The records continue to tumble for Barcelona, who finished the first half of the season with the highest ever points total in La Liga.
However, talisman Lionel Messi is still not taking the league for granted as they prepare to take on Real Sociedad today.
Their remarkable total of 55 points from a possible 57 is three more than Pep Guardiola’s Barca side managed in the 2010-2011 season after 19 games and gives them an 11-point lead over Atletico Madrid while Real Madrid languish a mighty 18 points adrift.
Photo: AFP
On a personal level, Messi has scored an unrivaled 28 goals in the first half of this campaign and he faces Sociedad knowing that another goal would see him equal the Barca record of scoring in 10 consecutive games, set by Ronaldo in the 1996-1997 season and Mariano Martin, in the 1942-1943 campaign.
“We are in a strong position in the league with the advantage we have, but we cannot ease off. There is Atletico who are a strong side and then Real Madrid cannot be forgotten as they will fight to the end,” Messi said. “There is a long way to go, but we are confident and our aim is to maintain the same level although we know it won’t be easy for us.”
David Villa is expected to miss the trip to San Sebastian through injury and so Messi is again set to play alongside Pedro Rodriguez and Andres Iniesta as Alexis Sanchez struggles for form.
Photo: AFP
The Chilean was booed by sections of the crowd as a weakened Barca drew 2-2 with Malaga in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Wednesday night.
Real Madrid avoided any hiccups with a 2-0 win over Valencia, but tension remains in the camp as was shown by an argument between Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the match.
One of the main questions now is who will be in goal as Madrid face Valencia again in the league, with Spain international Iker Casillas having been replaced by Antonio Adan before Adan was suspended.
“There are a lot of opinions going around and I’m not getting involved in that. All I can say is that I will work hard and the coach will decide. I have no idea who will be picked,” Adan said.
Atletico face a clash with Levante while Real Betis Balompie, surprisingly occupying the fourth Champions League slot after a bright start, take on Athletic Bilbao.
Malaga will look to build on their performance against Barcelona with the visit of RC Celta de Vigo while Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, level on 31 points, play Granada.
At the other end of the table the bottom two, CA Osasuna and RC Deportivo de la Coruna, go head-to-head and RCD Mallorca above them face a rejuvenated RCD Espanyol.
Elsewhere, Sevilla with new boss Unai Emery face Getafe and Real Valladolid take on Real Zaragoza.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was