Barcelona sailed comfortably into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals thanks to a second-half splurge of goals in Thursday's 5-0 win over third-tier Ceuta.

The Blaugrana started slow at Estadio Alfonso Murube, but ultimately had few issues in sealing a place in the last eight.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the second half, either side of goals from Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie, to ensure Barca's progression was routine enough, with Raphinha having put the visitors ahead before the interval.

LaLiga leaders Barca are well in the hunt for a domestic clean sweep after their Supercopa de Espana victory over Real Madrid.

Despite naming a side littered with top-tier talent, Barca did not impose themselves as well as might have been expected throughout the first half.

The visitors struggled for clear-cut opportunities despite posting an overwhelming 69.8 per cent possession figure.

It was a piece of individual brilliance that unlocked their hosts four minutes before half-time, when Raphinha curled beyond Tomas Mejias.

Barca doubled their lead five minutes after the break, when Kessie picked off a wayward pass deep in Ceuta territory to set Lewandowski up for an easy finish.

Fati capped a fine solo run with a deft touch to put Barca 3-0 up, with Kessie turning from provider to scorer as he headed in from Raphinha's cross seven minutes later.

Lewandowski got his second in the 90th minute, drilling low into the corner to cap off an emphatic win after Kessi, Fati and Jordi Alba had gone close.

Memphis Depay was given permission by Barcelona to train with Atletico Madrid on Thursday as the teams negotiate a transfer.

Netherlands international Depay has struggled for playing time at Barca under Xavi and his contract ends at the end of the season.

Widespread reports this week suggested Atleti are prepared to pay an initial €3million for Depay, potentially rising to €4m with add-ons.

While a deal has yet to be struck between the clubs, Atleti have confirmed talks are at an advanced stage, with Depay now training alongside his soon-to-be team-mates.

"Memphis, with permission from Barcelona, trained for the first time in Majadahonda while both clubs close their transfer," Atleti posted on their official Twitter page.

Depay joined Barcelona on a free transfer from Lyon ahead of the 2021-22 season, linking up again with Ronald Koeman, for whom he had played for with the Netherlands.

But Koeman was fired by the Blaugrana in October 2021 and his successor Xavi never appeared to have the same trust in the former Manchester United and PSV attacker.

Depay's first 11 LaLiga appearances were all as a starter, but after Xavi's appointment only nine of his next 17 top-flight outings came from the start.

He is set to become fourth-placed Atletico's first signing of a January window that has so far seen Joao Felix leave for Chelsea on loan and Matheus Cunha join Wolves.

Should the deal go through in time, Depay could make his debut against Real Valladolid on Saturday.

Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona, having had a frustrating 2022-23 season.

The Dutchman has only made a handful of appearances for the Blaugrana, following an off-season of busy transfer activity at Camp Nou.

Depay had been linked with several clubs, including Premier League outfits Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

TOP STORY – MEMPHIS TO EXIT BARCELONA FOR ATLETICO

Depay will leave Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid with an agreement reached on a fee of approximately €3-4million, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch forward is set to travel to Madrid to complete the formalities and medicals soon.

According to Romano, the 28-year-old will sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Atleti.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer will undergo medical tests with Bayern Munich on Thursday, before signing his contract with the Bavarians with the deal done between the clubs.

– Sky Sport Italia claims Roma are willing to sell Nicolo Zaniolo in January at the right price, approximately €40m, as the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham United  and Borussia Dortmund circle.

– Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but the Red Devils have made an improved contract offer for the Argentinian, reports The Independent.

– Arsenal are happy to wait until the end of the season to pursue West Ham's Declan Rice, after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, claims The Sun.

– Tottenham have made a first bid for Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, which included a player plus guaranteed money, but the Portuguese club have turned this down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Sporting want €45m (£39m) with talks ongoing.

– Chris Wood is on the cusp of joining Nottingham Forest on loan from Newcastle United, reports The Athletic. The deal would include an option to make the move permanent.

– West Ham tabled an offer for Aston Villa forward Danny Ings, reports The Telegraph.

Memphis Depay will find happiness at Atletico Madrid and be welcomed with open arms, according to Alvaro Morata.

The Spain striker's 54th-minute strike and Marcos Llorente's cool late finish saw Diego Simeone's side into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory at Levante on Wednesday.

Atleti were somewhat uninspiring for large parts against second-tier Levante, though, not registering a shot on target until Morata swept into the bottom-left corner.

Simeone has sought to ease some of those attacking struggles with the imminent arrival of Depay, who will reportedly join from Barcelona on a five-and-a-half-year deal.

Morata looks forward to linking up with Depay, who Atleti are reportedly paying just €4million for, as Simeone's side battle for a place in LaLiga's top four.

He told TVE: "Depay is a top player. Welcome; Atletico is a place where you will surely be happy. We look forward to welcome with open arms anyone who comes to help."

Atleti were fortunate to be level at the break at Levante after an underwhelming first-half performance, but Morata says the result is all that mattered as Simeone's men chase a first Copa del Rey triumph since 2013.

"Levante have shown that they are a great team, they have played a good game," he continued. 

"Any game is difficult in this competition, especially away from home. What we do is work. Sometimes things don't go as we would like, but the important thing is that we are in the next round."

Atletico are fourth in LaLiga, ahead of Villarreal and Real Betis on goal difference, and Depay could make his debut at home to Real Valladolid on Saturday.

Xavi has told his players he does not want anyone to leave Barcelona, amid rumours linking Raphinha and Memphis Depay with moves away from Camp Nou.

The Brazilian only arrived from Leeds United at the end of last season but is a rumoured target of Premier League leaders Arsenal after they missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to Chelsea.

Depay – who has only made four appearances this season – is reportedly of interest to Inter and Atletico Madrid.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of their Copa del Rey round-of-16 game at Cueta, Barca head coach Xavi was asked about Raphinha's future. 

"I try to be clear with the players and, for me, nobody should leave," he said. "I am delighted with the squad. I don't want anyone to leave, it is another thing if they ask to leave."

On Depay, he replied: "Deciding if he wants to leave, it's not an easy situation for him. From here to whether he wants to leave or not, I don't know. I'll discuss it with him," later adding: "I'm very happy with the squad. If nobody wants to leave, I'm delighted."

One player who was persistently linked with a move away prior to the season was former Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong, but the Dutch midfielder has become an integral part of Xavi's team since, playing in all but one of their 16 LaLiga games so far.

"He feels comfortable and we give him a little more freedom," the Blaugrana boss said of De Jong. "He is a footballer that I really like and he has extraordinary conditions to be one of the best midfielders in the world. He is at an excellent level."

Fresh off beating Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final, Barca face third-tier side Cueta in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, having struggled to get past another third-tier opponent, Intercity, in the previous round, eventually winning 4-3 after extra time.

"It's good for us to have the experience of Intercity so we don't fail," Xavi said. "The most important thing is to get through the tie.

"We arrive at the best moment of the season, but we can't get lost. We have to show our superiority and continue the success of the Super Cup.

"We are in a good moment of performances and results. We had an excellent game [against Real Madrid]. We have three trophies left and we can compete. It seems that we are turning around, but we have to have consistency."

Real Madrid are "at the beginning of a new cycle", according to Carlo Ancelotti, who is confident Los Blancos' young players can step up to halt their difficult run of post-World Cup form. 

Madrid were heavily criticised for their performance in Sunday's Supercopa de Espana final defeat against Barcelona, with young midfielders Gavi and Pedri impressing in a deserved 3-1 win for the Blaugrana.

Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the European champions have only won two of their five games since the World Cup, only overcoming fourth-tier Cacereno in the Copa del Rey and struggling Real Valladolid in LaLiga.

With some of Madrid's experienced players – including midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric – attracting criticism in recent weeks, Ancelotti says his side are undergoing a transition.

"It is a young team. Everyone talks about Modric, Kroos or [Karim] Benzema, but there were already youngsters and there are more who have arrived this year," Ancelotti said in a press conference ahead of Thursday's Copa del Rey tie against Villarreal. 

"I think we are at the beginning of a cycle. It is a moment of transition from one fantastic era to another. 

"There are some players who have made history at this club and others who are starting their careers. The day Luka, Karim and Toni stop playing, there are others who will take command."

Madrid failed to contain a young Barcelona team in the latest edition of El Clasico, but Ancelotti does not believe Los Blancos are trailing their rivals when it comes to player development.

"I think Madrid takes great care of the academy and we have a lot of youngsters who are progressing a lot," he said. "I'm sure some of them will be key players in the coming years.

"There are some periods in which you do not have those players, and others in which you can rely on them. But I think this generation is going to be very, very good."

Thursday's trip to the Estadio de la Ceramica sees Madrid reunited with a Villarreal team which beat them 2-1 in LaLiga less than two weeks ago, but Ancelotti is determined to use the last-16 tie to turn their form around. 

"It's an opportunity to get out of this difficult moment," Ancelotti said. "The sooner we get out of this rut, the better. It's a difficult game but we consider it a great opportunity.

"It was clear it would be difficult to find our level after the World Cup, but also injuries have reduced us a lot. The injuries to [Aurelien] Tchouameni and [David] Alaba have upset us a lot. 

"We have to hold on and get through this section of the season. Last year, during January we were not very good. But we got out of that difficult dynamic and we're going to do the same this season.

"We must not lose confidence. I have a lot of depth in this squad, with fantastic players. We have to trust them and we are sure that we are going to get better."

Chelsea may not be finished with their January signings, reportedly joining Tottenham in the pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard.

Trossard, 28, is in his fourth season with the Seagulls, and after never scoring more than eight Premier League goals in each of his previous three campaigns, he is on pace to set a new personal-best with seven in his first 16 appearances.

His exploits this season have included a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool, as well as goals against Manchester City and Chelsea, but he recently butted heads with head coach Roberto De Zerbi and has been left out of Brighton's last two matchday squads.

The Belgium international with 24 senior caps has also had his agent announce his intention to leave the club this month, triggering plenty of interest from fellow Premier League sides.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA WANT TROSSARD TO RECREATE MAGIC WITH POTTER

According to The Mirror, Chelsea are understood to now be a main player along with Tottenham and also Arsenal as the three clubs compete for Trossard's services.

Trossard had only six months remaining on his contract on the south coast, before Brighton reportedly activated a 12-month extension to ensure he would not be able to leave the club on a free transfer.

It is believed Chelsea have the most spending power of the trio, even after their £88.5million purchase of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Trossard remains a favourite of his former boss Graham Potter.

His asking price has been set at £25m, while the report adds any potential deal for fellow Brighton talent 21-year-old Moises Caicedo – also of interest to Chelsea as well as Liverpool – would cost "more than double" that £25m figure.

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting West Ham would like to bring in 29-year-old Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire on loan.

– According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have enquired about 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, but have been told he will not be available this month and will cost €100m (£88.5m) at the end of the season.

– Barcelona are hoping to secure 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer at the end of the season, per the Telegraph.

– Fichajes is reporting Arsenal will attempt to sign Chelsea's Raheem Sterling after failing to land the 28-year-old England international prior to his move to Stamford Bridge last year.

– According to The Independent, Real Madrid and Juventus are monitoring United 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho after he rejected the club's most recent contract extension.

Yannick Carrasco's agent has revealed talks are under way over a deal that could see the Atletico Madrid winger join Barcelona and Memphis Depay move in the other direction.

Depay is expected to leave Camp Nou this month and the forward would reportedly favour a move to LaLiga rivals Atleti.

The arrival of Robert Lewandowski at Barca has left the Netherlands international among the substitutes for the majority of this season.

Pini Zahavi, Carrasco's representative, says there have been negotiations over a potential swap deal involving the Belgium winger and Depay. 

He told Het Nieuwsblad: "We are talking. Yannick likes the idea, he is a good player."

However, Zahavi knows the talks may come to nothing

He added: "The plan is to change Yannick for Depay. There is still nothing concrete, I don't know if it can work, but negotiations are under way."

Atleti have already allowed Joao Felix to join Chelsea on loan for the rest of the season during the transfer window, while Matheus Cunha made the switch to Wolves.

Memphis Depay will not be joining Inter from Barcelona in the January window, his lawyer has said.

The Netherlands striker is expected to leave Barca this month, with Inter among the clubs reported to be keen to sign him.

Following Barcelona's signing of Robert Lewandowski, Depay has found first-team opportunities difficult to come by – making just two starts in LaLiga this season.

Depay's lawyer Sebastian Ledure has denied that the 28-year-old, also linked with the likes of Atletico Madrid, could be on his way to San Siro.

"There are no negotiations ongoing for Memphis to join Inter," he told Fabrizio Romano.

"I can deny all these links, it's not a possibility that we are discussing."

The former Lyon and Manchester United forward joined Barca in 2021 and was an unused substitute in the 3-1 Supercopa de Espana victory over Real Madrid on Sunday.

Xavi is confident Barcelona's talented new generation can enjoy a trophy-laden period after landing their first silverware in the post-Lionel Messi era.

The Catalan giants defeated fierce rivals Real Madrid 3-1 at King Fahd International Stadium in a one-sided Supercopa de Espana final in Riyadh on Sunday.

Barcelona, who required penalties to defeat Real Betis in the semi-finals, have now won the domestic cup competition a record-extending 14 times, twice more than Madrid.

However, it arguably marked the start of a new dawn as it was the first trophy Xavi has lifted in his 14 months as head coach, and a first for Barca since Messi left in August 2021.

With the likes of Gavi and Pedri shining in Saudi Arabia, Xavi is hopeful it is the first of many major honours heading to Camp Nou in the coming years.

"We have a really good generation of players and you can see the hunger they have for trophies," Xavi said at his post-match press conference. 

"I hope this will be a point of inflection, but this doesn't stop. On Thursday we have the Copa del Rey, next weekend LaLiga.

"I'm happy for the players. They've received a lot of criticism, unfair in many cases, and they were liberated today. 

"It's a massive morale boost and we can work with more peace of mind. It's also important for the fans. 

"This club has seen everything in recent years: financial problems, the departure of Leo [Messi] was big. I hope this will be the first trophy of many."

Teenage attacking midfielder Gavi opened the scoring for Barca before setting up Robert Lewandowski for the second late in the first half.

The Spain international also laid one on a plate for Pedri in the second half against the reigning European and LaLiga champions, who pulled one back through Karim Benzema.

Not only did Gavi impress in a creative and attacking sense, he also won a game-high 10 duels and was fouled more times (four) than any other player on the field.

"He is a kid that excites everyone," Xavi said of Pedri, who is the youngest player to score in El Clasico (18 years 163 days) since Ansu Fati in October 2020 (17y 359d).

"When you see him compete like that...the heart, soul and character that he plays with are contagious for the rest of the team.

"He's a born leader – it all comes naturally to him, and all at the age of 18. He is spectacular. I don't get tired of praising him. He has no ceiling, so don't slow him down."

Barca also lead Madrid by three points at the top of LaLiga, are through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and remain in Europa League contention.

Xavi added: "This performance makes the players believe in what we are doing. But we cannot stop here."

Arsenal have reportedly made an effort to assess the availability of Barcelona forwards Ferran Torres and Raphinha.

Raphinha arrived at the club in July in a €55million move from Leeds United, but he has struggled to break into Xavi's best side, making only seven starts in his 15 appearances.

Torres is in a similar situation after Barcelona signed him from Manchester City for €55m just over 12 months ago, making six starts from his 16 LaLiga outings this season.

With Arsenal's pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk getting hijacked by Chelsea, the duo are now being considered as alternatives, but the asking price may not be much lower.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL TURN TO BARCELONA AFTER MUDRYK DISAPPOINTMENT

According to 90min, Arsenal director Edu reached out to Barcelona and engaged in "exploratory talks" about what it would take to secure Torres or Raphinha before the end of the month.

The report also says that Arsenal have enquired about Brighton and Hove Albion duo Leandro Trossard and Kaoru Mitoma, as well as breakout Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is believed to be unavailable.

Meanwhile, Sport is reporting Barcelona have demanded €100m (£88m) as a starting point for any discussions about Raphinha, but there is no indication about what Torres could cost.

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider is reporting Chelsea will listen to offers for 28-year-old England international Raheem Sterling.

– According to Foot Mercato, West Ham have submitted a £26.5m (€30m) offer for 23-year-old Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who would prefer to move to fellow Ligue 1 side Nice, but their bid remains insufficient.

– Arsenal are interested in 18-year-old Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, per the Telegraph, while Tuttomercatoweb adds Juventus have also enquired and been informed of a €15m asking price.

– According to Fichajes, Manchester United and Arsenal are both pursuing 22-year-old Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique.

– Calciomercato is reporting Arsenal are preparing a £71m (€80m) bid for 22-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Carlo Ancelotti dismissed talk of Real Madrid being subjected to "sporting humiliation" by Barcelona in a 3-1 Supercopa de Espana final but accepts they are in a "difficult moment."

Barca dominated the El Clasico showdown in Riyadh on Sunday, claiming their first major trophy under head coach Xavi.

Teenage attacking midfielder Gavi was the star of the show, scoring the opening goal and laying one on for Robert Lewandowski just before half-time.

The 18-year-old Spain international also set up Gavi for the Blaugrana's third goal at the King Fahd Stadium, with Karim Benzema scoring a consolation in the closing stages.

Madrid were beaten by Villarreal in their last LaLiga game and trail leaders Barca by three points in the title race.

Although Xavi's side were much the better side, Los Blancos were the architects of their own downfall, making a mess of playing out for the back as they looked shaky at the back and were overrun in midfield by a vibrant Barca side.

Head coach Ancelotti said: "It's not a critical moment, it's a difficult and complicated moment. It usually happens over a season. It can be fixed with the usual commitment and the usual attitude.

"The players must realise that. These mistakes are easy to avoid."

The Italian added: "We gave away, it started even, there wasn't much rhythm and avoiding gifts is the first thing, but we have given two. We have to improve our physical condition and play as a team.

"The mistakes have been definitive. It wasn't a good match for anyone. Talking about sporting humiliation seems to me to be disrespectful. They were better, period."

Sergio Busquets hopes "competitive animal" Gavi can play a big part in a successful era for Barcelona after he starred in a 3-1 Supercopa de Espana final defeat of Real Madrid.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder scored the opening goal in Riyadh on Sunday before setting up Robert Lewandowski for the second late in the first half.

Gavi also laid one on a plate for Pedri in the second half of the El Clasico showdown at the King Fahd Stadium, where Xavi celebrated winning his first major trophy as Barca head coach.

Teenager Gavi was outstanding in the Blaugrana's record-extending 14th Supercopa triumph, causing the lacklustre European and LaLiga champions all sorts of problems.

Barca captain Busquets hailed the young Spain international and thinks he can make a big impact for the Catalan giants for years to come.

Busquets told Movista: "He [Gavi] is a competitive animal, at that age the players are in the youth team or in the subsidiary and he has played at an incredible level, scoring goals and giving assists.

"I would tell him to keep learning and listening. Hopefully he will mark an era at Barca."

Barca lead Los Blancos by three points in the LaLiga title and laid down a marker by outclassing them to take the first domestic trophy of the season.

Busquets added: "We couldn't miss this opportunity to win a title after a period of changes in coaches and players.

"We had hope and ambition, but at Barca you always demand to win and Xavi has reminded us of that."

Gavi scored one goal and set two up as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the Supercopa de Espana final to give Xavi a first major trophy of his reign.

Outstanding teenager Gavi opened the scoring after being picked out by Robert Lewandowski in a one-sided El Clasico showdown in Riyadh on Sunday.

Gavi then put one on a plate for Lewandowski to double the Blaugrana's lead just before half-time at the King Fahd Stadium and the attacking midfielder laid on for Pedri to make it 3-0 after the break.

Karim Benzema scored a late consolation but European and LaLiga champions Madrid were totally outclassed by their fierce rivals, who won the Supercopa for a record-extending 14th time and secured a first major honour since club legend Xavi was appointed as head coach in November 2021.

Thibaut Courtois superbly tipped Lewandowski's strike against the post and Alejandro Balde blazed wildly off target following up in a bright start from Barca.

Benzema met Ferland Mendy's cross with a header that drifted just wide before the Blaugrana deservedly took the lead as Los Blancos made a mess of trying to play out from the back in the 33rd minute.

Sergio Busquets pounced on a sloppy pass from Antonio Rudiger and Lewandowski set up Gavi, who beat Courtois with a composed left-foot finish.

Gavi returned the favour just before the break, racing away after being played in by Frenkie de Jong and playing the ball across the face of the goal to give Lewandowski a tap-in following more poor defending.

Barca carried on where they left off following the interval, Courtois coming to Madrid's rescue by denying Ousmane Dembele and Lewandowski.

It came as no surprise when the Catalan giants struck again 69 minutes in, Pedri arriving at the back post to turn in another pinpoint pass from the brilliant Gavi after Los Blancos were caught in possession yet again.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept out Rodrygo's drive with an excellent one-handed save and although Benzema fired home clinically in stoppage time, Barca were already out of sight and there only concern would be Ronald Araujo limping off late on.