Neymar confirms he is staying at FC Barcelona

On the other hand FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu referred to Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus.

Josep Maria Bartomeu had indicated that Neymar was due to renew his contract when he appeared before the press on Thursday morning.

On Thursday night, Neymar himself took the step of confirming that both parties have reached an agreement, with a message on his Twitter account that leaves no room for doubt.

"Very happy to continue living this dream. Long live Barça and long live Catalunya", wrote the Brazilian star, who accompanied the text with a photo of himself wearing the Barcelona shirt from last season. He couldn't have made things any clearer.

The negotiations of the past weeks have ended in success, and just as Bartomeu announced, Neymar will continue at Barça for the seasons to come, extending his contract at Camp Nou until June 30, 2021.

On the other hand, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu referred to Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus during his Thursday press conference.

The player is one of Barcelona's main priorities this summer, though Bartomeu was cagey with regards to the open negotiations: "We do not confirm or deny the things that are being published as that is your job", he told the assembled media.

"I can say that I have seen him play for Palmeiras many times and he is a great player. That is my opinion, as a lover of football, but the club will not say anything until there is something confirmed."

When pressed on the matter, Bartomeu laughed and added: "I am not saying if we are trying to sign him or not. If it were true, saying so could harm the negotiations. And if the opposite were the case, it could seem as if we are rejecting him, and that is not true."

Sandro will leave FC Barcelona this summer

Robert Fernandez emphasised the great behaviour from the player as, despite "having a lot of offers to leave the club last summer," he decided to stay.

FC Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has said that the club won't be holding Sandro Ramirez back with the striker is set to leave the club this summer.

The striker has had a difficult time making his mark at the Camp Nou and talking to Barca TV on Sunday, Robert Fernandez made it clear the club won't try to keep him for another season, saying "The doors are open for him to leave."

Robert Fernandez emphasised the great behaviour from the player as, despite "having a lot of offers to leave the club last summer," he decided to stay.

"We really value that he stayed with us due to the situation the club was in - not being able to sign any players.

"After his great efforts and behaviour we now have to consider to open the doors for him to leave this summer."

Discussing the outcome of the season, Fernandez noted that it had been "extraordinary", while praising the opposition.

"The team has been able to maintain a very high level throughout the league season, which isn't easy, and against very difficult teams."There are seven, eight or nine teams that who were fantastic and we had to fight until the last match day because we were forced to it."

Neymar praised FC Barcelona's efforts to win the league and Spanish Cup titles but admitted the club's Champions League exit was a thorn in their side. FC Barcelona lost 3-2 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid on April 13 as Luis Enrique's dream of a second treble were quashed.

"It's a great season for us, very difficult," Neymar told the jubilant crowd at the Camp Nou on Monday.

"We were very sad for the Champions League but we've done everything to win two trophies."I'm very happy at this club and I am FC Barcelona."

Neymar will stay in the FC Barcelona

The Brazilian star wants to put the lid on the speculation of his renewal, Neymar has given instructions to not listen to any offers in the coming months.

Neymar is not going through his best moment as a FC Barcelona player and knows that in the coming weeks the campaign against him will continue with all sorts of rumours about his future.

FC Barcelona and Neymar have spent several months talking about his renewal. Everything is practically agreed, but it will not be made public until the summer.

And, during this gap, some European clubs have tried to get close to the 24-year-old to find out his availability for a transfer.

PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United are the most interested sides, but the footballer’s intentions are clear.

There have been some problems during the contract talks, but nothing to damage his relationship with the club and his desire is to remain dressed in blaugrana for many years.

At FC Barcelona there are no concerns over Neymar’s performances. They know he’s been at a very high level since he arrive and that now it’s logical he will have a dip, given the demanding schedule of his last three years.

He’s one of the club’s most important players and could be the most important in years to come. The club know he will recover his best form.

Both parts are in agreement to extend the deal to 2021. Neymar has become the second highest paid player at the club behind Leo Messi, something he understands.

Since he arrived, he has never disputed that Lionel Messi is the leader and understands that to play alongside him is the best thing for his career.

Neymar hopes to resolve his future in the coming months and then FC Barcelona will begin talks with Luis Suarez to improve his terms. The trident will be tied down and tied down for the coming seasons. 

Things are going well for Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan is fighting on a collective level for the double, and on an individual level for the Pichichi, with 30 Liga BBVA goals.

The FC Barcelona striker scored 25 goals in his first season with the club, and now, after his four against Deportivo de la Coruna, he has 49. One less than double the number he achieved in his first year.

He is fighting on a collective level for the double, and on an individual level for the Pichichi, with 30 Liga BBVA goals, to Cristiano Ronaldo's 31.

In his first season, in which he missed the first months because of a FIFA sanction, he scored 16 league goals in 27 games, 7 Champions League goals in 10 games, and two Spanish Cup goals in six games.

After FC Barcelona hammered Deportivo La Coruna, Luis Enrique praised his players and lauded a "positive" victory which ended the Catalan side's bad run of results. 

The Asturian coach, though, was keen to point out they'd played well against Valencia, too: "We played a great game and were very effective, creating infinite chances, just like we did against Valencia - and look what happened in that game. But football can be like that, it was a spectacular result for us, against Depor. We didn't concede any goals and won away from home."

Luis Enrique acknowledged that his team needed the three points here, but also pointed out there are still four finals left. "The need for a good result and win was key for us.

The team who is the best over 38 games will win the league, though. Not the team who is best in game 32, 37, 35 or 31. There are four games left and it will be difficult."

“We made sure we took our early chances, too, and from there on, we were on a roll. Now we have a wonderful challenge ahead of us - to retain the league title”.

The Basque team claimed a shock 1-0 victory over FC Barcelona

Luis Enrique: “This is an open and exciting league and to win you have to be the best”. 

Luis Enrique was quick to remind the press that FC Barcelona are yet to claim the league title following Saturday's defeat at Real Sociedad.

The Basque team claimed a shock 1-0 victory over FC Barcelona at Estadio Anoeta through a fifth minute goal from Mikel Oiarzabal, inflicting a second successive Liga BBVA defeat on FC Barcelona after last weekend's loss to Real Madrid.

"This is an open and exciting league and to win you have to be the best," he said. "We never said it was easy, or that the league was won. " They are players, not machines. We will need the help of all the fans.

Luis Enrique was rueful of a poor first half performance from his players, but did not believe that his side deserved to come away empty handed."The game began in the worst way possible - they scored from their first shot," he explained.

"We had a very poor first half."The second half was better, we created more chances. It still was not a great performance but I do not think we deserved defeat."

Despite feeling that his side should have come away with at least a point, Enrique had nothing but praise for Real Sociedad, who moved up to ninth in Liga BBVA.

"The basque team are always a stone in the shoe. If I have to lose, I'd rather do so against teams who play football like Real Sociedad."

To end, Messi, meanwhile, is having his own dry steak as the Catalan side's bid for a consecutive treble wobbles. 

In all competitions, the Argentine star has now failed to score in 362 minutes, including games against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

The last time he went on such a long run without scoring was in April and May of 2011 when he failed to score over 417 minutes of football. His last goal came in the 88th minute of the 3-1 Champions League win over Arsenal in March.

An honourable action by the FC Barcelona forward

On the other hand, planet football paid their respects to Johan Cruyff this weekend with various memorial acts.

Messi, Barcelona's Argentine star, showed once again that apart from being a great footballer, he is a great sportsman. Despite not having a good performance, being disappointed by both the defeat and his own rendition, Leo Messi showed at the end of the ‘Clasico’ his true character.

Leo Messi went over to Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid's star and his historic rival in the battle to be best in the world, to congratulate him. An honourable action by the Barcelona forward.

Doing this after Cristiano Ronaldo's winning goal shows that for him there is no rivalry with the Portuguese star off the pitch. Lionel Messi is only focused on improving day to day, and bringing success to FC  Barcelona and Argentina.

On the other hand, planet football paid their respects to Johan Cruyff this weekend with various memorial acts, including FC Barcelona on Saturday and Ajax on Sunday. Both sets of fans held up card to create mosaics to hail the former star of both teams. The mosaics created will live long in the memory.

If the prologue of the Clasico and minute 14 were dedicated to the Dutchman, the whole match in Amsterdam between Ajax and Zwolle was centred around Cruyff. 

His son was present to represent the family and watched the game from the presidential box. Meanwhile, at Camp Nou fans watched a video in his honour which recalled some of his career and featured quotes about him.

To end, Both legs of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will see the two Spanish teams wearing their second kits.

Despite wearing their home kit at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Liga BBVA this season, FC Barcelona will sport their yellow strip in place of their traditional red and blue colours while the Atletico Madrid will wear dark blue.

UEFA have made this a requirement so the referee and the fans will be able to distinguish between the two sides.

Luis Suarez spoke about his good relationship with his team-mates

The Uruguayan is also good pals with Neymar and Mascherano, but the closest relationship he has at the club is with Messi.

The FC Barcelona forward spoke about his good relationship with his team-mates in an interview with Uruguay's El Pais.

"Leo Messi has an older child than Benja and one younger than Delfi, and the kids play," Luis Suarez said, of Lionel Messi.

The Uruguayan is also good pals with Neymar and Mascherano, but the closest relationship he has at the club is with Messi. "With Leo Messi we are the same age and we share anecdotes from when we were teens, our partners also get along well," said Suarez. 

Then he spoke about the MSN as a whole, saying: "There's always something we laugh about. We laugh on and off the pitch. Ney is a happy guy, Leo too, although people don't think it

Forward Luis Suarez also spoke about the best decision he ever made: "When I was young another agent came to give me money so I would sign with him. I was dubious because it was a lot of money, but for the best I did not sign and kept going with my 3,000 pesos.

Not everything's about money, but when a player is 17 or 18 he has to get what he can get to keep moving forward. You have to take the steps at the right moment," he said, explaining his best footballing decision.

"As good as you may be, if the agents give you 15,000 dollars a month you start to relax and then end up there. If you're still getting 2,000 or 3,000 Uruguayan pesos, which is what they were giving me, and keep fighting and working to move forward, this gives you more expectation and amibition. I bought my first car in 2009 and I'd been a professional for four years.

FC Barcelona wants to reduce its debts

You're at a club where you're obliged to always win. You have to find motivation and desire for every game, explained defender Gerard Pique.

 

Gerard Pique has given an interview to UEFA, during which he speaks about, among other things, Barcelona's good form and their upcoming match with Arsenal in the Champions League. 

Defender Pique, who will not play in the game due to a suspension, said that at FC Barcelona you aren't just obliged to win, but to always play well. "You're at a club where you're obliged to always win. You have to find motivation and desire for every game.

 It doesn't matter if you're going to a team about to be relegated or to Arsenal. Here there is no difference," he said about Luis Enrique's side's 37 game unbeaten run.

Ahead of the game at Camp Nou against Arsenal, defender Gerard Pique said: "We have more variables now. We continue to want to control the ball, to have possession and we always want to have more chances on goal, but we have also found more comfort in defending and counter-attacking.

The first goal at Arsenal is a clear example of that. Before, we suffered when we were defending. We have three forwards who are really quick and take advantage on the counter," he explained.

On the other hand, FC Barcelona have been on an enviable run of form and results since last season. Ever since their impressive MSN strike force partnered up for Luis Enrique, they have won just about every title there is to win, with the exception of the Spanish Super Cup which they lost to Athletic Bilbao.

This abundance of silverware is a source of pride for both fans and the club's board, but it comes at a cost. 

The problem is the expenditure that comes with this level of sporting success because most of their players' bonuses were not budgeted for. In fact, the club had only budgeted for winning Liga BBVA, around 25 million euros, half the amount the players would receive for winning the treble.

Everything else is an additional cost, the 30 million still owed from winning last year's treble and the Club World Cup, plus the remaining 25 million should the team go onto win the treble again this season.

This financial setback comes at a tough time with the club desperately looking for ways to bring in additional revenue to reduce its spiralling debt.

Luis Enrique admitted that FC Barcelona are now in pole position

Meanwhile, Mascherano has accumulated five bookings and will be able to rest next week with sights already set on the final stretch of the championship.

Luis Enrique was overjoyed by how his Barcelona side played in their 4-0 victory in Eibar, suggesting that he had been even more impressed than after the 5-1 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas.

"I thought the performance the other day was spectacular, and today it was even better. We were very solid against a really tricky team; we were able to counter the high press thanks to our good positioning, possession, shape and the fact that our forwards did well running on to passes in behind the defence", FC Barcelona boss stated.

The Asturian coach admitted that FC Barcelona are now in pole position: "We are where we want to be thanks to hard work, we haven't been given any freebies, and now we're approaching the business end of the season, in which we will be going for all three trophies".

"We're very pleased with the way the team are kicking on and improving. They never lack ambition", Luis Enrique said with regard to his players' attitude. We cut off all the opposition's transitions. We did well defensively all game long. If we'd have played at all worse, we would have been in trouble", he added, making a point of praising Eibar's efforts.

On the other hand, a heavy tackle from Javier Mascherano against Eibar earned him a yellow card that will prevent him from playing in the next game on FC Barcelona's schedule, against Getafe. The Argentine has accumulated five bookings and will be able to rest next week with sights already set on the final stretch of the championship.

Luis Suárez was also shown a yellow card, bringing his total to four and thus leaving him on the verge of suspension.

Given the fact that only two matches remain before FC Barcelona go head to head with Real Madrid, the Uruguayan may look to pick up another yellow against Getafe to guarantee his availability for the 'Clásico', meaning he would miss out on the meeting with Villarreal at El Madrigal.

Arda Turan has Luis Enrique’s full backing

On the other hand, defender Gerard Pique answered a whole host of questions.

One of the biggest talking points amongst the Camp Nou faithful over the past few games has focused on some of their players' individual performances. All in all, they are happy.

The team are cruising towards another treble-winning season. They hold a good lead at the top of the table and are through to the Spanish Cup final. They have also all but qualified for the quarter-finals of this season's Champions League thanks to a convincing away win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Despite that, the odd performance is still preventing the team from reaching their full potential.

One of the stars in the crosshairs only joined the club last summer. That man is Arda Turan, a player who has struggled to get his FC Barcelona career off the ground.

The Turk has Luis Enrique's full backing. The FC Barcelona boss gave him a starting role as soon as he had served his FIFA ban. He did not get off to a bad start either but his most recent performances have done little to show Luis Enrique that he should bench either Rakitic or Iniesta.

On the other hand, defender Gerard Pique answered a whole host of questions, including about his close friend and former FC Barcelona teammate Cesc Fàbregas, now at Chelsea, and about Neymar's future, saying that he'd bet his right arm that the Brazilian won't leave the Camp Nou.

The last query Piqué fielded wondered whether he would be interested in playing in Colombia one day. "I don't know, we'll see what happens in the future. I'd like to sample another league when I'm nearing retirement; I don't know if that might be in the US or South America.

It'd be nice for it to be Colombia for Shakira, but no one can tell what will happen in the future", 

replied the centre-back, leaving the door open to the possibility of ending his career in his wife Shakira's homeland.

FC Barcelona adds 33 games unbeaten

While, Lionel Messi's second goal against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 was important for history of the club.

FC Barcelona took a giant step towards the Champions League quarter-finals in London. On top of that, the 2-0 victory at the Emirates put the Catalans on the brink of equalling the longest unbeaten streak in Spanish football history, which Luis Enrique's men can draw level with this weekend.

Dutch coach Beenhakker's Real Madrid side of the 1988-89 season, with the famous ‘Quinta del Buitre’ at their heart, went 34 consecutive competitive fixtures undefeated. Following their win over Arsenal, FC Barcelona are just one away on 33. The Catalans will have the opportunity to match this historic mark at home to Sevilla on Sunday.

Although they have yet to reach Real Madrid's tally, the breakdown of Barcelona's run already makes for more impressive reading than the sequence of results put together by Beenhakker's side. Luis Enrique's charges have chalked up 27 wins and six draws in 33 games, while that Real Madrid team managed 25 victories and nine draws in 34.

On the other hand, Lionel Messi's second goal against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 was important for his club's current European aims, but also because it was in fact the 10,000th goal that the Catalan giants have scored in competitive games since their very beginnings.

These 10,000 strikes have been garnered from 4,375 matches, making for an average of 2.28 goals per game. This is a record that kicked off back in 1901 with the Copa Macaya.

Since then, the Catalan club has managed to win 126 trophies. The first was the aforementioned Copa Macaya (1901-02) and the last the Club World Cup that was captured in Japan upon beating River Plate in the final.

With 440 goals under his belt, Leo Messi is the greatest goalscorer that 'Los Azulgranas' have ever had, way ahead of the likes of César Rodríguez (232), Ladislao Kubala (194), Josep Samitier (184), Josep Escolà (167) and Paulino Alcántara (143).

FC Barcelona scouts are looking another player

The FC Barcelona is looking for new players to strengthen their squad.

FC Barcelona scouts went to watch AC Milan beat Genoa 2-1 according to Sky Sports. The rumours suggest they were there to watch young goalkeeper Gianluigi Dounarumma, but the reality is they were there to keep an eye on Milan centre-back Alessio Romagnoli, one of the defenders with the highest potential in world football, and a target for many European clubs. 

Romagnoli is close to turning 22 years old, but has played at the top level for a while and is an Italian international. It's just a few days since there was speculation that Bayern Munich could make an offer for him, under instruction from soon-to-be coach Carlo Ancelotti. Romagnoli is on the list of candidates to reinforce FC Barcelona's central defence, which is an absolute priority for Luis Enrique. 

The Italian centre-back has a value of 25 million euros and the good relationship between the clubs could make the operation easier. FC Barcelona are also following other centre-backs, including Aymeric Laporte and John Stones, of Athletic Club and Everton respectively. In the coming weeks there will be a meeting to evaluate the options and take decisions.

On the other hand, Mesut Özil's future could very well turn out to be next summer's big transfer saga and FC Barcelona are shaping up to be one of the clubs in the running for the Germany international, having made tentative overtures to his agent. The playmaker is looking for a change of scenery, but Arsenal are very unlikely to bow down to any possible suitors.

Mesut Özil is having a tremendous season in North London, which has prompted the Gunners to offer one of their prized assets a contract extension. The ex-Real Madrid star penned a deal to remain at the Emirates until June 2018 and a two-year extension is currently on the table. However, Özil is not keen on committing his future to the Gunners, something that he's said to have made clear to the club.

In theory then, FC Barcelona have more than enough options in midfield, but the opportunity to sign a player like Özil simply isn't one that crops up every day. Barcelona are likely to face quite a struggle to secure the services of the man whom the British press have labelled "the assists-king" as several of Europe's heavyweights will be looking to improve the spines of their sides this summer.

Luis Enrique rotate his players to face Valencia

On the other hand, defender Dani Alves has no plans to leave FC Barcelona for now.

Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta will not travel to Valencia on Wednesday to take part in the Spanish Cup semi-final second leg at Mestalla. 

These four players, along with Leo Messi, who on Tuesday morning had a procedure to remove kidney stones, are some of the players Luis Enrique will rest for the game after the 7-0 win at Camp Nou in the first leg. 

Those five - along with any others who are eventually given a break - will head to the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despi on Wednesday for a training session instead, with Sunday’s Liga BBVA match against Celta Vigo in sight. 

One of the main reasons is Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta are in danger of missing the Spanish Cup final. All of them are one booking away from a suspension. For that reason, all four will stay in Barcelona. 

On the other hand, Dani Alves has no intention of leaving FC Barcelona to follow the exodus to Chinese football. The Brazilian full-back has a contract with Barcelona until 2017 and has not considered leaving at any moment. 

Brazilian media have reported he has a huge offer on the table from a club who play in China - where players can still be signed at this time of the year, unlike in Europe. The reports detail a three-year deal which would be worth around 30 million euros. 

Sources close to Dani Alves have effectively confirmed the interest from the Far East, with contact being made with his agent, Dinorah Santana, a few weeks ago. 

The answer on Alves’ behalf, though, was clear. He only wants to focus on life at Camp Nou and is not ready to up sticks and move at this stage of the season. He wants the debate over his future, at the very least, to be parked until the summer. 

Since the initial contact, there has been no more news. Dinorah Santana has not kept contact with the representatives of the Chinese club and the topic is off the table for now.

FC Barcelona 7–0 Valencia

Four goals from Luis Suarez, three from Leo Messi and Barcelona are virtually in the final.

FC Barcelona are now in their first final of the season. The 7-0 win over Valencia FC at Camp Nou sentenced the Spanish Cup semi-final and the game at Mestalla next week will be a formality. This was a spectacle. On the pitch and in the stands, where they shouted “Cheryshev, we love you”. And the ovation the former Real Madrid player received when he came on to the pitch…

Luis Enrique’s side’s first half performance was almost perfect. And I say ‘almost’ because Neymar once again missed a penalty. But away from that error, the team shone. They scored three goals, two from Luis Suarez and one from Lionel Messi, and they could have gone into the break with an even bigger lead. 

This after three games of suffering more than necessary. They won against Malaga, Athletic and Atletico, but with more problems than they had planned for. Important wins, but wins which were a long way from Barcelona’s ‘style’.

With Sergio Busquets imperial, he would be a worthy occupant of the Ballon d’Or podium one day, and the trident in form, FC Barcelona deleted Valencia from the pitch. During some moments, the Blaugrana were playing their best football of the season. They were brutal in their execution and killed the two-legged tie off before the break. 

The second half will be remembered for Cheryshev’s entrance. His presence, when suspended, led to one of the most ridiculous situations in Madrid’s history when they were thrown out of the cup earlier this season. However, FC Barcelona’s play meant he was soon forgotten again. Suarez finished with four and Leo Messi with three. Simply brutal.

On the other hand, the Uruguayan Luis Suarez suggested FC Barcelona’s win over Valencia was possibly their best performance of the season.

The Uruguayan scored four in an emphatic 7-0 win, with Leo Messi also weighing in with a hat-trick. "It is one the best games we have played all season in every sense,” he said after the game to Movistar TV. 

“From the first minute to the last we showed a great attitude, we were good on the ball and we have a good advantage [in the tie].” Continuing, with FC Barcelona now firmly in the final, the 29-year-old said this is the exact reason he came to the Catalan club. He’s now onto 35 goals, too, which is certainly helping the club’s quest for titles. 

"I have been at FC Barcelona for a year-and-a-half and I came here to win titles,” he added. 

The big day is here for Arda Turan

The Turk can play at Camp Nou against his old team Atletico Madrid and Neymar said that he is very happy where he is right now.

Arda Turan has lived in Spain since 2011, when he left Galatasaray to sign for Atletico Madrid. However, his indisputable progress as a footballer has not been matched by his progress with the Spanish language. 

Although it's hard for him to express himself fluidly in Spanish, though he never abandons his permanent smile, the Turk says that on the pitch he doesn't find it hard to communicate with his colleagues. 

"On the pitch I understand everything!" insists the Turkish player, who is often accompanied by his friend Atta, who works as a translator and occasional helper. 

Arda Turan will play his first game against Atletico Madrid- the team he played for between 2011 and 2015. He won a Copa del Rey and Liga BBVA trophy with them - the latter at the Camp Nou on the final day.

The big day is here for Arda Turan. The Turk can play at Camp Nou against his old team Atletico Madrid, where he really shot to fame. "I still love Atletico a lot," he confessed. Although he's played for less than a month with Barcelona, Arda thinks that he's pefectly integrated into the team. "I feel like another piece, I'm another guy in this team. I feel well, physically and mentally, available to give everything I can for Barcelona to fulfill their objectives."

On the other hand, Neymar has reiterated his admiration for Pep Guardiola during an interview with energy drink makers Red Bull. 

Asked if he would like to play for any other coach, Neymar replied: "Yes, there is one: Guardiola is a guy who I really admire and who I would love to work with.

"It is tough to say if I want to play in other countries. Nobody knows tomorrow, but I am very happy where I am right now at Barcelona.