International soccer star Neymar suffered a torn ACL Wednesday during a match with the Brazilian national team. He will require surgery that could sideline him for eight months or more.

“It’s a very sad moment, the worst,” Neymar wrote on social media. “I know I’m strong but this time I’m going to need my family and friends even more. It’s not easy to go through injury and surgery. Imagine going through it all again after four  months of recovery.”

Neymar was competing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay, which the team went on to lose 2-0. The Brazilian star, 31, went down with the injury in the 43rd minute and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

“Striker Neymar Jr. of the Brazilian team and Al-Hilal, from Saudi Arabia, underwent clinical and imaging tests this Wednesday, which confirmed the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee,” Brazil’s Football Confederation confirmed after the game in a statement.

The injury to one of soccer’s most popular stars could be a massive loss for the Brazilian team as well as Al-Hilal, his current club in Saudi Arabia. The team signed him to a massive deal reportedly worth $300 million in August.

Some speculate that a recent slate of setbacks could prevent Neymar from ever returning to his old form, which he demonstrated for the past decade as a member of the Brazilian national team and European clubs FC Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain. He received ankle surgery in February and only returned in June before missing more time over the summer with muscular problems.

Though Neymar has never won a World Cup with Brazil or the Ballon d’Or as an individual club player, he did work with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to secure a Champions League trophy for FC Barcelona during the 2014-15 season. It remains to be seen if he will ever again be able to contribute to a team’s success in that manner again.

International soccer star Lionel Messi sent shockwaves through the sport Wednesday when he agreed to a deal with MLS team Inter Miami. Specific details of his contract have not been finalized, but the deal has already transformed the landscape of soccer in the United States.

“I have made the decision that I am going to Miami. I still don’t have it agreed upon 100 percent and a few things are needed, but, well, we decided to continue my path there,” Messi said.

Potential terms in Messi’s contract are lucrative and could include a part-ownership of Inter Miami and a share of Apple TV revenue from new streaming subscribers. Spanish publication Diario AS reports that he could earn up to $54 million per season in salary alone.

Messi claimed that he decided to come to play in the United States after failing to make deals with Paris Saint Germain and FC Barcelona.

“After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way and to enjoy the day-to-day more. Obviously, with the same responsibility and desire to play well and do things well as always. But in a calmer way.”

Despite Messi’s claim that he could not return to FC Barcelona, the team later said in a statement that he had been offered a deal that was still on the table when he decided to enter negotiations with Inter Miami.

“Jorge Messi, the player’s father and representative, informed Club President Joan Laporta of the player’s decision to join Inter Miami, despite having been presented with a proposal from Barça, in consideration of the desire of both FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi for him to once again wear blaugrana,” Barca said in a statement.

Before Messi decided to join Inter Miami, tickets to the game could be found for less than $30. The cheapest tickets available now are nearly $500. The Messi effect is immediate stateside.

Reports emerged Thursday that international soccer superstar Lionel Messi will not return to Paris Saint Germain next season, with multiple suitors around the globe already being named to potentially sign the Argentinian. With all the leverage in the world, Messi can sign with any team that can feasibly afford him, but several destinations stand out in Europe and abroad.

Of all the potential landing spots for Messi, reports have most strongly suggested that FC Barcelona are first in line to sign him. A return home to the team that Messi played nearly two decades for would be a sensible decision as he nears the end of his career at the highest level of the sport.

The club would have to demonstrate to La Liga that it can afford its old superstar, something it has reportedly failed to do at this time. Confirmation of his PSG departure could reinvigorate the effort, however.

Another team long-rumored to be pursuing Messi is Inter Miami, an MLS club that reportedly offered him a deal that would have made him the highest-paid player in the history of the league last year. More recent reports suggest that the team may even offer him an equity stake in the club to play. If he agrees to play in the United States, he would follow in the footsteps of European stars like David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His impact on American soccer attendance would be even greater, however.

Just as it’s possible that Inter Miami might not be the only MLS team interested in Messi, a number of teams in Saudi Arabia will also likely pursue the PSG defector. Al-Hilal reportedly has offered him a deal worth $400 million. Others are certain to make bids as well in an effort to make the high-yield acquisition for their clubs.

Other possibilities exist for Messi, and some have discussed the possibility of a debut in the Premier League or other leagues in Europe. These clubs are less likely to sign him, however, as they lack the history he shares with Barcelona and the funds to match offers made in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

At this point, only two things are certain. While Messi could go to any number of clubs next at any number of locales, he seems set to leave PSG at the end of the season. When that occurs, he is poised to become the highest-paid athlete in the world — again.

Lionel Messi‘s contract expired on Wednesday, and his fate with Barcelona remains uncertain.

Messi, who turned 34 last week, is officially a free agent. He has not signed a renewal to extend his 20-year stay at Camp Nou.

Barcelona once had the league’s highest wage bill at more than €600 million per season. However, that has since been cut to just over €300m due to the coronavirus pandemic. Messi’s recent contract with the club was signed in 2017 and was worth more than €500m over four years, including his salary, bonuses and image rights.

Barca cannot afford to pay Messi as much this time because the club has a gross debt of over €1 billion. They have had to be creative with their contract offer to retain Messi.

Barca president Joan Laporta had drawn up a two-year contract with the option for an additional year. The club wants to give Messi the freedom to move to Major League Soccer after the two-year deal expires.

Laporta has said that Messi is more interested in having a competitive team built around than the financial side of a deal.

Last summer, Messi told Barca that he wanted to leave but lately has opened up to the idea of staying with the club. This change of attitude could be attributed to the resignation of the former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom he did not get along with, and the return of Laporta, who was previously in charge between 2003 and 2010.

Barca has not won the Champions League since 2015 and has gone two seasons without winning La Liga.

Messi is currently away with the Argentina team at Copa America. He scored two goals and assisted another in a 4-1 win against Bolivia. The win allowed Argentina to move on to the quarterfinals against Ecuador on Saturday night.

Joan Laporta president of FC Barcelona is exploring ways to retain Lionel Messi. The Barcelona president will offer the forward a three-year contract offer.

Barcelona could no longer afford to pay Messi what he is currently making, around €75 million net annually. So, the club is looking for alternate solutions to retain the beloved superstar. One of the solutions that the club is currently going to try is to offer a longer contract, which will allow them to compensate Messi over several years to make up for the salary reduction. That is the reason behind Laporta offering the forward a two-year contract with an option for another year.

The Argentinian superstar has preferred the idea of signing a year-to-year contract so he is able to make a choice to stay or leave after each year, depending on the club’s state and his own feelings. Furthermore, Messi has spoken about the idea of playing in the United States’ Major League Soccer before he retires. “I always had the dream of being able to enjoy and have the experience of living in the United States and experience what the league there is like,” Messi said.

Last year, the Argentinian made headlines when he announced his intention to leave Barcelona. Both Manchester City and Paris-Saint Germain were immediate pursuers of Messi, but a potential legal battle by Barcelona prevented the star from leaving. However, Messi had still said that he would look to leave when his contract expires in June. Manchester City and Paris-Saint Germain are currently monitoring the situation with hopes that the superstar does not stay with Barca.

However, Laporta is confident that they will re-sign the Argentinian superstar. The club president is confident that the team’s Copa del Rey final win last Saturday convinced the star to stay. The club president is exploring a way to bring either Neymar or Erling Haaland to Barcelona, so Messi will be convinced to re-sign.

However, right now, the Argentinian superstar is focused on playing and giving it his all.

Time will tell how this situation plays out. It would be massive news if Messi did end up leaving Barcelona for another elite team. Stay tuned for more updates.

The Super League is officially dead.

On April 18, the European Super League was announced with 12 founding football teams. The 12 teams were top teams from across three different football leagues in Europe. As of Wednesday, the project is no longer happening. The Super League consisted of founding members Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Atlético, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The European Super League announcement was met with intense fan backlash and legislative pressure. The UEFA held a press conference condemning the European Super League and threatened to ban players from the participating teams from playing in this year’s European Championship and next year’s World Cup.

Two days after its initial creation, six founding clubs withdrew from the proposed league. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham withdrew from the project due to pressure. It was a death blow to the proposed project.

Following the departures of the English clubs, the European Super League announced that it was suspending the project. “Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always giving in mind our goals of offering the fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community,” the statement read.

On Wednesday, four more clubs withdrew from the project. Atlético, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.

Atlético released a statement announcing its official departure from the project. “Atlético de Madrid’s Board of Directors, which met on Wednesday morning, has decided to formally communicate to the Super League and the rest of the founding clubs its decision not to finally formalize its adhesion to the project,” the statement read.

Inter Milan released an official statement confirming their departure. “FC Internazionale Milano confirms that the Club is no longer part of the Super League project,” the statement said.

AC Milan then released a statement announcing its withdrawal from the project. The Italian club said, “The voice and concerns of supporters throughout the world about the Super League project have been strong and clear, and our Club must remain sensitive and attentive to the opinion of those who love this sport”.

Juventus was the next club that left. “While Juventus remains convinced of the soundness of the project’s sport, commercial and legal premises, it believes that at present there are limited chances that the project be completed in the form originally conceived,” the club said. “Juventus remains committed to pursuing the creation of long-term value for the Company and the entire football industry.”

As of now, only FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have not officially left the league.

Former FC Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu was arrested as the police continue to investigate the “BarcaGate” scandal. 

Along with Bartomeu, who resigned from his position last year, Bartomeu’s advisor Jaume Masferrer, legal services chief Roman Gomez Ponti and the club’s CEO Oscar Grau were also detained. 

Reports claim that Bartomeu and other club officials are linked with “BarcaGate”, a scandal that involved hiring a company called I3 at an inflated rate to attack FC Barcelona players including current players Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique on social media, while boosting the image of club officials. 

The Catalan club released a statement that indicated the club’s cooperation with authorities investigating the issue. The statement said, “Regarding the entry and search by the Catalan Police force this morning at the Camp Nou offices by order of the Instructing Court number 13 in Barcelona, which is in charge of the case relating to the contacting of monitoring services on social networks, FC Barcelona have offered up their full collaboration to the legal and police authorities to help make clear facts which are subject to investigation.”

“FC Barcelona have offered up their full collaboration to the legal and police authorities to help make clear facts which are subject to investigation. The information and documentation requested by the judicial police force relate strictly to the facts relative to this case. 

“FC Barcelona express its great respect for the judicial process in place and for the principle of presumed innocence for the people affected within the remit of this investigation.”

In response to the incident, presidential candidate Joan Laporta claimed that these arrests “greatly damage the image and reputation of our club”. 

Another candidate, Toni Freixa claimed, “Too many people wanting to hurt Barça. We will not allow it”. 

The FC Barcelona presidential elections will be held in less than a week, with Laporta, Freixa and Victor Font all competing for the position. 

FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi received a two-match ban after receiving a red card during the SuperCopa de Espana final against Athletic Bilbao. 

Athletico Bilbao defeated the Catalan club 3-2 to win the cup. In the first half, FC Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann scored the game’s first goal shortly followed by the equalizer from Athletic Bilbao midfielder Oscar de Marcos. In the second half, Griezmann scored another goal. In the last minutes of the game, Athletic Bilbao striker Asier Villalibre scored to cancel out Griezmann’s second goal and take the game to extra time. 

During extra time, Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams scored a wonder goal and the match winner for his side. Afterwards, Messi received a straight red card after he swung his arm and took out Bilbao striker Villalibre. This red card is Messi’s first in his FC Barcelona career. 

The game’s referee Gil Manzano claimed in his match report that Messi hit his opponent with “excessive force”.

FC Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman defended Messi and told the press, “I can understand what Messi did. I don’t know how many times they fouled him, and it’s normal to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player who is looking to dribble with the ball, but I need to see it again properly.” 

Messi was doubtful for this game due to an injury he sustained. He did not play the semi final game against Real Sociedad, which the Catalan club won. In the last minute, he was included in the starting XI. 

Messi will miss two games with FC Barcelona, which includes a Copa Del Rey game against Cornella and a La Liga game against Elche. The Barca legend was also fined 600 Euros for his actions. 

FC Barcelona is reportedly taking action to appeal the suspension decision. 

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FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi sat down with Jordi Evole for a very candid and personal interview for La Sexta.

After the problems he had in the summer with the Catalan club, Messi did not hold back from expressing his love for FC Barcelona. He claimed, “Barça is my life. I love Barça and Barcelona. I have always given my all for this club. I feel everything for this shirt. Barcelona is my life. I grew up both in the club and in the city. I learned everything here. The club has given me everything, trained me as a footballer and as a person. I have a love affair with Barça and the city.”

Messi started playing for FC Barcelona at a really young age. He spoke on his arrival from Argentina to the Catalan club and claimed, “It was a difficult time, I left everything behind. My life changed completely. But I was just thinking about trying to achieve my dream. And that’s why I focused on training, matches and school. Little by little, I made friends.”

The Barca superstar discussed his troublesome summer with the club and the reasons why he wanted to leave after so many years. Messi claimed that he “had been telling [Bartomeu] for six months that I wanted to leave and asking for his help and he just said ‘no, no, no,” As a result, Messi sent a burofax to the club to make his decision about leaving the club official. 

Messi also claimed that Barotmeu started to leak things to the public to make the player look like the “bad guy” in front of everyone. 

When asked about current head coach Koeman’s project, he said, “With Koeman, the team and the club have a seriousness about them and an idea. He is doing things very well, and has been a great success. However, it’s not an easy situation because there are new and young people.”

Messi also did not give a clear answer on whether he will leave FC Barcelona in June or not, but expressed his desire to play for the MLS “one day.” 

During this week’s La Liga fixtures, Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid all clinched victories. 

Atlético Madrid defeated Real Sociedad, 2-0. In the first half, neither side managed to score. In the second half, Atlético Madrid’s Mario Hermoso scored his side’s first goal assisted by Yannick Ferrera Carasco. In the last 15 minutes of the game, Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente scored his side’s second goal assisted by Carasco. Atlético Madrid is currently on top of La Liga. 

FC Barcelona defeated Real Valladolid, 3-0. In the first half, FC Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet scored the first goal assisted by FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi. Shortly after, FC Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite scored the second goal assisted by Serginho Dest. In the second half, Messi scored a brilliant third goal for FC Barcelona assisted by emerging young star Pedri. Messi has now scored 644 goals for FC Barcelona and has surpassed soccer legend Pele’s record for scoring the most goals for a single club. FC Barcelona is currently fifth in La Liga.

Real Madrid continued their winning streak after defeating Granada, 2-0. In the second half, Real Madrid star Casemiro scored the first goal assisted by Marco Asensio. In the added time, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema scored his side’s second goal assisted by Real Madrid outcast Isco. Real Madrid is currently second in La Liga, having the same number of points as Atletico, but the Galacticos have played two more games. 

The players are now on Christmas break and La Liga will return on Dec. 29. FC Barcelona is scheduled to face Eibar at the Camp Nou. Atletico Madrid is scheduled to face Getafe at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano. Real Madrid is scheduled to face Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. 

The La Liga race is still far from over and there will likely be many twists as games return after Christmas break. 

FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi cleared things up regarding his future at the Catalan club. 

Messi recently broke Brazilian legend Pele’s record of scoring 643 goals for a single club. The FC Barcelona superstar scored his 643th goal for FC Barcelona during the La Liga game against Valencia. 

This past summer, Messi wanted to leave the club and join another one but was unable to. Messi claimed that former FC Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu previously told him he was free to leave in the summer, but then according to Messi, the president did not keep his word. 

In the past few months, Messi has been linked to clubs like Paris Saint Germain and Manchester City. Both clubs are rumored to have tried to negotiate and sign Messi in the January transfer window or in the summer. However, a transfer away from FC Barcelona was not confirmed by Messi until now.

After many rumors surrounding Messi’s future at FC Barcelona, he decided to sit down to discuss his situation at the club. In an upcoming interview by LaSexta, Messi claimed, “The truth is that as of today I’m good. It’s true I had a terrible time in the summer, though it started before that. What I went through before the summer, with the end to the season and the burofax and all of that.”

“Then that carried over a little bit into the start of the season. But right now I’m good and I’m keen to really fight for everything we’ve got in front of us, I’m excited. Really excited. I know the club is going through a difficult period, in terms of the administration and the team and it makes everything around Barcelona difficult, but I’m keen.”

The full interview is set to be released on December 27 and more information concerning Messi’s future at the club could possibly be discussed. 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, posted a controversial photo of her brother and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi on Instagram after Juventus’ win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

The photo shows Messi kneeling down in front of Ronaldo symbolizing Ronaldo’s win over his eternal rival Messi after his team defeated the Catalan club. Some claimed that Messi appears to be worshiping Ronaldo in the photo. The photo raised controversy regarding the two players’ rivalry.

After the Juventus match, Ronaldo claimed, “I have always had a cordial relationship with Messi. As I have said before, for 12, 13, 14 years [I have been] sharing prizes with him.”

“I never saw him as a rival. He always tried the best for his team, and I tried the best for mine. I always got on well with him. I am sure he will say the same if you ask him. But we know in football, people always look for a rivalry to create more excitement.”

Ronaldo and Messi’s never ending competition is probably the sport’s most intense rivalry of all time. The rivalry reached a high point when Ronaldo was a Real Madrid player and both players were playing for the two best teams in the world. 

Both players have shared the sport’s most prestigious awards for the past decade. Ronaldo won four Golden Boots and five Ballon D’Ors. On the other hand, Messi won six Golden Boots and six Ballon D’Ors. Also, both players won multiple awards with their teams. 

Messi and Ronaldo are regarded by many as the two best soccer players of all time and their competition is a heavily discussed topic in the media. Ronaldo has played in different leagues across Europe, while Messi is a one club having played in FC Barcelona for all his career.

While Ronaldo claimed that a rivalry between himself and Messi does not exist, his sister’s photo says the exact opposite. 

S.S. Lazio joined Group F winner Borussia Dortmund to advance to the Champions League round of 16. 

Lazio advanced to the next round after a draw against Club Brugge, 2-2. In the first half, Lazio’s Joaquin Correa scored the first goal followed by the equalizer from Club Brugge’s Ruud Vormer. Before the end of the first half, Lazio was awarded a penalty scored by Ciro Immobile. In the second half, Club Brugge’s Eduard Sobol was sent off following a second yellow card. Afterward, Club Brugge’s Hans Vanaken scored the equalizer. 

Manchester United crashed out of the competition after suffering a defeat against RB Leipzig, 3-2. In the first half, RB Leipzig’s Angelino scored an early goal followed by a goal from A. Haidara. In the second half, RB Leipzig substitute J. Kluviert scored the third goal. Manchester United was awarded a late penalty scored by Bruno Fernandes. Shortly after, Manchester United substitute Paul Pogba scored the second. 

Juventus defeated FC Barcelona, 3-0 to top Group G. In the first half, Juventus was awarded a penalty scored by Cristiano Ronaldo. Afterward, young star Weston McKennie scored the second goal. In the second half, Juventus was awarded a second penalty, scored again by Cristiano Ronaldo. FC Barcelona had some chances to score but the players were not clinical enough. 

Borussia Dortmund defeated Zenit St. Petersberg, 2-1. In the first half, Zenit’s Sebastian Driussi scored his side’s only goal in the game. In the second half, Dortmund’s Lukasz Piszczek scored the equalizer followed by the winner from Axel Witsel.

Chelsea’s game against Krasnodar ended with a draw, 1-1. In the first half, Krasnodar’s Remy Cabella scored the first goal. Shortly after, the Blue was awarded a penalty scored by Jorginho. 

Sevilla defeated Rennes, 3-1. In the first half, Sevilla defender Jules Kounde scored the first goal followed by a goal from Youssef En Nesyri. In the second half, En Nesyri scored the third goal and his second in the game. Shortly after, Rennes was awarded a late penalty scored by Georginio Rutter.  

The real drama of the night occurred during the PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir fixture. The game was called off following a racist incident that involved an official and Istanbul Basaksehir’s assistant coach, Pierre Webo. One of the match officials reportedly used a racial slur to call Basaksehir’s assistant coach. The fixture is postponed to Dec. 9. 

In La Liga, FC Barcelona suffered a defeat against Cadiz while Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both clinched victories.

Cadiz defeated FC Barcelona, 2-1. Cadiz’s Alvaro Gimenez scored an early goal after a mistake by FC Barcelona defender Mingueza. In the second half, FC Barcelona equalized after an own goal from Cadiz’s Pedro Alcala. Shortly after, a mistake from FC Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet allowed Cadiz striker Alvaro Negredo to score the winner. FC Barcelona’s terrible defending and organization was exposed in this game. 

After the game, head coach Ronald Koeman told the media, “It’s a huge step back in terms of winning La Liga. It’s disappointing but we must accept it, even though being 12 points back from a strong team like Atletico is a lot.”

FC Barcelona player Sergio Busquets also commented on the team’s disappointing display. “Individual errors have cost us a lot of points,” he said “In the last few games, mistakes have defined the match and it becomes more difficult.”

FC Barcelona is currently ninth in La Liga after dropping more points after the defeat. In contrast, the Catalan club is doing quite well in the UEFA Champions League. The club is in first place in the competition’s Group G and earned a spot in the competition’s last 16 round. 

Real Madrid clinched a winner against Sevilla. In the second half, a mistake from Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou gave the Galacticos a narrow win in the league after a disappointing defeat in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk. Real Madrid head coach Zidane’s job is probably safe for now. 

Atletico Madrid continued its winning run this week as well after defeating Real Valladolid, 2-0. In the second half, Atletico’s Thomas Lemar scored the first goal followed by the second from Marcos Llorente. Atletico Madrid is currently in first place in La Liga. 

Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund booked its spot in the UEFA Champions League last 16 after a draw against SS Lazio. 

Before the end of the first half, Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro scored the game’s first goal. In the second half, Lazio was awarded a penalty which Ciro Immobile scored. After this draw, Lazio will have to compete with Club Brugge to qualify for the round of 16. 

Club Brugge defeated Zenit St. Petersburg, 3-0. Club Brugge’s Charles De Ketelaere scored a goal in the first half. In the second half, the Belgian club was awarded a penalty scored by Hans Vanaken followed by the third goal from Noa Lang. 

Manchester United, PSG and RB Leipzig are all fighting for the top spot in Group H. PSG defeated Manchester United, 3-1. PSG’s Neymar scored an early goal followed by the equalizer from United’s Marcus Rashford. In the second half, PSG’s Marquinhos scored to give his side an upper hand in the game. Shortly after, United player Fred was sent off after a second yellow card, creating further difficulties for his team. In the added time, Neymar scored the third goal. 

RB Leipzig defeated Istanbul Basaksehir, 4-3. Leipzig’s Yussuf Poulsen scored the first goal followed by a goal from Nordi Mukiele. Before halftime, Başakşehir Irfan Kahveci scored a goal. In the second half, Leipzig’s Dani Olmo scored his side’s third goal followed by two more goals from Kahveci. In the added time, Leipzig’s Alexander Sorloth scored to hand side a victory against the Turkish club.

Goal hero Olivier Giroud scored four goals to help Chelsea defeat Sevilla 4-0. Giroud is the oldest player to score a hat trick in the competition.

Speaking of goals, Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 750th career goal in Juventus’ 3-0 win against Dynamo Kyiv. Juventus players Federico Chiesa and Alvaro Morata also scored.

Messi less FC Barcelona managed to defeat Ferencvaros, 3-0. Antoine Griezmann scored the first goal followed by a goal from Martin Braithwaite. Afterward, FC Barcelona was awarded a penalty which Ousmane Dembele scored. 

Russian club Krasnodar received its first win in the competition after defeating Ligue 1 club Rennes,1-0. Krasnodar’s Marcus Berg scored the only goal in the game.

In this week’s La Liga fixtures, Deportivo Alavés humbled La Liga giants Real Madrid, while rivals Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona both clinched victories. 

Deportivo Alavés defeated Real Madrid, 2-0 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. Alavés were awarded an early penalty in the game after the ball hit Real Madrid defender Nacho’s arm. Lucas Perez took the penalty and scored the first goal. Before the end of the first half, Alavés’ Joselu scored after a mistake by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. 

In the second half, Real Madrid’s Casemiro scored. In the last minute of the game, Real Madrid’s Isco fired a shot that hit the post. Real Madrid has not won any of their three last games in La Liga. Also, during this game, Eden Hazard was subbed off after an injury, which is bad news for the injury-stricken club. 

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid defeated Valencia CF at the Mestalla after an own goal from Valencia’s Toni Lato in the second half. Atletico Madrid is currently second in the La Liga table.

FC Barcelona also defeated Osasuna, 4-0 at the Camp Nou. In the first half, FC Barcelona’s Martin Braithwaite scored the first goal, followed by a brilliant goal from Antoine Griezmann. In the second half, Philippe Coutinho scored the third goal, followed by a disallowed goal from Ousmane Dembele. Lionel Messi scored his side’s fourth goal and paid tribute to late Argentina soccer legend Diego Maradona by wearing Maradona’s Newell’s Old Boys shirt under his FC Barcelona jersey. 

La Liga giants Real Madrid and FC Barcelona both have not performed as well as expected this season. So far, the La Liga competition is open as teams like Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad are also competing for the title.

However, the La Liga competition is long and anything can happen.

In Tuesday’s Champions League action, Juventus, Chelsea, Sevilla and FC Barcelona all won their games to book a spot in the next round of the competition.

Despite Messi’s absence, FC Barcelona defeated Dynamo Kyiv, 4-0. The Catalan club were very quiet in the first half. In the second half, all the goals were produced. Serginho Dest, arguably the best player on the pitch during the match, scored the first goal. Martin Braithwaite scored two goals including one penalty. Substitute Antoine Griezmann scored the fourth goal. 

Juventus defeated the Hungarian club Ferencvaros, 2-1. Ferencvaros’ Myrto Uzuni scored an early goal, followed by an equalizer from Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo. The game was a draw until the 90th minute, but Juventus’ Alvaro Morata scored a header in the added minutes.

Chelsea defeated Rennes, 2-1. Chelsea’s Callum Hudson Odoi scored the game’s first goal, then Rennes’ Serhou Guirassy scored a late equalizer. Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud scored the winner in the added time. 

Sevilla defeated Krasnodar, 2-1. Sevilla’s Ivan Rakitic scored an early goal followed by an equalizer from Krasnodar’s Wamberto. Sevilla’s Munir El Haddadi scored the winner in the added time. 

Manchester United defeated Istanbul Basaksehir, 4-1. United’s Bruno Fernandes scored two early goals. Then, United was awarded a penalty scored by Marcus Rashford. Basaksehir’s Deniz Turuc scored a goal in the second half followed by a goal from United’s Daniel James.

PSG defeated RB Leipzig, 1-0 after PSG were awarded an early penalty, which Neymar Jr. scored. 

Lazio defeated Zenit St. Petersberg, 3-1. Lazio’s Ciro Immobile scored an early goal followed by a goal from Marco Parolo. Afterward, Zenit’s Artem Dzyuba scored a goal. In the second half, Lazio was awarded a penalty which Immobile scored. 

Borussia Dortmund defeated Club Brugge, 3-0. Dortmund’s Erling Haaland scored the first goal followed by a goal from Jadon Sancho before half time. In the second half, Haaland scored his side’s third goal.

FC Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann clarified his situation with his teammate Lionel Messi in an interview with Movistar. 

Griezmann’s relationship with Messi was rumored to be strained on and off the pitch. Also, Griezmann’s former agent Eric Olhats and uncle further ignited their rumored feud.

Olhats claimed that “Antoine arrived at a club with serious problems where Messi controls everything. He is both emperor and monarch and did not see Antoine’s arrival with good eyes.”

Griezmann’s uncle Emmanuel Lopes also said something similar, that his nephew struggled to succeed in the club and that having Messi around is not easy. When asked about Lopes’ comments, Messi responded, “I am tired of always being the problem of everything inside the club.” 

After this long controversy, Griezmann sat down to clarify his relationship with the Argentine football legend. He claims that his relationship with Messi is good, denying all rumors of a rift. 

Griezmann claimed that “I spoke with Leo when I arrived and he told me that it screwed him when I refused to go the first time, because he had made public comments and that in the end I said no, but that we were on the same team and that he was going to death with me and it’s what I notice and feel every day.” He is referring to his failed move from Atletico Madrid to FC Barcelona a few years back. Griezmann then sealed a move to the Catalan club a year later. 

Griezmann refuted his former agents’ and uncle’s claims on his relationship with Messi. He claimed that he no longer speaks with his former agent Olhats and that his uncle “does not know how football works.” 

Also, Griezmann discussed his underperformance at the club since his arrival and claimed that playing under three different coaches made it difficult for him.

Atletico Madrid defeated a tired-looking FC Barcelona, 1-0 at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano for the first time in a decade.

Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Ferreira Carrasco scored the game’s only goal after a costly mistake from FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen. FC Barcelona had some opportunities to score including one from defender Clement Lenglet, but Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak did a good job to save them. 

The game was also bad news for the Catalan club as defender Gerard Pique and midfielder Sergi Roberto came off injured. Roberto will reportedly be out for two months and Pique will also face several months out. Losing Roberto and Pique during this critical time will definitely give head coach Ronald Koeman a headache. Ousmane Dembele also reportedly suffered a shoulder injury.

FC Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho returned to action after recovering from an injury. Nevertheless, Coutinho’s return did not impact the game’s outcome.  

Antoine Griezmann did not play well against his former team. Griezmann’s struggles at FC Barcelona continue this season as he failed to prove himself as a world-class player at the club after transferring from Atletico Madrid. 

FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi looked way below his star level. Despite a great performance with the Argentina national team during the World Cup qualifiers. 

After the match, Koeman said, “The coach is the number one person responsible for a team’s results and I have to keep on believing in the players I have. But we have to improve things defensively and in the attack.”

Despite the loss, Koeman still defended his players and said, “The players did everything they could until the last second to equalize and we have to maintain that attitude in our next few games.”

FC Barcelona is currently twelfth in the La Liga table. The club is scheduled to face Osasuna on Nov. 29.  

FC Barcelona’s teenage star Ansu Fati is out for four months after injuring his knee during the game against Real Betis, which the Catalan club won 5-2. 

Fati underwent surgery to mend a meniscus tear in his knee. The young player will miss several fixtures for both FC Barcelona and the Spain National Team. He will miss Spain’s UEFA Nations League fixtures, which are taking place this month. 

The teenage star has been in excellent form for his club and country. Until this moment, Fati scored five goals and assisted two for FC Barcelona. Also, he set some incredible records that include becoming the youngest ever scorer in the UEFA Champions League, the youngest ever player to score for the Spain National Team and FC Barcelona’s youngest ever scorer in La Liga. 

Fati has the skills and potential to become a world-class player in the near future. His injury is definitely bad news for his club and country as he adds a lot of creativity to the team.

In addition to Fati, there are other FC Barcelona players who are recovering from injury. Philippe Coutinho recently suffered a hamstring injury and is recovering from it. Young defender Ronald Araujo also suffered an injury and is yet to return to the team. 

French center-back Samuel Umtiti is recovering from an injury and is set to make an appearance with the squad soon. Umtiti has faced difficulties at the club in recent times and was not the starting XI for a while. 

With the absence of Fati, FC Barcelona has other attacking options. Players like Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite and Francisco Trincao could all be some options for head coach Ronald Koeman to pick from for the attack. 

FC Barcelona is scheduled to face Atletico Madrid at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on 11/21.