Forster focused on Euro 2016

Forster focused on Euro 2016 - Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster hopes to once again use the Champions League to keep himself in England contention.

The imposing shot-stopper forced his way into Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad this summer, having come to prominence through a pair of virtuoso displays against Barcelona in Europe two seasons ago and continued his form consistently with the Hoops.

Fraser Forster wants a Champions League return to boost his Euro 2016 hopes

This season's continental campaign begins with Tuesday night's second qualifying round first leg against KR Reykjavik in Iceland.

Forster told the Sunday Post: "Playing in the Champions League has definitely been good for me in terms of exposure. But it's been good for all of us and for the club too.

"We've all seen how big the Champions League nights are and it would be nice to get back in the group stages but Reykjavik will be a tough away game and we need to play as well as we know we can."

Forster did not get to sample the action in Brazil, with Manchester City's Joe Hart the established first choice and Ben Foster getting the nod for the dead rubber against Costa Rica.

But the 26-year-old is determined it will not be his last taste of tournament football and has Euro 2016 in France as his next target.

"One of my goals last season was to try to get into that squad and I was delighted to achieve that," he said. "Our performances were really good in the tournament and it was just unfortunate we didn't really get what we deserved out of the games.

"The Euros are now only a couple of years away so I'm already setting my sights on that."

Forster was not the only Celtic player to travel to the World Cup, with defenders Efe Ambrose and Emilio Izaguirre key figures for Nigeria and Honduras respectively.

And new coach Ronny Deila is expecting all three to play a key role on Tuesday.

Deila said: "All our players who are at the World Cup are ready to play in this game. Fraser, Efe and Emilio have all come straight from the World Cup so, of course, they are ready to play.

"Everyone is available for this match and we want to put as strong a team as we possibly can on to the pitch. We really want to win but we will need a good performance up in Iceland."

One exception to that is captain Scott Brown, who will miss up to three months of the season with a serious hamstring tear.

New signing Craig Gordon joins Lukasz Zaluska in providing competition for Forster.

READ MORE - Forster focused on Euro 2016

Messi's bouts of nausea puzzle world of football

FILE - In this March 5, 2014 file photo, Argentina's Lionel Messi appears to vomit during an international friendly soccer game against Romania on the National Arena stadium in Bucharest, Romania. Messi has vomited at least a half-dozen times with Argentina and club team Barcelona, mystifying doctors and fans alike. (AP Photo, File)

Messi's bouts of nausea puzzle world of football  — Shortly after coming on as a second-half sub in Argentina's last World Cup warm-up, Lionel Messi doubled over and appeared to vomit on the pitch.

He's done it at least a half-dozen times with Argentina and club team Barcelona, mystifying doctors and fans alike.

"Nerves," says Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, and that's a diagnosis as good as any.

The Argentina captain and four-time world player of the year is under tremendous pressure to lead the Albiceleste to its first World Cup trophy since 1986.

"I reckon that in these moments there is anxiety more than anything," Sabella said before the team departed for Brazil, where it opens its World Cup campaign against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday. "It's difficult to remain calm."

Top athletes throwing up before, during or after a competition is not unusual. Sometimes it's because of the physical stress on their bodies, sometimes because of performance anxiety.

What's unusual about Messi is that it seems to happen quite randomly, not when the pressure would seem the greatest or when he's exhausted himself to the limit.

After Messi threw up less than 10 minutes into a friendly match between Argentina and Romania in March, his coach at Barcelona, Gerardo Martino, said "something is not right," though he added that it wasn't affecting Messi's play.

FILE - In this March 5, 2014 file photo, Argentina's Lionel Messi wipes his mouth after appearing to vomit on the pitch during an international friendly soccer game against Romania on the National Arena stadium in Bucharest, Romania. Messi has vomited at least a half-dozen times with Argentina and club team Barcelona, mystifying doctors and fans alike. (AP Photo, File) ROMANIA OUT

Messi's father Jorge says the player has dealt with it for years. "They've done all the necessary (medical) tests, with great professionals in Barcelona. The doctors say there's nothing to worry about," he said.

This happens not only to him, but also to other great athletes. The professionals say we have nothing to worry about."

Messi made that point clear against Slovenia on Saturday, scoring Argentina's second goal just four minutes after TV cameras showed him dry-heaving and receiving a tablet from the bench.

Similarly, in 2011, he scored for Barcelona after throwing up in the Spanish Super Cup Final against Real Madrid.

Barcelona's medical staff hasn't been able to find the cause. Neither have Argentina's team doctors, nor Messi himself. The decorated forward tends to not make a big deal of it, saying it's just something that happens to him in training, during matches and even when he's at home.

"I don't know what it is. But I had a thousand exams," Messi told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports earlier this year. "I start to feel nauseous to the point where I almost vomit, and then it goes away."

In those decisive moments that make or break a football career, Messi doesn't show any nerves or lack of confidence. His more than 350 goals for Barcelona, a club record, and 48 goals for Argentina speak for themselves.

But unlike some of the sport's other bright stars, like Portuguese football diva Cristiano Ronaldo or Swedish tough guy Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Messi doesn't act like a superstar off the pitch.

He is a gentle, unassuming person who once told Spanish newspaper El Pais "I'm more concerned with being a good person than being the best footballer in the world."

Still, the pressure on him to be the latter is huge. Even though he's just 26, his impressive record with Barcelona, including six Spanish league and three Champions league titles, has already brought comparisons with all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona. His detractors like to point out, though, that unlike those two, Messi has not won a World Cup. He's only scored one goal and never gotten past the quarterfinals in his two attempts on football's biggest stage.

Argentina counts on Messi to do a lot better in Brazil, where the team is considered one of the title favorites much because of him.

Adding to the pressure is the view among many Argentines that Messi, who left the country at 13, doesn't play his heart out for the national team.

That's something Messi admits affects him deeply.

"Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself," he recently told Spanish sports paper Marca. "I would change all my record to make the people in my country happy." ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Messi's bouts of nausea puzzle world of football

I will end my career at Santos : Neymar

Neymar: 'I will end my career at Santos' - Brazil star Neymar intends to finish his career where it all started at Santos, but could also represent other clubs in Brazil.

The 22-year-old left Santos for Barcelona in June last year in his first move to a European club, and he has been tipped to star at the FIFA World Cup.

While a return to his homeland appears a long time away, Neymar said he would definitely play in Brazil again – with his final season to be at Santos.

Neymar: 'I will end my career at Santos'

"This is something to think about, I want to play for another team in Brazil, it wouldn't be a problem to sit down and hear an offer," Neymar said.

"The club can be from Sao Paulo, from Rio de Janeiro or from any other state of Brazil, the only that is certain is that I will end my career at Santos."

Neymar said there were several reasons behind his decision to leave Santos, including a new challenge in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

"It wasn't just about the money, that's not why I left," he said.

"I wanted to live a dream, play other competitions, play the Champions League, grow, evolve, learn another language, that's what motivated me to come to the European continent." ( goal.com )

READ MORE - I will end my career at Santos : Neymar

Tevez excluded from Argentina World Cup squad

Tevez excluded from Argentina World Cup squad  — Striker Carlos Tevez was left out of Argentina's preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup on Tuesday.

Despite having just led Juventus to the Italian league title as the team's top scorer, Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella ignored pleas from Tevez' passionate fan base in Argentina.

Sabella has never called up the hard-working striker since taking charge of the national team in 2011. Instead he's put his faith in Ezequiel Lavezzi and Rodrigo Palacio as substitutes for star attackers Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi from Argentina reacts after failing to score against Elche during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Martinez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain, on Sunday, May 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

All were included in Sabella's initial 30-player squad, which will be reduced to a final 23 by a FIFA deadline of June 2.

The 30-year-old Tevez has scored 19 goals in the Italian Serie A this season.

"I am sorry I had to leave out good players," Sabella said, without mentioning names.

He also excluded veteran midfielder Esteban Cambiasso of Inter Milan but included Manchester City's Martin Demichelis, who hasn't played for the national team for two years.

While Argentina's attack is among the world's strongest, the team looks weaker at the back.

Sergio Romero remains Sabella's first-choice goalkeeper even though he's not a regular starter for French club Monaco. Mariano Andujar of Catania and Agustin Orion of Boca Juniors were called up as Romero's backups in the preliminary squad.

Sabella included central defenders Federico Fernandez and Ezequiel Garay along with fullbacks Pablo Zabaleta and Marco Roja.

Boca Juniors midfielder Fernando Gago was selected despite receiving a knee injury last month. Gago damaged a ligament in his left knee last month in the Argentine league.

The midfield lineup also includes Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega.

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Argentina:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Monaco), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors).

Defenders: Federico Fernandez (Napoli), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Jose Basanta (Monterrey), Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan), Nicolas Otamendi (Atletico Mineiro), Lisandro Lopez (Getafe), Gabriel Mercado (River Plate).

Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Ever Banega (Newell's Old Boys), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan), Enzo Perez (Benfica), Fabian Rinaudo (Catania), Jose Sosa (Atletico Madrid).

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan), Franco Di Santo (Werder Bremen). // ( The Associated Press )

READ MORE - Tevez excluded from Argentina World Cup squad

Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points

Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points -- The Spanish title race might have taken another twist Saturday when Barcelona visited mid-table Espanyol in the Catalan derby. For more than 75 minutes, the home team blanked Lionel Messi and the rest of the Barcelona attack.

But just like in El Clasico on Sunday, Messi had the last word as he struck a late penalty to give Barcelona a 1-0 victory and all three points.

Espanyol keeper Francisco Casilla was sent off against Barcelona for handling outside the area. 

His goal in the 77th minute over Espanyol temporarily put Barcelona two points atop the league standings ahead of Atletico Madrid but Atletico later rallied to defeat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 to regain its one-point advantage.

Messi and Neymar missed good chances in the first half, while Espanyol's Pizzi also squandered a fine opportunity.

But there were fewer chances in the second half, although Barcelona defender Gerard Pique struck the crossbar.

With time running out, referee Clos Gomez ruled that Espanyol's Javi Lopez handled in the area and Messi made no mistake from the spot.

Lopez then had to play goalkeeper after Francisco Casilla's handball outside the area stopped a Messi shot in the 83rd minute. Casilla was shown a straight red and Espanyol had already used all three of its substitutes.

Iker Muniain put fourth-place Athletic ahead but Diego Costa leveled in the 22nd minute and Koke got the winner in the 55th. Aymeric Laporte saw red for hauling down Costa in the dying stages.

Real Madrid, reeling from defeats to Barcelona and Sevilla, had its own derby late Saturday. It blanked Rayo Vallecano 5-0, getting two goals from Gareth Bale, and once again moved to within three points of Atletico.

Barcelona and Atletico square off in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal next week.

Rare stumble by Bayern

Under-strength Bayern Munich finally dropped points in Germany's Bundesliga, drawing Hoffenheim 3-3 to end a 19-match league winning streak that dated back to October.

Bayern wrapped up the league title in record time this week and faces Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday but it appeared as if Pep Guardiola's men were focused enough to claim three more points.

It led 3-1 -- at home -- only for Sejad Salihovic to pull a goal back and Roberto Firmino to equalize in the 75th minute. To make matters worse, Spanish international midfielder Thiago Alcantara suffered a knee injury.

Borussia Dortmund, which meets Real Madrid in the Champions League, maintained second place with a morale boosting 3-2 win at Stuttgart thanks to Marco Reus' hat-trick.

Stuttgart led 2-1 but Georg Niedermeier conceded a penalty and received a second yellow in the 67th minute. (CNN)

READ MORE - Barcelona maintains momentum but Bayern Munich finally drops points

Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations

Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations - Atletico Madrid's emergence as a third force in Spain and contenders among Europe's elite rests on wobbly economic foundations and the edifice could come crashing down if they cannot sustain their remarkable run. 

The club's success is in large measure down to inspirational coach Diego Simeone, who since taking charge in late 2011 has moulded an unspectacular squad into a unit capable of challenging the continent's richest clubs, including La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Atletico Madrid's players stretch during a training session at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, March 31, 2014. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Real and Barca again topped Deloitte's latest Football Money League of the world's wealthiest club's by income, with revenue in excess of 500 million euros (411 million pounds), while Atletico squeaked into the top 20 with earnings of 120 million. 

Despite the huge gulf in resources, they are a point clear of Barca at the top of Spain's domestic league and three ahead of Real with six games left and are closing in on a first La Liga title since 1996 with a team featuring Simeone in midfield. 

At the same time, they have enjoyed another lucrative run in Europe and play their Champions League quarter-final, second leg at home to Barca on Wednesday with the pair locked at 1-1 after last week's first leg in the Catalan capital. 

Step back from the euphoria for a moment, however, and a glance at Atletico's accounts makes for grim reading. 

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on football finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings. 

They had managed to stay afloat due to their unexpected winnings on the pitch and by convincing the government to let them fall behind in the payment of more than 100 million euros in taxes, according to Jaume Llopis, a professor at the IESE business school in Barcelona and football finance expert. 

The sale of top players like Fernando Torres, David De Gea and Sergio Aguero to the Premier League, a partnership with the Azerbaijan tourist board, reported to be worth 12 million euros over 18 months, and a deal with sporting goods maker Nike have also helped keep the wolves from the door, Llopis said. 

"Atletico Madrid's financial situation is dramatic," he told Reuters. 

"But this year because of the team's excellent results their economic problems are not talked about. 

"Only with their continued presence in the Champions League, locking in the sponsorship deal with Azerbaijan, attracting more sponsors and selling their best players can they improve their finances, although it will be very tough. 

"Either they stay in the Champions League and win the odd title which keeps the sponsors happy or they won't be able to straighten out their precarious economic situation." 

BRIGHT SPOT 

Angel Barajas, a professor of finance and accounting at the University of Vigo who specialises in sports economics, believes Atletico do not have the resources to challenge in more than one competition over the longer term. 

However, by selling their best players from time to time and buying decent replacements, as well as bringing through talent from the club's academy, they could remain a strong contender in the second rank behind the richest teams, he added. 

"Atletico's situation is problematic because of the level of debt but if they manage to keep wages under control and sell players to raise cash, while keeping their sporting model intact, they could stay at a good level," Barajas told Reuters. 

"What is not viable in the long term is trying to stay in the fight for La Liga and European silverware in competition with clubs who have more than twice their earnings. 

"One exceptional season is possible but competing at the highest level in various competitions needs not only a good team but an extraordinary squad. And that costs a great deal." 

Placido Rodriguez, a professor of economics at Oviedo University and a former chairman of Sporting Gijon, noted several examples of Spanish clubs with relatively limited resources that have challenged at the highest level before fading away again. 

These included Valencia, Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and Sevilla, who all had successful runs in Europe and either won or came close to winning La Liga in the past 15 years but like Atletico, have had to sell their top performers. 

One potential bright spot for Atletico, which would boost revenue and help secure their future, was the planned move from their crumbling Calderon stadium to a new 70,000-capacity arena at La Peineta, Rodriguez said. 

There are also plans for a vast new training complex which would include offices, a 15,000-seater stadium for the second and third teams and facilities and shops for fans. 

"If these two projects come off and they don't make any crazy financial decisions in the meantime, for example when results aren't going their way, Atletico's economic situation will be much improved," Rodriguez told Reuters. 

Atletico have already qualified for next season's Champions League and their run in the latest edition of the competition should see them climb the rankings in Deloitte's next Money League, the accounting firm said. (Reuters) 

READ MORE - Atletico success built on shaky economic foundations

Messi another player when he's with Argentina : Pele

Messi another player when he's with Argentina : Pele - Pele says Lionel Messi is not as good for Argentina as he is for Barcelona as a result of a lack of understanding with his international teammates.

Messi has been criticized throughout his career by those in his homeland, who believe he tries harder in Blaugrana colours than the blue and white of his nation, though Pele is certain there is another reason behind his differing form.

Pele: Messi another player when he's with Argentina             

"When you see him playing with Barcelona, he is Messi, but when you see him playing for Argentina, he is another Messi," the 73-year-old told Marca. "With Barcelona he is surrounded by two or three excellent players like Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta to help him. With Argentina it is different because it is more difficult to connect with his teammates. It's a completely different Messi."

The Brazil legend then turned his attention to Neymar and praised his decision to join Barcelona last summer as the perfect move to prepare himself for the World Cup this summer.

He added: "It's his first World Cup and no one knows exactly what's going to happen. It's a big responsibility for him. 

"He was very good at Santos, but his best decision was to go and play in Spain, in Europe. For Brazil, it's like he's gone off to university for six months. He'll gain experience and that'll be fantastic for him."

The three-time World Cup winner added that he feels confident Brazil can win the World Cup on home soil thanks to the leadership of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira.

“In Brazil we had one of the worst experiences in the 1950s when the World Cup was held in Brazil and we lost to Uruguay," he continued. "People fear the same thing happen, but I think this time it will be different.

"We have to be careful and respect other teams, because there are two or three good teams: Germany is a very good team and we have to respect Spain because they have been playing together for eight years."

"I think one of the good things we have now is that both Scolari and Parreira have experience and that's great for Brazil, because they have already gone through these situations and they can tell the players what they have to do," Pele continued. "I'm very confident, especially as Parreira was there in 1970 [as a member of the coaching staff] with the best team that Brazil has ever had." ( goal.com )

READ MORE - Messi another player when he's with Argentina : Pele

Leo Messi vomits on the field again during Argentina friendly

Leo Messi vomits on the field again during Argentina friendly - Argentina played out a goalless draw with Romania in Bucharest on Wednesday, with Leo Messi unable to find the net because he was marked out of the game by a resilient home side.

The match didn't get off to a great start for the Barcelona star, as he was seen doubling over and throwing up after just seven minutes of play.

Leo did not approve of Romanian cuisine             

The Albiceleste captain powered through and played the full 90 minutes, but this is by no means the first time he has struggled to keep his dinner down on the field.

El Pulga yacked up during the 2011 Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid, he blew chunks during a high-altitude clash with Bolivia in March 2013 and he dry heaved like he had just seen Arsene Wenger in lingerie during a game with Levante last August.

At this rate, the World Cup in Brazil is going to need more sawdust than Disney World. ( Dirty Tackle )

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READ MORE - Leo Messi vomits on the field again during Argentina friendly

5 things to know about the Spanish league

5 things to know about the Spanish league  — Real Madrid's advantage at the top of the Spanish league has been squeezed down to a single point over Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid is only three points behind.

Barcelona can add pressure with a victory at Valladolid on Saturday, a day before Madrid faces Levante. Atletico has a tough trip to Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Real's Cristiano Ronaldo, centre, celebrates his goal with teammate Gareth Bale, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Here are five things to know about this weekend's Spanish league matches:

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Atletico's Gabi , left, celebrates his goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Gabriel Pecot)

TREBLE HUNT

Barcelona remains in the hunt for the treble despite feeling a wind of change is coming.

Real's Karim Benzema, second right, scores a goal past Atletico’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, left, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Lionel Messi is scoring but, surprisingly, his future remains in doubt as rumors swirl that Manchester City is ready to pay his 200 million euro ($275 million) buyout clause. There are also reports that the Argentina captain's teammates are frustrated by his tendency to disappear during games.

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino's future also continues to be questioned, and Neymar's arrival has been marked by the saga surrounding his transfer from Santos.

Goalkeeper Victor Valdes had already said he would leave the club at the end of the season, and defender Carles Puyol announced Tuesday this would be his last season with the club, too.

"My generation and the one before don't know about a Barca without Puyi in defense," Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique wrote on his Facebook page. "I suppose nothing will be the same again."

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NO DRAMAS

While Atletico looks to keep pace and Barcelona looks to avoid internal combustion, Real Madrid is remarkably enjoying a season without much drama.

The Spanish team remains in the hunt for the treble with forwards Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale all in good form, and the rest of its squad reinforced at nearly every position without injury worries.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has even managed to keep his goalkeepers happy despite relegating Iker Casillas to a backup role, although the Spain captain is the team's choice in the Champions League.

It's quite a change to three previous seasons under Jose Mourinho, who took a stab at his players' vanity in an interview this week.

FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, from Argentina, center, reacts after scoring with his teammates against Almeria during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

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TEMPER TANTRUMS

Atletico Madrid has had to scrap and fight harder than Madrid and Barcelona to remain in the hunt for the league title, but part of that cost will be felt Saturday in Vigo.

Striker Diego Costa is banned because of an accumulation of bookings, as is midfielder Arda Turan. Assistant coach German Burgos also begins serving the first of a three-game ban for his aggressive protest in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Madrid.

Diego Costa's absence should provide David Villa with a rare start, while midfielder Diego Ribas should get the nod for Turan.

FC Barcelona's Carles Puyol reacts after scoring against Almeria during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

FC Barcelona's Carles Puyol reacts after scoring against Almeria during a Spanish La Liga soccer …

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CELTA'S SUCCESS

Barcelona has played a big hand in Celta Vigo's impressive season.

Much like his older brother Thiago Alcantara at Bayern Munich, Rafinha has been a key driving force to his club's success this season in guiding Celta's attack to put it 11th in the stadnings. Rafinha, who is on-loan from Barcelona, was deemed the league's most outstanding player in February.

Celta coach Luis Enrique is a well-known former Barcelona player who has managed to exploit Rafinha's potential.

FC Barcelona's Neymar, from Brazil, second right, duels for the ball against Almeria's Rafael Ramos. second left, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

FC Barcelona's Neymar, from Brazil, second right, duels for the ball against Almeria's Rafae …

Celta has drawn its past two games at Balaidos Stadium while Atletico has lost two straight on the road.

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ASPIRATIONS

Athletic Bilbao travels to Valencia on Sunday entrenched in fourth place, which secures the league's final Champions League qualifying place.

The Basque team, which hasn't played in Europe's top-tier competition in more than a decade, holds a six-point advantage over neighbor Real Sociedad and is seven points ahead of Villarreal.

"We would have all signed on the dotted line to be in this situation at the start of the season," Athletic midfielder Ander Iturraspe said. "But a lot of games remain, we've still got a lot to show right up to the end of the season."

Real Sociedad faces Rayo Vallecano on Monday, and Villarreal is at Granada on Sunday. ( AP )

READ MORE - 5 things to know about the Spanish league

Messi does not need World Cup for greatness

Messi does not need World Cup for greatness: Maradona   - Lionel Messi does not need a World Cup winners' medal to be considered among soccer's all-time greats, fellow Argentine Diego Maradona said on Tuesday.

"Messi doesn't need to win the World Cup to be the best player in the world," Maradona, who inspired Argentina to the title in Mexico in 1986, told La Nacion.

"(If he did) it would be great for Argentina, the fans and Lio, but (winning) a World Cup or not won't take away any of his achievements up to now to be among the greatest."

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a penalty against Manchester City during their …

Twice World Cup winners Argentina face Romania in a friendly in Bucharest on Wednesday as they begin to crank up their preparations for this year's finals in Brazil.

Former captain and coach Maradona said everything appeared in place for Messi to shine although Argentina's task would be tough with hosts Brazil, title holders Spain and Germany among the sides to beat.

Maradona said Messi had had a great World Cup in South Africa in 2010 despite not scoring any goals. The Argentina team coached by Maradona lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-finals.

"Messi had an exceptional World Cup with me... and no-one said so. (Was it) because he didn't score? He turned all the goalkeepers into stars," he said.

Maradona said he could not forget Messi's sobs when Argentina were eliminated.

"I approached him and told him he'd have many World Cups to get revenge. I said it with all my heart. While the rest were thinking about our return (home) he was there, head bowed, crying."

Argentina are in Group F with Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria at the finals starting on June 12.

"There's Spain, Germany and there's Brazil with a tremendous defence. You think of Brazil's defence and six or seven names come to mind, you think of their attack and there's only Neymar," Maradona said.

"For Lio it will be a test of character, to bring out all that crying he has in his heart. Brazil can be his great revenge," added Maradona, who will commentate on the tournament for a Venezuelan television programme. (Reuters)

READ MORE - Messi does not need World Cup for greatness

Vince McMahon, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Vice

Vince McMahon, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Vice - There are always a lot of dumb rumors going around that media outlets are all too eager to spread and that people are all too willing to believe. So as a public service, we here at DT bring you the reality check that will keep you from looking like a gullible Guti. 

WWE chairman Vince McMahon interested in buying Newcastle! (A website no one's ever heard of) — What's not to believe about a report on a random website citing an anonymous source? For starters, it makes no mention of this rumor being around since 2011 and the fact that the Guardian debunked it last month. 

Cristiano Ronaldo with Detective Sonny Crockett. (Getty)

David Beckham might name his MLS team "Miami Vice"! Like the TV show! And the less popular Colin Farrell movie! (Palm Beach Post) — This is one even I want to believe because it would be wonderful, but NBC Universal, which owns the rights to the show and film, would probably sue the David Beckham brand underpants off of MLS if they tried this. Plus Beckham's publicist, Simon Oliveira, already denied it and basically said you're stupid if you ever believed it. 

David Beckham wants to sign Cristiano Ronaldo for the Miami Vice in 2017! (The Sun) — I'm sure he also wants to sign Lionel Messi, all of Bayern Munich and 1958 Pele. You know, like every other football club owner on the planet. But the man doesn't even know the name of his club, when they will start playing or where they will do it, so signing Ronaldo or a reanimated George Best in three years is pretty far down the list of priorities. 

Mario Balotelli to Arsenal! With the help of Puma! (Daily Express/Metro) — Rumors of sportswear companies engineering megadeals to bring their sponsored athletes and their sponsored clubs together pop up from time to time. This one was inevitable since Arsenal and Balotelli both signed with Puma very recently, but if these things happened, Nike's biggest footballer (Cristiano Ronaldo) wouldn't be playing for Adidas' Real Madrid and Adidas' biggest footballer (Lionel Messi) wouldn't be playing for Nike's Barcelona. 

So that's the Puma angle out. But what about Mario to Arsenal anyway? Well, he can't stop saying how happy he is to play for Milan "especially in difficult moments" and he also says the only thing he misses about England is Man City fans. He's probably not going to Arsenal (or any other English club) then. 

David Moyes resigns himself to just winning the Champions League this season! (Dirty Tackle) — False. Moyes actually still believes Man United can win the FA Cup even though they were knocked out way back in the third round. Being optimistic helps limit the Sir Alex Ferguson night terrors to just the hours he's asleep. ( yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Vince McMahon, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Vice

Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League - Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini risks a UEFA sanction after launching a scathing attack on the match referee after his side's 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Barcelona took charge of the last 16 tie thanks to a second-half penalty from Lionel Messi and a late Dani Alves strike at the Etihad Stadium in Tuesday's first leg, and Pellegrini blamed match official Jonas Eriksson for his side's defeat.

In a wide-ranging attack, Pellegrini accused Eriksson of making two mistakes over the penalty decision and even questioned why a Swedish official had been given control of the game.

He also said that Eriksson should not have been in charge because he had been criticised by Barcelona following his performance in their 0-0 draw at AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the 2011-12 competition.

Eriksson sent off City defender Martin Demichelis for bringing down Messi in the incident that yielded the 54th-minute penalty and Pellegrini said: "I think that the referee decided the game.

"Before the penalty there was the foul on (Jesus) Navas, when he (Eriksson) was three metres from the player, so he saw it without any problem.

Manchester City's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany (2nd R) reacts after Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes makes a save near his line at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"From the beginning I felt that the referee was not impartial to both teams. The penalty on Martin Demichelis was not a penalty -- it was outside the box."

Asked why he had spoken to Eriksson at the final whistle, Pellegrini replied: "Just to tell him that he had decided the game. He must be very happy, because he decided the game."

The Chilean added: "He didn't have any control of the game. He decided for Barcelona from the beginning until the end.

"I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in such an important match and a referee that made such important mistakes against Barcelona (in an earlier match)."

When he was asked to explain his reservations about Eriksson's nationality, Pellegrini said: "I think there are more important football (nations) than Sweden in Europe.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring from a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"It was a big game with two important teams. I think maybe in that kind of game, you need a referee with more experience.

"I think the best (biggest) mistake was to put a referee that damaged Barcelona in the stage of group (sic).

"This referee whistled the Barcelona-Milan game and he made an important error against Barcelona. Today he arranged (atoned for it)."

With Pellegrini preoccupied by his gripes about Eriksson's performance, it was left to captain Vincent Kompany to vow that City had not given up on the tie.

"If the tempo was in this game, it would have been to our advantage," he told ITV.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi's successfully takes a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"If the game is the same as today, and we manage to stay away from some fouls, we have got a chance."

Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino felt that the outcome of the game was "fair", but he warned against complacency ahead of the second leg at Camp Nou on March 12.

"I'm not necessarily confident (about going through), but it's true that we've done a good game in the away leg," he said.

"We just have to repeat the same performance."

Media focus prior to the game had centred on the extent to which Barcelona have lost their mantle in the light of their 7-0 demolition by eventual champions Bayern Munich in last season's semi-finals.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho described Martino's side "as the worst Barcelona of many, many years" and Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas said that he and his team-mates were pleased to have silenced their critics.

"We had a point to prove, and we did it very well," he told ITV.

"Some people were talking a bit too much before the game and now they have to shut up for a few days." (AFP)

READ MORE - Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

Messi always delivers when it matters most

Milla : Messi always delivers when it matters most - Former Barcelona midfielder Luis Milla has jumped to the defense of Lionel Messi, arguing that the Argentine always delivers when it matters most.

After coming in for some heavy criticism in recent weeks for some allegedly below-par displays following his return from a hamstring injury, the Blaugrana No.10 netted twice in a hard-earned 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the weekend that propelled the Catalans back to the top of the Primera Division.

Milla felt that the Albiceleste ace's display at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan simply proved that while form is temporary, class is permanent.

"When the going gets tough, Messi will come up with the goods, just like he's always done," the former Spain international is quoted as saying by Marca. "Messi is still getting into the swing of things. He has been struggling to get going, but he's an instrumental player and Barcelona needs him right now."

Milla, who also wore the Real Madrid jersey during his active career, then went on to discuss Andres Iniesta's contribution in recent weeks, stressing that the attacking midfielder remains instrumental for Barca.

"After his fitness issues, it's normal for Iniesta to be gradually eased back into the fold," he mused. "He looked better again versus Sevilla and is an instrumental player when he is on song. He gives the team a lot of breathing space when he links up with Messi and Xavi."

Iniesta has netted once for Barcelona in 21 Liga appearances this season. ( Goal.com )

READ MORE - Messi always delivers when it matters most