'I speak with Cristiano all the time and I know him very well. He knows that until now he played 60-70 games a season and the accumulation of all those years meant he needs to rest a little'
Barcelona earned a thrilling 3-2 win at Celta Vigo in their opening Primera Liga match.
Real Madrid beat Leganes 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday after coach Zinedine Zidane heavily rotated his side in preparation for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, including leaving out top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
FC Barcelona's Asia Pacific director general Jordi Camps believes it is a matter of time before an Indian plays in Spanish top-flight.
Griezmann goal earns Atletico first win of season
Revolution is in the air at Real Madrid after their Champions League empire was razed to the ground with an astounding 4-1 loss at home to Ajax Amsterdam, with a huge clear out of players expected as well as a change of manager.
Barcelona reached an agreement to sign Iceland striker Eidur Gudjohnsen on a four-year deal from Chelsea.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The Swedish striker's contract was extended for an extra year despite him missing the rest of the season due to a serious knee injury.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid's Gareth Bale came off the bench and coolly converted a controversial penalty to secure a 2-1 win at Levante in La Liga on Sunday as the European champions rode their luck to stay within nine points of leaders Barcelona.
Barcelona expect AC Milan to go all out for victory at the Nou Camp on Wednesday
Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand played out an easy draw with black against local star Anish Giri but slipped to joint second spot after the sixth round of Tata Steel Chess tournament, in Wijk Aan Zee, on Saturday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
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.
Striker Samuel Eto'o scored a sparkling double as Barcelona rallied from a goal down to beat Getafe in the Primera Liga.
FC Barceloana laid out a memorable tribute to veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the Champions League 2nd semi-final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at Nou Camp on Wednesday
Barcelona were knocked out of the King's Cup after Zaragoza registered a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Barcelona kept up the pressure on La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid when Lionel Messi struck from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win at Espanyol in Saturday's Catalan derby.
Luis Suarez struck twice and Lionel Messi scored on his 500th appearance for Barcelona who set a new Spanish record of goals in a calendar year with a 4-0 win over Real Betis that lifted them top of La Liga on Wednesday.
Brazilian winger Gustavo Dos Santos' late strike enabled Delhi Dynamos to pip North East United 2-1 en route their semi-final qualification in the Indian Super League.
It is a scenario few could have foreseen after Real won a Liga and Champions League double last term and began this season so convincingly.
The Brazilian ace turned in a brilliant display as Barcelona beat Werder Bremen 3-1 to clinch the top spot in the Champions League, Group C.
Despite Barcelona's exit from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, coach Luis Enrique said their victory over Sevilla in the King's Cup on Sunday had capped a "fantastic" season.
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta believes his team will be made to suffer by Sevilla in the King's Cup final on Sunday, but that they will emerge victorious.
Viswanathan Anand drew with tournament leader Levon Aronian of Armenia in the eighth and penultimate round to stay in sixth position at the Altibox Norway chess tournament in Stavanger, Norway.
Rafael Nadal eased past Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-1 to reach the Barcelona Open third round on Wednesday as he began his bid for a ninth title on the clay in the Catalan capital.
The Catalans routed Panathinaikos 5-0 and marched into the last 16 of the Champions League.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Influential Spain defender Gerard Pique has said he will retire from international soccer after the 2018 World Cup, because he is "tired" of the criticism levelled at him from supporters. The Barcelona centre-back was the focus of attention in Sunday's World Cup qualifier with Albania after having cut off the sleeves from his shirt which bore Spain's colours of yellow and red. Pique, who has an awkward relationship with Spain fans for his repeated jibes at Real Madrid and his support for a referendum on Catalan independence, was heavily criticised on social media and in the sports press for the act.
The Spanish giants beat Udinese 4-1 at home in the Champions League.
