http://www.mail.com/int/people/21004-lionel-messi.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/int/people/21004-lionel-messi.html http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2095216-sociedad-valencia-win-to-stay-fight-4th.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Sociedad came back to win 2-1 at Sevilla and Valencia beat Getafe 1-0 on Saturday as both teams remained locked on points in their fight for a fourth-place finish in the Spanish league. Sociedad remained ahead of fifth-place Valencia on head-to-head goal difference and in control of Spain's last Champions League spot with two ... Sat, 18 May 2013 22:52:50 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2095216-sociedad-valencia-win-to-stay-fight-4th.html 2013-05-18T22:52:50Z http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/celebrity/2091196-beckham-sports-icon-times.html LONDON (AP) — David Beckham's retirement will bring an end to a footballing career that went far beyond his sport, and turned a gangly teenager from east London into one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. Hugely gifted as a player, though far from ranking with the greats such as Pele, Maradona and Lionel Messi, Beckham's true genius has been hi... Thu, 16 May 2013 18:35:36 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/celebrity/2091196-beckham-sports-icon-times.html 2013-05-16T18:35:36Z http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/2085796-geneva-auction-sells-huge-diamond-267m.html GENEVA (AP) — A huge diamond unearthed in Botswana commanded an unearthly price of $26.7 million from Christie's auction house Wednesday amid the spring ritual of well-heeled bidders flocking or phoning in to Geneva's luxury sales. The pear-shaped gem accounted for more than a quarter of the $102 million in sales rung up by Christie's Wednesday night, a n... Wed, 15 May 2013 21:17:47 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/2085796-geneva-auction-sells-huge-diamond-267m.html 2013-05-15T21:17:47Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2083826-injured-messi-season.html MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi could be done for the season after he was ruled out for up to three weeks because of his nagging hamstring injury, meaning he's set to fall short of breaking his own Spanish league scoring record. Barcelona said Tuesday that the four-time FIFA player of the year has re-aggravated the right hamstring strain that has limited him f... Tue, 14 May 2013 14:25:37 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2083826-injured-messi-season.html 2013-05-14T14:25:37Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2079092-barcelona-clinches-league-when-real-madrid-draws.html MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi might have powered Barcelona to this season's Spanish league crown, but it fell to humble crosstown rival Espanyol to finally finish off Real Madrid's title defense with a 1-1 draw on Saturday. So after 10 months of competition, Barcelona's 22nd league title and fourth in five years wasn't decided at Camp Nou, but rather a few m... Sat, 11 May 2013 23:47:59 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2079092-barcelona-clinches-league-when-real-madrid-draws.html 2013-05-11T23:47:59Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2079462-barcelona-reclaims-spanish-title-amid-doubts.html MADRID (AP) — Barcelona collected its 22nd Spanish league trophy on Saturday after forward Lionel Messi helped it dominate the competition from start to finish with another outlandish scoring campaign. Barcelona wrapped up a title that had been a foregone conclusion for months when titleholder Real Madrid drew 1-1 at Espanyol, giving it an insurmountable ... Sat, 11 May 2013 22:42:27 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2079462-barcelona-reclaims-spanish-title-amid-doubts.html 2013-05-11T22:42:27Z http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/2076310-lionel-messi-biopic-developed-ahead-wcup.html LONDON (AP) — Lionel Messi's life story is set to hit cinemas in time for the 2014 World Cup. Epic Pictures Group says it is financing and developing a Rocky-style film after buying the rights to dramatize a biography about the Barcelona star. The Beverly Hills-based company says the biopic will chart Messi's rise from a modest background in Argentina and... Fri, 10 May 2013 10:40:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/2076310-lionel-messi-biopic-developed-ahead-wcup.html 2013-05-10T10:40:57Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2064056-messi-nets-2-to-push-barcelona-to-brink-title.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lionel Messi netted two goals within 15 minutes of coming on as a substitute to give Barcelona a 4-2 comeback win over Real Betis on Sunday and push his team to the brink of the Spanish league title. After his teammates had rallied back twice to level at 2-2, Messi went on in the 56th and four minutes later curled in a free kick to... Sun, 05 May 2013 22:24:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2064056-messi-nets-2-to-push-barcelona-to-brink-title.html 2013-05-05T22:24:18Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2062952-ronaldo-nets-2-madrid-delays-barca-title.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo headed in two goals to help Real Madrid beat Valladolid 4-3 in the Spanish league on Saturday, but the entertaining win was overshadowed by growing dissatisfaction with coach Jose Mourinho for criticizing the club. Madrid's ninth straight home win in league play denied Barcelona the chance to clinch the league tit... Sat, 04 May 2013 22:33:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2062952-ronaldo-nets-2-madrid-delays-barca-title.html 2013-05-04T22:33:18Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2060710-platini-all-german-final-proof-dominance.html LILLE, France (AP) — UEFA president Michel Platini is distinctly underwhelmed by Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund reaching the Champions League final and does not see it as a sign of a power shift toward Germany in European football. Bayern dismantled Barcelona 7-0 for the biggest aggregate winning margin in a Champions League semifinal, and Dortmund t... Fri, 03 May 2013 13:33:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2060710-platini-all-german-final-proof-dominance.html 2013-05-03T13:33:55Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2058030-loss-barcelona-clinch-spanish-title.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Dethroned as Europe's dominant team, Barcelona can begin rebuilding its reputation by clinching the Spanish league title this weekend. Barcelona can secure its 22nd domestic title and its fourth in five years if it beats Real Betis at Camp Nou on Sunday and second-place Real Madrid drops points at home against Valladolid the day be... Thu, 02 May 2013 09:58:12 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2058030-loss-barcelona-clinch-spanish-title.html 2013-05-02T09:58:12Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2048660-barcelona-postpones-title-with-draw-bilbao.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona conceded a late equalizer to spoil what would have been another heroic effort by Lionel Messi, with the 2-2 result at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday meaning the leaders must wait another week for a chance to clinch the Spanish league title. With his team trailing 1-0 and limited in its ability to threaten Bilbao's area, Mess... Sat, 27 Apr 2013 22:09:03 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2048660-barcelona-postpones-title-with-draw-bilbao.html 2013-04-27T22:09:03Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2047144-column-why-barcelona-more-than-club.html Every team loses, but no team loses quite like Barcelona. They get "hammered," ''knocked out," or rendered "unrecognizable." And that's just the good news. This is what happens when a team sets the bar as high as Barcelona has: Every loss in a big game is immediately pronounced the end of an era. Every moment not spent hoisting another trophy must mean th... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:58:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2047144-column-why-barcelona-more-than-club.html 2013-04-26T16:58:17Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2044270-barcelona-madrid-routed-german-clubs.html STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — The expectation of seeing Lionel Messi line up against Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League final, of watching Barcelona and Real Madrid fight for supremacy in the ultimate "Clasico," has been all but washed away. Instead of seeing Spain's two biggest teams play for the biggest trophy in club football, it's much more likely ... Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:30:53 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2044270-barcelona-madrid-routed-german-clubs.html 2013-04-25T15:30:53Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2040054-bayern-beats-barcelona-4-0-champions-league.html MUNICH (AP) — For once, Barcelona was on the wrong end of the kind of drubbing it so often inflicts on others. And with Bayern Munich in this kind of devastating form, even a fully fit Lionel Messi may not have made much of a difference. Bayern humbled the Spanish powerhouse Tuesday, taking full advantage of Messi's sub-par performance as it overwhelmed B... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:31:54 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2040054-bayern-beats-barcelona-4-0-champions-league.html 2013-04-23T22:31:54Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2039488-barcelona-lionel-messi-medically-fit-to-play.html MUNICH (AP) — Lionel Messi will start Barcelona's Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich after being declared medically fit following a leg injury. In a brief statement, the club said Tuesday that "the player has been given the medical all-clear," and he was later named up front in the starting lineup. Messi injured a hamstring on April 2 and ha... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:54:06 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2039488-barcelona-lionel-messi-medically-fit-to-play.html 2013-04-23T17:54:06Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2037164-barcelona-unclear-whether-lionel-messi-will-play.html MUNICH (AP) — Barcelona still can't say for sure if Lionel Messi will start against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. On the eve of the match, assistant coach Jordi Roura was as circumspect about Messi's chances as teammate Xavi Hernandez was confident. Roura says Messi is making good progress from a right hamstring injury... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:10:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2037164-barcelona-unclear-whether-lionel-messi-will-play.html 2013-04-22T18:10:41Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2036834-gomez-set-to-start-barca-champs-league.html MUNICH (AP) — Mario Gomez has been waiting patiently for his opportunity. It may come in one of the biggest games of the season. Gomez is expected to return to Bayern Munich's starting lineup against Barcelona for the first leg of Champions League semifinals on Tuesday after spending most of the season playing as back-up to Mario Mandzukic. ... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:30:29 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2036834-gomez-set-to-start-barca-champs-league.html 2013-04-22T16:30:29Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2035944-bayern-deals-with-tax-case-ahead-barcelona-semi.html MUNICH (AP) — At a time when Bayern Munich should be thinking about whether Lionel Messi is healthy enough to play, the new German champion has been rocked by a huge distraction before its Champions League semifinal against Barcelona. Reports over the weekend that the club's president, Uli Hoeness, is under investigation for suspected tax evasion have dom... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:59:11 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2035944-bayern-deals-with-tax-case-ahead-barcelona-semi.html 2013-04-22T11:59:11Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2034504-falcao-atletico-1-0-win-sevilla.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Radamel Falcao scored his 25th goal of the Spanish league season to give Atletico Madrid a hard-fought 1-0 win at Sevilla and keep his team in the hunt for a second-place finish on Sunday. Also, Real Sociedad extended its unbeaten run to 14 straight games by drawing 0-0 at Osasuna, while Espanyol beat nine-man Getafe 2-0 for its th... Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:54:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2034504-falcao-atletico-1-0-win-sevilla.html 2013-04-21T21:54:55Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2035220-top-german-spanish-clubs-square-semis.html FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Germans have been looking up to Spain for years as a football model, seeking to learn from the nation that ended Germany's hopes of winning titles in two major recent tournaments. Germany coach Joachim Loew and his colleagues at big Bundesliga clubs have made no secret of their admiration for the Spanish game. Loew has even a... Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:30:52 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2035220-top-german-spanish-clubs-square-semis.html 2013-04-21T19:30:52Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2034484-messi-barcas-squad-without-medical-clearance.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona has yet to clear Lionel Messi to play, but has included the injured forward in its squad for Tuesday's Champions League first-leg semifinal at Bayern Munich. On Sunday Barcelona released its squad that will travel to Germany, with Messi's name carrying an asterisk that the "player hasn't been medically cleared" to play. M... Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:34:33 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2034484-messi-barcas-squad-without-medical-clearance.html 2013-04-21T11:34:33Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2030902-barcelona-forward-messi-to-team-training.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says forward Lionel Messi has returned to training with the rest of his teammates in his recovery from a right hamstring pull. Barcelona hopes to have the Argentina international fully fit for Tuesday's trip to Bayern Munich for the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. Messi did not played in Barcelona's last two... Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:24:13 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2030902-barcelona-forward-messi-to-team-training.html 2013-04-19T12:24:13Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2027598-barca-madrid-to-warm-up-champions-semifinals.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona and Real Madrid both play at home on Saturday in the Spanish league looking to make their final adjustments while resting some weary legs for the Champions League semifinals set to start next week against a pair of German rivals. Barcelona hosts a struggling Levante side with Lionel Messi doubtful to play as he tries to f... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:52:22 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2027598-barca-madrid-to-warm-up-champions-semifinals.html 2013-04-18T09:52:22Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2025850-bayern-coach-heynckes-heaps-praise-lionel-messi.html MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes compared Lionel Messi to some of football greatest players. "He is a phenomenon. He is in the league of Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Pele and Johan Cruyff," Heynckes said Wednedsay. "Anyone who scores 50 goals in a season is extra-terrestrial." Bayern will come up against Messi when it plays Barcelona in... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:38:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2025850-bayern-coach-heynckes-heaps-praise-lionel-messi.html 2013-04-17T16:38:41Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2023198-bayern-tops-ap-rankings-ronaldo-best-player.html MONACO (AP) — Bayern Munich's players are used to scoring goals for fun, but this time it was the club netting a hat-trick as the German Bundesliga champion was voted the top team by the AP's panel of global football journalists for the third straight week. Bayern has lost only one of its past 30 matches in all competitions, clinched the Bundesliga title ... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:13:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2023198-bayern-tops-ap-rankings-ronaldo-best-player.html 2013-04-16T18:13:18Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2018442-ronaldo-hits-50-goals-season-win-madrid.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 49th and 50th goals in all competitions this season as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while Barcelona didn't need Lionel Messi to brush aside Real Zaragoza 3-0 and ease closer to the Spanish league title. Ronaldo opened with a dipping free kick two minutes in and scored again in the 6... Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:08:06 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2018442-ronaldo-hits-50-goals-season-win-madrid.html 2013-04-14T22:08:06Z http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2011604-messi-returns-to-help-barca-reach-semifinals.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lionel Messi has never been short on late-game heroics, and not even a sore hamstring stopped him from going on as a substitute to help Barcelona rally for a 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain and a place in the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday. Barcelona advanced on the away goals rule after its 2-2 draw in Paris last week ... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:49:11 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/2011604-messi-returns-to-help-barca-reach-semifinals.html 2013-04-10T22:49:11Z