Barcelona Extend Nike Deal

FC Barcelona have agreed an extension to their kit-manufacturing deal with Nike which Spanish media reported was the most lucrative arrangement of its kind in the world.

The Spanish champions issued a statement saying details of the contract will be specified at their next general assembly.

The Barcelona-based daily newspapers Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo reported that the deal could be worth €155m (£120m) a season and would run until 2026.

“FC Barcelona and Nike, Inc have extended their current sponsorship deal, which was due to end on 30 June, 2018,” Barcelona said on Saturday. “The long-term agreement is a landmark in global football and builds upon a highly successful partnership.“

The club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, added: “We are excited by this new agreement and are confident we will be able to celebrate continued sporting successes together.“

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Suarez Hat-Trick Secures Title for Barca

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Luis Suarez bagged a third hat-trick in five games as defending champions Barcelona won 3-0 at Granada to clinch their 24th La Liga title on Saturday.

The Uruguayan converted Jordi Alba’s low pass in the 22nd minute to give Luis Enrique’s side the lead. He then headed in Dani Alves’ cross in the 38th before tapping Neymar’s pass into an empty net in the 86th.

Suarez finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 40 goals, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s grip on the honour since 2009.

Barca ended with 91 points, one ahead of Real Madrid who won 2-0 at Deportivo La Coruna.

Ronaldo scored twice for Real before being substituted at halftime, finishing the campaign with 35 goals.

Gerard Pique came close to giving Barca an early lead when his header was tipped away by goalkeeper Andres Fernandez who also saved well from Messi.

Fernandez was powerless to stop Suarez’s opener, however, the Uruguayan tapping the ball home at the far post.

The second goal was delightful. Javier Mascherano launched a long diagonal pass towards the byline and Alves raced to meet it before hooking a cross for Suarez to nod in from close range.

Suarez nearly laid on a third for Neymar but the Brazilian was denied by Fernandez.

Neymar then generously played in Suarez to complete his hat-trick before the end.

“This title tastes great after so much hard work throughout the year and suffering right until the end,” said Barca captain Andres Iniesta.

“The league is the tournament that tests your consistency throughout the year and it’s the one we want to win every year.”

Real got off to an ideal start at Deportivo when Gareth Bale manoeuvred his way past a defender on the left and cut the ball back to Karim Benzema who squared it for Ronaldo to score in the seventh minute.

The Portugal striker’s second in the 25th minute had an element of good fortune, his header from a corner bouncing off Deportivo’s Pedro Mosquera on its way into the net.

Ronaldo also hit the post and the crossbar before being replaced by James Rodriguez although there was no suggestion he had an injury two weeks before the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

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Barcelona v Atletico Madrid - Preview

Neymar, Suarez and Messi

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez have scored 107 goals between them this season but after Barcelona’s celebrated trio failed to find the net in the defeat by Real Madrid, Luis Enrique defended them by declaring “they aren’t machines”.

The Barcelona manager said he was not concerned about the physical state of his all-star attacking line despite their below-par display in the 2-1 home defeat on Saturday.

Although Real halted their 39-game unbeaten run, Luis Enrique said he retained full confidence in his side as they prepared to host Atlético Madrid in the first leg of an all-Spanish Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

Messi (37), Suárez (43) and Neymar (27) have been scoring for fun but Barcelona’s only goal against Real came from the defender Gerard Piqué.

“They aren’t machines, they are the best players in their position but they aren’t unbeatable or unsurpassable,” Luis Enrique said on Monday. “I think all my players are in perfect condition. We had forgotten what it was like to lose but when you do you remember how difficult it is to win and we all hope the defeat serves as a stimulus to win again. Looking at how we have done in the last few months, I’m optimistic.”

Piqué reaffirmed his coach’s belief in his forwards. “Our three attackers are on another level, from another world. I’m not worried about them at all, it’s impossible for us to have more faith in them, they have brutal qualities and we’re so lucky to have them at Barça,” he said.

He was also adamant Barça would bounce back but said Atlético would pose even more problems than Zinedine Zidane’s men did. “We’re not scared of them but they are having a spectacular season, they are the second best team [in La Liga] and it’s going to be even harder for us than Saturday,” Piqué said.

Diego Simeone’s side have conceded only three goals in eight Champions League games this season, the joint best record in the competition alongside Real. They also have the meanest defence in La Liga, letting in 15 goals in 31 games – 11 fewer than Barcelona.

Atlético pipped Barcelona to the La Liga title in 2014 and knocked them out of the Champions League in the same season en route to the final. They are six points behind Luis Enrique’s side in La Liga and warmed up for their trip to Barcelona by thrashing Real Betis 5-1 on Saturday.

However, Barça have beaten Atlético in all six matches under Luis Enrique. Piqué said: “We’ll see how they approach the game but it’s all down to us, we need to move the ball around quickly and for the fans to put pressure on them. If that happens we’re practically unstoppable.”

Atlético are set for the return of Diego Godin after the defender’s absence of nearly three weeks because of a muscle injury. Stefan Savic, Yannick Carrasco and José María Giménez, who had been doubtful, also made the trip to Barcelona and will be available to play.

“We are feeling strong,” the Atlético defender Juanfran Torres said. “We know that our chances rely on staying alive after the game at the Camp Nou. Then we can try to seal the deal at the Vicente Calderón.”

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Barcelona Fire Six Past Getafe

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Lionel Messi scored one goal and figured in four more to keep Barcelona on course to retaining their Spanish league title with a 6-0 rout of Getafe, increasing their domestic record to 37 games without a loss.

The only blemish to Messi’s superb showing was a missed penalty in the first half. Otherwise, the Argentina forward led a dominant performance that does not bode well for Arsenal’s chances to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Barcelona never looked back after an own goal by Getafe’s Juan Rodríguez. Messi then made up for his missed spot-kick by scoring to make it 4-0 before half-time while also assisting Neymar for two goals and Munir El Haddadi on another.

Barcelona enjoyed their 12th consecutive league win without Luis Suárez, kept on the bench by coach Luis Enrique before Wednesday’s match. What little fight Getafe had at the start was sucked right out of the struggling side in the eighth minute when Messi played Jordi Alba wide, and his return pass intended for Messi was turned into Getafe’s goal by Rodríguez.

Not even goalkeeper Vicente Guaita blocking Messi’s spot-kick three minutes later after Neymar was fouled by Emiliano Velázquez revived the visitors. Andrés Iniesta’s playmaking kept the action entirely in Getafe’s half, and Messi’s apparently off-target shot from Iniesta’s pass became a perfect cross for El Haddadi to head home in the 19th minute. “We didn’t have a chance,” said Getafe coach Fran Escribá. “The game was lost from 2-0.”

Guaita did well to push Gerard Piqué’s effort from another Iniesta pass off his bar, but he could do nothing to stop Neymar’s curling strike when Messi played him clear with a pass in the 32nd minute. Messi then grabbed his 22nd league goal of the season when he was given time outside the top of the box and struck a left-footed shot beyond the reach of Guaita four minutes before the break.

Messi picked up where he had left off after the restart with a pass for Neymar to beat Guaita again in the 51st minute, the Brazilian’s 20th league goal of the campaign. Arda Turan got the hosts’ sixth with a bicycle kick from close range after a corner in the 57th minute.

Barcelona lead Atlético Madrid, who were playing Deportivo on Saturday night, by 11 points at the top of La Liga. 

Third-placed Real Madrid now trail Barcelona by 15 points and visit Las Palmas on Sunday.

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Neymar Starts Fraud Case in Madrid

Brazilian football star Neymar and his father have arrived at a Spanish court where they are due to give evidence.

It is in relation to allegations of corruption and fraud surrounding Neymar's transfer to FC Barcelona.

Barcelona said it paid €57m (£43m) for Neymar in 2013 but investigators say the fee was closer to €83m and Barcelona concealed part of the deal.

The current and former president of the club denied wrongdoing at the court in Madrid on Monday.

Barcelona says Neymar's parents received €40m and his former club, Santos, was paid €17m.

The case was brought by Brazilian third-party investment fund DIS, which owned 40% of the Brazilian player's sports rights.

DIS alleges it was financially harmed by the transfer when it received €6.8m of Santos's €17m fee and argues it was deprived of its full share.

Barcelona Football Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell appeared at the court in Madrid on Monday, insisting they had acted correctly. In a statement on Monday, the club said they had repeated in court what they had said last year.

"They are not worried and said they have confidence in justice," it added.

They are also accused in a separate case of defrauding the Spanish tax office of an estimated €13m. They deny the allegations.

Neymar's mother is also expected in court.

Judge Jose de la Mata was expected to decide whether both parents should give evidence in person.

Neymar's move to Barcelona has been a big success on the pitch. The striker became part of a goal-scoring trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

In 2015, Neymar, 23, helped the club win five trophies and came third in the Fifa Ballon d'Or competition. He also scored in the Uefa Champions League final against Juventus.

But he has also encountered legal difficulties in Brazil, where a court has frozen $47m (£33m) of his assets in connection with suspected tax evasion between 2011 and 2013.

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Barca Battle Back to Beat Bilbao

Goals from Neymar and Luis Suárez helped Barcelona fight back to beat Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou and reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Despite leading 2-1 after the first leg of their rematch of last year’s final, Bilbao dominated most of the first half and took a 1-0 lead on the night after Inaki Williams’s 12th-minute goal.

The second half, however, was all Barcelona’s after Suárez calmed the home fans with the equaliser in the 53rd minute.

Visibly tired from their first-half efforts, Bilbao wilted before Gerard Piqué and Neymar scored to make it 5-2 on aggregate with less than 10 minutes left.

“We went out with a good advantage but then conceding made it complicated for us,” Suárez said. “It was a poor first half from us but then we went out with a different attitude and that made the difference.”

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Messi Scores Granada Hat-Trick

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Lionel Messi’s first hat trick of the season helped Barcelona beat Granada 4-0 and take the top spot in the Spanish league on Saturday. Messi scored twice within the first 15 minutes at the Camp Nou, and added his third in the second half as Barcelona cruised to victory. Neymar completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining .

The victory lifted Barcelona one point above Atlético Madrid, who play at fifth-place Celta Vigo on Sunday. 

Barcelona will have a game in hand after the 19th round this weekend. Third-placed Real Madrid trailed Barcelona by five points. Barcelona had drawn four of their last six matches but were coming off a 4-1 win over city rival Espanyol in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.

“I’m very satisfied with how the team played today,” Barcelona’s coach, Luis Enrique, said. “Everybody was focused from the beginning. The players knew how important it was to win these three points.”

Barcelona dominated Granada, who were only 17th in the 20-team La Liga table. Messi and Neymar got the goals but Luis Suárez also played well and had chances to score. “We could have scored more,” Barcelona defender Aleix Vidal said. “But the main thing was to get the three points. We are back in the lead, now we’ll see what happens in the other matches.”

Messi found the net from close range after a pass from Arda Turan, then bagged his second six minutes later by striking an open net after a pass by Suárez. Messi completed his hat-trick after Neymar struck the post and the ball rebounded to the Argentinian inside the area for his ninth league goal of the season. It was Messi’s 33rd career hat-trick. He has a strong chance of winning a record fifth Ballon d’Or on Monday, from a shortlist which includes Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo. Neymar sealed Barcelona’s victory from close range, scoring his 15th league goal to tie Suárez as the competition’s leading scorer.

Dani Alves, who this week called the Spanish media “garbage” for the way it covers soccer, came off the bench in the second half and was loudly cheered by the Barcelona fans. 

The club initially condemned Alves’ comments, but late on Friday said it would give its support to the player in case a local association of sports media went ahead with its threat to sue the Brazilian right back

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Messi Magic Stumps Espanyol

Barcelona secured a comfortable 4-1 win over nine-man Espanyol in the first leg of their Copa del Rey round-of-16 clash at the Nou Camp.

Espanyol took an early lead through former Manchester City forward Felipe Caicedo, but Barcelona replied thanks to Lionel Messi's first-half brace.

The Argentine talisman turned provider as he set up Gerard Pique to put the hosts 3-1 up and Neymar added a late fourth to give Barcelona a commanding first-leg lead.

In a fiery encounter, referee Juan Martinez Munuera dished out 11 yellow cards and two red cards as both sides looked to claim bragging rights in the Catalan derby.

The home side handed summer signing Arda Turan his debut after the club's transfer ban had been ended on Monday. Their other high-profile signing, full-back Aleix Vidal, started on the bench.

The two teams played out a goalless draw in the Primera Division on Saturday, but the hosts were on the front foot as Espanyol goalkeeper Javi Lopez's smothering block denied Neymar from giving them an early lead after eight minutes.

But Espanyol, who reached the semi-finals last year, took a shock lead moments later when Marco Asensio pounced on Dani Alves' wayward pass before teeing up Caicedo, who calmly slotted past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Luis Enrique's side equalised immediately equalised when Andres Iniesta picked out Messi with a through ball and the Argentine made no mistake in beating the advancing Lopez.

Caicedo's night ended early, however, as a leg injury prompted Espanyol boss Constantin Galca to make a change before the break, with Joan Jordan replacing him.

Messi then produced a moment of magic three minutes from half-time. Substitute Jordan impeded Turan from 30 yards out to concede a free-kick before Messi stepped up to beat Lopez with a wonderful strike that curled over the Espanyol wall and in off the underside of the bar - his 19th goal of the season.

Barcelona raced out of the blocks in the second half and grabbed a third when Iniesta spotted Messi's run on the left byline, before he picked out Pique to score from three yards.

The evening got worse for the visitors on 72 minutes when Hernan Perez picked up his second caution of the game after an off-the-ball incident with Jordi Alba and they were down to nine men three minutes later, this time Pape Diop was given his marching orders for arguing with the referee.

With two minutes to play, Neymar and Messi played a neat one-two just outside of Espanyol's penalty area, before the latter picked out the Brazilian with a lofted ball and the forward beat Lopez with a first-time volley.

The next leg will be played next Wednesday at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat.

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