Lionel Messi can score incredible goals in so many ways it's almost unfair. You forget how many tools he has until he brings them out.
For example, we don't typically think of Messi as a free kick specialist, and then he goes and scores an absurd bender like the one he had against Sevilla Sunday.
Lionel Messi, Steph Curry and Tom Brady were the main catalysts behind their teams' respective 2015 triumphs. Messi led Barcelona to a historic treble, Curry helped Golden State capture the NBA championship and Brady quarterbacked the New England Patriots to victory in Super Bowl XLIX.
FC Barcelona traveled to England and beat Arsenal 2 - 0. Messi scored both goals, the first in the 71st minute and the second on a penalty in the 83rd. While in Turino, Italy, Bayern took a two goal lead from Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben. Mueller scored the first goal in the 43rd minute and Robben added the 2nd in the 55th. Juventus battled back for the 2 - 2 tie with goals in the 63rd and 76th minute. The first was scored by Paulo Dybala and the tying goal came from Stefano Sturaro.
Ronaldo Lima played for Barcelona for one season, in 1996-97, but he knows a gifted striker when he sees one. The leading light of Brazil's most recent World Cup triumph (2002) has tapped his countryman, Neymar Jr, as the heir to Lionel Messi's throne at Barcelona.
Ronaldo told a the Brazilian media he thinks Neymar has what it takes to become Barcelona's talisman when the time comes for Messi to hang it up.
Lionel Messi set two more records today. Of course he did. Messi sets records every day, it seems. Today may have even been a down day, records-wise.
First, Messi continued to be the highest scorer in La Liga history, scoring his 300th goal.
.@ZiggoSport: “And here's the video. Number 300 for Lionel Messi in @LaLiga.” pic.twitter.com/ejuklSINAj
I was watching Barcelona vs Celta Vigo the other day when my roommate sat down next to me and eventually asked me the question, “who do you think is going to win the Champions League?”
After a couple seconds of thinking I said, “Barcelona.” Literally minutes later Barcelona scored this goal.
We’re ten years into the era when Lionel Messi does things like this, and they just never, ever age.
Poor Celta defender Jonny Gomes was hung out to dry, put in a spin cycle, or any other laundry phrase you’re inclined to turn. That’s also Ray Hudson bwaaaaaaaahh’ing his approval when the reigning La Liga Player of the Month freezes the poor guy, dangles the cheese, and then takes it away.That led to this, the ensuing penalty, where Messi . . . passed?
The admiration and mutual respect that Philippe Coutinho and Neymar have for each other’s game is no secret. They’ve been close friends for almost 10 years now, their friendship dating all the way back to the time of embarrassing bathroom selfies, a formative point for anyone in their awkward teenage years.
Trivia question: how many times has Lionel Messi won La Liga Player of the month? A hundred? Fifty? Seventy five?
Answer: one. And it was last month.
That's right, after 298 goals, making him La Liga's all-time leading scorer, Messi has finally been named Player of the Month in La Liga. The 28-year-old Argentine has won the FIFA Ballon d'Or four times, La Liga Player of the Year six times and the UEFA Best Player of the Year award twice.
And La Liga Player of the Month once.
Barcelona fan site Grup14 uploaded three very interesting infographics depicting the managerial statistics of Barcelona’s three “most successful coaches” through their first 100 games. While you won’t get any argument here about whether or not Luis Enrique, Pep Guardiola, and Johan Cruyff are the best managers in Barca’s history, we’re going to ignore the “top 3” debate for now and focus on the top two: Enrique vs Guardiola.