By Tim Stannard

1) Barca back on message over new deal for Messi

Barcelona’s communications over Leo Messi’s contract renewal had all been a bit Sean Spicer of late and needlessly controversial.

First of all, there was the panic-inducing exaggeration from a money-man fretting that the Argentinean was too expensive to keep in the squad. This initial burst was followed by the ‘alternate facts’ that Messi was not that important to the team after all.

On Tuesday, the comedy Camp Nou club was back on track with Barcelona’s sporting director, issuing a collective chill pill to the cule fraternity by soothing that everything was on track to avoid Messi being out of contract next summer. "It's going well. I am very calm, of that you can be sure,” said Fernandez in his best Jedi mind-trick voice.

Meanwhile the club are celebrating the thirtieth birthday of Luis Suarez, whilst the footballer himself sobs quietly in a corner waiting for his inevitable aging decline.

2) Zidane rails against unfair media treatment

Coach Zizou has been stating the bleeding obvious on Tuesday pointing out that Real Madrid are in actual fact top of the La Liga despite suffering an iffy run of form. Of about a week. Try being a Granada fan. “When you hear some questions, you’d have thought we are last,” noted Zidane, enjoying the less fun side of being Real Madrid boss.

Madrid are facing Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday with the tie 2-1 down and have to go into the game with a number of injuries including Marcelo and Luka Modric.

Indeed, reports are indicating that James Rodriguez is on the sidelines suffering from a strain in one leg overcompensating for a strain in the other. Yep. That’s right. However, Coach Zizou did confirm that Cristiano Ronaldo should be available for the trip despite a knock picked up against Malaga on Saturday.

Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT to get the latest from the Real Madrid camp and then the game itself on Wednesday on beIN CONNECT from 3:15PM ET / 12:15PM PT.

3) Ivory Coast fighting for AFCON future

Before all that Copa del Rey malarkey takes place, AFCON 2017 is front and center of the football agenda on Tuesday.

Looking to avoid following in the footsteps of Gabon and Algeria – whose coach just resigned - in an early exit from the tournament are the favorites, Ivory Coast. The holders need to beat Morocco to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.

Anything less would see the Elephants packing their trunks and saying goodbye to the AFCON circus. That clash along with the other group game between Tongo and Congo DR gets going live on beIN SPORTS from 1:50PM ET / 10:50AM PT with all the highlights on the XTRA.

4) Russia facing winter Olympics in the cold

The Russians may still be in the international sporting doghouse due to sustained state-sponsored doping programs. The head of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has cast doubt on Russia being able to compete in the 2018 winter games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

When Sir Philip Craven was asked about the Russian situation the IPC president said that "I don't know and I don't think many people do.” Russian athletes have been banned from all Paralympic competition including last summer’s Rio games following reports of state-sponsored doping.

5) Venus inches closer to Williams sister finale

A previously unlikely Williams sister final at the Australian Open is looking increasingly more likely after Venus battled her way through to the Melbourne semifinals overnight, for the first time in 14 years.

Standing in her way of a final date is the unseeded American Coco Vandeweghe. Serena Williams plays her own quarterfinal clash against Johanna Konta on Tuesday night, down under.

Roger Federer still looks in supreme form and made his way into the men’s final four with a straight sets victory over Mischa Zverev in just 92 minutes. The Swiss will face countryman, Stan Wawrinka, in the semifinals.

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The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.