Barcelona coach Luis Enrique highlighted the hunger of his squad not to be ousted by Real Madrid as Spanish champions after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao maintained their perfect start to the season. 
 
The Catalans had to win their final five league games of last season to stave off Real&#39;s late charge and claim a fifth title in seven seasons. 
 
&quot;It is a start to the season very like how we ended last season. All the players are involved, all the players have the desire and hunger to be first,&quot; said the Barca coach. 
 
Four wins to start the new campaign, including two in the Spanish Super Cup over Sevilla, have come about despite the absence of Neymar due to his participation in the Olympics and injured captain Andres Iniesta. 
 
&quot;We still have players to come back, players that have suffered injuries in pre-season, but we have a great squad and everyone is desperate to compete,&quot; added Luis Enrique. 
 
One area of competition within the squad was eased this week as Claudio Bravo signed for Manchester City, clearing the way for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to become Barca&#39;s undisputed number-one goalkeeper. 
 
Bravo and Ter Stegen have shared duties over the past two seasons with the former playing in La Liga, while the German featured in the Champions League and Copa del Rey. 
 
Ter Stegen&#39;s passing style from the back was in full evidence as he completed a La Liga record 51 passes for a goalkeeper, but also nearly cost Barca the opening goal with a poor clearance. 
 
However, Luis Enrique described his goalkeeper as being a &quot;good German&quot; for his calmness under pressure. 
 
&quot;Ter Stegen has cold blood, he is German and I think he is a good German. 
 
&quot;He is very able (to play out from the back) because of the quality he possesses.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Ter Stegen was constantly pressed by the Athletic front line, but believes he will only improve after his first appearance of the season due to a knee injury. 
 
&quot;Here it is always difficult to play short passes out from the back,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;For me it was the first game and after an injury it is always a bit more difficult. 
 
&quot;In the coming games I think I will have more confidence in the things I do and with the knee.&quot; 
 
Dutch &#39;keeper Jasper Cillessen joined from Ajax in midweek to replace Bravo and Ter Stegen expects competition from he and perennial third choice Jordi Masip for his place in the side. 
 
&quot;We have good competition which is very good for all three of us. I hope everything is loyal and we can fight for our place as it should be.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

'All the players are involved, all the players have the desire and hunger to be first,' said Enrique

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique highlighted the hunger of his squad not to be ousted by Real Madrid as Spanish champions after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao maintained their perfect start to the season. The Catalans had to win their final five league games of last season to stave off Real's late charge and claim a fifth title in seven seasons. "It is a start to the season very like how we ended last season. All the players are involved, all the players have the desire and hunger to be first," said the Barca coach. Four wins to start the new campaign, including two in the Spanish Super Cup over Sevilla, have come about despite the absence of Neymar due to his participation in the Olympics and injured captain Andres Iniesta. "We still have players to come back, players that have suffered injuries in pre-season, but we have a great squad and everyone is desperate to compete," added Luis Enrique. One area of competition within the squad was eased this week as Claudio Bravo signed for Manchester City, clearing the way for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to become Barca's undisputed number-one goalkeeper. Bravo and Ter Stegen have shared duties over the past two seasons with the former playing in La Liga, while the German featured in the Champions League and Copa del Rey. Ter Stegen's passing style from the back was in full evidence as he completed a La Liga record 51 passes for a goalkeeper, but also nearly cost Barca the opening goal with a poor clearance. However, Luis Enrique described his goalkeeper as being a "good German" for his calmness under pressure. "Ter Stegen has cold blood, he is German and I think he is a good German. "He is very able (to play out from the back) because of the quality he possesses." Ter Stegen was constantly pressed by the Athletic front line, but believes he will only improve after his first appearance of the season due to a knee injury. "Here it is always difficult to play short passes out from the back," he said. "For me it was the first game and after an injury it is always a bit more difficult. "In the coming games I think I will have more confidence in the things I do and with the knee." Dutch 'keeper Jasper Cillessen joined from Ajax in midweek to replace Bravo and Ter Stegen expects competition from he and perennial third choice Jordi Masip for his place in the side. "We have good competition which is very good for all three of us. I hope everything is loyal and we can fight for our place as it should be." (AFP)

Barca maintain hunger for titles: Coach

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will leave the Spanish La Liga champions at the end of the season,&nbsp;saying he needs to &quot;rest&quot;.

Luis Enrique made the announcement at the post-match conference after Barca thrashed Sporting Gijon 6-1 at the Nou Camp to keep up their bid for a third league title.

&quot;I would like to thank the club for the confidence they have shown in me, it&#39;s been three unforgettable years,&quot; said Luis Enrique, who has won two Liga titles, two King&#39;s Cups and the 2015 Champions League since succeeding Gerardo Martino in 2014.

&quot;It is a difficult, measured and well thought-out decision and I think I have to be loyal to what I think,&quot; said Enrique, who will leave at the end of his contract this summer.

&quot;It&#39;s about how I live with my profession, with a never-ending quest for solutions and to improve my team. That means I have very little time to rest, very few hours to disconnect.

&quot;I think it will be good for me at the end of the season, because I need to rest. That&#39;s the principle motive.&quot;

&quot;The most important thing is we have three exciting months left in all three competitions. In one of them, we are in a difficult situation but if the stars align, we will have a chance to turn it around.&quot;

Some of Enrique&#39;s best moments at FC Barcelona

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0SI1tJcjjRI" width="854"></iframe>

Barcelona is on the verge of elimination from the Champions League after losing 4-0 to Paris St-Germain in the first leg of the round of 16.

Luis Enrique&#39;s final dream at the Spanish club would be to defend the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles this season. &nbsp;

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will leave the Spanish La Liga champions at the end of the season, ?saying he needs to "rest"

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will leave the Spanish La Liga champions at the end of the season, saying he needs to "rest". Luis Enrique made the announcement at the post-match conference after Barca thrashed Sporting Gijon 6-1 at the Nou Camp to keep up their bid for a third league title. "I would like to thank the club for the confidence they have shown in me, it's been three unforgettable years," said Luis Enrique, who has won two Liga titles, two King's Cups and the 2015 Champions League since succeeding Gerardo Martino in 2014. "It is a difficult, measured and well thought-out decision and I think I have to be loyal to what I think," said Enrique, who will leave at the end of his contract this summer. "It's about how I live with my profession, with a never-ending quest for solutions and to improve my team. That means I have very little time to rest, very few hours to disconnect. "I think it will be good for me at the end of the season, because I need to rest. That's the principle motive." "The most important thing is we have three exciting months left in all three competitions. In one of them, we are in a difficult situation but if the stars align, we will have a chance to turn it around." Some of Enrique's best moments at FC Barcelona Barcelona is on the verge of elimination from the Champions League after losing 4-0 to Paris St-Germain in the first leg of the round of 16. Luis Enrique's final dream at the Spanish club would be to defend the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles this season.

Luis Enrique to quit as Barcelona boss at the end of season

Struggling Barcelona are still the best team in the world, according to the manager of their next opponents Atletico Madrid.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone said despite the &quot;one bad game against Paris&quot;, Barcelona remain the team to beat in Europe.

Luis Enrique&#39;s Barcelona have had a nightmarish recent days, with his team being thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League and then producing a sluggish performance to beat lowly Leganes last weekend.

And despite Atletico being the favourites to march to the quarter-finals of Europe&#39;s elite club competition after producing a stunning 4-2 awat performance against Bayer Leverkusen, Simeone said: &quot;Barcelona are still the best in the world.&quot;

&quot;We played three extraordinary halves against them and still didn&#39;t get through, that shows that they are better.&quot;

Simeone was referring to the last three matches his team has played against the blaugranas.

A poor opening first 45 minutes in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie cost Atletico dear as wonder goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi put Barca well on their way to a 3-2 aggregate win.

Luis Enrique, meanwhile, is hoping a first midweek off since the turn of the year is what Barca needed to recharge their batteries and recover their form.

&quot;It is the first free midweek we have had in 2017. The schedule has been brutal and it is evident that takes its toll,&quot; said Enrique.

&quot;The week allowed us to work on things, for the team to rest and analyse what is going on with the team.&quot;

Real Madrid&#39;s defeat to Valencia in midweek means Barca still trail their title rivals by just a point.

And Luis Enrique&#39;s men can go top for at least a few hours with victory at the Vicente Calderon, with Madrid not in action until later on Sunday at Villarreal.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Diego Simeone shrugged off talks of Barcelona's frailties, saying that every team can have 'one bad day' as they did against PSG

Struggling Barcelona are still the best team in the world, according to the manager of their next opponents Atletico Madrid. Atletico boss Diego Simeone said despite the "one bad game against Paris", Barcelona remain the team to beat in Europe. Luis Enrique's Barcelona have had a nightmarish recent days, with his team being thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League and then producing a sluggish performance to beat lowly Leganes last weekend. And despite Atletico being the favourites to march to the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition after producing a stunning 4-2 awat performance against Bayer Leverkusen, Simeone said: "Barcelona are still the best in the world." "We played three extraordinary halves against them and still didn't get through, that shows that they are better." Simeone was referring to the last three matches his team has played against the blaugranas. A poor opening first 45 minutes in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie cost Atletico dear as wonder goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi put Barca well on their way to a 3-2 aggregate win. Luis Enrique, meanwhile, is hoping a first midweek off since the turn of the year is what Barca needed to recharge their batteries and recover their form. "It is the first free midweek we have had in 2017. The schedule has been brutal and it is evident that takes its toll," said Enrique. "The week allowed us to work on things, for the team to rest and analyse what is going on with the team." Real Madrid's defeat to Valencia in midweek means Barca still trail their title rivals by just a point. And Luis Enrique's men can go top for at least a few hours with victory at the Vicente Calderon, with Madrid not in action until later on Sunday at Villarreal. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Barcelona are still the best, insists Atletico manager

Barcelona needed a last-minute Lionel Messi penalty to see off lowly Leganes 2-1 as a poor week for the Spanish champions continued on Sunday.

Barca were thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to leave their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread and had to rely on Messi for snatching all three points from another below par display.

The Argentine opened the scoring after just four minutes, but Leganes enjoyed the better of the chances and levelled 19 minutes from time through Unai Lopez.

However, Messi ensured Barca did move back up to second in La Liga and close to within a point of leaders Real Madrid, who have two games in hand, from the spot after Neymar had been chopped down inside the area.

&quot;We knew it would be a difficult game given what we have come from and what happened in the Champions League,&quot; Barca boss Luis Enrique told Spanish TV station Movistar.

&quot;It is clear that in some moments we lacked confidence, but I think the team turned around a difficult game in any way we could.

&quot;This time it was a penalty, but, given how we are at the moment, that is more than welcome.&quot;

Leganes remain just two points above the relegation zone as their winless run extends to 13 games.

Barca looked set for an easy night when Luis Suarez found space in behind the Leganes defence and his pinpoint cross with the outside of his right foot picked out Messi to tap home early on.

Instead, Barca were thankful to a series of brilliant saves by Marc-Andre ter Stegen for keeping Leganes at bay.

The German denied former Liverpool winger Nabil El Zhar in a one-on-one before flying low to his left to parry El Zhar&#39;s follow-up effort.

El Zhar came close again with the last action of the first-half as this time his shot from the edge of the area was deflected and forced Ter Stegen into a fine reflex stop.

However, for all his good work, Ter Stegen was at fault when Leganes did deservedly level as Lopez&#39;s effort from the edge of the area flew in between his legs.

Barca booed&nbsp;

The equaliser was met with a chorus of boos by the lowest La Liga attendance at the Camp Nou this season.

And there was an even angrier reception for the much maligned Andre Gomes when he was replaced by Andres Iniesta moments later.

&quot;For me jeering a player on your own team makes no sense,&quot; added Enrique.

And Ter Stegen called for unity among the Barcelona faithful.

&quot;We need the fans, above all at home, to support us.

&quot;We can win or lose together, but the most important thing is that we are united.&quot;

Leganes had held out with relative ease until Neymar took matters into his own hands with a driving run into the area before he was wiped out by Martin Mantovani.

Messi stepped up and fired into the top corner, but tellingly the Argentine didn&#39;t celebrate leaving his displeasure with Barca&#39;s performances over the past week clear.

Leganes still had a late chance to level as El Zhar sent another fierce effort flying inches wide.

Earlier, Villarreal kept their hopes of Champions League football next season alive as Samu Castillejo&#39;s 93rd minute winner secured a vital 1-0 win at Real Sociedad.

Just a second win of 2017 takes sixth-placed Villarreal to within two points of Sociedad and six of Atletico Madrid in fourth.

Valencia moved seven points clear of the relegation zone with a much-needed 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Nani opened the scoring early on before on-loan Juventus striker Simone Zaza broke down in tears after netting his first goal since May.

(AFP)

Besieged Barcelona beat lowly Leganes 2-1 to end a miserable week for the Spanish champions

Barcelona needed a last-minute Lionel Messi penalty to see off lowly Leganes 2-1 as a poor week for the Spanish champions continued on Sunday. Barca were thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to leave their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread and had to rely on Messi for snatching all three points from another below par display. The Argentine opened the scoring after just four minutes, but Leganes enjoyed the better of the chances and levelled 19 minutes from time through Unai Lopez. However, Messi ensured Barca did move back up to second in La Liga and close to within a point of leaders Real Madrid, who have two games in hand, from the spot after Neymar had been chopped down inside the area. "We knew it would be a difficult game given what we have come from and what happened in the Champions League," Barca boss Luis Enrique told Spanish TV station Movistar. "It is clear that in some moments we lacked confidence, but I think the team turned around a difficult game in any way we could. "This time it was a penalty, but, given how we are at the moment, that is more than welcome." Leganes remain just two points above the relegation zone as their winless run extends to 13 games. Barca looked set for an easy night when Luis Suarez found space in behind the Leganes defence and his pinpoint cross with the outside of his right foot picked out Messi to tap home early on. Instead, Barca were thankful to a series of brilliant saves by Marc-Andre ter Stegen for keeping Leganes at bay. The German denied former Liverpool winger Nabil El Zhar in a one-on-one before flying low to his left to parry El Zhar's follow-up effort. El Zhar came close again with the last action of the first-half as this time his shot from the edge of the area was deflected and forced Ter Stegen into a fine reflex stop. However, for all his good work, Ter Stegen was at fault when Leganes did deservedly level as Lopez's effort from the edge of the area flew in between his legs. Barca booed The equaliser was met with a chorus of boos by the lowest La Liga attendance at the Camp Nou this season. And there was an even angrier reception for the much maligned Andre Gomes when he was replaced by Andres Iniesta moments later. "For me jeering a player on your own team makes no sense," added Enrique. And Ter Stegen called for unity among the Barcelona faithful. "We need the fans, above all at home, to support us. "We can win or lose together, but the most important thing is that we are united." Leganes had held out with relative ease until Neymar took matters into his own hands with a driving run into the area before he was wiped out by Martin Mantovani. Messi stepped up and fired into the top corner, but tellingly the Argentine didn't celebrate leaving his displeasure with Barca's performances over the past week clear. Leganes still had a late chance to level as El Zhar sent another fierce effort flying inches wide. Earlier, Villarreal kept their hopes of Champions League football next season alive as Samu Castillejo's 93rd minute winner secured a vital 1-0 win at Real Sociedad. Just a second win of 2017 takes sixth-placed Villarreal to within two points of Sociedad and six of Atletico Madrid in fourth. Valencia moved seven points clear of the relegation zone with a much-needed 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. Nani opened the scoring early on before on-loan Juventus striker Simone Zaza broke down in tears after netting his first goal since May. (AFP)

Last-minute Messi penalty saves Barcelona's blushes

Paris St Germain&#39;s Angel Di Maria was at his vintage best as he scored twice on his birthday in a 4-0 first-leg demolition of a ragged Barcelona side who now have a mountain to climb in their Champions League last-16 clash.

The Argentina winger, 29, scored in each half with PSG&#39;s Germany midfielder Julian Draxler and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani also finding the net as the French champions tore apart a disorganised Barca side who have it all to do in the return.

PSG, eliminated by the Catalans in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013 and 2015, were the more aggressive side at the Parc des Princes and have put themselves in a commanding position ahead of the March 8 second leg at the Camp Nou.

Five-times European champions Barca, with their trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar subdued, have not exited in the last 16 since going out to Liverpool in the 2006/07 season and the score equalled their worst Champions league loss.

&quot;It&#39;s impossible to have a better performance and birthday. I&#39;m very happy with how the team played. It was a wonderful display, fully deserved,&quot; said Di Maria, who is getting back to his best since Draxler joined form Vfl Wolfsburg last month.

Stunned Barca coach Luis Enrique said of the PSG side: &quot;They are world class players with a lot of quality. Di Maria in particular was very, very good. They have a big attacking potential are hard in defence and incredible on the ball.

The only concern for home coach Unai Emery was the loss of the impressive Marco Verratti to a leg injury in the second half after the Italy international had put on a world class display with fellow midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

PSG were dangerous on the break from the start and came close to scoring in the 11th minute when captain Blaise Matuidi&#39;s rasping shot was brilliantly parried by keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen after a perfect through ball from Rabiot.

Cavani&nbsp;Strikes

The home side were rewarded seven minutes later, though, when Di Maria whipped a free kick over the wall into the net.

Barcelona continued to play their patient possession game but failed to threaten and their apparent complacency was punished again five minutes before the break.

Messi lost the ball in midfield and Verratti slid a perfectly weighted ball to the right for Draxler, who fired a low shot into the far bottom corner of the net.

PSG started the second half strongly and went further ahead in the 55th minute when Di Maria danced around Andres Iniesta before curling a 25-metre shot past Ter Stegen.

Verratti limped off the pitch in some discomfort after 71 minutes, being replaced by Chris Nkunku.

It did not stop PSG from continuing to push forward, though, and a minute later Cavani, who was celebrating his 30th birthday, rifled a low shot past Ter Stegen for his seventh goal in seven games in the competition this season.

The hosts also defended perfectly, with centre back Presnel Kimpembe deputising superbly on his Champions League debut for injured captain Thiago Silva as PSG claimed a deserved victory.

Barca had a chance to get an away goal seven minutes from time but Samuel Umtiti&#39;s header hit Kevin Trapp&#39;s right-hand post and Luis Enrique&#39;s side now face a huge challenge.

No team have ever overturned a deficit of four or more goals to progress in the Champions League knockout stages.

(Reuters) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Argentina winger scored in each half with PSG's Germany midfielder Julian Draxler and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani also scoring a goal

Paris St Germain's Angel Di Maria was at his vintage best as he scored twice on his birthday in a 4-0 first-leg demolition of a ragged Barcelona side who now have a mountain to climb in their Champions League last-16 clash. The Argentina winger, 29, scored in each half with PSG's Germany midfielder Julian Draxler and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani also finding the net as the French champions tore apart a disorganised Barca side who have it all to do in the return. PSG, eliminated by the Catalans in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013 and 2015, were the more aggressive side at the Parc des Princes and have put themselves in a commanding position ahead of the March 8 second leg at the Camp Nou. Five-times European champions Barca, with their trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar subdued, have not exited in the last 16 since going out to Liverpool in the 2006/07 season and the score equalled their worst Champions league loss. "It's impossible to have a better performance and birthday. I'm very happy with how the team played. It was a wonderful display, fully deserved," said Di Maria, who is getting back to his best since Draxler joined form Vfl Wolfsburg last month. Stunned Barca coach Luis Enrique said of the PSG side: "They are world class players with a lot of quality. Di Maria in particular was very, very good. They have a big attacking potential are hard in defence and incredible on the ball. The only concern for home coach Unai Emery was the loss of the impressive Marco Verratti to a leg injury in the second half after the Italy international had put on a world class display with fellow midfielder Adrien Rabiot. PSG were dangerous on the break from the start and came close to scoring in the 11th minute when captain Blaise Matuidi's rasping shot was brilliantly parried by keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen after a perfect through ball from Rabiot. Cavani Strikes The home side were rewarded seven minutes later, though, when Di Maria whipped a free kick over the wall into the net. Barcelona continued to play their patient possession game but failed to threaten and their apparent complacency was punished again five minutes before the break. Messi lost the ball in midfield and Verratti slid a perfectly weighted ball to the right for Draxler, who fired a low shot into the far bottom corner of the net. PSG started the second half strongly and went further ahead in the 55th minute when Di Maria danced around Andres Iniesta before curling a 25-metre shot past Ter Stegen. Verratti limped off the pitch in some discomfort after 71 minutes, being replaced by Chris Nkunku. It did not stop PSG from continuing to push forward, though, and a minute later Cavani, who was celebrating his 30th birthday, rifled a low shot past Ter Stegen for his seventh goal in seven games in the competition this season. The hosts also defended perfectly, with centre back Presnel Kimpembe deputising superbly on his Champions League debut for injured captain Thiago Silva as PSG claimed a deserved victory. Barca had a chance to get an away goal seven minutes from time but Samuel Umtiti's header hit Kevin Trapp's right-hand post and Luis Enrique's side now face a huge challenge. No team have ever overturned a deficit of four or more goals to progress in the Champions League knockout stages. (Reuters)

Champions League: PSG thrash Barca 4-0, birthday boy Maria stars with 2 goals

Luis Suarez booked Barcelona&#39;s place in a fourth consecutive Copa del Rey final but was sent off as a bad-tempered 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win.

Suarez&#39;s second goal of the tie looked to have put the semi-final beyond the visitors just before half-time.

However, the Uruguayan was one of three players sent-off in a pulsating second-half and will miss May&#39;s final against Alaves or Celta Vigo.

Kevin Gameiro set up a grandstand finish seven minutes from time moments after blazing a penalty over the bar.

But Barca saw out five minutes of stoppage time with nine men after Suarez&#39;s first red card for the club.

Atletico needed a first win at the Camp Nou since 2006 to have any chance of overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit inflicted by stunning goals from Suarez and Lionel Messi.

Yet, the visitors nearly secured the perfect start with a lightning counter-attack from a Barca corner that ended with Yannick Carrasco stinging the palms of Jasper Cillessen.

The Dutch goalkeeper also saved a long range effort from Koke before Filipe Luis&#39;s volley flew just wide.

Barca took 27 minutes to have an effort on goal when Messi&#39;s low drive was held by Miguel Angel Moya.

However, Atletico&#39;s intense early pressing eased as the half wore on and Barca went in front just before half-time thanks to more magic from Messi and Suarez.

Messi sucked in the Atletico defence and when his effort from the edge of the area was parried by Moya, Suarez gobbled up the rebound for his 23rd goal of the season.

Atletico were dealt an injury blow at the start of the second period as Diego Godin had to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez just five days after the French defender was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.

However, the visitors were given a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark when Sergi Roberto dived in on Luis and was deservedly shown a second yellow card.

That hope should have been bolstered moments later when Antoine Griezmann smashed the ball inside Cillessen&#39;s far post, but was wrongly flagged offside.

Barca&#39;s nerves were eased when Atletico were also reduced to 10 men 21 minutes from time when a slip from Carrasco saw him wipe out Arda Turan, the Belgian also being shown a second yellow card.

Messi&#39;s incredible run of scoring free-kicks in 2017 nearly continued with a driven effort from fully 35 yards that came crashing back off the bar.

Atletico were given a lifeline when Gerard Pique was adjudged to have tripped Gameiro inside the area with 10 minutes remaining.

Griezmann had missed his fifth penalty in seven attempts at the weekend and handed over responsiblity to his compatriot, but Gameiro blazed over.

Just three minutes later, though, the two combined to great effect as Griezmann&#39;s decision to cross rather than shoot caught the Barca defence off guard and Gameiro rolled into an empty net.

Atletico then pilled on the pressure in search of a winning goal on the night to send the game into extra time.

Suarez was the thrid player to be shown a second yellow for a stray elbow on Koke.

But a great block from Samuel Umtiti to divert Luis&#39;s goalbound drive preserved Barca&#39;s incredible record of not having lost a tie to anyone other than Real Madrid in the Cup sine 2010.

(AFP)

Barcelona's Luis Suarez brandished his Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde self as he scored one and got sent off in an ill-tempered match

Luis Suarez booked Barcelona's place in a fourth consecutive Copa del Rey final but was sent off as a bad-tempered 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win. Suarez's second goal of the tie looked to have put the semi-final beyond the visitors just before half-time. However, the Uruguayan was one of three players sent-off in a pulsating second-half and will miss May's final against Alaves or Celta Vigo. Kevin Gameiro set up a grandstand finish seven minutes from time moments after blazing a penalty over the bar. But Barca saw out five minutes of stoppage time with nine men after Suarez's first red card for the club. Atletico needed a first win at the Camp Nou since 2006 to have any chance of overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit inflicted by stunning goals from Suarez and Lionel Messi. Yet, the visitors nearly secured the perfect start with a lightning counter-attack from a Barca corner that ended with Yannick Carrasco stinging the palms of Jasper Cillessen. The Dutch goalkeeper also saved a long range effort from Koke before Filipe Luis's volley flew just wide. Barca took 27 minutes to have an effort on goal when Messi's low drive was held by Miguel Angel Moya. However, Atletico's intense early pressing eased as the half wore on and Barca went in front just before half-time thanks to more magic from Messi and Suarez. Messi sucked in the Atletico defence and when his effort from the edge of the area was parried by Moya, Suarez gobbled up the rebound for his 23rd goal of the season. Atletico were dealt an injury blow at the start of the second period as Diego Godin had to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez just five days after the French defender was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. However, the visitors were given a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark when Sergi Roberto dived in on Luis and was deservedly shown a second yellow card. That hope should have been bolstered moments later when Antoine Griezmann smashed the ball inside Cillessen's far post, but was wrongly flagged offside. Barca's nerves were eased when Atletico were also reduced to 10 men 21 minutes from time when a slip from Carrasco saw him wipe out Arda Turan, the Belgian also being shown a second yellow card. Messi's incredible run of scoring free-kicks in 2017 nearly continued with a driven effort from fully 35 yards that came crashing back off the bar. Atletico were given a lifeline when Gerard Pique was adjudged to have tripped Gameiro inside the area with 10 minutes remaining. Griezmann had missed his fifth penalty in seven attempts at the weekend and handed over responsiblity to his compatriot, but Gameiro blazed over. Just three minutes later, though, the two combined to great effect as Griezmann's decision to cross rather than shoot caught the Barca defence off guard and Gameiro rolled into an empty net. Atletico then pilled on the pressure in search of a winning goal on the night to send the game into extra time. Suarez was the thrid player to be shown a second yellow for a stray elbow on Koke. But a great block from Samuel Umtiti to divert Luis's goalbound drive preserved Barca's incredible record of not having lost a tie to anyone other than Real Madrid in the Cup sine 2010. (AFP)

Copa del Rey: Barcelona through to final after beating Atletico Madrid

La Liga champions Barcelona stayed on the heels of leaders Real Madrid by coasting to a 3-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday as Lionel Messi became the club&#39;s top scorer from free-kicks.

Paco Alcacer scored his first league goal since joining from Valencia last year by turning in a pass from Neymar in the 18th minute while Messi whipped in an angled strike in the 40th, his 27th goal from a free-kick for Barca.

Aleix Vidal scored the most impressive goal of the game by finishing off an audacious solo run in the 67th minute.

Barca stayed second in the standings, moving one point behind Real Madrid having played two games more. The leaders are due to visit Celta Vigo on Sunday although the game is in danger of being postponed due to extreme weather conditions.

Third-placed Sevilla visit Las Palmas on Sunday and Atletico Madrid host Leganes later on Saturday.

Luis Enrique made six changes to the team that beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Wednesday&#39;s King&#39;s Cup semi-final first leg, resting top scorer Luis Suarez, and it looked a risky move as Athletic made a bold start.

Raul Garcia struck the post early on, after Inaki Williams dispossessed Vidal, while Williams headed just beyond the post not long after as Barca again lacked control without injured midfielders Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta.

But they took the lead when Neymar cut inside from the left and held off four opponents to serve the ball up for Alcacer to finally score a league goal for Barca in his 11th appearance.

Athletic continued to cause problems but the Catalans doubled their advantage before the break when Messi smashed the ball from the right-hand side of the area straight past Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. The goal moved him ahead of Ronald Koeman as the club&#39;s top set-piece specialist with 27 goals from free-kicks in all competitions.

Early in the second half, Barca midfielder Rafinha was forced off with a bleeding head after colliding with his goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, while Pique was taken off with a suspected hamstring strain.

Messi was also substituted in the 64th minute but the Argentine maestro was soon all smiles as he watched Vidal race towards goal on the counter, flicking the ball over a defender before arrowing the ball into the far corner for the third.

&quot;Athletic are always difficult opponents and, although at times we were imprecise, it&#39;s been a very positive day for us,&quot; Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.

&quot;If we want to win all three competitions this season we have to use the whole squad, and today the players who play less often showed their worth.&quot;

(Reuters)

The defending champions beat Bilbao 3-0, with Lionel Messi becoming the club's top goal-scorer from free-kicks

La Liga champions Barcelona stayed on the heels of leaders Real Madrid by coasting to a 3-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday as Lionel Messi became the club's top scorer from free-kicks. Paco Alcacer scored his first league goal since joining from Valencia last year by turning in a pass from Neymar in the 18th minute while Messi whipped in an angled strike in the 40th, his 27th goal from a free-kick for Barca. Aleix Vidal scored the most impressive goal of the game by finishing off an audacious solo run in the 67th minute. Barca stayed second in the standings, moving one point behind Real Madrid having played two games more. The leaders are due to visit Celta Vigo on Sunday although the game is in danger of being postponed due to extreme weather conditions. Third-placed Sevilla visit Las Palmas on Sunday and Atletico Madrid host Leganes later on Saturday. Luis Enrique made six changes to the team that beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Wednesday's King's Cup semi-final first leg, resting top scorer Luis Suarez, and it looked a risky move as Athletic made a bold start. Raul Garcia struck the post early on, after Inaki Williams dispossessed Vidal, while Williams headed just beyond the post not long after as Barca again lacked control without injured midfielders Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta. But they took the lead when Neymar cut inside from the left and held off four opponents to serve the ball up for Alcacer to finally score a league goal for Barca in his 11th appearance. Athletic continued to cause problems but the Catalans doubled their advantage before the break when Messi smashed the ball from the right-hand side of the area straight past Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. The goal moved him ahead of Ronald Koeman as the club's top set-piece specialist with 27 goals from free-kicks in all competitions. Early in the second half, Barca midfielder Rafinha was forced off with a bleeding head after colliding with his goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, while Pique was taken off with a suspected hamstring strain. Messi was also substituted in the 64th minute but the Argentine maestro was soon all smiles as he watched Vidal race towards goal on the counter, flicking the ball over a defender before arrowing the ball into the far corner for the third. "Athletic are always difficult opponents and, although at times we were imprecise, it's been a very positive day for us," Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters. "If we want to win all three competitions this season we have to use the whole squad, and today the players who play less often showed their worth." (Reuters)

Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to keep in touch with Real Madrid

Barcelona eased into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for a seventh consecutive season 6-2 on aggregate as Denis Suarez scored twice in a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Thursday.

Already leading 1-0 from the first leg, Barca gave Sociedad a mountain to climb as Denis Suarez finished off a great team move with the only real chance of the first-half before Lionel Messi converted from the penalty spot.

Juanmi and Willian Jose grabbed a pair of consolation goals for the visitors either side of Luis Suarez&#39;s third for Barca before Arda Turan and Denis Suarez rounded off the rout.

&quot;After the first goal the space opened up. They had a high line, and if you give the three we have up front space, then they kill you,&quot; Denis Suarez told BeIN Sports Spain.

The 28-time winners join Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Celta Vigo, who dumped out Real Madrid on Wednesday, in Friday&#39;s semi-final draw.

Barca boss Luis Enrique took no risks with his team selection as all of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez started, whilst Gerard Pique returned at the back after being rested for the 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday.

One moment of magic lit up a first-half otherwise devoid of goalmouth action as after registering his first Barca goal at the weekend, Denis Suarez&#39;s purple patch continued.

Samuel Umtiti robbed Xabi Prieto deep inside the Sociedad half and from there Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez combined to tee up his namesake for a first time finish into the far corner.

&quot;We found it difficult to play out from the back in the first-half,&quot; added Enrique.

&quot;In the second-half we took better decisions and we took our chances.

&quot;When the players we have are given space, not just for their quality, but their physical ability, they normally take advantage.&quot;

Sociedad had a huge chance to get back into the tie nine minutes into the second period when Jose fired too close to Jasper Cillessen with just the Dutch international to beat from 10 yards out.

And within seconds any lasting hope Sociedad had was gone as Neymar accelerated in behind the visitors&#39; defence and was cynically hacked down by Inigo Martinez with the defender lucky to escape with just a yellow card.

Messi had handed responsibility from the spot to Neymar in each of Barca&#39;s last two Cup outings, but stepped up himself to register his 29th goal in just 27 games this season.

Sociedad were briefly given a glimmer of hope when substitute Juanmi took advantage of a glaring gap in the centre of the Barca defence to lob Cillessen.

Barca immediately responded, though, as Messi shrugged off three Sociedad challenges to release Luis Suarez to slot his 20th goal of the season under Geronimo Rulli.

The Basques once again responded as Jose bulleted home a header 17 minutes from time.

Yet, that once again just kicked Barca back up a gear as Turan tapped home Aleix Vidal&#39;s cross minutes after replacing Neymar before Messi teed up Denis Suarez for his second of the night.

(AFP)

The blaugrana team entered their seventh consecutive Cup semi-final by winning 6-2 on aggregate

Barcelona eased into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for a seventh consecutive season 6-2 on aggregate as Denis Suarez scored twice in a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Thursday. Already leading 1-0 from the first leg, Barca gave Sociedad a mountain to climb as Denis Suarez finished off a great team move with the only real chance of the first-half before Lionel Messi converted from the penalty spot. Juanmi and Willian Jose grabbed a pair of consolation goals for the visitors either side of Luis Suarez's third for Barca before Arda Turan and Denis Suarez rounded off the rout. "After the first goal the space opened up. They had a high line, and if you give the three we have up front space, then they kill you," Denis Suarez told BeIN Sports Spain. The 28-time winners join Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Celta Vigo, who dumped out Real Madrid on Wednesday, in Friday's semi-final draw. Barca boss Luis Enrique took no risks with his team selection as all of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez started, whilst Gerard Pique returned at the back after being rested for the 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday. One moment of magic lit up a first-half otherwise devoid of goalmouth action as after registering his first Barca goal at the weekend, Denis Suarez's purple patch continued. Samuel Umtiti robbed Xabi Prieto deep inside the Sociedad half and from there Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez combined to tee up his namesake for a first time finish into the far corner. "We found it difficult to play out from the back in the first-half," added Enrique. "In the second-half we took better decisions and we took our chances. "When the players we have are given space, not just for their quality, but their physical ability, they normally take advantage." Sociedad had a huge chance to get back into the tie nine minutes into the second period when Jose fired too close to Jasper Cillessen with just the Dutch international to beat from 10 yards out. And within seconds any lasting hope Sociedad had was gone as Neymar accelerated in behind the visitors' defence and was cynically hacked down by Inigo Martinez with the defender lucky to escape with just a yellow card. Messi had handed responsibility from the spot to Neymar in each of Barca's last two Cup outings, but stepped up himself to register his 29th goal in just 27 games this season. Sociedad were briefly given a glimmer of hope when substitute Juanmi took advantage of a glaring gap in the centre of the Barca defence to lob Cillessen. Barca immediately responded, though, as Messi shrugged off three Sociedad challenges to release Luis Suarez to slot his 20th goal of the season under Geronimo Rulli. The Basques once again responded as Jose bulleted home a header 17 minutes from time. Yet, that once again just kicked Barca back up a gear as Turan tapped home Aleix Vidal's cross minutes after replacing Neymar before Messi teed up Denis Suarez for his second of the night. (AFP)

Copa del Rey: Barcelona pump in five to ease past Sociedad into semis

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta says he wants to stay on at the Catalan club &quot;for a long time&quot; after his current contract with the club expires in 2018.

&quot;In 2018 my contract ends and my desire is to continue, the whole world knows this, it is no secret. But my level of performance will determine if I can stay at Barca. I hope it will be for a long time,&quot; the 32-year-old said in an interview with sports daily Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona recently reached a deal to extend the contract of Uruguay striker Luis Suarez to June 2021. His previous deal was due to expire in 2019.

In October, the club also extended the contract of Brazilian superstar Neymar until 2021 and they have already started talks to seal a new deal with Lionel Messi.

Along with Messi, Iniesta is Barcelona&#39;s most decorated player ever with 29 trophies, but he is even more loved across Spain for his winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands.

Iniesta is second behind only former teammate Xavi Hernandez as the player to have made most Barca appearances.

He is also hopeful coach Luis Enrique will renew his contract with Barcelona when his current deal expires at the end of the season.

&quot;He is very motivated, I hope we can remain together and keep celebrating things, which is what we all want,&quot; Iniesta said.

Barca have also already tied down Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano to contract extentions this year.

(AFP)

He said his level of performance will determine if he can stay at Barca. His contract expires in 2018

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta says he wants to stay on at the Catalan club "for a long time" after his current contract with the club expires in 2018. "In 2018 my contract ends and my desire is to continue, the whole world knows this, it is no secret. But my level of performance will determine if I can stay at Barca. I hope it will be for a long time," the 32-year-old said in an interview with sports daily Mundo Deportivo. Barcelona recently reached a deal to extend the contract of Uruguay striker Luis Suarez to June 2021. His previous deal was due to expire in 2019. In October, the club also extended the contract of Brazilian superstar Neymar until 2021 and they have already started talks to seal a new deal with Lionel Messi. Along with Messi, Iniesta is Barcelona's most decorated player ever with 29 trophies, but he is even more loved across Spain for his winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands. Iniesta is second behind only former teammate Xavi Hernandez as the player to have made most Barca appearances. He is also hopeful coach Luis Enrique will renew his contract with Barcelona when his current deal expires at the end of the season. "He is very motivated, I hope we can remain together and keep celebrating things, which is what we all want," Iniesta said. Barca have also already tied down Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano to contract extentions this year. (AFP)

Iniesta keen to extend Barcelona contract

Prolific striker Luis Suarez has agreed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Spanish champions announced on Thursday.

The Uruguay international will sign the new deal, which will keep him at the club until he is 34 years old and contains a release clause of 200 million euros ($207 million), on Friday.

Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona since signing from Liverpool in 2014 for a reported 81 million euros ($84 million), and has collected eight major trophies.

He netted 40 times in the league last season, making him top scorer in Spain and landing him the European Golden Shoe award for the top marksman in Europe&#39;s top five leagues.

&quot;I feel complete happiness because I am where I want to be,&quot; Suarez said on Thursday.

&quot;It&#39;s now official. I never put any obstacles in the way of a renewal. I will never lose my ambition and enthusiasm for winning trophies and scoring goals.&quot;

Suarez&#39;s contract renewal comes two months after strike partner Neymar penned a new deal with Barcelona, meaning talisman Lionel Messi is the only member of the feted &quot;MSN&quot; attacking trident who has yet to sign a new contract with the club.

Suarez said he hoped Messi, whose current deal expires in 2018, would follow his lead, although he said the Argentine would make his decision on his own terms.

&quot;My renewal has nothing to do with Neymar or Messi&#39;s. Leo is a legend and he knows what he has to do and decide,&quot; added Suarez.

&quot;As a team mate, I am available to help him out but Leo is old enough to decide for himself. We are friends and we have a great relationship, but he is an adult and he has to take that decision.&quot;

(Reuters)

The agreement will keep him at the club till he is 34

Prolific striker Luis Suarez has agreed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Spanish champions announced on Thursday. The Uruguay international will sign the new deal, which will keep him at the club until he is 34 years old and contains a release clause of 200 million euros ($207 million), on Friday. Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona since signing from Liverpool in 2014 for a reported 81 million euros ($84 million), and has collected eight major trophies. He netted 40 times in the league last season, making him top scorer in Spain and landing him the European Golden Shoe award for the top marksman in Europe's top five leagues. "I feel complete happiness because I am where I want to be," Suarez said on Thursday. "It's now official. I never put any obstacles in the way of a renewal. I will never lose my ambition and enthusiasm for winning trophies and scoring goals." Suarez's contract renewal comes two months after strike partner Neymar penned a new deal with Barcelona, meaning talisman Lionel Messi is the only member of the feted "MSN" attacking trident who has yet to sign a new contract with the club. Suarez said he hoped Messi, whose current deal expires in 2018, would follow his lead, although he said the Argentine would make his decision on his own terms. "My renewal has nothing to do with Neymar or Messi's. Leo is a legend and he knows what he has to do and decide," added Suarez. "As a team mate, I am available to help him out but Leo is old enough to decide for himself. We are friends and we have a great relationship, but he is an adult and he has to take that decision." (Reuters)

Football: Suarez agrees new contract with Barcelona to 2021

Sergio Ramos again proved Real Madrid&#39;s last-gasp hero by heading a 90th-minute equaliser to force a 1-1 draw at champions Barcelona and preserve his side&#39;s six-point lead at the top of La Liga on Saturday.

Zinedine Zidane&#39;s team looked set to lose their 32-game unbeaten run in all competitions after Luis Suarez climbed highest to head in Neymar&#39;s free kick in the 53rd minute in a &#39;Clasico&#39; that failed to live up to its billing early on.

Neymar then curled a shot just over the bar after a breathtaking run into the box while Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi narrowly missed the target for the hosts.

Real captain Ramos earned a point that could prove decisive in the title race by powering in Luka Modric&#39;s free kick, just as he had done in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

&quot;We did everything we could to take the three points. We were the superior team but if you don&#39;t take your chances this is what happens,&quot; Suarez said.

&quot;We have to stay strong, keep going and hope Real drop points here and there. There&#39;s still a long way to go.&quot;

Barca coach Luis Enrique deployed the same team that he said produced the worst display in his tenure to draw 1-1 at Real Sociedad last week and they struggled to prise open an organised Real side.

Visiting winger Lucas Vazquez had a penalty appeal waved away in the third minute when he went down under a challenge from Javier Mascherano while Barca called for a spot kick at the other end when Sergi Roberto&rsquo;s shot was blocked by Raphael Varane.

Too much power&nbsp;

Suarez&#39;s header opened up the game and Barca went all out to try and kill off their rivals.

Neymar sliced open the Real defence but put too much power into his shot while substitute Iniesta shot into the side netting after magnificent play from the Brazilian.

Real took their time to offer a response but upped their pursuit of an equaliser as the game wound down. Ramos headed over the bar and Cristiano Ronaldo had an effort cleared off the line by Jordi Alba.

Just as Barca thought they had got away with it, however, Ramos had the final say.

&quot;We had more chances in the first half and lacked effectiveness but hard work is always rewarded and we still have a big advantage,&quot; said Ramos.

Real are top with 34 points from 14 matches while second-placed Barca have 28. Atletico Madrid can move to within a point of the champions when they host Espanyol later on Saturday.

Third-placed Sevilla missed the opportunity to take advantage of the &#39;Clasico&#39; draw as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Granada who recorded their first league win of the season.

(Reuters)

Real Madrid stay six points clear at the top of La Liga

Sergio Ramos again proved Real Madrid's last-gasp hero by heading a 90th-minute equaliser to force a 1-1 draw at champions Barcelona and preserve his side's six-point lead at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Zinedine Zidane's team looked set to lose their 32-game unbeaten run in all competitions after Luis Suarez climbed highest to head in Neymar's free kick in the 53rd minute in a 'Clasico' that failed to live up to its billing early on. Neymar then curled a shot just over the bar after a breathtaking run into the box while Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi narrowly missed the target for the hosts. Real captain Ramos earned a point that could prove decisive in the title race by powering in Luka Modric's free kick, just as he had done in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. "We did everything we could to take the three points. We were the superior team but if you don't take your chances this is what happens," Suarez said. "We have to stay strong, keep going and hope Real drop points here and there. There's still a long way to go." Barca coach Luis Enrique deployed the same team that he said produced the worst display in his tenure to draw 1-1 at Real Sociedad last week and they struggled to prise open an organised Real side. Visiting winger Lucas Vazquez had a penalty appeal waved away in the third minute when he went down under a challenge from Javier Mascherano while Barca called for a spot kick at the other end when Sergi Roberto’s shot was blocked by Raphael Varane. Too much power Suarez's header opened up the game and Barca went all out to try and kill off their rivals. Neymar sliced open the Real defence but put too much power into his shot while substitute Iniesta shot into the side netting after magnificent play from the Brazilian. Real took their time to offer a response but upped their pursuit of an equaliser as the game wound down. Ramos headed over the bar and Cristiano Ronaldo had an effort cleared off the line by Jordi Alba. Just as Barca thought they had got away with it, however, Ramos had the final say. "We had more chances in the first half and lacked effectiveness but hard work is always rewarded and we still have a big advantage," said Ramos. Real are top with 34 points from 14 matches while second-placed Barca have 28. Atletico Madrid can move to within a point of the champions when they host Espanyol later on Saturday. Third-placed Sevilla missed the opportunity to take advantage of the 'Clasico' draw as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Granada who recorded their first league win of the season. (Reuters)

El Clasico: 90th minute Ramos header gives Real 1-1 draw at Barca

Spain&#39;s public prosecutor has called for Barcelona soccer player Neymar to be sent to prison for two years for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013, said a court filing on Wednesday.

Judge Jose Perals also called for a five-year sentence for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and a fine of 8.4 million euros ($8.9 million) for the club, but called for charges against current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to be dropped.

(Reuters)

The case is related to his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013

Spain's public prosecutor has called for Barcelona soccer player Neymar to be sent to prison for two years for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013, said a court filing on Wednesday. Judge Jose Perals also called for a five-year sentence for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and a fine of 8.4 million euros ($8.9 million) for the club, but called for charges against current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to be dropped. (Reuters)

Spanish court wants two-year prison sentence for Barca's Neymar

The Spanish giants Barcelona have struck a sponsorship deal with Japanese online retailer Rakuten for the next four years.&nbsp;

With the 55 million euros ($59 million) a year deal, Rakuten replaces Qatar Airways who had been Barcelona&#39;s shirt sponsor since 2013.&nbsp;

They were reported to have paid 35 million euros for the final year of their deal taking them up to the end of the 2016-17 season.

&quot;I have the pleasure and honour to announce that the board of directors has approved that Rakuten will&nbsp;be the new main and global sponsor of the club for the next four years,&quot; Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference at the club&#39;s Camp Nou stadium.

The club success added with some of the world&#39;s most recognisable stars make it a highly attractive assest to the advertisers.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Rakuten has signed a deal worth 55 million euros a year with Barcelona

The Spanish giants Barcelona have struck a sponsorship deal with Japanese online retailer Rakuten for the next four years. With the 55 million euros ($59 million) a year deal, Rakuten replaces Qatar Airways who had been Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013. They were reported to have paid 35 million euros for the final year of their deal taking them up to the end of the 2016-17 season. "I have the pleasure and honour to announce that the board of directors has approved that Rakuten will be the new main and global sponsor of the club for the next four years," Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference at the club's Camp Nou stadium. The club success added with some of the world's most recognisable stars make it a highly attractive assest to the advertisers. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Football: Barca strikes new sponsorship deal with Japan's Rakuten

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday.

Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha&#39;s spectacular winner.

Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour.

Ronaldo&#39;s wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight &#39; even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend &#39; but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead.

&quot;We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects,&quot; said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

&quot;We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren&#39;t comfortable or easy.

&quot;But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do.&quot;Real&#39;s unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane&#39;s men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead.

The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time.

Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty.

Ronaldo&#39;s second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner.

The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time.

However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo&#39;s through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season.

And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time.

An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou.

&quot;It is clear it wasn&#39;t a brilliant match on our part,&quot; admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. &quot;Sometimes the players aren&#39;t machines.&quot;

Rafinha&#39;s overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada&#39;s deep-lying defence before the break.

Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga.

Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes.

Sandro Ramirez&#39;s stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico&#39;s two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann&#39;s flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break.

However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour.

Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga&#39;s deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time.

&quot;I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential,&quot; Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco.

&quot;Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker.&quot;

Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon.

(AFP)

The 4-1 win against Alves helped Real Madrid hold off Barca and Atletico in the La Liga standings

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday. Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha's spectacular winner. Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour. Ronaldo's wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight ' even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend ' but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead. "We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects," said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. "We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren't comfortable or easy. "But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do."Real's unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane's men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead. The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time. Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty. Ronaldo's second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner. The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time. However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo's through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season. And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time. An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou. "It is clear it wasn't a brilliant match on our part," admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. "Sometimes the players aren't machines." Rafinha's overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada's deep-lying defence before the break. Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga. Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes. Sandro Ramirez's stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico's two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann's flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break. However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour. Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga's deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time. "I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential," Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco. "Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker." Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon. (AFP)

Ronaldo hat-trick extends Real Madrid's La Liga lead

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct.

Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter.

A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure.

But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of &quot;reproachable behaviour&quot; as they celebrated close to the touchline.

However, the Federation stressed that &quot;nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction&quot;.

In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players &quot;totally reproachable&quot;.

&quot;The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules,&quot; the Catalan club said.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: &quot;We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner.&quot;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A disciplinary committee fined Valencia after their fans hit Barca's Suarez and Neymar in their La Liga encounter on Saturday

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct. Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter. A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure. But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of "reproachable behaviour" as they celebrated close to the touchline. However, the Federation stressed that "nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction". In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players "totally reproachable". "The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules," the Catalan club said. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: "We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner." (AFP)

Football: Valencia fined, Barcelona censured for bottle incident

Lionel Messi shrugged off his recent woes from the penalty spot with a decisive 94th-minute spot-kick to move Barcelona top of La Liga with a pulsating 3-2 win at Valencia on Saturday.

Messi netted twice and his opener midway through the first half was allowed to stand despite Luis Suarez straying into an offside position.

However, it was Valencia who were up in arms at the officials when Messi opened the scoring on 22 minutes.

The Argentine&#39;s fifth goal in three games since returning from a groin injury sneaked in at Alves&#39;s near post, but the Brazilian goalkeeper had been distracted by the presence of the offside Suarez jumping over Messi&#39;s effort.

&quot;It is lamentable, absolutely lamentable that refereeing decisions prevented Valencia from taking a point or more from this match,&quot; Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch told BeIN Sports Spain.

Valencia hit back with two goals in six second-half minutes through on-loan Barca winger Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo.

Valencia&#39;s lead lasted just six minutes despite Alves&#39;s best efforts as Suarez pounced to smash home a rebound after Ivan Rakitic&#39;s powerful header had been saved by the Valencia stopper.

Barca swarmed forward in search of a winner, but had to wait until deep into stoppage time when Messi played in Suarez and he was clearly taken out from behind by Abdennour. Messi stroked home his 14th goal of the season to secure a vital three points in the title race.

A bad-tempered encounter spilled over after Messi&#39;s strike, though, as Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated.

The victory moves the champions a point clear of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who face Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao respectively on Sunday.

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But as Barcelona celebrated, a teary-eyed captain Andres Iniesta was carried from the field following a knee injury, possibly ruled out for six to eight weeks. (AFP)
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However, the dramatic victory came at a cost for Barca as a tearful Andres Iniesta suffered ligament damage in his right knee that could keep him out for several months.

The game was only 14 minutes old when Iniesta was carried from the field in tears holding his right knee, which buckled under a heavy challenge from Enzo Perez.

Barca confirmed Iniesta suffered lateral collateral ligament damage, but said further tests would be carried out to determine the exact extent of the injury.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Messi, who had struggled from the penalty spot in recent seasons, netted twice earning crucial points to move Barca to the top spot

Lionel Messi shrugged off his recent woes from the penalty spot with a decisive 94th-minute spot-kick to move Barcelona top of La Liga with a pulsating 3-2 win at Valencia on Saturday. Messi netted twice and his opener midway through the first half was allowed to stand despite Luis Suarez straying into an offside position. However, it was Valencia who were up in arms at the officials when Messi opened the scoring on 22 minutes. The Argentine's fifth goal in three games since returning from a groin injury sneaked in at Alves's near post, but the Brazilian goalkeeper had been distracted by the presence of the offside Suarez jumping over Messi's effort. "It is lamentable, absolutely lamentable that refereeing decisions prevented Valencia from taking a point or more from this match," Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch told BeIN Sports Spain. Valencia hit back with two goals in six second-half minutes through on-loan Barca winger Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo. Valencia's lead lasted just six minutes despite Alves's best efforts as Suarez pounced to smash home a rebound after Ivan Rakitic's powerful header had been saved by the Valencia stopper. Barca swarmed forward in search of a winner, but had to wait until deep into stoppage time when Messi played in Suarez and he was clearly taken out from behind by Abdennour. Messi stroked home his 14th goal of the season to secure a vital three points in the title race. A bad-tempered encounter spilled over after Messi's strike, though, as Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated. The victory moves the champions a point clear of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who face Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao respectively on Sunday. But as Barcelona celebrated, a teary-eyed captain Andres Iniesta was carried from the field following a knee injury, possibly ruled out for six to eight weeks. (AFP) × However, the dramatic victory came at a cost for Barca as a tearful Andres Iniesta suffered ligament damage in his right knee that could keep him out for several months. The game was only 14 minutes old when Iniesta was carried from the field in tears holding his right knee, which buckled under a heavy challenge from Enzo Perez. Barca confirmed Iniesta suffered lateral collateral ligament damage, but said further tests would be carried out to determine the exact extent of the injury. (AFP)

La Liga: Messi's penalty pushes Barcelona ahead of Valencia

Barcelona battled back from a goal down and scored twice in the second half to beat hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 in their Champions League Group C match on Wednesday despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi.

Second-half goals from substitute Arda Turan and Gerard Pique gave the Spaniards their second win in two group matches to top the standings, after their opening 7-0 demolition of Celtic.

The hard-working Germans had taken a surprising lead, scoring against the run of play, with Thorgan Hazard slotting in to complete a quick break in the 34th minute.

Barcelona, who had Argentine Messi missing with a groin injury, dominated the game but were made to work hard for their second group win that put them on six points.

The hosts, who managed just one shot on target but gave the Spaniards a run for their money, have zero, having lost both matches so far and ended an 11-match winning streak at home in all competitions.

Manchester City drew with Celtic 3-3 in the other group game to stay second on four points.

Barca coach Luis Enrique started with Andres Iniesta, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba and Ivan Rakitic, all of whom were rested in the 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon at the weekend.

Despite the absence of Messi, replaced by youngster Paco Alcacer, it was the Spaniards who stamped their authority on the game early on and carved out the first chance with Neymar&#39;s shot from inside the box saved by keeper Yann Sommer after seven minutes.

Luis Suarez should have put them ahead three minutes later when he pounced on a defensive error but he saw his powerful left-footed shot sail narrowly wide.

The Uruguayan was also the recipient of a brilliant defence-splitting pass from Neymar but instead of rifling the ball home he tried a cutback to Alcacer that was cleared.

Gladbach gradually grew in confidence but struggled to get past a Spanish wall when they tried to venture forward.

They scored when forward Raffael, back from injury, gained possession in midfield and launched a quick break with Hazard tapping in from a Mahmoud Dahoud pass.

The Brazilian&#39;s injury in the 48th minute and his substitution took out most of the Gladbach pace.

The introduction of Turan on the hour brought instant results for the Spaniards, with the Turk picking up a Neymar assist in the 65th and drilling the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Pique then pounced on a weak clearance by Sommer from a Suarez shot to tap in from close range and hand Barcelona a hard-fought victory.

(Reuters)

Manchester City drew with Celtic 3-3 in the other group game to stay second on four points

Barcelona battled back from a goal down and scored twice in the second half to beat hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 in their Champions League Group C match on Wednesday despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. Second-half goals from substitute Arda Turan and Gerard Pique gave the Spaniards their second win in two group matches to top the standings, after their opening 7-0 demolition of Celtic. The hard-working Germans had taken a surprising lead, scoring against the run of play, with Thorgan Hazard slotting in to complete a quick break in the 34th minute. Barcelona, who had Argentine Messi missing with a groin injury, dominated the game but were made to work hard for their second group win that put them on six points. The hosts, who managed just one shot on target but gave the Spaniards a run for their money, have zero, having lost both matches so far and ended an 11-match winning streak at home in all competitions. Manchester City drew with Celtic 3-3 in the other group game to stay second on four points. Barca coach Luis Enrique started with Andres Iniesta, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba and Ivan Rakitic, all of whom were rested in the 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon at the weekend. Despite the absence of Messi, replaced by youngster Paco Alcacer, it was the Spaniards who stamped their authority on the game early on and carved out the first chance with Neymar's shot from inside the box saved by keeper Yann Sommer after seven minutes. Luis Suarez should have put them ahead three minutes later when he pounced on a defensive error but he saw his powerful left-footed shot sail narrowly wide. The Uruguayan was also the recipient of a brilliant defence-splitting pass from Neymar but instead of rifling the ball home he tried a cutback to Alcacer that was cleared. Gladbach gradually grew in confidence but struggled to get past a Spanish wall when they tried to venture forward. They scored when forward Raffael, back from injury, gained possession in midfield and launched a quick break with Hazard tapping in from a Mahmoud Dahoud pass. The Brazilian's injury in the 48th minute and his substitution took out most of the Gladbach pace. The introduction of Turan on the hour brought instant results for the Spaniards, with the Turk picking up a Neymar assist in the 65th and drilling the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle. Pique then pounced on a weak clearance by Sommer from a Suarez shot to tap in from close range and hand Barcelona a hard-fought victory. (Reuters)

Champions League: Barcelona beat Gladbach 2-1

A case of fraud against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father in relation to the player&#39;s 2013 transfer to Barcelona was re-opened on Friday following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a court filing showed. 
 
In July, a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle. 
 
However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 per cent of the player&#39;s sporting rights at the time of the transfer. 
 
(AFP)

Following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a fraud case against Neymar opened in relation to his 2013 transfer to Barcelona

A case of fraud against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father in relation to the player's 2013 transfer to Barcelona was re-opened on Friday following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a court filing showed. In July, a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle. However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 per cent of the player's sporting rights at the time of the transfer. (AFP)

Spain reopens Neymar fraud case

Brazilian striker Neymar will sign a new five-year contract with Barcelona this week, his agents said Thursday, ending speculation over his future at the Spanish champions. 
 
The international forward, 24, is widely regarded as one of the finest talents in the world, and is part of the much-feared attacking trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona. 
 
&quot;The athlete, along with his family, has decided to stay with FC Barcelona and will renew his contract for five more years,&quot; said NN Consultoria, the agency representing the international forward, 24. 
 
&quot;The contract will be formalised this week. The decision puts an end to speculation about the star&#39;s future.&quot; 
 
Neymar wrote on Twitter: &quot;I am very happy to continue living this dream. Long live Barca and long live Catalonia!&quot; 
 
The Catalan club&#39;s president Josep Maria Bartomeu had earlier rejected rumours over Neymar&#39;s possible transfer to another club, with Manchester United among the teams supposedly chasing him. 
 
The prolific Neymar was already under contract until 2018 with Barcelona, having transferred in 2013 from Brazil&#39;s Santos. That transfer deal has haunted the club because of alleged hidden payments that have sparked legal action. 
 
Speculation had mounted around whether or not Neymar would extend his stay at the Camp Nou or make another lucrative move. 
 
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, United and Manchester City had been named as possible suitors. 
 
&quot;I read that there are many clubs interested in Neymar. It&#39;s normal they are, but Neymar has never said he wants to leave Barca, just the opposite,&quot; Bartomeu said. 
 
&quot;Neymar wants to continue at Barca and Barca wants Neymar to continue with us.&quot; 
 
Neymar transfer woes 
 
Neymar has been a huge success for Barca on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it. 
 
He helped them win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row, narrowly beating their fierce rivals Real Madrid. 
 
But he has been investigated in Brazil and Spain over his transfer from Santos. 
 
Barcelona agreed on June 13 to pay a 5.5-million-Euro ($6.2 million) fine over the transfer in a deal with prosecutors that see the club avoid trial on tax evasion charges. 
 
&quot;It was better to accept this agreement than continue on with the uncertainty that has dragged on for a long time over the Neymar case,&quot; Bartomeu told reporters at the time. 
 
Neymar was named on Wednesday as the star of a young Brazil Olympic football squad for next month&#39;s Games in Rio de Janeiro. 
 
Brazil are looking to bounce back from a humiliating group stage exit from the Copa America Centenario this month. 
 
They are also hoping Olympic gold will help soothe the trauma of their devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup on home soil. 
 
&quot;Neymar is different. He is one of the best players in the world. Any national team would want to have a player of his profile,&quot; the Olympic squad&#39;s coach Rogerio Micale told a news conference. 
 
&quot;He will mean a lot for the team. I hope he will be able to help the younger players.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The Brazilian football player helped Bacelona win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row

Brazilian striker Neymar will sign a new five-year contract with Barcelona this week, his agents said Thursday, ending speculation over his future at the Spanish champions. The international forward, 24, is widely regarded as one of the finest talents in the world, and is part of the much-feared attacking trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona. "The athlete, along with his family, has decided to stay with FC Barcelona and will renew his contract for five more years," said NN Consultoria, the agency representing the international forward, 24. "The contract will be formalised this week. The decision puts an end to speculation about the star's future." Neymar wrote on Twitter: "I am very happy to continue living this dream. Long live Barca and long live Catalonia!" The Catalan club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu had earlier rejected rumours over Neymar's possible transfer to another club, with Manchester United among the teams supposedly chasing him. The prolific Neymar was already under contract until 2018 with Barcelona, having transferred in 2013 from Brazil's Santos. That transfer deal has haunted the club because of alleged hidden payments that have sparked legal action. Speculation had mounted around whether or not Neymar would extend his stay at the Camp Nou or make another lucrative move. Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, United and Manchester City had been named as possible suitors. "I read that there are many clubs interested in Neymar. It's normal they are, but Neymar has never said he wants to leave Barca, just the opposite," Bartomeu said. "Neymar wants to continue at Barca and Barca wants Neymar to continue with us." Neymar transfer woes Neymar has been a huge success for Barca on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it. He helped them win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row, narrowly beating their fierce rivals Real Madrid. But he has been investigated in Brazil and Spain over his transfer from Santos. Barcelona agreed on June 13 to pay a 5.5-million-Euro ($6.2 million) fine over the transfer in a deal with prosecutors that see the club avoid trial on tax evasion charges. "It was better to accept this agreement than continue on with the uncertainty that has dragged on for a long time over the Neymar case," Bartomeu told reporters at the time. Neymar was named on Wednesday as the star of a young Brazil Olympic football squad for next month's Games in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil are looking to bounce back from a humiliating group stage exit from the Copa America Centenario this month. They are also hoping Olympic gold will help soothe the trauma of their devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup on home soil. "Neymar is different. He is one of the best players in the world. Any national team would want to have a player of his profile," the Olympic squad's coach Rogerio Micale told a news conference. "He will mean a lot for the team. I hope he will be able to help the younger players." (AFP)

Neymar extends Barcelona contract to 2021

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N&#39;Golo Kante&#39;s Chelsea move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit. 
 
Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp, and Ranieri was certain of retaining the majority of the Premier League title-winning squad. 
 
Mahrez remains the subject of interest from several clubs, including Spanish champions Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month. 
 
&quot;Only Kante wanted to go, that&#39;s okay. But I understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him, stay with us and have another year with us, but he wanted to go,&quot; Ranieri told British media. 
 
&quot;Everybody here is happy and yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away. We will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante, but Riyad will stay with us for all of the years.&nbsp;It&#39;s important to maintain the group, with the spirit, with the humility. That&#39;s important for me.&quot; 
 
Leicester&#39;s head of recruitment Steve Walsh, who was instrumental in bringing both Mahrez and Kante to the club, has been heavily linked with the director of football role at Everton. 
 
Ranieri has already lost a major part of his backroom staff when highly-rated scout Ben Wrigglesworth went to Arsenal in January and Rob MacKenzie was installed as Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s head of talent identification in February.&nbsp;Leicester will kick off their title defence with a trip to the KC Stadium, where they will face promoted Hull City on August 13. 
 
(Reuters)

Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N'Golo Kante's Chelsea move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit. Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp, and Ranieri was certain of retaining the majority of the Premier League title-winning squad. Mahrez remains the subject of interest from several clubs, including Spanish champions Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month. "Only Kante wanted to go, that's okay. But I understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him, stay with us and have another year with us, but he wanted to go," Ranieri told British media. "Everybody here is happy and yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away. We will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante, but Riyad will stay with us for all of the years. It's important to maintain the group, with the spirit, with the humility. That's important for me." Leicester's head of recruitment Steve Walsh, who was instrumental in bringing both Mahrez and Kante to the club, has been heavily linked with the director of football role at Everton. Ranieri has already lost a major part of his backroom staff when highly-rated scout Ben Wrigglesworth went to Arsenal in January and Rob MacKenzie was installed as Tottenham Hotspur's head of talent identification in February. Leicester will kick off their title defence with a trip to the KC Stadium, where they will face promoted Hull City on August 13. (Reuters)

Riyad Mahrez will not follow Kante out of Leicester, says Ranieri

New signing Sadio Mane scored one goal and made another as Liverpool slickly defeated Barcelona 4-0 in a one-sided friendly match at a sun-soaked Wembley on Saturday. 
 
A 34 million pounds ($44.5 million, 40.1 million euros) capture from Southampton, Mane struck a 15th-minute opener and then supplied the cross from which former Liverpool player Javier Mascherano scored an own goal. 
 
Divock Origi added a third seconds later and substitute Marko Grujic chipped in with a stoppage-time header as Jurgen Klopp&#39;s side registered their sixth win in eight pre-season games. 
 
&quot;I`m happy with the result and with a lot of the game,&quot; said Klopp, who lost James Milner to a first-half heel injury. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t want to over-estimate this game, but it&#39;s still good for us. We didn&#39;t think that we were lower than Barcelona before the game and we don&#39;t think that we&#39;re higher than them after the game.&quot; 
 
Liverpool play Mainz, one of Klopp&#39;s former clubs, in a friendly in Germany on Sunday before tackling Arsenal in their Premier League opener next weekend. 
 
Barcelona&#39;s defeat meant that Paris Saint-Germain won the International Champions Cup friendly tournament for the second year running. 
 
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was missing Neymar, who is on duty with hosts Brazil at the Olympics, but fielded both former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, who hit the post in the first half. 
 
Barca play Sampdoria at the Camp Nou in their final pre-season friendly on Wednesday and face Sevilla in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on August 14. 
 
&quot;From the beginning we saw two teams with completely different rhythms,&quot; said Luis Enrique. 
 
&quot;It was definitely not our best day. But there&#39;s enough days for us to prepare and there&#39;s no doubt we&#39;ll be competitive.&quot; 
 
The glamour game drew 89,845 spectators to Wembley - the stadium&#39;s second-highest attendance - and it was Liverpool&#39;s fans, comfortably in the majority, who went home with smiles on their faces. 
 
With seven friendly matches behind them to Barcelona&#39;s two, Liverpool were the sharper team and they took the lead with a slick goal. 
 
After winning possession on halfway, Adam Lallana surged forward and exchanged passes with Roberto Firmino before teeing up Mane, whose rising shot beat goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 
 
Liverpool had to weather a succession of Barcelona chances before half-time. 
 
Suarez, facing his former club for the first time, teed up Messi to roll a shot against the right-hand post, while Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved from Arda Turan and Suarez. 
 
Milner, who announced his England retirement on Friday, was again deployed at left-back for Liverpool, but had to give way to Alberto Moreno before half-time. Klopp said he would undergo a scan on Sunday. 
 
Within three minutes of kick-off in the second half, the game was as good as over. 
 
In the 47th minute, Origi&#39;s flick released Mane and his low cross from the right was bundled into the net by Mascherano. 
 
Barely a minute later, Kevin Stewart caught Jeremy Mathieu dawdling on the ball and freed fellow half-time substitute Origi, who coolly beat Barcelona replacement goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. 
 
Grujic, signed from Red Star Belgrade in January, put the cherry on the cake in added time, meeting fellow Serbian Lazar Markovic&#39;s scooped pass with a fine header that looped over Bravo. 
 
(AFP)

Sadio Mane struck a 15th-minute opener and then supplied the cross from which ex-Liverpool player Javier Mascherano scored an own goal

New signing Sadio Mane scored one goal and made another as Liverpool slickly defeated Barcelona 4-0 in a one-sided friendly match at a sun-soaked Wembley on Saturday. A 34 million pounds ($44.5 million, 40.1 million euros) capture from Southampton, Mane struck a 15th-minute opener and then supplied the cross from which former Liverpool player Javier Mascherano scored an own goal. Divock Origi added a third seconds later and substitute Marko Grujic chipped in with a stoppage-time header as Jurgen Klopp's side registered their sixth win in eight pre-season games. "I`m happy with the result and with a lot of the game," said Klopp, who lost James Milner to a first-half heel injury. "I don't want to over-estimate this game, but it's still good for us. We didn't think that we were lower than Barcelona before the game and we don't think that we're higher than them after the game." Liverpool play Mainz, one of Klopp's former clubs, in a friendly in Germany on Sunday before tackling Arsenal in their Premier League opener next weekend. Barcelona's defeat meant that Paris Saint-Germain won the International Champions Cup friendly tournament for the second year running. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was missing Neymar, who is on duty with hosts Brazil at the Olympics, but fielded both former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, who hit the post in the first half. Barca play Sampdoria at the Camp Nou in their final pre-season friendly on Wednesday and face Sevilla in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on August 14. "From the beginning we saw two teams with completely different rhythms," said Luis Enrique. "It was definitely not our best day. But there's enough days for us to prepare and there's no doubt we'll be competitive." The glamour game drew 89,845 spectators to Wembley - the stadium's second-highest attendance - and it was Liverpool's fans, comfortably in the majority, who went home with smiles on their faces. With seven friendly matches behind them to Barcelona's two, Liverpool were the sharper team and they took the lead with a slick goal. After winning possession on halfway, Adam Lallana surged forward and exchanged passes with Roberto Firmino before teeing up Mane, whose rising shot beat goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Liverpool had to weather a succession of Barcelona chances before half-time. Suarez, facing his former club for the first time, teed up Messi to roll a shot against the right-hand post, while Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved from Arda Turan and Suarez. Milner, who announced his England retirement on Friday, was again deployed at left-back for Liverpool, but had to give way to Alberto Moreno before half-time. Klopp said he would undergo a scan on Sunday. Within three minutes of kick-off in the second half, the game was as good as over. In the 47th minute, Origi's flick released Mane and his low cross from the right was bundled into the net by Mascherano. Barely a minute later, Kevin Stewart caught Jeremy Mathieu dawdling on the ball and freed fellow half-time substitute Origi, who coolly beat Barcelona replacement goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. Grujic, signed from Red Star Belgrade in January, put the cherry on the cake in added time, meeting fellow Serbian Lazar Markovic's scooped pass with a fine header that looped over Bravo. (AFP)

Liverpool defeats Barcelona 4-0 at Wembley

Born June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. 
 
Early Career 
 
* Joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and shone in the youth ranks before then-coach Frank Rijkaard gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003.&nbsp; 
 
* Made his La Liga debut in October 2004 and scored his first La Liga goal the following May in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp.&nbsp; 
 
* Scored six goals in 17 appearances in 2005-06 as Barca won La Liga for the second year in a row but did not feature in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.&nbsp; 
 
* Messi played a key role as Barca claimed six trophies in the calendar year of 2009 including the Champions League, La Liga, the King`s Cup and the Club World Cup.&nbsp; 
 
* Won the first of four consecutive World Player of the Year awards.&nbsp; 
 
* Won La Liga again in 2010 and retained the World Player award, beating shortlisted Spanish World Cup winners and Barca team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi.&nbsp; 
 
* Inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 win against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring one goal and creating another.&nbsp; 
 
* Helped Barca to a third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-11 and was on the scoresheet as they beat Santos 4-0 to win the Club World Cup.&nbsp; 
 
* While Barcelona failed to retain either La Liga or the Champions League, Messi completed 2012 with an extraordinary total of 91 goals in all competitions, a record for a calendar year.&nbsp; 
 
* He smashed the La Liga scoring record for one season in 2011-12 with 50 goals.&nbsp; 
 
* Equalled the Champions League scoring record of 71 goals set by former Real Madrid and Schalke 04 forward Raul when he struck twice against Ajax Amsterdam at the end of 2014. Has since been overtaken by current Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp; 
 
* Turned in a series of scintillating performances in 2014-15 as Barca romped to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and King`s Cup titles.&nbsp; 
 
* Won his eighth La Liga title and fourth Spanish Cup with Barcelona in 2015-16&nbsp; 
 
Argentina 
 
* Led Argentina to the title at the 2005 World Youth Championship, scoring two penalties in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final.&nbsp; 
 
* Made his debut for the senior side in a friendly against Hungary in August 2005 but was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute for elbowing an opponent who had pulled his shirt.&nbsp; 
 
* Played only a bit-part role at the 2006 World Cup. Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals by hosts Germany after a penalty shootout.&nbsp; 
 
* Led Argentina to &nbsp;Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. 
 
* Part of the Argentina side coached by Diego Maradona at the 2010 World Cup that was beaten 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi failed to score and struggled to find his best form at the tournament in South Africa.&nbsp; 
 
* After a season disrupted by injury, captained Argentina to the final of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi, who scored four goals at the finals, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament`s best player. 
 
* Played his second Copa America final for Argentina in Chile in 2015, losing the final on penalties to the host nation. 
 
* Scored a hat-trick in 18 minutes after coming off the bench in Argentina`s 5-0 win over Panama in the 2016 Centenary Copa America in 
Chicago. 
 
* Set a record of 55 goals for Argentina when he scored in the 4-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals. 
 
* Was on the losing side again after a penalty shootout defeat by Chile in the centenary final and said he was retiring from internationals. 
 
(Reuters)

Messi led Argentina to Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Born June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. Early Career * Joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and shone in the youth ranks before then-coach Frank Rijkaard gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003. * Made his La Liga debut in October 2004 and scored his first La Liga goal the following May in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp. * Scored six goals in 17 appearances in 2005-06 as Barca won La Liga for the second year in a row but did not feature in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final. * Messi played a key role as Barca claimed six trophies in the calendar year of 2009 including the Champions League, La Liga, the King`s Cup and the Club World Cup. * Won the first of four consecutive World Player of the Year awards. * Won La Liga again in 2010 and retained the World Player award, beating shortlisted Spanish World Cup winners and Barca team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi. * Inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 win against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring one goal and creating another. * Helped Barca to a third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-11 and was on the scoresheet as they beat Santos 4-0 to win the Club World Cup. * While Barcelona failed to retain either La Liga or the Champions League, Messi completed 2012 with an extraordinary total of 91 goals in all competitions, a record for a calendar year. * He smashed the La Liga scoring record for one season in 2011-12 with 50 goals. * Equalled the Champions League scoring record of 71 goals set by former Real Madrid and Schalke 04 forward Raul when he struck twice against Ajax Amsterdam at the end of 2014. Has since been overtaken by current Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo. * Turned in a series of scintillating performances in 2014-15 as Barca romped to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and King`s Cup titles. * Won his eighth La Liga title and fourth Spanish Cup with Barcelona in 2015-16 Argentina * Led Argentina to the title at the 2005 World Youth Championship, scoring two penalties in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final. * Made his debut for the senior side in a friendly against Hungary in August 2005 but was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute for elbowing an opponent who had pulled his shirt. * Played only a bit-part role at the 2006 World Cup. Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals by hosts Germany after a penalty shootout. * Led Argentina to Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. * Part of the Argentina side coached by Diego Maradona at the 2010 World Cup that was beaten 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi failed to score and struggled to find his best form at the tournament in South Africa. * After a season disrupted by injury, captained Argentina to the final of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi, who scored four goals at the finals, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament`s best player. * Played his second Copa America final for Argentina in Chile in 2015, losing the final on penalties to the host nation. * Scored a hat-trick in 18 minutes after coming off the bench in Argentina`s 5-0 win over Panama in the 2016 Centenary Copa America in Chicago. * Set a record of 55 goals for Argentina when he scored in the 4-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals. * Was on the losing side again after a penalty shootout defeat by Chile in the centenary final and said he was retiring from internationals. (Reuters)

Lionel Messi: A peek into the career of La Pulga

Spain&#39;s seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. 
 
&quot;We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time,&quot; said Mayor Ada Colau.&nbsp;The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription &quot;This isn&#39;t just a number, these are people&quot;. 
 
The counter kicked off with &quot;3,034&quot;, the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 
 
&quot;We&#39;re here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage,&quot; said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. 
 
The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week.&nbsp;One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. 
 
Syrians fleeing the country&#39;s brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year.&nbsp;Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. 
 
(AFP)

The counter kicked off with 3,034, which is the total number of migrants and refugees who have died in 2016 while crossing the Mediterranean

Spain's seaside city of Barcelona on Thursday unveiled a large digital counter that will track the number of refugees who die in the Mediterranean, next to one of its popular beaches. "We are inaugurating this shame counter, which will update all known victims who drowned in the Mediterranean in real time," said Mayor Ada Colau. The monument consists of a large metal rectangular pillar that comes decked out with a digital counter above the inscription "This isn't just a number, these are people". The counter kicked off with "3,034", the number of migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "We're here to look the Mediterranean in the face and look at this number, 3,034 people who drowned because they were not offered a safe passage," said Colau, as swimmers took advantage of the last rays of sunshine nearby. The fatality rate this year is higher than in the same period in 2015, the IOM said this week. One reason for the higher death toll this year is that there have been a series of shipwrecks involving larger vessels carrying several hundred people rather than the more typical dinghies that carry a maximum of 100 migrants. Syrians fleeing the country's brutal war again made up the largest group to have risked their lives to make the dangerous sea crossing so far this year. Afghans were next on the list, followed by Iraqis. (AFP)

Barcelona unveils 'shame counter' that tracks refugee deaths

&quot;Tourist go home&quot;. The slogan daubed on a wall in the centre of Palma, the capital of Spain&#39;s holiday island of Mallorca, points to growing frustration with a rising tide of tourists. 
 
The largest island in the Balearic archipelago in the Mediterranean, which is home to one million people, expects to receive over ten million visitors this year, a new record. 
 
The crowds have been so large that French tourist Mathilde Boudet, who visited Mallorca and its neighbouring island Menorca with her partner last month, found access to a popular cove closed off by police. 
 
&quot;We weren`t expecting that,&quot; the 32-year-old said. 
 
Spain is enjoying a surge in tourism, in part as fears over terrorism drive wary travellers away from rival sunshine destinations in North Africa and Turkey and back to former favourites in southern Europe. 
 
But the rise in visitors has led to grumbling from locals in tourist hotspots like Palma, who complain of soaring property prices and rents even as they welcome the jobs they help create.&nbsp;The discomfort was reflected in graffiti messages which appeared in April in the historical heart of Palma which were quickly cleaned up by municipal workers. 
 
&quot;Tourism is destroying our city&quot; was among the slogans spray painted on city walls along with &quot;Tourist go home, refugees welcome&quot;. 
 
Roughly 80 per cent of Mallorca&#39;s economy depends on tourism.&nbsp;The island has long been a popular beach destination, especially with visitors from Britain and Germany who favour all-inclusive package holidays and arrive on low-cost flights.&nbsp;Many foreigners move to Mallorca, drawn by its cove beaches and mild weather. 
 
Foreigners account for 40 per cent of property sales in Mallorca, according to German premium real estate agency Engel &amp; Voelkers. In the trendy Santa Catalina neighbourhood, a former fisherman&#39;s quarter west of the city centre, with traditional homes with forest-green shutters, 14 real estate agencies market properties, often in English. 
 
The neighbourhood is gradually changing as boutiques selling vintage clothing and stores offering Vespa scooters for rent replace traditional shops.&nbsp;A small apartment can fetch hundreds of thousands of Euros. An old fisherman&#39;s house that was converted to a luxury triplex is listed for 577,500 Euros ($642,665).&nbsp;&quot;Islanders can&#39;t afford it,&quot; said Jacinta Galindo, the president of the Santa Catalina neighbours association. 
 
Rents too are on the rise. A two bedroom apartment in Santa Catalina rents for 700 Euros a month, while the average salary for a waiter is 1,100-1,200 Euros.&nbsp;But despite the complaints from locals over rising real estate prices, Galindo said the graffiti was &quot;an isolated case&quot;. 
 
In the central La Seu neighbourhood, home to Palma&#39;s main monument such as its imposing cathedral that dominates the city&#39;s palm-lined waterfront, residents want the arrival of cruise ships to be more evenly spread out. 
 
The ships, which are avoiding Tunisia and Turkey due to terrorist attacks, can pump thousands of tourists into the city for just a few hours, said Luis Clar, who heads the La Seu neighbours association. &quot;There is a percentage, which is not yet very high but which exists, of people who question the effects of tourism,&quot; said Biel Barcelo, the tourism minister in the regional government of the Balearic islands. 
 
The left-wing government in charge of the archipelago since 2015 began charging in July a tourism tax of up to two Euros for overnight stays, which is expected to bring in 60 million Euros per year. 
 
The money will be used for environmental projects and to restore historical sights. 
 
Local green group GOB feels the tax is not enough. They fear rising tourism is putting too much pressure on natural resources like water and demand a limit on the number of tourist lodgings. 
 
There are 230,000 hotel beds available in Mallorca, according to industry figures.&nbsp;But this does not count beds available through home rental sites such as Airbnb &quot;contributing to a sense of saturation, which has grown in the past two years,&quot; said GOB spokeswoman Margalida Ramis. 
 
Mallorca has become &quot;Barcelona&#39;s granddaughter&quot;, she added in a reference to Spain&#39;s second-largest city which has struggled to deal with the effects of a visitor boom. 
 
Barcelona mayor Ada Colau in July 2015 halted the issue of new hotel licences for one year and has introduced hefty fines for illegal rental of apartments to tourists. 
 
(AFP)

'Tourism is destroying our city' was among the slogans spray painted on city walls, along with 'Tourist go home, refugees welcome'

"Tourist go home". The slogan daubed on a wall in the centre of Palma, the capital of Spain's holiday island of Mallorca, points to growing frustration with a rising tide of tourists. The largest island in the Balearic archipelago in the Mediterranean, which is home to one million people, expects to receive over ten million visitors this year, a new record. The crowds have been so large that French tourist Mathilde Boudet, who visited Mallorca and its neighbouring island Menorca with her partner last month, found access to a popular cove closed off by police. "We weren`t expecting that," the 32-year-old said. Spain is enjoying a surge in tourism, in part as fears over terrorism drive wary travellers away from rival sunshine destinations in North Africa and Turkey and back to former favourites in southern Europe. But the rise in visitors has led to grumbling from locals in tourist hotspots like Palma, who complain of soaring property prices and rents even as they welcome the jobs they help create. The discomfort was reflected in graffiti messages which appeared in April in the historical heart of Palma which were quickly cleaned up by municipal workers. "Tourism is destroying our city" was among the slogans spray painted on city walls along with "Tourist go home, refugees welcome". Roughly 80 per cent of Mallorca's economy depends on tourism. The island has long been a popular beach destination, especially with visitors from Britain and Germany who favour all-inclusive package holidays and arrive on low-cost flights. Many foreigners move to Mallorca, drawn by its cove beaches and mild weather. Foreigners account for 40 per cent of property sales in Mallorca, according to German premium real estate agency Engel & Voelkers. In the trendy Santa Catalina neighbourhood, a former fisherman's quarter west of the city centre, with traditional homes with forest-green shutters, 14 real estate agencies market properties, often in English. The neighbourhood is gradually changing as boutiques selling vintage clothing and stores offering Vespa scooters for rent replace traditional shops. A small apartment can fetch hundreds of thousands of Euros. An old fisherman's house that was converted to a luxury triplex is listed for 577,500 Euros ($642,665). "Islanders can't afford it," said Jacinta Galindo, the president of the Santa Catalina neighbours association. Rents too are on the rise. A two bedroom apartment in Santa Catalina rents for 700 Euros a month, while the average salary for a waiter is 1,100-1,200 Euros. But despite the complaints from locals over rising real estate prices, Galindo said the graffiti was "an isolated case". In the central La Seu neighbourhood, home to Palma's main monument such as its imposing cathedral that dominates the city's palm-lined waterfront, residents want the arrival of cruise ships to be more evenly spread out. The ships, which are avoiding Tunisia and Turkey due to terrorist attacks, can pump thousands of tourists into the city for just a few hours, said Luis Clar, who heads the La Seu neighbours association. "There is a percentage, which is not yet very high but which exists, of people who question the effects of tourism," said Biel Barcelo, the tourism minister in the regional government of the Balearic islands. The left-wing government in charge of the archipelago since 2015 began charging in July a tourism tax of up to two Euros for overnight stays, which is expected to bring in 60 million Euros per year. The money will be used for environmental projects and to restore historical sights. Local green group GOB feels the tax is not enough. They fear rising tourism is putting too much pressure on natural resources like water and demand a limit on the number of tourist lodgings. There are 230,000 hotel beds available in Mallorca, according to industry figures. But this does not count beds available through home rental sites such as Airbnb "contributing to a sense of saturation, which has grown in the past two years," said GOB spokeswoman Margalida Ramis. Mallorca has become "Barcelona's granddaughter", she added in a reference to Spain's second-largest city which has struggled to deal with the effects of a visitor boom. Barcelona mayor Ada Colau in July 2015 halted the issue of new hotel licences for one year and has introduced hefty fines for illegal rental of apartments to tourists. (AFP)

Spain's Mallorca struggles with rising tourism tide

Argentina President Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits on the national team. 
 
Twenty-nine-year-old Messi announced his retirement from international football after missing his spot-kick in the decisive shootout, as Argentina once again lost to Chile for a second straight year in the Copa America final at Met Life Stadium, the United States on Sunday. 
 
According to the goal.com, Macri said that he was really proud of the national team&#39;s performance and requested the Barcelona star ignore the criticism. The Argentina President also took to micro-blogging website Twitter, asking Messi not to leave the team.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I never feel greater pride in our team. I hope the joy of seeing the best in the world will continue for many years more. #NoTeVayasLio,&quot; he tweeted. 
 
Meanwhile, Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona talisman to reconsider his retirement plans for the national team&#39;s benefit. &quot;He has to rely more on boys who can help take the team forward and less on those who say they have to go. Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won&#39;t see what a disaster Argentine football has become,&quot; Maradona said. 
 
Following the 4-2 loss on penalties, a visibly distraught Messi said that it hurts not to be a champion despite reaching four finals before adding that &quot;The national team is over for me&quot;. 
 
Despite winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Barcelona, Messi&#39;s only major international honour is Olympic gold at the 2008 Games. In addition to losing three Copa America finals (2007, 2015, 2016), Messi&#39;s Argentina were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona star to reconsider his retirement plans

Argentina President Mauricio Macri has personally contacted star striker Lionel Messi and urged him not to call it quits on the national team. Twenty-nine-year-old Messi announced his retirement from international football after missing his spot-kick in the decisive shootout, as Argentina once again lost to Chile for a second straight year in the Copa America final at Met Life Stadium, the United States on Sunday. According to the goal.com, Macri said that he was really proud of the national team's performance and requested the Barcelona star ignore the criticism. The Argentina President also took to micro-blogging website Twitter, asking Messi not to leave the team. "I never feel greater pride in our team. I hope the joy of seeing the best in the world will continue for many years more. #NoTeVayasLio," he tweeted. Meanwhile, Legendary Argentina footballer Diego Maradona also appealed to the Barcelona talisman to reconsider his retirement plans for the national team's benefit. "He has to rely more on boys who can help take the team forward and less on those who say they have to go. Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won't see what a disaster Argentine football has become," Maradona said. Following the 4-2 loss on penalties, a visibly distraught Messi said that it hurts not to be a champion despite reaching four finals before adding that "The national team is over for me". Despite winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Barcelona, Messi's only major international honour is Olympic gold at the 2008 Games. In addition to losing three Copa America finals (2007, 2015, 2016), Messi's Argentina were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. (ANI)

Argentina President urges Messi not to call it quits

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