REALITY is very quickly catching up with Quique Setien, whose first month in his dream job as Barcelona coach has not gone as he would have hoped.

If Catholics visit Lourdes and Muslims make pilgrimage to Mecca, then football fans must go see Messi, writes Tommy Martin.

The sight of Jonás Gutiérrez returning to play in a Newcastle shirt after recovering from testicular cancer almost made the result of his team’s loss to Manchester United insignificant.

Former France and Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has officially announced his retirement from football.

Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué has penned a heart-felt message of gratitude to his teammate and club captain Carles Puyol who is to leave the club at the end of the season.

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho insisted: “I am not a hero,” after his two goals helped France beat Ukraine 3-0 and qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

Dani Alves has backed Cesc Fabregas to get back to his best for Barcelona this season – if he stays at the Nou Camp.

Eric Abidal is seeking a new club after being released by Barcelona, but the Frenchman has already been offered an opportunity to return to the Nou Camp.

Barcelona central defender Javier Mascherano resumed training today after five weeks on the sidelines with knee ligament damage.

Could this be the end of the great Barcelona team of Messi, Xavi andIniesta?

RECENTLY, Dad and I were discussing Cork’s tactics and he said ‘sure, it has been the same for the last few years’.

Barcelona 1 Levante 0

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal says his team-mates are going all out to reach the Champions League final as a way of lending support to coach Tito Vilanova.

Lionel Messi has gone from being the first name on Barcelona’s team sheet to the last, as they await a late fitness test ahead of tonight’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona warmed up for this week’s Champions League quarter-final second legs with thumping La Liga victories on Saturday, but the mood around each camp differed markedly.

“We won’t play like Fort Apache, that’s not our style.”

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has been admitted to hospital to undergo medical examinations following his liver transplant.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal insists it never crossed his mind to quit football during his fight to recover from a liver transplant.

Barcelona today announced Tito Vilanova’s operation on his parotid gland had gone “as expected” as the 44-year-old began a second battle with cancer.

Lionel Messi is hoping to face Real Betis on Sunday after escaping a major injury scare last night.

Lionel Messi worked out in the gym as his Barcelona team-mates trained this morning, and the Argentinian could yet be fit for Sunday’s match against Real Betis despite being carried off in last night’s Champions League clash with Benfica.

Barcelona 2 Celtic 1

Neil Lennon wants to see a squad full of heroes when Celtic take on Barcelona in their Champions League clash at the Nou Camp tonight.

Neil Lennon has stressed his Celtic side are not in Barcelona “for a holiday” after they landed in the Catalan capital yesterday ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash at the Nou Camp.

New Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova is still coming to terms with life without Pep Guardiola but is warming to the reality of leading the Catalans this season.

France’s ‘1987 Generation’, so-called after the year of their birth, had been tipped to lead Les Bleus to a repeat of the team’s success at Euro 2000.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has been discharged from hospital after undergoing a liver transplant last month.

While some players may be looking to wind down at this stage of the season with one eye on a beach holiday, Barcelona winger Pedro Rodriguez will be giving it everything over the coming weeks to try and ensure his summer will be spent on international duty in Ukraine and Poland.

Champions League semi-finals have been decided by phantom goals, crazed officials, injuries, moments of brilliance and even by one team being better than the other.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is recovering well after undergoing a liver transplant on Tuesday, club president Sandro Rosell has said.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is recovering well after undergoing a liver transplant yesterday, club president Sandro Rosell has said.

Santi Cazorla’s stunning stoppage-time free-kick gave Malaga a deserved point to halt Real Madrid’s 11-match winning run in the Primera Division last night.

Messages of support have been flooding in for Eric Abidal following the news that the Barcelona defender is to undergo a liver transplant.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is to undergo a liver transplant, the club have confirmed.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho admitted his players were “deflated” by conceding an equaliser from a corner as they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final at the Bernabeu.

BARCELONA maintained their hex over bitter rivals Real Madrid by coming from behind to win 2-1 in a tense Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu last night.

Real Madrid 1 Barcelona 2

Barcelona have agreed a one-year contract extension with defender Eric Abidal, the European champions announced.

MANAGER Arsene Wenger has warned Arsenal must not allow history repeat itself when they face Leeds in the third round of the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium tonight.

Seven members of the Barcelona side which claimed last season’s Champions League and Primera Division double were today named on the 23-man shortlist for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or.

Barcelona 8 Osasuna 0

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has admitted the Catalan club are unwilling to pay Arsenal’s €39.5m valuation of their captain Cesc Fabregas, but says the midfielder is doing “all he can” to join Pep Guardiola’s side.

Belarus 1 France 1

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol will undergo knee surgery tomorrow.

PEP GUARDIOLA wants to stay on as Barcelona coach after leading his team to a second Champions League title in three seasons.

MY phone bleeped in the press box in Wembley on Saturday just as the huge gleaming trophy was lifted to the night sky, silver and gold streamers rained down and fireworks fanned out from the stadium’s arch.

Lionel Messi played down his magical Champions League final performance after helping Barcelona cement their status as the greatest team of their era against Manchester United at Wembley.

Record signing Dimitar Berbatov was left out of the Manchester United squad for tonight’s Champions League final against Barcelona.

PEP GUARDIOLA has urged his Barcelona side to complete a Champions League final victory over Manchester United that would never be forgotten.

BARCELONA midfielder Javier Mascherano has bizarrely claimed being left out of tomorrow’s Champions League final against Manchester would not be a disappointment.