SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2014 Record-breaker Messi defines Barca’s golden era

BARCELONA: may lack a World friendly against Juventus at the Nou Camp, the has a breathtaking scoring record. It includes Germany but he has started this season with Cup for Argentina but his 10 years with Italian coach Fabio Capello remarked: “Bring me hitting 73 goals in the 2011-12 season, over 400 renewed vigor and he has a new target in his have seen him rewrite the history this little devil, I’ve never seen a kid of his age be goals for club and country in all competitions, sights as he aims to beat Telmo Zarra’s books and become symbolic with the club’s so tricky, he looks like Maradona.” and he is now closing in on the all-time Spanish scoring record of 251 goals established during golden era. Long before Messi made his debut scoring record. Last season under coach Tata his 15 years at Atletico in the 1940s and for the Catalan club, coming on as a late substi- Team leader Martino all the major trophies escaped Barca 1950s. Messi has scored 249 league goals and tute in the local derby with Espanyol on Oct 16, Initially he was in the shadow of Ronaldinho and Messi was not at his best and a disappoint- could break the record on Saturday when Barca 2004, aged 17, news had spread that Barca had a but he quickly established himself as a leader of ing domestic season was followed by even play Eibar. If he doesn’t do it then, it won’t be player in their renowned La Masia youth acade- the team as the Brazilian’s career at Barca ended greater disappointment at the World Cup. long before he does it somewhere else because my that was out of the ordinary. Sports newspa- prematurely due to a lack of discipline and his Seeking to emulate Maradona’s 1986 World the incredible career of one of football’s all-time pers in Spain had reported that there was an enjoyment of the city’s night life. Messi’s most Cup success, Argentina fell at the final hurdle to greats is far from over.— Reuters Argentine youngster who could be the new memorable goal is that against Getafe in 2007, Maradona and take the world by storm but few which again sparked comparisons with would have imagined what an impact he was Maradona as it was very similar to the latter’s Spanish league table going to make in the game and for Barcelona in mazy dribble against England in the World Cup particular. in 1986. MADRID: Spanish league table ahead of this weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals The fact he arrived in Barcelona at all is Starting on the right of midfield he left a suc- against, points): thanks to the perseverance of his father Jorge, cession of Getafe players in his wake before who having exhausted the options of clubs in rounding the keeper and scoring. It was follow- Barcelona 7 6 1 0 19 0 19 Valencia 7 5 2 0 17 4 17 Argentina, that would not pay or could not ing the arrival of as coach in 2008 Sevilla 7 5 1 1 13 8 16 afford the growth hormone treatment the that Messi really came to the fore as the talisman Real Madrid 7 5 0 2 25 9 15 diminutive Lionel needed, looked overseas to for the most successful period in Barca’s history. Atletico Madrid 7 4 2 1 12 7 14 Spain. Barcelona’s then technical director Carles With Guardiola introducing the discipline that Celta Vigo 7 3 3 1 12 10 12 Villarreal 7 3 2 2 10 7 11 Rexach needed little time to be convinced by had been lacking under the laid-back Frank Espanyol 7 2 3 2 9 8 9 the 13-year-old’s potential and famously scrib- Rijkaard, Barca went on to win three successive Eibar 7 2 3 2 8 7 9 bled a quick contract on a serviette at the league titles as well as the Champions League in Almeria 7 2 3 2 7 7 9 Malaga 7 2 3 2 5 7 9 Pompeia tennis club with the player’s agents. 2009 and 2011 - as well as plenty of other silver- Rayo Vallecano 7 2 2 3 10 12 8 From there Messi, now 27, quickly passed ware. “Messi is a competitive being, one day I Granada 7 2 2 3 5 11 8 through the youth ranks before he made his will be able to look back and say that I trained Getafe 7 2 1 4 4 11 7 Real Sociedad 7 1 2 4 8 11 5 first-team debut. His first goal came with a deli- Leo. He will break all the records,” said Guardiola Elche 7 1 2 4 7 16 5 cate chip in his sixth appearance in the final when he was Barca coach. Levante 7 1 2 4 4 15 5 game of the season against Albacete. He went Athletic Bilbao 7 1 1 5 4 11 4 Cordoba 7 0 4 3 4 11 4 on to be named player of the tournament as Scoring records Deportivo La Coruna 7 1 1 5 8 19 4 Argentina won the 2005 Uunder-20 World On a personal level Messi has been voted Championship and ahead of the new season in a World Player of the Year on four occasions and

Spain coach plans to quit No let-up for Pardew after Euro 2016 as Leicester await BARCELONA: Spain coach has confirmed that he plans to stand NEWCASTLE: Alan Pardew has ‘Euphoria and dark days’ down after La Roja bid for a third successive said there’s no respite from the Pardew’s rollercoaster reign triumph at Euro 2016. “In life you cannot be pressure he is under at has seen a fifth-place finish fol- absolutely sure about anything but it is my Newcastle United despite the lowed by a grim battle for intention to continue until France 2016 and recent international break. survival in the then leave,” Del Bosque told Spanish news- Pardew is set to celebrate his space of 12 months in what has paper As. “In my case, the federation will 700th game in permanent man- been an at-times turbulent four make a smooth transition and my plan is to agement today but said the mile- years. He has come under remain involved in football and with the fed- increasing fire from supporters stone will count for little if he is eration.” Del Bosque is in the process of for a run that has seen just five left with the more unwanted sta- rebuilding the Spain team following their league victories since the end of tistic of leading the north-east World Cup disappointment in Brazil. The December, that despite securing reigning champions failed to progress from club to its worst start in Premier a top-10 finish in May. “I’ve man- the group stage and it led to veterans Xabi League history. Failure to beat aged in three tiers of English Alonso, Xavi and David Villa all announcing Leicester City will post an eighth football, and as a manager you their international retirements. They have game without a victory at the have real ups and downs,” begun qualifying for Euro 2016 with a new outset of the campaign, one Pardew added. “There’s euphoria youthful side that has registered two victo- more than the current low in and some real dark days, which Alan Pardew ries and a loss so far from qualifying Group C. 1999. I’ve had recently here. “You have Spain won their first game against Pardew has enjoyed a spell to try to show a consistency in international duty. Gabriel Robson had left and did not Macedonia before slumping to defeat at the out of the limelight during the what you do. It’s not really a time Obertan will start back-to-back expect to be in work so quickly. It hands of Slovakia but they then beat recent top-flight hiatus due to for reflection for me this week, Premier League games for the was a great experience for me. Luxembourg, where Chelsea’s Diego Costa internationals, but the 53-year- because Leicester is so important first time since January 2013 “It’s a big club and there were a hit the back of the net for the first time for his old conceded the pressure was for this football club. after Pardew confirmed the lot of good things about them. It country. The Brazil-born player had been in already starting to build again “All I’m focused on is getting French winger will retain his was unfortunate that I worked rich form for his club where he had nine from ahead of the sell-out clash with the win we need for this city and place from the side that drew 2-2 for three managers so it goes to nine games but it took seven matches for the Foxes at St James’ Park. “I the club.” Goalkeeper is at Swansea City last time out. show the expectation of the club. him to register a goal for Del Bosque’s side. don’t think it’s about things set to retain his ever-present For Leicester manager Nigel I still know a lot of people that Spain won the European Championships in calming down,” Pardew said. “We Premier League status this sea- Pearson this is a return to the worked for the club and look for- 2008 and 2012 playing a quick-passing game haven’t won a game yet and son after recovering from an club where he was on the coach- ward to seeing them.” Leicester and Del Bosque still fully believes it is the that’s exactly what we need to elbow injury. Pardew will moni- ing staff from 2006 to 2008 and have a near fully fit squad with best way. “Experiments with the national do. We’re paid to win games, not tor Senegal forward Papiss Cisse had two spells as caretaker man- only Matt Upson missing. team are almost impossible as there is no to draw them or to be honorable and Ivory Coast ager. “I look back at my two years However, Riyad Mahrez and margin for error,” said Del Bosque. “We are losers, so we need a victory. Cheick Tiote with the duo sched- at Newcastle with good memo- Jeffrey Schlupp may be rested helped by the players that we have but we “That being the case, the pres- uled to return to training a little ries,” he said. “It was an appoint- following late returns from inter- are looking for more depth without losing sure is very much on me and the over 24 hours before kick-off fol- ment that came out of the blue. I national duty with Algeria and defensive solidity.”— Reuters team. We shouldn’t shirk that.” lowing their arrival back from had left West Brom as Bryan Ghana respectively.— AFP