Barcelona Stars Dominate UEFA Team Of The Year

UEFA team of the year 2015: Manuel Neuer, Dani Alves, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, David Alaba, Andres Iniesta, Paul Pogba, James Rodriguez, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar. “He deserves it because the team won another Treble.” said former Barcelona player Thierry Henry to FC Barcelona’s offical website when asked about Leo Messi’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year.

Having guided the club to five trophies in 2015, Luis Enrique is well placed to win the FIFA Coach of the Year award on the same evening. It all got too much for Ronaldo two years ago and there were tears.

A last ditch tackle from Doria denied Turan as he break through the middle before Messi doubled his and Barcelona’s tally.

But after news that predecessor Pep Guardiola and the Bayern Munich squad will not be in attendance, the current Barca boss confirmed he would also not spend time with his fellow footballing luminaries.

Despite his no-show in Zurich, Enrique used his post-match press conference to push the case for Messi to pick up his fifth Player of the Year honour. As long as Messi remembers to acknowledge Neymar’s influence in his winner’s speech, which he would most definitely do, both South American stars should celebrate together.

The hosts should have been much further clear by half-time than 2-0 as Suarez inexplicably fired wide with the goal at his mercy after a neat one-two with Neymar.

“It is the personality that a world number one has”.

Meanwhile, Granada continues to be a minnow in the Spanish Premier league, and their 85-year drought at Camp Nou continues.

It was Messi’s 33rd career hat trick.

Oh yes. Messi and Ronaldo have split the award between them every year since 2008, with Messi winning four times and Ronaldo winning three.

But the diminutive Argentine had his shooting boots with him at the Nou Camp Saturday to ensure there would be no repeat failure to score against one of La Liga’s lesser lights.

Leaked documents making the rounds on social media suggest that Lionel Messi is the victor of next week’s Ballon d’Or gala.

US coach Jill Ellis is strongly favored to win the women’s team coach award ahead of Mark Sampson, who led England to third place, and Norio Sasaki, who took the 2011 award after Japan won the previous World Cup. There is no science for producing phenomenal once-in-a-generation talents, and at the very peak of the elite many tiny factors are at play in the emergence of a Messi or a Ronaldo.