This is a public service announcement to all LaLiga clubs not named Barcelona:
Do not foul Barcelona anywhere near the goal. Lionel Messi will take the ensuing kick and he will score on you.
That is all.
While the U.S. was sent packing after the group stage following its worst-ever showing at a FIFA U-17 World Cup, Mexico is through to the quarterfinals following a 2-0 victory over Japan in Gama, Brazil, on Wednesday. If you were already a little disappointed with U.S. Soccer following the dismal showing, you’ll be pleased to know that Mexico’s success is even further damnation of our bumbling federation.
Tottenham has constructed one of the greatest goals of all-time, if you — like me — look at goalmouth scrambles like you look at the Sagrada Família.
Cristiano Ronaldo had been subbed off, as had goal scorer Aaron Ramsey. So needing a goal late to see off Lokomotiv Moscow, Juventus winger Douglas Costa took things into his own hands.
Costa almost single-handedly smoked the entirety of the Lokomotiv defense to score a stunning 93rd-minute winner as Juventus eked out a 2-1 win in Champions League Group D play on Wednesday in Moscow.
Trailing Inter Milan 2-0 at home with just 40 minutes remaining and contemplating an almost certain drop to the Europa League, Borussia Dortmund stormed back to a 3-2 victory with the Westfalenstadion roaring on its heroes, including 21-year-old breakthrough star Achraf Hakimi.
Hellas Verona defeated Mario Balotelli’s Brescia 2-1 today, but the lasting images of the match all pertain to the former Manchester City striker. In the 54th minute, Balotelli took possession near the corner flag and with the ball still in play, he responded to racist chanting by picking it up and punting it into the stands of the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.
Even by Lionel Messi’s ridiculous standards, the Barcelona captain’s 90 minutes against Valladolid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday constitute something outrageous. After the two clubs exchanged heavily deflected efforts in the opening 15 minutes, Messi sprang into action with a beautiful assist, stunning free kick (and two brutal nutmegs) to put Barcelona up 3-1 at halftime. In the second half, he scored another goal and added another assist to lift Barça to the top of the LaLiga table.
Former Atlético Madrid youth/Arsenal flop Lucas Pérez scored the greatest goal of his career (although he did hit a nice bicycle kick earlier this season), earning Alavés a 1-1 draw with Atlético in Basque Country on Tuesday.
If it’s a Benjamin Pavard goal, you know it’s going to be a brilliant volley. The two are becoming synonymous.
The French defender who scored the best goal of the 2018 World Cup was back at it on Saturday, making perfect contact with a half-volley to fire Bayern Munich in front on the way to a 2-1 win over Union Berlin.
Prior to Cristiano Ronaldo joining Juventus in 2018, the Old Lady had some of the best free-kick takers in the world in Miralem Pjanic, Federico Bernardeschi and Paulo Dybala. But who is going to tell the biggest ego in the sport he can’t take a crack at goal from distance, especially when he’s shown he can, when he hits it right, strike a mean free kick?