The Making of Messi - new Sky doc

Leo Messi tops The Guardian's 2013 100 best players list

The Guardian’s list – as voted for by the paper’s 15 strong team of international experts – again  saw Leo Messi recognised as the World’s number one player for 2013, ahead of Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and ex-Barça striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in third spot, now at PSG. For the Guardian, the Argentinean has suffered with his injury problems this year, but: “such is the genius of Messi. Even in an off year he is still undeniably on”.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2013/dec/100-greatest-footballers-2013

Guardiola - "A Guardiola era at Barça? Better to call it the Messi era!"

the Dictator training in Argentina, looking quite healthy    

MaraVilla wrote:the Dictator training in Argentina, looking quite healthy    

yeah...  no fat...only muscle...

“Ribéry and Ronaldo have done great things to win the Ballon d’Or, but for me the best player in the world, and in history, is Messi. I am quite sure of it, but don’t have a vote.”

Messi signals he's ready to go

Glad he's practicing with Brazucas already, want him to get used to them before the world cup.

Gerardo Molina: "There is a club (PSG) whose sponsor is willing to pay 400 million for Messi." [graderia]

yeah.. not true, besides isn't Messi's release clause like 250m? why would they offer 150 extra xD

Donuts wrote:yeah.. not true, besides isn't Messi's release clause like 250m? why would they offer 150 extra xD

Rosell said it more than once, any team that wants to buy Messi using the buyout clause have to pay 500+ including taxes etc.. This is why a direct deal with Barcelona makes them pay less [example 400m].

Thiago had 18M buyout clause, Bayern didn't want to ruin the relationship between the 2clubs by using the buyout clause and paid 20+5M for Barcelona...

Does Messi even want to leave ? If the player doesn't want to leave , a release clause is almost useless in that case right ?

yeah if someone in the right mind would offer barcelona 400m for him, and double his wages he currently gets maybe he'd leave..

XD which wont happen.

Donuts wrote:yeah if someone in the right mind would offer barcelona 400m for him, and double his wages he currently gets maybe he'd leave..

XD which wont happen.

The day a transfer fee goes up to 400m , i'll just stop watching football on a regular basis.

Bénin wrote:

Donuts wrote:yeah if someone in the right mind would offer barcelona 400m for him, and double his wages he currently gets maybe he'd leave..

XD which wont happen.

The day a transfer fee goes up to 400m , i'll just stop watching football on a regular basis.

Then try not to miss any games in next few yea  rs

Professor Gerardo Molina said: 'There is a club that is practically sponsored by a government that would be prepared to pay €400 m for Leo Messi. There are three European clubs that asked us to come up with this study in order to find out how much Messi was worth. We cannot say who the clubs are. The clubs wanted to analyse the viability of a possible transfer for Messi. Messi is five times more marketable than Cristiano Ronaldo. According to studies, Ronaldo is worth between €150 and 160m. Messi’s buy-out clause is €250m, we believe that figure is obsolete and devalued. Right now there is no player in the world of sport that has a greater value than Leo Messi. According to market research in the last five years, Messi is worth €400m.'

Martino said Messi has returned from his injury with an eye of a killer

Messi look of an assassin

In an interview with the FIFA Weekly magazine published Friday, the Brazilian legend suggested the 26-year-old Argentinian deserved to win the Ballon D'Or for a fifth time despite an injury-wracked 2013, Xinhua reported.
"[Franck] Ribery, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo all have different characteristics, but all are attackers like me. In terms of the role he plays within the team, Messi has the style which is most similar to mine."

When asked to name his favourite current player, Pele replied: "I really can't compare those four players. It's impossible to answer that question. Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic are more similar, but Ribery is a classic playmaker, and Messi simply can't be compared with anybody."

Pele says Lionel Messi is the player that most reminds him of himself among football's current generation.

In an interview with the FIFA Weekly magazine published Friday, the Brazilian legend suggested the 26-year-old Argentinian deserved to win the Ballon D'Or for a fifth time despite an injury-wracked 2013, Xinhua reported.

"[Franck] Ribery, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo all have different characteristics, but all are attackers like me," Pele said. "In terms of the role he plays within the team, Messi has the style which is most similar to mine."

When asked to name his favourite current player, Pele replied: "I really can't compare those four players. It's impossible to answer that question."

"Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic are more similar, but Ribery is a classic playmaker, and Messi simply can't be compared with anybody."

The Ballon D'Or winner will be announced on Jan 13. The three finalists are Franck Ribery, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Why are they talking so much ?

The votes are already done and some people even know the result.

I'm sure he'll be playing Sat. Jan. 11 against Atletico

Tata is so unpredictable, if it were any other coach he'd give Messi a quick cameo mid week to warm him up, for Atletico.
but we will never know.

He will probably come off the bench vs Getafe mid week and start vs Atleti next weekend

If he does not get minutes vs Getafe i dont think he will be starting vs Athletico....