Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hopes "with all my heart" that Ousmane Dembele will sign a new deal to stay on at Barcelona.
Dembele is into the final few weeks of his contract and has been widely tipped to join another club as a free agent.
The France international was told publicly to leave Barca by the club during the January transfer window after talks over fresh terms broke down.
But after initially being shut out of the side, Dembele has forced his way back in and has been a consistent performer for the Blaugrana over the past four months.
Indeed, after setting up two goals in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Celta Vigo, Dembele has now assisted a LaLiga-high 13 goals this season.
That includes 11 assists alone since the turn of the year, which is two more than former team-mate Lionel Messi as the most across Europe's top five divisions in 2022.
Aubameyang profited from another of those assists against Celta and has called on Dembele, who he also linked up with at Borussia Dortmund, to remain at Camp Nou.
"He is my little brother," Aubameyang told Movistar+. "We have been together for a long time, from the first day he arrived at Dortmund.
"Over time we have built up this sibling relationship. That's why I love him so much.
"He's doing very well now and I am very happy for him. I hope with all my heart that he stays."
Dembele is one of three French players since 2006-07 to have provided 13 or more assists in a single season across Europe's top five leagues, along with Kylian Mbappe and Christopher Nkunku.
Aubameyang scored twice for Barca after Memphis Depay had earlier opened the scoring, before Iago Aspas' strike seemingly gave Celta a route back into the match.
That was Aspas' 10th goal in 15 LaLiga games against Barcelona, a tally that only Diego Forlan can match against the Catalan giants in the competition this century.
But Jeison Murillo was dismissed for a foul on Depay and Barca saw out the win, albeit one that was overshadowed by a sickening head injury sustained by Ronald Araujo.
Barca have now won three in a row to all but seal second place in LaLiga, though head coach Xavi was left with mixed feelings as his side were not at their best.
"We didn't play a good game, yet we still got the three points," he said. "The feeling is not overly good. We have to understand what each game requires.
"It was hard for us to understand that we had an extra man. We lacked the neatness that we have asked so much for. But we were effective and continue to fight for second."
Charlie Adam ‘gutted’ after Posh loss leaves Fleetwood on brink of relegation
Fleetwood boss Charlie Adam admitted his side were masters of their own downfall after being left on the brink of relegation from League One following a 4-1 defeat at Peterborough.
The Cod Army are facing up to a future in League Two after being left six points from safety with just two games to go.
They only have themselves to blame after Promise Omochere and Bosun Lawal both missed penalties before Adam’s men were put to the sword by play-off bound Posh.
Lawal fired Fleetwood ahead after just 13 seconds and then earned the ninth-minute penalty that Omochere saw saved by Posh keeper Jed Steer.
Malik Mothersille fired Posh level with his first English Football League goal and the game was still in the balance when Lawal was denied from the spot by Steer with 15 minutes to go.
Posh then took command with Archie Collins’ 81st-minute strike being followed by a stoppage-time brace from substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris.
Adam admitted: “I’m gutted for the players and supporters. That performance did not deserve that result.
“To come here and show the character that we did, I’m really proud of the players, but we walk away extremely disappointed.
“We had the perfect start, but when you get big moments in games you have to take them and we have missed two penalties.
“The two lads stepped up and were brave enough to take them, but unfortunately for us they missed them.
“The dressing room is quiet and flat. Of course it’s going to be as we’re in a position we don’t want to be.
“We have to win two games and see where we are at the end of the season.
“The lads will be off tomorrow, we’ll come back in Thursday and prepare as we always do. The challenge is to finish on two positive results to take into next season.”
Peterborough are six points off the automatic-promotion spots with a game in hand.
Boss Darren Ferguson said: “Starting the game in the way we did – conceding a goal like that without even touching the ball – is bordering on the unprofessional.
“I never felt comfortable throughout the game, but we managed to get the reaction we wanted from Saturday by winning the game.
“If I was Charlie I would be really disappointed with the two penalties as they’ve both been pretty comfortable saves for Jed. It was a case of getting out of jail really for us.
“Jonno came on, set one up and scored two; Jed made the two penalty saves; Malik came in and scored so there were positives for sure, but there are things we have to tidy up.
“We’re in the play-offs now and another point secures us being at home in the second leg.
“Second place is obviously Derby’s to throw away but football works in many strange ways and they still need a win.”
PSG and Borussia Dortmund win thrilling Champions League quarter-finals
Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris St Germain capitalised on the dismissal of Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-1 win in the second leg.
Barcelona ran out at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys armed with a 3-2 triumph from their first meeting in Paris and when Raphinha capitalised on Lamine Yamal’s skilful approach work to fire the opener, they had sight of the last four.
But a setback came in the 29th minute when defender Araujo was sent off for tripping winger Bradley Barcola on the edge of the area, VAR confirming the on-field decision for a red card.
The pressure built on the home goal and PSG hit back through Ousmane Dembele in the 40th minute before Vitinha drilled the French champions into the lead on the night.
Barcelona’s frustration extended to their manager Xavi, who was sent off for kicking some water bottles, and the Spanish club’s misery was complete when Mbappe was on target from the penalty spot before adding a late second for a 6-4 aggregate win.
PSG will face Borussia Dortmund in the penultimate round after the German club overturned a 2-1 deficit from the first leg to topple Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate.
In another pulsating quarter-final, Dortmund went 2-0 up through Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen before a Mats Hummels own goal and Angel Correa’s strike levelled the score.
Atletico were in the driving seat but the hosts responded magnificently with Niclas Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer hitting the target to ignite celebrations at the Westfalenstadion.
Michael Skubala proud of Lincoln performance in win at Oxford
Lincoln boss Michael Skubala labelled as “unbelievable” his team’s crucial 1-0 win at Oxford.
The Imps kept their season alive with a resolute defensive performance and a victory thanks to Danny Mandroiu’s 47th-minute penalty after Ruben Rodrigues was adjudged to have fouled Ben House.
The win enabled Lincoln to leapfrog Blackpool into seventh place in League One, just two points behind Oxford with two games to go.
Skubala said: “We were unbelievable – we have a special group here. We played for the shirt, you could see that.
“I can’t really pick anyone out, we were collectively fantastic and I’m just so proud of them.
“We said to them before the start ‘let’s just keep it alive and then see what the pressure might do’ and we’ve done that.
“We knew we couldn’t come here and dominate the ball, Oxford have some very good players.
“But we thought we could catch them on the counter and hurt them and the players carried out the game plan to perfection.
“It was a great penalty from Danny Mandroiu. He was as cool as ice.
“The way we ran the clock down was perfect.”
Lincoln’s win came despite losing Reeco Hackett in only the fifth minute to a bad arm injury.
They also had substitute Dylan Duffy sent off for a second yellow card in the 83rd minute, when he fouled Marcus Browne, but the 10 men held out.
Oxford manager Des Buckingham was unhappy with the penalty award.
He said: “I’ve watched it back and it’s as clear as day…. Ruben Rodrigues won the ball.
“So, yes, I’ve got complaints about the penalty because it’s a key moment and in the end that’s what has decided the outcome of the game.
“I think we played well enough, especially in the first half, to feel we should have won the game – we created a couple of big opportunities.
“If we keep presenting opportunities like the ones to Tyler Goodrham and Mark Harris I’m sure they’ll take them.
“But we’d scored 13 goals in the last three games, maybe we had used up our share.
“We’re in a strong position with two games to go. So I’m not going to stand here and keep moaning about the penalty – we’ve just got to refocus for Stevenage at home on Friday night.
“I’m disappointed the performance here hasn’t given us the result because we definitely deserved to get something from this game.”
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