#messi goal against sevilla

[pedripics]

Pedri via Residency - April 1, 2024

Best Barça player this season? - "Difficult to answer.. I will stick with the young ones, Pau and Lamine"

The kids attitude towards the Champions League? - "Lots of confidence and desire"

There's no specific return date but everything is going very well and he hopes to be back soon

Are you excited for the Champions League? - "Clarooooo"

Do you think Barcelona can win the Champions League this season? - "We are Barça... It's complicated, but of course we can. You always have to fight for all titles."

What did you do today? - "Mainly training... The team had a day off but I can't miss a day."

Is there a language you would like to learn? - "I understand English perfectly, but I have to get better at speaking it"

Do you miss playing for Spain? - "Siiiii... I really wanted to play these last few games but I couldn't. But above all, getting well and finishing on top with Barça."

What do you think will be the UCL final? - "Barça v City, but Barça Madrid wouldn't be bad either 😉"

Do you love your fans? - "What a question... of course! They are the best. Thank you for always being there" Do you read fan's messages on IG? - "Sometimes, but there are a lot"

La Velada Barça Version. Who are you competing against? - "Ferran"

Series recommendation - "Criminal Code"

Favourite goal that you scored? - "the one against Sevilla in La Liga"

How are you mentally? - "Very good, actually. The recovery is going well and I just think about coming back and enjoying myself again."

Pedri or Pedro? - "Pedriiiii" "If they call me Pedri it sounds strange to me"

Favourite cuisine? - "Obviously. Canarian"

Do you think Lamine will be at the EUROs? - "Surely"

Favourite fruit? - "You still don't know? Bananas."

Messi or Ronado? - "Leo without a doubt"

He can't go out in Barcelona a lot because of the fame but he recommends La Sagrada Familia and La Barceloneta

Would you like to win the Ballon d'Or? - "Like everyone else, although it is very difficult. Right now I prefer to think about winning titles with Barça and Spain"

Is Gavi a good driver? - "..."

Your friendship with Gavi? - "Nos llevamos muy bien. No para quieto haha"

Favourite memories with your brother? - "Manyy. He's always been by my side and he always tells me what I'm doing wrong 😂"

[rexam6er]

Kiss me!

Pairings: pablo gavi x messi!reader

Warnings: google translate spanish

Summary: y/n messi is the only woman in the men's football team and she decides to kiss gavi infront of everyone

A/n: i'm thinking of making this a series, also, request are open :>

Things weren't exactly easy for y/n messi when she signed the contract to be the first woman in the bacelona men's team. Everybody doubted her, she got a massive amount of hate and death threats, but that didn't stop y/n from becoming like her father.

She proved every one of those comments wrong. Just from her first match in the field againts sevilla she scored two out of the 4 goals barcelona scored, and she assisted every one of those goals.

She was now on the way to camp nou with her new secret boyfriend (pablo gavi) in the passenger seat, ready to go againts real madrid.

"Are you nervous?" Gavi asked looking at you, he and you had been in a relationship for almost two months, he insisted on keeping it a secret since he didnt want you getting any more hate even though you told him a million times you were okay with it.

"A little bit, but its only because of one reason" you answered not looking at him since you were driving

"And what is that reason?"

"Well you know how i told you that you are the first man that i ever dated?"

"Mhm" pablo nodded his head

"Thats doesn't specificly mean that you were the first that i went out with." You winced finally looking at him and stopping at a red light

"And what does this have anything to do with the match?" Gavi questioned

"I went out with vini jr." You stated

"WHAT!?" Gavi shouted with his eyes widening, gavi's emotions start feeling like confusion and jelousy at the same time, how could a guy like vini jr almost pull of a girl like y/n.

"Why didnt you tell me?! I wouldve kicked his ass a long time ago if you told me!" He exclaimed

"That's the exact reason why I didn't tell you, and calm down you have nothing to worry about, I'll always be yours" y/n looked at his eyes and leaned in for a kiss

Gavi smiled and kissed her back.

y/n went in line and made it out to the pitch, people were screaming, chanting, and holding posters to support both Barcelona and Madrid.

y/n went into position and started.

Pedri has the ball and passed it down to y/n, as soon as she got it she immediately ran as fast as she could to score a goal

as just when y/n shot the goal someone jumped in front of the ball and blocked the shot.

and do you wanna know who blocked that goal? VINI FUCKING JUNIOR!!!

y/n was so frustrated that she was almost ganna throw hand, but then she remembered that a yellow or red card isn't on the agenda today.

Vini got up and winked at her "hola mi princesa" he teased "¡No soy tu princesa!" she shouted at her "whatever you say mi princesa" y/n just rolled her eyes and ran off trying to find the ball

gavi of course saw that scene, he felt like he wanted to just punch vini jr in the face or just tell him that y/n is his and that he should back off, but he couldn't do any of that so he had other things in mind

it was now the 86th minute, none of the teams had scored making y/n more and more stressed

but just then Lewandowsky passed the ball down to y/n and she ran with it, Gavi following her on her left side

just as she was near the goal, it wasn't possible for her to score since there were at least three real Madrid players in front of her, so she did the most smartest thing ever and passed the ball right over to gavi making him score against real Madrid

Gavi immediately ran celebrating his goal and all of barca players ran to him to hug him

y/n ran to him and hugged him in the front, her hands around his neck god he was so sweaty but he still managed to look good smiling down to her "KISS ME!" Gavi shouted because the crowd was screaming so hard "WHAT?" y/n asked thinking she misheard him

"I SAID KISS ME!" he shouted harder "ARE YOU SURE? IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE?" she assured

"YES, I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOURE MINE!" all y/n could do was smile, got on her tippy toes and throw herself at him kissing him as hard as she could, popping out one of her legs

Gavi smiling in the kiss because the crowd was getting louder and louder "LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A KISS RIGHT HERE FOLKS" the commentator shouted as the camera zoomed in on them

Gavi opened his eyes for a second in the kiss to take a quick glance at vini's face, and he was very satisfied with the look on his face making him kiss her even harder

just as she pulled away, she looked him in the eye and kissed him again but only for 5 seconds since the game needed to actually start

and after the game, lets just say the couple got too comfortable at his apartment

[julianalvarez9]

(1) Zona de promesas, song by Mercedes Sosa. (trans: "mom knows well, i've lost a battle) / (2) Copa América Final: Lionel Messi Tries to Slay His Ghosts - The New York Times / (3) Clarice Lispector, from the complete stories: 'one day less' / (4) Lionel Messi of Argentina closes his eyes during the national anthem prior to a match between Argentina and Paraguay as part of South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 at Estadio Alberto J. Armando on November 12, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Juan I. Roncoroni) / (5) Against Silence, Frank Bidart / (6) Lionel Messi of Argentina lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney) / (7) Zona de promesas, song by Mercedes Sosa. (trans: it takes time to arrive and in the end, in the end there is a reward) / (8) Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy after the team's victory during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron) / (9) Lionel Messi speech after winning the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. / (10) Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy while holding the adidas Golden Boot award after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney) / (11) Tumblr textpost. / (12) Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with teammates after their fourth and winning penalty by Gonzalo Montiel in the penalty shootout during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Maddie Meyer) / (13) Lionel Messi speech after winning the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. / (14) Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at Camp Nou on November 22, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. Lionel Messi beat the number of goal in the Spanish La Liga of Telmo Zarra scoring his 252nd goal. (Photo by David Ramos) / (15) Lionel Messi is offered a hand by teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi of Argentina after the finial whistle and defeat at the World Cup Final match between Germany (1) and Argentina (0) at the Maracana Stadium on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Photo by Simon Bruty) / (16) Lionel Messi speech after winning the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. / (17) Lionel Messi greet fans during a victory parade of the Argentina men's national football team after winning the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on December 20, 2022 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Gustavo Pagano) / (18) Lionel Messi of Argentina holds the FIFA World Cup trophy during World Champions' celebrations after an international friendly between Argentina and Panama at Estadio Mas Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on March 23, 2023 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli) / (19) Zona de promesas, song by Mercedes Sosa. (trans: in the zone of promises) / (20)  Lionel Messi of Argentina shoots the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match between Argentina and Mexico at Lusail Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Fu Tian).

[kyuutekyu]

"He played in a Spanish Cup round for the same side against Sevilla. The job of marking a Messi brimming with confidence fell to Sevilla’s right-back: Leo scored three goals in eight minutes. The defender would never forget that morning. His name? Sergio Ramos."

[liamhaydn-blog]

Team of the Decade: Part 7- The 2010's

Goalkeeper- Manuel Neuer- Germany

Neuer became the first choice keeper for Schalke 04 shortly after his 20th birthday and would remain between the sticks for the club for 5 seasons reaching a Champions League semi-final and winning the German Cup in his final season. That summer of 2011 he moved to Bayern Munich where he has remained ever since. Neuer became the fastest keeper to reach 100 Bundesliga cleansheets, taking just 183 games, 156 of them coming for Schalke. Neuer now holds the record for most Bundesliga cleansheets which have helped Bayern to win 11 Bundesliga titles as of writing. Neuer has also lifted the Champions League twice with Bayern, in 2013 and 2020.

As of writing Neuer has 124 Germany caps, and played a vital role in his nation lifting the 2014 World Cup with his displays earning him 3rd place for that years Balon D'or, just 0.4% behind 2nd placed Lionel Messi. Neuer is considered one of the greatest keepers of all time, who has revolutionised the position with the quality of his passing and composure in possession allowing his teams to build-up attacks with an extra man, with Neuer having the Football ability not too dissimilar from an outfield player. This has allowed Neuer to thrive as a true sweeper-keeper, regularly sprinting out of his penalty area to meet attacks before they can develop and get his team back in possession. At a stocky six feet 4, Neuer maintains a huge presence in goal, proving very difficult to bypass 1 v 1 and that combined with his excellent shot-stopping abilities make him surely the most complete goalkeeper ever.

Right-Back- Daniel Alves- Brazil

Dani Alves joined Sevilla from Bahia in 2003 and spent 5 years with the club, winning 5 trophies including the Copa Del Rey, the UEFA Super Cup & 2 UEFA Cups. From there, Alves signed for Barcelona where he would spend the next 8 years of his career winning 6 La Liga titles, 3 Champions Leagues and 3 World Club Cups amongst a whole host of other trophies.

Alves would add to his packed trophy cabinet at Juventus and PSG before returning for another short spell at Barcelona, still playing at a decent level whilst approaching his 39th birthday. 2 Copa America's, 2 Confederations Cups and an Olympic Gold from the 2020 Games with Brazil took Alves' medal count to 43, with only Leo Messi having more.

Alves is considered one of the greatest right-backs in Football history, and perhaps the full-back with the highest level of technical quality on the ball, due to the way he could combine with forwards in tight spaces and match the ability of some of Barcelona and the world's best attackers when linking with them. Alves constantly provided an option on the ball, either out wide or moving infield depending on where teammates were positioned and this helped Barcelona to sustain constant pressure in the opponents half.

Centre-Back- Sergio Ramos- Spain

Sergio Ramos came through the ranks at Sevilla and after just one season in their first team was snapped up by Real Madrid for €27M in 2005. Ramos was a mainstay in the Real Madrid XI beginning as a centre-back, then moving to right-back before returning to the centre of defence.

Ramos spent 16 seasons with Real, winning 5 La Liga titles and 4 Champions Leagues. Ramos played a vital role in securing his first Champions League title in 2014, Real's 'La Decima' as he headed home a Luka Modric corner in the 94th minute with City-rivals Atletico having one-hand on the trophy before Ramos' powerful header took the game into extra-time which Los Blancos would win 4-1. Ramos scored in a second Champions League final two years later against the same opponent, with Ramos converting his penalty in the subsequent shootout.

In total Ramos made 671 appearances for Real Madrid scoring an incredible 101 goals as a defender. For his country Ramos has won a record 180 caps and scored 23 goals, he started as a right-back in the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup Finals which Spain won and at centre-half in the 2012 Euros final, which a dominant Spain also won 4-0 against Italy. In those 3 successive International tournaments which Spain won, they kept 10 cleansheets in 10 consecutive knockout games.

Ramos is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his era, renowned for his aggressive style, a commanding physical presence and tenacious leadership. As he grew older he developed a reputation as a scorer of crucial goals, stepping up on many occasions to rescue Real Madrid by coming alive in the opposition penalty area and powering home a header. Ramos holds the record for defenders for most appearances in both the FIFPro World 11 (11) and UEFA Team of the Year (9).

Centre-Back- Gerard Pique- Spain

Gerard Pique moved from Barcelona's La Masia academy to Manchester United as a 17-year old, but failed to dislodge United's ever-present pairing of Ferdinand and Vidic. After 4 years he returned to Barcelona and quickly established himself as a starter, helping Barca to win the treble in his first season with the club, including a Champions League win over his former club United. Later that year Pique would win the Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup & the World Club Cup meaning Barcelona held all six available trophies.

Pique would go onto win a further 2 Champions Leagues, including another victory over United in 2011 and Juventus in 2015. In total he would also win 9 La Liga titles and 7 Copa Del Reys. He made 616 appearances for Barca and scored 52 goals. With the Spanish national side Pique won 102 caps, winning the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

At a stocky 6 feet 4 inches, Pique was a powerful and commanding centre-back, but despite being excellent defensively he was renowned more for his ball-playing capabilities than his physicality. Pique was a defender who best exemplified modern football, due to his composure and passing quality on the ball. His technical quality with the ball at his feet meant that he would often join the attack late in games as an auxiliary forward, either in a move of desperation with Barca trailing or else because the game was already secured and Barca could afford to risk having an extra player upfront.

Left-Back- Marcelo- Brazil

Marcelo joined Real Madrid from Fluminense whilst still a teenager for a sum of €8M. Over the next 15 years Marcelo would prove himself one of the greatest bargains in the clubs illustrious history. Joining mid-way from the 06/07 season, Marcelo would pick up a league winners medal that year and go on to win 6 in total. Marcelo would also win 5 Champions League titles, his first coming in 2014 where he came off the bench to score against Atletico Madrid.

Between 2016 and 2018 Real Madrid would dominate European and World Football winning 3 consecutive Champions League and World Club Cup titles. Marcelo would depart the club after winning a 5th Champions League title in 2022, having been an unused substitute for the final. Marcelo made 546 appearances for Real and scored 38 goals. He won 58 caps for Brazil, appearing at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup and winning an Olympic silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2013 Confederations Cup.

Marcelo is regarded as one of the most skilful defenders ever, a classic Brazilian defender in the mould of Roberto Carlos, with Carlos even commenting "Marcelo possesses a better technical ability than me." Marcelo was a key player during Madrid's run of three-peating the Champions League with his pace and trickery allowing him to offer himself as a sort of second winger down Madrid's left, and aswell his passing quality enabling him to create chances as a secondary playmaker.

Defensive Midfield- Sergio Busquets- Spain

After 2 seasons with the B team Sergio Busquets was promoted to the Barcelona first team for the 08/09 winning the treble in his first season. Busquets would spend 15 years in the Barca first team, winning 9 league titles, 7 Copa Del Reys and 3 Champions Leagues. Busquets would make 722 appearances with Barcelona and score 18 goals. He won 143 caps for the Spanish national team, winning the 2010 World Cup where he was named in the team of the tournament and the 2012 Euros.

Busquets is considered one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time and one of the most press-resistant midfielders ever. Due to his incredible awareness and composure, Busquets could evade midfielders sprinting at him, by subtly turning away from them with just a few touches and moving out of any perceived danger into space. So rarely did pressing him lead to him turning possession over, many midfielders would give up on the idea of pressing him due to it being a waste of energy.

Busquets ability to receive the ball under pressure meant he could drop in between the centre-backs to receive the ball deep to help Barca build from the back, or else receive the ball in the midfield and build attacks from there. His absolute mastery over the defensive midfield role led to one of the all-time great Football quotes being said about him by his former Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque: ""If you watch the whole game, you won't see Busquets—but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game."

Centre-Midfield- Luka Modric- Croatia

After joining Tottenham from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008, Modric spent 4 seasons in the Premier League before earning a move to Real Madrid. Joining the club with his 27th Birthday approaching, noone could have anticipated that 12 years later he'd still be representing Madrid with distinction in the final year of his 30's.

Modric is the oldest player in Madrid's history and has won more honours for the club than any other player. He has lifted an incredible 27 trophies for the club including a joint-record 6 Champions Leagues, with Modric being one of Real's best performers in most of them. For Croatia, Modric has won 182 caps and appears to be far from done, if the level of his performances tell us anything. He has represented his country at 3 World Cups and in 2018, on top of winning another Champions League with Madrid, Modric helped Croatia to reach the World Cup final for the first time ever. His performances won him the Golden Ball for player of the tournament and later that year the Balon D'or, with Modric becoming the first player outside of Messi or Ronaldo to win the award since back in 2007.

Despite being a diminutive midfielder with great technique, ball-carrying and passing ability, Modric's immense stamina and workrate off the ball means he also makes big contributions out of possession. This has made him an extremely well-rounded midfielder who excels in all areas of the game. From a deep role, he can help to set the tempo with composed volume passing, he can playmake from the centre of the pitch with penetrating, creative passes which catch the opponent out and he can cover ground reliably and relentlessly. Modric is one of the very few players in history who has arguably been better in his 30's than he was in his 20's, ageing like fine wine and consistently dazzling with his class in his advanced years as a pro.

Centre-Midfield- Andres Iniesta- Spain

Iniesta made his Barcelona debut in 2002, becoming a first team regular in 04/05, the season he picked up his first La Liga title. Another would arrive the following season, with Iniesta also lifting the Champions League. Brought on at half-time in the final with Barca trailing to Arsenal, Iniesta was instrumental in turning the game in Barca's favour. Iniesta's importance at Barcelona continued to grow and helped him to force his way into the Spain team, where in 2008 he won the Euros, Spain's first major trophy since 1964.

In 2009 Iniesta won a 2nd Champions League title as part of Barcelona's sextuple, but the following year was to be a tough one on a personal level with injuries & the passing of a close childhood friend pushing Andres into a depression. Battling through his injury struggles in time to make the 2010 World Cup, Iniesta scored the winning goal in the final he was man of the match in, as he won Spain their first ever World Cup. A 3rd Champions League triumph would arrive the following year and the year after that, he and Spain retained the Euros to win a 3rd successive title and cement themselves as perhaps the greatest International side ever. In the end Iniesta made 674 appearances for Barca winning 9 La Liga's, 4 Champions League's and 30 trophies in total. He won 131 caps for Spain, and retired from Football aged 40 after spells in Japan and Qatar saw him reach a total of over 1,000 games in his professional career.

Iniesta was blessed with an incredible football brain from a young age and due to this intelligence aswell as exceptional on the ball ability, he could thrive in every midfield position from sitting deep at the base of a midfield as he did in his early years, to even playing as a left-winger as he did later in his career. Iniesta's football IQ was his superpower and he looked after the ball like a prized possession, rarely losing it by either a misplaced pass or by being tackled. His exquisite close control in tight spaces enabled him to evade the challenges of one or more defenders and his execution of pass was rarely anything other than perfect. Iniesta is remembered as one of Football's greatest ever midfielders whose contribution to the game went far beyond what can be measured in just goals and assists alone and he is currently the only player to have won Man of the Match Awards in Champions League, World Cup and Euros finals.

Right forward- Lionel Messi- Argentina

Messi was brought over to Barcelona as a 13-year old from Argentina as his precocious talent was nurtured with him making his debut for the senior team at the end of the 04/05 season. Messi won a La Liga medal in his first 2 seasons with Barca, and won a Champions League medal in 2006, despite missing out on the latter stages due to injury. It was in the 06/07 where he fully announced himself to the world with a hattrick in El Clasico as a 19 year old. That season Messi also scored 'the Goal of the Century' a goal extraordinary similar to Maradona's solo goal against England at the 1986 World Cup. Demonstrating astonishing speed and control as he weaved past one Getafe player after another, far from an anomaly in the career of Lionel Messi, such death-defying acts would soon become the norm.

It was in the 08-09 season, Messi's first under Guardiola where he would become a great goalscorer as he netted 38 goals including 1 in the Champions League final against Manchester United, a rather rare header from the 5 feet 7 forward. 2 years later and Messi would score in another Champions League final against Manchester United, aged just 23, his performance considered perhaps the greatest ever in a Champions League earned him plaudits with many already considering him among the best footballers ever. Messi would keep adding to that argument, scoring a scarcely believable 73 goals the following season, including 50 in La Liga alone. The following season he netted 60 goals in 50 games, taking his Barcelona total across two seasons to 133 goals in 110 games and 96 La Liga goals in 69 games.

Messi would go on to score a total of 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, which is the most anyone has scored for a single club, surpassing Pele's record at Santos. He scored 474 goals in 520 La Liga games which is a record for the competition and 120 in 149 in the Champions League. With the club he lifted 34 trophies, including 10 La Ligas, 4 Champions Leagues, 7 Copa Del Reys and 3 Club World Cups. After leaving Barca, Messi went to PSG where he won another 2 league titles, scoring 32 goals in 75 games before moving on to Inter Miami, the MLS part-owned by David Beckham. His hunger and talent for the game remains firmly intact aged 37, with 34 goals in 39 games for Miami helping the club to win the first 2 honours in its short history.

Whilst aside from his first season at PSG, Messi's club career has been a consistent tale of success both individually and collectively, Messi's time with the national team of Argentina has been more turbulent. A promising beginning saw him score just minutes into his World Cup debut, reach the Copa America with Messi netting in the Quarters and semis before a 3-0 final defeat to Brazil and win an Olympic Gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2010. However, Messi failed to reproduce his Barcelona goalscoring at the 2010 World Cup or 2011 Copa America which Argentina hosted, and despite performing well the luck seemed against him. This feeling of bad luck would persist as between 2014 and 2016, Messi's brilliance helped Argentina to reach 3 successive major finals, only to lose them all. First at the 2014 World Cup and then in back-to-back Copa America's, with both losses coming on penalties against Chile.

After missing his kick in the 2016 final, Messi briefly retired from International Football, but it looked as though his best chance of success with the national team had already been and gone as a poor Argentina team exited the World Cup at the round of 16 stage in 2018, before losing a Copa America semi-final in 2019, in a tournament Messi did not produce his best. However 2 years at the 2021 edition, Messi was very much at his best being involved in 9 of Argentina's 12 goals as either the scorer or assister as at the 6th time of asking, Messi finally ended 28-years of hurt for Argentina. Better was yet to come as the following year at his 5th World Cup, Messi finally put it all together at the game's biggest event, aided by the most balanced supporting cast he'd had to date. Messi scored 2 in the final, and converted from the penalty spot as after losing finals in 2015 and 2016, this time luck was on his side from 12 yards as he emulated Diego Maradona by leading his nation to the ultimate glory.

Messi is considered by many the greatest footballer in history, due to his incredible ability, consistency & end product. With 850 goals and approaching 400 assists, Messi has either scored or assisted every 72 minutes on average throughout his entire career. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalscorers, dribblers and passers in history. The combination of these attributes make him the most complete forward ever, and his consistency and incredibly high ceiling meant he rarely produced a truly bad performance in well over a decade for Barcelona. With the national team he has scored 112 goals in 190 caps, which is the 2nd most in International Football and he holds the record for most goals at the Copa America. By inspiring his nation to lift the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, many feel that was the final box he had left to tick to cement himself as the greatest of all time.

Messi has won a record 8 Balon D'ors, which is 3 more than the next best Cristiano Ronaldo, he won the award for four successive years between 2009 and 2012, which is a record. On 6 occasions, he won the Golden Shoe for Europe's top scorer. He won the Golden Ball award for best player at both the 2014 & 2022 World Cup's and aswell won the Golden Ball twice at the 2015 & 2021 editions of the Copa America.

Left forward- Cristiano Ronaldo- Portugal

A friendly match in the summer of 2003 reportedly convinced Sir Alex Ferguson to sign a teenage Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon, after his performance received rave reviews with United's defence which had been tormented by the winger's lightning quick feet and flashy tricks. However, as he continued to grow and improve at United he would transition from a dazzlingly quick but at times flamboyant showpony, into one of the most devastating and unstoppable goalscoring wingers in English Football history. The transformation really came about in the 06/07 season where Ronaldo led United to their first Premier League in 4 years, as he won the PFA Player of the Year, PFA Young Player of the Year & FWA Footballer of the year awards. The following season Ronaldo retained the two main individual awards whilst winning another Premier League and his first Champions League title, scoring against Chelsea in the final to take his tally across all competitions to 42 in 49 games.

The 08/09 season was his last in Manchester and he won the Premier League for a third successive year before departing United for Real Madrid for a world record sum of £80M. Ronaldo netted 118 goals in 292 games for the Red Devils. In Madrid, he would hit new heights altogether. After an impressive first season, Ronaldo's end product kicked into overdrive as he scored 86 La Liga goals in 72 games across the next 2 campaigns, the 11/12 season his goals helped Madrid to win La Liga with 100 points. Ronaldo's next big prize came in the form of the 13/14 Champions League, where he netted 17 goals in 11 games to help Madrid end their 12-year wait for 'La Decima'.

Ronaldo would go onto win a total of 4 Champions League titles with Real, including a threepeat between 15/16-17/18. In the end he scored 105 goals in 101 Champions League games for Madrid, hitting double figures in the competition in 7 consecutive seasons. In La Liga Ronaldo scored 311 goals in 292 games and in total scored a ridiculous 450 goals in 438 games for Real Madrid in his 9 seasons with the club, scoring atleast 50 goals in 6 consecutive seasons. Cristiano then moved to Juventus where he netted 101 goals in 138 games in his 3 seasons with the Italian Club, before returning to Manchester United to score a further 27 goals. Nearing his 40th birthday, Ronaldo is still playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi pro league, as he edges nearer to the incredible number of 1,000 goals in senior football.

Cristiano holds the International record for both appearances with 217 Portugal caps and goals with an absurd 135. He is the record scorer in the history of the Euros, with 3 of his goals coming at the 2016 Euros where he helped his nation to lift the first trophy in their history, despite losing Ronaldo to injury early in the first half. He has played at a record 6 European Championships, scoring in a record 5 editions and has also represented his nation at 5 World Cups to date, scoring at all of them which is a record. He is expected to feature at the 2026 World Cup, where he will look to extend that record.

In his time at Manchester United, Ronaldo was a world class winger with great dribbling ability due to his speed, technical feet whilst running and power. Towards the end of his time at the club and especially after joining Real Madrid he became renowned for his deadly finishing which enabled him to become one of the most prolific goalscorers in Football history. His timing and impressive leap made him one of the best ever goalscorers with his head, and the power he could generate when striking the ball made him a danger when shooting from outside the box, including from free-kick situations. His movement and IQ of which positions to take up have seen him be always in the right position to get on the end of a chance, and when that chance arrived his powerful and accurate finishing made him deadly. Ronaldo's often single-minded mentality, makes him absolutely determined to score every time he takes the field, with his pursuit for goals never fully satisfied for long. This mindset has helped him to score 910 goals to date, with his eyes firmly set on reaching 1,000.

Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players in history, having won 5 Balon D'ors which is the second most in history, with him winning the award in back-to-back years twice. He won the European Golden Shoe on 4 occasions and was the top scorer in a Champions League season on a record 7 occasions. He is the record goalscorer in the history of Real Madrid, the Champions League, the Euros and International Football as a whole.

Striker- Luis Suarez- Uruguay

Suarez moved to Europe after just one season with his native Uruguayan side Nacional. After one season with Dutch outfit Groningen, he was on the move again to Dutch giants Ajax, where he scored 111 goals in 159 games, including a 49 goals in 48 games season. This earned him a move to Liverpool where he had 2 30 goal seasons, and fell just short of winning the Premier League in 13-14. That summer Suarez joined Barcelona, where he would establish himself as the best striker in the world.

In his first season in Spain, Suarez helped Barcelona to win the treble, scoring in the Champions League final, a 3-1 victory over Juventus. The following season Suarez scored an absurd 59 goals in 53 games, including 40 league goals in 35 La Liga games. This made him the only player outside of Messi and Ronaldo to win the Pichichi Trophy between the seasons 09-10 & 20-21. Suarez would eventually take his Barca tally to 198 goals in 283 games, winning 13 trophies in his six seasons with the club, including 4 La Liga's and 4 Copa Del Rey's.

Suarez was allowed to leave Barca in 2020 and he instantly made them rue the decision, as he helped lead Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title, scoring 21 goals in 32 league games. Suarez has since moved for spells in Uruguay, Brazil and USA, currently playing alongside Messi at Inter Miami. With over 500 club goals, Suarez continues to net goals at a superb rate. Suarez was also a master marksman for Uruguay, representing his country for 18 years, winning 143 caps and scoring 69 goals, more than any other player. He scored in the 2011 Copa America final which Uruguay won 3-0 against Paraguay, and aswell scored at the 2010 World Cup helping his nation reach the Semi-Finals.

Suarez is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. Due to his ingenuity Suarez could turn an unthreatening situation into a goal in the blink of an eye, proving himself to be a constant menace to opposition defences. His technical ability was matched by his speed of thought, his daring and cunning meant defenders up against him were always at risk of humiliation. Despite his ruthless nature infront of goal, Suarez was so much more than just a finisher, he was also an unselfish player with a tireless workrate. Unlike other supremely talented forwards who may have deemed the dogged side of the game beneath them, Suarez would do the running of two players, tirelessly breathing down the necks of defenders, waiting to pounce on a mistake. He also developed exceptional understanding with teammates, non greater than with Lionel Messi and the two of them were just as happy setting up the other to score, as they were when scoring themselves.

Subs:

Xavi Hernandez- Spain

Xavi made his Barcelona debut back in the 98/99 season, with the Catalan giants winning the title in his first season. From there though the club would endure a turbulent few years on and off the pitch, whilst Xavi continued to improve and grow as a young footballer. His second La Liga title would not arrive until 6 years later in 2005 under Frank Rijkaard, but from that point on Xavi's career would feature almost non-stop success.

The following season was an injury plagued one for Xavi however, as he missed out on much of the season which saw Barca retain the league and win the Champions League final against Arsenal, with Xavi unavailable. 2 trophyless seasons followed but in the summer of 2008, Xavi truly announced himself to the world. At Euro 2008, Xavi was the tournament's best player, scoring in the semi-final and assisting Torres' winner in the final against Germany, as Spain won a major trophy for the first time since 1964.

In the 08-09 season, Guardiola's first as Barca manager, Xavi provided an incredible 29 assists from midfield, as Barcelona's new 'tiki taka' style won them the sextuple in 2009. At the 2010 World Cup, Xavi was again immaculate, helping his country to win the World Cup for the very first time. The following year another Champions League title arrived and then in 2012, Spain became the first team to retain the Euros, demonstrating their superiority by destroying Italy 4-0 in the final. Alongside Busquets & Iniesta, Xavi had been a part of one of, if not the greatest midfield of all time at both club and international level. He left Spain for Qatar in 2015, after winning another Champions League title as part of a treble.

Xavi is here a victim of playing his best football in between two decades, as if this was a Team of the Decade for the years 2005-2015, he would be one of the very first names in the starting XI. However, he did not emerge as one of the game's best players until towards the end of the 2000's and retired from European Football in 2015, which was not quite enough time to justify him making the starting XI. However in those 5 years, he achieved so much that he still demanded to be named amongst the 14.

Xavi is considered one of the best midfielders of all time, for Barca he played 767 matches and for the national team he won 133 caps. He is considered one of the most reliable passers ever, registering a 91% pass completion rate through the 2010 World Cup. Xavi was incredibly difficult to dispossess of the ball his speed of thought and understanding of space nearly always allowing him to retain possession. As a deep-lying playmaker, Xavi was a lot more than just a 5-yard sideways passer, his penetrating passes allowed him to notch a high number of assists and 'pre-assists' with his passes often opening the opposition up and unlocking a deep defensive block. Xavi's style earned him the nickname "The Puppet Master" with former Real Madrid player and manager Jorge Valdano saying about him: "If football was a science, Xavi would have discovered the formula. With a ball at his feet, no one else has ever communicated so intelligently with every player on the pitch."

Toni Kroos- Germany

Kroos came through the ranks at Bayern Munich and after impressing on loan with Bayer Leverkusen, he became an established starter for the Bavarian club. In 2013 he would help the club to win the treble as they beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the all-German Champions League final. The following summer after making the 2014 World Cup team of the tournament and lifting the trophy following a 1-0 triumph over Argentina, Kroos joined European Champions Real Madrid.

In his second season with the club, Kroos won his second Champions League and his first with Real. Los Blancos would go on to threepeat the competition, with Kroos a crucial player in the middle of the pitch, forming an outstanding partnership with Luka Modric. Kroos would spend 10 seasons with Madrid, playing 465 games and winning a huge number of honours including 4 La Liga's, 5 Champions League's and 5 World Club Cups. His final match for the club before retirement was the 2024 Champions League final, with Kroos winning his 6th overall, against Borussia Dortmund, the same opponent from his first final 11 years earlier.

Kroos won 114 Germany caps and scored 17 goals, including 2 in the incredible 7-1 victory over Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final. Kroos will be remembered for his incredibly accurate long-range passing, which allowed him to dictate games from the middle of the pitch and also his consistency, with the German rarely dipping below a 7 or 8 out of 10 over many years, making him one of the most reliable and important players for both club and country.

Neymar- Brazil

Neymar was one of the World's first "Youtube Footballers" amazing fans from all over the world with his goals and flamboyant tricks on the video platform for his native club Santos. Neymar would make 225 appearances for the Brazilian club scoring 136 goals and winning the Copa Libertadores in 2011, with Neymar scoring in the final. In 2013 it was confirmed he had signed for FC Barcelona, but before he could play his first games for the club, he had an international tournament to play with Brazil in the form of the Confederations Cup.

This tournament would excite Barca fans further as their new man lifted the trophy and won the Golden Ball for the best player at the tournament, scoring in a 3-0 final win over Spain. Neymar had a promising first season at Barcelona, but it was in his second season he truly arrived, starring as one-third of the "MSN" alongside Lionel Messi and new signing Luis Suarez. This devastating forward line would win the treble, with Neymar netting 39 goals. In total Neymar would score 105 goals in 186 games for Barca, before the transfer that shocked the world.

In 2017, Neymar joined PSG for a world-record transfer fee of €222 million. The Brazilian would perform excellently but serious injuries would plague him every season, often forcing him to miss the crucial months of the season. One year he was able to stay fit for the final stages of the Champions League was in 19/20, where he played in PSG's first and to date only Champions League final, but they were beaten by Bayern Munich. Despite scoring 118 goals in 173 games, and starring alongside Mbappe and Messi in another devastating forward line, Neymar could never make his time in France a success that got anywhere close to justifying that enormous fee. Partly due to recurring injuries and partly because after leaving one of the biggest clubs and one of the most-watched leagues in the world to play in Ligue 1 with PSG, the club and the league did not grow significantly in mass appeal.

Neymar has since moved to the Saudi Pro League, where serious injuries have mostly kept him off the field. For his nation, Neymar so far has 79 goals in 128 caps, making him the highest goalscorer in the history of the Brazil national team, surpassing Pele last year. Neymar's bad luck with injuries has also followed him to the national team. An injury against Colombia in the 2014 World Cup Quarter-Finals forced him to miss the semi-final against Germany, which in his absence the team lost 7-1. Injury also forced him to miss the 2019 Copa America in its entirety, which his nation would win. Aswell as winning the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2016 Olympic Gold, both on home soil, Neymar also reached the 2021 Copa America final which also happened to take place in Brazil. Though this time he was on the losing side to Messi's Argentina. He will hope he has one more shot at the World Cup in 2026, but currently it appears unlikely injuries will permit him.

With well over 400 goals in over 700 games, Neymar has a scoring record most out and out number 9's would be proud of. He also has over 200 assists which exemplifies his extreme creative talents and teamplay. But outside of just the numbers, it has been the flair and expression Neymar has played the game with that he will be best remembered for. One of the most skilful players ever, his creative dribbling has forced him to take a huge number of bad challenges over the years, which has sadly plagued the second half of his career with injuries that have prevented him from reaching the highest high's he was surely on course to reach at one stage.

[hardynwa]

Fati’s father blasts Barca over lack of game time

Father to Barcelona’s number ten, Bori Fati blasts the Catalan giants for not giving his son enough playing time and advised him to move away in the summer. Ansu Fati this season has seen 925 minutes in La Liga scoring 3 goals, achieving his last goal in October against Villareal. He was announced as Lionel Messi’s replacement as the clubs’ number ten just before the 2021/22 campaign, but has been set back by injuries. The Spaniard’s father went aggressive on the Barca coach for not using the 2020 talent. Bori told news outlet COPE, “As a father, I am angry, yes, like any father. Because seeing Ansu play so little makes you a little angry. I tell them that we deserve much more. “Ansu when he played before getting injured, there was Messi, Suarez, Dembele, Griezmann.” “It bothers me that they give him a minute, two minutes, or three minutes. “The forwards that are there are phenomenal, but we are talking about Ansu Fati, from the Spanish national team, he is not just any boy. “He’s a boy who left La Masía. If you don’t give him that, what are you going to give him? Ansu deserves much more, we’re talking about Barcelona’s ’10.” Meanwhile, Bori Fati said he would prefer if his son leaves the club in the summer, however, the 20-year-old has made it open that he doesn’t want to leave Camp Nou just yet. “At Barca, they tell me that they bet a lot on Ansu, they tell me that clearly. “When I sat down with Jorge Mendes , the first thing he told me was that Ansu wants to stay and will continue playing for Barcelona. “But I, as a father, thought otherwise, and Ansu doesn’t agree with that,” Bori added. “I think a lot about Sevilla, about going home. Right now I wouldn’t value an offer from Madrid, because Ansu wouldn’t accept it. “I can’t put Ansu where he doesn’t want to go. “But I will never speak ill of Madrid because they are two very big clubs and you never know what the world is going to bring you… You never know where it is going to take you.” Earlier in the week, the forward’s father and football agent Jorge Mendes insisted that they want Ansu to leave Camp Nou and Barcelona President, Joan Laporta is willing to listen to offers. Read the full article

[matstegen]

messi’s first goal of the season; free-kick against sevilla | 06.10.19

[mostafijur110]

#UCL

Ronaldo vs Messi: Giants set to renew Champions League rivalry

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to meet in the Champions League once again when Barcelona host Juventus on Tuesday.

The wait for a new Messi-Ronaldo showdown is finally over.

After football fans the world over were denied a 36th instalment of Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo in the first clash between Barcelona and Juventus in this season's Champions League, the pair are set to go head-to-head at Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Ronaldo was ruled out of the first encounter in Turin after a positive coronavirus test, while Messi was granted a rest by Ronald Koeman.

Both teams are already guaranteed to advance from Group G but the eyes of fans across the globe will be on the encounter as the two greatest players of the modern era do battle for top spot and a potentially easier draw in the last 16.

Ronaldo vs Messi: Head-to-Head

Messi has only been on the losing side once in his five previous Champions League meetings with Ronaldo.

He also a 3-0 advantage in terms of goals when they go up against one another. Messi scored a header in Barca's final success against Ronaldo's Manchester United in May 2009, before getting a double in the semi-finals two years later when the Blaugrana eliminated Real Madrid.

The captain of the Catalan giants had more touches (445) than Ronaldo (248) in those games, but the Portuguese has had 20 attempts at goal to his counterpart's 17.

In their second ever encounter – the return match in the 2007-08 Champions League semi-finals – Messi completed 16 dribbles, which is a record for one player in a single knockout game in the competition since Opta began collecting the data in 2004-05. United triumphed 1-0 in that fixture, though, with Ronaldo going on to lift the trophy for the first time.

In 35 clashes in all competitions for club and country, Messi holds the advantage with 16 wins and nine draws. Messi has scored 22 goals and supplied 12 assists in those games, while Ronaldo has scored 19 and set up one more.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Trophies Talk

In terms of team titles, Messi comes out on top with 36 – including an Olympic Games gold medal and Under-20 World Cup success with Argentina – compared to Ronaldo's 32.

However, Ronaldo has more Champions League wins (five to four) and two pieces of silverware at senior international level – something that has evaded Messi. While the Argentina captain has lost four major finals with his country, Ronaldo was part of Portugal's Euro 2016 and Nations League finals triumphs.

As individuals, Messi's seven Pichichi awards, six European Golden Shoes and six Ballons D'Or put him ahead of Ronaldo by 29 to 26 (scoring titles in all leagues and the Champions League taken into account).

Goals Galore

They are the only players to have found the back of the net in the Champions League over 100 times – Ronaldo reached the milestone first and has 132 goals, while Messi is on 118.

Ronaldo registered the 750th goal of his career on matchday five against Dynamo Kiev last week. The 35-year-old has 648 in 859 at club level (0.75 per game) and 102 in 170 Portugal outings (0.60 per game). While Messi is on average more prolific at club level with 641 in 745 games for Barcelona (0.86 goals per game), he is less effective for Argentina with 71 in 142 (0.50 goals per game).

The height of their rivalry came during Ronaldo's nine seasons at Barca's arch-rivals Madrid, during which he outscored his counterpart in three separate LaLiga campaigns. Messi topped the charts on five of the other six occasions, though, with Luis Suarez beating them both to the Pichichi in 2015-16.

In total, Messi has scored 448 goals in the top five European leagues, seven fewer than Ronaldo.

Yet while they are often pitted against one another, there are a few things Messi and Ronaldo share.

Sevilla are the favourite opponent of both (27 goals for Ronaldo, 37 for Messi) and they have also scored eight hat-tricks each in the Champions League and 36 trebles across Europe's top five domestic leagues.

But who will come out on top on when they finally meet again on Tuesday?

[nowgoalbola]

FC Barcelona VS Athletic Bilbao, go for Barca

Match Time: 6/24/2020 04:00 Wednesday(GMT+8)

Spanish La Liga -- FC Barcelona VS Athletic Bilbao

Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips| Asian Handicap Odds|Line-ups& H2H Stats

-----------------------------------

Barcelona will be looking to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to Camp Nou on Tuesday evening.  The reigning champions and current leaders were held to a goalless draw by Sevilla on Friday, while Athletic will enter the match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Real Betis on Saturday.

Match preview

Barca's lead at the top of the table currently stands at three points, but Real Madrid will have the chance to move level on points with the reigning champions when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday night.  Quique Setien's side have been in good form since returning to action on June 13, beating Mallorca and Leganes in back-to-back games before claiming a point at the Estadio Ramon last time out.  The games are coming thick and fast for Barca as they will face Athletic, Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid before the end of the month, and it does not appear that Real Madrid's challenge is going to falter.  Barca have the best home record in La Liga this term, winning 14 of their 15 matches, remaining unbeaten in the process, and there is no question that they will be the favourites to triumph on Tuesday night.  Athletic recorded a 1-0 victory in the reverse match at San Mames earlier this season, though, and also picked up a point at Camp Nou last term. In fact, the Basque outfit are unbeaten in their last three league encounters with Barca, having also drawn their home league match with the Catalan giants during the 2018-19 season.  

The visitors have picked up five points from their three matches since returning to action on June 14, following draws against Atletico Madrid and Eibar with a 1-0 success over Real Betis on Saturday night.  Inigo Martinez scored the only goal of the match as Gaizka Garitano's side triumphed at the weekend, and the victory moved them into ninth position in the table.  Athletic are currently 10 points off the top four but sit just six points behind fifth-placed Getafe at this stage, and there is no question that the club will have their eyes on a potential European spot.  The Basque outfit have struggled on their travels this season, though, picking up just two victories from their 15 away fixtures, which is a concern as they head to the side with the best home record in the division.

Barcelona La Liga form: WLWWWD

Barcelona form (all competitions): DLWWWD

Athletic La Liga form: LWWDDW

Athletic form (all competitions): WLWDDW

Team News

Barca will again be without the services of Ousmane Dembele due to a long-term hamstring injury, while Sergi Roberto is likely to miss out once again with a rib problem.  Frenkie de Jong should shake off a calf injury to start, though, and Setien is expected to shuffle his pack from the side that started Friday's clash at the Estadio Ramon.  Antoine Griezmann and Arthur both featured off the bench against Julen Lopetegui's side but could now be included in the starting XI, while Ansu Fati is also pushing for a spot in the team.  Luis Suarez played the full 90 minutes against Sevilla, but the Uruguay international could start on the bench against Athletic, having been out for an extended period following knee surgery.

As for Athletic, Yuri Berchiche is suspended due to the yellow card that he picked up against Betis last time out, which could open the door for Mikel Balenziaga to start at left-back.  The bulk of the XI that started at the weekend are expected to once again take to the field, although Mikel Vesga is pushing for a spot in the middle of the park.  Raul Garcia, Inaki Williams and Iker Muniain should all continue in the final third, while Inigo Cordoba is likely to keep his spot in a wide area.

Barcelona possible starting lineup: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Arthur, Busquets, De Jong; Griezmann, Messi, Fati

Athletic possible starting lineup: Simon; Capa, Nunez, Martinez, Balenziaga; D Garcia, Vesga; Cordoba, Muniain, Williams; R Garcia

FC Barcelona VS Athletic Bilbao

Pick: FC Barcelona to win

[pedripics]

Pedri x El Hormiguero summary:

When Espanyol fans invaded the pitch, he just heard someone say run so he ran (in his own words 'faster than he did during the entire game')

They didn't want to disrespect Espanyol and their fans but simply celebrated winning La Liga

He wouldn't get tattoos because he wouldn't like them on himself

The first thing he bought from his salary was a car for his dad

He is very thankful for his brother (when they were younger Fer used to hit him but now he only annoys him with words)

His parents and his brother help him stay grounded

The post match party was very good but he can't give any updates but there were a lot of drinks involved

There was karaoke session during the party but he doesn't sing much

No player gave a striptease during the after-party (???)

He is very proud of his collaboration with Springfield even if he doesn't know much about design

He would love for Leo Messi to return

When he was a kid he wanted to have his hair cut like Iniesta until his dad told him that Iniesta is bald

His favourite goal he scored was the one against Sevilla

They don't talk about the Negreira case in the dressing room

He wants Man City to win (he added he really likes Pep's style of coaching and that he's going to watch the match)

When Xavi gets angry he starts off very slow and quiet but little by little he gets louder and angrier (Pedri then normally just stays quiet and keeps his head down)

They are all very close with Xavi and he helps them a lot

He was very shy when he first joined and met Messi, Busquets, and the other senior players. He was scared and didn't go into the dressing room much to avoid seeing them, because he felt embarrassed. He preferred to stay in the gym waiting for them not to be there until one day Messi came up to him and encouraged him

He tried to take the ball away from Leo many times in training but it's impossible

He's very forgetful (sometimes he wakes up in the morning for training, gets ready and then realises that training is in the evening and goes back to sleep)

Sometimes players are afraid to play after returning from injury but he isn't

[glitzgist-blog]

Barcelona Latest News: Lionel Messi suffers a hand injury against Sevilla

Barcelona Latest News: Lionel Messi suffers a hand injury against Sevilla

Barcelona Latest News: Lionel Messi suffers a hand injury against Sevilla

The Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi, has reportedly gained a hand injury and further treatment would be taken to know the height of the damage. (more…)

[piquira]

“Anfield was a nightmare that’s going to stay with us...”

Gerard Pique interview with EL Pais, talks about CDR final this Saturday against Valencia, his feelings after Champions League exit, Valverde, new signings, his future, etc. 

Question: Do you agree with the general idea that this has been your best year as a professional yet or do you think people undervalue other seasons?

R: It’s difficult to value [our performance] because people tend to stay with what’s most recent. I agree its been a good season in which I have played almost all of the games, and feeling physically very good because I haven’t been with the NT. I haven’t had any injuries and I have felt very good and haven’t played a single game feeling pain, which has happened in other seasons. But I do want to give value to other seasons that were phenomenal as well. In other years where we were able to win the treble, for example, we all reached a level that was close to perfection both at an individual level and at a collective level.

Q: Have you notice there being a difference since you stopped playing with the NT?

R: [In total] They’re 4 weeks that help you disconnect and help you catch your breath. Participating in the NT is a huge commitment that never ends. It takes a lot from you at a mental and physical level. 

Q: There was criticism against you for playing for the NT, now there is criticism for you not playing. Do you understand it?

R: I understand it all, it’s part of the game. It’s impossible to have everybody happy, and in this country everybody has their opinion. But that’s why I have to do what’s right for me and the team that pays me. It was just that ideal moment for me [to retire]. 

Q: Are you a better player now than in your 20′s?

R: Different. As the years pass, age holds an important role in my game, despite going to the nutritionist, working out at the gym, and other positive stuff that could potentially help my body. But I do think that I have improved in many things because experience helps make better decision. And that in my position is vital. A while ago, I understood that I needed to be less physical and instead be more intelligent, concentrated, and improve my positioning. Being a centerback requires us to use our head, especially at Barca where we know there is always going to be risks and a lot of meters to cover. If you’re head functions perfectly, you don’t need your body as much. We have to learn how to take care of ourselves so that age isn’t a huge inconvenience.

Q: Does being a veteran player increase the responsibility of what happens in the teams defense?

R: Yes. It’s inevitable. I feel and hurt with every goal we concede because 90% of those goals are errors. And even if i’m not directly involved, i’m the one that has been here the longest and I might have been able to avoid it with better indications. Of course I’m very aware of that.

Q: Should Valverde continue next season?

R: It’s not my job [to decide] because Valverde is my boss and he’s the one that decides if I play or not. It’s irrelevant what I believe. But what I can say is that his gestation of the squad has been excellent these two years. He’s helped us improve in a tactical level and helped us win multiple trophies as well, which we hope to extend with the Copa final. Of course we can always play better. Always! And we know how much Anfield hurt, but I think we’d always be content with winning the league and CDR.

Q: The public argues that the style of play is boring and one dimensional...

R: That goes with out way of living football. Cules and Catalanes are very demanding and we like to look for perfection. It’s not about just winning anymore, but about the way we win. To top it all, Guardiola’s era is very recent which was when we play our best in and where people most like to watch us play. That debate will always remain regardless of who the coach is. But I can assure you that it’s the same style that Valverde wants to play. I’m part of the dressing room and can assure you that’s what he transmits. But it’s not something that depends solely on him, it depends on those who are playing and the rivals we’re facing... now we get pressured very high and it becomes almost impossible to play out of the box, when before it used to be very simple to be able to use our goalie. That’s why sometimes its better to play out with a long pass. Regardless, there are many factors [that can influence] but people tend to focus on the coach or on a certain player when in reality in a team sport there are many variables, many of which are intangible.  

Q: Did it help you guys that Madrid wasn’t much competition in the league?

R: WHen one of the two isn’t performing at the level expected, it always helps the other team. We have been very regular and solid with out results. I imagine that Cristiano Ronaldo leaving has influenced somehow because football can be seen in different forms and one of them is through statistics. You have to have a player that can score goals every year, which they lost when he left. 

Q: Is that a warning [for Barca] for when Messi leaves?

R: For that we don’t need any warnings. When Leo leaves we’ll suffer for sure. But the extent and time for which we do, will depend on how the club decides to adapt to his farewell. 

Q: Do you think substituting you will be complicated?

R: Not much. We’re all here temporarily and that’s something you learn with time. It could take months or maybe even a couple of season but in the long run we’re all going to be replaced. The day will come when another player will be better because football is always evolving. Now it is more spectacular, more technical, and physical. I always say that the best defenders in history are the ones playing now because they are much more complete than those of the past. Adding context, its possible that Beckenbauer was the best, but if you compare him with a modern defender, he probably wasn’t better with the ball, maybe he was slower, could have read the game less... Before, for example, they used to be far more lenient with fouls, you had to practically kill a player to be sent off. Now we’re much more exposed in that sense. It’s the evolution of the sport, and that’s that. 

Q: Can Barca evolve with De Jong and possibly De Ligt as new players on the squad? Does it worry you to have another centerback on the team?

R: They’re players that understand out football because we’ve sipped from the same fountain, which is Cruyff’s. And if I were worried about the defenders that the team has added since my arrival, I would have not been able to sleep in years! It’s been one of the positions in which the team has mostly added recently. I think it’s very logical and I like the competition. I don’t know what’s going to happen but De Ligt has a lot of qualities, especially with his age. And De Jong has a lot of potential and future. He’s an exciting prospect because of his style of play.

Q: Will there be another documentary about Griezmann’s decision?

R: No, I won’t do it. Once was enough. It’s been a while since I last talked to him but we’ll see what happens. I don’t know much more. 

Q: After losing in the first leg in both Levante & Sevilla, and with many substitutes in the team, it seemed as if not a lot of value was given to winning the CDR this season, is that true?

R: Those games were in January where there were many games in dispute. People might sense that there’s an ideal starting XI but I think the coach has regulated the squad perfectly. We had some losses and we were able to comeback because we are stronger at Camp Nou. But let it be known that we don’t like to throw away any competition. Passing to the final was very celebrated among us, and when we get to a final we intend to win it. We are a team that likes to win. We’re the team that has won the Copa the most and that shows how much we value it. 

Q: What has been the discourse that has most been repeated in the dressing room to be ready for the final after the fall in Anfield?

R: That we have to end the season well so we can end on a good note. Although Valencia is very dangerous team and they’ve gained momentum in the last run of the league. They also did a fine job in the European League up until the semi finals. They are a tough rival. 

Q: And what happened at Anfield?

R: When something like that happens, it’s just that everything or almost everything goes wrong. I think that our mentality was affected by what happened last year in Roma because it’s still fairly recent. With the first goal being scored, which happened very early on, unconsciously the images of Roma were there. Then the next two goals happened quickly as well, and that just seemed all to much like what happened last year. Surely it was a mental block, but also we lacked football. We lacked a lot of things. And they pressured high with a lot of intensity, Anfield also played a role there... we just weren’t capable. Something it happens. It was a tough day. It has cost us a lot to pick ourselves up from this because even as the days past you can’t get over the loss. It’s a loss that we’re going to remember for a long time. But we still have to move forward.

Q: We also didn’t see the team motivated, or moved by the goals that were conceded. 

R: It was a difficult situation. You see the team that isn’t working, while they’re pushing forward all while last year’s loss is still so recent. But we can’t torture ourselves either. It’s true it’s one of our worse defeats but that’s how sports work. It was a nightmare and we have to take responsibility for that otherwise it’ll happen again. We also have to understand why it happened so that it can help us improve because we want to lift the Champions league again!

Q: Do you still see yourself as Barca’s president in the future?

R: For a while I was very excited about the prospect, and I don’t shut the door to the idea, but I don’t see it happening in the near future. I have so many other things happening in my life right now, that I want to concentrate on those things first.

[palaugranetes]

JORDI ALBA RENEWS

FC Barcelona and Jordi Alba have reached an agreement to renew his contract for the next five seasons, until June 30, 2024. 

The buyout clause is set at €500M.

Over the course of the next few days, the Club will announce when the official signing of the new contract will be held.

Jordi Alba: 282 matches and Messi's best partner

Jordi Alba has won a total of 14 titles with FC Barcelona and is currently in his seventh season with the first team. 

He has played 282 games in which he's scored a total of 14 goals.

FC Barcelona's left-back, Jordi Alba is also the best partner for Lionel Messi, having given a total of 20 goal assists since they started playing together.

A few weeks ago, on the day of the match against Sevilla (6-1) in the Copa del Rey, the player celebrated his 200th win as a Blaugrana.

[mssi]

messi has scored more goals against sevilla than matches he has played vs them....HOW does he do that

[messitheking]

Football in 2018 meme: [7/8] Goals → Lionel Messi vs. Sevilla - La Liga 2017/2018 March 31, 2018  // 89′, 2-2 (F.T. 2-2)

“The Argentine came off the bench in the 58th minute after Sevilla had run his side ragged and scored two. Instantly, it seemed like Messi had managed to breathe life back into Barcelona and they came close on a couple of occasions right after his entry. Sevilla managed to stifle the magician for most of the remaining minutes until he whipped in the ball from a corner which Suarez put into the back of the net and then scored almost an identical goal to the one he scored against Real Madrid to win it 2-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Outrageous effort. Unerring accuracy. Messi’s work on the night was done and so were Sevilla’s hopes of beating the champions-elect of Spain.”

[matstegen]

Messi and Dembélé celebrate goal against Sevilla (February 23rd 2019)