Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time after shrugging off competition from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Messi (36), lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, while Haaland, who finished second in voting, scored 52 goals last season as Manchester City won the Treble in the 2022-23 season.
However, the Norwegian won the Gerd Muller Trophy given to the best striker of the year.
During his acceptance speech, Messi, who became the first MLS-based player to the Ballon d’Or, said, as quoted by <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/38779218/ballon-dor-2023-lionel-messi-beats-erling-haaland-win-award-record-eighth">ESPN</a>:
<blockquote>
I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies.
To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing. All of them [Ballon d’Or awards] are special for different reasons.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d’Or Féminin after she helped Barça win Liga F and the Champions League last season, before leading Spain to World Cup glory in the summer.
Messi’s Argentina teammate Emiliano Martinez won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was handed the Kopa Trophy as the world’s top player under the age of 21.
Messi first won the Ballon d’Or in 2009 and then again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won it five times, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten are all three-time winners.
According to ESPN, Messi scored 21 goals in 41 appearances in the 2021/22 season as Paris Saint-Germain retained the Ligue 1 title before moving to Inter Miami earlier this year.
He has scored 11 goals in 14 games for Miami, helping the franchise win its first-ever piece of silverware, the Leagues Cup.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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Lionel Messi Wins Ballon d'Or For Eighth Time

Lionel Messi won his first trophy in North American soccer on Sunday after his team Inter Miami emerged victorious in a League Cup final against Nashville, triumphing on penalties (10-9) after the match ended 1-1 in regular time. 
The former Barcelona forward scored a goal in the 24th minute giving Miami the lead. However, Fafa Picault equalised for Nashville in the second half.
Messi’s teammate, Leonardo Campana, missed a golden opportunity to secure victory for Miami in regulation time sending the match to a penalty shootout.
Messi joined Miami just a month ago when the team languished at the bottom of Major League Soccer but his arrival has sparked a remarkable transformation. Miami embarked on an unbeaten run, culminating in their triumph in the League Cup.
The Argentine international has been in scintillating form, netting 10 goals in seven appearances for his new club. Miami now looks forward to the semi-final of the US Open Cup against Cincinnati, offering another opportunity for Messi to reach the final.
While the match against Nashville did not showcase Miami’s usual dominance and flair, the victory was a testament to their resilience. Sergio Busquets, the Spanish midfielder, acknowledged the element of luck in penalty shootouts and expressed his delight at winning Miami’s first title within a month. He said:
<blockquote>
It was very exciting. The draw was a fair result and on penalties is the luck of the champion, which in this case came in our favor.
I am very happy to win our first title in just one month, the club’s first. The team is growing by leaps and bounds and we are very happy
We have infected the team with our spirit, our work, our character and experience. We are making a solid team … And then we have Leo, who makes a difference because he’s the best in the world.
</blockquote>
Nashville posed a threat from set-pieces, as demonstrated by Walker Zimmerman’s header that forced a save from Callender.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Lionel Messi Wins His 1st North American Soccer Trophy As Inter Miami Lifts The League Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals for Al Nassr-Al Hilal, Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia when they played Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in a friendly match played in the Middle Eastern nation’s capital.
The friendly match was a part of Riyadh Seasons, a Saudi festival sponsored by the government.
Both Messi and Ronaldo found the scoresheet, as did Kylian Mbappe, and PSG emerged with a 5-4 victory.
Ronaldo struck twice, once via a penalty and once from open play, while Messi’s teammates Mbappe and Neymar scored from the penalty spot as well. 
Mbappe scored, only after Neymar had blundered his chance to score.
Ronaldo got Man of the Match for his brace.
Juan Bernat was sent off in the 39th minute for a last-man foul, leaving PSG down a man for much of the game, but it didn’t matter as both sides took advantage of the exhibition environment to put on a show in front of the net.
This match was little more than a showcase event between two star-studded squads featuring two iconic players, but the two teams will hope that good performance can springboard them further into the season’s competitive matches. The attacking talent on both sides really did steal the show.
Lineups:
PSG (3-4-3, right to left): Navas (GK — Donnarumma, 65′) — Hakimi (Pembele, 68′), Marquinhos (Danilo, 46′), Ramos (Bitshiabu, 65′), Bernat (red card, 39′) — Sanches (Vitinha, 46′ — Kari, 86′), Fabian (Nuno, 67′), Soler (Gharbi, 63′) — Neymar (Zaire-Emery, 63′), Messi (Housni, 63′), Mbappe (Ekitike, 64′).
Riyadh (4-3-3, right to left): Al-Owais (GK) — Abdulhamid, Al Bulayhi, Soo Jang, Al Ghanam (Lajami, 46′)  — Al Khaibari (Kanno, 64′), Gustavo (Otayf, 87′), Al Dawsari (Al Najei, 87′) — P. Martinez (Carrillo, 64′), Ronaldo (Pereira, 61′), Marega (Talisca, 46′). 
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Cristiano Ronaldo Scores A Brace As Lionel Messi's PSG Beat Al Nassr-Al Hilal

Argentina defeated France on penalties on Sunday 18 December 2022 to win the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup with Lionel Messi scoring a brace in that match.
It took penalties after an electric 3-3 draw, but Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout!
Messi and Di Maria scored the first-half goals for Argentina before Mbappe’s late brace took it to extra time.
Messi scored his second goal in extra time but Mbappe penned them back again, getting his hat trick from the spot.
In the shootout, Martinez made a huge save before Tchouameni missed. Argentina scored all of theirs, with Montiel scoring the winner.
<h2>Major highlights:</h2>
<blockquote>
Lionel Messi scored the first goal from the spot for Argentina in the 23rd minute before Ángel Di María doubled the lead in the 36th minute.
Kylian Mbappé pulled one for France from the spot in the 80th minute before equalising in the 81st minute.
Messi scored his second goal of the match in the 108th minute but Mbappe equalised fir the second time in the 118th minute.
</blockquote>
Mbappe has become the second player to score a World Cup final hat-trick after Geoff Hurst for England v Germany in 1966. 
Argentina have won the World Cup for a third time (also 1978 and 1986).
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Messi's Argentina Beat France To Lift The World Cup

Former Chelsea and Arsenal striker, Olivier Giroud is closing in on Henry Thiery’s goal record for France following his strike in France’s 2-1 win against Ivory Coast.
Giroud is just five goals away from surpassing Thierry Henry’s all-time record for France after scoring in the win over the Ivory Coast.
<div data-reactid=".139c5h6x63u.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-2">
Giroud, 35, headed in from AC Milan team-mate Theo Hernandez’s cross to take his tally to 47 for the world champions in Marseille.
<div class="" data-reactid=".139c5h6x63u.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-2.1">Henry netted 51 times for Les Bleus.</div>
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Gunners forward Nicolas Pepe scored the opener for the African side, but Aurelien Tchouameni won it late on.
Monaco midfielder Tchouameni rose highest to power home a header from Matteo Guendouzi’s corner in the 93rd minute.
Giroud’s goal, meanwhile, was also the 19th consecutive game in which France had scored, netting 42 times in the process.
Didier Deschamps’ men host South Africa in a friendly on Tuesday, while Ivory Coast, who have failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, travel to play England at Wembley on the same day.
Olivier Giroud is followed by Platini, who scored 41 goals, Antoine Griezmann, who has scored 38 goals, David Trezeguet, who netted 34 goals, and Zinedine Zidane, with 31 goals.
Meanwhile, Neymar 44′ (P), Vini Jr. 45+1′, Philippe Coutinho 72′ (P) and Richarlison’s 90 +1′ strikes handed Brazil a 4-0 win over Chile.
Argentina defeated Venezuela by 3 goals to nil, thanks to goals from Nicolás González 35′, Ángel Di María 79′ and Lionel Messi 82′
<h2>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Former Chelsea Striker Olivier Giroud Closing In On Henry Thiery's France Goal Record

Lionel Messi wore PSG’s number 10 jersey for the first time since arriving in France when they clashed with Nice in the French Cup.
Neymar who wears the number 10 was injured.
PSG lost a tense penalty shootout 6-5 following a 0-0 home draw to miss the quarterfinals. 
Holder PSG’s bid for a record-extending 15th trophy and an eighth straight final fell short at Parc des Princes against visiting Galtier’s expertly organized side.
Meanwhile, Mario Balotelli has been recalled to the Italian national team by Italy coach Roberto Mancini since his last appearance in 2018.
The Italian football team, on Monday last week, made the announcement on its official Twitter account, as it announced the 35-man squad selected for a special training camp at their Coverciano base.
This training is in anticipation of March’s World Cup qualifying playoffs against North Macedonia and then potentially Portugal or Turkey. The Italian football team said:
<blockquote>
“Balotelli returns alongside seven new names.
</blockquote>
The former Manchester City striker currently plays for the Turkish side, Adana Demirspor.
<h2>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Messi Wears PSG's Number 10 For The 1st Time, Balotelli Gets Italian Job

Paris Saint Germain footballer, Lionel Messi, has called upon France Football to award the 2020 Ballon d’Or to Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.
The 2020 Ballon d’Or was been cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the football calendar. 
France Football, who organise the ceremony, stated that the several months of disruptions caused by coronavirus has made it impossible to treat the 2019-20 season as a regular year to judge football properly and fairly.
Speaking at last night’s 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Messi said Lewandowski deserved to be crowned the 2020 Ballon d’Or winner. Said the Argentine:
<blockquote>
I’d like to mention Robert, it’s been a real honour to compete with him. I think France Football should award you your 2020 Ballon d’Or, you deserved it.
Hopefully France Football will give you the 2020 Ballon d’Or. We all believe you deserved it and I hope you can have it at home.
</blockquote>
Messi made the remarks after <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/11/30/lionel-messi-wins-mens-ballon-dor-for-a-record-extending-7th-time/">claiming the most prestigious individual prize in football for a record seventh time</a>, beating Lewandowski by a fine margin of just 33 voting points.
Some consider Lewandowski unlucky to miss out on the Ballon d’Or having scored 51 times in 40 club appearances this season, breaking Gerd Muller’s single-season Bundesliga scoring record and lifting a German league and cup double in the process.
<h2>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

France Football Should Award Robert Lewandowski His 2020 Ballon d’Or - Messi

Warriors midfielder Marshal Munetsi said that playing against arguably the world’s best-ever footballer, Lionel Messi was a great experience for him.
Munetsi, who plays for French League 1 club Stade de Reims, was tasked by the club’s manager to man-mark the superstar when the team clashed with Paris Stain-Germain in a league encounter last week.
Messi, who was making his debut for the Paris club, was harassed by the Warriors midfielder.
Despite Reims losing the match 2-0 thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s brace, the Mabvuku-born star stood toe-to-toe with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He also thought he had cancelled out Mbappe’s opener, only for his goal to be ruled out following a VAR intervention.
<blockquote>
Speaking in a recent interview with NewsDay, the 25-year-old former Orlando Pirates player said it was a good experience for him to see Messi in person. He said:
Playing against Messi was a great experience for me, growing up watching him and winning six Ballon d’Or … all the things that he achieved with Barcelona.
It was a great opportunity for me and we tried as a team to get a positive result. We have had three draws.
Playing Paris Saint Germain was a huge task for us because they have top quality players including Messi, so it was a good experience for me to learn and to see him live in person.
</blockquote>
Messi was on the receiving end of a couple of tough tackles from Munetsi during the match, but the two were seen exchanging some pleasantries at the final whistle. Munetsi added:
<blockquote>
Yeah, we spoke. It was those usual exchanges and he was just wishing me the best for the season and the usual good luck we always share after the game.
</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/09/munetsi-opens-up-on-epl-move-collapse/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Munetsi Speaks On Man-marking Lionel Messi

Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi has scored his 79th international career goal surpassing the South American men’s record held by Brazil legend Pele.
Messi scored all three goals in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Bolivia on Thursday in a World Cup qualifying match at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
The hattrick gave the PSG forward two more than Pele, who had 77 career goals in international play.
Messi trails Brazilian duo Marta (109) and Cristiane (96) for the overall record for most goals scored by any South American player at the international level.
Third on the men’s list is Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar, who has 69 international goals for Brazil. Speaking after the match, Messi said:
<blockquote>
I was very nervous, I just wanted to enjoy the night. I waited a long time for this.
We won the game [and] that was the most important thing and now we can celebrate.
</blockquote>
Messi (34), has had a memorable summer -winning his first senior international football title in July.
He and La Albiceleste claimed the Copa America from Brazil in a 1-0 win at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.
After Thursday’s result, Messi danced with his teammates and showed off the Copa trophy to the 21 000 supporters present.
With 26 goals in World Cup qualifying matches following his hat-trick against Bolivia, Messi also passes Uruguay star Luis Suarez for most among CONMEBOL players.
With eight career goals vs. Bolivia in 11 games, it is Messi’s most against a single opponent while donning the Argentina shirt.
Messi is also his country’s men’s all-time leading scorer, having moved past Gabriel Batistuta (54 goals) in 2016.
He is also Argentina’s most capped player, with Thursday’s match against Bolivia marking his 153rd international appearance.
Prior to the Copa America victory, Messi had lost four major finals with Argentina’s senior side.
They were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final and had lost in the final at the Copa America in 2007, 2015 and 2016.
He had won the under-20 World Cup in 2005 and an Olympic gold medal with Argentina’s U23s in 2008.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/argentina-arg/story/4427665/argentinas-lionel-messi-breaks-brazil-legend-peles-south-american-mens-goals-record">ESPN</a></h4>

Lionel Messi Breaks Brazil Legend Pele's International Goals Record

Argentinian superstar, Lionel Messi, signed a two-year deal on Tuesday with Paris Saint-Germain of Ligue 1 with an option for a third year.
Reports suggest that the 34-year-old, arguably the best footballer of all time, will earn $41 million per year.
In a statement on Tuesday, Messi expressed his excitement about joining PSG, saying he is determined to help the club build something special. Said, Messi:
<blockquote>
I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain. Everything about the club matches my football ambitions.
I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes.
</blockquote>
Messi had spent his entire pro career with Barcelona, but his contract expired and the two sides couldn’t agree on a new deal.
He registered 25 goals and 21 assists in 33 matches (starts) for Barcelona in La Liga play in 2019-20, then had 30 goals and nine assists in 35 matches (33 starts) in 2020-21.
Messi has won 34 titles in 16 seasons with Barcelona, including four Champions League and 10 La Liga crowns. He is a six-time Ballon d’Or-winner.
He is already is in Paris and will be formally introduced as part of the team this Wednesday.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/i-am-excited-to-begin-a-new-chapter-of-my-career-says-lionel-messi-after-joining-psg-471bcac1-c09f-4d36-8c2d-58d043d2ba3a">IOL</a></h4>

Messi Determined To "Build Something Special" At PSG

Scores of people gathered in Paris on Tuesday waiting for the arrival of Lionel Messi who agreed to a 2-year deal with Paris Saint Germain. Messi is expected to sign the contract which has a 1-year extension option. Watch the video below for more details.
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<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="568" id="video-211792-1" preload="metadata" width="320"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Scenes-Messi-Inauguration-PSG-France.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Scenes-Messi-Inauguration-PSG-France.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Scenes-Messi-Inauguration-PSG-France.mp4</a></video></div>
 
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw">Pindula News</a>

WATCH: Crowds Waiting For Messi's Arrival In Paris

Lionel Messi scored his 644th goal for Barcelona during his side’s victory over Real Valladolid to break Brazilian legend Pele’s record of the most goals for one club.
Argentina forward Messi, 33, scored Barca’s third when he collected Pedri’s backheel, took a touch then slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jordi Masip.
Brazil great Pele scored 643 goals in 19 seasons for Santos in his homeland between 1956 and 1974.
I a post on Twitter, sports broadcaster Gary Lineker said to beat Messi’s 644 goal record, someone will have to score an average of 43 goals a season for 15 years… for one club.
Messi is considered by some footballer pundits and fans the G.O.A.T, the greatest footballer of all time.
Meanwhile, Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 3-0 at the José Zorrilla Stadium and are now 5th on the log standings with 24 points.
Atletico Madrid are top of La Liga on 32 points while Real Madrid are second with 29 points.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have played a game more (14) than Atletico Madrid (13).
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55342358" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC Sport</a></h4>

Messi Scores His 644th Goal For Barcelona To Surpass Pele's 643 Goals For Santos

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has revealed the heartbreak of his decision to leave Barcelona – and why he ultimately chose to stay with the club in a world exclusive with Goal.com.
The 33-year-old, who has spent two decades at the Catalan club, announced that he wanted to leave Barcelona on a free transfer in late August.
However, the club refused to recognise the break in his contract, as they claimed the moment for using it had passed in June.
Messi eventually accepted he must stay at Camp Nou to avoid dragging his beloved club to court. He told Goal.com:
<blockquote>When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama.
The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools.
But I looked further afield and I want to compete at the highest level, win titles, compete in the Champions League.
You can win or lose it, because it is very difficult, but you have to compete.
At least compete for it and let us not fall apart in Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. All that led me to think about that decision that I wanted to carry out.
I thought and was sure that I was free to leave, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not.
Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for La Liga in the middle of this awful coronavirus and this disease altered all the season.
And this is the reason why I am going to continue in the club. Now I am going to continue in the club because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700 million (£624m/$823m) clause and that this is impossible.
… There was another way and it was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barca because it is the club that I love, which gave me everything since I arrived.
It is the club of my life, I have made my life here.
Barca gave me everything and I gave it everything. I know that it never crossed my mind to take Barca to court.
I love Barcelona and I’m not going to find a better place than here anywhere. Still, I have the right to decide.
I was going to look for new goals and new challenges. And tomorrow I could go back because here in Barcelona I have everything.</blockquote>
Messi will now prepare to start the season under new Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/messis-barcelona-heartbreak-revealed-from-his-sons-tears-to/1mpozogbymuza1fep1f6vv3oz2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goal.com</a></h4>

Lionel Messi Speaks On His Decision To Stay At Barca

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has finally opened up on why he wanted to leave the club at the end of the 2019/2020 season.
Speaking during an interview with Goal.com, Messi said he believed that club needed new young players and also because he had suffered a lot during the season, hence he wanted to try something different.
The Argentina captain, however, refuted claims that the ignominious 8-2 Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich influenced his decision to quit Barcelona.
Messi also accused Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu of reneging on his promise to allow him to leave the club. Said, Messi:
<blockquote>I told the club, including the president, that I wanted to go. I’ve been telling him that all year. I believed it was time to step aside.
I believed that the club needed more young players, new players and I thought my time in Barcelona was over.
I felt very sorry because I always said that I wanted to finish my career here.
It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room.
Everything became very difficult for me and there came a time when I considered looking for new ambitions.
It did not come because of the Champions League result against Bayern, no – I had been thinking about the decision for a long time.
I told the president and, well, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end, he did not keep his word.
… Of course I had a hard time deciding. It does not come from the Bayern result, it comes from many things.
I always said I wanted to end here and I always said I wanted to stay here. That I wanted a winning project and to win titles with the club, to continue expanding the legend of Barcelona.
And the truth is that there has been no project or anything for a long time, they juggle and cover holes as things go by. As I said before, I always thought about the welfare of my family and the club.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/messi-breaks-silence-barcelona-exit-saga-president-did-not/12u81b5iumt2d1tkqol18wpcxg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goal.com</a></h4>

Messi Reveals Why He Wanted To Quit Barcelona

<div>
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<div class="imso_gf__trv-txt">
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt">Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich are through to the semi-finals of this season’s UEFA Champions League after beating Barcelona 8-2 in Lisbon, Portugal last night.</div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt"></div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt">For the first time, Lionel Messi’s side entered the competition as underdogs considering their poor form lately.</div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt"></div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt">The Germany giants got goals from Thomas Müller 4′, 31′ Ivan Perišić 21′ Serge Gnabry 27′ Joshua Kimmich 63′ Robert Lewandowski 82′ Philippe Coutinho 85′, 89′.</div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt"> </div>
<div class="imso_gf__xtxt">Barcelona got goals from David Alaba 7′ (OG) and Luis Suárez 57′</div>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li class="imso_gf__xtxt">Bayern Munich became the first team in Champions League history to score eight goals in a knockout match, and the first in the European Cup since Real Madrid in the 1990/91 last 16 against FC Wacker Innsbruck (9-1 win).</li>
<li class="imso_gf__xtxt">Barcelona lost a match by six-goals for the first time since April 1951, when they were beaten 6-0 by Espanyol in a league match.</li>
<li class="imso_gf__xtxt">Bayern Munich have reached their 12th Champions League semi-final – only Real Madrid have done so more often (13).</li>
<li class="imso_gf__xtxt">Coutinho is still a Barca player, and is with Bayern on loan after he failed to impress at Camp Nou.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Bayern will now face either Manchester City or Lyon in the finals.
For the first time since 2007, the Champions League will have no Spanish clubs in the semi-finals after Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid also bowed out of the competition.
More: <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/barcelona-vs-bayern-munich-live-stream-online-champions-league-2020-score-team-news-prediction-tv-a4524986.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Standard </a>
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Bayern Munich Humiliate Barcelona To Proceed To UEFA Champions League Semis

Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi has been slapped with a two months ban from international football after he accused <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/07/08/barcelona-star-lionel-messi-faces-2-year-ban-its-non-of-his-business/">Copa America of being corrupt.</a>
The Argentine was given marching orders in Argentina’s 2-1 third-place play-off win over Chile and later said the “cup was fixed for Brazil”.
Earlier, soccer pundits had predicted that Argentina captain could <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/07/08/barcelona-star-lionel-messi-faces-2-year-ban-its-non-of-his-business/">be banned for at least two years.</a>
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was also fined $50,000 (£41,121) by Conmebol, the South American Football Confederation.
The 32-year-old nimb footed footballer still has seven days to appeal the ruling.
The suspension means that Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming friendlies against Chile, Mexico and Germany in September and October.
More: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49214183" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC</a>

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