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Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has likened Cristiano Ronaldo to the biggest names in world sport, insisting the Portuguese icon is someone who stands out in the world of football.

The question on who is best between Messi and Ronaldo has raged in recent times but the Argentine superstar himself admitted his respect for the Juventus attacker.

Messi revealed he sees Ronaldo alongside other sport superstars in their chosen craft - likening him to Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and LeBron James.

"There are many admirable athletes. Rafa Nadal, Federer, LeBron - in all sports there is always someone who stands out and is admirable for his work," Messi told La Sexta.

"Cristiano stands out in football. There are many who stand out and always do their best."

Despite Messi revealing his admiration for several sporting figures in world sport, the 33-year-old said that his children invoke more passion in him than anyone else.

He explained he managed to suppress "the fan inside" when he became a senior player at Camp Nou.

"When I started to be a professional, I managed to put aside my passion as a football supporter," Messi said. "Those who make me get up from the couch are my children. They are what move me the most today."

Messi has been linked with a transfer to the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season after handing in a transfer request to Barcelona's hierarchy during the recent summer.

The attacker decided to stay at Camp Nou after much deliberation and hinted that he could still remain at the club next campaign.

"I'm sorry about everything. I always said it. Barcelona is my life. I've been here since I was 13 years old," Messi said.

"Well, the truth is that today I'm fine, it's true that I had a very bad time over the summer because of how the season ended."

Barcelona have struggled for consistency under Ronald Koeman, as they sit in fifth place in the La Liga standings, eight points behind Atletico but having played one extra game.

Their next league fixture comes against Eibar at home on December 29.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has promised he won't talk to other clubs about a possible move until the current season is over. 

After failing to secure a Camp Nou exit over the summer and now into the final season of his current contract with the club, Messi continues to be linked with a possible transfer away from Spain. 

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain loom as the most likely destinations with the Argentine seemingly still interested in exploring his options. 

Any talks about a possible move will have to wait until the summer however with Messi vowing he'll hold off having those discussions to ensure he continues to give his all for Barca. 

"I have nothing clear until the end of the year, I will wait for the end of the season," Messi told La Sexta.

"The important thing is to think about the team, finish the year, think about trying to get titles and not be distracted by other things. 

"I don't know what's going to happen, I'm focused on what we have, on what can be done in these six months. I don't think about how the year will end because today it wouldn't be good for me to tell you what am I going to do because I don't know. 

"I don't know if I'm going to leave or not and if I leave, I would like to leave in the best way.

"Always speaking hypothetically, I would like to return some day. I would like to return to the city, to work at the club, to contribute. Barcelona is much bigger than any player, even me obviously, and I hope that the president who comes in will do things well to help us lift important titles again." 

Messi added that a potential move to Major League Soccer would appeal to him, but he is unsure if it will come to fruition.

"I always said that I have the illusion that I would like to enjoy the experience of living in the United States, of living that league and that life, but if it happens or not I don't know," the Argentine said.

Messi also rejected the idea of him joining either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid, and replied when asked if he could join the later: "No, impossible." 

A move to Manchester does however appear to be possible with Messi confirming he still chats regularly with former mentor and current City boss Pep Guardiola. 

Bengaluru and Jamshedpur, after a defeat to ATK Mohun Bagan and Goa respectively, are set to meet in a 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) fixture at the Fatorda Stadium, on Monday evening.

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Bengaluru FC Possible XI:   

Injured - Ashique Kuruniyan
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Sunil Chhetri, Cleiton Silva     

Jamshedpur FC Possible XI: 

Injured - Nick Fitzgerald, David Grande, Narender Gahlot
Doubtful - Joyner Lourenco
Suspended - None

Key Players - Nerijus Valskis, Alex Lima

Lionel Messi has declared that "Barcelona is my life" as he looks to silence speculation surrounding his long-term future.

After failing to secure a Camp Nou exit over the summer, the 33-year-old continues to be linked with a departure in 2021 with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly circling as Ronald Koeman's side struggle to perform consistently in La Liga. 

Messi's current contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the season with the club currently battling financial problems and likely unable to offer him as much as other sides in Europe. 

The Argentine has however spent his entire career with the Catalan giants and has stressed just how much the club and city mean to him despite his recent push to leave. 

"I'm sorry about everything. I always said it. Barcelona is my life. I've been here since I was 13 years old, I've been living in Barcelona for longer than in Argentina and I learned everything here. The club trained me as a player," Messi told La Sexta.

"Well, the truth is that today I'm fine, it's true that I had a very bad time over the summer because of how the season ended. Then came what happened in summer, the burofax and all that. The truth is that I dragged it a bit during the beginning, but today I feel fine and want to fight seriously for everything we have ahead – I'm excited.

"I know that the club is going through a very difficult time at club level and everything that surrounds Barcelona is difficult but I am looking forward to it."

Currently on an extended break from club duties, Messi insisted he's willing to discuss all matters with Barcelona when it comes to his next step, but made it clear he wasn't happy with how former president Josep Maria Bartomeu handled his situation in the summer. 

"We had fixed it at the time when we talked about the pandemic ... I am not talking about these things in public, I prefer to do it in private," Messi said. "I am a man of my word. We are going to talk about anything."

On his previous attempt to leave Camp Nou, Messi added: "I felt that it was the moment for change and I wanted to leave and I wanted to do well.

"Then all that trouble was put together. The president at that time did not want me to leave and began to filter things to make me look bad and to be the bad guy in the movie and everything that happened happened, but I am still calm that what I did was what I felt and what I should have done at that time."

Tottenham's winless run in the Premier League was extended to four matches as Romain Saiss' late header cancelled out Tanguy Ndombele's opener to earn Wolves a 1-1 draw.

After losses to title rivals Liverpool and Leicester City, Spurs were aiming to avoid suffering a third successive league defeat for the first time since November 2012 and made a flying start as Ndombele drilled in after just 57 seconds.

Wolves looked toothless for most of the remaining 89 minutes with star forward Raul Jimenez watching on from the stands, yet their knack of getting late goals came to fruition once more.

Pedro Neto's superb corner was met by Saiss, who glanced a brilliant header beyond Hugo Lloris to again frustrate Tottenham, who passed up the chance to move up to third and were ultimately grateful for a 96th-minute Fabio Silva miss.

Wolves had been caught cold inside the opening minute as Ndombele's thumping strike fooled Rui Patricio, whose step to the right proved costly.

Ndombele then turned provider with a surging run from deep but Patricio was equal to Sergio Reguilon's effort.

Silva was left frustrated when he lashed into the side-netting before the half-hour, while Hugo Lloris kept out Daniel Podence's first-time shot.

Wolves wanted a penalty straight from the restart when Eric Dier clipped Silva, yet the VAR did not advise referee Paul Tierney to assess a replay and no spot-kick was given.

Lloris lunged in bravely at Silva's feet to deny the 18-year-old in a goalmouth scramble as Wolves started to turn the screw, although Son Heung-min, hunting his 100th Spurs goal, missed a chance to tee up Harry Kane at the other end.

Wolves' attempts looked set to prove fruitless until the 86th minute when Saiss turned in Neto's excellent delivery for an equaliser that set up a frantic finale.

Silva should have snatched all three points in stoppage time, only to head straight at Lloris as the spoils were shared.
 

What does it mean? Wolves' patience pays off as Spurs' late heartbreak continues

Since the start of 2018-19, only Liverpool (45) and Man Utd (44) have won more top-flight points from losing positions than Wolves (40). Their most recent three Premier League goals have all been scored in the final five minutes of matches.

Meanwhile, Spurs – who are up to fifth – have dropped nine points in 2020-21 from goals conceded in the final 10 minutes of matches, the most of any side in the Premier League. 

Ndombele's flying start

Ndombele's strike was the earliest Premier League goal scored from outside the box since Chelsea's Kenedy scored after 39 seconds against Norwich City in March 2016.

Only Chelsea (12) have scored more Premier League goals in the first minute of a match than Tottenham (11), and Ndombele – who turns 24 on Monday – went on to turn in an impressive display, winning 10 of his 15 duels, completing two of his four dribbles and creating two chances before he was replaced in the 70th minute.

Mourinho's pragmatic approach comes unstuck... again

Since masterminding a 2-0 victory in the north London derby, Mourinho has seen his team take just two points from 12 on offer.

Spurs managed only three attempts on target – the last of which came in the 21st minute – and had 45.4 per cent of the possession. 

Key Opta Facts

- Wolves' starting XI for this match featured seven Portuguese players (Patricio, Nelson Semedo, Neto, Joao Moutinho, Silva, Podence and Ruben Neves), the joint-most non-English players from the same country in a team's line-up in Premier League history. Fulham had seven French players in their XI versus Middlesbrough in 2003, and Newcastle United had seven Frenchmen against Liverpool in 2013.
- The home side conceded after only 57 seconds, the earliest goal they had conceded in the Premier League since April 2012 against Swansea City (Andrea Orlandi, 22 seconds).
- Since having 18 shots in the second half of their game against West Brom, Spurs have had just 22 shots in the second half of their past seven Premier League matches, mustering just one attempt in the second half of this match.
- Four of Saiss' past five Premier League goals for Wolves have been headers scored via a corner.

What's next?

Spurs have three days to recover before they take on Fulham at home, while Wolves travel to in-form Manchester United on Tuesday.

Former Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng believes the white community is not doing enough to kick racism out of football.

Born to a Ghanaian father and a German mother in Berlin, the 33-year-old has become a famous advocate against the vice after walking off the pitch following racist abuse while playing for AC Milan against lower division side Pro Patria in 2013.

That same year, he was named as the United Nations (UN) ambassador for anti-racism as well as being appointed as the first global ambassador for the Fifa anti-discrimination taskforce, working alongside Fifa vice-president Jeffrey Webb at Fifa headquarters.

This year, the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign has been launched as part of the fight against racism.

"The 'Black Lives Matter' movement was born but too little has been achieved to counter the phenomenon. No white person has ever told me they want to support me in this battle," Boateng has told Monza.

"Some abstains out of fear, others because they believe it is more advantageous not to expose themselves in this battle, a story that does not concern them.

"The whites are in charge: if they raised their voices, we would be more listened to."

Boateng also spoke about his September move to newly-promoted Italian second division side Monza, a club owned by Silvio Berlusconi who first brought the Ghanaian to AC Milan in 2010.

"How did Silvio Berlusconi convince me [to come to Monza]? He called me and said 'my son, come home'. There was no need for many more words," Boateng revealed.

While at Milan, where he would return for a second spell in 2016, Boateng played together with a host of top stars, including Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The 39-year-old is still active, having made a return to Milan in December last year.

"I am not surprised, I learned from him the desire to win even in training. He is never happy, when he missed a pass at Milanello, as if to scold himself he shouted 'Zlataaaann'. Imagine what he was shouting at the others," Boateng said about his former teammate.

The Ghanaian has also previously played for Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04, Fiorentina, Sassuolo, Eintracht Frankfurt, Las Palmas, Portsmouth, Hertha Berlin and more recently Turkish side Besiktas.

It is "paramount" that Liverpool sign a central defender in the January transfer window after Joel Matip sustained another injury, says former star Jamie Carragher.

The Reds' defensive crisis worsened on Sunday when the 29-year-old was taken off in the second half of their 1-1 draw with West Brom.

The reigning Premier League champions are already without star defender Virgil van Dijk, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury in October, as well as Joe Gomez.

Although coach Jurgen Klopp has the likes of Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips to call on to partner Fabinho at the heart of the back line, Carragher feels the Reds must bring in extra cover as soon as possible.

He said on Sky Sports: "It's a massive worry, but it's not a new worry. Joel Matip will not play every game between now and the end of the season. We knew that even before the injury today, that's why it's paramount Liverpool sign somebody in January. I said that as soon as Virgil van Dijk had his injury against Everton.

"Fabinho's gone there and looked like a top-class centre-back in that position, so maybe people at the club felt the need wasn't as urgent. But Joel Matip is too injury prone, his body can't take the rigour of playing Premier League football week in, week out, we know that since he joined, he's a really good player.

"I still believe Liverpool are the best team in this league, even without Van Dijk and I think most people would say they're favourites to win the Premier League. The only way they don't win it is if they have problems at centre-back, where Rhys Williams or Nat Phillips have to play for a prolonged period of time.

"The odd game now and again, they've done fantastic, but I know, since that's the position I played, it's not really a position for young players as such. At times they will make mistakes as they're young players, they're learning.

"That's the only way that could cost Liverpool, and I don't necessarily mean bringing in a centre-back for £70-80 million like a Van Dijk type of signing, and not necessarily someone to go straight into the team. Just someone there so that Liverpool don't end up with two young lads at some stage for five or six weeks if Fabinho was to go down injured.

"At this moment, Liverpool have one senior centre-back who is available this season and he's injury prone, so they have to do something in January."

Liverpool now sit three points clear at the top of the Premier League after 15 matches and will face Newcastle on Wednesday in their last match of 2020.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Pep Guardiola were honoured at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, the duo named player and coach of the century respectively. 

Juventus forward Ronaldo picked up the award in person at a ceremony held at the Armani Hotel on Sunday, beating longtime rival Lionel Messi to the prize. 

The 35-year-old, who has won domestic league titles in Spain, England and Italy and Euro 2016 with Portugal, admitted his pride at receiving the accolade, given to the player judged the best between 2001 and 2020. 

"It's a pleasure to win titles," said Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, at the event. 

"It's not easy to be top of the game for so many years. I am really proud, but without a team, great coaches and clubs it is not possible." 

Ronaldo would also respond on Twitter , saying: "Couldn’t be happier with tonight’s award! As I’m about to celebrate my 20th year as a professional footballer, Globe Soccer Player Of The Century is a recognition that I receive with so much joy and pride!"

Guardiola was honoured for a managerial career which has seen him win league championships in Spain, Germany and England, as well as the Champions League twice.

The Manchester City boss was not present at the gala, though he accepted the award via a pre-recorded video message. 

Both Ronaldo and Messi missed out on the men's player of the year award for 2020, however, as that went to Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. 

Bayern's treble of the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal also saw boss Hansi Flick rewarded as coach of the year.  

Real Madrid were named the club of the century at the ceremony, while Bayern picked up the team award for 2020. 

Jorge Mendes was named agent of the year for 2020, winning the award alongside his longtime client Ronaldo.

The Globe Soccer Awards, founded in 2010, acknowledge excellence in football with an annual gala dinner and awards ceremony.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has conceded that West Brom deserved a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds dominated the first half to an outrageous degree and took the lead through Sadio Mane.

A second goal continued to elude the hosts and they were punished after the break as Semi Ajayi levelled for the guests.

“I don't think anyone can expect a team plays like West Brom in the first half, like a 6-4 [formation] or whatever it was. I thought we did OK,” the former Borussia Dortmund boss told Sky Sports . “Second half we didn't do the same again, they had like three counter attacks, too many corners. It is our fault and that is why it is only one point instead of three.

"It is an incredible challenge to stay active, to stay lively when you constantly face 10 men. To be fair, West Brom did their job inside 90 minutes.

“West Brom deserved the point tonight because we didn't finish the game. It is difficult to create. In the end everyone knows and feels we should have and could have done better tonight.

"They played different against Villa. Today, it was clear it would be defensive and over set pieces. When it clicks in the game, you cannot plan clicking you just have to work for it.”

Klopp admits that it is a fixture that the Anfield club will seek to put behind them.

“We played around, crossed the ball and instead of moving we didn't switch,” he said. “It is not a game we will talk about in 20 years but it is a game we have to play and we didn't play as we could.”

Liverpool continue to lead the standings, though their advantage to Everton is now just three points. Meanwhile, Manchester United and Manchester City can move within striking distance if they can win their respective fixtures in hand.

Klopp’s men, meanwhile, are back in action on Wednesday, when they will play their final match of 2020 against Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Following that, they will tackle Southampton on January 4 at St Mary’s.

Patrick Bamford has moved behind former Ghana striker Anthony Yeboah on Leeds United's list of players to have recorded 10 Premier League goals in the fewest appearances after scoring to ensure a 1-0 win over Burnley on Sunday.

The Englishman's fifth-minute strike at Elland Road has sent the Whites to 11th on the league table, six places above their matchday opponents.

The winning goal came in the fifth minute when the forward converted from the penalty spot, in Bamford's 15th league appearance of the season.

“I think that we defended brilliantly. We haven’t had to come up against too many teams like that, where they’ve tested our physical resolve with a different style of play,” Bamford said after the game, as reported by his club’s official website,

“I’ve been practising penalties all the time in training, it’s always been me and Klichy [Mateusz Andrzej Klich]. I took them last year until I missed, then it was Klichy until he missed, even though he scored.

“So I thought it was still his job, but he said ‘No, Pat it is yours today’, so I said thanks!  I think it is a good achievement [to get to 10 goals], I am really happy. I won’t stop now, there’s a lot of hard work to be done but it keeps me in touch with the top scorers.”

Former Australia striker Mark Viduka holds Leeds' record as the player who have scored 10 league goals in the fewest number of matches (nine), ahead of Yeboah, who achieved the feat in 14 outings.

Yeboah played for the Whites between 1995 and 1997, scoring 32 goals in 66 total appearances. 

The striker is famously remembered for his knack for great goals during his time at Elland Road, his strikes against Liverpool and Wimbledon during the 1995–96 season regularly featuring among the finest Premier League goals of all-time.

He joined the English side after a prolific five-year stint with German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt where he netted 68 times in 123 outings.

Yeboah, who played for Asante Kotoko, Kumasi Cornerstones and Okwahu United before travelling abroad, was also once on the books of FC Saarbrucken and Hamburg in Germany as well as Al-Ittihad in Qatar.

The 54-year-old scored 29 goals in about 59 outings for Ghana at international level. 

Naoufel Khacef was sent off in Tondela’s 2-0 loss to Nacional in Sunday’s Portuguese Primeira Liga showdown.

The former Algeria U23 defender was brought on as a replacement for Portuguese forward Salvador Agra in the 72nd minute, but he was given his marching orders 18 minutes later by referee Joao Bento.

The Gold and Greens’ ambition of claiming an away victory at Estadio da Madeira had suffered a massive setback after Brazil’s Bebeto was shown the way out in the first-half.

Ruben Micael put the hosts ahead in the first minute after beating Senegalese goalkeeper Babacar Niasse from close range thanks to an assist from Joao Vigario.

In the 68th minute, Brayan Riascos completed the triumph to help Luis Freire’s men to their third triumph of the 2020-21 campaign.

Struggling Tondela remain winless in their last four games across all competitions with their last victory a 1-0 away result versus Felgueiras 1932 in Taca de Portugal.

While Niasse was in action from start to finish, Guinea Bissau's Joao Mendes was brought on for Mario Gonzalez with 12 minutes left to play, while Algeria international who is on loan from Bordeaux, Abdel Medioub, was thrown into the fray for Yohan Tavares early in the second half.

Mauritania's Souleymane Anne saw every minute of action whereas Cape Verde's Telmo Arcanjo was not listed for the encounter by manager Francisco Ayestaran.

For Nacional, Tunisia's Larry Azouni was in action from start to finish with Cape Verde's Nuno Borges coming off for Nigeria's Abdullahi Alhassan in the 46th minute. Elsewhere, Mozambique’s Witi was not dressed for action.

Thanks to this result, the Nationalists, who now boasts of 13 points from 11 games, have now moved up to seventh on the log, while Tondela moved southward with just nine points from the same number of games to stay 17th.

Khacef will be missing in action when his team welcomes Famalicao to Estadio Joao Cardoso on January 3 as they aim to end their miserable run.

For Nacional, they travel to Estadio D. Afonso Henriques for a date with Vitoria de Guimaraes.

The Conquerors boast of Nigeria's Mikel Agu, South Africa's Lyle Foster, Ghana's quartet of Abdul Mumin, Gideon Mensah, Joseph Amoah, and Alhassan Wakaso, Mali's Gideon Mensah and Burkina Faso's Abou Ouattara.

Santos are disputing that Barcelona’s Lionel Messi now holds the world record for goals scored with a single club.

When Messi found the net against Valladolid for the Catalans in a 3-1 victory on Tuesday, it was widely accepted that his 644th strike for Barca eclipsed a mark set by Pele while turning out for the Brazilian side.

Santos, though, are claiming that goals scored in friendlies and exhibition matches should not be discounted and that the correct record remains Pele’s, which they state stands at 1091 goals.

In a lengthy statement published on the club’s official website, the Brazilians state: “The 448 goals which they are trying to omit today were scored against the top clubs from those seasons. Pele scored nine goals against each of Club America (Mexico) and Colo Colo (Chile). He also put eight past Inter Milan, one of the best European clubs in 1960.

“The list is immense and with big clubs: River Plate, Boca Juniors, Racing, Universidad de Chile, Real Madrid, Juventus, Lazio, Napoli, Benfica and Anderlecht. Barcelona themselves, where Messi plays, were also one of Pele's victims: four goals, scored in four games.

“The argument of some analysts is that many of these 448 goals scored in friendly matches were against weak opponents, like small teams or regional teams. Even so, the matches were played in official uniform with the official laws of the game and officially logged.

“We must remember that clubs could only play friendlies with the approval of the regional and national federations. That is one of the rules imposed by FIFA, the organiser of world football.

“Taking into account subjective attributes, like the strength of opponents, is not ideal for compiling statistical data. The numbers are absolute. A goal against Eibar is statistically the same as one scored versus Valencia. A goal against Transvaal (of Surinam) is worth the same as one scored against Real Madrid, in the middle of the Santiago Bernabeu.”

Pele, meanwhile, has already congratulated Messi on breaking his mark.

Messi will miss Barca’s last match of 2020 due to an ankle injury but is expected to return imminently as the Catalans look to make up an eight-point difference between themselves and table-topping pair Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.