Barcelona should expect no Champions League favours from Bayern Munich, according to the Bavarians' chief executive Oliver Kahn, who says his team will give nothing away in their bid to top Group C.

Bayern have already secured their place in the competition's last 16 ahead of Wednesday's trip to Camp Nou, where they could condemn Barca to a humiliating early exit.

Having failed to beat Inter in back-to-back meetings earlier this month, the Blaugrana are on the verge of suffering successive group-stage eliminations from the Champions League for just the second time (also in 1997-98 and 1998-99).

Bayern sealed Barca's European fate last season with a 3-0 win over Xavi's side at the Allianz Arena, and Kahn says they are highly motivated to repeat the trick.

"We have nothing to give away in Barcelona. We want to achieve our goal and finish first in the group," Kahn told reporters on Tuesday.

"It is the strongest group, someone had to pay; Bayern, Inter or Barcelona. It's not over yet. We have the utmost respect for Barcelona. 

"The performances they show in the league are strong, they're outstanding. It is always a very important match between two great teams in Europe."

Bayern have won each of their last five Champions League meetings with Barca, and their desire to continue that run will likely have been increased by Robert Lewandowski's acrimonious move to Camp Nou in July.

Leon Goretzka recently said Lewandowski had been "spoiled" by Bayern's Champions League consistency during his time in Germany, but Kahn refused to repeat the midfielder's taunts.

"If you look at FC Bayern and the results in the Champions League in recent years, it's a success story, no question. [We've] always qualified for at least the round of 16," Kahn said.

"I don't know what Robert thinks about it – you'll have to ask him yourself."

Meanwhile, Kahn offered an update on the fitness of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who is thought to be close to a return following a spell on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

"With him, you just have to wait and see how things develop from day to day," former keeper Kahn added. "It's a painful story, but I don't think it's anything that serious. I think he should be ready again soon."

Xavi is refusing to give up hope of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League, even if he accepts his side face an almighty challenge to advance to the last 16.

Barca face being eliminated from the competition in the group stage in successive seasons heading into Wednesday's home tie with Bayern Munich.

Xavi's side will be unable to progress should they lose or if Inter beat bottom side Viktoria Plzen, while they will also be eliminated should both games be drawn.

The Catalan giants will be aware of their fate ahead of kick-off at Camp Nou as Inter host Plzen earlier in the day, but Xavi insists that result will not impact his team selection.

"We will all watch the game together in the locker room," Xavi said at Tuesday's pre-match news conference. "Regardless of what happens, we want to show we can compete.

"I already decided on the line-up on Monday, except for any injuries that occur. This is all regardless of what happens in the Inter game."

Barca's dramatic 3-3 draw with Inter two weeks ago effectively leaves them needing wins over Bayern and Plzen, while requiring favours elsewhere.

They have lost nine of their 12 Champions League games against next opponents Bayern, who are already through to the last 16, including the past five in a row.

Indeed, only Bayern themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single opponent in the history of the Champions League.

"It's not so much that we require a miracle, because we have a slight bit of hope," Xavi said. "We know it doesn't all depend on us, making it an uncomfortable situation.

"But we know that regardless of what happens in Milan, we face an important match. We have to beat Bayern to show we can compete at this level.

"While there is a little hope we must not lose it. We have done our homework. This competition is being cruel to us, but it's the reality we face."

Jose Mourinho last week labelled clubs that drop into the Europa League in the next round as a result of finishing third in their Champions League group as "failed sharks".

However, when asked for his response to Roma head coach Mourinho's remarks, Xavi said: "There's nothing to answer. If we have to play in that competition, we will compete.

"The [Europa League] is not something we're thinking about yet but if we do compete in that competition we'll go out and fight like lions to win it."

Barcelona have lost their past two home games against German opponents in Europe – against Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt – but have never previously lost three in a row.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is reportedly looking towards his "next career step", with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said to have a keen interest.

Son tied with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah for the Premier League's Golden Boot after a career-best 23 goals last season and was the only player with more than 16 goals to not take a penalty.

It was the sixth Premier League season in a row Son has tallied at least 11 goals, and despite the South Korean's slow start to this campaign, he has shown his class in spurts, including a hat-trick off the bench against Leicester City and an important brace in a 3-2 Champions League win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Tottenham sit in third place, five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, but if Son does not believe he can realistically win silverware with the club, the 30-year-old may view a move to a Champions League stalwart as now or never.

TOP STORY – REAL MADRID KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON SPURS' SON

According to Sport1, Ancelotti is monitoring Son's situation closely, however his contract situation gives Tottenham all the leverage as he is tied to the club until 2025.

The report claims there is also interest from world powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, and that an impressive performance in the World Cup – where South Korea will play Uruguay, Ghana and Portugal in the group stage – could see a club spurred into action in January.

Bild is reporting Bayern will not have an active January window, which would rule them out for the immediate future as any serious bid for the Tottenham star would need to be substantial.

However, with Tottenham desperate to retain the services of Antonio Conte – who the Times reported as saying he needs three more transfer windows to build the necessary depth at the club – selling one of his top players would be a step in the wrong direction.

ROUND-UP

– Ser Deportivos is reporting Real Madrid have offered an improved contract to Marco Asensio amid speculation that he may head to the Premier League when his contract expires after this season.

– According to O Jogo, Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in 18-year-old Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva.

– Arsenal are preparing an offer for 27-year-old Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic that is believed to be worth in the range of €50m, with their bid also including Albert Sambi Lokonga in a player exchange, per Calciomercato.

– Sport is reporting Barcelona view 25-year-old Ajax player Edson Alvarez as a potential successor to Sergio Busquets in the centre of midfield, although the Dutch giants supposedly rejected a €50m offer from Chelsea in the previous transfer window.

– According to The Mirror, Manchester United are eyeing Lille's Jonathan David, Lyon's Moussa Dembele or Bayer Leverkusen's Patrick Schick as potential replacements for Cristiano Ronaldo.

As is always the case when Barcelona fall short in the Champions League, the local media reaction was unforgiving.

"On the brink of disaster," screamed the Diario AS front page. Barcelona were hurtling towards "the abyss", according to L'Esportiu. 

Robert Lewandowski's 92nd-minute equaliser may have rescued a point in a 3-3 draw with Inter last time out in the competition, but it was not enough. 

Having suffered a 1-0 defeat at San Siro one week earlier, the result left the Blaugrana staring at an early Champions League exit.

Xavi acknowledged Barca did not deserve to progress following their madcap draw with the Nerazzurri, but that will be no consolation to their hierarchy should they bow out of the competition on Wednesday.

As Barca – just a few weeks on from a huge transfer spree and a positive start in LaLiga – prepare to host Bayern Munich in a do-or-die clash, Stats Perform examines the potential ramifications of yet another European failure.

Tracing Barca's Champions League woes as old foes visit 

Football has a funny way of throwing up narratives. Surely no team has been responsible for causing Barca greater embarrassment than Bayern, who have won nine of their 12 Champions League meetings with the Catalan giants (D1 L2).

Among those victories, of course, was an 8-2 humiliation of Quique Setien's team in the 2019-20 quarter-finals, an historic result that hastened Lionel Messi's attempts to quit Camp Nou that year.

Bayern also appeared to take great joy in crushing Barca last season, preventing Xavi's men from reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2003-04 (when they were absent from the competition entirely) by thrashing them 3-0 in a match with no consequences for the Bavarians.

The German side are already assured of their own last-16 spot again ahead of Wednesday's match, but they will no doubt be keen to deal another blow to their old rivals – particularly after the less-than-amicable departure of Lewandowski in July. 

While Bayern's domestic dominance makes their obsession with Champions League success understandable, Barca have suffered extensively after failing to meet lofty European aims of late.

Barca are looking to avoid suffering consecutive group-stage eliminations for just the second time in the competition, having previously crashed out at this stage in both 1997-98 and 1998-99, but their Champions League woes stretch back beyond last season.

Since lifting the trophy in 2015, Barca have posted four quarter-final exits and one last-16 elimination, as well as an incredible collapse against Liverpool in their one semi-final appearance.

Meanwhile, Barca have been beaten by three or more goals on 10 separate occasions in their past seven Champions League campaigns, having not lost by such a margin in their previous three seasons in the competition.

For a club who are in a state of perpetual crisis despite a run of five league titles in seven seasons between 2012-13 and 2018-19, the Champions League clearly holds special importance, which has only been heightened by recent off-pitch events.

The view from the boardroom: Why qualification matters for Laporta 

The economic 'levers' pulled by Joan Laporta were the talk of the continent a couple of months ago, with Barca spending in excess of €150million on Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, as well as attracting four high-profile free agents.

That spree was set against a backdrop of continued economic fears, with Barca accused of gambling their future to finance a short-term rebuild.

The sales of 10 per cent of their future LaLiga broadcasting rights and 49 per cent of their in-house production company Barca Studios were required in order for the Blaugrana to meet the division's salary limits – and even that was not enough to prevent director of football Mateu Alemany having to contribute his own money to ensure Kounde's registration.

The identity of their marquee addition Lewandowski, meanwhile, raises further questions. 

The Poland international may remain his indomitable self, following up a return of 35 goals in his final Bundesliga season with Bayern by scoring 12 in his first 11 outings in LaLiga, but handing a four-year contract to a player who turned 34 in August gave an idea of where Barca's priorities lie.

It is within this context that Laporta's view of the Blaugrana's European failings must be examined.

Reports have suggested Laporta was "furious" with Barca's inability to beat Inter, and the president's frustrations were on display when he stormed into the officials' changing room following their Clasico defeat to Real Madrid four days later, earning himself a fine.

It is thought Barca have budgeted for a run to the Champions League's last eight as a minimum this season, and failing to meet that objective would reportedly cost them €20m.

With Barca and Madrid seemingly fighting a losing battle in their attempts to convince Europe's other giants to back a revival of the Super League, the loss of further revenue is unlikely to go down well in the Camp Nou boardroom.

Could Xavi pay for Laporta's approach?

While Xavi's predecessor Ronald Koeman lost his job with Barca ninth in LaLiga, overseeing the club's worst ever start to a Champions League campaign hardly helped his cause, with a 3-0 loss at Benfica last September representing a watershed moment for the Dutchman.

Xavi has goodwill in the bank after leading Barca to second in LaLiga last term, but the former midfielder recently acknowledged a European exit would deal a blow to his own job prospects.

Indeed, resounding league wins over Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao have done little to lift the mood at Camp Nou, demonstrating a shift in expectations Xavi must handle.

Signing Lewandowski, who has 91 Champions League goals to his name, has also ensured Xavi has few excuses, at odds with Koeman's patched-up, Messi-less side.

Whether fair or not, Xavi is now perceived to have the players to compete with sides like Bayern; failure to do so would undoubtedly prompt questions of both the coach and the board.

Xavi may have restored Barca's status as domestic title contenders, but as ever in Catalonia, past European glories cast a long shadow.

If Xavi oversees another continental failure, he may just pay for Laporta's approach.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains in limbo at Manchester United after being exiled after exiting their 2-0 win over Tottenham prematurely last week.

Ronaldo and United manager Erik ten Hag were set for talks before a decision was made on letting him return to first-team training and be considered to play.

The 37-year-old Portuguese apologised for the incident on social media, but the situation appears delicate after an off-season where Ronaldo chased a move away from United.

TOP STORY – TEN HAG WILLING TO LET RONALDO GO IN JANUARY

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is willing to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave in January, reports The Mirror.

The Dutchman has publicly said Ronaldo is wanted at Old Trafford, but is ready to allow him to move on should an appropriate suitor be found, amid fresh links with Chelsea via Sunday World.

Ronaldo had pushed for an off-season move to a Champions League club but was unable to find a home, while he rejected a lucrative offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club.

ROUND-UP

– Le10Sport claims that Paris Saint-Germain are open to renewal talks with veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos ,   who is out of contract at the end of this season.

– Chelsea are eager to sign Inter right-back Denzel Dumfries amid interest from Juventus , claims Calciomercato.

– Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both weighing up making an offer to sign Juve midfielder Adrien Rabiot , Calciomercato also reports.

– Arsenal 's interest in Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka has cooled, according to the Express. West Ham are also interested in the Frenchman.

Xavi credited Ousmane Dembele's willingness to take risks after the France winger starred in Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou. 

Barca moved back to within three points of Real Madrid on the LaLiga table by putting Athletic to the sword on Sunday, with Dembele opening the scoring before recording three assists.

By laying on goals for Robert Lewandowski, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres, Dembele recorded four goal involvements in a single game for Barca for the first time, in what was his 165th Blaugrana appearance.

Dembele's tally of five assists in LaLiga is the best in the competition this season, and Xavi described the 25-year-old as a difference-maker following Barca's victory.

"He was in the spotlight because he takes risks and it's like a flip of a coin. He was especially motivated," Xavi told Movistar.

"He understood everything well. He's here to make a difference and he's capable of doing these things."

Barca raced into a three-goal lead within 22 minutes as Athletic collapsed, before controlling possession as Pedri repeatedly drifted inside from an unfamiliar left-wing role.

"We thought it was a game of intensity and rhythm, we understood that they were going to put a lot of pressure on us," Xavi said of Barca's approach.

"We put one more midfielder in and we attacked inside. We found the superiority and we matched their intensity, those were the keys. We showed solidarity and it was a complete game."

Barca endured a run of just one win in four matches earlier this month, losing to Clasico rivals Madrid and failing to beat Inter in two Champions League meetings, leading captain Sergio Busquets to emphasise the importance of their response.

"We came from a difficult week after losing against Madrid, but we have remade ourselves with two good games and we continue to fight for the top positions here," Busquets said.

"We came out very strong, because we knew that they are a very intense team and we wanted to match that intensity. 

"We had ten minutes of great success in front of goal and that made it easy for us to break up the match."

Ousmane Dembele scored and assisted three others as Barcelona warmed up for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich by thrashing Athletic Bilbao 4-0 at Camp Nou.

Xavi's team raced into a three-goal lead before half-time in Thursday's mauling of Villarreal and they repeated the trick on Sunday as Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski joined Dembele on the scoresheet within 22 minutes.

Having set up Roberto and Lewandowski, Dembele continued to terrorise Athletic after the break and helped Barca add some gloss when he teed up Ferran Torres for a neat finish late on.

The result moved Barca back to within three points of leaders Real Madrid in the LaLiga standings, with Los Blancos having moved clear with a 3-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday. 

Dembele opened the scoring after 12 minutes, testing Unai Simon before nodding in Lewandowski's cross after the striker had recycled the loose ball.

There was more fortune about Barca's second, which arrived when Roberto's shot deflected beyond Simon from a tight angle following Dembele's throughball. 

Dembele played a role again in Barca's third as Athletic crumbled, driving inside from the right to feed Lewandowski, who swivelled and lashed into the roof of the net.

Barca suffered a blow when Gavi limped off following a collision with Dani Garcia before the break, but they almost scored a fourth when Garcia's clearance hit Pedri and crashed against the post.

Dembele showcased his creative qualities once again when Barca completed the rout after 73 minutes, drilling a low cross into Torres, who shifted the ball to his right foot before finishing coolly. 

Leon Goretzka says Robert Lewandowski "was spoiled" at Bayern Munich as he taunted his former team-mate over Barcelona's Champions League struggles.

Barca face being eliminated from the competition in the group stage in successive campaigns for only the second time heading into Wednesday's tie with Bayern at Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants will be unable to advance to the last 16 should they lose or if Inter beat Viktoria Plzen, while they will also be eliminated should both games be drawn.

While Barca have struggled in Europe of late, Bayern have reached at least the quarter-finals in all but one of the past 11 seasons, which Goretzka says can be taken for granted.

"Lewy was very spoiled at Bayern, always being at least in the round of 16 and progressing," Goretzka told reporters. "But now we can no longer take that into account."

Bayern beat Barca 2-0 in last month's reverse fixture, in which Lewandowski missed two presentable opportunities, and are already assured of a place in the knockout stages.

The German side have defeated Barcelona in nine of their 12 Champions League encounters, including the past five in a row.

Only Bayern themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single side in the competition's history, and Goretzka is targeting another victory next week.

"If we play against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, it can be a preparatory game or a Champions League final, it doesn't matter," the Germany international added. 

"It's going to be a super cool game that we're looking forward to. And we will also do everything to win it."

Lewandowski has scored five Champions League goals for Barca, each of those coming at Camp Nou – the most ever by a Barca player after their first two matches.

The prolific striker lifted the famous trophy with Bayern in 2020, but he will have to settle for Europa League football – at best – if results go against his side.

"It's their last chance," Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting said. "I'm definitely looking forward to the game and to seeing Lewy. 

"He's a world-class player and a great guy. Playing against Barcelona is always something special."

Harry Kane's importance to Tottenham is as significant as the impact Lionel Messi had during his career at Barcelona, according to Clement Lenglet.

France defender Lenglet is well known to Messi having played alongside him at Camp Nou and also against the Argentina great during his time at Sevilla.

Messi had been a one-club man until the start of the 2021-22 season when Barca's perilous financial situation saw him depart for Paris Saint-Germain.

The superstar forward became the club's all-time leading scorer and a record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner at Barca, while he counts 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League medals among a plethora of honours won with Los Cules.

While Kane has yet to win a medal with Spurs, Lenglet – who joined Tottenham from Barca on loan in the last transfer window – talked up the impact he has on the club.

In quotes reported by the Daily Mail, Lenglet said: "When you stay a long time in the same place and you achieve so many good things with the club it means you become a part of this club. 

"Your face is connected to the club. For me, Messi is always a Barca player.

"For Harry it's the same. It's difficult to think of Harry in another country or playing for another team. Tottenham is a big club, Harry is a big player and Harry is a big part of Tottenham. 

"We speak a lot about the player and that's important because we are players but I give the same importance to what he is like as a guy. He is an amazing example for all his team-mates."

Describing what it is like to be play with and against Messi, Lenglet added: "You play with the greatest player in the world in my opinion. 

"He helps you improve every day. I played with him [for Barca] and against him for Sevilla – it's better with him!"

Lenglet has made just three Premier League starts for Spurs this season but said it only required a short conversation with boss Antonio Conte to persuade him to make the move to north London, where he is still adjusting to a new way of life.

"We spoke about a lot of things. He [Conte] told me if I came here I would improve because the league is so competitive, you have to be ready and focused every game," Lenglet said.

"He said if I came here I would be happy because I would progress as a football player and it has been a good decision.

"It's a different culture, a different way to work. I was in Spain for six years. You work one way, you think one way, the football is the same. Now, you come to England – a different league, different intensity, different way to work. It's a good way to improve."

Tottenham sit third in the Premier League and are out to rebound from defeat against Manchester United when they face Newcastle United on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United is coming to a head, having stormed out of their midweek win over Tottenham.

Ronaldo was sanctioned by the club and suspended for Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, but United boss Erik ten Hag has reiterated the Portuguese has a role to play at the club.

However, the 37-year-old has been frustrated by his status this season after trying to force a move away in the close season.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA FLOAT OFFER TO RONALDO FOR JANUARY

Chelsea are set to offer Cristiano Ronaldo a January lifeline with the club reigniting their interest in the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, according to Sunday World.

Ex-manager Thomas Tuchel was not keen to pursue Blues owner Todd Boehly's interest in Ronaldo in the last transfer window but with the German gone Chelsea are ready to move, drawn in by the Portuguese's huge commercial appeal.

The report claims Chelsea have floated a short-term deal until the end of the season to Ronaldo, with the option of a further year. Ronaldo is prepared to accept a pay cut to make the deal happen too.

ROUND-UP

– Napoli's Georgian whizz Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is being tracked by Manchester City, claim The Sun. The winger only joined Napoli in July but has dazzled with seven goals in 14 appearances.

– Calciomercato claims Chelsea defender Trevor Chalobah is being tracked by Inter as a potential replacement for the soon-to-be out of contract Milan Skriniar.

– Barcelona have an interest in young Borussia Dortmund striker Youssouf Moukoko, according to SPORT.

– The Mirror reports Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Portuguese right-back Diogo Dalot. Barcelona are also monitoring him.

– The Sun also reports Manchester United have joined Liverpool in pursuing a move for Chicago Fire's Colombian teenage forward Jhon Duran.

The Frenkie de Jong transfer rumour mill is heating up once again as we get closer to January, with Chelsea and Liverpool reportedly set to join Manchester United in the pursuit of the Barcelona midfielder.

De Jong, 25, was one of the most ubiquitous names in the most recent transfer window, with United and Barcelona in regular communication as Erik ten Hag tried to recruit his former Ajax pupil.

After deciding to remain at Camp Nou, despite the LaLiga club urging him to leave to help ease their finances, De Jong has started six out of 14 matches for the Blaugrana so far this season.

With their Champions League campaign looking headed for an early exit, and more playing time likely on the table in the Premier League, it may seem more palatable for the Dutch international to make the jump in January.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE GIANTS PREPARE BIDS FOR BARCELONA'S DE JONG

Barcelona and United agreed on a deal starting at €65million plus add-ons before De Jong decided to veto the move by refusing to sign a contract with the Old Trafford side.

With his contract still tying him to Barcelona until 2026, there is no reason to believe that figure would dip unless the Catalan outfit are desperate to get a deal done.

ESPN's report claims Chelsea have had their interest spurred by the injury status of N'Golo Kante, who will apparently miss around four months after undergoing surgery on his hamstring, while Liverpool have made no secret about their desire for midfield reinforcements, and are said to have contacted De Jong's representatives.

ROUND-UP

– According to Football Italia, Juventus will be willing to sell 24-year-old American midfielder Weston McKennie for €20m in January.   

– The Evening Standard is reporting Arsenal are interested in 23-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Evan Ndicka, with the French international set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

– Wilfried Zaha is likely to reject a new contract from Crystal Palace so he can join a top-six Premier League side when his deal expires at the end of the season, per the Daily Mail.

– Football Insider claims 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko has caught the eye of the world's elite clubs, with interest coming from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.

– Le 10 Sport is reporting Inter view Sevilla centre-back Tanguy Nianzou and Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby as potential replacements for Milan Skriniar, with the Slovakian expected to leave in January.

Wolves captain Ruben Neves said it is a "privilege" to be linked with Barcelona as any player in the world would want to join the Catalan giants.

Neves is reportedly a target for Barca after catching the eye with some outstanding displays for Wolves and Portugal.

The midfielder has been a revelation since arriving at Molineux from Porto in 2017, helping the club win promotion and establish themselves in the Premier League.

Neves, who is under contract until 2024, expressed his pride that the Blaugrana could be keen to lure him to Camp Nou.

He told Portuguese broadcaster Canal 11: "Who wouldn't want to try Barcelona? I think it's a common question for all players.

"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world. Of course, it's always a privilege for me to be associated with clubs of this calibre."

However, the 25-year-old says he is focused on turning Wolves' fortunes around after a poor start to the season resulted in head coach Bruno Lage being sacked this month. 

He added: "I'm going to do my job here and I'm sure I have people working with me. I trust these people a lot for these situations.

"I have to focus as much as I can on Wolves. Having a good time here, things will come naturally."

Gavi has added the Golden Boy award to the Kopa Trophy he won earlier this week, following in the footsteps of Barcelona team-mate Pedri by winning both prizes in the same year.

The 18-year-old saw off competition from the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham to land the Kopa Trophy – given to the best player in the world under the age of 21 – at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony.

At a press conference in Palermo on Friday, it was revealed that Gavi had beaten another 19 nominees – including that aforementioned trio – to land the Golden Boy prize, which follows similar rules to the Kopa Trophy,

Gavi has become the third player to win the Golden Boy award while representing Barcelona, after Lionel Messi in 2005 and Pedri in 2021.

The teenager has been a revelation since breaking into the Blaugrana's first team, scoring twice and providing six assists as he made 34 appearances in LaLiga last season.

That form has seen the diminutive midfielder win 12 caps for Spain after becoming the youngest player to represent La Roja's senior side in October last year.

Barcelona had four players shortlisted for the award, with Ansu Fati and Nico Gonzalez – who is currently on loan at Valencia – joining Gavi and Pedri among the final 20 nominees.

Manuel Neuer should be fit to represent Germany at the World Cup but is likely to miss Bayern Munich's trip to Barcelona next week, according to Julian Nagelsmann.

Neuer last featured for Bayern in their dramatic 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund on October 8, with a shoulder injury leading Sven Ulreich to take his place between the sticks for their past three games.

The goalkeeper will be absent once again when Bayern visit Hoffenheim on Saturday, and Nagelsmann doubts he will be involved when they bid to eliminate Barca from the Champions League on Wednesday. 

However, Nagelsmann has eased fears he could miss out on a trip to Qatar, saying: "Manuel is still in pain. He probably can't play in Barcelona either, we're planning for Mainz [on October 29].

"Issues can certainly happen if he starts too early, and we want to avoid that. We have to wait until the healing process is such that he can play again. 

"I don't think the World Cup is in danger. Manuel knows his body best and knows with which pains he can play. 

"He trained in the weight room yesterday. It's up and down, day-to-day, but I don't think it will last that long. I'm hoping he'll be back against Mainz."

Bayern have been forced to cope with several selection problems recently, enduring a spate of COVID-19 cases and seeing Leroy Sane sidelined with a muscle injury. 

Thomas Muller is the latest player to be ruled out of the trip to Hoffenheim, leading Nagelsmann to highlight the importance of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

"Leroy Sane is known, Thomas Muller is also out, he has gastrointestinal problems," he added. "He's not happy with that, but I think he will be fine before the Champions League game. Other than that, there is nothing new, everyone is fine.

"Kingsley Coman can play again. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting coped well with the games and it's important that he's there after Muller's absence."

Choupo-Moting registered two goal involvements after starting a Bundesliga game for the first time since November 2016 last week, scoring and assisting in a 5-0 win over Freiburg.

Meanwhile, the former Paris Saint-Germain forward has recorded more goal contributions against Hoffenheim (nine – six goals, three assists) than against any other Bundesliga side.

Nagelsmann made his name as a coach during a successful three-year spell with Hoffenheim, leading the club to Champions League qualification at the end of the 2016-17 season, and admits Saturday's match represents a unique occasion.

"It's a special game for me. It's a club close to my heart," he added. "I had many successful years there and met a lot of friends and great colleagues there."

Hoffenheim have taken 17 points from their first 10 Bundesliga matches this season – their best return at this stage of a campaign since Nagelsmann led them in 2016-17 (20).

Barcelona boss Xavi believes his side answered their critics with their emphatic 3-0 win over Villarreal in LaLiga, stating that they "had to react" after their mixed recent form.

The Blaugrana ran rampant in a seven-minute stretch just after the half-hour mark, as Robert Lewandowski seized a quickfire double and Ansu Fati added a third at Camp Nou.

Victory means Barca trail league leaders Real Madrid by three points after defeat in El Clasico over the weekend, but also snaps a two-game winless streak to get them back on top.

With just one win in their previous four before Thursday's win, Xavi acknowledged his side needed to answer their critics, and was delighted that they did so in such impressive fashion.

"We played a great game," he stated. "It was our turn [to win] - we had to reach. It wasn't easy, because a lot was expected of us after poor results.

"There are many expectations placed upon us this season. But we showed our true face, we showed character. It is a good feeling in general."

Barca rung the changes following their capitulation in El Clasico, with Fati leading one of five swaps to the starting XI, with Frenkie de Jong handed the nod in midfield and Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele dropped.

Xavi suggested his rotations were pre-planned rather than as a result of defeat to Madrid, adding: "On Sunday, there will be changes again.

"We have fatigue among our players. We need intensity and we need rhythm. Players must be plugged in, for the minutes they play."