The Spanish football headlines from Wednesday, December 23rd
Pedri achieves the impossible – speaking the same language as Lionel Messi
Barcelona won 3-0 at Real Valladolid yesterday evening and Lionel Messi was once again Lionel Messi.
He’ll never be the player he was at his peak again but even so, he still has it in his locker to be absolutely remarkable.
The Argentine earned an assist, a pivotal pre-assist and a 644th Barcelona goal that broke Pele‘s record for the most goals scored by a player for a single club.
Even more significant for Barcelona, however, was the fact that teenager Pedri was on the same wavelength as him as per Marca.
They spoke the same language and Messi visibly enjoyed playing with the boy from the Canary Islands, a feat many world-class stars have been unable to do. Pedri’s connection with his captain matures and deepens every game.
His delightful backheel to set up Messi’s goal will have delighted watching Barcelona supporters like nothing else this year.
Read more here.
Roberto Soldado: “Over time you appreciate the past of having coincided with Los Galacticos”
Granada striker Roberto Soldado has spoken with Diario AS of his pride at being part of Real Madrid during the most star-studded time in their history, the 2000s.
The Valencian played for the first team between 2005 and 2008 and said “it was amazing to share a dressing room with [Los Galacticos], something you value as time goes by.”
Soldado is also proud to be a part of his current team, high-flying Granada.
The Andalusian side earned promotion to the Primera in 2019 and have taken the division by storm ever since, even earning qualification for the last 32 of this season’s Europa League.
“It’s a pride to have coincided with this team and, above all, with this group of great professionals.
“Last year was historic and unrepeatable. We really enjoyed ourselves. This year everything is going to be much more difficult because many teams already know us, but we are a team that makes no excuses.
“Nobody is going to give us anything and we must go to the limit to have a year as successful as the last.”
Read more here.
Messi goes to Argentina: “I never thought I would break any record”
Messi celebrated earning his latest record, surpassing Pele’s goal tally for a single club thanks to his 644th goal in Blaugrana, with a post on Instagram as noted by Mundo Deportivo.
The Argentine uploaded an image intertwining a picture of him as a youth with a more recent photograph, writing that “when I started playing soccer I never thought I would break any record, even less the one I achieved today to surpass Pele.
“I can only thank everyone who helped me over the years – my teammates, my family, my friends and everyone who supports me every day.”
Messi left for Argentina after the game, with a private jet waiting for him in Valladolid post-game.
The playmaker is scheduled to return to Catalonia with his family on the 27th to prepare for the clash with Eibar on the 29th.
Read more here.
