Chelsea will be desperate for Champions League revenge after Barcelona snatched an added-time equaliser to deny them a place in the 2009 final, the scorer of the goal Andres Iniesta said on Monday.
Arteta, who will lead City in their Champions League opener against Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday because manager Pep Guardiola is suspended, also said that his team were better placed to challenge for top European honours this season.
Barcelona have a doubt over midfielder Xavi as they prepare to go on the offensive in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against AC Milan on Tuesday.
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol's recovery from a knee injury has progressed sufficiently for him to be included in the squad to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday, the La Liga leaders said on Friday.
Champions Manchester City could only muster a 2-2 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Lionel Messi scored four as Barcelona came from behind to thrash Valencia 5-1 at home, closing the gap on La Liga leaders Real Madrid back to 10 points on Sunday.
Real Madrid moved seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3-1 win over bottom side Real Zaragoza as Barcelona could only draw 0-0 at lowly Villarreal on Saturday.
Reaching the King's Cup final is of even greater importance than usual for Real Madrid following a demoralising setback in La Liga.
Yaya Toure's agent says the Manchester City midfielder plans to stay and fight for his place despite being left out of their first game of the season. The Ivorian, who played under new manager Pep Guardiola when the pair were at Barcelona, was omitted for Saturday's narrow 2-1 win over Sunderland in City's Premier League opener.
A depleted Barcelona reached the King's Cup semi-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win over Real Betis despite losing Wednesday's second leg to the second division leaders.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Victor Valdes are unavailable for the King's Cup last-16 first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday because of flu and fever, the La Liga club said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).
European champions Barcelona have pledged to capture the Club World Cup for striker David Villa, who suffered a sickening leg break in Thursday's semi-final in Japan.
Striker David Villa will be out for up to five months after breaking his left leg in Barcelona's 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al Sadd of Qatar on Thursday.
The 21-year-old striker's value has skyrocketed thanks to his prolific form at Dortmund after joining them from Austrian side Salzburg two years ago.
European champions Barcelona have swept the board in World Soccer magazine's prestigious annual awards with Lionel Messi named World Player of the Year, Pep Guardiola Manager of the Year and the side that won the Spanish and Champions League last season named as Team of the Year.
Liverpool, beaten by Arsenal on Sunday, lead the table on 51 points from 23 games but City are up to 49 from 22 and Arsenal on 49 from 23.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
With Barcelona already through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners, Pep Guardiola gave several young players from the club's academy a chance against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday and they did not disappoint.
The 37-year-old Mikel Arteta played for Arsenal from 2011 to 2016 before moving to Manchester City as assistant manager, where he won the Premier League twice.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Sky Sports said that the 31-year-old Argentine was on his way to City's training facility in his car when the accident occurred.
Manchester City took another decisive step toward an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title with a 4-0 demolition of Fulham.
Premier League champions in 2012 and 2014, Manchester City went to the top of the table with a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday. They moved on goal difference above Chelsea and neighbours Manchester United, who have also won their three opening games.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's much-anticipated return to Barcelona was scuppered on Monday when the AC Milan striker was injured in training and ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League Group H opener at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola named injury concerns Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta in his starting team to play Manchester United in the Champions League final on Wednesday. United central defender Rio Ferdinand was also included in the starting lineup after shaking off a calf injury.
Manchester City clinched a 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur, while Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Aston Villa.
Silvinho may have been a mere decoy or he could be Barcelona's answer to a defensive problem in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea on Wednesday. The Brazilian attended the pre-match news conference with coach Pep Guardiola but neither revealed how Barcelona would overcome the loss of centre-backs Carles Pujol and Rafael Marquez.
Gonzalo Higuain's stunning injury-time strike secured a remarkable 3-2 comeback win for hosts Real Madrid in the Primera Liga on Tuesday.
Manchester City defender Nathan Ake struck in the second half to earn a hard-fought 1-0 victory over visitors Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday.
The following are three talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
Tireless Inter Milan produced a rip-roaring home performance to overpower Barcelona 3-1 and leave the holders in real trouble after a thrilling Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday.
Barcelona drew 1-1 draw at Levante on Wednesday to seal their third consecutive La Liga title and the 21st in the club's history.
Barcelona will travel by bus to play Inter Milan in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, the European Cup holders said on Sunday. The La Liga leaders will travel in two buses the 634 kilometres to Cannes on Sunday and stay overnight before covering the last 351 kilometres to Milan on Monday, the club said on their website.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 4-0 home win over Getafe on Tuesday, denying leaders Barcelona the chance to win the La Liga title without kicking a ball.
Barcelona took another step towards retaining their La Liga title when goals from Bojan Krkic, Pedro and Yaya Toure fired them to a 3-0 home win over Deportivo Coruna on Wednesday.
Emma Hayes, who led Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League final, is joined on The Best FIFA Women's Coach shortlist by England manager Sarina Wiegman and Canada coach Beverly Priestman.
Youngsters Theo Walcott and Bojan Krkic could take centre stage when Arsenal visit Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
Villarreal can prevent Barcelona from completing a clean sweep over their closest challengers when the runaway Primera Liga leaders visit the Madrigal on Sunday.
Sterling, 24, had a hand in all five goals, including an 11-minute hat-trick, as City romped to a 5-1 Champions League victory over Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday, to take his tally to 12 goals in 13 appearances this season.
