Barcelona news

Barcelona are increasingly confident that Raphinha will return to action soon, as the Brazilian winger enters the final phase of his recovery from a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old has been out for six weeks, double the original estimate, but is expected to resume group training this week and could travel for the upcoming clash with Celta Vigo.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been told that his GOAT battle with eternal rival Lionel Messi is “not even close”, with former Brazil international Filipe Luis explaining why Argentina’s iconic No.10 is the undisputed greatest of all-time. The ex-Atletico Madrid and Chelsea defender has faced plenty of iconic figures down the years, and considers Messi to be the pick of the bunch.

The list of top goal-scorers through the early weeks of La Liga's season is full of familiar faces. Kylian Mbappe is well out in front having netted 13 times in just 11 games, while Julian Alvarez, Vinicius Jr and Ferran Torres are among the chasing pack. But in amongst those household names is a player in Karl Etta Eyong who has emerged from complete obscurity to being on the transfer radar of Europe's biggest clubs; the true personification of a Hidden Gem...

Real Madrid centre-back Dean Huijsen has leapt to the defence of his team-mate Vinicius Junior following his temper tantrum during the 2-1 win over Barcelona. The Brazilian was enraged after being asked to come off in the second half by Xabi Alonso, with the reaction drawing significant backlash. Huijsen, however, blamed the media for making a "huge fuss" over the incident.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has played down concerns about a potential rift between Lamine Yamal and Dani Carvajal after their heated exchange following El Clasico. The Roja boss insists there is “no strange behaviour” in the squad and confirmed he has spoken to the Barcelona and Real Madrid players, stressing unity ahead of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

GOAL US unpacks the main weekend storylines from the Premier League, La Liga and other top competitions in The Euro XI

Lionel Messi may now be dazzling fans in Miami, but Barcelona remains close to his heart. The Argentine legend and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, threw a spectacular FC Barcelona-themed party for their eldest son Thiago’s 13th birthday, complete with the club’s iconic colours, the “Mes Que un Club” motto, and a cake shaped like Camp Nou — a touching nod to where it all began for La Pulga.

Marcus Rashford has informed Barcelona fans that he “can do better” after finding the target again in a comfortable victory over Elche. The Manchester United outcast is still searching for consistency, having endured those issues for some time now, but remains confident that he can deliver on expectations across a season-long loan with the Catalan heavyweights.

Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde has defended teammate Lamine Yamal over the scrutiny he has faced in recent weeks. The 18-year-old has not been at his best since September, when he succumbed to an injury in his pubic area while playing for Spain. Ever since his return, he has struggled to match his previously dizzying heights, with the glare of the spotlight shining on the youngster.

Levante's young forward Etta Eyong is in sublime form in La Liga and has garnered attention over the past few months from major Spanish clubs. On one hand, there is Real Madrid, whose decision-makers view Eyong as a promising prospect, and on the other hand, there is Barcelona, who had wanted to sign the Cameroonian in the previous window. The 22-year-old has now made a decision over which club he would prefer to join, if bids are tabled.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their home comforts in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

Elche's on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort has revealed a personal post-match conversation with Hansi Flick, saying that the manager "cares about me." The youngster also lifted the lid on the "special" experience of facing his close friend Lamine Yamal during Elche's 3-1 LaLiga defeat, a match which also saw Inaki Pena return to face his parent club.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, who was overjoyed at teenage sensation Lamine Yamal's goal against Elche, has stated that the Spaniard's injury problems are not yet over. Although the 18-year-old managed his fourth goal of the campaign, he is yet to rediscover his best form thus far this term.