Lionel Messi kept his nerve from the penalty spot to give Barcelona a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday and return his side to the top of the table.
A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona tightened their grip on the La Liga title race with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday to open up an 11-point lead at the top. Munir El Haddadi tapped home the opener from Luis Suarez's cross before Messi doubled Barca's advantage with a brilliant individual effort just before half-time. Messi doubled his tally from the penalty spot before Suarez lashed home the fourth six minutes from time. Barca's 11th consecutive league win also stretches their record unbeaten run to 36 games. Atletico Madrid can close the gap at the top to eight points when they visit Gary Neville's Valencia later on Sunday. Real Madrid remain 12 points adrift of Barca in third despite Cristiano Ronaldo's four-goal show in a 7-1 demolition of Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Lionel Messi scored twice in the second half to help Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League round of 16, first leg match at the Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is in such magical form that opposition defences would need a machine gun to stop him, said former European Footballer of the Year Hristo Stoichkov. Messi's remarkable season continued when he set Barcelona on their way to a 2-0 win at Real Madrid in Spain's Clasico on Saturday, four days after the Argentine's brilliant four-goal Champions League haul against Arsenal.
Saturday's 'Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be more than a duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Portuguese forward said on Thursday.
Barcelona must considerably reduce their wage bill in order to keep Lionel Messi, La Liga chief Javier Tebas said on Thursday, adding that the club would not be shown any leniency when it comes to obeying the league's strict financial control rules.
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
"Both in terms of what you save on the wage bill as well as the money you make, it would've been desirable. But this is something the coaching staff have to consent to and that's not my place.
The Barcelona legend showed his support following the end of the World Health Worker Week, which concluded on Saturday.
Neymar injured as Brazil lose 2-0 in Uruguay
Indian club East Bengal produced an utterly dominant show to crush Bangladesh's Bashundhara Kings 4-0 in their AFC Challenge League match in Thimphu on Tuesday.
Beat Real Madrid's unbeaten run in the 1988-89 season, and thump Rayo Vallecano 5-1
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi broke a record from the 1930s on Saturday when he scored for a 17th consecutive La Liga game, a 2-0 victory at home to bottom club Deportivo La Coruna.
So, who in your opinion, dear readers, is your favourite to win the prestigious prize at the ceremony in Zurich on January 12? Take your pick and vote now!
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Once again Barcelona's Lionel Messi leads the race for UEFA Player of the Year, 2012-13.
Lionel Messi notched up his 35th league goal of the season as an understrength Barcelona strolled to a crushing 6-1 home win against Getafe that put them 12 points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Football's world governing body FIFA named Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery as the three nominations from a 10-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award. The winner will be announced on January 13.
Lionel Messi does not deserve to win the next FIFA Ballon d'Or as he has only won one minor trophy this year, his former Barcelona team mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi kept his date with India as he landed in the football-crazy city of Kolkata in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Lionel Messi scored yet another hat-trick and surpassed 400club goals as Barcelona came from behind to win the Catalan derby 5-1 against Espanyol.
The rest of Barcelona's squad will have to do "a little bit more" to make up for the absence of five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi for the next three weeks, according to captain Andres Iniesta. The Argentina forward faces a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a groin injury in Wednesday's 1-1 La Liga draw with Atletico Madrid. "There's no question we are stronger with Messi," Iniesta told Cadena Cope radio ahead of Saturday's match at Sporting Gijon. "When these things happen we all have to give a little bit more.
The 19-year-old ravaged Argentina from start to finish in France's thrilling 4-3 win in Kazan
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and his father Jorge testified separately in court on Friday to answer charges of tax evasion on income earned from the sale of the player's image rights.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has recovered sufficiently from a hamstring strain to feature in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg at Bayern Munich, sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said on Monday.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona clinched a 25th La Liga title on Sunday after winning 4-2 at Deportivo La Coruna despite throwing away a two-goal lead in a thrilling game which also confirmed Depor's relegation.
Lionel Messi has gone from being the first name on Barcelona's team sheet to the last, as they await a late fitness test ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Paris St Germain.
Lionel Messi's Copa America dream lay in tatters on Saturday after Argentina were beaten by old rivals Uruguay in a dramatic quarter-final.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez secured victory over nine-man Atletico Madrid in La Liga's top of the table clash, while Juventus won a 12th straight Serie A game to stay hot on the heels of leaders Napoli.
Lionel Messi hit a hat-trick as Barcelona warmed up for the El Clasico with Real Madrid next weekend with a 7-0 victory over Osasuna that put them four points off the top of La Liga.
The 'wounds' of 2014 will probably never heal, concedes Lionel Messi but the Argentine superstar is hopeful that 2018 will bring with it the World Cup that football 'owes' him.
Barcelona pulled off a remarkable Champions League comeback when Lionel Messi scored twice in a thrilling 4-0 victory at home to AC Milan on Tuesday that sent the Spanish club through to the last eight 4-2 on aggregate.
A sense of euphoria was in the air in the country, particularly in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, where thousands of jubilant fans crowded to watch the match on a giant screen in the park.
Argentina's decision to play their four world class forwards was fully justified in a crushing 4-0 win over Ecuador that put them top of the South American World Cup qualifiers on Saturday.
Argentina overcame its Copa America penalty shootout demons
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is set to sweep this year's awards for individual players, UEFA president Michel Platini predicted on Wednesday.
Argentina beat Mexico 3-0 to set up a meeting with Brazil in the Copa America final.
Lionel Messi scored twice to guide leaders Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Racing Santander in La Liga on Tuesday.
Star footballer Lionel Messi and his team had their final practice session this evening ahead of the FIFA International friendly between Argentina and Venezuela at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Argentina began their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Iceland -- a game in which Messi missed a penalty -- and finished second in their group before being knocked out by eventual winners France in the last 16.
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