Messi plays guitarist Noel Gallagher in the group, who are set to embark on a secret European tour. He has apparently recruited a Barcelona team mate to play Liam Gallagher, but has refused to reveal their identity.

“Our disguise is based on how Oasis looked in the mid-90s,” he told The Sun. “We have our wigs, clothes and glasses sorted. I also spent a lot of time getting the mannerisms right.” Messi has become an Oasis convert ever since Argentina team mate Carlos Tevez introduced him to the band before this summer’s World Cup. He recently described the Manchester group’s music as the best “I have ever heard”.

Believe these reports at your own risk.

However, in the reality of the footballing world, Adam Johnson thinks he can be England’s answer to Lionel Messi.

The Manchester City winger was named in Fabio Capello’s preliminary World Cup squad for South Africa before being axed ­before the tournament.

Despite that disappointment, the 23-year-old said: “If you look at Arjen Robben and Lionel Messi, they are playing on the right even though they are left-footed. I will play on the left or the right. “There are not many players who go past people properly. There are a lot of players who play on the wing who just go up and down and work hard.”

The Argentine Football Association said the roster was selected by Maradona. Several players left off the World Cup team were picked, including midfielders Jesus Datolo and Fernando Gago, and forward Ezequiel Lavezzi. Sergio Batista, a coach of Argentina’s youth team, will lead the squad and is said to the official interim coach. Batista recently won a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a Messi inspired Argentina dominated the tournament.

Goalkeepers: Mariano Andujar (Catania, Italy), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)

Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan, Italy), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle, England), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich, Germany), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille, France), Emiliano Insua (Fiorentina, Italy), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan, Italy), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City, England)

Midfielders: Ever Banega (Valencia, Spain), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina, Italy), Jesus Datolo (Espanyol, Spain), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid, Spain), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid, Spain), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle, England), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England), Javier Pastore (Palermo, Italy), Maxi Rodriguez (Liverpool, Liverpool)

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid, Spain), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli, Italy), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain), Diego Milito (Inter Milan, Italy), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City, England)

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Before the pair’s two-hour meeting on Monday, Grondona stated he was hopeful a new four-year deal could be agreed with Maradona.
But while Maradona was keen to continue in the job, he also declared he would he would refuse to renew his contract, which ended after the defeat to Germany in Cape Town, if the AFA dismissed even one of his staff. “If they touch a hair of one of my guys, even if it’s the masseur or the kitman, I’m going,” he told El Show del Futbol on America TV.

Grondona had already signalled his desire for backroom changes after admitting the AFA “had lots of problems” with one of Maradona’s assistants, former Argentina defender Oscar Ruggeri.
Grondona’s demand, then, for the replacement of a number of assistants – one of whom was believed to be Maradona’s close friend Alejandro Mancuso – was, unsurprisingly, snubbed by the football legend.

Argentina face the Republic of Ireland on 11 August in Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium – the first international football match at the redeveloped Lansdowne Road site. That fixture is expected to hasten the AFA’s appointment of a successor, with Argentina under-20 coach Sergio Batista, who played in midfield alongside Maradona in the 1986 World Cup final and managed Argentina to gold at the 2008 Olympics, Racing Club boss Miguel Angel Rosso and Alejandro Sabella, of Estudiantes, already touted as potential candidates.

Although appearing defensively frail at times, Maradona’s side topped Group B in South Africa with victories over Nigeria, South Korea and Greece. They overcame Mexico 3-1 in the second round but the emphatic nature of their last-eight exit at the hands of the Germans saw Maradona’s future as coach once again come into question, as critics of his tenure during his fraught qualification campaign once again rounded on him.

Since taking the job in November 2008, Maradona, considered by many as the greatest footballer in history, won eight and lost seven of his 15 games in charge of La Albiceleste.

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English rock band Oasis is said to have been the inspiration for pre-match preparations in the Argentina dressing room during the World Cup in South Africa. Now Messi, 23, wants to return the favour by inviting Oasis guitar legend and Man City fan Noel, 43, over to Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium.

“Maybe Noel could give the boys a live set after training and they could see how great Oasis are. At the moment they refuse to listen to anything other than Kasabian,” the Sun quoted him as saying. “We could also go for an Argentinian steak at this great South American restaurant in Barcelona. “And if my plan works, it will mean Oasis being played in the world’s greatest football club – after Man City, of course!” he added.

Barcelona have beaten Real Madrid on the last 4 occasions, with Messi scoring 4 goals within those encounters. This years Camp Nou Clasico takes place in late November.

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Argentina star Messi has helped Barcelona to a series of honours on the domestic and European front in recent years and Robben believes Cole has the same sort of ability on the ball. The Bayern Munich and Dutch star spent three years with Cole at Chelsea and reckons that the Premier League champions could live to regret their decision to let the England midfielder leave to join one of their main rivals.

Robben told Liverpoolfc.co.uk: “I read Gerrard’s words about Joe being as good as Messi on the ball and I couldn’t agree more. After training with him for so long I can tell you some of the things he can do with a football are as good as anything I have ever seen.

“If Joe is now played in a more central position he will score and create a lot of goals, I see him as a real runner for Player of the Season. He is not just about tricks, though – his vision is fantastic. The chances he will create for Torres will help Liverpool to have a trophy-winning season. I think it was a big mistake of Chelsea’s letting Joe go, and I am sure the fans feel the same way. At 28, even with his injuries, Joe must still be a £15 million-pound player in the current market.”

There are often many comparisons to Messi when attempting to describe the qualities of certain players, but surely this one is wide of the mark.

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“I promise to be back next year for the second edition of the tournament. I want you to have the same spirit. I’ll try to bring Lionel Messi with me, I’m sure he’ll accept my invitation.” Gifted with a lethal left foot, outstanding vision, near-unstoppable dribbling skills and sublime technique, Messi is a sight to behold. Add in his explosive changes of pace, timing and nose for goal – a trait particularly in evidence in La Liga 2010 – and you have an idea why fans from Laikipia can’t wait for 2011.

“I can’t wait to see that world class player. He’s the best in the world. Mimi hupenda vile yeye huchenga wasee jo, (I really admire how he dribbles past players),” said William Muhinja from Central Rhinos, who was voted the tournament’s best player.

“I didn’t expect what I saw here. I thought I would just find a few journalists and maybe some airport workers. But the many fans I saw impressed me. It was overwhelming,” said the Cameroonian star. The Inter Milan striker visited the country earlier this year at the invitation of Zeitz Foundation, when he launched the tournament aimed at boosting conservation efforts in the Laikipia region.

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Racing de Santander and Barca met in the opening games of the 2004/05 and 2007/08 seasons with a 0-2 win for Barca in the first game (goals from Giuly and Eto’o) and a goalless draw in the second. Barca’s visit to Santander last season ended in a 1-4 thrashing with Ibra, Piqué and Messi(2) on target for Guardiola’s team. The first team to visit the Nou Camp in the 2010-11 season will be newly promoted Hercules who play Barca on September 12th.

The Real Madrid game has fallen at the same time as last year. In 2009, Madrid visited the Nou Camp on November 29th and this year Mourinho will bring his team on November 27th or 28th, with the return game in the Spanish capital set for April 17th.

This year Barca will travel to Espanyol’s Cornella ground on December 19th and receive their neighbours on May 8th . There will be three midweek league games next season, with Barca at home to Sporting on September 22nd, away to Valencia on 2nd March and Llevante on May 11th. Barca’s final two games will be at home to Deportivo and away to Malaga. Meanwhile, fierce rivals Real Madrid will begin their campaign with a visit to Mallorca on Matchday One.

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Here is a video of the incident:

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Lionel Messi said: “I have been working on it for a few months. It would be me in Barcelona. We’ve approached Wayne for Manchester, Frank for London, and Colin for Dublin. have spoken with Jay-Z for New York and the dream is to have David for LA. I already have (footballer) Alessandro Nesta and (rapper) Lupe Fiasco in Milan and Chicago. It will be high-end clothes and accessories for men. I’d like to open the initial shops by next summer. If we get all the names we are trying for, we can be the most famous and best men’s fashion brand in the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, patriotism and national divisions seemed to play a role in Lionel Messi getting booked in Deco’s charity match in Brazil on Sunday. The exhibition match, played in the Brazilian city of Indaiatuba between Deco’s XI and a Rest of the World XI, ended 3-3. However more important than the scoreline was that Lionel Messi failed to find the net in the contest and moreover, the pocket-sized Argentine left the field with a yellow card.

Messi was withdrawn in the 55th minute after he scored a goal that was ruled out for offside. According to reports the Barcelona star was whistled offside but nevertheless continued to play before rolling the ball into the net. That went down badly with match referee Tata, and Messi was booked as a result.

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