‘Clasico’ High Noon for Ronaldo and Messi
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
As well as a potential title decider, today’s ‘Clasico’ between bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona serves up the latest instalment in the goal-scoring drama featuring record-setting marksmen Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Leaders Real have a four-point advantage over champions Barca with five games left ahead of the clash at the Nou Camp and Ronaldo and Messi have already netted a Spanish record 41 times each in La Liga this season.
Portuguese Ronaldo, who set the previous best of 40 last term, has 53 goals in all competitions, while Argentine Messi, the man who replaced him as World Player of the Year and has won the award the past three years, has 63, including 14 in the Champions League.
He is only four short of the all-time record of 67 set by former Bayern Munich striker Gerd Mueller in the 1972-73 season.
The latest domestic showdown between the world’s two richest clubs has an added significance in that Real and Barca could meet in next month’s Champions League final as Real seek a 10th European crown and holders Barca chase a third triumph in four years and their fifth overall.
Both sides trail after their semi-final first legs, Real losing 2-1 at Bayern Munich and Barca falling 1-0 to Chelsea in London.
Spanish league champions the past three years, Barca have already beaten Real over two legs in both the Spanish Super Cup and the King’s Cup this term and they came from a goal down to win 3-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga in December.
Should they finish level on points, the title will be decided by head-to-head record not goal difference.
Their matches rarely pass without controversy, from accusations of refereeing bias to red cards to outright brawling. Jose Mourinho famously poked Barca assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a melee earlier this season.
With the combative Portuguese at the helm, hopes were high in Madrid that Real would be able to end Barca’s domination, although he has yet to find the magic touch that brought him so much success in Portugal, England and Italy.
‘It’s going to be another enormously demanding game,’ Emilio Butragueno, a former Real and Spain striker now a club director, said after Tuesday’s defeat at Bayern Munich.
‘The result could affect how the remaining four league games go,’ he added.
‘Barcelona will present the greatest possible challenge and I hope we can find inspiration.’
Ronaldo versus Messi is just one of a host of match-ups in a historic rivalry that is played out on many levels.
Barca see themselves as the representatives of fiercely independent Catalonia, standing up to the hated central government of Madrid embodied in Real.
Battle is also joined in the Spanish sports press, with Madrid-based Marca and AS and Barcelona’s Sport and El Mundo Deportivo constantly sniping and antagonising.
In addition, the game pits Real coach Mourinho against the club where he was an assistant coach in the 1990s when current Barca boss Pep Guardiola was a player.
Mourinho, who has repeatedly suggested that Barca are given favourable treatment by referees, has only managed to get the better of Guardiola once in 10 games since joining Real from Inter Milan in 2010, a dramatic 1-0 extra-time success in last year’s King’s Cup final.
Barca knocked Real out of the Champions League in the semi-finals last season, when they also inflicted a 5-0 La Liga drubbing on Mourinho in his first trip to the Nou Camp as Real coach in November 2010.
‘He (Guardiola) is an intelligent lad and he knows exactly how he has managed to win so many games,’ Mourinho said pointedly at a news conference after the Bayern game.
‘He knows perfectly well how he has done it,’ added the Portuguese, who was fined by UEFA last season for accusing European soccer’s governing body of helping Barca.
If either side wins today’s ‘Clasico’ they will have 87 victories in 219 official meetings since they first locked horns in the Spanish Cup in May 1902, compared with 86 for their opponent. There have been 46 draws.
Real are one goal away from breaking their own La Liga record for a season of 107 set under Welsh coach John Toshack and with Butragueno in the side in the 1989-90 season.
Spain’s top two have again set a blistering pace this season, which no other club has been able to match for long.
Leaders Real have a four-point advantage over champions Barca with five games left ahead of the clash at the Nou Camp and Ronaldo and Messi have already netted a Spanish record 41 times each in La Liga this season.
Portuguese Ronaldo, who set the previous best of 40 last term, has 53 goals in all competitions, while Argentine Messi, the man who replaced him as World Player of the Year and has won the award the past three years, has 63, including 14 in the Champions League.
He is only four short of the all-time record of 67 set by former Bayern Munich striker Gerd Mueller in the 1972-73 season.
The latest domestic showdown between the world’s two richest clubs has an added significance in that Real and Barca could meet in next month’s Champions League final as Real seek a 10th European crown and holders Barca chase a third triumph in four years and their fifth overall.
Both sides trail after their semi-final first legs, Real losing 2-1 at Bayern Munich and Barca falling 1-0 to Chelsea in London.
Spanish league champions the past three years, Barca have already beaten Real over two legs in both the Spanish Super Cup and the King’s Cup this term and they came from a goal down to win 3-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga in December.
Should they finish level on points, the title will be decided by head-to-head record not goal difference.
Their matches rarely pass without controversy, from accusations of refereeing bias to red cards to outright brawling. Jose Mourinho famously poked Barca assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a melee earlier this season.
With the combative Portuguese at the helm, hopes were high in Madrid that Real would be able to end Barca’s domination, although he has yet to find the magic touch that brought him so much success in Portugal, England and Italy.
‘It’s going to be another enormously demanding game,’ Emilio Butragueno, a former Real and Spain striker now a club director, said after Tuesday’s defeat at Bayern Munich.
‘The result could affect how the remaining four league games go,’ he added.
‘Barcelona will present the greatest possible challenge and I hope we can find inspiration.’
Ronaldo versus Messi is just one of a host of match-ups in a historic rivalry that is played out on many levels.
Barca see themselves as the representatives of fiercely independent Catalonia, standing up to the hated central government of Madrid embodied in Real.
Battle is also joined in the Spanish sports press, with Madrid-based Marca and AS and Barcelona’s Sport and El Mundo Deportivo constantly sniping and antagonising.
In addition, the game pits Real coach Mourinho against the club where he was an assistant coach in the 1990s when current Barca boss Pep Guardiola was a player.
Mourinho, who has repeatedly suggested that Barca are given favourable treatment by referees, has only managed to get the better of Guardiola once in 10 games since joining Real from Inter Milan in 2010, a dramatic 1-0 extra-time success in last year’s King’s Cup final.
Barca knocked Real out of the Champions League in the semi-finals last season, when they also inflicted a 5-0 La Liga drubbing on Mourinho in his first trip to the Nou Camp as Real coach in November 2010.
‘He (Guardiola) is an intelligent lad and he knows exactly how he has managed to win so many games,’ Mourinho said pointedly at a news conference after the Bayern game.
‘He knows perfectly well how he has done it,’ added the Portuguese, who was fined by UEFA last season for accusing European soccer’s governing body of helping Barca.
If either side wins today’s ‘Clasico’ they will have 87 victories in 219 official meetings since they first locked horns in the Spanish Cup in May 1902, compared with 86 for their opponent. There have been 46 draws.
Real are one goal away from breaking their own La Liga record for a season of 107 set under Welsh coach John Toshack and with Butragueno in the side in the 1989-90 season.
Spain’s top two have again set a blistering pace this season, which no other club has been able to match for long.
Shahid Afridi attacks fan at airport
Reuters
24 March 2012,
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi attacked and slapped a fan at Karachi airport after he returned home from Dhaka where Pakistan won the Asia Cup final against Bangaldesh on Thursday.
The incident took place shortly after Afridi had spoken to the media and praised Bangladesh for their outstanding performance in the Asia Cup final.
Pakistan television channels showed Afridi, wearing a pink T-shirt, first push a youth to the ground and then slap him before his brother intervened and pulled him away in a melee on Friday night.
The incident took place shortly after Afridi had spoken to the media and praised Bangladesh for their outstanding performance in the Asia Cup final.
The footage showed Afridi heading for a waiting car when he turned around and attacked the youth and then pointed his finger at another man before his brother stepped in.
Afridi told reporters he had lost his temper because his young daughter Ajwa had been pushed to the ground.
“I know what I did was wrong, I should have controlled my temper,” he said. “But when I saw my little daughter pushed to the ground I couldn’t take it and lost my cool.”
Afridi, 32, has been banned and fined twice by the International Cricket Council during a controversial career.
ROBERTO MANCINI SLAMS MEDICAL CARE IN PREMIER LEAGUE
ABOVE: Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini
It is impossible that a young guy could die on the pitch because they didn’t do a medical accurately,
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini
ROBERTO MANCINI has slammed the standard of medical care in the Premier League.
The Manchester City boss believes that not enough is being done to prevent a repeat of horrifying incidents such as the collapse of Fabrice Muamba at the weekend.
The 23-year-old’s cardiac arrest has thrown the spotlight on how clubs screen their players to highlight any underlying health issues.
But Mancini admits he was stunned at what he saw when he arrived at City in December 2009. He said: “Here in England, the best championship in the world, is fantastic, but we need to improve the medical side for the players.
“We need to screen the players more often, maybe two times a year and more accurately. “When I saw our medical system, I was really worried two years ago.
I said that we had to do it better. “I asked the doctor why we only do this medical and they said, in England, it is like this. But it is not enough. I felt it was really light.
“I am surprised because everything is perfect here, but now we need to improve for the players. “In 2012, it can’t happen that something happens to a player like happened on Saturday, It is impossible. This guy is 23.”
A decade ago, Serie A brought in stringent new health rules after both Kanu and Khalilou Fadiga suffered heart problems.
“It is impossible that a young guy could die on the pitch because they didn’t do a medical accurately,” added Mancini.
“I want all the players, not just ours, to have more accurate medicals. What happened to Muamba and other players in the past can’t happen again.”
The signs are now more positive for Bolton midfielder Muamba, who remains in intensive care but is now breathing independently and has also been able to speak, recognise family members and move his arms and legs.
Bolton boss Owen Coyle said: “Fabrice still has a long way to go but it’s encouraging signs and whilst that is the case it’s really positive and we move forward.
“I was fortunate to see him and had a brief conversation which will obviously remain between us. We have to understand it’s early in his continued fight for improvement.”
Premier League boss Richard Scudamore has said they would be reviewing medical procedures following Muamba’s collapse.
Bolton will confirm today whether they will play Blackburn in the Premier League on Saturday, but they are still no nearer to deciding if they will play Tottenham in the FA Cup game that was abandoned when Muamba collapsed
The 23-year-old’s cardiac arrest has thrown the spotlight on how clubs screen their players to highlight any underlying health issues.
But Mancini admits he was stunned at what he saw when he arrived at City in December 2009. He said: “Here in England, the best championship in the world, is fantastic, but we need to improve the medical side for the players.
“We need to screen the players more often, maybe two times a year and more accurately. “When I saw our medical system, I was really worried two years ago.
I said that we had to do it better. “I asked the doctor why we only do this medical and they said, in England, it is like this. But it is not enough. I felt it was really light.
“I am surprised because everything is perfect here, but now we need to improve for the players. “In 2012, it can’t happen that something happens to a player like happened on Saturday, It is impossible. This guy is 23.”
A decade ago, Serie A brought in stringent new health rules after both Kanu and Khalilou Fadiga suffered heart problems.
“It is impossible that a young guy could die on the pitch because they didn’t do a medical accurately,” added Mancini.
“I want all the players, not just ours, to have more accurate medicals. What happened to Muamba and other players in the past can’t happen again.”
The signs are now more positive for Bolton midfielder Muamba, who remains in intensive care but is now breathing independently and has also been able to speak, recognise family members and move his arms and legs.
Bolton boss Owen Coyle said: “Fabrice still has a long way to go but it’s encouraging signs and whilst that is the case it’s really positive and we move forward.
“I was fortunate to see him and had a brief conversation which will obviously remain between us. We have to understand it’s early in his continued fight for improvement.”
Premier League boss Richard Scudamore has said they would be reviewing medical procedures following Muamba’s collapse.
Bolton will confirm today whether they will play Blackburn in the Premier League on Saturday, but they are still no nearer to deciding if they will play Tottenham in the FA Cup game that was abandoned when Muamba collapsed
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Related Links
Preview : Bangladesh's chance for unprecedented glory
Audio/Video: 'Bangladesh have developed a fearless approach'
Players/Officials: Younis Khan
Matches: Bangladesh v Pakistan at Dhaka
Series/Tournaments: Asia Cup
Teams: Bangladesh | Pakistan
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Since the end of the World Cup, Pakistan are the only one among the four Asian Test nations to have a record to be proud of. India had their disasters in England and Australia, Sri Lanka haven't won a series of note in a year, and Bangladesh faced the ignominy of losing to Zimbabwe. Pakistan, meanwhile, were winning nearly everything they played.
It has been a year in which they have moved away from their traditional fast-bowling dominated attack to one in which spinners are the bigger threats, a year in which pragmatic batting has become more and more common instead of the pyrotechnics of earlier. At the end of a success-filled season, they also get the chance to change their pedestrian record in the Asia Cup, which they have only won once despite decades of trying.
The only team standing in their way is Bangladesh, who have beaten them only once, back in the 1999 World Cup. This Bangladesh side, though, aren't like the also-rans of the past. Showing a resilience that was missing in the past, and starting to shed an over-reliance on a couple of star players, Bangladesh have claimed big scalps in India and Sri Lanka this tournament, and nearly beat Pakistan as well.
Younis Khan said Bangladesh deserved a spot in the final. "They have improved a lot," he said. "They have some aggressiveness in their body language and that helps to bring about positive results. That is the way an international team should play."
Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's best player over the past few years, was the Man of the Match in both of Bangladesh's victories. Those successes came only because even after Shakib was dismissed the other batsmen didn't fold and nervelessly took the side past the finish line.
"They play good as a group, not individually," Younis said. "If you see the last two games when they won against India and Sri Lanka, they performed as a group. All the bowlers, all the batsmen and all the fielders, they put in their 100%. This is the key thing about their performance."
One thing that has helped Bangladesh is that they have chased in every match of the tournament. Mahela Jayawardene had jokingly suggested the captains should practise tossing coins, as the Mirpur track has generally favoured the team batting second in this tournament. India completed their highest successful chase in ODIs, against Pakistan on Sunday, while Bangladesh have also been solid in hunting down totals. "The management will think of something, maybe we will chase tomorrow," Younis said. "But Bangladesh are good chasers, this is their plus point."
Unusually, Pakistan are the team that has made the least headlines this tournament. Bangladesh's heroics, Sachin Tendulkar's 100th 100, Virat Kohli's masterful 183 and Sri Lanka's listless performance have been discussed threadbare while Pakistan have managed to generally stay under the radar. Tomorrow, they will be hoping to feature in the headline that matters.
Lionel Messi's hat-trick against Granada took his tally for Barcelona to 234 and past the club's previous highest scorer, Cesar Rodriguez, who notched 232. The 24-year-old secured the record with this cheeky chip.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Lionel Messi becomes highest scorer in Barcelona's history after hat-trick against Granada
- Argentina striker's treble helps Barca to a 5-3 win to close on La Liga leaders Real Madrid
- Messi's haul takes his tally to 234 for the club, past Cesar Rodriguez's long-held record
- The 24-year-old has 54 goals for the Spanish and European champions this season
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi's became Barcelona's highest goalscorer of all time after his hat-trick against Granada helped the Spanish champions close on La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
The Argentina striker, who is still only 24 years old, took his tally to 234 goals for the club to overtake Cesar Rodriguez, who had a prolific spell for Barca in the 1940s and '50s.
Messi took his tally for the season to 54 in 45 games as Barca's 5-3 victory on Tuesday helped cut the gap to rivals Real to just five points.
Barca have played a game more than Real, but now the second league "El Clasico" of the season between the two clubs scheduled for April 22 looks increasingly pivotal in the title race.
"We are witnessing the best player in every sense," said Messi's coach Josep Guardiola. "He does everything, and he does it every three days.
"I'm sorry for those that want to sit on his throne, but this lad is the best. Hopefully we can enjoy his football for many more years."
Guardiola compared Messi's dominance in football to the basketball supremacy of NBA legend Michael Jordan.
"Leo has rightfully entered into history," he said. "There are few players that dominate in this fashion, and he does it."
A recent study by Barcelona's Center of Documentation and Studies discovered that Cesar had scored 232 goals in competitive matches, not 235 as previously thought.
And Messi wasted little time in equaling Cesar's tally, with a crisp volley after Isaac Cuenca's cross had fallen to him on the right edge of the box after 17 minutes.
His opening goal made it 2-0 on the night after Messi had teed up Spain midfielder Xavi for the first after only six minutes.
But Granada -- placed 15th in the 20-team division -- stunned Barca in the second half as Diego Mainz headed a free-kick past Victor Valdes before Dani Benítez drew a foul from Dani Alves in the box and Guillherme Siqueira fired home from the penalty spot.
We are witnessing the best player in every sense. He does everything, and he does it every three days
Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
The visitors weren't level for long as Alves floated a ball over their defense for Messi, who controlled and lobbed Granada goalkeeper Julio Cesar to spark a prolonged round of celebrations with his teammates.
Tello added a fifth for Barca when he slotted home in the final 10 minutes after Messi had been denied by Cesar.
The gloss was removed ever so slightly from Messi's record-breaking night when Alves was sent off after conceding another penalty, converted by Siqueira, and defender Adriano was sidelined for 10 days with a leg injury.
In La Liga's other game on Tuesday, Osasuna moved into sixth place in the table despite drawing 0-0 with Getafe, who remain 11th.
Elsewhere, Juventus booked a place in the Italian Cup final after Mirko Vucinic's extra-time strike sealed a 4-3 aggregate win over AC Milan.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Juve edged further ahead when veteran striker Alessandro Del Piero scored on 28 minutes but Serie A leaders Milan hit back with goals from Djamel Mesbah and Maxi Lopez to force an extra half an hour.
But Vucinic's goal five minutes into the extra period settled the tie. Juve will face either Napoli or Siena in the final -- they play on Wednesday with Napoli trailing 2-1 from the first leg.
Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers boosted their hopes of English Premier League survival with a 2-0 win over Sunderland at Ewood Park.
Striker Junior Hoilett opened the scoring with a 58th-minute volley to record his third goal in two games before a late Yakubu header sealed back-to-back wins for Rovers, who moved six points clear of the drop zone.
France Football magazine has released a list of the highest-earning players in world soccer. Three-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi of Barcelona tops the list, earning $52 million in wages and sponsorship deals.
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the world's best footballer -- and now it seems the Argentina star is also unrivaled among his peers off the field.
David Beckham has long been the sport's biggest earner even in his declining years, due to his lucrative endorsement deals, but the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has been eclipsed by Barcelona's magician.
The three-time World Player of the Year was unveiled by France Football magazine as the highest-earning player in soccer on Tuesday, collecting €33 million ($52 million) in wages and endorsements during 2011.
The 24-year-old, who has scored 51 goals for the Catalan giants in all competitions, headed a list which placed Los Angeles Galaxy's former England captain Beckham in second on $50 million.
Beckham recently signed a new contract with the Galaxy, and unveiled a clothing line with Swedish retailer H & M earlier this year.
Messi's on-field rival Cristiano Ronaldo also featured highly. The Portugal forward's total earnings of $46 million in 2011 put him third ahead of Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon.
Eto'o secured a lucrative move from Inter Milan to big-spending Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2011 and he has reportedly banked $37 million.
Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney was fifth on the list with $32.6 million, while the Manchester City duo of Argentina's Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure of the Ivory Coast took home $29.7 million and $27.8 million respectively.
Completing the top 10 were Chelsea striker Fernando Torres ($26.4 million), Real playmaker Kaka ($24.5 million) and Bayern Munich's Germany captain Philipp Lahm ($22.6 million).
France Football is one of Europe's leading sports magazines, and it formerly organized the Ballon d'Or awards for the continent's top achievers.
The Ballon d'Or has now merged with ruling body FIFA's world player of the year award
