Barcelona fullback Dani Alves: Messi hat-trick should end Ballon d’Or debate
Dani Alves believes Lionel Messi's hat-trick last night should end any debate over the Barcelona star winning the Ballon d'Or this week.
Many have questioned Messi's victory, but the Argie put the controversy aside to fire home a treble in Barca's Copa thrashing of Real Betis.
"With today's match Messi has settled any debate or controversy," declared Barca fullback Alves.
"Anyone who has won the Ballon d'Or deserves it, but Leo is better than others."
Alves played down his first-half clash with Gerard Pique.
"Gerard thought I was complaining about teammates, but I was talking about the referee. Hot flashes occur with very tense games, but we have solved things and everything is calm."
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat May 12th | |||
| Real Sociedad | Valencia | 18:00 | |
| Real Betis | Barcelona | 2 - 2 | 20:00 |
| Sun May 13th | |||
| Levante | Athletic Club | 18:00 | |
| Racing Santander | Osasuna | 2 - 4 | 18:00 |
| Real Madrid | Mallorca | 4 - 1 | 18:00 |
| Málaga | Sporting Gijón | 18:00 | |
| Rayo Vallecano | Granada | 18:00 | |
| Villarreal | Atlético Madrid | - 1 | 18:00 |
| Getafe | Real Zaragoza | - 2 | 18:00 |
| Espanyol | Sevilla | 1 - 1 | 18:00 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 38 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 89 | 100 |
| Barcelona | 38 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 85 | 91 |
| Valencia | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 61 |
| Malaga | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 58 |
| Atletico Madrid | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 56 |
| Levante | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 55 |
| Osasuna | 38 | 13 | 15 | 10 | -17 | 54 |
| Mallorca | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 52 |
| Sevilla | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 50 |
| Athletic Club | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | -3 | 49 |
| Getafe | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -11 | 47 |
| Real Sociedad | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -6 | 47 |
| Real Betis | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 47 |
| Espanyol | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | -10 | 46 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 38 | 13 | 4 | 21 | -20 | 43 |
| Real Zaragoza | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | -25 | 43 |
| Granada | 38 | 12 | 6 | 20 | -21 | 42 |
| Villarreal | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | -14 | 41 |
| Sporting Gijon | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | -27 | 37 |
| Racing Santander | 38 | 4 | 15 | 19 | -35 | 27 |
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Comments (16)
What a player just fantastic he can score when he wonts apsulute mind blowing
Umbelieeble player no uther like him love watching him play class act love to meet him
I agree that Messi is best with Barca, because it is a system that suites him, one that he has grown up with. He is the first to admit that, and always offers much credit to his Barca teammates. But I grow tired of the argument that a superstar has to play in several leagues to have talent. Messi's loyality and ability to play within the system is what makes him so great. Ultimately, the Ballon d'Or isn't a game of "what if's"... it simply asks who performed the best the last year. Messi. Could he have performed better in his own standards? Probably. Would he have been challenged on another team? Possibly. But who performed the best last year? Messi.
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Again, take nothing away from Xavi and Sneijder; they are fantastic players (I was personally hoping Xavi would win). But that doesn't change the fact that Messi is the world's best and a workhorse in his own right.
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