The club, in La Liga for only the fourth season in their history, beat Barcelona 4-2 at their tiny Montilivi stadium to secure a top four finish.

Carlo Ancelotti's side romped clear of last season's winners and shock challengers Girona to clinch their record-extending 36th La Liga trophy

Real Madrid, who have lost only once in the league this season, hold a 13-point advantage over second-placed Girona while Barcelona dropped to third

Real Madrid earned a comfortable 3-0 win over Cadiz which ensures they will win La Liga if Barcelona fail to beat Girona later Saturday.

Barcelona will be favourites when they visit Girona on Saturday but the hosts are ready to seize a historic opportunity to beat them in front of their own fans, Girona manager Michel said on Friday.

The champions' victory denies leaders Real Madrid the chance to take the crown by simply beating Cadiz next Saturday. Los Blancos are 11 points clear of Barcelona with five matches remaining.

In January, with Barcelona on a miserable run of form, Xavi said he would walk away from his post in the summer despite having a year left on his contract.

"Xavi will continue and is very excited, there is unanimity in the club's board that he should continue," club vice-president Rafa Yuste told reporters outside Laporta's home in Barcelona later on Wednesday.

Jude Bellingham snatched Real Madrid a dramatic 3-2 Clasico win over champions Barcelona on Sunday to take them 11 points clear at the top of La Liga with six matches remaining.

The last chance saloon has opened its doors early for Barcelona as they travel to the capital on Sunday aiming to hold off Real Madrid's LaLiga title run in a desperate effort to stay alive in the race for the only remaining major silverware they can win.

Barcelona were also banned from selling tickets to their supporters for their next away European game, although that punishment is suspended for a year.

“He [Xavi] is doing very well. He expressed himself in the sense in which he expressed himself, I understand that everything is open and everything is revisable,” Laporta said.

"We have no choice. We have to go and win there."

Barca moved to 70 points, eight behind leaders Real Madrid, whom they will face in the "El Clasico" at the Santiago Bernabeu next weekend.

Rafael Nadal will make his return to ATP competition for the first time since January when he plays Flavio Cobolli in the Barcelona Open next week.

As part of their sponsorship agreement with music streaming platform Spotify, Barcelona have worn logos of rock band the Rolling Stones, and artists Drake and Rosalia in previous Clasicos.

Andreas Christensen came off the bench to head in the winning goal as Barcelona won 3-2 away to Paris Saint-Germain in a remarkable first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie on Wednesday.

The French government said there was no "concrete threat" to Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League match against Barcelona on Wednesday in the French capital after Islamic State threatened to attack all four quarterfinals.

Dembele was in a Barcelona shirt the last time the clubs met, in the last 16 in 2021, when Mbappe scored a lethal hat-trick in the first leg in Catalonia

“I am ready and, as always, I am not going to hide. Seeing the dynamic we have, I'm sure we're going to give it our all, then the result... It's in God's hands,” Mbappe told Telefoot