Real Madrid dropped points for the third time in seven games since Zinedine Zidane's return as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Getafe in La Liga on Thursday, which harmed their neighbours' hopes of a top-four finish.
Lionel Messi scored his 12th league goal of the season but Barcelona had to rely on exceptional saves from Marc-Andre ter Stegen as they rode their luck to win 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday and stay four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Xavi produced a goal of surgical precision to give Barcelona a 3-2 win over AC Milan on Wednesday in an enthralling Champions League match which also featured Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring against the Catalan club he left acrimoniously last year.
Champions Real Madrid were beaten at home by promoted Cadiz, while Barcelona fell to their first defeat in La Liga under new coach Ronald Koeman as they lost to Getafe.
Espanyol have agreed a deal for goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to join Real Madrid, the Catalan club said on Friday.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Neymar will play in the Olympics in August and will miss the Centenary Copa America in the United States in June, his club Barcelona said on Wednesday to end months of speculation.
Neymar took time to settle but is finally shining in Barcelona's devastating attacking trident with Villarreal the next La Liga opponents in their sights on Sunday as the Catalans continue their pursuit of Real Madrid.
Barcelona slipped five points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid when Alvaro Vazquez netted a shock late equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Sunday.
Lionel Messi has dismissed talk of chasing records after the Argentine struck twice in Wednesday's 5-0 Champions League win at BATE Borisov to equal Ladislau Kubala as Barcelona's second highest scorer of all time on 194 goals.
Barcelona, fielding a side full of youngsters from the club's academy, routed Catalan neighbours Hospitalet to complete a 10-0 aggregate win over the third-tier side to reach the last 16 of Spain's King's Cup on Thursday.
IMAGES from the Champions League quarter-final played between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Lisbon on Friday.
In the women's section being held simultaneously, the Indians came back strongly to beat Poland 3-1 aided by victories from D Harika and Tania Sachdev on board two and three. Its surprising that Tania Sachdev was rested in the previous round when the Indian team drew with Serbia, losing on last two boards.
Jose Mourinho wants to prove there has been a shift in the balance of power towards his Real Madrid side when the La Liga leaders host bitter rivals Barcelona in the opening 'Clasico' of the campaign on Saturday.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has reassured his club's supporters that Lionel Messi's new contract has been signed, albeit by the player's father.
The clinical Argentine Messi now has 11 goals in his last five games in all competitions and with record signing Ousmane Dembele injured and Luis Suarez rested, he put on a sensational show at Camp Nou to extend Barcelona's La Liga lead.
'The pandemic has caused football to change a lot, and for the worse. You can see it in the matches, and I hope this all ends soon and we can get fans back into the stadiums and return to normality.'
The Catalans are overwhelming favourites to win the game and have an outstanding home record in the Champions League, remaining unbeaten at the Nou Camp in the competition since losing to Bayern Munich in 2013.
Ronaldinho has not played a competitive match since 2015 but had avoided calling a definitive halt to his career until now.
Paris St Germain suffered their first defeat of the season when they were beaten 2-0 at Stade Rennais on Sunday to drop their first Ligue 1 points of the season.
As we near the end of another eventful year, 15 top moments from the world of arts and culture.
Images from football action around European leagues played on Sunday
Joaquin, 37, became the oldest scorer in a Seville top-flight derby when he rose to head home at the near post in the 79th minute, shortly after the visitors had had midfielder Roque Mesa sent off for two bookings.
Three Euro MPs want the European Union to probe Gareth Bale's 100 million euros ($111.25 million) move from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid in 2013, according to media reports.
Thousands of Barcelona fans danced, sang and shouted with joy on the streets of the Catalan capital after their heroes secured a fourth European Cup triumph at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Barca's Suarez in firing line after European away goals drought
Chelsea have signed Barcelona's teenage midfielder Oriol Romeu on a four-year deal, last season's Premier League runners-up said on their website on Thursday.
The situation Cesc Fabregas finds himself in at Arsenal is akin to a 'kidnapping' and the English club should allow him to return to Barcelona, the mayor of his home town was quoted as saying on Friday.
'He's an exceptional talent, him and Cristiano have been the best players in the world the last decade and he showed why we think that and why this team have won the Champions League so many times'
Moreno, who holds a degree from the University of Barcelona in trade and international relations, began working alongside Luis Enrique with Barcelona's B team in 2010 in the scouting department.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will sign a contract extension on Wednesday, the La Liga champions said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com).
Santiago Solari got off to the perfect start as Real Madrid's interim coach when his side thrashed Melilla 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
The Catalans will not just be looking to extend their domestic hegemony, though, as they have spent a combined 250 million euros ($280 million) on a renewed bid to win the Champions League.
Rafael Nadal maintained his ominous claycourt form by seizing back the Barcelona Open title from Kei Nishikori with a 6-4, 7-5 victory on Sunday, matching Guillermo Vilas's record title haul on the surface.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and leading scorer Lionel Messi described their 2011 La Liga crown as the toughest of titles after securing top spot with a 1-1 draw at Levante on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo repeated allegations that referees favour Barcelona after his side were eliminated from the Champions League by their bitter rivals in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Barcelona's slick football at a rain-swept Nou Camp had Real Madrid chasing shadows for long periods again as the Catalans reached the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw sent the 2009 winners through 3-1 on aggregate.
Barcelona plan to attack Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg despite holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, coach Pep Guardiola said on Monday.
