Football: Tearful Messi confirms Barcelona exit and 'possibility' of joining PSG

BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi fought back tears during a press conference on Sunday at which he confirmed he is leaving Barcelona, where he has played his entire career.

The 34-year-old Argentinian superstar, six times a Ballon d'Or winner, has been out of contract since the end of June and Barca say they cannot afford to keep him, with Messi admitting that a move to Paris Saint-Germain is a "possibility". 

"This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home -- this is what we wanted more than anything," said a suited Messi as he struggled to contain his emotions.

"I have still not come to terms with the reality of leaving this club now, changing my life. I love this club.

Last year he sought to engineer a release from his contract in frustration at some poor showings in Europe by the club where he has won four Champions Leagues but ended up staying.

Last year, he explained, "I was convinced I knew what I wanted say, but this year is not the same", stressing his preference was to prolong his stay rather than contemplate what now seems a likely reunion with former clubmate Neymar at PSG -- ostensibly the only club that can afford him with Manchester City having distanced themselves. 

He hotly denied asking for more money but had, on the contrary, accepted a 50 percent salary cut.

"I would've liked to have won another Champions League," he added while stressing that "I don't regret anything, I tried to give my best and I'm ending my career here with a good number of titles".

- 'Gave everything' -

Last month Barcelona, battling huge debts, had said they were in agreement in principle with the player and his entourage on a new five-year deal on much reduced wages.

"The truth is I don't know what to say," said Messi, who signed for the Catalan giants as a 13-year-old.

"After 21 years I am leaving with my three Catalan Argentine children," said Messi, who won 10 league titles with the club.

"I gave everything for this club from the first day that I arrived right to the last. I never imagined having to say goodbye.

"In recent days I have given lots of thought to what I can say and truth to tell I can't think of anything.

"This is really difficult for me after so many years spent here -- my entire life. I'm not ready for this," he said.

"We have had some good times, some bad times too -- but people always showed me the same love," said Messi, who said leaving was "sad and hard."

As thousands of Barca fans milled outside in disbelief at his exit, Messi told reporters one day he hoped to be back in some capacity.

"I hope I can come back and be part of this club at some moment, in any way and bring something to help this club to be the best in the world."

- 'Nothing signed' -

Messi was at pains to say that "nothing has been signed with anyone" and insisted that a picture of him which has made waves on social media in recent days of him on holiday with PSG stars including Neymar and Angel Di Maria was "just a photo".

He said there was no question of his having engineered a path to the Parc des Princes, adding that there had been interest from other clubs.

"When the press release (of his departure) was published, I received a lot of calls from interested clubs," he told reporters who applauded him for several minutes as he took the stage at the start of the press conference and again as he left the stage to embrace staff in the club's trophy room. 

"For the moment nothing is arranged but, yes, we are in discussion," said the Argentinian, who insisted he has always been "totally transparent" on his intentions.

According to Le Parisien, an agreement between PSG and the Argentinian could take place as early as later on Sunday. 

French sports daily L'Equipe forecast a "record contract" of three years, "with an annual net salary of 40 million euros". 

Agence France-Presse

Barcelona, Madrid win as Liga title race nears climax

 BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona and Real Madrid maintained their neck-and-neck title race in the Spanish league on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), when both teams won to stay level on points at the top.

Luis Suarez scored twice and Lionel Messi set up another goal to give Barcelona a 3-0 victory at crosstown rival Espanyol, while Real Madrid needed a late strike by Marcelo after Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a penalty to secure a 2-1 win over Valencia at home.

"We had to bring out our fighting spirit and show who we are," Marcelo said. "We want to win every match we have left. Our goal is to go game by game."

The victories left Barcelona ahead of Madrid on the head-to-head record thanks to its win in the Spanish capital two rounds ago. Madrid, however, has four matches left compared to Barcelona's three and can ensure it lifts its first Liga title since 2012 if it wins all of them.

 "We will have to win all our games to keep the pressure on," Suarez said.


While Barcelona can rest ahead of the next round, Madrid must now prepare for its Champions League semifinal against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

Atletico primed its attack for the upcoming European derby by rolling to a 5-0 victory at Las Palmas.

ESPANYOL 0, BARCELONA 3

Espanyol defended well until the 50th minute when Suarez pounced on an ill-advised back pass by Jose Jurado that left him space to size up Diego Lopez before stabbing a shot past the goalkeeper.

Messi, who had scored a brace of goals in the last three league matches, set up Ivan Rakitic in the 76th before Suarez got another gift from Espanyol's Aaron Martin. The defender flubbed a clearance, leaving Suarez to round Lopez and complete his double.

Jurado's night to forget started with him missing an excellent opportunity to give Espanyol the lead just three minutes in when he was alone but sent his shot trickling wide.

"Our intensity, desire and ambition gave us the three points," Suarez said after ending his five-match scoring drought on the way to taking his league tally to 26 goals on the season.

REAL MADRID 2, VALENCIA 1

Ronaldo put Madrid ahead in the 27th when Valencia's markers lost track of the Portugal forward, leaving him alone to nod in Dani Carvajal's cross.

Ronaldo then had an excellent chance to add to his 20 league goals this season in the 57th after a questionable penalty when Luka Modric fell after contact with Dani Parejo.

But Valencia's penalty-stopping expert Diego Alves smothered his strike, taking his tally to six saved spot kicks in the season and 26 saves in 53 penalties since playing in the Spanish league. Three of those saves have come against Ronaldo.

Parejo made Marcelo's late goal necessary for Madrid when the Valencia midfielder leveled in the 82nd by bending a free kick up and over the wall.

Facing a damaging setback to Madrid's title hopes, Marcelo cut back to open a firing angle through a packed area before scoring the dramatic winner with just six minutes remaining.

"I would like to have ensured the win before, but we know that we can score in any moment and through any player," Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. "Today it was one of our defenders."

LAS PALMAS 0, ATLETICO MADRID 5

Kevin Gameiro struck twice and Saul Niguez added another goal for Atletico before 20 minutes were up. Substitutes Thomas Partey and Fernando Torres rounded off the demolition for Diego Simeone's side.

The win left Atletico in third place — three points ahead of Sevilla, which plays at Malaga on Monday.

The only downside was a left-leg injury to defender Jose Gimenez, leaving him in doubt for Tuesday's match when Atletico will try to avenge losses in the Champions League final to Madrid in 2014 and 2016.

REAL SOCIEDAD 2, GRANADA 1

Granada became the second team to be relegated — after last-placed Osasuna — following a fifth straight defeat, including three under new coach Tony Adams.

LEVANTE PROMOTED

Levante earned promotion to the top flight after a 1-0 win over Oviedo.

Levante, which was relegated last season, ensured its return with six rounds left in the second division.

source: philstar.com

Without injured Gareth Bale, Real Madrid maintains chase of leaders Barcelona, Atletico

MADRID – Real Madrid shrugged off the loss of the injured Gareth Bale as they beat Valencia 3-2 on Sunday to move back to within five points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona were also victors as an eight-minute hat-trick from Pedro Rodriguez helped them come from 2-0 down to win 5-2 away at Getafe.

Bale’s replacement Angel di Maria put Madrid in front with a fine left-footed drive on 28 minutes, but Pablo Piatti headed home an equaliser for the hosts six minutes later.

Cristiano Ronaldo then headed home Di Maria’s free-kick to put Madrid back in front five minutes before half-time, only for Valencia to level once more when Jeremy Mathieu met Dani Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid were not to be denied as substitute Jese Rodriguez grabbed the winner with a low drive that beat Vicente Guaita at his near post 10 minutes from time to condemn Nico Estevez to defeat in his first league game in temporary charge of Valencia.

“When a team changes its coach they always play with a lot of desire so it was a difficult game,” said Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“In general I thought we did very well. We maybe needed to maintain a higher tempo after the first goal, but we had the will to win until the last minute and the result is a very important one.”

With Bale sidelined for a second consecutive game by a calf injury, Di Maria made his presence felt in style as he controlled Marcelo’s cross-field pass before firing past Guaita into the far corner.

Valencia, buoyed by the news earlier in the day that Singaporean businessman Peter Lim may be on the verge of taking over the club, responded almost immediately as the diminutive Piatti found space inside the area to head home Juan Bernat’s cross.

Madrid were back in front six minutes later in somewhat controversial circumstances as Ronaldo’s goal was allowed to stand despite the Portuguese appearing to be slightly offside as Di Maria delivered a free-kick from wide on the right.

The hosts were level once again, though, just after the hour mark when Mathieu outjumped Sergio Ramos to flick home Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid found the goal they desperately needed to keep their title hopes alive as Luka Modric picked out Jese inside the area and his fiercely driven effort slipped through the grasp of Guaita.

Barcelona were also made to work for their victory as goals from Sergio Escudero and Lisandro Lopez had given Getafe a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes.

However, the Catalans responded like champions as Pedro scored three times in quick succession before the break.

Cesc Fabregas then gave Barca breathing space when he volleyed home Pedro’s cross and the former Arsenal captain doubled his tally from the penalty spot moments later.

“I am just happy for the victory, the goals and to help the team,” said Pedro, who also overtook Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez to become Barca’s top scorer in La Liga with 10.

“It was important to finish the year well. It is always difficult coming here due to the way they play, the pitch and the fans.

“We didn’t start how we would have hoped, but we turned the game around which is the most important thing.”

Without the suspended Neymar and injured Messi, the spotlight was on the Catalans’ fringe players in attack to make their claim for a regular starting spot.

Barca boss Gerardo Martino hailed Pedro’s impact having previously seen his opportunities limited this season.

“Pedro has a great eye for goal, everyone in Spain knows that,” said the coach.

“He has a great attitude, he never gives up and he understands that he is an important player, even if he does play in an area of the field where Barcelona have other great players.”

The Barca revival began 10 minutes before half-time when Fabregas released Pedro in behind the defence and his chipped finish had just enough elevation to take it past Miguel Angel Moya.

Pedro then curled home into the top corner from the edge of the area and pounced on a defensive error by Juan Valera to give his side the lead at half-time.

Fabregas made the game safe 22 minutes from time when he finished off a wonderful team move involving Pedro and Sergio Busquets.

Pedro was also involved in Barca’s fifth as was clipped inside the area by Borja Fernandez and Fabregas sent Moya the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick.

source: interaksyon.com