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.

TOP STORY – PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN LOOK TO RECLAIM LEIPZIG'S NKUNKU

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.

As is always the case when Barcelona fall short in the Champions League, the local media reaction was unforgiving.

"On the brink of disaster," screamed the Diario AS front page. Barcelona were hurtling towards "the abyss", according to L'Esportiu. 

Robert Lewandowski's 92nd-minute equaliser may have rescued a point in a 3-3 draw with Inter last time out in the competition, but it was not enough. 

Having suffered a 1-0 defeat at San Siro one week earlier, the result left the Blaugrana staring at an early Champions League exit.

Xavi acknowledged Barca did not deserve to progress following their madcap draw with the Nerazzurri, but that will be no consolation to their hierarchy should they bow out of the competition on Wednesday.

As Barca – just a few weeks on from a huge transfer spree and a positive start in LaLiga – prepare to host Bayern Munich in a do-or-die clash, Stats Perform examines the potential ramifications of yet another European failure.

Tracing Barca's Champions League woes as old foes visit 

Football has a funny way of throwing up narratives. Surely no team has been responsible for causing Barca greater embarrassment than Bayern, who have won nine of their 12 Champions League meetings with the Catalan giants (D1 L2).

Among those victories, of course, was an 8-2 humiliation of Quique Setien's team in the 2019-20 quarter-finals, an historic result that hastened Lionel Messi's attempts to quit Camp Nou that year.

Bayern also appeared to take great joy in crushing Barca last season, preventing Xavi's men from reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2003-04 (when they were absent from the competition entirely) by thrashing them 3-0 in a match with no consequences for the Bavarians.

The German side are already assured of their own last-16 spot again ahead of Wednesday's match, but they will no doubt be keen to deal another blow to their old rivals – particularly after the less-than-amicable departure of Lewandowski in July. 

While Bayern's domestic dominance makes their obsession with Champions League success understandable, Barca have suffered extensively after failing to meet lofty European aims of late.

Barca are looking to avoid suffering consecutive group-stage eliminations for just the second time in the competition, having previously crashed out at this stage in both 1997-98 and 1998-99, but their Champions League woes stretch back beyond last season.

Since lifting the trophy in 2015, Barca have posted four quarter-final exits and one last-16 elimination, as well as an incredible collapse against Liverpool in their one semi-final appearance.

Meanwhile, Barca have been beaten by three or more goals on 10 separate occasions in their past seven Champions League campaigns, having not lost by such a margin in their previous three seasons in the competition.

For a club who are in a state of perpetual crisis despite a run of five league titles in seven seasons between 2012-13 and 2018-19, the Champions League clearly holds special importance, which has only been heightened by recent off-pitch events.

The view from the boardroom: Why qualification matters for Laporta 

The economic 'levers' pulled by Joan Laporta were the talk of the continent a couple of months ago, with Barca spending in excess of €150million on Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, as well as attracting four high-profile free agents.

That spree was set against a backdrop of continued economic fears, with Barca accused of gambling their future to finance a short-term rebuild.

The sales of 10 per cent of their future LaLiga broadcasting rights and 49 per cent of their in-house production company Barca Studios were required in order for the Blaugrana to meet the division's salary limits – and even that was not enough to prevent director of football Mateu Alemany having to contribute his own money to ensure Kounde's registration.

The identity of their marquee addition Lewandowski, meanwhile, raises further questions. 

The Poland international may remain his indomitable self, following up a return of 35 goals in his final Bundesliga season with Bayern by scoring 12 in his first 11 outings in LaLiga, but handing a four-year contract to a player who turned 34 in August gave an idea of where Barca's priorities lie.

It is within this context that Laporta's view of the Blaugrana's European failings must be examined.

Reports have suggested Laporta was "furious" with Barca's inability to beat Inter, and the president's frustrations were on display when he stormed into the officials' changing room following their Clasico defeat to Real Madrid four days later, earning himself a fine.

It is thought Barca have budgeted for a run to the Champions League's last eight as a minimum this season, and failing to meet that objective would reportedly cost them €20m.

With Barca and Madrid seemingly fighting a losing battle in their attempts to convince Europe's other giants to back a revival of the Super League, the loss of further revenue is unlikely to go down well in the Camp Nou boardroom.

Could Xavi pay for Laporta's approach?

While Xavi's predecessor Ronald Koeman lost his job with Barca ninth in LaLiga, overseeing the club's worst ever start to a Champions League campaign hardly helped his cause, with a 3-0 loss at Benfica last September representing a watershed moment for the Dutchman.

Xavi has goodwill in the bank after leading Barca to second in LaLiga last term, but the former midfielder recently acknowledged a European exit would deal a blow to his own job prospects.

Indeed, resounding league wins over Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao have done little to lift the mood at Camp Nou, demonstrating a shift in expectations Xavi must handle.

Signing Lewandowski, who has 91 Champions League goals to his name, has also ensured Xavi has few excuses, at odds with Koeman's patched-up, Messi-less side.

Whether fair or not, Xavi is now perceived to have the players to compete with sides like Bayern; failure to do so would undoubtedly prompt questions of both the coach and the board.

Xavi may have restored Barca's status as domestic title contenders, but as ever in Catalonia, past European glories cast a long shadow.

If Xavi oversees another continental failure, he may just pay for Laporta's approach.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains in limbo at Manchester United after being exiled after exiting their 2-0 win over Tottenham prematurely last week.

Ronaldo and United manager Erik ten Hag were set for talks before a decision was made on letting him return to first-team training and be considered to play.

The 37-year-old Portuguese apologised for the incident on social media, but the situation appears delicate after an off-season where Ronaldo chased a move away from United.

TOP STORY – TEN HAG WILLING TO LET RONALDO GO IN JANUARY

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is willing to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave in January, reports The Mirror.

The Dutchman has publicly said Ronaldo is wanted at Old Trafford, but is ready to allow him to move on should an appropriate suitor be found, amid fresh links with Chelsea via Sunday World.

Ronaldo had pushed for an off-season move to a Champions League club but was unable to find a home, while he rejected a lucrative offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club.

ROUND-UP

– Le10Sport claims that Paris Saint-Germain are open to renewal talks with veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos ,   who is out of contract at the end of this season.

– Chelsea are eager to sign Inter right-back Denzel Dumfries amid interest from Juventus , claims Calciomercato.

– Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both weighing up making an offer to sign Juve midfielder Adrien Rabiot , Calciomercato also reports.

– Arsenal 's interest in Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka has cooled, according to the Express. West Ham are also interested in the Frenchman.

Xavi credited Ousmane Dembele's willingness to take risks after the France winger starred in Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou. 

Barca moved back to within three points of Real Madrid on the LaLiga table by putting Athletic to the sword on Sunday, with Dembele opening the scoring before recording three assists.

By laying on goals for Robert Lewandowski, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres, Dembele recorded four goal involvements in a single game for Barca for the first time, in what was his 165th Blaugrana appearance.

Dembele's tally of five assists in LaLiga is the best in the competition this season, and Xavi described the 25-year-old as a difference-maker following Barca's victory.

"He was in the spotlight because he takes risks and it's like a flip of a coin. He was especially motivated," Xavi told Movistar.

"He understood everything well. He's here to make a difference and he's capable of doing these things."

Barca raced into a three-goal lead within 22 minutes as Athletic collapsed, before controlling possession as Pedri repeatedly drifted inside from an unfamiliar left-wing role.

"We thought it was a game of intensity and rhythm, we understood that they were going to put a lot of pressure on us," Xavi said of Barca's approach.

"We put one more midfielder in and we attacked inside. We found the superiority and we matched their intensity, those were the keys. We showed solidarity and it was a complete game."

Barca endured a run of just one win in four matches earlier this month, losing to Clasico rivals Madrid and failing to beat Inter in two Champions League meetings, leading captain Sergio Busquets to emphasise the importance of their response.

"We came from a difficult week after losing against Madrid, but we have remade ourselves with two good games and we continue to fight for the top positions here," Busquets said.

"We came out very strong, because we knew that they are a very intense team and we wanted to match that intensity. 

"We had ten minutes of great success in front of goal and that made it easy for us to break up the match."

Ousmane Dembele scored and assisted three others as Barcelona warmed up for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich by thrashing Athletic Bilbao 4-0 at Camp Nou.

Xavi's team raced into a three-goal lead before half-time in Thursday's mauling of Villarreal and they repeated the trick on Sunday as Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski joined Dembele on the scoresheet within 22 minutes.

Having set up Roberto and Lewandowski, Dembele continued to terrorise Athletic after the break and helped Barca add some gloss when he teed up Ferran Torres for a neat finish late on.

The result moved Barca back to within three points of leaders Real Madrid in the LaLiga standings, with Los Blancos having moved clear with a 3-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday. 

Dembele opened the scoring after 12 minutes, testing Unai Simon before nodding in Lewandowski's cross after the striker had recycled the loose ball.

There was more fortune about Barca's second, which arrived when Roberto's shot deflected beyond Simon from a tight angle following Dembele's throughball. 

Dembele played a role again in Barca's third as Athletic crumbled, driving inside from the right to feed Lewandowski, who swivelled and lashed into the roof of the net.

Barca suffered a blow when Gavi limped off following a collision with Dani Garcia before the break, but they almost scored a fourth when Garcia's clearance hit Pedri and crashed against the post.

Dembele showcased his creative qualities once again when Barca completed the rout after 73 minutes, drilling a low cross into Torres, who shifted the ball to his right foot before finishing coolly. 

Leon Goretzka says Robert Lewandowski "was spoiled" at Bayern Munich as he taunted his former team-mate over Barcelona's Champions League struggles.

Barca face being eliminated from the competition in the group stage in successive campaigns for only the second time heading into Wednesday's tie with Bayern at Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants will be unable to advance to the last 16 should they lose or if Inter beat Viktoria Plzen, while they will also be eliminated should both games be drawn.

While Barca have struggled in Europe of late, Bayern have reached at least the quarter-finals in all but one of the past 11 seasons, which Goretzka says can be taken for granted.

"Lewy was very spoiled at Bayern, always being at least in the round of 16 and progressing," Goretzka told reporters. "But now we can no longer take that into account."

Bayern beat Barca 2-0 in last month's reverse fixture, in which Lewandowski missed two presentable opportunities, and are already assured of a place in the knockout stages.

The German side have defeated Barcelona in nine of their 12 Champions League encounters, including the past five in a row.

Only Bayern themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single side in the competition's history, and Goretzka is targeting another victory next week.

"If we play against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, it can be a preparatory game or a Champions League final, it doesn't matter," the Germany international added. 

"It's going to be a super cool game that we're looking forward to. And we will also do everything to win it."

Lewandowski has scored five Champions League goals for Barca, each of those coming at Camp Nou – the most ever by a Barca player after their first two matches.

The prolific striker lifted the famous trophy with Bayern in 2020, but he will have to settle for Europa League football – at best – if results go against his side.

"It's their last chance," Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting said. "I'm definitely looking forward to the game and to seeing Lewy. 

"He's a world-class player and a great guy. Playing against Barcelona is always something special."

Harry Kane's importance to Tottenham is as significant as the impact Lionel Messi had during his career at Barcelona, according to Clement Lenglet.

France defender Lenglet is well known to Messi having played alongside him at Camp Nou and also against the Argentina great during his time at Sevilla.

Messi had been a one-club man until the start of the 2021-22 season when Barca's perilous financial situation saw him depart for Paris Saint-Germain.

The superstar forward became the club's all-time leading scorer and a record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner at Barca, while he counts 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League medals among a plethora of honours won with Los Cules.

While Kane has yet to win a medal with Spurs, Lenglet – who joined Tottenham from Barca on loan in the last transfer window – talked up the impact he has on the club.

In quotes reported by the Daily Mail, Lenglet said: "When you stay a long time in the same place and you achieve so many good things with the club it means you become a part of this club. 

"Your face is connected to the club. For me, Messi is always a Barca player.

"For Harry it's the same. It's difficult to think of Harry in another country or playing for another team. Tottenham is a big club, Harry is a big player and Harry is a big part of Tottenham. 

"We speak a lot about the player and that's important because we are players but I give the same importance to what he is like as a guy. He is an amazing example for all his team-mates."

Describing what it is like to be play with and against Messi, Lenglet added: "You play with the greatest player in the world in my opinion. 

"He helps you improve every day. I played with him [for Barca] and against him for Sevilla – it's better with him!"

Lenglet has made just three Premier League starts for Spurs this season but said it only required a short conversation with boss Antonio Conte to persuade him to make the move to north London, where he is still adjusting to a new way of life.

"We spoke about a lot of things. He [Conte] told me if I came here I would improve because the league is so competitive, you have to be ready and focused every game," Lenglet said.

"He said if I came here I would be happy because I would progress as a football player and it has been a good decision.

"It's a different culture, a different way to work. I was in Spain for six years. You work one way, you think one way, the football is the same. Now, you come to England – a different league, different intensity, different way to work. It's a good way to improve."

Tottenham sit third in the Premier League and are out to rebound from defeat against Manchester United when they face Newcastle United on Sunday.