Archive for 2010

Messi vs Sevilla – The Video!

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Messi vs Sevilla – The Pictures

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Messi Back With A Bang As Barcelona Claim Supercup!

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Lionel Messi scored a hat trick as Barcelona won a record ninth Supercup by beating Sevilla 4-0 in the second leg for a 5-3 aggregate Saturday. After losing the first leg 3-1 in Seville, league champion Barcelona dominated from the start in its Camp Nou Stadium. In the 14th minute, Pedro Rodriguez delivered a low cross that rebounded in off defender Abdoulay Konko. In the 25th, Messi ran on to Xavi Hernandez’s long through pass and put a first-time shot past goalkeeper Andres Palop. The Argentina striker scored his second and put his side ahead on aggregate in the 44th, shooting high into the net after being put through by Daniel Alves. Messi ran on to Andres Iniesta’s pass to complete his hat trick in the 90th.

Barcelona fielded an under-strength side in the first leg, with none its eight players who helped Spain to World Cup victory available. However, on Saturday coach Pep Guardiola fielded a more familiar-looking side. With doubts over the future of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and new signing David Villa starting on the bench, Bojan Krkic accompanied Messi and Pedro in attack. Victor Valdes returned in goal and playmaker Hernandez was in central midfield, alongside Sergio Busquets and Seydou Keita. Copa del Rey winner Sevilla, which went into the game following a 1-0 defeat to Braga in the Champions League, struggled in midfield and barely threatened in the first half as Barcelona controlled possession.

In the sixth minute, Messi burst out of midfield with a trademark run and struck a fierce shot high. In the 11th, Daniel Alves was ruled offside as he controlled the ball from a dangerous position on the right of the area. Barcelona kept up the pressure as Maxwell’s long-range shot nearly fooled Palop with a rebound off a defender. Messi fed the charging Krkic in the 23rd, although the striker put his shot wide of the left post. In the 57th, Villa came on for his first game for Barcelona since arriving from Valencia in the summer, replacing Pedro. Villa looked determined to score his first goal for the club and Palop had to parry a volleyed strike from the forward in the 77th. World Cup hero Andres Iniesta was also brought on and shot wide just seconds after replacing Krkic. Sevilla responded by bringing on Diego Perotti, Luis Fabiano and Luca Cigarini as coach Antonio Alvarez attempted to find some attacking spark. However, the Barcelona defense looked untroubled as the visitors rarely looked like scoring.

Martin Palermo Believes Messi Isn’t A Leader

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Lionel Messi has been chided by Argentina team-mate Martin Palermo, who claims the Barcelona star lacks the leadership qualities that Diego Maradona had when he led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title. Palermo even compared Maradona’s humble roots in growing up in a Buenos Aires slum to Messi’s youth, which was spent playing for Barcelona.

“Messi isn’t Maradona,” Palermo said on Monday on America TV. “To me, Messi does not have Maradona’s mentality. He’s not prepared to carry the team. “He (Messi) is not one to take the role of leader. He won’t do it because he’s not used to this position. He grew up in another way, he’s lived differently. He’s been with Barcelona since he was 12.”

Messi, FIFA’s reigning Player of the Year, has never shown the same form with the Argentine national team as for Barcelona. At the recent World Cup in South Africa, he failed to score a goal. Critics have suggested Maradona had Messi playing out of position, forcing him to drop into midfield to get the ball instead of receiving it near the box.

Germany humiliated Argentina 4-0 in the World Cup quarter-finals, and Maradona left the team several weeks later after the Argentine Football Association declined to renew his contract as coach. The 36-year-old Palermo was one of six strikers in Argentina’s squad at the World Cup, but played only 13 minutes in South Africa and is unlikely to have a future with the national team no matter who takes over the reins.

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