That picture of the 6 players staring at Maradona in awe has to be one of the most iconic sports photos of all time.
Hey guys if Messi scores 2-3 goals every match on the 8 matches left, he could break 100 or am I being greedy now?
Yes, you are being greedy but then Messi encourages that sort of dreaming, and I don't think that there are 8 matches left, more like 9 (5 Liga, 1 CL, 3 Copa assuming we advance) though he may only play in 6 or 7 of those (given that CL first place is sewn up and Copa advancement is similarly nearly sewn up with our 3 away goals to nil lead and playing now at home -- so basically he could sit out the Benfica match and the Alaves return leg; and if we have a similarly big away lead after playing Cordoba or Real Sociedad he could sit out or start that one on the bench too). but if he did play in all 9 matches, he'd need to average just over a brace (2.222) to get 20 goals; not worth it and would be out of character for him to seek such personal grandeur (and risk injury and fatigue) in meaningless matches. I'll happily settle for topping Gerd's record.
Did anyone notice at one point late in the game Messi tried to hit Deulofeu with a pass that was intercepted by a defender and Deulofeu threw up his arm as a gesture towards Messi? From my vantage point on the couch, it looked like he was saying to Messi "the pass better be on the mark next time" and the announcer on Fox Soccer agreed, but I really have a hard time believing he would be so arrogant (even though there are rumors about him being full of himself).
Deulofeu is totally entitled to demand good passing from Messi, and during-match voice his opinion. It's not arrogant, it's normal. (That said, didn't check the video - but just in general).
If that really was the case, which I find hard to believe, then Deulofeu must be the biggest d**khead in world football. And there is some pretty stiff competition for that title as you can imagine. If anyone can score a 100 hundred goals in a calender year it's Messi. Personally I think he will play in every game until he breaks the record (and to me there is no doubt that he will break it) and then he will be given a rest.
And the next year, and the next year, and the next year, and the next year... Just replace the word 'day' with 'year' in this video; Goes without saying, but Plankton is obviously Ronaldo in this one. Worrying that Messi is coming to get him again in 2013.
Pretty much a perfect day for us yesterday. Messi got some more goals to edge closer to Muller's record, we won and won comfortably in cold Russia, clean sheet, won the group, and Puyol/Villa both got some rest and weren't risked. Great stuff. I expect both to be back in the lineup at the weekend though, but this was a fantastic result for us to be honest. As far as the CL knockout stages go, I hope we avoid PSG, Juventus, Arsenal, Milan, and Dortmund (?) in the next round. I'm fine with getting anyone else, especially if Chelsea make it through again.
Fingers crossed Chelsea don't make it out the group stage. I'm sure Shaktar and Juve can come to some arrangement. I'd want to avoid PSG, but Milan, are you kidding, one there is no guarantee that they will get through to the next stage and two, have you seem them this season. Yes please, I'll have some of that.
I'm not worried about our chances of beating these current Milan and Arsenal teams. I just want to avoid them because I'm sick of facing the same teams so many times in the past few years. We've played those two (combined) at least 20 times since 2005. (Exaggeration I know, but I am tired of playing the same teams, something different is nice).
I want Arsenal again and hope Cesc and Song play and score for us and I want to beat Man U in the final and I hope Messi gets at least 90
Well, if we do get to another final I certainly wouldn't want to play Man Utd, Barca have been there and done that. I notice dickwad didn't shake Mancini's hand after the game tonight, he really is a prize pr**k.
Mancini didn't seem to worried about it. I think Mou has a tendency to go to the opposing dugout/coach's area and shake hands when he feels the scoreline won't change and there's a minute or so of injury time remaining. Cameras caught him doing this in the 2010 CL final with Van Gaal and a few other CL matches. Don't get me wrong, though. He is a dickwad and prized pr**k.
With a bit more luck, we'd have had those finals in 2010 and 2012. But alas, we weren't good enough to make it in the end.