The result of Champions league finale, which is between Liverpool and Real Madrid will decide whether Barcelona mid-fielder Philippe Coutinho will get silver or gold medal. As per media reports, Anfield officials have decided that Coutinho's contribution to Liverpool's campaign should be recognised, despite the fact he left for Barcelona in January.

Having played for Liverpool earlier in the competition, Coutinho wasn't eligible to play for FC Barcelona in the knockout stages.

As per the rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, excluding UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season.

Coutinho is one of 25 players who have featured for Liverpool in Champions League action this season and despite the fact that he made a £142million move to Barcelona, a medal should be dispatched to Catalonia as he played an important role in inspiring the Reds to seal a place in the Champions League last 16.

Despite the fact that Philippe Coutinho made a £142million move to Barcelona, a medal will be dispatched to Catalonia

The result of Champions league finale, which is between Liverpool and Real Madrid will decide whether Barcelona mid-fielder Philippe Coutinho will get silver or gold medal. As per media reports, Anfield officials have decided that Coutinho's contribution to Liverpool's campaign should be recognised, despite the fact he left for Barcelona in January. Having played for Liverpool earlier in the competition, Coutinho wasn't eligible to play for FC Barcelona in the knockout stages. As per the rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, excluding UEFA Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season. Coutinho is one of 25 players who have featured for Liverpool in Champions League action this season and despite the fact that he made a £142million move to Barcelona, a medal should be dispatched to Catalonia as he played an important role in inspiring the Reds to seal a place in the Champions League last 16.

Champions League: Will Philippe Coutinho receive a medal?

Andres Iniesta waved goodbye to Barcelona on Sunday and his supposed successor scored the winner as Philippe Coutinho's superb strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad.&nbsp

Iniesta, with a tear in his eye, walked off to a standing ovation from the Camp Nou when substituted in the second half, having unfastened his captain's armband and handed it to Lionel Messi.&nbsp

If Messi is to become Barca's new leader, Coutinho is the player marked out to assume Iniesta's creative responsibilities and it was perhaps fitting the Brazilian proved the difference on a night almost entirely devoted to his 34-year-old team-mate.&nbsp

After his number eight had come up on the fourth official's board, Iniesta first hugged Messi and then embraced the rest of his colleagues. He clapped the crowd, blew them a kiss, before exhaling and ducking into the dug-out.&nbsp

After 22 years at the club and 16 in the first team, Iniesta's 674 appearances for Barcelona is bettered only by Xavi Hernandez, who was also on the pitch before kick-off to join in the tributes.&nbsp

Real Sociedad welcomed Iniesta with a guard of honour while the crowd formed an impressive mosaic to spell out 'Infinit Iniesta' on the two sides of the Camp Nou, with an infinity symbol, doubling up as number eights, at the ends.&nbsp

A giant flag behind one of the goals read 'Gracies Per Tant', 'thank you for so much'.&nbsp

Iniesta exchanged pennants with Xabi Prieto, the 34-year-old midfielder who is also calling time after 15 years in the first team of Real Sociedad. Prieto came on in the 88th minute to great appreciation from the visiting support.&nbsp

There was also a football match to win and Barcelona's victory means they finish top of La Liga on 93 points, 14 ahead of their nearest rivals Atletico Madrid and 17 clear of Real.&nbsp

Dembele injury concern

The one blot on the night was an injury to Ousmane Dembele, who had to go off in the 53rd minute after sustaining an injury to his right foot towards the end of the first half.

Dembele was seen being handed an ice pack on the bench, with France now facing an anxious wait for the diagnosis before the start of the World Cup.

Ernesto Valverde stayed true to his word that he would rest Messi, who only came on for the final 23 minutes.

Early on, Gerard Pique miscued when left free at a corner and Ivan Rakitic headed wide but otherwise Real Sociedad were fairly comfortable in the first half.&nbsp

Nelson Semedo wanted a penalty after he was tripped by Alberto De La Bella and Luis Suarez wanted a harsher punishment when Raul Navas lunged in on Dembele.&nbsp

Navas, nowhere near the ball, caught Dembele's right foot and Suarez was booked for his complaints to referee Jose Munuera.&nbsp

Dembele finished the half but was taken off shortly after the interval as Denis Suarez came on to replace the French forward.&nbsp

Coutinho's goal came rather out of the blue but was no less impressive for the fact as he wiggled his way into space on the left of the penalty area and curled a trademark shot inside the far corner.&nbsp

That was his last significant contribution before being replaced by Messi, who almost set up a second only for Denis Suarez to squander the finish.&nbsp

Finally, Iniesta was replaced in the 82nd minute by Paco Alcacer and the fans did not stop chanting the veteran's name until the final whistle blew.&nbsp

Andres Iniesta waved goodbye to Barcelona on Sunday and his supposed successor scored the winner as Philippe Coutinho's superb strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad

Andres Iniesta waved goodbye to Barcelona on Sunday and his supposed successor scored the winner as Philippe Coutinho's superb strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad. Iniesta, with a tear in his eye, walked off to a standing ovation from the Camp Nou when substituted in the second half, having unfastened his captain's armband and handed it to Lionel Messi. If Messi is to become Barca's new leader, Coutinho is the player marked out to assume Iniesta's creative responsibilities and it was perhaps fitting the Brazilian proved the difference on a night almost entirely devoted to his 34-year-old team-mate. After his number eight had come up on the fourth official's board, Iniesta first hugged Messi and then embraced the rest of his colleagues. He clapped the crowd, blew them a kiss, before exhaling and ducking into the dug-out. After 22 years at the club and 16 in the first team, Iniesta's 674 appearances for Barcelona is bettered only by Xavi Hernandez, who was also on the pitch before kick-off to join in the tributes. Real Sociedad welcomed Iniesta with a guard of honour while the crowd formed an impressive mosaic to spell out 'Infinit Iniesta' on the two sides of the Camp Nou, with an infinity symbol, doubling up as number eights, at the ends. A giant flag behind one of the goals read 'Gracies Per Tant', 'thank you for so much'. Iniesta exchanged pennants with Xabi Prieto, the 34-year-old midfielder who is also calling time after 15 years in the first team of Real Sociedad. Prieto came on in the 88th minute to great appreciation from the visiting support. There was also a football match to win and Barcelona's victory means they finish top of La Liga on 93 points, 14 ahead of their nearest rivals Atletico Madrid and 17 clear of Real. Dembele injury concern The one blot on the night was an injury to Ousmane Dembele, who had to go off in the 53rd minute after sustaining an injury to his right foot towards the end of the first half. Dembele was seen being handed an ice pack on the bench, with France now facing an anxious wait for the diagnosis before the start of the World Cup. Ernesto Valverde stayed true to his word that he would rest Messi, who only came on for the final 23 minutes. Early on, Gerard Pique miscued when left free at a corner and Ivan Rakitic headed wide but otherwise Real Sociedad were fairly comfortable in the first half. Nelson Semedo wanted a penalty after he was tripped by Alberto De La Bella and Luis Suarez wanted a harsher punishment when Raul Navas lunged in on Dembele. Navas, nowhere near the ball, caught Dembele's right foot and Suarez was booked for his complaints to referee Jose Munuera. Dembele finished the half but was taken off shortly after the interval as Denis Suarez came on to replace the French forward. Coutinho's goal came rather out of the blue but was no less impressive for the fact as he wiggled his way into space on the left of the penalty area and curled a trademark shot inside the far corner. That was his last significant contribution before being replaced by Messi, who almost set up a second only for Denis Suarez to squander the finish. Finally, Iniesta was replaced in the 82nd minute by Paco Alcacer and the fans did not stop chanting the veteran's name until the final whistle blew.

Andres Iniesta bows out with Barca win thanks to brilliant Coutinho strike

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo had sprained his ankle during the El Clasico draw with Barcelona earlier this month.

He has not played since then and there were many questions on his fitness ahead of the club's World Cup, i.e. UEFA Champions League.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has denied all the rumours related to Cristiano Ronaldo's injury and declared him "120 per cent" fit ahead of the Champions League final.

He also mentioned that Ronaldo is available in Real's final league game of the season which is against Villarreal on Saturday, he also mentioned that it will help him in warming up for the big event.

Ronaldo sprained his ankle against Barcelona earlier this month, prompting fears the Portuguese might not make the clash against Liverpool on May 26.

Real can still snatch second place from Atletico Madrid if they win and Atletico lose at home to Eibar on Sunday but Zidane's players will be keener to make their case for a starting spot against Liverpool.

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo had sprained his ankle during the El Clasico draw with Barcelona earlier this month

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo had sprained his ankle during the El Clasico draw with Barcelona earlier this month. He has not played since then and there were many questions on his fitness ahead of the club's World Cup, i.e. UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has denied all the rumours related to Cristiano Ronaldo's injury and declared him "120 per cent" fit ahead of the Champions League final. He also mentioned that Ronaldo is available in Real's final league game of the season which is against Villarreal on Saturday, he also mentioned that it will help him in warming up for the big event. Ronaldo sprained his ankle against Barcelona earlier this month, prompting fears the Portuguese might not make the clash against Liverpool on May 26. Real can still snatch second place from Atletico Madrid if they win and Atletico lose at home to Eibar on Sunday but Zidane's players will be keener to make their case for a starting spot against Liverpool.

Cristiano Ronaldo '120 per cent' fit for Champions League final: Zinedine Zidane

"This injury is difficult, and the biggest challenge is right now, going to the World Cup after not playing for three months," the 26-year-old Paris St Germain forward said on a sponsor's social media channel.

Brazilian striker Neymar said getting fit for the World Cup following surgery has been the biggest challenge of his career and he is also worried about how his injured foot will respond to top-class competition.

"The expectations are very high, not just from the fans but from me as well, that's why this is the biggest challenge I'm facing."

He has been out of action since spraining his ankle and fracturing his fifth metatarsal on Feb. 25, which led him to undergo surgery in Brazil.

The striker said he feared he would miss the June 14-July 15 World Cup finals in Russia in the immediate aftermath of suffering the injury.

"I was a bit worried I might not be ready in time but after I had the scans, they...told me about the surgery, how long the recovery would take, and that helped to calm me down.

"I've started training with the ball, I've started shooting and passing and now it's just a case of improving," he added. "I feel good, comfortable, at ease. Of course, there is a certain worry, fear, but little by little I'll lose that."

Neymar, who joined the Ligue 1 club from Barcelona for a record 222 million euros ($265.18 million) last August, is expected to be fully fit by the time Brazil kick off their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 17.

The five-times world champions will also play Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E.

He has been out of action since spraining his ankle and fracturing his fifth metatarsal on Feb. 25, which led him to undergo surgery in Brazil

"This injury is difficult, and the biggest challenge is right now, going to the World Cup after not playing for three months," the 26-year-old Paris St Germain forward said on a sponsor's social media channel. Brazilian striker Neymar said getting fit for the World Cup following surgery has been the biggest challenge of his career and he is also worried about how his injured foot will respond to top-class competition. "The expectations are very high, not just from the fans but from me as well, that's why this is the biggest challenge I'm facing." He has been out of action since spraining his ankle and fracturing his fifth metatarsal on Feb. 25, which led him to undergo surgery in Brazil. The striker said he feared he would miss the June 14-July 15 World Cup finals in Russia in the immediate aftermath of suffering the injury. "I was a bit worried I might not be ready in time but after I had the scans, they...told me about the surgery, how long the recovery would take, and that helped to calm me down. "I've started training with the ball, I've started shooting and passing and now it's just a case of improving," he added. "I feel good, comfortable, at ease. Of course, there is a certain worry, fear, but little by little I'll lose that." Neymar, who joined the Ligue 1 club from Barcelona for a record 222 million euros ($265.18 million) last August, is expected to be fully fit by the time Brazil kick off their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 17. The five-times world champions will also play Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E.

Neymar's foot injury worries him, as he prepares to return

Turkish football authorities on Thursday banned the country's best-known player&nbsp;Arda&nbsp;Turan, on loan at Super Lig contenders Basaksehir from Barcelona, for a record 16 games after he shoved and verbally abused a referee.

Turan&nbsp;- who will now miss the last two rounds of this season and almost half of next season -&nbsp;was banned for 10 matches for attacking the assistant referee, three matches for insulting him and another three matches for threatening him.

"In total, he is suspended for 16 matches," the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said in a statement following a meeting of its disciplinary committee.&nbsp;

Turkish media said the punishment was the lengthiest ever handed to a player in the history of the Turkish game.&nbsp;

He was also fined 39,000 lira ($9,200).

Basaksehir, contenders for the league title this season, had been leading 1-0 to Sivaspor in the May 4 game but conceded a late equaliser in a major blow to their championship hopes.&nbsp;

Seeking to launch a final attack down the wing,&nbsp;Turan&nbsp;felt the assistant referee's decision had gone against him and marched up to the official, remonstrating in his face and then shoving him firmly back with both hands.&nbsp;

Turan&nbsp;was then given an instant red card by the match referee and could be seen continuing to rant as he marched off the pitch.

'Should have been 6-8 matches'

Basaksehir chairman Goksel Gumusdag said he did not approve of&nbsp;Turan's actions and vowed the club would also punish the player.

But he accused the TFF of double standards and said that Basaksehir would go to arbitration in a bid to have the suspension reduced.

"As the Basaksehir family, we cannot agree to this...&nbsp;Arda&nbsp;Turan should have been given a ban of 6-8 matches," Gumusdag told the A Sports channel.

Turan&nbsp;joined Basaksehir this season on loan from Barcelona, where he had largely endured an unhappy spell on the bench after joining from Atletico Madrid.&nbsp;

Currently third in the Super Lig, Basaksehir have risen from obscurity to challenge the traditional Istanbul giants in the last three seasons. Critics deride the team as a pro-government outfit but this is rejected by the club.

Turan, who has won 100 caps for Turkey, makes no secret of his admiration for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended his wedding earlier this year.

The new incident came with Turkish football facing one of its biggest crises in recent years after an Istanbul derby Turkish Cup semi-final between Fenerbahce and Besiktas was abandoned last month due to crowd violence.

Fenerbahce will face Akhisar later Thursday in the final after being given a walkover when Besiktas refused to turn up to the resumption of the abandoned game.

Turkish football authorities on Thursday banned the country's best-known player Arda Turan, on loan at Super Lig contenders Basaksehir from Barcelona, for a record 16 games

Turkish football authorities on Thursday banned the country's best-known player Arda Turan, on loan at Super Lig contenders Basaksehir from Barcelona, for a record 16 games after he shoved and verbally abused a referee. Turan - who will now miss the last two rounds of this season and almost half of next season - was banned for 10 matches for attacking the assistant referee, three matches for insulting him and another three matches for threatening him. "In total, he is suspended for 16 matches," the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said in a statement following a meeting of its disciplinary committee. Turkish media said the punishment was the lengthiest ever handed to a player in the history of the Turkish game. He was also fined 39,000 lira ($9,200). Basaksehir, contenders for the league title this season, had been leading 1-0 to Sivaspor in the May 4 game but conceded a late equaliser in a major blow to their championship hopes. Seeking to launch a final attack down the wing, Turan felt the assistant referee's decision had gone against him and marched up to the official, remonstrating in his face and then shoving him firmly back with both hands. Turan was then given an instant red card by the match referee and could be seen continuing to rant as he marched off the pitch. 'Should have been 6-8 matches' Basaksehir chairman Goksel Gumusdag said he did not approve of Turan's actions and vowed the club would also punish the player. But he accused the TFF of double standards and said that Basaksehir would go to arbitration in a bid to have the suspension reduced. "As the Basaksehir family, we cannot agree to this... Arda Turan should have been given a ban of 6-8 matches," Gumusdag told the A Sports channel. Turan joined Basaksehir this season on loan from Barcelona, where he had largely endured an unhappy spell on the bench after joining from Atletico Madrid. Currently third in the Super Lig, Basaksehir have risen from obscurity to challenge the traditional Istanbul giants in the last three seasons. Critics deride the team as a pro-government outfit but this is rejected by the club. Turan, who has won 100 caps for Turkey, makes no secret of his admiration for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended his wedding earlier this year. The new incident came with Turkish football facing one of its biggest crises in recent years after an Istanbul derby Turkish Cup semi-final between Fenerbahce and Besiktas was abandoned last month due to crowd violence. Fenerbahce will face Akhisar later Thursday in the final after being given a walkover when Besiktas refused to turn up to the resumption of the abandoned game.

Arda Turan gets 16-game ban for pushing and abusing referee

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has expressed confidence that Ferrari will continue to dominate in Barcelona.

Ferrari are currently standing at the top spot in Formula One Constructors` Championship&nbsp;with many pundits claiming that the Italian team can finally clinch their first drivers` title since 2007 this year. Meanwhile, Mercedes had performed brilliantly in the pre-season tests in Barcelona, where this weekend`s Spanish Grand Prix is to be held.

However, Vettel played down the same, saying they will surely win the upcoming race because their pace is good.

"If we`re in front, we will win. I`m not worried at all. The most important thing is that we have a good car to work with in qualifying. If we`re in front, we can win because our race pace is good," Vettel said.&nbsp;The German driver further insisted that Ferrari cars have been comparatively better in 2018 as compared to the past few years.

"Especially in qualifying we were not competitive enough in previous years," Vettel concluded.

Vettel is currently standing at the second spot in the drivers` championship, trailing Mercedes rival and championship leader Lewis Hamilton by four points.&nbsp;

Vettel said they will surely win the upcoming race because their pace is good

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has expressed confidence that Ferrari will continue to dominate in Barcelona. Ferrari are currently standing at the top spot in Formula One Constructors` Championship with many pundits claiming that the Italian team can finally clinch their first drivers` title since 2007 this year. Meanwhile, Mercedes had performed brilliantly in the pre-season tests in Barcelona, where this weekend`s Spanish Grand Prix is to be held. However, Vettel played down the same, saying they will surely win the upcoming race because their pace is good. "If we`re in front, we will win. I`m not worried at all. The most important thing is that we have a good car to work with in qualifying. If we`re in front, we can win because our race pace is good," Vettel said. The German driver further insisted that Ferrari cars have been comparatively better in 2018 as compared to the past few years. "Especially in qualifying we were not competitive enough in previous years," Vettel concluded. Vettel is currently standing at the second spot in the drivers` championship, trailing Mercedes rival and championship leader Lewis Hamilton by four points.

Ferrari will win in Barcelona: Sebastian Vettel

Chinese Super League giants Chongqing Dangdai Lifan have denied move for Andres Iniesta. Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta announced recently that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

He has spent all his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 32 trophies for FC Barcelona.

From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and some Spanish media reported that he will move to a elite club Chongqing Dangdai Lifan of Chinese Super League.

The Chinese club also said that Iniesta wouldn't be joining "as a player" but left the door open to future cooperation with the midfielder, who has promotional and marketing links with the city.

"Our club will never violate the development prospects of Chinese football and we are determined to make due contributions to the healthy development of Chinese football," a statement said.

It added: "The other sports industry sections of our club's controlling shareholder have in-depth cooperation with Mr. Iniesta in sports brokerage, sports marketing, and youth training and education.

"We don't rule out that in the future there may be more in-depth cooperation between the two sides in the Chinese market, but this does not mean that Mr. Iniesta will join the club as a player."

Spanish media reported that the Barcelona captain could now be headed for Japan or Australia.

Chinese Super League giants Chongqing Dangdai Lifan have denied move for Andres Iniesta

Chinese Super League giants Chongqing Dangdai Lifan have denied move for Andres Iniesta. Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta announced recently that he will leave the club at the end of the season. He has spent all his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 32 trophies for FC Barcelona. From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and some Spanish media reported that he will move to a elite club Chongqing Dangdai Lifan of Chinese Super League. The Chinese club also said that Iniesta wouldn't be joining "as a player" but left the door open to future cooperation with the midfielder, who has promotional and marketing links with the city. "Our club will never violate the development prospects of Chinese football and we are determined to make due contributions to the healthy development of Chinese football," a statement said. It added: "The other sports industry sections of our club's controlling shareholder have in-depth cooperation with Mr. Iniesta in sports brokerage, sports marketing, and youth training and education. "We don't rule out that in the future there may be more in-depth cooperation between the two sides in the Chinese market, but this does not mean that Mr. Iniesta will join the club as a player." Spanish media reported that the Barcelona captain could now be headed for Japan or Australia.

Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan denies Iniesta move

La Liga champions FC Barcelona continued its winning streak after drawing 2-2 against Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday in an ill-tempered and highly charged "El Clasico."

Despite the fact that Barcelona already won the La Liga title, the normal league match saw a total of 28 fouls, eight yellow cards and&nbsp;a red card. Maybe this is the reason why El Clasico is the most celebrated rivalry&nbsp;worldwide.

Other than the two teams, the referee Hernandez Hernandez is being criticised for ignoring several fouls that could have changed the result.

Barca striker Luis Suarez scored the first goal and gave a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute which was equalised just after four minutes by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the second half, Lionel Messi scored a stunner to give 2-1 lead but Madrid's forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions a victory.

The match concluded with several controversies with both the teams playing a rough game.&nbsp;

Barca mid-fielder Sergio Roberto was given a red card for his unacceptable&nbsp;encounter with Marcelo.

Apart from verbal altercations and deliberate fouls, there were few incidents which referee ignored or missed completely and now they are being highlighted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Ramos: “Knowing Luis Suarez, I made clear that we wouldn't put the ball out of play.” [Marca] <a href="https://t.co/m1yrt0Np4p">pic.twitter.com/m1yrt0Np4p</a>
— Real Madrid Info (@RMadridInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMadridInfo/status/993357376412618757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In the 52nd minute, Luis Suarez made a clear foul while tackling Real's defender Varane but was somehow ignored by the referee. The tackle resulted positively for Barca as Messi took advantage of the pass and scored in the extreme left of the net and stunned&nbsp;Real's goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

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how is this not a foul ladies and gentlemen <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElClasico?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElClasico</a> <a href="https://t.co/8dxvjMaEZH">pic.twitter.com/8dxvjMaEZH</a>
— Buzz (@GHfollowtrain) <a href="https://twitter.com/GHfollowtrain/status/993235777143427072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In another shocking event, Gareth Bale hit Barca defender Umtiti which went unpunished.

Jordi Alba grabbed Luka Modric by his neck which went unnoticed and Alba easily&nbsp;got away.&nbsp;

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Who does he think he is?? You can't grab Luka Modric by the neck!!! <a href="https://t.co/JK85wmpzyS">pic.twitter.com/JK85wmpzyS</a>
— Florentino Pérez (@RealFloPerez) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealFloPerez/status/993247624080838656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Also, a penalty by Jordi Alba was snubbed by a foul whistle that narrowed the Real chances to win the match when he pushed Marcelo. His&nbsp;spat with Marcelo also went unseen.

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Robbery Part 2: Ask any football fan, This is 100% Penalty and a straight Red Card for Jordi Alba. <a href="https://t.co/isbFYGGLX4">pic.twitter.com/isbFYGGLX4</a>
— RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMadridBabe/status/993226143024238593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Barcelona had their best&nbsp;chance when mid-fielder Ivan Rakitic was heading towards the goal but was given an invalid offside.

The list of incidents reflects on the urgent need of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in extremely intense matches such as "El Clasico."&nbsp;

The Barcelona-Real clash Sunday night saw 28 fouls, one grabbing of the neck, one red card, and eight yellows

La Liga champions FC Barcelona continued its winning streak after drawing 2-2 against Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday in an ill-tempered and highly charged "El Clasico." Despite the fact that Barcelona already won the La Liga title, the normal league match saw a total of 28 fouls, eight yellow cards and a red card. Maybe this is the reason why El Clasico is the most celebrated rivalry worldwide. Other than the two teams, the referee Hernandez Hernandez is being criticised for ignoring several fouls that could have changed the result. Barca striker Luis Suarez scored the first goal and gave a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute which was equalised just after four minutes by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo. In the second half, Lionel Messi scored a stunner to give 2-1 lead but Madrid's forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions a victory. The match concluded with several controversies with both the teams playing a rough game. Barca mid-fielder Sergio Roberto was given a red card for his unacceptable encounter with Marcelo. Apart from verbal altercations and deliberate fouls, there were few incidents which referee ignored or missed completely and now they are being highlighted. Ramos: “Knowing Luis Suarez, I made clear that we wouldn't put the ball out of play.” [Marca] pic.twitter.com/m1yrt0Np4p — Real Madrid Info (@RMadridInfo) May 7, 2018 × In the 52nd minute, Luis Suarez made a clear foul while tackling Real's defender Varane but was somehow ignored by the referee. The tackle resulted positively for Barca as Messi took advantage of the pass and scored in the extreme left of the net and stunned Real's goalkeeper Keylor Navas. how is this not a foul ladies and gentlemen #ElClasico pic.twitter.com/8dxvjMaEZH — Buzz (@GHfollowtrain) May 6, 2018 × In another shocking event, Gareth Bale hit Barca defender Umtiti which went unpunished. Jordi Alba grabbed Luka Modric by his neck which went unnoticed and Alba easily got away. Who does he think he is?? You can't grab Luka Modric by the neck!!! pic.twitter.com/JK85wmpzyS — Florentino Pérez (@RealFloPerez) May 6, 2018 × Also, a penalty by Jordi Alba was snubbed by a foul whistle that narrowed the Real chances to win the match when he pushed Marcelo. His spat with Marcelo also went unseen. Robbery Part 2: Ask any football fan, This is 100% Penalty and a straight Red Card for Jordi Alba. pic.twitter.com/isbFYGGLX4 — RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) May 6, 2018 × Barcelona had their best chance when mid-fielder Ivan Rakitic was heading towards the goal but was given an invalid offside. The list of incidents reflects on the urgent need of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in extremely intense matches such as "El Clasico."

'El Clasico' not so classic: Other times the referee got it wrong

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half.

Luis Suarez volleyed unbeaten Barca into the lead after 10 minutes following a gut-busting run and cross from Roberto while Cristiano Ronaldo levelled for Champions League finalists Real five minutes later from close range.

However, the Portugal forward's ankle was trodden on by Gerard Pique in the process and he was substituted at halftime. Coach Zinedine Zidane said the injury was "a small thing" and Ronaldo will be fit for the Champions League final.

Bale had risked getting sent off for raking his studs against Samuel Umtiti's leg but escaped without a booking on that occasion and Roberto was sent off moments later for hitting Marcelo following an off-the-ball tussle.

Lionel Messi scored a mesmerising, record-extending 26th Clasico goal to put 10-man Barca back in front after 52 minutes but Bale, who had contributed little, silenced the Nou Camp with a thumping strike from the edge of the area in the 72nd.

Champions Barca have 87 points while Real are third in the Liga standings with 72 after 35 games. Atletico Madrid, who lost their unbeaten home record in a 2-0 defeat by Espanyol erlier on Sunday, are second on 75 but have played one game more.

This was the first 'Clasico' in a decade which had no bearing on the title race but the game was still played with all the usual passion and tension which makes it the most famous club fixture in Europe.

Referee Alejando Hernandez Hernandez showed a total of eight yellow cards as well as the straight red for Roberto.

Bale was eventually booked as was the usually even-tempered Messi, who made an uncharacteristically aggressive challenge on Sergio Ramos after the Real captain had an ugly confrontation with Suarez which led to both players getting yellow cards.

Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later.

Both sides pushed for a winner and Real could have had a penalty when Jordi Alba caught Marcelo but Barca clung on to remain unbeaten in the league with three games to go.

Barcelona's players remained on the pitch after the game to celebrate their double success with the home fans, having clinched the title last week at Deportivo La Coruna and won the King's Cup final against Sevilla on April 21.

Real refused to offer the traditional guard of honour to the champions before the game so Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the Catalan club's coaching staff to form two lines either side of his team mates as they left the pitch.

Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half. Luis Suarez volleyed unbeaten Barca into the lead after 10 minutes following a gut-busting run and cross from Roberto while Cristiano Ronaldo levelled for Champions League finalists Real five minutes later from close range. However, the Portugal forward's ankle was trodden on by Gerard Pique in the process and he was substituted at halftime. Coach Zinedine Zidane said the injury was "a small thing" and Ronaldo will be fit for the Champions League final. Bale had risked getting sent off for raking his studs against Samuel Umtiti's leg but escaped without a booking on that occasion and Roberto was sent off moments later for hitting Marcelo following an off-the-ball tussle. Lionel Messi scored a mesmerising, record-extending 26th Clasico goal to put 10-man Barca back in front after 52 minutes but Bale, who had contributed little, silenced the Nou Camp with a thumping strike from the edge of the area in the 72nd. Champions Barca have 87 points while Real are third in the Liga standings with 72 after 35 games. Atletico Madrid, who lost their unbeaten home record in a 2-0 defeat by Espanyol erlier on Sunday, are second on 75 but have played one game more. This was the first 'Clasico' in a decade which had no bearing on the title race but the game was still played with all the usual passion and tension which makes it the most famous club fixture in Europe. Referee Alejando Hernandez Hernandez showed a total of eight yellow cards as well as the straight red for Roberto. Bale was eventually booked as was the usually even-tempered Messi, who made an uncharacteristically aggressive challenge on Sergio Ramos after the Real captain had an ugly confrontation with Suarez which led to both players getting yellow cards. Suarez appeared to have fouled Raphael Varane in the build-up to Messi's goal and the Uruguayan forward had a goal ruled out for offside three minutes later. Both sides pushed for a winner and Real could have had a penalty when Jordi Alba caught Marcelo but Barca clung on to remain unbeaten in the league with three games to go. Barcelona's players remained on the pitch after the game to celebrate their double success with the home fans, having clinched the title last week at Deportivo La Coruna and won the King's Cup final against Sevilla on April 21. Real refused to offer the traditional guard of honour to the champions before the game so Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the Catalan club's coaching staff to form two lines either side of his team mates as they left the pitch.

El Clasico: Real Madrid, Barcelona tie ends in ill-tempered draw

Real Madrid refused to give a guard of honour in the El Clasico to the league champions FC Barcelona on Sunday but Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the club staff to perform the tradition.

Recently, Madrid's coach Zinedine Zidane mentioned very clearly that Real Madrid will not give La Liga champions Barcelona a guard of honour when the sides meet in El Clasico.

While interacting with media, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said, "As we are a family, and they didn't want to give us a guard of honour, I have asked our staff to make one, with that we are leaving."

Watch the video:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We did our own guard of honour since madrid refuse to give us. The coaching staff perform a 
guard of honor for the team <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/For%C3%A7aBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForçaBarça</a>! <a href="https://t.co/6ZZEZdVhNY">pic.twitter.com/6ZZEZdVhNY</a>
— Nélsinho Nélsóg (@nelsog10) <a href="https://twitter.com/nelsog10/status/993422369178955776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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La Liga Referees gave Guard of Honour to Barcelona players after tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElClasico?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElClasico</a> at Camp Nou. 
 
Don't be surprised. <a href="https://t.co/lCpjVyBgkD">pic.twitter.com/lCpjVyBgkD</a>
— RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMadridBabe/status/993238749575352320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In a very intriguing clash, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored at the 10th and 52nd minute respectively to help Barca in continuing its winning streak.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half.

Recently, Zinedine Zidane said that Real Madrid will not give La Liga champions Barcelona a guard of honour when the sides meet in El Clasico

Real Madrid refused to give a guard of honour in the El Clasico to the league champions FC Barcelona on Sunday but Barca defender Gerard Pique asked the club staff to perform the tradition. Recently, Madrid's coach Zinedine Zidane mentioned very clearly that Real Madrid will not give La Liga champions Barcelona a guard of honour when the sides meet in El Clasico. While interacting with media, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said, "As we are a family, and they didn't want to give us a guard of honour, I have asked our staff to make one, with that we are leaving." Watch the video: We did our own guard of honour since madrid refuse to give us. The coaching staff perform a guard of honor for the team #ForçaBarça! pic.twitter.com/6ZZEZdVhNY — Nélsinho Nélsóg (@nelsog10) May 7, 2018 × La Liga Referees gave Guard of Honour to Barcelona players after tonight's #ElClasico at Camp Nou. Don't be surprised. pic.twitter.com/lCpjVyBgkD — RMadridBabe (@RMadridBabe) May 6, 2018 × In a very intriguing clash, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored at the 10th and 52nd minute respectively to help Barca in continuing its winning streak. Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (May 6) after the home side had Sergi Roberto sent off at the end of the first half.

Gerard Pique asked Barca staff members to give guard of honour as Real Madrid snubbed

La Liga and King's Cup champions Barcelona will be flying high when they host Real Madrid on Sunday in the 'Clasico' but their arch-rivals will be feeling equally smug after reaching the Champions League final for a third year in a row.

After clinching a seventh league title in 10 years last Sunday, Barcelona's only incentive is to finish the La Liga season without losing a game.

Third-placed Real's motivation, however, is to leapfrog Atletico Madrid, who hold a four-point advantage but have played one more game.

There will be plenty of tension on the pitch in Sunday's eagerly anticipated fixture.

Barca will be keen to further cement their domestic hegemony over Madrid and extend their gap over them to 18 points, which would be the biggest gap they have ever held over their rivals.

Zinedine Zidane's side can avenge December's humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Barca by snapping the Catalans' Liga record of 42 games without defeat.

Zidane has already angered Barca by declaring his side will not give the newly crowned champions a guard of honour before kickoff, a gesture the Catalans did carry out in 2008 when Madrid had won the title.

Sunday's game is also the first 'Clasico' since 2008 to take place after the title race has been decided.

Real have had a disappointing Liga campaign and could finish third for the first time in four years. But their domestic woes has not stopped them from storming into the Champions League final with a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich. In contrast Barca crashed out of Europe to AS Roma in the quarter-finals.

Madrid will play Liverpool in the final in Kiev on May 26, when they will be targeting a record-extending 13th European Cup. They will also be looking to become the first team since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win the trophy three years in a row.

Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes winning Europe's top prize again could trump Barca's achievements on the domestic front.

"Barca have had a great year, they have won two trophies and they deserve credit for that but winning the Champions League is equivalent to those two or even more," Ramos said.

He also confirmed his side would follow Zidane's orders to deny their rivals a guard of honour.

"What Zidane says is gospel. We're making too much fuss out of all this. Barca have the title, which is what they wanted, but there will be no guard of honour, full stop," he said.

Elsewhere, Valencia can seal their return to the Champions League by clinching fourth spot if they win at local rivals Villarreal on Saturday.

Getafe, Sevilla, Girona and Real Sociedad will continue to fight for seventh spot and a place in next season's Europa League, with three points separating the four teams.

Malaga, Las Palmas and Deportivo La Coruna have already been relegated.

Their arch-rivals will be feeling equally smug after reaching the Champions League final for a third year in a row

La Liga and King's Cup champions Barcelona will be flying high when they host Real Madrid on Sunday in the 'Clasico' but their arch-rivals will be feeling equally smug after reaching the Champions League final for a third year in a row. After clinching a seventh league title in 10 years last Sunday, Barcelona's only incentive is to finish the La Liga season without losing a game. Third-placed Real's motivation, however, is to leapfrog Atletico Madrid, who hold a four-point advantage but have played one more game. There will be plenty of tension on the pitch in Sunday's eagerly anticipated fixture. Barca will be keen to further cement their domestic hegemony over Madrid and extend their gap over them to 18 points, which would be the biggest gap they have ever held over their rivals. Zinedine Zidane's side can avenge December's humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Barca by snapping the Catalans' Liga record of 42 games without defeat. Zidane has already angered Barca by declaring his side will not give the newly crowned champions a guard of honour before kickoff, a gesture the Catalans did carry out in 2008 when Madrid had won the title. Sunday's game is also the first 'Clasico' since 2008 to take place after the title race has been decided. Real have had a disappointing Liga campaign and could finish third for the first time in four years. But their domestic woes has not stopped them from storming into the Champions League final with a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich. In contrast Barca crashed out of Europe to AS Roma in the quarter-finals. Madrid will play Liverpool in the final in Kiev on May 26, when they will be targeting a record-extending 13th European Cup. They will also be looking to become the first team since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win the trophy three years in a row. Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes winning Europe's top prize again could trump Barca's achievements on the domestic front. "Barca have had a great year, they have won two trophies and they deserve credit for that but winning the Champions League is equivalent to those two or even more," Ramos said. He also confirmed his side would follow Zidane's orders to deny their rivals a guard of honour. "What Zidane says is gospel. We're making too much fuss out of all this. Barca have the title, which is what they wanted, but there will be no guard of honour, full stop," he said. Elsewhere, Valencia can seal their return to the Champions League by clinching fourth spot if they win at local rivals Villarreal on Saturday. Getafe, Sevilla, Girona and Real Sociedad will continue to fight for seventh spot and a place in next season's Europa League, with three points separating the four teams. Malaga, Las Palmas and Deportivo La Coruna have already been relegated.

Barcelona measure domestic triumphs against Real's European success in 'Clasico'

Barcelona were crowned La Liga champions for the 25th time after beating Deportivo La Coruna 4-2 on Sunday with the help of a hat-trick from talisman Lionel&nbspMessi.

Barca only needed a draw to clinch the title and complete an eighth domestic double after winning the King's Cup last week and they marched into a 2-0 lead with goals from record signing Philippe Coutinho and top scorer&nbspMessi&nbspin the first half.

Deportivo striker Lucas Perez pulled one back for Deportivo five minutes before halftime and Turkish midfielder Emre Colak levelled for the Galicians in the 64th minute.

Struggling Deportivo came close to finding a winner and becoming the first team to beat Barca in the league this season.

But Argentine maestro&nbspMessi&nbsphad other ideas, restoring Barca's lead from close range in the 82nd minute before completing his treble with his 32nd league goal of the season.

Ernesto Valverde's unbeaten side have 86 points from 34 games, 11 clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Barca only needed a draw to clinch the title and complete an eighth domestic double after winning the King's Cup last week and they marched into a 2-0 lead with goals from record signing Philippe Coutinho and top scorer Messi in the first half.

Barcelona were crowned La Liga champions for the 25th time after beating Deportivo La Coruna 4-2 on Sunday with the help of a hat-trick from talisman Lionel&nbspMessi. Barca only needed a draw to clinch the title and complete an eighth domestic double after winning the King's Cup last week and they marched into a 2-0 lead with goals from record signing Philippe Coutinho and top scorer&nbspMessi&nbspin the first half. Deportivo striker Lucas Perez pulled one back for Deportivo five minutes before halftime and Turkish midfielder Emre Colak levelled for the Galicians in the 64th minute. Struggling Deportivo came close to finding a winner and becoming the first team to beat Barca in the league this season. But Argentine maestro&nbspMessi&nbsphad other ideas, restoring Barca's lead from close range in the 82nd minute before completing his treble with his 32nd league goal of the season. Ernesto Valverde's unbeaten side have 86 points from 34 games, 11 clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Messi hits three as Barcelona clinch league title at Deportivo

The backbone of FC Barcelona, Andres Iniesta has announced on Friday that he will leave the&nbsp;club at the end of the season.

Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna.

From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and Spanish media reported that he will move to Chinese Super League.

On Friday, Iniesta addressed a press conference and with teary eyes, he said that he will leave Barcelona. The Spain international broke down in tears at Barcelona's training ground with all his teammates present and a packed press room burst into applause when he finished his opening statement.

As per the media reports, Iniesta will join a CSL giant Chongqing Dangdai Lifan.

Recently, Barcelona won the Spanish King's Cup and Iniesta was crying in the concluding minutes.

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Andres Iniesta has announced on Friday that he will leave the club at the end of the season

The backbone of FC Barcelona, Andres Iniesta has announced on Friday that he will leave the club at the end of the season. Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna. From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and Spanish media reported that he will move to Chinese Super League. On Friday, Iniesta addressed a press conference and with teary eyes, he said that he will leave Barcelona. The Spain international broke down in tears at Barcelona's training ground with all his teammates present and a packed press room burst into applause when he finished his opening statement. As per the media reports, Iniesta will join a CSL giant Chongqing Dangdai Lifan. Recently, Barcelona won the Spanish King's Cup and Iniesta was crying in the concluding minutes. ×

Watch: End of an era as Iniesta says 'goodbye' to FC Barcelona

Rafael Nadal extended his astonishing winning run on clay to 42 consecutive sets as he reached the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open with a 6-0 7-5 victory over Slovakia's Martin Klizan on Friday.

The defending champion will face David Goffin on Saturday after the Belgian beat Spaniard Roberto Bautista 6-7(3) 6-2 6-2.

Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas also reached the last four after overwhelming third seed Dominic Thiem 6-3 6-2 and the 19-year-old will next face Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, who served up another upset by defeating second seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 7-6(4).

World number 140 Klizan, who had knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round, came within a point of being the first player since Thiem in May 2017 to win a set against the Mallorcan on the slow surface but the world number one's famed battling skills denied him that moment of glory.

After romping through the opening set, Nadal lost his focus and surrendered his serve at the start of the second set. But just as Klizan appeared to be on the verge of delivering a psychological blow, the 10-times Barcelona champion saved the set point at 4-5 down before breaking back to level.

He held in the next game to take the lead for the first time in the second set and then broke a tired Klizan to clinch his place in the semis.

"He played very aggressively and caused me a lot of discomfort... he was unpredictable and that caused me confusion. It was tough, but the important thing was not to fail," Nadal told a news conference.

Tsitsipas converted four out of eight break points and made Thiem pay for an error-strewn display to secure the biggest win of his career.

Thiem began the contest strongly and came within a point of going up 3-0 in the opening set but allowed Tsitsipas to fight back. The Greek won a decisive break to go ahead at 5-3 after a double fault by Thiem and then served out the set.

Tsitsipas broke at 2-2 in the second set after more wayward hitting by Thiem and the world number 63 pulled away to seal the match.

Carreno Busta, seeded fifth in Barcelona, saw off Dimitrov to reach his second semi-final of the year and level his head-to-head with the Bulgarian at three wins apiece.

Rafael Nadal extended his astonishing winning run on clay to 42 consecutive sets as he reached the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open with a 6-0 7-5 victory over Slovakia's Martin Klizan on Friday

Rafael Nadal extended his astonishing winning run on clay to 42 consecutive sets as he reached the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open with a 6-0 7-5 victory over Slovakia's Martin Klizan on Friday. The defending champion will face David Goffin on Saturday after the Belgian beat Spaniard Roberto Bautista 6-7(3) 6-2 6-2. Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas also reached the last four after overwhelming third seed Dominic Thiem 6-3 6-2 and the 19-year-old will next face Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, who served up another upset by defeating second seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 7-6(4). World number 140 Klizan, who had knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round, came within a point of being the first player since Thiem in May 2017 to win a set against the Mallorcan on the slow surface but the world number one's famed battling skills denied him that moment of glory. After romping through the opening set, Nadal lost his focus and surrendered his serve at the start of the second set. But just as Klizan appeared to be on the verge of delivering a psychological blow, the 10-times Barcelona champion saved the set point at 4-5 down before breaking back to level. He held in the next game to take the lead for the first time in the second set and then broke a tired Klizan to clinch his place in the semis. "He played very aggressively and caused me a lot of discomfort... he was unpredictable and that caused me confusion. It was tough, but the important thing was not to fail," Nadal told a news conference. Tsitsipas converted four out of eight break points and made Thiem pay for an error-strewn display to secure the biggest win of his career. Thiem began the contest strongly and came within a point of going up 3-0 in the opening set but allowed Tsitsipas to fight back. The Greek won a decisive break to go ahead at 5-3 after a double fault by Thiem and then served out the set. Tsitsipas broke at 2-2 in the second set after more wayward hitting by Thiem and the world number 63 pulled away to seal the match. Carreno Busta, seeded fifth in Barcelona, saw off Dimitrov to reach his second semi-final of the year and level his head-to-head with the Bulgarian at three wins apiece.

Nadal keeps up winning run to reach Barcelona semis, Tsitsipas stuns Thiem

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane praised Barcelona captain&nbspAndres Iniesta when he announced to leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season.

Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna.

In a recent media interaction, Zidane said that Iniesta deserved to win the Ballon d'Or in 2010 when Spain won the World Cup.

In the finals, Iniesta scored the only goal when they beat the Netherlands to lift the trophy for the first time.

Manchester City boss also hailed Spain mid-fielders and wished him good luck for the future.

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&nbsp

In the finals of FIFA World Cup, 2010 Iniesta scored for Spain the only goal when they beat the Netherlands to lift the trophy for the first time

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane praised Barcelona captain&nbspAndres Iniesta when he announced to leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season. Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna. In a recent media interaction, Zidane said that Iniesta deserved to win the Ballon d'Or in 2010 when Spain won the World Cup. In the finals, Iniesta scored the only goal when they beat the Netherlands to lift the trophy for the first time. Manchester City boss also hailed Spain mid-fielders and wished him good luck for the future. ×

Andres Iniesta deserved Ballon d'Or in 2010, says Zinedine Zidane

Andres Iniesta has announced on Friday that he will leave Spanish club FC Barcelona at the end of the season. From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and Spanish media reported that he will move to Chinese Super League.

Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed 33-year old Iniesta and wished him the "best for the future" during a press conference and said that Barcelona's recent trophy-laden history wouldn't have been possible without Andres Iniesta.

"I could say three minutes about what Andres Iniesta means in the world of football, not just in Barcelona. And I think he's another part of the history that Barcelona live in the last 15 to 20 years, it would not have been possible (for them) without him," said City boss Guardiola.

Guardiola, who played alongside his Spanish compatriot and then managed Iniesta at the Camp Nou, paid tribute to his former colleague who is widely expected to move to China at the end of the season.

Guardiola, who played alongside his Spanish compatriot and then managed Iniesta at the Camp Nou, paid tribute to his former colleague who is widely expected to move to China at the end of the season

Andres Iniesta has announced on Friday that he will leave Spanish club FC Barcelona at the end of the season. From past few months, there were speculations that 33-year old might leave Barca and Spanish media reported that he will move to Chinese Super League. Barcelona captain Iniesta has spent all of his senior career at Camp Nou and has lifted 31 trophies and it is expected that the count will increase to 32 as Barca will clinch the Liga title on Sunday at Deportivo La Coruna. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed 33-year old Iniesta and wished him the "best for the future" during a press conference and said that Barcelona's recent trophy-laden history wouldn't have been possible without Andres Iniesta. "I could say three minutes about what Andres Iniesta means in the world of football, not just in Barcelona. And I think he's another part of the history that Barcelona live in the last 15 to 20 years, it would not have been possible (for them) without him," said City boss Guardiola. Guardiola, who played alongside his Spanish compatriot and then managed Iniesta at the Camp Nou, paid tribute to his former colleague who is widely expected to move to China at the end of the season.

City boss Pep Guardiola wishes Iniesta 'best for the future'

Former world number one Novak Djokovic suffered a surprise second-round exit at the Barcelona Open when the Serb was beaten 6-2 1-6 6-3 by world number 140 Martin Klizan on Wednesday.

But favourite and 10-times champion Rafael Nadal eased past fellow Spaniard Roberto Carballes-Baena 6-4 6-4 in his first appearance at this year`s tournament to reach the third round and set a record by winning 38 consecutive sets on clay.

Second seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria also moved smoothly past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 16.

Djokovic, who received a bye in the opening round, has not made the last eight of a tournament since last year`s Wimbledon and has struggled with a long-term elbow injury.

The 30-year-old lost to Austria`s Dominic Thiem in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters last week and looked far from his best in what was his second career appearance in Barcelona.

Klizan claimed the first set in just 32 minutes before Djokovic broke the Slovakian`s serve twice to take the second.

Klizan snatched a crucial break in the eighth game of a tense final set and went on to claim his first career victory over Djokovic in five meetings.

"I feel I haven’t lived up to your expectations, not even my own," Djokovic told a news conference.

"It’s hard to deal with these types of games and defeats, I wasn’t playing at my best, only during the second set. I will try to continue and see where it takes me."

SLOW START

World number one Nadal, who also had a bye to the second round, packed out the main court at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona which is named after him.&nbsp

Perhaps still feeling the effects of his triumph in Monte Carlo on Sunday, Nadal made a slow start against Carballes-Baena and was broken in the opening game to fall 2-0 behind.

The Mallorcan responded by breaking twice to take a 4-2 lead and went on to claim the first set. Nadal broke in the opening game of the second set but lost his serve in the sixth.&nbsp

He went in front again and had match point at 5-3 but could not take advantage, although he comfortably closed the match out with his next service game.

"It was a difficult game and I committed a couple of errors at the start. The first game here after Monte Carlo is always hard but I soon found my rhythm," Nadal told reporters.

The victory saw the Spaniard surpass Romanian Ilie Nastase`s record of winning 36 consecutive sets on clay in 1973.

Nadal will now meet another Spaniard, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who progressed after 14th seed Kei Nishikori retired from his first match after experiencing pain in his right wrist.

The 28-year-old Japanese, who lost to Nadal in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday, withdrew after losing the first set 6-3.

"My expectations grew in Monte Carlo, despite losing to Nadal," Nishikori told reporters. "However, I started feeling discomfort again during the first set and I did not want to take any risks."

He missed last year`s U.S. Open and the Australian Open at the start of 2018 after injuring the same wrist in August.&nbsp

The Serb was beaten 6-2 1-6 6-3 by world number 140 Martin Klizan

Former world number one Novak Djokovic suffered a surprise second-round exit at the Barcelona Open when the Serb was beaten 6-2 1-6 6-3 by world number 140 Martin Klizan on Wednesday. But favourite and 10-times champion Rafael Nadal eased past fellow Spaniard Roberto Carballes-Baena 6-4 6-4 in his first appearance at this year`s tournament to reach the third round and set a record by winning 38 consecutive sets on clay. Second seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria also moved smoothly past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 16. Djokovic, who received a bye in the opening round, has not made the last eight of a tournament since last year`s Wimbledon and has struggled with a long-term elbow injury. The 30-year-old lost to Austria`s Dominic Thiem in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters last week and looked far from his best in what was his second career appearance in Barcelona. Klizan claimed the first set in just 32 minutes before Djokovic broke the Slovakian`s serve twice to take the second. Klizan snatched a crucial break in the eighth game of a tense final set and went on to claim his first career victory over Djokovic in five meetings. "I feel I haven’t lived up to your expectations, not even my own," Djokovic told a news conference. "It’s hard to deal with these types of games and defeats, I wasn’t playing at my best, only during the second set. I will try to continue and see where it takes me." SLOW START World number one Nadal, who also had a bye to the second round, packed out the main court at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona which is named after him. Perhaps still feeling the effects of his triumph in Monte Carlo on Sunday, Nadal made a slow start against Carballes-Baena and was broken in the opening game to fall 2-0 behind. The Mallorcan responded by breaking twice to take a 4-2 lead and went on to claim the first set. Nadal broke in the opening game of the second set but lost his serve in the sixth. He went in front again and had match point at 5-3 but could not take advantage, although he comfortably closed the match out with his next service game. "It was a difficult game and I committed a couple of errors at the start. The first game here after Monte Carlo is always hard but I soon found my rhythm," Nadal told reporters. The victory saw the Spaniard surpass Romanian Ilie Nastase`s record of winning 36 consecutive sets on clay in 1973. Nadal will now meet another Spaniard, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who progressed after 14th seed Kei Nishikori retired from his first match after experiencing pain in his right wrist. The 28-year-old Japanese, who lost to Nadal in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday, withdrew after losing the first set 6-3. "My expectations grew in Monte Carlo, despite losing to Nadal," Nishikori told reporters. "However, I started feeling discomfort again during the first set and I did not want to take any risks." He missed last year`s U.S. Open and the Australian Open at the start of 2018 after injuring the same wrist in August.

Novak Djokovic crashes out in Barcelona, Rafael Nadal wins

If this proves to be the first of many goodbyes for Andres Iniesta, it is a fantastic way to bow out.

Barcelona's captain was the man of the match on Saturday as he put on a dazzling display to help his side waltz past Sevilla in a 5-0 victory, winning the King's Cup for the fourth season in a row.

Iniesta will make a decision over his future next week, with the 33-year-old mulling a move to the Chinese Super League, and reports in Spain say he will end a hugely successful era at Barcelona to try his luck in the Far East.

The captain cried during the final minutes of the game after being taken off to rapturous applause and his name being chanted by both sets of fans.

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"This week I will make my decision public," said Iniesta. "What makes us happy are days like today. I really wanted today to go well and from the first minute, it did.

"It was a great night in all senses, on a team and personal level. This is a title that we love and we will try to add the league title to finish the season on a high note."

This was the sixth time Iniesta has lifted the King's Cup, along with eight La Liga titles, which will become nine if Barcelona do the double by earning three more points from their last five games. He has also won four Champions League trophies.

Against Sevilla Iniesta was at his finest, helping Barcelona exhaust their opponents by moving the ball quickly and accurately, not letting the Andalusians breathe.

Goalscoring is not his forte with just one in all competitions before he netted Barcelona's fourth, rounding Sevilla goalkeeper David Soria and converting from a tight angle.

"Andres is a spectacle," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. "Watch him and enjoy him."

After the disappointment of Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final exit against AS Roma, throwing away a three-goal first leg lead, Iniesta was glad to give the fans something to smile about.

"The team and the fans deserve 10 out of 10. There are a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings and a lot of moods. I am happy, happy we can show our best and for the title.

"Although we're all thinking about the game in Rome, the fans deserved this."

Iniesta will make a decision over his future next week, with the 33-year-old mulling a move to the Chinese Super League

If this proves to be the first of many goodbyes for Andres Iniesta, it is a fantastic way to bow out. Barcelona's captain was the man of the match on Saturday as he put on a dazzling display to help his side waltz past Sevilla in a 5-0 victory, winning the King's Cup for the fourth season in a row. Iniesta will make a decision over his future next week, with the 33-year-old mulling a move to the Chinese Super League, and reports in Spain say he will end a hugely successful era at Barcelona to try his luck in the Far East. The captain cried during the final minutes of the game after being taken off to rapturous applause and his name being chanted by both sets of fans. An absolute genius midfielder? Unfortunately he's out of the CL.? - Follow @worldcupessentials for more ? - ?: @433 A post shared by World Cup - Essentials (@worldcupessentials) on Apr 22, 2018 at 2:44am PDT × "This week I will make my decision public," said Iniesta. "What makes us happy are days like today. I really wanted today to go well and from the first minute, it did. "It was a great night in all senses, on a team and personal level. This is a title that we love and we will try to add the league title to finish the season on a high note." This was the sixth time Iniesta has lifted the King's Cup, along with eight La Liga titles, which will become nine if Barcelona do the double by earning three more points from their last five games. He has also won four Champions League trophies. Against Sevilla Iniesta was at his finest, helping Barcelona exhaust their opponents by moving the ball quickly and accurately, not letting the Andalusians breathe. Goalscoring is not his forte with just one in all competitions before he netted Barcelona's fourth, rounding Sevilla goalkeeper David Soria and converting from a tight angle. "Andres is a spectacle," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. "Watch him and enjoy him." After the disappointment of Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final exit against AS Roma, throwing away a three-goal first leg lead, Iniesta was glad to give the fans something to smile about. "The team and the fans deserve 10 out of 10. There are a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings and a lot of moods. I am happy, happy we can show our best and for the title. "Although we're all thinking about the game in Rome, the fans deserved this."

Iniesta shines brighter than ever with big decision looming

Unstoppable duo Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi helped Barcelona thrash Sevilla 5-0 to win the King's Cup final for the fourth consecutive season on Saturday as they close in on a likely domestic double.

Luis Suarez struck twice in the first half for the Catalans as they won the competition for a record 30th time. However, it was Iniesta and Messi who pulled all the strings as the La Liga leaders blew away Vincenzo Montella's stunned side.

Philippe Coutinho set up Suarez for the opening goal in the 14th minute and Barcelona dominated the rest of the game. The result goes some way to make up for their humiliating Champions League quarter-final elimination by AS Roma earlier in April.

Messi slammed home the second after good work from Jordi Alba with Suarez adding another, before Iniesta netted from a tight angle. Coutinho added a fifth from the penalty spot to complete the rout.

"This doesn't cover up what happened in Rome but it's an important title," said Suarez.

"At the start of the season we would have taken this, there's huge merit to it.

"It's strange to be knocked out of the Champions League, we gave the impression that we could go far in it."

Both Barcelona and Sevilla fans sang Iniesta's name when he was substituted in the final stages, with the chants echoing around the Wanda Metropolitano stadium until after the final whistle.

The veteran midfielder is considering a move to the Chinese Super League and this could be his last cup final for Barcelona - and he made sure it was one to remember.

"Barcelona had a formidable game and when they are like that it's hard to stop them," said Montella.

"They have formidable players like Iniesta, Messi, Suarez.

"I'm very sorry to the fans who were fantastic today. We are not in our best form, we have to react."

With Iniesta leading the way, Barca came flying out of the blocks and moved ahead after a long ball from goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen found Coutinho deep in opposition territory and he set up Suarez.

Sevilla rallied but after a couple of half-chances Barcelona doubled their lead when Iniesta sent Alba flying down the left. The Spaniard backheeled the ball into Messi's path and the Argentine fired in.

Messi then created the third for Suarez with a sublime through-ball and the fourth for Iniesta, whose goal will be a special moment to take with him if he does depart.

Coutinho's penalty after Clement Lenglet handled the ball in the area helped Ernesto Valverde's side finish emphatically and they were soon able to celebrate with the cup which had their name on it from the start - and recently always seems to.

Luis Suarez struck twice in the first half for the Catalans as they won the competition

Unstoppable duo Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi helped Barcelona thrash Sevilla 5-0 to win the King's Cup final for the fourth consecutive season on Saturday as they close in on a likely domestic double. Luis Suarez struck twice in the first half for the Catalans as they won the competition for a record 30th time. However, it was Iniesta and Messi who pulled all the strings as the La Liga leaders blew away Vincenzo Montella's stunned side. Philippe Coutinho set up Suarez for the opening goal in the 14th minute and Barcelona dominated the rest of the game. The result goes some way to make up for their humiliating Champions League quarter-final elimination by AS Roma earlier in April. Messi slammed home the second after good work from Jordi Alba with Suarez adding another, before Iniesta netted from a tight angle. Coutinho added a fifth from the penalty spot to complete the rout. "This doesn't cover up what happened in Rome but it's an important title," said Suarez. "At the start of the season we would have taken this, there's huge merit to it. "It's strange to be knocked out of the Champions League, we gave the impression that we could go far in it." Both Barcelona and Sevilla fans sang Iniesta's name when he was substituted in the final stages, with the chants echoing around the Wanda Metropolitano stadium until after the final whistle. The veteran midfielder is considering a move to the Chinese Super League and this could be his last cup final for Barcelona - and he made sure it was one to remember. "Barcelona had a formidable game and when they are like that it's hard to stop them," said Montella. "They have formidable players like Iniesta, Messi, Suarez. "I'm very sorry to the fans who were fantastic today. We are not in our best form, we have to react." With Iniesta leading the way, Barca came flying out of the blocks and moved ahead after a long ball from goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen found Coutinho deep in opposition territory and he set up Suarez. Sevilla rallied but after a couple of half-chances Barcelona doubled their lead when Iniesta sent Alba flying down the left. The Spaniard backheeled the ball into Messi's path and the Argentine fired in. Messi then created the third for Suarez with a sublime through-ball and the fourth for Iniesta, whose goal will be a special moment to take with him if he does depart. Coutinho's penalty after Clement Lenglet handled the ball in the area helped Ernesto Valverde's side finish emphatically and they were soon able to celebrate with the cup which had their name on it from the start - and recently always seems to.

Barcelona thrash Sevilla to win King's Cup for record 30th time

Hundreds of thousands of Catalan independence supporters flooded the streets of Barcelona on Sunday calling for the release of jailed separatist leaders after a supreme court ruling frustrated their latest attempt to elect a regional leader.

Around 350,000 demonstrators clogged several main city arteries waving flags and wearing yellow in support of separatist leaders jailed for their role in the region's banned drive to split from Spain last year.

Among the politicians facing charges of rebellion is Jordi Sanchez, the latest candidate put forward by Catalan lawmakers to become a leader of the region.

Supreme court judge Pablo Llarena refused last week to release him from jail and he faces up to 25 years on charges of rebellion, marking the latest of four unsuccessful attempts to elect a new leader.

If a new leader is not named before the end of May, Catalonia will be forced to call another election.

If a new leader is not named before the end of May, Catalonia will be forced to call another election

Hundreds of thousands of Catalan independence supporters flooded the streets of Barcelona on Sunday calling for the release of jailed separatist leaders after a supreme court ruling frustrated their latest attempt to elect a regional leader. Around 350,000 demonstrators clogged several main city arteries waving flags and wearing yellow in support of separatist leaders jailed for their role in the region's banned drive to split from Spain last year. Among the politicians facing charges of rebellion is Jordi Sanchez, the latest candidate put forward by Catalan lawmakers to become a leader of the region. Supreme court judge Pablo Llarena refused last week to release him from jail and he faces up to 25 years on charges of rebellion, marking the latest of four unsuccessful attempts to elect a new leader. If a new leader is not named before the end of May, Catalonia will be forced to call another election.

Demonstrators flood Barcelona in support of jailed separatist leaders

Barcelona responded to their shock Champions League elimination to AS Roma by beating Valencia 2-1 on Saturday in a subdued atmosphere at the Nou Camp, setting a Liga record run of 39 games unbeaten and taking them ever closer to another title.

Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead after a quarter of an hour by meeting a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho, scoring with one touch from close range.

Club-record signing Coutinho then delivered an outswinging corner from which Samuel Umtiti headed in Barca's second in the 51st minute, shortly after Gerard Pique had saved Umtiti's blushes by clearing a shot from Valencia forward Santi Mina off the line following a slip by the France defender.

Captain Dani Parejo pulled a goal back for third-placed Valencia by squeezing an 87th-minute penalty under Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but the Catalans withstood an exciting final spell to move to within seven points of their 25th league title.

Ernesto Valverde's side lead nearest challengers Atletico Madrid by 14 points in the standings, with Atletico hosting Levante and fourth-placed Real visiting basement club Malaga on Sunday.

The Barca coach praised his players for putting the Roma defeat behind them but said their European exit had punctured their enthusiasm for the unbeaten record.

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? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bar%C3%A7aValencia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarçaValencia</a> <a href="https://t.co/macpxhIXaX">pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX</a>
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"This wasn’t a week to think about records, we don’t give it too much importance. It was more important that we picked ourselves up after a difficult week," Valverde told a news conference.

"It's normal that these players keep on breaking records. But it was a fundamental win in many ways. First of all, I am happy with the three points. We needed 10 points to win the league, now it’s seven."

With heavy rain falling in the city throughout the day, 30,000 seats at the 99,000-capacity Nou Camp were unoccupied and even when Suarez provided a slick finishing touch to Coutinho's wonderful pass, celebrations were muted.

Valencia had made a good start and winger Goncalo Guedes hammered an early shot at Ter Stegen, who made another impressive save to thwart the Portuguese later in the half after Gerard Pique had surrendered the ball.

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? <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLiga</a> 
? Still unbeaten! <a href="https://t.co/aOdufHxMBr">pic.twitter.com/aOdufHxMBr</a>
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The German goalkeeper also ran himself into trouble as he sent a pass straight at the feet of Valencia forward Rodrigo but redeemed himself by tipping the shot on to the crossbar and behind.

Lionel Messi was inactive for much of the first half but grew into the game in the second, narrowly volleying over the bar and fizzing a shot just wide after tearing through the Valencia defence.

"The atmosphere around the club this week has been a bit gloomy and we needed to put the brakes on that so I have to congratulate the players because it’s not been easy," added Valverde.

"The sensation is that we have failed, that we have disappointed the supporters, but we have to look forward and not lose sight of what we can still achieve this season."

FC Barcelona has set a new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten and moved closer to clinch the title after defeating Valencia 2-1

Barcelona responded to their shock Champions League elimination to AS Roma by beating Valencia 2-1 on Saturday in a subdued atmosphere at the Nou Camp, setting a Liga record run of 39 games unbeaten and taking them ever closer to another title. Luis Suarez gave Barca the lead after a quarter of an hour by meeting a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho, scoring with one touch from close range. Club-record signing Coutinho then delivered an outswinging corner from which Samuel Umtiti headed in Barca's second in the 51st minute, shortly after Gerard Pique had saved Umtiti's blushes by clearing a shot from Valencia forward Santi Mina off the line following a slip by the France defender. Captain Dani Parejo pulled a goal back for third-placed Valencia by squeezing an 87th-minute penalty under Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but the Catalans withstood an exciting final spell to move to within seven points of their 25th league title. Ernesto Valverde's side lead nearest challengers Atletico Madrid by 14 points in the standings, with Atletico hosting Levante and fourth-placed Real visiting basement club Malaga on Sunday. The Barca coach praised his players for putting the Roma defeat behind them but said their European exit had punctured their enthusiasm for the unbeaten record. ? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in #BarçaValencia pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 15, 2018 × "This wasn’t a week to think about records, we don’t give it too much importance. It was more important that we picked ourselves up after a difficult week," Valverde told a news conference. "It's normal that these players keep on breaking records. But it was a fundamental win in many ways. First of all, I am happy with the three points. We needed 10 points to win the league, now it’s seven." With heavy rain falling in the city throughout the day, 30,000 seats at the 99,000-capacity Nou Camp were unoccupied and even when Suarez provided a slick finishing touch to Coutinho's wonderful pass, celebrations were muted. Valencia had made a good start and winger Goncalo Guedes hammered an early shot at Ter Stegen, who made another impressive save to thwart the Portuguese later in the half after Gerard Pique had surrendered the ball. ? @LaLiga ? Still unbeaten! pic.twitter.com/aOdufHxMBr — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 14, 2018 × The German goalkeeper also ran himself into trouble as he sent a pass straight at the feet of Valencia forward Rodrigo but redeemed himself by tipping the shot on to the crossbar and behind. Lionel Messi was inactive for much of the first half but grew into the game in the second, narrowly volleying over the bar and fizzing a shot just wide after tearing through the Valencia defence. "The atmosphere around the club this week has been a bit gloomy and we needed to put the brakes on that so I have to congratulate the players because it’s not been easy," added Valverde. "The sensation is that we have failed, that we have disappointed the supporters, but we have to look forward and not lose sight of what we can still achieve this season."

Barcelona beat Valencia, set new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten

Jupp Heynckes expressed his delight at Bayern Munich's ability to keep their composure despite a frustrating 0-0 draw against 10-man Sevilla as they qualified for the Champions League semi-finals.

Bayern progressed to the last four on Wednesday for the seventh time in nine seasons, prevailing 2-1 on aggregate following their first-leg victory in Spain last week. Franck Ribery had Bayern's best chance in the Munich home leg, but he fired at Sevilla goalkeeper David Soria in the first half at the Allianz Arena.

Sevilla's Joaquin Correa hit the Bayern crossbar with a header on the hour mark before being sent off just before the final whistle for a foul on Javi Martinez.Spain international Martinez finished with a bruised knee, while James Rodriguez picked up a thigh injury in a bruising encounter.&nbsp

Heynckes was pleased his side ground out the result despite their inability to breach a determined Sevilla defence."You can’t always play brilliantly and put the opponent to the wall, sometimes you have to just keep them scoreless," Heynckes said.

"They hit the bar, which didn’t let us rest, but we didn’t get nervous." Heynckes praised the discipline exhibited by his players.

Top scorer Robert Lewandowski, in addition to Ribery, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich, had been a yellow card away from suspension but the quartet emerged unscathed.&nbsp"We kept our discipline and we didn’t pick up any yellow cards, even though four players were in danger of being suspended, which was important," he said.

Thomas Mueller admitted it was a frustrating night for Bayern and their fans as they struggled to cope with Sevilla playmaker Ever Banega. "In the first 20, 25 minutes, we managed to constrict Sevilla, but too often we didn't get pressure on Banega," Mueller said. "Annoyingly, we did not score, although we had chances.

"We played well, even if it wasn't a good game for the general public."

After Barcelona and Manchester City -- the runaway leaders in Spain and England respectively -- crashed out on Tuesday, Bayern are the only team left in Europe who can still win the treble. They wrapped up a sixth straight Bundesliga title last Saturday and are into the semi-finals of the German Cup.

Liverpool, defending champions Real Madrid and Roma, who knocked out Barcelona, are also in Friday's draw for the semi-finals, but Heynckes has no preference.&nbsp"You saw yesterday in Manchester and Rome that we can't underestimate any team - all the three other teams are at the top level," he said.

"Of course, we are ambitious and we want to reach the final, but we have two hard games ahead of us, whoever we get.&nbsp"You saw that Barcelona clearly thought the job was done before they played Roma, so I have no preference."

Sevilla's bid for a first semi-final appearance fell short in spite of shutting out Bayern's attack and restricting the hosts to 51 percent possession.&nbspSevilla boss Vincenzo Montella said they need the same passion in their fight to get back among the European places in the Spanish league, where they are currently seventh.

"I am proud of my team, they showed personality with heart and they never gave up against a team which can win the Champions League," said Montella.&nbsp"We put in a good performance, we had our chances, they certainly weren’t clear chances, but Correa hit the woodwork.

"Sevilla can leave Munich with heads held high."

"We have to have the same attitude, passion and determination now in the league and cup," he added, with Sevilla due to face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on April 21.

Top scorer Robert Lewandowski, in addition to Ribery, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich, had been a yellow card away from suspension but the quartet emerged unscathed.

Jupp Heynckes expressed his delight at Bayern Munich's ability to keep their composure despite a frustrating 0-0 draw against 10-man Sevilla as they qualified for the Champions League semi-finals. Bayern progressed to the last four on Wednesday for the seventh time in nine seasons, prevailing 2-1 on aggregate following their first-leg victory in Spain last week. Franck Ribery had Bayern's best chance in the Munich home leg, but he fired at Sevilla goalkeeper David Soria in the first half at the Allianz Arena. Sevilla's Joaquin Correa hit the Bayern crossbar with a header on the hour mark before being sent off just before the final whistle for a foul on Javi Martinez.Spain international Martinez finished with a bruised knee, while James Rodriguez picked up a thigh injury in a bruising encounter. Heynckes was pleased his side ground out the result despite their inability to breach a determined Sevilla defence."You can’t always play brilliantly and put the opponent to the wall, sometimes you have to just keep them scoreless," Heynckes said. "They hit the bar, which didn’t let us rest, but we didn’t get nervous." Heynckes praised the discipline exhibited by his players. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski, in addition to Ribery, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich, had been a yellow card away from suspension but the quartet emerged unscathed. "We kept our discipline and we didn’t pick up any yellow cards, even though four players were in danger of being suspended, which was important," he said. Thomas Mueller admitted it was a frustrating night for Bayern and their fans as they struggled to cope with Sevilla playmaker Ever Banega. "In the first 20, 25 minutes, we managed to constrict Sevilla, but too often we didn't get pressure on Banega," Mueller said. "Annoyingly, we did not score, although we had chances. "We played well, even if it wasn't a good game for the general public." After Barcelona and Manchester City -- the runaway leaders in Spain and England respectively -- crashed out on Tuesday, Bayern are the only team left in Europe who can still win the treble. They wrapped up a sixth straight Bundesliga title last Saturday and are into the semi-finals of the German Cup. Liverpool, defending champions Real Madrid and Roma, who knocked out Barcelona, are also in Friday's draw for the semi-finals, but Heynckes has no preference. "You saw yesterday in Manchester and Rome that we can't underestimate any team - all the three other teams are at the top level," he said. "Of course, we are ambitious and we want to reach the final, but we have two hard games ahead of us, whoever we get. "You saw that Barcelona clearly thought the job was done before they played Roma, so I have no preference." Sevilla's bid for a first semi-final appearance fell short in spite of shutting out Bayern's attack and restricting the hosts to 51 percent possession.&nbspSevilla boss Vincenzo Montella said they need the same passion in their fight to get back among the European places in the Spanish league, where they are currently seventh. "I am proud of my team, they showed personality with heart and they never gave up against a team which can win the Champions League," said Montella. "We put in a good performance, we had our chances, they certainly weren’t clear chances, but Correa hit the woodwork. "Sevilla can leave Munich with heads held high." "We have to have the same attitude, passion and determination now in the league and cup," he added, with Sevilla due to face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on April 21.

Champions League: Bayern draw with Sevilla, keep treble dream alive

AS Roma made a historic comeback in the Champions League encounter against Barcelona dumping the former champions with an impressive 3-0 scoreline.

The hosts&nbsp;overcome&nbsp;a 4-1 deficit from the first game at&nbsp;Nou Camp to reach the last four on away goals reaching&nbsp;the&nbsp;semi-finals for the first time since they reached the European Cup final in 1984.&nbsp;

Roma forward Edin Dzeko scored Roma's first goal beating the offside trap, captain De Rossi converted a penalty in the 58th for the hosts and Kostas Manolas headed the decisive third goal in the 82nd minute to put Roma in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

"This would be a great triumph for any team, but for Roma and considering our story in European competitions, it’s truly incredible," De Rossi said after the match.

"We knew it would be difficult, but we had that little bit of belief. The first leg showed us Barcelona had a lot of quality, but not as much as a few years ago. We knew the gap between us and them wasn’t 4-1," an elated Rossi said.

Crestfallen Barcelona coach Valverde said: "We weren’t capable in any moment of getting in the game because of how they approached the game.''

"They were very strong with second balls and we aren't used to defending like that," the Barcelona coach said. 
&nbsp;

Barca fielded the team that thrashed Roma in the first leg with the help of two own goals

AS Roma made a historic comeback in the Champions League encounter against Barcelona dumping the former champions with an impressive 3-0 scoreline. The hosts overcome a 4-1 deficit from the first game at Nou Camp to reach the last four on away goals reaching the semi-finals for the first time since they reached the European Cup final in 1984. Roma forward Edin Dzeko scored Roma's first goal beating the offside trap, captain De Rossi converted a penalty in the 58th for the hosts and Kostas Manolas headed the decisive third goal in the 82nd minute to put Roma in the semi-finals of the Champions League. "This would be a great triumph for any team, but for Roma and considering our story in European competitions, it’s truly incredible," De Rossi said after the match. "We knew it would be difficult, but we had that little bit of belief. The first leg showed us Barcelona had a lot of quality, but not as much as a few years ago. We knew the gap between us and them wasn’t 4-1," an elated Rossi said. Crestfallen Barcelona coach Valverde said: "We weren’t capable in any moment of getting in the game because of how they approached the game.'' "They were very strong with second balls and we aren't used to defending like that," the Barcelona coach said.

Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter semi-final

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Leganes on Saturday which took the Catalans 12 points clear at the top of La Liga and also meant they equalled a Spanish top-flight record of 38 games without defeat.

Messi curled in from a free kick to break the deadlock in the 27th minute. Five minutes later the Argentine doubled the lead, taking one touch to control a through ball from Philippe Coutinho before delivering a cool low finish.

Nabil El Zhar pulled a goal back for 14th-placed Leganes in the 68th minute. However, Messi made sure&nbsp;Barca&nbsp;kept all the points by hitting his third with three minutes left, controlling the ball on his chest and calmly chipping goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar from close range.

Barca&nbsp;have not lost in the league since going down 2-0 at Malaga on April 8 last year and the win saw them match Real Sociedad's unbeaten run between 1979 and 1980. Ernesto Valverde's side are also undefeated in the Champions League this campaign.

"It's a historic record which gives you an idea of how competitive the team is," Valverde told a news conference, stressing that the record also belongs to predecessor Luis Enrique, who oversaw the first seven games of the unbeaten run at the end of last season.

"I can't explain how we have done it, all we try and do is focus on always winning the next game."

The Catalans are top of La Liga with 79 points after 31 games and have a 12-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who visit champions Real Madrid in a local derby on Sunday.

Despite the huge margin his side have at the top, Valverde continued to resist talk about his side being champions-elect.

"When you start to feel like you are the champions, that's the moment you begin to make a mistake," he said.

"We still haven't won anything and there's still a danger we won't win it. We have to keep fighting until the end, just like our other rivals."

Sevilla suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Celta Vigo as their former striker Iago Aspas struck a hat-trick in a rampant second-half display.

Spain forward Aspas scored all his goals in the space of 21 minutes, taking his La Liga goal tally this season to 19.

Sevilla's 20-year-old defender Guilherme Arana bundled the ball into his own net to put the home side ahead towards the end of the first half and Vincenzo Montella's side fell apart after the interval.

Sevilla are seventh in the standings and will drop down to eighth and out of the European places if Girona win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Real Betis climbed up to fifth and edged closer to a return to European football next season by beating Eibar 2-0 at home, while Alaves beat Getafe 2-0.

Barca are now unbeaten in 38 games, matching Real Sociedad's unbeaten run between 1979 and 1980

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Leganes on Saturday which took the Catalans 12 points clear at the top of La Liga and also meant they equalled a Spanish top-flight record of 38 games without defeat. Messi curled in from a free kick to break the deadlock in the 27th minute. Five minutes later the Argentine doubled the lead, taking one touch to control a through ball from Philippe Coutinho before delivering a cool low finish. Nabil El Zhar pulled a goal back for 14th-placed Leganes in the 68th minute. However, Messi made sure Barca kept all the points by hitting his third with three minutes left, controlling the ball on his chest and calmly chipping goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar from close range. Barca have not lost in the league since going down 2-0 at Malaga on April 8 last year and the win saw them match Real Sociedad's unbeaten run between 1979 and 1980. Ernesto Valverde's side are also undefeated in the Champions League this campaign. "It's a historic record which gives you an idea of how competitive the team is," Valverde told a news conference, stressing that the record also belongs to predecessor Luis Enrique, who oversaw the first seven games of the unbeaten run at the end of last season. "I can't explain how we have done it, all we try and do is focus on always winning the next game." The Catalans are top of La Liga with 79 points after 31 games and have a 12-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who visit champions Real Madrid in a local derby on Sunday. Despite the huge margin his side have at the top, Valverde continued to resist talk about his side being champions-elect. "When you start to feel like you are the champions, that's the moment you begin to make a mistake," he said. "We still haven't won anything and there's still a danger we won't win it. We have to keep fighting until the end, just like our other rivals." Sevilla suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Celta Vigo as their former striker Iago Aspas struck a hat-trick in a rampant second-half display. Spain forward Aspas scored all his goals in the space of 21 minutes, taking his La Liga goal tally this season to 19. Sevilla's 20-year-old defender Guilherme Arana bundled the ball into his own net to put the home side ahead towards the end of the first half and Vincenzo Montella's side fell apart after the interval. Sevilla are seventh in the standings and will drop down to eighth and out of the European places if Girona win at Real Sociedad on Sunday. Real Betis climbed up to fifth and edged closer to a return to European football next season by beating Eibar 2-0 at home, while Alaves beat Getafe 2-0.

Messi scores hat-trick, Barca equal La Liga unbeaten record

Real Madrid will not give Barcelona a guard of honour if the Catalans have clinched the Spanish title before next month's Clasico, Zinedine Zidane said on Saturday.

Barcelona lead La Liga by nine points with eight matches left and entertain Real in the penultimate round of the season. In Spain it has become traditional for opponents to form a guard of honour for the champions.&nbsp

"We're not going to do the guard" Zidane said at a press conference ahead of the Madrid derby against Atletico, who are also Barcelona's closest pursuers.

"It's my decision and that's it," said Zidane. "I don't understand the point of the guard, so we aren't going to do it. Anyway, we are a long way from the end of the season."

Zidane insisted the decision had nothing to do with Barcelona's refusal to form a guard of honour at the Clasico in Madrid in December just after Real had won the Club World Cup.

Even so, he acknowledged that Barca had "broken tradition".

Zidane also insisted Gareth Bale was still "an important player", even though the Welsh winger is playing less and remained on the bench in the Champions League victory at Juventus on Tuesday.

"These are decisions," Zidane told the media. "You say he's playing less or in less important games, but for me that's not the case."&nbsp

Rumours have linked Bale to a host of other clubs, notably Manchester United.

"However we finish the season, my feeling is Gareth is going to stay," said Zidane.

Real Madrid will not give Barcelona a guard of honour if the Catalans have clinched the Spanish title before next month's Clasico: Zinedine Zidane

Real Madrid will not give Barcelona a guard of honour if the Catalans have clinched the Spanish title before next month's Clasico, Zinedine Zidane said on Saturday. Barcelona lead La Liga by nine points with eight matches left and entertain Real in the penultimate round of the season. In Spain it has become traditional for opponents to form a guard of honour for the champions. "We're not going to do the guard" Zidane said at a press conference ahead of the Madrid derby against Atletico, who are also Barcelona's closest pursuers. "It's my decision and that's it," said Zidane. "I don't understand the point of the guard, so we aren't going to do it. Anyway, we are a long way from the end of the season." Zidane insisted the decision had nothing to do with Barcelona's refusal to form a guard of honour at the Clasico in Madrid in December just after Real had won the Club World Cup. Even so, he acknowledged that Barca had "broken tradition". Zidane also insisted Gareth Bale was still "an important player", even though the Welsh winger is playing less and remained on the bench in the Champions League victory at Juventus on Tuesday. "These are decisions," Zidane told the media. "You say he's playing less or in less important games, but for me that's not the case." Rumours have linked Bale to a host of other clubs, notably Manchester United. "However we finish the season, my feeling is Gareth is going to stay," said Zidane.

Zidane says Real would not honour Barcelona title win

FC Barcelona has marked a record as they have registered&nbsp;an 11th&nbsp;consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League to clash with AS Roma in the first leg of the round of eight at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain.

Barca defeated Chelsea in the previous round to reach here. The team is currently in the best form as there is no news of injury and their star player, Lionel Messi is back as he attended&nbsp;the practice session. He was suffering&nbsp;a muscle injury.

The Argentine striker came off the bench to draw the last LaLiga match against Sevilla by scoring an 89th-minute goal to rescue Barca's unbeaten run.

The clash is considered favourable for Catalan side but their coach Ernesto Valverde rejected the notion and said, "Roma are no surprise package, if you look at their matches in the group stages, they played really well."

Roma is very comfortable when they play away match so at Camp Nou they have already earned some advantage. The decisive clash will be at their home ground and they will look to churn out benefits there.

As football is a game of uncertainties but still the probability is still higher on the Spanish giant's side and Barca will look to enter semi-finals of the tournament.

Playing XI (TBC)

Barcelona: Ter Stegen Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba Dembele, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Suarez

Roma: Alisson Florenzi, Fazio, Manolas, Kolarov Nainggolan, De Rossi, Strootman El Shaarawy, Dzeko, Perotti

FC Barcelona has marked a record as they have marked eleven consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League to clash with AS Roma

FC Barcelona has marked a record as they have registered an 11th consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League to clash with AS Roma in the first leg of the round of eight at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain. Barca defeated Chelsea in the previous round to reach here. The team is currently in the best form as there is no news of injury and their star player, Lionel Messi is back as he attended the practice session. He was suffering a muscle injury. The Argentine striker came off the bench to draw the last LaLiga match against Sevilla by scoring an 89th-minute goal to rescue Barca's unbeaten run. The clash is considered favourable for Catalan side but their coach Ernesto Valverde rejected the notion and said, "Roma are no surprise package, if you look at their matches in the group stages, they played really well." Roma is very comfortable when they play away match so at Camp Nou they have already earned some advantage. The decisive clash will be at their home ground and they will look to churn out benefits there. As football is a game of uncertainties but still the probability is still higher on the Spanish giant's side and Barca will look to enter semi-finals of the tournament. Playing XI (TBC) Barcelona: Ter Stegen Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba Dembele, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Suarez Roma: Alisson Florenzi, Fazio, Manolas, Kolarov Nainggolan, De Rossi, Strootman El Shaarawy, Dzeko, Perotti

Champions League preview: Barcelona take on AS Roma in quater-finals

Ever Banega ensured Argentina weren&#39;t derailed by Lionel Messi&#39;s absence as the World Cup contenders clinched a 2-0 win over Italy in Friday&#39;s friendly at the Etihad Stadium.

Messi reportedly suffered a&nbsp;groin strain in training on Thursday, so the Barcelona forward was an unused substitute as Argentina kicked off their preparations for the World Cup in June.

Ahead of a busy end to the domestic season and then the World Cup, five-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi wasn&#39;t going to risk aggravating his injury.

Without their talismanic star, Jorge Sampaoli&#39;s side showed they have strength in depth with a solid display capped by late goals from Banega and Manuel Lanzini.

Having edged through to the World Cup thanks to Messi&#39;s treble in a 3-1 win over Ecuador in October, Argentina are focused on peaking in Russia, where they will play Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria in the group stage.

Clearly they need Messi to have any chance of lifting the trophy, but, with Sergio Aguero also sidelined by injury, Sampaoli will be encouraged by the performance of his understudies.

&quot;We played this game as a final,&quot; said Sampaoli, who is set to be without Angel Di Maria for next week&#39;s friendly against Spain after he suffered a thigh injury.

&quot;The team had a lot of stability and the collective level was very good.&quot;

Italy remain in turmoil after failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.

It was an emotional evening for the Azzurri as they played for the first time since their defender Davide Astori died of a suspected cardiac arrest earlier this month.

&quot;We suffered with their control of possession and lost some shape,&quot; Italy boss Luigi Di Biagio said.

&quot;We deserved more in the second half but let&#39;s not forget who we were up against.

&quot;The group must develop. There are a lot of youngsters who need experience.

&quot;We must realise this is a difficult moment for the team. We ask everyone to be patient.&quot;

Di Biagio is in charge of Italy on an interim basis and his first move was to persuade Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to end a brief international retirement.

Buffon, winning his 176th cap, was quickly called into action as Di Maria tested the 40-year-old with a low strike.

Lack of enthusiasm

It took another good stop from Buffon to keep out Nicolas Otamendi&#39;s header.

Although Argentina and Italy have won six World Cups between them, there were large swathes of seats left empty as the Manchester public showed a lack of enthusiasm for two teams whose current squads are far from their finest vintage.

The stay-aways weren&#39;t missing much, with chances at a premium until Buffon made an alert save to deny Nicolas Tagliafico.&nbsp;

Buffon saved his best for the final seconds of the first half as he repelled a shot from his Juventus team-mate Gonzalo Higuain before Daniele Rugani cleared the rebound off the line.

After their tame opening, Italy improved in the second half and should have been ahead when Leandro Paredes&#39;s woeful backpass was intercepted by Ciro Immobile.

Immobile set up Lorenzo Insigne with just Willy Caballero to beat, but the Napoli forward fired wide.

The crowd began chanting for Messi to be sent on, but their appeals were in vain.

Chelsea keeper Caballero saved well from Immobile, Antonio Candreva and Insigne as Italy enjoyed their best spell.

But, in the 75th minute, Argentina punished Di Biagio&#39;s men for their lack of cutting edge.

A flowing move reached the edge of the Italy penalty area, where Sevilla midfielder Banega arrowed a low strike past Buffon to the delight of the watching Messi.

West Ham&#39;s Lanzini wrapped up the victory with a well-taken curling effort from 18 yards in the 85th minute.

Messi reportedly suffered a groin strain in training on Thursday, so the Barcelona forward was an unused substitute as Argentina kicked off their preparations for the World Cup in June

Ever Banega ensured Argentina weren't derailed by Lionel Messi's absence as the World Cup contenders clinched a 2-0 win over Italy in Friday's friendly at the Etihad Stadium. Messi reportedly suffered a groin strain in training on Thursday, so the Barcelona forward was an unused substitute as Argentina kicked off their preparations for the World Cup in June. Ahead of a busy end to the domestic season and then the World Cup, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi wasn't going to risk aggravating his injury. Without their talismanic star, Jorge Sampaoli's side showed they have strength in depth with a solid display capped by late goals from Banega and Manuel Lanzini. Having edged through to the World Cup thanks to Messi's treble in a 3-1 win over Ecuador in October, Argentina are focused on peaking in Russia, where they will play Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria in the group stage. Clearly they need Messi to have any chance of lifting the trophy, but, with Sergio Aguero also sidelined by injury, Sampaoli will be encouraged by the performance of his understudies. "We played this game as a final," said Sampaoli, who is set to be without Angel Di Maria for next week's friendly against Spain after he suffered a thigh injury. "The team had a lot of stability and the collective level was very good." Italy remain in turmoil after failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958. It was an emotional evening for the Azzurri as they played for the first time since their defender Davide Astori died of a suspected cardiac arrest earlier this month. "We suffered with their control of possession and lost some shape," Italy boss Luigi Di Biagio said. "We deserved more in the second half but let's not forget who we were up against. "The group must develop. There are a lot of youngsters who need experience. "We must realise this is a difficult moment for the team. We ask everyone to be patient." Di Biagio is in charge of Italy on an interim basis and his first move was to persuade Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to end a brief international retirement. Buffon, winning his 176th cap, was quickly called into action as Di Maria tested the 40-year-old with a low strike. Lack of enthusiasm It took another good stop from Buffon to keep out Nicolas Otamendi's header. Although Argentina and Italy have won six World Cups between them, there were large swathes of seats left empty as the Manchester public showed a lack of enthusiasm for two teams whose current squads are far from their finest vintage. The stay-aways weren't missing much, with chances at a premium until Buffon made an alert save to deny Nicolas Tagliafico. Buffon saved his best for the final seconds of the first half as he repelled a shot from his Juventus team-mate Gonzalo Higuain before Daniele Rugani cleared the rebound off the line. After their tame opening, Italy improved in the second half and should have been ahead when Leandro Paredes's woeful backpass was intercepted by Ciro Immobile. Immobile set up Lorenzo Insigne with just Willy Caballero to beat, but the Napoli forward fired wide. The crowd began chanting for Messi to be sent on, but their appeals were in vain. Chelsea keeper Caballero saved well from Immobile, Antonio Candreva and Insigne as Italy enjoyed their best spell. But, in the 75th minute, Argentina punished Di Biagio's men for their lack of cutting edge. A flowing move reached the edge of the Italy penalty area, where Sevilla midfielder Banega arrowed a low strike past Buffon to the delight of the watching Messi. West Ham's Lanzini wrapped up the victory with a well-taken curling effort from 18 yards in the 85th minute.

Messi isn't missed as Argentina down Italy

FC Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde hailed Lionel Messi as Barca moved 11 points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/la-liga-messi-magic-prevails-as-barcelona-beat-athletic-bilbao-36302">beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0</a> at home.

In a recent media interaction, Valverde said, &quot;What I&#39;m expecting is that he (Messi) will teach me things because every single day he discovers something new, something different.&quot;

He also added, &quot;He is very conscious of what he has to do and the team&#39;s needs. On so many occasions here in Barcelona the managers learn from the players to be able to teach them back. It&#39;s a two-way road.&quot;

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???? Coach Ernesto Valverde and his players reflect on win that puts them 11 points clear in <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLiga</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bar%C3%A7aAthletic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bar&ccedil;aAthletic</a> <a href="https://t.co/LkkD6S7jNj">https://t.co/LkkD6S7jNj</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/975560024020930560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Argentine scored for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/la-liga-messi-magic-prevails-as-barcelona-beat-athletic-bilbao-36302">the sixth game</a> in a row in all competitions and for the 25th time in this league campaign.

Barcelona maintained their unbeaten La Liga record this season having nine league games remaining.

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???? <a href="https://twitter.com/LaLiga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaLiga</a> 
???????? <a href="https://t.co/tXlafQ7Sw7">pic.twitter.com/tXlafQ7Sw7</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/975493321509474304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In a recent media interaction, Valverde said, "What I'm expecting is that he (Messi) will teach me things because every single day he discovers something new, something different"

FC Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde hailed Lionel Messi as Barca moved 11 points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday after beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at home. In a recent media interaction, Valverde said, "What I'm expecting is that he (Messi) will teach me things because every single day he discovers something new, something different." He also added, "He is very conscious of what he has to do and the team's needs. On so many occasions here in Barcelona the managers learn from the players to be able to teach them back. It's a two-way road." ???? Coach Ernesto Valverde and his players reflect on win that puts them 11 points clear in @LaLiga #BarçaAthletic https://t.co/LkkD6S7jNj — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 19, 2018 × The Argentine scored for the sixth game in a row in all competitions and for the 25th time in this league campaign. Barcelona maintained their unbeaten La Liga record this season having nine league games remaining. ???? @LaLiga ???????? pic.twitter.com/tXlafQ7Sw7 — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 18, 2018 ×

I am expecting Messi will teach me things: Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde

Chelsea suffered an early exit from the race of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-messi-strikes-twice-as-barcelona-crush-chelsea-35854">winning Champions Leauge</a> title as FC Barcelona thrashed the &#39;Blues&#39; in the decisive <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-messi-strikes-twice-as-barcelona-crush-chelsea-35854">second leg clash</a> of the of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at Camp Nou.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-throwback-to-lionel-messis-first-goal-in-champions-league-35861">Lionel Messi</a> at his best blasted two magnificent goals to inspire the team to reach the quarter-final of the tournament. He also reached the milestone of completing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-throwback-to-lionel-messis-first-goal-in-champions-league-35861">100 goals in Champions League</a>.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte too hailed Lionel Messi for his splendid performance in both the legs. He was asked about Messi&#39;s performance and he said, &quot;We are talking about the best player in the world. Over the two legs, Messi made the difference.&quot;

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&quot;We are talking about the best player in the world. Over the two legs, Messi made the difference. 
 
Antonio Conte on the Barcelona magician who put in yet another special display. We&#39;ve lost count... 
 
???? <a href="https://twitter.com/DesKellyBTS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DesKellyBTS</a> <a href="https://t.co/zgYG8R8v0o">pic.twitter.com/zgYG8R8v0o</a>
&mdash; Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/974061899456290817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Conte was obviously not happy after the match and was blaming the &quot;luck&quot; and poor start in the first half of the game.

In the post-match conference, he said, &quot;You can see that the result is unfair and we conceded a goal - our start was terrible - but to concede a goal after two minutes...after this we tried to play football, and for a long time we dominated the game and created chances to score - over the two legs we hit the post four times.&quot;

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde responded to Conte&#39;s remark of being &quot;unlucky&quot; and said, &quot;We all see the game from our own perspective. We scored with our first shot and we clearly had more chances. They could have scored as well, but we all make an analysis from our own perspective. I accept his.&quot;

Antonio Conte was not happy after the match and was blaming the "luck" and poor start for Chelsea's ouster

Chelsea suffered an early exit from the race of winning Champions Leauge title as FC Barcelona thrashed the 'Blues' in the decisive second leg clash of the of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 at Camp Nou. Lionel Messi at his best blasted two magnificent goals to inspire the team to reach the quarter-final of the tournament. He also reached the milestone of completing 100 goals in Champions League. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte too hailed Lionel Messi for his splendid performance in both the legs. He was asked about Messi's performance and he said, "We are talking about the best player in the world. Over the two legs, Messi made the difference." "We are talking about the best player in the world. Over the two legs, Messi made the difference. Antonio Conte on the Barcelona magician who put in yet another special display. We've lost count... ???? @DesKellyBTS pic.twitter.com/zgYG8R8v0o — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 14, 2018 × Conte was obviously not happy after the match and was blaming the "luck" and poor start in the first half of the game. In the post-match conference, he said, "You can see that the result is unfair and we conceded a goal - our start was terrible - but to concede a goal after two minutes...after this we tried to play football, and for a long time we dominated the game and created chances to score - over the two legs we hit the post four times." Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde responded to Conte's remark of being "unlucky" and said, "We all see the game from our own perspective. We scored with our first shot and we clearly had more chances. They could have scored as well, but we all make an analysis from our own perspective. I accept his."

'Messi made the difference,' says Chelsea manager Antonio Conte

Barcelona have reached agreement with Brazilian club Gremio to sign Arthur, a 21-year old midfielder.

The Spanish club said in a statement on Sunday that they can activate an option to sign Arthur in July by paying a basic 30 million euros ($36.9mn) plus 9mn in add ons.

Earlier Spanish media reports had suggested Arthur would join next winter, after the South American campaign. The deal follows a sustained courtship.

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Find out all the details about the agreement for the Arthur purchase option ⚽???????????? <a href="https://t.co/10i1rVCApp">https://t.co/10i1rVCApp</a> <a href="https://t.co/NPdHR2smSe">pic.twitter.com/NPdHR2smSe</a>
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Arthur helped propel Gremio to the final of the Copa Libertadores last year and was impressive as they beat Lanus of Argentina, 3-1, on aggregate in the final.&nbsp;

He did not finish the second leg, limping off in the second half with a torn ankle ligament. The injury meant Arthur missed the Club World Cup in December.&nbsp;

He will join compatriots Coutinho and Paulinho in the Barcelona midfield.

&nbsp;

Barcelona can activate an option to sign Arthur in July by paying a basic 30 million euros ($36.9mn) plus 9mn in add-ons

Barcelona have reached agreement with Brazilian club Gremio to sign Arthur, a 21-year old midfielder. The Spanish club said in a statement on Sunday that they can activate an option to sign Arthur in July by paying a basic 30 million euros ($36.9mn) plus 9mn in add ons. Earlier Spanish media reports had suggested Arthur would join next winter, after the South American campaign. The deal follows a sustained courtship. Find out all the details about the agreement for the Arthur purchase option ⚽???????????? https://t.co/10i1rVCApp pic.twitter.com/NPdHR2smSe — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 11, 2018 × Arthur helped propel Gremio to the final of the Copa Libertadores last year and was impressive as they beat Lanus of Argentina, 3-1, on aggregate in the final. He did not finish the second leg, limping off in the second half with a torn ankle ligament. The injury meant Arthur missed the Club World Cup in December. He will join compatriots Coutinho and Paulinho in the Barcelona midfield.

Barcelona set to buy Brazilian midfielder Arthur

Willian inspired Chelsea&#39;s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday as the Blues got back to winning ways ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona.

After successive defeats by Manchester City and Manchester United, injury-hit Palace proved to be the ideal opponents for Antonio Conte&#39;s side at Stamford Bridge.

Willian opened the scoring in the first half and Martin Kelly&#39;s own goal doubled the champions&#39; lead before the break.

A late goal for Palace by Patrick van Aanholt made things uncomfortable in the closing stages, but it was a valuable victory for Chelsea over a London rival who had proved troublesome in recent seasons.

Fifth-placed Chelsea are now two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who face Bournemouth on Sunday as the battle hots up for places in next season&#39;s Champions League.

For now, Chelsea can focus on this season&#39;s edition of the Champions League, in which they travel to Barcelona on Wednesday with the last-16 tie level at 1-1 after the first leg.

Palace had beaten Chelsea in their previous two encounters and won on their past two visits to Stamford Bridge, but they have now lost four games in succession and remain in the bottom three.

Olivier Giroud went close twice for Chelsea and both Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend missed as the two sides traded early chances.

But after that, it was Chelsea, with Davide Zappacosta given the freedom of the right flank, who enjoyed the majority of possession, even if their final pass was often inaccurate and too many shots were comfortably close to Wayne Hennessey.

Willian got it right after 25 minutes. Gaining possession five yards from the left touchline, the Brazilian cut in past two covering players and shot from 25 yards with his right foot.&nbsp;

The ball seemed to take a fractional deflection as it sped past Kelly and Giroud and went in off the near post.

Farcical goal

It was 2-0 seven minutes later with a goal that was as elegant in its creation as it was farcical in its final moments.

Cesc Fabregas began it with an inch-perfect pass out to Marcos Alonso on the left.

Willian dummied the wing-back&#39;s cross for Eden Hazard to collect and spread play out to Zappacosta. His angled shot hit Kelly, bounced off the head of Hennessey, back onto Kelly, and in.

Palace was reeling. Giroud&#39;s header was cleared off the goal-line and Alonso&#39;s volley was blocked.

It would have been 3-0 if James Tomkins had not anticipated Giroud&#39;s shot from Hazard&#39;s pass and dived in to block.

Roy Hodgson sent on Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha for the second half in place of Benteke, and it almost paid off instantly.

Zaha caught Zappacosta in possession and Alexander Sorloth was left with only Thibaut Courtois to beat.

The Norwegian must have thought his first goal in English football was a formality, but he hit his shot against the post.

Chelsea nearly took advantage of that let-off but Tomkins threw himself in the way of yet another goal-bound shot, this time from Willian, and Hennessey saved from Hazard.

Giroud then hit the post after 66 minutes with a first-time shot from a low cross by Alonso.

But although Chelsea continued to make most of the chances, Zaha&#39;s arrival had boosted Palace.

However, the 90th-minute goal he eventually created for Van Aanholt against his former club came too late.

The left-back&#39;s shot from Zaha&#39;s diagonal pass went almost straight through Courtois but Chelsea held on. 
&nbsp;

Willian inspired Chelsea's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday as the Blues got back to winning ways ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona

Willian inspired Chelsea's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday as the Blues got back to winning ways ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona. After successive defeats by Manchester City and Manchester United, injury-hit Palace proved to be the ideal opponents for Antonio Conte's side at Stamford Bridge. Willian opened the scoring in the first half and Martin Kelly's own goal doubled the champions' lead before the break. A late goal for Palace by Patrick van Aanholt made things uncomfortable in the closing stages, but it was a valuable victory for Chelsea over a London rival who had proved troublesome in recent seasons. Fifth-placed Chelsea are now two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who face Bournemouth on Sunday as the battle hots up for places in next season's Champions League. For now, Chelsea can focus on this season's edition of the Champions League, in which they travel to Barcelona on Wednesday with the last-16 tie level at 1-1 after the first leg. Palace had beaten Chelsea in their previous two encounters and won on their past two visits to Stamford Bridge, but they have now lost four games in succession and remain in the bottom three. Olivier Giroud went close twice for Chelsea and both Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend missed as the two sides traded early chances. But after that, it was Chelsea, with Davide Zappacosta given the freedom of the right flank, who enjoyed the majority of possession, even if their final pass was often inaccurate and too many shots were comfortably close to Wayne Hennessey. Willian got it right after 25 minutes. Gaining possession five yards from the left touchline, the Brazilian cut in past two covering players and shot from 25 yards with his right foot. The ball seemed to take a fractional deflection as it sped past Kelly and Giroud and went in off the near post. Farcical goal It was 2-0 seven minutes later with a goal that was as elegant in its creation as it was farcical in its final moments. Cesc Fabregas began it with an inch-perfect pass out to Marcos Alonso on the left. Willian dummied the wing-back's cross for Eden Hazard to collect and spread play out to Zappacosta. His angled shot hit Kelly, bounced off the head of Hennessey, back onto Kelly, and in. Palace was reeling. Giroud's header was cleared off the goal-line and Alonso's volley was blocked. It would have been 3-0 if James Tomkins had not anticipated Giroud's shot from Hazard's pass and dived in to block. Roy Hodgson sent on Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha for the second half in place of Benteke, and it almost paid off instantly. Zaha caught Zappacosta in possession and Alexander Sorloth was left with only Thibaut Courtois to beat. The Norwegian must have thought his first goal in English football was a formality, but he hit his shot against the post. Chelsea nearly took advantage of that let-off but Tomkins threw himself in the way of yet another goal-bound shot, this time from Willian, and Hennessey saved from Hazard. Giroud then hit the post after 66 minutes with a first-time shot from a low cross by Alonso. But although Chelsea continued to make most of the chances, Zaha's arrival had boosted Palace. However, the 90th-minute goal he eventually created for Van Aanholt against his former club came too late. The left-back's shot from Zaha's diagonal pass went almost straight through Courtois but Chelsea held on.

Chelsea register vital victory ahead of Barca clash

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