's been my dream to score goals for this great team since my childhood," he added. The win wrapped up Barcelona's pre-season friendlies in Japan following their 2-1 loss to Chelsea earlier this week.

Carles Perez double as Barcelona beat Iniesta's Vissel Kobe 2-0

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