Tag Archives: Messi

Lifestyle

Spanish coach Riveiro leaves South African club amid Al Ahly link

Maravi Post Reporter

Spanish coach José Riveiro was released early from his position as head coach of South African football club Orlando Pirates, the team announced in a statement on Monday.

Riveiro’s departure comes amid reports that he will join Egyptian club Al Ahly ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that will take place in the United States in June.

“José approached us a few weeks ago with a request to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having signed with a new club”, Orlando Pirates Chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza said in the statement.

“His contribution since joining the Club has been immense. We learned a lot from him, and he learned a lot from us”, Khoza added.

Riveiro spent nearly three years at Orlando Pirates. Under his leadership, the club was crowned vice-champion of the 2023 South African Premiership and was runner-up of the 2025 Nedbank Cup.

The Spaniard’s contract with the South African club originally ran until the end of June 2025.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Orlando Pirates for allowing me the opportunity to leave before the end of my contract“, Riveiro said before thanking the club, the players and the supporters.

Orlando Pirates said Riveiro “will be on the bench for the final time” at the team’s game against the Lamontville Golden Arrows on Tuesday night.

Riveiro is rumoured to joined Al Ahly according to Egyptian media, but the Cairo-based club has not announced talks with the 47-year-old Spaniard.

Al Ahly has been without a full-time coach since Marcel Koller left last month after elimination in the CAF Champions League semifinals by the South African Mamelodi Sundowns.

Al Ahly is often considered the most successful football club in Africa. The team has won a record 44 Egyptian Premier League titles and has been crowned winners of the CAF Champions League 12 times.

It has qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by winning the African title in 2021, then again in 2023 and 2024.

The Egyptian club is set to play Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the opening game of the tournament on June 14.

Al Ahly has already won 4 Club World Cup bronze medals, most recently in 2023.

Source: Africanews

Regional, Sports

Lionel Messi finds peace of mind with Argentina

Maravi Post Reporter

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Paris Saint-Germain superstar took to the media to admit that lifting the Copa America was the “most difficult” victory in his trophy-stricken career, and the Argentina attacker was able to find his “peace of mind” at the international level.

After facing several heartaches at the 2014 World Cup and two Copa tournaments in 2015 and 2016, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar was afraid that he might never land a trophy with his country in his career.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, however, was able to lead his team to a triumphant title in Brazil this summer, as he captained the Argentina side to a memorable victory. Now, the player can be at peace with himself knowing that he was able to hit his targets in his amazing career.

The Argentina star spoke to ESPN about winning the Copa America title, which will be sitting amongst the many trophies he won with Barcelona. He said via best au online casino sites: “Everything I won was important and beautiful, but this was the most difficult because I went through many things. It was knock after knock.

“I finally had happy holidays from the first day to the last. Before I was bitter and now it was different from start to finish. My children sing Argentina songs all the time, they remember the final against Brazil and for me it’s spectacular to see how they enjoy that.”

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Although the player became a legendary football in his incredible career, critics were quick to point out the fact that Messi had yet to claim any international title for his country when it comes to the greatest-of-all-time arguments.

This summer, however, the player was able to prove his doubters wrong by captain his national teammates to win the Copa America title.

He continued: “I have peace of mind of having achieved the dream that has been denied to me so many times.

“It was like a dream, a spectacular moment. I couldn’t believe it had happened. I enjoy watching the images now more than at the time as I was in a daze. I didn’t quite understand what was happening.”

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Talking about his painful defeats, Messi said via online slot machines: “A part of the media treated us as failures, saying that we didn’t feel the [responsibility] of wearing the jersey, that we shouldn’t be in the national team.

“We tried to be champions before, we were the first ones to want to. It’s very difficult to win a World Cup or a Copa America. At the time they didn’t value what we did, they only put emphasis on the fact that we didn’t achieve the aim. The important thing is to feel satisfied that you have given your all…luckily, the last [final] was different.”

Source: Africa Feeds

Regional, Sports

Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona due to ‘financial obstacles’

Maravi Post Reporter

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Barcelona football club has said that star player Lionel Messi will not be staying at the club “because of financial and structural obstacles”.

Messi who is 34 years has been a free agent since July 1, 2021 when his contract expired.

The player agreed a new deal on reduced wages with club two weeks later, but Barca had to sell players to afford his salary.

Lionel Messi wanted to stay at Barcelona on a deal until 2026 which included reducing his wages to half of his previous salary.

The announcement was however dependent on player departures that would allow Barca to fund the Argentina captain’s wages.

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“Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled,” the club said.

Lionel Messi is considered one of the greatest players of all time. His stats at the club include:

  • Barcelona’s record scorer with 672 goals.
  • Has won 10 La Liga titles.
  • Four Champions Leagues.
  • Seven Copas del Rey.
  • Won the Ballon d’Or on a record six occasions.

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Source: Africafeeds.com

Source: Africa Feeds

Sports

Manchester United vs Barcelona

Maravi Post Reporter
Manchester United vs Barcelona
Manchester United vs Barcelona UEFA Champions league

Manchester United will need a good result in Spain if they are to reach the last four of the Champions League. The team lost 1-0 by FC Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final encounter at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw’s poor performance after 10 minutes proved decisive. The latter scored an own goal to give Barcelona the edge. Ole Solskjaer opted to line up a back five. He wanted Dalot to draft in and help Luke Shaw deal with Lionel Messi’s attacking skills. But the Barcelona superstar spent little time in one fixed position.

Scott McTominay and Fred shone in Paris in the last round. Ole wanted them again to form the midfield partnership. In fact, there were talks that Barcelona might opt for a safety-first approach. As per several sources, Arturo Vidal would feature as an extra midfield. But the Chilean was among the substitutes. Philippe Coutinho joined Suarez and Messi in attack on his return to England.

Match Highlight

It took Barcelona just 10 minutes to start the move that would lead to the opener. It also took the help of VAR. Luis Suarez was mistakenly flagged offside as he headed Messi’s cross-in off the shoulder of Shaw. That effort went down as Shaw own the goal.

Luke Shaw’s evening got even worst inside 20 minutes. He picked up the yellow card for a foul on Messi. And that would rule him out of the second leg. Manchester United responded well to the goal. Smalling’s robust challenge left Messi with a bloody nose. Would you call this deliberate to disrupt Barcelona’s rhythm? It could be.

Barca started the second half in an even more sluggish form. And Old Trafford sensed an opportunity to get back into the game. Ernesto Valverde introduced Vidal and Roberto to try and wrestle back control. His tactical changes proved to be effective. Ole also sent on Anthony Martial to replace the ineffective Romelu Lukaku.

With five minutes to play, Ole brought on Andreas Perreira for Rashford. But he could not make any impact into the game. In the end, the United’s boss suggested that he was happy to be still in the tie. Yet, this was the golden chance! Barcelona could be much more threatening in the return leg.

Expectation in the Next Match

Ole Solskjaer is dreaming of another striking comeback in the Champions League. But he admitted that they cannot afford to squander opportunities. Barcelona did not deliver a superb performance. Yet, they managed to come away from Old Trafford with a 1-0 win.

Ole knows opportunities will be at premium when the teams meet again at the Camp Nou next Tuesday. He remains optimistic that they can upset the odds. Just like when they overturned a two-goal deficit against PSG.

Manchester United will travel to Barcelona on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final. In the meantime, why not indulge in the virtual footballing realm? Kitty Bingo features Football Star slot game. Themed on football, the game overlooks a stadium where fans are shouting with their flags. This online creation might put you straight into the authentic football atmosphere. Enjoy some good dose of actions at kitty Bingo Website!

The Managers

Ole Solskjaer: “Going to the Nou Camp is going to be a challenge. It would be a greater achievement [than the comeback against PSG]. With the history of Barcelona, they are not used to losing at home, but we can do it, no doubt about it. We know we can carry a goal threat. Whoever is playing up front, we have to provide a bit more ammunition for them.”

Ernesto Valverde: “It was a great header from Luis [Suarez]. He was fighting for every cause. He was getting stuck into the defenders, trying to work really hard. We suffered, they caused us problems in the second half, but we are happy overall with the result.”

Opta Stats

  • Manchester United lost 3 consecutive home Champions League Knockout games for the first time.
  • It was Barcelona’s 4th Champions League victory against Manchester United.
  • Barcelona won 5 of their last 7 away games against English opponents in the competition.
Sports

Best in history’ Messi lauded by Coutinho, Busquets

Maravi Post Reporter

Philippe Coutinho and Sergio Busquets hailed the performance of the “amazing” Lionel Messi in Barcelona’s crushing 6-1 LaLiga victory over Girona.

According to uk.sports.yahoo.com, the Argentina international set up Luis Suarez for an equaliser after Girona had taken a third-minute lead, and netted twice himself, the second an inventive free-kick steered under the opposition’s defensive wall at Camp Nou.

Coutinho, a January arrival from Liverpool, also supplied an assist for Suarez before getting on the score-sheet, and the Brazilian is already reveling in a productive relationship with his superstar team-mates.

He told Movistar; “Leo is amazing. He fooled everyone with his goal. It’s incredible how good he is. Each game we understand each other better, with him, with Suarez, he’s very important for us. Bit by bit I’m learning and I have a lot of work to do”.

Holding midfielder Busquets echoed the sentiments of Coutinho, saying of Messi’s contribution: “He always makes the difference and that’s what makes him the best player in the world and in the history of football.”

Ousmane Dembele could not find the back of the net himself but did tee up Suarez for the Uruguayan to complete his hat-trick, and Coutinho expects the young France international to hit his stride soon.

“Barcelona play unique football. Dembele is a great player, I’m sure that with time and work we will learn. We want to do the best we can,”he said.

Sports

Champions League: Messi Strikes as Barcelona Earn Draw Against Chelsea

Maravi Post Reporter

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte rued one costly mistake as Lionel Messi gave Barcelona the upper hand from the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie by salvaging a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

According to African News24, Messi struck for the first time in nine games against Chelsea 15 minutes from the end, as Andres Iniesta punished the English champions once more when he intercepted Andreas Christensen’s slack pass across his own box to tee up the five-time World Player of the Year.

Willian’s fine strike just after the hour mark had put Chelsea in command after he had hit both posts in the first half.

Chelsea must now score when they travel to the Camp Nou on March 14 to have any chance of making the last eight.

“Against this opponent, this type of player like Messi, (Luis) Suarez, Iniesta, if you make a mistake you pay,” said Conte.

“There is a bit of disappointment. But at the same time this game must give us a lot of confidence to trust that in the second leg the qualification is open.”

Nine years on from combining for a stoppage-time equaliser in a highly controversial semi-final at Stamford Bridge to send Barca to the final, Iniesta and Messi swapped roles as this time the Spaniard provided the pass and Messi the finish.

“We failed to create clear-cut chances despite having domination of the game. In the end it came from an error from them and we took advantage,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde.

“It is a good score given we were behind and clearly there is everything left to decide in the second leg.”

Conte sprang a surprise before kick-off by leaving out both Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata with Eden Hazard instead operating in the middle of a front three.

And it was Hazard who sent the first warning that Barca were in for an uncomfortable evening when he fired just over from 20 yards five minutes in.

Chelsea constantly tried to surround Messi with three or four blue shirts to limit the Argentine’s threat, but he dug out a cross to the far post where an unmarked Paulinho headed Barca’s best chance of the first-half wide.

Barca then went on to dominate possession, but the visitors lacked penetration and were lucky to go in level at half-time.

Willian scored twice from outside the box against Hull City in the FA Cup on Friday, and was inches away from another long-range stunner when he curled onto the post from 25 yards with Marc-Andre ter Stegen beaten in the Barca goal.

Barca had kept six clean sheets in their previous seven Champions League games, but once again had good luck rather than good defending to thank four minutes before the break when Willian hooked another effort from outside the box off the woodwork.

“Willian could have had a hat-trick — but we go home sad because a fantastic performance is not a fantastic result,” Chelsea’s former Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas told BT Sport.

“We have to go there to attack and score because 90 minutes defending at the Nou Camp is an eternity, it is a suicide mission. We have to play our game.”

Barca appeared to have restored order early in the second period, but failed to learn their lesson of Willian’s danger from the edge of the box.

A short corner was worked into the Brazilian’s path and he arrowed a low shot past the rooted Ter Stegen.

However, Barca remain unbeaten in 31 La Liga and Champions League games under Ernesto Valverde thanks to a late rally.

Christensen’s dangerous ball across his own box was a gift for an old scourge of Chelsea in Iniesta and Messi made no mistake by sweeping low past Thibaut Courtois for his 28th goal of the season.