MADRID, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Barcelona said it has reached an agreement in principle with Celtic on the transfer of Spanish midfielder Marc Crosas to the Scottish club.

It said the fee was 500,000 euros plus a further 900,000 euros depending on the players appearances, qualification for the Champions League and titles won.

KAUNAS, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers manager Walter Smith says his team needs to drastically improve after the Scottish side crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of FBK Kaunas on Tuesday.

The Lithuanian minnows clinched a 2-1 aggregate win in their second qualifying round tie.

MADRID, August 5, 2008 (AFP) - Spanish police said Tuesday they have seized thousands of counterfeit football shirts and other items following complaints by manufacturer Nike and top European clubs Manchester United, Arsenal and Celtic.

The operation was launched on July 31 in the northeastern region of Catalonia, where four warehouses were raided, police said in a statement.

GLASGOW, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers manager Walter Smith is desperate for defender Carlos Cuellar to prove his fitness for Tuesday's vital Champions League qualifying match against FBK Kaunas.

The club's player-of-the-year missed last week's first leg goalless draw at Ibrox with a calf strain picked up in a pre-season match against Scottish First Division side Raith Rovers.

GLASGOW, August 3, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers manager Walter Smith says his team must up their performance if they are to reach the next qualifying round of the Champions League.

GLASGOW, August 2, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers were convincingly beaten 4-0 by a classy Liverpool side in a friendly match at Ibrox on Saturday.

The English Premiership giants cruised to victory with a first-half strike from Fernando Torres followed by second-half goals from David Ngog, Yossi Benayoun and Xabi Alonso.

GLASGOW, August 2, 2008 (AFP) - Celtic boss Gordon Strachan told fans not to expect big-name additions to his 'threadbare' squad this season, adding that he does not have enough money to buy the leg of Tottenham's David Bentley.

GLASGOW, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers manager Walter Smith says Wednesday's Champions League qualifying match against FBK Kaunas is as important to the club as their appearance in last season's UEFA Cup Final.

MADRID, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - Argentine star Lionel Messi, currently at the centre of an Olympic Games club-or-country row, hit a hat-trick in Barcelona's 5-1 pre-season friendly win over Scotland's Dundee United on Saturday.

GLASGOW, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has insisted he will come back 'stronger and better than before,' following ankle surgery.

The 30-year-old Scotland midfielder will be out of action for up to three months of the forthcoming season after an operation.