Sport
“Never Settle for Second Place” – Messi Tells Barcelona Players
Former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has sent a strong message to the current Barcelona squad, urging them never to settle for second place in the ongoing La Liga title race.
Messi, who spent over two decades at the club, emphasized the importance of fighting for the top spot, particularly for a club of Barcelona’s stature.
Last season, Barcelona finished second in La Liga, losing out on the title to their fierce rivals, Real Madrid.
Despite their strong performance, they were unable to clinch the championship, and this left a sense of disappointment among the fans and players alike.
This season, however, Barcelona is sitting at the top of the La Liga standings, holding a four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
Yet, Real Madrid still has a game in hand, meaning the race for the title remains close and intense.
In an interview with Mundodeportivo, Messi, who is now playing for Inter Miami, spoke about what it means to represent Barcelona.
He made it clear that the club’s players must always aim for the top, no matter the circumstances.
“You can never accept to be second if you’re wearing a Barça shirt,” Messi stated.
“This means you’re part of the biggest club in the world.”
Messi went on to stress that, even if the team doesn’t win, they must remain committed to competing until the very last match of the season.
“Even if you don’t win, at least you must compete for the title till the very end,” he said.
Pep Guardiola has chosen Bernardo Silva as Manchester City’s new captain, handing the midfielder the armband without putting it to a team vote. Silva steps into the role following the exit of Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract with City recently expired. Guardiola also named Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland as the team’s new vice-captains for the upcoming season.
Silva’s current contract runs out next summer, meaning his time as captain could be short if no new deal is signed. Though he’s turned down multiple transfer offers in recent windows, interest in the Portuguese playmaker remains strong, with clubs from Saudi Arabia and former side Benfica still keen on him.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons are set to face long-time rivals Ghana’s Black Princesses in a friendly match as part of their build-up to the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Justine Madugu’s team also has a second friendly lined up against Portugal, which will be played on Monday, June 23.
The clash with Ghana will take place in Morocco, where the Black Princesses are already camped in Benslimane for their final round of preparations. Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will travel to Portugal later this week to begin their own final training phase ahead of the tournament.
Nigeria is in Group B, where they will take on Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria. Ghana, on the other hand, will compete in Group C alongside defending champions South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania.
Real Madrid might be without Kylian Mbappe for their Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal on Wednesday, as the forward is currently down with an illness. Mbappe missed training ahead of the match, and new manager Xabi Alonso says a final decision will be made on game day.
“Kylian felt a bit better this morning, but not well enough just yet,” Alonso said. “We’ll wait till tomorrow morning to make the call.” Madrid could also be missing key players Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
“Rudiger gave everything this season. I’m not sure he’ll be in the squad, but he’s recovering fast and should be back first. Camavinga is getting better too, but he still needs some time,” Alonso added. Alonso is set to take charge of Madrid for the first time, but injuries and illness may leave him without some of his top stars.
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