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Tag: Messi

  • Ronaldo shines as Juventus humble Messi’s Barca 3-0

    Ronaldo shines as Juventus humble Messi’s Barca 3-0

    Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties at Nou Camp as Juventus thrash Barcelona 3-0 to top Group G of the Champions League.

    He won the battle of supremacy against his fierce rival, Messi, who failed to score at home against the visitors.

    Ronaldo put Juventus in the lead on 13 minutes through a penalty.

    He sent Marc-Andre ter Stegen the wrong way and fired the penalty into the middle of the goal.

    On 20 minutes, Juan Cuadrado doubled the visitors’ lead, making it 2-0.

    He played a terrific cross over to Weston McKennie, who found some space inside the box and puts the ball into the back of the net.

    On first half added time, Lionel Messi went down under a challenge in the box, but the referee immediately waved away the appeals from all players.

    Ronaldo compounded Barcelona’s misery with a third goal for the visitor on 52 minutes.

    He won the battle of wills and sent an unstoppable penalty past Marc-Andre ter Stegen into left side of the goal.

    Juventus made it 4-0 on 75 minutes, but the goal was ruled offside by VAR.

    Leonardo Bonucci scored the disallowed goal after an assist by Cristiano Ronaldo that allowed him to tap in the ball into an empty net.

  • I hope Messi does not join Man City – Mata

    I hope Messi does not join Man City – Mata

    Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata admits Manchester City’s move for Barcelona star Leo Messi has him worried.

    Mata revealed that friends keep texting him to tell him that Messi will be wearing Sky Blue next season.

    He said: “Well I hope not – I hope not for the betterment of my club.

    “I don’t know what will happen, but I hope he doesn’t go there. If he comes to Manchester I hope it’s to my club and not the other.

    “There were rumours, for example, that Cristiano Ronaldo might come back to Manchester in the future.

    “One of the things that I realised in professional football is that you should focus on what you can control and forget about what you cannot.”

  • Laporta dismisses Neymar urging Messi to make PSG move

    Laporta dismisses Neymar urging Messi to make PSG move

    Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta insists he’s unconcerned over comments made by PSG star Neymar last night.

    After victory at Champions League opponents Manchester United, Neymar declared he wanted to play again with former Barca teammate Lionel Messi, hinting he wants the Argentine to join him in Paris.

    Neymar stated: “I would like to play with Messi again. This is what I want the most. I would let him play for me, there is no problem. I want to play with him again, for sure. We have to do it next season.”

    In response, Laporta declared: “I’m not worried about his words. I have things to say but I will not say it so as not to destabilise the team. The team will go further, we must not destabilise the team. I know what can destabilise the team. I will not enter this match and will not give the names of the players who can come.

    “It is normal that he says this, they are friends and have an established hierarchy between them. This relationship is normal. I hope Leo can wait and listen to the proposal of the new Barcelona president.”

  • Barca will rename stadium after Messi – Rousaud

    Barca will rename stadium after Messi – Rousaud

    Barcelona presidential candidate Emili Rousaud has promised to hold a referendum on renaming the club’s stadium after star player Lionel Messi.

    The Catalan side will elect a new president in January to replace Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned from his post last month as the entire board – including Rousaud – stepped down.

    “We will hold a referendum to change the name of the stadium to Camp Nou – Leo Messi,” he told reporters.

    Rousaud has also pledged to add more star quality to the Blaugrana squad if he is elected, promising to bring Neymar back from Paris Saint-Germain.

    “We’re going to sign two top players, one of them is Neymar,” he added. “We are working to bring him back to Barcelona if he withdraws the lawsuit he has against the club.

  • Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, Platini others pay tribute to Maradona

    Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, Platini others pay tribute to Maradona

    Football stars all over the world, including Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have paid tribute to Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

    Maradona died of heart attack Wednesday at home in Tigre, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

    Fellow Argentine Lionel Messi, who has often been compared to the legend, wrote on Instagram:

    ” ‘He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal.

    ‘‘I keep all the beautiful moments lived with him and I wanted to take the opportunity to send my condolences to all his family and friends. RIP.’

    Cristiano Ronaldo has also paid tribute, using Instagram:

    “Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius.

    “One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled.

    “Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten. ”

    Pele, considered the greatest footballer on earth also commented:

    “Sad news today. I have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a legend.

    “There is much more to say, but for now may God give his family strength. One day, I hope, we will play soccer together in the sky”.

    Gary Lineker, Michele Platini and Jurgen Klinsman have all paid tributes to the dimuntive but lethal Argentine striker.

    Lineker wrote: “Deeply saddened to hear that Diego Armando Maradona has died.

    “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time.

    “After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego”.

    Klinsman wrote: Diego, we will miss you! You were an artist, we all admired you! RIP!

    Michel Platini: Diego Maradona. RIP legend.Broken heart

    “Diego was capable of things no one else could match. The things I could do with a football, he could do with an orange.”

  • Messi made me want to quit football – Boateng

    Messi made me want to quit football – Boateng

    Former Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng has said that he found Lionel Messi to be so good during his stint at Barcelona, that he thought about hanging up his boots entirely.

    Boateng joined the Catalan outfit in a surprise loan move from Sassuolo in January 2019, and managed to win a La Liga title in his six-month stint despite earning little playing time.

    The 33-year-old would subsequently move on to Fiorentina and then Besiktas before joining Serie B outfit Monza ahead of the current season.

    Recalling his time at Camp Nou in the 2018-19 season, Boateng admits that he could scarcely believe he was wanted by a club like Barca when he got word of their interest.

    “The six months at Barcelona were incredible,” Boateng told DAZN . “At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought it was Espanyol who wanted me, not the real Barcelona!

    “Training with Messi left me speechless. I had always said that Cristiano Ronaldo was the best in the world, but Messi is something else. He’s not normal.

    “While training with him, I felt inadequate for the first time in my career. He was doing incredible things. I felt like saying, ‘I’m done, I’m going to quit playing!’”

  • Barca presidential candidate: We must be ready for day Messi leaves

    Barca presidential candidate: We must be ready for day Messi leaves

    Barcelona presidential candidate Toni Freixa admits the club must prepare itself for Lionel Messi’s departure.

    Freixa, however, says Barca must do everything they can to convince Messi to sign a new contract as his current deal expires in June.

    He told El Larguero: “This is one of the important questions. You have to analyse the situation and you will have to make a series of decisions. To sit down and talk to Messi you have to look him in the eye and see what everyone wants and what the club can offer him. You have to ask him if he really wants to continue, which I am convinced he does.

    “The burofax is a problem that we have already experienced. He’s a winner and it bothers him to lose. The end of last season was very bad. It’s understandable, his reaction was what it was, but it’s forgotten. The most important thing about Barca is Barca themselves. We are not dependent on anyone. Messi has been everything and he must continue, my will is that he continues, but one day he will have to leave. And that day will happen.”

  • Koeman explains resting Messi for Dynamo Kiev trip

    Koeman explains resting Messi for Dynamo Kiev trip

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has explained withdrawing Lionel Messi from their clash with Champions League opponents Dynamo Kiev.

    Koeman has opted to leave his star man in Barcelona as the team travel to Ukraine for their fourth Champions League group game of the campaign.

    “We have decided not to bring Leo or De Jong because the situation in the Champions League is good and they can rest,” he said at the pre-match press conference.

    “They have played many games. We talk too much about [Messi]. He has always had a lot of influence on the club’s success and he can still continue to do so. We believe it is a good time for Leo and Frenkie to rest. They have played every game and almost every minute, they have had to travel [a lot].

    “Sometimes you have to protect the players because the calendar is incredible. It is impossible to keep the players in shape, look at Sergi Roberto. If he is injured it is because of the large number of games he has played.

    “Or Ansu Fati. Everyone knows it, but we have to keep playing. It’s incredible. It’s time for everyone to think about this, FIFA, UEFA…”

  • Mourinho shrugs off Messi to Man City rumours

    Mourinho shrugs off Messi to Man City rumours

    Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho insists he’s unconcerned over the prospect of Lionel Messi joining Manchester City.

    Spurs defeated City on Saturday to go top of the Premier League table.

    The win was achieved 24 hours after City manager Pep Guardiola had signed a new deal to 2023 amid reports of Barcelona superstar Messi also being lined up.

    Asked about the prospect, Mourinho waved the question away.

    “A departure of Lionel Messi to Manchester City? I have no idea,” was all he would say.

  • Lionel Messi talks too much – Ex-Juve chief

    Lionel Messi talks too much – Ex-Juve chief

    Former Juventus football chief Luciano Moggi sides with Eric Olhats over his blast for Barcelona captain Leo Messi.

    Olhats, a former adviser to Antoine Griezmann, accused Messi of running a “regime of terror” at Barca and being the cause of the Frenchman’s problems since last summer’s €120m move from Atletico Madrid.

    Moggi agrees and stated on 7Gold: “Griezmann’s agent told the truth, they also fight on the pitch.

    “I think Messi talks too much and wants ‘his’ players. He wanted Lautaro (Martinez, Inter Milan) but Barcelona had to do without him.

    “Barça do everything to appease all his will and end up retaliating against directors.”