Joan Laporta has hit back at Javier Tebas' suggestion Barcelona cannot afford to sign Robert Lewandowski as he claimed the LaLiga chief wants to hurt the Blaugrana's interests.

Barca appear the favourites to sign Bayern Munich talisman Lewandowski after he declared his "story was over" with the Bundesliga giants.

Poland star Lewandowksi has made clear his preference to join Barca, but Tebas suggested the Blaugrana must sell one of their prized assets to be able to fund the transfer.

"Barca already know what they have to do if they want to sign Lewandowski," Tebas told Europa Press Sports Breakfasts.

"They know our economic control rules perfectly. It's to avoid major economic problems. I don't know if they will sell [Frenkie] de Jong or Pedri.

"They know what they have to do, sell assets. Barca has had many accumulated losses in the last tax years, some of which could have been avoided and they have to stock the pantry. 

"Just as Madrid have stocked up, Barcelona have emptied it. Today they cannot sign him [Lewandowski]."

But Barca president Laporta has not taken kindly to Tebas' advice, asking the LaLiga boss to stay out of matters that do not involve him.

"Regarding the statements by the president of the league saying that we cannot sign a player, I would like to remind him that his job is to watch over the interests of the league and the clubs," Laporta said in a message posted on Barca's Twitter.

"So with all due respect I ask that he abstains from commenting on whether or not we can sign a certain player, because he is obviously harming the interests of FC Barcelona.

"I don't know if he makes these comments voluntarily or involuntarily. If he does so voluntarily, it is very obvious that he is wanting to harm Barca's interests.

"And if he does it involuntarily, it is further proof of his verbal incontinence and the desire that the president of the league wants to take the limelight, and with all due respect, that is not his place."

Eden Hazard has backed Real Madrid colleague Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d'Or, while he suggested fellow team-mate Thibaut Courtois should finish in the top five.

Benzema has enjoyed a remarkable season, inspiring Madrid to Champions League success and the Spanish title with four games to spare.

The France international scored 15 times in the Champions League, including a joint-record 10 in the knockout stages to be named as the competition's Player of the Season.

The Madrid talisman ended the season with 44 goals and 15 assists across all competitions. Only Kylian Mbappe (60) can better Benzema's 59 goal involvements among players from Europe's top five leagues.

Meanwhile, Courtois was the star of the show against Liverpool as he made nine saves, a record for a Champions League final since Opta began collecting data in 2003-04.

Courtois has led the way among goalkeepers in the competition this season, making the most saves (59) and boasting the highest save percentage of those to produce five stops or more (80.6).

That led to suggestions the Belgium international may be an unlikely contender for the Ballon d'Or, but Red Devils team-mate Hazard believes Benzema should win the coveted individual award.

"I've known [Courtois] for ten years now and he's been doing this for ten years," Hazard told reporters at a Nations League news conference on Tuesday.

"That was already the case at Chelsea and now at Real. Courtois, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Sadio] Mane, Vinicius [Junior], they all had a good season. 

"But still I think Benzema deserves to win it. Courtois should be in the top five. But when you see how Benzema played in the quarter and semi-finals, that was really impressive."

Benzema will hope to carry his scintillating club form into the next season with Madrid, and also with France at the World Cup in Qatar.

The 34-year-old will partner with Mbappe at the tournament in November, and the Paris Saint-Germain star was almost Benzema's club team-mate before he snubbed Los Blancos earlier in the month.

Mbappe opted to stay in the French capital and sign a three-year extension with PSG, leaving Hazard to rue the impact he could have had at the Santiago Bernabeu as he aims to recover his own form for the upcoming campaign.

"The seats are already expensive at Real, but with Kylian Mbappe they would be even more expensive," Hazard added.

"Now I have to show the coach that I'm ready, that I can play. But since my surgery I do feel better. My approach will not change. All my success is also due to how I approached it."

Wales boss Rob Page praised the Real Madrid fans for their "class" after greeting Gareth Bale with a standing ovation at their Champions League title celebrations.

Bale has endured a turbulent spell in the Spanish capital, despite scoring in three Champions League finals for Madrid and winning the competition with Los Blancos on five occasions.

The most recent of those came on Saturday in a 1-0 win over Liverpool, with Bale an unused substitute as Madrid lifted a 14th European Cup, which is more than double any other side.

The Wales international has been much maligned by Madrid fans during his time in Spain, as supporters and the Spanish media have questioned his commitment to the club.

However, Bale's appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu celebrations on Sunday was met with rapturous applause, signalling a fitting end as the 32-year-old prepares to move on when his contract expires in June.

Page expressed his gratitude to Madrid fans for that support after Bale linked up with Wales, who have the Nations League and a crucial World Cup qualifying play-off match to contend with in the next week.

"I thought they showed class and rightly so for what he's achieved for that football club," Page told reporters on Tuesday.

"You look back to what he's done, scoring winners in Champions League finals and in the manner in which he's done it.

"What an achievement for him personally to be a part of that group of people, that team that's achieved that, is phenomenal.

"Not many players can say they've done that, so credit to him. He deserves all the plaudits, absolutely. He's in good spirits as he always is.

"He was adamant he was meeting the players in Portugal to fly to Poland with them, which speaks volumes.

"He wanted to be with the squad as soon as possible. He's as humble as ever, he's met up with the group and he's been first class right away."

Wales face Poland in the Nations League on Wednesday before facing either Scotland or Ukraine for a place in the World Cup in Qatar.

Page suggested he will name a rotated side for the clash in Wroclaw, where Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Brennan Johnson will likely be rested, as Wales eye a first World Cup appearance since 1958.

"It's risk and reward," Page said on selection. "The biggest game we've got is on Sunday and that's no disrespect to Poland whatsoever.

"We're going to show them complete respect, but we'd be mad to jeopardise our top, top players."

LaLiga plans to take Paris Saint-Germain to court over Kylian Mbappe's contract extension, with Javier Tebas insisting he will not "allow a European club to destroy the ecosystem of European football".

World Cup winner Mbappe was widely expected to join Real Madrid when his PSG contract expired in June but instead opted to sign a new three-year deal in the French capital.

That left Madrid and LaLiga infuriated, with Tebas claiming the agreement between PSG and the France international was "an insult to football".

Vincent Labrune, president of France's Professional Football League (LFP), responded by questioning LaLiga chief Tebas' "latest attacks against Ligue 1 and one of our clubs", calling his counterpart's behaviour "completely inappropriate".

France's National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) echoed Labrune's sentiments, suggesting Tebas' "offensive, hateful remarks, without restraint or foundation, bring shame and discredit to him".

But Tebas has once again hit back by promising to denounce PSG in an investigation as he questioned how the Ligue 1 champions can circumvent financial fair play guidelines.

"The complaint that we are going to file with UEFA has already been drafted and is being examined," Tebas said at a news conference on Tuesday. 

"But we are not going to stop there, we are going to go to France, we have already hired French lawyers and we are going to denounce the position of PSG before the economic control body.

"We are going to denounce this situation before the courts administrative there. We are not going to allow a European club to destroy the ecosystem of European football."

Tebas also claimed PSG had "lost €300-400million over the last three seasons", referencing reports from French newspaper L'Equipe as he continued his scathing summary of the Parisians.

"This year – it's L'Equipe who says it, not me – PSG will go up to €600m in payroll, they will end the season with a loss of €300m and with higher commercial incomes than Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barca, something nobody believes," he added.

"With these losses and a payroll of €600m, more than Madrid, than Barca, renewing Mbappe is impossible...if there is no deception in the sponsorship or higher capital contributions to what UEFA has established."

As for Labrune's previous response, Tebas insisted he would not comment before then going on to question Qatar Sports Investments' (QSI) ownership of PSG again.

"The problem is the attitude of the owners of the club, because they have no limits, they don't care about losses," he continued.

"They put in as much money as they want, they cheat you with sponsors linked to the state. That is the problem."

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says there is no way Barcelona can sign Robert Lewandowski unless they sell at least one of their prized assets.

Lewandowski on Monday declared that "my story is over" at Bayern Munich after he refused to sign a new contract with the Bundesliga champions.

The prolific Poland captain has made no secret of the fact he wants to join Barca.

Yet Tebas stated the Catalan giants would not be able to afford the striker as they must cut their cloth accordingly after getting into big financial trouble.

Tebas believes the Blaugrana will have to allow one of their most valuable players to leave in order to make a move for Lewandowski.

He told Europa Press Sports Breakfasts: "Barca already know what they have to do if they want to sign Lewandowski.

"They know our economic control rules perfectly. It's to avoid major economic problems. I don't know if they will sell [Frenkie] de Jong or Pedri.

"They know what they have to do, sell assets. Barca have had many accumulated losses in recent years, some that could have been avoided, and they have to fill the pantry.

"Just like [Real] Madrid has filled their pantry, Barca's is empty. Today they cannot sign him."

Lewandowski told reporters at a Nations League news conference on Monday when asked about his future: "It's a big question.

"I don't like being in this situation. What is certain at the moment is that my story at Bayern is over. I don't see any chance of continuing my career at this club.

"Let's see what we can do in the next two weeks, I don't want to continue and I would like to focus on Poland. 

"After the Nations League we will have time to talk about the situation, but I don't see any possibility to continue at Bayern.

"Bayern is a serious club and I hope they will not keep me just because they can. A transfer is the best solution for all parties."

LaLiga club Espanyol have confirmed the appointment of Diego Martinez as their new coach.

Espanyol finished 14th in LaLiga in the 2021-22 season, after gaining promotion back to the Spanish top flight as champions of the second tier.

However, they dismissed Vicente Moreno this month and have now moved for Martinez, who left Granada in May 2021 and has signed a two-year deal.

Martinez spent three seasons at Granada. He led the team back to LaLiga in 2019 before finishing seventh and reaching the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in the following campaign.

A ninth-placed finish followed in the 2020-21 season, along with a run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, where they were beaten by Manchester United.

He opted against extending his stay at Granada, however, and the work he had done there was emphasised when the side went on to be relegated this season, finishing 18th.

In total, 41-year-old Martinez won 29 of his 76 LaLiga games in charge of Granada (38.16 per cent), losing 32 and drawing the other 15, with his side averaging 1.34 points per game.

Frenkie de Jong has expressed his desire to stay at his "dream club" Barcelona rather than join Manchester United.

The Netherlands international has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford for a reunion with Erik ten Hag.

De Jong won the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup under Ten Hag at Ajax and also helped the Amsterdam giants reach a Champions League semi-final three years ago.

The 25-year-old on Tuesday told ESPN he is eager to remain at Barca.

"I prefer to stay with Barcelona," De Jong said.

"Barcelona is just my dream club. Also from a young age. I just said it too. I've never regretted my choice despite the fact that I had hoped for more in terms of prizes than I've achieved so far. But I have never regretted my choice."

De Jong, who left his homeland to join the Blaugrana in 2019, says he has had no contact with United.

"What I'm saying, there is absolutely nothing of an agreement or anything official. At the moment there is no question of it at all," he added.

"Not that I know of in any case. Or they must not have told me, but I don't think so."

Bayern Munich chief executive Oliver Kahn has criticised star striker Robert Lewandowski for publicly revealing his intention to leave the club.

Lewandowski – who joined in 2014 on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund – does not see any chance of a future at Bayern, saying his story at the club is over.

The Pole has helped Bayern win eight straight Bundesliga titles, as well as the Champions League in 2020.

However, his contract expires in just over a year's time, and Lewandowski reportedly wants to join Barcelona in the upcoming transfer window.

Speaking at a Nations League news conference, Lewandowski said: "I don't like being in this situation. What is certain at the moment is that my story at Bayern is over. I don't see any chance of continuing my career at this club."

Last season, the 33-year-old broke Gerd Muller's Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a single campaign, and this term he netted 50 in all competitions for the Bavarian giants.

Kahn revealed his feelings on the matter to SPORT1 on Monday, saying: "Why Robert chose this path, I can not tell you. Such statements in public do not get you anywhere.

"Robert has been [FIFA men's player of the year] here twice in a row – I think he should know what he has at FC Bayern.

"Appreciation is not a one-way street."

Valencia have confirmed the exit of president Anil Murthy following a turbulent few weeks at Mestalla, stating the club must "regain the trust of the fans".

The 49-year-old has been embroiled in controversy since April when a man purported to be Murthy suggested to someone else in audio leaked by Superdeporte that he had threatened to "kill" Carlos Soler's reputation in the press if he did not sign a new contract.

Valencia did not deny Murthy was the person depicted but claimed the reports were part of a smear campaign against the club, insisting the recordings were "taken out of context from a private conversation and recorded illegitimately without the permission of the president of Valencia, Anil Murthy."

The club also reported death threats against Murthy to authorities earlier this month.

Valencia have now issued a further statement, however, confirming Murthy's immediate departure and distancing themselves from his remarks.

"The board would like to clarify that the content of the leaked conversations between Anil Murthy and various third parties are the personal views of Anil Murthy and not of Valencia CF," the club said in a statement.

"Valencia CF disassociates itself from his views. The board values the importance of a close relationship between the club, the community, fans, government authorities, media and other stakeholders.

"The board hold the view that a change in leadership is required, in order to regain the trust of the fans and the community and put Valencia in a position for success.

"Effective immediately, Anil Murthy will cease to be both president and an employee of Valencia.

"The board is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Bai as acting director general on an interim basis. Mr. Bai has been with the club since 2018 and is currently the director of the academy.

"The board will immediately commence a search process to appoint a new president for Valencia, and an announcement will be made in due course."

Jose Bordalas' side finished ninth in LaLiga this term and lost the Copa del Rey final on penalties to Real Betis.

Robert Lewandowski does not see any chance of a future at Bayern Munich, saying his story at the club is over.

It was confirmed earlier this month that Lewandowski had refused the offer of a new contract at Bayern, whom he joined in 2014 on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.

The striker has helped Bayern win eight straight Bundesliga titles, as well as the Champions League in 2020.

Last season, he broke Gerd Muller's Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a single campaign, and this term he netted 50 in all competitions for the Bavarian giants.

However, his contract expires at the end of next season and Bayern now have to face cashing in this year or allowing him to leave for free in 2023.

Lewandowski wants to join Barcelona, whose coach Xavi has been open about the possibility of signing the 33-year-old, and on Monday the striker reiterated his intent to leave.

Asked if he was optimistic of joining Barca, Lewandowski told reporters at a Nations League news conference: "It's a big question.

"I don't like being in this situation. What is certain at the moment is that my story at Bayern is over. I don't see any chance of continuing my career at this club.

"Let's see what we can do in the next two weeks, I don't want to continue and I would like to focus on Poland. 

"After the Nations League we will have time to talk about the situation, but I don't see any possibility to continue at Bayern.

"Bayern is a serious club and I hope they will not keep me just because they can. A transfer is the best solution for all parties."

Isco has posted a farewell message to Real Madrid and after nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu and took a subtle dig at Kylian Mbappe.

Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed last week that Isco would be leaving the club at the end of the season as a free agent.

The 30-year-old midfielder has thanks to the club, and also appeared to mock Mbappe, who turned down a move to the European champions and sign a new contract at Paris Saint-Germain.

Isco posted on Instagram on Monday: "When I was in Malaga and knew I had to leave I made a commitment to join another team, but Real Madrid called and you just can't say no, although there are always exceptions," before adding an emoji of a turtle (Mbappe's nickname) and a laughing face.

He added: "I remember telling my people 'Madrid haven't won the Champions League for years but I sense it's coming,' and then La Decima came and the rest is history.

"Nine years later my time at the club that made my dreams come true ends. Other than achieving these dreams, winning more titles than I could imagine and playing alongside the best players: I HAD A GREAT F****** TIME AND NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!"

Isco joined Madrid from Malaga in 2013 for a reported fee of €30million, and won five Champions Leagues, three LaLiga titles and a Copa del Rey. 

"I want to thank my team-mates, coaches, coaching staff, physios, kit men, workers at Valdebebas and Santiago Bernabeu for all the work, love and support that everyone needs and that I have never lacked," he added.

"I also want to thank the fans who welcomed me in an incredible way from the first day and who accompany this team in every corner of the world!

"Yesterday I was telling a friend that I didn't understand why they were holding the [Champions League celebration] party if number 15 is on its way hahahaha.

"Goodbye and Hala Madrid."

The end of the club season means individual awards are dominating the discourse right now in European football. Well, if you can't beat them, join them.

Rather than just run through the usual categories highlighting the best player and best coach – although we will do that, too – why not focus on some alternative prizes?

The NBA Awards provide a fine blueprint, rewarding superstars alongside breakout performers, recovering veterans and valuable bench players.

Relying heavily on Opta data, we'll steer clear of team honours – a blow to Wout Weghorst, whose eight blocks (leading all forwards in Europe's top five leagues) might have carved out a spot leading the All-Defensive First Team – but there remains plenty to go at...

Most Valuable Player

Only one player had more goal involvements than Karim Benzema (39) in the top five leagues this season, and Real Madrid would really rather not talk about the man top of the charts. That other leading France forward had a hand in 45 goals, yet the value of Benzema's contributions to a LaLiga title triumph separates him from the rest.

Benzema's goal involvements were worth 29 points across the season, the most of any player, with Kylian Mbappe, of course, second on 28. Just considering Benzema's 27 goals, he accounted for 20 points – trailing Dusan Vlahovic (22 points) alone.

Required to perform repeated rescue acts in the Champions League, too, Madrid's number nine played only 2,596 minutes in LaLiga – or 75.9 per cent of the full season. He was therefore involved in a goal every 67 minutes, narrowly second in this regard behind Erling Haaland (66 minutes) among those to play 1,000 minutes or more across Europe.

Coach of the Year

Were this the NBA, Carlo Ancelotti would surely also qualify for the Lifetime Achievement Award. In guiding Benzema and Madrid to the LaLiga title, the Italian became the first coach to win each of Europe's top five leagues, following successes in Serie A with Milan, the Premier League with Chelsea, Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti, also the oldest LaLiga-winning coach at 62, earned only two more points than Zinedine Zidane had in finishing second in the prior season, but Madrid maintained this high standard despite losing both of their senior centre-backs heading into the campaign as they seemingly saved for the now failed pursuit of Mbappe.

Meanwhile, Everton, the team Ancelotti left for his second Madrid stint, finished 20 points short of their 2020-21 total, spending the season battling relegation rather than chasing Europe and perhaps putting his work at Goodison Park in context.

Rookie of the Year

Given the differences between the NBA and Europe's top five leagues, it is difficult to quantify exactly how many players might be considered 'rookies', let alone identify the best of them. Someone like Luis Diaz, for example, played his first minutes in the top five leagues this season, yet he had already scored goals in the Champions League and Copa America so surely doesn't fit the bill.

On the other hand, Hugo Ekitike definitely does.

Among the nine players who were teenagers at the start of the season and finished with 10 or more goal involvements, only Ekitike had never previously started a game in Europe's top five leagues. His 13 involvements in 2021-22 (10 goals, three assists) arrived every 98 minutes on average, the best rate of this group and the 18th-best overall – just behind Neymar (also 98 mins) and ahead of Son Heung-min (101 mins).

The 19-year-old Reims forward, who turned down a transfer to Newcastle United in January before sustaining a thigh injury, scored with an astonishing 32.3 per cent of his shots – second behind Wissam Ben Yedder (34.7 per cent) among players with 20 or more attempts – and has been linked with moves to PSG and Borussia Dortmund, as well as St James' Park.

Defensive Player of the Year

As elsewhere, many of these awards focus on offensive talents, so there is a dedicated category for the best defender – and there could really only be one winner this year.

Injury restricted Virgil van Dijk to 371 minutes in 2019-20, and he was badly missed by Liverpool in their title defence, as they conceded 42 Premier League goals – their most since shipping the same number in the season before the centre-back's 2018 arrival.

With Van Dijk fit again this term and missing only four matches, the Reds conceded the joint-fewest number of goals across the top five leagues (26, tied with Manchester City). No defender played a part in more clean sheets (21).

Those figures show the impact Van Dijk had on the team as a whole, but his performances in individual battles were equally impressive. The Liverpool man won 73.5 per cent of his duels and 77.5 per cent of his aerial duels – both the best marks of defenders to make 30 or more appearances in the top five leagues.

Comeback Player of the Year

Okay, so the NBA no longer highlights a Comeback Player of the Year, but the NFL continues to identify an individual who has overcome the adversity of the previous campaign, allowing us to recognise one of the stories of the season.

Of course, for the reasons outlined above, Van Dijk might have had a claim to this prize in any other year, yet he is beaten this time by a player who actually won Serie A in 2020-21.

Within weeks of that title triumph, Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, prompting fears for his life and then, even after his recovery, his career.

But Eriksen was fitted with an ICD, left Inter, joined Brentford in January and promptly won each of the first five Premier League games he started for the relegation-threatened Bees. Finishing with seven victories from 10 starts, only nine players in the top five leagues created more chances over this period than Eriksen (29, including four assists).

Most Improved Player

There were no shortage of players showing signs of significant improvement in 2021-22. Five-goal Euro 2020 forward Patrik Schick starred on the club stage at last, Newcastle striker-turned-midfielder Joelinton enjoyed a resurgence and Vinicius Junior was outstanding as Benzema's foil, but Christopher Nkunku stood head and shoulders above the rest as he swiftly established himself among Europe's elite.

Nkunku had scored a mere six goals and assisted the same number for RB Leipzig in the 2020-21 Bundesliga, but those goal involvements increased dramatically from 12 to 33 this season, ranking fifth across Europe's top five leagues and joint-third when excluding penalties (32). With 20 total goals and 13 assists, the newly capped France international was one of just 12 players to reach double figures in both categories.

Of players to feature in at least 20 games in each of the past two campaigns, only Moussa Dembele (20) and Schick (15) improved their season-on-season goal tallies by a greater margin than Nkunku (14); Dembele alone (24) showed greater improvement in terms of goal involvements (21).

In a season in which Leipzig recovered from a slow start to make the top four by a single point, Nkunku's contributions were vital. He had a hand in 45.8 per cent of their Bundesliga goals and 50.8 per cent of those he was on the field for.

Twelfth Man of the Year

The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year is recognised as the season's most impactful bench player, which feels like a nice addition here.

Were this a long-standing European football award, it might have by now been renamed in honour of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored 17 goals in 84 Premier League substitute appearances – one every 88 minutes on average. Given Rodrygo Goes and Eduardo Camavinga largely reserved their heroics for the Champions League, the 2021-22 equivalent in the top five leagues could be Matheus Cunha.

Ben Yedder scored the most goals from the bench this season, but those seven counted towards 25 in total as he also started 29 matches. Cunha was restricted to only eight starts for Atletico Madrid, yet he scored three and assisted four in 21 outings as a substitute, matching Ben Yedder and Ignacio Pussetto with a Europe-high seven such goal involvements.

Atletico's man in times of need, Cunha contributed to vital goals, too. He was one of only two players to both score and assist in the same game as a substitute on more than one occasion (also Arnaud Nordin), with the second of those two performances seeing the Brazil forward introduced against Valencia with his side 2-0 down; Cunha scored seven minutes after his introduction and later teed up the winner in a 3-2 victory, justifying his season-long role as a super-sub.

After keeping Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain's transfer activity can turn their attention to adding to their squad.

From the likes of Mauro Icardi to Edinson Cavani, playing as a complementary forward to Mbappe and Neymar is not a simple task.

While other clubs are reportedly interested, their target for a forward has reportedly been identified.

TOP STORY – PSG TURN TO RICHARLISON

Richarlison is facing an uncertain future with Everton as interest from Paris Saint-Germain grows, according to the Daily Mail.

The Brazil international was one of the survival heroes for the Toffees, scoring six in nine games to help them secure Premier League safety.

Reports suggest the 25-year-old is seeking a move away from Goodison Park and with the club's financial situation, he could be allowed to move on despite having two years left on his deal.

While Tottenham and Real Madrid are though to be eyeing Richarlison, PSG have emerged as the likeliest destination. 

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich are close to agreeing a deal for 30-year-old attacker Sadio Mane , according to Matteo Moretto.

– Meanwhile, Liverpool have made contact with the representatives of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, per Sport.

– The Manchester Evening News is reporting Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus will resolve his future after returning from Brazil duty, amid interest from Arsenal .

– Pau Torres is nearing a move from Villarreal with talks between his representatives and Manchester United developing, per Cadena Ser.

Almeria will play in LaLiga again next season for the first time since 2015 after securing promotion from the Segunda on a dramatic final day.

The Andalusians were away to Leganes on Sunday and could only claim a 2-2 draw, but it was just enough to see them finish top of the table ahead of Real Valladolid due to a superior head-to-head record.

Valladolid, who are run by Brazil and Real Madrid great Ronaldo, thus secured their return to the top flight at the first time of asking.

But Almeria are back in LaLiga after seven seasons in the Segunda, having stumbled at the play-off stage in each of the previous two campaigns.

As such, the 2022-23 season will be their first term in LaLiga since being bought in 2019 by Turki Al-Sheikh, an advisor to Saudi Arabia's Royal Court and chairman of the country's General Authority for Entertainment.

Almeria have Alcorcon to thank, however.

Eibar looked set to be going up instead of them as they were drawing 0-0 away to already relegated Alcorcon, but a stoppage time winner for the Madrid-based club by Giovanni Zarfino meant it was all change at the top.

Suddenly, Eibar dropped out of the top two and Almeria shot to the top of the table, with the Basques instead having to settle for a spot in the play-offs.

Real Oviedo were the team to miss out in the play-off hunt as a result of losing 3-2 to Ibiza, meaning Girona and Las Palmas joined Tenerife in sealing their spots in the two-legged semi-finals.

Eibar will face Girona while Las Palmas will tussle with their Canary Islands rivals Tenerife in the other semi over the next week.

The final, also played over two legs, is set to be played on June 11 and 19.

There was little change towards the bottom of the table, with the bottom four already having their relegation confirmed.

Eduardo Camavinga described Real Madrid's Champions League final triumph as a "dream come true" as he reflected on a glorious first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Camavinga came on as an 85th-minute substitute at the Stade de France as Madrid claimed their 14th European crown courtesy of Vinicius Junior's goal, meaning the French midfielder ends his first campaign in Spain with LaLiga and Champions League winner's medals.

Despite finding himself behind experienced midfield trio Casemiro, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos in the pecking order, Camavinga has made 44 appearances in all competitions since joining from Rennes last August.

The 19-year-old, who has been tipped as a future star for both Los Blancos and France, made a series of valuable contributions to Madrid's Champions League run from the bench, producing a particularly lively performance as Carlo Ancelotti's team recovered from a 5-3 aggregate deficit to eliminate Manchester City in the semi-finals earlier this month.

Speaking to Canal+ after Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0, Camavinga was delighted with the "dream" victory, saying experiencing such occasions was the reason he joined the Spanish giants.

"It's a crazy thing, it's a childhood dream come true. Touching the cup, experiencing matches like that, it's crazy... That's why I came here," he said.

"From the moment we come here, we know that we are in the best club in the world, we only play big matches. I am very happy to have played in the final and to have won it."

Camavinga has some way to go to match the honours of some of his Madrid team-mates, with Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal and Modric all winning their fifth European titles in Paris. No one has won more.

Touching on the illustrious careers of his colleagues, Camavinga laughed: "Some have five Champions Leagues here, but I already have one, I still have four left [to win]. We're going to enjoy it. Next year, we'll see."

With his late introduction, Camavinga, aged 19 years and 199 days old, became the youngest player to appear in a Champions League final since Kingsley Coman for Juventus against Barcelona in 2015 (18 years, 358 days).

Coman is also the only Frenchman to have played in a European Cup/Champions League final at a younger age than Camavinga.

And the midfielder believes he has improved as a player after making 16 starts in his first season with the club, though he insists his playing time is of secondary importance compared to the team's performances.

"It's been an incredible season, an extraordinary accomplishment, very positive," he said in comments reported by Marca.

"I've learned a lot in this first year from the players here, from my coaches too, so I think I'm a better player than I was a year ago.

"The first thing to remember is this victory, the work of the team and [only] after that, whether I've played more or less is important."