Xavi Hernandez is determined to end his Barca career in Berlin tomorrow by collecting his 25th trophy in 17 remarkable years; but measuring his contribution to Barcelona history in silverware alone, even bearing in mind those remarkable statistics, doesn’t even come near to over-estimating his influence on the most successful team of the 21st century.

Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has confirmed he will join Qatari side Al-Sadd this summer, ending his 24-year run with the Catalan giants.

Summer 2009 marked a turning point in the career of the then 21-year-old Lionel Messi. Pep Guardiola took over as Barcelona coach, and immediately set about guiding the Argentinian towards being undisputedly the world’s top player.

There will be a very strange atmosphere at the Camp Nou on Wednesday May 6, when Barcelona host Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final first leg, and ex-Barca coach Pep Guardiola returns “home” with his new team.

Spain’s 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier win at home to Ukraine did little to suggest the once all-conquering La Roja side have got over losing their unbeatable aura at last year’s World Cup.

Barcelona enter their biggest week of the season in optimistic mood.

Barcelona 0 Malaga 1: Barcelona’s shock 0-1 defeat at home to Malaga in La Liga on Saturday has again darkened the mood around the Catalan club, ahead of tomorrow night’s Champions League last 16 first leg at Manchester City.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique insists he has the backing of his club and his squad – but refused to deny reports of a rift with Lionel Messi.

While Real Madrid’s ‘BBC’ strikeforce of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were all on the scoresheet in Saturday’s 5-1 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano, the man of the match at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu was Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos.

The first goals Barcelona conceded this season did not come until their eighth game, but even still they confirmed many pundits’ view of the team’s major weakness.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta is hopeful new team-mate Luis Suarez’s suspension may be reduced.

Spain’s previously all-conquering players have not reacted well to their shock early exit from this summer’s World Cup.

Spain arrived in Madrid on Tuesday and unlike four years ago, after a triumphant World Cup in South Africa, there were few fans waiting for them at the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas airport.

Spain must trust in their philosophy but trust their youth to enact it

One thing was for sure going into Saturday’s all or nothing La Liga clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou. The fifth Argentinian coach in history was going to win the trophy.

Barcelona 1 Atletico Madrid 1

LA LIGA

Last week’s Copa del Rey final showed the progress made by Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti in the evolution of the team he inherited last summer from Jose Mourinho.

Atletico Madrid 1 Barcelona 0 (Atletico Madrid win 2-1 on aggregate)

After Lionel Messi had done his talking on the pitch in Barcelona’s thrilling 4-3 La Liga win at Real Madrid on Sunday night, Cristiano Ronaldo did some crying off it.

Breaking into the centre of Spain’s midfield has lately been about as easy as breaking out of Alcatraz.

Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifying draw may have been the first time most football fans in Ireland realised Gibraltar had an international team which actually played in qualifiers.

Barcelona midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta should recognise their surroundings when they emerge from the tunnel for tonight’s Champions League last 16 first leg at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

At his post-game press conference on Saturday night it seemed Gerardo Martino’s biggest problem ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League last 16 first leg at Manchester City is who to start.

It was foggy last Sunday lunchtime in suburban Madrid, but reporters at Getafe v Rayo Vallecano could still make out the well wrapped-up figure of Phil Neville sitting in the plusher seats directly in front of the press box.

When Diego Simeone took charge at Atletico Madrid, just over two years ago, the challenge he faced was huge.

Barcelona 6 Celtic 1

Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby insists the club had no option but to take action against the fans whose behaviour marred last Friday night’s win over Motherwell.

Reaction to Friday’s difficult World Cup group stages draw was surprisingly confident in the Spanish camp.

“Barcelona on a roll...

Spanish football pundits have a neat phrase called the ‘ataque del entrenador’.

LA LIGA:

Spain’s senior soccer squad trained last Wednesday at suburban Madrid’s ‘Ciudad del Futbol’ campus, with national manager Vicente Del Bosque preparing Xavi Hernandez, Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and company for their last two crucial World Cup 2014 qualifiers.

Celtic 0 Barcelona 1

Celtic 0 Barcelona 1

La Liga’s ‘big two’ go into the new Champions League campaign this week with new coaches in Gerardo Martino and Carlo Ancelotti, fresh expensive superstars in Neymar and Gareth Bale, but the same huge expectations as always.

Neymar scored his first goal for Barcelona as the Catalans came from behind to salvage a draw in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup at the Vicente Calderon.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has given his seal of approval to new Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.

On Friday night, Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone was asked how his lowly side had overcome star-strewn neighbours Real Madrid to win the 2013 Copa del Rey final 2-1 in extra-time.

There was something dispiriting about the last half hour of Barcelona’s 0-3 Champions League semi-final second leg defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Barcelona’s 4-0 humbling at Bayern Munich had been coming.

Xavi Hernandez will be in the squad for tonight’s Champions League clash with AC Milan after coming through a final training session today.

Neil Lennon believes he is on the cusp of his greatest achievement as Celtic manager as he prepares for tonight’s Champions League Group G decider against Spartak Moscow at Parkhead.

The images of a heaving Celtic Park on Wednesday night as coach Neil Lennon, players and 60,000 fans celebrated the famous Champions League over Barcelona on the club’s 125th anniversary night will long be remembered, but one of the week’s most striking photos was that of Barca stars Xavi Hernández, Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta posing with Celtic’s 125-year anniversary kit.