Ivan Rakitic an integral part of the Croatia side who reached the World Cup final in Russia before losing 4-2 to France.

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The motion of censure was filed by presidential candidate Jordi Farre on August 26, the day after captain and all-time high scorer Messi sent the club an official notice saying that he wished to leave.

Lionel Messi has clearly become disenchanted with life at Barcelona.

Spain scored a stoppage-time equaliser through Jose Luis Gaya to draw 1-1 away to Germany on Thursday in their Nations League opener and first international in almost 10 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Messi announced he wanted to leave Barcelona, on Tuesday, after spending his entire career at the Catalan club.

Yet even without a transfer fee, Messi's colossal salary, reported to be the highest in world football, means very few clubs would be able to afford him.

A Paraguayan judge ended the house arrest of former Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho on Monday, freeing the way for him to return to Brazil and end a more than five-month ordeal that began when he tried to enter the country with an adulterated passport.

Lionel Messi still wishes to leave Barcelona after meeting new coach Ronald Koeman, according to reports in the Spanish media on Friday, as all four sports newspapers dedicated their front covers to the Argentine's uncertain future.

'We're going to work very hard to build a strong team but we'll have to make changes because the image of the other day is not what we want. We'll have to work hard to recover our prestige.'

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.

'If the Congress party wants to take on the BJP it cannot do it in this fuddy-duddy, grand old party, style.'

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu's remarks come amid severe speculation around Messi's future at the club.

According to widespread Spanish media reports, Netherlands coach and former Barca defender Ronald Koeman is set to be named as Setien's successor.

The Spanish media showed no mercy to Barcelona after their epic 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, calling for huge changes at the club after a night that will be difficult to erase from their memory.

Lionel Messi, 33, has been the team's spiritual leader throughout that time but the catalogue of failures in Europe has made the previously unthinkable scenario that he could leave Barca, where he has spent most his life, seem ever more plausible.

IMAGES from the Champions League quarter-final played between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Lisbon on Friday.

News of all that transpired on and off the football field.

The Welshman has a contract until 2022 and was set to make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League last year before the transfer was scuttled when Real made a last-minute decision to insist on a transfer fee rather than terminate his contract.

The sea 'n' sand is calling. Hit the beach no matter what!

Messi, whose deal expires in 2021, had called his side "weak" and "inconsistent" after they lost the league title to Real Madrid.

Calling his side 'weak', 'inconsistent' and 'very easy to score against', Lionel Messi called for urgent changes

'Wastewater containing excreted material can tell us how a community is doing in a particular area pertaining to any epidemic, pandemic, and other bacterial and viral diseases.'

Formula One got back on track in changed circumstances on Friday but with Mercedes bringing a familiar look to the timing sheets as six times World champion Lewis Hamilton led team mate Valtteri Bottas one-two in Austrian Grand Prix free practice. The Briton did 41 laps and lapped with a best time of one minute 04.816 seconds in a damp and overcast session, 0.356 faster than the Finn.

The Argentine's representatives and Barcelona did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Manchester City must rebuild for title challenge: Guardiola

Spanish media had reported that Xavi had been approached by Barca to replace Ernesto Valverde before Quique Setien was appointed in January.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema produced an audacious back-heeled assist for Casemiro to score as they beat Espanyol 1-0 away on Sunday to capitalise on Barcelona's slip-up a day earlier and move two points clear at the top of La Liga. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro slid to the ground to guide the ball home on the stroke of halftime after being played in by a stroke of genius from Benzema, who dragged the ball through the legs of his marker Bernardo Espinosa to find his team mate.

It has emerged now that Prannoy's name was recommended by Gopichand on June 3 in his capacity as a Khel Ratna Award recipient.

Coronavirus and the lockdown bringing you down? We assure you the next 20 images will take you to heights you have never experienced before. These are the entries to a contest called #Aerial2020 run by photo app Agora. It asked photographers around the globe to send in their best bird's-eye shots. In total, 9,018 photos were submitted, with the competition judges whittling them down to 50 finalists. Scroll down to feast your eyes on the amazing shots and the winning image is the first one.

The virtual sound has been developed with video game company EA SPORTS FIFA, in a project called Sounds of the Stands.

All non-professional leagues have been cancelled although clubs in the top two divisions have resumed training in groups of up to 10 players.

La Liga has yet to officially confirm a date on which it will resume, although its president Javier Tebas had said previously he hoped the season could do so from June 12.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government is anxious to get the country up and running again without igniting a second wave of infections as the economy reels and Spaniards gradually emerge from nearly eight weeks under lockdown.

Former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta celebrated the 11th anniversary of his famous Champions League semi-final strike against Chelsea by calling two children conceived after his tie-clinching goal. Nine months later, those celebrations had a rather unexpected result, with maternity hospitals in Barcelona telling local media they were struggling to cope with demand amid a spike in the city's birth rate.

David Beckham, one of the so-called "Class of 92", went on to win six Premier League titles under Alex Ferguson at United alongside youth-team buddies Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, and Gary and Phil Neville. Beckham also won two FA Cups and, memorably, the Champions League in 1999. He topped up his trophy collection with a La Liga winners' medal for Real Madrid and added two MLS Cups during a north American adventure with LA Galaxy.

The first race at the Red Bull Ring would be on the July 3-5 weekend.

Several Premier League clubs have furloughed employees since the new coronavirus outbreak while others, such as West Ham United and Southampton, have said their players have accepted wage deferrals. While CA announced plans to furlough almost 80% of staff last week, putting them on 20 per cent pay until June 30 when it is hoped more will be known about how long government curbs to control the coronavirus will last.

'This crisis is going to be much bigger than anything we've experienced and anything we do will not be enough but my aim is to help, it might not be enough in some cases but I have to try'

La Liga has been on hold since March 10 although president Javier Tebas said last week that the league could start up again on either May 29, June 7 or June 28, adding that the games were likely to be held without spectators. But Barcelona coach Quique Setien does not think it is so simple.