A staple of the European game for the best part of two decades, seeing Cristiano Ronaldo make his Al Nassr bow in Saudi Arabia will undoubtedly be strange for many.

His move was completed in December following widespread reports linking him with a Saudi switch ever since he and Manchester United parted ways the previous month.

Ronaldo featured in a kind of Saudi all-star XI match against Paris Saint-Germain during the week but will make his official Al Nassr debut on Sunday to essentially bring the curtain down on one of the greatest careers in the history of European football.

While writing off Ronaldo is always unwise, a combination of the striker's age and the unsavoury nature of his second spell at United make a return to elite European football seem improbable.

Nevertheless, as a five-time Champions League winner and the top scorer in the history of European football's premier club competition, Ronaldo's legacy as one of the all-time greats is secure.

But with seven top-flight league titles and a plethora of other trophies to his name, Ronaldo's impact on the continental game went beyond his goals on the grandest club stage.

Ahead of Al Nassr's clash with Al Ittifaq, Stats Perform looks back on his seismic impact in European club football.

Ronaldo's Premier League emergence

Ronaldo's return to the Premier League may not have gone to plan – the 37-year-old only scored once in the competition this term before an explosive interview with Piers Morgan led to his Old Trafford exit.

However, the three-time Premier League winner certainly made his mark in England, scoring 103 goals in 236 top-flight games for United.

Having burst onto the scene as a tricky winger, Ronaldo recorded 37 assists in the competition for the Red Devils, who he also helped to their third European title in 2008.

He also claimed his first Ballon d'Or while in Manchester in 2008 after scoring 31 goals in their title-winning 2007-08 campaign – that single-season tally has only been bettered by three players in the competition's history.

Making history with Madrid in LaLiga

Given the way his United spell ended, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will be remembered as an Old Trafford legend or not. But there's no doubt about his legacy at Real Madrid, where he really made his name as one of football's greatest as he became Los Blancos' top scorer with 450 goals in all competitions.

Incredibly, the Portugal forward averaged over a goal per game throughout his trophy-laden spell in Spain, hitting the net 311 times in 292 appearances in LaLiga.

Ronaldo scored with 16 per cent of his shots for Madrid, a higher percentage than he managed in the Premier League, Serie A or the Champions League. 

Madrid may be famed for their Champions League accomplishments, but Ronaldo also helped them to two domestic title triumphs in 2011-12 and 2016-17, netting 46 times as Jose Mourinho's side earned 100 points in the first of those campaigns.

Serie A success with the Bianconeri

Given Juventus' failure to win the Champions League, few consider Ronaldo's time in Turin to be an unmitigated success. The raw numbers, however, suggest otherwise.

Managing 81 goals in 98 league appearances for a club in perpetual crisis – with a conversion rate of 15 per cent – tells the story of how Ronaldo evolved in Serie A, honing his game as the ultimate penalty-box forward in his advancing years.

Despite a tumultuous period that saw Maurizio Sarri replace Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus stretched their incredible run of Scudetto success to nine consecutive seasons.

That stint ended in Ronaldo's final full campaign at the Allianz Stadium, though he still finished as Serie A's top scorer with 29 goals. 

The Champions League master

For those who believe Ronaldo to be the greatest to have played the game, the Portugal forward's exploits in the Champions League are always the crucial factor.

Ronaldo's record of 140 goals in the competition is unmatched, though his great rival Lionel Messi (129) may have something to say about that if he declines to follow his fellow forward's lead in exiting Europe.

Averaging almost a goal contribution per game (180 in 183 appearances), Ronaldo won an astonishing 115 games in the Champions League, lifting the trophy five times – a joint-high tally.

As Madrid cemented their status as European masters by winning three consecutive titles between the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons, Ronaldo top-scored in the competition every season, consolidating his legacy as the ultimate big-game player.

Steven Gerrard believes Jude Bellingham should steer clear of continental Europe's top clubs and come to Liverpool.

Former Reds midfielder Gerrard has offered to take Bellingham out for dinner and tell him about what he could achieve by moving to Anfield.

Bellingham has long been touted as a big-money target for the Reds, and Gerrard believes the 19-year-old would be more likely to flourish with Liverpool than with Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

The attraction of Liverpool may be diminishing, with Jurgen Klopp's team looking highly unlikely to qualify for the Champions League through the Premier League route this season.

They may yet get there by winning the Champions League, but that looks a fantastical prospect given they face Real Madrid in the last-16 stage, and given Liverpool's general form has been terribly patchy this season. A 0-0 draw at Anfield against Chelsea on Saturday left the Reds rooted in mid-table, a worrying distance behind the top four.

"All he needs to do is send his diary to me, when he's got a free day," Gerrard said, while working as a pundit on BT Sport. "I'll fly to Dortmund personally, I'll take him out for a nice dinner and we'll talk about it."

What is beyond dispute is that Bellingham's skill set and dynamism would improve Liverpool's midfield, with Klopp's experienced campaigners Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara not the force they once were. Gerrard described that area as "a little bit stale".

Gerrard said: "I'm sure Jude is bright enough to see there's a stand going up here, this is going to be a 60,000-seat stadium, they've got one of the best five managers in the world, they've won the Premier League of late, they've been in Champions League finals of late, they pay very well here – that's a fact."

Bellingham plays at an 81,000-capacity ground with Dortmund so Anfield is small by comparison, but there are undoubtedly aspects of a move to Liverpool that might appeal.

Dortmund are struggling domestically this season, too, so Bellingham would not be giving up the prospect of likely league titles in Germany, particularly given Bayern have dominated there for the last decade.

But he might have transfer options where winning major trophies would appear more likely than if he were to move to Merseyside.

Even though Bellingham has been playing in Germany for three seasons, and flourishing in the Bundesliga, Gerrard feels the former Birmingham City player belongs in England.

"I think it's important he stays in this country," said former Liverpool captain Gerrard. "He's 19 years of age.

"You talk about Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich; I know he's doing it at Dortmund now, but them clubs are at a higher level than Dortmund and you can get swallowed up.

"There's a lot of stars, and you can get swallowed up by making a move too soon.

"In my opinion, staying around England, staying around this country, getting developed, there's still growth in him, and he can evolve, and I think staying in England until a certain age until he hits his peak years is very important for the boy now."

Carlo Ancelotti emphatically ruled out the possibility of Eduardo Camavinga leaving Real Madrid following links with Arsenal and Chelsea.

The 20-year-old midfielder joined Los Blancos in August 2021 in a reported €31million deal after emerging as one of Europe's most promising young players at Rennes.

He unsurprisingly took ownership of a rotation role during his first season, making 13 LaLiga starts from 26 appearances.

But the France international has struggled to kick on this term, with only five of his 16 league outings coming as a starter.

His future was then called into question on Friday when speculation surfaced suggesting Arsenal were particularly keen on a loan move, while big-spending Chelsea have been credited with an interest.

Camavinga's agent insisted on Saturday that the player is happy in Madrid, and Ancelotti looked to firmly put an end to the rumours.

"Eduardo is untouchable, like [Luka] Modric and [Toni] Kroos," the Italian told reporters ahead of Sunday's trip to Athletic Bilbao.

Camavinga is not the only Madrid player who has had to contend with a degree of uncertainty around his future.

Nacho Fernandez, Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio are among the players who have entered the final six months of their contracts.

Nevertheless, Ancelotti is convinced the lack of certainty is not an issue.

"They could start the game, or be decisive in the game," he added. "You have to evaluate. From what I see, I see very motivated players, and they show it. We have to see what happens.

"Their contracts are running down and they show that they have motivation, desire, and concentration. The fact that their contract ends does not affect them at all."

Ancelotti also moved to draw a line under the recent controversy around Aurelien Tchouameni.

The Frenchman, who has been injured for two weeks, was not in attendance for the midweek Copa del Rey win over Villarreal because he went to watch the NBA game in Paris between the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.

He apologised on Friday and Ancelotti says the situation is resolved.

Ancelotti said: "He made his apology public. He was wrong, but he is a young boy, and the subject has ended with this."

Manchester United are reportedly planning an audacious move for Tottenham star and England captain Harry Kane at the end of the season.

Kane, 29, has put together a spectacular goalscoring resume during his time at Spurs. He is one goal away from tying Jimmy Greaves as the club's all-time leading scorer, while he has already tied Wayne Rooney for the most goals in an England shirt, and is third all-time for Premier League goals.

This season has been more of the same, as Kane has started all 20 of Antonio Conte's side's league fixtures and hit 15 goals, trailing only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (22) in the race for the golden boot.

Tottenham have no interest in parting ways with their frontman, but his contract situation could force their hand.

TOP STORY – KANE INTERESTED IN A MOVE TO OLD TRAFFORD

According to the Daily Mail, United boss Erik ten Hag has put Kane at the top of his recruitment plans at the conclusion of the season, when the 29-year-old will have only 12 months remaining on his contract.

Crucially, the report states Kane "is open to joining United", providing further indication that he is unlikely to sign an extension to remain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will demand a fee of at least £85million, while Bild adds both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid remain interested.

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting Liverpool will look to pursue 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount at the end of the season if he does not sign an extension at Stamford Bridge.

– According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are hoping to bring in 20-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga on a short-term loan.

– Calciomercato is reporting West Ham have proposed a loan with a mandatory £30m (€34m) buy clause for Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Italian side want an immediate permanent deal.

– Roma will look to replace Zaniolo with 23-year-old Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, who is valued at €30m, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Leicester City have returned with a second offer for 24-year-old Stoke City and Australia centre-back Harry Souttar after their initial £10m bid was rejected.

Real Madrid and bitter rivals Atletico Madrid will duel for a place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals after being paired in the last eight.

Los Blancos survived a scare on Thursday as they came from 2-0 down at Villarreal to win 3-2 thanks to goals from Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Dani Ceballos.

It ensured Carlo Ancelotti's team bounced back from losing to Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final four days earlier.

Nevertheless, their route does not get any easier with Thursday's draw pitting them against city rivals Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Diego Simeone's side beat Levante 2-0 in Valencia on Wednesday, with Alvaro Morata and Marcos Llorente scoring in the second half.

It will be the first time Atletico and Madrid have tussled in the Copa since January 2015, when the former emerged 4-2 aggregate winners over two legs.

The competition remains on track for a Clasico final, though Barca will also have to get past tricky opponents to reach the last four.

Real Sociedad, who have won each of their past eight games in all competitions and are third in LaLiga, will visit Camp Nou.

La Real have a dreadful record away to Barcelona, however, last winning there in LaLiga way back in 1991.

The other two quarter-finals are also all-LaLiga affairs.

Last season's beaten finalists Valencia will meet Athletic Bilbao at the Mestalla Stadium, while Osasuna – conquerors of defending champions Real Betis – play host to a Sevilla side who are battling relegation in the league.

The matches are scheduled across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.

Copa del Rey quarter-final draw in full:

Barcelona v Real Sociedad

Osasuna v Sevilla

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

Valencia v Athletic Bilbao

Aurelien Tchouameni apologised to Real Madrid after he skipped their Copa del Rey clash with Villarreal to attend an NBA game.

The France international, who is sidelined with a calf injury, was in the crowd for the Chicago Bulls' 126-108 win over the Detroit Pistons in Paris on Thursday.

His presence at the Accor Arena, while Madrid fought back from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 at El Madrigal, came under scrutiny from supporters.

Tchouameni subsequently issued an apology, acknowledging he made a mistake by not staying in Spain to cheer on his team-mates.

"I apologise to my club, the coaching staff, my team-mates and the Madrid fans for my presence at an event at a time when we were [...] in the cup," he wrote on social media.

"I have been attentive at all times to what was happening in Villarreal, but I have not done the right thing. [I am] very sorry."

Tchouameni has not played since a LaLiga defeat to the Yellow Submarine on January 7, when he was replaced just after the hour in a 2-1 loss.

Second-half goals from Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Dani Ceballos helped Carlo Ancelotti's side bounce back to winning ways on Thursday, four days after they lost the Supercopa de Espana final to Barcelona.

Los Blancos will face rivals Atletico Madrid in their Copa quarter-final after the pair were drawn against each other on Friday.

Carlo Ancelotti ordered his Real Madrid players to "wake up" before his team came from two goals down to beat Villarreal 3-2 in the Copa del Rey.

Madrid were beaten 3-1 by rivals Barcelona in Sunday's Supercopa de Espana final and they looked to be on their way out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday when they went into half-time 2-0 down.

Etienne Capoue and Samuel Chukwueze gave Villarreal in control, yet Vinicius Junior halved the deficit and Madrid were level when Eder Militao prodded home after Filip Jorgensen could only parry Karim Benzema's header into the centre-back's path.

Having started just three LaLiga games this season, Dani Ceballos seized upon his opportunity to complete a stunning turnaround to send Madrid into the quarter-finals.

After such a poor first-half display, Ancelotti revealed his furious reaction to his players at half-time provoked the much-improved second-half performance.

"I was really angry at half-time," Ancelotti told reporters. " I decided to take a risk and press high up.

"We weren't being forceful enough in our duels and I told them to wake up, there was still time to come back. They definitely woke up. It wasn't a good first half and we can't be playing like that.

"In the second period, it was an incredible reaction, as it always is. This club never gives up but we can't wait until near the end of the game to react.

"The team showed great personality to turn things around. The second half is fantastic for our confidence. We didn't give up."

Ceballos was Madrid's unlikely hero as he popped up to fire in from Marco Asensio's perfectly weighted pass.

Ancelotti felt that combination was one of the keys to victory, saying: "Ceballos and Asensio have changed the dynamics of the match because they put in more quality and energy, they were decisive in turning the result around."

An incident in the second half saw Vinicius clash with Pepe Reina, Villarreal's substitute goalkeeper, while Ancelotti was also involved in a confrontation with Los Blancos winger Rodrygo.

Rodrygo appeared to dismiss Ancelotti's offer of a handshake after the Brazil international made way for Asensio in the 56th minute, but the Madrid head coach had no concerns over the episode.

"He [Rodrygo] had a slight muscle strain and I decided not to risk him," Ancelotti explained. "He didn't acknowledge me because I think he forgot, I don't think it's a big deal.

"[The Reina and Vinicius altercation] was nothing. He was a bit wound up with Vinicius, that's all. I have a good relationship with him. What I saw, was that Vinicius got kicked a lot, like he does every game."

Dani Ceballos' late goal saw Real Madrid beat Villarreal 3-2 and complete a stunning comeback in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Madrid were beaten 3-1 by rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday and found themselves two goals down at the break at Estadio de la Ceramica after goals from Etienne Capoue and Samuel Chukwueze.

But Vinicius Junior halved the deficit with a composed 57th-minute finish before Eder Militao prodded home from close range.

With the last-16 tie seemingly heading for extra time. Ceballos proved Madrid's unlikely hero as he lashed home to keep Madrid's hopes of winning a 20th Copa del Rey title alive.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe may have faced off against one another in the World Cup final in Qatar, but they line up in the same XI in FIFA 23's Team of the Year.

While Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the tournament's showpiece match, it was Messi's Argentina who lifted the World Cup for a third time with a penalty shoot-out victory following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.

The Paris Saint-Germain team-mates have both made FIFA 23's Team of the Year, though, with the selections made from over 10 million votes from fans.

Despite Argentina's World Cup win, Messi is the only player from Lionel Scaloni's team to be included, with Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema completing the front three after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches in the 2021-22 season to help Real Madrid to a LaLiga title and Champions League win.

Kevin De Bruyne finished third in the Ballon d'Or rankings and is part of the midfield, alongside the evergreen Madrid star Luka Modric and Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, with the latter playing a key role for England at the World Cup at the age of just 19.

The Madrid theme running through the line-up continues at the back, with Thibaut Courtois between in goal and Eder Militao at the heart of the defence.

Virgil van Dijk joins Militao, while Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi, who enjoyed excellent World Cups with France and Morocco respectively, fill the full-back roles.

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.

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.

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."

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."