Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Messi is mentally fatigued, says former Barca coach

SoccerNews in La Liga 16 Apr 2014

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Former Barcelona head coach Cesar Luis Menotti believes that Lionel Messi is suffering from mental fatigue following a poor run of form.

Messi has faced criticism for a lacklustre showing in Barca’s UEFA Champions League exit to La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid at the quarter-final stage last week.

The Argentina international also failed to reach his usual high standards as Barcelona crashed to a 1-0 defeat at Granada on Saturday – a result that severely hinders their hopes of retaining the Spanish title.

Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta leapt to Messi’s defence earlier this week, insisting that all is well with the 26-year-old despite his slump in form.

However, Menotti – who coached Barcelona between 1983 and 1984 – thinks that Messi is mentally burnt out, and reckons that he needs to rediscover his “joy” of playing for Barcelona.

Speaking to La Xarxa, Menotti said: “Messi has to overcome the sadness of poor performances and rediscover the joy, pride and passion it takes to play at a club like Barcelona.

“I’ve seen more mental fatigue than physical. It’s normal when there are a lot of games and he has many obligations.

“Maybe a couple of days rest would help him recompose his head and be the best in the world again.”

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  • SMS

    0 0

    Thanks Sky

  • Sky

    0 0

    Respect SMS
    Never seen brad speechless
    One game away from cementing his status among the very best to have played the game.
    Ronaldo who????????

  • Brad

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    You know, it’s very ironic that he actually is getting goals at this WC.

    I concede defeat in that regard with grace and dignity.

  • PAUL

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    Well guys guess what. Messi has been saving himself for the world cup. 4 goals with 1 assist in 4 matches so far and then vs belgium in the qtr. finals?

  • LOL

    0 0

    man reading the comments here gave me a giggle especially considering how Messi is killing it in the WC.. It appears that the one person who said that Messi has been saving himself all season for the WC was actually right LOL

  • SMS

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    What’s up Cloud and Brad and other Messi haters?
    Messi can’t score without Xavi and Iniesta? Well it turned out to be the opposite. Messi does score in hordes even without Xavi and Iniesta. But, it seems Ronaldo can’t score without Xabi, Di Maria and Ozil.
    Messi can’t score from free-kicks? Messi does. And Ronaldo’s free-kick is blocked by one-man German wall. WOW! Messi doesn’t score from outside the box? He does. Ronaldo doesn’t. Neymar is a flop. He is carrying Brazil. Bale??? Sitting at home, didn’t even qualify.
    So, all you Ronaldo fans sit back and enjoy Messi and Neymar show, while Ronaldo takes a flight back to Portugal.

  • Paul

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    Come on guys! Give him a break. Let’s sit & enjoy the world cup. Cheers

  • Brad

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    here goes too more guys who can’t really make an argument without insulting the opposition. . .

  • Thomas

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    Ronaldo does not make real madrid play good, He is a individual player that is selfish and greedy, just look at his last world cup game versus germany, All he did was shoot from long range, When he could of been passing the ball to his teammates who were actually running, Messi Scored his first goal, yeah sure he didn’t have a good first half, but when sabella changed the tactics so messi could play with players more compatible with him. @Cloud Your a joke Only Judge, But do you think ronaldo Make the team play good? The reason Why real madrid Beat barcelona for the copa del rey Was a team without ronaldo and with bale, Who Made the team win in the uefa champions finals? Di maria and bale, So Please Before making an opinion inform yourself. Neither messi nor ronaldo, Do what pele or maradona did, They Made the team play good, Neither ronaldo Or messi Do, And Just saying If Messi wouldn’t of gotten injured i doubt his mental state of not knowing he was gonna make it to the world cup, and winning the world cup so the world could finally say he won the world cup, And so he could compare himself to The Greats Maradona and Pele. Messi Is Still 2 Years younger than Cristiano. Think Who Do you think Made 91 Goals In one season And gave Barcelona their la liga title that season? That Season he made the team play good. Everyone Has good and bad seasons. Just because you’re used to seeing messi score a Hattrick every match, and has a bad season doesn’t mean its over.

  • sexy

    0 0

    messi sucks

  • SMS

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    @Brad
    You didn’t really clear the second hole, you kind-off accepted what I said and added some of your points. The reason Messi refuses to get transferred to another club is based on the fact that the club, FC Barcelona, has done so much for him. It is gratitude for the club rather than fear of playing in another league that prevents him from getting a transfer. Yes, I know Pele was barred from leaving his country. I just used his reference to make a point, we shouldn’t look at why he played his whole life at Santos, but the thing is, he did play his whole life at Santos. These things shouldn’t be used to refer to player’s playing level and greatness. Ibrahimovic is a good player, rather very good, but he isn’t considered to be a great although he has played in almost every major league in the world and has been successful. Your second hole remains.

    And you didn’t really touch the first and third holes.

  • Brad

    0 0

    (laughs). . . well played, SMS, well played. . .

    the only thing I can really say is, when you referred to Pele, the times were different, and you can almost say that the way Pele was with Santos and Brazil are similar to how Messi is with Barca and Argentina, only reversed: Pele’s superstar teammates were with him for Brazil, but at Santos. . . well, to be frank, the only teammate of O Rei’s there that I can name without Google’s help is Carlos Alberto, and I’m sure most others are like that as well. For Messi, his superstar teammates are at Barca, but most people outside Argentina normally can’t name more than 4 or 5 of his teammates when he’s with Albiceleste, myself included.

    another thing: the times are different. Back then, Pele was declared a “national treasure” by Brazil and barred by his own country from transferring to a foreign club until after he retired from national service, which would be illegal today.

    Yes, I know I ran my mouth there a bit more than intended. . . so (seriously) where’s the holes now? . . . apart from going wayyyy off topic that is.

  • SMS

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    @Brad
    Ronaldo did well in the Euro 2012 but so did Messi in the lengthy South American qualifiers. Well, Ronaldo also hasn’t done anything significant in the World Cup either. This is your argument’s first hole.
    In the Champions league every team plays with a lot more intensity than playing on a day to day basis in the league. Hence, you can’t say that he can’t play against them in the league. Also, one of the greatest player ever spent his almost entire life playing for Santos and had other greats in his national team i.e. Brazil, winning everything, then, according to your definition he is not better than Ronaldo. This is your argument’s second hole.
    If you really think Messi is better, then this argument is baseless. Why on earth are you arguing then? This is your argument’s third hole.

    Holes all over in your argument. . .

  • Brad

    0 0

    He has yet to prove himself on the biggest stage: The World Cup. He’s torn those teams up by playing for Barca in the CL, where encounters are sparing compared to playing against them for domestic league and cup games.

    I am a United fan, and I know that Messi is better. But there are some things that Messi hasn’t done that Ronaldo hasn’t, involving different leagues. And he sure didn’t vanish in Euro 2012, in fact, he had a slow start and then turned clutch for country.

    Holes all over in your argument. . .

  • SMS

    0 0

    It’s funny how you guys keep repeating how Ronaldo has performed for his country.
    Perhaps you guy know wikipedia, go there and search the pages for Ronaldo and Messi.
    You will find that Messi’s scoring ratio is better than that of Ronaldo for his country. Clubs? Messi is way ahead there. C’mon Ronaldo fanboys look at the stats, the games, Messi is way better, not at Ronaldo’s tricks. He is just a show-off. Any expert who is not associated with Real Madrid, Manchester United or Portugal will always say Messi is better. It is also a fact that Ronaldo vanishes in big games. Performing just in one game against Sweden doesn’t prove anything. He has to have the consistency, which sadly he doesn’t possess. For those saying that EPL is better and Messi should perform there, well he has already torn apart the best teams of various leagues around the world already. He doesn’t have to prove anything. He IS, simply, the BEST

  • nganya j

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    if i can say,messi is not suffering from mental fatique but rather he is suffering from the disgrace he optain from his club this season for losing both la liga and champions leaque titles.

  • nganya j

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    yes,messi only depends on barca and not the other way round.let him prove to the world that he is the best as far as football records is concern by playing to another club and prove thesame like s. eto‘o,barca to intermillan,c.ronaldo,etc

  • Blues Bridge

    0 0

    Our Eden Hazard is more better than Messi

  • TheLankyLlama

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    cloud
    gotta agree about Zidane.

  • TheLankyLlama

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    I have nothing against Messi, but I believe he is overrated. He has only proved himself at one club in a league that is usually only two/three horse race, with more or less, the same players around him… He needs to get out of La Liga and go to another club and prove himself to be a good player everywhere, not just at Barca…

  • Sauron

    0 0

    The age of corruption( uefalona) has ended…
    The age of ronaldo has begun
    * drums etc as background sound*

  • focus

    0 0

    I agree with Rick133 that messi is reserving his breath for the world cup.

  • Brad

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    Sky, sky, sky, sky, sky. . . .

    don’t even bother responding to us. You’ve already lost the argument, which you never did have a chance at winning any ways, cause you, like most messi “fans”- and yes I dare to put quotation marks around that word- can’t even give a decent argument, let alone avoid insulting whoever doesn’t agree with you.

    farewell. . .

  • cloud

    0 0

    swaminfo, yes, the team needs an entirely new core, most of barcas players are now old and their performance are affected or maybe, they don’t have the hunger to win trophies.

    bringing in a lot of new players will bring back the spark in barcas spirit.

    we can all see that neymar is a goddam failure. all he gave was trouble, now, they’re in a tight spot with that restriction to buy in the transfer market due to their dealings with neymar and his actions on the pitch aren’t the one we expected.

  • alemu negash

    0 0

    for cr7 is the best because he scores goals with his head, right foot &left foot if he get chance. he also improves in assisting his partiner. so balloon d
    ‘r deserves. him.

  • alemu negash

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    in almost many cases peoples clamp their hand for who the hand is clamped. but the reality should take onto consederation the current firm in his job.so by this time cr7 is simply the best in the world.

  • swaminfo

    0 0

    Sell messi & cisc. Sack tata. Bring klopp with reus & hummels. Go for cavani/suarez and luiz. Strong set than previous. Team needs pace, attack & shoot some bullets back of the net.

  • cloud

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    or maybe you forgot the one player who has done it all, for me the best player in the last 20 years.

    ZIDANE !!!

    won trophies with juventus, transferred to madrid and made the winning goal on their UCL triumph. Lead his nation of france to WC and Euro glory.

    you mentioned, messi’s trophy, yeah right, but ONLY WITH BARCA.

    for his country, any Copa America medal ?? any WC win ??

    to be honest, it’s too boring to talk about messi coz he only played good for one team. and that team ain’t his team, it’s the team of the Spanish conquerors of xavi and iniesta and busquets and pique and villa.

  • cloud

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    sky, for you satisfaction, let me explain to you why i didn’t give a damn about Torres’s spectacular form when he was in liverpool.

    if you have read and UNDERSTOOD all my comments above, the whole point was a player still playing at a high level no matter which team he plays for.

    yes, alt-madrid to liverpool, torres proved that he can do it with another team, but when he transferred from liverpool to another english team which is chelsea, he sucked. he didn’t need to adapt to the english game coz he already played in it. now, that degrades his stature as one of the greats who can do it anywhere.

    get the point now ??

    as usual with you, a messi fan, your level of comprehension is like a tear-film on your eye. it’s too thin. that’s why the best you can do is throw insults to others just to prove yourself that you’re better than us.

    by the way, nobody is claiming to know more than others here. i for one already made a disclaimer above that I AM ONLY A SPORTS FAN, not a goddam expert.

    hope that satisfies your ego you dumb c***

  • John

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    + torres might have had a time where he was good/great
    But a fact is at chelsea he sucks big time
    ._.
    Even old grannys can play better then el torres

  • John

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    ronaldo stil the better player though xD

  • Sky

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    Check you two losers out Wastemans
    I love you cloud love you too Brad awww I think you two need to get a room
    Still waiting on the Torres comment?
    Cloud knows so much about football he didn’t know Torres was one of the best in the prem playing for Liverpool.
    another would be Torres, his form in At Madrid is not the same as in Chelsea. Clouds comments by the way for all you guys that worship him like his footballing god
    Don’t be brainwashed

  • cloud

    0 0

    yeah, i remember that guy. he kept on changing nicknames but we can still recognize him from the way he talks. hehehe

    what will happen to barca next season ?? will they kick out martino ?? xavi and iniesta are past their prime, who’ll be in charge of midfield by then ?? Fabregas ??

  • Brad

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    Sky is doing the personal comments as how typical (yes, I said it again, you’ve earned it now, end of) Messi fans are, but he’s not anywhere near that one guy we had to deal with a couple years ago, right cloud? geez, that guy could’ve been killed in a fight with Rocky and still kept throwing punches that were nowhere near the target. . .

  • cloud

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    i’m quite active in giving out opinions in this site and one thing i noticed about messi fans – they always make personal comments. in this thread alone, me and brad and pablo are discussing in a mature and decent manner and here comes sky who’s first line was :::

    Cloud is the biggest Messi hater don’t listen to him.

    it proves to show how one sided these people are. can’t even make a proper and decent arguement without making personal slanders.

  • Brad

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    Sky, maybe you didn’t call him the best all time. but then again, according to most Messi fans, best all time and best in the world right now seem to be one and the same, which it ain’t. Messi is the best right now, but not all time. But some people out there don’t seem to notice.

  • cloud

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    wow !! you’re giving us a football lesson here .. ( sarcasm )

    but as always, messi fans will ONLY see what messi does but not the team behind him.

    take a look at barca, half of the squad belongs to world champions spain. The CORE of Spain is in Barcelona, the driving force of spain is in barcelona.

    maybe you recognize these names ?? Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta ?? or maybe you don’t coz you choose to only look at messi. these people are the one’s making Messi look good.

    i’m only a fan, not a sports critic nor a sports expert, i give credit when credit is due and as a football fan, yes, messi is good and he’s brilliant. but he still have to prove himself OUTSIDE of Barcelona.

    just like in tennis, Sampras was Great, but he never was a tennis God coz he didn’t won a French Open.

    on a side note, when you mentioned Google, maybe you’re the one who googled all this stats of messi. hahaha

  • Sky

    0 0

    Brad
    Didn’t say best of all time
    Said best I seen in my lifetime I think most people that watch and understand the game would agree

  • Sky

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    Cloud
    Crucial goals? One hatrick against Sweden if Ronaldo was so good they should have been in that playoff position.
    Messi scored hatrick against Brazil that’s nothing.
    Crucial goals?
    Messi goal against Real in the semis of champ league when he took the whole team on BIG GOAL on big stage
    Twice against man united in final BIG GOALS
    Messi hatrick at the Bernabeu in Ronaldo’s back yard how many opposition players have scored hatricks at the Bernabeu??
    By the way Messi first hatrick age 19 was at the Bernabeu google it probably never watched football then. Ronaldo was nothing at that age. Messi natural talent like pele maradona
    Ronaldo so influential has only won a la liga and a copa del ray since going there in a multi billion pound squad they should be winning champ league every year.
    Let’s not talk about Messi trophys since Ronaldo moving to Real u Ronaldo fans will get upset.
    Cloud funny how u duck the Torres question???
    And all about the prem and all u could do is talk about Ronaldo so BRAD don’t tell me typical.

  • Brad

    0 0

    Cloud, you shouldn’t pay any mind to him, since he’s a typical Messi fan.

    Can’t stand how they don’t like anyone who’s name isn’t Messi. and don’t even make good arguments to support their theory that he’s the best all time.

  • cloud

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    sky, you said it yourself here :::

    Barca are struggling that’s why Messi is struggling

    that means, Messi needs the backing of his team.

    it should be the other way around, right ?? You should have said “” MESSI IS STRUGGLING THAT’S WHY BARCA IS STRUGGLING “. get my point ??

    and sky, you’re such a close minded person. if you listen to what you’re saying, messi’s success is ONLY IN BARCA. Compare him with Argentina ?? Is he scoring hat-tricks with his country ??

    i don’t hate messi, i just hate the fans that are blindly praising him too much.

    and you mentioned Ronaldo. He won the BallonDor with United and now he won it again with ANOTHER TEAM. And he scored all the goals for his country on that crucial game against Sweden. Now, that is what you call a COMPLETE PLAYER. A player who proved himself in another league, he don’t depend on the team he is playing, but the team depends on him.

    got my point now sky ?

  • Sky

    0 0

    Cloud
    Torres not the same form Athletico to Chelsea?
    Are you forgetting Liverpool play in the premier league and he was one of the best striker in the premier league at the time
    England is the most entertaining league but anyone can thrive if you have the talent
    Champions league is the toughest competiton to win and more English teams get knocked out earlier than others

  • Sky

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    Cloud is the biggest Messi hater don’t listen to him.
    Messi is the greatest player I have seen in my lifetime his ball control acceleration and finishing is out this world when he’s on peak form like the 4 years under Guardiola he won 4 ballon D’ors.
    Which player has done that? Ronaldo?
    Messi thriving in the premier league lol anyone watch the man city game Messi tortured the city back 4 and he’s having a bad season.
    Players like silva mata navas Negredo Michu thrive in the prem and they can’t even get into the Spain squad and they were nothing in la liga
    Messi is a talent to be appreciated you won’t see it again
    Barca are struggling that’s why Messi is struggling teams park the bus every game and Martino playing long ball and crossing the ball into the box doesn’t help Messi saying all that he scored a hatrick against Real at the Bernabeu and he’s not at his best. Just imagine what he can do at his peak

  • Brad

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    He’d still be great, but not even close to the level we’ve gotten used to seeing.

  • cloud

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    pablo, you forgot to mention .. GOOD WITH HIS COUNTRY. Ronaldo has proved to anyone that he is great where ever he plays.

    but compared to messi. only with barca had he has great success, let’s see if he transfers if he can still be great. i doubt it.

  • Pablo

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    More and more i start to respect ronaldos skilll

    Monster at united and monster at real
    Whatever your oppinion is about him… That guy is a true machine

    Messi atm… Not so much … Where is the ” god of footbal” messi?
    Looks more like a lil hopless kid who cant do squat
    Without a. Good pass …

  • cloud

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    brad, sorry but i have to disagree with you about messi saving his strength for the World Cup. i guess, the best way to prepare for the world cup is to sharpen your skills with your club. i don’t know, but i’m seeing the “REAL” messi right now, a player who depends on his team mates, not his team mates depending on him.

    @rick, well said mate, we’ve see a lot of players that has good potential to do great things in england, but miserably failed. the greatest would be SHEVCHENKO. another would be Torres, his form in At Madrid is not the same as in Chelsea. and now, the latest, like you’ve mentioned is OZIL.

    la liga might have the quality and finesse passing, but in england, it’s like playing football with a mixture of rugby and bare-knuckle-boxing hehe

  • Rick133

    0 0

    Donyou honestly think messi can manage the epl?
    True
    He is talented ad fast etc. But he wil need stamina and also some wel thoughness if he wants to survive the realy physical league in england.
    I doubt he wildo as good as most ppl think xD
    Look at ozil
    World class! One of the best in the world. But in england, hes just one of the ” good ones”
    And look at torres etc
    England is where the real players are tested

  • Brad

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    Given just how much Messi plays, it is no surprise to hear that he might be mentally fatigued. However, it could just be that he’s starting to save himself for the World Cup this summer.

    Gotta agree with you Cloud, while transferring away seems counter-intuitive, the biggest things going against Messi in the argument of just how great he is is that he doesn’t turn up for Argentina as often as he does for Barca (2 years ago- or was it last year?- being the exception) and also in La Liga the only team that has a truly decent chance of going toe to toe with Messi and Co. is Real Madrid, though Atl. Madrid is on the rise.

    How would he fair in the EPL. .. . light, fleet footed players such as Messi have thrived in the EPL, think Giggs, or Bale, Walcott, even Donovan back when he was on loan stints at Everton. the only problem is that Man City would be perhaps the only team in England capable of buying him, which means it would be more of the (almost exact) same then.

  • cloud

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    a transfer to SERIA A or EPL would be best for messi and everyone concern.

    he has won everything there is to win with barca, i think it’s best for him to move to another team to again prove to himself and the world that he’s NOT ONLY GOOD IN BARCA but also good anywhere.

  • aregash tsega

    0 0

    MESSI i don’t believe it…..this from from foolish man.

  • aregash tsega

    0 0

    more practice make perfect

  • aregash tsega

    0 0

    more practice make perfect

  • aregash tsega

    0 0

    MESSI i don’t believe it…..this from from foolish man.

  • cloud

    0 0

    a transfer to SERIA A or EPL would be best for messi and everyone concern.

    he has won everything there is to win with barca, i think it’s best for him to move to another team to again prove to himself and the world that he’s NOT ONLY GOOD IN BARCA but also good anywhere.

  • Brad

    0 0

    Given just how much Messi plays, it is no surprise to hear that he might be mentally fatigued. However, it could just be that he’s starting to save himself for the World Cup this summer.

    Gotta agree with you Cloud, while transferring away seems counter-intuitive, the biggest things going against Messi in the argument of just how great he is is that he doesn’t turn up for Argentina as often as he does for Barca (2 years ago- or was it last year?- being the exception) and also in La Liga the only team that has a truly decent chance of going toe to toe with Messi and Co. is Real Madrid, though Atl. Madrid is on the rise.

    How would he fair in the EPL. .. . light, fleet footed players such as Messi have thrived in the EPL, think Giggs, or Bale, Walcott, even Donovan back when he was on loan stints at Everton. the only problem is that Man City would be perhaps the only team in England capable of buying him, which means it would be more of the (almost exact) same then.

  • Rick133

    0 0

    Donyou honestly think messi can manage the epl?
    True
    He is talented ad fast etc. But he wil need stamina and also some wel thoughness if he wants to survive the realy physical league in england.
    I doubt he wildo as good as most ppl think xD
    Look at ozil
    World class! One of the best in the world. But in england, hes just one of the ” good ones”
    And look at torres etc
    England is where the real players are tested

  • cloud

    0 0

    brad, sorry but i have to disagree with you about messi saving his strength for the World Cup. i guess, the best way to prepare for the world cup is to sharpen your skills with your club. i don’t know, but i’m seeing the “REAL” messi right now, a player who depends on his team mates, not his team mates depending on him.

    @rick, well said mate, we’ve see a lot of players that has good potential to do great things in england, but miserably failed. the greatest would be SHEVCHENKO. another would be Torres, his form in At Madrid is not the same as in Chelsea. and now, the latest, like you’ve mentioned is OZIL.

    la liga might have the quality and finesse passing, but in england, it’s like playing football with a mixture of rugby and bare-knuckle-boxing hehe

  • Pablo

    0 0

    More and more i start to respect ronaldos skilll

    Monster at united and monster at real
    Whatever your oppinion is about him… That guy is a true machine

    Messi atm… Not so much … Where is the ” god of footbal” messi?
    Looks more like a lil hopless kid who cant do squat
    Without a. Good pass …

  • cloud

    0 0

    pablo, you forgot to mention .. GOOD WITH HIS COUNTRY. Ronaldo has proved to anyone that he is great where ever he plays.

    but compared to messi. only with barca had he has great success, let’s see if he transfers if he can still be great. i doubt it.

  • Brad

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    He’d still be great, but not even close to the level we’ve gotten used to seeing.

  • Sky

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    Cloud is the biggest Messi hater don’t listen to him.
    Messi is the greatest player I have seen in my lifetime his ball control acceleration and finishing is out this world when he’s on peak form like the 4 years under Guardiola he won 4 ballon D’ors.
    Which player has done that? Ronaldo?
    Messi thriving in the premier league lol anyone watch the man city game Messi tortured the city back 4 and he’s having a bad season.
    Players like silva mata navas Negredo Michu thrive in the prem and they can’t even get into the Spain squad and they were nothing in la liga
    Messi is a talent to be appreciated you won’t see it again
    Barca are struggling that’s why Messi is struggling teams park the bus every game and Martino playing long ball and crossing the ball into the box doesn’t help Messi saying all that he scored a hatrick against Real at the Bernabeu and he’s not at his best. Just imagine what he can do at his peak

  • Sky

    0 0

    Cloud
    Torres not the same form Athletico to Chelsea?
    Are you forgetting Liverpool play in the premier league and he was one of the best striker in the premier league at the time
    England is the most entertaining league but anyone can thrive if you have the talent
    Champions league is the toughest competiton to win and more English teams get knocked out earlier than others

  • cloud

    0 0

    sky, you said it yourself here :::

    Barca are struggling that’s why Messi is struggling

    that means, Messi needs the backing of his team.

    it should be the other way around, right ?? You should have said “” MESSI IS STRUGGLING THAT’S WHY BARCA IS STRUGGLING “. get my point ??

    and sky, you’re such a close minded person. if you listen to what you’re saying, messi’s success is ONLY IN BARCA. Compare him with Argentina ?? Is he scoring hat-tricks with his country ??

    i don’t hate messi, i just hate the fans that are blindly praising him too much.

    and you mentioned Ronaldo. He won the BallonDor with United and now he won it again with ANOTHER TEAM. And he scored all the goals for his country on that crucial game against Sweden. Now, that is what you call a COMPLETE PLAYER. A player who proved himself in another league, he don’t depend on the team he is playing, but the team depends on him.

    got my point now sky ?

  • Brad

    0 0

    Cloud, you shouldn’t pay any mind to him, since he’s a typical Messi fan.

    Can’t stand how they don’t like anyone who’s name isn’t Messi. and don’t even make good arguments to support their theory that he’s the best all time.

  • Sky

    0 0

    Cloud
    Crucial goals? One hatrick against Sweden if Ronaldo was so good they should have been in that playoff position.
    Messi scored hatrick against Brazil that’s nothing.
    Crucial goals?
    Messi goal against Real in the semis of champ league when he took the whole team on BIG GOAL on big stage
    Twice against man united in final BIG GOALS
    Messi hatrick at the Bernabeu in Ronaldo’s back yard how many opposition players have scored hatricks at the Bernabeu??
    By the way Messi first hatrick age 19 was at the Bernabeu google it probably never watched football then. Ronaldo was nothing at that age. Messi natural talent like pele maradona
    Ronaldo so influential has only won a la liga and a copa del ray since going there in a multi billion pound squad they should be winning champ league every year.
    Let’s not talk about Messi trophys since Ronaldo moving to Real u Ronaldo fans will get upset.
    Cloud funny how u duck the Torres question???
    And all about the prem and all u could do is talk about Ronaldo so BRAD don’t tell me typical.

  • Sky

    0 0

    Brad
    Didn’t say best of all time
    Said best I seen in my lifetime I think most people that watch and understand the game would agree

  • cloud

    0 0

    wow !! you’re giving us a football lesson here .. ( sarcasm )

    but as always, messi fans will ONLY see what messi does but not the team behind him.

    take a look at barca, half of the squad belongs to world champions spain. The CORE of Spain is in Barcelona, the driving force of spain is in barcelona.

    maybe you recognize these names ?? Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta ?? or maybe you don’t coz you choose to only look at messi. these people are the one’s making Messi look good.

    i’m only a fan, not a sports critic nor a sports expert, i give credit when credit is due and as a football fan, yes, messi is good and he’s brilliant. but he still have to prove himself OUTSIDE of Barcelona.

    just like in tennis, Sampras was Great, but he never was a tennis God coz he didn’t won a French Open.

    on a side note, when you mentioned Google, maybe you’re the one who googled all this stats of messi. hahaha

  • Brad

    0 0

    Sky, maybe you didn’t call him the best all time. but then again, according to most Messi fans, best all time and best in the world right now seem to be one and the same, which it ain’t. Messi is the best right now, but not all time. But some people out there don’t seem to notice.

  • cloud

    0 0

    i’m quite active in giving out opinions in this site and one thing i noticed about messi fans – they always make personal comments. in this thread alone, me and brad and pablo are discussing in a mature and decent manner and here comes sky who’s first line was :::

    Cloud is the biggest Messi hater don’t listen to him.

    it proves to show how one sided these people are. can’t even make a proper and decent arguement without making personal slanders.

  • Brad

    0 0

    Sky is doing the personal comments as how typical (yes, I said it again, you’ve earned it now, end of) Messi fans are, but he’s not anywhere near that one guy we had to deal with a couple years ago, right cloud? geez, that guy could’ve been killed in a fight with Rocky and still kept throwing punches that were nowhere near the target. . .

  • cloud

    0 0

    yeah, i remember that guy. he kept on changing nicknames but we can still recognize him from the way he talks. hehehe

    what will happen to barca next season ?? will they kick out martino ?? xavi and iniesta are past their prime, who’ll be in charge of midfield by then ?? Fabregas ??

  • Sky

    0 0

    Check you two losers out Wastemans
    I love you cloud love you too Brad awww I think you two need to get a room
    Still waiting on the Torres comment?
    Cloud knows so much about football he didn’t know Torres was one of the best in the prem playing for Liverpool.
    another would be Torres, his form in At Madrid is not the same as in Chelsea. Clouds comments by the way for all you guys that worship him like his footballing god
    Don’t be brainwashed

  • John

    0 0

    ronaldo stil the better player though xD

  • John

    0 0

    + torres might have had a time where he was good/great
    But a fact is at chelsea he sucks big time
    ._.
    Even old grannys can play better then el torres

  • cloud

    0 0

    sky, for you satisfaction, let me explain to you why i didn’t give a damn about Torres’s spectacular form when he was in liverpool.

    if you have read and UNDERSTOOD all my comments above, the whole point was a player still playing at a high level no matter which team he plays for.

    yes, alt-madrid to liverpool, torres proved that he can do it with another team, but when he transferred from liverpool to another english team which is chelsea, he sucked. he didn’t need to adapt to the english game coz he already played in it. now, that degrades his stature as one of the greats who can do it anywhere.

    get the point now ??

    as usual with you, a messi fan, your level of comprehension is like a tear-film on your eye. it’s too thin. that’s why the best you can do is throw insults to others just to prove yourself that you’re better than us.

    by the way, nobody is claiming to know more than others here. i for one already made a disclaimer above that I AM ONLY A SPORTS FAN, not a goddam expert.

    hope that satisfies your ego you dumb c***

  • cloud

    0 0

    or maybe you forgot the one player who has done it all, for me the best player in the last 20 years.

    ZIDANE !!!

    won trophies with juventus, transferred to madrid and made the winning goal on their UCL triumph. Lead his nation of france to WC and Euro glory.

    you mentioned, messi’s trophy, yeah right, but ONLY WITH BARCA.

    for his country, any Copa America medal ?? any WC win ??

    to be honest, it’s too boring to talk about messi coz he only played good for one team. and that team ain’t his team, it’s the team of the Spanish conquerors of xavi and iniesta and busquets and pique and villa.

  • swaminfo

    0 0

    Sell messi & cisc. Sack tata. Bring klopp with reus & hummels. Go for cavani/suarez and luiz. Strong set than previous. Team needs pace, attack & shoot some bullets back of the net.

  • alemu negash

    0 0

    in almost many cases peoples clamp their hand for who the hand is clamped. but the reality should take onto consederation the current firm in his job.so by this time cr7 is simply the best in the world.

  • alemu negash

    0 0

    for cr7 is the best because he scores goals with his head, right foot &left foot if he get chance. he also improves in assisting his partiner. so balloon d
    ‘r deserves. him.

  • cloud

    0 0

    swaminfo, yes, the team needs an entirely new core, most of barcas players are now old and their performance are affected or maybe, they don’t have the hunger to win trophies.

    bringing in a lot of new players will bring back the spark in barcas spirit.

    we can all see that neymar is a goddam failure. all he gave was trouble, now, they’re in a tight spot with that restriction to buy in the transfer market due to their dealings with neymar and his actions on the pitch aren’t the one we expected.

  • Brad

    0 0

    Sky, sky, sky, sky, sky. . . .

    don’t even bother responding to us. You’ve already lost the argument, which you never did have a chance at winning any ways, cause you, like most messi “fans”- and yes I dare to put quotation marks around that word- can’t even give a decent argument, let alone avoid insulting whoever doesn’t agree with you.

    farewell. . .

  • focus

    0 0

    I agree with Rick133 that messi is reserving his breath for the world cup.

  • Sauron

    0 0

    The age of corruption( uefalona) has ended…
    The age of ronaldo has begun
    * drums etc as background sound*

  • TheLankyLlama

    0 0

    I have nothing against Messi, but I believe he is overrated. He has only proved himself at one club in a league that is usually only two/three horse race, with more or less, the same players around him… He needs to get out of La Liga and go to another club and prove himself to be a good player everywhere, not just at Barca…

  • TheLankyLlama

    0 0

    cloud
    gotta agree about Zidane.

  • Blues Bridge

    0 0

    Our Eden Hazard is more better than Messi

  • nganya j

    0 0

    yes,messi only depends on barca and not the other way round.let him prove to the world that he is the best as far as football records is concern by playing to another club and prove thesame like s. eto‘o,barca to intermillan,c.ronaldo,etc

  • nganya j

    0 0

    if i can say,messi is not suffering from mental fatique but rather he is suffering from the disgrace he optain from his club this season for losing both la liga and champions leaque titles.

  • SMS

    0 0

    It’s funny how you guys keep repeating how Ronaldo has performed for his country.
    Perhaps you guy know wikipedia, go there and search the pages for Ronaldo and Messi.
    You will find that Messi’s scoring ratio is better than that of Ronaldo for his country. Clubs? Messi is way ahead there. C’mon Ronaldo fanboys look at the stats, the games, Messi is way better, not at Ronaldo’s tricks. He is just a show-off. Any expert who is not associated with Real Madrid, Manchester United or Portugal will always say Messi is better. It is also a fact that Ronaldo vanishes in big games. Performing just in one game against Sweden doesn’t prove anything. He has to have the consistency, which sadly he doesn’t possess. For those saying that EPL is better and Messi should perform there, well he has already torn apart the best teams of various leagues around the world already. He doesn’t have to prove anything. He IS, simply, the BEST

  • Brad

    0 0

    He has yet to prove himself on the biggest stage: The World Cup. He’s torn those teams up by playing for Barca in the CL, where encounters are sparing compared to playing against them for domestic league and cup games.

    I am a United fan, and I know that Messi is better. But there are some things that Messi hasn’t done that Ronaldo hasn’t, involving different leagues. And he sure didn’t vanish in Euro 2012, in fact, he had a slow start and then turned clutch for country.

    Holes all over in your argument. . .

  • SMS

    0 0

    @Brad
    Ronaldo did well in the Euro 2012 but so did Messi in the lengthy South American qualifiers. Well, Ronaldo also hasn’t done anything significant in the World Cup either. This is your argument’s first hole.
    In the Champions league every team plays with a lot more intensity than playing on a day to day basis in the league. Hence, you can’t say that he can’t play against them in the league. Also, one of the greatest player ever spent his almost entire life playing for Santos and had other greats in his national team i.e. Brazil, winning everything, then, according to your definition he is not better than Ronaldo. This is your argument’s second hole.
    If you really think Messi is better, then this argument is baseless. Why on earth are you arguing then? This is your argument’s third hole.

    Holes all over in your argument. . .

  • Brad

    0 0

    (laughs). . . well played, SMS, well played. . .

    the only thing I can really say is, when you referred to Pele, the times were different, and you can almost say that the way Pele was with Santos and Brazil are similar to how Messi is with Barca and Argentina, only reversed: Pele’s superstar teammates were with him for Brazil, but at Santos. . . well, to be frank, the only teammate of O Rei’s there that I can name without Google’s help is Carlos Alberto, and I’m sure most others are like that as well. For Messi, his superstar teammates are at Barca, but most people outside Argentina normally can’t name more than 4 or 5 of his teammates when he’s with Albiceleste, myself included.

    another thing: the times are different. Back then, Pele was declared a “national treasure” by Brazil and barred by his own country from transferring to a foreign club until after he retired from national service, which would be illegal today.

    Yes, I know I ran my mouth there a bit more than intended. . . so (seriously) where’s the holes now? . . . apart from going wayyyy off topic that is.

  • SMS

    0 0

    @Brad
    You didn’t really clear the second hole, you kind-off accepted what I said and added some of your points. The reason Messi refuses to get transferred to another club is based on the fact that the club, FC Barcelona, has done so much for him. It is gratitude for the club rather than fear of playing in another league that prevents him from getting a transfer. Yes, I know Pele was barred from leaving his country. I just used his reference to make a point, we shouldn’t look at why he played his whole life at Santos, but the thing is, he did play his whole life at Santos. These things shouldn’t be used to refer to player’s playing level and greatness. Ibrahimovic is a good player, rather very good, but he isn’t considered to be a great although he has played in almost every major league in the world and has been successful. Your second hole remains.

    And you didn’t really touch the first and third holes.

  • sexy

    0 0

    messi sucks

  • Thomas

    0 0

    Ronaldo does not make real madrid play good, He is a individual player that is selfish and greedy, just look at his last world cup game versus germany, All he did was shoot from long range, When he could of been passing the ball to his teammates who were actually running, Messi Scored his first goal, yeah sure he didn’t have a good first half, but when sabella changed the tactics so messi could play with players more compatible with him. @Cloud Your a joke Only Judge, But do you think ronaldo Make the team play good? The reason Why real madrid Beat barcelona for the copa del rey Was a team without ronaldo and with bale, Who Made the team win in the uefa champions finals? Di maria and bale, So Please Before making an opinion inform yourself. Neither messi nor ronaldo, Do what pele or maradona did, They Made the team play good, Neither ronaldo Or messi Do, And Just saying If Messi wouldn’t of gotten injured i doubt his mental state of not knowing he was gonna make it to the world cup, and winning the world cup so the world could finally say he won the world cup, And so he could compare himself to The Greats Maradona and Pele. Messi Is Still 2 Years younger than Cristiano. Think Who Do you think Made 91 Goals In one season And gave Barcelona their la liga title that season? That Season he made the team play good. Everyone Has good and bad seasons. Just because you’re used to seeing messi score a Hattrick every match, and has a bad season doesn’t mean its over.

  • Brad

    0 0

    here goes too more guys who can’t really make an argument without insulting the opposition. . .

  • Paul

    0 0

    Come on guys! Give him a break. Let’s sit & enjoy the world cup. Cheers

  • SMS

    0 0

    What’s up Cloud and Brad and other Messi haters?
    Messi can’t score without Xavi and Iniesta? Well it turned out to be the opposite. Messi does score in hordes even without Xavi and Iniesta. But, it seems Ronaldo can’t score without Xabi, Di Maria and Ozil.
    Messi can’t score from free-kicks? Messi does. And Ronaldo’s free-kick is blocked by one-man German wall. WOW! Messi doesn’t score from outside the box? He does. Ronaldo doesn’t. Neymar is a flop. He is carrying Brazil. Bale??? Sitting at home, didn’t even qualify.
    So, all you Ronaldo fans sit back and enjoy Messi and Neymar show, while Ronaldo takes a flight back to Portugal.

  • LOL

    0 0

    man reading the comments here gave me a giggle especially considering how Messi is killing it in the WC.. It appears that the one person who said that Messi has been saving himself all season for the WC was actually right LOL

  • PAUL

    0 0

    Well guys guess what. Messi has been saving himself for the world cup. 4 goals with 1 assist in 4 matches so far and then vs belgium in the qtr. finals?

  • Brad

    0 0

    You know, it’s very ironic that he actually is getting goals at this WC.

    I concede defeat in that regard with grace and dignity.

  • Sky

    0 0

    Respect SMS
    Never seen brad speechless
    One game away from cementing his status among the very best to have played the game.
    Ronaldo who????????

  • SMS

    0 0

    Thanks Sky

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