Xavi hopes to stay at Barcelona for "many years" but insists his main focus is on winning trophies, rather than extending his contract at Camp Nou.

The Blaugrana are on track for a treble this season. Nine points clear at the LaLiga summit, Xavi has already secured Supercopa de Espana glory, while Barca are also 1-0 to the good in their two-legged Copa del Rey semi-final tie with Real Madrid.

The former midfielder has one year remaining on his existing contract, although club president Joan Laporta revealed negotiations over a new deal were ongoing.

Xavi is hopeful those talks are successful and he can enjoy a lengthy reign at Barca, similar to that of Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during his 27-year tenure with Manchester United.

But that is not the 43-year-old's primary objective.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of Barcelona's trip to Athletic Bilbao, he told reporters: "It's difficult to be Ferguson in Barcelona. I love to be here. I suffer many days, but I am thankful to the president.

"He's really happy. It's great to have his support. He is a loyal man and hopefully I will stay here many years. But it will depend on all our results. Now is not the moment to talk about my contract.

"Of course, we are talking about this situation. We've been talking about a contract extension, but we need to be calm and focus on winning trophies.

"I still have one more year. We are close to winning trophies, and that's the most important thing – not my contract, we need to win trophies."

Barca will be eager to maintain their momentum ahead of next week's blockbuster showdown with title rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou, and Xavi has urged his players to retain their concentration levels.

"We are just focused on tomorrow's game to keep the advantage of nine points," he added. "With Real Madrid, that is crucial. Then, we will have the following week to focus on El Clasico.

"We need to keep this good advantage before the visit of Real Madrid, but [Athletic is] going to be a really tough game for sure.

"We are now in the most important part of the season. We need to play well, compete and win those games. These two weeks before the international break are crucial."

Real Madrid have called an urgent meeting of their board of directors for Sunday to discuss what the club describes as "well-founded suspicions of corruption" into rivals Barcelona.

Last month, broadcaster SER Catalunya alleged Barca had paid €1.6million to the company of Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira – the former vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) – between 2016 and 2018.

Newspaper El Pais claimed Negreira's company – DASNIL 95 SL – produced written reports and DVD assessments of referees prior to games.

The public prosecutor's office said on Friday that Spanish prosecutors had filed a complaint against Barca and two of their ex-presidents over the alleged payments.

Madrid released a statement on Saturday to announce their intention to hold a board meeting to discuss the matter.

"Given the seriousness of the accusations made by the Barcelona prosecutor's office against FC Barcelona and two of its presidents for well-founded suspicions of corruption and their relations with whoever was the vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the president has convened urgently to the board of directors tomorrow, Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 12:00 p.m., in order to decide on the actions that Real Madrid deems appropriate in relation to this matter," the statement read.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last week strenuously denied the accusations, suggesting the team being top of LaLiga had led to people wanting to damage the club.

"Let me be clear, Barca have never bought referees nor had the intention to buy referees. Absolutely never," he said.

"The forcefulness of the facts contradicts those who try to change the story. We are doing well again, nothing is accidental... There is a campaign to harm the interests of Barca.

"It is a campaign aimed at controlling the club. LaLiga does not accept that Barca did not sign the contract with CVC."

Carlo Ancelotti has backed Karim Benzema to play a big part in Real Madrid's end to the season.

The French striker has come in for criticism as Madrid have struggled for goals domestically in recent weeks, despite his brace against Liverpool in their 5-2 win at Anfield in the Champions League last-16 first leg.

Ballon d'Or holder Benzema has scored 11 goals in 15 LaLiga games but has not netted in his last three in all competitions, and he will be missing from the team for Saturday's home game with Espanyol because of an ankle injury.

"He was a key player for us [last season], he performed incredibly, scored more than 40 goals," Ancelotti said at a press conference on Friday.

"It affected us a bit [earlier this season] because he couldn't reach his top level. This second part of the season he has been important for us, and we think he will be key for us until the end of the season. He has a knock, and he has to get better."

Regarding Benzema's contract, which expires at the end of the season, Ancelotti said: "He has been here for so many years, I'm absolutely sure about what's going to happen next year, but I'm not a magician."

The Madrid head coach was also asked again about the possibility of signing long-term target Kylian Mbappe after Paris Saint-Germain's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

"Well, it's a question you can ask me whenever, but it is something to which I will never reply," he said.

Ancelotti confirmed Rodrygo will play as the central striker against Espanyol, adding: "He has to play where the team needs him, maybe at some point he can play as a winger to show his quality, or as a number 10, but he can play in different places."

He was also asked about criticism of him and his team for their recent form, having not won any of their three games since the success at Liverpool (D2 L1).

"I don't want to think about it, but it is always like this," Ancelotti said. "When there are difficult moments, criticism starts."

LaLiga has filed a complaint at a Seville court after Vinicius Junior was again subjected to racist abuse in Real Madrid's goalless draw at Real Betis on Sunday.

Vinicius suffered racist abuse at two matches against Atletico Madrid this season, while similar incidents have been reported at games against Real Mallorca and Real Valladolid.

Footage captured a Betis supporter shouting racist insults at Vinicius during Sunday's stalemate at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, leading LaLiga to resort to legal action once again.

A statement from the league read: "In view of the racist insults directed towards Vinicius Junior during the Real Betis-Real Madrid match on Sunday, March 5, LaLiga has sent a complaint to the Seville Court of Instruction in order to identify the person responsible and to take the appropriate legal measures.

"This is the seventh complaint made to the relevant authorities by LaLiga regarding racist insults against Vinicius Junior."

Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti last month said racism was a problem throughout Spanish football, adding: "Vinicius is the victim of something that I don't understand. It must be solved."