BARCELONA, Spain Johan Cruyff on Sunday rebuffed efforts by Barcelona President Josep Lluis Nunez to end a prolonged dispute between the two men. Nunez had written to former Barcelona player and coach Cruyff suggesting dates in March and April for two testimonial matches the Dutchman is owed as part of a severance package when he was sacked in May 1996. Nunez said he hoped the games would play a prominent part in the club's centenary celebrations and suggested they forget past recriminations.

But Cruyff said on Sunday: I have to remind Nunez that the first step is to retract everything he has said about me. Cruyff has been a bitter and constant critic of Nunez since he left Barcelona, although he is still a season ticket holder at the club and owns a home nearby. Cruyff guided Barcelona to the 1992 European Cup title and provided them with four successive Spanish league championships between 1991 and 1994. The Spanish Sports daily as speculated on Sunday that the reason behind Nunez's move for reconciliation was to try to bring Cruyff back to coach at the club at the end of the season.

Barcelona under another Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal are struggling in the middle of the Spanish first division and have been eliminated from the European Cup. Cruyff and Nunez took each other to court and a recent judgment awarded both men one peseta each. The judge told them that they were being ridiculous in their actions. (Reuter)