Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has given his backing to Xavi and says the veteran midfielder remains a valuable member of the squad despite having played just 45 minutes in the opening five La Liga games.
'I'm fine, my family are fine. We're at home, as everyone has to be. We are spending time together, even though it's not a pleasant situation. My family are fine in Germany, we phone and video call each other'
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title for the first time since 2014
Reaction to the death of football great Johan Cruyff, who died in Barcelona on Thursday following a five-month battle with lung cancer.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
As Leicester City celebrates its unexpected title triumph, Bikash Mohapatra/Rediff.com lists similar success stories across Europe's top leagues.
Lionel Messi was in inspired form as champions Barcelona hammered Celta Vigo 5-0 on Saturday, recording a fourth straight league victory which keeps them top of La Liga after Real Madrid had put the pressure on the Catalans with a 4-1 win at Eibar.
Atletico Madrid secured a berth in the Champions League group stage for next season and Deportivo La Coruna narrowly escaped relegation when they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at champions Barcelona on the final day in La Liga on Saturday.
Barcelona's 2-1 loss at Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League last week was down to a lack of intensity while Sunday's 1-0 reverse at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga exposed their relative physical frailty.
English Premier League side Manchester City's revered manager Pep Guardiola on Saturday sent an emotional message for Indians, saying his team was playing for them on the pitch and urged them to stay strong in their fight against COVID-19.
Defending champions Bayern Munich must face Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid after they were drawn together in Champions League Group A alongside Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.
Coach Ernesto Valverde and midfielder Sergio Busquets were due to give a news conference before the training session but spoke to the media after training due to their late arrival.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field on Saturday
Barcelona were held 1-1 at home by Napoli in the first leg of their Europa League knockout stage playoff
Beat Mexico's Tigres 1-0 to win their sixth title.
Barcelona came through a testing local derby at Espanyol, winning 3-0 to cling to their slender lead at the top of La Liga after rivals Real Madrid had set the challenge by beating Valencia 2-1 in the earlier kick-off.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The last-16 knock-out round kicks-off this week with Chelsea visiting Paris on Tuesday; Zidane to coach Real Madrid as manager in his first match in Europe
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Mueller has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the Club World Cup final against Mexico's Tigres UANL on Thursday
The most impressive players at the FIFA World Cup 2022 after Round One.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Brazilian police locked Santos fans inside their home stadium for 20 minutes on Wednesday after violence erupted outside the Vila Belmiro ground following the team's elimination from the Copa Libertadores.
Check out the top footballers of the weekend.
Organisers say the soccer training sessions for children hosted at two refugee camps on the Greek island promote dialogue, respect and tolerance among the young participants, helping to easing stress and nurture friendships.
Atletico Madrid maintained a two-point lead in La Liga with a 3-0 victory at Las Palmas and Barcelona and Real Madrid stayed hard on their heels with thumping wins over Athletic Bilbao and Sporting Gijon on Sunday.
Manchester City's Abu Dhabi-controlled owner has agreed to sell a $500 million stake to US private equity firm Silver Lake, making it the world's most valuable soccer group with a $4.8 billion price tag.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
The goal machines of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk cranked into top gear on Tuesday as the Champions League captivated its continental audience with a record 40 goals in one eight-game night.
Rediff.com brings you these and other exciting news from the week gone by in this photo feature...
Images from Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid ensured top spot in La Liga at the midway point of the season when Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice in a 3-0 win at Getafe on Sunday before Lionel Messi's hat-trick helped Barcelona to a 4-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna.
Real Madrid's 5-0 thrashing of Granada on Saturday equalled a Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten in all competitions. Reuters Sport takes a look at the factors behind their run.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
Union Berlin's Paul Jaeckel scored a 76th-minute winner to give his team a 1-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday and send them two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner and Delhi Dynamos coach says 'ISL can also improve Indian players by having good coaches, academies which will help to grow Indian football'
The three teams with 100 percent records in this season's Champions League can secure their places in the knockout stage this week with two games to spare.
From Sania Mirza to Virat Kohli, even the likes of Virender Sehwag has shown that swagger on the runway.
