Xavi hopes to stay at Barcelona for "many years" but insists his main focus is on winning trophies, rather than extending his contract at Camp Nou.

The Blaugrana are on track for a treble this season. Nine points clear at the LaLiga summit, Xavi has already secured Supercopa de Espana glory, while Barca are also 1-0 to the good in their two-legged Copa del Rey semi-final tie with Real Madrid.

The former midfielder has one year remaining on his existing contract, although club president Joan Laporta revealed negotiations over a new deal were ongoing.

Xavi is hopeful those talks are successful and he can enjoy a lengthy reign at Barca, similar to that of Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during his 27-year tenure with Manchester United.

But that is not the 43-year-old's primary objective.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of Barcelona's trip to Athletic Bilbao, he told reporters: "It's difficult to be Ferguson in Barcelona. I love to be here. I suffer many days, but I am thankful to the president.

"He's really happy. It's great to have his support. He is a loyal man and hopefully I will stay here many years. But it will depend on all our results. Now is not the moment to talk about my contract.

"Of course, we are talking about this situation. We've been talking about a contract extension, but we need to be calm and focus on winning trophies.

"I still have one more year. We are close to winning trophies, and that's the most important thing – not my contract, we need to win trophies."

Barca will be eager to maintain their momentum ahead of next week's blockbuster showdown with title rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou, and Xavi has urged his players to retain their concentration levels.

"We are just focused on tomorrow's game to keep the advantage of nine points," he added. "With Real Madrid, that is crucial. Then, we will have the following week to focus on El Clasico.

"We need to keep this good advantage before the visit of Real Madrid, but [Athletic is] going to be a really tough game for sure.

"We are now in the most important part of the season. We need to play well, compete and win those games. These two weeks before the international break are crucial."

Xavi has compared Robert Lewandowski with former Barcelona legends Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi ahead of the striker's return from injury.

LaLiga's top scorer with 15 goals this season, Lewandowski has missed the Blaugrana's last two games after sustaining a hamstring strain.

But the Poland captain is back in the squad for the trip to Athletic Bilbao, where leaders Barca will be aiming to maintain their nine-point lead at the top of the table. 

"Robert has been training with the group since Thursday after some days off, and he's ready," head coach Xavi said during his pre-match press conference. "He's feeling well and always wants to play.

"We are really happy to have him here with us. I will compare him with people like Ronaldinho and Messi. He's changed the mentality of the team. He's our leader and all our players are growing with him.

"We won without him, but we missed him. We attack better with Lewandowski. He presses high up front; he's a crucial player for us."

Barca will be without the injured Pedri and Ousmane Dembele at San Mames, while Ronald Araujo misses out through suspension.

That could see Eric Garcia start in the heart of defence, with Xavi paying tribute to the Spain international.

"He's a great professional," he added. "He doesn't participate as much as he deserves. But he has competition at a big club like Barca.

"He is a player of present and future. I'm counting on him. He always plays well when he's on the field. He's an example in the locker room."

Real Madrid have called an urgent meeting of their board of directors for Sunday to discuss what the club describes as "well-founded suspicions of corruption" into rivals Barcelona.

Last month, broadcaster SER Catalunya alleged Barca had paid €1.6million to the company of Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira – the former vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) – between 2016 and 2018.

Newspaper El Pais claimed Negreira's company – DASNIL 95 SL – produced written reports and DVD assessments of referees prior to games.

The public prosecutor's office said on Friday that Spanish prosecutors had filed a complaint against Barca and two of their ex-presidents over the alleged payments.

Madrid released a statement on Saturday to announce their intention to hold a board meeting to discuss the matter.

"Given the seriousness of the accusations made by the Barcelona prosecutor's office against FC Barcelona and two of its presidents for well-founded suspicions of corruption and their relations with whoever was the vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the president has convened urgently to the board of directors tomorrow, Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 12:00 p.m., in order to decide on the actions that Real Madrid deems appropriate in relation to this matter," the statement read.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last week strenuously denied the accusations, suggesting the team being top of LaLiga had led to people wanting to damage the club.

"Let me be clear, Barca have never bought referees nor had the intention to buy referees. Absolutely never," he said.

"The forcefulness of the facts contradicts those who try to change the story. We are doing well again, nothing is accidental... There is a campaign to harm the interests of Barca.

"It is a campaign aimed at controlling the club. LaLiga does not accept that Barca did not sign the contract with CVC."

David Brooks was named on the bench for Bournemouth for their Premier League clash against Liverpool on Saturday, the first time he has been in a matchday squad since recovering from cancer treatment.

The Wales international has not featured since being diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin's lymphoma in October 2021.

Brooks was given the all-clear in May and returned to a modified training programme, before signing a new deal with Bournemouth until 2026.

Cherries head coach Gary O'Neil named the 25-year-old among his substitutes for the game against Liverpool at Vitality Stadium, also making three changes to the team that started the agonising last-minute 3-2 defeat at Arsenal.

Lloyd Kelly, Jefferson Lerma and Jaidon Anthony came in for Chris Mepham, Jordan Zemura and Antoine Semenyo.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made just one change to the team that thrashed Manchester United 7-0 last time out, with Stefan Bajcetic coming in for Jordan Henderson.

Bournemouth were looking to avenge the 9-0 defeat they suffered at Anfield in August.

Paris Saint-Germain will submit a bid to buy the Stade de France, a club spokesperson has confirmed.

The Ligue 1 champions said they would "explore alternative options" for their home stadium in January after Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said the Parc des Princes – owned by Paris City Council – was not for sale.

A club spokesperson told AFP "we are candidates" to buy the Stade de France, which has been home to the France national team since opening in 1998.

A consortium of French companies, Vinci and Bouygues, holds the lease for the 80,000-seater stadium, with any potential buyout set to take place after 2025.

PSG's reported alternative option would be a "renovated" Parc des Princes – their home since 1974 – on which they completed a €75million upgrade over three years after extending their lease in 2013 to 2043. 

The club would be willing to commit an additional €500million towards further renovations, but only if they owned the stadium, while another possibility may see them build a new venue located outside Paris.

PSG are eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1, but were knocked out of the Champions League following their last-16 defeat by Bayern Munich in midweek.

Manchester United have reportedly made Tottenham striker Harry Kane their top priority when addressing their attacking options at the end of the season.

Kane, 29, has already stamped his legacy as one of the Premier League's greatest ever strikers, sitting third on the all-time goals list in the competition with 201. He also owns the record for the most goals ever scored for Tottenham (268) and is tied for the most goals representing England (53).

Despite his decorated personal resume, Tottenham are set for a 15th consecutive season without any silverware, and with their Champions League hopes for next campaign hanging on by a thread, they may have run out of time to prove to their star striker why he should stay.

TOP STORY – UNITED DETERMINED TO BRING KANE TO OLD TRAFFORD

According to the Manchester Evening News, Erik ten Hag has identified Kane as his primary target.

The report adds that they remain interested in Napoli's Victor Osimhen, as well as Benfica's Goncalo Ramos, but Kane is the top priority if they can make it happen.

With only one more season remaining on his contract, Kane will likely get his wish to leave if he decides he will certainly not sign a new deal, as the club would be risking a potential £100million sale if they hold onto him through the next transfer deadline.

But just because Tottenham may sell him does not mean he would land at Old Trafford, with Bayern Munich's well-documented interest still prevalent.

ROUND-UP

– Calciomercato is reporting Inter are interested in bringing in towering 24-year-old Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham after a disappointing first season in the Premier League.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, 25-year-old Tottenham striker Richarlison is a candidate to replace Karim Benzema at Real Madrid, while Calciomercato adds Juventus are also keeping a close eye on Richarlison's availability.

– Roberto Firmino has offered his services to Barcelona as he seeks a new team for next season, per Sport.

– Football Insider is reporting Manchester United are in "pole position" to meet the £70m (€79m) asking price to sign 25-year-old Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, despite his repeated comments that he has no interest in leaving Spain.

– Journalist Rudy Galetti claims Chelsea are interested in a pair of 28-year-old centre backs – Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City and Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez.

Manchester United have reportedly made Tottenham striker Harry Kane their top priority when addressing their attacking options at the end of the season.

Kane, 29, has already stamped his legacy as one of the Premier League's greatest ever strikers, sitting third on the all-time goals list in the competition with 201. He also owns the record for the most goals ever scored for Tottenham (268) and is tied for the most goals representing England (53).

Despite his decorated personal resume, Tottenham are set for a 15th consecutive season without any silverware, and with their Champions League hopes for next campaign hanging on by a thread, they may have run out of time to prove to their star striker why he should stay.

TOP STORY – UNITED DETERMINED TO BRING KANE TO OLD TRAFFORD

According to the Manchester Evening News, Erik ten Hag has identified Kane as his primary target.

The report adds that they remain interested in Napoli's Victor Osimhen, as well as Benfica's Goncalo Ramos, but Kane is the top priority if they can make it happen.

With only one more season remaining on his contract, Kane will likely get his wish to leave if he decides he will certainly not sign a new deal, as the club would be risking a potential £100million sale if they hold onto him through the next transfer deadline.

But just because Tottenham may sell him does not mean he would land at Old Trafford, with Bayern Munich's well-documented interest still prevalent.

ROUND-UP

– Calciomercato is reporting Inter are interested in bringing in towering 24-year-old Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham after a disappointing first season in the Premier League.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, 25-year-old Tottenham striker Richarlison is a candidate to replace Karim Benzema at Real Madrid, while Calciomercato adds Juventus are also keeping a close eye on Richarlison's availability.

– Roberto Firmino has offered his services to Barcelona as he seeks a new team for next season, per Sport.

– Football Insider is reporting Manchester United are in "pole position" to meet the £70m (€79m) asking price to sign 25-year-old Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, despite his repeated comments that he has no interest in leaving Spain.

– Journalist Rudy Galetti claims Chelsea are interested in a pair of 28-year-old centre backs – Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City and Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez.

Pep Guardiola wants to see Kyle Walker and everyone at Manchester City behaving like adults but insisted he should not have to police their off-duty business like a strict father.

The City manager passed no public judgement on Walker's behaviour in a bar that led to negative headlines this week, other than to say it had been dealt with internally.

The England international was shown on CCTV footage, published by The Sun, with friends at a venue where he apparently pulled down his trousers.

It was alleged by the newspaper that Walker indecently exposed himself, with the incident said to have happened last Sunday. Cheshire Police is looking into the matter.

Guardiola said Walker can count on his support after a week in the spotlight and stressed he was available for selection for Saturday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace.

"We have to adapt to the reality," Guardiola said at a press conference. "Everybody knows it, and today they are exposed 24 hours for everything. Private life doesn't exist any more out of their home."

Guardiola was asked whether he had called Walker in to remind him of his responsibilities.

The 32-year-old full-back is among the most senior of City's players, and this is not his first brush with off-field controversy. He was accused of breaching lockdown during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, with City taking a dim view of his first alleged breach when he was said to have held a party at his home.

Guardiola said of the latest incident: "I spoke with him, but we're adults. I'm not a father. I'm a friend of him. I know in the past many things happen. He and everyone can count on me with the personal issues.

"I don't have to tell him that you don't have to behave in that way. He's an adult. The club is there all the time. I like to feel they can count on us in the good and bad moments."

Guardiola stressed: "Everybody knows that the only place I think is safe is inside at home, lock the door. The moment you unlock the door, you are exposed.

"Today it's completely different to 15, 20 years ago. Now you have to adapt, the players know it."

Simone Inzaghi warned Inter must show more "conviction and malice" after they slumped to a 2-1 Serie A defeat at relegation-threatened Spezia on Friday.

Bartlomiej Dragowski saved an early Lautaro Martinez penalty to set the tone for a miserable night for Nerazzurri, who failed to reduce runaway leaders Napoli's 15-point lead.

Daniel Maldini stunned Inter when the on-loan Milan attacking midfielder put Spezia in front just 10 minutes after being introduced as a half-time substitute.

Romelu Lukaku showed Martinez how it's done by equalising with a spot-kick after 83 minutes, but M'Bala Nzola gave Spezia a first win over Inter when he scored a penalty of his own four minutes later after Denzel Dumfries barged Viktor Kovalenko over.

Inter had 28 shots as they dominated much of the game, but slumped to an eighth Serie A defeat of the season as they prepare to take a 1-0 lead to Porto for a huge Champions League round-of-16 second leg on Tuesday.

Head coach Inzaghi knows the Nerazzurri only have themselves to blame.

He told DAZN: "It hurts, the defeat came in a different way than the others. We put everything on the field, perhaps we needed a little more malice.

"We have a duty to go ahead and I take responsibility for the defeat. We should have been more cynical, we come out stronger from defeats even if there have been more this year."

Six of Inter's eight Serie A defeat this season have come on their travels and Inzaghi says that must be addressed.

"It's a path that doesn't satisfy us away from San Siro, tonight we had to have more conviction and malice," he said.

"I don't believe in luck in football, luck must be sought,"

Antonio Conte believes Tottenham are willing to be patient with him but unrealistic Spurs fans are not.

Pressure is building on Conte following a poor run that ended Tottenham's hopes of winning silverware for another season.

Spurs exited the FA Cup to Sheffield United and the Champions League to Milan, while Liverpool and Newcastle United have games in hand in the Premier League top-four chase.

Conte remains in his post for now, but supporter sentiment appears to have turned – something the coach has noted.

"Here, the patience has finished for the fans," Conte said. "The fans want to win a trophy. Stop.

"And then you have to find the right solution to make the fans happy and to win a trophy. Because the patience of the fans has finished. And we feel this. I feel this. The players feel this. For sure, this [does] not help the situation.

"There are many players, also young players, that need to go step by step to grow. We are trying to build something important but if you don't have patience, it is not useful."

He added: "We are far from being competitive to fight to win. I say we need time, we need patience.

"I see that here the environment has no patience, or maybe the environment doesn't want to understand the reality.

"The club has the patience. But the problem is the club also has to make happy the fans, because the fans for many, many years are waiting to win something.

"I understand that it's not easy for the club, not easy to invest a lot of money, and you are [not] sure to win. Maybe your probability improves, but we know we have to fight against top, top teams.

"You have to create the right atmosphere, the right unity, the right spirit, to be solid, for everybody to have the same idea. Or you have to believe in a miracle, and there is a big, big job to do here.

"I can put it all on myself, but I don't want to kill myself. I have to take all the considerations, also for myself. If I have to put the stress and pressure only to myself, it is not right.

"It's difficult for me to realise this situation because I am putting everything, me and the staff. At the same time, I understand that maybe it's not enough.

"If I have to become [someone for] the people to take as a target? No. I am not this person."

Saturday's Match of the Day will have a new format without a host or studio pundits after Ian Wright, Alan Shearer and other leading names backed presenter Gary Lineker.

The BBC announced on Friday that Lineker would not be involved in this week's edition of the hugely popular British football show after he became involved in a political row following a Twitter post.

Lineker would be absent from Match of the Day "until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media", the BBC said, but it soon became clear he had the support of a number of colleagues.

Wright and Shearer, the show's two leading pundits who were due to feature on Saturday, announced they had told the BBC they would not be appearing.

As Micah Richards, Jermaine Jenas and Alex Scott joined the pair in standing by Lineker, the BBC's options for an alternative line-up became increasingly thin.

Ultimately, a statement from the broadcaster appeared to acknowledge it had not been possible to put a studio team together.

"Some of our pundits have said that they don't wish to appear while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary," it read.

"We understand their position and have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry."

Lineker had criticised the UK government's new asylum policy, comparing language being used by current politicians to the voices expressed in Nazi Germany.

Condemning the policy, the former England striker posted: "There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I'm out of order?"

M'Bala Nzola's late penalty punished wasteful Inter and gave Serie A strugglers Spezia a shock 2-1 victory on Friday.

The Nerazzurri's slim title hopes are surely over after they were beaten by relegation-threatened Spezia for the first time at Stadio Alberto Picco.

Bartlomiej Dragowski saved an early Lautaro Martinez penalty, and that was a sign of things to come as toothless second-placed Inter dominated the majority of the game but lacked a cutting edge.

Daniel Maldini, on loan from Inter's fierce rivals Milan, put Spezia in front just under 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute at half-time, but Romelu Lukaku's late spot-kick looked to have salvaged a point.

Nzola had the final say by slotting home from 12 yards out after Denzel Dumfries barged Viktor Kovalenko over, ensuring Inter remain 15 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.

Neymar underwent successful surgery on his season-ending ankle injury on Friday, Paris Saint-Germain announced.

The Brazilian has been out of action since being carried off in a thrilling 4-3 Ligue 1 victory over Lille last month.

The 31-year-old had been enjoying his most productive season for PSG since the 2018-19 campaign, equalling a tally of 34 direct goal involvements (18 goals, 16 assists) in all competitions – joint second-highest in his PSG career, behind the 44 in his debut season.

PSG have won both of their Ligue 1 games in Neymar's absence to move eight points clear at the top of the table, though they were eliminated from the Champions League following a 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Head coach Christophe Galtier confirmed earlier this week that Neymar would miss the remainder of the season, with the forward expected to be sidelined for three to four months.

A club statement issued on Friday read: "Neymar underwent surgery late Friday morning at ASPETAR Hospital in Doha, by Professors Pieter D'Hooghe, James Calder and Rodrigo Lasmar.

"The intervention went very well. The player will now follow a rest and care protocol."

Borussia Dortmund must put their Champions League heartbreak behind them when they attempt to secure a club record ninth consecutive Bundesliga win in the 100th Revierderby against Schalke.

Edin Terzic's side crashed out of Europe's premier club competition in the round-of-16 when they were beaten 2-0 at Chelsea on Tuesday, having won the first leg 1-0.

That ended Dortmund's run of 10 consecutive victories and they felt hard done by, as referee Danny Makkelie allowed Kai Havertz to retake a decisive penalty due to encroachment and he made no mistake after missing his first attempt.

Dortmund must turn their attention back to the battle for the Bundesliga title and resuming their rivalry with relegation-threatened Schalke at the VELTINS-Arena on Saturday, when Marco Reus could make history.

Level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the table, Dortmund have the opportunity to take their frustration out on the Royal Blues.

Stats Perform picks out the standout Opta data for the big derby.

From Champions League misery to cloud nine?

Dortmund have been licking their wounds since the pain of being consigned to a Champions League exit at Stamford Bridge.

They have no time to feel sorry for themselves, with so much at stake as they strive to dethrone Bayern.

Dortmund could win a club record ninth top-flight game in a row this weekend, having matched their best run with a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig.

They have previously won eight in a row between 2011 and 2012, then again two years ago. 

Reus can go out on his way

Dortmund stalwart Reus is one goal away from becoming the outright record scorer for the club after he was on target against Leipzig.

That strike was his 159th for the club in all competitions, drawing him level with Michael Zorc.

Reus has been struggling with a cold, so it remains to be seen if he gets the chance to go out on his own in the home of Dortmund's rivals.

The skipper has had a hand in at least one goal in each of his past three Bundesliga games, scoring twice and setting two up.

Derby delight a distant memory for Schalke

Schalke have not only lost their past four encounters with Dortmund, but also failed to score in five matches against their rivals.

The last time they found the back of the Dortmund net was in April 2019, when they celebrated a 4-2 away victory after Reus and Marius Wolf were sent off.

Youssoufa Moukoko scored the only goal of the game when they met in September and Dortmund ran riot when they last travelled to Schalke, Erling Haaland scoring twice in a 4-0 rout just over two years ago – their joint-highest win over the Royal Blues.

Dortmund have only previously won four consecutive games against Schalke when they went on to beat them eight times in a row between 1964 and 1967.

Schalke fighting for their lives

The Royal Blues are battling to avoid relegation after securing promotion back to the top flight last season.

They are making a fight of it under Thomas Reis, securing back-to-back wins over fellow strugglers Stuttgart and Bochum to haul themselves off the bottom of the table.

Schalke had reeled off four goalless draws on the spin before defeating Stuttgart and they are unbeaten in the first six games of the second half of Bundesliga season for the first time since 2006.

This will be a battle between the only unbeaten sides in the second half of the season.

Graham Potter acknowledges any new Chelsea contract for Mason Mount must be right for the player, who has been linked with a move away after falling out of favour at Stamford Bridge. 

Mount's current Blues deal expires at the end of next season and, with fresh terms yet to be agreed, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United have been credited with an interest in the midfielder.

The 24-year-old has missed Chelsea's last two games – wins over Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund – through injury, though he started just one of their previous four matches across all competitions.

Potter outlined his desire for a swift resolution to Mount's talks with the club last month, but with no visible progress being made, he accepts the England international may need to take his time.

"Ultimately it is between the club and Mason," Potter said on Friday. "I have spoken to him numerous times about his situation, football and life generally. 

"My feelings for Mason are clear. He is a fantastic person firstly, but sometimes these things happen. 

"They are just complicated and it is best that I speak little about it, let them get on with it in deciding what is right for both parties. 

"I am not naive. I know it is an important time for him and an important contract. These things have to be right for him and his family. It's important he makes a decision on that basis."

Mount has made 32 appearances for Chelsea this season, 26 of them starts, with his tally of six goal contributions only bettered by Raheem Sterling (10) and Kai Havertz (eight) in an underwhelming campaign for the Blues.