Lionel MESSI made history once more on Saturday as FC Barcelona won the Copa del Rey while Leandro PAREDES scored a direct goal from a corner kick.
It was an eventful Saturday for Lionel MESSI as he scored and assisted twice in FC Barcelona’s 5-0 win against Sevilla. MESSI scored goal number two of the match and assisted goals three and four while giving COUTINHO the penalty kick for goal number five.
After great link-up play between Jordi ALBA and Andres INIESTA, ALBA back heeled the ball in the area to MESSI who fired the ball into the net. MESSI then got his first assist of the match after delivering a perfect eye of the needle pass to Luis SUAREZ. MESSI’s second assist came to Andres INIESTA. Lionel could have had the chance to add a second goal to his name after the club were awarded a penalty kick but he gave it to COUTINHO to take instead.
Per Opta, MESSI is the second player in Copa del Rey history to score in five different finals. Telmo ZARRA accomplished that between 1942 and 1950 scoring eight goals.
5 – Lionel Messi is the second player in Copa del Rey history to score in five different finals (six goals). The first player to achieve this feat was Telmo Zarra between 1942 and 1950 (eight goals). Emperor. pic.twitter.com/Y3RV6YzuyD
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 21, 2018
Also an incredible piece of statistic, MESSI has now scored 40+ goals in all competitions for the 9th consecutive season.
For Sevilla, it meant another heartbreak for Ever BANEGA, Gabriel MERCADO, Joaquin CORREA, Franco VAZQUEZ and Nicolas PAREJA (who didn’t play in the final due to injury).
Moving over to Russia, Leandro PAREDES had a goal and an assist in Zenit St. Petersburg’s 3-3 draw versus Arsenal Tula. With the score 1-0 in favor of Arsenal Tula, Zenit were awarded a corner kick which was taken by PAREDES. However, to everyone’s surprise, PAREDES aimed at goal and scored directly from the corner kick!
With the latest news of Lucas BIGLIA’s injury breaking over the weekend, Leandro PAREDES could possibly have a spot in Argentina’s World Cup squad.
Lionel MESSI versus Sevilla:
Leandro PAREDES goal for Zenit St. Petersburg:
🇷🇺⚽ Leandro Paredes (23) has equalised for Zenit from a direct corner. 😮
What a goal! ⭐ pic.twitter.com/Aw2QofR0ce
— SidelineScouted (@SidelineScouted) April 22, 2018
Fyi.. according to argentine media Garay was approached again by the AFA (3rd time) and again he declined to play, dont count on him.
Is it true actually?? Garay himself said he wants to play if coach call him up
I don’t know biglia injury is good or bad but I have a feeling its for good.its not like biglia is busquets standard player or even kante.we will miss him but we can replace him hopefully with far more younger fresh blood.in a long tournament like wc that’s important to have young side with 3-4 experienced one.messi aguero dimaria is experienced but not old I don’t think mascherano is the same player so he should be a sub.defense is a concern.very interesting to see how sampaoli manage to improve it.
Jorge Sampaoli will sit down with Lionel Messi today Monday to put together the list of players for the World Cup. Place the hope it will be not a tight negotiation and deal between them but a detail and objective evaluation on every single players that deserved to be call. Fitness, form and mental with fighting spirit should be prioritize criteria.
I was seeing the Nigeria match & saw otamendi playing in advanced position during attacks. Man City also he has been doing that. With biglia down & no real tested option for cdm( kranevittar seems weak) , what do u guys think if otamendi bcomes are No 5. I know this won’t happen but just wanted to take evyone’s views.
Aguero- Messi
Di Maria(lanzini)-locelso – otamendi -meza(salvio)
Tagliafico- fazio – pezella(garay) – bustos
Romero
Better call Battaglia as he can hold the ball
Super bad idea we don’t have abundance of CB either plus wc is not a place for experimentation.we hv to play enzo or paredes or kranevitter or mascherano.i don’t think its that much of a problem plus Pablo Perez also can b employed there.
I know we don’t have a great team this time around.we lack team chemistry.our path to final maybe toughest.but I have a feeling Argentina this time around will win the world cup.
@anuparno, I have the same opinion like yours. I have that feeling inside me since Copa America 2016 loss to Chile where I watched that match live at New Jersey MetLife Stadium. After that loss with Chile, I felt very low at that moment because I went to see Messi lifting that Trophy. Right after the loss, I got the deep feeling inside telling me is that Argentina gonna win the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Let’s hope it will come true.
Both of you guys are true. This tournament Argentina has tougher opponents however the good news is when ever Messi won CL trophy with Barca , they always had tougher opponents. When ever Barca got easier opponents in CL, Messi tends to perform below par. Look at 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015, all of these competitions Barca had to go through biggest rivals to Win CL. I think same thing will happen in Russia for Messi. I believe Messi and Argentina will destroy all of these opponents to win World cup. Reverse is true for Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo tends to do good on CL, when ever he do not face Messi whereas Opposite is true for Messi.
As usual Huigain was invisible in important match against Napoli. Any one still want him?
IMO, Lautaro Martinez has more & more chances to go.
My 35 MEMBERS SQUAD. I’ve mentioned the age of each player, whoscored rating for the season and the matches they have played so far both as starter and sub. Please go through the list and let me know your comments.
Goalkeepers – 4:
Sergio ROMERO – 31 (Manchester United) –
Franco ARMANI – 31 (River Plate) – 6.94 (10)
Wilfredo CABALLERO – 36 (Chelsea)
GERONIMO RULLI – 25 (Real Sociedad) – 6.42 (23)
Left Back – 3:
Nicolás TAGLIAFICO – 25 (Ajax) – 7.22 (13)
Cristan ANSALDI – 31 (Inter Milan) – 6.97 (15+5)
Marcos ACUNA – 26 (Sporting Lisbon) – 7.25 (24+3)
Right Back – 3:
Fabricio BUSTOS – 21 (Independiente) – 6.92 (10+1)
Leonardo JARA – 26 (Boca Juniors) – 7.18 (18+1)
Eduardo SALVIO – 27 (Benfica) – 7.10 (18+4)
Central Defenders – 6:
Nicolás OTAMENDI – 30 (Manchester City) – 7.14 (31+1)
Ezquiel GARAY – 31 (Valencia) – 6.74 (19+1)
Federico FAZIO – 31 (AS Roma) – 7.22 (26+2)
Emmanuel MAMMANA – 22 (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 7.2 (16)
Mateo MUSACHHIO – 27 (AC Milan) – 6.57 (12+2)
German PEZELLA – 26 (Fiorentina) – 7.02 (29)
Defensive Midfielders – 4:
Matias KRANEVITTER – 24 (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 6.66 (12+5)
Rodrigo BATTAGLIA – 26 (Sporting Lisbon) – 6.79 (17+12)
Guido PIZARRO – 28 (Sevilla) – 6.91 (17+4)
Javier MASCHERANO (Heibei Fortune)
Central Midfielders – 4:
Enzo PEREZ – 32 (River Plate) – 6.81 (14+2)
Ever BANEGA – 29 (Sevilla) – 7.01 (21+6)
Giovani LO CELSO – 22 (PSG) – 7.04 (14+15)
Leandro PAREDES – 23 (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 7.32 (20+3)
Attacking Midfielders – 6:
Javier PASTORE – 28 (PSG) – 7.01 (11+9)
Ángel DI MARIA – 30 (PSG) – 7.39 (23+4)
Manuel LANZINI – 25 (West Ham United) – 7.05 (19+2)
Maxi MEZA – 25 (Independiente) – 7.33 (13+2)
Cristian PAVON – 22 (Boca Juniors) – 7.45 (23)
Diego PEROTTI – 29 (AS Roma) – 7.16 (16+7)
Forwards – 5:
Lionel MESSI – 30 (FC Barcelona) – 8.77 (29+2)
Sergio AGUERO – 29 (Manchester City) – 7.81 (22+3)
Paulo DYBALA – 24 (Juventus) – 7.88 (21+6)
Lautaro MARTINEZ – 20 (Racing Club) – 7.62 (17)
Mauro ICARDI – 25 (Inter Milan) – 7.24 (28)
NOTABLE OMISSIONS (from Sampa’s rumoured 35 members squad)
Gonzalo HIGUAIN – 30 (Juventus) – 7.37 (27+2) – I would select him if Aguero is not recovered
from injury
Lucas BIGLIA – 32 (Lazio) – 6.87 (21+4) – I had excluded him even before he got injured
Marcos ROJO – 28 (Manchester United) – 6.6 (6+1) – Didn’t play much this season.
Ramiro FUNES MORI – 27 (Everton) – 6.35 (0+1) – Didn’t play even a single game this season
Pablo PEREZ – 32 (Boca Juniors) – 7.2 (16+1)
Emiliano RIGONI – 25 (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 6.37 (7+7)
Nahuel GUZMAN – 32 (Tigres, Mexico)
Agustin MARCHESIN –
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Attack:
Franco CERVI – 23 (Benfica) – 7.44 (26+1)
Angel CORREA – 23 (Atletico Madrid) – 6.92 (23+9)
Joaquin CORREA – 23 (Sevilla) – 6.79 (14+5)
Alejandro GOMEZ – 30 (Atlanta) – 7.6 (25+2)
Lucas ALARIO – 25 (Bayer Leverkusen) – 6.98 (14)
Ezquiel LAVEZZI – 32 (Hebei CFFC) – 8.18 (27)
Midfield:
Lucas OCAMPOS – 23 (Marseille) – 7.02 (18+8)
Lucas CASTRO – 29 (Chievo) – 7.11 (20+1)
Sebastian DRIUSSI – 22 (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 6.74 (15+7)
Defensive Midfield:
Leonardo GIL – 26 (Rosario Central) – 7.17 (17+1)
Santiago ASCACIBAR – 21 (VfB Stuttgurt) – 6.9 (24+2)
Defense:
Emilliano INSUA – 29 (VfB Stuttgurt) – 6.87 (20+1)
Cristian LEMA – 28 (Belgrano) – 7.63 (21)
Gonzalo PIOVI – 23 (Argentinos Juniors) – 7.44 (13)
German CONTI – 23 (Colon) – 7.5 (21)
Frederico Fernandez – 29 (Swansea) – 6.82 (27)
GK:
Leandro CHICHIZOLA – 28 (Las Palmas) – 6.65 (23)
The most notable omission from your 35 player list is Mercado… I am also not a big fan of him ☺ but he will be going to the WC… Also Franco Armani has only played 10 games this season?
Mercado somehow ends up playing better in national jersey compared to club. He will be in final23. Anyway we need 7 defenders which will be
Bustos- otamendi- fazio-tagliafico , mercado, pezella( garay), ansaldi.
Mercado can be a cb/RB backup & ansaldi can be a lb/RB backup. I just don’t want acuna selected as a defender. To me acuna is in midfield & person losing out in lm/lw is perotti. Dimaria & acuna will be in lw/lm. Lanzini can also play wide there.
Well done, hard work.
I like your list too.
Thanks 🙂
Paredes scores a direct cornerkick goal….now thats a goal you wont see often.😍
Mercado was bad last night.He is not ready for WC.Sampoli please select Ansaldi.
He’s mainly a LB right? Hardly plays at RB.
Congratulation to Messi.May he win world cup too
We have seen many selections and line-ups in the past few weeks. For those who like to draw up lists, we can now make a new list with 6 categories:
1) Fully fit
2) Fit, but in bad form
3) Returned to fitness, but lack playing time
4) Recovering
5) Injured and unlikely to make WC squad
6) Unable to make it
Mammana is for example a player in the sixth category. Based on the info over the past few weeks, the number of players in categories 2-5 is staggering and growing. Just think of Mercado, Funes Mori and Benedetto to Aguero and Biglia. Fingers crossed nothing happens to Messi.
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