News about Ernesto Valverde

PETE JENSON: Underappreciated and then slashed, Spain and Barça's legendary Xavi had no intention of visiting Barcelona. The club has form for chewing up and spitting out its stars, but the 44-year-old, who won every aspect of the game for club and country, is now in danger of being remembered more for his comical last season at the club he adores than for his numerous trophies. It's long been established that he is not Pep Guardiola's second coming. He isn't a visionary nor does he have the same lightning quick mental skills to switch games from the touchline. But he still won La Liga last season, Barcelona's first without Lionel Messi, and who's to say it won't be their last game for a long time. He made the biggest mistake not to use that triumph to build a power base within the club. He should have laid down markers having won the trophy, but instead, he allowed others at the club to make all the changes.

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: According to El Mundo, Barcelona's top referee boss was paid by the club for almost two decades as a form of'self defence.' Last Friday, the club was charged with misconduct over payments made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the then vice president of the Spanish referees' committee. Negreira'in exchange for money,' the allegation said, undertook conduct that would'lead to Barcelona being favoured in the decision making of the referees'.

PETE JENSON: Real Madrid warmed up for Liverpool with a Vinicius-inspired victory that kept them second, but they are starting to believe that is as good as it will get. Sevilla's last place at the bottom of the table, but the team won thanks to their stand-in keeper. Oh and get the open top bus out of the garage! Referees have now sent players off 101 times in Spain, marking a major achievement.

Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao, giving them a ten-point lead at the top of La Liga. It means they will face Real Madrid in Clasico next week knowing that if they win the game they will be 12 points in front with just 12 games remaining to play - Xavi will be close to his first league title as a manager. It was the first match played in Spain after Barcelona was first accused by the public prosecutor of paying a former referee to influence matches in their favor, and there was a certain irony in the victory, which was owing to two VAR decisions that went their way.

Toni Kroos and Aureli Tchouameni were in Real Madrid's Champions League squad against Liverpool on Tuesday, but they were not drafted. With a depleted midfield and without two of Carlo Ancelotti's first-choice stars in the engine room, the Champions League champions will descend on Anfield to face last year's finalists. Luka Modric, a veteran of the game, grazies the midfield alongside Ernesto Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Mario Martin, Sergio Arribas, and Dani Ceballos.

On Sunday, Inaki Williams was forced to miss his first La Liga game for Athletic Bilbao since April 2016 due to an injury. The 28-year-old had played a significant role in the Spanish team's in-row and appeared in 251 league games. Since joining the first team in 2014 after an exciting spell for Bilbao Athletic, the club's B team, he has scored 78 goals.

Barcelona's capitulation over Bayern Munich has left Xavi with three victories from three games to ensure the team goes into the World Cup without a tense internal debate about his position. This week was one year since Ronald Koeman was fired, and this January, it will be three years since Barcelona fired a manager mid-season after Ernesto Valverde was fired - the company needs stability. For the time being, the 42-year-old has everyone's support with the Champions League's fiasco, with refereeing decisions that went against them and the unfortunate loss of key defenders to injury in big games.

Madrid has to shift gears. It could come from Benzema's return to Rodrygo, but it would be unfair on Rodrygo if the Frenchman's return to Brazil comes at the Brazilian's expense. Jorge Sampaoli, who was in charge of his first game since returning to Sevilla, was not able to gain a point against Athletic Bilbao. At the time, Ernesto Valverde's crew and Real Sociedad, the Basque giants, are outplaying everybody in La Liga. Here are ten things we've learned about.

Ander Herrera, a former Manchester United midfielder, is returning to Athletic Bilbao after Paris Saint-Germain ended his deal two years early. The 33-year-old played a part in the Parisians last season, and PSG told him earlier this summer that he was free to find a new club after three seasons with them. Herrera is expected to return to Bilbao, the club he played three years with between 2011 and 2014, according to Marca, before his £28.85 million transfer to United.