Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Lionel Messi pays tribute to Diego Maradona by revealing a Newell's Old Boys jersey

Lionel Messi fined €600 after Maradona tribute

Lionel Messi and Barcelona have been fined a combined €780 after the player was shown a yellow card for lifting his shirt to pay tribute to the late Diego Maradona following his goal in Sunday's 4-0 win over Osasuna.

Soccer • 02 Dec 20

European wrap: Haaland hits four, Barca slump to 10th

Erling Braut Haaland hit a 17-minute hat-trick and finished with four goals as Borussia Dortmund ran out 5-2 winners at Hertha Berlin to move within a point of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

Soccer • 21 Nov 20

Messi tired of 'being blamed for everything at Barca'

A frustrated Lionel Messi said he is tired of being blamed for problems at Barcelona after he was accused by Antoine Griezmann's former agent of making life difficult for the French striker at the La Liga club.

Soccer • 19 Nov 20

Champions League round-up: Messi on target in Barca win

An early goal from Ousmane Dembele and a late Lionel Messi penalty gave Barcelona a 2-0 win away to Juventus in the Champions League after Alvaro Morata had three goals disallowed for offside for the Serie A side.

Soccer • 28 Oct 20

The two will not come face to face in this evening's clash of Juve and Barca

'Good & healthy' Ronaldo misses Messi match-up

Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Juventus squad for the Champions League match at home to Barcelona later on Wednesday, two weeks after first testing positive for Covid-19.

Soccer • 28 Oct 20

Josep Maria Bartomeu became Barcelona president in 2014

Bartomeu quits and reveals Barca super league agreement

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has gone out with a bang after revealing the club has accepted a proposal to join a future European super league moments after announcing his resignation.

Soccer • 27 Oct 20

'I take responsibility for my errors and if they existed, it was only to make Barcelona better and stronger'

Messi draws line under Barca issues in call for unity

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has said he wishes to move on from his recent bid to walk out of the club and his recent attacks on the board of directors, calling for everyone to pull together to help the team have a successful season.

Soccer • 29 Sep 20

Leo Messi and Ronald Koeman during the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Elche CF on 19 September

Upset Messi still motivated for La Liga opener - Koeman

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman says he understood why Lionel Messi was upset about the departure of his long-time strike partner and friend Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid but did not believe it would affect him on the pitch ahead of the club's first La Liga fixture of the new season.

Soccer • 26 Sep 20

Messi has another dig at Barca over Suarez departure

Lionel Messi has launched his latest attack on Barcelona's hierarchy by criticising the way the club treated strike partner Luis Suarez, who left for La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid this week.

Soccer • 25 Sep 20

Lionel Messi's total earnings this year are €106m

Leo Messi remains the richest footballer on the planet

Lionel Messi was denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract dispute but the Argentinean maestro remains the world's richest soccer player.

Soccer • 14 Sep 20

Lionel Messi made it clear he wanted to leave during the summer

Leo Messi to remain Barcelona captain

Lionel Messi will remain as Barcelona captain despite his turbulent pre-season.

Soccer • 12 Sep 20

Messi agreed to stay on at the Nou Camp last week

Updated Messi back training as La Liga boss welcomes his u-turn

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has expressed his relief that Lionel Messi will remain at Barcelona this season after the forward finally returned to training.

Soccer • 07 Sep 20

Messi's representatives sent a fax to Barcelona on 25 August expressing his desire to leave

Messi's father insists Barca exit clause remains valid

Lionel Messi's father has written to La Liga insisting the player is contractually allowed to leave Barcelona for free in the current transfer window.

Soccer • 04 Sep 20

Lionel Messi has been scathing in his criticism of Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu

Messi will stay at Barcelona for another year

Lionel Messi has ended intense speculation about his future by saying he will remain with Barcelona for another year.

Soccer • 04 Sep 20

Jorge Messi (C) arriving at El Prat Airport in Barcelona today

'Difficult' for Messi to stay at Barca says father

It will be difficult for Lionel Messi to remain at Barcelona after he made public his desire to leave the Spanish club, his father and agent Jorge Messi said today as he arrived in the city to negotiate his son's future.

Soccer • 02 Sep 20

A young Barcelona fan was disappointed when Messi failed to show for a coronavirus test on Sunday

Messi a no-show at Barca training

Unhappy Lionel Messi missed Barcelona's first training session of the new season on Monday, days after his shock announcement that he wants to leave the only club he has played for professionally.

Soccer • 31 Aug 20

Lionel Messi is planning to wave goodbye to Barcelona after almost 20 years

Updated La Liga says Messi can't leave Barcelona for free

LaLiga has sided with Barcelona in their ongoing contract dispute with wantaway forward Lionel Messi – who did not arrive for his scheduled Covid-19 test with the club on Sunday morning.

Soccer • 30 Aug 20

Klopp's Liverpool have been back training for just a fortnight

Klopp: Shield will be proper match, no move for Messi

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists he is not regarding Saturday's Community Shield against Arsenal as a friendly.

Soccer • 28 Aug 20

Messi during his side's defeat to Bayern Munich

Messi and the tectonic shifts in the transfer landscape

If Lionel Messi does make an immediate move from Barcelona, it would fall into the epoch-defining category but age and the changing face of the 'super clubs' approach make for a degree of awkwardness in terms of what happens next.

Soccer • 26 Aug 20

Messi has won 33 major trophies with the club

Messi - Where next for the world's greatest player?

Manchester City are expected to be one of the clubs in the running to sign Lionel Messi after the Argentina international expressed his desire to leave the Nou Camp this summer.

Soccer • 26 Aug 20

Lionel Messi left Newell's Old Boys to join Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2001

The terminator - Messi set to use clause to exit Barca

Lionel Messi has told Barcelona he wishes to leave the club immediately, according to a club source, and he will use an unusual clause in his contract to sever ties with the Catalan giants.

Soccer • 25 Aug 20

A dejected Leo Messi after Barcelona's 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich

Is Lionel Messi's 20-year Barca love affair over?

Speculation is mounting that Lionel Messi will bring an end to a 20-year love affair with Barcelona and move on this summer in what would be one of the biggest transfers of all time.

Soccer • 18 Aug 20

Thomas Mueller was among the goals for the Germans

Bayern masterful as heavyweight bout turns into a rout

Bayern Munich outlined why they are the team to beat in this season's Champions League with a stunning 8-2 quarter-final demolition of Barcelona in Lisbon.

Soccer • 14 Aug 20

Stop Messi and you stop Barcelona appears to be the gameplan for Bayern Munich

Bayern teamwork key to stopping Messi says Flick

Bayern Munich will need to play as a team to counter the quality of Barcelona captain Lionel Messi when the two sides meet in the Champions League quarter-finals tonight, said Bayern coach Hansi Flick.

Soccer • 14 Aug 20

Quique Setien knows Leo Messi's form and Barca's form are inextricably linked

Barcelona v Bayern: Setien sure Messi is the main man

Quique Setien has insisted that Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi remains a cut above Bayern Munich's prolific striker Robert Lewandowski.

Soccer • 13 Aug 20