..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 0: Lopetegui's men drop points again as Courtois stars

Real Madrid dropped points in LaLiga for the second match in succession after they were held to a 0-0 draw by bitter rivals Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.Julen Lopetegui's men were hoping to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to Sevilla, but their performance in El Derbi was not hugely improved and they had to rely on Thibaut Courtois' excellence on several occasions just to get a draw.

Atletico looked significantly more dangerous in attack during the first half and only failed to take the lead because of Courtois' efforts, denying Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa in one-on-one situations.


Madrid withdrew Gareth Bale at half-time, the Welshman suffering a suspected thigh injury, but edged proceedings in the second period and attacked desperately towards the end, though they wasted their rare chances and Atletico held on to a deserved point.

The visitors had much more about them going forward in the first half and Courtois – facing his former side for the first time since returning to LaLiga – was kept busy.Saul Niguez first tested him from 25 yards with a stinging drive, before the Belgian raced off his line to thwart Griezmann.Courtois also got the better of Costa in a similar situation eight minutes before the break, with Griezmann releasing the Spain striker with a defence-splitting ball.

Bale's replacement Dani Ceballos injected some much-needed energy to the Madrid's attack and they should have gone ahead in the 65th minute, only for Jan Oblak to make a save at the feet of Marco Asensio following Toni Kroos' fine pass.

Seemingly frustrated by their team's struggles in front of goal, the home fans began chanting Cristiano Ronaldo's name towards the end, and a debut for 18-year-old Brazilian Vinicius Junior could not inspire a breakthrough.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'It's a gift for me' - Tuchel praises Di Maria after PSG beat Nice


Thomas Tuchel says it is "a gift" working with Angel Di Maria following Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 Ligue 1 victory over Nice.Neymar's brace and a goal from Christopher Nkunku were enough to secure an eighth successive top flight win for PSG, who are now nine points clear at the top.

Neymar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also had goals disallowed for offside, but it was Di Maria - who also hit the woodwork - who drew praise from Tuchel.

"I like Di Maria a lot, he is so gifted," Tuchel said of the Argentine, who was impressive as part of a three-man forward line alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

"I watched him play with Real Madrid and for me I could not believe I could train him at some point back then."Now he is my player, it's a gift for me. It's easy with him as he is every day one of the first to come to training."He has a lot of skills, he always plays for the team, it's really a gift."

Tuchel rested Edinson Cavani and Marco Verratti for the trip to Allianz Riviera, with half an eye on PSG's Champions League encounter with Red Star Belgrade in midweek.

And the former Borussia Dortmund boss claimed it was important to keep his players fresh while ensuring his ideas got across."First of all, I appreciate the fact that my players trust me and my ideas," he added.

"It was important, our third game in one week, Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. So the structure was important, to play 3-5-2 today."Nice are brave when they have the ball. I did not want my team to run without the ball. That's why we change to play in 3-5-2."[The] players were open to this idea. We trained once yesterday like that and it was top. They played bravely."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid were by far the better team in the derby – Lopetegui


Julen Lopetegui is adamant Real Madrid were the better team "by far" in their 0-0 draw at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.Madrid went into the derby having suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Sevilla on Wednesday, and at times in the first half they looked destined for another loss.Their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to be at his best to keep the score level at the break, denying Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa in one-on-one situations.

Madrid were better after the break and controlled much of the second half, though clear-cut chances remained infrequent.

Nevertheless, Lopetegui is convinced his team were vastly superior to their visitors."We were the better team by far, but if you don't score a goal, then, obviously, you can't win," he told reporters."The goals will come, I don't have any doubts about that. We created a lot of chances, and if we keep doing that then I've no doubt the goals will flow.

"Atletico are a great team. They have joined the elite with some magnificent signings, they've a spectacular squad."They are contenders to win everything, so I'm happy because we were better than a great team."

Lopetegui and Madrid suffered the blow of losing Gareth Bale to a thigh injury at half-time, but his replacement Dani Ceballos injected some much-needed craft and the coach applauded his impact.

"Gareth felt something in his adductor in the first half," Lopetegui added. "He came off as a precaution and will have tests tomorrow, so we will see what he actually has.
"Dani came on today and did fantastic. He played very well when the team was more balanced and playing better in the second half.

"That meant we won the ball back a lot in their half. Dani showed the personality and character he has, his physical and technical gifts."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Derby boss Lampard to return to Chelsea in Carabao Cup


Derby County manager Frank Lampard will return to Chelsea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The Chelsea great masterminded a penalty shoot-out success at Manchester United on Tuesday, knocking out former Blues mentor Jose Mourinho, and he will now head back to Stamford Bridge.The pick of the fixtures sees Derby, ninth in the Championship under Lampard, travelling to unbeaten Premier League high-flyers Chelsea in the week commencing October 29.

Another enticing clash sees West Ham host Tottenham, having sensationally knocked their rivals out at this stage of last season's competition.Defending champions Manchester City have an all-Premier League meeting with Fulham, while last term's runners-up Arsenal host third-tier Blackpool.Bournemouth and Leicester City both have home ties, with the latter facing Everton or Southampton.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'He has been a leader' - France boss Deschamps defends under-fire star Pogba


Didier Deschamps insisted Paul Pogba cannot win games for Manchester United on his own as the France head coach defended the star midfielder and his leadership qualities.

Pogba helped France to World Cup glory in Russia but he has struggled to replicate that form at United in the Premier League amid a tense relationship with manager Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho stripped Pogba – who was substituted in Saturday's shock defeat to West Ham – of his vice-captaincy responsibilities, while the pair were involved in a training-ground confrontation on Wednesday.

Mourinho has also insisted that "no player is bigger than the club" while addressing the issues with Pogba and claimed that "after weeks of analysing and changing opinions with my coaching staff, we made the decision Paul is just a player and not a captain."But Deschamps has come to the defence of one of his star men, claiming that the 25-year-old's attitude has always been positive and pointing out that the way of playing and the team around him may be the issue at the club level.

Asked about Pogba's performances for France compared to his displays at United, Deschamps said: "For Paul it depends not only on him but also the team he is in, the collective way of playing. It is not a case of one player who makes the team win."

Deschamps went to explain that, in his opinion, Pogba's "demonstrative" attitude may lead to some false representations of him as a player and a person."There are a few things people ought to know," he continued. "First of all there is an image of Paul that doesn't correspond to who he is."Maybe it is because he is a bit eccentric, a bit demonstrative.

"He has been with me since 2013 – that is five years now – and the way he functions is not about him for himself, it is him as part of the group. That is really important."His image in the media makes everything quite complicated. The amount of the transfer to Manchester United is ridiculous ... it wasn't easy to manage.

"During this World Cup he managed to get a normal image back. The fact he talks, it liberates him a bit, but the most important thing is that Paul came to this World Cup with a very precise idea: he wanted to prepare himself to be world champion. That is what he had in his mind."

Deschamps also praised Pogba and his leadership within the France squad, saying: "He has taken many things upon himself. He has been a leader."Each time he had to talk and express himself it was always very positive. It's the words he uses and the atmosphere and feeling that comes across.

"He is not the only one but he is one of the leaders who took it upon himself because the group needed it. On the pitch he did what needed to be done as well."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2018.09.30

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2018.09.30

Cardiff City Vs Burnley

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

LA Liga Fixtures 2018.09.30

LA Liga Fixtures 2018.09.30

Huesca Vs Girona

Villareal Vs Real Valladoid

Levante Vs Alaves

Real Betis Vs Leganes
​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Serie A Fixtures 2018.09.30

Serie A Fixtures 2018.09.30

Bologna Vs Udinese

Chievo Vs Torino

Fiorentina Vs Atalanta

Frosione Vs Genoa

Parma Vs Empoli

Sassuolo Vs AC Milan
​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.09.30

Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.09.30

Frankfurt Vs Hannover

Augsburg Vs Freiburg
​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Cardiff City 1 Burnley 2: Profligate hosts slip to fourth successive defeat


Cardiff City were made to rue their wastefulness in front of goal as they slumped to a fourth successive Premier League defeat courtesy of a 2-1 home reverse to Burnley.

Neil Warnock's men came into the match on the back of games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, and although there were flashes of promise, they paid the price for their profligacy.Cardiff were vastly superior in the first period without capitalising and were duly punished after the break when Burnley took the lead through Johann Gudmundsson's header.

The home side kept their focus and deservedly levelled through Josh Murphy at the end of a fine move, but Burnley rallied and ultimately consigned Cardiff to another defeat through Sam Vokes' winner 20 minutes from time.

Despite their recent woes, Cardiff began the encounter brightly and an early Callum Paterson pass across the face of goal caused panic, but Josh Murphy could not reach it.

The former Norwich City youngster did go close in the 17th minute, playing a one-two with Greg Cunningham before hitting the post from a tight angle.Burnley found themselves clinging on by half-time, with Kenneth Zohore forcing Joe Hart into a smart save, before Paterson saw a close-range header cleared in front of the goal-line by Matej Vydra.

Sean Dyche's men took the lead against the run of play five minutes into the second half, as Gudmundsson rose above Greg Cunningham to beat Neil Etheridge with a header at his near post.But just nine minutes later, Cardiff were level – Murphy slamming home from 16 yards after Bruno Ecuele Manga's pin-point cut-back.

Parity did not remain, however, and Burnley left with all three points as Vokes steered a header into the bottom-right corner from Gudmundsson's cross in the 70th minute.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

England on verge of 'something amazing', says France boss Deschamps


France's World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps thinks England are on the verge of achieving "something amazing" after becoming a real force in international youth football.

After failing to qualify for Euro 2008, an inquest into development took place in English football, with the Football Association (FA) looking to other nations such as Germany and Spain for inspiration.

It took time for obvious results to be made, with the senior side only really starting to see the benefit at this year's World Cup when they reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1990, but youth success in recent years suggests that even better results could be on the horizon.

England's Under-17s and Under-20s both won their respective world titles in 2017, while the Under-19s were victorious on the European stage.Deschamps feels the number of foreign players in the Premier League can have a negative impact, making it more difficult for youngsters to break through, but he has no doubt about England's potential.

"The Premier League has a specific characteristic because they have economic resources nobody else has," Deschamps told the Guardian. "A lot of foreigners come over to play."In France a young talent who is 17 plays in Ligue 1. I've seen that in England it is more complicated. It takes longer.

"So, it takes longer to get to international standard, but it seems there are a young generation of players who have particular quality, winning international titles at youth levels."They have the potential to improve and do something amazing."

One element that attracted significant coverage during France's World Cup campaign was the team's diversity, with 15 members of the 23-man squad being of African descent.Some used this as a basis of criticism, with former Croatia coach Igor Stimac suggesting the final saw his country come up against the "African continent", but for Deschamps, promoting diversity and integration is an important responsibility of football.

"I start from the principle that any player who is French or has become French is selection-worthy," Deschamps added."Some players have dual nationality and I am not going to take that away from them, they have freedom to choose, no problem.

"I give absolutely no consideration to a player's identity, their race, their religion. In fact, it is good for any team to have diversity in it, but they have to agree that what they are representing is France. And like England, like Germany, like many other countries, France is a multicultural society."It was an idea that took off in 1998, but it was also something that was taken on by politicians because football has such media presence. They made out it was the representation of an ideal France.

"We are represented by sportsmen of different colours, different cultures, different religions, different origins, but that's France."Quite apart from what they do on the pitch, it is a representation of our social reality. It's a good vehicle for integration.

"There is a set of basic values that come across which can be transmitted; respect for your team-mates, your opponents, the referee. This educational role is essential for young people."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'100 years of progress undone in 8 months!' - Neville slams Man Utd hierarchy but insists Mourinho not to blame


Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville says the club's hierarchy, and not manager Jose Mourinho, are to blame for the club's current plight.The 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday was United's third in their opening seven Premier League games, contributing to their worst start to a season for 29 years.

Reports are already suggesting that Mourinho could be sacked as early as this week following a beginning to the campaign which also included an exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Derby County.

Neville, however, feels Mourinho is not the man to blame for the club's problems and feels their issues can be traced back to the dismissal of David Moyes in 2014.

"This mess started when United sacked David Moyes after 8 months and we lost all sense of the values that the club had been built on for 100 years," he wrote on Twitter."It’s not the manager it’s the lack of football leadership above him. They are bouncing all over the place with no plan!"

Responding to the suggestion that the appointment of Moyes was the trigger for United's downturn, Neville added: "That's another question but when they sacked him after eight months it went into pinball, reactive mode and chasing it! No plan..."
The capitulation at the London Stadium ended a torrid week for Mourinho which included defeat to Championship side Derby at Old Trafford and the stripping of Paul Pogba as the club's vice-captain.

Mourinho then had a public falling out with Pogba during a United training session regarding a social media post - another sign of the discontent around Old Trafford.Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has been the main target of criticism from supporters, with a banner criticising him being flown during United's win at Burnley earlier this month.

The message 'Ed Woodward: A Specialist in Failure', mimicked a put-down first uttered by Mourinho in relation to former Arsene boss Arsene Wenger.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

"This mess started when United sacked David Moyes after 8 months and we lost all sense of the values that the club had been built on for 100 years," he wrote on Twitter."It’s not the manager it’s the lack of football leadership above him. They are bouncing all over the place with no plan!"

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mbappe is a future Ballon d’Or winner – Di Maria


Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Angel Di Maria has backed team-mate Kylian Mbappe to one day win the Ballon d’Or.

The World Cup winner is expected to be among the nominations for the award when they are unveiled by France Football on October 9, although the 19-year-old is not seen as one of the front runners for the prize.However, Di Maria does not believe it will be long before the striker is being touted for such success.

“If he continues at this level, he can win it in any year,” he told TF1’s 'Telefoot' program. “We see in each of his matches the potential that he has – he exploits it every time, even if he is only 19.”

Meanwhile, the Argentine says that Neymar is now back to his best after an injury that saw his campaign ended prematurely and hampered his efforts at the World Cup.“He’s the same as he was before his injury, driven by his great ambition,” he continued.

Di Maria might have been linked with a move away from PSG in the summer, but he has enjoyed increased game time since Thomas Tuchel arrived to coach the club and has been one of their outstanding performers of the season to date.As such, he does not envisage a move away from Parc des Princes any time soon, despite a deal that expires at the end of June 2019.“I am very happy here, so I can only wait to see what will happen,” he added.

“The coach immediately came to talk to me, he made me understand that he was counting on me, that I was important to the team. I think he has come to win the Champions League … and we have a good chance of winning because we have Neymar, Mbappe and Edinson Cavani. The best!

“The club knows what I want, we'll see. I'd like to continue here, but I have always said that I would like to finish my career in Argentina. I hope that my last club in Europe will be Paris.”PSG will host Red Star Belgrade in Europe's premier club competition on Wednesday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ronaldo as good as ever – Ancelotti


Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo remains the same brilliant attacking force he was at Real Madrid, according to former coach and current Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti.Ronaldo set up two and had a hand in the third as the champions came from behind to beat Napoli 3-1 on Saturday and move six points clear at the summit.

His influential performance continued a fine start to life with Juve that has been marred only be a red card on his Champions League debut for the club.

Three goals in seven Serie A appearances have otherwise demonstrated his enduring quality and Ancelotti, who oversaw the 33-year-old for two seasons in Madrid, believes his standards are as high as ever.

"I've seen the usual Ronaldo, a player very important for his side," Ancelotti said."He is constantly in the game and always a danger for opponents. He is always present in attack and, as I said before, he adds extra value to Serie A.
"It's a pleasure to watch him playing in Italy."

Defeat at Allianz Stadium was Napoli's second in eight competitive matches under Ancelotti.The ex-Bianconeri boss received a frosty reception from the home fans that he insisted came as no concern.

"The chants were normal. I'll console myself with the 2003 Champions League trophy," the 59-year-old said, referencing his AC Milan side's triumph over Juve.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Man Utd have ‘big decision’ to make over Mourinho – Ferdinand fears worst season ever


Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes that the club “have big decisions” to make over the future of manager Jose Mourinho.The Red Devils have made their worst start to a Premier League season ever, and the slowest in England’s top flight since 1989-90, with a 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday the latest blow to the club’s credibility.

It was a result that came in the aftermath of a week that saw United dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Championship side Derby, while the Portuguese’s spat with Paul Pogba continued with the World Cup winner being publicly stripped of the vice captaincy.

“There will be conversations at the top level about the future of the manager and the squad,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

“The basics are not being done and something has to be said.“You can't let a situation like this continue throughout the season - wars in the press, leaks, players on one side of the dressing room, Mourinho and his staff on the other. If that continues this will be one of the worst seasons in the club's history.”

The manager, meanwhile, believes his squad need to become mentally tougher.
“I have no complaints with the players' attitude, I can have complaints with some quality and the mental approach in certain duals,” he said.

“Where you could see for example, [Robert] Snodgrass coming to the pitch with an incredible attitude that he wants to eat the ball and eat everyone around him.“You need that humility. You have always to try. That's my nature as a football professional. There are certain qualities that you have or you don’t have.

“I think a team that comes with that mental fragility, after the bad result [against Derby] and to come here and in five minutes to be 1-0 down, is not good.“No VAR and obviously a linesman [makes a] mistake and a goal. Then in the first half we had a good reaction but an own goal makes it 2-0.

“An own goal when we know that [Andriy] Yarmolenko is very left footed. We know we have to cover that side. We are not aggressive enough to stop that shot and we are losing 2-0.”

United have only 10 points on the board through their opening seven Premier League fixtures this season, having lost as many matches as they have won. They currently lie 10th in the standings and face a midweek clash against Valencia in the Champions League as they seek to rebuild their confidence.

Prior to the season’s second international break, they host Newcastle at Old Trafford next Saturday, then return to action against Chelsea and Juventus in what promises to be a very testing October.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

‘Too much has been expected of Salah’ - Carragher defends Liverpool star's form


Jamie Carragher thinks Mohamed Salah has been affected by the high expectation placed on him following his awesome debut season at Liverpool, though, he maintains the attacker is not enduring a poor form.

The Egypt international had a surreal campaign after moving from Roma to Anfield last year, scoring 44 goals in all competition - a feat that saw him win the PFA Player of the Year awards, with top-three finishes in the Ballon d'Or and Fifa Best Awards.

However, the 26-year-old, who had a poor outing against his former side Chelsea, has barely kicked on from such a magnificent campaign amid growing concerns.“He's not in great form but I don't really think he's in bad form either. I think probably too much has been made of Salah's form,” Carragher told Sky Sports.

“He's only one goal down on last season and I hope Klopp's saying this to him about the goals he scored last season. If he doesn't get over 40 goals it doesn't mean he's had a bad season.

“Ian Rush was Liverpool's greatest ever goalscorer. He scored 47 in one season. He didn't score 47 again. He would score 25, 30 goals a season. If Salah gets 25 goals a season, he's had a great season. So he's only one down on last season.”Salah was subbed off in the Reds’ encounter against Chelsea, and also their Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

Carragher opined that the attacker's sloppiness in possession - which caused Liverpool some nervy moments - might have forced Jurgen Klopp's hand.“I tell you where I feel Klopp's got a problem and certainly when I've been watching him play where I'd say he's not been playing well.

“When I've been watching him I think he's been very sloppy in possession in those [middle] areas and at times it's caused Liverpool a problem.“In the PSG game he gave the ball away and then he scored. Two minutes later he was taken off. If you think he's putting your team in danger then he has got to come off the pitch.”

Another chance for Salah to impress presents itself when Liverpool face Napoli in Wednesday’s Champions League clash.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid skipper Ramos requires rest, says Lopetegui


Julen Lopetegui has insisted he left Sergio Ramos out of Real Madrid's latest Champions League squad because he needs a rest.

Captain and key centre-back Ramos sustained a cut in the scoreless draw with cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid at the weekend and was subsequently left out of the 20-man travelling party picked to visit CSKA Moscow.But while Gareth Bale, Isco and Marcelo are all unavailable through injury, Ramos' omission is purely with a view to preserving his fitness for the season ahead.

The 32-year-old's exclusion presents another hurdle for the Champions League holders as they seek to move on from a two-game winless run in La Liga.

"Ramos hasn't travelled because he has played about 120 minutes more than his team-mates," Lopetegui said."We're looking at this as a marathon, the whole season, the bigger picture. Another player can come in and play his position."That's my job - to sit in this seat and make these kinds of decisions."

Madrid have only taken four league points from a possible nine since starting their Champions League title defence with a comprehensive win over Roma last month.
The stalemate against Atleti was their second blank in as many outings, but Lopetegui believes the result offered no cause for concern.

"It was a very tough demanding game against a tough opponent," he added."We had one less day to prepare for the game. I think overall there were plenty of positives. Of course there were a couple of setbacks but we showed we had players who can come in and play well.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get that goal. We just need to keep generating the most chances possible and hopefully put them away. I'm sure the ball will go in."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Mourinho's a big boy' – Lampard feels for under-fire Man Utd boss


Frank Lampard says Jose Mourinho is "a big boy", but admits he feels for his former boss as the Manchester United manager comes under increasing fire at Old Trafford.

The 40-year-old, who is now the manager of Championship club Derby County, won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup under Mourinho at Chelsea and has made no secrets of his admiration for the Portuguese.

Manchester United have been struggling in recent weeks, having failed to win any of their last three matches, and pressure has been heaped on the two-time Champions League winner amid reports he has lost the dressing room.

In particular, Mourinho's rift with Paul Pogba has been thrown under the spotlight after the Frenchman was stripped of the vice-captaincy last week for criticising Mourinho's tactics following the 1-1 draw with Wolves.

Lampard added more pressure on Mourinho after his side defeated Manchester United on penalties in the Carabao Cup, but reiterated his admiration for his former boss to reporters, saying: "Everyone knows my feelings for Jose Mourinho as a manager.

"It is a tough moment. It is a moment that we will all have, that I will have at times, that every manager has."I have heard all his interviews lately. He is a big boy. He will get about doing his job. Of course I feel for him. They are not winning games and they want to be - it is Manchester United.

"In terms of players, it can be difficult. You need buy-in from your players and you need sometimes the right message to be coming out. I thought that as a player and I think it even more as a manager."And you need complete work rate on the pitch. I am not talking about individuals here, I am saying that is what you need."

Mourinho seemed to take a dig at his players at a press conference on Monday, claiming that some players care more than others about United's slide of late.The Reds' clash against Valencia is highly anticipated with widespread speculation that a bad result could result in Mourinho losing his job.

It will be the first time United have played at Old Trafford in the Champions League since their shock defeat to Sevilla last season, and the manager will be hoping for a better performance this time out.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi is going nowhere! Barcelona star backed by Bartomeu to be a 'one-club man'


Lionel Messi “doesn’t want to leave” Barcelona and shares the team’s desire for him to be a “one-club man”, says Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Speculation has surfaced down the years suggesting that a modern-day icon could be lured away from Camp Nou in order to take in a fresh experience before hanging up his boots.The Argentine has, however, committed to a succession of contract extensions, with the most recent of those set to take him through to 2021.

Messi will be 34 by the time that agreement comes to a close, with it likely that further fresh terms will be put to him before an expiration date approaches.Barca president Bartomeu has hinted at as much, with both club and player eager to ensure that a remarkable professional relationship continues for as long as possible.

He told The Times of Messi’s future: “He doesn't want to leave.“We always tell him he can be a one-club man. That is his project too.”Messi has been on the books at Barcelona since he was 13 years old.

After graduating through the famed La Masia academy system, he made his senior debut in 2004.

He has enjoyed a stunning career since then, taking in 646 club appearances and netting 560 goals.Those efforts have helped him to an enviable haul of honours, including nine La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.

He has showed no sign of slowing down this season, with the target found eight times in nine outings to date.Barca continue to look to him for inspiration and will be hoping that he can snap them out of an uncharacteristic dip which has seen them drop seven points across their last three La Liga fixtures.

Messi and Co will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to London to take in a Champions League clash with Tottenham, with a domestic trip to Valencia on Sunday set to carry them into the next international break.