La Esfera de los Libros is publishing Las mejores anécdotas del Barça, a selection of quirky and intriguing episodes involving some of the leading figures in the club's history from its beginnings to the present day.

Lionel Messi takes centre stage in one such story. The then 18-year-old missed the 2-1 Champions League final win over Arsenal in Paris because of a muscle injury. However, he had played a significant role on the club's path to Saint-Denis and felt sufficiently emboldened to leave his imprint on the celebrations of the club's second European Cup conquest.

The euphoric squad and coaching staff all made merry on the plane back to Barcelona. Messi, who is usually known for his shyness, took it upon himself to go into the cockpit, grab the microphone and urge Joan Laporta's board to use their imagination a bit with the rewards given to the players: "We don't want any more watches, we've got enough!"

Marc-André ter Stegen's eccentricities regarding his gloves also feature in the book. The German goalie won't let anyone else touch them, not even the kitmen. If he suspects someone has, he won't wear them in a match and has to use a fresh pair.

Who could forget Ronaldo? A security guard caught the prolific Brazilian having sex with two women in none other than the presidential box at the Camp Nou. Word quickly reached club president Josep Lluís Núñez, whose reply was a gem: "Ronaldo is 20: at that age he's entitled to have some fun".