Lionel Messi was happy to win the Best FIFA Men’s Player award, but the superstar’s focus is now on helping Barcelona respond to a slow start to the La Liga season. The Argentinian
wizard claimed the prize, beating Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and Juventus star Cristiano
Ronaldo. It marked his first major individual honour since claiming his fifth Ballon d’Or in 2015
and the 32-year-old was pleased to land the award.
Meanwhile, Messi has said Barcelona cannot waste any more time and called for an
immediate reaction as they prepare for two key games this week. Barca host Villarreal at
Camp Nou on Tuesday and then travel to Getafe on Saturday having made their worst start to
a La Liga season in 25 years.
Beaten 2-0 by Granada at the weekend, Barca are eighth in the table with seven points from
five matches and have failed to win any of their four away games in all competitions since the
start of the campaign.
Messi is yet to start a game this season after injuring his calf in the summer. He returned as a
substitute in last week's goalless draw with Borussia Dortmund and also came off the bench
against Granada.Messi is set to start against Villarreal with coach Ernesto Valverde under increasing
pressure. Report gathered that some of the players have begun to lose confidence in him, but
on Monday, he played down the idea that his team are in crisis.
That’s the Sports Update. But before we bring you a recap, here is our soundbite for the
Midday News, where the CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, urged the public to embrace alternative dispute resolution ot free the court of unnecessary overstretchting of their hunman and material resources.
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