Lionel Messi is the world s best player because he is always a step ahead of everyone else , according to Inter striker Lautaro Martinez. 

Martinez had been tipped to join his compatriot at Barcelona during the transfer window, but the Catalans were unable to strike a deal with the Nerazzurri even after Messi had ended his attempt to leave Camp Nou. 

Still, Messi and Martinez have played together for Argentina since the latter made his international debut back in 2018. 

The 23-year-old says he always tries to learn from the six-time Ballon d Or winner – a player he claims understands football on a different level to his contemporaries. 

I know Leo more from the times we ve been team-mates for the Argentina national team rather than from havin…

Robbie Kruse scored his first A-League goal since 2011 to fire Melbourne Victory to a 1-0 win over Perth Glory that lifts them above their opponents into sixth.

Kruse, making his first start since rejoining the club in July after eight years away, tapped in from a few yards out with 33 minutes played for what proved to be the only goal of Friday s game at AAMI Park.

Neil Kilkenny went close with a long-range attempt, but Kruse soon found a way through up the other end after being teed up by Andrew Nabbout.

Glory had lost just one of their last 18 away league matches and nearly kept that record intact as Bruno Fornaroli rattled the post five minutes into the second half.

A good chance also came and went for Alex Grant, whose looping header skimmed the cr…

Eastleigh earned a vital point in their National League survival bid as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Hartlepool.

Hartlepool took the lead in the 19th minute when Joe Grey rounded off a well-worked team move by slotting home from inside the box.

Eastleigh had a chance to get on level terms with 13 minutes to play when they were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the area.

Chris Maguire, who joined Hartlepool on a short-term contract in 2022 but was not allowed to play due to a Football Association betting charge, made no mistake from the spot and slid it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1 and leave them three points above the drop zone.

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Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is better now than he was 10 to 12 years ago following his match-winning display for Milan.

Ibrahimovic scored twice as Milan returned to the top of the Serie A standings with a 3-1 win over 10-man Napoli on Sunday.

Evergreen Milan star Ibrahimovic became the oldest player to score at least 10 goals in the first eight Serie A matchdays, the 39-year-old surpassing Lazio s Silvio Piola (29 years old in 1942-43) for the record.

Ibrahimovic – who struck in the 20th and 54th minutes before hobbling off – also matched Gunnar Nordahl for second-most Serie A goals from the first eight games played of a season by a Milan player, only adrift of Marco Van Basten (12 in 1992-93).

10 Zlatan is the olde…

Liverpool registered a historic win in their seven-goal blitz of Crystal Palace and the records of an unwanted kind kept coming for Arsenal in their defeat to Everton.

The reigning Premier League champions opened up a five-point lead at the top, with Merseyside rivals Everton their closest challengers after beating an Arsenal side slipping further into the abyss with each passing game.

Manchester City also got back to winning ways thanks to a Raheem Sterling-inspired success at Southampton, while Newcastle United and Fulham played out a draw at St James Park in the late kick-off.

Here is the pick of the Opta facts from Saturday s action in the Premier League.

The story of Saturday

— Premier League (@premierleague)

Crystal Palace 0-7 Li…

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick did not want to speculate about the time Marc-Andre ter Stegen could spend on the sidelines after the injury the goalkeeper suffered against Villarreal.

Barcelona maintained their perfect start in LaLiga by winning 5-1 on Sunday.

However, the win was marred by possibly a season-ending injury of their goalkeeper, who had to be taken off in the first half.

It looks like a serious injury, he felt it, you could see it on the pitch, Flick told reporters.

Ter Stegen fell badly after jumping for a ball just before half-time and was visibly in pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Hansi Flick talks about Barça s big 5-1 win over Villarreal.

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

All of Germany intern…

Pele has moved to calm fears over his health as the Brazil great spoke positively about the colon tumour treatment he is undergoing in Sao Paulo.

In a message to his followers on Instagram, the 81-year-old showed a clenched fist and smiled from his hospital bed.

The three-time World Cup winner required an operation to remove a colon tumour in September and has since continued having chemotherapy as part of the rehabilitation process.

Hospital Albert Einstein confirmed on Wednesday that Pele had been hospitalised again, stating he was in a stable condition and on course to go home within days.

Pele confirmed that is his intention, as he wrote: Friends, since September 30th, when I left the hospital, you know that I have been having small chemotherapy s…

Marco Reus has labelled Borussia Dortmund s heavy 5-2 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen a catastrophic day for the club.

The sides traded early own goals, but Dortmund were 3-1 down by the 28th minute and then conceded twice more in the second half before Steffen Tigges late consolation.

After six wins in a row in this fixture, BVB were beaten at home by Leverkusen for the first time since 2014 and conceded five at home to their North Rhine-Westphalia rivals for the first time ever; Leverkusen had never previously netted more than three in Dortmund.

Dortmund actually matched Leverkusen in terms of expected goals, with both teams creating chances worth 1.86 xG, but Reus was not looking for excuses.

Although his side remain second in the Bundesliga, they a…

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has undergone treatment on a knee injury, Barcelona have announced.

The Germany international has had what Barcelona described as a therapeutic procedure on the patellar tendon of his right knee.

Ter Stegen announced on May 17 that he would miss the Euro 2020 finals in order to make a full recovery.

His decision came after Barca s shock home defeat to Celta Vigo meant they could no longer win the LaLiga title.

I have decided together with the medical team of the club that I will do a complementary intervention on my knee, Ter Stegen said via an Instagram post.

I m sad that I will miss Euro 2020 this summer with Germany. For the first time in many years I will be a fan at home supporting my country, I hope we win it!