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• Flick: Barcelona should always aim for LaLiga title

  Barcelona have started the LaLiga season with two consecutive wins despite missing several key players, raising expectations around the prospects of new head coach, Hansi Flick.

  Topping the table along with Celta Vigo on six points, Barcelona travel to Rayo Vallecano, who are unbeaten after shocking Real Sociedad 2-1 and holding Getafe to a hard-fought goalless draw on Saturday.

  "The goal in Barcelona should always be to win the league," Flick told a press conference on Monday.

  "Sure, it's a long road, but we have started well, although everything can change quickly.

  "Now we are happy about our start and we are confident. We are not looking ahead to May, our focus is to keep momentum in the next game.

  "We are very satisfied with what the team is doing on the pitch. The quality of the training sessions is good, the players are very focused, the intensity is good, and you can see that in the matches."

  Vallecano will rely on their raucous Vallecas Stadium on Tuesday to help stop in-form Barcelona, who convincingly beat tough opponents in Valencia and Athletic Bilbao to ease the pressure surrounding a club in turmoil on and off the pitch.

  Barcelona endured a trophyless campaign last season, resulting in the controversial firing of Xavi, with Flick being brought in to help them regain the LaLiga title from Real Madrid. 

  The club is having deepening financial issues as they try to reduce their first-team wage bill to comply with LaLiga's financial controls. If they cannot, they will not be able to register new signings, like Spain international Dani Olmo, who joined in a €60million deal from RB Leipzig.

  The Spaniard scored 29 goals and added 34 assists across 148 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig, for whom he created 32 chances in 21 Bundesliga outings in 2023-24.

  And at Euro 2024, Olmo became the first Spanish player to score in three successive European Championship games, despite only starting three of La Roja's seven matches. 

  Ilkay Gundogan, one of their most influential players last season, left as a free agent to join former club Manchester City last week, while Clement Lenglet and Vitor Roque have both left on season-long loans.

  Flick may still be without Olmo for their game against Vallecano, with the registration process out of the German's hands. 

  "I'm hopeful I can finally can count on him tomorrow," Flick added.

  "I also hoped for him in the last game, but things are the way they are. It would be fantastic, but we'll see what happens. It's something we can't control; neither the player, the team, nor the coach. We know it's a difficult circumstance.

  "I've spoken to him, it's a difficult situation. Of course, he is not happy, but he knows the circumstances. He is fit and ready to play if the call comes."

• James Rodriguez returns to LaLiga with Rayo Vallecano

  James Rodriguez has sealed a return to LaLiga, joining Rayo Vallecano on an initial one-year contract.

  James left Brazilian giants Sao Paulo in July following a sublime Copa America campaign with Colombia, winning the Player of the Tournament award as they reached the final.

  Rodriguez laid on six assists throughout the tournament, breaking the single-edition record set by Lionel Messi at the 2021 competition (since records began in 2011).

  He also led all players at the tournament for chances created, with 20, with 14 of those coming from set-pieces.

  The 33-year-old, who spent six years with Real Madrid between 2014 and 2020, has now returned to the city with Rayo, who narrowly avoided relegation last term.

  James has penned an initial one-year deal with Inigo Perez's side, with an option to extend his stay for a further 12 months.

  Rayo have collected four points from their first two games of the season in LaLiga, beating Real Sociedad 2-1 and playing out a goalless draw with Getafe. They are next in action against Barcelona on Tuesday.

• Jamaica wins CFU Boys’ U14 Challenger Series title with 7-1 demolition of French Guiana

  Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz capped off a phenomenal showing at the Tier 1 CFU Boys' U14 Challenger Series with a dominant 7-1 victory over French Guiana in the final on Sunday at the Dwight Yorke Stadium.

  Carlondo Morris and Kelvin Brown were the stars of the day for the Jamaicans with a hat trick and a brace, respectively.

  French Guiana went ahead in the 21st minute through a looping shot from Matheo Francois before Brown equalized in the second half.

  Morris then gave the Jamaicans their first lead of the day in the 52nd minute.

  In the blink of an eye, the lead swelled to 5-1 through goals from Brown (54’) and a brace from Morris (58’, 61’) to complete his hat trick.

  Second-half substitutes Samuel Taylor and Jaedan Brown-Hanniford notched goals to complete the 7-1 win for Jamaica.

  In their six games in the tournament, Jamaica went unbeaten scoring 25 goals and conceding just two.

  Jamaica also dominated the individual awards with Marcodean Spence copping the best goalkeeper award, Brown for best forward, and Davion Clarke for Most Valuable Player.

  Meanwhile, Barbados took the Tier 2 title, defeating Bermuda 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.