Egypt's MSMEDA, Top 50 Women Forum sign protocol for Future Makers' Journey Initiative    Nile University president hails women's summit as platform for innovation, youth empowerment    Telecom Egypt chair calls for ethical framework to guide AI development    4th Egyptian Women Summit kicks off with focus on STEM, AI    Lead Woman Event Highlights Women's Leadership in Egypt's Energy Sector    Egypt's PM reviews major healthcare expansion plan with Nile Medical City    Deli Group breaks ground on new factory in 10th of Ramadan City    UN rejects Israeli claim of 'new Gaza border' as humanitarian crisis worsens    Egypt's Cabinet approves development of Nasser Institute into world-class medical hub    Egypt reports sharp drop in waste burning incidents during autumn 2025    Servier Egypt launches Tibsovo as first targeted therapy for IDH1-mutated cancers    UNESCO adds Egyptian Koshari to intangible cultural heritage list    Egyptian Cabinet prepares new data law and stricter fines to combat misinformation    Egypt's exports rise 28.2% in September 2025 as trade deficit narrows    UNESCO adds Egypt's national dish Koshary to intangible cultural heritage list    Egypt's Abdelatty urges rapid formation of Gaza stability force in call with Rubio    Blair dropped from US Gaza governance plan after Arab objections    Egypt calls for inclusive Nile Basin dialogue, warns against 'hostile rhetoric'    Egypt joins Japan-backed UHC Knowledge Hub to advance national health reforms    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Filmmakers, experts to discuss teen mental health at Cairo festival panel    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Messi pays tribute to Maradona in Barcelona's rout over Osasuna
Published in Ahram Online on 29 - 11 - 2020

Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona by stripping off his Barcelona top to reveal a shirt for the fallen Argentine great after he scored the final goal in a 4-0 rout of Osasuna on Sunday.
Messi celebrated his powerful strike from outside the box by taking off Barcelona's blue-and-burgundy to reveal the red-and-black of Maradona's shirt from his stint at Newell's Old Boys. Messi then blew a kiss with both hands to the sky as he looked upward.
``It was a great moment,'' said Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman. ``First, for the goal that Leo scored and then for the gesture he had for the death of Diego Maradona. He had surely been thinking of what he would do. For me, it was a great moment in every way.''
Messi played for Newell's before he joined Barcelona at age 13. Maradona played five matches for Newell's in 1994 near the end of his glorious playing career that made him a legend in his home country.
Messi had kept his head bowed during the minute of silence before kickoff in the Spanish league game at the empty Camp Nou for Maradona, who died of a heart attack on Wednesday at age 60. Maradona played for Barcelona from 1982-84.
``We have lost Diego, a world idol,'' Barcelona's Brazil forward Philippe Coutinho said. ``Everyone admired him and we will all miss him. (Messi's) tribute was beautiful.''
Coutinho also scored for Barcelona, along with Martin Braithwaite and Antoine Griezmann.
The win was only Barcelona's second in seven league matches. But the victory for Koeman's side may have come at the price of losing yet another defender.
Clement Lenglet hurt his lower right leg when it was unintentionally knocked by an Osasuna player in the second half. He had to be helped off by two team doctors. Barcelona was already without three other central defenders due to injury and right back Sergi Roberto.
Barcelona finished the match with midfielder Frenkie de Jong in the center of its defense alongside reserve team player Oscar Mingueza in his second game for the senior squad.
Koeman said it appears the injury to Lenglet is ``not serious'' but that he would undergo a medical exam on Monday.
Considered by many as the best of his generation of football players, Messi has been judged, especially back home, by how his career compares to that of Maradona.
Messi shares the lower center of gravity, the supreme dribbling skills and the ability to score eye-popping goals as Argentina's other great No. 10. But while his life focused on football and family has kept him well clear of the addictions that ruined Maradona's health, Messi has never been able to reproduce the 1986 World Cup trophy Maradona led his country to, coming closest in 2014 when a Messi-led Argentina lost in the final to Germany.
Messi's tribute to Maradona overshadowed a fine performance by Griezmann, the France forward who has been criticized for not reaching his potential at Barcelona.
Braithwaite scrambled in a rebound _ after Coutinho's attempt was saved by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera _ to open the scoring on the half-hour mark.
Griezmann doubled the lead three minutes before halftime when he volleyed a blistering strike from outside the area that left Herrera flat-footed and with no chance of stopping it.
Griezmann then passed up another scoring chance and opted to assist Coutinho to tap in the hosts' third goal in the 57th. Messi rounded it off with his strike from long range in the 73rd.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Clic here to read the story from its source.