Raphinha was told by former Barcelona forward Neymar he would not regret moving to Camp Nou, and the former Leeds United winger is content with his decision to turn down Chelsea.

The new Blaugrana signing has one goal and one assist in his first four appearances for the Catalan giants.

Raphinha might have ended up elsewhere as he left Leeds before the season, with Chelsea widely linked with a transfer, but he sought advice from Brazil team-mate Neymar, who won two LaLiga titles, three Copa del Rey crowns and the 2014-15 Champions League during a four-year stint with Barca between 2013 and 2017.

And the Paris Saint-Germain superstar told Raphinha to make the "dream" move to Barca.

"I spoke a lot to Neymar. He told me that if I came to Barcelona then I would not regret it," Raphinha told La Vanguardia. "And he was right."

Explaining why he snubbed Chelsea, the Brazil man added: "My dream was to wear the Barcelona shirt. This is a club that I have followed since I was very young.

"Since Ronaldinho arrived, I began to understand a little more about the history of the club. I wanted to be a part of this.

"So that dream, those desires were stronger than any other proposal no matter how powerful it was financially."

Now, Raphinha believes Xavi's side boast the required characteristics to challenge in this season's Champions League, having kicked off their campaign with an emphatic 5-1 rout of Viktoria Plzen in midweek.

"Apart from the talent that the team has, I think the most important thing [for winning the Champions League] is to have a winning mentality," he said. "And we have it.

"[If Barca win the Champions League] I will do the same thing I did with Leeds when we managed to secure safety: I will cross Camp Nou on my knees or on the field where we play. It could very well be Istanbul [this season]."

Chelsea's first big transfer splash under new boss Graham Potter could reportedly be RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, after the club had a £77million bid rejected before the deadline.

Gvardiol is young at 20, but he does not lack experience, having already been awarded 10 senior international caps for Croatia, as well as racking up 47 club appearances in all competitions last season for Leipzig.

He was one of many high-profile defenders to be enquired about during Chelsea's search that ended up landing Leicester City's Wesley Fofana and Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.

But with Koulibaly already 31 and Thiago Silva now 37, the club may feel it is best to figure out the succession plan sooner rather than later.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA PLAN BIG MOVE FOR GVARDIOL IN JANUARY

With over £150m spent between Fofana, Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella, while being tied with Manchester United for the fewest goals scored in the Premier League by a team in the top-half (eight from six games), it is curious to see the Stamford Bridge side still so desperate for defensive help.

It remains to be seen what kind of budget Potter will be allowed to use in the January window, given all the recent signings had been under Thomas Tuchel's guidance, and it is also fair to assume a potential Gvardiol deal would not have this season's results in mind, given their previous offer included loaning him back to Leipzig.

Ownership's willingness to open up the cheque book in January would have likely been discussed during their recruitment of Potter, and Bild remain convinced Chelsea's interest with the young Croatian is far from over.

ROUND-UP

– According to The Mirror, Arsenal and Newcastle United will compete for the signature of 26-year-old Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo, who is said to be available for £8.6m due to being in the last year of his contract.

– The Metro is reporting United full-back Diogo Dalot turned down a move to Milan, instead wishing to fight for his spot at Old Trafford.

– According to inews, Newcastle are joining the race for Vasco da Gama teenager Andrey Santos, who reportedly has a £30m price tag and is a target of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

– Jordi Alba is unsettled at Barcelona amid interest from Inter, but remains committed to the club where he now has to contend with Alejandro Balde and Marcos Alonso for the starting role, according to Marca.

Xavi said Barcelona expect Antoine Griezmann to make his Atletico Madrid stay permanent amid reports the Catalan giants could take legal action if los Colchoneros fail to purchase the forward.

Griezmann is midway through a two-year loan spell at Atleti, but Diego Simeone recently suggested his minutes were being managed in order to avoid activating a purchase clause in their deal with Barcelona.

The France international – who scored a 101st-minute winner in Atleti's Champions League opener against Porto on Wednesday – has made four substitute appearances in LaLiga this season, totalling just 109 minutes on the pitch.

On Friday, reports suggested Barcelona could take legal action over Atleti's reluctance to purchase Griezmann, after he featured more regularly in his first season on loan in the Spanish capital.

Asked about Griezmann's situation ahead of Barcelona's trip to Cadiz, Xavi said: "This is a question for Cholo [Simeone], who has already made it clear that he is a club man.

"It is not an issue for me. Look, we have held meetings with the club, talking about players, but I have not spoken with Antoine's club. I can't do anything else."

Pressed on whether he would welcome Griezmann back to Camp Nou, the Blaugrana boss said: "It's a club issue, it's not up to me, the clubs must talk. 

"In fact, we think that he is already an Atletico Madrid player."

But Simeone was reluctant to comment on the forward's future ahead of Atleti's meeting with Celta Vigo, declaring: "I have been very clear on a day-to-day basis on this matter. 

"It's been four dates and I've always said the same. I have nothing more to add."

Referencing the club hierarchy's apparent desire to hold Griezmann back, he then added: "Where the captain commands, the sailor does not command."

Barcelona will need to reduce their wage bill next term, says LaLiga president Javier Tebas, as the club do not have the income in order to match their pay packets.

The Blaugrana have famously been in financial turmoil over recent seasons, yet have been able to conduct high-priced transfer dealings through the activation of financial "levers" and risky strategies.

These have been born out of selling off crucial non-playing assets, helping to secure moves for Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha ahead of the new campaign amongst others.

But Tebas and league corporate general manager Javier Gomez say Xavi's team will need to cut their cloth, while defending the league's actions that have seen them seemingly over-accommodate the club's needs.

"Barca have to reduce the wage bill," the former stated. "Next year, there will be no levers and they will have to reduce the salary that may correspond to them.

"They could make more levers, but I don't think [they can or will]. We'll see what arises from the sale of players, but it is very difficult, impossible even, for them to maintain next season.

"There has been no special arrangements. To even be able to register [Jules] Kounde, the president and his treasurer have had to put in a personal guarantee. There has been nothing extraordinary.

Gomez added: "Barca have given up income for the next year and that income diminishes that capacity to retain players. They will not have that next year and they will have to adapt to the situation."

Barcelona head coach Xavi warned his side will face a "dangerous" opponent in Cadiz on Saturday, making it clear he is not yet considering the upcoming test against Bayern Munich.

The Catalan giants will travel to Bavaria for a huge Champions League clash in Group C, with both sides having won their respective opening fixtures against Viktoria Plzen and Inter.

Tuesday's fixture will also see Robert Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick on his European debut for Barcelona, return to face the side he recently departed and that adds further intrigue to the game.

Xavi, however, is focusing on Saturday's LaLiga away clash against Cadiz and is expecting a difficult encounter, with Barcelona's opponents desperate to secure a first win of the season.

"It's a difficult, rocky, very defensive opponent. It's been tough for us the last four games, we haven't beaten them. Good day for football revenge," Xavi said in Friday's press conference.

Indeed, Cadiz have won two and drawn two of their last four against Barcelona in LaLiga, but this season they have been slow starters, losing four in a row to sit bottom of the Spanish top flight, in which Barcelona hold down second spot.

"They haven't won, but that makes them more dangerous, they will come out more aggressive," Xavi said. "It's a difficult place to go, one of those which [can decide who] wins the league. Here they secured their safety [from relegation] last year, they work very well even if they have not started very well.

"We are focused on the Cadiz alone. I understand the euphoria, but this has just begun. We have to be humble, we play for three very important points, and we are waiting to win against Cadiz, not thinking about Bayern.

"It's not difficult to manage, there are experienced players as well as young players, and they're all motivated and plugged in, I need them all."

Xavi echoed that sentiment when asked about Real Madrid losing Karim Benzema due to injury, with the first Clasico of the season coming up next month.

"We are waiting for the Cadiz game. Neither of Benzema, nor of [Antoine] Griezmann, nor of debates, I think of Cadiz, of how to play them, surprise them," Xavi said.

"We are looking out for ourselves, not the rest. If I'm looking out for others, we're going [to do] badly."

Chelsea have reportedly held an emergency call with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to reassure him of his future with the club after Thomas Tuchel's surprise sacking.

Tuchel was removed from his position after Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener, in a move that will carry a heavy financial cost, according to reports from the Daily Mail and The Mirror.

Tuchel and his backroom staff are said to be receiving £15million in pay-outs, and Brighton are set to claim £20m in compensation after Graham Potter took over.

One of the main selling points for Aubameyang to come to Stamford Bridge was his relationship with Tuchel, who had coached him at Borussia Dortmund, and the Telegraph claims Chelsea's ownership group went out of their way to reassure the 33-year-old striker about his decision after cutting ties with Tuchel.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA OWNERS REASSURE AUBAMEYANG OF HIS ROLE AFTER TUCHEL FIRING

According to the Telegraph's report, controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Egbali addressed the Chelsea squad on Wednesday after Tuchel's sacking took place that morning, but there was also a separate individual chat with Aubameyang.

They reportedly told the signing from Barcelona that they "believe he can flourish under new head coach Graham Potter", and the Gabon international is said to have no second thoughts about his decision.

While he was clearly a player Tuchel pushed for, Aubameyang was assured he was "a club signing", and the report claims he "is thought to have been appreciative of the explanation".

In his one game for Chelsea under Tuchel, Aubameyang was substituted in the 59th minute.

ROUND-UP

– BILD has confirmed once again that Liverpool have their sights set on a massive move for Borussia Dortmund's 19-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham in 2023. 

– A report from Sport claims the rise of 18-year-old Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde has complicated the arrival of Marcos Alonso, who was brought in to be the main competition to Jordi Alba, but he is now behind Balde as well.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk wants a move to Arsenal alongside his Ukrainian compatriot Oleksandr Zinchenko, and that it could be possible in January.

– JuveLive claim Juventus are prepared to offer 22-year-old striker Moise Kean to Aston Villa in a straight swap for 24-year-old midfielder Douglas Luiz.

Ousmane Dembele has shown the same ability to beat defenders as Neymar did in his Barcelona prime, according to head coach Xavi.

The French winger delivered three assists on Wednesday as Barcelona hammered Viktoria Plzen 5-1 in their Champions League group opener, an ideal result ahead of tougher tests against Bayern Munich and Inter.

Robert Lewandowski grabbed a hat-trick, with Dembele setting up the striker's second as well as goals for Franck Kessie and Ferran Torres.

It is remarkable to think that Barcelona and Dembele were in a fractious stand-off barely eight months ago, which at one point saw the club tell the winger to leave amid a contract row.

He has since signed a new deal at Camp Nou, giving club and player security through to 2024, and his form on the wing has been largely outstanding.

"I don't want to throw flowers, but the ability he has in one-on-one situations is at the level of the best Neymar," said Xavi, who played alongside Neymar for Barcelona.

The only aspect where Xavi would ask more of Dembele is in pushing to add to his goals tally.

"He has to dare more to shoot at goal and score," said Xavi. "He's a good boy and he has to take advantage of these characteristics. He's here to make a difference and he's doing it."

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and remains with the French giants.

His prowess in front of goal is something Dembele can only aspire to, as despite Xavi's assertions there is a huge gulf between Neymar's output and Dembele's own.

Since the start of 2022, Dembele and Neymar have played a similar number of minutes across all competitions (Dembele – 1,814; Neymar – 1,681) and Dembele edges the assists comparison 13-11 but is 66-62 behind on chances created.

However, their form in terms of finishing has been strikingly different, with Neymar scoring 19 goals and Dembele managing just three. That is despite Dembele attempting 68 shots to Neymar's 54.

Of that high shot tally, Dembele only hit the target 15 times, while Neymar has done so on 31 occasions.

Neymar is exceeding his expected goals (xG) tally of 12.44, while Dembele's xG of 4.99 suggests his shots are often coming from areas where it is highly unlikely he would score. The xG metric looks at the quality of a chance and the likelihood of it resulting in a goal.

Neymar's shots-to-goals conversion rate is an excellent 35.19 per cent, while Dembele is found lagging on 4.41 per cent.

Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann believed his side "absolutely deserved the win" as they beat Inter 2-0 at the San Siro to kick off their Champions League campaign.

A brilliant first-half goal from Leroy Sane set the German champions on their way to victory, before a Danilo D'Ambrosio own goal as he clumsily tried to block a Sane shot killed the game off.

The Bundesliga side saw out the remaining minutes to earn a clean sheet and all three points to make it 11 games unbeaten against Italian teams in the Champions League, as they look for their first European title since the 2019-20 season.

And Nagelsmann was delighted with his team's performance, telling reporters: "I'm happy with the performance today. We had a good intensity throughout the 90 minutes.

"In both halves, we had a spell of 10 minutes where we gave the opponent space and our opponents can obviously play.

"But overall we absolutely deserved the win. It was important to start with three points.

While Nagelsmann was pleased with his players, he believes there is much work to be done as they hunt for trophies.

"I enjoy it when we win. But there are many areas of improvement, we want to exploit them and we will try to do it on a daily basis."

Elsewhere in Europe, former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick as his new side Barcelona opened up their Champions League group stage with a 5-1 thrashing of Viktoria Plzen.

Lewandowski returns to the Allianz Arena next week as his old and new teams face off, and Nagelsmann says he hopes the fans give him a good reception despite his somewhat acrimonious departure.

When asked about facing him, Nagelsmann added: "I am looking forward to it, yes. Not so much to facing him, because he is very dangerous in front of goal.

"But as a person I will be pleased to see him. I hope the fans will honour that too, regardless of how things were with his departure."

Barcelona coach Xavi is overjoyed by Robert Lewandowski's start at the club, referring to him as "insatiable" after terrorising Viktoria Plzen.

The 34-year-old was in ruthless form on Wednesday, scoring a hat-trick as Barca thrashed their visitors 5-1 at Camp Nou.

Playing his first Champions League game for Barca, Lewandowski netted two sumptuous 20-yard strikes either side of a stooping header, with the hosts comfortable throughout.

Wednesday's treble ensured Lewandowski became the first player to net a Champions League hat-trick for three clubs, having scored four for Bayern Munich and one with Borussia Dortmund.

But Lewandowski's display was not a real shock given his strong start to life in LaLiga, and everything about his first few weeks at Barca has left Xavi amazed.

"Robert is like that, he's insatiable. I'm delighted with how he trains, how he improves the team," Xavi told Movistar.

"He's humble, he expects [of his team-mates] and he does a great job of pressing.

"It's not just the hat-trick anymore, it's his work and how he dominates."

Lewandowski was not the only Barca player to impress, however – had the Pole not scored a hat-trick, most would have seen Ousmane Dembele as the standout performer.

The France international was dazzling at times on the right flank.

It was only the second time in a Barcelona shirt that Dembele has laid on five key passes in a single game, and two of those resulted in assists.

Dembele was in devastating form in the second half of last season, and Xavi feels the winger is having fun at Camp Nou.

"He is happy, enjoying himself," the coach added. "He is a player who makes a difference – he assists and scores goals. He is a dagger down the wing."

Barcelona's three first-half goals on Wednesday ensured they have already scored more than the two they managed in the whole group stage last term.

But a tricky trip to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena awaits next week.

Robert Lewandowski made history with his maiden hat-trick for Barcelona against Viktoria Plzen, becoming the first player to hit Champions League trebles for three different sides.

The Poland international found the target twice in the first half at Camp Nou on Wednesday, with Franck Kessie and Plzen's Jan Sykora also netting in a frantic opening 45 minutes.

Lewandowski capped a scintillating performance with his third after 67 minutes, firing a 20-yard finish past Jindrich Stanek after a neat interchange with Ferran Torres, who then struck to seal a 5-1 victory for Barca.

The latter strike for Lewandowski made him the first player to ever score Champions League hat-tricks for three different teams, having previously hit trebles for Bayern Munich (four) and Borussia Dortmund (one).

Lewandowski was level on Champions League goals with Karim Benzema (86) heading into the game but moved to third in the all-time scoring charts – only Lionel Messi (125) and Cristiano Ronaldo (140) have more.

The Barca forward has been in fine LaLiga form as well, scoring five times in four league appearances, and will look to continue his scoring run when the Blaugrana visit Cadiz on Saturday.

Robert Lewandowski scored his first Barcelona hat-trick as the Blaugrana met expectations with a dominant 5-1 win over Viktoria Plzen to open their Champions League campaign.

Barca's three first-half goals were more than they managed over the whole group stage last season (two) when they were dumped into the Europa League, though sterner challenges await.

Plzen had moments against an unconvincing Barca defence, with Jan Sykora netting just before the break, but the hosts were already ahead thanks to Franck Kessie and Lewandowski, who made it 3-1 on the stroke of half-time.

Although the tempo slowed slightly, Barca remained dominant after the break and Lewandowski ensured he became the first player to net a Champions League hat-trick with three different teams before Ferran Torres got in on the act.

Barca deservedly went in front early when Jules Kounde's header from a corner set up Kessie to nod in on his first start for the club.

Plzen looked set to level when Andreas Christensen clumsily tripped Jhon Mosquera in the box, but a foul on the Dane was spotted following a VAR review.

That reprieve was added to soon after as Lewandowski ruthlessly found the bottom-right corner from 20 yards.

Plzen at least appeared to be going into the break within touching distance thanks to Sykora converting from close range, but the excellent Ousmane Dembele teed up a stooping Lewandowski header to swiftly restore the two-goal lead.

Ansu Fati surprisingly sliced well wide in the first minute of a second half that was significantly less intense, but his wastefulness mattered little.

Lewandowski increased the deficit and cap his hat-trick with another sumptuous 20-yard finish after a neat interchange with Torres.

The Spain winger then rounded things off with a thumping strike from Dembele's cross.

What does it mean? Barca starting to right wrongs

Barcelona's Champions League campaign last season was dreadful – while they were paired with Bayern Munich in the group, they also finished below Benfica. Dynamo Kiev were the only team they beat.

Granted, their group this season is even tougher given Bayern and Inter are the other two teams Barca will face, but this was clearly a much greater showing than they produced against anyone in 2021-22. This was not a season-defining showing by any stretch, but the fact Barca made it look so straightforward at least shows progress.

Dembele ouses class

Lewandowski will obviously hog most headlines with his exceptional treble, but Dembele was still the best player on the pitch.

His five key passes – and two assists – were match highs, but he was just an absolute terror in general. A tremendous display.

Fati finding his feet

Xavi has been patient with Fati this season following his injury woes. This was his first start of the campaign and there was certainly some rustiness on show, as one might expect.

None of his four shots were on target, though Barca will be happy to see him come through the game unscathed, and he was lively in the first half.

What's next?

Barca go to Bayern next Tuesday as Lewandowski returns to the Allianz Arena, while Plzen will host Inter the same day.

Barcelona have released Miralem Pjanic from his contract, with the former Juventus and Roma midfielder joining Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Pjanic joined Barca from Juve in 2020 and was part of the side that won the Copa del Rey that season, though he soon fell down the pecking order.

A loan spell in Turkey with Besiktas last season saw Pjanic's time at Barca reach the beginning of the end, and his stint at Camp Nou is now over officially.

"FC Barcelona and Miralem Pjanic have reached an agreement to release the player from the contract binding the player to the club until the end of the 2023-24 season," a club statement read.

"The club publicly expresses its gratitude to the player for his professionalism, dedication and commitment and for always adapting his contract to the club's situations and needs. It wishes him every success and fortune in the future."

Sharjah, who play in the UAE Pro League, confirmed Pjanic's arrival on their official Twitter account, confirming the 32-year-old had joined on a two-year deal with an option for an extension.

Jules Kounde warned Barcelona are ready to strike a brutal blow to at least one European titan in the Champions League after landing in this season's 'group of death'.

Drawn to face Bayern Munich, Inter and Viktoria Plzen in Group C, it is the German and Italian giants that Barcelona will be most worried about.

The Catalans start their campaign against Czech side Plzen on Wednesday, when nothing but a home victory at Camp Nou will be an acceptable result, given the challenges to come.

Barcelona, Inter and Bayern all begin as trophy hopefuls, but one or even two of the trio will have been eliminated by the time the World Cup comes around in November.

Kounde, recruited from Sevilla to fortify Xavi's defence, is determined Barcelona will not be among the early fallers.

He said of the European mission that lies ahead: "I play football to enjoy these big matches. It is true that it is a very difficult group. But Barca carry a big threat and they have to take us seriously. We think we have many options to get out of the group.

"To begin with, we have to beat Viktoria no matter what, because they are three points equal to the matchday against Bayern."

Kounde, 23, was a Europa League winner with Sevilla in the 2019-20 season but has higher aspirations now.

He said head coach Xavi wants him "to lead the team, to shout, to talk a lot", and competition for places at the back could bring the best out of the Frenchman.

Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia started in the centre in the 3-0 weekend win at Sevilla, with Kounde at right-back.

He prefers the central role, but Gerard Pique will also hope to be a factor there.

Kounde said of veteran Pique: "He is a very competitive person. He is very important in the dressing room. He gives advice and his career speaks for itself. He helps us newcomers and those who have been here for a long time. He's very important in the squad."

Barcelona have only lost their opening game of a Champions League campaign in one of their previous 23 appearances (W17 D5); however, that defeat did come last term when Bayern Munich stomped to a 3-0 Camp Nou victory.

Barca have tackled Plzen in one previous European campaign, scoring a 2-0 win at home and 4-0 success on the road in the 2011-12 Champions League.

Kounde had no doubt joining Barcelona would be a positive step in his career, believing the Blaugrana are equipped to challenge on all front.

He said: "Watching their second half of last season in LaLiga, one already sensed what this team could be capable of. We have two quality players for each position. I am so happy to be here."

Xavi believes Barcelona can end an eight-year wait for Champions League glory this season as he told his players to "dream" of lifting the trophy.

The head coach sends his side into their opener against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday, desperate for them to avoid a repeat of the last campaign's group-stage exit.

Barcelona finished behind Bayern Munich and Benfica, with Xavi appointed midway through that group campaign after Ronald Koeman was sacked.

The serious damage had been done by a 3-0 loss at Benfica, and Xavi could not drag Barcelona through to the knockout rounds.

However, he has had two busy transfer windows since then and Barcelona are a new-look and refreshed team, with much of their previous baggage shaken off.

Last season's failure in Europe inevitably hurt more when Barcelona's great rivals Real Madrid went on to beat Liverpool in the final, but Xavi wants to move on.

"The main target now is to get through the group stage," said Xavi, "then we'll see.

"Dreaming is free so why can't we win this competition? But we have to start by taking the three points tomorrow."

Xavi was a substitute in the final of the 2014-15 Champions League when Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin, thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

Now directing matters from the touchline, he is reluctant to predict how Barcelona will fare, but says there is no harm in having lofty goals.

"We are going to compete and dream of winning the Champions League, otherwise I wouldn't be here," Xavi said. "I want to win. We have to be very humble. Since 2015 we haven't won the Champions League and last year we went into the Europa League.

"You have to think that every game is going to be a war. We have had a very difficult group."

With Bayern and Inter alongside Barcelona and Plzen in Group C, Xavi's remark certainly stands up to scrutiny. Although it may not play out this way, Plzen will be seen as the team the big three must beat, before thrashing out the top places.

Xavi spoke highly of Plzen's counter-attacking qualities, but anything other than three points at Camp Nou would be majorly anti-climactic.

"This is the Champions League and we want to start well. It is the most difficult group in recent years, but we want to go through and reach the last 16," Xavi said.

The Barcelona boss will look towards Robert Lewandowski to propel the Catalans through to the knockout rounds, after his previous success for Bayern in the competition.

Lewandowski has scored more goals than any other player in the Champions League across the last three seasons, with 33 goals in 26 games.

Should he score against Plzen, it would make him only the third player to score for both Barcelona and Bayern in the competition, after Mark van Bommel and Philippe Coutinho.

Lewandowski netted nine goals in five home games for Bayern in the Champions League last season, which might augur well for Wednesday.

Xavi will be without Miralem Pjanic, with the midfielder bound for Sharjah FC, and is set to make changes from the side that beat Sevilla 3-0 in LaLiga on Saturday.

"There will be rotation," Xavi said, confirming the likes of Jordi Alba and Ansu Fati could step up from their weekend substitute roles. "There is tiredness and discomfort. The match against Sevilla was a war.

"Let's compete in the Champions League and dream of winning it. In our history we have won it five times. We'll try to compete to go as far as we can."

Gavi is one of the hottest young talents around Europe having become a regular at Barcelona in 2021-22.

The youngster has been capped 10 times for Spain already, despite only turning 18 in August.

However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been frustrated that he is yet to re-commit to the club.

TOP STORY – BAYERN MUNICH ENTER GAVI PURSUIT

German champions Bayern Munich have joined the race for Barcelona's teenage midfielder Gavi, reports Bild.

Gavi is out of contract at the end of this season and already being pursued by Liverpool and Manchester United.

Bayern are monitoring Gavi's contract status to see if he does renew his deal with the Blaugrana, with reports he is restless.

ROUND-UP

– The Standard reports that Chelsea's main target in January is a new central midfielder, with Ajax's Mexico international Edson Alvarez top of the list.

– Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has offered a hint that Mason Mount is set for a new contract, liking a tweet from Fabrizio Romano that claimed talks are under way with a final proposal soon.

– Miralem Pjanic may end his time with Barcelona on Tuesday, according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims he is set to fly to UAE to discuss a deal with Sharjah FC .

– Wolves' proposed move for ex-Spain international Diego Costa could collapse due to his work permit application being denied due to a lack of recent international appearances, reports The Sun. The ex-Chelsea forward is a free agent.