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West Ham United proved that they are very much still in a relegation battle this season as they were thumped 5-1 at home by Newcastle United on Wednesday night, in a game which could potentially spell the end for David Moyes.

The pressure will surely now be ramped up on the Scottish manager after an embarrassing home defeat which leaves the Hammers only out of the bottom three on goal difference.

How did West Ham against Newcastle play out?

Although West Ham could have opened the scoring early on when Bruno Guimaraes hit his own post, it was one-way traffic for most of the 90 minutes.

Callum Wilson headed in from Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross to continue his fine run of form against the Hammers before Joelinton made it two after exploiting a Sunday League-esque defensive line from Moyes’ side.

Kurt Zouma gave the home side hope just before half-time after heading in Jarrod Bowen’s corner but any dreams of a comeback were quelled by Nayef Aguerd as he miscontrolled a simple pass, with Jacob Murphy robbing him of possession and squaring for Wilson for his second.

West Ham weren’t done there as Lukasz Fabianski gifted Alexander Isak the fourth.

The Polish ‘keeper made an inexplicable howler as he unnecessarily came flying out of his goal, only to fluff his lines and present the Swedish forward with an empty net to find.

That was before Joelinton compounded the home side’s misery by firing in a fifth, which the Hammers shot-stopper arguably could have kept out.

Who was West Ham’s worst performer against Newcastle?

There are plenty of names to choose from when deciding upon the Hammers’ worst player against the Toon, as individual errors from Aguerd and Fabianski were crucial in the visitors taking all three points.

However, there was another completely anonymous display from Tomas Soucek in West Ham’s midfield, with the Czech Republic international barely touching the ball in his 65 minutes on the pitch.

As per Sofascore, the former Slavia Prague man would earn a woeful 6.3/10 rating for his performance, with only Emerson, Bowen, Fabianski and Aguerd rated lower from the West Ham players to feature in the game.

Despite his role as a midfielder, the 28-year-old simply let the game pass him by, as he managed just 13 touches of the ball and eight passes in his time on the pitch, with Fabianski managing 31 touches by comparison.

This has been the story of Soucek’s season as he possesses the 16th-best pass average in West Ham’s squad, but he has averaged 27 passes per game in the top flight, which emphasises just how little influence he had against a dominant Newcastle side on Wednesday.

Unsurprisingly, the £65k-per-week midfielder’s woeful display caught the eye of journalists on Twitter, with Barry Collins writing:

“What the hell has happened to Tomas Soucek? An absolute shadow of the player that arrived. Has zero presence.”

David Rivers suggested that Moyes’ faith in Soucek was a stackable offence in itself, suggesting that his decision to keep playing the out-of-form West Ham man was “becoming comical.”

Although fingers will naturally be pointed at Fabianski and Aguerd for their shocking mistakes, Soucek completely went missing again. Indeed, he simply isn’t fulfilling his role as a midfielder, as a return of no shots, no key passes, no dribbles and no tackles represents a horrific all-round display.

Match facts

Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1330 GMT)4:18

Agarkar: Good test for all teams ahead of World T20

Big Picture

It was all telenovela in 2015. MS Dhoni as the hero who had gone on to be perceived as villain. “If I am the reason for all the bad that is happening to Indian cricket, definitely I would love to step away.” R Ashwin was the steadfast sidekick. “If my captain asks me to die on the field, I’ll do it.” And Mustafizur Rahman was the shy, rising star; he had become a world-record holder after playing two ODIs and you could barely get two words out of him. All he would do was flash that big, toothy grin and say he was happy to perform for the team. There is no sign of a resumption of the ad wars, but the rest of the protagonists are back for season two, with the added twist of an Asia Cup and World T20 implications.Bangladesh’s limited-overs team has maintained their Mirpur stronghold jealously since failing to chase 106 against India in 2014. They have played 19 matches and won 14 of them. The trouble is, out of those five losses, three have come in T20Is. With their one-day cricket in prime order, the coach Chandika Hathurusingha has been concentrating on building skills that are vital to success in the shortest format. The team goes into the Asia Cup after a couple of camps in Khulna and Chittagong.India are not light on preparation either. They have been playing T20 cricket since the start of the year (the carnival continues through to May with the IPL) and are quite certain of their first XI. The only issue might be some of the players in that XI have not had enough match practice. Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and the returning Virat Kohli have been merciless in their plunder of runs that the middle order has not had much to do. Over six matches, Yuvraj Singh has faced only 26 balls and rookie allrounder Hardik Pandya 18. India do not seem to be worried though, as both Dhoni and Kohli have said their players are well tuned to T20 cricket thanks to the IPL.

Form Guide

(last five completed matches)India WWLWW
Bangladesh LLWWL

Watch out for

Yuvraj Singh signs in at the dotted line under returning old favourites. Fifteen years since his international debut, he is still madly sought after. The last three IPL auctions have netted him a whopping Rs 37 crores. At the team hotel in Dhaka, he was spirited aside by a few players from the Oman team to take some pictures and share some secrets. It is unlikely that anyone will ever forget what happened the last time he was in these parts, but with a Sri Lanka rematch and a clash with Pakistan around the corner, maybe he has the opportunity to do something about that.Mahmudullah signs in at the dotted line under captain’s understudy. He is seen as an option to take over Bangladesh after Mashrafe Mortaza having led Barisal Bulls, a team sans any big names, into the final of the Bangladesh Premier League. But he is not seen as the best fit for T20s. He tends to be grilled about his strike-rate a lot and when the question was put forward this time, he quipped that he will try to hit the first ball he faces in the Asia Cup for six.

Team news

Dhoni returned fitter and leaner after a rare break from international cricket just before the Australia tour in January, but suffered an onset of back spasms two days out from India’s first match of the Asia Cup and three weeks out from their first match of the World T20. The team management said he was recovering well and will be assessed before the match. If he is not fit, Parthiv Patel, who last played for India in 2012, has arrived as back-up. But if Parthiv is brought in, will he fit in the middle order or at the top where he’s had most of his success in domestic limited-overs cricket?India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk)/Parthiv Patel, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashish NehraCoach Hathurusingha was impressed by Mohammad Mithun in the Chittagong camp, so he could get a first look in ahead of Imrul Kayes. Both Taskin Ahmed and Abu Hider might miss out while Nasir Hossain too could be benched with Nurul Hasan taking wicketkeeping and late-hitting duties.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Mohammad Mithun, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Arafat Sunny, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Al-Amin Hossain

Pitch and conditions

Mirpur sprung a green pitch on India’s juniors at the Under-19 World Cup and more recently, the final game of the Asia Cup qualifiers played under lights helped the new ball dart around considerably. If the early phase is seen through, however, lots of runs are on offer. There is also the slim possibility of rain playing spoilsport.

Stats and trivia

• Since 2014, Bangladesh batsman have scored at 132.33 in the last four overs, which is the worst among Full Members in T20Is. In the Powerplay, the Bangladesh batsmen’s strike-rate of 112 is second worst after Pakistan’s.
• In T20Is since 2014, India’s No. 5 to No. 7 have averaged just 16.78 – only Hong Kong, Nepal and Papua New Guinea have averaged worse.

Quotes

“As many different teams as we play before the World T20, it gives us an opportunity to assess what the teams are like, what the balance is like, what their strengths and weaknesses are and where we stand against them.”
“We had all our experiments done against Zimbabwe in January. There’s no room for any such experiments in the Asia Cup. This is a very important tournament ahead of the World T20.”

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for both a new manager and a new striker over the course of the summer, according to TalkSport’s Ally McCoist.

Will Antonio Conte leave Spurs?

It was another testing week for the Spurs fans who saw their side crash out of the FA Cup to Championship side Sheffield United before then tasting defeat in the Premier League to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

And these results have put further question marks over the future of Antonio Conte who is set to see his contract expire at the end of the campaign.

There have been reports earlier in the campaign suggesting the Italian is likely to walk away from the club in the summer instead of listening to offers over a potential contract extension.

However, McCoist thinks Spurs could also lose their talisman, Harry Kane, with the club now unlikely to get their hands on any silverware yet again:

“Right now, and it’s guesswork from me. I think they’ll be looking for a new manager a new centre-forward.”

“If I’m putting myself in Harry Kane’s shoes right now – and this will really finish the Spurs fans off this morning – I’m probably thinking about going to the team [Manchester United] that got beat 7-0 yesterday [Sunday].”

What does Conte’s future mean for Harry Kane?

Kane’s future at the club is also hanging in the balance with this summer marking the final year of the 29-year-old’s contract with the Lilywhites.

And under Conte, Kane has found a lot of consistency with the England captain having scored 40 goals and provided 14 assists in his 72 appearances (via Transfermarkt).

Along with his own record under the Italian, Conte brought Spurs some hope of silverware given his impressive record of winning trophies across the clubs he has managed in the past.

At the age of 30 – in the summer – and the possibility of Spurs being open to allowing him to leave, this summer will likely leave Kane with a huge decision to make.

If Conte is to leave the club, it could well leave the England captain questioning the direction of the club as he looks to put pen to paper on what could be the last big contract of his career.

And with silverware yet to be added to his record, Kane could well feel as if he has to move elsewhere if he is to end the burden hanging over him.

However, reports have suggested a potential return for Mauricio Pochettino could be in the offing this summer and if that is the case it could offer Kane with another dilemma.

Pochettino is a manager who Kane shone under and has a – believed – good relationship with, so it could well be a potential factor which could keep the striker in north London.

But if Spurs are to lose both Conte and Kane, it will lead to an incredibly busy summer for the board in finding adequate replacements.

ScorecardAiden Markram endured a nightmare start to his Durham career as he collected a pair on day one of his side’s Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash against Kent, as 21 wickets fell at the Emirates Riverside.Markram and his team-mates were skittled out in one session in the first innings, but bounced back to bowl Kent out for 169. However, with six overs left in the final session, the South African lost his wicket for a duck for the second time.Matt Henry was the star with the ball for the visitors as he claimed five wickets in the morning session before returning late in the day to take the scalp of Markram for the second time, handing Kent a huge advantage heading into the second day.The home side endured a nightmare start to the campaign, losing Markram in the third over, lbw to Henry. Will Smith followed in the same over when he lost his off stump. Gareth Harte, playing his maiden County Championship match, notched a couple of boundaries, but he became the New Zealand seamer’s third wicket lbw for 16.Henry continued his onslaught with the vital scalp of Paul Collingwood for only four runs. Michael Richardson provided some resistance, but fell lbw to Henry for 15, leaving Durham 46 for 7 after Harry Podmore claimed the scalps of Graham Clark and Stuart Poynter. Durham were in danger of posting their lowest first-class score – 67 made against Middlesex in 1996.However, James Weighell, Nathan Rimmington and Matthew Potts were able to guide them past the total with a streak of aggression towards the end of the innings. Darren Stevens came back into the attack and was able to wrap up the tail, claiming three wickets, to dismiss the home side for 91.Kent’s reply got off to a poor start when Daniel Bell-Drummond was dismissed by Chris Rushworth for a duck. Sean Dickson and Heino Kuhn battled back, putting on 63 for the second wicket. Dickson was in full flow before he edged to Markram at slip off the bowling of Potts. Collingwood and Rimmington struck to reduce the visitors to 80 for 4.Kuhn and Stevens passed Durham’s first-innings total and the 100-run mark before tea. Stevens failed to see out the first over after the break when he fell for 17 lbw to Weighell. Kuhn remained undeterred and he notched his fifty by displaying patience at the crease, reaching the milestone off 119 deliveries, including 10 boundaries.The South African gave away his wicket on 54 with a loose stroke off Will Smith. It sparked a collapse as Rimmington dismissed Adam Rouse and Henry in the same over. Will Gidman provided valuable resistance with an innings of 19, but Weighell wrapped up the innings with two late strikes, bowling Kent out for 168 and a lead of 78.Henry once again made early inroads when he had Markram caught at mid-wicket for a third-ball duck, leaving Durham 65 runs behind at the close with a huge challenge to overturn the deficit.

AC Milan could sell their star player Rafael Leao in the summer if they receive offers in excess of €100m.

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• Milan ready to sell Leao
• Would demand transfer fee in excess of €100m
• Linked with a move to PSG and Newcastle

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Leao, who has attracted interest from several top European sides including Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, could be sold in the summer if AC Milan receives offers over €100m, according to . The Portuguese winger reportedly has a release clause of €175m in his existing contract which means that the Serie A giants won't entertain any double-digit offers.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After Kylian Mbappe communicated his decision to leave PSG as a free agent at the end of the ongoing campaign, the Ligue 1 champions are considering raiding the Italian league. Other than the Milan attacker, they have also shown interest in Inter's Lautaro Martinez and Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Leao did not have the best of starts in the ongoing 2023/24 season having scored only seven goals in 29 appearances for the club across all competitions. Nonetheless, he has age on his side and could prove to be a perfect candidate to fill Mbappe's boots at PSG.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RAFAEL LEAO?

  The 24-year-old will be next seen in action for the Rossoneri on Sunday as they take on Monza in the Serie A. They currently find themselves third in the league, 11 points behind rivals and league leaders Inter.

Newcastle United are interested in completing their impressive summer transfer activity by hijacking a transfer for an imperious German Bundesliga ace…

Who do Newcastle United want to sign?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are preparing a bid for Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, with manager Eddie Howe hoping to make one more signing this month.

Tapsoba has been a top target for Tottenham Hotspur, but the Magpies' Champions League qualification could allow them to pip their Premier League rivals to his signature.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

The Burkina Faso international would command a fee of £50m, and while Spurs remain interested, Toon technical director Dan Ashworth could now complete the hijack and kickstart Newcastle's enthralling 2023/24 campaign.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Newcastle kicked off their Premier League season with an emphatic victory over Aston Villa at St. James' Park, dismantling Unai Emery's outfit 5-1 and reaffirming their stature as one of the division's very best.

Sandro Tonali scored mere moments into his debut and looked a complete and imperious playmaker in the middle, with journalist Damian Fasciani already saying his £55m transfer from AC Milan is "paying dividends".

Winger Harvey Barnes also scored and assisted off the bench in a tremendous introduction following his £39m summer arrival from relegated Leicester City, and Howe could now target the central defence with the signing of Tapsoba to truly solidify the club's strength.

Having played 138 matches for Leverkusen, the 24-year-old has been described as a "monster" by talent scout Antonio Mango, who also lauded his ball-playing skills and positioning.

The 36-cap colossus ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

He would act as the perfect counterweight to Sven Botman, who has been a veritable rock at the back since completing a £35m transfer from Lille last summer, integral in the rise to prominence.

Should Tapsoba arrive before the deadline, he could replicate Newcastle's success in dipping into German football following the signing of Joelinton from Hoffenheim for a club-record (at the time) £40m.

Indeed, the Brazilian striker-turned-midfielder flattered to deceive for much of his Tyneside career before remoulding himself over the past several years.

Joelinton has been hailed as "tireless" by writer James Nalton, while Magpies captain Kieran Trippier heralded the £85k-per-week gem as a "machine" for his sublime showings in the last year or so.

He ranks among the top 10% of midfielders for goals, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 13% for interceptions, the top 8% for blocks and the top 5% for aerials won per 90, as per FBref, and this all-embracing approach to his trade is akin to Tapsoba's, albeit in different thirds of the pitch.

Newcastle could replicate their Joelinton trick, this time to instant effect, by signing Tapsoba, who is dynamic and unflinching on the ball; his presence would enhance the Toon backline and Ashworth must work diligently to complete yet another astute Bundesliga transfer for the Tyneside team.

Arsenal could make their interest in one star striker a reality, waiting until the last moment to hijack the move from a rival…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

Whilst Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a swoop for Montpellier's Elye Wahi more recently, the Gunners actually hold a longstanding interest of their own in the marksman who has been tearing up French football of late.

With Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz having already been welcomed into the fold, Edu has shown he is not afraid to spend big to give Mikel Arteta the strongest squad possible for the new season.

Especially given the €40m (£34m) touted price tag, which would likely hamper the Lilywhites far more than it would their rivals.

Perhaps in hijacking this Spurs swoop, it could emulate their move from 2021, when they too stole Martin Odegaard from their clutches, to great success.

How good is Elye Wahi?

During that January, as chances at Real Madrid had been limited for the Norwegian maestro, he sought game time out on loan, demanding he be allowed to explore his options.

Two interested parties that arose both came from north London, and yet it was Arsenal who eventually captured his signature.

Reports emerged from Norway suggested that after speaking to Arteta, the decision became easy. He rejected the Lilywhites, and the rest is history.

He would move to the Emirates permanently the next summer and has since announced himself as one of the Premier League's leading creative forces from midfield.

As such, he improves with each passing season too, as his 15 goals and eight assists from last campaign mark an upgrade on his first full year since making his full-time switch, where he only posted 11 goal contributions.

His 7.35 average match rating from the most recent term even made him the division's sixth-best performer, as per Sofascore, as he has truly flourished in his role as captain.

Now, should Edu snatch another target from their rivals, Wahi could have a similarly transformative effect up front, adding some much-needed proficiency and a different dynamic to play off.

The 20-year-old would score an outstanding 19 goals in Ligue 1 alongside six assists, building upon his ten-goal haul from the season prior. His most recent exploits also saw the Frenchman maintain a 30% goal conversion rate, which is a marked upgrade on the 14% Gabriel Jesus recorded in the Premier League.

Whilst likely not a wholesale replacement for the Brazilian, his direct play style matched with his pace and power would make him a unique asset for Arteta, allowing him to switch up his philosophy should it be failing.

Such a new dimension could unlock a whole new type of goal for his side to score, as ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo outlined those key assets: "He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next".

Whilst not a move the Gunners need to make, they could still once again leave their rivals looking foolish by snagging a deal from right under their noses.

Should he prove half as successful as Odegaard has, it would be worth every penny.

Middlesex are to request a hearing with the ECB in an attempt to have the points deduction from their Championship match at The Oval revoked

George Dobell29-Sep-2017

Middlesex are to request a hearing with the ECB in an attempt to have the points deduction from their Championship match at The Oval revoked.Middlesex were penalised two points for a slow over-rate after that game against Surrey was abandoned following an incident when a bolt was fired onto the pitch by a crossbow. The early abandonment of the game denied Middlesex the opportunity to catch up on their over-rate.They claim that, at the time, the match officials assured them there would be no penalty in recognition of the extraordinary nature of events.But with Middlesex finishing the season in the relegation positions – and just one point behind Somerset – the decision to overturn the penalty could have far-reaching consequences. It would, in short, see Somerset relegated instead and mean that, for two years in succession, relegation is decided not on the pitch but in committee rooms. Durham were relegated at the end of the 2016 season after falling into financial difficulty, with Hampshire reprieved in their place.”We feel that what has happened to us is unjust,” Middlesex’s chief executive, Richard Goatley, told ESPNcricinfo. “We feel we have an extremely strong case for having those points reinstated and my role, as chief executive, is to make that case on behalf of the club and our supporters to the ECB.”We will write to the ECB and ask for a hearing. We are not asking to have any points deducted from another team, just for points that we have previously won to be reinstated. We are the team that scored more points.”Goatley accepts that the situation is “far from ideal” and maintains the club have no intention of taking legal action against the ECB. He also knows there is no appeal process to cope for such an eventuality.”I can’t believe the ECB won’t give us a hearing,” Goatley said. “The decision to take those two points has turned out to be incredibly consequential and, as the governing body, they have the power to overturn that decision.”

Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to news from Celtic regarding a new deal for captain Callum McGregor.

What’s the latest Celtic news?

The Hoops have been busy so far this summer following a historic treble-winning campaign under Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian leaving Parkhead for Tottenham.

Celtic have since brought in Brendan Rodgers for a second stint as manager and look set to back the Northern Irishman by handing him a £30m transfer kitty.

New players have been brought in, with midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio joining from Valerenga and Melbourne City receptively, penning five-year deals in Scotland.

Meanwhile, star winger Jota has left Celtic for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m, with Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun a potential replacement.

The club have also acted quickly to tie down McGregor to a new contract, with Celtic confirming earlier in the week that the Scotland international has extended his stay until 2028 after signing a fresh five-year deal.

Talking to Football Insider, Hutton, who contributes for Sky Sports, was giving his reaction to a new contract for the midfielder. The former Scotland defender labelled McGregor as “outstanding” and said he could go on to win more trophies than former captain Scott Brown, describing it as “incredible”.

“I had no doubt in my mind that he would probably see out his career at Celtic.

“I think it was just a case of signing him long-term and at the end of the day I think he deserves it, that is the big thing.”

Callum McGregor’s Celtic career

McGregor is a product of Celtic’s academy and has been on the books of the senior side since 2013.

He went out on loan to Notts County during the 2013/14 League One season and scored 12 goals in 37 third-tier games, form which helped him break into Celtic’s first team plans.

In total, McGregor has now made a whopping 419 senior appearances for the Hoops, scoring 62 goals and registering 71 assists. Now 30 years of age, McGregor appears to be going from strength to strength and is currently valued at a career-high €8.5m by Transfermarkt.

The midfielder has won eight Scottish Premiership titles, seven Scottish League Cups and five Scottish Cups and is just three behind Brown’s tally of 23 major honours with Celtic.

Therefore, should he remain at the club for the next five years as expected, you’d like to think there is a huge chance McGregor will go on to surpass Brown’s haul of 23 major honours, and you’d expect he will once again play a key role in Rodgers’ side during the 2023/24 campaign.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has slammed refereeing decisions that have gone against his team in recent weeks, making a comparison to Real Madrid.

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Barca denied late penalty against Rayo Laporta insisted they receive poor treatmentAlso backed Xavi to recover after poor runWHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona have been denied a series of penalty shouts in recent weeks, most recently seeing a late appeal for an apparent foul on Raphinha waved off in their game against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.After that game, Xavi criticised refereeing decisions and Laporta, his outspoken club president, has also made his feelings known.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT JOAN LAPORTA SAID

Speaking at an event in Barcelona, Laporta claimed that Barca have been on the wrong end of decisions in recent weeks: "Throughout this week there has only been talk of nonsense when we should have been talking about the Rayo game and the penalty against Raphinha or the one they also gave to [Robert] Lewandowski."

Laporta also appeared to suggest that the decisions that have gone against Barca are part of a wider competitive advantage given to their rivals: "If this had happened to Madrid, I’m sure there would be talk all week… It is not about playing the victim, it’s a reality. To win we must be much better than our rivals and they make things difficult for us."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Barca find themselves four points behind Madrid and Girona after 14 matches, and in the middle of a poor run. They have dropped points three times since early October, and a negative result or two before the Christmas break could see the Blaugrana fall out of title contention early on.

Laporta has backed coach Xavi to turn the situation around, however, saying: "We live in constant suffering. It’s a fun suffering. I was happy for Xavi, he deserves it. He had to overcome very difficult situations, with injured players."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA

The Blaugrana face Atletico Madrid on Sunday at home in La Liga. A win will thrust them back into the title race. A loss could see them slip seven points off the top, if results elsewhere don't go their way.