‘Please Don’t Leave!!!’- Barcelona Beg Lionel Messi As Possible Move To Italy Intensifies

Barcelona spokesman, Josep Vives, has pleaded with Lionel Messi to remain at the club.

According to Vives, he cannot imagine Messi leaving the Camp Nou, after Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus earlier this month.

Ronaldo had a €1billion release clause in his contract, but Madrid allowed him to join Juve for significantly less, once he asked to leave.

Messi signed a new deal with Barca in November, with a release clause worth €700m, that ties him to the club through the 2020/2021 season.

“I cannot imagine that situation in which Messi is not with us,” Vives told reporters on Thursday.

“I am already getting nervous because there have been many days without football [games]. We do not imagine this situation here.”

Earlier this week, Marco Tronchetti Provera, the CEO of Pirelli, one of Inter Milan’s main sponsors, suggested that Inter’s owners would consider a move for Messi in response to Ronaldo’s arrival in Serie A.

But Inter vice president, Javier Zanetti, laughed off that suggestion while speaking to Fox Sports Argentina.

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Brazil suffer blow as Luis breaks his leg

Brazil's World Cup preparations have suffered a blow with serious injury to Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.

He had been preferred over Juventus' Alex Sandro in Brazil coach Tite's squad released Thursday for the upcoming friendlies against France and World Cup hosts Russia.

But hours later he suffered a broken leg in Atletico's Europa League tie at Lokomotiv Moscow.

He underwent surgery in Madrid on Friday and returned home on Saturday.

"His absence is estimated at eight weeks," Atletico said in a press release.

That would put his return some time in mid-May, meaning he would not play for Atletico again this season and giving him little time to rediscover his form and fitness ahead of the World Cup which begins on June 14.

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Ernesto Valverde wary of 'treble prophecy'

Ernesto Valverde dismissed the idea that he, as Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique had done before, would win a league, Cup and Champions League treble in his first season at the helm.

Valverde has regalvanised the lacklustre Barcelona of last season taking over the team that had just lost Neymar and revitalised their fortunes and the form of their star player Lionel Messi.

But despite an eight point advantage over Atletico Madrid, a cup final date with Sevilla in April and a relatively easy draw with Roma in the Champions League quarters, Valverde says Barca a treble is a big ask.

"I don't believe in prophecies," said the Basque whose Barca outfit host Atletico Bilbao Sunday.

"Everything is possible and we will give it absolutely everything," he promised.

"I would have signed in my own blood if you'd offered me this position at the start of the season."

But Valverde pointed to Roma as the obstacle that could make the difference between his Barcelona and those of Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

"Roma beat Chelsea 3-0, a team against which we struggled," he said after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge had preceded a Messi inspired 3-0 win at the Nou Camp.

"Roma also finished above both Chelsea and Atletico (in the group stage) and Atletico is our main league rival, so you get a bit of the measure of the size of rival they are," he said.

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Lionel Messi Announces The Birth Of His Third Son (Photo)

Leo Messi, has confirmed the birth of his third son, Ciro, on Instagram . FC Barcelona including other superstars have congratulated the Argentine.

See Instagram post below:-

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Busquets takes aim at Liga organisers

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets hit out at La Liga's schedulers after his side beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Sunday in a top-of-the-table clash less than 72 hours after playing away in the Canary Islands.

Lionel Messi scored from a free kick to decide the game and take the Catalans eight points clear of Atletico at the top of the standings, although the Liga leaders were pushed all the way by Diego Simeone's side in a game of few chances which did not live up to the hype.

Atletico were given one day's rest more than Barca leading up to the game, with Ernesto Valverde's side facing a three-and-a-half hour flight back from Las Palmas on Thursday after their 1-1 draw, while Simeone's side had played at home to Leganes the previous day.

"We got back to Barcelona and we had to train without resting. If La Liga wants to be considered the best league in the world, they need to do certain things better," Busquets told reporters.

"It's not an excuse; it's the reality. When we lose, I don't like to complain but we've won today so I'm going to take advantage of the fact (to voice an opinion)."

Barca left back Jordi Alba was suspended against Las Palmas but joined Busquets in complaining about his side's lack of rest before the crucial game against their nearest challengers for the title.

"They need to fix the calendar," Alba said. "I was feeling very tired and I didn't even play in Las Palmas, so imagine what it was like for those who got home at four in the morning on Friday. They need to sort out these little details."

Barca captain Andres Iniesta started both games and was forced off towards the end of the first half against Atletico with a hamstring injury.

The veteran midfielder will undergo tests on Monday although reports in the Spanish media said he would be out for around three weeks, ruling him out of the Champions League last-16 second leg against Chelsea on March 14.

"Iniesta is a unique player, a little like Messi, so it's difficult to find a player who can replace him," Barca coach Valverde said of his captain.

"We'll wait and see how bad the injury is. He carried on playing at first so we thought it wasn't too bad but we're not sure. He was playing incredibly well."

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Gerard Pique clear of his accused derby celebration

Barcelona's Gerard Pique has escaped punishment for shushing Espanyol supporters after scoring in a local derby earlier this month and taunting the club before the game.

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Thursday it had ended its investigation into the defender.

Pique said he had suffered abusive chants throughout the match on Feb. 4 and that "telling the crowd to be quiet was the least I could do".

His behaviour, however, was criticised by La Liga's president Javier Tebas, who said it provoked Espanyol's fans.

Following the incident, the Spanish top flight said from now on it would ask the federation to investigate overzealous celebrations from players.

The RFEF criticised Pique's behaviour, but said there was no case to answer.

"The player's words don't contribute to a model of prudence and don't help consolidate sport as a space exempt from social confrontation," said a statement from the Federation's Competition Committee.

Before the game Pique taunted Espanyol's credentials by saying they were from the municipality Cornella and not the city of Barcelona, prompting an angry response from the club and the town hall of Cornella.

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Real Madrid fight back to win without Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo was rested as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-1 at Leganes on Wednesday and move back up to third place in La Liga.

Unai Bustinza had put Leganes in front at Butarque, raising hopes that the home side could record another famous victory just weeks after they ousted Real from the Copa del Rey.

However, the reigning European champions turned this Madrid derby around before halftime with Lucas Vazquez and Casemiro both on target.

Sergio Ramos sealed the win with a late penalty, and Real have now taken 16 points from the last 18 available in La Liga.

"It's another win, the fourth in a row and it's important to get the points," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.

"We're happy, we're third in the table and that's an important result for us. We want to continue like this, we have had hard times so we want to take advantage of this good spell.

"We are confident, we believe more and each player is giving more on the field."

They are still a massive 14 points adrift of unbeaten league leaders Barcelona, but they are up to third above Valencia and within seven points of city rivals Atletico, who are second.

With the games piling up for his team, Zidane rested Ronaldo for this rescheduled fixture, initially postponed in December due to Real's involvement in the Club World Cup.

With Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Marcelo all injured and in a race against time to be fit for the Champions League last 16, second leg against Paris Saint-Germain in a fortnight, this was another chance for some of Real's fringe players to shine.

Theo Hernandez and Isco were among the starters, but Gareth Bale was back on the bench as he struggles to rediscover his best form.

Kiko Casilla was handed a start in goal in place of regular No 1 Keylor Navas, and Casilla was picking the ball out of his net inside six minutes, with Bustinza bravely stooping to score from almost on the line after his initial effort had been blocked.

However, it took Real just five minutes to draw level, Casemiro helping the ball into the path of Vazquez, who slotted home low.

Casemiro is a defensive midfielder by trade but he put Madrid in front just before the half-hour mark, scoring at the end of a lovely one-touch move also involving Karim Benzema and Vazquez.

It took Real until the 90th minute to make sure of the victory, though, with Ramos scoring from the penalty spot after Mateo Kovacic had been fouled.

Zidane's side will bid to continue their improved form when they host Alaves at the weekend.

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Barcelona agree deal for Gremio's Arthur

Barcelona have a reached an agreement in principle with Brazilian club Gremio to sign midfielder Arthur next year in a deal worth up to €40 million, according to reports in Spain on Wednesday.

"FC Barcelona have taken an almost definitive step to seal the recruitment of Arthur," wrote Catalan daily Sport, who reported the transfer fee would be €30 million with a further 10 million in bonuses.

Mundo Deportivo claimed Barca director of football Robert Fernandez went to Porto Alegre "to seal the transfer of Arthur, with whom the club have reached a deal starting from January 2019".

The 21-year-old is expected to arrive during next season's winter transfer window, although Madrid-based Marca suggested he could join the club this summer if Barca reduce the number of non-EU players in their squad.

Arthur starred in last year's Copa Libertadores final as Gremio defeated Lanus of Argentina 3-1 on aggregate to claim the title for a third time.

But a leaked photograph of Fernandez alongside the Brazilian in a Barca shirt sparked controversy with the player still under contract at Gremio.

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PSG coach refuses 'future' talk after Real Madrid defeat

Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery refused to "waste his energy" worrying about his job after the 3-1 first-leg last-16 defeat to Real Madrid when questioned on Friday.

One of the sub plots of the "clash of the round" was which manager, Emery or Madrid handler Zinedine Zidane, would lose his job if his side lost.

But Emery, whose team led Barcelona 4-0 after the first-leg in the last-16 last season only to throw their chance away by losing the away match 6-1, was always under more pressure than Zidane who has led his side to back-to-back European titles.

"My future is the present. Getting ready for tomorrow's game and getting ready for Real. I won't waste my energy (talking about my future)," Emery said on the eve of Paris's home game with Strasbourg.

"I remain convinced that PSG can qualify," he said in the wake of Wednesday's disappointing first-leg result.

"I believe the team had a good game against the best team in the world. I am convinced we can win and get through to the next round," he insisted.

"I am happy with the way the players responded to what happened even if that was not the result we were looking for," he said.

PSG took a first-half lead before a controversial penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo levelled the score before halftime.

Emery took off an isolated Edinson Cavani in the second half and while Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could not turn PSG's edge in possession into goals, Ronaldo and Marcello seized their chances and fired Madrid into a highly protectable lead for the return on March 6.

Taking off Cavani "was a tactical choice I made during the game," Emery said.

"For me (Neymar) had a great game, made some very good moves. It comes down to details," he lamented.

"At home he will show how good he is," promised the man who's job depends on it.

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Real Madrid blow as Toni Kroos suffers knee injury

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos faces a spell on the sidelines after his club confirmed on Friday that he had picked up a knee injury.

"Following tests carried out on Toni Kroos...he has been diagnosed with a sprain to the exterior lateral ligament in the left knee. His recovery will continue to be assessed," Real said in a statement on their website.

While Real did not say how long the 28-year-old German would be out for, they will hope to have him back in time for the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie away to Paris Saint-Germain on March 6.

Kroos played the full 90 minutes of Wednesday's first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, which Zinedine Zidane's side won 3-1, although Spanish media said he picked up the injury in that game in a challenge with PSG's Kylian Mbappe.

He will miss Sunday's La Liga game away at Betis, with the versatile Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic a contender to take his place in the team.

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Argentina want Messi to play less

Argentina's national football association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has said he has spoken to captain Lionel Messi about playing fewer games for La Liga side Barcelona in order to stay fresh for his country ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Tapia's pleas have largely gone unheeded by Barca coach Ernesto Valverde, who has started Messi in 33 of the team's total 39 games this season, only leaving him out of the matchday squad in three King's Cup games.
The coach did leave Messi out of the starting line-up for the first time in the league against Espanyol on 4 February but threw the Argentine on as a substitute to help salvage a 1-1 draw.

"I hope all the players arrive in the level they are at the moment. Sergio Aguero is playing outstanding right now and Lionel Messi is always at the top of his game," Tapia told Argentine network TYC Sports.
"That's vital for the directors and the coaching staff. We have spoken to Messi about taking care of himself and about playing less for Barcelona."

Tapia also said Argentina are planning to play a friendly against Catalonia in June as part of their preparations for the World Cup in Russia, where they will hope to better their runners-up finish four years ago in Brazil.
A game against Catalonia could theoretically see Messi come up against Barca teammates Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto and Gerard Pique among others. However, such a fixture could prove controversial in Spain after increased tensions between the central government and the region over its independence drive.

"(Argentina coach) Jorge (Sampaoli) told me it would be good for us from a football point of view and it's important for us from a financial point of view, but we haven't closed the deal yet," added Tapia.

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PSG still trailing in Real Madrid's financial shadow

Paris Saint-Germain smashed the world-record transfer fee last year to sign Neymar from Barcelona, but despite the big spending driven by their Qatari owners, the French club still lag behind Real Madrid in terms of financial muscle.

Reigning European champions Real (647.6 million euros) made almost 200 million euros more in turnover than PSG last year, according to Deloitte.

The Spanish giants host Unai Emery's side in the Champions League last 16, first leg on Wednesday, but can the Ligue 1 leaders ever expect to match their illustrious opponents off the pitch, never mind on it?

Real - unrivalled global brand

In the world of club football, Real have always stood alone in terms of sporting achievements as record 12-time European champions, but in recent years they have also dominated financially.

The Madrid club posted the world's highest annual turnover for a decade until recently being overtaken by Manchester United, fuelled by the Premier League's astronomical TV rights.

Real's prosperity in the 21st century was born from president Florentino Perez's 'Galactico' transfer strategy of paying whatever it took to buy the world's biggest stars.

"If Real have the best players in the world in each position, then revenue won't be a problem," Perez told AFP in 2016.

Real broke the world-record transfer fee five times between 2000-2013 by signing Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

The club's other crucial asset is its Santiago Bernabeu stadium, to which Perez wants to add a roof, new reception areas, a shopping centre and even a hotel – costing an estimated 400 million euros.

"This is a very busy stadium with large advertising space, many spaces for companies," said Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, economics professor at the University of Barcelona.

"The Santiago Bernabeu is a gold mine."

Real Madrid is the most powerful brand on the planet according to the 2017 ranking of Brand Finance, but PSG are on "the same path" according to Leibana.

But he added: "If we go to the other side of the world and ask people, everyone knows Real Madrid, and this isn't the case yet for PSG."

PSG - immense potential to exploit

The difference between the two clubs' reach can be seen by their respective social media followings – Real have approximately 190 million followers online compared to only 50 million for PSG.

But situated in the French capital and backed by Qatar's billions, PSG have plenty of scope to make more money.

Sports marketing specialist Frank Pons believes the Parisians need to continue copying Real's Galactico transfer tactics if they're to bridge the gap.

"In terms of reputation, transfers of 400 million euros in total for Neymar and (Kylian) Mbappe put (Paris) on the map very quickly," he said.

"This takes years to achieve normally, but they managed to do it quickly."

PSG still have a staggering amount of cash available to splash on players, with last month's 'Soccerex Football Finance 100' study ranking them above Real financially when taking into consideration money in the bank and potential investment from owners.

Perhaps the biggest reason Real have an edge over PSG, though, is because of on-field success, as the French side have still never even reached a Champions League final.

Neymar, Mbappe and co could go a long way towards changing the balance of power by beating their illustrious opponents at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

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Zidane delights in big victory for Real Madrid

Real Madrid's comprehensive 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday boosted confidence in the Spanish capital with the feeling that they have set themselves up nicely for the looming Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain.

Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a hat-trick for the first time this season after Lucas Vazquez had opened the scoring inside 49 seconds at the Santiago Bernabeu as the visitors were blown away. Toni Kroos also found the net, with Real 4-0 up by the interval.

The victory might not do much to trouble La Liga leaders Barcelona, but it strengthens their place in the top four and confirms that Zinedine Zidane's side are on an upward trajectory ahead of their season-defining clash with PSG.

"It makes things easier for you when you score an early goal. We showed lots of desire and we can be satisfied. It was good preparation for Wednesday," said Zidane.

It was a result that went down well with the media, sports daily AS saying on their front cover on Sunday morning that Ronaldo had sent a "message to PSG". The newspaper added: "The best Madrid of the season appears on the eve of the Champions League clash."

Madrid have won three and drawn one of their last four league outings, scoring 18 goals in that time.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, now has 11 La Liga goals for the season, with seven coming in those last four matches.

"The Artillery, Ready for PSG", was the headline on the front page of the other big Madrid sports daily, Marca, on Sunday.

"He always has that mindset, he lives for that, for scoring goals," said Zidane of Ronaldo, who last week turned 33.

"He could have scored one or two more, and it augurs well for Wednesday."

However, the undoubted downside for Madrid on Saturday was the way in which they switched off defensively in the second half, with the Basque visitors hitting the post and then pulling goals back through Jon Bautista and Asier Illarramendi.

The defending European champions have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine outings, and on Wednesday they must face the formidable PSG attack of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.

"We know Wednesday's game is a knockout tie and we don't want to concede a goal at home," added Zidane, who saw Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio impress after being handed starts in place of Gareth Bale and Casemiro.

"There were things in the second half that were more complicated, but I'm sticking with the positives, with the five goals and our start to the match."

Meanwhile, skipper Sergio Ramos indicated that such defensive lapses will not be repeated when it comes to what will be a huge Champions League night.

"Of course Wednesday's game was on our minds in the second half. Our season will be on the line against PSG, so we started to go easy. Our objective is to go all out on Wednesday," said Ramos.

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Ronaldo hits treble as Real Madrid and Atletico win

Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Real Sociedad 5-2 in La Liga on Saturday to warm up for their Champions League clash with Paris St Germain in style.

Atletico Madrid saw off Malaga 1-0 in a tight game to provisionally close the gap on leaders Barcelona to six points.

Real's big victory over Sociedad took them third above Valencia but they trail Barcelona by 16 points as they turn their attention to the defence of their Champions League title against Paris St Germain at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Zinedine Zidane rested Casemiro and Gareth Bale with one eye on that, but the Welsh winger's replacement Lucas Vazquez took full advantage when he headed home Ronaldo's cross after 49 seconds.

Karim Benzema struck the post with a low effort as he failed to break his scoring drought, the French striker is now without a league goal since November, as Real pressed to add to their advantage.

Read Also: Mourinho cries over Sanchez treatment

They did just that after 27 minutes when a brilliant turn by Asensio unlocked Sociedad's defence and Marcelo crossed for Ronaldo to slam home from close range.

Toni Kroos curled home the third from outside the area and Ronaldo headed home Luka Modric's corner in a four-minute spell before the interval.

The Portuguese forward completed his treble after Geronimo Rulli beat away substitute Bale's long-range effort. Jon Bautista and Asier Illaramendi netted consolation goals for Real Sociedad.

In Malaga, second-placed Atletico went ahead almost instantly when Antoine Griezmann capitalised on Saul Niguez's deflected strike falling at his feet close to goal.

Jan Oblak saved a Roberto Rosales free kick in the second half as Atletico kept their opponents at bay to earn a narrow victory in typical fashion.

Malaga, rooted to the bottom of the table, have picked up two points in their last eight games.

"We started very strongly, taking advantage of our opponent being off balance and we could score a goal which put us ahead," Atletico coach Diego Simeone told reporters.

"It was an intense game, we were always putting the work in. We take with us a very important victory.

"The team is rejuvenated, it still has enormous hope, that's clear to see. Everyone has played a lot of minutes, that's why we are where we are, because the team worked well."

Alaves continued their good form under Abelardo, winning 2-1 at fifth-place Villarreal to climb to 16th and seven points above the relegation zone while Eibar moved sixth thanks to a 1-0 win at Leganes as Ivan Ramis scored deep into stoppage-time.

Read Also: ‘Isco exit rumours all lies’ - Zidane

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Real Madrid face final rehearsal before PSG tie

Just days before Paris Saint-Germain touch down in the Spanish capital, Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid have the chance to boost their fragile confidence when they face Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.

The reigning European champions have been shipping a worrying number of goals in the build-up to their Champions League last-16 showdown with the likes of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.

Zidane's side have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight outings, and they could pay a heavy price for any goals conceded against the French giants in next Wednesday's match at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"It shows that we need to work even harder. That's football – whoever your opponents they are there to make things difficult for you," said Zidane after last week's disappointing 2-2 draw at Levante.

That result left Madrid fourth in the table, a point behind Valencia in third but with a game in hand.

Real Sociedad lie in the lower half of the table but they score goals for fun – witness a 5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna last weekend.

They also have one of the worst defensive records in Spain, so Cristiano Ronaldo – who turned 33 this week – will hope to fill his boots along with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

Zidane's side are still 19 points behind leaders Barcelona, who remain unbeaten, but the Frenchman refuses to completely give up on a successful La Liga title defence, publicly at least.

"I am always going to say that the league is not over. There are a lot of points to play for, but we dropped two in a game we were controlling," he said of last week's game, when Levante twice came from behind to draw.

"We needed to make it three straight wins and we couldn't do it."

Barcelona have what looks like a straightforward home meeting with mid-table Getafe on Sunday, fresh from securing their place in the Copa del Rey final by beating Valencia on Thursday.

The Catalans do not face Chelsea in their Champions League last-16 tie until February 20 so can focus on further consolidating their nine-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the summit of La Liga.

Atletico visit bottom club Malaga on Saturday, while third-placed Valencia host local rivals Levante on Sunday having suffered six consecutive losses in all competitions.

Man to watch: Clarence Seedorf

The former Dutch international, and ex-Real Madrid midfielder, Clarence Seedorf, will take charge of Deportivo for the first time when they take on Real Betis at Riazor on Monday.

Seedorf was appointed by the Galician side at the beginning of this week after Cristobal Parralo was sacked in the wake of the 5-0 defeat at Anoeta that left the club in the relegation zone.

Seedorf, 41, is Depor's third coach of the season – he has only had two previous short and unsuccessful spells as a coach, at AC Milan in 2014 and then at Shenzhen in the Chinese second division from July to December 2016.

There has been scepticism about his appointment, but Seedorf believes a certain rookie coach in La Liga has shown the way to go.

"You need to believe in young people, in the new generation. Zidane is an example. He might have had less experience than me when he started at Madrid and look what he has done," he said at his unveiling.

Fixtures:

Friday

Athletic Bilbao v Las Palmas

Saturday

Villarreal v Alaves
Malaga v Atletico
Leganes v Eibar
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad

Sunday

Sevilla v Girona
Barcelona v Getafe
Celta Vigo v Espanyol
Valencia v Levante

Monday

Deportivo v Betis

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‘Isco exit rumours all lies’ - Zidane

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has branded a report saying he wants to sell Spain midfielder Isco as "lies".

"I have full faith in my team. I am one of those people who, when I start something, I go with it to the death. I believe in what I do, and I want Isco to stay here his whole life," Zidane said at a press conference on Friday ahead of this weekend's home clash with Real Sociedad in La Liga.

"Isco is a very good player. It is a lie, and I am answering in order to put an end to this," added the Frenchman of the Spanish media report which claimed he had asked Real president Florentino Perez to find a buyer for the 25-year-old at the end of this campaign.

That has led to inevitable speculation in England that Isco – who came off the bench for Gareth Bale and scored Real's second goal in their 2-2 draw at Levante last weekend – could be bound for the Premier League.

"We have 25 players and everyone is important. Perhaps Isco won't play every game but I am counting on him," said Zidane.

His team are currently fourth in La Liga ahead of Saturday's match at the Santiago Bernabeu, which serves first and foremost as a rehearsal for next Wednesday's crunch Champions League last 16, first leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

The reigning Spanish and European champions are no longer in the running to defend their title in La Liga, in which they have won just two of their last six games and sit 19 points behind leaders Barcelona, albeit with a game in hand.

"I don't need any reassurance. Tomorrow (Saturday) is a very important league game, and we want to keep picking up points and get closer to the top of the table, without thinking about Wednesday when we know we have a huge game," Zidane added.

"Consistency has been our problem this season, but over the course of a season bad things can happen. We don't know how the season will finish but we still believe we can do very good things."

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Pique's goal celebration against Espanyol under review

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique's goal celebration against Espanyol in their 1-1 draw at the weekend will be examined to see if he was provoking the fans at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella, La Liga president Javier Tebas said on Monday.

If the Spanish football federation's competition committee deems Pique's actions punishable, the Spanish international could face a suspension of up to three games.

Pique put his finger to his lips to shush the crowd after heading home an 82nd-minute equaliser against their local rivals, with home fans reacting furiously.

"The committee will rule if the gesture is punishable, but we will take it to them so they can make a decision," Tebas told reporters. "The regulations mean that certain ways of celebrating goals can be considered provocation."

Pique has a frayed relationship with Espanyol fans and has often riled them with provocative comments, recently mocking the club for being based in Cornella, a town 10km south-west of Barcelona.

Following the game, Pique said his celebration was the least he could do after some of the insults Espanyol fans have aimed at his family, although Tebas disagreed.

"We have to highlight the fact Espanyol worked well and until that moment, Pique's goal, there was not a single insult aimed at Pique's family, which is something we were worried about at La Liga.

"His provocative gesture made the fans react and come out with insults, which are intolerable.

"(The shushing celebration) has been done before but on few occasions has it generated widespread irritation. We should avoid celebrations that irritate people."

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‘Suarez won't change aggresive style’

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will not encourage striker Luis Suarez to play with any less aggression than usual in Thursday's King's Cup semifinal second leg against Valencia despite being one yellow card away from missing the final.

Suarez was suspended from last season's Cup final win over Alaves after being sent off late on in the semifinal second leg against Atletico Madrid and risks the same fate after picking up two bookings in four appearances in the competition.

The Uruguayan scored the only goal in last week's first leg at the Nou Camp to give Barca a 1-0 advantage in the tie, and if they see out the game they will make history by becoming the first team to reach five consecutive Cup finals.

"We have talked about Luis's character before, but the aggression he gives us in attack, in terms of finding space and goals, is very good for us even if it means he sometimes gets the odd card," Valverde told a news conference on Wednesday.

"Right now, we're about to play a semifinal and we'll do everything we have to win it. Then we'll start worrying about the future."

Valencia have not reached the final for 10 years, with Ronald Koeman leading them to the trophy in 2008 after knocking Barca out in the last four.

"I don't know if we deserve it or not but what I can assure you is that we want it," Valencia coach Marcelino said.

"We are playing against the clear favourites for the competition and with an adverse result. The players are convinced they can do it and we're going to give everything.

"We expect a long and complicated game but we're going to make things very difficult for Barca."

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Barcelona chief rips into ‘dishonest’ Neymar

The war of words between Barcelona and Neymar continued with vice-president Jordi Mestre claiming the Brazilian's dishonesty when leaving the club is the sole reason for the surge in transfer fees over the last six months.

Neymar left Barca in August when Paris Saint-Germain paid his release clause, making him the world's most expensive player at €222 million.

As a knock-on effect, the Catalan side will end up spending €300m on Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho if all the add-ons are fulfilled, while the cost of players around Europe has spiralled.

Mestre says the price of players could have been contained, at least for now, if Neymar had been honest with the club rather than playing "cat and mouse."

"What hurt me the most was the way it happened," he told Diario Sport. "We were all on tour talking with him and his father, and they were not transparent.

"If he came to us and said, I want to go, like Cesc [Fabregas], Pedro [Rodriguez], Alexis [Sanchez] and [Javier] Mascherano, we would have reached an agreement.

"What you can't do is rock the boat. He played cat and mouse with us. He told us nothing. If he had done, PSG would have been able to buy him for less money and it would have cost us less to sign [replacements], too.

"What Neymar's behaviour created was the market inflation. We would have saved a lot of money and a lot of media noise."

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