Sunday, June 30, 2013

Move over Lionel Messi, here come the dribbling robots.

With the score tied 1-1, it's time for a penalty shootout in a tense soccer match between teams from Israel and Australia. As the Australian goalkeeper in his red jersey braces for the shot, the Israeli striker pauses. Then he breaks into a dance instead of kicking the ball.

Perhaps he can be forgiven: He's a robot, after all.

Welcome to the RoboCup, where more than a thousand soccer-playing robots from forty countries have descended on the Dutch technology Mecca of Eindhoven this week with one goal in mind: beat the humans.

Today, Lionel Messi announced on YouTube the organization of four charity matches by “Messi and Friends” to be played in four different cities in South and North America. The games, played for the benefit of Messi’s charity foundation, “in generating support for children’s charities”, will include star players from around the world.

In the video, Messi says “the friends” are not the professional players that will make up the teams, but that they are all the football lovers who will follow the matches, and hence support the charities. The second game will include Messi’s Barça teammate next season, Neymar, while it seems that Mascherano and Abidal will take part in all four games. Below are the details of the events.

Saturday, June 29 – Medellin, Columbia

The first game will take place in Atanasion Girardot Stadium in Medellin, where Messi and Friends will play against “the rest of the world”. The players will include Abidal, Mascherano, Materazzi, Demicheli, Bojan, Kun Agüero, and Robinho.

Tuesday, July 2 – Lima, Peru

The second game will take place in Estadio Nacional in Lima, and it is being billed as the “Duel of the Giants” according to FC Barcelona’s official website. The billing is the result of Neymar’s participation in this match alongside Sergio Busquets, Abidal, Mascherano, Julio César, David Luiz, and others.

Wednesday, July 3 – Los Angeles, USA

The third game will be at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. Messi’s team will include himself, Pinto, Mascherano, Cesc Fàbregas, Alex Song, Busquets, Abidal, Pablo Aimar, Marek Hamsik, Alvaro Pereira, and Walter Gargano. “The rest of the world team” will include Giovani dos Santos, David Ospina, Gerardo Torrado, Jesus Corona, Jonathan dos Santos, Marco Fabián, James Rodriguez, Kevin Boateng, Antonio Cassano, Robert Lewandowski, and Emiliano Insua.

Saturday, July 6 – Chicago, USA

The final game will take place at Soldier Field in Chicago, and will include Jordi Alba, Busquets, Cesc Fàbregas, Agüero, rumor-heavy Edinson Cavani and Robert Lewandowski, New York Red Bulls and former Barça forward Thierry Henry, Chelsea’s David Luiz, and Florent Malouda.

Only Messi missing: Spain plus Neymar & Alves gives Barcelona a glimpse of their Dream Team for 2013-14.

Nine players from the Catalan club could all feature in the Confederations Cup final, while the Blaugrana's latest signing leads local hopes of a win at the Maracana on Sunday.
Barcelona should sell Lionel Messi. So said Johan Cruyff earlier this week, claiming the Catalan club cannot accommodate both the Argentine and summer signing Neymar in the same side next season. Back in the real world, however, Barca fans need not worry: selling Messi is as far from anyone's mind at CampNou as changing the club colours to all white.

Cruyff's opinions seems strange: his own Barcelona side was filled with superstars such as HristoStoichkov, Romario and Michael Laudrup and, although problems did arise, this was usually in conflict with the coach himself. And that team - the Dream Team - went on to achieve great things, becoming the firstBarca side to clinch a European Cup (in 1992) and winning four straight Liga titles (between 1991 and 1994) following a prolonged period of dominance by Real Madrid.

On Sunday, with Messi missing, Barcelona fans will be given a glimpse of their latest Dream Team as new man Neymar and Dani Alves of Brazil square up to Spain's nine Blaugrana representatives (Victor Valdes, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and David Villa) in the final of the Confederations Cup.

Lionel Messi reported to have paid additional €10m to Spanish taxman.

• Payments correspond to tax owed for image rights income
• Messi due to appear in court near Barcelona in September

Lionel Messi has prepared complementary tax returns for 2010 and 2011 and has paid the tax authorities in Spain an additional €10 million, according to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.

Sources connected to the case have confirmed that the player's payments correspond to taxes owed for image rights income in 2010 and 2011. They have also said that the payments were made through a complementary tax return, which consists of a correction to the tax return originally submitted.

Messi is also looking to strike an agreement for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 financial years. Sources claim Barcelona's Argentinian striker has accepted that he must pay tax on income from image rights and wishes to clear up any issues with his tax returns for the three years under investigation.

Barcelona's financial crimes office filed a complaint against Messi and his father, Jorge, on 12 June, accusing them of tax fraud. The Messis are accused of three crimes against the tax authorities corresponding to the 2007, 2008 and 2009 financial years, when they are alleged to have used tax havens to avoid paying more than €4 million.

Messi is due to appear in court for questioning in Gavá near Barcelona on 17 September, although his lawyers have said he "scrupulously complies with Spanish legislation".

Lionel Messi is innocent of tax fraud said by the lawyer again.

Messi is totally innocent, insists lawyer

Lionel Messi is innocent of tax fraud and speculation about an out-of-court settlement on Thursday is wide of the mark, insists his lawyer, Angel Juarez.

The Barcelona star and his father have been summoned to appear in court on September 17 to respond to a complaint signed earlier in June by prosecutor Raquel Amado in the Gava district of the Catalan capital.

The Spanish tax authorities allege that the Argentine failed to declare more than €4 million (£3.4m) in image rights income earned between 2006 and 2009 and reports in the Catalan press on Thursday claimed that the forward had agreed to settle out of court for around €15m (£12.8m).

"Those stories were published without any confirmation from us or any consultation," Juarez told Goal in a telephone conversation late on Thursday.

"Nobody can confirm that information. We cannot comment on any questions concerning my client [but] we still believe totally in his innocence - that has never changed."

Messi reportedly has two months to prove his innocence in order to avoid a court appearance but Juarez says that there will be no further developments in the short term.

"The latest news is that [of the court summons] but the next news will not be soon," he continued. "There will no more developments [for now]."

The first round of Champions League action takes place on September 17 and Messi will be keen to avoid a court date on that very same day.

"It could be [settled out of court]," Juarez confirmed. "That is one of the possibilites."

Sunday, June 23, 2013

More Awesome with football: Happy Birthday to Leo Messi, the living legend.

HBD Video Link
Born Lionel Andres Messi on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, the once scrawny little boy with the imperfect legs turns 26 years old on Monday, but neither records or awards convey his lasting impact on how the world views soccer.

Are you really expecting me to come up with something original to say about Leo Messi? Is such a thing even possible? He might’ve been called diminutive more than anyone other human, but the word "small" should be kept far, far, away from Leo.

Choose your metric: goal tally, assist figures, Ballon d’Or gluttony, sagging trophy cases, Q Rating, aw shucks brilliance, genuine humility, jaw-dropping strength, toughness belying his cool demeanor, the man is a living breathing testament to how all sports are intended to be played, Messi ticks all boxes.

What is there left to say? I don’t know, but I am sure we’d all be quite pleased to see this Argentine icon continue his benevolent rule over Planet Soccer --- Feliz Cumpleaños.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Messi: World Cup absence makes me sad.

The Argentine craves international success with his country more than another Ballon d'Or award and revealed that he is not quite the footballing superstar back at home.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has expressed his anguish at being without a World Cup winners' medal in his trophy cabinet.

The Argentina forward, who turns 26 on Monday, has won four Ballons d'Or in a row but he stressed that what he really craves is the greatest prize in international football to add to his silverware collection.

"Between a fifth Ballon d'Or and a World Cup with Argentina, I'd want the latter, without a doubt," he toldCorriere della Sera. "I'm missing a World Cup; it makes me sad."

Despite widely being considered as the best footballer on the planet right now, Messi's record-breaking antics fall on deaf ears at home with his wife Antonella, and the Blaugrana star admitted that he does not watch much of the sport he excels at.

He added: "I never watch football on television. Antonella gets bored with it. I come home and tell her I scored two or three goals, and she doesn't even hear me!"

Messi is currently recovering from a hamstring injury that saw him only appear intermittently in the final two months of Barcelona's Liga-winning 2012-13 campaign.

Friday, June 21, 2013

"Lionel Messi is innocent of tax fraud" - Lawyers.

Madrid:

Barcelona star Lionel Messi's lawyers said Friday they "firmly believe" in the innocence of their client, who is accused of avoiding paying tax on income generated from the sale of his image rights.

The 25-year-old four-time World Player of the Year and his father Jorge Horacio were ordered by a Spanish court Thursday to appear for questioning in September as part of an investigation into alleged tax fraud.

Spanish financial crimes prosecutors filed papers with a court in Catalonia, northeastern Spain, on June 12 accusing Messi and his father of defrauding the tax office of over four million euros ($5 million, £3.4 million) in income related to the use of his image from 2006-2009.

"We firmly believe in the innocence of our client," Messi's lawyers office, Juarez Veciana, said in a statement.

Respect Messi, If Tax issue is True, then it's a fault of Messi's Tax Consultant.

Lionel Messi continues to be scrutinised by the world's media. Given the fact that the Argentine forward has been recently accused of tax dodging and his well-deserved status as a global star, it seems inevitable that the public wants to find out every tiny detail about any developments -- no major surprises here.

What I find unacceptable is how a huge majority of the Madrid-based media seem to be using the situation as a golden opportunity to trash the quadruple Ballon d'Or winner's reputation. Spanish press and television seem to be making a conscious effort to publicise the story to a point at which, quite frankly, one would think that they are referring to a dangerous serial killer rather than a humble 25-year-old man who kicks a football for a living.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has a September court date as part of an inquiry into alleged tax fraud.

Messi and his father Jorge have been summoned to appear in court in Gava, Catalonia, on Tuesday, September 17 to answer questions relating to claims that they defrauded the Spanish tax authority of four million euros (£3.4million) between 2007 and 2009.

A statement from the ministry of justice read: "Court number 3 of Gava has agreed to open proceedings on the lawsuit presented by the public prosecutor against Lionel Andres Messi and Jorge Horacio Messi for three alleged crimes against the ministry of finance, related to income tax, for tax years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

"The judge has called the accused to present themselves on September 17, 2013 to make their declarations.

"For the investigation to advance, a series of proceedings will take place, such as the taking of declarations from necessary people to clarify whether or not a crime has been committed."

It remains to be determined whether Messi and his father are to be charged with any offence.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

3 Ways Real Madrid can bring Messi to Real Madrid.

Messi does have a close group at Barcelona and that can be leveraged(Photo by Globovison)

News Source

For all what Ronaldo is worth, I think we can all agree (Real Madrid fans and Barcelona fans) that Messi is just in a class of his own. His ability to perform to insane levels in big games is something Ronaldo has never matched and probably can never match.

However, Ronaldo has given Messi a run for his money in terms of consistency and putting away medium-hard opponents both in the league and the Champions League.

During the calendar year, Leo scored a record 91 goals combined in all competitions for Barcelona and the Argentina national side, shattering the mark of 85 tallied by GerdMuller for Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.

Though he had already bested Muller’s mark (and many others) early in December, young Leo finished his 2012 this past Saturday with a brilliant goal in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory at Valladolid, a delightful buildup and finish best summed up by Ray Hudson’s “magisterial” call on beIN Sport.

Now, Messi’s club side may have had a relatively underwhelming end to the 2011-12 campaign, finishing a disappointing second to Real Madrid in La Liga and falling to Chelsea in the semifinals of the Champions League. But Messi neither underwhelmed nor disappointed.

But I didn't realize quite how ridiculous Messi's year was until I broke down the numbers.

To start, Messi's 91 goals upped Muller's record by about seven percent. That would be like Miguel Cabrera breaking Barry Bonds' one-season home-run record of 73—and not by a home run or two...but by five, for a new total of 78. That would be impressive.

Leo scored 91 total goals in 69 official games, 79 in 60 appearances for the Blaugrana and 12 in nine matches for the Albiceleste.

The math is easy enough; that’s an average of 1.319 goals per game. While it’s not quite up to Muller’s average of 1.417 (85 goals in 60 matches) back in ’72, well, it ain’t half bad.

Messi’s tally of 91 goals in 69 matches, though, gets more impressive when you look at it under several other lights.

Messi, who came on as a substitute in recent World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Ecuador, was given a place in the starting line-up and gave Argentina a 15th minute lead with a left-foot shot from outside the penalty area.

Messi, scoring his third hat-trick for his country, provided the cross for Augusto Fernandez to head in the second in the 35th minute before converting a penalty himself four minutes later.

He completed his hat-trick four minutes after halftime when Ezequiel Lavezzi produced a low cross from the right and he casually side-footed the ball in from 12 metres after being left completely unmarked.

Lionel Messi Teaching You His Dribbling Skills - English Subtitles

Lionel Messi shows the new way of dribbling. You can find him teaching dribbling by watching the video.Link given below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_M72aBC0dY

Lionel Messi's Latest Hat-Trick Dismisses Distraction of Tax Fraud Accusation

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi notched a hat-trick on Saturday in Argentina's 4-0 road victory over Guatemala, dismissing the notion that his performance on the pitch will be affected negatively by his recent tax fraud accusation.

Messi had come off the bench in recent matches to add a spark, but was given the starting nod in this international friendly and didn't disappoint, scoring in a flurry at the 15th, 35th and 39th minute to cap off another epic performance.

SportsCenter's official Twitter page captured the significance of Messi's latest career milestone, as he passed former Argentina star Diego Maradona in scoring his 35th goal for the national team:

A supporting cast of second-stringers played alongside Messi, because some of the other marquee Argentinians were resting after tough World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Ecuador, per Daniel Edwards of Goal.com.

That deflected attention away from the potential financial pitfalls—albeit they are relatively minor for him—that may await Messi and shifted the focus to his characteristic brilliance as a prolific scorer.

The 25-year-old forward and his father, Jorge Horacio, are being accused of filling fraudulent tax returns from 2006 to 2009 (h/t CNN), and the amount Messi reportedly owes is $5 million.

In papers filed by prosecutor Raquel Amado,Messi allegedly evaded taxes by selling his image rights by way of overseas companies.

A footballer of Messi's caliber doesn't have to necessarily worry much about finances, considering his buyout clause is $335 million and his annual net salary numbers $14.75 million.

Having said that, this isn't exactly the best look for him from a publicity standpoint, and the fact that his father is involved as part of the alleged actions has to hurt for Messi. He issued a stern denial that he ever attempted to cheat Spanish authorities out of money on his Facebook page on Wednesday:

We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities...We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement...We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation.

It's not the amount in dollars, but it's the principle that makes this development troublesome for the four-time World Player of the Year.

What's wonderful is the way Messi has handled it, which is reminiscent of how he gracefully glides the field and dominates in a seemingly easy way. Barca president Sandro Rosell insisted to the media that the family is taking it very well, and that he believes Messi did no wrong:

Friday, June 14, 2013

GUATEMALA 0 ARGENTINA 4 - MESSI SCORES TREMENDOUS TREBLE

Lionel Messi was back to his scintillating best as he scored a hat-trick in a friendly game for Argentina against Guatemala which saw the Albiceleste victorious by four goals to nil.

Messi started the match from the beginning and was clearly unaffected by the negative press he received earlier this week. His magic was undoubtedly on show as his complete return to fitness moves closer.

ARGENTINA VS GUATEMALA(4:0) (MATCH FACTS)

ARGENTINA 4-0 GUATEMALA
15' L.Messi(assist Lavezzi)

36' A.Fernandez(assist Messi)

40' L.Messi (pen)

49' L.Messi(assist Lavezzi)

Most Valuable Player,MESSI:The CIES Football Observatory launches the 2013 Annual Review

The CIES Football Observatory is pleased to announce the launch the eighth edition of the Annual Review. This reference publication presents a comparative analysis of clubs and players in the big-5 European leagues at demographic, economic and pitch performance levels. An excerpt of the study is to be found on the Football Observatory’s website.

The Annual Review notably reveals that Lionel Messi would largely break the 94-million euro transfer fee record. Estimated on the basis of an exclusive econometric model, his value is between 217 and 252 million euro. With an estimated value between 102 and 118 million, Cristiano Ronaldo would probably also break his own record.

Argentina completes its current stretch of matches with a friendly against Guatemala after a pair of frustrating draws in World Cup qualifying. The Albiceleste would like to end on a high note before heading into a summer break.

As it stands now, Argentina is still in very favorable shape in CONMEBOL qualifying. It sits atop the nine-team group with five matches left to play. Still, the team will want to showcase far better form leading up to Brazil next summer.
Guatemala was eliminated from World Cup contention last year. It finished third in a CONCACAF group in which only two teams advanced. It was a disappointing setback for the side. The Chapines are coming off a scoreless draw with Belize.
Let's check out all the key information for the friendly, along with some players to watch and a match prediction.

Where: Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala
When: Friday, June 14 at 10 p.m. ET
Watch: Gol TV
Live Stream: Gol TV Mobile

Argentina Coach Sabella Will Experiment vs. Guatemala, but He Should Rest Messi.

For the good of everyone concerned, Lionel Messi should remain planted on the bench for the duration of Argentina’s international friendly against Guatemala on Friday.

No one stands to benefit should the four-time Ballon d’Or winner take to the field in Guatemala City; not Argentina, not Barcelona and certainly not the player himself.

Argentina manager Alejandro Sabella will likely name a changed lineup to face Guatemala on Friday.

1.His Age Gives Him Time

It's been said in the title slide and we'll repeat it here. Lionel Messi is only 24. It feels like he's been in the game forever, but with eight seasons under his belt so far, there is time for many more.
With everything he has done so far, he is one of the greatest to have played the game.

Messi's Fans in Facebook are busy with the Topic of Tax."Messi's Tax Story: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"-Argentina Football Fans Bangladesh

Argentina Football Fans Bangladesh Says-

It's funny when haters will find it satisfying about any news that puts Messi in a bad light. Psychologically these people must have been deeply hurt by his goals and performances against their teams and puts their favorite player/s in his shadow that they could not differentiate between an accusation and prosecution.

Mind you, he has not even been summoned let alone prosecuted! Someone just unilaterally went to the press without even presenting all the evidences, and all these haters are already having a field day making statements as if he's already guilty.

MADRID (Reuters) – Lionel Messi’s picture was on the front pages rather than in the sports sections of the Spanish media on Thursday, after the World Player of the Year and his father were accused of tax fraud.
The news is damaging to the Argentina and Barcelona forward’s image, and he joins a long list of top athletes who have been investigated by the tax authorities, including Luis Figo, Boris Becker and Diego Maradona.
“Leo Messi marked financially by the tax man,” wrote daily El Pais, while sports paper Marca’s front page said: “A symbol under suspicion.”

Lionel Messi arrives in Guatemala amid tax fraud allegations – video

Video Link

Lionel Messi joins his Argentina team-mates in Guatemala after he and his father, Jorge, were accused by the Spanish tax authorities of a fraud worth more than £3.4m. The income in question was earned between 2006 and 2009 through the sale of image rights to third parties. Messi, who is expected to start the game against Guatemala, was not of age at the start of the time period and his father was in charge of his finances

Messi Playing Cricket Video:Watch it if you have not watched yet.

Leo Messi, the best soccer player in the world has turned his attention to a new sport. Watch Messi, the FC Barcelona legend take his skills to the cricket field and show once again that he can master any sport. Soccer superstar Lionel Messi may be new to cricket but in this latest commercial for Herbalife, the sensational striker shows yet again the power of his exceptional footwork.

This is the third time Leo Messi has teamed up with Herbalife.

Argentinian international, Leo Messi, is officially sponsored by Herbalife. Herbalife sponsors professional athletes who reflect Herbalife's commitment to excellence, health and active lifestyle. Our sponsored athletes use Herbalife products to help them excel on an elite level. For these athletes, high-performance nutrition is a necessity, and Herbalife is proud to be a part of their success.

Herbalife, nutrition for a better life. Watch the video in the link given below:
Messi Playing Cricket

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

ECUADOR 1 ARGENTINA 1 - MESSI CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Argentina earned a vital point in Quito to end Ecuador's 100% home record in the World Cup 2014 qualifiers to move closer to the finals in Brazil.

Lionel Messi started the match from the bench as it was clear that he has not yet returned to full fitness, particularly with the Quito altitude as a factor.

Lionel Messi and his father Jorge have been accused of tax evasion and are being investigated by authorities in Spain.

The prosecution suggests that Messi and his father filed incorrect tax returns between 2007-2009, thus defrauding the state of around 4 million Euros.

10. Most La Liga Hat-Tricks in a Season:The Argentina international holds the record for most La Liga hat-tricks in one season with eight. Just let that sink in for a moment.

9. Champions League Top Scorer Four Years in a Row:Lionel Messi is the only player to ever finish as the Champions League or European Cup top scorer in four straight seasons.

8. Most Goals Scored for Argentina in One Year:After the calendar year had finished, Messi again put his name alongside the greats that wore the Argentina shirt. Lionel Messi joined Gabriel Batistuta as the players to score the most goals in one year having netted 12 times.

Lionel Andres Messi plays in La Liga for FC Barcelona.
He is the captain of the Argentina national team.
At the age of 21 years, he received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations.
He won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009.
He won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010 and 2011.
Because of his playing style, he is drawn comparisions with Diego Maradona.
He is the third player (after Gerd Muller and Jean-Pierre Papin) to top-score in three successive European Champion Clubs' Cup campaigns.
In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national U-20 team.
He made his full international debut in 2005 against Hungary at the age of 18.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he won an Olympic gold medal with the Argentina Olympic football team.
In March 2010, France Football ranked him at the top of its list of the world's richest footballers.
In 2010, he was announced a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
In September 2012, he became the global brand ambassador of Turkish Airlines.
In April 2011, he launched a Facebook page and within a few hours, his page had attracted more than six million followers.
His Facebook page has over 33 million followers as of March 2012.
He celebrated scoring his 23rd goal for Argentina, by placing the ball under his jersey, as his girlfriend is reportedly 12 weeks pregnant.
He has two cousins also involved in football: Maxi, a winger for Club Olimpia of Paraguay, and Emanuel Biancucchi, who plays as a midfielder for Paraguay's Independiente F.B.C.
In 2007, he established the Leo Messi Foundation, a charity supporting access to education and health care for vulnerable children.
In March 2010, France Football ranked him at the top of its list of the world's richest footballers, ahead of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Most Interesting Facts About Lionel Messi's Life(TOP TEN)

1.Messi supports a number of charities through his Leo Messi Foundation

+6He is also a a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF

2.Lionel rakes in more than $35 million a year in salary

+7He is annually among the world’s Top 10 earning athletes

3.He was offered a place in the national team by Spain which he did not accept

4.Barcelona officials were quick to spot his footballing skills

They offered to pay for Messi's medical bills and the family shifted to Spain

5.Lionel is sponsored by Adidas and appears in their television commercials around the globe

6.His family is of middle-class Italian origin

We communicate “We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. We are surprised about those news, because we have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advices of our Tax Consultants who will take care of clarifying this situation.”........Leo Messi.

Source

Barcelona, Messi top AP soccer poll

LONDON (AP) -- Despite failing to win European soccer's top prize, Barcelona came out as the top team this season in The Associated Press global soccer poll.

And with 60 goals in all competitions, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi earned 66 votes more than Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo to top the season-end player rankings.

Ronaldo (left) and Messi.

1/1

"Messi's supreme form until getting injured near the end of the season - a key factor in Barca's exit from Europe - means he is a more obvious standout for player of the year, especially as Bayern's success was built more on team and squad depth rather than one outstanding individual," said panelist James Porteous of the South China Morning Post.

Top of The Match: Messi(by fan ratings in goal.com)Ecuador 1-1 Argentina(Match Report)

Argentina were forced to dig deep as they toiled in the altitude of Quito, but a determined defensive effort saw Alejandro Sabella's men hold on for a 1-1 draw away to Ecuador in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier.
Sergio Aguero's early penalty was cancelled out by Segundo Castillo's header, and despite frantic home pressure the Albiceleste showed just enough to earn the solitary point that keeps them on track to qualify for Brazil 2014 at the top of the qualifying table.

Seeking a win that, with help from Tuesday's other results, could confirm their place in next summer's finals, Argentina could not have asked for a better start. Just one minute into the encounter, Angel Di Maria picked up the ball from deep and, turning onto his left foot, released an effort towards goal. Alexander Dominguez parried straight into the path of Rodrigo Palacio and felled the advancing forward, leaving a penalty as the only option for the referee.

The new FIFA 14 E3 trailer features Barcelona stars Messi, Pique, Fabregas, Xavi & Iniesta.

The much anticipated E3 conference for gamers was thought to be “won” by Sony thanks to some late announcements regarding pricing and how to share games.
E3 also marks the time when gaming companies show a little more of the upcoming games all the kids will be buying this Christmas.
So, EA Sports released a new trailer featuring Barcelona stars Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Even if you don’t like FIFA or video games, this is still worth a watch as the likes of Xavi and Iniesta explain how they view the game and when to play the killer pass.
Now some blurb from EA Sports: “FIFA players now have four times the decision making ability than the current generation of footballers, enabling each player to have Pro Instincts—human-like reactions, anticipation, and instincts. The leap forward in intelligence is matched by innovations that deliver true player motion. Now in FIFA 14, every step matters with Precision Movement that enables players to explode out of each step and every turn like real athletes, preserving their natural momentum. Plus, the artistry and athleticism of footballers will come to life with Elite Technique that world class players express in every match.”
The new Barcelona FIFA 14 trailer, for XBOX One & PS4, is in below link.
News and Video Link

Messi has proven to Neymar that size doesn't matter - Michael Laudrup

The former Barcelona hero rejects claims that the young Brazilian forward could struggle at his new club due to his small frame following the confirmation of his move from Santos.
Swansea City boss Michael Laudrup believes that Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has proven to new team-mate Neymar that size does not matter.

The Brazilian recently completed a €57 million (£48.7m) move to Camp Nou from Santos but there is a split of opinion over whether the 21-year-old will be a success.
The 5ft 9in forward has been labelled as too small and thin by some experts to succeed in Europe, criticism that has only intensified during recent outings for Brazil.

11	Matches Played	12
3	Table Position	1
20	Points	25
5	Goal Difference	16
16	Goals for	24
11	Goals Against	8

Felipe Caicedo 4	Goals	7 Gonzalo Higuaín 7 Lionel Messi
Cristian Benitez 2	Assists	4 Ángel Di María
Cristian Benitez 4	Yellows	2 Marcos Rojo 2 Ángel Di María 2 Rodrigo Braña 2 Sergio Agüero 2 Javier Mascherano
Cristian Fernando Noboa 1 Antonio Valencia 1	Reds	1 Gonzalo Higuaín

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