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TOP STORY: City ready to move for Messi

Pep Guardiola has said he would be happy with the Manchester City squad as it is -- but what if he had the chance to add Lionel Messi to the ranks?

Unlikely but not impossible, according to the Mirror, which reports that "City have met Messi's representatives to discuss the possibility of bringing...

BARCELONA -- Barcelona eased to an opening day 2-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday, thanks to an Alin Tosca own goal and an effort from Sergi Roberto.

The game at Camp Nou was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of those killed in the terror attacks in the city this week. The Barca players carried "Barcelona" on the back of their shirts, where their surnames would usually appear, and #TotsSomBarcelona on the front (#WeAreAllBarcelona).

In front of an attendance of more than 56,000 -- Marca...

For more on Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, as well as other rumours, check out Transfer Talk by clicking here.

For the first time in a very long time, Barcelona do not start the season as the favourites to win La Liga.

Barca have won Spain's top flight in six of the past nine years, but they didn't win it last year, and no one really expects them to win it in 2017-18. A turbulent preseason ended with a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, and there's a feeling that -- not for the first time, admittedly -- a golden generation of players is finally declining.

Barcelona

Real Betis

2

0

FT

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Highlights

• GameCast
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They begin their league campaign...

Friday's latest stories from the world of football in ESPN FC's What's Trending...

BARCELONA: Vice-president Jordi Mestre has reassured fans that Lionel Messi will soon sign a contract extension.

- Luis Suarez will be out of action for "at least four to five weeks" after suffering a knee injury late in Barcelona's loss to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.

- Barcelona will wear black armbands for their match at the Camp Nou on Sunday following the attack in the city on Thursday in...

Lionel Messi admits that there is a simple trick he tries when the going gets tough and the game is slipping away. He looks for Andres Iniesta and says: "come closer."

On Wednesday night, as Real Madrid overran Barcelona, he couldn't -- Iniesta was 600 km away, injured -- and, when the league campaign begins on Sunday evening at home to Betis, he won't be able to either. Messi won't see his teammate unless he glances to the stands. Nor will he see Luis Suárez, who has a knee problem. And as...