Inter Milan has first option on Messi

Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter Milan has an informal agreement with Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22).

Inter president Massimo Moratti would have closed a verbal deal with the player's father and agent Jorge Messi that they will first negotiate with the Italian club if Messi would have to leave Barcelona in the future for whatever reason, also because the player would prefer to join Inter in that case.


Read more:
Messi and Iniesta until 2016
Messi: "Everything is the merit of Guardiola"
Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi

Student of the day: Messi

School report of Barcelona player Lionel Messi when he was 12 years old and studied at the Las Heras primary school in Rosario. Messi got a 10 for Physical Education, an 8 for Plastic Education and Musical Education and a 6 for most of the other courses.

Messi scores best goal of Champions League

The goal of Barcelona player Lionel Messi against Olympique Lyon at the Camp Nou was last week chosen by UEFA as the best goal of last season's Champions League. Iniesta's late equalizer at Stamford Bridge in the semi-final against Chelsea finised second and the free-kick scored by Lyon player Juninho against Barcelona was third.

Messi: "Everything is the merit of Guardiola"

Barcelona player Lionel Messi gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.



Tell us something about Barça. What is Guardiola adding to this squad?
Everything. What he transmits, what he knows, the attitude he has, the desire with which he is working with us, everything that is happening is his merit, the five cups are his merit. I admire Guardiola, I admire his ability to lift up a squad that was humiliated, a squad that was doing really bad. It's a unique coach.

And Maradona?
He's the idol of the Argentinian people. The only time I saw Maradona play was when I was a kid. My father and my uncle took me to the stadium of Newell's. I had already seen the goals of Diego so many times at home... In Argentina, when there's some gathering, people always end up watching the goals of Maradona against England. I don't remember almost nothing of that game at the stadium of Newell's, but now he's here, as national team coach, of a team in which I am the number '10'. He's a great motivator. If Diego talks, everyone is listening because we know we are hearing the voice of football.

Brazil-Argentina: what a game!
Yes, and at home. Of course we have the qualities needed to beat the Brazilians. The team is united, Rosario is involved with the team and we need to win because we want to be at the World Cup. The Brazilians also play good football, they can count on my friend Dani Alves who is a phenomenon. But this has to be our game.

Let's talk about another coach, José Mourinho.
(laughs) I never had problems with him. I keep on saying what I have always said. It seems a great coach, who makes his team play in a very disciplined way, a winner as he has shown with several teams. And he's a lucky guy because he can now count on a centre forward like Samu. The games against Inter will be entertaining. I really hope Samu will do great at Inter. We all want him to have a great time, a lot of us still have a great relationship with Samuel.

There's someone in this Barça who is irreplaceable?
We live as a team and we work as a team, but if there is one then maybe the captain, Carles Puyol. As a person, as a captain, how he helps the team in every moment. He has helped me a lot. And well, as a player I don't have to reveal anything, there's nobody like him, he's a '10'.


Read the first part of this interview here:
Messi: "I am great because of my team-mates"

Wenger pointing at Barcelona players

Speaking at a press conference about a diving accident involving Arsenal player Eduardo during the Arsenal-Celtic game, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger earlier this week tried to pull Barcelona players Messi and Pedro into the debate:

"Uefa have made the case of Eduardo. If you watch the Super Cup on Friday then they will have to charge Lionel Messi for headbutting or they will lose credibility. They have opened something there that over the weekend I'll find you 50 situations where they can intervene, or if they don't Eduardo will be singled out for being a wrong victim.

I do not want Messi to be punished but if they go for Eduardo then people will demand it. Pedro, also of Barcelona, dived as well in the Super Cup and so I don't think there's any logic to Eduardo's case. We have clear proof that from behind he was touched on his right leg.

There is no common sense. I believe it was a more emotional decision really because if Uefa had said before the season starts, 'Listen, let's get together and no matter what happens in Uefa games, if we suspect someone of diving he will be punished' then you could say, ok, we've always been told they will do that. But suddenly, out from nowhere because it was an emotional situation in Scotland, we have this situation and have to live with that."

Read more:
Cesc could arrive in June... or December
Wenger: "When I see Barcelona, to me it is art"

Messi: "I am great because of my team-mates"

Barcelona player Lionel Messi gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.




One month into the new season and already two trophies...
Everything has gone very fast. You start and the next thing you know you're already competing for two trophies as a result of the hard work of last season. It's good to start like that, although it's hard. If you look at the calendar, we won't have a moment to breathe until January or February... Pfff, we will have to make the best of it because it will be a tough season.

But it is less tough when you enjoy yourself...
We are having a good time and you can see that, right? We are having a good time because the football we play is made to make the footballer have fun. But we are also suffering, of course. Nobody should think that we aren't exhausted at the end of a game.

How does it feel to be the best player in the world?
This team has made me big. This Barça has made me grow and makes me better every day. All those with whom I had the honour to play have taught me something and this group makes you better. For me, that is very clear: I am great because of them. All those individual trophies should have copies, reproductions, one for each team-mate. That's the way we work, as one, we are one and that way it is easier to stand out and to do what you like to do. Someone is covering for you when you are trying to make an action that could be decisive but that also carries some risk. It's great to ba part of a team like this Barça.

What is Iniesta lacking to win individual trophies?
There's nothing lacking, he's a crack already! But because he does everything with such ease, it seems like there's nothing to it. But he has everything needed to win win individual prizes.

How is Ibrahimovic doing?
Very well. Ibra knows that Barça is a new world. It wasn't easy for him to adapt to a team that plays by heart, with an enormous quality, that has won everything last season... He wants to learn from the group and this is valued. He has a lot of qualities and he will add a lot of things to the team. He's acting in a modest way and he has adapted very well to the group.

The group is missing Eto'o?
Of course we miss him, every team would miss him. What Samu gave us on the pitch was incredible, he was the first one to put pressure, always going forward and scoring goals like nobody can. He was very important for the team. But now he's at Inter and I'm sure he will do great. I talk with Samu every now and then, I like to know how things are going for him.


Read more:
Messi and Iniesta until 2016
Bodyguard of Messi is football hooligan
Messi Club Footballer of the Year

Messi & Iniesta until 2016

Catalan sports newspaper Sport reports that FC Barcelona is close to signing extensions that will keep stars Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta with the team until 2016. Both players are being rewarded for their elevated play over the past year, although another major motivating factor is to raise each player's buyout clause to levels beyond even the reaches of big spenders Manchester City and Real Madrid.

The deal with Messi is all but signed, according to Sport. The Argentine will receive a base pay of around 10 million euros, just higher than the 9.5 million euros Barca pays to newly-acquired striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. However, Barca will need to spend more money to reach that number going forward, as Messi no longer qualifies for a foreigner-based tax rate. As such, Barca and Messi will be responsible for a 43% tax rate, as opposed to the current 23% tax rate.

Beyond the new base salary and undisclosed performance bonuses, the new agreement will call for Messi's buyout clause to be raised from its current level of 150 million euros to 200 million euros. It is hoped that this number will be high enough to discourage deep-pocketed clubs from poaching the Barca youth product, but it is thought that the new buyout figure is intended to demonstrate the will of the player as much as a financial disincentive.

Along with a new salary and buyout clause, the new contract will extend the agreement between the player and the club from 2014 to 2016.

Negotiations with Andres Iniesta are not as advanced as those with Messi, but he is in line for a similar deal to the one that the Argentine will sign in the coming weeks. Barca now sees Iniesta as part of the team's top player tier. As such, he will receive a salary similar to, but likely a bit lower than, those given to Messi and Ibrahimovic. Along with the the new salary, Iniesta will likely agree to extend his contract until 2016 and to raise his buyout clause from 150 million euros to 200 million euros.

The deals will bring both players close to "Barca for life" status. Iniesta will be 32 years old in 2016 and Messi will be 29.

Read more:
Contract renewal Iniesta close
Messi will be offered until 2016

Messi will be offered renewal until 2016

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona wants to extend the contract of Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) until 2016.

Although the renewal negotiations would already be well-advanced and Messi would get a pay rise and a buyout clause of 200 million euros, the club would now also want to propose the player - when he returns from South-America - to extend the duration of his current contract, that expires in 2014, for two more years.

Read more:
Contract renewal Messi to be closed this week
Bodyguard of Messi is football hooligan
Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi

Bodyguard of Messi is football hooligan

Argentinian sports paper Olé reports today that the bodyguard of Barcelona player Lionel Messi is a football hooligan.

The Argentinian football federation would have appointed Ariel Pugliese (picture below, behind Messi), better known under his nick name Gusano ("Worm"), to act as bodyguard of Messi during his stay in Argentina ahead of the international game against Brazil next weekend.

Gusano would be one of the leaders of the ultras of Argentinian second division club Nueva Chicago, who has been linked with (although not yet accused of) the murder of Marcelo Cejas, a fan of a rival team, in 2007 and who has been involved in several acts of violence and financial fraud.

Read more:
Contract renewal Messi to be closed this week
Messi Club Footballer of the Year
Messi will wear new boots in Super Cup

Guardiola on Ibrahimovic, Chygrynskiy and Messi

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola commented on some players.


Ibrahimovic
"The only thing Ibra needs is time. It's a great player who didn't take part in the pre-season. But as he is so good, he won't have any problems."

Chygrynskiy
"It's a great transfer for us, but you will see it when he'll play. We had one place we had to fill up at the back, it's a Uefa Cup winner, still very young although he has already been playing in the Champions League for three or four years. It wasn't some crush. We knew a lot about him, we have asked around a lot, we have seen him a lot and I think he can help us. We should thank the club for the effort and now it's up to the player to show it on the pitch."

Messi
"He is clearly the best, he is always one step ahead of the rest and when he says 'I want to win that game', he wins it. He has to deal with the pressure of being the best and he does that in a very natural way. He has all the qualities the number one should have and I have never seen anyone like him."

Iniesta and Márquez
"They are both almost ready to reappear but you will have to wait for the second league game to see them in action."

Read more:
Guardiola: "Messi best player I will see in my life"
Video: Chygrynskiy at the Camp Nou
Ibrahimovic: "Soon I will be one hundred per cent"

Messi will wear new boots in Super Cup

Barcelona player Lionel Messi will play tonight for the first time with his new Adidas f50i football boots.

The shoes are made in honour of his home-country Argentina. The colour is dark blue with some accents in skyblue, white and gold, the colours of the Argentinian flag. The golden sun that appears on the Argentinian flag, also appears on the shoes. Messi himself helped to design the shoes.

Read more:
The customized shoes of Ibrahimovic

Messi and Xavi win Uefa awards (pictures)

Barcelona player Lionel Messi won yesterday the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year prize at the UEFA Club Football Awards in Monaco.

The Argentinian international was also selected as Best Forward, while Barcelona player Xavi Hernández took the Best Midfielder trophy. Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar and Chelsea captain John Terry completed the honours list as Best Goalkeeper and Best Defender.

Messi Club Footballer of the Year

Barcelona player Lionel Messi has won the award of the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.

Messi also won the award of Club Forward of the Year while Xavi was elected Club Midfielder of the Year


UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year
Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United FC)

UEFA Club Defender of the Year
John Terry (Chelsea FC)

UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year
Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona)

UEFA Club Forward of the Year
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

Video of the day: Messi vs Athletic Bilbao

Contract renewal Messi to be closed this week

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that a deal on the contract renewal of Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) is close.

The basic elements of the deal would already have been agreed upon and the final deal could be closed this week, although the signature will only be put next month after the paper work has been completed.

Messi would earn in the future a year salary of 10 million euros net plus incentives for trophies won by the team and possibly also for individual trophies. The players buyout clause would be doubled to 300 million euros, while the contract duration - until 2014 - wouldn't change.

Read more:
Messi renewal negotiations to start next month
Maradona: "Messi makes quicker progress than I"
Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi

Maradona: "Messi makes quicker progress than I"

Speaking to Argentinian radio station FM Palermo, Argentina national team coach and former Barcelona player Diego Maradona had said that the career of Barcelona player Messi is going faster than his own:

"Lio has made progress a lot quicker than I did. He didn't have serious injuries. While I played for Barcelona, I suffered hepatitis and I broke my ankle. I couldn't be as consistent as Messi is now."

Read more:
Messi renewal negotiations to start next month
1983: Maradona gets seriously injured

Quote of the day: Pedro

Playing with Messi is very easy. He takes care of everything.

Pedro,
Barcelona player

more quotes and numbers

Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi

Speaking at Barcelona's socio's assembly, Barceloan sports director Txiki Begiristain has said that the club plans to renew the contracts of Barcelona players Carles Puyol, Rafael Márquez, Andrés Iniesta and Lionel Messi:

"We need to take care of the wage structure, but we also have to understand that a lot of clubs want our players. That's why, without losing our heads, we need to close some important renewal deals. We did it with Valdés earlier and now we're trying to renew Márquez and Puyol. Both have different skills but the two are special players and add their things and quality to the team. And we finally want to have another player who starts and ends his career here.

The renewals of Messi and Iniesta are also ongoing. Both players are very involved with the club. Iniesta is a versatile player, who can play both in midfield as on the wing. he has made progress and we will try to adapt his salary to his real value. And Messi is simply the best player in the world."

Read more:
Marquez wants to renew for three more years
Barcelona's wage structure
Puyol doesn't see renewal problems

Quote of the day: Messi

Maradona asks me the whole time to play with the national team the way I play with Barcelona.

Lionel Messi, Barcelona player

more quotes and numbers

Six Barcelona nominees for UEFA Club Awards

UEFA has announced the nominees for the UEFA Club Football Awards to be presented during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on Thursday 27 August.

The voting procedure gives the coaches of the 16 teams that reached the knockout phase of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League the possibility to cast their votes for each position as well as to nominate the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year 2009 of their choice.

Based on the voting results, the list of nominees is as follows:


UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year
Petr Čech (Chelsea FC)
Víctor Valdés (FC Barcelona)
Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United FC)

UEFA Club Defender of the Year
Gerard Piqué (FC Barcelona)
John Terry (Chelsea FC)
Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United FC)

UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC)
Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona)
Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona)

UEFA Club Forward of the Year
Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC)