The Catalans have kept five clean sheets in their last six games, which bodes well for their title run in.
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.
Lionel Messi played down his impact at Barcelona on Monday, saying coach Pep Guardiola is more important to the Catalans.
Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a 3-1 win at home to Napoli for a 4-2 aggregate victory which took the club into the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Bayern Munich.
The victory takes Barcelona up to fourth with 10 points after six games, one point behind surprise leaders Granada, Athletic Bilbao, who visit Leganes on Wednesday, and Real Madrid ahead of their game at home to Osasuna the same night.
Espanyol have agreed a deal for goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to join Real Madrid, the Catalan club said on Friday.
'They were better than us for some spells and we know what awaits us over there' Valverde pointed to his team's sensational exit from last year's competition to AS Roma after a 4-1 cushion from the first leg and said they would be taking nothing for granted in Tuesday's return game at Anfield.
Barcelona's bid for a fourth straight La Liga title is foundering due to their erratic away form but Tuesday's 3-1 Champions League victory at Bayer Leverkusen suggests they are unlikely to suffer the same problem in Europe.
Messi ran amok at Wembley Stadium, slicing Spurs apart with incisive passes from deep, such as the one that allowed Philippe Coutinho to open the scoring, and was as dangerous as ever in front of goal, firing in the Catalan side's final two goals to end their winless run of three games.
Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to play.
Rafa Nadal became the first player in the open era to win two tournaments seven times when he fought off tenacious Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 7-6, 7-5 to win a thrilling Barcelona Open final on Sunday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has paid an emotional tribute to Pep Guardiola, after he announced leaving the Catalans at the end of the season.
The Argentine failed to find the net for Barcelona in either leg of the Champions League semi-final, meaning he has now been unable to score against Chelsea in eight outings, by far his worst record against any club.
Images from the El Clasico match between Barcelona and Real Madrid played at Camp Nou on Saturday.
Following is a selection of Spanish words and phrases which help explain the intense rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona played out in the El Clasicos
The European champions, who were humbled 3-0 by tiny Eibar last week, took a fortuitous lead when Valencia midfielder Daniel Wass nodded a Dani Carvajal cross into his own net in the eighth minute after former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista had failed to clear the danger.
'I arrived at Manchester United a boy, and I left a man'
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.
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.
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.
Barcelona have been linked to a host of forwards during the winter transfer window as they seek experienced backup options for Luis Suarez.
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.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up two more as the Catalans thrashed Real Valladolid 5-1 to move top of La Liga on Tuesday.
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.
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.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
Barcelona have been very active in the transfer market in recent years, completing three of the top six most expensive transfers ever.
News that transpired on and off the football field.
In other ties, Serie A champions Juventus face Europa League winners Atletico Madrid and Barcelona take on Olympique Lyonnais.
Lionel Messi scored one penalty and missed another as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 1-0 on Saturday to open up a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga.
It was Messi's 56th converted penalty in La Liga and saw him draw level with Hugo Sanchez as the league's second-top penalty taker, behind record holder Cristiano Ronaldo on 61.
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.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg matches played on Tuesday
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.
'There is no price limit to let him go or a price that we are ready to give in'
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger used to dream about Luis Suarez, the signing that got away, and he will be hoping the Uruguayan striker doesn't give him nightmares when holders Barcelona visit in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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