Sunday, May 9, 2010
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Messi, Ronaldo score as Barcelona and Real Madrid top the Spanish League
Both Kaka and Ronaldo were the recipients of FIFA World Player of the Year as well as "Ballon d'Or", often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year, in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Well, things changed a lot after that. Now, Lionel Messi is the firm favorite to win the FIFA World Player of the Year 2009 and also the European Footballer of the Year after guiding Barcelona to win the treble last season! To read more about his superb performance, Click here.
Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid season 2009/2010. Real Madrid will certainly give Barcelona a good run for their money this season.
Sun, Nov 29 2009 Real Madrid 11:00 am EST
Sun, Apr 11 2010 away at Real Madrid 11:00 am EDT
So, what are you waiting for? Set up your alarm clock/calendar ladies and gentlemen!
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On Barcelona's treble, Henry has something to share...
"No team has ever done the treble in Spain, and we'll be remembered as the first team to do it," Barcelona striker Thierry Henry said. "That's amazing." (For record, Barcelona won the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey), then the Spanish League, and now the Champions League in 2009! Undisputedly The Team of the Year - Barcelona)
Read more here: UEFA Champions League 2009 Winner Is... Barcelona!!!
Barcelona - "Phenomenal Team of the Year 2008/2009"
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Spanish La Liga Roundup, Sep. 12
MADRID (AP) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a 2-0 Spanish league win at Getafe on Saturday while Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-0 after record signing Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a second-half substitute to score.
Ibrahimovic toe-poked Seydou Keita's deflected centering pass under goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and off the inside of the far post to open in the 66th minute. The Sweden striker controlled with his chest to cross for a streaking Messi to head home the second for the Spanish champions in the 79th.
Ronaldo, signed this summer for a record €94 million from Manchester United, watched from the bench as Esteban Granero fired Madrid ahead in the 40th after being set up by Kaka.
The Brazil playmaker then fed Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez in the 77th for the second before the Portugal winger scored his second of the season in injury time.
"He's a player who's still adapting to a new league so I don't think we can ask much more," coach Manuel Pellegrino said of Ronaldo.
Barcelona and Real Madrid both have a maximum six points while Atletico Madrid remains without a win after drawing 1-1 against Racing Santander.
Brazil striker Luis Fabiano scored two goals as Sevilla rebounded from an opening-day defeat to beat Zaragoza 4-1.
Fabiano beat Juan Pablo Carrizo to Alvaro Negredo's flick-on to tip the ball over the Zaragoza goalkeeper in first-half injury time and then slotted a rebound past the Argentine 'keeper in the 87th.
Abdoulay Konko had put Sevilla ahead in the eighth minute after a feed from Renato before Javier Arizmendi equalized in the 33rd with his second goal of the season. Diego Perotti scored Sevilla's third in the 57th from a hard shot.
Barcelona welcomed back Andres Iniesta for the first time since the Champions League final victory in May, but it was the host who nearly scored first.
Getafe nearly went ahead behind first-half pressure that included Juan Angel Albin hitting the crossbar from long range in the 12th before Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes saved Roberto Soldado's point-blank attempt.
Barcelona finally rallied with Keita slashing wide a minute later before Ustari got down to stop Ibrahimovic's low shot from inside the area just before halftime.
"We were lucky to go into halftime tied," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "In the second half we were much better."
Ustari did well again in the 59th to tip Xavi Hernandez's swiveled volley over the crossbar, but Getafe's defense was troubled by Ibrahimovic who warmed up for a midweek Champions League game against former club Inter Milan with his second goal in as many games.
"Ibrahimovic was extraordinary," Guardiola said of his €66-million Samuel Eto'o replacement.
Messi, who came on as in the 57th, scored in his first appearance of the season after the Argentina winger skipped an opening-day win over Sporting Gijon for international duty.
In the first game at Espanyol's Cornella-El Prat stadium, a minute's silence was held to remember Daniel Jarque, the Espanyol captain who died during the preseason.
Pellegrini watched uncomfortably as only poor finishing kept Espanyol from taking the lead in the first half. Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas blocked Moises Hurtado's shot from in front of goal with his legs in the 20th.
Kaka played Granero into the area and the Spanish midfielder beat Carlos Kameni at the far post to give his team the lead.
Pellegrini finally brought Ronaldo in for the ineffective Karim Benzema in the 66th, and Raul Gonzalez came on for Gonzalo Higuain two minutes before Guti beat Kameni.
Guti played Ronaldo through down the flank and the winger beat Kameni with a low shot.
Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/10007230/Spanish-La-Liga-Roundup,-Sep.-12
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
"Our football is better than United's", says Messi as Barca lift title!!!
Messi who, along with four other certain starters for next week's final was rested for yesterday's insignificant away fixture at Mallorca, called on his team-mates to add the Champions League to the Spanish league title and the Spanish Cup and make Barcelona the first side to win the treble in Spain.
"We are going to give everything to win the Champions League. Manchester United have a great team with some great players but I think we just have that little bit more football," he said. "We have to take advantage of this moment because we don't know if it will ever present itself again. We have the chance to pass into the history books of a club as great as Barcelona and we are going to do just that."
The famous dream team of the Nineties won four consecutive league titles and a European Cup under the management of Johan Cruyff. And Frank Rijkaard's side built around Ronaldinho won the league and Champions League double but the treble would put this Barcelona side beyond even those two teams.
Messi said: "The team that won the league and the Champions league in the same season [2006] played some wonderful football and was great to watch but if we win the Champions we will be able to say that it is even better."
Barça's Argentine forward was at home when Real Madrid's defeat to Villarreal on Saturday night confirmed the Catalans as La Liga champions. And with nothing to play for last night against Mallorca he, along with midfielders Xavi, and Yaya Touré and defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique did not even travel to the Balearic island.
Messi is also unlikely to start in next week's home game against Osasuna as he sets his sights on making up for missing out on the 2006 final through injury. He added: "I couldn't really enjoy the last Champions League win because I was injured in the quarter-finals. This time I have played right the way through and to go on and win the final would just make it complete."
Messi should be joined by Thierry Henry in Rome. The Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, has admitted to being optimistic that the French striker will win his fitness battle. He said: "There are nine days left and he [Henry] is very upbeat. My hopes are high that he will be able to play the final. He is coming along very well indeed."
While for Barça, all roads now lead to Rome, their eternal rivals Madrid are stuck in La Liga purgatory. After the 3-2 away defeat to Villarreal that ended their title chances, they now have two meaningless games left to play and a coach and playing staff unsure of their future under former Galacticos president Florentino Perez, who is set to return to the post in the club's elections next month.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/our-football-is-better-than-uniteds-says-messi-as-barccedila-lift-title-1686816.html
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Messi vs Ronaldo
Maybe I should conduct a survey in this blog to determine who is the best! Just vote in the comment box guys. Thank you. But since my blog is not as famous as Malaysia Finance or Kennysia blog, even 10 votes is considered successful already.
Back to Messi vs Ronaldo. In my opinion, both have their own special trademarks. Of course, most girls will prefer Ronaldo because they look at footballer's face only. Even when Ronaldo is "dribbling", they also look at the face only - see got pimples or not isit? Ronaldo is also good in the air (heading ball, not other thing!) and freekicks (although I much prefer David Beckham's curly kicks). Messi on the other hand plays like Maradona. As my friend said, "the ball seems like gummed to his feet."
His dribbling skill, needless to say, is phenomenal. Compared to Ronaldo, his dribbling skill is more natural and beautiful. Ronaldo, you dont need to always left right left right....., like that I also can do, but I think I will get dizzy before the opponent. If you are really good, you just need a touch or two to dribble past your opponents.
It is not easy to play like Messi/Maradona, because their special dribbling skills are GIFTED, not learned.
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