La Liga

Lionel Messi has said former team-mate Neymar "really wants to come back to Barcelona" and has backed a move for Inter Milan striker and Argentina team-mate Lautaro Martinez.

Neymar, 28, has been linked with a return to Barca effectively since he joined Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million in August 2017, with speculation again building around a possible reunion this summer.

Six-time Ballon d'Or-winner Messi, 32, told Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sport) he and his team-mates did their best to convince the star to stay but that Neymar is itching for a comeback:

"It bothered me at the time and we tried to convince him not to do it. But we all want to win and have the best players around us. He's one of the best players in the world and he brought a lot to the team. But it's understandable that people would see it as leaving in a bad way."

"He is desperate to return and has always appeared to regret his decision. He did a lot to come back and that would be the first step in making it happen. He was always fine at Barca, performing at a very high level. He's a different type of player who is difficult to stop one-on-one and scores goals.

Neymar has scored 67 goals and recorded 39 assists in 77 total appearances for PSG, winning two Ligue 1 titles and with a third seemingly on its way as they lead this season's table by 10 points.

Their domestic dominance hasn't transitioned into European success, however, and the French side have fallen in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in each of Neymar's first two campaigns at the club.

Optus Sport illustrated how Barcelona haven't been entirely smart with how they've invested their funds from the Neymar sale, including the £105 million purchase of Philippe Coutinho (now on loan at Bayern Munich):

Barca would likely be required to spend an almost-identical—if not greater—sum than the one they received to re-sign Neymar, although his contract is due to expire in 2022.

Neymar returned from a four-match injury lay-off when PSG lost 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

His comments to RMC Sport (h/t Sky Sports) after the game suggested there's tension at the Parc des Princes:

"It is difficult to spend four matches without playing, but, unfortunately, it was not my choice. 

"It was a choice made by the club, the doctors. They took this decision and I did not like it. We had lots of discussions about this because I wanted to play.

"I felt good but the club was scared. In the end, I am the one who suffers."

It might be wiser of Barcelona to sign Martinez, not least because Messi appears to be a major fan of the Inter frontman, who has also scored nine goals in 17 games for Argentina.

Messi lauded his compatriot's quality and added:

"He's spectacular. He's got a lot of impressive qualities. I can see he's going to become a great player, he's exploded on to the scene now and is showing what he's capable of. He's very strong, beats his man and scores goals. He'll fight with anyone in the box, holds on to the ball, and can produce moments by himself. He's got a lot of quality and is a very complete player."

When asked whether Martinez could form a fruitful partnership with him and Luis Suarez, Messi replied: 

"It would be incredible to all play together. I hope that they could all come here and we could fight for everything, including the Champions League. Lautaro has a lot in common with Luis, both are ready strong and use their bodies well, holding on to the ball. They both score goals too. They are very similar."

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a breakout campaign at the San Siro, netting 16 times in 22 outings across all competitions, two short of matching his career-best total (18 goals for Racing Club in 2017-18).

Barca have had to rely heavily on Messi in attack since Suarez, 33, was ruled out for four months with a knee injury in January.

The club announced on Thursday that they had completed the emergency signing of striker Martin Braithwaite from Leganes on a four-and-a-half-year deal. His contract comes with a €300 million (£251.7 million) release clause, with the deal made possible after Ousmane Dembele was ruled out for around six months. However, Barca will likely look for a more elite option to replenish their attacking corps for the long term.

Martinez's international record includes an impressive run of eight goals in 13 games for La Albiceleste across 2019, and Statman Dave highlighted his attacking prowess in Serie A:

Juan Jimenez of AS wrote in December that Barcelona hope to sign the South American, whose release clause will be €111 million (£93 million) during the first two weeks of July 2020.

Suarez has a contract at the Camp Nou until 2021 and will need replacing in the near future, with Messi seemingly clear over whom he would like to see take over his position in attack.  

Barcelona will officially unveil Martin Braithwaite as their latest signing on Thursday, when he will put pen to paper on a contract until 2024 that includes a €300 million buyout clause.

The Blaugrana shared the contract details and the timeline of his official presentation:

The Denmark international will cost the Catalans €18 million, the total of his buyout clause. Braithwaite joins from fellow La Liga club Leganes.

Barcelona were able to sign the 28-year-old outside of the transfer window thanks to a rule that allows La Liga clubs to make moves for injury cover. Per Sport, they were given permission to add a replacement for Ousmane Dembele on Monday.

Under La Liga rules, clubs can only add players who are free agents or who are already registered in Spain. 

Braithwaite has netted six times for Leganes in La Liga this season, leading the way for the team. He previously played for Esbjerg, Toulouse and Middlesbrough.

The move is somewhat controversial, with Leganes powerless to prevent their most productive forward from leaving because of a mandatory buyout clause. They are in the midst of a battle against relegation and can't sign a replacement outside the transfer window.

As the London Evening Standard's Ben Hayward observed, the minnows have lost two of their best players in the space of a little more than a month, with Youssef En-Nesyri joining Sevilla in January:

Leganes were not happy to see Braithwaite go:

Barcelona parted with Abel Ruiz and Carles Perez in January and failed to sign replacements, leaving them dangerously low on depth. Luis Suarez has been sidelined since January 9, and Dembele had surgery to fix a hamstring issue earlier in February, per Barcelona's official website.

Braithwaite will provide valuable depth for a team that has been too reliant on Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Ansu Fati of late. All three have shown signs of fatigue, and they may now be able to rest their legs ahead of the stretch run.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has played down rumours he could leave the club this summer, saying his plan is to stay at the Camp Nou.

Messi's future has been a hot topic since a public row with club director Eric Abidal earlier in February. Per The Independent's Mark Critchley, his contract contains a clause allowing him to terminate it for free, and Manchester City were keeping an eye on proceedings.

But in an interview with Mundo Deportivo (h/t The Spanish Football Podcast), Messi said he has no intention of leaving Catalonia and that he has never considered an exit:

He also touched on the Abidal controversy, saying he felt attacked:

Per RAC 1 (h/t Juan Jimenez of AS), Abidal said certain players didn't train hard enough under former manager Ernesto Valverde. That led to a response from Messi on social media, calling on the director to name them.

The public spat quickly led to transfer rumours involving the likes of City and Juventus. City boss Pep Guardiola told reporters he didn't want the 32-year-old to leave his current club, per Goal's Chris Burton, and Bianconeri manager Maurizio Sarri side-stepped the question:

Messi has spent his entire professional career at the Camp Nou, winning a staggering 10 La Liga titles. He has also won the Copa del Rey six times and led Barcelona to four UEFA Champions League titles.

He's the all-time top scorer for the Blaugrana by some distance, scoring 622 official goals. With the exception of the 2015-16 campaign, he has led Barcelona in scoring in La Liga in every season since 2010.

The 2019-20 season has been another strong one for Messi, who has scored 14 goals and added 12 assists in 19 La Liga appearances. Things have been rocky for the club at times, however, with a coaching change in January and underperformance.

The Argentinian praised Valverde in his interview, saying the players were "more to blame" and that it's a shame how things ended for him at the Camp Nou.

He also touched on the latest controversy involving president Josep Maria Bartomeu, which is being dubbed Barcagate. Bartomeu allegedly hired a firm to improve his image at the cost of others at the club.

Messi told Mundo  (h/t Sport) the situation is a strange one and that he will wait to see what evidence surfaces before commenting in detail.

Barcelona's growing controversy surrounding president Josep Maria Bartomeu and marketing consultancy I3 Ventures has left star player Lionel Messi bemused.

Messi spoke to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sport) about the brewing turn of events now being dubbed "Barcagate" by some:

"The truth is it took me by surprise because I wasn't here and I was traveling. When I arrived I found out a little about everything. The president told us the same thing he made public, the same thing he said at the press conference. What the situation was, what had happened and I can't say much more than that. Just as they know everything he said, he spoke to the captains in private.

"The truth is that I find it strange that such a thing happens. But they also said that there would be evidence. We cannot say much and will wait to see what happens with all this. To me really, it seems a strange issue."

Messi's words have come on the heels of Bartomeu denying allegations he hired I3 Ventures to help improve his own image as president, while also besmirching the reputations of key names at the club, including Messi and Gerard Pique.

Bartomeu called claims a company was contracted to present negative portrayals of club legends past and present "completely false," per Barca's official website (h/t Press Association via the Independent).

The statement also involved Bartomeu conceding a social media account tied to I3 Ventures had published a negative remark about Barca personnel. Termination of contract has followed this breach, according to the embattled president.

Ironically, Messi's call for a wait-and-see approach to the accusations and any further developments is in stark contrast to the words used by Pique. The 33-year-old centre-back branded reporter Marcal Lorente a "puppet" on Twitter for appearing to defend Bartomeu (h/t Santi Gimenez of AS).

Bartomeu's public relations practices were first questioned by radio station SER Catalunya and La Llotja del Que t'hi Jugues (h/t TalkSport's Josh Fordham), who accused the president's chosen contractor of shaping social media opinion against Messi over the issue of signing a new contract, while Pique's stewardship of the Davis Cup was also a target.

In addition, El Periodic (h/t Football Espana) detailed how online posts had been critical of Pique's ownership of FC Andorra.

The latest scandal is another chapter in what is turning into a season defined by unsavoury episodes. Messi was recently embroiled in a public war of words with sporting director Eric Abidal.

Indifferent results on the pitch have already made Ernesto Valverde a casualty in the dugout. Keeping Barca on course, both in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, won't be easy amid the backdrop of continuing chaos off the pitch.

It's the challenge facing Quique Setien, who needs talismen like Messi and Pique motivated to give their best.

Anfield isn't going to intimidate Atletico Madrid, not judging by club president Enrique Cerezo, who has made light of facing Liverpool at the forbidding venue in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16.

Atleti will take a slender lead to Merseyside on March 11 after beating the holders 1-0 in the Spanish capital on Tuesday night. Liverpool have produced some memorable comebacks at home, but Cerezo was in bold spirits when he spoke about the prospect to AS (h/t Connor O'Neill of the Liverpool Echo): "Anfield is a great stadium but it's old. It probably wouldn't pass the UEFA inspection if it had to do it."

Naturally, there is more than a little bravado at play behind Cerezo's words. However, Atleti earned the right not to be over-awed at Anfield after the way they handled Liverpool in the first leg.

A stubborn defensive rearguard action denied the Reds time and space in the final third. Ultimately, a usually prolific and overpowering Liverpool side was rendered impotent in front of goal, much to Jurgen Klopp's frustration:

Atleti achieved the rare feat of blanking Liverpool even with right-back Kieran Trippier and club-record signing forward Joao Felix injured. The result was further proof of Atletico boss Diego Simeone's ability to frustrate more talented teams in big games.

It's served Atleti well during Simeone's tenure, earning the club a pair of UEFA Europa League trophies, as well as Champions League final appearances in 2014 and 2016. In many ways, the victory over Liverpool represented a throwback to previous upsets on Simeone's watch, including beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich in 2016.

Cerezo echoed a similar sentiment when he said: 

"According to the media, a week ago we were dead and buried and now we are very much alive. They had gone 30 games unbeaten and people were saying they are the best team in the world. We are happy with the result but we still have another game to go. But we have rediscovered ourselves and that is the best news."

Of course, Liverpool have their own proud history at home in this competition. Historically, Anfield has taken on an aura that gives the Reds an edge on decisive nights.

This edge was never more obvious than when Barcelona arrived on the red half of Merseyside with a 3-0 lead after the first leg of last season's semi-final. Barca promptly wilted amid a deafening din from an intense home crowd that spurred Liverpool to a famous 4-0 win.

Klopp has already sounded a warning to Atleti about the challenges awaiting them in the return fixture:

The Reds have reversed more daunting deficits, while it's also true Atletico are no longer quite the force they were. Simeone's men are fourth in La Liga and 13 points adrift of leaders Real Madrid.

Even so, it would be dangerous for Liverpool to expect another Anfield miracle. If there's one team tough and resourceful enough to weather the storm in three weeks it's Simeone's masters of pragmatic resistance.

Barcelona are reportedly expected signed Leganes striker Martin Braithwaite on Wednesday, according to ESPN FC.

Barca were granted permission to make an emergency signing outside of the transfer window after Ousmane Dembele was ruled out for six months following hamstring surgery earlier in February. 

They'll also be without Luis Suarez until May after he had knee surgery in January.

The signing has to be either a free agent or from within Spain.

Football writer Zach Lowy feels for Leganes, who sit 19th in La Liga, two points from safety:

So too does sports writer and commentator Andy West, who also doubted Braithwaite would be a good acquisition for the Blaugrana:

The 28-year-old hasn't been a particularly prolific striker over the course of his career, in which he has scored 92 goals for club and country.

This season, he has eight goals in 27 matches for Leganes in all competitions, including six of their 18 goals in La Liga.

He has a useful habit of breaking deadlocks, though:

The forward will have much more creativity around him at Barcelona than he does at Leganes, so he'll have the chance to show what he can do with better service if the signing goes through.

He'll add plenty of pace to the side, too, something Barca don't have an abundance of in the final third without Dembele, and he can provide cover on the left as well as through the middle.

It is perhaps a strange decision to go for Braithwaite over Getafe's Angel Rodriguez, though. Rodriguez turns 33 in April, but his buyout clause is only €10 million, and he has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season.

Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata believes Liverpool remain among the UEFA Champions League favourites even after Tuesday's defeat, and he would rather avoid another date with former club Juventus.

The Rojiblancos beat the defending champions 1-0 in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie, and after the match, Morata was asked about his favourite for the title.

Per Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), he named the Reds, Juve and Paris Saint-Germain, who also lost on Tuesday: "I think Liverpool and Juve are the best. I prefer not to meet them [Juventus] again in the Champions League. I think the Bianconeri, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites. But nothing is for certain in the Champions League."

Saul Niguez scored the only goal of Tuesday's match from an early corner (UK/U.S. only):

Atletico―who came into the match with just one win in their last five La Liga matches―shut up shop after the early lead, resorting to a defensive game plan that limited space for Liverpool's prolific attack.

It worked to perfection, leaving the Reds with no answers:

The tie is far from over, however. Atletico managed just one goal themselves, giving them a slender lead ahead of the second leg at Anfield. Liverpool's home ground has been a fortress for them, and last year, it was the scene of the remarkable comeback against Barcelona.

After a 3-0 defeat at the Camp Nou, the Premier League giants beat Lionel Messi and his team-mates 4-0 at home on their way to the title.

Atletico were also on the end of a tremendous comeback last season. Serie A champions Juventus lost 2-0 in the Spanish capital but completed a comeback with a 3-0 win at home:

Morata had his chances against his former club in that match, but there was no stopping Cristiano Ronaldo.

The two teams were grouped together in the 2019-20 campaign. The Bianconeri earned a 2-2 draw in Madrid before winning 1-0 at home on their way to first place in Group D, ahead of Atletico. They'll face Lyon in the round of 16.

PSG have exited the tournament in the round of 16 in three straight years and lost to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Rising star Erling Haaland netted twice for the hosts either side of a Neymar strike for the Ligue 1 giants.   

Gerard Pique has added more fuel to the controversy surrounding Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, calling a journalist defending him a "puppet" on social media.

The Spanish Football Podcast shared the tweet:

According to AS' Santi Gimenez, the reporter, Marcal Lorente, is a defender of Bartomeu and spoke of "knowing the inner workings of Barca and being able to 'identify' with those who want to destroy" it. That prompted Pique's reply.

The defender's tweet came after a reported meeting between himself, other captains, manager Quique Setien and Bartomeu, in which the latter explained himself.

Radio station SER (h/t Gimenez) has accused Bartomeu of running a campaign against several figures at the club, including Pique and Lionel Messi, by hiring a media company called I3 Venture.

The company supposedly created online accounts that would protect the reputation of Bartomeu and deflect attention by attacking others. The president has denied those accusations, saying he did hire the company, but only to provide social services for the club:

Per ESPN FC's Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden, the Blaugrana have threatened legal action over the accusations. SER provided a further report, although sports writer Andrew Gaffney didn't see any proof in them:

According to ESPN FC, one of the criticisms allegedly aimed at Pique involved his organising the new Davis Cup, which changed format in 2019.

Club legends Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol and Pep Guardiola were reportedly also targets, as well as presidential candidates Agusti Benedito and Victor Font. The former has threatened legal action against Bartomeu if the allegations are proven.

It's but the latest controversy in what has been an arduous season for the Catalans. Earlier this month, RAC-1 (h/t Juan Jimenez of AS) reported Bartomeu had to schedule an urgent meeting to clear the air between Messi and director Eric Abidal.

The latter gave an interview in which he said some players didn't work had enough under former manager Ernesto Valverde, who was sacked in January. That prompted a response from Messi on Instagram, asking to name the players.

On the pitch, Barcelona have stabilised since Valverde's sacking, winning their last three La Liga matches.

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone said his side had beaten Liverpool before their tie began on Tuesday after the incredible reception their team bus received outside the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. 

Los Rojiblancos proceeded to record a 1-0 win over the Reds in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie courtesy of a goal from Saul Niguez.

Simeone told Movistar (h/t Goal's Ben Spratt): "We started winning on the roundabout next to the stadium. In eight years, I've never seen a reception like that."

The reception was something to behold:

Atleti striker Alvaro Morata paid tribute to it:

The atmosphere inside the Wanda Metropolitano was electric, too:

In his post-match press conference, Simeone added:

[The atmosphere] was exciting, it makes you want to play. The team responded with great effort, as they did in Valencia.

"It was not [the best night] because we didn't get a title, but there are nights you don't forget, and this was one of them.

"The best team in the world comes after a lot of wins and you beat them."

Simeone's men went ahead inside four minutes when Saul struck from close range after a corner fell kindly for him (U.S. and UK only, respectively):

Liverpool had eight shots over the course of the game, but they weren't able to test Jan Oblak with any of them.

Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson had their best chances, but the former glanced a free header wide when he should have hit the target and the latter also narrowly missed with a volley.

At the other end, Alisson was on hand to keep out Morata after he latched onto a miscued header from Virgil van Dijk and escaped the attentions of Fabinho.

The defending champions have the chance to turn things around at Anfield on March 11, and they'll take heart from their Champions League semi-final last year. The Reds won 4-0 at Anfield having lost 3-0 to Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the first leg.

Although they may only have a one-goal deficit to overturn, defensively Atletico are one of the best sides in world football. Only Real Madrid have conceded fewer than their 17 goals in 24 La Liga matches this season.

Atleti gave up a 2-0 lead against Juventus in the round of 16 last season, though. If anyone can replicate the Bianconeri's achievement in coming back, it's a Liverpool side that have only failed to win on seven occasions in all competitions this season.

New Real Madrid signing Reinier Jesus has said he's "living a childhood dream" after the Brazil under-23 international was officially unveiled at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. 

Los Blancos announced on January 20 that a deal had been struck to sign the attacking midfielder from Flamengo following his involvement with Brazil at this year's under-23 Pre-Olympic Tournament.

The 18-year-old rubber-stamped his move on Tuesday and said at a press conference (h/t Marca): "I am living a childhood dream, I want to be part of the great history at this club. Today is a day of great happiness for me. Hala Madrid!"

Reinier struggled to hold back his emotions and described the transfer as a "dream come true," joining a growing contingent of young Brazilian talent at the Bernabeu:

Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, both 19, are already established among Real's first-team ranks following moves from Flamengo and Santos, respectively, in the past two summer transfer windows.

AS confirmed Real will pay an initial €30 million (£24.9 million) for their latest acquisition, plus another €5 million (£4.1 million) in add-ons.

Los Blancos shared a video of Reinier's career highlights to date after announcing his capture in January, having scored six goals and recorded two assists in 15 senior appearances for Flamengo:

The teenager quickly ascended to become one of the most coveted talents in the Brasileiro Serie A in 2019, making his senior debut for Flamengo one year after former club-mate Vinicius was presented at Real.

The countrymen promise to form a fine attacking partnership for years to come at the Bernabeu provided all goes to plan for Zinedine Zidane, though Reinier is expected to begin his Real career in the Castilla side.

Vinicius and Rodrygo were first granted first-team chances at Real largely out of necessity. Commentator Mark Brown spoke to Premier Sports in late January about the precarious nature of settling into such pressurised surroundings:

Reinier was in attendance when Real drew 2-2 at home to Celta Vigo in disappointing circumstances on Sunday, the kind of result he'll hope to improve upon when he begins to have an impact.

Los Blancos completed Reinier's signing just two days after his 18th birthday, with time on his hands to emulate fellow Brazilian Real alumni such as Kaka, Ronaldo, Robinho and more.