Lionel Messi’s dead-ball hat-trick puts Barca back on top

Lionel Messi delivered an incredible dead-ball hat-trick on Saturday to steer Barcelona to a 4-1 victory over Celta Vigo and ease the pressure on his coach Ernesto Valverde.

Messi scored with a penalty and then a pair of sumptuous free-kicks either side of half-time after Lucas Olaza had briefly pulled Celta level with a free-kick of his own at Camp Nou. Sergio Busquets drove home to make sure of the win late on.


A 34th treble in La Liga puts Messi equal with Cristiano Ronaldo, while a much-needed win sends Barca above Real Madrid on goal difference and back to the top of the table at the end of a testing week.

“It is impossible not to depend on Messi, he illuminates everything,” said Valverde. “We depend on him like any team would depend on him. He unlocked the game.”

Madrid had briefly claimed first place after continuing their own goal-surge by hammering Eibar 4-0, a game in which Karim Benzema scored twice and Eden Hazard exploded into life.

But while Madrid appear to be hitting their stride, Barcelona’s momentum had stalled. After losing to Levante and failing to break down Slavia Prague in the Champions League, scrutiny had again turned on Valverde and his future as Barcelona coach.


Barcelona’s disgruntled fans had whistled their team against Slavia in midweek and when Olaza equalised for Celta, that tension and restlessness threatened to return.

Instead, Messi took command, this hat-trick taking his tally to nine goals in seven games, 612 in total for his club.

“Obviously when it’s tight we have the advantage of having the best player in the world and the best free-kick taker in the world,” said Busquets.

Yet his precision from free-kicks is a skill the 32-year-old has worked on and improved in recent years, his conversion rate currently at four goals from his last seven attempts in the league.

The last time a player scored a hat-trick from set-pieces in La Liga was when Messi himself achieved the same feat in 2012 against Espanyol, albeit with two penalties and one free-kick.

There was good news for Barcelona too in the return of Luis Suarez, who came off the bench after recovering from a calf strain.

Messi scored his penalty in the 23rd minute after Joseph Aidoo had blocked Nelson Semedo’s cross with his hand.



It was Messi that conceded the foul for Olaza’s curling free-kick that was well-hit enough to beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen, even if the goalkeeper might have been disappointed not to be able to get across.

There was little Celta keeper Ruben Blanco could do about Messi’s efforts, the first in stoppage time before the interval and the second three minutes after the restart.

They were almost carbon copies of each other, bending over the wall and nestling in the top right-hand corner.

Celta, under their new coach Oscar Garcia, never looked like mounting a comeback and Busquets put the result beyond doubt with a low shot five minutes from the finish.

Real’s players might have been watching on their way home from Ipurua, where they went three up inside 29 minutes, Sergio Ramos scoring a penalty between two Benzema strikes, the second also a spot-kick after Ramos delegated to his teammate. Fede Valverde added a fourth in the second half.

Benzema’s double takes him to 157 goals for Real Madrid, above Ferenc Puskas into sixth in the club’s all-time list, but his excellent display was trumped by a creative masterclass from Hazard.

“His first half was very impressive,” said coach Zinedine Zidane. “We are happy and he will be a huge player for Madrid, for sure.”

Hazard’s vintage performance


Benzema latched onto Hazard’s pass in the 17th minute and after Valverde and Luka Modric missed, the ball spilled back to the Frenchman, who found the corner from an acute angle.

Three minutes later it was two, Hazard the creator again, his feet too quick for Pablo De Blasis, who caught his opponent’s right leg. Ramos slid the penalty home.

Hazard sparkled, with a brilliant nutmeg, a ‘rabona’ cross and too many glides past defenders to count.

Ramos passed on the second Madrid penalty, awarded for a foul on Lucas Vazquez, to allow Benzema to make it three before Valverde had added a fourth, cracking in Modric’s pass for his first goal in La Liga.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Real Madrid re-sign Mariano Diaz for 33 million

Real Madrid said Wednesday they have re-signed striker Mariano Diaz from French side Lyon for 33 millions euros ($39 million) on a five-year deal having only last summer allowed him to move to France for eight million.

Diaz, a Spain-born Dominican Republic international, is a product of the Real academy, but had looked initially set to sign for Sevilla before Real made their move having decided to exercise a buy-back option negotiated last year.

The 25-year-old was a hit in France as he scored 18 times and provided seven assists to help his side finish in the top three and gain a Champions League qualification berth.


Real said he would be presented Friday.

Under the terms of the deal, Lyon will receive 15 percent of any surplus Real make in a future deal for the player.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Atletico Madrid, Valencia open Spanish season with draw

MADRID — Atletico Madrid and Valencia couldn’t manage more than a 1-1 draw in the opening match of the season for potential contenders for the Spanish league title on Monday.

Both teams debuted new signings and came boosted by great seasons a year ago, but it was an even match from the start at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, with neither finding an edge to earn the victory.

The hosts came closer to winning and squandered a few great chances in the final minutes.


Angel Correa gave Atletico the lead in the 25th minute with a shot from close range after a great set up by Antoine Griezmann, who cleared a few defenders before sending a perfect ball to the forward behind the defense. Correa had only goalkeeper Neto to beat and easily found the corner.

Atletico held on for the rest of the first half but Valencia equalized shortly after halftime with a great goal by striker Rodrigo, who controlled the ball with his chest after a cross into the area and fired a left-footed shot into the top of the net.

“We can’t say it was unfair, but if we had won the match it wouldn’t be a crazy result,” Rodrigo said. “We faced a great rival and showed that we are playing on a high level. That’s what we want to keep doing the whole season.”

Gabriel Paulista nearly scored again for Valencia less than 10 minutes after Rodrigo’s goal, but his header off a corner struck the post. Daniel Wass had a chance on a breakaway with a few minutes left, but his shot was saved by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Kevin Gameiro also missed a clear opportunity just before the final whistle.

“We lacked organization in the end and I didn’t like that,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “But I’ll stick to what we did well. These teams are very similar and we had our chances to win the match.”

Atletico finished runner-up to Barcelona in the league last season, while Valencia was fourth and secured a Champions League berth. Atletico was coming off a victory over city rival Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

Simeone started Monday’s match with one of the team’s top signings in the offseason, France forward Thomas Lemar, playing up front with Griezmann and Diego Costa. Other recently arrived players began on the bench, including Gelson Martins, Nikola Kalinic and Rodri. Martins came in as a substitute in the second half, replacing Griezmann.

Wass, one of Valencia’s new signings, was in the starting lineup, while Gameiro, Denis Cheryshev and Michy Batshuayi began on the bench. Gameiro and Batshuayi entered in the second half.


Defending champion Barcelona made its league debut on Saturday with a 3-0 win against Alaves with a pair of goals by Lionel Messi at Camp Nou Stadium.

Real Madrid opened with a 2-0 win over Getafe with Gareth Bale scoring and setting up Dani Carvajal’s goal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

In the match that closed out the first round, Athletic Bilbao defeated Leganes 2-1 at home thanks to an injury-time winner by Iker Muniain.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Barcelona celebrates La Liga triumph in city parade

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona players and coaches showed off the Spanish league and Copa del Rey trophies to the city and themselves in selfies in a victory parade on Monday.

Riding atop an open bus, the team chanted and saluted fans as they wended through city streets before thousands of people.

The two-hour-long parade also served as a farewell for veteran playmaker Andres Iniesta, who last week announced he will not return for a 17th season with the club. The words “Infinit Iniesta” were painted on the bus that carried the team.

Barcelona won the Spanish league for the seventh time in 10 seasons on Sunday, a week after clinching its fourth straight Copa del Rey title.

Barcelona still has four matches left in the league but can’t be caught by second-place Atletico Madrid or third-place Real Madrid.

Barcelona failed in its attempt to win the treble when it was eliminated by Roma in the Champions League quarterfinals.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Surprising Alaves to take on Barcelona in Copa del Rey final

MADRID — There could hardly be more contrasting teams in the Copa del Rey final.

Alaves, the recently promoted club from Basque Country, will be playing in the final of a major tournament only for the second time in its 96-year history.

Barcelona, on the other hand, will be making its 39th appearance in the Copa final.

Barcelona has won virtually every possible title in the competitions it has played.

Alaves’ only winner’s trophy is for Spain’s second division.

In the final on May 27, Barcelona will field the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Neymar.

Alaves’ top forward is Deyverson, a Brazilian barely known even in his native country.

“This was unthinkable in the beginning of the season,” Alaves coach Mauricio Pellegrino said after their clinching 1-0 home win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday in the semifinals. “We’ll be mobilized for this final.”

The only other time Alaves enjoyed this kind of success was 16 years ago when it reached the final of the UEFA Cup. It lost to Liverpool 5-4 in extra time in a thriller in Dortmund.

It has mostly struggled since then, spending several years out of Spain’s top division. The club, founded in 1921, was promoted to La Liga this season after 10 years in the lower divisions, including four in the third tier.

“After 96 years, to reach the Copa final for the first time, there will be a ’before’ and an ’after’ this achievement,” Alaves president Alfonso Fernandez de Troconiz said. “It’s been an amazing season.”

Barcelona, meanwhile, has been in the Copa del Rey final in seven of the last nine seasons, including the last four. It has won it a record 28 times, including the last two.

But despite the lopsided matchup, there’s reason to believe in an historic result in the final.

Alaves stunned Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou in the Spanish league this season, handing the Catalan club its only home loss with goals by Deyverson and Ibai Gomez.

The teams meet again in the league on Saturday in Basque Country. Barcelona is second in the league with 18 more points than 12th-place Alaves.

Before the league loss, Barcelona had won five straight games between the two sides, including four in the Copa del Rey. It won both games in the last 16 in 2007, and cruised to a 6-1 aggregate win in the early rounds in 2012.

Barcelona has yet to lose a Copa del Rey home-and-away series since coach Luis Enrique took over in 2014, a run of 12 straight triumphs.

It made it to this year’s final by eliminating Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, and Atletico Madrid, the latter in the semifinals.

Alaves got past Deportivo La Coruna, second-division club Alcorcon, and Celta, which eliminated Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.

Barcelona is already certain to be without defender Sergi Roberto and striker Luis Suarez, who were sent off on Tuesday in the 1-1 draw against Atletico at Camp Nou. Suarez was handed a two-game suspension on Thursday for refusing to immediately leave the field after being shown the red card.

The venue for the final has yet to be determined, although it will likely be in Madrid.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez hinted on Thursday that the club’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium likely won’t be available because renovation work will be underway during the final.

Last season, officials wanted Barcelona and Sevilla to play the decider at the Bernabeu, but a Bruce Springsteen concert was scheduled for the venue and Madrid avoided having its biggest rival celebrating a title on its grounds. The final was eventually played at Atletico’s Vicente Calderon Stadium. –Tales Azzo

source: sports.inquirer.net

Messi to China? I hope not, says La Liga chief

SINGAPORE—The head of Spain’s La Liga said the cashed-up Chinese Super League wasn’t far from becoming one of the world’s top football competitions — but he hopes Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t headed there just yet.

Speaking in Singapore, La Liga president Javier Tebas also told AFP that he welcomed China’s burgeoning interest in football, which includes investments in Spain’s Atletico Madrid and Espanyol.

Atletico’s Colombian striker Jackson Martinez, signed for 42 million euros ($47 million) by Guangzhou Evergrande, was one of the big signings in China’s lavish spree during the recent transfer window.

But Tebas said he hoped Barcelona and Real Madrid superstars Messi and Ronaldo weren’t about to join China’s growing band of expensive foreign imports.

“You’ll have to ask them that but I certainly hope not,” he said during a visit to Singapore, adding: “There are enough football stars to go around.”

“Even though some improvement is needed at the moment, it’s slowly raising its standard,” Tebas, speaking through a translator, said of the Chinese Super League.

“And in a few years, if the standard is better, it can become among the top in the world. All of us will reap the benefits because it means we can all work together to increase standards.”

A pre-retirement stint would be more likely for Messi and Ronaldo if they were tempted by China, although reports have also linked some of football’s biggest names to CSL clubs.

Model owners

Inspired by a push headed by President Xi Jinping to turn China into a footballing power, Chinese teams have invested heavily in foreign players, often for outlandish sums.


Chinese clubs smashed the Asian transfer record four times as they splashed 331 million euros ($366.8 million) in the January-February transfer window, outstripping the English Premier League.

Chinese businesses have also invested in European football, with one state-backed company taking a $400 million stake in England’s Manchester City.

A Chinese company also sponsors Portugal’s second division, and sparked concern over plans to impose a quota of players from China.

But Tebas said China’s investments in La Liga were a “good opportunity” for Spanish clubs as they raised teams’ profile in the massive Chinese market.

Wanda Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, has a 20 percent stake in Atletico, and a Chinese model car-maker is the majority owner of Espanyol.

“Because they have an interest in the league, we feel it’s a good opportunity because this helps their investment,” Tebas said.

“It also allows the teams to have an increased profile in China,” he added.

Tebas also said La Liga’s ability to retain key players would depend on its spending power, although he was confident Spanish clubs would remain competitive in the transfer market.

“This is an issue of finance, whether the La Liga is still growing,” he said. “If we continue on that path, and have enough future resources, we will be able to keep our players.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Real Madrid beats Las Palmas in Spanish League

MADRID — Casemiro scored in the 89th-minute to earn Real Madrid a 2-1 win at Las Palmas in the Spanish league on Sunday, keeping his team on course for an automatic spot in next season’s Champions League.

Casemiro headed the winner from a corner just two minutes after Las Palmas equalized with striker Willian Jose to ignite the local fans in the Canary Islands. Sergio Ramos had put Madrid ahead with another header in the 24th, before being sent off in injury time.

Las Palmas played better most of the match and goalkeeper Keylor Navas had to make several key saves to keep Madrid in the game.

“If we want anything from what’s coming up we have got to play better, that’s for sure,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Like this, we’ll get nowhere.”

It was Madrid’s third league win in a row, leaving it 10 points in front of fourth-place Villarreal, which lost to Sevilla earlier Sunday.

Defending champion Barcelona routed Getafe 6-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday to maintain an eight-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid, which kept pace by defeating Deportivo La Coruna 3-0 at the Vicente Calderon Stadium a few hours later.

Madrid is 12 points off the lead and virtually out of contention for the title with nine rounds left, but it needed the win on Sunday to stay ahead in the race to secure the final automatic spot for the Champions League. The fourth-place club has to play an extra qualifying round.

Madrid started well and moved ahead with Ramos’ firm header off a corner, but Las Palmas took over and created several chances until finally breaking through with Jose’s shot over Navas after a bad pass by Mateo Kovacic near the area. The hosts seemed satisfied with a draw, but defensive midfielder Casemiro was left unmarked near the far post to seal the victory.

Ramos was sent off after being shown a second yellow card just before the final whistle.

“We need to improve a lot,” Navas said. “To win titles we can’t play with this type of intensity.”

Las Palmas was trying to win its fourth game in a row. The loss leaves the Canary Islands team in 15th place, only four points above the relegation zone.

Earlier Sunday in Seville, Ukraine midfielder Yevhen Konoplyanka scored the decisive goal with a 65th-minute long-range shot as Sevilla beat Villarreal 4-2 to stay in the fight for a Champions League spot.

The team’s 13th straight home victory in the league helped it move within five points of Villarreal.

“We showed that we have character and that we will fight until the end for the fourth spot,” Sevilla defender Adil Rami said. “This club and these fans deserve to be in the Champions (League).”

Sevilla opened the scoring at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium with a goal by Vicente Iborra in the 23rd minute. French striker Cedric Bakambu put Villarreal ahead with goals in the 29th and 37th, but the hosts equalized with an own goal by defender Victor Ruiz in the 51st before Konoplyanka netted with a powerful right-foot shot from about 30 meters (30 yards).

Substitute midfielder Jose Antonio Reyes sealed the victory after a breakaway in injury time.

Sevilla played with 10 men from the 79th after midfielder Ever Banega was sent off for a foul that earned him a second yellow card.

Sevilla has won every match at home since a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo in the league’s third round. Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the teams it defeated at the Sanchez-Pizjuan.

It was the second straight loss for Villarreal, which has only one victory in its last five league games.

Villarreal and Sevilla are in the round of 16 of the Europa League. Sevilla will play the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on May 22.

Also Sunday, striker Giuseppe Rossi scored a 65th-minute winner to give last-place Levante a 1-0 win over Valencia in the city derby.

Gary Neville’s team has lost three of its last four league games and dropped to 12th in the standings.

“I accept responsibility for the defeat,” an upset Neville said. “It was an indefensible performance, not acceptable, not good enough. I apologize to the fans of Valencia. I can’t defend what I’ve just seen. And I need to take full responsibility for that.”

Sixth-place Athletic Bilbao defeated Real Betis 3-1 at home to win its fourth league game in a row and remain one point behind Sevilla.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Outspoken Ronaldo gets Madrid back on track

Cristiano Ronaldo made amends for recent critical comments of his Real Madrid teammates with a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday to cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to nine points.

Ronaldo’s penalty and an own goal from Levante ‘keeper Diego Marino put the visitors in command before Deyverson pulled one back for Levante before half-time.

However, Isco’s late strike from Ronaldo’s cut-back secured the points in stoppage time.

Real trail second-placed Atletico Madrid by four points, but do open up a four-point lead of their own on Villarreal after they were held 0-0 at Celta Vigo.

Barcelona can extend their lead over Atletico at the top to eight points with victory at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

Gary Neville’s Valencia moved into the top half of the table as they benefited from spectacular own goal by Malaga goalkeeper Carlos Kameni to win 2-1 at La Rosaleda.

Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was without a host of first team regulars as the suspended Dani Carvajal and Sergio Ramos joined the injured Marcelo, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema on the sidelines.

However, Ronaldo started despite causing controversy with an outburst claiming Madrid “would be top” of the league if his teammates matched his standards after defeat to Atletico at the weekend.

“When there are changes you think it is going to be more difficult, but with the effort and commitment of everyone we managed to get the three points and a good performance,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

Real had former Levante ‘keeper Keylor Navas to thank for not getting off to a terrible start as he produced a brilliant save low to his left to prevent Giuseppe Rossi giving the home side a shock lead.

Ronaldo opened the scoring from the spot on 34 minutes after Lucas Vazquez had been tripped inside the area by Lucas Orban.

Injuries to Benzema and Bale opened the door for 18-year-old Borja Mayoral to get his first league start and he took his opportunity when his shot from the edge of the box hit the post and cannoned into the net off Marino’s back three minutes later.

However, Levante were back in the game instantly as the Real defence were caught flat-footed appealing for an offside flag that never arrived and Deyverson slotted into the bottom corner.

Madrid had much better control of the game after the break and Ronaldo was desperately unlucky not to restore their two-goal lead when he struck the post from James Rodriguez’s fine through ball.

However, Zidane’s men needed to rely on Navas once more to secure the points as he made a flying save to parry Ruben Garcia’s shot from distance.

And Isco answered his recent critics with a calm finish from Ronaldo’s cut-back in stoppage time to round off the scoring.

Defeat leaves Levante still rooted to the foot of the table, six points off safety.

Villarreal’s hopes of temporarily usurping Real Madrid into third were dashed in a game of few chances in Vigo as the visitors registered a sixth consecutive clean sheet in La Liga.

Sevilla closed the gap on Villarreal to nine points in their quest for Champions League football as Fernando Llorente’s early strike handed the Europa League holders their 15th straight home win in all competitions, 1-0 over Eibar.

Valencia moved up to ninth as they recovered from Duje Cop’s early deflected opener to register just Neville’s third league win.

Kameni punched the ball into his own net under pressure from Denis Cheryshev just before half-time and Real Madrid loanee Cheryshev completed the turnaround when he fired into the bottom corner five minutes after the break.

Aritz Aduriz continued his push to be included in Spain’s squad for the Euro 2016 with a hat-trick in Athletic Bilbao’s 4-1 win over Deportivo la Coruna to take his tally for the season to 30.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bilbao stay on course for Champions League shot

Athletic Bilbao remain on course for a place in Champions League qualifying after a Markel Susaeta strike secured a 1-0 win at home to Getafe in La Liga on Saturday that strengthened their grip on fourth.

Susaeta cracked home a superb first-time shot five minutes before halftime at the San Mames to put Bilbao nine points clear of fifth-placed Real Sociedad ahead of their Basque rivals' match at Almeria on Monday.

Getafe, winless in 14 La Liga outings stretching back to mid December, are just above the drop zone in 17th on 28 points.

Espanyol and Levante, who are in with a chance of a place in the Europa League, drew 0-0 at Espanyol's Cornella El Prat stadium in Barcelona, while Granada pulled further away from danger with a 1-0 win at home to Elche.

Rayo Vallecano, who appeared doomed to relegation a few weeks ago, drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers Real Valladolid and have now taken 10 points from their last four games.

In Sunday's games, leaders Real Madrid can deal a severe blow to Barcelona's chances of a fifth title in six years with a win at home to their arch rivals in the 'Clasico'.

Real are top on 70 points, three ahead of city neighbors Atletico Madrid, who play at bottom side Real Betis (1600). Barca are a point behind Atletico in third, 11 points ahead of Bilbao. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com