Spain's maritime rescue service said Sunday it had rescued 408 migrants who were attempting the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea from north Africa this weekend.

The service said its rescue boats intercepted 115 migrants travelling in five small boats in the Strait of Gibraltar on Sunday, a day after it pulled 293 migrants from nine vessels.

The maritime service is tracking three other boats carrying "a significant number of migrants" in the Alboran Sea east of the Strait of Gibraltar, a maritime rescue service spokesman told AFP.

Spain is the third busiest gateway for migrants arriving in Europe, still far behind Italy but catching up fast with Greece.

Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy along the so-called central Mediterranean route, choosing instead to get there via Morocco and Spain.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 22,400 people arrived in Spain by sea last year, nearly triple the number for 2016. Some 223 people died along the way.

The service said its rescue boats intercepted 115 migrants travelling in five small boats in the Strait of Gibraltar on Sunday, a day after it pulled 293 migrants from nine vessels

Spain's maritime rescue service said Sunday it had rescued 408 migrants who were attempting the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea from north Africa this weekend. The service said its rescue boats intercepted 115 migrants travelling in five small boats in the Strait of Gibraltar on Sunday, a day after it pulled 293 migrants from nine vessels. The maritime service is tracking three other boats carrying "a significant number of migrants" in the Alboran Sea east of the Strait of Gibraltar, a maritime rescue service spokesman told AFP. Spain is the third busiest gateway for migrants arriving in Europe, still far behind Italy but catching up fast with Greece. Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy along the so-called central Mediterranean route, choosing instead to get there via Morocco and Spain. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 22,400 people arrived in Spain by sea last year, nearly triple the number for 2016. Some 223 people died along the way.

Spain rescues over 400 migrants in Mediterranean

Kiev has attracted a wave of negative publicity due to the problems faced by supporters wanting to get there for Saturday's Champions League final, but Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos insists it will always have a place in his heart.

Fans of Madrid and Liverpool have had their plans for attending the game thrown into turmoil, with some hotels cancelling previously-made bookings to put the same rooms up for sale at exorbitant rates.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed that 1,000 Real supporters had handed back their tickets because it had become too expensive to get to the Ukrainian capital.

But Ramos is returning to the city, and to the same Olympic Stadium, where he won the Euro 2012 final with Spain against Italy.

"The truth is that Ukraine is a special place for me and brings back great memories," he told media on Friday ahead of the game.

"With Spain we became European champions in this city and this country. It is always gratifying to return to such a place."

Both teams had been given an initial allocation of around 17,000 tickets for the game, with Real hoping to win the Champions League for the third year in succession.

"It is true that due to the distance and the cost a lot of Spaniards have not been able to come, but we must not disregard countries that are harder to get to," Ramos added.

Since co-hosting Euro 2012 with Poland, Ukraine has seen Russia annex the Crimean peninsula, while Russian-backed rebels seized two eastern industrial regions.

And in 2014, president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted and fled to Russia after the pro-European Maidan revolution.&nbsp

"Some might have been thankful if it were somewhere closer that would make it easier to get to for those who don't have the salary to pay for a ticket, a flight, or a hotel room," Ramos said.

"But if this helps Ukraine bounce back as a country that would be great."

In 2012, at Olympic Stadium, Sergio Ramos won the Euro 2012 final with Spain against Italy

Kiev has attracted a wave of negative publicity due to the problems faced by supporters wanting to get there for Saturday's Champions League final, but Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos insists it will always have a place in his heart. Fans of Madrid and Liverpool have had their plans for attending the game thrown into turmoil, with some hotels cancelling previously-made bookings to put the same rooms up for sale at exorbitant rates. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed that 1,000 Real supporters had handed back their tickets because it had become too expensive to get to the Ukrainian capital. But Ramos is returning to the city, and to the same Olympic Stadium, where he won the Euro 2012 final with Spain against Italy. "The truth is that Ukraine is a special place for me and brings back great memories," he told media on Friday ahead of the game. "With Spain we became European champions in this city and this country. It is always gratifying to return to such a place." Both teams had been given an initial allocation of around 17,000 tickets for the game, with Real hoping to win the Champions League for the third year in succession. "It is true that due to the distance and the cost a lot of Spaniards have not been able to come, but we must not disregard countries that are harder to get to," Ramos added. Since co-hosting Euro 2012 with Poland, Ukraine has seen Russia annex the Crimean peninsula, while Russian-backed rebels seized two eastern industrial regions. And in 2014, president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted and fled to Russia after the pro-European Maidan revolution. "Some might have been thankful if it were somewhere closer that would make it easier to get to for those who don't have the salary to pay for a ticket, a flight, or a hotel room," Ramos said. "But if this helps Ukraine bounce back as a country that would be great."

Kiyv has special place in heart, says Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos

Spain's centrist Ciudadanos, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's ally in parliament,&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;called for a snap poll after Rajoy's conservative Popular Party was sentenced in a major graft trial.

But Ciudadanos will oppose a no-confidence motion filed against Rajoy by the main opposition Socialists, party secretary general Jose Manuel Villegas told a news conference.

"Corruption has liquidated this legislature. The solution is strengthening Spain by giving voice to Spaniards...so we have a renewed government," he said.

The no-confidence motion "is not Ciudadanos' motion", he said. "We will oppose this motion and ask that Spaniards be given their say and that elections be called."

To succeed, the no-confidence motion will need the support of an absolute majority of 176 lawmakers, a difficult task as opposition parties are deeply divided.

This means it would have to be backed by either Ciudadanos or by several tiny regional parties, including Catalan separatist parties along with far-left party Podemos which has already called for a no-confidence vote.

Ciudadanos has surged in the polls, winning votes from Rajoy's party and the Socialists, thanks to its hardline stance against Catalonia's separatist push.

Analysts say it has no reason to support a no-confidence motion that would lead to an alternative left-wing government.

The party will oppose a no-confidence motion filed against Rajoy by the main opposition Socialists

Spain's centrist Ciudadanos, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's ally in parliament, on Friday called for a snap poll after Rajoy's conservative Popular Party was sentenced in a major graft trial. But Ciudadanos will oppose a no-confidence motion filed against Rajoy by the main opposition Socialists, party secretary general Jose Manuel Villegas told a news conference. "Corruption has liquidated this legislature. The solution is strengthening Spain by giving voice to Spaniards...so we have a renewed government," he said. The no-confidence motion "is not Ciudadanos' motion", he said. "We will oppose this motion and ask that Spaniards be given their say and that elections be called." To succeed, the no-confidence motion will need the support of an absolute majority of 176 lawmakers, a difficult task as opposition parties are deeply divided. This means it would have to be backed by either Ciudadanos or by several tiny regional parties, including Catalan separatist parties along with far-left party Podemos which has already called for a no-confidence vote. Ciudadanos has surged in the polls, winning votes from Rajoy's party and the Socialists, thanks to its hardline stance against Catalonia's separatist push. Analysts say it has no reason to support a no-confidence motion that would lead to an alternative left-wing government.

Spain's Ciudadanos seeks snap polls after ruling party's graft conviction

There was no happy ending for Alvaro Morata at the end of the toughest season of his career, as Spain coach Julen Lopetegui left him out of his World Cup squad on Monday.

Chelsea's 60 million-pound ($81 million) striker slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge after a dramatic form slump and niggling back problem in a chastening first season in London.

After joining from Real Madrid last year the Spaniard started well, notching seven goals in his first seven matches in all competitions for the Blues.

But as Premier League defences began to target him, Morata struggled with constant physical battles, sometimes angering his own supporters for going down too easily.

In a torrid period after Christmas, Morata, 25, failed to score in 13 games, picking up a red card and four yellows in the same spell.

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? OFICIAL | 46 millones de ilusiones en sus botas, en sus manos... ¡¡ESTOS SON <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NUESTROS23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NUESTROS23</a>!! 
 
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Chelsea manager Antonio Conte turned to January signing Olivier Giroud as Chelsea stumbled to fifth place in the Premier League and Morata appeared from the bench in the 89th minute as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the FA Cup on Saturday.

Lopetegui left the forward out of his Spain squad in March for friendlies against Germany and Argentina, citing his "physical problems and inactivity" as the reason.

The coach, however, said there remained a good chance Morata would make it to Russia, with the other centre-forward options relatively inexperienced, but in the end they were preferred.

Diego Costa has seven goals in 18 appearances for Spain, while Iago Aspas and Rodrigo Moreno, the other two strikers picked, have played eight and four times for their country respectively.

Atletico Madrid forward Costa spent the first half of the season on strike in Brazil, refusing to play for Chelsea, before returning to help his Spanish side lift the Europa League last week.

Morata, with 13 goals from 23 appearances for Spain, left Madrid looking for a key role at Chelsea to help him cement his position as Spain's World Cup striker, after being forced to rotate with Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu.

As his season crumbled, the chances of making it to Russia became increasingly slim and the coach duly sounded the death knell.

"We believed we had other players in his position who could help us," Lopetegui said on Monday. "It's not something negative towards him. The truth is that he had a complicated end to the season."

Morata wished his compatriots the best of luck in a tweet shortly after Lopetegui announced his omission, but less than a year ago he would have expected to be leading the 2010 world champions' attack in Russia himself.

There was no happy ending for Alvaro Morata at the end of the toughest season of his career, as Spain coach Julen Lopetegui left him out of his World Cup squad

There was no happy ending for Alvaro Morata at the end of the toughest season of his career, as Spain coach Julen Lopetegui left him out of his World Cup squad on Monday. Chelsea's 60 million-pound ($81 million) striker slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge after a dramatic form slump and niggling back problem in a chastening first season in London. After joining from Real Madrid last year the Spaniard started well, notching seven goals in his first seven matches in all competitions for the Blues. But as Premier League defences began to target him, Morata struggled with constant physical battles, sometimes angering his own supporters for going down too easily. In a torrid period after Christmas, Morata, 25, failed to score in 13 games, picking up a red card and four yellows in the same spell. ? OFICIAL | 46 millones de ilusiones en sus botas, en sus manos... ¡¡ESTOS SON #NUESTROS23!! ? ¡RT PARA APOYARNOS! pic.twitter.com/XBx0e4uOcB — Selección Española de Fútbol (@SeFutbol) May 21, 2018 × Chelsea manager Antonio Conte turned to January signing Olivier Giroud as Chelsea stumbled to fifth place in the Premier League and Morata appeared from the bench in the 89th minute as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the FA Cup on Saturday. Lopetegui left the forward out of his Spain squad in March for friendlies against Germany and Argentina, citing his "physical problems and inactivity" as the reason. The coach, however, said there remained a good chance Morata would make it to Russia, with the other centre-forward options relatively inexperienced, but in the end they were preferred. Diego Costa has seven goals in 18 appearances for Spain, while Iago Aspas and Rodrigo Moreno, the other two strikers picked, have played eight and four times for their country respectively. Atletico Madrid forward Costa spent the first half of the season on strike in Brazil, refusing to play for Chelsea, before returning to help his Spanish side lift the Europa League last week. Morata, with 13 goals from 23 appearances for Spain, left Madrid looking for a key role at Chelsea to help him cement his position as Spain's World Cup striker, after being forced to rotate with Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu. As his season crumbled, the chances of making it to Russia became increasingly slim and the coach duly sounded the death knell. "We believed we had other players in his position who could help us," Lopetegui said on Monday. "It's not something negative towards him. The truth is that he had a complicated end to the season." Morata wished his compatriots the best of luck in a tweet shortly after Lopetegui announced his omission, but less than a year ago he would have expected to be leading the 2010 world champions' attack in Russia himself.

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata misses out on Spain World Cup squad

Catalonia's new president Quim Torra on Saturday named two former ministers, jailed by Madrid for backing independence from Spain, together with two others who fled into exile, to his regional government.

Torra appointed his government by decree but it could still be blocked by Spain, which has insisted his administration be "legal and viable" after it imposed direct rule on the region in October when the then Catalan government declared independence.

Torra named 13 "advisors" to his government, including Jordi Turull and Josep Rull who are currently being held in custody just outside Madrid.

Two others, Toni Comin and Lluis Puig, are in exile in Belgium, where they fled with deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.&nbsp;

Turull and Rull both accepted their nominations on Twitter.

Torra was elected by the Catalan parliament on Monday and sworn in Thursday, in a move that marks the end of nearly seven months of political limbo in the northeastern Spanish region, which has been under direct rule from Madrid since the central government deposed Puigdemont following a failed declaration of independence on October 27.

Torra, a 55-year-old editor who has long campaigned for independence, described himself as a "caretaker president" as he awaits the return of Puigdemont, whom he considers the "legitimate" leader.&nbsp;

Puigdemont, who first fled to Belgium, was detained in Germany in March after Spain issued a European arrest warrant against him.

Madrid wants him extradited to Spain to try him on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds for staging an independence referendum in Catalonia on October 1 even though the courts had ruled it unconstitutional.

A German court last month dismissed the extradition request for Puigdemont on the rebellion allegations and released him on bail.

Spanish prosecutors have since handed over new information to Germany they hope will prove the use of violence, to justify the rebellion charge and their extradition request.

Quim Torra was sworn in as Catalonia's new leader bringing an end to seven months of direct rule from Madrid but political uncertainty remained same as the hard-line separatist continues his fight to split from Spain

Catalonia's new president Quim Torra on Saturday named two former ministers, jailed by Madrid for backing independence from Spain, together with two others who fled into exile, to his regional government. Torra appointed his government by decree but it could still be blocked by Spain, which has insisted his administration be "legal and viable" after it imposed direct rule on the region in October when the then Catalan government declared independence. Torra named 13 "advisors" to his government, including Jordi Turull and Josep Rull who are currently being held in custody just outside Madrid. Two others, Toni Comin and Lluis Puig, are in exile in Belgium, where they fled with deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont. Turull and Rull both accepted their nominations on Twitter. Torra was elected by the Catalan parliament on Monday and sworn in Thursday, in a move that marks the end of nearly seven months of political limbo in the northeastern Spanish region, which has been under direct rule from Madrid since the central government deposed Puigdemont following a failed declaration of independence on October 27. Torra, a 55-year-old editor who has long campaigned for independence, described himself as a "caretaker president" as he awaits the return of Puigdemont, whom he considers the "legitimate" leader. Puigdemont, who first fled to Belgium, was detained in Germany in March after Spain issued a European arrest warrant against him. Madrid wants him extradited to Spain to try him on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds for staging an independence referendum in Catalonia on October 1 even though the courts had ruled it unconstitutional. A German court last month dismissed the extradition request for Puigdemont on the rebellion allegations and released him on bail. Spanish prosecutors have since handed over new information to Germany they hope will prove the use of violence, to justify the rebellion charge and their extradition request.

New Catalonia President includes jailed, exiled leaders in government

Enzo Vieira, son of Real Madrid's winger Marcelo Vieira, took help from his father's teammates to pull off a stunning show in the Real's dressing room.

The video got viral on social media in which the eight-year-old displayed his footballing skills as he played the head tennis with Real Madrid squad.

The Brazilian star Marcelo, posted the video on Instagram saying he was proud - "This here is a family!"

Enzo Vieira represents the Spanish club at a junior level, concluded the stunt by exchanging headers with standing club captain Sergio Ramos before steering the ball into a laundry bin.

Check out the viral video in which Marcelo's son Enzo Vieira exchanges headers with a line of 11 Real Madrid players including his father and captain Sergio Ramos.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BizrITqABnM/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Orgulho do papai!! ? @enzoalvesv Isso aqui é uma familia!!! @realmadrid ❤️⚽️</a>

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⚽⬆? <a href="https://twitter.com/MarceloM12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarceloM12</a>’s son Enzo nailed it! <a href="https://t.co/9hNQYEI1YR">pic.twitter.com/9hNQYEI1YR</a>
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The defending champions Real Madrid are preparing for the UEFA Champions League final which is scheduled to take place on May 27 against Liverpool.

Enzo Vieira displayed his footballing skills and played the head tennis with Real Madrid squad

Enzo Vieira, son of Real Madrid's winger Marcelo Vieira, took help from his father's teammates to pull off a stunning show in the Real's dressing room. The video got viral on social media in which the eight-year-old displayed his footballing skills as he played the head tennis with Real Madrid squad. The Brazilian star Marcelo, posted the video on Instagram saying he was proud - "This here is a family!" Enzo Vieira represents the Spanish club at a junior level, concluded the stunt by exchanging headers with standing club captain Sergio Ramos before steering the ball into a laundry bin. Check out the viral video in which Marcelo's son Enzo Vieira exchanges headers with a line of 11 Real Madrid players including his father and captain Sergio Ramos. Orgulho do papai!! ? @enzoalvesv Isso aqui é uma familia!!! @realmadrid ❤️⚽️ A post shared by Marcelo Vieira Jr. (@marcelotwelve) on May 15, 2018 at 11:04am PDT × ⚽⬆? @MarceloM12’s son Enzo nailed it! pic.twitter.com/9hNQYEI1YR — Real Madrid C.F.???? (@realmadriden) May 16, 2018 × The defending champions Real Madrid are preparing for the UEFA Champions League final which is scheduled to take place on May 27 against Liverpool.

Watch: Marcelo's son Enzo Vieira stuns Real Madrid players with impressive head tennis show

The mega event hosted by Russia will be keenly followed by thousands of fans around the world

FIFA 2018: All you need to know about 21st edition of football World Cup

Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem defeated world number one Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open and also ended Nadal's 21-match unbeaten run on clay.&nbsp

Recently Nadal broke&nbspJohn McEnroe's 34-year record by winning his 50th consecutive set on clay.

31-year-old Rafael Nadal had set a new record of 50 consecutive set wins on a single surface on Thursday after defeating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 in the previous round.

Defending champion had not dropped a set on clay since losing to Thiem in 2017 and now after 357 days, it is no one other than Dominic Thiem who finally ended Nadal's winning streak.

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<h6>Rafael Nadal congratulates Austria's Dominic Thiem (L)&nbsp</h6>

Fifth-seeded Thiem outplayed Nadal as the later was playing below his best and hit 29 unforced errors in the two sets and also failed to convert break points.

Five-time Madrid champion Nadal came into the tournament having won his 11th titles at Monte Carlo and at Barcelona.

The shock result also means that Roger Federer will reclaim the world number one ranking on Monday.

Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem defeated world number one Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open

Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem defeated world number one Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open and also ended Nadal's 21-match unbeaten run on clay. Recently Nadal broke&nbspJohn McEnroe's 34-year record by winning his 50th consecutive set on clay. 31-year-old Rafael Nadal had set a new record of 50 consecutive set wins on a single surface on Thursday after defeating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 in the previous round. Defending champion had not dropped a set on clay since losing to Thiem in 2017 and now after 357 days, it is no one other than Dominic Thiem who finally ended Nadal's winning streak. Rafael Nadal congratulates Austria's Dominic Thiem (L) Fifth-seeded Thiem outplayed Nadal as the later was playing below his best and hit 29 unforced errors in the two sets and also failed to convert break points. Five-time Madrid champion Nadal came into the tournament having won his 11th titles at Monte Carlo and at Barcelona. The shock result also means that Roger Federer will reclaim the world number one ranking on Monday.

Rafael Nadal's unbeaten run ends as Dominic Thiem knocks him out of Madrid Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Demonstrators flood Barcelona in support of jailed separatist leaders

Spain <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/davis-cup-leander-paes-creates-history-as-india-win-doubles-match-128913">outsmarted Germany in the quarter-finals </a>of the Davis Cup as David Ferrer beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in a marathon 5 sets to advance to the semi-finals.

Ferrer, 36, saved three break points in the last set to&nbsp;level at 5-5 and then secured a break to clinch victory beating Kohlschreiber 7-6(1) 3-6 7-6(4) 4-6 7-5 in a nail-biting encounter.

Nadal's Spain will now meet France in the semi-finals after the defending champions reached the last four by beating Italy 3-1.

European nation Croatia also made it to the semis beating Kazakhstan with Marin Cilic leading the way with &nbsp;6-1 6-1 6-1 win over Mikhail Kukushkin to seal the tie 3-1.

Spain outsmarted Germany in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup as David Ferrer beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in a marathon 5 sets to advance to the semi-finals. Ferrer, 36, saved three break points in the last set to level at 5-5 and then secured a break to clinch victory beating Kohlschreiber 7-6(1) 3-6 7-6(4) 4-6 7-5 in a nail-biting encounter.

Spain outsmarted Germany in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup as David Ferrer beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in a marathon 5 sets to advance to the semi-finals. Ferrer, 36, saved three break points in the last set to level at 5-5 and then secured a break to clinch victory beating Kohlschreiber 7-6(1) 3-6 7-6(4) 4-6 7-5 in a nail-biting encounter. Nadal's Spain will now meet France in the semi-finals after the defending champions reached the last four by beating Italy 3-1. European nation Croatia also made it to the semis beating Kazakhstan with Marin Cilic leading the way with 6-1 6-1 6-1 win over Mikhail Kukushkin to seal the tie 3-1.

Davis Cup: Ferrer edges out Kohlschreiber as Spain beat Germany

Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said on Saturday he would remain in Berlin while a German court considers whether to extradite him to Spain on a charge of misuse of public funds but he hoped to return to live in Belgium eventually.

A German court on Thursday rejected an extradition request for Puigdemont on the more serious charge of rebellion for his role in the campaign for the region`s independence that could have resulted in a decades-long jail sentence in Spain.

"My wish is to return to Belgium. But only after the end of the proceedings here in Germany, not before," he told reporters in Berlin.

"My plan is to remain of course in Berlin. It is my residence now until the end of this process," he said.&nbsp

Puigdemont, who fled Spain five months ago for Belgium after his administration`s declaration of independence from Spain led to Madrid taking direct control of the regional government, was arrested last month on a Spanish-issued warrant as he entered Germany.

The Spanish government has said it would respect the German court`s decision. But Spain's Supreme Court said on Friday it was considering consulting the European Court of Justice on the ruling, without giving more details.

Spain`s Supreme Court reactivated international arrest warrants last month for Puigdemont and four other Catalan politicians who went into self-imposed exile last year.

Puigdemont, who fled Spain five months ago for Belgium after his administration`s declaration of independence from Spain led to Madrid taking direct control of the regional government, was arrested last month on a Spanish-issued warrant as he entered Germany

Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said on Saturday he would remain in Berlin while a German court considers whether to extradite him to Spain on a charge of misuse of public funds but he hoped to return to live in Belgium eventually. A German court on Thursday rejected an extradition request for Puigdemont on the more serious charge of rebellion for his role in the campaign for the region`s independence that could have resulted in a decades-long jail sentence in Spain. "My wish is to return to Belgium. But only after the end of the proceedings here in Germany, not before," he told reporters in Berlin. "My plan is to remain of course in Berlin. It is my residence now until the end of this process," he said. Puigdemont, who fled Spain five months ago for Belgium after his administration`s declaration of independence from Spain led to Madrid taking direct control of the regional government, was arrested last month on a Spanish-issued warrant as he entered Germany. The Spanish government has said it would respect the German court`s decision. But Spain's Supreme Court said on Friday it was considering consulting the European Court of Justice on the ruling, without giving more details. Spain`s Supreme Court reactivated international arrest warrants last month for Puigdemont and four other Catalan politicians who went into self-imposed exile last year.

Catalan ex-leader Puigdemont hopes to return to Belgium

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

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

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

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

Increasingly hardline Catalan separatists are taking advantage of the void left by the decapitation of the region's independence movement to step up their protests by blocking roads and clashing with police, raising fears of radicalisation, analysts say.

Spanish authorities have jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders and called for the extradition of six others who have fled abroad, including Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont who was arrested Sunday in Germany.

This crackdown on the independence movement's established leaders "generates incentives for the adoption of a hardline" by radical separatists, said Berta Barbet, politics professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

"Since the conflict is increasingly more raw and social divisions are greater, the risk of radicalisation is ever more real," she added.

But Barbet said she did not believe Spain will see a return to the armed violence that plagued the country when Basque separatist group ETA and Catalan nationalist group Terra Lliure were active.

ETA, accused of killing more than 800 people in a decades-long campaign of bombings and shootings to establish an independent Basque state, announced it was disarming in April 2017.

Terra Lliure, which disbanded in 1995, committed its only killing with a bomb attack in 1987. After years of peaceful protests in Catalonia in favour of independence, demonstrations on Sunday against Puigdemont's arrest led to clashes with police that left nearly 100 people injured.

Catalan police decked out in riot gear shoved and hit demonstrators with batons to keep the crowd from advancing on the office of the Madrid government's representative in Barcelona.

Demonstrators set fire to recycling containers and threw glass bottles, cans, and eggs at police.

Despite appeals for calm from some separatist leaders, the protests called by the radical Committees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR) continued Tuesday with protesters blocking major motorways in the wealthy northeastern region of Spain.

"The Catalan spring has erupted," the group said in a statement on Sunday, in a reference to a series of protests which began in Arab nations in 2011.

"We have crossed the point of no return... we will reappropriate the streets and stop the country," the statement added in a call for a general strike in Catalonia like the ones held late last year when the region's separatist crisis heated up.

During those strikes, demonstrators blocked dozens of roads across Catalonia and forced the closure of key tourist spots such as Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia church.The legal action against Catalan separatists "is activating the social movement in the streets again, reinforcing it and making it more tense," said Jordi Amat, the author of several essays on the independence movement.

The failure of Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence, which led Spain's central government to take direct control of the region in October and launch the crackdown on separatist leaders, has caused the pro-independence movement to change strategy, he added.

Whereas before the goal was to "gain legitimacy internationally", now "the only strategy they can use is destabilisation" of the Spanish state, Amat said.

This explains why Catalan separatist lawmakers, who regained their absolute majority in the Catalan parliament at snap polls in December, keep proposing candidates for regional president who are disqualified by their legal problems such as Puigdemont, he added.

"For many separatists, this destabilisation also should be taken to the streets... there is a will to paralyse the mechanics of the state," Amat said.Catalonia's two main separatist parties, the conservative PDeCAT and the leftist ERC, tried timidly to lower tensions at the end of last year while the smallest separatist party, the far-left CUP, has called for greater disobedience.

The conservative party is under pressure from its leader, Puigdemont, to take a tougher line against Spain while the ERC has been severely shaken up by the jailing of its leader, Oriol Junqueras, and the flight abroad of its number two, Marta Rovira.

"The leaders who could channel the movement have found themselves offside and this is a scenario that allows the CUP to promote its strategy," said Amat.

The CRD organisers of demonstrations are aligned with the CUP party.

Barbet, however, believes that the threat posed by the courts may divert the separatists from a more radical path.

"Virtually everyone in power can end up with serious legal problems and many think twice before making a decision," she said.

That`s why no separatist leader "clearly defends the option of a hard break (with Spain) and in this way, it is very difficult for radicalisation to go very far," she added.

Spanish authorities have jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders and called for the extradition of six others who have fled abroad

Increasingly hardline Catalan separatists are taking advantage of the void left by the decapitation of the region's independence movement to step up their protests by blocking roads and clashing with police, raising fears of radicalisation, analysts say. Spanish authorities have jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders and called for the extradition of six others who have fled abroad, including Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont who was arrested Sunday in Germany. This crackdown on the independence movement's established leaders "generates incentives for the adoption of a hardline" by radical separatists, said Berta Barbet, politics professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. "Since the conflict is increasingly more raw and social divisions are greater, the risk of radicalisation is ever more real," she added. But Barbet said she did not believe Spain will see a return to the armed violence that plagued the country when Basque separatist group ETA and Catalan nationalist group Terra Lliure were active. ETA, accused of killing more than 800 people in a decades-long campaign of bombings and shootings to establish an independent Basque state, announced it was disarming in April 2017. Terra Lliure, which disbanded in 1995, committed its only killing with a bomb attack in 1987. After years of peaceful protests in Catalonia in favour of independence, demonstrations on Sunday against Puigdemont's arrest led to clashes with police that left nearly 100 people injured. Catalan police decked out in riot gear shoved and hit demonstrators with batons to keep the crowd from advancing on the office of the Madrid government's representative in Barcelona. Demonstrators set fire to recycling containers and threw glass bottles, cans, and eggs at police. Despite appeals for calm from some separatist leaders, the protests called by the radical Committees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR) continued Tuesday with protesters blocking major motorways in the wealthy northeastern region of Spain. "The Catalan spring has erupted," the group said in a statement on Sunday, in a reference to a series of protests which began in Arab nations in 2011. "We have crossed the point of no return... we will reappropriate the streets and stop the country," the statement added in a call for a general strike in Catalonia like the ones held late last year when the region's separatist crisis heated up. During those strikes, demonstrators blocked dozens of roads across Catalonia and forced the closure of key tourist spots such as Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia church.The legal action against Catalan separatists "is activating the social movement in the streets again, reinforcing it and making it more tense," said Jordi Amat, the author of several essays on the independence movement. The failure of Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence, which led Spain's central government to take direct control of the region in October and launch the crackdown on separatist leaders, has caused the pro-independence movement to change strategy, he added. Whereas before the goal was to "gain legitimacy internationally", now "the only strategy they can use is destabilisation" of the Spanish state, Amat said. This explains why Catalan separatist lawmakers, who regained their absolute majority in the Catalan parliament at snap polls in December, keep proposing candidates for regional president who are disqualified by their legal problems such as Puigdemont, he added. "For many separatists, this destabilisation also should be taken to the streets... there is a will to paralyse the mechanics of the state," Amat said.Catalonia's two main separatist parties, the conservative PDeCAT and the leftist ERC, tried timidly to lower tensions at the end of last year while the smallest separatist party, the far-left CUP, has called for greater disobedience. The conservative party is under pressure from its leader, Puigdemont, to take a tougher line against Spain while the ERC has been severely shaken up by the jailing of its leader, Oriol Junqueras, and the flight abroad of its number two, Marta Rovira. "The leaders who could channel the movement have found themselves offside and this is a scenario that allows the CUP to promote its strategy," said Amat. The CRD organisers of demonstrations are aligned with the CUP party. Barbet, however, believes that the threat posed by the courts may divert the separatists from a more radical path. "Virtually everyone in power can end up with serious legal problems and many think twice before making a decision," she said. That`s why no separatist leader "clearly defends the option of a hard break (with Spain) and in this way, it is very difficult for radicalisation to go very far," she added.

Catalonia separatist movement risks taking radical path

Messi is currently suffering from a muscle injury and was not there in the squad list of a&nbsp;warm-up match against Spain in which Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat.

Though the Argentine striker was watching the game from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough and left the stands with dejection.

Watch the video here:

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Messi after watching Argentina get battered 6-1 by Spain ? <a href="https://t.co/pXX3y5g8Wi">pic.twitter.com/pXX3y5g8Wi</a>
— True Soccer Life ⚽️ (@TrueSccrLife) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrueSccrLife/status/978785968416264192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Cameras captured the injured captain leaving his seat, presumably to head for the dressing room to console his distraught teammates, but the image was symbolic as his hapless team was humiliated 6-1 by a rampaging Spain side.

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Heart aches ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreMessi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreMessi</a> <a href="https://t.co/uFTmdXjEXz">pic.twitter.com/uFTmdXjEXz</a>
— Leo Messi ? (@WeAreMessi) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreMessi/status/978753760133550080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The Argentine striker was watching the game from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough and left the stands with dejection

Messi is currently suffering from a muscle injury and was not there in the squad list of a warm-up match against Spain in which Argentina suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat. Though the Argentine striker was watching the game from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough and left the stands with dejection. Watch the video here: Messi after watching Argentina get battered 6-1 by Spain ? pic.twitter.com/pXX3y5g8Wi — True Soccer Life ⚽️ (@TrueSccrLife) March 28, 2018 × Cameras captured the injured captain leaving his seat, presumably to head for the dressing room to console his distraught teammates, but the image was symbolic as his hapless team was humiliated 6-1 by a rampaging Spain side. Heart aches ?? #Messi #WeAreMessi pic.twitter.com/uFTmdXjEXz — Leo Messi ? (@WeAreMessi) March 27, 2018 ×

Watch: Messi storms out of stadium as Spain hammers Argentina 6-1

Argentina's Lionel Messi looked on from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough.

Cameras captured the injured captain leaving his seat, presumably to head for the dressing room to console his distraught teammates, but the image was symbolic as his hapless team were humiliated 6-1 by a rampaging Spain side.

“They’ve really given us a slap in the face,” was how stunned&nbspArgentina&nbspcoach Jorge Sampaoli summed up the humiliating World Cup warm-up defeat in his post-match news conference.

“I feel bad for the boys, I take the responsibility. In the second half we didn’t have balance or solidity and we were all at sea.”

Argentina&nbspmay have swept Italy aside 2-0 on Friday without Messi, who has a muscle injury, but context is required given that the Italians failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after a 1-0 playoff defeat by Sweden.

Granted, there was no Angel di Maria or Sergio Aguero for&nbspArgentina&nbspon Tuesday either but when it came to the crunch, the players wilted. Too often they rely on their Messi ‘get out of jail’ card.

It was Messi who fired a hat-trick in their final qualifier against Ecuador – after they went 1-0 down inside the first minute – to secure their spot at the World Cup in Russia.

Without him against top-level opposition in Madrid,&nbspArgentina&nbspwilted and to describe their defending as haphazard is generous.

Sampaoli may have a squad that allows him the luxury of leaving the likes of forwards Mauro Icardi and Paulo Dybala at home but on the other hand neither of their goalkeepers - Sergio Romero and Willy Caballero - play regularly for their clubs.

“Argentina&nbspis going to be living in torment from now until the World Cup,” former international Jorge Valdano said on Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

“Messi’s the only reason that anyone is even giving&nbspArgentina&nbspa sliver of hope of winning the World Cup. (Striker) Gonzalo Higuain is a marked man in&nbspArgentina&nbspand I wouldn’t like to be in Sampaoli’s shoes either.”

Many pundits suggest Messi cannot be considered a truly great player until he achieves something with&nbspArgentina. However, judging by Tuesday's performance he has already achieved a lot in helping&nbspArgentina&nbspreach the finals.

How far they go in Russia will surely be dictated by the form and fitness of the Barcelona forward as they prepare to face Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in the group stage.

&nbsp

Argentina's Lionel Messi looked on from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough

Argentina's Lionel Messi looked on from the stands for as long as he could, but with 10 minutes remaining he had seen enough. Cameras captured the injured captain leaving his seat, presumably to head for the dressing room to console his distraught teammates, but the image was symbolic as his hapless team were humiliated 6-1 by a rampaging Spain side. “They’ve really given us a slap in the face,” was how stunned&nbspArgentina&nbspcoach Jorge Sampaoli summed up the humiliating World Cup warm-up defeat in his post-match news conference. “I feel bad for the boys, I take the responsibility. In the second half we didn’t have balance or solidity and we were all at sea.” Argentina&nbspmay have swept Italy aside 2-0 on Friday without Messi, who has a muscle injury, but context is required given that the Italians failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after a 1-0 playoff defeat by Sweden. Granted, there was no Angel di Maria or Sergio Aguero for&nbspArgentina&nbspon Tuesday either but when it came to the crunch, the players wilted. Too often they rely on their Messi ‘get out of jail’ card. It was Messi who fired a hat-trick in their final qualifier against Ecuador – after they went 1-0 down inside the first minute – to secure their spot at the World Cup in Russia. Without him against top-level opposition in Madrid,&nbspArgentina&nbspwilted and to describe their defending as haphazard is generous. Sampaoli may have a squad that allows him the luxury of leaving the likes of forwards Mauro Icardi and Paulo Dybala at home but on the other hand neither of their goalkeepers - Sergio Romero and Willy Caballero - play regularly for their clubs. “Argentina&nbspis going to be living in torment from now until the World Cup,” former international Jorge Valdano said on Spanish radio station Onda Cero. “Messi’s the only reason that anyone is even giving&nbspArgentina&nbspa sliver of hope of winning the World Cup. (Striker) Gonzalo Higuain is a marked man in&nbspArgentina&nbspand I wouldn’t like to be in Sampaoli’s shoes either.” Many pundits suggest Messi cannot be considered a truly great player until he achieves something with&nbspArgentina. However, judging by Tuesday's performance he has already achieved a lot in helping&nbspArgentina&nbspreach the finals. How far they go in Russia will surely be dictated by the form and fitness of the Barcelona forward as they prepare to face Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in the group stage.

World Cup friendlies: Spain humiliates Messi-less Argentina

Rafael Nadal celebrates his impending return to world number one spot with a recall Tuesday to Spain's Davis Cup team for the quarter-final tie against Germany.

Nadal, who will top the latest world rankings to be released Monday, rejoins the squad for the first time since 2016 for the April 6-8 tie, team captain Sergi Bruguera announced.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner is certain to take over from Roger Federer as world number one after the shock defeat of the Swiss ace in the second round of the Miami Masters on Saturday.

Bruguera said that the 31-year-old was recovering well from an injury to his right leg that has sidelined him since he pulled out of the Australian Open in January. In February, he pulled out of the Mexican Open just hours before his opening match.

"I have kept in touch with him and he is going from strength to strength and he is feeling good after his convalescence and he is training more," said Bruguera.

Nadal last appeared for Spain in the Davis Cup in September 2016.

Pablo Carreno, Roberto Bautista, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez line up with Nadal for the tie on clay in Valencia, eastern Spain.

The winner of the tie will meet either France or Italy in the semi-final. In the other two quarter-finals, Croatia play Kazakhstan and the United States play Belgium.

Nadal, who turns 32 in June, ended 2017 as the oldest year-end world number one in the 45-year history of the ATP rankings. He lost the top ranking to Federer in February.

Nadal last appeared for Spain in the Davis Cup in September 2016

Rafael Nadal celebrates his impending return to world number one spot with a recall Tuesday to Spain's Davis Cup team for the quarter-final tie against Germany. Nadal, who will top the latest world rankings to be released Monday, rejoins the squad for the first time since 2016 for the April 6-8 tie, team captain Sergi Bruguera announced. The 16-time Grand Slam winner is certain to take over from Roger Federer as world number one after the shock defeat of the Swiss ace in the second round of the Miami Masters on Saturday. Bruguera said that the 31-year-old was recovering well from an injury to his right leg that has sidelined him since he pulled out of the Australian Open in January. In February, he pulled out of the Mexican Open just hours before his opening match. "I have kept in touch with him and he is going from strength to strength and he is feeling good after his convalescence and he is training more," said Bruguera. Nadal last appeared for Spain in the Davis Cup in September 2016. Pablo Carreno, Roberto Bautista, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez line up with Nadal for the tie on clay in Valencia, eastern Spain. The winner of the tie will meet either France or Italy in the semi-final. In the other two quarter-finals, Croatia play Kazakhstan and the United States play Belgium. Nadal, who turns 32 in June, ended 2017 as the oldest year-end world number one in the 45-year history of the ATP rankings. He lost the top ranking to Federer in February.

Rafael Nadal back for Spain in Davis Cup

Argentina&#39;s soccer national team trained on Saturday (March 24) at Real Madrid&#39;s sports city of Valdebebas ahead of friendly match against Spain on Tuesday (March 27) at Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi was not seen during training session due to physical discomforts neither striker Gonzalo Higuain nor Angel di Maria.

On Friday (March 23), late goals from Ever Banega and Manuel Lanzini helped Jorge Sampaoli&#39;s side deprived of talisman Lionel Messi edge past Italy 2-0 at Manchester City&#39;s Etihad Stadium.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi was not seen during training session due to physical discomforts neither striker Gonzalo Higuain nor Angel di Maria.

Argentina's soccer national team trained on Saturday (March 24) at Real Madrid's sports city of Valdebebas ahead of friendly match against Spain on Tuesday (March 27) at Wanda Metropolitano stadium. Barcelona star Lionel Messi was not seen during training session due to physical discomforts neither striker Gonzalo Higuain nor Angel di Maria. On Friday (March 23), late goals from Ever Banega and Manuel Lanzini helped Jorge Sampaoli's side deprived of talisman Lionel Messi edge past Italy 2-0 at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.

Messi absent from training as Argentina prepare to take on Spain

World champions Germany drew 1-1 with Spain in a high tempo friendly on Friday as they launched their preparations for a title defence in Russia while their opponents had striker Diego Costa making his long-awaited comeback as a substitute.

Germany&#39;s Thomas Mueller scored with a long-range strike in the 35th minute to cancel out Rodrigo Moreno&#39;s early opener.

The hosts were made to work hard against the Spaniards, who are unbeaten under coach Julen Lopetegui, but still managed to stretch their own unbeaten run to 22 matches, one shy of the German record of 23 dating back to 1978-80.

They can now match it when they take on five-times world champions Brazil on Tuesday when Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, host Argentina in Madrid.

&quot;I think it was a very good test for both teams because both teams combine well when they have possession,&quot; said Germany coach Joachim Loew.

&quot;Spain and us tried to increase the pressure, attack early, press early. It was a high intensity game and a good test to gain a lot of insight. We still have some room for improvement.&quot;

The visitors, with captain Sergio Ramos earning his 150th cap, went ahead when Rodrigo timed his run perfectly to pick up a superb through ball from Andres Iniesta and beat keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the sixth minute.

The Germans, who at times struggled with their opponents&#39; quick passing, managed to draw level with an unstoppable 20-metre strike from Mueller 10 minutes before the break.

Busy Keepers

Keepers David de Gea and Ter Stegen were kept busy after the break and Mats Hummels hit the crossbar with a looping header from a clever Toni Kroos free kick as both sides carved out good chances.

&quot;We have a good feeling after this game against the best team in the world,&quot; said Lopetegui, whose own unbeaten run with Spain is now 17 games.

&quot;We had chances to win the game. Germany are extremely fast and strong. We were fully motivated against the world champions.&quot;

Spain&#39;s Costa made his comeback as a substitute in the second half after the combative forward missed out on playing late last year when he was unable to feature for his club because of a FIFA transfer ban for signing minors.

Atletico completed a 57 million pound ($80.6 million) deal for Costa to rejoin them from Chelsea in September, but the move was delayed because the Liga club could not register new players due to the ban, which ended on Jan. 1.

His return is good news for Lopetegui&#39;s team, one of the title contenders at the World Cup in Russia starting in June.

The Germans have been drawn in Group F of the tournament, along with Mexico, South Korea and Sweden.

Spain are in Group B and will play Iran, Morocco and Portugal.

World champions Germany drew 1-1 with Spain in a high tempo friendly on Friday as they launched their preparations for a title defence in Russia while their opponents had striker Diego Costa making his long-awaited comeback as a substitute

World champions Germany drew 1-1 with Spain in a high tempo friendly on Friday as they launched their preparations for a title defence in Russia while their opponents had striker Diego Costa making his long-awaited comeback as a substitute. Germany's Thomas Mueller scored with a long-range strike in the 35th minute to cancel out Rodrigo Moreno's early opener. The hosts were made to work hard against the Spaniards, who are unbeaten under coach Julen Lopetegui, but still managed to stretch their own unbeaten run to 22 matches, one shy of the German record of 23 dating back to 1978-80. They can now match it when they take on five-times world champions Brazil on Tuesday when Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, host Argentina in Madrid. "I think it was a very good test for both teams because both teams combine well when they have possession," said Germany coach Joachim Loew. "Spain and us tried to increase the pressure, attack early, press early. It was a high intensity game and a good test to gain a lot of insight. We still have some room for improvement." The visitors, with captain Sergio Ramos earning his 150th cap, went ahead when Rodrigo timed his run perfectly to pick up a superb through ball from Andres Iniesta and beat keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the sixth minute. The Germans, who at times struggled with their opponents' quick passing, managed to draw level with an unstoppable 20-metre strike from Mueller 10 minutes before the break. Busy Keepers Keepers David de Gea and Ter Stegen were kept busy after the break and Mats Hummels hit the crossbar with a looping header from a clever Toni Kroos free kick as both sides carved out good chances. "We have a good feeling after this game against the best team in the world," said Lopetegui, whose own unbeaten run with Spain is now 17 games. "We had chances to win the game. Germany are extremely fast and strong. We were fully motivated against the world champions." Spain's Costa made his comeback as a substitute in the second half after the combative forward missed out on playing late last year when he was unable to feature for his club because of a FIFA transfer ban for signing minors. Atletico completed a 57 million pound ($80.6 million) deal for Costa to rejoin them from Chelsea in September, but the move was delayed because the Liga club could not register new players due to the ban, which ended on Jan. 1. His return is good news for Lopetegui's team, one of the title contenders at the World Cup in Russia starting in June. The Germans have been drawn in Group F of the tournament, along with Mexico, South Korea and Sweden. Spain are in Group B and will play Iran, Morocco and Portugal.

Football:  Germany draw 1-1 with Spain as Costa makes comeback

Germany forward Thomas Mueller expects revenge to be a factor when his side take on Brazil for the first time since humiliating the South Americans 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

Joachim Loew&#39;s Germany start fine-tuning preparations for their World Cup defence in Russia with high-profile friendlies against Spain in Duesseldorf on Friday and Brazil in Berlin next Tuesday.

Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, have the first chance to break Germany&#39;s 21-match unbeaten run, dating back to their Euro 2016 semi-final defeat by France.

However, the clash four days later at Berlin&#39;s Olympic Stadium offers Brazil a rare chance to beat Germany in their own backyard and avenge the hammering in Belo Horizonte almost four years ago.

&quot;Of course, you can imagine that the humiliation was great after losing a semi-final of a World Cup at home,&quot; said Mueller, who scored the first goal in that game.

&quot;Brazil is really a football-mad country and the pressure on them was huge. However, our journey wasn&#39;t over and for us it was just a step towards the final.&quot;

The Spain and Brazil games are head coach Loew&#39;s last chance to assess his options before naming his World Cup squad on May 15.

Key decisions

&quot;Two top matches await us -- we&#39;re up against superb teams. It&#39;s fun to compete with the best,&quot; added Bayern Munich forward Mueller. &quot;We all have the mentality that we always want to win, that&#39;s why we&#39;re the elite. The competition within the squad is a means to keep up the performance level. No one can afford to relax, everyone&#39;s challenged.

&quot;It&#39;s not just that we have eight or 11 good players, more like 20 or 25.

&quot;It&#39;s a good situation for the coach to be in. But this is an opportunity to show what we can do against big opponents in big games.&quot;

However, big names are missing in the ranks of the four-time World Cup winners.

Borussia Dortmund pair Mario Goetze, who scored the winning goal in the 2014 final against Argentina, and Marco Reus were left out to focus on their club form.

Germany captain Manuel Neuer, who last played an international in October 2016, is still sidelined with a fractured foot he suffered in September.

Loew must also decide whether Sandro Wagner or Mario Gomez will go to Russia as the back-up to first-choice striker Timo Werner.

Likewise, Paris Saint-Germain&#39;s Kevin Trapp and Bernd Leno of Bayer Leverkusen are vying for the third goalkeeping berth behind first-choice Neuer and reserve Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

&quot;I am glad that I do not have to decide who will be going,&quot; Germany midfielder Sami Khedira admitted to magazine Sport Bild.

As the Juventus player acknowledges, there will be &quot;no free ticket&quot; to Russia for any German stars.

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can sat out training on Wednesday with slight back pain, while Bayern&#39;s Sebastian Rudy will join the squad late as he awaits the birth of his child.&nbsp;

Timings:&nbsp;

Germany vs Spain: Saturday March 24, 1,15 am IST

Germany vs Brazil: Wednesday, March 28, 12.15 am IST

Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1 the last time they met in the semifinal of the 2014 World Cup

Germany forward Thomas Mueller expects revenge to be a factor when his side take on Brazil for the first time since humiliating the South Americans 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals. Joachim Loew's Germany start fine-tuning preparations for their World Cup defence in Russia with high-profile friendlies against Spain in Duesseldorf on Friday and Brazil in Berlin next Tuesday. Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, have the first chance to break Germany's 21-match unbeaten run, dating back to their Euro 2016 semi-final defeat by France. However, the clash four days later at Berlin's Olympic Stadium offers Brazil a rare chance to beat Germany in their own backyard and avenge the hammering in Belo Horizonte almost four years ago. "Of course, you can imagine that the humiliation was great after losing a semi-final of a World Cup at home," said Mueller, who scored the first goal in that game. "Brazil is really a football-mad country and the pressure on them was huge. However, our journey wasn't over and for us it was just a step towards the final." The Spain and Brazil games are head coach Loew's last chance to assess his options before naming his World Cup squad on May 15. Key decisions "Two top matches await us -- we're up against superb teams. It's fun to compete with the best," added Bayern Munich forward Mueller. "We all have the mentality that we always want to win, that's why we're the elite. The competition within the squad is a means to keep up the performance level. No one can afford to relax, everyone's challenged. "It's not just that we have eight or 11 good players, more like 20 or 25. "It's a good situation for the coach to be in. But this is an opportunity to show what we can do against big opponents in big games." However, big names are missing in the ranks of the four-time World Cup winners. Borussia Dortmund pair Mario Goetze, who scored the winning goal in the 2014 final against Argentina, and Marco Reus were left out to focus on their club form. Germany captain Manuel Neuer, who last played an international in October 2016, is still sidelined with a fractured foot he suffered in September. Loew must also decide whether Sandro Wagner or Mario Gomez will go to Russia as the back-up to first-choice striker Timo Werner. Likewise, Paris Saint-Germain's Kevin Trapp and Bernd Leno of Bayer Leverkusen are vying for the third goalkeeping berth behind first-choice Neuer and reserve Marc-Andre ter Stegen. "I am glad that I do not have to decide who will be going," Germany midfielder Sami Khedira admitted to magazine Sport Bild. As the Juventus player acknowledges, there will be "no free ticket" to Russia for any German stars. Liverpool midfielder Emre Can sat out training on Wednesday with slight back pain, while Bayern's Sebastian Rudy will join the squad late as he awaits the birth of his child. Timings: Germany vs Spain: Saturday March 24, 1,15 am IST Germany vs Brazil: Wednesday, March 28, 12.15 am IST

Football World Cup friendlies: Germany to take on Spain, Brazil

Hundreds of people held a peaceful protest in central Madrid on Friday to demand better police treatment of street vendors, a day after the death of a Senegalese man sparked clashes with riot police.

Six people including a minor and a woman were also arrested and 10 officers were left injured while emergency services said four people were slightly hurt in the protest on Friday.&nbsp;

The protesters gathered in a square in the Lavapies district of the Spanish capital in the early evening on Thursday, many of them young, dressed in black and wearing bandanas as tensions remained high a day after violent clashes over the controversial death of a Senegalese street vendor.

On Thursday, 35-year-old Sengal street vendor Mame Mbaye Ndiaye suffered a heart attack in the street while walking away from police. Fellow vendors said police chased him through the streets, forcing him to run with his heavy merchandise wrapped in a sheet.

He died of cardiac arrest in a street close to his home in Lavapies some 15 to 20 minutes later.

That evening protesters threw stones and set dustbins alight in Madrid&rsquo;s Lavapies neighbourhood, home to many migrant communities and near to where Ndiaye died.

Friday&rsquo;s gathering in a square in Lavapies passed without violence. Protesters held signs reading slogans such as &ldquo;Enough of police harassment&rdquo; and chanted &ldquo;Police murderers&rdquo;.

Some shouted &quot;kill police&quot;, an AFP journalist heard. Marches were also held in Barcelona and Bilbao.

The city hall announced a full investigation, asking for CCTV footage to try and determine exactly what happened, as the plight of street vendors in Spain suddenly lept to the fore.

Six people including a minor and a woman were also arrested and 10 officers were left injured while emergency services said four people were slightly hurt in the protest on Friday

Hundreds of people held a peaceful protest in central Madrid on Friday to demand better police treatment of street vendors, a day after the death of a Senegalese man sparked clashes with riot police. Six people including a minor and a woman were also arrested and 10 officers were left injured while emergency services said four people were slightly hurt in the protest on Friday. The protesters gathered in a square in the Lavapies district of the Spanish capital in the early evening on Thursday, many of them young, dressed in black and wearing bandanas as tensions remained high a day after violent clashes over the controversial death of a Senegalese street vendor. On Thursday, 35-year-old Sengal street vendor Mame Mbaye Ndiaye suffered a heart attack in the street while walking away from police. Fellow vendors said police chased him through the streets, forcing him to run with his heavy merchandise wrapped in a sheet. He died of cardiac arrest in a street close to his home in Lavapies some 15 to 20 minutes later. That evening protesters threw stones and set dustbins alight in Madrid’s Lavapies neighbourhood, home to many migrant communities and near to where Ndiaye died. Friday’s gathering in a square in Lavapies passed without violence. Protesters held signs reading slogans such as “Enough of police harassment” and chanted “Police murderers”. Some shouted "kill police", an AFP journalist heard. Marches were also held in Barcelona and Bilbao. The city hall announced a full investigation, asking for CCTV footage to try and determine exactly what happened, as the plight of street vendors in Spain suddenly lept to the fore.

Hundreds gather for Madrid protest following Sengal street vendor's death

La Liga president Javier Tebas said on Friday he remains determined to play Spanish top flight games abroad in a bid to further improve the league&#39;s global popularity.

Premier League plans in 2008 for a &#39;39th game&#39;, a round of fixtures played outside England, met fierce opposition from the fans, but Tebas remains enthusiastic about the idea of playing one or two games per year outside Spain.

&quot;It&#39;s a difficult and complicated issue because there are many things that need to be ironed out but we want to be the first league that plays an official game outside its usual territory,&quot; he said at the Web Sport Congress on Friday.

&quot;We&#39;re not talking about playing all 380 games per season abroad, it will be one per season or two at most. We are now trying to get clubs to agree to the decision.&quot;

The league&#39;s two most successful clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona met in a &#39;Clasico&#39; friendly game last July in Miami, Florida, packing out the 65,000-seater Hard Rock Stadium.

Neither team are expected to feature in any official game played outside Spain in the future though and certainly not against each other in a &#39;Clasico&#39;.

La Liga&#39;s head of global communications Joris Evers told Reuters in December: &quot;It is unlikely for it to be a &#39;Clasico&#39;, as one of the key priorities is to expand awareness and present La Liga as much broader than Real Madrid and Barcelona.

&quot;They are the biggest clubs and brands within La Liga and we want to take advantage of the &#39;Clasico&#39; to present the broader league, to talk to people about more stories and more clubs.

&quot;That&#39;s how we want to grow the story of our competition and the spectacle of entertainment we have each weekend.&quot;

To improve the league's global popularity, La Liga's president Javier Tebas remains enthusiastic about the idea of playing few games outside Spain

La Liga president Javier Tebas said on Friday he remains determined to play Spanish top flight games abroad in a bid to further improve the league's global popularity. Premier League plans in 2008 for a '39th game', a round of fixtures played outside England, met fierce opposition from the fans, but Tebas remains enthusiastic about the idea of playing one or two games per year outside Spain. "It's a difficult and complicated issue because there are many things that need to be ironed out but we want to be the first league that plays an official game outside its usual territory," he said at the Web Sport Congress on Friday. "We're not talking about playing all 380 games per season abroad, it will be one per season or two at most. We are now trying to get clubs to agree to the decision." The league's two most successful clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona met in a 'Clasico' friendly game last July in Miami, Florida, packing out the 65,000-seater Hard Rock Stadium. Neither team are expected to feature in any official game played outside Spain in the future though and certainly not against each other in a 'Clasico'. La Liga's head of global communications Joris Evers told Reuters in December: "It is unlikely for it to be a 'Clasico', as one of the key priorities is to expand awareness and present La Liga as much broader than Real Madrid and Barcelona. "They are the biggest clubs and brands within La Liga and we want to take advantage of the 'Clasico' to present the broader league, to talk to people about more stories and more clubs. "That's how we want to grow the story of our competition and the spectacle of entertainment we have each weekend."

Javier Tebas determined to take LaLiga games abroad

Catalonia-born Pep Guardiola, who wore a yellow ribbon on his grey jumper in the post-match press conference at Wembley defended his intent to wear a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders after his side beat Arsenal 3-0 to win the League Cup final on Sunday.

The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules.

Former Barcelona coach said, &quot;Before I&#39;m a manager I&#39;m a human being. I am a person.&quot;

He mentioned Britain&#39;s exit from European Union and said, &quot;You did the Brexit you let the people make an opinion. You allowed Scotland to make a referendum about if they want to stay or not and after the people voted. That is what they are asking.&quot;

Guardiola sympathised with the jailed Catalan leader and said, &quot;They are in prevention jail right now. So go out and after maybe be judged okay but they are (in jail) for more than 145 days. You know everybody is innocent until the judge proves you are guilty and they aren&#39;t being judged.&quot;

Guardiola was charged by the FA for wearing a political message.

The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules

Catalonia-born Pep Guardiola, who wore a yellow ribbon on his grey jumper in the post-match press conference at Wembley defended his intent to wear a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan independence leaders after his side beat Arsenal 3-0 to win the League Cup final on Sunday. The Football Association on Friday charged Guardiola, saying the symbol sported by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket broke its rules. Former Barcelona coach said, "Before I'm a manager I'm a human being. I am a person." He mentioned Britain's exit from European Union and said, "You did the Brexit you let the people make an opinion. You allowed Scotland to make a referendum about if they want to stay or not and after the people voted. That is what they are asking." Guardiola sympathised with the jailed Catalan leader and said, "They are in prevention jail right now. So go out and after maybe be judged okay but they are (in jail) for more than 145 days. You know everybody is innocent until the judge proves you are guilty and they aren't being judged." Guardiola was charged by the FA for wearing a political message.

Pep Guardiola defends wearing Catalan support ribbon

Three people were arrested in France on Tuesday for alleged links to a suspect in last year&#39;s deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona and a nearby seaside resort, the Spanish interior ministry said Tuesday.

The arrests were made during a joint operation with French and Spanish police in the south and southwest of France, the ministry said in a statement.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-of-major-attacks-in-france-since-2015-14762" target="_blank">Timeline of major attacks in France since 2015</a>

A total of 16 people were killed when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils in August 2017.

The three arrested were suspected to have links with Moroccan national Driss Oukabir, who was alleged to have rented the van used in the Barcelona rampage.

Oukabir was arrested shortly after the attacks -- which were claimed by the Islamic State group -- and remanded in custody on terror-related offences.

&nbsp;

A total of 16 people were killed when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils in August 2017

Three people were arrested in France on Tuesday for alleged links to a suspect in last year's deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona and a nearby seaside resort, the Spanish interior ministry said Tuesday. The arrests were made during a joint operation with French and Spanish police in the south and southwest of France, the ministry said in a statement. Also read: Timeline of major attacks in France since 2015 A total of 16 people were killed when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils in August 2017. The three arrested were suspected to have links with Moroccan national Driss Oukabir, who was alleged to have rented the van used in the Barcelona rampage. Oukabir was arrested shortly after the attacks -- which were claimed by the Islamic State group -- and remanded in custody on terror-related offences.

France arrests three linked to Barcelona attacks: Spain

Spain&rsquo;s state prosecution service said on Sunday it would seek the arrest of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont if he travelled from Belgium to Denmark on Monday to attend a debate he is billed to host.

Puigdemont fled to Brussels after his regional government declared independence from Spain on October 27 following a referendum ruled illegal by Spanish authorities, who also sacked his cabinet.

The Spanish Supreme Court issued an international arrest warrant against him but withdrew it in December to avoid the risk of Belgian authorities granting him asylum.

The prosecution service said it would &ldquo;immediately&rdquo; ask the judge overseeing Puigdemont&rsquo;s case to reinstate the warrant and request that Danish authorities arrest him once it confirmed his travel plans.

The University of Copenhagen said on Friday that Puigdemont would attend the event on Monday at its political science department: &ldquo;Catalonia and Europe at a Crossroads for Democracy&nbsp;Debate with Carles Puigdemont.&rdquo;

Puigdemont&rsquo;s lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, told Catalan public radio on Sunday that the risk of his client being arrested in Denmark was &ldquo;quite high&rdquo;, though he also believed Danish authorities would decline to serve any warrant.

Puigdemont fled to Brussels after his regional government declared independence from Spain on October 27 following a referendum ruled illegal by Spanish authorities, who also sacked his cabinet

Spain’s state prosecution service said on Sunday it would seek the arrest of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont if he travelled from Belgium to Denmark on Monday to attend a debate he is billed to host. Puigdemont fled to Brussels after his regional government declared independence from Spain on October 27 following a referendum ruled illegal by Spanish authorities, who also sacked his cabinet. The Spanish Supreme Court issued an international arrest warrant against him but withdrew it in December to avoid the risk of Belgian authorities granting him asylum. The prosecution service said it would “immediately” ask the judge overseeing Puigdemont’s case to reinstate the warrant and request that Danish authorities arrest him once it confirmed his travel plans. The University of Copenhagen said on Friday that Puigdemont would attend the event on Monday at its political science department: “Catalonia and Europe at a Crossroads for Democracy Debate with Carles Puigdemont.” Puigdemont’s lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, told Catalan public radio on Sunday that the risk of his client being arrested in Denmark was “quite high”, though he also believed Danish authorities would decline to serve any warrant.

Spain to seek ex-Catalan leader's arrest if travels to Denmark

Three Catalan leaders imprisoned in Spain over their role in their region&#39;s independence crisis will take their case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, their lawyers in London said on Thursday.

&quot;Their detention by Spain is an affront to human rights, designed to prevent them from performing their role as political representatives of the Catalan people,&quot; lawyer Ben Emmerson told reporters.

The three include deposed Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, as well as the leaders of two grassroots separatist groups: Jordi Sanchez of the ANC and Jordi Cuixart of Omnium Cultural.

Sanchez and Cuixart are being investigated for sedition. Junqueras is also in custody pending a probe into his role in the region&#39;s independence drive.

&quot;This case does not ask the UN to adjudicate on the issue of Catalan independence but seeks the UN&#39;s reaffirmation that governments cannot repress political dissent through arbitrary detention,&quot; Emmerson said. &quot;Spain must release these men.&quot;

Junqueras was instrumental in Catalonia&#39;s attempt to break away from Spain via a referendum that took place on October 1 despite a court ban and a unilateral declaration of independence later that month.

Madrid then sacked the regional government including Junqueras, imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, dissolved its parliament and called snap Catalan elections, which saw separatist parties retain their parliamentary majority in December.

The UN panel is made up of independent human rights cases and has addressed hundreds of cases including prominent figures such as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Myanmar&#39;s Aung San Suu Kyi.

The little-known group hit the headlines in 2016 when it found that Assange was being &quot;arbitrarily detained&quot; at Ecuador&#39;s embassy in London, where he fled and sought asylum to avoid arrest.

The working group&#39;s opinions are not considered binding and states can demand a review of the decision within two months if they supply new information that challenges the basis of the decision.

Three Catalan leaders imprisoned in Spain over their role in their region's independence crisis will take their case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, their lawyers in London said on Thursday

Three Catalan leaders imprisoned in Spain over their role in their region's independence crisis will take their case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, their lawyers in London said on Thursday. "Their detention by Spain is an affront to human rights, designed to prevent them from performing their role as political representatives of the Catalan people," lawyer Ben Emmerson told reporters. The three include deposed Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, as well as the leaders of two grassroots separatist groups: Jordi Sanchez of the ANC and Jordi Cuixart of Omnium Cultural. Sanchez and Cuixart are being investigated for sedition. Junqueras is also in custody pending a probe into his role in the region's independence drive. "This case does not ask the UN to adjudicate on the issue of Catalan independence but seeks the UN's reaffirmation that governments cannot repress political dissent through arbitrary detention," Emmerson said. "Spain must release these men." Junqueras was instrumental in Catalonia's attempt to break away from Spain via a referendum that took place on October 1 despite a court ban and a unilateral declaration of independence later that month. Madrid then sacked the regional government including Junqueras, imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, dissolved its parliament and called snap Catalan elections, which saw separatist parties retain their parliamentary majority in December. The UN panel is made up of independent human rights cases and has addressed hundreds of cases including prominent figures such as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi. The little-known group hit the headlines in 2016 when it found that Assange was being "arbitrarily detained" at Ecuador's embassy in London, where he fled and sought asylum to avoid arrest. The working group's opinions are not considered binding and states can demand a review of the decision within two months if they supply new information that challenges the basis of the decision.

Three jailed Catalan leaders appeal to UN panel: lawyers

A Spanish village today declared a day of mourning following the death of a retired farmer billed as &quot;the world&#39;s oldest man&quot;, who passed away just over a month after turning 113.

Francisco Nunez Olivera, who was 10 years old when World War I broke out, died on Monday in the village of Bienvenida in southwestern Spain where he had lived throughout his life, village mayor Antonio Carmona told AFP.

&quot;It&#39;s a very cold day and most of all a very sad day,&quot; Carmona said.

Born on December 13, 1904, relatives credited Nunez Olivera&#39;s long life to a diet based on vegetables he grew on his own land and a daily glass of red wine.

Every morning for breakfast, he would have sponge cake made with olive oil and a glass of milk.

And until the age of 107, he went out for daily walks by himself, according to Spanish media reports published when he celebrated his last birthday.

While the Spanish media described Nunez Olivera as the world&#39;s oldest man, his name did not appear on a list kept by the Gerontology Research Group, which validates the ages of the world&#39;s longest-living people.

The US-based group lists Japan&#39;s Masazou Nonaka, born on July 25, 1905 making him 112, as the world&#39;s oldest man but Carmona said there were documents to prove the Spaniard was in fact older.

It also lists a Japanese woman, aged 117, as the world&#39;s oldest person.

&quot;We were in the process of applying for him to enter into the Guinness Book of World Records. It meant a lot to his neighbours to be represented by the oldest man in the world,&quot; Carmona said.

Proving Nunez Olivera&#39;s exact age has been complicated by the fact that most of Bienvenida&#39;s public archives were destroyed during Spain&#39;s 1936-39 civil war, according to newspaper El Mundo.

Nunez Olivera, known in the village as Marchena due to his likeness to a Spanish flamenco singer who used that stage name, had been a widower since 1988.

He fought in the Rif War in the first half of the 1920s between Spain and the Berber tribes of the Rif mountains in Morocco and survived General Francisco Franco&#39;s 1936-75 dictatorship.

On Tuesday afternoon, he was set to be buried in Bienvenida.

He was one of 32 people over the age of 90 among the roughly 2,200 inhabitants of the village, according to El Mundo.

Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which doctors often attribute to the country&#39;s Mediterranean diet.

Born on December 13, 1904, relatives credited Nunez Olivera’s long life to a diet based on vegetables he grew on his own land and a daily glass of red wine

A Spanish village today declared a day of mourning following the death of a retired farmer billed as "the world's oldest man", who passed away just over a month after turning 113. Francisco Nunez Olivera, who was 10 years old when World War I broke out, died on Monday in the village of Bienvenida in southwestern Spain where he had lived throughout his life, village mayor Antonio Carmona told AFP. "It's a very cold day and most of all a very sad day," Carmona said. Born on December 13, 1904, relatives credited Nunez Olivera's long life to a diet based on vegetables he grew on his own land and a daily glass of red wine. Every morning for breakfast, he would have sponge cake made with olive oil and a glass of milk. And until the age of 107, he went out for daily walks by himself, according to Spanish media reports published when he celebrated his last birthday. While the Spanish media described Nunez Olivera as the world's oldest man, his name did not appear on a list kept by the Gerontology Research Group, which validates the ages of the world's longest-living people. The US-based group lists Japan's Masazou Nonaka, born on July 25, 1905 making him 112, as the world's oldest man but Carmona said there were documents to prove the Spaniard was in fact older. It also lists a Japanese woman, aged 117, as the world's oldest person. "We were in the process of applying for him to enter into the Guinness Book of World Records. It meant a lot to his neighbours to be represented by the oldest man in the world," Carmona said. Proving Nunez Olivera's exact age has been complicated by the fact that most of Bienvenida's public archives were destroyed during Spain's 1936-39 civil war, according to newspaper El Mundo. Nunez Olivera, known in the village as Marchena due to his likeness to a Spanish flamenco singer who used that stage name, had been a widower since 1988. He fought in the Rif War in the first half of the 1920s between Spain and the Berber tribes of the Rif mountains in Morocco and survived General Francisco Franco's 1936-75 dictatorship. On Tuesday afternoon, he was set to be buried in Bienvenida. He was one of 32 people over the age of 90 among the roughly 2,200 inhabitants of the village, according to El Mundo. Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which doctors often attribute to the country's Mediterranean diet.

'World's oldest man' dies in Spain aged 113

A clause in Lionel Messi&#39;s contract has ensured that he could become a free agent if Barcelona no longer plays in a major European league as a result of Catalan independence.

According to a report, the contract Messi signed last November includes a clause that he must remain a Barcelona player only as long as the club is playing in &quot;a top-level European league.&quot;

A source at Barcelona told AFP that &quot;for reasons of confidentiality the club never comments on contractual relations with players.&quot;

Catalonia with the population of 7.5 million and history of over 1000 years old had voted in favour of its exit from Spain.

Catalonian nationalists proclaimed independence from Spain after a referendum on October 1, precipitating a crisis which is still unresolved.&nbsp;More than 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;population had voted for independence.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-fc-barcelona-exit-spanish-football-league-21270">Will FC Barcelona exit Spanish football league?</a>

The Spanish civil and football authorities have said repeatedly that Catalan secession would end the participation of the region&#39;s clubs in the Spanish League.&nbsp;After the separation of Catalonia from Spain, the club may shut down.

If Catalonia becomes independent and Barcelona are booted out of La Liga and cannot persuade another major league (France, Italy, Germany or England) to give them a home, Messi could leave without having to pay his 700 million euro ($843 million).

Catalans have everything they need to flourish as an independent nation. A state which has its own police and parliament, amazing infrastructure and rich as well as varied heritage. Almost everything that is necessary for a country to get along with other developing nation.

But, when it comes to football, Catalonia may suffer a lot after its separation from Spain. Likewise whole Europe, Catalans also has undying madness for football. FC Barcelona holds a very important place in Spanish football leagues. Laliga,&nbsp;the most important of the Spanish league, will be incomplete without FC Barcelona.

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The contract Messi signed last November includes a clause that he must remain a Barcelona player only as long as the club is playing in 'a top-level European league'

A clause in Lionel Messi's contract has ensured that he could become a free agent if Barcelona no longer plays in a major European league as a result of Catalan independence. According to a report, the contract Messi signed last November includes a clause that he must remain a Barcelona player only as long as the club is playing in "a top-level European league." A source at Barcelona told AFP that "for reasons of confidentiality the club never comments on contractual relations with players." Catalonia with the population of 7.5 million and history of over 1000 years old had voted in favour of its exit from Spain. Catalonian nationalists proclaimed independence from Spain after a referendum on October 1, precipitating a crisis which is still unresolved. More than 90 per cent population had voted for independence. Also read: Will FC Barcelona exit Spanish football league? The Spanish civil and football authorities have said repeatedly that Catalan secession would end the participation of the region's clubs in the Spanish League. After the separation of Catalonia from Spain, the club may shut down. If Catalonia becomes independent and Barcelona are booted out of La Liga and cannot persuade another major league (France, Italy, Germany or England) to give them a home, Messi could leave without having to pay his 700 million euro ($843 million). Catalans have everything they need to flourish as an independent nation. A state which has its own police and parliament, amazing infrastructure and rich as well as varied heritage. Almost everything that is necessary for a country to get along with other developing nation. But, when it comes to football, Catalonia may suffer a lot after its separation from Spain. Likewise whole Europe, Catalans also has undying madness for football. FC Barcelona holds a very important place in Spanish football leagues. Laliga, the most important of the Spanish league, will be incomplete without FC Barcelona.

Barcelona's Messi to become 'free agent', if Catalonia exit Spain

Manchester City&#39;s Spanish international forward David Silva missed four matches recently because his prematurely-born baby son is fighting for his life, he revealed on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old -- who returned to the runaway Premier League leaders starting line-up for Tuesday&#39;s 3-1 win over Watford -- thanked everyone for their support on his Twitter account.

&quot;Also I want to share with you the birth of my son Mateo, who was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team,&quot; he tweeted.

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COMUNICADO OFICIAL: <a href="https://t.co/8Ooaef92ro">pic.twitter.com/8Ooaef92ro</a>
&mdash; David Silva (@21LVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/21LVA/status/948534711378415616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Manchester City midfielder David Silva reveals that his son has been brought prematurely and is fighting 'day by day' which is why he has been absent from the squad recently

Manchester City's Spanish international forward David Silva missed four matches recently because his prematurely-born baby son is fighting for his life, he revealed on Wednesday. The 31-year-old -- who returned to the runaway Premier League leaders starting line-up for Tuesday's 3-1 win over Watford -- thanked everyone for their support on his Twitter account. "Also I want to share with you the birth of my son Mateo, who was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team," he tweeted. COMUNICADO OFICIAL: pic.twitter.com/8Ooaef92ro — David Silva (@21LVA) January 3, 2018 ×

David Silva explains absence from Manchester City squad

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