║║ La Liga Season 2012-13 ║║

[Danube]

La Liga preview: Barca, Real face off in intriguing El Clasico
28 February 2013

Real Madrid will be aiming for two wins in the space of five days over arch-rivals Barcelona when they host the La Liga leaders on Saturday.

The reigning Spanish champions stunned Barcelona 3-1 at Camp Nou in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Tuesday with Real advancing to the final 4-2 on aggregate.

While victory in Madrid would be unlikely to make much of a difference in the La Liga title race, Real are always keen to inflict punishment on Barcelona, while it would also put pressure on their local rivals Atletico Madrid.

Real have not claimed successive El Clasico victories since the 2007/08 season but were clearly the best team in Tuesday's clash, making the upcoming match one of the games of the weekend throughout Europe.

If Real win they could move within a point of Atletico, if Diego Simeone's men lose to fourth-placed Malaga on Sunday.

Simeone has done a brilliant job to keep Atletico ahead of Real for so long this season but he will know the trip to Malaga looms as a major test for his team.

Malaga have won seven of their 13 games at home in La Liga this season and have lost just three but if Atletico cannot manage to take all three points and Real win, the pressure will rise rapidly on Simeone's team.

La Liga's Round 26 will begin on Friday with Getafe hosting Real Zaragoza and, apart from El Clasico, Saturday will see a local derby between Valencia and Levante, as well as Deportivo La Coruna versus Rayo Vallecano, Osasuna up against Athletic Bilbao and Granada taking on Mallorca.

In other games, Real Valladolid will travel to Barcelona to play Espanyol, Real Sociedad will welcome Real Betis to San Sebastian and Sevilla will host Celta de Vigo.

 

[godiva]

Jose Mourinho : Barca will still win La Liga.

Dead moron clones lol : Genesimmon, Athena, Vincent, emoer, Bubbletea, Boba Fett, Scorpian, Sun Wu Kong, ShaoKahn, PaulStanley, Illinois, Visitors, Yewcharkuay, Orneeku, hotcrossbun, Kanngi, Mamapundek, Danude.

free then slowly add, hahahaha

 

[Lionel Messi]

La Liga: Getafe 2 Real Zaragoza 0

2 March 2013

Getafe moved up to eighth spot in La Liga, with a 2-0 win at home to Real Zaragoza on Friday.

The Coliseum Alfonso Perez hosts went ahead on 21 minutes via Adrian Colunga, before Sergio Escudero sealed the points just beyond the hour mark.

Assist provider for Getafe's first goal Pedro Leon, however, was dismissed just after they gained their two-goal advantage.

But Leon's dismissal - he picked up two yellow cards in as many minutes - only offset the red given to Zaragoza defender Glenn Loovens only minutes earlier.

Neither side could produce the goods in front of goal with 10 men, and Getafe eased to their third win in succession.

Zaragoza have now lost three of their past four to be entrenched in a relegation battle in the Spanish top flight, sitting just two points above the drop.

 

[Lionel Messi]

La Liga wrap: Madrid win consecutive Clasicos, Valencia in top four

3 March 2013

Real Madrid had the measure of Barcelona once again, with a 2-1 victory in Saturday's El Clasico in La Liga at Santiago Bernabeu.

The great rivals squared off just four days after Madrid's 3-1 Copa del Rey win at Camp Nou, but for the vast majority of the game, the tone could not have been any more different, with both sides reluctant to over-exert themselves with Champions League fixtures on the horizon.

With Cristiano Ronaldo looking on from the bench, Real took an early lead after only six minutes when Karim Benzema turned home Alvaro Morata's cross at the far post.

But Barca would soon hit back through Lionel Messi, who finished off a Dani Alves feed to score in his 16th straight league game, and equal Alfredo Di Stefano's Clasico record of 18 goals.

The match seemed destined to finish in a stalemate, but Sergio Ramos rose highest to head home Luka Modric's corner and clinch the points for Madrid in the 82nd minute.

However, the defender was lucky not to concede a late penalty after a blatant trip on Adriano - an incident that saw Victor Valdes sent off at the final whistle for confronting the referee in an ugly end to the game.

Jose Mourinho's men now move to within a point of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who could cut Barca's lead at the top of the table to single digits should they emerge victorious at Malaga on Sunday.

Xavi was replaced by Thiago in midfield after picking up a hamstring injury while Carles Puyol, perhaps inevitably after his error for Madrid's second goal mid-week, made way for Javier Mascherano in defence.

Mourinho only kept four players who started Tuesday's match, with Kaka replacing the suspended Angel Di Maria, and Morata chosen to lead the line in the absence of Ronaldo.

And the 20-year-old forward justified his selection by fashioning the opener, taking advantage of Alves' half-hearted pressure to put in a fantastic cross for Benzema, who was left with a simple tap in at the back post.

But Alves would make amends 12 minutes later. His sublime through pass cut straight through the heart of Madrid and released Messi, who cut onto his left foot ahead of the back-pedalling Ramos and drilled in at the near post.

The on-pitch atmosphere, as expected, was as relaxed as any Clasico in recent years, with the cut-throat intensity of meetings past absent.

Messi should have done better on the half-hour mark when played in by David Villa, but with time to pick his spot, he instead shot straight at Diego Lopez.

At the other end of the pitch, Morata went close with an unmarked header from Modric's cross that agonisingly found the side netting.

In the second half, Raphael Varane had to be at his absolute best to thwart Villa with a sliding tackle at point-blank range, after Messi's through ball opened up the defence.

With half an hour remaining, Ronaldo was summoned from the bench to replace Kaka, and five minutes after his introduction, the Portuguese made his presence felt with a stinging free-kick that was parried by Valdes.

Morata would go close yet again, but after latching on to Pepe's brilliant pass, he saw his finish thwarted from close range by the alert Valdes.

But with 82 minutes on the clock, Madrid would find the winner. Modric's corner saw the Barca defence hesitate, allowing Ramos just enough time to plant a superb header into the back of the net.

Ronaldo could have put the icing on the game after crashing a 25-yard free kick off the crossbar.

Instead, Madrid were the ones left counting their blessings at the end of the game after Ramos' clear trip on Adriano inside the area went uncalled, sparking the ire of Valdes.

Meanwhile, Valencia climbed into the top four with a 2-1 home win over Levante - which was the latter's fourth loss in five.

Jonas and Roberto Soldado were the goal scorers for Valencia, who arrested an early deficit at the Estadio de Mestalla when Levante's Vicente Iborra was on target through 16 minutes.

Athletic Bilbao broke a three-match losing streak with a 1-0 away triumph over Osasuna.

The Basque club have endured a tough season, but moved above their opponents and put six points between themselves and the drop zone, courtesy of a goal to Markel Susaeta.

Deportivo La Coruna were held to a home 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano, and the hosts finished with 10 men when Carlos Marchena was sent off late.

 

[Lionel Messi]

La Liga wrap: Sociedad, Betis play out entertaining draw

4 March 2013

Real Sociedad and Real Betis have played out a pulsating 3-3 draw in La Liga as both teams chase European football for next season.

Betis jumped out to a two-goal lead by the fourth minute of the second half but then conceded three times in 11 minutes as Sociedad looked to claim their fourth win in five matches.

But with the home fans having only just settled down after Xabi Prieto's penalty gave Sociedad the lead, Colombian striker Dorlan Pabon nailed his second goal of the match to draw Betis level.

Betis, who sit seventh in La Liga, travelled to San Sebastian on Sunday to take on sixth-placed Sociedad with both teams in the running for Europa League qualification.

The visitors took the lead in the 29th minute when Jorge Molina strode through the middle of Sociedad's defence, collected a pass from Joel Campbell and struck the ball into the top corner.

Pabon doubled Betis' lead in the 49th minute with an outrageous bit of skill, dinking the ball over onrushing Sociedad goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and then volleying a shot home from a tight angle.

Sociedad began their comeback two minutes later through Carlos Vela, who thumped home Imanol Agirretxe's flick-on header.

The hosts were level in the 56th minute thanks to Inigo Martinez's header and six minutes later Xabi Prieto put Sociedad in front with a delightful chipped penalty straight down the middle.

The home side were denied the win, however, when Pabon took Ruben Castro's through ball in the 66th minute and crunched his shot past Bravo.

The draw means both teams missed an opportunity to move above Valencia and into fifth spot in La Liga.

In Malaga, second-placed Atletico Madrid could only manage a 0-0 draw, which means their lead over local rivals Real has dropped to two points.

With Real having defeated league leaders Barcelona on Saturday, Atletico needed a win to keep a comfortable lead over their city rivals but could not convert one of their 11 shots against fourth-placed Malaga.

In the other match on Sunday, Espanyol and Real Valladolid played out a 0-0 draw.

 

[Higuain]

Valdes faces suspension for ref abuse

3 March 2013

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes could face a lengthy ban for verbally abusing referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa in Saturday's El Clasico.

Valdes was furious at the official's decision not to award a late penalty in their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid, following a challenge from Sergio Ramos on Adriano.

Although further from the action than any other player on the pitch, Valdes protested more vehemently than any of his team-mates and had to be restrained by a member of the club's staff.

Shouting angrily in the referee's face, Valdes was shown a yellow card but continued to protest until Perez Lasa produced a red moments later.

According to the referee's report, Valdes verbally insulted the official, shouting: "You (the officials) s**t yourselves, you have no shame."

And Perez Lasa claimed the 'keeper, who will leave Barcelona when his contract expires in 2014, kept on repeating: "You have no shame."

The referee's full report reads as follows: "Once the game was over and while were still on the field of play, I booked Barcelona player, No. 1, Victor Valdes Arribas, for squaring up to me with his arms aloft and his voice shouting, recriminating one of my decisions. I then sent off the same player for shouting repeatly in my face, from just a few centimetres: 'You (the officials) s**t yourselves, you have no shame.'

"After he was sent off, the same player persisted with his attitude and kept on saying, in the same tone: 'You have no shame.' He had to be restrained by his team-mates and a delegate from his club. Once we were in the tunnel, the same player persisted with his attitude and repeated the same thing as he had before, still shouting: 'You have no shame, you have no shame.'"

Meanwhile, Gerard Pique stoked the flames after the game by saying: "I hope Perez Lasa apologises next time he referees one of our games."

Real defender Ramos was handed by a five-game ban by Spain's fooball federation (RFEF) for insulting referee Miguel Angel Ayza Gamez in a match against Celta Vigo in January and Valdes could now face a similar sanction.

 

[godiva]

Jose : Man U are favorites for UCL tie

donate a lot but still not moderator? why huh? please give him a chance
OA cannot be mod but can be #1 balless zapper.

 

[Givanildo]

Casillas resumes ball training
The Spain international's recovery from a hand injury is going according to schedule as he has returned to the training pitch

Bale: I don’t model my game on Real Madrid star Ronaldo
The Tottenham winger's recent string of match-winning performances have led to comparisons with the Portuguese attacker, but the 23-year-old insists he is his own man

Xabi Alonso: Madrid do not care about possession
The Spain international has explained that the reigning Liga champions prefer a direct approach over Barca's possession-based style

Why Roura is out of his depth and Barcelona miss Guardiola
The interim coach is doing his best in Tito Vilanova's absence through illness but has been shown up by his methods in defeats against AC Milan and Real Madrid this last week

Beckham: Going back to Manchester will be special for Ronaldo
The 37-year-old believes the returning Portuguese winger will be in his element when Real Madrid travel to Old Trafford for the second leg of their Champions League tie

Juventus could make Sanchez bid as early as next week
The Chilean attacker has been struggling to make an impact at Barca and could be set for a return to Italy this summer

 

[Givanildo]

Messi: I have no ego
The 25-year-old has hit back at claims he is carrying an inflated sense of self-importance and says he will not push son Thiago into becoming a professional footballer

Iniesta '100%' confident of Milan comeback
The 28-year-old says he is fully convinced Barcelona can make amends for their Milan defeat from the first leg, and claims to be using the media's criticism as a motivational tool

Neymar refuses to rule out summer move
The Santos forward has increased speculation over his future by refusing to commit to the Brazilian giants, and believes Dani Alves' claims should be laughed off

Alonso: Ronaldo unfazed by Old Trafford return
The 31-year-old believes his team-mate will be unperturbed by the prospect of returning to face his former club on Tuesday, and says Madrid do not depend solely on Ronaldo

Mourinho: I won't be running 100m down the touchline this time if I beat Manchester United!
The Real Madrid boss has had some infamous celebrations in his past, including a 100-metre dash down the Old Trafford pitch when coach of Porto but says it will not happen again

Barcelona's loss of form 'not end of the world', claims Rosell
The Barcelona president says there has been an overreaction to their recent run of results and revealed they are keeping tabs on Brazil star Neymar

Bale is a match for Messi and Ronaldo, insists Dawson
The Tottenham captain is adamant that there is no player as good as the Welshman right now, bearing comparison to the very best of the world game in the Liga duo

Maradona: Messi better than Ronaldo despite Barcelona defeats
The Argentina legend's stance remains the same regarding the two players, even though the Portuguese has come out on top in their recent encounters

'Casillas is a great captain' - Van der Sar
The goalkeeping legend has praised the Real Madrid skipper for his enduring quality since making his debut for the club as a teenager

Manchester United jostle for pole position to re-sign Ronaldo
United on charm offensive with their former star, despite Ferguson dismissing the prospect of a return to Old Trafford as "false hope" ahead of Champions League last 16 second leg

Madrid should hold on to Mourinho if they win the Champions League, insists Santillana
The club icon hopes that the flamboyant coach will stay put if they win the decima, and has voiced his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo

Rooney & Van Persie the ones to watch, says Kaka
The Brazilian midfielder has high hopes that Real Madrid can make it to the quarter-finals, but has warned his team-mates to keep a close eye on the Manchester United attack

Ozil: Real Madrid can beat anyone
The creative midfielder believes the Blancos still have every chance of beating Manchester United, and is delighted with his side's success against Barcelona this season

Cristiano Ronaldo more complete than Nazario Ronaldo, says Pavon
The former Blancos defender believes the two players are incomparable, but feels the Portuguese has more to his game than his former team-mate

Pellegrini: Atletico Madrid favourites against Malaga
The Boquerones boss believes that Diego Simeone's team will be formidable opponents and are expected to win Sunday night's Liga encounter in Andalusia

Ozil: I have no problem with Mourinho
The Blancos midfielder has spoken of the unity that he sees at the club and his strong rapport with the head coach, believing the side have the perfect recipe for cup success

'Irreplaceable' Mourinho could stay at Real Madrid, says Ferguson
The Manchester United boss is ready to face the Blancos at Old Trafford on Tuesday, and thinks that 'The Special One' could spring a surprise and remain in Spain

Barcelona living in fear now Mourinho's Madrid have shattered psychological barrier
The Catalans' era of dominance over their fierce rivals has well and truly ended after two defeats in a week, and the capital club now have the mental edge in the fixture

Alba: My gesture was in support of Messi
The full-back insists his celebration was meant to hail the Argentine's brilliance and not to provoke the home supporters

The referee was perfect, says Pepe
The centre-back defended the official's controversial decision to deny Barcelona a penalty and revealed his satisfaction with a second Clasico victory in the space of a week

Zubizarreta: Tackle on Adriano was clear penalty
The Blaugrana director maintains that the Brazilian should have been awarded a spot kick late on, but coach Jordi Roura did not want to be drawn into discussing the incident

Simeone wary of Malaga challenge
The Atletico Madrid coach is concerned about the threat posed by their upcoming opposition due to their creative talents, and believes the match could go either way

Real Madrid will continue to fight for Liga title, says Sergio Ramos
The 26-year-old's header earned los Blancos a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu and he assured fans that the team will continue to push the league leaders all the way

Messi's performances practically inhuman, says Solari
The Argentine has praised the Barca star, believing his feats to "far outweigh" Cristiano Ronaldo's, while he also says the Catalans are feeling the absence of Tito Vilanova

It would be hard for Laudrup to turn down Real Madrid, says Rangel
The former Denmark international has recently been linked with the Madrid job, and the defender feels a move to the Blancos could be a tempting opportunity

Barcelona are lacking hunger, says Koeman
The Blaugrana have not been at their best in recent weeks, but the Dutchman believes that their dip is natural, given their formidable form over the years

Ronaldo is the most complete player there is - Kaka
The Brazilian has heaped the praise on his club team-mate and does not think there is another player like him in the world today

Messi: Barcelona not used to losing
The four-time Ballon d'Or winner says the side are disappointed after defeats to Real Madrid and AC Milan, but has faith that they will bounce back soon

Barcelona still have unbeatable attitude, says Roura
The stand-in coach at Camp Nou believes his side must have a positive attitude and says Saturday's Clasico remains "an important match" despite the gap in La Liga

Cvitanich dreams of playing in England, Spain or Italy
The 28-year-old Nice striker spoke of his enjoyment of playing in Ligue 1, but stressed his admiration for La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A

Villas-Boas calls for Bale to rebuff Liga transfer
The Portuguese coach is keen to keep hold of his star player, and has urged him to remain in "the best league in the world" in order to aid his development at the top level

Kaka: Winning against Barcelona important ahead of Manchester United clash
The Blancos midfielder has said that a win in Saturday's Clasico will be ideal in order to maintain momentum ahead of their Champions League tie at Old Trafford on Tuesday

Manchester United will allow Madrid possession, thinks Santillana
The former Spain international feels the Blancos have what it takes to beat United if they put in a similar display as against Barca

 

[Lionel Messi]

Mourinho: The best team lost
The Madrid coach does not think his side deserved to win their Champions League match on Tuesday, and claimed the Red Devils were superior to los Blancos during the game

Mascherano: Three weeks ago we were at Disney, now it's like the House of Terror
The Argentina international feels the Barcelona players must improve after a patch of poor form has threatened to jeopardise their season, though he laughed off the club's doubters

Busquets: Barcelona miss Vilanova
The Spain international feels the Blaugrana are missing their head coach, but remains optimistic about his side's chances of Champions League progress

Barcelona still Europe's best, says Roberto Carlos
The former Brazil international feels it is too soon to write off the Blaugrana, and expects a tight Champions League encounter between Manchester United and Real Madrid

Barcelona & Inter wanted to sign El Shaarawy, claims agent
The young attacker's representative has revealed that the Spanish league leaders and the Nerazzurri were keen to sign the 20-year-old

Mourinho is still the pupil to master Ferguson - McQueen
The former Manchester United defender says that the Scottish manager is often underestimated when it comes to his tactics and the Portuguese boss respects him more than most

Mourinho: Ronaldo is the best ever
The Portuguese coach lauded his countryman as being better than Brazilian great Pele and Argentina legend Diego Maradona ahead of Real Madrid's clash with Manchester United

 

[Lionel Messi]

Messi: Ronaldo destined to be my rival

By Steve Norman
Mar 5, 2013 4:00:00 PM

The Blaugrana forward revealed his foresight after the Portuguese's move to Spain, and the Argentina international also revealed he wants "invented" stories about him to cease

Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi has revealed that he predicted that Cristiano Ronaldo would become his great rival following his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

The Portuguese attacker returns to Old Trafford on Tuesday night for the first time since his €93 million move to the Santiago Bernabeu, and the Argentine has hinted his belief that their rivalry which has developed since his arrival in La Liga was foreseeable.

He told Optimum Style: "Even before he [Ronaldo] signed for Madrid, I knew he would be my great rival in the following years."

The Argentine is fed up with rumours being created about him, as he is often the focus of media attention due to his moniker of being the best player on the planet thanks to four consecutive Ballon d'Or awards.

"Most things that have been said about me are invented. I'm a normal guy and I just want people to judge me as a player," he added.

"There is nothing nicer than to score and to win. I play with many good players and it would be wrong to mention just one."

 

[Givanildo]

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo hits back after Sir Alex 'old and fat' comments

By Alex Ward
Mar 5, 2013 7:35:00 PM

After being labelled derisively as the 'old and fat one' by the Manchester United manager, the Brazil legend has classed the comments as an unprofessional blunder by Ferguson

Real Madrid legend Ronaldo has hit back at Sir Alex Ferguson after the Manchester United manager poked fun at his past battles with weight issues.

The Scot described Ronaldo as the "old and fat one" when asked to compare the 36-year-old to his namesake Cristano ahead of the Spanish giants' visit to Old Trafford on Tuesday.

But, when quizzed about the Glaswegian's disparaging remarks during a Fifa visit to Arena Pernambuco, one of the venues for the World Cup 2014, Ronaldo remained diplomatic.

"I respect his opinions, I'm not pretentious as to expect that everyone will think I'm the best," he told reporters.

"I'm happy for what I achieved in football and for having been chosen as the best in the world.

"I feel sorry for the disrespectful manner in which he referred to me, it's something that's not good for someone of his position."

The 36-year-old was widely revered for his impact on the footballing world, with the Brazilian scoring over 400 goals during a glittered career that saw him win the World Cup twice and earn the accolade of Fifa World Player of the Year on three separate occasions.

Recently, the striker’s legacy has been sullied by his well-documented weight issues, forcing the former Golden Boot winner to turn to reality TV to lose more than four stone throughout the course of the Brazilian show - a staggering feat that he jokingly claimed Ferguson was unaware of.

"About my former figure, I have nothing add." he said.

"He clearly hasn't seen me since 'Medida Certa' [the show]."

 

[Bolocks]

Want Messi’s golden touch for a cut-price £3.5m? Barca star's left foot goes on sale in Japan

By ANDY JAMES PUBLISHED: 10:16 GMT, 6 March 2013 | UPDATED: 10:39 GMT, 6 March 2013

His buyout clause is a whopping £210million, but this week Lionel Messi is available for a fraction of that price. The Barcelona forward, voted the world's best player for last four years, has had a cast of his foot made into solid gold. The replica was created by Japanese jeweller Ginza Tanaka to commemorate Messi's fourth Balon d'Or award and is on sale for 500 million Japanese Yen.

Solid gold: A cast of Messi's left foot has gone on sale in Japan this week

The world's greatest: Messi collects his fourth Balon d'Or award back in January

Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo where the work of art was unveiled, Messi's brother Rodrigo said: 'It's exceptional. You can see each line in the foot. It's an impressive piece of work.' The jeweller cast Messi's foot in Spain at the end of 2012, a year in which Messi scored an incredible 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina.

Turning Japanese: The golden foot is on sale in Tokyo

Family matters: Messi's brother Rodrigo unveils 'Golden Foot Plates', which have also gone on sale

Part of the proceeds will go to Messi's foundation, which in turn will go to support children in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit Japan in March 2011. The Tokyo-based jeweller has also made 50 pieces 'Golden Foot Plates' and 100 'Golden Foot Minis', on sale for £62,700 and £27,850 respectively.

Good cause: The Messi foundation will donate some of the proceeds to supporting areas of Japan affected by the 2011 tsunami

​

 

[Bolocks]

Valdes handed four-match ban

Mar 6, 2013 11:39:00 AM

The Primera Division leaders will have to make do without the services of their first-choice goalkeeper for a number of weeks

Barcelona have announced on their official website that Victor Valdes has been handed a four-match suspension following his dismissal in Saturday's 2-1 La Liga loss away against Real Madrid.

The shot-stopper was shown a red card for verbally abusing referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa after he refused to award Barcelona a spot-kick in the closing stages of the game, and consequently faces a spell on the sidelines.

However, a statement on the Barca website reads that the Blaugrana will not accept the ban and the club's legal department will appeal the decision in the upcoming days.

Valdes will miss the Primera Division games against Deportivo La Coruna, Rayo Vallecano, Celta de Vigo and Real Mallorca if the suspension is upheld.

The 31-year-old has made 26 league appearances so far this term, keeping five clean sheets in the process.

 

[Lionel Messi]

Varane eyes Paris Saint-Germain in Champions League quarter-final
The French defender says he would "love" to face Carlo Ancelotti's side as the line-up for the next round of the competition shapes up

Valeron: Deportivo cannot waste Barcelona opportunity
With the relegation candidates desperate for points, the midfielder is targeting a win against a Blaugrana side struggling for form despite their cushion at the top of La Liga

Simeone calls for Atletico stability
The Argentine boss extended his contract with the Rojiblancos until 2017 on Tuesday, and wasted no time in outlining his future plans for the club

 

[Lionel Messi]

Messi: Don't write off Barca

By Livio Caferoglu
Mar 6, 2013 3:20:00 PM

The Argentine insisted the Blaugrana are still in with a fighting chance of progression, while he also commented on the national team, the Bundesliga and two British stars

Lionel Messi has warned people not to write off Barcelona, and said that the club will "do everything" in their power to turn around their Champions League last-16 tie with AC Milan.

The Catalan giants crashed to a 2-0 reverse in the first leg at San Siro a fortnight ago, leaving their European fate hanging in the balance despite their favourites tag upon the draw being made in Nyon.

But while the forward is aware of the Rossoneri's defensive aptitude, Real Madrid's victory over Manchester United and the emergence of German clubs this season, he is remaining optimistic about his side's fortunes.

"We can do it. It will be complicated, but we'll get our chances to go through," the 25-year-old said at the launch of 'Team Messi'.

"Never did the Italians play in our box. We will do everything to try to beat them like they did to us. Italian teams are very well organised and leave no spaces at the back.

"Hopefully Tuesday is the day that we can score the first goal from open play.
"Bayern [Munich] and [Borussia] Dortmund are almost certain to be in the last four, they are doing great and they deserve to be [in the knock-out stages].

"Madrid are proving to be very strong and are a candidate to win the Champions League, as were [Manchester] United."

A wretched run of form has seen Barca defeated in three of their last five matches, and Messi is determined to bounce back from the jaws of adversity as quickly as possible.

"I've had bad spells before. I've experienced many losses in my time, but I hope to enjoy many more successes like we've had in recent years," he added.
"I'm not sad. Hurt, yes, but not sad. We don't like to lose, but this is the perfect time to bounce back. I have the desire to win every day and I always want more."

Messi also spoke about Argentina's ambitions at World Cup 2014 in Brazil and revealed that winning the international trophy would be the "pinnacle" achievement of his footballing career.

"The national team is going through a good spell, having overcome some complex situations, and we have a lot of room for improvement. We come alive in big games, and we want to book our place in Brazil for the World Cup," he remarked.

"Winning [the World Cup] would be the dream of any footballer. It would be the pinnacle, but we can only talk about that for now."

The futures of Gareth Bale and Wayne Rooney have come under the spotlight recently, as both Premier League attackers have been linked with moves to La Liga, but the No.10 admits he cannot fathom either of the duo pitching up at Camp Nou.

"They are two top players. You always want to play with the best, but I think it would be very difficult for them to join Barca. They are already at great clubs," he concluded.

 

[Bolocks]

Maradona tips Guardiola for Bayern Munich success

By Barney Cullum
Mar 6, 2013 8:04:00 PM

The Argentine icon has tipped the former Blaugrana boss to hit the ground running at the Allianz Arena

Former Argentina coach Diego Maradona has tipped Pep Guardiola to hit the ground running when he replaces Jupp Heynckes in the Bayern Munich hotseat in June.

Maradona's managerial career has yet to hit the heights he enjoyed as a player, but the Napoli and Boca Juniors legend claims to recognise a great leader when he sees one.

"He will win titles in his first year with Bayern," the 52-year-old told Marca.

"Bayern are happy as they are guaranteed [success]. Pep is number one, no matter where he is."

Guardiola embarked on a 12-month sabbatical from football after leaving Barca at the end of last season following four years in charge at Camp Nou, in which he won three Liga titles and two Champions League trophies.

He has since been linked with a move to a host of different clubs, before Bayern announced they had won the race for his signature; revealing in January that he would link up with the Bavarians for the 2013-2014 season.

Bayern currently lead the Bundesliga by 17 points and are strong favourites to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Arsenal, having beaten them 3-1 in the first-leg of their last 16 tie.

 

[Bolocks]

Valverde laments falling short
7 March 2013

Valencia's lack of attacking spark was to blame for their Champions League exit on Wednesday, coach Ernesto Valverde said.

Valencia were knocked out of the competition at the last-16 stage following their 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Spain, Valverde's charges kept PSG relatively quiet and broke the deadlock through Jonas' long-range effort midway through the second half.

However, an Ezequiel Lavezzi goal on the counterattack extinguished Valencia's hopes of extending their stay in the Champions League, with Carlo Ancelotti's side running out 3-2 aggregate winners.

"We did not play as we usually do but we mastered the attacks of PSG," Valverde told reporters after the match.

"In the first half we stopped their counterattacks [and] we contained them. In the second half we had to go all-out attack and then they had their chances."

PSG were far from impressive on home turf, but Valencia struggled to make their superiority on the night count as the game slipped away from them.

"We failed to land the final blow late in the game due to fatigue. We lacked quickness and electricity," Valverde added.

Valencia defender Aly Cissokho was proud of his side's efforts in the French capital but said they had left themselves with too much to do after conceding two away goals in the first leg.

"Our regrets are for the performance in the first leg because tonight we played really well," Cissokho said.

"We prepared for the game effectively. I think these two goals they scored during the first leg in Valencia, made it very difficult for us to fight back."

 

[Bolocks]

LIONEL MESSI UK EXCLUSIVE: Rooney and Bale are great players and I always want to play with the best

By ALEX KAY PUBLISHED: 15:36 GMT, 6 March 2013 | UPDATED: 17:11 GMT, 6 March 2013

He’s the best player in the world and a king of diplomacy but for one second on Wednesday, Lionel Messi put aside his deadpan look and cracked a smile that told a thousand words. ‘Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale are both great players, they are doing so well for their clubs,’ said Messi when asked about them by Sportsmail, the only English newspaper invited to his adidas press conference in Barcelona. ‘And I always want to play with the best players. But I have to be careful with what I say because I can’t see them leaving their teams soon. But of course I want to play with the best players.’

Peerless: Messi talks to Sportsmail in Barcelona on Wednesday

'Great players': Messi lavished praise on Spurs winger Bale (left) and Manchester United forward Rooney (right)

They were words that won’t go unnoticed at Old Trafford or White Hart Lane. After dropping Rooney to the bench for Manchester United’s defeat by Real Madrid on Tuesday night, Sir Alex Ferguson may no longer consider him ‘the best’ but Messi seemed in no doubt during a 40-minute conference in which he was grilled on Barcelona’s recent poor form and the apparent mountain they have to climb against AC Milan in the Champions League next week.They are 2-0 down from the first leg in the San Siro but Messi, who has never scored from open play against an Italian team, is adamant Barcelona will not follow United out of the competition.

‘We’re all aware of the problems at the moment,’ said the Argentine, who has scored an incredible 50 goals so far this season but has seen his team lose twice recently to rivals Real Madrid. ‘We’ve had some big defeats and we all have to do a bit more to change and improve the situation. We have a very important match next week and we have to focus on that.

Crowded out: Messi and Barcelona failed to score in Milan last month

‘I hope we overturn the 2-0 loss. Why can’t we score three when they scored two in Italy? That’s what everyone expects from us and this is what we are going to try to do. Milan will be difficult but we can do it. We all have to do more. We have to show we can play better, like we did before.’Messi delivers everything with the calm, disinterested shrug of a teenager who looks like he would rather be in a dark room playing computer games.

Sitting on a podium with his four Ballon d’Or trophies below him, he looked bemused by the fuss, nervously sipping on his water and scanning the room looking for a familiar face or a place to hide.
As some journalists applauded his entrance at the small Onix Rambla Hotel in the centre of the city – a rarity not afforded to any player I have seen before – he smiled nervously and sheepishly took his seat. He hides the genius but that makes it all the more intriguing and confusing.

The world's greatest: Messi collects his fourth successive Ballon d'Or award back in January

The Messi Mantra

Football is supposed to be fun
So we don’t waste a minute
We stay on our feet
We play the ball, not the ref
We don’t dive to the ground, because we know, deep down, we shouldn’t be there
They can’t hold us back
We’re keeping the game beautiful
Step by stepover, Goal by exquisite goal
At speed, and with respect
There are thousands in our ranks
We are Team Messi

The 25-year-old was promoting the opening of the Messi Gallery, a temporary exhibition of his boots, shirts and trophies from his increasingly remarkable career. He has designed his own boots too, the flash but not too flashy adizero f50, and has even produced his own philosophy for the game, the Messi Mantra.It all goes with the territory of being the best in the world and one of the best of all time.One chink in his armour is his record against Italian teams, just three goals in nine matches and all from the penalty spot. That is something you feel will have to change against AC Milan if Barcelona are going to overturn the 2-0 deficit.

‘Italian teams have good players,’ he added. ‘These records exist to be broken and I hope I break it next week. Italians team famous for having strong defenders. It’s a problem for everyone.'I focus on the ability of myself and Barca to overcome this problem. We need to overcome it and next week’s match is the best way of doing it.’ Much of the blame for Barca’s recent dip in form has been put down to a lack of leadership but Messi refused to use manager Tito Vilanova’s absence for cancer treatment as an excuse. ‘Vilanova has affected us a lot of course. It’s affected the dressing room but we can’t use this as an excuse for our results. We just have to hope they are back soon.’

Golden balls: Messi shows off his Ballon d'Or collection

Sticking the boot in: The Argentine star with his adizero f50 boots

And what of the two men against whom he is forever compared?

‘I’ve been asked a lot of times about Ronaldo,’ he said, without even a trace of emotion. ‘We don’t make comparisons though. We don’t exist as players just to see which of us is better. We want to win trophies. I’ll leave the comparisons to you.’

And Maradona?

‘Working with him when he was Argentina coach was good even though we didn’t achieve what we wanted to. But it would be pretty difficult for him to manage Barcelona. But I guess you never know.’
With Messi, you rarely do.
​

 

[Lionel Messi]

Barcelona's confidence is gone, says Valdano
The 1986 World Cup winner has doubts that the Catalans can eliminate Milan, and believes United's defensive approach against Madrid cost them

Bielsa: Valencia will be unaffected by loss to PSG
Ahead of their clash this weekend, the Athletic Bllbao boss believes Los Che will not be too downhearted after their midweek exit from the Champions League

Simao: Aguirre is right man to take Espanyol forward
The Catalans' player thinks the former Mexico coach is the right person to lead the club after taking them from the bottom of the league to nine points from safety

Simao: Aguirre is a great coach
The Portuguese winger has revealed his admiration for his manager whilst expressing his desire to carry on playing as long as injuries treat him kindly

Neymar should join Barca, says Ramalho
The Santos coach believes his star player would flourish at Camp Nou, replicating several Brazilian legends in the process

Puyol confident that Barcelona will beat AC Milan
The 34-year-old Blaugrana star says his side will come out fighting against Milan in their Champions League tie and can progress in the Champions League

Our focus is on Deportivo not Milan, says Roura
The Blaugrana's stand-in coach says that victory on Saturday would be another step towards the Liga title, and defended his side's current form

First Barcelona and Pique, now Real Madrid are rocked by 'spying' scandal
Former presidential candidate Villar Mir has revealed he ordered ex-club chief Ramon Calderon to be followed after losing out to his rival in the 2006 elections

Neymar: I don't have a preference between Barcelona & Real Madrid
The forward has left the door open for both of the Liga giants to pursue his signature, and feels Lionel Messi is the best player in the world

Fabregas: Barcelona will be ready for AC Milan clash
The Spain international is optimistic about his side's chances of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League

Mourinho ready to become next Manchester United boss, says Clarke
The West Brom manager believes that his former Chelsea colleague has all the credentials to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson when the Scot finally vacates the Old Trafford hotseat

Barcelona fans demand most from me, says Fabregas
The former Arsenal man believes that Barca supporters want more from him than any other player at Camp Nou, while is also gearing up for their "most important" clash this year

Demichelis: Isco will be next to leave
The Argentina defender believes team-mate Isco will be the next to be sold by Malaga, with the Andulasians still faced with financial problems

Marcelo hit with €6,000 driving fine
The Blancos left-back was caught without a licence when he was stopped by the Civil Guard in Madrid on February 12 and must now pay a financial penalty

Real Madrid have shut Ferguson's mouth for me, says Ronaldo
After being labelled as the 'old and fat one' by the Scot prior to Tuesday's Champions League encounter, the Brazil icon feel his old club's victory was the perfect riposte

I will return to Newell's one day, claims Messi
The Argentina star has reiterated a desire to return to his homeland, claiming he wants the chance to pull on the shirt of the Rosario-based club he left to join the Blaugrana

Suker: Modric can become a key player for Madrid
The former Sevilla man is hopeful that the gifted midfielder can develop into an important first-team member at the Santiago Bernabeu side

Feghouli: Home defeat cost Valencia
The Algeria international has voiced his disappointment with his side's elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain

Messi: Abidal's fight is admirable
The prolific attacker has hailed the Frenchman's hard work as he continues his recovery from a liver transplant

Ronaldo nothing without the team, says Mourinho
The Real Madrid coach has nothing but praise for his star player, but has pointed out that he needs his team-mates in order to shine