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Maradona: He may not have everything, but don't criticise Messi
Jun 14, 2012 5:30:00 PM
The 1986 World Cup winner has warned critics of the mercurial star that he may never return to his homeland, and also compared him to a South American supermodel
| Bet: | Returns: | Espanyol £55.00 | Draw £45.00 | Barcelona £15.71 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Espanyol £55.00 | Draw £37.50 | Barcelona £16.20 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Espanyol £55.00 | Draw £42.00 | Barcelona £15.71 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Espanyol £60.00 | Draw £41.00 | Barcelona £15.30 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Espanyol £55.00 | Draw £40.00 | Barcelona £15.70 |
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Maradona compared the Barcelona ace's attributes with his own, as well as those of Brad Pitt and Argentine model Luciana Salazar, and warned that those ostracising the player back in his homeland risk losing his talent for good.
"[Messi does] do not have the leadership that I had, or the face of Brad Pitt or Salazar's ass, but he is Argentine and must be defended," he told reporters.
"If you keep breaking his balls he is going to stay in Barcelona and will not come again."
Maradona and and current club Al Wasl have hit the headlines in Dubai in recent weeks, after the Argentine decided to ban goalkeeper Majed Nasar for the whole of next season.
Nasar was sent off after hitting an opponent as his side lost the two-legged GCC Champions League final on penalties last Sunday.
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Live!
Champions League final - LIVE!
German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.
5:42 PM BST
Right, just over two hours to go until kick-off, so let's check in with our man Jay Jaffa, who says the atmosphere is already building at Wembley.
"Jurgen Klopp said in his pre-match press conference that were he to never make another Champions League final, he could die happy knowing that he took a team to the home of football - Wembley.
"And I can tell you as I look at the sea of yellow, black and red that fans of both sides feel similar - there are hordes of Dortmund and Bayern supporters already congregating around the national stadium, eagerly lapping up some late afternoon sun."
"Jurgen Klopp said in his pre-match press conference that were he to never make another Champions League final, he could die happy knowing that he took a team to the home of football - Wembley.
"And I can tell you as I look at the sea of yellow, black and red that fans of both sides feel similar - there are hordes of Dortmund and Bayern supporters already congregating around the national stadium, eagerly lapping up some late afternoon sun."
5:38 PM BST
It is this increasingly bitter rivalry between Bayern and Dortmund that almost guarantees fireworks at Wembley tonight, according to Bayern defender Dante, who spoke exclusively with Goal earlier this week.
5:34 PM BST
The aforementioned Gotze deal, and the way in which it was leaked to the press on the eve of Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg clash with Madrid, has only intensified the antipathy between the two clubs, while, as you can see from the photo below, the man at the centre of the transfer has inevitably been caught in the crossfire. This is all nothing new, of course. Bayern may have loaned a cash-strapped Dortmund money a decade ago but the pair have been locked in a vicious – but entertaining – war of words in the wake of die Schwarzgelben’s subsequent re-emergence as a major force, and Daniel Buse and Enis Koylu have catalogued the best quotes here.
5:23 PM BST
Right, still plenty of time to go until kick-off, so why not get involved in our Champions League quiz on Twitter? Here's one to start you off:
After tonight, how many Champions League/European Cup finals will Bayern Munich have played in?
After tonight, how many Champions League/European Cup finals will Bayern Munich have played in?
5:18 PM BST
Bayern, as already alluded to, are desperate to atone for defeat against Chelsea 12 months ago and one man who knows all about the agony and ecstasy of Champions League finals is former die Roten defender Samuel Kuffour. The Ghanaian beating the ground in fury after seeing his side concede twice in injury time at the end of the 1999 tournament decider against Manchester United remains one of the most memorable images in the competition’s history, so check out our exclusive interview with Kuffour, who would achieve redemption just two years later when Bayern edged out Valencia on penalties.
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