Ousmane Dembele has told Barcelona that he wants to leave to join Paris St Germain, according to manager Xavi.

The Ligue 1 side have made the 26-year-old an offer that Barca “cannot match” and he has informed his manager that he wishes to move.

The France international has a £43million release clause in his contract which PSG have reportedly triggered, shortly before the terms of his deal stipulated the figure would rise to £86m.

Talks have taken place between the parties and Dembele has made up his mind that his future lies away from Barca, whom he joined from Borussia Dortmund for £125m in 2017.

“Dembele came and told me he wanted to leave,” said Xavi. “He has an offer from PSG that we cannot match.”

He has played 185 times for the club and has won three LaLiga titles during his six-year stay.

Ilkay Gundogan is a midfield "heavyweight" and his arrival at Barcelona will raise the level of team-mates including Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Gavi.

That is the view of Barca great Hristo Stoichkov, who is excited by the prospect of the former Manchester City captain slotting into Xavi's title-winning side.

Barca won LaLiga for the first time since Lionel Messi's 2021 departure last season, with a young Blaugrana team finishing 10 points clear of rivals Real Madrid.

Gundogan joined Barca on a free transfer in June after helping City become just the second side to win a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, and Stoichkov hopes his experience will benefit younger team-mates. 

"I think it's fantastic because he's a great player," Stoichkov told Stats Perform. "I have always liked Gundogan as a player since he did it in Dortmund, then at City and also with his national team. 

"He is a great professional and I think he will help a lot with his experience because Barcelona have a young team. 

"Frenkie De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, [Alejandro] Balde, [Ronald] Araujo and Ansu Fati are young and having a heavyweight in the squad can help them grow."

Gundogan will have to wait for his Camp Nou debut, with Barca due to play their home games at the Estadi Olimpic while their famous home is renovated next season.

President Joan Laporta pledged to create "the best stadium in the world" as the project began in May, and Stoichkov says the work – which will include the construction of a new roof – is overdue.

"For me Camp Nou is a myth and not only from my time, but since it was built in 1957," he said. "The greatest players, coaches and presidents in history have passed through that stadium. 

"It is a symbol and a temple of world football. When I arrived at Barcelona in 1990 and left at such a huge moment and with 120,000 people shouting my name, it will always remain in my memory. 

"But it is obvious that after so many years a remodelling is necessary, and Camp Nou needed something new. 

"Thank God, Laporta in his second stage as president has managed to rebuild Camp Nou and do something new. Barcelona needed it, Catalonia needed it, FC Barcelona needed it. 

"I will always have good memories. I recently sent some friends to collect a piece of the grass, a stone and a seat so that I can put them in my museum because it was very important in my career. 

"I will always remember my first goal for Barcelona at Camp Nou against Valencia, when we won 3-1. When I saw 120,000 people shouting my name, I realised Camp Nou was a temple."

Stoichkov – who won five league titles and the 1991-92 European Cup during his time with Barca – hopes the modernisation helps the club return to the top of the continental game.

"We must recognise it is the modern era," he added. "I played in very old stadiums in England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain and today there are new cycles, new presidents, new players and everyone wanted something new. 

"Obviously when you have a first-level stadium, you like to enjoy it. This is a time when Barcelona are building a new field and a new team so that in a few years, they can win the Champions League again, which is a great wish I have."

Gabri Veiga scored twice as Celta Vigo clinched survival with a surprise 2-1 win over champions Barcelona on a dramatic final day of the season in LaLiga.

Starting the game in 17th, Celta knew a victory would preserve their top-flight status, and Carlos Carvalhal's men took charge as Veiga struck either side of the break. 

The 21-year-old drilled into the bottom-left corner to spark wild scenes at the Balaidos shortly before half-time, then saw a fortuitous 65th-minute cross sail in off the far post.

Celta clung on after Barca substitute Ansu Fati nodded home, clinching a 13th-placed finish as Real Valladolid went down, while Barca ended the campaign 10 points clear of runners-up Real Madrid.

Barca thought they had an 11th-minute lead when Franck Kessie latched onto a rebound to beat Ivan Villar, only for a VAR review to show the midfielder was offside.

Oscar Rodriguez skewed a first-time shot just wide as Celta went close, while Robert Lewandowski saw a curling effort clip the outside of Villar's left post.

The offside flag thwarted Rodriguez as he capitalised on Marc-Andre ter Stegen's error to flick home, but Celta did go ahead on the stroke of half-time when Veiga raced onto Haris Seferovic's pass to finish across goal.

With Barca struggling for momentum, Veiga put Celta 2-0 up when his mishit cross from the right swerved over substitute goalkeeper Inaki Pena, clipping the woodwork before nestling in the back of the net.

Fati ensured a nervous finish by heading in Ousmane Dembele's cross 11 minutes from time, but Celta clung on to ensure another season of top-flight football.

Xavi believes Lamine Yamal will go on to achieve great things after the teenager made Barcelona history with his LaLiga debut against Real Betis on Saturday.

Yamal was introduced as a late substitute at Camp Nou as Barca cruised to a 4-0 victory over Betis, restoring their 11-point lead at the summit.

The La Masia academy product, aged 15 years and 290 days, became the Blaugrana's youngest player in LaLiga history.

Yamal almost teed up a late goal for Ousmane Dembele, only for the winger to falter in front of goal, and Xavi believes the midfielder has the talent to make his mark.

The Barca coach said: "I've told him to try things. At 15 years old, he is a talent and a special player. 

"He has been able to score, he has assisted and when you see him in training you see that he can be very great."

Raphinha scored one goal and assisted another in the thrashing of Betis, with Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski also on target and Guido Rodriguez scoring an own goal.

The Brazil winger echoed Xavi's sentiment on Yamal, saying: "When I was 15 years old, I played for my neighbourhood team.

"It's incredible. It would have been incredible to score a goal."

Raphinha suggested Barca must repeat performances such as the one against Betis, which was in stark contrast to their showing in Wednesday's surprise 2-1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano.

He added: "The Rayo game was very tough. We needed to respond with a victory.

"Xavi warned us, we knew we needed a better attitude and be better on the ball. If we want to win the league, we have to play like this."

Barcelona head coach Xavi was left perplexed by a question about Lionel Messi and Bruce Springsteen on Friday, but said the club will discuss a potential move for Messi once they have won the title.

Springsteen is playing concerts at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on Friday and Sunday, while many Blaugrana fans would like to see Messi once again playing his own greatest hits in the city next season.

Messi is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the campaign, with rumours abound Barca could look to bring him back to the club where he scored 672 goals in 780 games.

At a press conference ahead of Saturday's LaLiga clash with Real Betis, a journalist asked Xavi if he will see Messi at the concert.

"I don't understand the metaphor," he said, laughing. "We don't know if it's going to happen or not about Leo. It's very soon. We are focused on Betis and winning this league, it would give us a lot of stability. We'll talk about possible signings when we win LaLiga.

"For Bruce, I would like to go but I don't have tickets!"

Reports have suggested the club will meet LaLiga officials to discuss the viability of Messi returning given Barca's ongoing financial concerns, but Xavi said the discussion will be more wide-ranging than just centring around the Argentinian.

"It's not just for the possible arrival of Leo, it's to improve next year's squad," he said. "It's not an important issue, there's a league to win. Mateu [Alemany, the club's sporting director] informs us and in theory, everything is going well."

With Barca leading LaLiga by 11 points with seven games remaining, despite losing 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano last time out, Xavi disputed the idea that the season has been a long one, suggesting it felt longer last year when they finished 13 points behind champions Real Madrid.

"I don't understand why you say it's getting long," he responded to a reporter. "Last season it was an eternity. Now I look at the table and I'm happy. Sometimes I don't understand it. I'm having a good time in this league. Who wouldn't have signed up for this?

"The other day we played the worst game of the season, but tomorrow is a good opportunity and there is hope to win. Last year it was long."

On the defeat at Rayo Vallecano, he added: "Madrid lost the day before [4-2 at Girona] and that happens. You're not always going to be outstanding, it's sport. What you have to do is react tomorrow and return to our game model and values. You don't have to look back."

Barca confirmed on Friday that Andreas Christensen and Ousmane Dembele will be back in the squad after recovering from injuries, much to Xavi's delight.

On Dembele, he said: "The injury was in an area that was more difficult to heal. He's fine and happy. We'll see if we play him from the start or as a substitute, but it's very important news for us.

"We have missed him. He is the best footballer one-on-one, there are few in the world like him. Ask the LaLiga full-backs who they prefer. He is a player with tremendous speed, he is a differential. It is logical that we have missed him."

Xavi said there could be "no excuses" for Barcelona's meek 2-1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano, which saw the Blaugrana miss the chance to go 14 points clear at the top of LaLiga. 

Barca look destined to end their four-year wait for a league title in the coming weeks, and Real Madrid's 4-2 defeat at Girona on Tuesday gave them the opportunity to pull further clear. 

However, goals from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia handed Rayo a deserved victory, with Robert Lewandowski's late volley proving to be a mere consolation.

Barca have only lost three league games all season, but the Blaugrana have now taken just five points from the last 12 available to them in LaLiga, leaving Xavi to rue a missed opportunity.

"We didn't have a good game, we weren't comfortable. They were very intense and aggressive and they didn't let us play," Xavi said.

"We lacked understanding of the game, we abused long passes. There are no excuses, Rayo deserved to win. 

"We tried with courage until the end, but they deserved the victory. We have a margin and there is one less game left.

"We have to think about Saturday. The message to the players is that the league has not been won. It costs a lot to win this league and every game away from home is a war. 

"This defeat weighs us down and annoys us. Today we failed and we are leaving annoyed because it was a very good opportunity."

Having lost on their last league trip to Rayo in October 2021, Barca have now suffered back-to-back defeats in Vallecas for just the second time in their history, also doing so in December 2002.

Defender Ronald Araujo believed the hosts warranted their win, saying: "Rayo deserved the victory. They played well.

"In the first half we weren't up to it, but we still have a good points advantage. Now we have two home games that we have to win."

Barca welcome Real Betis to Camp Nou in their next game on Saturday, holding an 11-point lead over Madrid at the top of LaLiga and requiring a maximum of 11 more points to clinch the title.

Barcelona missed the chance to go 14 points clear at the top of LaLiga as goals from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia fired Rayo Vallecano to a 2-1 win over the below-par leaders.

Real Madrid's 4-2 defeat at Girona on Tuesday gave Barca the chance to pull further clear at the summit, but Xavi's men started slowly and soon found themselves behind to Alvaro Garcia's low drive.

Barca's woes were deepened when Fran Garcia broke clear to finish after the break, and although Robert Lewandowski halved the deficit late on, the visitors were unable to find a leveller.

Boasting an 11-point lead over Madrid, Barca still appear destined to win their first league title since 2019, but the Catalan giants have dropped points in three of their last four games after another flat performance.

The first big chance fell to Rayo 17 minutes in, Sergio Camello bursting through after Pedri was caught in possession, only to be denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen when one on one.

Ter Stegen was unable to save Barca two minutes later, Alvaro Garcia drilling into the bottom-right corner after being found by Camello on the left-hand side of the area.

Stole Dimitrievski preserved Rayo's lead by smothering Lewandowski's dinked attempt, and the hosts escaped again on the stroke of half-time, as a VAR review confirmed an on-field decision to disallow the striker's left-footed finish for offside.

Barca found themselves 2-0 down seven minutes after the restart as Fran Garcia – who is set to re-join former club Real Madrid at the end of the season – raced clear to side-foot calmly under Ter Stegen.

Lewandowski ensured a nervy finish when he volleyed into the top-right corner after Ansu Fati's shot deflected into his path, but Rayo held on to claim a surprise victory.

Barcelona coach Xavi talked up the importance of Barcelona's victory over Atletico Madrid as the LaLiga leaders returned to winning ways on Sunday.

Ferran Torres netted the only goal in a 1-0 win at Camp Nou, bringing an end to a goalless run that included back-to-back goalless draws in the league.

The victory also extended Barca's commanding lead at the top of LaLiga to 11 points over rivals Real Madrid, who could be forgiven for having their attention elsewhere as they defend their Champions League crown.

With eight games to go, Barca are closing on the title, but Xavi made clear there was work still to be done.

"There is nothing done, although it is exciting," he said. "Here, nobody feels like a champion, and if someone does, we will tell them that nothing has been done.

"If we lost, they were eight [points back]; it was crucial. Beyond the individualities, we played a very good game. It was crucial to win after two draws, and it's one more step."

Barca's victory was not as comfortable as it perhaps should have been, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha among those to miss chances, which Xavi lamented.

"I have the feeling of having wasted opportunities to make it 2-0; they were very clear," he said. "Rapha's, Robert's, one of Gavi's at the penalty spot.

"In the end, you end up suffering in a game that you deserved to win by more than one goal."

Xavi described 15-year-old Lamine Yamal as fearless after the winger became the youngest player to be included in Barcelona's squad for a competitive game.

Yamal, a La Masia product who will turn 16 in July, could become the youngest player to feature for Barca when they face Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Spain Under-19 international is already the youngest player to be named in an official Blaugrana matchday squad, but Xavi is confident he can make an impact if called upon.

"He is a player who can help us because he is talented," Xavi said on Saturday. "He has a lot of personality, he can play one-on-one, he is strong and I am convinced that he can help us.

"I have spoken with him and he is grateful and happy. If the circumstances arise that he can help us, he is prepared."

Asked if Yamal reminded him of any former Barca greats, Xavi said: "He's an innate talent.

"With the new generations, the difference from my era is that they have no fear. Lamine is different... he has attributes from various players, I don't see a direct comparison."

Xavi welcomed the returns of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong as the Barcelona midfielders were passed fit to feature in Sunday's clash with Atletico Madrid.

Pedri has not played for Barca since he sustained a hamstring injury during February's 2-2 Europa League draw against Manchester United.

The Spain international initially looked set to return for last month's LaLiga meeting with Clasico rivals Real Madrid – a game Barca won 2-1 – only to suffer a setback in his recovery.  

While Pedri has missed a total of 11 games, Barca have also been without fellow midfielder De Jong for their last four matches after he sustained a similar injury.

Barca have struggled for creativity in back-to-back goalless draws against Girona and Getafe in LaLiga, but they will have both midfielders available when they host in-form Atleti.

"Pedri helps us, also Frenkie," Xavi said. "They are essential, vital players, however you want to say it, but we have played great games without them. 

"In the end, it is about the idea and the game model. We are in a privileged situation in LaLiga and the players have understood this well. We have played great games without some crucial players.

"Pedri is key in the last pass. He associates very well with Robert [Lewandowski], they get along very well. It's very good news to get him back, not only for Robert."

Having built an 11-point lead over second-placed Madrid with just nine games remaining, Xavi knows a first league title since 2019 is now Barca's to lose.

However, with Diego Simeone's visitors winning six successive league games ahead of their trip to Camp Nou, the Blaugrana boss expects a difficult challenge next time out.

"We have an important advantage and we have to make it good," Xavi said. "Losing the League would be anything but the fault of the other teams, it would be our fault. 

"Every game is a final from now on. If we beat Atletico, we would eliminate them as a rival. We are in a privileged situation but we cannot relax.

"Tomorrow will be a difficult game, Atleti are the best team in the league at the moment, they are the fittest team in LaLiga right now."

Diego Simeone is no stranger to defensive organisation, and the Atletico Madrid boss has been impressed by Xavi's work in making Barcelona difficult to break down this season.

Barca are closing in on their first league title since the 2018-19 campaign, sitting 11 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga with nine games of the season remaining.

While Xavi's side have been criticised at times for a perceived failure to employ an entertaining style, they have conceded just nine goals in 29 league games this term.  

The Blaugrana have kept a remarkable 22 clean sheets in LaLiga this season, at least four more than any other team in Europe's top five leagues (Lazio are second with 18).

At Saturday's pre-match press conference, Simeone was asked whether Atleti and Barca had become stylistically similar as a result of Xavi's work.

"I like this Barcelona," Simeone said. "It's a different Barcelona style. They have been growing and have had a great season. 

"They have improved in defence thanks to the characteristics of their players, and improving the defensive part has added more value to Xavi's work."

Atleti have won six successive league games to move within two points of second-placed Real Madrid, and Simeone believes their displays have not been met with the credit they deserve.

"When we started the season we were not in the best way. But if we go back a bit, to when we won LaLiga, we did it by playing very well," Simeone added.

"Sometimes a stigma is generated. Sometimes people don't watch the games and they give their opinion just to give their opinion. 

"Like Barca improving defensively, or Manchester City – who have given a very good defensive performance – we have improved, we have grown."

Simeone has overseen 15 trips to Camp Nou without winning as Atleti boss, more matches than he has taken charge of at any other venue since taking over Los Colchoneros in 2011. 

Opposing boss Xavi, meanwhile, has won both of his league games against Atleti since taking the reins at Camp Nou, and he could become just the second coach in Barca's history to win his first three meetings with Atleti in LaLiga (after Luis Enrique).

Xavi bemoaned the state of the Coliseum Alfonso Perez pitch after Sergi Roberto was injured in Barcelona's goalless LaLiga draw at Getafe on Sunday.

The misfiring Blaugrana were held at relegation-threatened Getafe after failing to score for a third consecutive game.

Barcelona remain well on course to win the title, leading Real Madrid by 11 points with nine games to play, but were left to rue their lack of a cutting edge once again.

Sergi Roberto was replaced by Eric Garcia early on due to a hamstring injury and Xavi put that down to the playing surface.

The head coach said, according to Marca: "The state of the grass has affected us. Yesterday we trained with a dry field. I have been criticised a lot for the issue of the surface. Today the whole world has seen it.

"It is very difficult to play like this, it is bad for the show. The ball gets stuck, it's bad even for Getafe. It's essential that it be in good condition."

Xavi added: "It's no excuse and we have to recover our sensations.

"We take a point that makes it not bad at all because of how uncomfortable we have been."

Regarding the injury, Xavi said: "Sergi noticed something in the hamstring. Let's see tomorrow. Let it be for a short time, whether or not there is an injury."

The leaders face third-placed Atletico Madrid next Sunday and Xavi warned they must not let their standards slip.

"I think we're having a good season in the league, but we mustn't fall asleep. Very important games are coming up," Xavi said.

"We tried to get the full-backs to go inside. We tried, we didn't have the best game, it's clear. We gave everything and we got a point that isn't entirely bad, but we're not satisfied.

"I hope that next week we can get two or three players back. It's not an excuse, we have a good squad, I'm satisfied. From there, minimise injuries and get people back. We'll plan for next season and see what happens."

Gavi has everything he needs at Barcelona and would not be happy at another club, according to Xavi.

The Spain international's future is uncertain due to Barcelona's financial situation, with a new contract at Camp Nou unable to be registered.

As a result, Gavi remains a youth player at the club and will be able to leave at the end of the season if the situation cannot be resolved, reportedly alerting a number of clubs in Europe.

Chelsea and Bayern Munich have both been attributed with an interest in signing the teenager, with the former reportedly prepared to make him one of the Premier League's best-paid players.

However, Xavi still believes his future is in Catalonia and questioned why he would want to leave.

"I don't think Gavi would be happy at another club, he has everything here," he told a pre-match press conference.

"He's 18-years-old, he's a key player in our team. For me, he is a footballer who is outstanding.

"I don't know what he is going to decide but, for me, his future is here at the club."

Barcelona may hold a commanding edge over their LaLiga rivals, but Xavi is taking nothing for granted.

The Blaugrana are playing after Real Madrid visit Cadiz, where Los Blancos can cut Barca's lead at the summit to 10 points, on Saturday.

Barca can restore a 13-point lead against Getafe on Sunday, with Xavi's men firmly on course to win LaLiga for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

With Madrid likely to focus their attention on the Copa del Rey final and their Champions League campaign, it would take a remarkable turn of events for Barca to lose their grip on the crown.

But Xavi is adamant that the hard work is not done and his side need to remain focused heading into the run-in.

"For us the difficult thing is to win games and tomorrow will be another test. They are playing against relegation and are risking their lives," he told a press conference.

"We are in a privileged situation, which I would have taken at the beginning of the season, but there is the final rush of the league, and we need to win many games to win this title.

"We have an important advantage, and these next three-to-four games are key. If we win them, we will be almost champions, but we are focused on tomorrow.

"We compete against very strong opponents. Being where we are in LaLiga has a lot of merit. We want to win this competition against Madrid and Atletico."

Xavi acknowledged Barcelona are in a "very good situation" at the LaLiga summit but was left to rue a missed opportunity at home to Girona on Monday.

The Blaugrana could have moved 15 points clear with victory, after Real Madrid fell to a 3-2 defeat against Villarreal on Sunday, but had to settle for a 13-point lead following a goalless draw at Camp Nou.

It marked Barca's second draw without scoring at Camp Nou in LaLiga this term, as many as in their previous four league campaigns combined, after Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga impressed.

Barca head coach Xavi says failing to win at home will always be a missed chance, though refused to criticise his side for their efforts.

Asked on DAZN whether it was an opportunity squandered, Xavi said: "We can't be positive with a point at home, but we are 13 points clear of second with 10 games to go.

"We are in a very good situation. We have tried, we have played a correct game, we have had many chances to score and win the game against a very good team.

"We just missed getting the first goal. I think we deserved to win."

Barca continued their unbeaten run at home in LaLiga this campaign (14 games), with only Union Berlin and Bayern Munich boasting a season-long such record across Europe's top five leagues this term.

The stalemate also marked a rare feat for Girona, who kept a clean sheet in a Spanish top-flight away game for the first time since March 2019 (2-0 win at Leganes).

Girona have not beaten their Catalan rivals Barca in six league meetings (L4 D2) but Xavi was quick to credit Miguel Angel Sanchez's impressive visitors.

The former midfielder added: "We are going to play teams like this, who are risking their lives. They told us that this point is massive.

"Next week we are going to Getafe, who are risking their lives. This team drew at the Bernabeu, it's a great team.

"We have to give credit to this league, people want to see it differently but we deserve praise to be where we are [at the top]."

A misfiring Barca frontline failed to breach the resolute Girona backline, with Robert Lewandowski and Ansu Fati largely passengers in a contest where Raphinha shone by creating a game-leading four chances.

The Brazil international's performance was in stark contrast to Fati, who has been involved in just one LaLiga goal in his last 16 outings after being involved in eight (5G 3A) in that amount of previous matches.

Blaugrana captain Busquets acknowledged it was difficult to overcome an industrious Girona as the Spain international outlined his intentions to wrap up the league title as soon as possible.

He told DAZN: "It was hard for us to hurt them, especially in the first half when they had a little more possession of the ball. They put a lot of balls inside and we weren't pressing well. 

"Even so, I think we have had them, but today we have seen how the minutes went by, they gradually established themselves more and more in defence and we could not get the goal. 

"Our main objective is to win the league as soon as possible. If Madrid drop points then good, but our objective remains the same."