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Tag: Messi

  • Letting Messi go my saddest decision of all – Laporta

    Letting Messi go my saddest decision of all – Laporta

    Barcelona president Joan Laporta has again defended allowing Lionel Messi to leave last summer.

    The Argentine forward ended up parting ways with the Blaugrana and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as the Catalan club had to comply with LaLiga’s wage cap rules.

    “It is the saddest decision of all,” Laporta told Barcelona’s official media.

    “I would never have wanted to make it, but I am not sorry either because we had to put the club above everything, which is what we did, even ahead of the best player. The situation was what it was.

    “We came up against reality. It seemed that afterwards there was nothing, but Barcelona’s history continues and with work and good thought-out decisions we could return to the path of success, which is what we are doing.”

    Laporta went on to express his gratitude towards Ronald Koeman for giving opportunities to youngsters, but stressed that his decision to sack him was correct.

    “I had doubts after the first season, but out of respect for him we tried [to see how things would go],” added Laporta.

    “There came a time when I saw that another painful decision had to be made. If I had had to make it earlier? Yes. I had to have listened to the intuition.

    “I will always remember Koeman for the goal at Wembley, for a coach who had the courage to use young people. If he is hurt, I hope it will go away.”

  • Kai Havertz breaks Messi’s 11-year record

    Kai Havertz breaks Messi’s 11-year record

    Chelsea star Kai Havertz has broken Lionel Messi’s 11-year record with his Club World Cup winning goal against Palmeiras on Saturday.

    Havertz netted the winner in the 2020/2021 Champions League final and also scored in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Saturday to break an 11-year record held by former Barcelona ace Messi.

    The Germany international was the hero for Thomas Tuchel’s side on Saturday as his 117th-minute penalty was all the Blues needed to win their title of the season.

    Romelu Lukaku gave the Blues the lead early in the second but the Brazilian side cancelled out the goal with Raphael Veiga’s penalty for the South American champions

    But Havertz shot the decisive spot-kick in the final after the ball struck the arm of defender Luan Garcia, who was sent off three minutes later.

    Havartz scored the only goal of the game last May when Chelsea beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Champions League final.

    His penalty goal against Palmeiras on Saturday means he has broken an 11-year record held by Lionel Messi.

    Messi was the last player to net in the finals of both the Champions League and subsequent Club World Cup, back in 2011.

    The Argentine superstar scored in that year’s Champions League final as Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1.

    Messi went on to score again in the Club World Cup final, bagging a brace in the 4-0 demolition of Brazilian club Santos.

    Until Havertz broke the record on Saturday, no other player had scored in a combination of the Champions League and Club World Cup finals in over a decade.

  • Mbappe, Messi double up in PSG victory

    Mbappe, Messi double up in PSG victory

    Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi both scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain rounded out their Champions League group-stage campaign with a 4-1 thumping of Club Brugge on Tuesday.

    Mbappe scored twice in the first seven minutes, the second-fastest double at the start of a game in Champions League history, before setting up Messi to make it 3-0 at half-time.

    Mats Rits got one back for the Belgians in the second half but Messi then netted a penalty to make it 4-1 and give PSG a welcome confidence boost in an underwhelming European campaign to date.

    Mauricio Pochettino’s side knew before this game that they were heading through to the last 16 in second place in Group A behind Manchester City after losing 2-1 in England last month.

    That means a theoretically harder tie against a group winner awaits them in next Monday’s draw, with Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Manchester United already potential opponents.

    However, with Mbappe on this kind of form and Messi saving his best for Europe, there is still plenty of reason for optimism for Pochettino, who should also have Neymar back from his latest ankle injury by the time the knockout phase begins in February.

    Mbappe needed just 73 seconds to open the scoring, following up to finish low into the far corner after Simon Mignolet had saved from Nuno Mendes.

  • Ballon d’Or snub: Lewandowski hits out at Messi’s ’empty words’

    Ballon d’Or snub: Lewandowski hits out at Messi’s ’empty words’

    Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski says he should’ve won the Ballon d’Or last week – and wants a statement from the winner, PSG attacker Lionel Messi.

    In the 2020/21 season, Lewandowski scored an incredible 48 goals and provided nine assists in 40 matches in all competitions, as Bayern won the Bundesliga, DFL-Supercup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. While during this campaign he has notched up 16 Bundesliga goals in 14 games.

    “I felt sadness,” Lewandowski told Kanale Sportowym. “I can’t deny it.

    “I can’t say I was happy, on the contrary. I have a feeling of sadness. To be so close, to compete with Messi, of course I respect how he plays and what he has achieved. The mere fact that I was able to compete with him shows me the level that I was able to reach.”

    The Bayern Munich striker also took aim at Barcelona great Messi, after the PSG forward urged France Football to award the 2020 Ballon d’Or to Lewandowski.

    “I’m not that enthusiastic about getting the 2020 award,” Lewandowski said.

    “I would like it [Messi’s 2020 Ballon d’Or statement] to be a sincere and courteous statement from a great player and not just an empty words.”

  • I never asked Messi to play for free – Laporta

    I never asked Messi to play for free – Laporta

    Barcelona president Joan Laporta has sought to put his side of claims around Lionel Messi being requested to play for free this season.

    Laporta admitted the prospect was raised before Messi left for PSG earlier this season.

    But he has since told TV3: “I want this to be clear. In a radio show, I was told: ‘If Messi could have stayed for free?’ For free … I don’t know if it would have been possible, but I understand that it could have been.

    “And for a while I was like, well, it could have been. But I never asked Messi to play for free and in that Messi is right because, other than that, he is the best player in the world. We knew he had a big offer and that was nonsense. Anyway, it had to come from him, not from me. I never said that and a controversy was born which is distorted at the source.”

  • Messi’s father hits back at critics over Ballon d’Or award

    Messi’s father hits back at critics over Ballon d’Or award

    Jorge, father of Paris Saint-Germain forward, Lionel Messi has hit back at critics questioning Messi’s 7th Ballon d’Or.

    Messi won the most prestigious individual award for the seventh on Monday.

    Messi won the Copa America for the first time with Argentina in the summer of 2021.

    However, Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski was the most popular choice for the 2021 edition.

    Lewandowski scored 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga games last year and has 14 in 13 so far this term.

    Chelsea’s Jorginho and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema were also believed to be in the reckoning.

    Messi ended up winning, sparking a debate about the Ballon d’Or’s credibility.

    Jorge Messi, the 34-year-old’s father posted a photo of his son holding aloft the trophy on his Instagram.

    The caption of the post simply sarcastically read, “Bla bla bla… carry on.”

  • Messi didn’t deserve 2021 Ballon d’Or – Matthaus

    Messi didn’t deserve 2021 Ballon d’Or – Matthaus

    Germany World Cup winner Lothar Matthaus has slammed the Ballon d’Or voting.

    PSG star Leo Messi won the award for his work with Barcelona and Argentina. But Matthaus insists Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski deserved the title.

    “Honestly, I don’t understand anything anymore,” said Matthaus.

    “With all due respect to Messi and the other great players named, none deserved it as much as Lewandowski.”

    Bayern chief exec Oliver Kahn also said in reaction: “Even without the Ballon d’Or, Lewy made it to the Olympus of soccer greats a long time ago.

    “He will continue to be a candidate (for the Ballon d’Or) in the coming years.”

  • Anelka questions Messi value to PSG after City loss

    Anelka questions Messi value to PSG after City loss

    Former PSG striker Nicolas Anelka has questioned Lionel Messi’s value to the team after last night’s defeat at Manchester City.

    PSG’s hopes of qualifying from their Champions League group suffered blow with defeat at City.

    Anelka told RMC: “With Messi, PSG cannot be a counter team.

    “You cannot base the whole team on Kylian Mbappe.”

    The Frenchman also recently cast doubt over whether Messi has still got it in him to be ‘extraordinary’.

    He said: “Today we demand from Neymar, but we can do the same with Messi.

    “Since the beginning of the season it is not extraordinary either.

    “There is a player who has six Ballons d’Or and finally is not so extraordinary.”

  • Messi gets long-awaited first Ligue 1 goal

    Messi gets long-awaited first Ligue 1 goal

    Lionel Messi says he was happy to get his first Ligue 1 goal for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat Nantes 3-1 on Saturday.

    The Argentine scored for the first time in the French top-flight at the sixth time of asking as his side stretched their unbeaten run to five games.

    The Argentina star took on a pass from Kylian Mbappe on the edge of the box and sent it into the net in the 87th minute as PSG’s unbeaten run in the league stretched to five games.

    Messi, 34, now has four goals to his name for the French giants, having in struck four times in the Champions League since his move from Barcelona.

    But the six-time Ballon d’Or winner was delighted to get off the mark domestically, having drawn a blank in his previous five matches in Ligue 1.

    “I’m happy. We had a lot of chances, but their goalkeeper made some good saves. But we weren’t afraid and we ended up winning,” Messi said to Amazon Prime.

    “I am happy to score this first goal, at the Parc des Princes, in front of the fans.

    “Even though I had already scored in the Champions League, I expected to score in the league.”

     

  • New Barca coach Xavi reveals Messi ‘good luck’ message

    New Barca coach Xavi reveals Messi ‘good luck’ message

    Xavi Hernández has revealed what Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi told him following his appointment as Barcelona’s new manager last Friday.

    Xavi was appointed as Barcelona’s new manager three days ago following the sacking of Ronald Koeman last month.

    The Spaniard was unveiled by Barcelona on Monday at Camp Nou.

    Speaking at his unveiling, Xavi said Messi, his former teammate, texted him and wished him the best of luck as Barcelona manager.

    “Leo Messi texted me to wish me the best of luck,” Xavi said.

    He added, “He’s incredible, but he’s not here as Eto’o or Ronaldinho… we have to think about the future, not about players who are no longer here at Barça.”

    Xavi will now hope to lead Barcelona to victory when they take on Espanyol on November 20 after the international break.

    The former midfield maestro signed a two-and-half-year deal with Barcelona after saying his goodbyes to Qatari side, Al-Sadd.