Lionel Messi

[Tee]

You made up the Song and Arsenal one Shaggy didn't you?

[Tee]

Oh, lets sign Tello please. We still have time.

[Mike]

That can't be right, surely?

Lets get Tello!

[The_weatherman]

You made up the Song and Arsenal one Shaggy didn't you?

I hope not

[Shaggy]

Just that one. The rest are real.

[Gibbo]

Wouldn't slide if I was in the same team, minute he got the ball in training I'd snap the little midget

[PTP]

i'm sure they try but he just megs everyone

to be fair tho - messi is the best in the world, one of the best ever, and sanchez does look **** - i'm with lionel here - **** 'em leo, play on your own if you have too

[Bender]

Lionel Messi 401 GOALS
BBC

[Bender]

Either Messi Leaves or The Manager
Barcelona News Conference:
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique:
"The same way as I am with my children, I don't treat each of my players the same way. That would be an error. I have stayed loyal to my principles."

Luis Enrique is asked whether he thinks Lionel Messi is still "delighted" to be at Barcelona:
"I don't want to comment. We know things change and a month is a long time. Things have changed but it is up to you to speak to parties involved. I am as happy as ever here, happier even."

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique declined to comment on reports that Lionel Messi was upset at being left out on the substitutes bench for the defeat to Valencia and that he had a falling out with the player:

"At the moment it just seems to be negative vibes, nothing positive. I don't think I should be asked to confirm any or deny any of these rumours.

It would stir up more problems than it would solve. Things are going to happen during the season and it is up to us to sort it out.

"Things that happen between the team and the players will always be kept that. My job is not to discuss the rumours, it is to be first team manager."

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique speaking at a news conference about his relationship with :
"I speak to all the players of course I do. I can't speak individually to every player every day. I have said so many times is there any need to say it again.#
"Lionel Messi is important, he is the greatest player in the world. I have said that enough times, it doesn't make sense repeating myself."

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique speaking at a news conference:
"I am always in contact with the president. They have not given me any ultimatum. I am going into the Elche game with the same confidence as ever.

"I feel motivated and am thinking about the things we can improve. I have the same faith in my players as ever."

[Vermilion]

Suarez really has stirred things up.

[Bender]

Suarez really has stirred things up.

Vile Creature [i love you Suarez ]

[Norbs]

Lionel Messi is prouncouned Lye-on-all because he was named after Lionel Richie

Tru fax

[Vermilion]

Vile Creature [i love you Suarez ]

[Bender]

Lionel Messi: Who can afford to sign Barcelona striker?

By Simon Stone
BBC Sport
Only two clubs could buy Lionel Messi outright and satisfy Financial Fair Play, according to a finance expert.
And Real Madrid and Manchester United would struggle to pay Messi's wages without breaking Uefa's rules.

The rest of Europe's elite would have to stagger a payment over a number of years to meet the £170m valuation.

"With the revenue they generate and cash reserves, only United and Real Madrid could pay the fee," said Rob Wilson of Sheffield Hallam University.
"With salary costs probably even they couldn't stay within FFP."
World's most valuable players.

Source: CIES Football Observatory (January, 2015)
220m Euros (£172.43m) Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
133m Euros (£104.24m) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
99m Euros (£77.60m) Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
84m Euros (£65.84m) Diego Costa (Chelsea)
72m Euros (£56.43m) Paul Pogba (Juventus)
65m Euros (£50.95m) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Messi's contract does not expire until 2019 and Wilson said it would be unlikely that Barcelona would accept a staggered transfer payment.
"Unless Messi absolutely wanted to get out of the club, why would Barcelona agree to that?
"Staggering the payments would certainly make it easier for Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG and Bayern Munich but Manchester United demanded the fee up front when they sold Cristiano Ronaldo and I strongly suspect it would be the same for Messi," Wilson said.


There is no suggestion Real Madrid are interested in replicating the controversy created by their decision to sign Luis Figo from Barcelona in 2000.
But Messi, 27, has been the subject of increasing speculation.

He was left out of the Barcelona starting line-up for the defeat at Real Sociedad, subsequently began following Chelsea on Instagram and his future was the subject of a vague comment by coach Luis Enrique.

Yet the days when clubs merely had to decide whether they could afford a financial package for a player are over.
World's richest clubs (turnover)
Source: Deloitte Football Money League (January, 2014)
£444.7m - Real Madrid
£271m - Manchester City
£413.6m - Barcelona
£260m - Chelsea
£369.6m - Bayern Munich
£243.6m - Arsenal
£363.2m - Manchester United
£233.5m - Juventus
£341.8m - Paris St Germain
£225.8m - AC Milan
Now, under FFP, if they exceed losses of 30m Euros (£23.5m) over a three-year period that includes the present campaign, they are liable to be sanctioned by Uefa.

That figure is a reduction on the £45m over three years that was in operation until last season, and which Manchester City and Paris St-Germain were fined £49m for breaching last term.

It means unless clubs took the radical step of selling a number of senior players to fund a single purchase, their only other option would be to push through the transfer and deal with the fall-out when it happened, a stance Wilson believes could prove very costly.

"Chelsea and Manchester City clearly have the financial power but whether they would just do the deal and worry about the consequences afterwards is another matter," said Wilson.

"Most people thought Uefa would take a light touch approach to FFP. In fact they have shown a willingness to apply it pretty rigorously."
BBC

[ChesterDave]

Lionel Messi is prouncouned Lye-on-all because he was named after Lionel Richie

Tru fax

Its a good'un too.

Did you know Seb Coates is pronounced Kwatez after his Scottish father, Mr Coates.