SETTABLOID

The 25-year-old spent seven years in Barcelona’s youth setup before moving to Dinamo Zagreb in July 2014, when he was just 16 years of age.

Olmo stayed in Croatia for the next six years before returning to mainland Europe, joining RB Leipzig on a four-year contract, but Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona are keen to re-sign him, with contact already made with the Spaniard’s representatives about a potential return.

All parties are alleged to have left the meeting satisfied with how talks went, though completing a deal may not be as straightforward as Barcelona would like.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich are said to be ‘very interested’ in Olmo, who has three years left on his Leipzig contract, but the more pressing issue could be the Bundesliga outfit’s unwillingness to sell a player who has contributed eight goals and five assists this season.

Barcelona may end up having to trigger the €60m release clause written into Olmo’s contract, circumnavigating the need for Leipzig to give permission for him to move. Whether or not Barcelona can actually afford that kind of deal remains to be seen, though logic would suggest that a number of players would need to leave for the cash-strapped Catalan giants this summer.

Frenkie de Jong has been linked with a big-money move to Bayern, as has teammate Ronald Araujo – who was scolded by Ilkay Gundogan in midweek for his red card in Barcelona’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain – but neither player has shown an interest in leaving.

There’s also the small matter of Barcelona wanting to sign Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo on permanent deals from Atletico Madrid and Manchester City. The Portuguese duo are currently on loan in Catalonia and have proven to be key players for Xavi, who recently hinted for the first time that he may reverse his decision to leave as manager this summer.

Robert Lewandowski has called for Barcelona to go on the attack against Real Madrid when they face their bitter rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday in El Clasico.

Barcelona go into the game needing to pick themselves up from a tough defeat to PSG in the Champions League in midweek, while Real Madrid knocked out Manchester City.

Lewandowski has urged his team to go on the attack and bring all three points back to Barcelona on Sunday.

“El Clasico is always a special game, not just for us but for all the people in the world,” he told the media.

“For everyone waiting for this game I hope that we show very offensive football for the fans of the world, and we are ready to win this game.”

Lewandowski also spoke about how Barcelona have improved since Xavi announced his decision to quit earlier in the year.

From one side we respect his decision and now we are focused just for this season because we know it is very important,” he added.

“We have fixed some problems and challenges that we had and the way now is very, very good and we are still fighting, still trying to win every game and we try to do this until the end of the season.”

The Barcelona striker will be hoping to get back in the goals against Real Madrid. Lewandowski heads into the match on a run of three games without a goal in all competitions for the club.

An insight into the XI of players expected to take to the pitch for Barcelona against Real Madrid on Sunday has today been provided.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Erin Cuthbert fired Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semifinal first-leg match on Saturday, handing the defending champions their first home loss in five years.

Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas missed a glorious chance to equalize when she shot wide right from close range on the last play of the game at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium to send Emma Hayes’ team back to Stamford Bridge with the advantage.

The visitors stifled Barcelona’s attack, taking away the time and space that the Catalan club normally enjoys in its domestic league.

The high pressure led to Chelsea’s goal in the 40th minute when forward Mayra Ramirez forced a turnover, setting up Sjoeke Nüsken’s pass to Cuthbert, who beat a defender and fired the ball into the top right corner.

Chelsea has never won the Women’s Champions League or its predecessor, the UEFA Women’s Cup. In its only final appearance, Hayes’ team was routed by Barcelona 4-0 in 2021.

Xavi’s time at Barcelona may be nearing its end, but the club legend’s managerial spell will always be remembered for his faith in the academy.

So far, Xavi has given debuts to 15 La Masia stars during his tenure at the club to varying successes.

Many, including Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, have gone on to become indispensable parts of the team at a tender age.

Now, SPORT reveal that the manager has found a new gem in the academy who has even been called up to train with the first team – Alexis Olmedo.

A running experiment

According to the Spanish outlet, Olmedo participated in the first team’s final training ahead of El Clasico earlier today. However, it is not the first time he has been seen under Xavi’s command.

The 18-year-old debuted in first-team training a few weeks ago and is considered one of the academy’s brighter talents in central defence.

Olmedo arrived in La Masia in 2013 and has steadily climbed up the ranks ever since. He belongs to the same generation as Pau Prim, Hector Fort and Marc Guiu and is just one year older than Cubarsi.

Given his age, he is primarily a player for Barcelona’s Juvenil A side and even scored a goal in the UEFA Youth League this season.

His performances have earned him a place in Rafa Marquez’s Barça Atletic but an injury in October kept him out of action for close to four months.

Player profile

At just 18 years of age, Olmedo has made a name for himself as one of Spain’s bright young central defenders with a great understanding of the Barcelona way.

His primary strengths include anticipation in defensive actions, his speed and his passing range.

Apart from his ball-playing skills, Olmedo also boasts of a strong presence in the air, both defensively and from set-pieces.

If the youngster continues to impress at the ongoing rate, Xavi could well hand his 16th debut to an academy star.

As FC Barcelona get set to take on Real Madrid in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti had words of praise for two Blaugrana talents.

It has been a dream breakthrough season for Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, both of whom have become permanent fixtures in the starting XI at Barcelona despite being 16 and 17 years old, respectively.

And, Ancelotti spoke about the two young talents ahead of tomorrow’s game, claiming that they had a bright future in the game.

“The connection between veterans and young people is very important. Cubarsi and Yamal are a surprise for everyone, they are very young and are going to have a very successful future,” said Ancelotti.

Yamal has already participated in a couple of El Clasico encounters, having featured as a substitute in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup final meetings earlier this season.

For Cubarsi, it will be a debut in the senior El Clasico, something that admittedly excites the 17-year-old.

Both players will have key roles to play if Barcelona are to come out on top tomorrow and stand a chance of defending their La Liga title in the final phase of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti also spoke about what he expects from Xavi Hernandez’s men tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabeu, as he said:

“It is going to be a very competitive opponent, who are doing very well. We are convinced that it will be a classic as always, it will be very hard fought. It is a great opportunity to get closer to La Liga.

“Barcelona are a very lively team,” he added.

The Catalan giants were in a strong position heading into the second leg after winning the pair’s first encounter 3-2 at the Parc des Princes, and extended their aggregate lead through Raphinha.

But Ronald Araujo’s sending off turned the game on its head, allowing PSG to get back into the tie and eventually turn things around. Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Barcelona were eventually humbled 4-1 on the night.

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was critical of Araujo for getting himself sent off, but Cancelo, on loan from Manchester City, was singled out on social media for what many perceived to be a poor performance.

The 29-year-old has now revealed the extent of the abuse he received online, stating that his partner, daughter and unborn baby were targeted by the posts.

People say all sorts,” Cancelo told ESPN. “There are comments on Instagram wishing death upon my daughter who’s not even been born yet. They would not say it to me face, because we would have a problem, but in the comments they write what they want.

hey’re offensive to my partner, my daughter, our unborn baby. It’s a cruel world and you have to know how to live with it. I know how to, but I just don’t know what to say anymore.

“Wishing death upon a baby is really serious. People don’t think about the person behind the footballer they see on the television. We are humans, too. We are just the same.”

Cancelo admitted to being unable to sleep the night of the game, reflecting on the mistakes that he’d makde in the tie, but said that his and Barcelona’s focus is now on what’s ahead – starting with this Sunday’s Clasico against bitter rivals Real Madrid.

“It has been a really difficult week to be honest. We were excited to go far in the Champions League. I think this club deserves it, but it’s a week we have to leave behind,” the Portuguese continued. “That night [after PSG] I didn’t sleep because I couldn’t. Personally, when I don’t win, I really struggle to sleep because I feel like I didn’t do my job [well], I didn’t do well.

“I am just speaking for myself. It was a strange game. How we lost I think was what stopped me sleeping. I feel 11 vs. 11 we would have been able to win. But we have to keep going.”

Barcelona will take on Real Madrid in perhaps their most important match of the season tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Having crashed out of the UEFA Champions League earlier this week, Barcelona have only the La Liga title left to play for.

They are already eight points behind leaders Real Madrid in the table and need a win tomorrow to stand a chance of making a late push for the title.

Ahead of the game, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez addressed the media, discussing various topics, including the fallout from the club’s defeat to PSG earlier in the week.

“Tomorrow we have the chance to get back into La Liga. It happens to be the most important game of the season. We will find a strong Madrid and even more so after eliminating the best team in the world, City,” said Xavi, kicking things off.

“The euphoria will be sky high and the opposition will be very strong. Today we trained well, yesterday we had a Champions League hangover. The team has all the enthusiasm in the world to fight for this league.”

On what kind of Real Madrid he is expecting to see tomorrow, considering how defensive they were against Manchester City earlier in the week, the Barcelona manager said:

“Madrid had to defend against City, who are the best team in the world today. They had to defend and they defended very well. These are situations that you have to dominate and they also know how to do it.

“In the first half with us, they did well. They have potential, they know how to attack and make transitions.”

Adding that they did discuss about how Real Madrid might come at them tomorrow, Xavi remarked: “We talked about it today, that in the first few minutes of each half, Madrid will press. They are at home. We have to be very brave.

“It’s the perfect stage to show personality. We’ve prepared well for the game, I think we can play well and win. The first few minutes will be key, calming the game and pressing high.”

On Real Madrid’s competitive spirit, Xavi said: “They have won many times, because they are very good. I don’t believe so much in luck. I believe in work, in the team, it’s not by chance. Madrid, in the last three years, have knocked out the best team in the world twice.”

As is the case with almost every press interaction Xavi has, the topic of his future was broached again as he was asked if there was a meeting scheduled with the club to discuss his continuity.

“There is no meeting. I have not been summoned. I am not the important one. Tomorrow we are playing for the title. We have to win. We’re playing for the league,” said Xavi, side-stepping the question.

On whether he saw tomorrow’s game as a final, Xavi replied: “It’s the most important game. We have to win to put pressure on them. If we win, we would be five points behind.”

“They’ve lost one game out of 31, we don’t have bad numbers either. I see it as an opportunity to get closer. We want to compete,” he added.

On whether there will be a crisis if Barcelona lose to Real Madrid, Xavi responded: “I think in a positive scenario, in winning. My thinking is positive. We will go out to win the game.”

Barcelona are aiming to bounce back from Tuesday’s Champions League exit in the best possible way: by defeating bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final Clasico of the season. The two heavyweights meet on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu, in a match that could end the La Liga title race.

A defeat would end Barcelona’s chances of retaining the title they won last season, but star striker Robert Lewandowski believes that they can cut the deficit to Real Madrid to five points at the summit, as he told LaLiga World.

“El Clasico is always a special game, not just for us but for all the people in the world. For everyone waiting for this game I hope that we show very offensive football for the fans of the world, and we are ready to win this game.”

ewandowski believes that Barcelona – who are unbeaten in their last 10 league matches – are heading in the right direction, after a massive wobble in the middle of the campaign.

“From one side we respect his [Xavi] decision and now we are focused just for this season because we know it is very important. We have fixed some problems and challenges that we had and the way now is very, very good and we are still fighting, still trying to win every game and we try to do this until the end of the season.”

Lewandowski also spoke on Barcelona’s young guns, who have been the shining light of their season so far. Furthermore, he revealed that he expects to be playing alongside them for the next couple of years, despite being 35.

“It helps me a lot to speak with the younger players, with Lamine, Fermin Lopez, Hector (Fort) as well and Pau (Cubarsi), they are all amazing. I am very happy and feeling very well and also the way that we are going now I think that we have found our way.

“Physically I am feeling very well which means I can play to a high level and I am sure that will be for two years that I am compared with the other players.”

On Sunday night, the Santiago Bernabeu will provide the setting for a feisty encounter between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid with the La Liga title race at stake.

A win for Barcelona would see them cut down the gap to Real Madrid to five points with six games to be played, leaving the title race wide open. A defeat, on the other hand, would all but confirm Los Blancos as winners.

Barcelona go into Sunday’s game on the back of a disappointing loss to PSG in the UEFA Champions League but Xavi must find a way to rally his troops for the Clasico.

One change likely

Leading up to the match, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona manager Xavi will make one key change to the starting lineup that took the field against PSG earlier this week.

As per the report, Andreas Christensen is set to return to the lineup against Real Madrid tomorrow night at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Danish international missed the second-leg UCL quarterfinal tie against PSG on Tuesday due to suspension and will be reinstated to the team against Carlo Ancelotti’s team.