Xavi has been backed to enjoy a "remarkable" coaching career by former team-mate Andres Iniesta, despite Barcelona's Champions League exit on Wednesday.

Barca trail Real Madrid by just three points at the top of LaLiga after winning nine of their first 11 games this season, but have received heavy criticism following another European failure.

Inter's 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzen put Barca out of contention for a top-two finish in Group C on Wednesday, and the Blaugrana failed to salvage any pride in a subsequent 3-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich – their sixth consecutive Champions League loss to the Bavarians.

Iniesta, however, believes Xavi will recover from that setback, telling Corriere dello Sport it brings him "so much joy" to see his former midfield partner in the Camp Nou dugout.

"He is a friend and he will have a remarkable career," Iniesta said. "He is prepared, he has studied and had Barcelona as his guide."

Iniesta now captains Japanese side Vissel Kobe, and while the 38-year-old acknowledges his own career is drawing to a close, he is unsure whether he will follow Xavi into coaching.

"I know that when I have to quit, it won't be a great day," he added. "I will think back to when my dad used to take me to play, I will regret many things. 

"Then I will also think about the future, I don't know yet if I will be a coach or a sporting director. I still don't have clear ideas."

Iniesta and Xavi formed one of the most iconic midfield partnerships in football history, contributing to four Champions League triumphs between 2005-06 and 2014-15 during a golden age for Barca.

Young midfielders Pedri and Gavi have earned comparisons to that duo after emerging as key players in Xavi's side, and Iniesta hopes they can replicate their achievements. 

"They said to me that I resembled [Pep] Guardiola, then there was Xavi," Iniesta said. "Now it is up to Pedri and Gavi. Football works in cycles."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta concedes his side's premature Champions League exit is a shame but was philosophical about their "young project" under Xavi.

The Blaugrana were officially eliminated and consigned to the Europa League following Inter's 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday, before producing a limp home display in a 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich.

Barcelona have been condemned to a group-stage exit for the second straight season, while that comes almost 12 months since Xavi's appointment to replace Ronald Koeman.

The five-time Champions League winners spent significantly in Xavi's first off-season at the helm, bringing in Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin, Franck Kessie, Marcos Alonso and Raphinha.

Barca's failure to reach the Champions League knockout stages will have a financial impact on the club, but Laporta was philosophical.

"It's a shame, but you can't blame the players or the coach for anything," Laporta told Barca TV. "We have to look forward, because we have LaLiga and other competitions left.

"This is a young project in which from the beginning we knew we were going to have ups and downs. The league remains and we have to show that we continue."

The Blaugrana are second in LaLiga after a strong start to the campaign with 28 points from 11 games, three points behind Real Madrid, whose El Clasico victory earlier this month put them top.

"LaLiga is very important and we have it close," Laporta said. "The message is to look forward. This has already happened."

Barca's 3-0 home loss to the German champions marked the sixth straight defeat against Bayern, including the 8-2 Champions League quarter-final rout in 2020.

"Bayern is a consolidated and powerful team, one of the best in Europe and they did not play anything, they left relaxed," Laporta added.

"For us it was very complicated and the [Inter] game against Plzen was torture, but we still have faith."

Barca midfielder Pedri was more forthright in his assessment of the side's elimination.

"For me it's a failure," he told Movistar. "We don't deserve to be in the Champions League, we've shown it in games. But we have many competitions to face and give joy to the fans who have been with us at all times."

This was the first time Barca have been eliminated from the Champions League group stage in back-to-back seasons since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 campaigns under Louis van Gaal.

Madrid will be Spain's only team in the last 16 with Sevilla, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all out with a game to spare. The last season Spain only had one team in the knockout rounds was 1998-99, also Los Blancos.

Julian Nagelsmann praised Bayern Munich's "very mature" performance as they eased to a 3-0 Champions League win against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Goals from Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard – all assisted by Serge Gnabry – earned the Bundesliga side victory against the beleaguered hosts.

Barca had already seen their elimination from the Champions League confirmed after Group C rivals Inter's 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday.

Similarly, Bayern were already assured of a last-16 place and went on to clinch top spot with another three points against the Blaugrana.

"The performance was very strong, very mature," Nagelsmann said after the game, in which his team denied Barca a single shot on target.

"We knew we needed to play well, defend well and wait for [attacking] situations. Serge played an incredible game, the defensive line played a great game as well.

"In 94 minutes we did not concede a single shot on target… the team played a tremendous game."

Much of the focus before and after the game was on Barcelona's underwhelming Group C campaign.

Nagelsmann suggested the discourse around the LaLiga side would not be so negative had they avoided defeat in Munich, when Xavi's men lost 2-0 despite playing well.

"I am not a Barca coach, but I think we were a little bit lucky in Munich," he said. "If that game works out differently, then Barca would be looking stronger."

In a game that saw Barca's former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski was kept quiet, it was fitting that his former deputy, Choupo-Moting, scored.

The Cameroon international has netted six goals in 11 games (four starts) in all competitions this season, including five in his past four outings for Bayern.

"Choupo's style always has something to do with the flow because he needs that confidence," Nagelsmann said of the 33-year-old. "He is a great finisher, he rarely finishes badly and I think he's doing a great job in general, not just scoring goals.

"We're very happy to have him. Last year he was missing a lot for different reasons, now he's here fully and we're trying to support him as best as possible."

Xavi believes Barcelona being eliminated from the Champions League prior to kick-off led to their insipid showing in a 3-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich.

Inter's 4-0 win against Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday meant Barca were unable to progress from Group C, leading to a second season of dropping into the Europa League following the group stage.

A slow start from the Blaugrana saw them fall 2-0 down after 31 minutes, with Sadio Mane and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scoring, before Benjamin Pavard tapped in a third in second-half stoppage time.

Speaking after the loss, the Barca coach acknowledged his side were outclassed, saying: "Today we didn't compete, we didn't reach their level. [Bayern] were very good, much better, more intense.

"I'm sure that the elimination before the game affected us psychologically. I'm sure it did."

This was the first time Barca have been eliminated from the Champions League group stage in back-to-back seasons since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 campaigns under Louis Van Gaal.

Xavi bemoaned being drawn into a tough group, and seemed to suggest that he and the club will not necessarily view their elimination as "failure".

"We were drawn in a really difficult group and everything has happened to us in the Champions League," he added. "It was very cruel, but today we didn't compete. On other days we did, but not today.

"I understand that from the outside people talk about failure, but from the inside we have a different analysis.

"It's a cruel way to go out of the competition, but if we analyse the other games, I think we deserved more."

Simone Inzaghi believes Inter have achieved "something special" by qualifying from a Champions League group that also contained Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Inter thrashed Viktoria Plzen 4-0 in San Siro on Wednesday to confirm their place in the last 16, with the victory putting them out of Barcelona's reach.

When the draw was made, most felt Inter were the outsiders with Bayern and big-spending Barca expected to go through.

But Inter took four points from two games against the Blaugrana, results that ultimately proved crucial in beating Xavi's men to qualification.

Inter secured their progress with a match to spare, leaving Inzaghi elated with an achievement that he feels goes beyond his previous expectations.

"To achieve this goal, the first of the season, we had to do something special and we did it," he told Amazon Prime.

"We have grown from game to game. The opener with Bayern was tough but then we had a double-header with Barcelona that gave us a lot of belief. We are happy for the club and for our fans.

"There was hope. We knew we had ended up in a very difficult group because Barcelona and Bayern are very strong.

"We went beyond expectations, qualifying with a game to go. You have to give the boys a big round of applause."

Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring return from injury was the icing on the cake for Inter, who were already 3-0 up when the Belgian came on in the 83rd minute.

Lukaku – who had been out for two months – scored four minutes after his introduction, and Inzaghi is hopeful of Marcelo Brozovic following the striker in coming back into the fold very soon.

"He's doing great," Inzaghi said of Brozovic, who has been absent for a month with a thigh injury.

"Playing every three days, we need everyone. Now Lukaku is back, we'll try to include Brozovic in the next few days.

"We missed them in this period because when you play every three days you must have the possibility to change personnel."

Bayern Munich eased to a 3-0 win to compound a miserable day for Barcelona as they were eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage for a second successive season.

Inter's 4-0 win against Viktoria Plzen earlier on Wednesday had already sealed Barca's fate, which led to a sombre mood from the first whistle at Camp Nou.

First-half goals from Sadio Mane and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting were followed by a Benjamin Pavard strike with the last kick of the game.

Bayern were already through from Group C but confirmed themselves as group winners ahead of Inter with this win, with Barca dropping into the Europa League.

2 - #FCBarcelona has been eliminated of UEFA Champions League #UCL group stage in back-to-back seasons, something that had not happened since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 campaings under Louis Van Gaal. Disappointment. pic.twitter.com/GkcqNp2Ncq

It took just 10 minutes for Bayern to strike after Serge Gnabry played a ball through to Mane, who outpaced Hector Bellerin before calmly dinking the ball past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The second also came thanks to an assured pass from Gnabry as Bayern countered and Choupo-Moting was slipped in on the right of the penalty area, firing his shot through the legs of Ter Stegen just after the half-hour mark.

The hosts thought they had a penalty just before half-time when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot after Robert Lewandowski was felled by Matthijs de Ligt, but a VAR check revealed the Dutch centre-back got a touch on the ball before any contact was made with the former Bayern man.

Gnabry had the ball in the net with a terrific left-foot finish to Ter Stegen's right 10 minutes into the second half, yet his effort was ruled out for offside.

A game that had the feeling of a dead rubber fizzled out, with Lewandowski and Co. never looking like getting back into the game before Gnabry had his third assist of the night as his volley from a corner found Pavard at the far post for a tap-in.

Inter confirmed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League and simultaneously eliminated Barcelona after cruising to an Edin Dzeko-led 4-0 win over Viktoria Plzen.

The Nerazzurri knew they would be through regardless if Barcelona failed to win later in the day at home to Bayern Munich, but Simone Inzaghi's men removed all doubt with a professional display.

Initially there were hints of nervousness when Inter spurned a couple of first-half opportunities, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave them the breakthrough before Dzeko ensured it was effectively game over – for Plzen and Barcelona – by half-time.

A clinical Dzeko finish just past the hour was then added to by a late Romelu Lukaku strike on his return from injury as Inter eased into the next round.

Inter's persistence paid off in the 35th minute following a frustrating first half-hour.

Alessandro Bastoni charged up the left and crossed after a one-two with Federico Dimarco, and Mkhitaryan was on hand to nod in at the back post.

Dzeko ducking out of the way proved crucial to Mkhitaryan getting that opportunity, though the Bosnian did not have to wait long for a goal of his own.

Dimarco latched on to Nicolo Barella's exquisite long-range pass and played a first-time ball into the danger zone for Dzeko to tap home close to half-time.

Mkhitaryan nearly added a spectacular second just after the break, his 25-yard effort clipping the outside of the post.

But Dzeko did double his tally, guiding a controlled left-footed effort into the bottom-left corner from the centre of the box following good work by Lautaro Martinez.

Substitute Lukaku then found the same corner in the 87th minute with an emphatic finish after two months out.

Liverpool can seal progression to the Champions League last 16 when they play on Wednesday, but Barcelona could see their exit confirmed from Europe's top competition.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds make the trip to face Ajax in Group A knowing they are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League at the very least – and simply avoiding defeat would guarantee their place in the Champions League knockout stages.

It is a more dicey affair for Xavi's Barca, however, as they welcome Bayern Munich to Camp Nou in Group C knowing a loss would spell the end of their journey. Even a win will not be enough if Inter defeat Viktoria Plzen.

Tottenham will hope to keep their noses in front in Group D, with Marseille and Sporting CP just a point behind, while Atletico Madrid have work to do in Group B.

Stats Perform previews Wednesday's eight matches by picking through the Opta data.

Ajax v Liverpool

Ajax have made for generous opponents for Liverpool of late, losing their last three against the Reds in the Champions League. Only Juventus (four, 1997-2004) and Real Madrid (seven, 2010-2019) have previously won four in a row against Ajax in the European Cup or Champions League.

Yet Ajax remain the last Dutch side to achieve a home win against Liverpool, albeit that was back in 1966, with the Premier League side unbeaten in seven subsequent trips to the Netherlands.

Liverpool's countrymen have also made hay, as Ajax have won just one of their last eight home European matches against English teams, beating Manchester City in October 2012.

With or without another strong result, this will be an historic occasion for Liverpool and Klopp, who will match Rafael Benitez's 62 Champions League matches in charge of the Reds, who bring up 150 games in the competition.

Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Needing a win, Barca might have hoped to face any team but Bayern, who have a record three Champions League away wins at the Blaugrana. Along with Juventus and Real Madrid, they are one of three teams to have won more matches at Barca than they have lost.

Home and away, Barca have lost nine of their 12 Champions League matches against Bayern, including the past five in a row.

In fact, if Bayern win again, they will match Madrid's record of 10 wins against a single opponent in the competition – Madrid's dominance coming against Bayern.

Although Bayern are already through, they are seeking a fourth home-and-away double against Barca in a Champions League season (also 1998-99, 2012-13 and 2021-22). Dynamo Kyiv (in 1997-98) are the only other team to beat Barca twice in the same campaign even once.

Tottenham Hotspur v Sporting CP

Sporting won 2-0 against Tottenham in Portugal in what was the sides' first meeting, but they have a dismal record in England, with two victories in 15 attempts away to English sides.

Spurs have won six of their seven home European matches against Portuguese opposition, only losing to Benfica in the 2013-14 Europa League.

Both of Tottenham's wins in this campaign have come at home, where Antonio Conte is bidding to become just the second Spurs coach to win each of his first three at home in the Champions League – after Harry Redknapp.

He and Tottenham will know they must keep their focus early and late; Sporting's last three Champions League goals have come in either the first or last minutes of the match, netting twice in second-half stoppage time in the reverse fixture.

Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen

Atletico have not lost at home to Leverkusen in their prior four such matches, winning two and drawing two, but the Bundesliga team have started to turn the tide, winning two in a row against them in the Champions League.

That strong home record applies whenever Atletico face German opposition, though, as Borussia Dortmund were the last Bundesliga visitors to win there in 1996. Atleti are unbeaten in 11 since.

Diego Simeone needs his team to rediscover their scoring touch, having gone three without a goal in the Champions League.

That is their worst run under Simeone. Only once in the competition have Atletico gone four without netting, back in 2009 under Abel Resino.

Other fixtures:

Club Brugge v Porto

21 – Club Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has saved all 21 of the shots on target he has faced in the Champions League this season. He has prevented a competition-leading 4.9 goals, according to expected goals on target data.

4 – Four of Porto's last seven Champions League goals have come from the penalty spot.

Inter v Viktoria Plzen

12 – Inter have scored 12 of their last 14 Champions League goals in the second halves of matches. All three against Barca last time out came after the interval – only the third time an away team has netted three second-half goals at Camp Nou in this competition.

28 – Plzen have averaged just 28 per cent of the possession in the Champions League this season, the lowest average by a team in a single season since Opta data collection began in 2003-04.

Napoli v Rangers

4 – Napoli have won all four of their matches in the Champions League this season and could become the first Italian side to win their opening five games in a single campaign since Juventus in 2004-05. 

12 – No goalkeeper has faced more shots on target (29) or conceded more goals (12) than Rangers' Allan McGregor in the Champions League this season. Indeed, he has only kept four clean sheets in 21 appearances in the competition overall.

Eintracht Frankfurt v Marseille

50 – Eintracht Frankfurt's Mario Gotze could make his 50th start in the Champions League in this match. He has been involved in 25 goals in his previous 65 appearances, including 21 in his 49 starts.

3 – Marseille have won their last two games in the Champions League – both against Sporting CP – and will be looking to win three in a row for the first time since October-December 2010, when they won four on the spin under Didier Deschamps.

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly preparing to rival Chelsea in the pursuit of RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku, with this expected to be the forward's last season in the Bundesliga.

Nkunku, 24, burst onto the world stage this past season when he raised his goal tally in all competitions to 35 in 52 games, after previously never having scored more than seven goals in a season.

This season he has shown it was no fluke, with eight goals from Leipzig's first 11 Bundesliga fixtures, while adding another two in the Champions League, including one in Tuesday's home win against Real Madrid.

His form warranted his senior international debut for France in March, and as he is preparing to play a role for the defending champions at the World Cup, his old club have reportedly decided they want him back.

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Nkunku spent nine years with PSG after arriving as a 13-year-old in 2010, earning 55 Ligue 1 appearances before being sold to Leipzig for a fee of €13million in 2019.

According to Fichajes, they now view that move as a mistake, and will look to reclaim France's new star as soon as January.

The report states both Liverpool and Chelsea are prepared to activate his €60m release clause in January, with Chelsea already said to have completed a preliminary physical in the previous transfer window, having been engaged with Leipzig in the sale of Timo Werner and an enquiry about Josko Gvardiol.

It is not known if PSG will have the funds to complete the move in January, especially while in contract renegotiations with superstar Lionel Messi.

ROUND-UP

– According to 90min, Bayern Munich are considering a move for 32-year-old German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City at the end of the season.

– Sport reports that Barcelona are in talks with Wolves about securing 25-year-old midfielder Ruben Neves, with a deal believed to be possible in January. 

– The Los Angeles Times claims Cristiano Ronaldo could come to Major League Soccer to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Los Angeles FC or Inter Miami if he can not find a European club.

– Calciomercato is reporting Manchester United have joined Chelsea and Barcelona with their interest in 25-year-old Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez.

– Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to pay €30m for 16-year-old Brazilian Endrick, per UOL Esporte. Endrick is playing in the Brazilian league with Palmeiras, and will not be allowed to make the jump to Europe before turning 18.

Julian Nagelsmann has challenged Bayern Munich to "send a message" to their Champions League rivals by completing a group-stage double over Barcelona.

Hosts Barcelona are staring at elimination ahead of Wednesday's Group C clash at Camp Nou, where even victory might not be enough to keep them in the hunt for a last-16 spot – they need Viktoria Plzen to cause a shock against Inter in the other group game.

Bayern, however, are determined to take all three points, and head coach Nagelsmann said on the eve of the game his players should ignore the issues affecting their opposition.

"We're already through to the next round," he said. "To be honest, it's not important to me who else gets through. The only thing that matters to me is that we finish first.

"We have nothing against Barca, but we have a passion for winning. If you want to win the Champions League, you have to send a message to your opponents. Tomorrow will be an opportunity to do exactly that."

Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane scored when Bayern beat Barcelona 2-0 at the Allianz Arena six weeks ago, after the Bundesliga champions somehow kept out the LaLiga side in the first half.

Nagelsmann reckoned Barcelona could have been 3-0 up by the break in that game, but their lack of a clinical finish proved costly.

By taking just one point from two games against Inter since, the Catalans are careering towards elimination from the top tier and a heavy landing in the Europa League.

Nagelsmann laughed off an airport arrival video showing Thomas Muller saying he and Bayern were coming for Robert Lewandowski, the striker who left the Germans for Barcelona after a 50-goal 2021-22 season.

Nagelsmann said Muller and Lewandowski have "a great connection" and stressed how he was pleased, going by Instagram posts, that Lewandowski appears to be content with life at Barcelona.

"I saw he scored a lot of goals, so I think he's happy," Nagelsmann said.

"I'm always happy when people I've worked with are happy in their lives, and it looks like he is by his posts. We are happy too, so it's all good."

Lewandowski has managed 17 goals in 15 games for Barcelona so far. Five of those goals have come in the Champions League, a hat-trick against Viktoria Plzen and two late on in the 3-3 Camp Nou draw with Inter.

As Barcelona look like heading out of the top-tier competition, Nagelsmann at least had praise for the "extreme" change he has seen at the club in recent times.

"It's always good to improve your squad and Barcelona did that. They have a great squad," said the Bayern boss. "It's a massive squad with a lot of success on the European stage and national level.

"They are one of the most attractive teams to watch. I'm not sure how it will affect them financially in the event of an exit."

Villarreal have appointed former Barcelona boss Quique Setien as their new head coach following Unai Emery's decision to leave for Aston Villa.

The Premier League club appointed Villarreal's 2021 Europa League-winning coach on Monday after sacking Steven Gerrard, but the Yellow Submarine have moved quickly to secure a successor.

A statement released on Villarreal's website on Tuesday confirmed Setien had signed a contract to run until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Setien built a reputation for favouring an attractive, possession-based style during a two-year spell with Real Betis, but has not coached since enduring an ill-fated stint at Camp Nou during the 2019-20 campaign.

Setien's final game at Barca was their historic 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals in August 2020, while the Blaugrana also finished five points adrift of Real Madrid at the LaLiga summit that season.

Villarreal sit seventh in LaLiga after winning five of their 11 games this term, and Setien's first game at the helm will be Thursday's Europa Conference League meeting with Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

Eric Garcia says he is not affected by criticism that "is lacking respect" ahead of Barcelona's Champions League showdown with Barcelona on Wednesday.

The Spain defender has come under fire for his performances in a 3-3 draw with Inter and the 3-1 Clasico loss at Real Madrid.

Garcia was dropped to the bench for a 3-0 LaLiga defeat of Villarreal before returning to the starting line-up in a 4-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Barca head coach Xavi backed the centre-back after the loss to Madrid, stating: "For me, Eric is a guarantee."

The 21-year-old, who returned to Camp Nou after his Manchester City contract expired last year, says he is not bothered about harsh assessments of his credentials.

"Obviously I gave the penalty away against Madrid, and against Inter I could have been better," Garcia said on the eve of the clash with Bundesliga champions Bayern.

"I am 21, I have room to improve. The criticism, which is lacking respect, does not concern me. I accept constructive criticism. I know when I play well and when I don't. I have people around me that tell me.

"As for the rest, people can say what they want, but it does not affect me."

Even a win over Group C leaders Bayern may not keep alive Barca's chances of qualifying for the round of 16, with second-placed Inter sure to advance if they beat Viktoria Plzen.

Barcelona should expect no Champions League favours from Bayern Munich, according to the Bavarians' chief executive Oliver Kahn, who says his team will give nothing away in their bid to top Group C.

Bayern have already secured their place in the competition's last 16 ahead of Wednesday's trip to Camp Nou, where they could condemn Barca to a humiliating early exit.

Having failed to beat Inter in back-to-back meetings earlier this month, the Blaugrana are on the verge of suffering successive group-stage eliminations from the Champions League for just the second time (also in 1997-98 and 1998-99).

Bayern sealed Barca's European fate last season with a 3-0 win over Xavi's side at the Allianz Arena, and Kahn says they are highly motivated to repeat the trick.

"We have nothing to give away in Barcelona. We want to achieve our goal and finish first in the group," Kahn told reporters on Tuesday.

"It is the strongest group, someone had to pay; Bayern, Inter or Barcelona. It's not over yet. We have the utmost respect for Barcelona. 

"The performances they show in the league are strong, they're outstanding. It is always a very important match between two great teams in Europe."

Bayern have won each of their last five Champions League meetings with Barca, and their desire to continue that run will likely have been increased by Robert Lewandowski's acrimonious move to Camp Nou in July.

Leon Goretzka recently said Lewandowski had been "spoiled" by Bayern's Champions League consistency during his time in Germany, but Kahn refused to repeat the midfielder's taunts.

"If you look at FC Bayern and the results in the Champions League in recent years, it's a success story, no question. [We've] always qualified for at least the round of 16," Kahn said.

"I don't know what Robert thinks about it – you'll have to ask him yourself."

Meanwhile, Kahn offered an update on the fitness of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who is thought to be close to a return following a spell on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

"With him, you just have to wait and see how things develop from day to day," former keeper Kahn added. "It's a painful story, but I don't think it's anything that serious. I think he should be ready again soon."

Xavi is refusing to give up hope of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League, even if he accepts his side face an almighty challenge to advance to the last 16.

Barca face being eliminated from the competition in the group stage in successive seasons heading into Wednesday's home tie with Bayern Munich.

Xavi's side will be unable to progress should they lose or if Inter beat bottom side Viktoria Plzen, while they will also be eliminated should both games be drawn.

The Catalan giants will be aware of their fate ahead of kick-off at Camp Nou as Inter host Plzen earlier in the day, but Xavi insists that result will not impact his team selection.

"We will all watch the game together in the locker room," Xavi said at Tuesday's pre-match news conference. "Regardless of what happens, we want to show we can compete.

"I already decided on the line-up on Monday, except for any injuries that occur. This is all regardless of what happens in the Inter game."

Barca's dramatic 3-3 draw with Inter two weeks ago effectively leaves them needing wins over Bayern and Plzen, while requiring favours elsewhere.

They have lost nine of their 12 Champions League games against next opponents Bayern, who are already through to the last 16, including the past five in a row.

Indeed, only Bayern themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single opponent in the history of the Champions League.

"It's not so much that we require a miracle, because we have a slight bit of hope," Xavi said. "We know it doesn't all depend on us, making it an uncomfortable situation.

"But we know that regardless of what happens in Milan, we face an important match. We have to beat Bayern to show we can compete at this level.

"While there is a little hope we must not lose it. We have done our homework. This competition is being cruel to us, but it's the reality we face."

Jose Mourinho last week labelled clubs that drop into the Europa League in the next round as a result of finishing third in their Champions League group as "failed sharks".

However, when asked for his response to Roma head coach Mourinho's remarks, Xavi said: "There's nothing to answer. If we have to play in that competition, we will compete.

"The [Europa League] is not something we're thinking about yet but if we do compete in that competition we'll go out and fight like lions to win it."

Barcelona have lost their past two home games against German opponents in Europe – against Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt – but have never previously lost three in a row.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is reportedly looking towards his "next career step", with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said to have a keen interest.

Son tied with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah for the Premier League's Golden Boot after a career-best 23 goals last season and was the only player with more than 16 goals to not take a penalty.

It was the sixth Premier League season in a row Son has tallied at least 11 goals, and despite the South Korean's slow start to this campaign, he has shown his class in spurts, including a hat-trick off the bench against Leicester City and an important brace in a 3-2 Champions League win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Tottenham sit in third place, five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, but if Son does not believe he can realistically win silverware with the club, the 30-year-old may view a move to a Champions League stalwart as now or never.

TOP STORY – REAL MADRID KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON SPURS' SON

According to Sport1, Ancelotti is monitoring Son's situation closely, however his contract situation gives Tottenham all the leverage as he is tied to the club until 2025.

The report claims there is also interest from world powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, and that an impressive performance in the World Cup – where South Korea will play Uruguay, Ghana and Portugal in the group stage – could see a club spurred into action in January.

Bild is reporting Bayern will not have an active January window, which would rule them out for the immediate future as any serious bid for the Tottenham star would need to be substantial.

However, with Tottenham desperate to retain the services of Antonio Conte – who the Times reported as saying he needs three more transfer windows to build the necessary depth at the club – selling one of his top players would be a step in the wrong direction.

ROUND-UP

– Ser Deportivos is reporting Real Madrid have offered an improved contract to Marco Asensio amid speculation that he may head to the Premier League when his contract expires after this season.

– According to O Jogo, Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in 18-year-old Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva.

– Arsenal are preparing an offer for 27-year-old Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic that is believed to be worth in the range of €50m, with their bid also including Albert Sambi Lokonga in a player exchange, per Calciomercato.

– Sport is reporting Barcelona view 25-year-old Ajax player Edson Alvarez as a potential successor to Sergio Busquets in the centre of midfield, although the Dutch giants supposedly rejected a €50m offer from Chelsea in the previous transfer window.

– According to The Mirror, Manchester United are eyeing Lille's Jonathan David, Lyon's Moussa Dembele or Bayer Leverkusen's Patrick Schick as potential replacements for Cristiano Ronaldo.