You can now make that just one win in the past 13 meetings for Madrid, as Lionel Messi and company were able to come away with the 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, but not without enduring some pain from their vicious foes in the process.

In an attempt to slow down Barcelona’s most dangerous player, Madrid defender Pepe stomped on the hand of a fallen Messi.  But as you may have already assumed, that plan didn’t work out too well, seeing as how Messi plays the game with his feet, rather than his hands…

…well, at least most of the time he does.

Europe’s leading football competition, the UEFA Champions League, has been a prime target for any footballer to play in. Thus, the goals which are scored are usually of a high standard and this year certainly hasn’t hindered that in any way.  Total Pro Sports has compiled a list of the top 10 best Champions League goals of 2011.

#10 – Lionel Messi vs Arsenal:

Two matches prior to this goal against Arsenal in the Champions League within Camp Nou, Lionel Messi scored a total of four goals against the London outfit during 2010. The Barcelona star haunted Arsenal again with a deaf touch to lift it up, alluding Almunia with another touch into the air, and then finishing calmly into an open goal.

#9 – Robin van Persie vs Barcelona:

During the first leg of Arsenal’s match with Barcelona in the Champions League during 2011, the club had already been a goal down via a David Villa strike during the first half. However, with the game approaching the final ten minutes, Arsenal striker Robin van Persie made Victor Valdes witness an unexpected shot with a drilled effort – a touch of brilliant technique and vision from the striker – that flew past the Barcelona keeper.

#8 – Pedro vs BATE Borisov:

Pedro had been a consistent performer for Barcelona in the previous season but has had his chances limited this season due to injury. When he does play, though, he always manages to impress and against BATE Borisov in the Champions League recently, the winger scored with a back-heel flick that surprised the keeper and consequently got past him.

#7 – Marco Streller vs Manchester United:

Marco Streller’s goal against Manchester United was one to admire; you don’t see these go in too often, but Streller guides the ball into the net with a shot that was powerful enough to rebound off the ground and above David de Gea’s reach.

#6 – David Silva vs Bayern Munich:

In Manchester City’s encounter with Bayern Munich in their last group game of the Champion League, the club had to win the game to stand any potential chance of progressing. Up steps David Silva who opens the game’s scoring with a shot that one can’t help but admire; the midfielder chests the ball down across the area outside the box and drives in a guided, powerful shot into the bottom left hand corner.

#5 – Dejan Stankovic vs Schalke 04:

Dejan Stankovic’s career has spanned for well over a decade now and during his prolonged career the midfielder has scored some memorable goals. In this match, Schalke’s goalkeeper heads the ball out, but it dips for Stankovic – he was just ahead of the half way line – and he volleys from 45 + yards, which results in the ball flying into the back of the net.

#4 – Wayne Rooney vs Barcelona:

Wayne Rooney always seems to deliver on the bigger occasions in football (except the 2010 World Cup, of course), and he certainly delivered during the Champions League final. Initially playing some decent build up play with Ryan Giggs, the striker receives the ball for the final time in the final third where he side foots a curling shot that beats Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

#3 – David Villa vs Manchester United:

It’s the Champions League final; arguably the ultimate stage of football and the pinnacle of any footballer’s career. David Villa, one of the most talented strikers for the past decade, stops the ball upon receiving it whilst moving it a tad bit ahead of him and then curls an effort that Edwin van der Sar couldn’t reach, even with his height and quality.

#2 – Lionel Messi vs Real Madrid:

Lionel Messi has an agenda against Real Madrid; arguably the best footballer in the history of the sport, the player almost always seems to find the back of the net against Barcelona’s arch-rivals. In this instance, during the first leg of Barcelona’s Champions League encounter with Madrid, Messi embarks on a simply mesmerizing run where he runs from a little past the half way line, past the defenders with his pace and finishes with a cool strike that finds its way into the corner of the goal.

#1 – Perisic vs Arsenal:

Arsenal’s first Champions League game was ruined with one of the best goals scored in 2011 within the competition and undoubtedly in recent years; during the dying embers of the game, Perisic volleys a shot that leaves Szczesny helpless; such was the quality of the Borussia Dortmund player’s strike.

Well yesterday, in the second match against Real, the little guy really outdid himself. Off a corner kick, Messi set up a fantastic give-and-go sequence with a ridiculous chest pass to teammate Gerard Piqué. With a nice little backheel, Piqué dishes it right back to Leo, who then cuts in toward the far post and gently chips the ball diagonally, over the keeper Iker Casillas, and into the net.

Check it out:

Just a brilliant play. Still, I have to point out something that the very exuberant commentator missed. After Messi chests the ball to Piqué, he pauses for a moment then darts forward. Watch closely and you will see a Madrid player standing on his heals who doesn’t pick Messi up until it’s too late. Then, instead of lunging forward feet-first to try to block the shot, the Madrid player just drops to his knees and admires the goal.

Yeah, that’s former FIFA world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo. Good job, guy.

On Sunday, playing for FC Barcelona in the first of two matches against Real Madrid to determine this year’s Supercopa champion, Messi’s stomach became a little unsettled. Toward the end of the first half, camera’s were on him when he stopped, grabbed his belly, bent over, and had a nice cleansing heave right there on the grass.

Messi’s a pro, however, so he didn’t let it stop him. Hell, it didn’t even slow him down. Just minutes after spewing chunks before millions of fans on live television, Lionel scored a dazzling goal to give Barca the lead right before halftime.

All in all, it was just another day in the life of Lionel Messi.

Hat Tip — [Yahoo! Sports]

There is no denying the fact that Lionel Messi is currently the greatest soccer player in the world.  Any individual from any country will agree with that assessment…except for an Argentinean.

For as long as he has been representing his country on the international level, the people of Argentina have continued to argue that Messi’s best only comes out when he is playing for his club team, Barcelona.  The numbers would certainly indicate that.  In 59 career appearances for the Argentine national team, Messi has recorded only 17 goals, an average of one every 3.47 games.  In 177 career appearances with Barcelona, he has recorded 119 goals, an average of one every 1.48 games.  Add to that the fact that he has won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Barcelona, and zero Copa Americas or FIFA World Cups with Argentina, and it is clear why the Argentine people have grown tired of watching Leo winning trophy after trophy with the Catalans while bringing nothing home to Argentina.

Well if that is the way Argentina feels, Brazil has a solution to their problems:

Make Messi a Brazilian citizen!

Brazilian journalist Renato Maurício Prado of the newspaper Meia Hora has begun circulating a petition to make Messi one of their own.  In his own words, “If the Argentinians don’t want Messi, they can send him over to us.”  He even went so far as to create a photoshopped image with Messi’s face on a Brazilian passport (see image above).

For some time now, the people of Argentina have grown accustomed to calling Messi an Argentine when he is at his best, and a Catalan when he is at his worst.  If they don’t watch out, it may not be long before they are calling him a Brazilian, no matter how good or bad he is playing.

Hat Tip – [Hit The Post]

The daemons that have haunted Messi during his international career with Argentina remain, as he and his Argentine teammates have struggled mightily during the 2011 Copa America tournament.  Despite entering the tournament as the host country and a heavy favorite among bookmakers, the Albicelestes have managed only two draws in their first two games against Bolivia and Colombia.

Last night they were unable to record even a single goal against Colombia, and were lucky not to surrender a few against.  The Argentine media has feasted on their national team’s struggles, and Messi appears to be bearing the brunt of the criticism.  This erratic free kick attempt, which wouldn’t have hit a net four times the size of a regulation soccer goal, wont silence the critics anytime soon.

Lionel Messi has drawn many comparisons to Maradona over the course of his career, and on 18 April 2007, he replicated Maradona’s “Goal of the Century” by dancing around six Getafe players in a similar fashion before sliding the ball into the net.

On Monday, in honor of the 25th anniversary of Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, Messi figured he would try to replicate that one as well during an international friendly against Albania.  Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t hide his hands as well as Maradona, but we can’t blame him for at least attempting to pay tribute to his former international coach.

The first would come in the 61st minute, following a dangerous challenge by Pepe on Daniel Alves, which earned the Real defender a straight red card.  That seemed to irk Real coach Jose Mourinho, who could be seen taunting the officials, before finally being sent to the stands by referee Wolfgang Stark.

Following the match, Mourniho had some rather unpleasant words for Barcelona and UEFA during his post-game press conference (below, with subtitles).

That wasn’t the only excitement to come out of last night’s game in Madrid.  Following the halftime whistle, the two teams engaged in a rather heated skirmish on the sidelines that eventually earned Barcelona backup goaltender José Pinto a red card.

And then there was this brilliant goal from Lionel Messi, his second of the game, which sealed the 2-0 victory for the Catalans.

It will be interesting to see what these two clubs have in store for us during their second leg next week.

Among their group of stars are two men who may very well be the best in their respective sports at the moment; Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose.  That is quite the combo, and the addition of Katy Perry makes this a solid trio, but where are all the poker players?  After all, with a name like “Adidas Is All In,” you would think they might show some love for Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu.

I wonder how long it will be before companies like Adidas and Nike begin to dip into the pool of professional poker stars.

Hat Tip – [Ball Don't Lie]