Ronald Koeman said Barcelona "can't aspire to much" without Lionel Messi after the Argentinian scored another landmark goal in Sunday's 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Messi was headline news earlier in the day when a report by El Mundo claimed the deal he signed at Camp Nou in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million.
He proved his worth to Barca with a fine free-kick midway through the first half - his 650th goal for the club - before Jordi Alba's own goal drew Athletic level early in the second half.
Antoine Griezmann secured all three points with the winner 16 minutes from time, though, to help Barca leapfrog Sevilla and Real Madrid into second in LaLiga, 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.
Head coach Koeman was less than impressed with the details of Messi's contract surfacing, but insists the saga did not provide any additional motivation for a player he believes is the world's best.
"We've known, for quite some time, that he's the best in the world," the former Netherlands coach told Movistar Plus.
"He's done a lot for the club. He's decisive during games. You have to respect everything he's done. He's a great player, he gives us creativity in attack. Without Leo, you can't aspire to much."
Koeman added, according to Marca: "He hasn't been more motivated today [because of the reports]. What's happened has been for bad intentions, to cause harm.
"We have to be united and focused. Things that are published have to be put to the side, but it's tough."
It seems unlikely that Barca will rein in Atletico, who can move 13 points clear if they win their game in hand, but Koeman says his improving side have no intention of giving up hope of claiming the title.
"The team is improving," Koeman added. "There's concentration, mentality. I'm not saying we didn't have that before, but we're growing in confidence.
"It's important to be second. We want to be as high as possible. The gap to the leaders is big but we have to keep going."
Griezmann's late winner maintained his superb record against Athletic.
The France international has now been involved in 15 goals against the Basque side (nine goals and six assists), more than he has achieved against any other team in the competition.
The former Atletico Madrid forward was pleased to overcome an obdurate opponent and had words of praise for Ousmane Dembele, whose fine pass played in Oscar Mingueza in the build-up to the winning goal.
Griezmann told Movistar Plus: "Sometimes you play and sometimes you don't but in the end we are all part of this and we need everyone. Ousmane is playing very well, he is taking good care of himself and we try to ensure that he is in the best condition."
Neymar has given the firmest indication yet that he will sign a new Paris Saint-Germain contract and urged Kylian Mbappe to make the same commitment.
Brazilian superstar Neymar joined after being bought out of his Barcelona contract for 222million Euros in 2017, making it the most expensive transfer in football history.
He has been repeatedly linked with a return to Spain, either at Barcelona or Real Madrid, but the prospects of such a move now appear remote as those clubs battle with the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Neymar and Mbappe, a player who has also been linked with both LaLiga giants, are contracted to PSG until the end of the 2021-22 season.
The Brazil forward has been unsettled in the past in Paris but now sees his future in the French capital, as he told TF1's Sept a Huit programme: "Yes, I'm very happy today.
"I feel happy. That's changed a lot. I couldn't say exactly why.
"I don't know if it's me or other things that have changed, but today I feel good. I've adapted, I feel more calm and I'm very happy here.
"I want to stay at PSG and I hope Kylian stays too. Of course, that's the wish of all the fans of Paris.
"We want PSG to be a great team. I want to continue what I've always done in Paris, play football and be happy."
His comments came in an interview conducted ahead of Sunday's shock 3-2 defeat to Lorient, in which Neymar scored two penalties.
That outcome gave new PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino a first defeat, and he will want his side to get back on track against Nimes on Wednesday before facing great rivals Marseille on Sunday.
If Neymar and Mbappe stay, and if rumours of a move for Lionel Messi come to fruition, then the Ligue 1 giants will have the most feared forward line in world football next season.
Since arriving at PSG in August 2017, Neymar has scored 53 goals and provided 29 assists in Ligue 1, while Mbappe has hit 78 league goals and registered 26 assists.
According to Neymar, his and Mbappe's connection could hardly be any closer.
"We have a relationship of brothers. Me, I'm the eldest. We really like playing together," said Neymar.
"I call him 'Golden Boy' because he's really golden. He has a huge heart. As a footballer, everyone knows what he's worth, but even off the pitch he's incredible."
Lionel Messi showed exactly why he was given a lucrative contract as his 650th Barcelona goal helped Ronald Koeman's side to a slender 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
A report by El Mundo claimed the deal Messi signed at Camp Nou in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million.
He demonstrated his value to this Barca team midway through the first half on Sunday with his 49th successful free-kick strike for the Catalan giants.
Jordi Alba put through his own net early in the second half to draw Athletic level, but Antoine Greizmann ensured Barca leapfrogged Sevilla and Real Madrid into second - 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid - with a close-range finish 16 minutes from time.
Unai Simon twice denied Barca inside the opening seven minutes, first pawing away Messi’s clipped effort from close range before diverting Griezmann’s powerful drive over the crossbar.
There was little the Athletic goalkeeper could do to deny Messi after 20 minutes, the Argentinian whipping a sumptuous free-kick into the top right corner from 25 yards.
Ronald Araujo fizzed an effort wide soon after, while Ousmane Dembele lashed over from a promising position shortly before the interval as Barca dominated.
Athletic drew level four minutes after the interval, however, as Alba turned Raul Garcia's left-wing cross into his own net under pressure from Oscar De Marcos at the back post.
Simon superbly kept out Miralem Pjanic's header shortly before the hour mark, while Griezmann nodded wide from Dembele's teasing cross.
The France international had the final say, though, sliding home Oscar Mingueza's low cross into the roof of Simon's net to seal a fourth consecutive win in all competitions for Barca.
Lionel Messi scored his 650th goal for Barcelona with a sumptuous free-kick against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
The Argentina international whipped a shot into goalkeeper Unai Simon's top-left corner from 25 yards midway through the first half to put Barca 1-0 up in their LaLiga clash at Camp Nou.
Messi was in the headlines earlier in the day when leaked details of his eye-watering contract emerged.
A report by El Mundo claimed the deal Messi signed in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner scored his first goal for Barca in May 2005 at the age of 17, beautifully lobbing Albacete goalkeeper Raul Valbuena.
He has gone on to become far and away the club's record scorer, overtaking Cesar Rodriguez's previous mark of 232 in 2012.
Mauricio Pochettino gave a damning assessment of Paris Saint-Germain's 3-2 Ligue 1 defeat at Lorient, declaring the performance to be "an accident".
PSG had the chance to return to the top of the table on Sunday and were on course to do so after a Neymar penalty in either half overturned Laurent Abergel's opener.
But Yoane Wissa netted a superb solo strike in the 80th minute before fellow substitute Terem Moffi streamed into the PSG half unchallenged to seal the points after an injury-time breakaway.
"We never got into the rhythm of the match, except when we managed to score the goal for 2-1," Pochettino told reporters.
"We are really sad with the result. We were too slow in the game, we gave Lorient too many options. We wanted to do something else but we did not succeed."
The defeat was PSG's first since Pochettino was appointed as Thomas Tuchel's successor at the Parc des Princes and the former Tottenham boss conceded there is plenty of work ahead as he tries to shape the team to his specifications.
"It is a problem of collective coordination," he said. "At 2-2, we wanted to go for the victory, which caused disorganisation and ended in our defeat.
"We are constantly looking to improve, to work. It's an accident, like can happen in football. We hope to be better in the next game."
PSG's central midfield two of Leandro Paredes and Danilo Pereira struggled to stamp their authority on the contest despite completing 92.2 and 95.5 per cent of their respective passes.
Marco Verratti was unavailable after testing positive for coronavirus but Pochettino refused to cite the Italy international's absence in mitigation
"Of course Marco is an important element, but you have to know how to play without certain players," he added. "It shouldn't be an excuse."
Lille subsequently beat Dijon 1-0 to move three points clear of PSG at the top, with Pochettino's side down in third behind Lyon.
Luis Suarez scored a set-piece double as Atletico Madrid saw off Cadiz 4-2 to move 10 points clear at the LaLiga summit.
Real Madrid's shock 2-1 loss to Levante on Saturday provided Atleti with a chance to extend their lead at the top and they did exactly that with victory at Estadio Ramon de Carranza.
Diego Simeone's men had trailed in their last two outings, though Suarez opened the scoring with a sublime free-kick in Sunday's clash before Alvaro Negredo equalised.
Saul Niguez's flicked finish and Suarez's penalty gave Atleti some breathing space and, while Negredo's second of the day did make things interesting, Koke finished smartly late on to make certain of an eighth league win in a row.
Anthony Lozano glanced wide from a promising Cadiz opportunity and, less than three minutes later, Suarez sent a 28-yard free-kick up and over the wall and into the left corner to give Atleti the lead.
Cadiz were level almost instantly thanks to Negredo, who curled a fine finish beyond Jan Oblak after the ball had ricocheted into his path off Thomas Lemar.
The visitors had won only one of their last eight league games prior to Sunday and it did not take Saul long to restore Atleti's lead with a rather fortunate goal.
Lemar sent in a cross from the right and Saul stuck out a leg, seemingly in an attempt to help the ball on, but instead succeeding in sending it looping over Jeremias Ledesma.
Atleti survived another scare before half-time when a penalty initially awarded for handball against Koke was overturned by VAR due to the midfielder's arm being on the ground when contact was made.
That proved a big moment as Simeone's side converted a penalty of their own through Suarez five minutes into the second half after Marcos Mauro brought down Lemar.
Suarez blazed over when on for a hat-trick and that nearly proved costly as Atletico failed to deal with a ball into the box and Negredo scrambled past Oblak to give Cadiz hope.
Oblak then had to be alert to keep out Negredo's header, but the next goal went Atletico's way, substitute Angel Correa exchanging passes with Marcos Llorente and squaring for Koke to round off the scoring.
Arsenal defender William Saliba admits he was "hurt" after not being given first-team opportunities following his move from Saint-Etienne.
The 19-year-old arrived at the Emirates Stadium in July 2019 for a reported £27million (€29.7m) fee and was loaned back to Saint-Etienne for the 2019-20 campaign.
He returned to the Gunners ahead of this season and was expected to become part of manager Mikel Arteta's plans after a possible second loan back to Saint-Etienne failed to materialise in October.
However, the France youth international did not make a senior appearance for the Premier League club and was loaned to Nice earlier this month.
Saliba made his fifth appearance for the Ligue 1 outfit in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to his former club Saint-Etienne.
Despite the result he had an impact at the heart of the backline, making more successful passes (58) and clearances (five) than any other Nice player.
He also gained possession seven times, the joint second-highest of any player on the pitch.
Saliba has opened up on his frustration with life at Arsenal and feels strongly he should have been given a chance to impress in the first team.
"I really, really, really didn't think that I would be transferred for almost €30m," he told TF1.
"To think that I would arrive, where people were expecting a lot from me, the fans were excited about me and you find yourself in the reserves, playing zero – nothing in the Europa League or the Premier League.
"I was in the squad once in the EFL Cup. It hurt me, it affected me. I don't think I left too early. When you feel ready you have to go. These things happen. I believe in myself."
While Saliba is enjoying playing first-team football again at Nice, he insists he is not thinking about where he will be next season.
"I have learned now that it is better not to look too far in the future," he added. "I am focused on just these six months to try to give absolutely everything and for the rest we will see.
"For me, the best decision was to join Nice because there is a good project, a good team, a good level of ambition and they like to play in a certain way.
"It feels good to play and to have consistent game time. I am young, I am 19, and it is by playing matches like this that you improve.
"You see what mistakes you make and you correct them for the next match."
Neymar converted a penalty in each half but Paris Saint-Germain collapsed to a sensational 3-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Lorient in Ligue 1
Mauricio Pochettino's first loss as head coach means PSG missed out on the chance to return to the top of Ligue 1 in place of Lyon after sub Terem Moffi broke clear to net a stoppage-time winner.
Lorient were the better team before half-time and led through Laurent Abergel's first goal in almost a year
However, a tale of woe then unfolded for Houboulang Mendes, who conceded 45th and 58th-minute penalties, from which Neymar made no mistake.
Yoane Wissa replaced the embattled right wing-back soon afterwards and levelled with a fine solo effort before fellow sub Moffi snatched glory.
Lionel Messi's contract details becoming public knowledge was not the fault of Barcelona, the LaLiga club have claimed.
A report by El Mundo claimed the deal Messi signed at Camp Nou in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million over the course of four years.
That would mean the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is in possession of the most lucrative contract in sports history - something that jars against Barcelona's worsening financial plight.
Accounts for the 2019-20 season showed the club's gross debt had reached €820m as the coronavirus pandemic began to take a considerable toll on their finances.
A fractious presidential election is set to conclude in March, with a strained relationship between Messi and the former board, headed by ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu, having played a part in the superstar forward sensationally trying to force a transfer away from Barcelona last August.
In that context, Barca moved quickly on Sunday to offer assurances to their captain and pledged to take legal action against El Mundo.
"In view of the information published today in the newspaper El Mundo, in relation to the professional contract signed between FC Barcelona and the player Lionel Messi, the club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties," a statement read.
"FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.
"FC Barcelona expresses its absolute support for Lionel Messi, especially in the face of any attempt to discredit his image, and to damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history."
Barcelona return to action on Sunday at home to Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga, where they remain 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid despite a run of four consecutive top-flight wins.
Messi, who was red carded for the first time in his Barca career against Athletic earlier this month, has contributed 15 goals and four assists in all competitions in 2020-21.
Klay Thompson described his pain at missing another season due to injury as he saw the Golden State Warriors beat the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center.
Three-time champion Thompson, who has spent his entire career with Golden State, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2019 NBA Finals.
The five-time All-Star subsequently sat out the 2019-20 campaign as the Warriors struggled badly, but the team were set for another run this year.
However, their hopes were hampered by another major setback for Thompson, who suffered an Achilles injury ahead of the season that will keep him out for a further year.
The Warriors have stayed competitive so far in 2020-21, carried by superstar Steph Curry, who has averaged 27.7 points and leads the league in total points with 554.
Golden State moved to 11-9 – good enough for eighth in the West – with their 118-91 defeat of Detroit but are still missing Thompson.
The 30-year-old averaged 21.5 points per game between the start of the 2014-15 season and his first big injury in 2019. The Warriors' next best scorer after Curry this year is Andrew Wiggins on 17.9.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his Achilles blow as part of the NBC Bay Area broadcast team on Saturday, Thompson said: "I'm living good.
"[It is nice] to be back in the building that I'm so eagerly awaiting to play in. I'm just a little bored at times.
"Stuff's slow with trying to let my Achilles heal and get to the next stage, which is mobility work, but I'm feeling good. I'm happy to be with my team-mates, obviously.
"Unfortunately, I'm not playing. It kills me every day, but I plan on playing for a long time, and I don't want to have any mishaps come this rehab."
Thompson watched Curry contribute 28 points against the Pistons, comfortably securing victory to end the week on a high.
Golden State had back-to-back wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves but then lost heavily to the Phoenix Suns prior to the Detroit game.
Coach Steve Kerr said: "I thought we were on edge in a good way. The other night we were embarrassed. We got away from who we are."
Melbourne City missed out on the chance to pull level with the early A-League leaders as they crashed to a 3-1 home defeat against Perth Glory.
Daniel Stynes gave the Glory an early lead courtesy of a deflected effort, although Jamie Maclaren levelled in the 33rd minute when Craig Noone's shot came back off the post.
Dane Ingham headed Perth back in front before the break and another set-piece goal six minutes from time by Nicholas D'Agostino - both of which were assisted by former City midfielder Neil Kilkenny - sealed the points.
Richard Garcia's side are level with Melbourne City on six points after bouncing back from two consecutive defeats.
Wellington Phoenix claimed their first win of the campaign at the fourth attempt thanks to Jaushua Sotirio sealing a late 2-1 triumph at Central Coast Mariners.
Ulises Davila drilled home a crisp left-footed strike after 15 minutes at a soggy Central Coast Stadium, but Alou Kuol nodded in Daniel De Silva's left-wing corner to ensure it was all square at half-time.
The Mariners looked to be on course for the point that would have edged them above Brisbane Roar at the top of the standings, albeit having played a game more.
Sotirio showed he had other ideas when he caught the home defence napping on the end of Alex Rufer's chipped pass and produced a cool finish.
LeBron James compared his achievements with the Los Angeles Lakers to Tom Brady's early success at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the legendary quarterback prepares for his latest Super Bowl appearance.
James, a four-time champion and four-time MVP in the NBA, led the Lakers to the title last year in just his second season in LA.
Meanwhile, Brady is in his first year in Tampa Bay, having ended a glittering career with the New England Patriots, and has taken the Bucs to next week's big game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
James turned 36 last month but is still averaging an impressive 25.2 points per game in 2020-21, a mark he has not dipped below since his rookie season in 2003-04.
Meanwhile, Brady – a three-time NFL MVP chasing a seventh championship – is now 43 yet ended the regular season with 40 touchdowns, the second best return of his career, and a passer rating of 102.2.
Neither man shows signs of slowing and James was asked on Saturday what he made of the continued excellence of a fellow sporting great.
"It doesn't do anything for me as far as what I do in my profession, but it does let me know – lets both of us know – that we can still play this game at a high level," James said after the Lakers' 96-95 win at the Boston Celtics.
"No matter how many miles, how many games, no matter how many dollars, no matter the statistics – in our respective professions, at our age, we can still dominate our sport.
"Also we can bring together groups that we may have not been around for long periods of time.
"It's our professionalism, how we attack the sport, how we attack every single day of being a professional, wanting to win every single day – in practice, on the film, in games, and so on and so on.
"We gravitate towards people and people gravitate towards us because we have one common goal and that's to win and to win at the highest level."
James had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against the Celtics, ending the Lakers' first two-game losing streak of the season with his 854th career win – outright eighth on the all-time list.
"We didn't want to lose one and we lost two in a row, Philly and Detroit," he said, with the Lakers at Atlanta next in the final game of a seven-game road trip.
"We understood we were coming into a hostile environment and we know how good this team is.
"We'd have to play good basketball in order to win and we were able to win one possession more than they did."
Those fine margins came as Kemba Walker missed a game-winning chance for the Celtics in the final seconds, capping a dismal night on which he shot 1-of-12 from the field and 0-of-5 from three.
Walker scored only four points in just over 28 minutes; it was the seventh time in his career he had scored no more than four points in at least 28 minutes in the regular season.
"I thought I had a good look [on the final shot] but I struggled all game shooting the basketball," Walker said.
He added: "It's more mental, I think. I'm trying my hardest not to get frustrated but I thought tonight I got frustrated at myself and it put me in a bad place.
"I'm not the type of player to get frustrated – I'm always smiling and I wasn't that tonight. I got into my own head and, mentally, I hurt myself.
"I can't do that to this team. These guys look to me, especially when things are going tough. I can't put my head down and not mentally be engaged in the game like I was tonight."
Damian Lillard conceded his ambitious streak took over when he sunk a sensational buzzer-beater to snatch victory for the Portland Trail Blazers over the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls were leading 122-117 when Lillard hit a 37-foot three pointer with 8.9 seconds left before Gary Trent Jr won a jump ball that ended up in the star point guard's hands.
From there, Lillard drilled a superb step-back three, his eighth successful attempt from range to conclude a 44-point haul – the 35th 40-point game of his career.
"I knew they were going to try and deny me and be real physical so I just popped back towards half court," Lillard said.
"I just wanted to get a clean look. If I missed it, that probably would have been game, but it had been feeling good coming off my hands all night and I made that one.
"In these situations I usually look up at the clock and I get real ambitious - how can I help our team get out of this situation?
"A lot of times it doesn't work out but today it worked out."
Trent certainly feels Lillard is playing down his vaunted capacity to make clutch shots.
"This is what he does. Nobody is surprised in a sense," he said.
"He makes big-time shits. He's done this time after time after time.
"So at this point… it's just I know it was going in when he shot it."
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Blazers coach Terry Stotts insisted there was little credit he could share with man-of-the-moment Lillard.
"It's innate. It's God-given," he said. "He's born with it, and you can't teach it."
Lionel Messi's Barcelona contract is the biggest in the history of sport, landing the superstar forward more than €555million over four years.
That is the astonishing claim made by El Mundo, with the Spanish newspaper reporting on Sunday that it had obtained details of the deal signed by the 33-year-old in 2017.
The mega-money agreement, which expires in June this year, would see Messi receive up to €555,237,619 across four seasons, providing a number of conditions are met.
Messi was at the centre of a major transfer storm when he attempted to force a move away from Camp Nou last August, but was left frustrated when Barca refused to sanction an exit.
Amid a fraught presidential election campaign, it has remained apparent that all is not well at the Catalan club, whose financial worries are cast in a fresh light after El Mundo's stunning front-page revelations, with the outlet claiming to have laid hands on a copy of "the most sought-after document".
In addition to annual earnings in excess of €138m – dependent on some variables – the report says Messi received a renewal fee of over €115m, and a loyalty bonus just shy of €78m.
The Argentina international, who also rakes in millions in image rights, is said to have earned more than €500m from the eye-watering deal so far.
Barca's accounts for the 2019-20 season showed gross debt had reached €820m, with the coronavirus pandemic having further dented their outlook.
Against the backdrop of those financial woes, Messi's desire to leave, and with a fractious presidential election not due to be concluded until March, Barca are still off the pace in LaLiga despite a run of four consecutive top-flight wins.
Ronald Koeman's side are 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid ahead of Sunday's visit of Athletic Bilbao.
Messi, who was red carded for the first time in his career earlier this month, has contributed 15 goals in all competitions.
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