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Argentine Star Messi: Scoring records are not my goal



"Barcelona’s superstar forward Lionel Messi remains humble despite being heralded as the world’s best footballer."


Lionel Messi has dismissed talk of chasing records after the Argentine struck twice in Wednesday’s 5-0 Champions League win at BATE Borisov to equal Ladislau Kubala as Barcelona’s second highest scorer of all time on 194 goals.
As the Spanish and European champions prepare to take on struggling Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Sunday (1800 GMT), Messi said he was not focused on eclipsing top scorer Cesar Rodriguez, who scored 235 for the Catalan club, but merely wanted to perform for the team.
“Cesar is not my goal,” the 24-year-old World Player of the Year, who has netted his goals in only 280 appearances, was quoted as saying on Barca’s website (www.fcbarcelona.cat).
“It is to do things well in each match,” the Argentine added. “I know that I am making history and hopefully I can do more.”
Messi already has eight goals in five La Liga games this season, including two hat-tricks, as Barca bid for a club record-equalling fourth consecutive domestic title.
After a couple of away draws they are second on 11 points, one behind surprise leaders Real Betis, who host Levante, also on 11, earlier on Sunday (1400).
Messi made his debut for Barca’s first team in October 2004 and became the club’s youngest league scorer when he netted against Albacete in May 2005 at the age of 17 years, 10 months and seven days.
A string of breathtaking performances has landed him the world’s best player award the past two seasons and he has top-scored in the Champions League, Europe’s elite club competition, the past three campaigns, when Barca twice won the title and reached the semi-finals.
“What Messi is doing is extraordinary, accumulating these numbers and playing for the team,” Spain midfielder Xavi, one of Barca’s club captains, said after the BATE game. “Having the best footballer in the world is priceless.”
Striker David Villa, Xavi’s Spain and Barca team mate, added: “Messi is incredible. He will keep exceeding himself. We are just happy to help him out in all this.”
Barça could be without Carles Puyol for Sunday’s game in Gijon after the shaggy-haired centre back, who has only just returned from knee surgery, picked up a knock in Minsk.
Puyol’s defensive partner Gerard Pique, however, could make his first start since recovering from a calf strain.
Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, who are fifth on 10 points, warmed up for Sunday’s match at Barca’s city neighbours Espanyol (2000) with a 3-0 win at home to Ajax in Champions League Group D on Tuesday.
Sevilla, level with Levante on 11 points, play at Atletico Madrid on Sunday (1600), while Valencia, on 10, host promoted Granada on Saturday (1800) following Wednesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw at home to Chelsea.

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Chelsea held in Mestalla

             Late Valencia penalty snatches a draw for hosts
 

"Juan Mata returned to the Mestalla to face his former side"

Frank Lampard was denied a winning goal on his return to the Chelsea starting line-up as Valencia snatched a late 1-1 draw via the penalty spot in an entertaining UEFA Champions League encounter.

After a goalless first-half, the contest sprung into life in the second period with both goalkeepers on form before Lampard, benched for the last two games, handing Chelsea the lead.
Valencia  responded well, though, and equalised through Roberto Soldado's 87th-minute penalty after substitute Salomon Kalou was adjudged to have handled inside the penalty area.
Andre Villas-Boas' men lost their discipline following the final whistle as Ashley Cole and Juan Mata received yellow cards for dissent after the Blues were denied the chance to take a free-kick.




Arsenal scrape to victory

 Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andre Santos on target for Gunners
 

"Andre Santos: Scores Arsenal's second with a near-post finish"

Arsenal's UEFA Champions League campaign is up and running after edging out a plucky Olympiakos side 2-1 at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners started on the front foot and they forged ahead in the eighth minute when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first Champions League goal for the club with a neat left-footed finish.
The home side were looking dangerous in the final third and left-back Andre Santos got in on the act shortly after when he drifted past Marcano after his initial cross was cut out before slotting home at the near post.
However, Arsenal's defensive frailties were exposed on 27 minutes when the Greeks worked a short corner which resulted in David Fuster heading home Ariel Ibagaza's perfect delivery.
Olympiakos came within a whisker of levelling matters on 64 minutes when Vasilis Torosidis cut in on his left foot and sent a curling effort from outside the penalty area that rattled Wojciech Szczesny's crossbar.
The Greeks continued to press in the closing stages, but Arsenal's defence held firm and, if anything, it was the home side who looked more likely to score the game's fourth goal on the counter attack.



Kobe shows support for Galatasaray

Kobe Bryant said he became a Galatasaray fan after he attended a training session of the Turkish football team on Sunday.


"Bryant wears a Galatasaray shirt as he attends a training session of the team."



The American basketball superstar was at Türk Telekom Arena as part of his visit to Istanbul, organized by his sponsor Nike. Bryant opened a basketball court and took part in a basketball tournament named Own The Court (Sahayı Ele Geçir) before visiting the Istanbul team during its training match.

“From now on, I am a Galatasaray fan,” said Bryant, who has been a transfer target for Beşiktaş, an archrival of Galatasaray.

Bryant took three penalty shots against Galatasaray goalkeeper Ufuk Ceylan but scored only one of them.

Turkish teams went for NBA players during the lockout, and the Los Angeles Lakers guard was one of them. He had offers from China, Turkey and Italy, and said he was still pondering those options.

Beşiktaş Milangaz has signed New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams and center Semih Erden due to the lockout, while Ersan İlyasova and Mehmet Okur signed contracts with Efes and Telekom.

United salvage draw in thriller

  Hosts blow two-goal lead before Ashley Young rescues a point


"Young: Rescued a point in an entertaining game at Old Trafford"

Ashley Young salvaged a point for Manchester United in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Basel in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

Danny Welbeck had handed clinical United a two-goal cushion by the break, but Basel were wasteful in an open first period.
The Swiss side managed to find their finishing touch after the restart, though, with Fabian Frei pulling one back before a brace from his namesake Alexander put the visitors in front.
United probed frantically for the equaliser and it came in the 90th minute courtesy of a close-range Young header from substitute Nani's cross.
The result leaves United third in Group C with two points from two games.
Sir Alex Ferguson sprung a surprise by failing to name either Dimitar Berbatov or Michael Owen in his starting line-up, as Welbeck was preferred in attack with Young playing a supporting role.
The first opening of the game fell in Basel's favour as Marco Streller put Fabian Frei through on goal, but Rio Ferdinand did enough to put the midfielder off balance as he pulled the trigger with the goal at his mercy.
On nine minutes, Young, making his Champions League debut, whipped in a right-foot cross towards the back post but Antonio Valencia somehow directed his header back across the face of goal and wide.
The hosts were encouraged by the opportunity, though, and a through ball from Ryan Giggs was latched onto by Welbeck, who could only flash his effort wide across the face of goal on the turn.
United had begun to find their rhythm and on 14 minutes the roles were reversed as Young forced Yann Sommer into his first save after connecting well with a half-volley from Valencia's cross.

Opening goal

The breakthrough was coming and it arrived on 16 minutes as Giggs delicately teed up Welbeck from a Fabio cross, with the striker scuffing a shot in off the post from around 12 yards.
And Welbeck doubled his and United's tally a minute later as he escaped his man in the penalty area and produced a first-time finish from a diagonal, defence-splitting pass from Giggs once more.
To their credit, Basel continued to worry United's defence with frequent attacks, and Alexander Frei should have done better when teed up by Strellar on 24 mins, but the Swiss side were wasteful in the final third.
Alexander Frei turned provider soon after but Jacques Zoua could only fire into the side netting before, once again, roles were reversed with Frei heading over a Zoua cross when unmarked inside United's penalty area.
Despite a suspiciously open defence which Basel failed to exploit, United continued to threaten with ease, with Welbeck coming close to completing his hat-trick on two occasions before the interval.
The second-half began in the same manner as the first, with Basel creating the first opportunity, but they were once again wasteful as Streller forced De Gea into a brave save from point-blank range with United exposed at the back.
As ever, United responded positively and Young spotted the diagonal run of Giggs, who opted to shoot from a difficult angle with Welbeck crying out for his hat-trick in the centre. Sommer made a comfortable stop from the Welshman's tame effort.
Streller continued to beat the offside trap but decision-making in the final third was again poor and it was somewhat a surprise when the visitors finally breached United's defence from a rare set-piece.
From an Alexander Frei corner, his namesake Fabian rifled in off the post after De Gea had failed to deal with the delivery, handing Basel a lifeline on 58 minutes.
Basel streamed forward in search of a second and they didn't have long to wait as Fabian Frei turned provider, whipping in an exquisite cross for Alexander Frei to plant a header beyond De Gea.

Stunned

Old Trafford was stunned by the turnaround, so much so that the Swiss support could be heard over the United faithful as the tension swayed in Basel's favour.
Ferguson responded by hauling off Giggs in place of the energetic Ji-Sung Park while Nani replaced Fabio soon after.
Little changed in the immediate aftermath and, remarkably, Basel were handed a glorious chance to take the lead for the first time on the night from the penalty spot.
Phil Jones failed to clear convincingly and put Valencia in a difficult position, with the Ecuadorian, caught by surprise, hauled down Streller when trying to recover possession inside the penalty area.
Experienced former Switzerland international Alexander Frei tucked away the penalty on 76 minutes, finding the top corner with a clean strike with De Gea sent the wrong way.
Ferguson soon turned to Berbatov, who replaced Anderson on 82 minutes, but it was Welbeck who was presented the first chance to equalise. However, the former Sunderland loanee couldn't make any meaningful connection from Nani's inviting cross.
On 88 minutes, Berbatov showed what he was capable of as he flicked a diving header on target from Jones' floated pass, but Sommer was well-positioned to make the save.
But in the end it was the introduction of Nani which proved the difference and it was the Portuguese's inch-perfect cross which set up Young with the simple task of nodding in when unmarked at the back post in the final minute of normal time.
United sensed a trademark late victory and Welbeck glanced a header agonisingly wide from another pinpoint Nani delivery.
There was still time for Basel to fire a reminder of their threat, and De Gea was almost caught napping from an ambitious 60-yard effort from Taulant Xhaka, which narrowly missed the target.
It would have been a fitting end to an incredible night in Manchester, and Basel survived one last United attack with Berbatov collected from Welbeck before drilling into the side netting.



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Messi HD Image and Wallpapers Gallery

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Zárate winner gets Inter going at CSKA

PFC CSKA Moskva 2-3 FC Internazionale Milano
Claudio Ranieri's first European game at the Inter helm ended in victory after Mauro Zárate's effort settled a topsy-turvy Group B encounter.

"Lúcio's deflected strike set Inter on their way early on"

A late winner from substitute Mauro Zárate settled a thrilling contest in FC Internazionale Milano's favour as the Nerazzurri won 3-2 away to PFC CSKA Moskva.
After recovering from two goals down for the second Group B game in succession, the hosts seemed set for a point until Zárate received Esteban Cambiasso's pass and fired past Vladimir Gabulov with 11 minutes left. Vágner Love had drawn CSKA level two minutes earlier, adding to Alan Dzagoev's first-half free-kick, after goals in the opening 23 minutes from Lúcio and Giampaolo Pazzini had put Claudio Ranieri's new charges firmly in the ascendancy.
Having not scored in 56 games for club and country prior to Saturday's defeat of Bologna FC, Lúcio swiftly made it two goals in as many matches. Ricardo Álvarez – on his first start for Inter − delivered a corner which skipped off the head of Vasili Berezutski and, with Gabulov out of position, enabled the defender to finish via the chest of Sergei Ignashevich.
Pazzini had the shot which forced that set piece and was soon causing more problems with his movement, finding space down the Inter right and standing up a cross to the far post from which the sprawling Gabulov kept out Joel Obi's header.
If that was a let-off, CSKA were not so fortunate midway through the first half. Ranieri's side, getting plenty of joy down either flank, doubled their lead when the sprightly Pazzini turned in Yuto Nagatomo's centre, the right-back having nutmegged Aleksei Berezutski before driving the ball across goal.
Having previously brought the best out of Júlio César, Dzagoev threw CSKA a lifeline by curling a free-kick over wall and goalkeeper in added time. The hosts picked up where they had left off after the break, with Pavel Mamaev curling a shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post, before a swift Inter break culminated in Zárate testing Gabulov.
As the game became stretched, opportunities came and went at either end, with Gabulov again in the thick of things to deny Diego Milito and Vágner Love flashing a ball across the penalty area from the byline. A goal was coming; it was just a question of which way.
Vágner Love provided the answer 13 minutes from time, stepping inside Lúcio and shooting past Júlio César, but CSKA's jubilation soon turned to despair as Zárate delivered a devastating riposte to banish the blues from the shock loss to Trabzonspor AŞ two weeks ago.