Guillermo Rigondeaux lost roughly 80% of his vision following an accident involving a pressure cooker late Thursday afternoon at his Miami home, the former champion's manager, Alex Boronte, told ESPN.

The 41-year-old was cooking Cuban black beans when something went awry, causing the pressure cooker to explode. The boiling water splashed into his eyes, his manager said, leaving him with two severely burned corneas. His chest was burned as well.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba was transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center, Boronte said. Rigondeaux's eyes were injected with anesthesia and bandaged before he was released Friday around 4 p.m. ET.

"He's only done it a million times," Boronte said of one of Rigondeaux's favorite meals to cook. "They make bombs out of [pressure cookers]. If one of those beans clogs up where the steam is going to go out, it's like a bomb. It could have killed him."

There's optimism. Corneas generally begin to regenerate in 48 to 72 hours, but the process can take up to two weeks. Already, Rigondeaux can see sunlight and shadows, his manager said.

"The next week to 10 days is really going to define his fighting career and his future because that's when the cornea needs to regenerate itself and he can see or not," Boronte said. "But gathering from the last 24 hours, he's doing really good."

A longtime 122-pound champion revered for his generational defensive abilities, Rigondeaux is one of the greatest amateur fighters of all time. The biggest win of his career came in 2013, when he dominated reigning Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire in a decision win.

Rigondeaux's resume includes a TKO loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2017, and as he approaches his 42nd birthday, he has lost two consecutive bouts.

In a bid to become a two-weight world champion, Rigondeaux (20-3, 13 KOs) dropped a controversial split decision to John Riel Casimero in August. Just last Saturday in Dubai, Rigondeaux, a 10-1 favorite, was knocked down and upset by the unheralded Vincent Astrolabio via unanimous decision.

"He was scheduled to fight before the year's over, sometime in August, so the next 72 hours are the most important," Boronte said." "He's a little depressed seeing the decline in his ability, but it's mostly psychological.

"I asked him, 'Do you feel old?' He says, 'No, it's not like that.' I know he still has some ability because he showed it in the ninth and 10th round [last week after being floored in Round 8]. He wants to fight again, I'm sure. Fight one more time and see where he stands."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida forward Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed during a game in December 2020 and hasn't practiced or played since, got a ceremonial start on senior day against No. 7 Kentucky on Saturday.

Johnson was on the floor for the first of two opening tips, got the basketball from teammate Colin Castleton and took a few dribbles before handing it to an official. He then hugged starters on both teams, did a pushup at midcourt and kissed the giant Gators logo -- all while receiving a standing ovation.

After acknowledging the fans, Johnson shook hands with Kentucky coach John Calipari before heading back to the Florida bench to embrace coach Mike White and the rest of the Florida coaching staff and players.

Johnson, 22, was one of seven Florida seniors honored about 10 minutes before the game. He had his parents and his young daughter on hand for the ceremony. He quickly changed from jeans and a T-shirt into his No. 11 uniform and was on the floor for layup lines. He had his cellphone tucked into his shorts for the first one, a clear sign of just how long it's been since he's taken part in a game.

The senior from Norfolk, Virginia, is expected to turn pro and try to get medically cleared to work out for NBA teams before the draft. He also has a $5 million insurance policy that would pay out if he never plays pro ball.

Johnson's policy went into effect in July 2020, five months before he crashed face-first onto the court at Florida State. He has taken on the role of "Coach Key" ever since.

The Southeastern Conference's preseason player of the year in 2020 turned his attention toward pursuing a potential NBA career. He needs medical clearance -- something that hasn't happened in the 15 months since his collapse -- and then to pass any number of tests before being allowed to attend this year's NBA combine and/or privately work out for teams.

Johnson's policy provides him enough flexibility to take steps toward playing professionally and still be able to reverse course and make an insurance claim. If he does trigger the insurance policy that Florida paid the premiums on, there's an option for him to take the $5 million as a lump sum. There's no timetable or deadline for Johnson to make a decision on his future.

Johnson has spent most of the past two seasons cheering on teammates from the bench as he remains enrolled in school and on scholarship. He is scheduled to graduate next month.

The Gators say they would love to have him on the floor, but they also want to protect him and help him make the best choices for his long-term health and his financial future.

He averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds as a sophomore in 2019-20 and shot 54% from the field while averaging 31.3 minutes. He was expected to be even better as a junior last season, but instead instantly became a trauma patient on Dec. 12. He crumpled to the court seconds after breaking a team huddle in the fourth game of the COVID-19-delayed season.

Johnson received emergency medical attention in front of horrified teammates, opponents and fans before getting rushed to a Tallahassee hospital. He spent 10 nights in hospitals and returned home in time to celebrate Christmas with his family. He was on hand for Florida's first practice following a two-week hiatus.

Johnson's parents said last year their son's collapse was not related to a previous positive COVID-19 test, citing a consultation team that included experts from four highly respected schools of medicine. The family has not said what doctors believe caused the episode.

WNBA player Brittney Griner is being detained in Russia after customs officials said they found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow in February, according to a report in the New York Times on Saturday.

The Russian Federal Customs Service on Saturday alleged it searched luggage believed to belong to Griner and found vape cartridges that contained oil derived from cannabis -- a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. While Griner was not mentioned by name, the customs service identified the detained person as a player for the U.S. women's team but did not specify the date of her detainment.

The customs service released video of an individual who appears to be the 6-foot-9 Griner going through airport security.

"We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA," Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Griner's agent with Wasserman Group, told ESPN via statement Saturday. "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern."

The State Department issued a "do not travel'' advisory for Russia on Jan. 23 that warned Americans against traveling to Russia because of "the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens, the embassy's limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, harassment by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law."

Another "do not travel" advisory was issued Saturday, nine days after Russia began its military invasion of Ukraine.

The United States embassy in Moscow sent out a security alert on Feb. 27 that said, "An increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines. U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available."

For the past week, WNBA players in Russia have been leaving the country in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. A WNBA spokesperson on Saturday said that, other than Griner, all of the league's players who were competing in either Russia or Ukraine this winter are now out of those countries.

"We are aware of the situation in Russia concerning one of our members, Brittney Griner. Our utmost concern is BG's safety and well-being," the WNBA players' union said in a statement to ESPN on Saturday. "On behalf of The 144, we send our love and support. We will continue to closely monitor and look forward to her return to the U.S."

Like many WNBA players, Griner, 31, has long played overseas in the winter months, most recently in Russia.

"Brittney Griner has the WNBA's full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States," the league said in a statement to ESPN.

Griner has played nine seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, who lost in the WNBA Finals last October to Chicago. She won a championship with the Mercury in 2014 and gold medals with the United States in the Olympics in 2016 and 2021.

"Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns," USA Basketball said in a statement.

The WNBA's Mercury said they were "in constant contact" with Griner's family, her representation and both the WNBA and NBA.

"We love and support Brittney, and at this time, our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home," the Mercury said in a statement Saturday.

Longtime women's basketball agent Mike Cound told ESPN on Feb. 27 that players in Russia were urgently working on getting out of Russia.

"For me, it's way past 'considering' leaving," Cound said then. "I've been on the phone with two players in the past few minutes working out flights. It's really urgent now in terms of there being a dwindling number of flights leaving Russia, and they are going to be hard to get real soon."

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has returned to the city after spending nearly two months in Portland rehabbing his injured foot away from the team, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

Williamson, who fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the summer, is set to rejoin the team next week. Sources told ESPN that Williamson will not travel with the team initially, and with the Pelicans set for a quick two-game road trip to Denver and Memphis, Williamson will be back around the team when it returns to New Orleans.

On Wednesday, the Pelicans announced Williamson's fractured right foot was showing signs of improved bone healing and that he was going to gradually progress to full weight-bearing exercises and basketball activities.

While he remains out indefinitely, he is now set to take the next step in his rehab process around the team, sources said. Williamson has not progressed to the point where he can even play one-on-0 yet but will work toward that under the supervision of the Pelicans' strength and training staff.

Williamson has yet to play this season and has played in only 85 games in his young NBA career.

Without Williamson, the Pelicans have made a surge toward the play-in tournament. After starting the season 3-16, New Orleans is 24-20 since then and has taken hold of the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings.

New Orleans sits a half-game back of the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 9 spot. Since trading for CJ McCollum just before the trade deadline, the Pelicans have gone 5-4 but are on a four-game winning streak.

We look back half a century to an infamous day, when the arctic weather took a heavy toll on even the toughest of runners

This year’s Saucony English cross-country Championships was held in beautiful spring sunshine at Parliament Hill last weekend. That was not the case for the Championships which was held 50 years ago this weekend.

“Arctic weather turned ‘National’ into a grim survival test” was the headline which led the AW coverage.

The race was held (for the last time) at Sutton Park – a good course but unfortunately miles away from the changing rooms. The day started with reasonable conditions but worsened in the afternoon, the weather turning from rain to sleet and then to snow as the temperatures plummeted.

Many runners fell in the slippery conditions but it was a strong, icy headwind at the end of each lap which did the damage and ultimately also in the finishing funnels post race. Many runners were taken to hospital and others reported cold, shaking fits with icicles in their hair.

The officials also had to endure the terrible weather and sadly one of their number – Tom Owen from Liverpool – died of a heart attack while travelling home.

One letter in AW from Cambridge and Coleridge members said the following. “The sight of runners unable to hold a limb, still sobbing, and even frightened of what was happening to their bodies was disgusting and then having to find their way two miles back to the schools. Just because we have had to operate under these conditions for the past 50 years does not mean we have to continue for another 50!”

The photographs in AW at the time were taken by Eric North and the terrible conditions they were taken in and time means the black and white photographs aren’t pin-sharp but do give an idea of the snow.

While half a century later runners tend to remember the weather rather than the race, the result itself should not be forgotten.

Welshman Malcolm Thomas, representing Thames Valley Harriers, was victorious and improved on his second place of the year before behind Dave Bedford, who was a spectator this time around due to an Achilles problem.

Bill Robinson of Gateshead sprang a shock, 36 seconds back in second, having revelled in the conditions. A previous best of just 23rd, he had only been 59th in the Inter Counties and 16th in the Northern.

Three-time Commonwealth medallist and sub 13:30 5000m performer Allan Rushmer was third.

The top eight was completed by 1976 Olympic marathoner Keith Angus, 1974 European 10,000m medallist Tony Simmons, 1971 Inter Counties champion Grenville Tuck, former British steeplechase record-holder Gerry Stevens and 1982 AAA Marathon champion Steve Kenyon (2:11:40).

The 1968 Olympic 1500m runner Maurice Benn was 11th, with 1974 European 5000m champion Brendan Foster in 14th. The 1970 winner and the 1971 European marathon runner-up Trevor Wright was 23rd. The latter had been in the top 10 when his legs seized up in sight of the finish.

Others who struggled included Commonwealth and European Marathon champion Ron Hill who was 53rd, European Indoor 3000m champion Ricky Wilde in 65th, 1969 European 5000m medallist Alan Blinston in 83rd and 1970 Commonwealth 10,000m champion Lachie Stewart in 149th. The former UK 10,000m record-holder Mike Freary was 203rd, while 1976 Olympic Marathon trials winner Jeff Norman was 333rd and 1966 AAA Marathon champion Graham Taylor 366th.

Of some of the future top coaches Norman Poole was 116th, Lindsay Dunn 222nd, Bud Baldaro 228th and Mick Woods 314th.

There were some doubts over some of the results post-race, however, as many scoring cards and team sheets were ineligible and runners were taken to hospital with their discs still in their hands!

Stan Greenberg, the former BBC athletics Statistician, recalls: “As the weather was quite sunny and bright in London I went up by car wearing an ordinary suit and mackintosh. There was virtually no cover of any sort, and the conditions deteriorated from heavy rain to freezing sleet, snow and biting cold as the temperature dropped disastrously.

“Many of the runners fell over and a lot didn’t finish. Those that did finished with icicles in their hair and in terrible condition. Some were taken to hospital. In my own case I was literally soaked to the skin, through suit and coat and on arrival home in London I went straight to bed with, near pneumonia, for two days. In my mind I have never been so cold, and certainly never so wet.”

National cross-country champs results-fest! https://t.co/ocPnzbeO9M

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 2, 2022

Future AW deputy editor Jon Wigley, who would run 28:37 for 10,000m was 239th, and AW correspondent Alastair Aitken 658th of the 887 finishers, well under half the number that finished in Parliament Hill this year. Another AW correspondent, Martin Duff, was 69th in Reading’s bronze medal-winning team.

Duff remembers the following: “The weather was appalling and the conditions deteriorated throughout the afternoon. The race was held on the moorland at the top of the long hill of the road relay. We had been there before as the 1968 National where I was in the Manchester fourth-placed team.

“The senior race started fairly benignly but the rain then sleet, then snow lashed down so it became a strong man’s race. I was running beside the tall Mike Davis of Thames Valley when he suddenly went down a hole and I never saw him again.

“I was able to finish strongly and only one man, Commonwealth silver medallist marathoner Bill Adcocks, passed me on the last lap.

“Because of my strong finish I was better placed than most to feel okay but trying to put the tracksuit and wet gear on post race (remember we had to line up in funnels to get our place disc) was difficult and my hands just shook and trembled.

“Getting the spikes off was hard but once back in trainers there was about long jog back to the school on the other side of town that served as the base and where we were able to get a wash down in the cloakroom sinks. The run there, that day in 1972, is why I still love going there for the road relays.”

Reports and photos from the Saucony English National Cross Country Champs at Parliament Hill. https://t.co/jMYWF3Rqct

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 3, 2022

Back then there were only three races instead of the ten now and the women participated elsewhere – one week previously at High Wycombe.

The earlier races were not as badly affected but the quality of British running at the time and the future years is illustrated well by the junior race alone.

Dave Black, who would run a world 5000m junior record later in the year and go on to Commonwealth silver less than two years later, won in 30:43 from Ray Smedley (31:15), who would make the Olympic 1500m semi-finals just a few months later.

Julian Goater, the 1982 Commonwealth 10,000m medallist the man who produced what many believe to be the greatest senior National win in history, in 1981, was third in 31:32.

Dennis Coates, who four years later would set a British steeplechase record in winning his Olympic heat, was fourth. Barry Smith, a future Golden 10,000m winner, was fifth and future Olympic steeplechaser Tony Staynings seventh.

Future national winner and Olympic eighth-placer Bernie Ford was an off-colour 11th, one place up on future world 5000m record-holder Dave Moorcroft in 12th.

The 1974 Commonwealth steeplechase medallist John Davies was 17th and Olympic marathon medallist Charlie Spedding 23rd.

The Youths race was nowhere near as star-studded, with Neil Saunders edging Scot Paul Bannon on the line. Bannon would win a Commonwealth marathon medal for Canada in 1978. Mike Kearns in 28th would go on to break the British 1500m record in 1977 (3:36.81) and then finish fourth in the first London Marathon in 1981 in 2:13:37.

Sale won the team race and their team included future 1:47.2 800m performer Tony Settle, and Adrian Royle, who would run a 27:47.16 10,000m.

I watched my first National in 1973 and competed in my first as a Youth in 1975 in Luton. My first senior race came in 1979, also at Luton.

The only time the conditions bore a passing resemblance to 1972 were when I competed was at Bristol exactly 30 years after Sutton Coldfield in 2002. However, compared to that infamous day, I’m sure it was a walk in the park.

Again the weather turned in the men’s race and sunshine turned to sleet and a 50mph wind on top of the Downs brought runners to gibbering wrecks in the finishing funnel. I recall badly burning my uncontrollably shaking hands after the race, trying to hold a cup of tea!

Sam Haughian won the senior men’s race in 39:26 from Allen Graffin’s 39:51. Haughian, whose best run was a 13:19.45 fifth place in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, sadly died at the age of just 24 in a car crash in South Africa.

The women’s race also featured a blizzard. It was easily won by Liz Yelling (27:36) ahead of Amanda Wright (28:39). Third was the now top W55 athlete Lucy Elliott (29:03).

Junior star at the time, Emily Pidgeon, won the under-13 race with future World Junior 1500m champion and Olympic marathoner Stephanie Twell seventh.

SINGAPORE – In Gee Chun shot a 6-under 66 Saturday to lead a trio of South Korean players at the top of the leaderboard after three rounds of the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship.

Chun had a 54-hole total of 12-under 204 on the Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong course. She had a one-stroke lead over Jeongeun Lee6 (65) and No. 1-ranked Jin Young Ko, who shot 69.

American Danielle Kang (68), Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand (70) and another South Korean player, Amy Yang (71), were tied for fourth. Canadian Brooke Henderson was seventh after a 71, four strokes behind In.

Australian Hannah Green also shot 71 and was tied for eighth, five strokes from the lead.

Chun hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour in more than three years.

“I tried to make good focus on the putting green because I have spasm in my neck, so I didn’t try to hit hard,” said Chun, who tweaked a muscle in her neck during Thursday’s first round and contemplated withdrawing.

“I think it went really well on the putting green, and then I could really bring the greens really well. That’s how I made a good score today.”

Chun’s last win was at the 2018 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in her home country. Her first two career victories were major titles at the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2016 Evian Championship.

Lee6′s 65 was Saturday’s low round of the day that included a chip-in eagle at No. 13 and six birdies in her first seven holes.

“I’m very satisfied with my results,” said Lee6. “My swing is getting better these days. So I played comfortably.”

ORLANDO, Fla. – The old J.J. Spaun would’ve responded differently to this kind of finish. Spaun was within striking distance of the lead Friday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational when he dunked his tee shot in the water at the par-3 17^th hole and nearly rinsed his approach at the par-4 finishing hole before getting a lucky break off the rocks. He’d fail to take advantage, though, missing an 8-footer for par. The double bogey-bogey close capped a 3-over 75 and dropped Spaun back to 2 under, seven shots behind leader Viktor Hovland.

He’s not out of it, but dinner certainly wouldn’t taste as good. Literally.

“Food was my therapy, so if I had this finish four years ago, I’d probably go punish a couple of milkshakes or something, like some In-N-Out, you know, just to kind of eat your sadness away,” Spaun said. “But I’ve learned I can’t do that.”

Spaun, who stands 5-foot-9, was 217 pounds at his heaviest, probably sometime during his rookie season on Tour in 2016-17. It was during that period that Spaun nearly broke through on several occasions, finishing runner-up at the 2017 RSM Classic and then posting a trio of T-3 showings the next year. But as his 2017-18 campaign was winding down, Spaun started to inexplicably lose weight and he’d often feel lethargic. His swing speed and driving distance started to slip as well.

By the fall of 2018, he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes – or so doctors thought.

There are a few main differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. With Type 1, the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 2, which is more common, is diet-related as the body still can produce insulin but the pancreas has a difficult time keeping up with high-blood sugar levels that are usually a product of poor diet and exercise. Type 1 is a genetic disorder that normally shows up early in life while Type 2 develops over time.

Spaun was enjoying a run of three straight top-15s during his initial diagnosis. But as the next year wore on, Spaun, who was eating healthier and exercising more and taking medicine specific for Type 2, wasn’t feeling much better. He kept losing weight, down to 165, and his golf also reached new lows. After knocking on the door of the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2018, Spaun plummeted to No. 584 by mid-2021.

That’s when, after nearly three years, Spaun saw a specialist and discovered that he had been misdiagnosed. He was Type 1, late onset.

“I went through two years of struggling,” Spaun said. “I’m not blaming that, but that was another contributing factor. I was doing the wrong things. The regimen for Type 2 is a little different than for a Type 1; I’m not even getting the right medicine to regulate my blood sugar. … I was eating nothing, probably less than 1,500 calories a day, and still having high-glucose side effects as a ‘Type 2,’ so that’s why I needed the insulin to help level that out and be able to eat more calories in general.”

Nearly a year since a potentially career-saving re-diagnosis, Spaun is feeling restored. He is back up to a healthy 175, and he has been approved by the Tour to wear a Libre blood-sugar monitor and check his levels while competing. If his blood sugar is low, he can faint. If it gets too high, his vision starts to blur. So, in addition to carry numbers and reading putts, Spaun must track numbers that his competitors don’t.

“It’s more work,” Spaun said, “but in the long run my health is better.”

Speaking of numbers, he’s regained some of his speed. Spaun is averaging 291.8 yards off the tee this season, up more than six yards from last season. After a few years of trying to curb his power drain – and losing his swing in the process – Spaun, with the help of instructor Andy Patnou, has re-built an action like the one he had in 2017-18, when he ranked 63^rd in strokes gained: tee-to-green, but designed for Spaun’s leaner self.

“When your swing is centered around that kind of build for the last whatever, it’s hard when you lose that and then you’re up here [on Tour] and you’re getting beat up and searching and not really knowing what was going on,” Spaun said. “I would show someone my old swing and be like, ‘What do I gotta do to do that?’ And honestly, it’s comparing oranges to apples with that body and my body now. But [Andy] was able to see some differences and try to get me back into that blueprint. … Everything isn’t the same now, but I still kind of have that same look, that same move that I did in the past.”

Spaun still has a lot of his “fat clothes.” It’s hard to give them away, he says, because “no one’s a 38-30.” But with Spaun now comfortably fitting into Euro-cut Galvin Green polos and size 34-waisted pants, his old threads serve as a reminder of how far he’s come.

After finishing 185^th in FedExCup points last season, Spaun kept his card with a T-2 in the KFT Finals opener. He has four top-25s this season, good enough to rank 47^th on the current points list, and figures to climb even further up the standings with a good weekend at Arnie's Place. Not a bad place to swing your new swing.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Spaun said. “I’ve come to terms with where my game is at. I just have to play with what I have. I used to be so consistent ball-striking wise – and I’m getting back to there – but for a couple of years I kind of was lost. … I’m just trying to get back and stay in my lane, which is just fairways and greens, and the weeks I putt well are the weeks where I’m right up there.”

Perhaps, that’s why Spaun wasn’t hangry when he stepped out of scoring Friday at Bay Hill. He knows what real struggle feels like. A couple of water balls are nothing.

“Tough finish, but it happens,” Spaun said. “Rather that happen today instead of Sunday if I’m right there.”

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez refused to deny that he met with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland in Germany earlier this week.

Haaland, 21, is expected to leave Dortmund in the summer and ESPN have reported that Barca, along with Real Madrid and Manchester City, are interested in signing him.

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Reports in the Spanish media on Tuesday claimed that Xavi, along with Jordi Cruyff, who is working as a sporting advisor at Barca, met with Haaland in Munich, where he has been receiving treatment on an injury.

Sources told ESPN that Cruyff was in London when the meeting was said to have taken place, but Xavi passed up the chance to deny that he had met with the Norway international.

"I can't give details, I can just say that we're working on the future," the Barca boss said in a news conference on Saturday when asked about meeting Haaland.

"I understand the interest and am aware that everyone wants to know about these things, but we have to be focused on the present, on the Elche game [on Sunday]."

Sources have told ESPN that Madrid plan to talk with Dortmund in the coming days about Haaland, while City are also in the race for the striker.

Meanwhile, Barca are targeting free transfers to improve their squad elsewhere -- with deals on track for Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta and Franck Kessie -- to save money for Haaland.

Madrid are also hopeful of landing Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, and Xavi said the arrival of two of the game's biggest stars would be great for Spanish football.

"The more players of that level, the best in the world, the better for LaLiga," he added. "It improves the league, which would become more attractive. These players bring a lot of fans with them, so it would be a huge positive."

Meanwhile, Barca announced the signing of 18-year-old midfielder Pablo Torre from Racing Santander on Friday for a fee that could rise to €20 million.

"We have been following him a while," Xavi said. "He's a natural talent. He can play in midfield or wide, he's two-footed, scores goals, is great from dead balls...He's very young but he has the capacity to play for Barca for many years.

"It's a great signing, one for the present and the future. He will be in the first team dynamic, but will play for the B team if he needs minutes, like Ferran Jutgla and Abde [Ezzalzouli] this season, because it's important to play at that age."

Xavi said he would like to hand Dani Alves a contract extension but added there have been no talks yet about prolonging the 38-year-old's stay beyond the end of the season.

"He's contributing a lot," he said. "His professionalism and positivity is contagious. He's also delivering on the pitch and I have no doubts he would keep offering a lot next year despite his age."

Barca face Elche in LaLiga on Sunday and can, temporarily at least, move third with a win. Xavi has no new injury worries beyond the long-term absences of Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti.

"That was a missed opportunity - against India, we couldn't play because of some reasons. If we could have played, it was very good for the subcontinent, the girls in the subcontinent, and now we are really looking forward in this World Cup"

Bismah Maroof on the cancelled bilateral series against India