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Don’t Let Messi Go, Neymar Tells Barca

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With only one year left in Lionel Messi’s current contract with Barcelona and the failure of the talismanic player to sign a renewal, there are fears that his days in the club may have been numbered.

But Barcelona forward Neymar has urged the club to secure Lionel Messi’s future by handing him a new contract. The Argentine international’s contract runs down in 2018 and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to put pen to paper.

According to a British online publication, International Business Times, the  Brazil international has joined Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Ivan Rakitic in signing new deals with the La Liga giants. Messi and Andres Iniesta, who also has over one year left in his contract, are yet to commit their futures

Technical secretary Robert Fernandez revealed in April that he remains hopeful that the club’s star player and the World Cup winner with Spain would commit their futures to the Catalan club. However, the duo are yet to sign an extension and will have only one year left on this current deal in the summer.

    “I have been here with Leo for four years, and I am learning every day: how to strike the ball, how to be alert during matches… Messi is from another planet,” Neymar told beIN Sports, as quoted by the Spanish publication AS.

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“I hope that he renews, and that the people at Barcelona get to work so Leo (Messi) can continue with us.”

   According to another report from AS, Messi will renew his deal with his current employers until 2022. The contract extension will see him earn a net wage of €30m (£25.3m, $32.7m) per year and will have a €250m (£210.2m, $272.4m) release clause in his contract.

Barcelona are leading the La Liga table with 84 points after 36 games. They are level on points with second place Real Madrid with goal difference separating the two sides. However, the Spanish capital club have an advantage of a game in hand.

    Luis Enrique saw his side register a 3-2 victory over Real in the last El Clasico and that saw them reduce the gap at the top. Neymar, who was suspended for the clash, expressed his disappointment over not being involved in the fixture that saw Messi score the winner.

   “It was the best image of the Clásico, something to go down in history. I was really looking forward to playing. After the game I called Messi, and they [the team] took photos while we spoke,” Neymar explained.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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La Liga

Atletico-Real Madrid derby suspended after fans throw objects onto the pitch

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Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - September 29, 2024 Atletico Madrid fans in the stands as play is stopped due to crowd trouble REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Sunday’s LaLiga derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was temporarily suspended in the 69th minute due to fans hurling objects onto the pitch after defender Eder Militao scored the opener for the visitors.

While Real players celebrated the goal in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to halt the match.

Atletico captain Koke and defender Jose Maria Gimenez went to the south stand to calm the fans down but the referee ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms as the announcer warned that if the behaviour continued the game would be abandoned.

After a delay of over 20 minutes the players returned to the pitch and the game resumed.

-Reuters

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Father of Spain soccer star Lamine Yamal stabbed

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Mounir Nasraoui, father of soccer player Lamine Yamal, smiles in Bar El Cordobes at Rocafonda neighbourhood in Mataro, north of Barcelona, Spain, July 11, 2024. REUTERS/ Albert Gea/File Photo

Mounir Nasraoui, the father of Barcelona and Spain star winger Lamine Yamal, was stabbed late on Wednesday at a parking lot in the northeastern Spanish town of Mataro, La Vanguardia newspaper reported, citing official sources familiar with the matter.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the report. The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force and a spokesperson for the Mataro local government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to La Vanguardia report, Nasraoui was taken to the Can Ruti hospital in the nearby city of Badalona and his diagnosis was “serious”. It added that local and regional police had located several witnesses of the incident.

However, a later report by sports website Relevo, also citing official sources, said Nasraoui had been released from hospital and was back at his home.

Yamal, a soccer wonderkid who grew up in coastal Mataro – a working-class, multi-ethnic suburb of Barcelona – became the breakout star of the recent Euro 2024 held in Germany.

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Spain won the tournament, helped in part by the 17-year-old scoring against France in the semifinal on July 9.

-Reuters

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Vinicius set to leave Real Madrid one billion euro offer

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Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is open to an offer of more than one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, sources close to the player told Reuters on Monday.

Vinicius, 24, was approached by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) officials to inquire about his interest of moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on a five-year contract worth around 200 million euros per season fixed, plus bonuses.

The package would also include a separate 10-year contract to become an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be held in the country, but those terms and financial numbers are yet to be discussed.

Although an official, formal offer has yet to be presented, Vinicius has not dismissed the move and gave permission to PIF to approach Real Madrid.

Despite being “happy and motivated” in the Spanish capital, Vinicius and his representatives believe that a lucrative offer like this needs to be studied carefully.

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Another source close to the player said that Real have shown no interest in negotiating a transfer, highlighting the player’s one billion euro buy-out clause.

Real Madrid and PIF did not respond to requests for comment.

Obsessed to be taken seriously as a soccer force, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project, with PIF taking ownership of 75% of the capital of the country’s four main clubs: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.

The biggest Saudi transfer came from the country’s most successful club, Al Hilal, who spent 90 million euros to buy forward Neymar from Paris St Germain.

With Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, PIF tried to persuade France captain Kylian Mbappe to be the big name Al Ahli is still missing last year.

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The forward, however, turned down Saudi’s lucrative offer and joined Real Madrid in June.

The proposal for Vinicius is understood to be similar to the Mbappe offer. The Brazilian would join Al Ahli, linking up with former Premier League players Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino.

Vinicius, who is under contract until 2027 after signing an extension in 2022, is a contender to win the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world after helping Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season.

-Reuters

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