What Lionel Messi did in the first 45 minutes against Girona, no other player in the world can do. Two incredible goals, an assist for Luis Suarez and a recital of passes and stratospheric plays. We ran out of adjectives a long time ago for the Argentine star. But the best thing is he is capable of outdoing even himself with amazing, magical and unclassifiable performances… Like the one in Saturday’s Catalan derby. A derby which will go down in history for Messi’s recital. More here.
Leo Messi: Never-ending magic | Marca
Whether it was 13, 14 or 15 years ago you will always remember where you were when a young boy turned up on the scene, with Lionel Messi travelling to Porto with the Barcelona first team. It was the first stop.
“Remember my name,” he said years later in an advert.
There’s no way to forget, all of his rivals remember him and most goalkeepers around the world do too. The merit of Messi isn’t just that he is unbelievably good, which he is, but it’s that he doesn’t stop. More here.
Coutinho already delivering on hefty transfer fee | Marca
It is never easy to move halfway through a season and especially to another league but Philippe Coutinho is already delivering on the vast transfer fee that Barcelona paid for him.
The Brazilian showed flashes of what he can do before a fine performance against Girona which included a special goal from 25 yards. Clearly his friendship with Luis Suarez which dates back to their time at Liverpool has helped his adaption to the Camp Nou dressing room and his ability to speak Spanish. More here.
Rafinha confirms he does not want to return to Barcelona from Inter Milan | Barca Blaugranes
“I did not come to Inter Milan thinking that I will recover my form and go back to Barcelona,” Rafinha said. ”I want to stay here, then all else will depend on Inter. I feel good, I’m finding the right rhythm, I’m happy with my condition and I’m adapting.
”I would say that every player wants to start matches from the beginning, but between the physical recovery and the need to understand a new style of football I think the approach was the best. It’s better, some pains are quite normal after months of inactivity, but everything is going in the right direction, I feel close to the top.” More here.
