Lionel Messi beats Ronaldo and Iniesta to the Ballon d’Or

It’s a record breaking fourth year running that Barcelona star and Argentinian forward Lionel Messi has been awarded the Ballon d’Or.

Messi, still only 25, was given the award as the world’s best player at a ceremony held in Zurich yesterday. He was part of a three man shortlist alongside his fellow teammate Anreas Iniesta and his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The little Argentinian scored an incredible 91 goals this calendar year and managed to sail past Gerd Müller's record of 85 goals, for Bayern Munich and West Germany in 1972. He netted 79 goals for Barcelona, plus another 12 for Argentina, in 69 games for club and country.  Messi also set a number of new records in many other aspects of the game last year. Here are a few below:

Most goals in a single European Cup game: 5
Most La Liga hat-tricks in a season: 8
Most consecutive La Liga matches scored in: 10
Most goals in a European Cup season: 14 (jointly with Jose Altafini)
Most La Liga hat-tricks: 15
Most goals in a La Liga season: 50
Barcelona's record goalscorer in Champions League: 56
Most goals in a season: 68
Most goals in a calendar year: 91
Barcelona's top goalscorer in all official competitions: 286See more

Out of the 483 captains, coaches and media who voted on Monday, it was Messi who topped the polls with 41.6% of the votes. Second placed Ronaldo received 23.68% of the votes whilst the Barcelona midfield maestro Iniesta, received only 10.91% of the votes.

Messi had this to say after winning the award; ‘To tell you the truth this is really quite unbelievable. The fourth award that I have had is just too great for words. I would like to recognise my other colleagues from Barcelona. Andres, it has been great to train and play alongside you’. He also went on to add; ‘I would also like to recognise all of my friends in the Argentina national team, everyone that has worked with me, coaches and staff and my family and my friends. Also my wife and my son. Thank you.’

Messi also featured in the team of the year which was made up of 10 players from Barcelona and Real Madrid. The only exception was Radamel Falcao, who plays for Athletico Madrid, also in La Liga.

1.     Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
2.     Dani Alves (Barcelona)
3.     Gerard Pique (Barcelona)
4.     Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
5.     Marcelo (Real Madrid)
6.     Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
7.     Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid)
8.     Xavi (Barcelona)
9.     Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
10.  Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid)
11.  Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Team of the year

Do you agree with this team of the year? Have your say; Leave a comment with your thoughts below.

El Clasico

El Clasico
Messi vs Ronaldo

The partisan crowd at the Camp Nou

El Clasico! Barcelona vs Real Madrid! Messi vs Ronaldo! Catalonia vs Spain!

The Camp Nou was covered with the Catalan flag 'La Senyera' last night and there was a vibrant and hostile atmosphere from the Catalonian fans towards the Real Madrid players. There was no doubt that this game was worth more than just three points as it was the most politicised El Clasico yet. The Catalonians are desperate for their own independence and they definitely left their message for the Spanish government.

But on the field, as usual, it was the rivaly was between the two finest players on the planet, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that dazzled the world. The performance of these two players last night showed us that there are no other footballers on earth who compares with them.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid is a fixture that excites any football fan around the world. It was the first El Clasico of the season and it did not disappoint. The game ended in a two all draw with Messi and Ronaldo providing the goals.

Barcelona had to field a weakened side due to injures to key players such as Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Gerrard Pique. It was left to Javier Macherano and attacking midfielder Adriano to play as the two centre halves.

Ronaldo exploited this and used it to cut open the Bacelona defence causing gaps to appear accross the back line which ultimately lead to the Real Madrid opening goal.

And who else but Ronaldo, the man who has scored two hat tricks in two games, to put his side ahead after 20 minutes. Real Madrid caught Barcelona on a counter attack and Benzema fed the ball to Ronaldo whose shot beat Victor Valdes at his near post. Madrid took a surprising lead.

Ronaldo puts Madrid ahead

With the half hour mark approaching, it was the little Argentinian who levelled the score for Barcelona from 12 yards out. Pepe, the Real Madrid centre half went up for the header too early and Messi was there to punish him for his misjudgement.

 

Messi Scores the equaliser

It was one all going into the half time break. Nothing could separate the two Spanish giants.

Real Madrid came out the most dominant in the early stages of the second half and they even had two clear penalty shouts turned down by the referee.

Just after the hour mark, Messi struck again, this time it was from a curling free-kick that he navigated gently into the top corner past Iker Cassilas. The Catalan crowd were bouncing!

Messi strikes his curling free kick

 

However their joy was short lived. A lovely pass through to Ronaldo left him one on one with Victor Valdez and Ronaldo was able to strike the ball past the Barcelona keeper. That silenced the partisan crowd.

Barcelona more or less controlled the last twenty minutes with some chances coming here and there from both sides. But the game ended in a two all draw. A weakened Barcelona side will take this result. As for Jose Mouriniho's men, they remain eight points behind their rivals in fifth place.

Super Sunday

Super Sunday is a day that every football fan has pencilled into their diary.  Two great matches between some of the top teams in the country going head to head against each other for 90 minutes. Today saw Liverpool take on Manchester United at Anfield whilst the champions, Manchester City, played host to Arsenal at the Ethiad Stadium.

Sir Bobby Charlton and Ian Rush

It was an emotional start to the day as Liverpool vs Manchester United was the first match scheduled just days after the enquiry findings that Liverpool fans were not to blame for the  Hillsborough disaster twenty three years ago. Both sets of fans paid tribute to the 96 that lost their lives that day as 96 red balloons were released into the air by Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs. United legend Sir Bobby Charlton also presented Liverpool’s all-time leading goal scorer Ian Rush with a bouquet of flowers before the game.  

A great show of respect from the Anfield crowd

There was no trouble during the pre-match handshake as Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra both shook hands and there was no repercussion of last year’s antics. Suraez refused to shake the Frenchman’s hand last season at Old Trafford after being found guilty of racially abusing the United full back.

Once the game got underway, Liverpool were soon in total control and the Kop faithful let out a mighty roar in support of their team. Liverpool’s captain and talisman Steven Gerrard came close to opening the score in the first half with a shot narrowly going wide of the post from a corner kick.

Five minutes before half time, Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey made a careless tackle on the Manchester United centre half Johnny Evans and referee Mark Halsey had no option but to issue the midfielder a red card.

Shelvey receiving his red card.

Liverpool began the second half with an early goal from Steven Gerrard after some great play from the Liverpool substitute Suso out wide. Gerrard received the ball unmarked in the Manchester United penalty box and slotted the ball past Anders Lindegaard. The ten men of Liverpool fully deserved their lead.

Gerrard scores against Manchester United

Liverpool’s lead was cut short to five minutes after a curling effort shot past Pepe Reina by United’s young Brazilian full back Rafael.

Rafael celebrates his goal with Van Persie

Van Persie finished off the scoring after a late penalty was conceded by Glen Johnson. Valencia stole the ball on the halfway line after a coming together between the defensive partnership of Johnson and Agger. Johnson did well to catch up with Valencia but it was a tackle from behind inside his own box that brought down Valencia that lead to the Manchester United winner.

Manchester City were held to a one all draw at home to Arsenal after a late equaliser from Laurent Koscielny. Jolean Lescott put the champions ahead just on half time after losing his marker from a corner kick. It was an exciting game and Arsenal maintain their unbeaten run.      

Arsenal celebrate their late equaliser

Also some Breaking News has just been announced that former England Captain John Terry has retired from International duty.

John Terry on England duty

The Return of the Champions League

This week European football returned to our screens and I don't know about you, but it made me one very happy person. 32 of the top European teams battling it out for one prize at the end of May.......The Champions League Trophy!


The Champions League Trophy

Tuesday kicked off with a host of fixtures with some fascinating results as you can see below. But the main game that grabbed everyone's attention was Real Madrid vs Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.

AC Milan 0-0 Anderlecht
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Ajax
Din Zagreb 0-2 FC Porto
Malaga 3-0 Zenit St Psg
Montpellier 1-2 Arsenal
Olympiakos 1-2 Schalke 04 
Paris SG 4-1 Dynamo Kiev 
Real Madrid 3-2 Man City

The game was never going to disappoint and it lived up to its expectation. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the headlines once again on and off the pitch.

It was a goalless first 45 minutes. As expected, Madrid controlled the game from the start. With only five minutes into the game, Ronaldo tested Joe Hart for the first time with a low curling shot heading straight for the bottom corner. The England number one made a fine save to parry the ball away for a corner kick. That was a warning to Manchester City.

That set the tone for the rest of the half. Maicon was having a tough time marking Ronaldo just as he did when Gareth Bale gave him a run around two years ago when he played for Inter Milan against Tottenham.  

Hart had to come to City's rescue on countless occasions during the first half, pulling off two great saves from Madrid's Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuin. Madrid were completely dominant at this point. Two missed chances from Higuin and Sami Khedria ended the half goalless. City hung on by the thread of a needle.

The first opening ten minutes of the second half began like the first with Madrid in total control of the game. It was deep into the second half when City caught Real Madrid on a counter attack with a surging run from Yaya Toure. He placed a neat ball through to Edin Dzeko, who composed himself and found the net. City had somehow taken the lead!

Mourinho, beginning to panic on the touch line, brought on his reinforcements, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. Shortly after these changes, Marcelo, the Brazilian full back equalised for Real Madrid. It was his third time lucky as two similar shots from just outside the box sailed over the bar. This one took a slight deflection off City new boy Javi Garcia to see it sail past Joe Hart.

But Roberto Mancini's men were not beaten yet. A curling free kick from Alexandre Kolorov 25 yards out restored City's lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating his last minute goal

This lead however lasted only for two and a half minutes. Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid substitute, turned inside Matija Nastasic before finding the bottom corner to make it 2-2.

City went from being the team in control to hanging on for their dear lives. The script had been written. It was the former Manchester United hit man Cristiano Ronaldo who stole the limelight once again. With 90 minutes on the clock, he cut inside from the left flank and his shot brushed past Kompany and cruelly found its way past Joe Hart.

Wednesday's fixtures featured 3 other teams from Britain. Celtic could only manage a 0-0 draw against Benfica while Chelsea threw away a two goal lead to Juventus at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United scrapped through with a 1-0 victory at home to Galatasaray.

Wednesday's Results

 Barcelona 3-2 Spartak Moscow
 Bayern Munich 2-1 Valencia
 Braga 0 - 2 CFR Cluj - Napoca
 Celtic 0 - 0 Benfica
 Chelsea 2 - 2 Juventus

Jermain Defoe and AVB discussing tactics

 Lille 1 - 3 Bate Borisov
 Man Utd 1 0 Galatasaray
 Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 FC Nordsjaelland

Liverpool and Tottenham were in Europa League action last night. Liverpool beat the Swiss side Young Boys 5-3 at the Wankdorf Stadium, Switzerland. But Tottenham could only manage a 0-0 draw with Italian side Lazio.