BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi is set to return from a two-month injury layoff after being cleared by Barcelona team doctors and included in the squad for the
Copa del Rey match against Getafe on Wednesday.
Custom Real Madrid Jersey . Messi hasnt played since tearing his left hamstring on Nov. 10, his fourth leg injury last
year. He returned to training with Barcelona last week after recovering in
Argentina. Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said Tuesday that Messi "feels fine"
but didnt reveal if the clubs all-time leading scorer will start or stay on the
bench. "Messi rehabbed well and has trained like the rest of the team," Martino
said. "Maybe he lacks some playing time, but with Leo I dont think that will be
a problem. "Messi gives us all a boost of confidence. With him at our side, we
all feel more secure." Martino said that if Messi plays he hopes he can repeat
his remarkable goal against Getafe in 2007, when he dribbled from his own half,
slaloming by a series of defenders, to net arguably his greatest goal. Barcelona
lost its only two games of the season without Messi, but it has managed to hold
onto a share of the Spanish league lead with Atletico Madrid. Barcelona hosts
Getafe in the first leg of the round of 16 before travelling to Atletico on
Saturday in one of the most highly anticipated league matches of the season. In
Messis absence, Pedro Rodriguez, Neymar and, most recently, Alexis Sanchez have
picked up the scoring slack. Pedro leads the team with 15 goals in all
competitions this season, one more than Messi. Martino left Xavi Hernandez, Dani
Alves and Marc Bartra off his squad for the Getafe match. He also confirmed that
backup goalkeeper Jose Pinto will continue to start in the Copa del Rey, as he
had under prior coaches Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova.
Mateo Kovacic Jersey .twitter.com/xBTpoAKLJk — Daryl Zerr (@darylzerr) May 29, 2014 @BarDown I give to you the @SquirrelsNCHL
aka the Fighting Squirels.
Marco Asensio Real Madrid Jersey . At a news conference ahead of Wednesdays game against Rennes, Blanc said he will sign a
new contract "when were champions," adding "its a matter of principle" not to
sign anything before the title has been won. ST. LOUIS -- Former World Series
MVP David Freese was traded by his hometown St. Louis Cardinals to the Los
Angeles Angels in a four-player deal Friday that reunites Albert Pujols with a
pair of ex-teammates. In a conference call with media, Freese said he got a
welcoming text from Pujols and responded with a reference to the 2011 World
Series: "Remember what we did the last time we played together? Lets go try to
do that again." Freese didnt think his drop-off in production last season had
anything to do with the pressure of being the "hometown kid." "Obviously, Im a
little sad closing this chapter, but Im extremely pumped about joining the
Angels," Freese said. "If it was going to go down, I wanted it to happen on a
team like the Angels." St. Louis obtained a new starting centre fielder in
Peter Bourjos, plus outfield prospect Randal Grichuk. The Cardinals also sent
reliever Fernando Salas to the Angels. "Overall, we just felt this was a very
compelling deal to make," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. Freeses
departure did not come as a surprise. "I definitely would look myself in the
mirror and say, Where am I going to be in March?" Freese said. "I was ready to
go anywhere. Im excited to get this going." The 30-year-old was the MVP of the
2011 NL championship series and the World Series, setting a major league record
with 21 post-season RBIs and hitting a game-ending, 11th-inning home run in Game
6. Freese injured his back chasing a foul ball into the stands during spring
training this year and never hit stride. He hit only .179 in this years
post-season, going 3-for-19 (.158) with no RBIs in the six-game loss to Boston
in the World Series. "David, growing up in St. Louis, this could not have been
the easiest place to play," Mozeliak said. "I do think he may be looking forward
to a fresh start. This was not an easy year for him." Freese batted .262 with
nine homers and 60 RBIs, a letdown from career bests of 20 homers, 79 RBIs and a
.293 average the previous year. Freese made $3.15 million and is eligible for
salary arbitration. "He knows how to drive in the important runs," Angels
general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "Thats something that really fits in our
lineup." The Angels were a match because they need a third baseman and Freese
didnt figure as the long-term solution at third for St. Louis. The Cardinals
will move second baseman Matt Carpenter to third, opening a position for former
top draft pick Kolten Wong. Wong batted just .153 in 32 games last fall and was
picked off first base to end Game 4 of the World Series against the Red Sox.
Mozeliak said that was just a "snapshot" of Wong, who batted .303 with 20 steals
in 21 chances at Triple-A Memphis. "It gives Wong a clear shot," Mozeliak said.
"I think hes going to hit." Pujols also played on the 20111 title team before
signing a $240 million, 10-year deal with the Angels.
Kiko Casilla Real Madrid Jersey. Bourjos said Pujols called him just before the start of a teleconference with St. Louis media
and Bourjos planned to call back later, adding, "Im going to pick his brain a
little bit more, but I cant wait." The trade adds about $4 million to the
payroll of the Angels, who have yet to add starting pitching. Jason Vargas left
this week for a $32 million, four-year contract with Kansas City. The Angels
havent had an accomplished third baseman since Chone Figgins left after the 2009
-- their last post-season appearance. Their outfield next season is likely to be
Josh Hamiliton in left, Trout in centre and Kole Calhoun in right. Coming off
their second World Series appearance in three years, the Cardinals have shed
more than $45 million in payroll with Chris Carpenter, Carlos Beltran,
Jake Westbrook, Rafael Furcal and Edward Mujica also off the books. The
28-year-old Salas had 24 saves in 2011, but did not have a major role in the
bullpen the last two years and spent part of 2013 in the minors. He was 0-3 with
a 4.50 ERA in 27 games last year. The 26-year-old Bourjos, who bumps Jon Jay to
the bench, was supposed to be the Angels everyday centre fielder last year after
Los Angeles allowed Torii Hunter to leave and traded Kendrys Morales. Trout was
moved to left to accommodate Bourjos, who is a better fielder. "We did juggle
some things around to make sure he got an opportunity, and it didnt play out the
way we hoped or the way he hoped," Dipoto said. Bourjos missed May with a
hamstring strain, then broke his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch in
Houston on June 29. He played just 55 games, said he was "getting real close" to
full strength. A career .251 hitter with speed, Bourjos stole 41 bases in 54
attempts and was among AL leaders with 11 triples, 17 bunt hits and 38 infield
hits in 2011. Allen Craig will move to right field next year, making room for
slugger Matt Adams at first base, with Matt Holliday in left field. Top prospect
Oscar Taveras is expected to make the team but without the pressure of starting
in centre field. The 22-year-old Grichuk was the 24th overall selection in the
2009 amateur draft, one ahead of Mike Trout, and starred at Double-A Arkansas
last season. Dipoto said Grichuk likely would have begun next season at the
Triple-A level. "Theres still some growing he needs to do at the plate, but
Randal has the upside to play at the major league level," Dipoto said. "I hope
he ends up a major league player." Grichuk had 57 extra-base hits, including a
team-leading 22 homers that ranked sixth in the Texas League. He batted leadoff
the majority of the time and made two errors in the outfield, playing centre and
right field. Grichuk has a .284 average with 61 homers and 259 RBIs in 433 minor
league games.
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