BARCELONA — Lionel Messi, who lost his World Player of the Year crown to Cristiano Ronaldo this week, has failed to make the Team of the Year picked by users of European soccer governing body UEFA's website. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo were picked as forwards in the team which was dominated by players from the Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga. Arsenal's Mesut Ozil was the only current Premier League player to make the line-up and there were none at all from Italy's Serie A. UEFA said that 6.3 million people cast votes in the poll on its website. Real Madrid and Portugal forward Ronaldo was included for a record seventh successive year and Paris St Germain's Brazilian Thiago Silva was the only non-European. Team: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich and Germany); Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid and Spain), Thiago Silva (Paris St Germain and Brazil), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich and Germany), David Alaba (Bayern Munich and Austria); Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund and Germany) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid/Arsenal and Germany), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur/Real Madrid and Wales), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich and France); Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St Germain and Sweden) Messi ready for return to Barca starting line-up Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino could put Lionel Messi back into the starting lineup for the King's Cup game against Getafe on Thursday as he continues to ease him back from injury. The Argentine forward suffered a series of hamstring strains last year and Barca have tried to ensure he is not only fit, but strong enough to be a decisive influence in the key games towards the end of the season. He was introduced as a substitute for the top-of-the-table clash against Atletico Madrid on Saturday which ended in a 0-0 draw. Now, with Barca leading 4-0 from their home leg in the King's Cup Last 16 tie against Getafe, Martino believes it would be a good moment to give the four-times World Player of the Year a longer run-out. "We have obviously talked it over and I have asked him how he feels," he told a news conference on Wednesday. "The situation is now different from last week as he has had a serious of solid training sessions. He is looking strong in training and now he has more possibilities to start because he has more possibilities to be able to finish the match," Martino added. "It would not be wise to put Messi or any other player at risk and we don't think there is a risk. We are trying to create the situation so that when he starts that he is in top condition. "In the last two games he has come in during the second half and he has looked strong. This is a good opportunity but we will decide if it is right for him to start." Barca travel without the injured Andres Iniesta while Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are rested and have remained behind in Catalonia. "The aim is to be well placed at the end of the season and clearly at Barcelona it is necessary to have titles because Barca has done it year after year," Martino said. "Coaches plan ahead and I think we are doing well. There is a lot to learn at the club with the players, other people at the club and what Barca means (as an institution)." "We have footballers with a lot of ability who are capable of winning matches in different types of circumstances. Above all they have never tired of winning and keep going. If you have players like that then your aims are a lot easier."
Messi leads ad campaign that includes WCup rivals Lionel Messi is teaming up with a slew of World Cup rivals for a global advertising campaign. The Argentina forward is working with rivals including Brazil defender David Luiz, Netherlands forward Robin van Persie and Belgium defender Vincent Kompany in the advertising campaign for Pepsi. Others involved in the campaign include England forward Jack Wilshere, Spain defender Sergio Ramos and United States forward Clint Dempsey. The World Cup is one of the biggest occasions for advertisers to reach a global audience and has made it one of the most coveted sporting events for companies to link their brand to. — Agencies
