King Charles III on BBC Two at 8pm on Wednesday imagines the accession that could take place when the British queen dies.

Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi and his father have been given suspended prison sentences of 21 months for tax fraud.

Fancy some festival action as part of your summer holidays? Ed Power selects the ten best events around Europe

You’d think a man who lived in Ireland for a couple of years would be spending a lot of time with the Clermont Auvergne backroom staff ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Munster.

Barcelona not only have the greatest player football’s ever seen; they’re the template for the game’s future, right down to its acclaimed La Masia academy. Grant Wahl was granted unprecedented access to the men who made Messi.

Barcelona star Leo Messi has become a dad.

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.

Swansea midfielder Joe Allen has been named as a transfer target by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

Javier Mascherano is on the verge of extending his contract with Barcelona until 2016.

ROBBIE KEANE remains a major doubt just 24 hours before Ireland play their final European Championship qualifier against Armenia.

WHEN Marco Tardelli was asked if he was aware that tomorrow night’s game against Andorra will take place on the fifth anniversary of Ireland ‘s 5-2 humiliation in Cyprus, he backs away in mock horror.

Some of Spain’s top matadors are gathering for a final weekend of bullfighting before the blood sport is banned in the north-east Catalonia region.

Barcelona’s players believe Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will be joining them at the Nou Camp sooner rather than later.

IRELAND are bound for Barcelona in October.

HOPEFULLY by the time you read this missive, I’ll be breakfasting on Las Ramblas, basking in the warm glow, after the Gunners have made a complete mockery of all those who believed we didn’t have a hope in hell of surviving beyond our outing to Camp Nou.

AWEEKEND without footie is like Sunday lunch without the spuds. Naturally I lapped up the meagre morsel of mashed swede mash from the Stadium of Light and & Ewood Park on Saturday.

ONE lovely afternoon 15 years ago, on holiday in Barcelona, I wandered into the starkly beautiful Gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi for the first time.

Javier Mascherano has described his impending move to Barcelona as a dream come true.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is still hopeful of persuading Arsenal to part with Cesc Fabregas despite having a 35million offer for the Spain international rejected this week.

Arsenal have told Barcelona they expect the Catalan giants to respect their refusal to sell Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal say they have turned down Barcelona’s offer for captain Cesc Fabregas.

Barcelona have confirmed they have submitted a written offer to Arsenal for midfielder Cesc Fabregas and are now in “formal” discussions.

DAVID VILLA bade an emotional farewell to Valencia yesterday after the club agreed to sell the Spain striker to Barcelona for €40 million.

I MUST own up and admit my part in puncturing the illusion of Arsenal’s title challenge.

SOMETIMES we feel we are the only country forced to endure wet and miserable weather.

YET another Munster invasion of France beckons this weekend and with it, no doubt, another clutch of ‘planes, trains and automobiles’ tales from their legion of resourceful travelling fans.

Manchester City must look elsewhere for a big-name summer transfer after they were edged out by AC Milan in the battle to sign Barcelona star Ronaldinho.

AC Milan are closing in on the signature of Barcelona forward Ronaldinho, according to the Serie A club’s lawyer.

Andrei Arshavin’s “dream” of playing for Barcelona appears to have come a step closer to being realised on Thursday after Barcelona economic vice president Ferran Soriano and coach Pep Guardiola admitted their admiration for the Russian forward.

IRELAND’S show jumpers were in superb form at Barcelona yesterday, giving team manager Robert Splaine cause for optimism ahead of Sunday’s crucial Samsung Super League final.

THIERRY Henry’s future at Arsenal may be hanging in the balance but after their Champions League disappointment there was no disguising the Frenchman’s burning passion for the club.

PERPIGNAN are bidding to create a Munster-type empathy with their fans by tapping into the renowned Catalan passion for sport.

RONALDINHO has pledged his loyalty to current employers Barcelona.

Ronaldinho has pledged his loyalty to current employers Barcelona.

Spanish and Catalan leaders said today that power over collecting taxes is shaping up as their biggest dispute as they digest a divisive proposal to give the north-east region much greater autonomy.

Stilian Petrov declared today that Celtic would not fear going to the Nou Camp in three weeks’ time for their next daunting Champions League game.

Barcelona’s Ronaldinho could be prised away from the Nou Camp by a world record offer despite being Spanish football’s best player in his debut Primera Liga campaign.

Alex Ferguson will disembark from an uncomfortable 14-hour journey to the United States later this evening determined to wreck Damien Duff’s proposed move to Chelsea.