BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi came off the bench to score one and create another as Barcelona beat Leganes 3-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday to restore their five-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Ousmane Dembele -- who was later forced off with an ankle injury -- gave Barca the lead in the first half, but the visitors equalised after the break through Martin Braithwaite. Barca edged back ahead when substitute Messi's shot was too hot for Ivan Cuellar to handle, with Luis Suarez firing in the rebound...

The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is open again. Transfer Talk has been scouring the world's media and setting our correspondents loose to see who could be heading to/out of your club this month.

TOP STORY: Chelsea enquire about Barcelona flop Coutinho

He's been at Barcelona for only a little over a year, but already things have turned sour for Philippe Coutinho.

The 26-year-old has not been able to force his way into Ernesto Valverde's side on a regular basis, starting just 10 La...

Long-suffering fans of Liga MX club Atlas have not seen their team win a first-division title since 1951, but the Guadalajara institution achieved something on Thursday that no other Mexican club can boast: Lionel Messi followed them on Instagram.

Big day for @atlasfc. The Mexican club officially welcomed Lionel Messi to the "red-and-black family."

(Messi followed the club on Instagram) #ligamxeng pic.twitter.com/7sULNbptYR

— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) January 18, 2019

And they made the most of being one of the 219 accounts that Messi follows.

Los Rojinegros posted an Instagram story "welcoming" Messi to the "red-and-black" family, before adding another explaining that he wasn't actually joining the struggling club,...

The top three stay the same but, below them, Man City are climbing and there are a pair of new entries.

Dropping out: Tottenham, Atletico Madrid

Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV.

BARCELONA, Spain -- Ousmane Dembele scored twice as Barcelona beat Levante 3-0 to progress to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, advancing 4-2 on aggregate after last week's surprise defeat in Valencia.

Dembele, twice assisted by Lionel Messi, moved Barca ahead in the tie with two fortuitous finishes in the first half. Messi added Barca's third after the break as the Catalans continued their bid for a fifth successive Spanish cup success.

Positives

Ernesto Valverde could not have hoped...

The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is open. Transfer Talk has been scouring the world's media and setting our correspondents loose to see who could be heading to or out of your club this month.

TOP STORY: Vela could be Barcelona's Plan B

Carlos Vela has emerged as a January option to cover Barcelona's striker shortage, according to several reports. Vela, currently at LAFC, has experience in La Liga, having played at Real Sociedad for seven seasons prior to arriving in MLS in 2018.

According...