Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen could join Spanish giants Barcelona, as early as January, if the Bianconeri have their way.

These are the rumours that are filtering out of Spain, in particular from radio station Cadena Ser.

According to the station, the 29-year-old could join the Blaugrana in the winter transfer period, and the Italian club are willing to negotiate the release of the Danish international.

Poulsen has also been linked to Roma, to reunite with his former coach Claudio Ranieri, who is a keen admirer and played an instrumental part in bringing him to Turin.

Barcelona defender Daniel Alves paid tribute to his team-mates who he said were "born to win" after he picked up the Professional Football League (LFP) awards for Best Defender in the 2008/09 season in the Primera Liga.

"We must be happy, especially for all my colleagues that, while not receiving any awards, were part of the successes that we have. We came here to represent them," he said according to Sport.

The Brazilian also said that he feels Barca's success has caused opponents to rethink their game plan when playing against the Blaugrana.

"We're champions and we were born to win. We play well and because we are playing teams decide to defend themselves from Barcelona. Before the teams came with the positive belief that they could win against Barca and are now trying not to lose," Alves noted.

On his own recovery from injury Alves believes he will be fit in time to face Rubin Kazan in Russia in the UEFA Champions League on November 4.

"I feel great and my progress is fantastic. If it continues, I think I will be available to the coach for the next Champions League match," he declared.

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry is still attracting interest from Manchester City amid increasing speculation linking the French star with a move to MLS side New York Red Bulls, according to Sport.

It is understood Henry has always harboured desires of playing in the United States with reports earlier this season suggesting that he may make the switch after the World Cup next summer.

Former France international Youri Djorkaeff, who played for the New York outfit, has admitted that he has spoken to several French footballers about playing in the US, but wouldn't be drawn on whether or not Henry was one of them instead saying he spoke to "several players".

"I have spoken with many French players who have shown interest in coming to play in the United States. They prefer to do it in a beautiful city like New York and, therefore, play for the Red Bulls," Djorkaeff said, according to Sport.

"I told them that to play in the United States they must first want to, because it's not easy playing here. And I know what I am saying because I have done two years but if you have a predisposition to succeed, you will succeed."

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has declared that the sacrifices made as a professional footballer have paid off, after he was named Best Attacking Midfielder for the 2008/09 season by Spain's Professional Football League (LFP).

Iniesta joined the youth setup as a 12-year-old, gradually making his way through the ranks at Camp Nou, before making his debut in 2002, establishing himself as a permanent fixture in the side from the 2004/05 season onwards.

Despite only playing 26 of Barcelona's Primera Liga fixtures last term, the midfield dynamo was recognised by the LFP judging panel as the best attacking midfielder in the competition, and he believes that the sacrifices demanded of a professional have now paid off.

"Until today, all the sacrifices have paid off, and I am happy for that," he said, according to AS before stating his desire to remain at Barcelona for a while yet.

"I want to be there for many years to come, because Barcelona has given me everything," declared Iniesta.

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has said that it is "more likely" that a Barcelona player will win the Ballon d'Or this year, but added that had Manchester United won the UEFA Champions League, it would probably be going to one of their players.

Barcelona captured the European crown with a 2-0 victory over the Red Devils in Rome, Ronaldo's last official game before leaving for Real Madrid for a world record summer transfer fee.

"In winning the Champions League, it is more likely that a player from Barca will win the Ballon d'Or. If Manchester [United] had won the title, they'd probably give it to one of United's [players]. Right now [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi and [Lionel] Messi are playing well," he was quoted as saying by AS.

The Portuguese star also indicated that a return to first team action is not too far away for him, after missing the last four games for Los Merengues due to an ankle injury.

He added, "I'm better than ever physically. I will be careful with this injury but I'll be playing very soon."

Lionel Messi grabbed two awards and Pep Guardiola was also honoured as Barcelona dominated the list of individual player awards for the 2008/09 season at the Professional Football League (LFP) awards ceremony held in Madrid on Monday night.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas claiming the award for best goalkeeper as Barca cllected all but two of the Primera Liga awards. Veteran Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Juan Valeron collected the Fair Play Award for the Primera Liga while newly promoted Tenerife dominated the awards for the Segunda Division.

The full list of awards was as follows:

PRIMERA DIVISION

Best Player: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Best Coach: Pep Guardiola (Barcelona)

Best Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)

Best Defender: Daniel Alves (Barcelona)

Best Midfielder: Xavi (Barcelona)

Best Attacking Midfielder: Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)

Best Striker: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Best Breakthrough Player: Sergi Busquets (Barcelona)

Fair Play Award: Juan Carlos Valeron (Deportivo La Coruna)

SEGUNDA DIVISION

Best Player: Juan Francisco Martinez 'Nino' (Tenerife)

Best Coach: Jose Luis Oltra (Tenerife)

Best Goalkeeper: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad)

Best Defender: Marc Betran (Tenerife)

Best Midfielder: Abel Aguilar (Hercules, now Real Zaragoza)

Best Attacking Midfielder: Alejandro Alfaro (Tenerife)

Best Striker: Juan Francisco Martinez 'Nino' (Tenerife)

Best Breakthrough Player: Mohamed Diame (Rayo Vallecano, now Wigan Athletic)

Fair Play Award: Javier Farina (Hercules)

Barcelona's Victor Valdes has revealed that he still hopes to one day play for Spain after receiving the Zamora Trophy - the award for the league's best goalkeeper - in recognition of having only conceded 31 goals last season.

It is the second time the 27-year-old has picked up the award, named after legendary goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora.

After receiving the Zamora, he told Marca that he hopes this will allow him to push on for a place in the Spanish national team as he feels "a little sorry" that he has not yet appeared for la Furia Roja.

"The level of goalkeepers in Spain is very high so, despite winning the treble last season, it's no wonder that I'm not in the team," Valdes mused.

"Obviously I would be delighted to go. I will continue fighting to achieve that."

Valdes will now attempt to win a call up for Spain's next two matches, which take place against Argentina and Austria next month.

The referee signalled for a free kick. Zlatan Ibramimovic placed the ball some thirty metres from goal. There was a quick exchange of words with a couple of Barca players. A slow hand clap built up around the Camp Nou. It got louder and faster as more fans clocked on. Zlatan took one look at the keeper, then at the wall of sweat built up in front of him from the Zaragoza players.

The claps were now building up in speed as Zlatan took his run up. At the point of connection between boot and ball the whole Camp Nou was in full applause. Seconds later the ball was bulging the back of the net. The stadium exploded into a cacophony of clapping and cheering. The shouts of 'Ibra, Ibra' rang around the Camp Nou like a war cry. In the centre circle a joyful Ibrahimovic punched the air with his fist in a salute to the fans. It was his finest goal yet in Barcelona's colours.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is as approachable as he is intelligent. Fluent in English and Italian, after a short time here in Spain, he is already able to understand things put to him in Spanish. Speaking in perfect English however, he told Goal.com that although his free kick technique was reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo, his inspiration comes from a totally different source.

"I used to train with Sinisa Mihajlovic, and he knows how to shoot free kicks. I had him for one or two years and when you see him take free kicks the only thing you can do is learn from him,” Ibrahimovic stated.

'Ibra' worked with the former Serbian international at Inter, before his summer move to Barcelona, where it seems he is in a permanent honeymoon phase. The Barca fans have almost forgotten their own legendary hero Samuel Eto'o, in a rush to embrace their new towering number nine.

Given his goal return so far it's an understandable reaction from the Barca faithful. In the eight games played so far in La Liga, Ibrahimovic shares top spot with Valencia's David Villa in the race for the Pichichi. Both strikers have scored seven goals. Ibrahimovic told Goal.com that there is still much more to come, especially as he is now over the injury he was carrying when he joined the Spanish league champions.

“Now I'm feeling very good. I had an operation before the season began on my hand. I didn't train with the team in pre season. I had like a week maybe a week and a half before the Championship started,” he stated.

That Ibrahimovic has been able to settle down so quickly reflects both on his qualities, but also of the team he is playing in. The understanding the tall striker has established with the diminutive Argentine, Leo Messi, is already proving to be a scintillating insight into the future potential of Barcelona's strike force.

“I am settling down now more and more and adapting to the team more and more. With each match I feel much better physically. I am adapting and I feel I am getting better. In every game I play I try and do my best”

Ibrahimovic is targeting a haul of major trophies. While the Swede would love to add to his Serie A titles with one from La Liga, a Champions League medal is also a high priority. Perhaps one of the reasons he wants to do so well on the European stage is because he will miss out on the World Cup in South Africa next year. Sweden's failure to qualify for the World Cup, is not only a major blow to the national team, but it will deprive football fans worldwide, of seeing Ibrahimovic perform at the highest level But the player himself has a very philosophical approach to his international disappointment

“Yeah we didn't make it to South Africa perhaps it was a case of some bad luck,” Zlatan stated.

“Look to be realistic we are Sweden. I don't know how much you expect from Sweden but we are always doing our best. This time we didn't get the qualification, but we had a really difficult group and I think we had a lot of bad luck in this qualification,” he concluded.

Judging by the form he showed against Real Zaragoza, it appears that Ibrahimovic is intent on channelling his bad luck and disappointment at not reaching South Africa, into achieving something positive for his club.

Xavi Hernandez has reiterated his belief that there was never any type of crisis at Barcelona and that the performance against Real Zaragoza proved that.

The Catalan playmaker stated last week that the Champions League defeat by Rubin was a freak result and that the team had played well enough to win the match.

As the critics sat and waited for Barcelona to slip up again, the team produced a domineering display on Sunday evening and Xavi was delighted.

"I already said that the game the other day [against Rubin] was just one of those things," he was quoted as saying by fifa.com

"People tend to be guided by results, but we know that if we continue playing like that then we will almost always win.

"We weren't very good against Valencia, but we were fine against Rubin apart from in front of goal.

"Now we have played well against Real Zaragoza and we've had chances and we were winning 2-0 very quickly.

"The victory helped show that we are doing things well, has helped build confidence, and has made us league leaders," he concluded.

Carles Puyol has revealed that he held off talks about a new contract with Barcelona while he decided if he wanted to try his luck abroad.

The Catalan club's captain has confirmed that he has put pen-to-paper on a deal that will keep him at Camp Nou until 2013, but he was tempted by the prospect of playing in Italy or England.

Chelsea, Manchester City, Inter and Milan had all been linked with Puyol, and he was keen to weigh up how attractive each offer was before he chose his next step.

Instead of moving clubs, the lure of staying and leading Barcelona to further glory proved too much for the defender.

"I look forward to being here for many years," he was quoted as saying by Sport.

"It was very clear that this season I would be here and I wanted to enjoy it - I asked for time to think about if I could try something else.

"But it's easy to stay here, especially for the fans. Nobody else gives me what I can get from Barcelona."

Lionel Messi has thanked Pep Guardiola and the Barcelona squad for keeping his confidence up after a demoralising few days that saw him criticised in both Argentina and Spain.

The Blaugrana forward was deeply affected by attacks in the media, which questioned his ability, attitude and desire while playing for Argentina in the recent World Cup qualifiers.

That saw his form for Barca dip, and the criticism continued after a lacklustre display against Valencia. However, he bounced back on Sunday against Real Zaragoza.

“I did not have the happiest of times with the national team, nor in the Valencia game, but I always knew I'd bounce back," he was quoted as saying by Barcelona's official website.

"The most important thing is my team-mates - they showed total confidence in me, which makes me feel more comfortable.

"Pep [Guardiola] too. It's important how he makes you feel, both on and off the pitch. He takes particular interest in you as a human being, not just as a player."

Messi is the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or in December, but the diminutive forward is not concerned about winning individual trophies for himself.

“Last year we had a great season and now we are picking up these prizes," he continued.

"I hope someone from our team wins the award - it'll make the whole squad happy. I've always said that the most important thing for me is the group."

Manchester City striker Robinho has admitted he is flattered by reported interest from Barcelona and said playing at Camp Nou would be "easier" than playing at City.

According to El Mundo Deportivo the striker was quoted, on a Brazilian radio station Radio Bandeirantes, as saying that he does not have a problem with Citizens coach Mark Hughes and denied that he is trying to force his way out of Eastlands.

"I'm very happy for the interest that Barcelona have shown in me because, well, playing in the Nou Camp is much easier to be the best player in the world than to do so at City," he remarked.

"I'm going through a good moment, my level of football had a drop in performance. I'm very aware that I have to improve and I think now is the time when I explode."

The former Real Madrid striker also said that he will not rush himself back from injury and risk missing the World Cup in South Africa next summer.

"I have to exploit my game at the World Cup. It would not be worth pushing myself now and then doing nothing at the World Cup. My recovery has to go step by step.

"I am not forcing a departure from England and I have no problems with my coach," he said.

Barcelona director of football Txiki Begiristain has spoken about the contract renewal of Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, by saying it is the "most urgent" for the club at present.

Marquez and Carles Puyol have both taken lengthy periods before accepting the contracts offered to them by the club, with Puyol finally accepting his offer late last week, keeping him at Camp Nou until 2013.

"I had doubts, because I knew if I signed here I would be practically be retired by the end, and it was time to decide if I should try an adventure abroad, and so I asked for some time to think about it," Puyol remarked after the win over Real Zaragoza, according to Sport.

With Marquez's deal set to expire next June, the 30-year-old defender would be entitled to listen to offers from other clubs from January onwards, and club officials therefore want the matter resolved before the end of the year.

"Marquez's renewal is now most urgent," Begiristain was quoted as saying by Marca.

Barcelona defender Dani Alves is set to miss at least three weeks of action for the Blaugrana, after suffering a torn thigh muscle in his right leg in the surprise 2-1 defeat to Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League.

The Brazilian full-back was injured in the latter stages of the game and had to be replaced in stoppage time, and coach Pep Guardiola later described the injury as "very bad news" for Alves and for the club.

The former Sevilla defender is likely to miss the Blaugrana's next three Primera Liga fixtures, and the return match against Rubin in the Champions League.

The exact length of his expected absence will not be known until Wednesday, when the player will have a scan to determine the full extent of the injury, according to Sport.

It is further bad news for the coach, who knows that his side still have it all to do to progress from their group with three games remaining, as they are still required to travel away to Russia and Ukraine.

According to Raymond Kopa, this year's Ballon d'Or should end up in the hands of Barcelona's Andres Iniesta.

The Frenchman believes that Blaugrana star should win the award due to his crucial interventions at key moments, which allowed his side to win the treble last year.

"Iniesta is the best for me at the moment," Kopa enthused to L'Equipe.

"I would give the Ballon d'Or to him without a question. With [Lionel] Messi in second position.

"It was Iniesta who saved his team on several occasions, it was thanks to him that Barcelona became champions of various competitions.

"Andres is a great player, really great, and in order for Messi to do well, he needs to be well assisted."

Kopa played in the first ever European Cup final in 1956 with Stade Reims, and won three subsequent European Cups with Real Madrid.

He was also the winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1958, and was nominated for the award on a further three occasions.

Barcelona are reportedly moving closer to signing Manchester City star Robinho on loan.

Sport claim that there has been further contact between the two clubs in the last few hours as they look to reach an agreement that will see the Brazilian sign for the Blaugrana on loan for the rest of the season.

The Spanish club are not keen on protracted negotiations and are aiming to seal the deal within three weeks, long before the winter transfer window opens and their contingent of African players leave for their continental championship.

Sport also believe that relations are currently strained between Citizens boss Mark Hughes and Robinho. The manager is apparently still unhappy with the Brazilian's frequently-expressed desire to leave and has given the go-ahead for the transfer to take place.

Barcelona are ready to pay €3.2m to take the former Real Madrid man on loan for six months, with a set price of €35m to make the transfer permanent in the summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that Lionel Messi should win the coveted Ballon d'Or award and feels that Barcelona are still a better team than Real Madrid.

The Portuguese star was in generous mood, confessing that the Argentine achieved more than him last term and should be crowned Europe's best player.

Messi is seen as the favourite for the France Football prize, which is due to be announced in December, with Ronaldo also being mooted to retain the gong.

"He's the favourite. He won the Champions League, the Primera league title. Why not him? If he wins it, he will have deserved it," the Madrid star told France Football magazine.

Ronaldo was then asked about Barcelona and the differences between them and Madrid. He stated that, due to their unity, the Catalans are currently the stronger of the two outfits.

"Barcelona play better football [than Madrid], but why?" he continued.

"Because they have been together for several seasons, not two months. Barca are better than us today but the real question is, who will be in front at the end of the season?"

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has rallied behind star forward Lionel Messi and insisted that he has seen "few players" with a character as strong as the Argentinian's during his time in football.

As his side prepare to take on Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League tonight, Guardiola stressed that Barca are a team and the collective performance is more important than the performance of individuals.

"Leo [Messi] is the best around and this stadium will continue to enjoy him for a long time. What is clear is that when there are doubts about you quality, you suffer but he looks good in all aspects and will return to his best. He is hungry and that is what matters," Guardiola said at a press conference.

"Anyway, I do not understand the whole game being about one player. This is a collective issue. Messi can play badly as many times he wants and is the same person here or in Rosario.

"I assure you, he will be given the Ballon d'Or and will remain the best. I have seen few players with his character."

Barcelona central defender Gabriel Milito is closing in on a return to first team action after an 18 month absence from the game due to a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee, according to Sport.

Milito has not played for the Blaugrana since a UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg encounter with Manchester United at Old Traffor, when he suffered the devastating blow.

On Monday the 29-year-old Argentinian returned to ball drills in training for the first time as he continues his recovery. It is understood that there is no specific date for a scheduled return for Milito as club doctors do not want to rush him back and run the risk of a recurrence of the injury.

Coach Pep Guardiola is hoping he can count on the defender soon but the likelihood is that his reintroduction to the side will be phased in a similar vein to Andres Iniesta's return and he isn't expected to return to action until the end of the year.

"Things are getting better, now he just needs to participate in a game, but he has been training in tactics and positioning, hopefully we can put in a call soon," Guardiola stated at a press conference on Monday.

Johan Cruyff thinks that the Argentinian team and the critics of Lionel Messi should look at the other players in the Albiceleste team before singling out the Barcelona forward.

The Dutch legend was unhappy that the Blaugrana star was once again highlighted as not being on form in his country's recent World Cup victories.

Argentina scraped through to the World Cup Finals, but Cruyff does not think that anyone can blame Messi because for him to be on song, the entire first eleven needs to play well too.

"Football is a team game where quality comes from a combined effort," he explained in his weekly column for El Periodico.

"Eveyrone around you has to be playing at their best in order to ensure that you are at your best.

"Argentina does not do this with Messi and the worst thing is that they do not see it or that they do not want to see it."

Cruyff then reflected on Barcelona's lacklustre goalless draw with Valencia at the weekend and blamed the 'FIFA' virus' after the international break.

"The players were incredibly exhausted and that was why they showed a mental and physical slowdown and that translated into too many lost balls."

Seydou Keita has leapt to Lionel Messi's defence after the forward was criticised for an uninspired performance in Barcelona's goalless draw with Valencia at the weekend.

The Argentine endured a tough few days with his national team and has now suffered the same treatment at the hands of the media back in Europe after failing to shine at the Mestalla.

After earning low marks in the matchday ratings from Catalan papers Sport and El Mundo Deportivo, questions were asked about Messi's ability to play in so many matches.

Keita was unhappy that only one Barca player was highlighted for such treatment and feels that the media and fans cannot place such pressure on the No.10.

"He's human, it is normal that sometimes he is not so good," he told reporters after training on Sunday.

"'Leo' is certainly one of our most important players."

Barcelona striker Pedro insists that every minute he plays for the champions gives him further confidence, and he has declared that he is glad that coach Pep Guardiola is giving him the opportunity to play.

"I have more confidence thanks to the opportunities I'm getting from the coach ,and with the more minutes I play, I'm becoming more integrated with my team-mates," he said according to El Mundo Deportivo.

Pedro, who scored the only goal of the game in the weekend's win over Almeria, said that he knows he must continue to work hard, to force his way into the starting lineup at Camp Nou.

He added, "I have to improve several aspects, addressing the opponents more and practicing with both legs. Every day in training I try to improve."

He knows he has a difficult task ahead of him though, but he did say that he will keep trying to "make the most of opportunities" when called upon by the coach again in the future.

As part of Barcelona's 'Dream Team', Eusebio Sacristan won a number of league titles as well as the European Cup and Copa del Rey in the early 1990s.

Now coach of Segunda Division side Celta Vigo, Eusebio has reflected on the current crop of Blaugrana stars and believes that they are becoming almost impossible to resist.

"It's wonderful to see this team play. To see the proficiency with which they dominate matches, how they handle them, how they play and how they are able to win them," Eusebio enthused to Barca TV.

"The team are continuing on the same lines as last season. They are continuing to evolve and find a better performance. For their opponents, it becomes more difficult to be able to stop them every game.

"Barca play as a unit. There is great intensity when it is time to defend - a very intense pressure that means the opponent cannot get to Barcelona's goal."

Eusebio was formerly on the Blaugrana training staff under Frank Rijkaard. The Dutchman's replacement was Pep Guardiola, and the Celta trainer believes that the club have the perfect man for the job.

"He has been able to make a group who have a lot of motivation, a huge desire to win trophies and to do great things at this club."

Lionel Messi hopes that Barcelona can create more history this season by winning six trophies.

The Argentine star spoke out after Johan Cruyff stated that long-term deals can nullify ambition, but that will not be the case as the Blaugrana aim for more silverware.

Barca's famous 1950s team won five trophies in one term, and after last season's treble, Messi wants to go one better.

"'Barca of the six cups'. Sounds good, no?" he was quoted as saying by El Mundo Deportivo.

"We have won five trophies in a season before and now we have made more history with the treble, but we want more.

"We all want to try and win all six cups this season. The team is continuing to try and make things even better.

"Nobody is tired of winning, least of all [coach] Pep Guardiola, and he makes sure that we are always prepared. He treats me very well too, but then he treats all the players well.

"All he wants is commitment and to believe that each and every game is important."

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

Barcelona believe that they will secure a deal to re-sign Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal for next season, according to a report in Sport.

The Gunners captain has already been the subject of intense interest from the club he left in 2003, but will reportedly make his long-awaited return next summer.

President Joan Laporta wants to strike a deal before the end of the current season so that Fabregas does not become a player who can be used as a pawn by one of the men vying to replace him at the helm in the forthcoming elections.

Sport is very close to the current Barca administration, and their report, which states that the player also wants a deal to be concluded, can be considered more than just hearsay.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is aware that he is set to lose Fabregas because only his request to chairman Peter Hill-Wood stopped the player leaving in August along with Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor.

The Catalan star's arrival would be hugely significant for Laporta, because it was in the months that the current president was campaigning to takeover at Camp Nou that the player left.

Now Cesc is wanted back, and the Blaugrana supremo believes that an agreement will be in place that all candidates for the elections next summer will agree upon. This will also stop rival Sandro Rosell from being able to sign the creative midfielder.

Fabregas knows that his grandfather wants to see him play in the Barca shirt as it was he who first took the Spain international to watch a game at Camp Nou when he was just nine months old.

It is that connection, allied with Barca's determination and Arsenal's inability to win silverware on a regular basis, that is set to cement the move.

Sport believe that Fabregas' recent statements, in which he said he is committed to the Gunners, are signals that he will give everything this term before leaving as a fans' favourite.

Barcelona centre half Rafael Marquez has indicated that he will put pen to paper soon on a contract renewal at Camp Nou, after declaring that he intends to finish his career with the Catalan giants.

The 30-year-old joined Barcelona from Ligue 1 side Monaco in 2003 and has played over 200 times for the Blaugrana, capturing ten trophies in just six years.

His current deal is set to expire in June 2010 and outgoing president Joan Laporta has identified his renewal, and that of club captain Carles Puyol, as priority matters to resolve before the end of the year.

Both players were reported to be stalling on new deals as they considered their options, but Marquez's comments suggest that he is ready to sign an extension which would see him remain at Barca until the summer of 2012.

"I am entirely willing to settle the matter. My idea is to finish my career at Barca. I am proud to be at a club that is more than a club," he said to Sport, referring to the Barca motto 'mes que un club'.

Johan Cruyff thinks that offering stars such as Lionel Messi long-term deals is not good for a player or a club.

The outspoken Dutchman believes that there is a danger that players relax because their future is safe, suggesting that they would perform better if they were continuously playing for an improved contract.

Messi penned an extension to his agreement at Barca recently that sees him tied to the club until 2016, and that is far longer than Cruyff thinks is necessary.

"I am not a fan of long contracts, and the one that Barca signed with Messi is just that," he wrote in his column for El Periodico.

"The player, whoever it maybe, needs to be motivated to continue improving. I, like the club, would always want to be able to improve things year-by-year if the player deserved it.

"Many stars do not live up to all the expectations after renewing for a long time."

Messi saw his salary increase and his buy-out clause rise from €150 million to €250m, and Cruyff thinks this was only to ward off big spenders like Real Madrid's Florentino Perez.

"Now I think that they have applied an anti-Florentino clause to ensure that the wages are among the best in the world, away from any bonuses," he continued.

"But to make it last until 2016 is excessive for me.

"Messi deserves to be among the top earners, but the idea should be that he signs for three or four years at the most and, if at the end of every season he is still determined, add a year more."

Lionel Messi has revealed his admiration for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and stated that he would like to play alongside the striker.

The Barcelona star likes the passion that the England forward has and is a fan beause he feels that playing football is not about money for him.

Rooney's all-or-nothing approach to the game has impressed Messi and he feels that the pressure the United forward is under is similar to what he has at Barca.

"You can see the love and passion for the game in Wayne Rooney's face and I have a feeling he is one of those players who would play for £100 a week because football is in his blood," he was quoted as saying by News of the World.

"When he loses, it hurts and those are the sort of players you want to be playing with."

"I can understand the pressure on him, but to be honest, from what I have seen, Rooney is the sort of player who would thrive playing under pressure."