Antoine Griezmann apologised to Atletico Madrid fans for the "damage" he may have done when initially leaving the club for Barcelona in 2019.

Griezmann joined Barca in 2019 when the Catalans triggered his €120million release clause, ending a long courtship by the Blaugrana.

Barca had been heavily linked with Griezmann in 2018, but the player opted to remain with Atletico, making his announcement in a documentary called 'La Decision'.

Although Griezmann stayed then, many Atletico fans were frustrated by his conduct, with the documentary – echoing his NBA hero LeBron James' 'The Decision' – seen by some as an unnecessary sideshow that stoked speculation.

The France forward ended up joining Barca the following year, but his spell at Camp Nou was generally underwhelming, and he returned to Atletico last season on loan, a deal that was made permanent on Monday.

In his first LaLiga game since signing a permanent deal with Atletico, Griezmann scored the winner in a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao to take his league tally for the club to 100, and afterwards he felt it necessary to offer an olive branch to supporters.

"In the end, I want to apologise," he said.

"I know that people want to hear it from my mouth: I apologise for the damage I may have done to fans.

"But the greatest forgiveness I want to ask for is on the pitch, giving everything for the team and with [games] like this."

Atletico completed the signing of Griezmann after opting to tread carefully with the amount of minutes he was being given earlier this season.

According to reports, Atletico would have been obliged to pay €40m for Griezmann if he had played more than 30 minutes in a certain percentage of their games.

As such, Diego Simeone routinely brought Griezmann on after the 60th minute, and in the end that tactic seemingly forced Barca to accept a significantly reduced deal apparently worth just under €20m.

"Personally, it was complicated, but I tried not to show it," Griezmann said of the contractual quirk.

"I know I was playing for a coach I love very much and some team-mates who deserve the best of me.

"If I have to play, I give 100 per cent, and if I don't [play], I encourage my team-mates. Then, when I come on, I try to make a difference."

Frenkie de Jong's future at Barcelona remains up in the air after a drawn-out saga ahead of the season.

The Dutch midfielder had interest from Barcelona but wanted to stay at Camp Nou.

However, De Jong's opportunities have been limited this season, perhaps encouraging further bids.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL MOVE IN FOR BARCELONA'S DE JONG

Liverpool have entered the race to sign the unsettled De Jong from Barcelona, claims SPORT.

De Jong resisted interest in from United with a strong desire to play Champions League football, which Jurgen Klopp's side can offer.

Liverpool midfielders Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all out of contract at the end of this season, when Arthur's loan will also expire, so the club are assessing their options.

The domestic struggles of the Reds could precipitate January transfer activity, given their need for midfield reinforcements.

ROUND-UP

– Liverpool may try to hijack Chelsea 's move for RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku, claims The Sun. The Reds sent scouts to watch the French forward against Celtic in the Champions League in midweek but fear Chelsea are well down the line with Nkunku, and they have missed the boat.

– Talks between Everton and Chelsea target Anthony Gordon on a contract extension have stalled, according to The Sun. Gordon reportedly wants approximately £100,000 per week.

– Manchester United have reached out to Lautaro Martinez's agent about the Inter forward's availability, claims Gazzetta dello Sport. Martinez is contracted until 2026, while Barcelona are also interested.

– United have joined Chelsea and Manchester City in having an active interest in Milan's Portuguese attacker Rafael Leao, claims The Mirror. United sent scouts to watch him against Chelsea in the Champions League.

– Chelsea are interested in Napoli's Slovakia international Stanislav Lobotka, reports Calciomercato. Napoli and the midfielder are close to sealing a new deal.

– Newcastle United have commenced discussions with the agent of Vasco da Gama midfielder Andrey Santos, reports Torcedores. Barcelona are also interested in the Brazilian, who has a release clause of £34.6million (€40m).

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has been named in Xavi's squad for Sunday's showdown with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu after recovering from injury.

The 23-year-old has not played for Barca since their 3-0 win over Elche on September 17 after sustaining a thigh blow while on international duty with France.

Barca did not give a timeline for Kounde's comeback, but head coach Xavi indicated earlier this week the centre-back had a chance of featuring against Madrid.

The former Sevilla man was involved in training at Ciutat Esportiva on Thursday, before being named in the squad for a mouth-watering clash against Carlo Ancelotti's side.

There is no place in the squad for Memphis Depay, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin and Ronald Araujo, who are all still sidelined through injury.

Xavi's side drew 3-3 draw with Inter on Wednesday to leave their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread, but they are level on points with Madrid at the LaLiga summit after winning seven league games in a row, keeping a clean sheet in six of those.

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo confirmed he is in a recovery period after undergoing successful thigh surgery.

The Uruguay international is reported to be out between 10 and 12 weeks following the operation in Finland on an adductor longus tendon avulsion in his right thigh.

That would rule Araujo out of next month's World Cup, with La Celeste naming their 23-man squad on November 13 before launching their tournament against South Korea 11 days later.

Reports last month suggested Uruguay were placing pressure upon Barca to delay any operation in order to ensure the best chance of tournament availability for the 23-year-old.

But the Catalan giants subsequently confirmed he would undergo an operation, with his recovery period taking him comfortably past the end of the World Cup.

Araujo tweeted: "After intense weeks, I want to share that, thank God, everything went well with the operation.

"I've already started my recovery, and I'm focused on coming back in the best possible way. Thank you all for your messages of support."

Xavi understands the frustration of Barcelona fans on the back of their Champions League difficulties, but remains a "natural optimist".

Barca are in danger of failing to make the knockout stages of the Champions League for a second straight season after their 3-3 draw with Inter on Wednesday.

It left the Blaugrana on four points, eight adrift of Group C leaders Bayern Munich and three behind Inter with two games remaining.

Due to Inter's head-to-head record against the Catalan giants, the Serie A side will guarantee progression to the round of 16 with another three points from their two remaining matches.

Barca have enjoyed a strong start in LaLiga, winning seven of eight matches, and head into Sunday's Clasico against rivals Real Madrid ahead of the champions on goal difference at the top of the table.

Xavi, therefore, remains buoyed by the turnaround he has seen since taking over at Camp Nou 11 months ago, suggesting he would quit his post if he was not happy with the progress made.

"I understand the doubts, I know where I am. We couldn't afford to slip up in midweek, and we did," Xavi said in a press conference on Saturday.

"I understand how the Barca fans feel. I'm also disappointed and sad. I came here to turn the team around and we can manage that. 

"If I ever feel I'm not capable of doing that, I'll sit down here and I'll say so.

"That's the way I am, I'm a natural optimist. We've improved since last season. In LaLiga we're going well, we haven't lost a game yet.

"The season we're having makes me believe I have reason to remain optimistic.

"I will not stop working and insisting on what I do. The day I don't see it clearly, I'm going home. The day I don't think I'm a solution, I'll leave. It won't be a problem. But now I'm fine."

Xavi also stressed he has the backing of Barca president Joan Laporta, adding: "He conveyed total confidence to me. We've stood up to be counted in every game in Europe.

"The president is also very optimistic. The result the other day is a shame, as are the results in Milan and Munich. This year's Champions League has been cruel to us. But we're progressing well."

Recent Clasico history is not on Barca's side - they have lost five of their past six matches against Madrid in all competitions, as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 18 meetings with Los Blancos.

Their only win in the last six games came in the second Clasico last season, though, and it was an emphatic 4-0 triumph at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barcelona have "maximum" motivation for the Clasico, according to Xavi, who has urged the Blaugrana to "be brave and show personality" when they face Real Madrid on Sunday.

The two LaLiga heavyweights have set the early pace this season, with Barca edging their great rivals thanks to a superior goal difference after both earned 22 points from eight matches.

Those unbeaten records will be on the line when they go head-to-head at Santiago Bernabeu, where Xavi masterminded a stunning 4-0 victory in his first LaLiga Clasico as a coach back in March.

Tata Martino, in 2014, was the last Barca coach to win his first two Clasicos in LaLiga.

Former midfielder Xavi appeared in 42 Clasicos as a player – a tally only bettered by Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos (both 45) – and enjoyed 17 victories with Barca while racking up five goals and eight assists.

Knowing exactly what is required in this fixture, he issued a rallying cry in his news conference on Saturday.

"I would like to remain a footballer to play these types of matches. It's spectacular to play such a game," Xavi said.

"This is where you have to stand up and be counted; as a coach, too. Everyone watches the Clasico and everyone's up for it. The motivation is maximum, it is an opportunity to come out more leaders of the competition.

"We need to play as a unit; we need to be compact, we need to be brave and show personality. The proof of [what you can achieve] is very clear; [look at] last year's game.

"The impact on morale if we come out of a game like this with a good result would be significant. But it's still early. We're still building; we need to keep going."

Xavi revealed left-back Marcos Alonso could partner Eric Garcia in the heart of defence as Barca look to keep Madrid's attacking options at bay, including seven-goal top scorer Vinicius Junior.

But when asked about combating Vinicius' threat, the Blaugrana coach insisted his side were not only concerned about the in-form Brazil international.

"It's not just Vinícius that we have to stop; it's also [Karim] Benzema, Rodrygo, [Federico] Valverde," Xavi added. "They're a competitive team who get the best out of their players.

"It's a huge game. It's not about how we stop Vinícius; it's about how we stop Madrid."

Frenkie de Jong says president Joan Laporta put him under pressure to leave Barcelona but he had no intention of moving.

De Jong was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United during the last transfer window as Barca tried to offload players after splashing out on the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde.

The Netherlands midfielder, who was also said to be a target for Paris Saint-Germain, made it clear he wanted to remain at Camp Nou.

De Jong knew the Catalan giants were eager for him to depart, but he was not affected by so much talk about his future.

He told Ziggo Sport: "I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this entire period. I stayed calm.

"But then you know the pressure would start to come...from the newspapers, from the president, from everywhere. But I wanted to stay at Barca so it never bothered me."

Former Ajax man De Jong has made only four starts for Barca this season, but hopes to be included in the side for the Clasico clash at Real Madrid on Sunday. 

He added: "I knew that he [Xavi] would play fewer minutes at the beginning of the season. I want to be a starter again. I hope to be against Real Madrid.

"Maybe he [Xavi] has already decided, but normally we don't know until the day of the game.

"Of course we are disappointed after the game against Inter, but we have to change our state of mind. We have to show that we are still a good team."

Real Madrid will be without Thibaut Courtois for a Clasico clash that Carlo Ancelotti says is not "life or death".

Courtois has been sidelined with sciatica, but Ancelotti this week stated he hoped his goalkeeper would return against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Los Blancos head coach Ancelotti on Saturday revealed the Belgium international will not feature in a mouthwatering battle between the top two in LaLiga.

"Courtois is quite well, he feels fine. [But] he has trained very little and is not comfortable," said the Italian. "He is out for tomorrow.

"He will train more continuously next week. W''ll see for next Wednesday or Sunday, he just needs training."

Andriy Lunin is set to deputise for the former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea keeper once again.

Meanwhile, centre-back Antonio Rudiger will face Barca wearing a mask after he required stitches due to the clash of heads he suffered while scoring a late equaliser in the midweek Champions League draw against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Madrid and fierce rivals Barca are level on points with seven wins from eight LaLiga matches, with Xavi's side top on goal difference.

The champions have won five of the past six Clasico showdowns, but the Catalan giants hammered them 4-0 in their last meeting in the capital in March.

Despite the fine margins in the league table, Ancelotti says it is not essential to come out on top when they lock horns for the first time this season.

He said: "I haven't shown the players any videos to motivate them. They know their opponents well and last year's game won't affect it. This is another competition and another year.

"We hope to play a game that the whole world is going to see, and we want to show a good image and try to win it for our fans.

"It's a special game, but not life or death. The season is very long. Although it's clear that we would like to win."

Ronaldo has revealed he is in therapy following a battle with depression as the Brazil great bemoaned the way mental health problems were "absolutely ignored" during his playing days.

The former PSV, Barcelona, Inter and Real Madrid superstar was widely recognised as one of the finest players of his generation.

Ronaldo went to four World Cups with Brazil and won both the Golden Boot and the Silver Ball in their 2002 success, having played no part in the Selecao's 1994 triumph.

But he remarkably only won two domestic league titles (both in LaLiga with Madrid) as his career was hampered by injuries.

In a new documentary on DAZN, Ronaldo discussed mental health in football with former Madrid and Brazil team-mate Roberto Carlos.

And 'O Fenomeno' was asked further about his own struggles in an interview with Marca, confirming he had suffered from depression.

"Today I am in therapy," Ronaldo said. "I have been in therapy for two and a half years, and I understand myself much better than before.

"But then again, I'm from a generation in which you were thrown into the arena and you had to do your best without the slightest hint of drama.

"I look back, and I see that yes, we were exposed to a very, very big mental strain and without any preparation for it.

"Also because it was the beginning of the internet era, with the speed at which information travels. At that time, there was no concern about the mental health of the players.

"Today players are much better prepared, they are given the medical attention they need to face the day to day, and players are studied more: the profiles of each player, how they react, how they should react.

"In my time, there was none of that, unfortunately, because we have known all our lives that soccer can cause a lot of stress and be very decisive for the rest of our lives."

He added: "The reality is that we didn't even know this kind of problem existed. It was absolutely ignored among our generation.

"Many, obviously, have gone through terrible times, even depression, because of the lack of privacy, the lack of freedom.

"It is true that the problems were very obvious, but the solutions were not very available."

Fresh from winning the Champions League last season, Real Madrid stand unbeaten across all competitions in 2022-23, earning 11 wins from 13 matches.

Safe passage to the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition for Carlo Ancelotti's side comes alongside fine form in LaLiga, where Madrid sit second, only behind arch-rivals Barcelona on goal difference.

Neither have lost domestically this season, though Barcelona's endeavours in the Champions League have been somewhat less impressive, leaving the situation delicately poised ahead of Sunday's El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The time of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi shining in the fixture has long since passed, so the stage is set for the headlines to be grabbed by a new star and Madrid will look to Vinicius Junior to provide the edge.

Leading the line

With Karim Benzema's injury issues this season, Vinicius has stepped up to score seven goals and register three assists in all competitions, with a total of 10 goal involvements being the highest of any member of the squad.

Firmly established as one of the first names in Ancelotti's line-up, Vinicius has started all but one of Madrid's games this season, coming off the bench in Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, with a total of 1079 minutes ranking him highest in that regard – missing just 91 minutes of Los Blancos' entire season.

Reliability in the final third has also been key, with Vinicius boasting 68.8 per cent shooting accuracy, behind only Dani Ceballos, and a 17.1 per cent conversion rate – the highest of any Madrid player with at least 30 attempts, while also significantly higher than the team average of 9.1 per cent.

Vinicius is also above the average for players across Europe's top five leagues in all competitions for those with at least 30 attempts this season, which stands at 15.4 per cent, and is high above team-mate Benzema, who has a conversion rate of 9.1 per cent.

Threat lacking substance

With the ball, Vinicius consistently puts the opposition under threat. The 22-year-old boasts 45 dribbles completed this season, sitting way ahead of his team-mates in that regard, with compatriot Rodrygo ranking second (16).

Vinicius also lays claim to the highest number of take-on attempts across Europe's top five leagues this season (70) but a success rate of 36 per cent is the third-worst for players with at least 50 attempts so far this term.

Often, Vinicius' take-ons lack a decisive impact, with only one resulting in a goal and an expected assists (xA) of just 0.03 in that regard. Only twice has a take-on seen Vinicius drive into the box, showing that the areas where take-ons are completed are not generally in positions to influence the game.

Improving in that area would likely result in an increased total of goals and assists, which may propel his numbers to be comparable with the highest calibre of players in Europe.

Core involvement

While Vinicius still has areas to improve, the influence of the Brazilian upon the Madrid squad is telling. No member of the squad has been involved in more sequences resulting in goals than Vinicius (7, tied with Aurelien Tchouameni), and he is also involved in more attacking sequences than any other player (352).

That shows Vinicius is involved in most of Madrid's attacking moves this season and displays the influential role he has, with the capability to improve even further if he increases his output in front of goal.

The absence of Benzema does affect that, though, with Vinicius creating 20 chances this season, tied with Toni Kroos for the most among Madrid's squad, and two assists. On five occasions, Vinicius' passes into the box have led to a high expected assists value, though the subsequent chances have not been taken.

While the lack of a central striker to take those opportunities has not affected Ancelotti's side so far this season, it is in the bigger games, like against Barcelona, where it could have a negative impact upon the final result.

Vinicius has stepped up in Benzema's absence but cannot provide the same impact in front of goal from his wide-left position, needing a central player to fill those gaps. With Benzema set to be available against Barcelona, it could be bad news for Xavi's side.

Reports have surfaced that Joao Felix is unhappy at Atletico Madrid having fallen out of favour in recent games.

Atletico have reportedly moved to reiterate that they do not want to sell the Portuguese, who it is claimed has requested a January move.

Joao Felix joined the Colchoneros on a seven-year deal in 2019 from Benfica for a fee of €126 million.

TOP STORY – PSG AND BARCA KEEN ON JOAO FELIX

Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are both considering moves to sign wantaway Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

AS claims PSG are weighing up a move for the 22-year-old as they make plans for the potential departure of Lionel Messi at the end of this season.

El Nacional reports that Barcelona are in the race for the Portuguese too, as they fear Ousmane Dembele will exit. A Bola has also linked Manchester United with Joao Felix.

ROUND-UP

– Barcelona want to sell Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong in the near future to raise funds to invest in the squad according to Sport. De Jong was linked with Manchester United over the off-season.

– The same Sport report claims that Barcelona are set to release long-term duo Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba to free up funds too.

– Real Madrid are targeting Bayern Munich's Canada international Alphonso Davies, claims Marca. Los Blancos are eager to bolster their left-back options and are monitoring Davies.

– Inter are looking to sign on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku permanently, while the Nerazzurri are also interested in Everton's Yerry Mina claims Calciomercato.

–​ Barcelona will rival Real Madrid in pursuit of Inter's Italy international forward Nicolo Barella, reports Calciomercatoweb.

–​ Newcastle United are keen to lock down Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes on a new long-term deal before the end of this season, reports 90min.

Joan Laporta has told Barcelona fans to "keep believing" as they head into El Clasico on Sunday looking to hit back from a midweek Champions League disappointment.

A 3-3 draw with Inter on Wednesday was a blow to Barca's hopes of reaching the round of 16, but a win against Real Madrid in one of the most anticipated fixtures in world football would be a perfect response.

The fierce rivals head into the match level on points, with the Catalan giants top of LaLiga by virtue of their superior goal difference.

Barca president Laporta urged supporters to maintain their faith in Xavi and his players, telling BarcaTV: "Keep believing. We have a very competitive team, with very good players who are going to bring you a lot of joy.

"Stick behind Xavi, he needs your warmth and confidence. That's what we will give him and we hope the fans do too.

"I have my full faith in Xavi and his staff, and also with the players. We have a great squad and I'm sure they'll bring us a lot of joy. We have a team to compete against anyone in Europe.

"We'll get through this. We won't ever stop working for what we want. This club has had all kinds of ups and downs over the years, but we have always bounced back. And we can still do that, from every part of the club."

Laporta acknowledged just how important Sunday's fixture could be in the title race, adding: "We're top of the league and there's a big game on the way at the Bernabeu.

"El Clasico is very important, whoever wins get a huge injection of morale and the loser takes a mighty blow. It's the kind of game you want to see. We'll go there with our heads held high. We have a team to do things there.

"I hope the players will defend the Barca shirt with the right spirit, because whenever you get knocked down, you have to pick yourself up again. We want to show how good we are and that we can win the league."

Laporta spoke of his frustration at not securing a win over Inter that would have put their chances of progressing in their own hands.

"It was a big game for us and I am sad and angry that we didn't win despite scoring three goals," Laporta said.

"It was always going to be a difficult group. We should have got a better result in Munich because we were the better team.

"And the refereeing in Milan was scandalous. We shouldn't play the victims card, but we were very unhappy with the match officials, and I spoke to UEFA about it afterwards.

"Financially, missing out on the latter stages of the Champions League is a big blow."

Gennaro Gattuso expects Nico Gonzalez to remain at Valencia for the rest of the season, despite reports suggesting Barcelona are considering recalling the midfielder.

Nico left Camp Nou on loan in search of regular minutes in August but has struggled to nail down a first-team spot with Valencia. 

Although Valencia have made a decent start to their first campaign under Gattuso, winning four of their first eight LaLiga games, the 20-year-old has played a limited role.

Nico has made seven league appearances this season, but five of those outings have come from the bench, meaning he has featured for just 231 minutes in the competition.

With Barcelona enduring an injury crisis, reports in Spain have suggested the Blaugrana could cut Nico's loan short in January, but Gattuso has called for him to force his way into Valencia's team instead.

"This is the first time I've heard of it. No player has spoken to me," Gattuso told reporters on Friday. "He is working very well. He has a one-year contract with us. The player has not come to talk to me.

"All the players want to be starters and I think he should work well on the field, and when he has the opportunity to play, show it. 

"He is a great professional. He trains very well but I have a squad of 23 or 24 players. He is a kid who always trains fully."

Pedri says it is "not possible" to emulate Barcelona legend's Lionel Messi's achievements as he prepares to face fierce rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico.

Barca teenager Pedri has emerged as one of world football's most talented prospects, showing maturity way beyond his years with majestic performances in the middle of the park.

The 19-year-old Spain midfielder looks set for a long, successful career and Xavi will be expecting him to step up on the big stage again when the Blaugrana face LaLiga champions Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Pedri has high hopes for what he can achieve, but believes it is too much to ask that he will emulate the feats of the mercurial seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.

"I hope so," Pedri replied when asked if he would like to be named the best player in the world as many times as Messi has. "I know how hard I need to work to try to do something like that.

"There is only one Messi, however, and I think to repeat what he did is not possible."

Pedri is relishing the challenge of facing Madrid, with Barca above Carlo Ancelotti's side on goal difference at the top of the table.

"It’s a match where a lot of people watch from around the world," he said. "It's a match that I always try to enjoy and hope all the people watching enjoy too. This is why we play football – to entertain everyone and to have fun.

"I used to go to watch the games [against Madrid] with my parents and a lot of Barcelona fans. We used to be very lucky in that we won a lot of times. That's why we enjoyed it even more with each other."

- Pedri was speaking as a global brand ambassador for TCL.

Barcelona will wear a limited-edition jersey donning the logo of rapper and singer Drake during Sunday's El Clasico against Real Madrid.

The idea stems from Barca's relationship with audio streaming subscription service Spotify, whose branding usually appears on the front of the Blaugrana's shirts and who own the naming rights to Camp Nou.

But rather than Spotify branding on jerseys this weekend, Barca will instead sport Drake's 'OVO Sound' logo – essentially the silhouette of an owl.

It is a move designed to celebrate Drake becoming the first artist to break the 50 billion streams barrier on Spotify.

The four-time Grammy winner's achievement was not recent, however, with the Canadian reaching the 50 billion mark in January 2021.

In addition to his logo featuring on Barca jerseys throughout the game, Xavi's team will also wear a special version during their warm-up, with 'DRAKE 50' on the back – the usual Spotify brand will appear on the front of this shirt.

Barcelona travel to the Santiago Bernabeu as LaLiga leaders, but they are only ahead of bitter rivals Madrid on goal difference after both teams won seven and drew the other in their first eight games of the season.