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Lionel Messi scored twice for Barcelona in a 3-1 pre-season friendly win over Girona on Wednesday.

Messi, 33, returned to training last week after failing to force a transfer away from the club.

He struck two long-range goals, the second taking a deflection on its way in.

He was also involved in the opener, playing in Francisco Trincao to cross for Philippe Countinho to score, before going off after a hour.

Barcelona are due to start their league campaign on 26 or 27 September against Villarreal.

Messi, Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer, believed he had a clause in his contract which would allow him to leave for free and did not begin pre-season training.

Barcelona and La Liga insisted that clause was no longer valid – with any club wishing to buy him required to pay a release clause of 700m euros (£624m) – and Messi returned to training after saying he would not take the club to court.

He also featured in Saturday’s friendly win over Gimnastic de Tarragona.

Earlier on Wednesday, La Liga president Javier Tebas said he was pleased Messi had stayed at Barcelona.

Barcelona used 20 players in Wednesday’s game at the club’s training centre but Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez and Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal did not feature.

Julian Draxler’s injury-time winner ended Paris St-Germain’s losing start to the Ligue 1 season against Metz – despite the absence of the suspended Neymar.

Reigning champions PSG had lost their opening two league games for the first time since 1984-85 and had not lost three league games in a row since 2010.

Thomas Tuchel’s side had Abdou Diallo sent off after 65 minutes at the Parc des Princes, but German midfielder Draxler’s 93rd-minute header claimed victory for the 10 men.

Tuchel was without the services of world record signing Neymar, who was among five players sent off following an injury-time brawl against bitter rivals Marseille on Sunday.

Brazil forward Neymar has since received a two-match ban after punching Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez, whom the 28-year-old claims racially abused him. The French football authorities are to investigate his accusation. Gonzalez has denied Neymar’s claim.

With Diallo’s dismissal – a second booking for pulling Ibrahima Niane’s shirt – PSG have now received four red cards in their last two Ligue 1 games – as many as in their previous 62 combined.

The hosts welcomed back goalkeeper Keylor Navas, defender Marquinhos and striker Mauro Icardi after the trio were among seven players to test positive for coronavirus.

But it was former Real Madrid and Manchester United winger Angel di Maria who shone on another frustrating night for the hosts, who had suffered three successive 1-0 losses since their defeat by Bayern Munich in August’s Champions League final.

Di Maria created numerous opportunities for his team-mates and was denied by Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja at close range before eventually forcing Oukidja to parry his cross into Draxler’s path at the death.

PSG – winners of seven of the past eight Ligue 1 titles – sit 15th after three matches, four points behind early leaders Rennes.

Paris St-Germain forward Neymar has been banned for two games after being sent off against Marseille – but French football authorities will investigate his accusation of racial abuse.

The Brazil international was the last of five red cards in Sunday’s bad-tempered Ligue 1 match after he hit Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez.

Neymar later accused his opponent of racism on social media and urged the authorities to use VAR to investigate.

Gonzalez has denied Neymar’s claim.

The other four players sent off have also received bans – with PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa suspended for six matches.

His team-mate Leandro Paredes has been banned for two games – while for Marseille, Jordan Amavi has received a three-match suspension and Dario Benedetto must sit out one game.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the governing body of professional French football, has confirmed it will investigate Neymar’s accusation.

PSG said they will “strongly support” their player, while Marseille released a statement saying: “Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist; he demonstrated it to us by his daily behaviour since joining the club, as his team-mates have already testified.”

Angel di Maria, Neymar’s PSG team-mate, will also be summoned to the LFP’s disciplinary commission meeting on 23 September following claims he spat at Marseille’s Gonzalez.

Neymar, Paredes, Kurzawa, Amavi and Benedetto, were dismissed after a brawl broke out in added time at the end the match at the Parc des Princes, which Marseille won 1-0.

Ryan Fraser scored on his debut to help Newcastle beat Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

Fraser latched on to a clever Miguel Almiron through ball and slotted home midway through the first half.

Blackburn dominated possession throughout but lacked the cutting edge to prise open a stubborn Newcastle defence.

Steve Bruce’s side hung on to earn a trip to Morecambe in the third round next week.

The hosts made 10 changes from the side that confidently beat West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday and it showed in a disjointed performance.

Indeed, it was often Blackburn who looked the more impressive with their slick passing and clever interplay.

But Newcastle had the crucial goalscoring quality in the shape of summer signing Fraser.

The former Bournemouth man was otherwise quiet but he gave an indication of what he can do with a composed finish.

“The only bit of quality we showed all night was the goal,” said Bruce. “It was a great ball, a great run and Ryan stuck it in well.

“Considering he hasn’t played since March, his effort, endeavour and enthusiasm was there for everybody to see.”

Joelinton had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half but otherwise Newcastle’s second string rarely threatened Thomas Kaminski’s goal.

However, Newcastle fans will not mind and will be excited at the prospect of Fraser linking up again with Callum Wilson as the Magpies host Brighton in the league on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur are in negotiations with Real Madrid over a sensational return to north London for
Gareth Bale – with conflicting reports suggesting a loan deal could be in the offing, as well as a swap deal involving Dele Alli.

The possibility of Bale departing the Spanish capital is now stronger than ever, with Manchester United also holding an interest in the alienated Welsh winger. Tottenham, however, appear the favourites for their former superstar.

According to reports, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is doing everything he can to bring Bale back to the club, and one interesting proposal which has emerged is Dele joining Real on loan as part of the deal.

The complicated move would see Bale return to north London on a temporary basis – with Los Blancos paying half of his reported £600,000-a-week wage – while Dele’s wages would also be financed by the Spanish club.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein, meanwhile, reports that while no agreement is in place for Bale to rejoin Tottenham this summer, the Lilywhites are working on a deal.

Spurs have a special place in the 31-year-old’s heart and the player is said to be keen on an incredible return. His agent Jonathan Barnett, who is well known for speaking our about his client’s future, has even told BBC Wales, “Gareth still loves Spurs. We are talking [Spurs, Real and Bale’s camp]. It’s where he wants to be.”

Levy is understood to be ‘obsessed’ by the idea of bringing a modern-day legend back to the club, but wanted to be sure that José Mourinho was on board with such a huge signing before pursuing a deal.

The Welshman’s willingness to depart on a temporary basis – something he previously refused – this summer has handed Tottenham a chance to oversee the winger’s return.

Bale also feels that now is the right time to exit Madrid and play out the final years of his career in the Premier League, leaving behind the non-stop criticism he’s faced in Spain amid an injury-ravaged but still impressive spell in the Spanish capital.

The 31-year-old evolved into a Spurs icon – before his £85m move to Real in 2013 – off the back of an astonishing 2012/13 campaign which earned him PFA Player of the Year honours. The Welshman scored 56 times and added another 58 assists in 203 appearances for Spurs, spread over a six-year spell.