PARIS - Lionel Messi was named FIFA player of the year 2022 on Monday as Argentina scooped all major men's awards after winning a vintage World Cup final last December.
The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the final against France, with the South Americans emerging triumphant on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time in Qatar.
Domestic action returns to the fore with the FA Cup, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France dominating the midweek action, but the Champions League is set to return with the Round of 16 second legs on March 7/8-14/15.
We've got some dynamite return legs brewing with five of the eight matches separated by one goal or less, and who knows, maybe Liverpool can finally deliver some excitement now that nothing's expected from them.
Like the rest of America, I've been selfishly hoping that Lionel Messi decides against renewing his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and instead opts for Inter Miami, giving me one glorious day out at Allianz Field of Wil Trapp man-marking the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar sustained ankle ligament damage in Sunday's 4-3 Ligue 1 win over Lille, the French club said late on Tuesday.
Brazilian forward Neymar, who scored PSG's second goal in the 17th minute, was stretchered off the field in tears early in the second half after colliding with Lille's Benjamin Andre and rolling his right ankle.
He's been wearing them on the pitch for over a week now, but the new Lionel Messi cleats 2023 have finally dropped with adidas giving the World Cup winner his latest signatures — the X Speedportal Messi.1 "L10NEL M35SI" boots.
Who says you can't embrace the age of 35, when 40 is suddenly on the horizon and there's no turning back? Not Messi. He's giving us a bit of playfulness in "Solar Orange/Silver Metallic/Core Black." Adidas is probably supposed to be marketing at teens and 20-somethings, but they said screw it, let's do something for everyone in their mid-30s.
PSG's wildly inconsistent form since club football restarted was perfectly encapsulated by Sunday's riotous 4-3 win over Lille at the Parc des Princes.
The PSG Ultras ran the gamut of demanding a statue for Kylian Mbappé, calling for the heads of all these overpaid pretenders and finally celebrating deliriously as chants of "Messi, Messi, Messi" reverberated around Paris. Just another day for les Parisiens.
The home side looked set for a stroll after Mbappé and Neymar scored inside 17 minutes.
Sergio Ramos is on-the-spot after a video of him being physical with two photographers came to light.
The incident occurred while Ramos and other PSG stars were thanking the team's ultras for their support despite a very disappointing 1-0 loss against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League's Round of 16 on Tuesday night.
One day after being nominated for the 2022 FIFPRO World 11, Alphonso Davies came off the bench and provided a dime for Kingsley Coman in Bayern Munich's 1-0 away victory over PSG in their Champions League last-16 first leg at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night.
Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann elected to start João Cancelo at left wing-back over Davies, and while the visitors controlled the opening 45 with the ball almost strictly in PSG's half, there wasn't enough penetration to trouble Gianluigi Donnarumma and the central pairing of Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos.
PARIS - Kylian Mbappé was included in Paris St Germain's squad for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes after taking part in training although his participation in the clash was still in doubt.
The France forward, who had initially been ruled out for three weeks with a hamstring injury he sustained on Feb. 1, was on the pitch with his teammates on Sunday and Monday.
Paris Saint-Germain's injury crisis worsened after the club confirmed on Friday that Lionel Messi will miss this weekend's Ligue 1 clash against AS Monaco due to a hamstring injury.
Messi played the full 90 minutes of PSG's 2-1 defeat by Olympique Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday and the 35-year-old is in a race against time to be fit for their Champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich on Tuesday.