Mr Rajoy said he hopes the measures planned, including the sacking of Mr Puigdemont's government and curtailment of the Catalan parliament's powers, will be brief.

The technology infrastructure for Catalonia's independence referendum has been dismantled, making the disputed vote "absolutely impossible", a Spanish government spokesman has said

Spain's central government and regional Catalan authorities argued on Saturday over who controls the regional police force that is considered key to the success of a planned independence vote for the north-eastern region.

Former Barcelona captain and coach Pep Guardiola has spoken of his sorrow following Thursday's terrorist attack in his home city. MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA SADDENED BY BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK

Barcelona's players and coaching staff held a minute's silence before training on Friday in tribute to the victims of the terror attack in the city.

Paris St Germain are unwilling to negotiate with Barcelona over star playmaker Marco Verratti, according to the president of the Catalan club.

A six-year-old girl has died and six other children have been injured after an inflatable bouncy castle came free and flew into the air, hurling the children to the ground, Spanish police said.

Barcelona must win tonight’s Clasico at Real Madrid or Luis Enrique’s final season in charge at the Catalan club has the potential to go very sour.

FA Cup Fifth Round Replay

The 13 students killed in a bus crash in north-eastern Spain this weekend were all women from other countries, including seven from Italy, a Catalan regional government official said.

Pep Guardiola has revealed he is weighing up multiple offers from England as elite Premier League clubs battle to attract the Bayern Munich manager.

Xavi’s brief consoling of Pirlo at the end of the Champions League final was a much-needed reminder, in the wake of the FIFA scandal, that the game can still be beautiful, writes Ciarán O’Connor.

For long periods during the build-up to this game, it appeared as though a Champions League semi-final was about to take place with only one manager present.

Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona has never looked more uncertain, amid ever-deepening institutional crisis at the Catalan club.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed the club had been victims of "a great injustice" after their appeal against a two-window transfer ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport yesterday.

Barcelona will not be allowed to sign any players in 2015 after the Catalan club’s appeal against their transfer ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Barcelona will not be allowed to publicly unveil new £75 million (€95m) signing Luis Suarez while he remains banned for biting, Fifa has confirmed.

Barcelona will be able to sign players this summer after FIFA announced that the club’s transfer ban will be put on hold pending an appeal.

Kris Commons has told Barcelona it would be “very unprofessional” of them to turn up at Celtic Park next week thinking that Champions League lightning could not strike twice.

Lionel Messi has rejected suggestions he made a disrespectful gesture towards Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino after being substituted in the Catalan club’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad last night.

Barcelona assistant manager Jordi Roura described last night’s 4-0 thrashing by Bayern Munich as an “awful result” with the Catalan club’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final all but over.

Lionel Messi has said Bayern were "superior" to Barcelona in last night’s 4-0 thrashing, with the Catalan club’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final all but over.

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.

Joe Ledley was today still struggling to take in Celtic’s historic Champions league win over Barcelona even after watching it on television.

Scott Brown is looking for Celtic to adopt a more positive outlook when they take on Barcelona in tonight’s Champions League Group G clash at Parkhead.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon insists his players still believe they can reach the knockout stages of the Champions League despite being denied a point at the Nou Camp last night by Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba's last-gasp winner.

Andres Iniesta believes the pressure is on Barcelona’s players to perform this season, as well as new manager Tito Vilanova.

Barcelona director of football Andoni Zubizarreta has denied claims by former president Joan Laporta the club could have done more to ensure Pep Guardiola continued as coach at the Nou Camp next season.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol could be out of this summer’s European Championships after the Catalan club announced he required knee surgery.

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.

London Irish have announced the signing of Catalan Dragons rugby league star Setaimata Sa on a three-year deal.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola preferred to focus on his team’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea rather than next weekend’s crucial El Clasico, but labelled his side’s chances of retaining the Primera Division title “a little less impossible” following Saturday night’s 2-1 win at Levante.

GERVINHO has broken his silence about his proposed move to Arsenal and revealed he expects it to be finalised in the next 24 hours.

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.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol will undergo knee surgery tomorrow.

He has the talent, the looks,the superstar girlfriend and he’s played for both Man United and Barcelona. What’s not to like about the defender some believe is the world’s best, says Andy Mitten

BARCELONA’S players believe Manchester United have improved since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in 2009.

BARCELONA manager Pep Guardiola has warned his side will be punished if they go into their clash with Manchester United over confident.

HE didn’t start the fire; it was always burning since the world’s been turning.

Barcelona are threatening to report Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho to UEFA after the Portuguese insinuated that the Catalan giants receive favourable treatment from referees and claimed the club had yet to win a “clean” Champions League title under Pep Guardiola.

BARCELONA coach Pep Guardiola has dropped a heavy hint that he will leave the club when his contract expires in summer 2012.