La Liga

LIONEL MESSI netted a stunning double as he celebrated equalling the legendary Xavi’s appearance record for Barcelona in style.
The Argentine superstar, 33, broke the deadlock with a thunderous 20-yard drive off the bar after just 13 minutes of La Liga clash with Huesca.

Lionel Messi celebrated another Barcelona record with a thunderous goal against HuescaCredit: AP

A banner was unfurled before kick off to mark Messi’s joint-record 767 appearanceCredit: EPA

A MAGICAL finish from Lionel Messi! 🙌The strike bounces in off the underside of the bar for his 20th league goal of the season, and Barca have an early lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/H0zyw4ZeAu
— Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) March 15, 2021

Messi scores another to mark his record-equalling 767th appearance for Barca! 👏A comprehensive 4-1 win for the Catalan side at Camp Nou 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/E1yVPZ65K4
— Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) March 15, 2021

He later rounded off the scoring in the 4-1 win as well as teeing up youngster Oscar Mingueza García and Antoine Griezmann on a memorable night.
That was the ideal way to mark his latest outing on the pitch pulling him level alongside Xavi as Barca’s all-time appearance maker with a total of 767 matches.
Victory took Barcelona into 2nd in LaLiga – four points behind faltering leaders Atletico Madrid – as they continue to recover from a shocking start to the campaign
And, after rewriting his latest piece of club history, Messi wrote on Instagram: “It is a great honour to play this many games for Barcelona.

“Thank you to all my team-mates who played alongside me throughout the years, and to my family and friends for always being by my side.”

Messi could easily have been playing elsewhere this season after attempting to force a move away last summer.
But after Barcelona won the legal row over a release clause in his contract, he returned to match Xavi’s total of 17 consecutive seasons playing at the Nou Camp.
And the former Spanish midfielder, who is currently manager of Al Sadd in Qatar, could not be happier for his ex-teammate.

He told Mundo Deportivo: “You could see that Leo would end up surpassing me. 
“If he did not leave Barca it was clear that he would add many more games and he is still young to continue playing, he has a lot of football left, so he can play many more games.”
Xavi continued: “It had to be Leo. It is fair that the best player in history is the one who has defended the Barca shirt the most times.”
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Xavi also has no doubts that the South American forward is the best player he ever shared the pitch with.
And he added that it is an ‘honour’ for his record to be taken by Messi.
Xavi said: “It is an honor that the best player in the world and for me in history is the one who surpasses me.
“Leo is like that, he’s insurmountable, you can’t compete with him because he always wins.”

He has equalled Xavi’s record of 767 matches for BarcelonaCredit: Reuters
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Watch moment annoyed Lionel Messi snaps at fans as they film Barcelona legend leaving training More

LIONEL MESSI’S frustrations boiled over once again – this time at Barcelona fans filming him leaving training.
The club captain was greeted with a barrage of supporters and their cameras as he drove home.

Lionel Messi snapped at fans filming him leaving trainingCredit: TikTok / @fcbnoticiciasviral

The Barcelona captain has supporters waiting for him pretty much every time he exitsCredit: TikTok / @fcbnoticiciasviral

And after encountering the same situation time and time again, he finally lost his cool.
A video shows Messi, in his training kit, wind down the window and confront the gathered mob of fans hoping to get a glimpse of their hero.
Messi said: “Why do you keep filming the same video if you have already done this many times?
“They’ve already made a lot of videos. You can’t spend all day here.

“Do you think it’s normal doing the same every time? Stop.”
With that, the fans immediately backtracked and were heard apologising to their hero.
Messi, 33, is already considering his future at Barcelona.
He tried to force an exit last summer before a dramatic U-turn to honour his contract at the Nou Camp.

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But public snaps like this incident clearly suggest he is still not fully happy – no doubt putting Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain on red alert.
It is not the first time Barcelona players have got annoyed with supporters for similar antics.
Neto and Samuel Umtiti have both raised complaints.
And Antoine Griezmann was targeted in November, as furious fans told the Frenchman to show Messi more respect.

The team were knocked out of the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
However, they do have the chance to leapfrog Real Madrid into second and move within four points of LaLiga leaders Atletico when they face Huesca tonight.

Messi has still not decided where his future lies beyond the end of this seasonCredit: AP:Associated Press

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THE father of Ilaix Moriba has revealed he cancelled his son’s flight to Manchester City so the teen could remain at Barcelona.
Moriba, 18, is the latest youngster to burst into Ronald Koeman’s team this season.

Ilaix Moriba, 18, was set to agree a deal with Man City two years ago before staying at BarcelonaCredit: AFP OR LICENSORS

He’s clocked up six appearances in all competitions and scored his first-ever goal in last weekend’s 2-0 win against Osasuna.
However, Moriba came close to joining Pep Guardiola at City two years ago when doubts emerged over a new Barca deal.
The Spain youth international, who has reportedly chosen to represent his country of birth – Guinea – at senior level, had even booked a plane ticket to the Etihad as he searched for his first professional contract.
However, Moriba’s dad Mamady Kourouma cancelled the ticket on the morning of the flight after a breakthrough in contract talks with Barca.

He told Sport: “With Barcelona, the negotiations did not advance. We met with Txiki Begiristain [City’s sporting director] and he explained his entire project to us.
“We liked it because they bet a lot on him. A few weeks later we had the tickets to travel to Manchester and sign the contract.
“I cancelled it the morning that we had to go there. I wanted Ilaix to be an example and a reference for the next generations of Barcelona.
“His friends were gone. If he stayed, it was proof Barca was betting on the youth players. We managed to reach an agreement where we all came out winning.”

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Barcelona indeed proved their determination to keep Moriba, making him the best-paid player in the history of their academy while handing him an £90million release clause.
But that contract expires in 2022, and Barca are keen to hand Moriba another extension.
Manchester United are thought to be eager as they hunt for Paul Pogba’s long-term replacement.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are also said to be keeping tabs with N’Golo Kante not getting any younger.
Moriba would like to stay at Barca but is reluctant to have his new release clause raised higher than £130m.
And that could cause conflict with the Catalans, who would prefer it to be nearer the £343m in fellow youngster Ansu Fati’s deal.
However, new president Joan Laporta is reportedly a huge fan and will take the necessary steps to secure Moriba’s long-term future.

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DAVID BECKHAM has been hailed as the only Englishman who could have played for Brazil by former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo Nazario.
The pair spent four years together at the Bernabeu as part of Los Blancos fabled Galacticos era that won LaLiga back in 2007.

David Beckham and Ronaldo formed part of Real Madrid’s fabled GalacticosCredit: Reuters

And the two, who are both on lockdown with their families, spent an afternoon on Instagram live reminiscing on their history together.
According to Ronaldo, who hit an incredible 83 LaLiga goals in just 127 games, he jokingly revealed that he should be thanking Beckham for his pin-point deliveries.
He said: “For me, you were one of the best of all time in the centre, the way you touch the ball, could put the ball wherever you want, and without looking at me the ball would come.
“I should thank you for many balls you gave to me.

“You were amazing.”

I remember you turning around to me and saying that the Brazil squad believed that if there was any English player that could play in the Brazilian team it would be me
David Beckham to Ronaldo

Legendary former England captain Beckham was likewise full of praise for World Cup Winner El Fenomeno, who he credited for helping him settle in Spain.
The Manchester United academy graduate made headlines around the world when he sealed a £25million move to Madrid following twelve years at Old Trafford.
He told Ronaldo: “When I moved from Manchester and I had been there my whole life, to move to Madrid was a big move for me.

“One of the first people that I ever saw was you, when you walked into the changing room it made me feel comfortable to be at the club.
“I remember you turning around to me and saying that the Brazil squad believed that if there was any English player that could play in the Brazilian team it would be me, but I never believed you!

“Because Brazilian players are the best players! You know that.”
Another of Beckham’s former Madrid’s teammate Robinho revealed that Goldenballs was part of the club’s Brazilian clique.
The 37-year-old claimed Becks’ chemistry with the Los Blancos South American stars left Spanish-speaking members of the squad jealous.

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