Barca and Real's Cisse battle

Real Madrid are to lock horns with rivals Barcelona to sign Auxerre striker Djibril Cissé, according to reports coming from Spain.

Madrid daily, Marca reported that The Merengues are lining up the 20-year-old as an alternative to Andrei Shevchenko, who they have been keen to sign from AC Milan for the past two seasons.

But Real's sporting manager Jorge Valdano has good reports about Cissé and has ordered for the club to sign the player before one of the Europe's other big clubs steps in.

Barcelona have stated an interest in the young striker although it would seem that out of the Spanish clubs, Real have the greatest spending power.

Both would need to strike quick for the player, who is under contract until 2006 and valued at 7 billion pesetas - Manchester United, Lazio, Juventus AC Milan, PSG and Inter Milan have formed a queue to win Cissé's signature.