SPORTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014 Messi targets more history

MADRID: Lionel Messi continues his quest to become the all-time leading goalscorer in La Liga just days after equalling a similar feat in the Champions League when Barcelona visit Almeria today. Messi drew level with Real Madrid leg- end Raul on 71 Champions League goals with a brace as Barca bounced back from two consecutive defeats to beat Ajax 2-0 in midweek and progress to the last 16. The Argentine is just one goal short of the 251 goals Telmo Zarra scored for Athletic Bilbao between 1940 and 1955, but has been kept scoreless in his last La Liga outings as Barca slipped to defeat against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo. GERMANY: Dortmund’s striker Marco Reus celebrates That downturn in form has coincided in this file photo. — AFP with Luis Suarez’s introduction to the side after serving his four-month ban for biting Dortmund aim to at the World Cup. The Uruguayan has yet to find the net use Euro success to in his three appearances for the Catalans and endured a frustrating night on his fix league form return to old club Ajax as he squandered AMSTERDAM: Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel†Messi†(center) cele- his best chance to break his duck by firing brates in this file photo. — AFP BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund want to use their high-flying straight at Jasper Cillessen with only the Benzema’s winner to secure their passage make way for Bale with James Rodriguez Champions League form to help turn around their dire Dutch international ‘keeper to beat. into the last 16. switching to the left side of midfield. fortunes when they host Borussia However, Barca boss Luis Enrique And the in-form Frenchman, who has Champions Atletico Madrid will be Moenchengladbach tomorrow. played down the importance of Suarez’s 10 goals in 16 appearances this season, hoping to remain just a point adrift of Real Dortmund enjoyed a 4-1 romp at home to Galatasaray on slow start and is confident his star front believes he is enjoying his best run of form when they travel to face managerless Real Tuesday in a match which was twice halted due to crowd three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar will since joining the European champions five Sociedad on Sunday. trouble when away fans set off fireworks. European foot- click in the coming weeks. years ago. Former Manchester United boss David ball’s governing body UEFA are investigating. It was “Messi is the best player I have seen in “I always hear that a footballer enters Moyes and Alejandro Sabella, who led Dortmund’s fourth straight European win to put them my life,” said Enrique “In attack we have his prime when he reaches 26. I hope that Argentina to the World Cup final in July, through to the Champions League’s knock-out phase and distinct possibilities. We know that is the case for me,” he told Madrid sports are among the candidates to replace kept them top of the group. Neymar and Luis can play in different posi- daily AS. “We are in great form and enjoy- Jagoba Arrasate. But their domestic form is woeful after five straight tions and that their responsibilities change ing playing together. I would underline But president Jokin Aperribay con- German league defeats which has left them second-from- when we have the ball and when we the unity that exists in this group. We play firmed coaches Asier Santana and Imanol bottom in the table. Jurgen Klopp’s side has another chance don’t. “I like to have those variations. We together with the same attitude. Alguaci will temporarily take charge for to turn their fortunes round against third-placed Gladbach, have players of a very high level.” At the “We know that any player that comes the visit of Diego Simeone’s men. Second- who are on a club record 17-match unbeaten run and held back Enrique will still be without the on from the bench can make the differ- placed Valencia can heap more misery on leaders Bayern Munich to a goalless draw a fortnight ago. “It injured Jeremy Mathieu, so Gerard Pique ence, can swing the match our way, and Athletic Bilbao after they were mathemati- felt good to have won again against Galatasaray,” said may be recalled after missing out in the that is what counts.” Madrid boss Carlo cally eliminated from the Champions Borussia’s veteran midfielder Sebastian Kehl, 35, who is set last two games. Ancelotti confirmed in midweek he would League with defeat to Porto in midweek to make his 300th league appearance tomorrow. League leaders Real Madrid are also in recall Gareth Bale to his starting line-up when they meet at the Mestalla. “Now we need to prove that after a great Champions action on Saturday as they look to extend after the Welshman looked lively in his 30- Meanwhile, Sevilla will be looking to League match we can also pick up points in the Bundesliga. their 12-game winning streak against Rayo minute cameo appearance from the bounce back from their defeat to Athletic “It would be cool if we can start doing that this weekend.” Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu. bench against Liverpool following a five- last time out and remain in the title hunt Gladbach will be again without Swiss defensive midfield- Madrid eased past an under-strength game absence due to a pelvic muscle as they entertain lowly Levante at the er Granit Xhaka, who has an ankle injury. Dortmund need to Liverpool on Tuesday thanks to Karim injury. Isco is the player most likely to Sanchez Pizjuan. — AFP be careful as both centre-backs Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Neven Subotic are just one match away from suspen- sion after each picked up four yellow cards this season. Klopp is short on centre-backs with captain Mats PSG fear fatigue factor Hummels out with a foot injury he sustained in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Bayern. Pep Guardiola has said his Bayern will now focus on in Marseille showdown improving their four-point lead in the Bundesliga after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Roma secured both their place in PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain can close within one point of leaders ing up injuries.” Edinson Cavani has picked up the PSG slack, with the Champions League’s last 16 and confirmed them as Marseille with victory over their arch-rivals tomorrow which Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic still struggling with a foot injury. group winners. Munich are at Frankfurt on Saturday in a would cap a week in which they also guaranteed their place in the The Uruguayan has scored in his last four matches to equal his game which will go ahead despite the four-day rail strike Champions League knockout phase. best streak with the club. Ibrahimovic may return for the high- which is set to hit Germany this weekend. Laurent Blanc’s unbeaten champions won their fifth straight profile match at the Parc des Princes and Blanc confirmed there is Bayern are without left-back David Alaba who is expect- match on Wednesday, when a narrow 1-0 win over APOEL Nicosia a real chance their talisman could be in the starting line-up. ed to miss the rest of the year with a medial knee ligament was enough to seal their place in the last-16 of Europe’s most “His problem is quite unique but there have been some very injury. Guardiola is set to rotate his squad after both prestigious competition. encouraging signs the past few days even if we still don’t know Germany winger Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben sat out However Blanc realises Marseille, who are currently four points when he will be ready. “He has worked very hard and if his the win over Roma. clear, will benefit from their extra rest this week and the fact that progress continues in the next few days, anything is possible.” Bayer Leverkusen will be without five senior players, they are taking no part in European competition this season. Lyon have quietly climbed the table into third spot and a home including captain Simon Rolfes for today’s visit of Mainz, fol- Marcelo Bielsa’s Marseille side equalled a club record with eight victory over 16th placed Guingamp on Sunday will draw them lowing their 2-1 Champions League victory at St Petersburg. straight wins on their rise to the top of Ligue 1 but a tough 1-0 within two points of Bielsa’s side ahead of the clash in the capital. Coach Roger Schmidt is also missing injured midfielders defeat at Lyon snapped that run which was then followed by Bordeaux are level with Saint-Etienne and seven adrift as Willy Gonzalo Castro, Stefan Reinartz and Greece’s Kyriakos League Cup elimination by Rennes. Sagnol’s controversial week finishes with a trip to Lens today. “Is playing a Champions League match on a Wednesday ideal The Bordeaux coach had to apologise over his comments regard- Papadopoulos, while defender Tin Jedvaj is suspended. preparation for a ‘Clasico’ on a Sunday? I don’t know,” said Blanc, ing African players and for declaring that the scheduling of the “The victory in St. Petersburg was good for us, but we who played as a defender for Marseille between 1997 and 1999. African Cup of Nations influenced his decision to sign players must keep going in the league and try and take the three “Winning is always better than losing or drawing, it helps you from the continent. points,” said Schmidt with Leverkusen fifth after last week- recover better. “Marseille will come here with an ambitious mind- Saint-Etienne face Monaco who were beaten 1-0 by end’s shock defeat at Hamburg. Second-placed Wolfsburg set after the start they have had to the season, but we will Benfica in the Champions League in midweek. Bastia begin are chasing their seventh straight win when they host strug- approach the match in the same way.” “We have dropped points life without sacked coach Claude Makelele on Saturday, when glers Hamburg tomorrow. Eighth-placed Schalke 04 are in games this season but the fact we are playing in the Champions Montpellier are in Corsica while sixth-placed Nantes make the looking to pick up the pieces after their 4-2 defeat at League has prevented us from picking up as many as we maybe short trip to Normandy and a key clash at Caen. Rennes open Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday in the Champions League deserve. “It’s certainly an advantage for Marseille, and the more the weekend slate late yesterday at home to Lorient in the when they face Freiburg away. —AFP games you play the more you expose yourself to the risk of pick- Brittany derby. — AFP