FC Barcelona finalise preparations for Wednesday's Copa del Rey match | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona trained for the second time this week on Tuesday morning at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, their second session to prepare for Wedensday's second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals versus Athletic Club Bilbao. Luis Enrique oversaw the morning session to finish getting ready for the match, which is to be played at Camp Nou. Kick off Wednesday night is set for 9.30pm CET.

FC Barcelona in good shape for two key clashes at Camp Nou this week | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona come into a week in which they have two vital home games at Camp Nou. On Wednesday they have the return leg of their last 16 Copa del Rey tie against Athletic Club, defending their 2-1 advantage picked up after the win last week in San Mamés. Four days later Atlético Madrid come to Barcelona for a league game in which top spot in the table will be at stake.

Barcelona enter delicate phase of atrocious fixture list - ESPN FC
Sport claimed it was worthy of a heart attack; Barcelona manager Luis Enrique called it "atrocious." Whichever way you look at it, Barcelona's run-in during the first two months of 2016 is an ugly one, and while the Catalans may appear to be stable in their league and cup standings at the moment, the ground beneath their feet is deceptively shaky.

When and where to watch FC Barcelona - Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona will face the second leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie against Athletic Club on Wednesday 27 January at 9.30pm CET at Camp Nou. Luis Enrique’s team have the chance to book a place in the semi-finals of the competition after their 2-1 victory in San Mamés in the first leg.

Andres Iniesta is on top of the world, says his father - Goal.com
Andres Iniesta's father has affirmed that the Barcelona star is overjoyed with life both on and off the pitch as he settles in to his new role as captain and figurehead of the Catalan giants. The midfielder received special praise from Vicente Del Bosque in an exclusive interview with Goal, as Spain coach opined that the 31-year-old was in "one of the best moments of his life."

FC Barcelona v Sevilla on February 28 at 8.30pm CET | FC Barcelona
The Andalusians have been causing all kinds of problems for the top three in La Liga this season. They beat both Barça and Real Madrid at the Sánchez Pizjuán and last weekend came away from Atlético’s Vicente Calderón with a 0-.0 draw.

Neymar presents his new Nike football boots | FC Barcelona
Neymar awakens passions wherever he goes and the Brazilian star was the main attraction this Monday during the presentation of his new boots ‘Ousadia Alegría’ by Nike. The footwear, designed especially by Carneiro Mosciaro, better known as Bruno Big, unite two concepts which define the Barça number 11.

Gerard Pique not worried about La Liga probe into tweets - ESPN FC
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says he has no problems with La Liga authorities investigating controversial tweets he sent making fun of Real Madrid. La Liga's anti-violence committee are reportedly considering whether to punish Pique, 28, for his regular use of Twitter to joke about problems facing his club's big rivals Madrid.

Barcelona and Celta Vigo both standing firm in Nolito talks - Goal.com
Barcelona no longer seem to be in a rush when it comes to signing players this month. "There are players that have left who have not been replaced," Luis Enrique said at the start of January, suggesting that he felt the squad needed adding to.

Lee Seung-Woo following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi - ESPN FC
After three frustrating years on the sidelines, South Korean wunderkind Lee Seung-Woo returned to action for Barcelona on Jan. 16. Although the 18-year-old is yet to find the opponents' net in the two matches he has played for the Catalans' U-19s since, everyone at La Masia is certain that their promising youngster is destined for greatness at the Camp Nou in the not-too-distant future.

Nolito is NOT coming to Barcelona. At least not right now.

According to a report from Diario Sport, Celta Vigo have rejected the last offer made by the Catalan giants for the signing of the 29-year-old forward. With only six days left in the January transfer window, Barça has officially given up and closed negotiations on the deal.

Always according to the report, the Blaugrana offered a paid loan, with an immediate fee to get the player for six months. After that, Barça would have an option to buy Nolito on a permanent basis in the next transfer window. Celta seemed to be on board with the idea at first, but ultimately backed away and refused to let the forward go unless the Catalans paid his release clause, of €18 million.

There is a chance the club goes after Nolito in July with more money to spend, but with the winger getting close his thirties, it would be a hefty investment on just a few years of true contributions. Which means the only option left is Denis Suárez, at Villarreal, who could be bought back for only €3 million thanks to a clause on the player's contract following his move to the Yellow Submarine.

Nolito was the final piece to form a stronger side for this season, at least in Luis Enrique's mind. He's not getting it.

A preview of Barcelona's Copa del Rey quarter-final second-leg clash with Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou

FC Barcelona will welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Camp Nou for the third time this season tomorrow evening, hoping to build on last week’s 1-2 win at San Mames and qualify for the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for the sixth consecutive season. In last week’s win, FC Barcelona overcame the absence of Luis Suarez (suspended) and Lionel Messi (injury) to record a valuable victory in enemy territory, and with two away goals, the chances are that they did enough on that night to qualify for the final four.

Tomorrow’s match is merely about finishing off the job, making sure we don’t throw away our place in the semi-finals from such a commanding position. With Luis Suarez back from suspension, and Lionel Messi back from injury (and amongst the goals), it doesn’t look positive for Athletic Bilbao, especially given their record at the Camp Nou.

In their most recent visit, Athletic were humbled as an early red card set the tone for an awful night in Catalunya as the Blaugrana ran rampant with an emphatic 6-0 win. Now, there’s no suggestion that tomorrow will yield a similar result, but it shows how difficult Athletic find it at the Camp Nou and that’s sure to ease any nerves that Luis Enrique may be feeling ahead of the match.

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

Renato brought you the latest news earlier; it’s January and as such, there are some wintery illnesses doing the rounds, even in sunnier climes like Barcelona. Sergio Busquets, Arda Turan and Andrés Iniesta have all come down with the flu and are doubtful to feature tomorrow which gives Luis Enrique something of a selection headache, particularly with Atletico Madrid visiting on Saturday. Neymar should have recovered from the slight knock that kept him out of the weekend’s win over Malaga, while Gerard Piqué will return from suspension.

So, all in all we should have a strong squad to select our team from. Marc-André ter Stegen will start in goal after an inspired performance in the first-leg, and he will likely be protected by a backline of Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Marc Bartra and Jeremy Mathieu. With Jordi Alba still recovering and a host of midfield players out, I think we’ll need Sergi Roberto to feature in his natural position, and much the same can be said of Javier Mascherano, who will start at pivote if Busquets is ruled out.

Ivan Rakitić will complete the midfield, and I think we can expect a reunion for the "MSN" trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar up top. Watch out Athletic – they’ll be looking to make a statement ahead of Atletico’s visit this weekend.

ATHLETIC

In a Basque Country derby, Athletic recovered from a slow start to demolish SD Eibar at San Mames on Sunday. While Borja Baston opened the scoring for the visitors and eventually bagged a brace for his efforts, Athletic cruised to victory courtesy of goals from Aritz Aduriz (2), Aymeric Laporte, Sabin and Mauro dos Santos (own-goal). It was an impressive performance once they got going, but it also showed how vulnerable they can be, especially without Gorka Iraizoz in goal.

Iago Herrerin will continue in goal given his role as Copa del Rey keeper, and Barça will be slightly more confident of their chances with him between the posts as compared to when Iraizoz starts. On a more positive note, Iker Muniain stepped up his return from injury with a good performance at the weekend, playing 72 minutes before being withdrawn for Mikel Rico.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WWWWWW

Athletic: WLWLLW

LAST MEETING

Athletic Club 1-2 FC Barcelona – 20^th January 2016 – Copa del Rey

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Bartra, Mathieu; Mascherano, Rakitić, Roberto; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Athletic (4-2-3-1): Herrerin; De Marcos, Laporte, Etxeita, Lekue; Benat, San Jose; Williams, Susaeta, Muniain; Aduriz

MATCH PREDICTION

Home advantage will see us through, I think we’ll get a couple of goals and then coast with Atleti on our minds. 2-1 Barça.

With the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals rapidly approaching, it looks as though Barcelona will have to qualify without three key players.

Coach Luis Enrique had two training sessions with the group on Monday and Tuesday with all available players. However, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and Arda Turan missed both days with fever. Yes, fever. They are all sick and now highly doubtful for this Wednesday's match against Athletic Bilbao.

Even Enrique confirmed the players' status:

Luis Enrique: "Arda, Iniesta and Busquets not training? They have fever, we'll see tomorrow how they feel." #fcblive

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 26, 2016

If all three are unable to recover from their sickness, Lucho will need to work hard to form a midfield group for Wednesday's game. Barça carry a 2-1 advantage with away goals, and missing key players might not have an influence on the final result of the tie.

But against a team like Bilbao, it is certainly going to be hard.

The great thing about this current Barcelona squad is their unstoppable desire to make history. They've already done that last season, winning a Treble and forming a destructive group, led by the 'MSN' trio, who pulverized the football world en route to five trophies in 2015.

So 2016 starts, and this team can relax, right? Wrong. They're chasing the impossible: winning the Treble in consecutive years, something football has never seen -- and probably won't see again. The road to history is long and full of trials and tribulations, but getting the glory is worth every sacrifice for this special band of brothers.

In order to find that glory, however, they need to overcome tough obstacles. This particular week is an example. On Saturday, a huge La Liga clash with Atlético Madrid that will certainly have championship implications in this tight race for the Spanish League title. Before that giant game, though, an encounter with Athletic Bilbao is scheduled for Wednesday night at Camp Nou.

After winning the first leg away from home, the Blaugrana do carry a significant advantage into the quarter-final decider, but their opponents have proven time and time again that they are equipped to end the dreams of history for the Catalans. The Blaugranes need a great game to beat a great adversary, and the stage is the perfect one, at the world's best stadium. Do not dare to miss. It will be an awesome match.

Match Info

Date/Time: Wednesday, January 27th, 2016, 9:30pm local time (CET), 8:30pm BST (UK), 3:30pm ET, 12:30pm PT (US), 2am IST (India, next day)

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

How to Watch

TV: beIN SPORTS En Español (US & Canada - Spanish), Movistar TV Fútbol, Abono Fútbol, Canal+ (Spain), more

Online: beIN SPORTS CONNECT (US & Canada), LaLigaTVCOPA (pay-per-view, YouTube), FuboTV (US only, free trial + monthly subscription, sign up here), more

A small Messi fan captured hearts around the world for his joy over a humble gift.

Pictures of a young boy wearing a homemade Lionel Messi Argentina shirt, fashioned out of a plastic bag, have captured hearts all over the world. Now, the identity of the boy has been confirmed.

The picture that was shot from the back, which did not show his face, spread over social media after it was uploaded by the boy's brother on Facebook. A search began to find the boy's identity so people could help him get a real replica shirt. A Kurdish TV station claimed to have found the boy, but the lead proved to be false.

Now, CNN have confirmed the identity of the boy to be Murtaza Ahmadi, a five-year-old in Afghanistan. The father, Arif, says Murtaza was distraught that he did not have his idol's shirt. But the family lives in a poor, remote village and cannot afford a real Messi shirt for the young fan. So, with the help of his other child, the father fashioned a facsimile using a plastic bag.

Judging from the pictures, Murtaza was overjoyed at his family's effort and wore it proudly. The boy is happy for his internet fame and wants to one day go to school, play football, and of course, meet Messi, according to Arif.

A Messi fan account claims to have been contacted by the Argentina and FC Barcelona superstar's team so something can be arranged for the kid. We're not sure if Messi is aware of the photo, but certainly hope so - and hope something can be given to the young fan.

Live game thread with confirmed lineups for Barcelona's Copa del Rey clash with Athletic.

Credit: user penguin672232 on r/Soccer

After conceding a goal to Athletic Bilbao in the first half of the second leg in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, Luis Suarez has restored order by putting Barcelona back in front on aggregate, 3-2.

Further proof that Gerard Pique was a target striker in a previous life. His goal all but assures Barcelona a place in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Barcelona are through to the 2016 Copa del Rey semi-finals with a 3-1 quarter-final second leg win at Camp Nou, thanks to goals from Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué and Neymar Jr., with Iñaki Williams scoring for Bilbao. As expected, it was a difficult match with a lot of pressure from the fighting visitors in necessity of a big turnaround, but a great second half by the Blaugrana gave them the win and a place in the Spanish Cup's final four.

FIRST HALF

The Camp Nou crowd saw a dominating performance by a team that pressed high up the pitch, created plenty of chances, got an early goal and never stopped looking for more. Unfortunately for the crowd, that team wasn't Barcelona. The hosts were completely out of sync and suffering heavily at the back, unable to string passes together or find the midfielders to start offensive plays.

That got worse when a phenomenal through ball by Aritz Aduriz found Iñaki Williams, who rounded the keeper and scored the opener for Los Leones. But Bilbao never stopped attacking and looking for more, while still being firm on defense and not allowing any real chances for the Blaugrana, who contributed with a really poor performance.

At halftime, the Catalans were still on their way to the semifinals, but a lot had to change if they wanted to maintain that.

SECOND HALF

The hosts changed their attitude and intensity from the start, and their level of creativity also increased. A more mobile 'MSN' confused the Bilbao defense, and that led to a great goal. Sergi Roberto played a beautifil ball over the top to Messi, and his cross fell kindly to Luis Suárez who tied the game.

From then on, the Blaugranes dominated the match, keeping the ball, playing confidently and creating plenty of chances, but an inspired Iago Herrerín saved most of them. Until he couldn't. A beautiful Dani Alves cross found the head of Gerard Piqué, who completed the comeback and booked a place in the semis for his team. Neymar still stretched the scoreline with a spectacular left-footed bomb to the top corner to round things up.

At the end of 90 minutes, Athletic have certainly earned even more respect for their toughness and talents. But ultimately, the better team won.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Vermaelen (Busquets), Mathieu; Mascherano, Rakitic, Roberto; Messi, Suárez, Neymar

Goals: Suárez (53'), Piqué (81'), Neymar (90+1)

Athletic Club: Herrerín; Lekue, Bóveda, Laporte, Balenziaga; San José, Rico (Beñat), Eraso (Muniain); Susaeta (Merino), Aduriz, Williams

Goal: Williams (11')

Credit: user penguin672232 on r/Soccer

Neymar has scored a fantastic goal to finish of Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. A left footed rocket into the top corner of the net will be the highlight of this night as Barcelona qualify for the semifinals.

A look back at Barcelona's progression in the Copa del Rey thanks to a 3-1 win at the Camp Nou and 4-2 aggregate win.

Athletic Bilbao seem to have become the Real Madrid of this season in the way that Barça are never more than a few weeks before another game against them. This game was the sixth meeting this season and the third meeting in January alone. This time it was the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter final tie between the pair and Barcelona went into this game with a 2-1 advantage.

This meant, the visitors to the Camp Nou this evening where needing at least two goals if they were to progress and it was they who started on the front foot. Barcelona, playing a much changed eleven, tried to wrestle their way back into the game and it was this physicality that saw the ball in the net for the first time. A swinging corner from Lionel Messi found Thomas Vermaelen in the box and he nodded the ball goal-wards. However, the referee deemed that Vermaelen's use of his arms was too much and signalled a free kick.

Ten minutes had passed and it was now Barça who were on top but against the run of play, the away side struck first. The ball fell to Aritz Aduriz and his pass was only bettered by the run of Iñaki Williams. The man who has troubled Barça in the past peeled away from Jeremy Mathieu and connected with the through ball from Aduriz. The 21 year old calmly took the ball past Marc-André ter Stegen and then passed it into the net.

With a midfield three of Javier Mascherano, Sergi Roberto and Ivan Rakitić, the team seemed to be lacking creativity in the middle and the front three was becoming increasingly disjointed from the  rest of the team.

Bilbao, though, were not experiencing this problem and were pushing for the goal that would see them go ahead in the tie. Aduriz, a constant thorn in Barça's side, came close and Markel Susaeta fluffed a kick from yards away.

Barcelona were clawing a way into the game primarily through Neymar. Twice he clashed with Aymeric Laporte in the penalty area but both incidents would've been harsh to award a spot kick. A couple of minutes later though and Athletic were lucky to not be reduced to ten. Neymar had broken clean though and Balenziaga was forced to bodycheck the Brazilian. As Balenziaga was the last man it was surprising to see the referee produce a yellow card with the only reasoning being that Neymar was possibly going away from goal.

The resultant free kick from Lionel Messi curled over the bar and the teams went in at the break with Athletic up on the night but level in the tie.

While this game was going on, Atlético Madrid were having a torrid time in the capital against Celta Vigo. The game ended 3-2, knocking Diego Simeone's men out in the process, making the winners of the Camp Nou tie strong favourites to go on and lift the trophy.

As it stood, Barça were going through but being one goal away from elimination is never comfortable so the team started the second half in search for the equaliser. That search didn't last long as eight minutes after the restart, Barça were level. Sergio Roberto played a perfectly timed pass into the path of Messi. The Argentine took the ball down the left flank before drilling it across goal. Rakitić flung a leg at it but made no contact which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the unmarked Luis Suárez was arriving at the back post. He rifled the ball into the far corner and Barcelona reclaimed control of the tie.

The Catalans were still lacking fluidity on the field so the introduction of Sergio Busquets in the 70th minute was a welcome sight.

Barça were searching for the next goal to put the tie to bed and with ten minutes to go, they got it. A Neymar corner was met by Gerard Piqué's head and it required the fingertips of Iago Herrerín to push it past the post. However 40 seconds later, Piqué made no mistake. Rakitić found Dani Alves who crossed the ball towards Piqué. The central defender rose and fired his header past Herrerín to make it 2-1. The team were now 4-2 up on aggregate and cruising towards the final whistle.

With seconds on the clock, Neymar made it 3-1. Some great footwork took him past the defenders and gave him a sight of goal. He drilled the effort into the top corner and the game finished 3-1. Barça will now face any of Celta Vigo, Mirandés, Sevilla, Las Palmas or Valencia.

# Recs	Commenter	Comment Link
4	FCBMSN	so every time we play Bilbao it is going to be revenge? lol
4	KiwiBarca	Guys Chill THIS IS BARCA
3	KiwiBarca	Seems like this all of a sudden
2	Delano Heerkens	Ter Stegen....
2	Delano Heerkens	No..it Dani Alves!!
2	Som-i-Serem	Disappointed with the crowd.
2	Ashraf Arefin	Just intimadating Bilbao
2	vireyda	Somebody put up a batsignal or something and Get Xavi Back.
2	AllAboutStyle	Just ignore these rumors
2	Piyush_	made someone do a Boateng
1	JordanBelfort	always have an eye on valencia. they produce left backs like apple produces iphones
1	AllAboutStyle	come on
1	el_uruguayo	It's called a left footed volley
1	Piyush_	I almost thought Mascherano might score there
1	Som-i-Serem	Masche on the move!
1	Piyush_	Roberto is the definition of b2b right now
1	Anirudh_Kul	Masche imitating Messi there
1	Trifitology	Mathieu with the save, lol
1	AllAboutStyle	It is just not the natural position for him
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV	Dani aside from maybe 1 or 2 times has made great play getting out of the back
1	Yuro_Doosh	I was on ManagingMadrid during the last Clasico for shits and giggles
1	Anders Thomassen	THE REAL CF
1	MayteeA	He didn't give the ball to the keeper
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV
1	godnkls	2nd half was beutiful
1	MayteeA	That's why they hate him so much
1	Piyush_	someone stepped on his boot
1	Trifitology	The shot from his boot. Lit it on fire, lol
1	syredeathtrooper	2nd half was far from ugly
1	Piyush_	It was so fast paced, this was an exciting game, full of highs and lows
1	Yuro_Doosh	I'm saying one for his health, and one to ward off evil spirits from the capitol
1	Piyush_	simply disrespectful
1	Trifitology	Busi, lol
1	JordanBelfort	alves with the assist, pique with the goal... two defenders deciding the game
1	BarcaGH	Roberto
1	saltylures	Gingersnaps with the block!!!!
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV	We'll all forget that from tackle from Alves
1	MayteeA	Haha Messi
1	Delano Heerkens	Messi is showing why he's ONLY interest in team trophies
1	Piyush_	Alves assist
1	Som-i-Serem	Great pass.
1	AllAboutStyle	It is a shame
1	BarcaGH	they score soooo early
1	Trifitology	Relax, ppl...
1	henderick.mitchell	Not acceptable... We are NOT REAL MADRID...
1	AllAboutStyle	Typically, the ones whistling are just small portion of fans
1	JordanBelfort	neymar should JUST SHOOOOOTTTT and stop trusting the referees to give him a penalty
1	Delano Heerkens	Mathieu plays well at CB
1	KiwiBarca	WOW WTF come on lads focus
1	Ashraf Arefin	Now we have to attack! Game on........
1	henderick.mitchell	Check this out
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV	Dani's metrosexual cousin
1	Delano Heerkens	Hey boys
1	Trifitology	We need him...
1	Piyush_	Roberto kept Inaki in his pocket
1	Delano Heerkens	Bro..
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV	Don't know why, he's been the only solid one back there
1	godnkls	Messi is far better
1	Piyush_	Roberto made a great pass to Messi
1	Anders Thomassen	SUAREZ!!!!!!!!!
1	Ashraf Arefin	Come Raki you knew that was not possible
1	Yuro_Doosh	AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
1	AllAboutStyle	CDR goal king Munir scores a hat trick from bench?
1	Som-i-Serem	Ha Ha Mathieu dribbling there
1	NamesTroyResideInTheDMV	They can't keep up their press any longer
1	Yuro_Doosh	It ain't bragging
1	Yuro_Doosh	no
1	Delano Heerkens	Messi all day.....
1	Piyush_	Messi has been taking great free kicks, I'd rather have him take them
1	JordanBelfort	neymar WHY THE F..... ARE YOU WAITING SO LONG. JUST SHOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTT
1	Barca_24	Now's the time for one of Luchos great speeches
1	Anirudh_Kul	Not over Iniesta like you said though..
1	Anirudh_Kul	He's really good.
1	Ashraf Arefin	Lucho's Pep-talk is working!

Celta Vigo upset Atletico in Copa del Rey quarterfinals | FOX Sports
Antoine Griezmann did give Atletico a first half lifeline when he tied the match at 1-1 and substitute Angel Correa scored with 10 minutes to play, but this was an Atletico side too often lacking in attacking rhythm once again. Perhaps they were too aware that they must face Barcelona in a top of the table La Liga showdown Saturday at the Camp Nou, but boss Diego Simeone played a full-strength side as he chased a spot in the semifinals.

Gabi wary of Copa impact | Football Espana
Gabi insists Atletico Madrid will face Barcelona with the intention of winning but is concerned for a Copa del Rey exit hangover. Atletico were eliminated from the quarter-finals by Celta Vigo with a 3-2 defeat at Vicente Calderon just days before travelling to Camp Nou as La Liga’s top two meet.

Official: Thievy Bifouma joins Reims on loan | Get French Football News
Reims have confirmed the loan signing of French attacker Thievy Bifouma on loan from Spanish side Espanyol until the end of the season. This is the player’s fourth consecutive loan spell, having spent time at Las Palmas, West Brom, Almeira and Granada respectively.

Thomas, Albiol on Valencia list? | Football Espana
Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and Napoli’s Spain international Raul Albiol are reportedly transfer targets for Valencia. Super Deporte say sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch has been in Madrid to meet with agents, representatives and intermediaries, holing up in a hotel in the capital and then attending the Atletico Madrid-Celta Vigo Copa del Rey tie on Wednesday.

Zidane must learn from Ancelotti mistakes and rotate Madrid - ESPN FC
After only three matches in charge of Real Madrid's dressing room, it's perhaps still early to infer definitive conclusions about Zinedine Zidane's sources of inspiration. However, judging by his lineup decisions and some of his comments during news conferences, it's already obvious that Carlo Ancelotti is his nearest benchmark.

Jose Miguel Monje Carrillo to run for RFEF presidency - ESPN FC
Murcia football federation chief Jose Miguel Monje Carrillo says he will be a candidate if current Spanish FA (RFEF) president Angel Maria Villar is barred from running for re-election, while maintaining that he expects an investigation into Villar's running of the FA to come to nothing.

Charly Musonda set to be loaned to Real Betis - sources - ESPN FC
Chelsea midfielder Charly Musonda is poised to join Real Betis on loan, sources have told ESPN FC. Musonda, 19, hinted in December he could be open to a loan move in January after growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

FC Barcelona knock out Athletic for yet another semi-final appearance in the Copa del Rey | FC Barcelona
Seat edges were invented for games like these. FC Barcelona spent over 40 minutes in an uncharacteristically precarious position but got three second half goals to knock Athletic Club Bilbao out of the Copa del Rey by a score of 3–1, 5–2 on aggregate, and qualify for the semi-finals for the sixth consecutive year.

FC Barcelona into Copa del Rey semi-finals for sixth straight year | FC Barcelona
With a 3-1 win versus Athletic Club on Wednesday night, FC Barcelona now have a ticket to the final four of the competition for the sixth consecutive year and the 55th time overall, and move one step from a second straight appearance in the Final after winning the title last year.

Focus turns from Athletic to Atlético | FC Barcelona
With no time to celebrate qualifying for the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for the sixth consecutive season, FC Barcelona have already begin preparing for their next challenge — this Saturday's 4.00pm La Liga match versus Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou. The game pits the league's top two teams, both tied with 48 points, although FCB are ahead on goal differential.

Luis Enrique: We found the answers when we needed them | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique’s praise for his own team's performance also extended to their rivals who caused the blaugranes more than a scare when they took an early lead in the game thanks to Iñaki Williams’ 12th minute opener. "It’s worthy of praise what both sides have done," said the coach before adding that the game had been "very demanding" with two distinct halves.

Luis Suárez: 'We played much better in the second half' | FC Barcelona
The Catalans will be in the tournament's final four for the sixth straight year after beating Athletic Club 3-1 in the second leg of the quarter-finals at the Camp Nou. Barça go through 5–2 on aggregate. The key play of the game was Luis Suarez's goal in the 53rd minute that revived a Barça team that hit a rough patch for the better part of the first half

Barcelona's Neymar fined for unpaid taxes in Brazil - ESPN FC
Barcelona star Neymar and his father have been ordered by court in Brazil court to pay €100,000 as a fine for unpaid taxes during 2007-08, according to a report. Neymar is expected to appeal, his lawyers told Brazil site UOL on Wednesday.

Suarez hits 30 goals before Messi Neymar and Ronaldo - ESPN FC
Luis Suarez's goal for Barcelona on Wednesday night saw him become the first player across the top five leagues in Europe to reach 30 goals in all competitions. Suarez scored in the 53rd minute in a 3-1 win for Barca over Athletic Bilbao that booked the club's place in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: Barcelona struggled against Athletic - Goal.com
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has admitted Athletic Bilbao caused Barcelona problems in the second leg of Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final tie. Copa holders Barca took a 2-1 lead into the game at Camp Nou but that advantage was wiped out by Inaki Williams' opener.

Who is leading the race for the Golden Shoe? | Sky Sports
Luis Suarez became the first player in Europe's top five leagues to hit the 30-goal mark with his strike in Barcelona's 3-1 Copa del Rey win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night. However, the former Liverpool ace is only currently third in the running for the Golden Shoe, awarded to the leading marksman across Europe.

The Argentine wizard was everywhere as Barcelona went on to a key win.

Lionel Messi is not having his best season in terms of goalscoring, in large part due to an injury that sidelined him and interrupted his rhythm. But for the five-time Ballon D'Or winner, it's not just about scoring.

The man proved it again tonight against Atletico Madrid in a match that pitted the league leaders against the team closest to them. Yeah, he scored a vital goal yet again, but he also created chances and made defensive contributions at a higher rate than even your average forward, never mind one that is known for bagging an astronomical amount of goals.

Every time the star player was back defending, the team seemed to get a morale boost. Certainly, the crowd cheered wildly as they saw their leader unselfishly do his share of the dirty work.

What's also amazing is his goals all seem to come when the Blaugrana need it most. Down a goal against possibly the best defense in Europe, the timing of the strike couldn't have been better. Yes, it was set up by amazing work from Neymar and Jordi Alba, but it happens too often to be a coincidence or to not give Leo proper credit..

In fact, out of the top 7 forwards by reputation in La Liga, Messi is the one who tends to score or assist most often when his team is behind.

Percentage of goals+assists when team is losing:

Messi: 17

Neymar: 11

Bale: 9

Suárez: 5

Benzema: 5

Griezmann: 5

Cristiano: 0

— BARÇA NÚMEROS (@barcanumbers) January 30, 2016

He's also second when it comes to getting a goal when his team is drawing. The only one ahead of him is Antoine Griezmann, who tends to get his goals when Atleti's powerful defense has the game at 0-0.

It's not just about goals, and even when it comes to goals, it's not just about the sheer number of goals you score. Messi proved it again today.

Independiente reject Madrid bid for Benitez | FourFourTwo
Argentina Primera Division outfit Independiente revealed they have rejected an offer by Real Madrid for promising youngster Martin Benitez. The 21-year-old has established himself as a key figure in Mauricio Pellegrino's squad since making his senior debut in 2011 after graduating from the club's academy.

Why the footballing world should be thankful for Atletico Madrid - Article - TSN
Atletico are a wonderful team still searching for global respect. They do not have world icons whose shirts kids wear all around the world. They do not have players named in FIFA’s world XI’s at glamorous award shows. They simply win a lot of close football matches by knowing that they have more strengths without the ball than with it.

Shades of Mourinho's Madrid: Simeone's Atleti loses its cool as Barca eases further clear - Goal.com
It was shades of Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid. Atletico plays very much in the image of Diego Simeone, whose ultra-competitive style as a player has been replicated in his coaching philosophy. Sometimes, however, his players cross the line — and that is what happened against Barcelona on Saturday.

Diego Simeone happy with Atletico despite loss at Barcelona - ESPN FC
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said he was proud of his team's performance as they were beaten 2-1 at Barcelona after having two players sent off. Atletico stunned the Camp Nou when Koke fired the visitors ahead on just 10 minutes, but goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez turned the game around by half-time.

Spot-on Soriano helps Villarreal return to winning ways - ESPN FC
Bruno Soriano's second-half penalty saw Villarreal beat Granada 1-0 and return to winning ways. The captain converted from the spot in the 55th minute after Jean-Sylvain Babin had fouled Roberto Soldado to give Marcelino's side a first win in three matches.

Strong first half sees Real Sociedad beat Real Betis - ESPN FC
Real Sociedad recorded only their second win in nine games to climb above Real Betis in the Primera Division table. Firm first-half headers from Xabi Prieto and Inigo Martinez put Sociedad in control and they ran out 2-1 winners, with Betis' solitary response coming from their top scorer Ruben Castro.

Inter wait for Banega | Football Italia
Inter have reportedly agreed a €3m per year contract with Sevilla’s Ever Banega, but he won’t arrive until summer. The Argentinian midfielder will be a free agent in the summer, and it was reported this week that the Nerazzurri had agreed a contract.

Roque Santa Cruz on mark as Malaga claim Eibar scalp - ESPN FC
Malaga moved into the top half of the Primera Division after picking up a hard-fought 2-1 victory at in-form Eibar. Juanpi broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time to give the visitors the edge in an end-to-end encounter and Roque Santa Cruz sealed the points by striking at the end of the second half.

FC Barcelona come back again in 2–1 victory over Atlético de Madrid | FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez both scored before halftime to turn around an early one-goal deficit and lead FC Barcelona to a 2–1 La Liga triumph over nine-man Atlético Madrid on Saturday afternoon at Camp Nou. Koke put the Colchoneros up in the 10th minute on Saturday, but Barça completed their comeback well before the visitors had not one, but two players dismissed.

Five talking points from the 2-1 defeat of Atlético | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona recovered spectacularly from a disappointing start, and the cause was boosted by two Atlético players quite unnecessarily getting themselves sent off. Punters in the bars of Barcelona and Madrid have plenty to talk about this evening.

Luis Enrique says there is still a long way to go in the league | FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique looked happy and more than a little relieved in the press room after his side’s hard fought 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou. The Barça coach was also optimistic despite the blaugranes struggling for periods of a game that saw Atlético with just 9 men come the final whistle. "I leave with the positive aspects from the game, although there are always things to improve upon," admitted the man from Asturias.

Fatigued Barcelona prevail against Atletico Madrid - ESPN FC
It's extraordinarily rare for a team to beat their nearest rivals at the top of the league when the opposition end with nine men and those nine press the leaders -- and defending champions -- to within an inch of their lives.

94,990 spectators - record for the season | FC Barcelona
Saturday's 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid saw the team take a vital three points in front of 94,990 fans, the best attendence of the season, surpassing the figures posted at the start of the campaign for the Gamper game against AS Roma and the Spanish Super Cup game against Athletic Club. Below you can consult the five best crowds of the season so far at Camp Nou.

Shades of Mourinho's Madrid: Simeone's Atleti loses its cool as Barca eases further clear - Goal.com
It was shades of Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid. Atletico plays very much in the image of Diego Simeone, whose ultra-competitive style as a player has been replicated in his coaching philosophy. Sometimes, however, his players cross the line — and that is what happened against Barcelona on Saturday.

With money for Neymar & Messi, Barca's MSN are here to stay - Goal.com
Bad news for defenses all over Europe. Barcelona is about to seal a sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airways for the 2016-17 season that wil allow the Catalan club to hand Neymar the new contract he has been promised. And with that, the world's finest forward line looks set to stay together and dominate for the foreseeable future.

Javier Mascherano explains importance of victory over Atlético | FC Barcelona
Mascherano may look unimposing at just over 5’8", but out on the pitch he plays like a man much bigger than that. In Saturday afternoon’s 2–1 victory over second-place Atlético Madrid, the defensive midfielder reprised his double role as defensive buttress and midfield liaison, valiantly marshalling FC Barcelona away from danger and into attack mode throughout the game.

Bartomeu rules out Nolito move to Barcelona - Goal.com
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says the club's "debt limitation" means there is no chance of Nolito moving to Camp Nou. Speculation has been rife that the Blaugrana will make a move for the Celta Vigo star but Bartomeu has poured cold water on those reports in an interview with Cadena Ser.

CE l’Hospitalet – FC Barcelona B: Three in a row (0-1) | FC Barcelona
Three wins out of three for Gerard López’s team in which they have kept three clean sheets. The latest victory, a 1-0 win away at Hospitalet, allows Barça B to move into midtable with 28 points. The game was decided by an 8th minute strike from Kaptoum - from that moment on, a disciplined defensive performance from the blaugranes guaranteed all three points for the away side.

Borja López signs for FC Barcelona B | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona have signed Borja López to the B team until 30 June 2018. The player from Asturias in the north of Spain has passed his medical exam and will be joining normal training with the rest of the squad on Monday.

From Messi to Seung-Woo Lee: How La Masia lost its South American stars - Goal.com
As part of the plans presented earlier this month, Albert Soler leads the team as director of professional sports, assisted by director of football Raul Sanllehi and technical secretaries Jordi Roura and Aureli Altimira, who will be charged with complying to FIFA's strict rules in an attempt to combat the trafficking of prospects in the current global game.

One of the most legendary players in the history of the Premier League is leaving England, and his club might be looking at Barcelona for a replacement.

Chelsea fans were truly happy on Sunday afternoon when their team destroyed MK Dons in a really great FA Cup performance. The squad won 5-1 with authority and played perhaps the best football of their disappointing season. Everything looked perfect, but then everyone was shocked when John Terry announced he was leaving the Blues once this campaign is over.

With one of the best defenders of all time in the Premier League now on his way out, Chelsea need a strong replacement. And according to reports from Fichajes, the current English league holders are looking at Barcelona center-back Thomas Vermaelen.

The Belgian defender is still highly rated in England after his tenure at Arsenal, and seems to have left his famous injuries in the past in his second season with the Blaugrana. Vermaelen had an impressive start to the 2015-16 campaign with Barça, but his level of performances declined in January.

Still, he is a respected, experienced man in the Premier League, and if the reports are accurate, he is the guy Chelsea need to be the new Terry. If that is possible.

Cristiano Ronaldo hat trick helps Real Madrid pound Espanyol - ESPN FC
Cristiano Ronaldo's hat trick helped Real Madrid close the gap on Barcelona as they thumped Espanyol 6-0. The forward has scored 30 goals for Madrid this term and they now trail Primera Division leaders Barcelona by four points and sit just one behind city rivals Atletico.

Ronaldo insists Real Madrid work under Zidane paying off - ESPN FC
Cristiano Ronaldo says the hard work at training under new Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is paying off, and expressed his belief the Frenchman's methods have been better for the team than those employed earlier in the season. The Portuguese forward scored his latest hat-trick in Sunday evening's 6-0 La Liga win over Espanyol at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid Comment: Ronaldo runs riot against Espanyol - but he needs to perform against top teams too - Goal.com
The script seemed to be written before the match. Real Madrid would cruise to a comprehensive victory against Espanyol and Cristiano Ronaldo would be back among the goals. That's what usually happens in this fixture and, sure enough, it was exactly how things turned out again on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid hit by injuries to Godin and Fernandez - ESPN FC
Fernandez was substituted with 15 minutes remaining, with Atleti by then down to nine men after Godin followed Filipe Luis in being sent off. Uruguay defender Godin had also suffered an injury early in the game, the club said in a statement on their official website.

Kevin Gameiro inspires Sevilla to home win over Levante - ESPN FC
Kevin Gameiro played a starring role as Sevilla climbed to fifth in the Primera Division table following a 3-1 win over bottom club Levante. Los Blanquirrojos had been in the driving seat from inside the first minute thanks to Gameiro, who then set up Vicente Iborra for a similar start to the second half, as Yevhen Konoplyanka completed the win shortly before time.

Sevilla close to double signing | Football Espana
Sevilla are reportedly closing in on loan deals for Tottenham Hotspur defender Federico Fazio and Real Madrid winger Denis Cheryshev. According to Marca, Sevilla have finally reached an agreement with Tottenham over a loan until the end of the season with no purchase option.

Gary Neville's Valencia beaten at home by Sporting Gijon - ESPN FC
Gary Neville's winless Primera Division run as Valencia coach stretched to eight games on Sunday as his side were beaten 1-0 by relegation-threatened Sporting Gijon. The hosts were the dominant side for most of the game but failed to take a string of chances and fell behind to Antonio Sanabria's penalty on 50 minutes.

Siqueira in, Orban out at Valencia | Football Espana
Valencia have signed Guilherme Siqueira from Atletico Madrid on an 18-month loan, while Lucas Orban has joined Levante until the end of the season. Siqueira will complete his medical and begin training with his new teammates on Monday, before being unveiled alongside sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch.

Official: Radosevic leaves Napoli | Football Italia
Croatian youngster Josip Radosevic has officially left Napoli to join Eibar on loan until the end of the season. The midfielder joined the Partenopei back in 2013 but has only made 10 appearances for the club, having been on loan at Hajduk Split and Rijeka since first arriving.

Willian Jose's last-gasp strike gives Las Palmas precious victory - ESPN FC
Las Palmas moved out of the Primera Division drop zone after a last-minute winner from Willian Jose gave them a precious 2-1 victory over 10-man Celta Vigo. The midfielder scored with virtually the last kick of the game to give Quique Setien's side a first league win of 2016.

FC Barcelona schedule for another week with Copa del Rey and Liga fixtures | FC Barcelona
After a wonderful win against Atlético Madrid and a well-earned day off on Sunday, Luis Enrique will have his players back at work on Monday as they move into a busy February schedule. This week brings training on all non-match days, two sessions in preparations for the Copa del Rey semi-final against Valencia at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, and then three more in the build-up to the Liga game at Levante.

Luis Enrique six for six against Diego Simeone | FC Barcelona
Since the arrival of Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid have become a force to be reckoned with both in Spain and in Europe. Los Rojiblancos won the league title back in 2013/14 with a draw at Camp Nou on the final day of the season in a year which FC Barcelona were unable to defeat the side from the capital.

FC Barcelona's 2-1 win over Atlético, by the numbers | FC Barcelona
With Saturday’s 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, FC Barcelona move three points clear of second place with a game in hand. Koke gave the visitors the lead early on but goals from Leo Messi and Luis Suárez in the same half gave Barça a crucial victory.

Barcelona star Neymar affected by legal troubles - ESPN FC
Barcelona star Neymar says he has been affected by the legal issues that have followed him since his arrival at the Nou Camp. Neymar, 23, is due in a Madrid court on Tuesday to give evidence in a case brought by Brazilian third-party investment fund DIS, who feel they were cut out of the controversial transfer which brought the player to Barca from Santos in summer 2013.

Exclusive interview: Leo Messi shares Ballon d’Or with the youth team captains | FC Barcelona
Leo Messi is probably the best player of all time, but he’s also an all-round nice guy off the pitch too. The Argentinian superstar wanted to share his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy with the youngsters in the Barça academy, because he knows that the famous Masia played a huge role in his development into the player he is today.

Espai Barça jury selects proposal by HOK + TAC Arquitectes for the New Palau Blaugrana | FC Barcelona
The bid by HOK + TAC Arquitectes is remarkably innovative with its concept of a multi-functional Palau, and is also outstanding for its permeability, flexibility and personality. With organic geometry, it offers a fine sequence between the Palau, annex court, ice rink and the FCB Escola facilities.

Naming babies after FC Barcelona stars: a global phenomenon | FC Barcelona
There were a staggering 498 Neymars born in the USA in the same year and little Costa Rica had 349! Just one Mexican state, Nuevo Leon, saw the births of 329 children named after the Brazilian in 2014, and only during the four weeks of the World Cup, 471 Peruvian babies were given the name!

Rival watch: Valencia beaten at home three days before first leg with FC Barcelona | FC Barcelona
Three days before their trip to the Camp Nou, Valencia have fallen to 1-0 defeat at home to Sporting Gijón, a result that leaves them in the bottom half of the table. Gary Neville’s side was not lacking in the way of chances at Mestalla, but failed to take any of them and the game was eventually decided by a 50th minute penalty converted by Sanabria.

Barcelona make statement, Ronaldo on song in La Liga - ESPN FC
Atletico deservedly went 1-0 up early on, and after Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez had scored and Filipe Luis and Diego Godin been sent off, Diego Simeone's side stayed in the game. In the 89th minute visiting keeper Jan Oblak even went forward to join his eight outfield teammates for a late free kick tossed into the Barca box, as they sought the unlikeliest of equalisers. But it did not go as planned.

Roma keen to land Barcelona full-back | Forza Italian Football
Barcelona left-back Adriano is reportedly a deadline day transfer target for Serie A side Roma, as the Giallorossi look to amend their poor form over recent months. The Stadio Olimpico side’s problems this season have been well-documented, with the club conceding 25 goals in Serie A already this campaign, which, along with AC Milan, is the worst tally of any club in the top seven.