Barcelona

When I imagine what it must be like to play with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar, images of sandy beaches and brightly colored drinks with their very own umbrellas float into my head, but, you know, in a footballing sense. 

I think that their talents would make my job infinitely easier, allowing me to merely spray passes forward, because they are more likely than not to land at the feet of a world-class player, and have success. And, looking at Ivan Rakitic play, it is tempting to believe that this is the case. 

We've had a few Messi-free weeks since the end of the Copa America, and it's been awful. He and his Brazilian wing-counterpart Neymar skipped Barcelona's USA tour because of the Copa, so we haven't seen the Argentine wonder in action in more than a month.

Luckily, that's coming to an end. Messi and Neymar, as well as countrymen Javier Mascherano (Argentina) and Dani Alves (Brazil) have come back to Barcelona training, serving as a welcome reminder that the new season is almost upon us. 

This lady really likes Pedro.

Don't get us wrong, we're sure he's a nice guy and all, but this lady waited outside Barcelona's training facility for Pedro to come out, held a sign for him, had him sign it, and posed for a picture with him.

And did we mention that in the middle of all that she asked him if he was going to transfer somewhere, he said he didn't know and then she started cryting? Not, like, sniffling either. Weeping. Sobbing. Boo-hooing, if you will. We hope Pedro doesn't actually leave, for this lady's sake. She might never recover.

Luis Suarez knows where his bread is buttered.

He was signing autographs when a young boy came up and said he was the best. Suarez, fully aware that the player who is actually the best wasn't traveling with Barcelona for that particular trip, felt the need to correct the lad.

Suarez is good, for sure, but Messi is the best.

Gabon's political opposition, in an effort to get some attention, has denounced the best footballer in the world.

When it comes to describing Luis Suarez, Gerrard Pique said it best. 

“He is a different style of player to those we had before. Xavi and Iniesta are really sweet and you enjoy watching them with the ball. With Luis Suárez it is the other side: he fights.” 

Hector Bellerin established himself as one of the most electrifying young right-backs in the world last season, and he says the fact that he did it at Arsenal and not Barcelona is in large part due to Arsene Wenger. 

For those needing a refreshing for who Hector Bellerin is, he scored this goal against Liverpool last spring. 

It’s gotta feel good to be Arda Turan right now, sure, you are not going to be able to play for your new club, Barcelona, until January, but once you do you will get to be a part of stuff like this:

It’s a footballer’s wet dream, and Turan about to bathe in — OK, sorry, I got a little carried away there. 

Can’t wait for Eden Hazard to return to Stamford Bridge as reigning champion? Or Lionel Messi to break more records than anyone thought possible? Well look no further, Guinness and the International Champions Cup have you covered from July 'til August with top-flight clubs from multiple leagues battling in North America for the Champions Cup as they prepare for their domestic seasons.