Messi clarified why he could not take part in the game after his name was attached to false narratives.
Real Madrid had courted Mbappe in the past but failed to land the player, who signed a contract extension with PSG in May 2022 when the Spanish club had a bid rejected.
Busquets, who retired from international duty last year, has made more than 700 appearances for Barcelona and holds the record for playing in more El Clasicos than any other player with 48 appearances against Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid.
Neymar should return to Spain with renewed enthusiasm after leading Brazil to their first soccer gold medal at an Olympic Games, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. Neymar, who has scored 85 goals in 141 games in his three seasons at Barcelona, was given permission to stay in Brazil until after international games early next month. "I think it's a good decision to grant him (Neymar) that," Pique told El Mundo Deportivo. "He has earned it.
Sergio Aguero scored a dramatic late winner as Atletico Madrid twice came from behind to stun visiting Barcelona 4-3 on Sunday, leaving the Catalans just four points clear at the top in Spain.
Carlos Alcaraz made a winning start in his bid to claim a first French Open title
Barcelona capitalised on two disastrous own goals by A S Roma to thrash the Italian side 4-1 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday and take a huge step towards reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in three years.
Barcelona wrap up 23rd La Liga crown with Lionel Messi goal.
Promoted Alaves dealt champions Barcelona a shock 2-1 defeat at the Nou Camp on Saturday while Cristiano Ronaldo returned from injury to help Real Madrid thrash Osasuna 5-2 and go two points clear at the top of La Liga. With Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta on the bench, Barcelona went behind to the visitors in the 39th minute before Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu equalised in the 46th. Ibai Gomez then scored the winner in the 64th.
Barcelona are on the verge of Champions League elimination after being thrashed 3-0 by Juventus in Turin on Tuesday, and few believe lightning can strike twice.
Chelsea wrapped up their pre-season tour of the United States on a high note by beating Barcelona in a shootout after their International Champions Cup match ended 2-2 on Tuesday.
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as his side thrashed arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-1 on Sunday in a highly entertaining 'Clasico' which surely will signal the end of hapless coach Julen Lopetegui's spell in charge of Real.
Barcelona have asked Spain's Court for Sport (TAD) to open disciplinary proceedings against La Liga chief Javier Tebas after he criticised the team's reaction to an empty bottle being thrown in from the stands during a goal celebration.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi was at the heart of another devastating attacking show.
Frank Rijkaard will leave Barcelona at the end of the season and former captain Pep Guardiola will take over as coach of the team, club president Joan Laporta announced on Thursday. Former Netherlands international Rijkaard took charge of Barcelona in 2003 and led them to back-to-back league titles and victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final in Paris in 2006.
With Brazilian striker Neymar on the verge of a record-breaking move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, according to the player's agent, Mbappe would represent an ideal replacement at the Catalan club should that transfer go ahead.
Messi opened the scoring after two minutes and eight seconds, the quickest goal of his career, slipping the ball through Thibaut Courtois' legs from a tight angle.
Barcelona completed one of the most extraordinary comebacks in European football history to knock Paris St Germain out of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 6-1 victory that rewrote the record books.
'If I feel good, I will try to continue competing because it's what I like and what I know how to do.'
Atletico Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 home victory over Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday thanks to an own-goal by Rui Silva and a header by Alvaro Morata as Diego Simeone's side ended a three-game winless run in all competitions.
Barcelona continued their rampant run of domestic form to beat Osasuna 2-0 away from home on Saturday and move to within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, with Lionel Messi setting up goals scored by Jordi Alba and teenager Ilaix Moriba.
'Trust me, the comeback of Leo Messi only depends on him.'
Barcelona have announced they will appeal the yellow card given to Lionel Messi during the team's 2-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday.
A controversial Gerard Deulofeu strike sent Barcelona on their way to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Malaga on Saturday as they stretched their lead at the top of La Liga.
Lionel Messi was at the top of his game as Barcelona earned a 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday to move up to third in La Liga.
Marco Asensio followed up his brilliant late goal in Sunday's first leg with a stunning effort from 30 metres in the fourth minute that proved a punishing blow for the Catalans.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
'We are going through difficult and complicated moments and with respect to what could happen in the future we will take it on with calm and wisdom'
Holders Barcelona were drawn on Friday to play Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals of the King's Cup while Celta Vigo will take on Real Madrid.
Barcelona squandered the chance to go 11 points clear in La Liga on Sunday after blowing a two-goal lead in the space of six minutes in a 2-2 draw at Villarreal overshadowed by a controversial penalty.
Barcelona forward Neymar, his parents and two of the club's executives should stand trial for alleged corruption, Spain's High Court said on Monday as it wrapped up a fraud investigation into the Brazil international's transfer to the Catalan team. The case stems from a complaint by a Brazilian investment group, DIS, which owned part of Neymar's transfer rights and which alleges it received less money than it was entitled to.
Lionel Messi is not interested in leaving Barcelona in the wake of his sentencing for tax fraud, according to club spokesman Josep Vives.
Reports in British media put the latest bid at 125 million euros.
Spanish football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have overtaken baseball's New York Yankees as the highest paid teams in global sport, according to the Global Sports Salaries Survey 2011.
Michael Owen scored a brilliant 76th minute goal to give Manchester United a 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona on Saturday night.
Barcelona's appeal against a FIFA sanction for an alleged breach of rules on the transfer of foreign Under-18 players has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Spanish club said on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old France striker will sign a four-year contract with the Spanish club.
After the high of Monte Carlo Masters title triumph, India's Rohan Bopanna and his partner Pablo Cuevas suffered a first round exit at the ATP Barcelona Open.
Old rivals Real Madrid will play Bayern Munich for the 17th time in European competition in the Champions League first knockout round.
Al-Nassr last week cancelled their two-game China tour due to the absence of the 38-year-old Ronaldo.
