Rafael Marquez has signed a new contract to keep him at Barcelona until June 2012.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol claims the pressure is on Manchester United in today’s Champions League final as the Spanish giants have already surpassed expectations this season.

BARCELONA coach Pep Guardiola believes the only way his side can beat “the best team in the world” in tonight’s Champions League final is to “play beautiful”.

BARCELONA’S Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta continued their respective bids to be fit for the Champions League final as they returned to squad training yesterday, but not at the same intensity as their team-mates.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi insists he is not looking at the Champions League final as a chance to get one over Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for this year’s Ballon d’Or.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has included striker Thierry Henry in a 21-man squad for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea.

BARCELONA have reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign French star Franck Ribery, according to reports in Spain.

LYON coach Claude Puel is confident his side can upset the odds and knock Barcelona out of the Champions League tonight.

Cristiano Ronaldo insists he will have no hesitation in stepping up to the plate the next time Manchester United are awarded a penalty.

Barcelona 0 Manchester United 0

BARCELONA took a significant step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League with a hard-fought win over Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

Schalke 0 Barcelona 1

Barcelona will see how striker Samuel Eto’o responds to treatment on his calf strain before deciding whether the Cameroon international will be fit to face Schalke on Tuesday night.

Celtic 2 Barcelona 3

IT IS normally blanket coverage when Barcelona play Real Madrid in La Liga’s El Clasico – but Valencia have been doing their best to muscle in on the media action this week.

Barcelona 3 Stuttgart 1

Thierry Henry has given Barcelona a huge boost by declaring himself fit to face Rangers next week in the Champions League.

Rangers 0 Barcelona 0

ALAN SMITH enjoyed a dream debut for Newcastle with the only goal in a pre-season friendly against Sampdoria.

DUTCH striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored four times as Real Madrid beat Osasuna 4-1 yesterday to move third in La Liga.

Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze will be fit to face the Ivory Coast next Saturday at the World Cup despite sitting out the team’s latest training session in Herzogenaurach.

Uncapped Independiente goalkeeper Oscar Ustari has beaten River Plate’s German Lux to the third goalkeeping berth in Argentina’s World Cup squad but the omission of Internazionale defender Javier Zanetti and Bayern Munich midfielder Martin Demichelis is the biggest talking point.

Real Zaragoza centre-back Gabriel Milito, linked with a move to Liverpool, has signed a new contract with the Spanish club.

RAFAEL BENITEZ insists his new-look Liverpool will put in a serious challenge for the Barclays Premiership title as he broadens his hunt for a new centre-back.

Rafael Benitez insists his new-look Liverpool will put in a serious challenge for the Barclays Premiership title as he broadens his hunt for a new centre-back.

Liverpool are bracing themselves for a storm of criticism from Australia over their medical treatment of Harry Kewell as the Anfield star undergoes his second operation of the summer.

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed Sami Hyypia will be offered a new contract despite making a bid for Gabriel Milito.

Real Zaragoza today confirmed that Liverpool have tabled an offer for Argentinian defender Gabriel Milito – but claim the player is not for sale.

Mohamed Sissoko will on Monday undergo a medical at Liverpool – and manager Rafael Benitez believes the prospective signing will be a better player than Patrick Vieira.

LOADED with glamour teams, the Confederations Cup has few friends outside FIFA. The tournament, a warm up for next year’s World Cup in Germany, prevents weary players from taking a summer break.

Paul Walker

PRESSURE increased on UEFA yesterday to include Liverpool in the Champions League next season after G14, the grouping of elite European clubs, called for the Reds to be allowed to defend their trophy.

Manchester United full-back Gabriel Heinze has been named in a 26-man Argentina squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Brazil.

Jonathan Woodgate’s medical with Real Madrid is by no means a formality, despite the confidence of Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd.

Chelsea 3 Real Zaragoza 0

LEEDS striker Robbie Fowler’s 11th-hour decision to turn his back on a £7 million move to Manchester City looks set to have major repercussions for Terry Venables.