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Tag: Messi

  • Messi sets another La Liga record in Huesca win

    Messi sets another La Liga record in Huesca win

    Lionel Messi set yet another La Liga record on Monday as the Barcelona star continued his assault on Spanish football’s goalscoring record books.

    Messi scored Barcelona’s first goal and last goal in Monday’s 4-1 triumph over Huesca, a match that also marked yet another record for the Argentine.

    With his appearance, Messi made his 767th appearance for the Catalans, equalling his legendary team-mate Xavi for the most appearances in a Barcelona shirt.

    With his first goal on Monday, Messi notched his 20th finish of the 2020-21 La Liga campaign.

    And, in the process, he reached that 20-goal total for the 13th consecutive season, becoming the only player to do so in the competition’s history.

    Messi wasn’t done there, though, as the Argentine added one more for good measure in the 90th minute, sealing a lopsided win for Barca.

    Messi has scored 660 total goals for Barcelona, putting him 428 clear of second-placed Cesar Rodriguez in the club’s goalscoring record book.

    Additionally, Messi has a grand total of 34 trophies to his name during his time starring for the Catalan club.

    Goal

  • Insider: Messi will leave Barcelona

    Insider: Messi will leave Barcelona

    Lionel Messi is determined to leave Barcelona when his contract expires in June.

    Despite the return of Joan Laporta as president at Barcelona, the Argentine is still keen on leaving the Catalan club, Tribalfootball reports.

    “According to my sources, Leo Messi will not stay at Barcelona,” Argentinian journalist Christian Martin posted to social media.

    “Not even with this new leadership [Laporta and his new board].

    “PSG and Man City are still the options before later heading to the MLS.”

    The journalist has some key contacts in the United Kingdom and has been announcing for some time that Messi plans to leave Barcelona.

  • Mbappe breaks Messi Champions League scoring record

    Mbappe breaks Messi Champions League scoring record

    PSG star Kylian Mbappe has become the youngest player in Champions League history to reach 25 goals in the competition, breaking Lionel Messi’s record.

    Mbappe opened the scoring for PSG against Messi and Barcelona on Wednesday, netting from the penalty spot in the 31st minute of their last-16 second leg clash.

    At 22 years and 80 days, Mbappe broke a record Messi set aged 22 years and 286 days.
    Mbappe gave PSG a huge lead going into the second leg by scoring a hat-trick in the first leg at Camp Nou – a 4-1 win for the Ligue 1 giants.

    With his goal at home on Wednesday, Mbappe set yet another record in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw, with PSG advancing to the last eight through a 5-2 aggregate win.

    The striker has four goals against Barca in this year’s Champions League, becoming the first player to score that many goals against the Blaugrana in a single season of the competition.

    Goal

  • Barca presidential candidate: Only if I win will Messi stay

    Barca presidential candidate: Only if I win will Messi stay

    Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has again declared he is the club’s only chance of convincing Lionel Messi to stay.

    Off contract in June, Messi was a star of the previous Laporta era and the latter insists the two men are close.

    “We may not be able to compete for money, but Messi is not ruled by money,” he said.

    “He wants to end his career as high as possible. With Messi, I have a relationship of esteem and respect. I’m sure if another candidate wins he won’t stay.

    “Messi will examine our proposal. There was a time when certain claims were disclosed that Messi was expendable…”

  • Man City denies making offer for Barca star

    Premier League club Manchester City say they have not made any offer to Lionel Messi, with the Barcelona forward’s contract set to expire at the end of the season.

    The Argentine superstar is free to speak to non-Spanish clubs and has been linked with several leading European sides, with City and Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain seen as the leading candidates.

    The Sun reported City offered the 33-year-old a five-year deal worth £600m last summer but have now presented the Barca captain with a new package of £430m, but a club spokesperson has told Goal that the speculation is not true and that there have been no talks.

    It is also reported that City want Messi on a two-year deal at the Etihad with a 12-month option before another two seasons in the MLS at sister club New York City.

  • Ex-Argentina coach: How we stole Messi from Spain

    Ex-Argentina coach: How we stole Messi from Spain

    Former Argentina coach Jose Peckerman admits there was a danger of Barcelona star Lionel Messi committing to Spain.

    Peckerman worked with Messi at youth and senior level.

    He told Marca: “We practically stole him from Spain. What we had seen of some videos, both Claudio Vivas who spoke with Hugo Toncalli, and we already had some reports of a little boy from Rosario … At that time I had left the national team, in 2002, and I went to Spain to work for Leganés.

    “There we saw him play for Barça youth teams. There was a FIFA regulation that has already changed, which said that a player who was a member of the youth teams could not play for the senior team from another country.

    “We made the strategy involving South Americans to play, because the European powers was also coming and in Spain he did not go unnoticed and he was going to play with the Spanish team.

    “In my first steps with Barça to comply with the FIFA regulations, a friendly match had to be held with a form signed by the players, to make it clear to FIFA that he had already played with us. I was with Laporta, I introduced myself and I told him about the authorisation for Messi to play in that match.

    “That famous match with Paraguay took place on the Argentinos Juniors pitch. Messi dazzled because he enters the second half with 1-0 and they end up winning 8-0.”

  • I’ll follow Messi wherever he goes – Cafu

    I’ll follow Messi wherever he goes – Cafu

    Brazil World Cup winner Cafu says he’ll follow Lionel Messi wherever he plays next season.

    Messi’s contract at Barca expires in June.

    Cafu said, “It doesn’t matter where he goes, I will be with him. If he stays at Barça, I would encourage him.

    “If he goes to another team, I would encourage him as well. Even if he retires. I don’t know where Lionel Messi’s fate is, but I do know that he will be followed wherever he goes.

    “I recommend that he continues to bring joy to people, to fans and to be happy, whether at Barca or elsewhere.”

  • Messi creates another record as FC Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao

    Messi creates another record as FC Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao

    FC Barcelona moved a place up into second in the Spanish La Liga on Sunday after a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, with club captain Lionel Messi entering the record books again.

    Barca went ahead after 20 minutes, when Lionel Messi scored direct from a free-kick for his 650th goal in 750 games for the club.

    Athletic Bilbao came back into it when Jordi Alba put past Marc-Andre ter Stegen after 49 minutes.

    But FC Barcelona had the last word 16 minutes from time when Antoine Griezmann scored from Oscar Mingueza’s cross to give the home side all three points.

    FC Barcelona are now ahead of third-placed Real Madrid on goal difference, with Atletico Madrid 10points clear at the summit.

    At the end of the game, FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman defended Messi, following the publication by a newspaper in Spain details of his contract with the club on Sunday.

    Koeman said: “What has come out is intended to damage him. Messi deserves respect.

    “He has done so much for Spanish football. There are people out to hurt FC Barcelona and Messi.

    “If it turns out to be someone on the inside then that is very bad and they should have no future at the club.”

    FC Barcelona has denied any responsibility for the leak and said they could take legal action.

  • PSG a good option for Messi – Rivaldo

    PSG a good option for Messi – Rivaldo

    Barcelona great Rivaldo says PSG would be a good destination for Lionel Messi.

    PSG are just one of the clubs interested in Messi’s services and Rivaldo sees it as a good fit.

    “They would be a good option for him, especially as the club has an Argentine manager in Mauricio Pochettino,” Rivaldo said in a column for Betfair.

    “Messi would also be reunited with his friend Neymar, so he has a few reasons to say ‘yes’ to the club if a proposal comes.

    “In Ligue 1, he should shine without problems as it is a weaker league than LaLiga [Santander] and the Premier League, and it would also allow him to manage his fitness throughout the season for the big Champions League matches.”

    As well as the football side of the argument, Rivaldo also made the case for PSG’s financial power being a reason to join.

    “Financially, few clubs can pay him better than PSG,” RIvaldo added.

    “So I think it would be a great option for Messi.

    “French football would also benefit a lot from his presence in terms of media and sponsorship.”

  • Messi sent off as Athletic Bilbao beat Barca

    Messi sent off as Athletic Bilbao beat Barca

    Inaki Williams’s brilliant strike in extra time earned Athletic Bilbao a 3-2 win over FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, with Lionel Messi sent off in the final stages.

    The Basque side, who last won the trophy in 2015 with a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Catalans, grabbed a last minute equaliser through Asier Villalibre to tie the game at 2-2 and force an extra 30 minutes.

    Antoine Griezmann had sent FC Barcelona ahead and restored their advantage with goals either side of Oscar de Marcos’s equaliser.

    Williams smashed into the top right corner from the edge of the penalty box three minutes into the additional period and Athletic Bilbao held on to win the trophy at Seville’s La Cartuja stadium.

    There was late drama as FC Barcelona captain Messi received the first red card of his career as he swung an arm at Villalibre’s head in frustration in the dying moments of the clash.