Tag: Lionel Messi

Categories
football Slides Sports News

PSG CONFIRM LIONEL MESSI KNEE INJURY PROBLEM

Change of Lionel Messi of PSG during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint Germain and Lyon at Parc des Princes on September 19, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Pochettino’s decision to substitute Messi has been further vindicated as the French giant confirm that Lionel Messi was injured during the Ligue 1 tie.

Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to sub off Lionel Messi the other night caused quite a stir.

Finally making his home debut for Paris Saint-Germain in their game with Lyon, Messi hadn’t hit the kind of heights we’ve come to expect of him and, with the score 1-1, he was replaced with 15 minutes to go.

Mauro Icardi went on to get a late winner for PSG, but Messi’s withdrawal – and apparent snub of Pochettino as he made his way to the bench – generated most of the headlines after full-time.

Now, though, it seems Pochettino’s decison to to call the former Barcelona man back to the bench was even more justified.

A statement from PSG has confirmed that Messi has picked up a knee injury which will rule him out of the midweek Ligue 1 fixture with Metz.

Messi is said to have undergone an MRI scan on his left knee earlier in the week which showed signs of bone contusion. The club is expected to provide a further update in the next 48 hours, with PSG’s mouthwatering Champions League clash with Manchester City just a week away.

PSG are also due to play again at the weekend when they host Montpellier. Messi, it would appear, will be a doubt to start that game.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

LIONEL MESSI SUBBED OFF IN LATE PSG WIN AGAINST LYON

Change of Lionel Messi of PSG during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint Germain and Lyon at Parc des Princes on September 19, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Lionel Messi was substituted late on during his home debut for Paris Saint-Germain before Mauro Icardi grabbed a last-gasp goal to secure a 2-1 win over Lyon.

With the score at 1-1, Messi was brought off after 74 minutes and looked on in shock as he passed PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino.

However, PSG secured all three points in stoppage-time through substitute Icardi’s header.

Neymar’s penalty had cancelled out Lucas Paqueta’s opener in the second half.

Messi has still not contributed a goal or assist in all competitions since joining PSG on a free transfer from Barcelona this summer.

Lyon, who made a stuttering start to the season, are ninth with eight points while Marseille moved up to second on 13 points from five games after a convincing 2-0 victory against Rennes.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino opted for an attacking lineup with Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria in front of a two-man midfield featuring Idrissa Gueye and Ander Herrera while Gianluigi Donnarumma started his second Ligue 1 game after Keylor Navas featured in the Champions League.

“It’s a really important victory against a very good Lyon side,” said Pochettino. “The team showed their character after conceding the goal and that’s the most important thing tonight.

“Now we need to work a lot to find our balance.”

Messi looked more lively than against Club Brugge on Wednesday, forcing Anthony Lopes to a great save with a low crossed shot on 32 minutes after a clever backheel from Neymar.

Four minutes later, his 25-metre curled free kick crashed onto the bar.

Lyon went ahead nine minutes into the second half when Karl Toko Ekambi played Paqueta through for the Brazilian to beat Donnarumma at the end of a late run into the area.

It spurred PSG back into action and Neymar, who was closer to his best than in any other game this season, was brought down in the box.

The Brazil forward coolly slotted the ball past Lopes to convert the resulting penalty in the 66th minute.

Messi looked puzzled when he was replaced with fullback Achraf Hakimi, whose runs down the right flank were sorely missed by PSG.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MESSI STARTS, MBAPPE INJURED AS CLUB BRUGGE FORCE PSG TO DRAW

Star-studded Paris Saint-Germain were held to a surprising 1-1 draw by Club Brugge on Wednesday night in Group A in Flanders.

Lionel Messi made his first start for PSG, lining up alongside former Barcelona teammate Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the XI for the first time since joining from the Catalan giants in the summer.

Despite a long list of high-profile arrivals in Paris, it was Ander Herrera that opened the scoring in the 15th minute for the visiting side, reaching behind him to lash home a left-footed shot after Mbappe picked him out in the middle of the penalty area.

“We didn’t play a fantastic game, but to be fair we did enough to win, we deserved to win,” said Herrera.

“Maybe they had opportunities at the beginning of the second half but I think we controlled the match, we had a lot of chances.”

Brugge hit back before the half-hour when Hans Vanaken powered a first time shot past Keylor Navas from Eduard Sobol’s inch-perfect cross into the centre of the box to put the match back on level terms.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side found themselves under pressure from the Belgian champions after the leveller, but they managed to get into the dressing room for half-time in a 1-1 draw.

Mbappe, who went to ground in the first half and came off briefly, then limped off the pitch early in the second after an awkward tangle with a pair of Brugge defenders and was replaced by Mauro Icardi.

Both sides pushed for a go-ahead goal as the second half wore on, and Messi had a great chance saved by Simon Mignolet around 70 minutes before the Argentine was shown yellow for a challenge on Brugge’s Mats Rits.

“I didn’t have a lot of work, I just pulled a couple of saves. We played as a compact side, it was the right approach,” the Belgian said.

No winner came for either club and the teams settled for a point apiece to trail Manchester City, who thrashed RB Leipzig on Wednesday, in the group.

After the match, Pochettino urged patience with PSG’s new attacking trio: “It requires time for them to shine together.

“It requires work. I had made it clear that we’re not a team yet, we have to work for this.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

LIONEL MESSI SCORES HATRICK IN BOLIVIA WIN, BREAKS PELE’S GOAL RECORD

Lionel Messi has scored his 79th international career goal for Argentina, surpassing the South American men’s record held by Brazil legend Pele.

Messi scored all three goals in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Bolivia on Thursday in a World Cup qualifying match at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, giving him two more than Pele, who had 77 career goals in international play.

Messi trails Brazilian duo Marta (109) and Cristiane (96) for the overall record for most goals scored by any South American player at the international level.

Third on the men’s list is Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar, who has 69 international goals for Brazil.

“I was very nervous, I just wanted to enjoy the night. I waited a long time for this,” an emotional Messi said after the match. “We won the game that was the most important thing and now we can celebrate.”

Three-time World Cup winner Pele remains in hospital due to surgery for a tumor on his colon on Monday, although the 80-year-old said the operation was a “great victory.”

Messi, 34, has had a memorable summer — changing clubs from Barcelona to PSG in August and winning his first senior international football title in July. He and La Albiceleste claimed the Copa America from Brazil in a 1-0 win at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.

After Thursday’s result, Messi danced with his teammates and showed off the Copa trophy to the 21,000 supporters present.

“It was a unique moment [to win the Copa America] because of where and how we obtained the title,” Messi said.

“There was no better way to do it and been able to celebrate the title now, it’s incredible. My mother, my brothers are here in the stands. They have suffered a lot … I’m very happy.”

Thursday’s game also came days after Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Brazil — their first rematch since the Copa final — was controversially suspended. Brazilian health authorities entered the pitch at Sao Paulo’s Corinthians Arena with the game in progress and accused four Argentina players of failing to follow Brazil’s COVID-19 protocols for entering the country.

With 26 goals in World Cup qualifying matches following his hat-trick against Bolivia, Messi also passes Uruguay star Luis Suarez — his former teammate at Barcelona — for most among CONMEBOL players.

With eight career goals vs. Bolivia in 11 games, it is Messi’s most goals against a single opponent while donning the Argentina shirt.

Messi is also his country’s all-time leading scorer, having moved past Gabriel Batistuta (54 goals) in 2016. He is also Argentina’s most capped player, with Thursday’s match against Bolivia marking his 153rd international appearance.

Prior to the Copa America victory, Messi had lost four major finals with Argentina’s senior side. They were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final and had lost in the final at the Copa America in 2007, 2015 and 2016.

He had won the under-20 World Cup in 2005 and an Olympic gold medal with Argentina’s U23s in 2008.

Messi joined PSG over the summer on a shock free-agent move after two decades with Barcelona. Messi had been with Barcelona since 2001, joining the academy the year before.

Messi played 778 games at Barcelona, breaking Xavi Hernandez’s appearance record in the 2020-21 season. In addition, he scored 672 goals, another club record, and helped Barca win, among other trophies, 10 La Liga titles and the Champions League on four occasions.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Lionel Messi era begins as PSG beat Reims; Mbappe scores 2

Messi made his debut for PSG on Sunday after coming off the bench midway through the second half in a 2-0 win at Reims in the French league.

The Lionel Messi era has begun at Paris Saint-Germain, without a goal for the Argentine superstar but plenty of adulation and fanfare.

Messi made his debut for PSG on Sunday after coming off the bench midway through the second half in a 2-0 win at Reims in the French league.

Messi replaced his friend and former Barcelona teammate Neymar in the 66th minute and they shared a hug.

After years of glory for Messi at the 99,000-capacity Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, the record six-time Ballon d’Or winner and four-time Champions League victor made his first PSG appearance at the modest 20,000-seater Stade Auguste Delaune.

Such is Messi’s star factor that the home fans chanted “Messi, Messi” while a smiling Reims goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic took a photo of Messi holding a child after the game.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was touched by the reception for Messi, pointing out that supporters of both teams were delighted to see him play.

“The welcome he got was something beautiful to see and hear, on the part of our fans but also the Reims fans,” Pochettino said.

“Messi was very happy about it. His presence generates more enthusiasm, everyone can feel it and it has an effect on the other players.”

Before the match, hundreds of fans gathered for a glimpse of Messi as he descended the team bus and he waved back at them.

They wanted to see one of the all-time greats, along with Pele and the late Diego Maradona, who Messi adored.
Messi’s incredible skill, close control, grace, vision, dancing feet, astute passing, speed of thought and execution have thrilled fans for years.

He netted 672 goals for Barca and won 35 trophies for the Spanish giant, including the 2015 Champions League alongside Neymar.

That was the last time Messi won Europe’s elite trophy and, somewhat ironically, his last goal for Barca in the Champions League was a brilliant strike away to PSG last season in the round of 16.

The 34-year-old Messi, who led his nation to the Copa America title last month, joined PSG three weeks ago after his new contract with Barcelona fell through.

Striker Kylian Mbappe was named in the starting lineup as Real Madrid tries to sign him before the end of the summer transfer window.

Mbappe had already scored both goals before Messi came on.

He headed in Angel Di Maria’s cross in the 15th minute and then turned in Achraf Hakimi’s cross in the 63rd for his 135th goal since joining PSG in 2017.

“No, I wasn’t surprised by his enthusiasm,” said Pochettino, who did not comment on Mbappe’s immediate future.
For it remains to be seen whether it’s his last for PSG, which has started the season with four straight wins and has 12 points.

OTHER MATCHES

French champion Lille and Monaco finally won their first games of the season.

Yusuf Yazici and Jonathan David scored as Lille beat Montpellier 2-1, and Sofiane Diop grabbed both goals as Monaco bounced back with a 2-1 win at Troyes.

Angers remains unbeaten and has 10 points after beating Rennes 2-0 at home.

Also, it was: Lens 2, Lorient 2; Strasbourg 3, Brest 1; Clermont 2, Metz 2.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Paris Saint-Germain want to sign Cristiano Ronaldo next summer to play alongside Lionel Messi

Paris Saint-Germain will reportedly move for Cristiano Ronaldo next summer, with the French giants desperate to pair the Portugal international with Lionel Messi at Parc des Princes.

Messi completed a move to the French capital on a free transfer earlier this week, with Barcelona unable to sign the Argentine to a new deal due to their financial problems.

According to AS, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is now planning to sign Ronaldo, who could be a direct replacement for Kylian Mbappe in Paris.

Mbappe’s contract with Mauricio Pochettino’s side is due to expire next June, and Real Madrid are said to be at the head of the queue for the France international.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, will be out of contract with Juventus at the end of next season, with the former Sporting Lisbon youngster potentially becoming available on a free transfer.

The report claims that the 36-year-old’s agent Jorge Mendes has already been in discussions with PSG over a two-year contract at the club.

Ronaldo was strongly linked with a move away from Juventus earlier this summer but now looks set to spend one more season in Turin before seeking pastures new.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Lionel Messi accepts Paris Saint-Germain contract

Lionel Messi has agreed to sign for Paris Saint-Germain on an initial two-year deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Les Parisiens have been considered the frontrunners for the 34-year-old’s signature since he voiced his desire to leave Barcelona last summer, although it was his intention to pen a new deal at Camp Nou this time around.

However, financial obstacles prevented Messi from extending his glittering spell in Catalonia, and PSG’s main rivals in the race for the attacker – Manchester City – were not considering a move for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner this summer.

PSG were understood to have tabled a two-year contract to Messi’s entourage, and transfer insider Romano claims that the Argentine has now accepted the Ligue 1 side’s offer.

Romano adds that Messi will soon fly to Paris to put pen to paper on the deal until 2023 with the option of another 12 months, and he will pocket around €35m (£29.6m) per year with Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Manchester United were rumoured to have been preparing a last-ditch attempt to tempt Messi to Old Trafford, but it appears that the Red Devils have lost out in the race for his services.

Messi won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues during his 16-year spell in Barcelona’s first team, racking up 672 goals and 305 assists from 778 appearances.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

TEARFUL LIONEL MESSI GETS STANDING OVATION AS HE SAYS GOODBYE TO BARCELONA

An emotional Lionel Messi has revealed he expected to extend his stay at Barcelona.

It was announced on Thursday the six-time Ballon d’Or winner would not sign a new contract with his boyhood club, with president Joan Laporta saying a day later that the former regime at Barca in addition to LaLiga spending rules had thwarted any hopes of the Argentinian staying in Catalonia.

Speaking at his farewell press conference on Sunday morning, a tearful Messi got a standing ovation after speaking.

He said: “This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay at home, that’s what we all wanted more than anything.

“We’d always made this our own, we were at home. We thought we would be staying here in Barcelona. But today, we have to say goodbye to all of this.”

The 34-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a move to Paris St Germain, had been set to remain at the Nou Camp but is now a free agent.

He added: “I did everything possible and the club, Laporta, they couldn’t do it because of LaLiga.

“I’ve heard things said about me, that I didn’t want to continue, but on my life, we did everything we could because I wanted to stay.

“Last year, I didn’t want to stay and I said it; this year, I wanted to stay and we couldn’t.”

PSG appears the most likely next destination for Messi and while he confirmed that joining the French giants was a possibility, he insisted nothing was yet agreed.

He said: “That’s honestly one possibility, to reach those heights, but I’ve got nothing confirmed with anybody.

“When the press release was published, I had a lot of calls and a lot of clubs were interested.

“At the moment, I’ve not got anything closed, but we are talking about a lot of things.”

Categories
football Sports News

PSG CONFIDENT IN SIGNING LIONEL MESSI, HOPE TO COMPLETE DEAL WITHIN THE WEEK

Paris St Germain are confident signing Lionel Messi would be profitable in the long run and hope to complete a deal within a week, the PA news agency understands.

Barcelona announced on Thursday night that the Argentina superstar would be leaving the Nou Camp, with financial restrictions preventing them from offering him a new contract.

LaLiga has a salary cap, calculated based on a club’s financial health, which was reduced in November in the wake of the financial pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and Barca have been hit hard.

PSG were understood to initially be of the view that a deal could not be done when the announcement came, but sources close to the matter say a direct approach from Messi to PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino later on Thursday changed the dynamic.

Overnight the French club undertook a commercial analysis and determined that signing Messi would work within the confines of Financial Fair Play rules.

The personal connection between Messi and fellow Argentinian Pochettino and the fact the deal is a free transfer are both factors in PSG pursuing the deal.

They believe Messi’s signing would drive up their commercial revenues, both in Europe and in South America should he link up with Brazilian star Neymar.

The French club had been in contact with Barcelona earlier in the summer regarding Messi but thought the chance to sign him had passed when it was indicated he would be staying in Catalonia.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

LIONEL MESSI TO LEAVE BARCELONA AS CLUB BLAMES LA LIGA REGULATIONS

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal.

Messi, who joined Barca’s youth set-up aged 13, is the club’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games in all competitions.

The Argentina forward was free to negotiate a transfer with other clubs after his deal ran out at the end of June, but Barcelona had always maintained he wanted to stay with the club.

Messi, who has spent his whole career at Barcelona, had been expected to sign a new five-year deal with the Catalan club, which would have included a salary reduction of 50 per cent.

Barcelona needed to financially restructure in order to get the deal over the line, which proved impossible in the end as they failed to reduce their wage bill in order and stay within La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

La Liga chief Javier Tebas said last month that Barcelona, who have a total debt of more than €1 billion, would not be shown any leniency when it comes to obeying the league’s strict financial control rules.

The news of Messi’s exit comes a day after La Liga agreed in principle to sell 10 per cent of a newly formed company housing most of its business to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for €2.7 billion.

“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish La Liga regulations),” Barca said in a statement.

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Messi’s last contract, signed in 2017, was the most lucrative in world sport according to a January report in newspaper El Mundo.

Messi had tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020, making a formal request for an exit after a breakdown in his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu but successor Joan Laporta, who presided over the Argentine’s rise to greatness, convinced him to stay.

The Argentine, who helped Barcelona claim 10 league titles, four Champions Leagues and three Club World Cups among his haul of 35 trophies, remains without a club ahead of the 2021-22 season.

The Catalan club’s president Joan Laporta will hold a news conference on Friday morning in the wake of Messi’s exit.