Barcelona Archives ⋆ Page 21 of 34 ⋆ LSU

Oct32019 by JBNo Comments

Lionel Messi made Argentina squad cry with Copa America speech – Di Maria

La Liga

Angel Di Maria has revealed that a speech by Lionel Messi after Argentina’s loss to Brazil at the Copa America this summer left “everyone in tears”. Argentina were beaten 2-0 by the tournament hosts in the semi-final in July, Though Lionel Scaloni’s side overcame Chile in the third place play-off, their failure to win the tournament means Messi and Di Maria have still yet to win a major title with the national side. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Despite the disappointment, Di Maria says Messi, who captained the team at the 2019 tournament, inspired the squad with a post-match speech. "Messi said some beautiful words when we were eliminated by Brazil," Di Maria told ESPN . "Messi told us he was proud of the team we had built. "That we had not be...

Oct32019 by JBNo Comments

Antonio Conte blasts referee for lack of ‘respect’ towards Inter players in Barcelona defeat

La Liga, Seria A

Inter managet Antonio Conte has hit out at the referees for a lack of respect in a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Conte, who was warned by the referees about his conduct, particularly felt Inter Milan should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Stefano Sensi and said respect for referees must go both ways. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After the match Antonio Conte spoke to Sky Sport: "It's a false result, we deserved a lot more. Praise after a game like this don't mean much unfortunately. We need to capitalize more on the chances we created. Barcelona grew in the second half. I am a little bitter." Conte was not happy with the referee after the match, saying: "I also saw some situations that were address...

Sep262019 by JBNo Comments

Barcelona issue update on Lionel Messi injury

La Liga

Barcelona have issued an update on the status of the injured superstar Lionel Messi, who will remain day-to-day after picking up a knock in their 2-1 win against Villarreal. Messi was taken off at half-time of that meeting with Villarreal due to a groin injury, ending his first start of the campaign, and his 400th League career La Liga start, prematurely. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The forward missed Barcelona's first four league games of the season with a separate calf problem, although he made his return via a 30-minute substitute appearance in a 0-0 draw with Dortmund in the Champions League. He also came off the bench in Barcelona's 2-0 loss in La Liga against Granada before suffering the injury on Tuesday. As a result Messi is a huge do...

Sep252019 by JBNo Comments

Carles Puyol rejects Barcelona sporting director role

La Liga

Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol says he has turned down the opportunity to rejoin the club as a sporting director. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said this month he was hopeful of convincing him to return to the Nou Camp to fill the role left vacant by Pep Segura, who left the club by mutual consent in July. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "After thinking about it a lot I decided not to accept the club's offer," Puyol, who spent his entire playing career at the club between 1999 and 2014, said via Twitter on Wednesday. Alisson Becker close to return from injury "It was not an easy decision, I always said I would like to return to the place I consider my home, but various personal projects I find myself immersed in at the moment wo...

Sep242019 by JBNo Comments

Van Dijk: You can’t compare me and Lionel Messi

Premier League, La Liga

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk insisted he cannot be compared to Lionel Messi, dismissing any claims he was disappointed not to win the Best FIFA Men's Player award. Van Dijk finished second to Barcelona superstar Messi for the award on Monday, with Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo third. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Dutch defender's nomination came after a Champions League-winning season, as Van Dijk helped guide Liverpool past Tottenham in the final. The centre-back said there was no way he could ever be compared to Messi, who scored 51 goals in all matches in 2018-19. "The people who vote made a decision and you have to accept it," Van Dijk told reporters. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "That's just ...

Sep172019 by JBNo Comments

Antoine Griezmann’s transfer to Barcelona could lead to closure of Nou Camp

La Liga

The row over Antoine Griezmann's summer transfer from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona could lead to the Catalans being forced to play a match behind closed doors. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Atletico are determined not to let the matter of Griezmann's controversial summer move lie, and remain adamant that Barca owe them more than the £107million they paid for the Frenchman in the summer. A release clause in Griezmann's contract set at that figure kicked in during the latter half of the transfer window, having previously being at £178m. The Spanish side are claiming that surplus £71m as they claim that the transfer had already been set up long before the lower release clause started. Antoine Griezmann was close to joining Barcelona in the summer of...

Sep152019 by JBNo Comments

Lionel Messi back in Barcelona training ahead of Dortmund CL game

La Liga

Lionel Messi has returned to Barcelona training after six weeks on the sidelines - but the superstar may not be ready to face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Messi is yet to appear for Barcelona this campaign after he returned from pre-season late and then struggled with a persistent thigh injury. The 32-year-old teamed up with Ousmane Dembele to train on Sunday as Ernesto Valverde's players, who didn't play on Saturday, trained ahead of the Champions League's game with Dortmund. "It looked like it was just going to be a small period he would be out for at first," Valverde said about Messi on Saturday. "Apparently his scar opened a little bit so it’s told us we need to exercise a little bit of caution. (ads...

Sep122019 by JBNo Comments

Lionel Messi ‘not sure’ if Barcelona did all to sign Neymar

La Liga

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi said that he is not sure if the club did everything to bring back Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain but insisted he is happy with the current state of the Catalan squad. Messi told Spanish publication Sport that he would have enjoyed having the Brazil international back at Camp Nou but understood the difficulties of the transfer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I would have liked for Neymar to have returned," the Argentina captain said. "Honestly, I'm not sure if Barca did all they could to sign him but I know it is difficult to negotiate with PSG. "I am not disappointed. We have a spectacular squad that can challenge for all, even without Ney." Neymar was subject to a months-long saga that saw Barcelona and PSG meet se...

Sep102019 by JBNo Comments

Samuel Umtiti explains why Arsenal transfer didn’t happen

Premier League, La Liga, Transfer Info

Barcelona player Samuel Umtiti has laughed off reports that Arsenal tried to sign him over the summer despite Alexandre Lacazette making a plea for him to join. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Arsenal head coach Unai Emery was eager to strengthen his defence during the summer transfer window and eventually signed David Luiz from Chelsea in an £8million deal on deadline day. Arsenal had been linked with a transfer move for Umtiti – among a number of other top centre-backs – but the Frenchman says, to his knowledge, there was never anything of substance to the reports. In an interview with Canal Football Club on Sunday, Umtiti was shown a clip of old Lyon teammate Lacazette trying to set up a reunion at the Emirates, but only burst out laughing. ‘Hones...

Sep62019 by JBNo Comments

Pique confirms Lionel Messi can leave Barcelona for free at the end of the season

La Liga

Lionel Messi has “earned the right” to break his Barcelona contract if he wants to, says Gerard Pique, but nobody at Camp Nou is concerned about such a decision being taken. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It has been revealed by El Pais, with Goal able to confirm the reports, that the Argentine forward has an exit clause in his current contract. Having turned 32, the five-time Ballon d’Or has the option to walk away from Barcelona at the end of any given campaign. As his terms are due to run until 2021, with the La Liga champions eager to discuss another extension for their talisman. Gerard Pique claims to have already been aware that Messi could leave if he wants a new challenge, but the World Cup-winning defender is reading little into that as there ...