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Tag: Messi

  • I’m tired being blamed for everything – Messi

    I’m tired being blamed for everything – Messi

    Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has hit back at Antoine Griezmann’s former adviser Eric Olhats upon his return to Spain.

    Messi, who had been playing World Cup qualifying games with Argentina, felt the need to hit back at claims made by Olhats regarding his influence at Barcelona.

    “I’m tired of always being to blame for everything,” stated Messi.

    Olhats, former adviser of Messi’s Barca teammate Griezmann spoke to France Footballlast week and accused Messi of making Griezmann’s life difficult at Barcelona and of having too much sway in club decisions.

    “Antoine arrived at a club with serious problems where Messi controls everything. He’s the emperor and monarch at the same time and he wasn’t keen on Antoine’s arrival,” claimed Olhats.

    “Messi’s attitude has been deplorable, he’s made him feel it. I’ve always heard Antoine say he has no issues with Messi, but never the other way around.

    “It’s a reign of terror. You’re either with him or against him.”

    After negotiating his way through the scrum of reporters waiting for him on his arrival at the airport, Messi, clearly unhappy, made another comment as he entered his car where his wife Antonela Roccuzzo was waiting for him.

    “On top of that, after a 15-hour flight, I had the tax authorities waiting for me. It’s madness” said Messi.

  • Rakitic speaks on Messi, Griezmann rift

    Rakitic speaks on Messi, Griezmann rift

    Former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has denied that there’s a rift between star player Lionel Messi and French forward Antoine Griezmann.

    Griezmann signed for the Catalan giants in the summer of 2019 from Atletico Madrid, but has struggled to properly integrate himself into the Barca starting XI. It’s been reported that Messi and Griezmann don’t see eye-to-eye.

    However, former Blaugrana midfielder Rakitic has denied this, stating that the pair do indeed get along.

    “What I saw was that they got along very well. I got along wonderfully with Antoine and Leo,” Rakitic told Spanish outlet El Pelotazo. “The two drinks mate together and spend a lot of time together in the dressing room.”

    “If both of them start to score goals, there will be no more talk – that’s the requirement and expectation of a great team like Barcelona. I don’t worry, though, because they’re two spectacular guys. I wish them all the best.”

    Arsene Wenger has previously claimed that Griezmann isn’t being utilised in his correct position, due to the presence of Messi.

    Barcelona paid £107m (€120m) for the French star’s services two summers ago. He has scored 17 times in 57 games in all competitions.

  • Messi inspires Barca to first league win in five games

    Messi inspires Barca to first league win in five games

    Half-time substitute Lionel Messi turned the game around for Barcelona as they beat Real Betis for a first La Liga win in five games.

    Ousmane Dembele gave Barca the lead with a powerful effort and Antoine Griezmann had a penalty saved.

    Antonio Sanabria smashed home an equaliser just before half-time.

    But Messi came on at the break and had a hand in Griezmann’s equaliser and scored twice himself before teenager Pedri hit a late fifth.

    The Barca captain dummied Alba’s pass, taking two defenders and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo out of the equation, to leave Griezmann with a tap-in.

    He then put Barca ahead from the penalty spot after Aissa Mandi was sent off for handling Dembele’s shot on the line – a decision made after a lengthy video assistant referee review.

    Messi played a one-two with Sergi Roberto, who backheeled the ball into his path and he smashed it into the roof of the net.

    That was his first goal of the season for club or country which was not a penalty. The previous six had all been from the spot.

    He thought he had a hat-trick afterwards but his goal was disallowed for a Roberto offside.

    It was a much needed win for Ronald Koeman, whose side had only picked up two points from the previous four league games.

    They move up to eighth, one point behind Real Betis.

  • Man City drawing up new contract offer for Messi

    Man City drawing up new contract offer for Messi

    Premier League side Manchester City are planning a fresh move for Barcelona captain Lionel Messi.

    City pushed hard to sign Messi over the summer after the Argentine submitted a transfer demand. However, Barca refused to do business, referring City to Messi’s €700m buyout clause. The Argentine eventually withdrew his transfer demand.

    However, with his contract running down, City are ready to try again, reports the Telegraph.

    According to Barca sources, Messi’s future is likely to be resolved later in the campaign rather than imminently, regardless of Josep Bartomeu’s departure as president after a bitter fallout with the club’s greatest player.

    Barcelona’s elections for Bartomeu’s successor is scheduled for March, after which Messi’ future could become clearer. But it will still give City or other clubs a window where they can agree terms on a contract starting in July 2021, ending two decades at the club after moving from Argentina.

    City’s chief operating officer, Omar Berrada, recently stated that Messi is still being considered at the Etihad Stadium after missing out on him in the summer.

    “I think any club in the world would like to explore the possibility of him joining their team,” he said. “He’s probably an exception to potential investments that we’d do.”

  • UCL: Sweet 16 for Messi as Barca thump Ferencvaros

    UCL: Sweet 16 for Messi as Barca thump Ferencvaros

    Lionel Messi became the first player to score in 16 consecutive UEFA Champions League seasons as he guided FC Barcelona to a 5-1 victory over Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

    In their Group G opener at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, Messi netted from the penalty kick spot in the first half for his 116th career goal in the competition.

    The lively Ansu Fati added a second, while Philippe Coutinho grabbed another goal early in the second half.

    But FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique was dismissed for impeding Tokmac Nguen, leading to a penalty kick for the visitors that was converted by Igor Kharatin.

    Any thoughts of a dramatic comeback were quashed, though, as 17-year-old Pedri netted his first FC Barcelona goal after arriving from second-tier Las Palmas at the start of the season.

    Dembele added the fifth late on.

    The Catalan side moves above Juventus on goal difference at the top of the table after the Italian champions won 2-0 away at Dynamo Kyiv earlier on Tuesday.

    The pair meet in Turin on Oct. 28.

    FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman left stalwart midfielder Sergio Busquets and striker Antoine Griezmann on the bench, perhaps with one eye on Saturday’s ‘El Clasico’ against bitter rivals Real Madrid.

    Ferencvaros are in the group stages for the first time in 25 years and had their moments.

    Striker Nguen produced a mazy run and fine finish, but his effort was correctly ruled offside, while Brazilian midfielder Isael struck the angle of post and crossbar with a fierce drive.

    Messi handed his side the lead after he both won and converted a penalty kick, bringing up another milestone in his career.

    Former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs is the only other player to net in 16 UEFA Champions League seasons, though the run was not consecutive.

    Fati then beat the offside trap from Frenkie de Jong’s lobbed pass and steered the ball into the net on the volley.

    Then, Coutinho profited from intricate build-up play by Messi and Fati to score.

    Ferencvaros, however, created what looked like being a nervous final 20 minutes as Pique could not handle the pace of Nguen and hauled the striker back in the box.

    He saw red for his indiscretion as Kharatin easily converted the spot-kick.

    But late goals from substitutes Pedri and Dembele against the tiring visitors sealed a satisfactory night for Koeman.

  • Ronald Koeman admits Messi to leave Barca

    Ronald Koeman admits Messi to leave Barca

    Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman admits he expects Lionel Messi to leave at the end of the season.

    Koeman suggested Messi is not planning to stay at the club past this season. Manchester City have already said they will be in a position to sign Messi if he becomes available.

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman admits he expects Lionel Messi to leave at the end of the season.

    Koeman suggested Messi is not planning to stay at the club past this season. Manchester City have already said they will be in a position to sign Messi if he becomes available.

    He said: “I was always hoping Messi would stay for this season. If he had left in the summer, I would have had a very different situation at Barca.

    “He wanted to leave but the club was very clear to him. The buy out clause was so high, that not a single club in the world was going to pay that in these times.

    “I went to his house and took time to listen to all the things he said. But I also explained to him that I had not been a part of the problems he had with the club and told him how I was going to work to change things.

    “We ended up talking football tactics. It ended as a proper football chat and that convinced me he is a real lover of the game and he still wanted to put everything he has into Barcelona.”

    He said: “I was always hoping Messi would stay for this season. If he had left in the summer, I would have had a very different situation at Barca.

    “He wanted to leave but the club was very clear to him. The buy out clause was so high, that not a single club in the world was going to pay that in these times.

    “I went to his house and took time to listen to all the things he said. But I also explained to him that I had not been a part of the problems he had with the club and told him how I was going to work to change things.

    “We ended up talking football tactics. It ended as a proper football chat and that convinced me he is a real lover of the game and he still wanted to put everything he has into Barcelona.”

  • Barca board agree Messi’s potential move to Man City

    Barca board agree Messi’s potential move to Man City

    Barcelona’s board expect Lionel Messi to walk out on the club this summer.

    The Mirror says the Nou Camp outfit are braced to finally let their icon leave at the end of this season.

    The 33-year-old was on the verge of quitting in the recent window after becoming disillusioned with Barcelona’s stuttering form and controversial leadership – but had been prevented from walking away due to the prospect of a court battle.

    Messi is understood to have informed Barcelona in no uncertain terms that his wish was to reunite with Pep Guardiola in England.

    It took a searching conversation with Ronald Koeman to convince him to pledge his future to his boyhood team for one more year despite the sensational, and damaging, fallout from his transfer request.

    City appeared in pole position to complete the sensational swoop had Messi been able to leave.

    Their chief operating officer, Omar Berrarda, recently admitted that the Etihad giants will once again be ready to move in next summer.

  • Messi is always complaining – Aguero

    Messi is always complaining – Aguero

    Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has joked that he and Barcelona ace Lionel Messi are “like an old married couple”, when they hook up on Argentina duty.

    Messi made his debut for his country in 2005, a year before Aguero joined the Argentina senior set-up.

    The duo have played together at three World Cups, four Copa Americas and won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

    Although both players always share a room, Aguero has revealed that he always leaves Messi complaining.

    “He always complains, we are like an old married couple.

    “I always fall asleep with the TV on and when I wake up the next morning he is always complaining to me.

    “He arrives at the hotel and instantly takes a shower while I’m just sitting talking on my mobile phone. Then he will remind me that we need to go down to dinner and we do not have time,” Aguero said on the Santo Sabado programme.

  • Suarez reveals one thing that will keep Messi at Barca

    Lionel Messi can be convinced to stay at FC Barcelona beyond this season, in spite of interest from Manchester City, his former team mate Luis Suarez says.

    The Barca captain tried to force his way out of the club in the close season, but he later agreed to stay until his contract ends in June 2021.

    The 33-year-old Argentina forward revealed his frustrations with the club’s board and a lack of planning, but said he would give his all this season.

    Messi, FC Barcelona’s all-time top goalscorer, is free to negotiate with other clubs from January, including Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who are interested in luring him to Manchester.

    “Maybe there’s the possibility of him playing for another club, but if he feels comfortable and happy, and a new board comes in, he will want to stay at the club,” Atletico Madrid striker Suarez said.

    “As a friend, I will be happy if things go well for him (at Barca), but also if he goes to another club.”

    FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has called club elections for March 2021.

    But he could be forced out sooner, with a no confidence vote set to be launched against him and the board.

    Messi will have no shortage of suitors if he decides to leave Camp Nou.

    Manchester City’s chief operating officer Omar Berrada left the door open for the striker in an interview.

    “It’s almost impossible to guess what will happen next summer,” said Berrada.

    “Messi is a generational talent. He’s the best player in the world and probably an exception to potential investments that we’d do out of the ordinary.

    “For every single position we have to be prepared, because there are so many things that can happen.

    ”But at the same time I think we have the financial strength and ability to make that investment (for a striker), when required.”

  • 2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Messi penalty kick gives Argentina winning start over Ecuador

    2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Messi penalty kick gives Argentina winning start over Ecuador

    Argentina got their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign off to the perfect start on Thursday when Lionel Messi’s penalty kick gave them a 1-0 win over Ecuador at home.

    The Argentine FA piped fan noise around the empty Bombonera stadium and the chants of “Messi! Messi!” were vindicated as early as the 12th minute.

    That was when he put Argentina ahead from the penalty kick spot, after Lucas Ocampos was fouled inside the penalty area.

    Argentina had lost one of their last eight World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador.

    Although they could not add to the scoreline, they never looked in danger of losing in a scrappy game against limited opponents.

    The top four teams in South America’s 10-team group qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional playoff.