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Messi: I deserve chance to say goodbye to Barça

Why Lionel Messi’s Nickname is La Pulga - Details Emerge

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi feels he deserves a chance to say a proper goodbye to his former club Barcelona and would relish a farewell game at the Camp Nou.

Since leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in August 2021 because of the financial crisis at Barça, there has been talk of a tribute match to honour the Argentina captain.

Owing to Covid restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Messi’s last game for Barcelona came in a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo at an empty Camp Nou in May 2021.

“I would love to be able to say goodbye to people in another way,” Messi, 36, told a news conference in Paris after winning the Ballon d’Or on Monday

“I think there was a strange feeling when I left. It’s not good with everything we shared and lived together. I deserve to be able to say goodbye to people. Barcelona is my home, I love the club and the people. If it [tribute game] happens, I would be happy to be there…”

Messi won the Ballon D’Or for a record eighth time at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. Getty
Messi, Barça’s all-time top scorer, spent 20 years with the Spanish outfit and won 35 trophies during his time there.

Barça sporting director Deco recently said that Messi will “definitely play” a farewell game at Barcelona while club president Joan Laporta has previously mentioned that it would be fitting for that to coincide with the official opening of the revamped Spotify Camp Nou stadium, planned for the 2025-26 campaign.

The managing owner of Inter Miami, Jorge Mas, believes it’s important for Messi to say goodbye to Barça fans.

“I gave [Messi] my commitment that I will do everything possible in the coming years so that he has the opportunity to say goodbye to his fans in Barcelona,” Mas said.

Messi had considered a return to Barça before joining Inter Miami after his contract with PSG expired in June.

While he expects to live in Barcelona again one day, playing for Barça is not something he is thinking about.

“I follow Barcelona as I always did,” Messi said. “Football takes many turns and anything can happen, but it’s not something that catches my attention today.

“I could come back. I’m going to live in Barcelona, it’s the club that saw me grow, that gave me everything, that I gave everything to, which I love. I can collaborate from somewhere and give the best for the club. But it is not something I think about today. I don’t know if what I have left is a lot or a little, but I want to enjoy it. I will be close and I will always go to be linked to that club.”

The 2022 World Cup winner is contracted to Inter Miami until December 2025.

“I don’t know if I have a lot or a little left, but after the career I’ve had, the only thing I have left is to continue enjoying it,” he said.

“As long as I am physically well, I will continue competing, hopefully it will be a long time.”

On Monday, Messi won the Ballon D’Or for a record eight time at a ceremony in Paris after leading Argentina to the World Cup last year.

“I’m grateful for the career I’ve had, the moments I’ve experienced, and obviously in the last few years having won the Copa America and above all the World Cup because it finished off a lot of things,” Messi said in an interview to ESPN after the ceremony.

“First the dream of any player of being a world champion, then having fought for so long and having missed out, that it finally came and in that way… And above all because it’s what I was missing. I had it all and I was missing the most important thing, with what it means for a player to be a world champion, for us in Argentina after such a long time.

“It’s all very special.”

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RON ON HIS WAY! Ronaldo Makes New Portgual Decision After Red Card Nightmare

The Portuguese icon was dismissed in his nation’s 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland earlier this week.

Cristiano Ronaldo has LEFT the Portugal camp after his shocking red card in their defeat against Ireland.

The Portuguese icon was dismissed in his nation’s 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland earlier this week.

Ronaldo was given his marching orders for an alleged elbow on Ireland defender Dara O’Shea. He was initially awarded a yellow card, only for VAR to intervene before the referee upgraded the punishment.

Ronaldo has now been handed a one-match automatic ban for the red card, which will see him miss Portugal’s clash with Armenia on Sunday. And according to reports in Portugal, he has now been released from international duty.

The 40-year-old will now return to Saudi Arabia ahead of making his return to action with club side Al-Nassr, who take on Al-Khaleej next weekend. Speaking after Ronaldo’s red card, Portugal boss Roberto Martinez said: “The red card is just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games – I think that just deserves credit – and today, I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team.

“He was 60 minutes or 58 minutes in the box being grabbed, being pulled, being pushed and obviously when he tries to get away from the defender.

“I think the action looks worse than what it actually is, I don’t think it’s an elbow, I think it’s a full body, but from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow. But we accept it.

“The only thing that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is at the press conference yesterday, your coach was talking about the aspect of the referees being influenced, and then a big centre-half falls on the floor so dramatically at the turn of Cristiano’s body.”

Meanwhile, Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson said: “He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee. It was his action on the pitch that cost him the red card. It had nothing to do with me – unless I got into his head.”

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Oscar Health Update Emerges After Ex-Chelsea Star Collapsed

Oscar Health Update Emerges After Ex-Chelsea Star Collapsed

A health update has been provided on the former Chelsea midfielder, Oscar, after he collapsed and was admitted to the ICU earlier this week.

The Brazilian star fell unconscious during a training session and has remained under observation

Oscar, 34, was conducting an interval test on an exercise bike at Sao Paulo’s training ground when he fell ill. Brazilian outlet Global Esporte reported that he was unconscious for two minutes. The issue comes after Oscar suffered a fractured vertebra in August.

Since then, Oscar has made the bench twice, but it has been claimed that he has been monitoring a heart issue after he showed signs of an abnormality during tests on his fracture.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sao Paulo said Oscar ‘presented an incident with cardiological changes’ and was ‘promptly attended to by the club’s professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita. They have now offered another update and have confirmed a diagnosis of vasovagal syncope.

“Midfielder Oscar remains hospitalised at Einstein Hospital Israelita, where he was admitted on Tuesday afternoon (11) after presenting an incident with cardiological changes during tests carried out at SuperCT.

“An extensive investigation carried out at the hospital confirmed the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope. Oscar remains clinically well and stable, hospitalised in a cardiology unit and will undergo an electrophysiological study this Friday.”

The condition causes a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure. This can reduce blood flow to the brain and cause an individual to briefly lose consciousness. Vasovagal syncope can occur when the body overreacts to heat, hunger, or emotional distress.

Oscar returned to Sao Paulo in December on a three-year deal after beginning his career with the Brazilian side. The attacker’s reputation grew in his spell with Chelsea as he won two Premier League titles.

 

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Thomas Tuchel Breaks Silence On England Records

Thomas Tuchel Breaks Silence On England Records

Thomas Tuchel said he has not spoken to England’s players about any potential records they could set in Albania as his only focus is on the hunger to compete and kick on towards the World Cup.

Gareth Southgate’s successor began his reign with March’s 2-0 Wembley win against Albania and ends his first year in charge against the same opponents in Tirana on Sunday.

England arrive in Albania having followed up last month’s early World Cup qualification by winning a seventh Group K match without conceding — an impressive record that opposition manager Sylvinho joked was “disgusting.”

Sunday offers them the chance to become the first European side to play at least six World Cup qualifiers and win them all without conceding, but that could not be further from Tuchel’s mind.

“We didn’t speak a single word about that,” he said at Air Albania Stadium on the eve of the game.

“We made sure yesterday that we had yesterday the training session that we had. The quality and the mentality of the guys that didn’t play was on the highest level, which was a pure pleasure.

“It just showed me that we are going in the right way.

“Everyone is ready to play, everyone is ready to start. Competition is still on, the hunger is still on to be on the pitch tomorrow. That is the most important.

“Everything we talk about is about the process and the things we can influence. We need to get the foundation right to have a chance to get these records.

“Just by thinking about it or talking about it, nothing will change.

“We need to deliver tomorrow again and, like I said, the feeling and the trust is absolutely there because I witness this in the camp so I trust my players to perform again tomorrow.”

England arrived in Albania with a 23-man squad after Ezri Konsa withdrew from the camp with a calf complaint.

That means there will be at least one change from Thursday’s 2-0 win against Serbia, when Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze and Phil Foden impressed off the bench.

The latter was deployed in a false nine role having replaced captain Harry Kane but Tuchel says he is unlikely to go into next summer’s World Cup with just one out-and-out striker.

“No, I don’t think so,” he said when that was mentioned. “It is possible but I don’t think that will happen. There is still a long way to go.

“We will go with a very balanced squad, I guess this as I’ve never picked a World Cup squad.

“This is something for between March and May but the general idea is to pick a balanced squad with different characters and qualities.

“I cannot rule out going with just one striker but it is very likely we will have more classic number nines.”

 

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