All posts by h716a5.icu

The Argentine returned to training on Monday after apologising for his trip to Saudi Arabia, and is seemingly back in favour at Parc des Princes

All it took was one apology video. A blank Lionel Messi stared into a camera, stood in front of a colourless wall wearing a crisp suit. In the 38-second clip, he apologised to his team-mates but also defended the trip to Saudi Arabia that had triggered his two-week suspension.

And for Paris Saint-Germain, that was seemingly enough. On Monday, he worked alone at the club's facilities. On Tuesday, he figures to be in team training. Less than a week after intentionally ignoring a club mandate, Messi is back.

His early return is yet another headline-grabbing moment in a chaotic season for the Parisians. It stands as an entirely predictable yet simultaneously disappointing move that shows, once again, just how badly the club has lost control of its players, and brand as a whole.

This suspension was supposed to show that PSG can put their foot down. Instead, it has only amplified how powerless they are.

GettyWhat they promised

This is, perhaps, all a bit unfair on PSG. It was never going to be easy to suspend Messi. Benching him, in fact, is near impossible. Messi is bigger than the club. He gets fans into Parc des Princes and followers on social media.

It's not exactly a new concept for PSG, either. Kylian Mbappe proved that he, too, has immense influence by leading a campaign for a season ticket renewal video — before ensuring it was taken down thanks to four lines of text put on an Instagram story.

Only with Messi, it's harder to control. Mbappe is likely to be around for at least one more year. He is a local product, one of the club's captains, and has the shield of a contract that isn't going to expire this summer. He has the adulation of PSG fans — regardless of his antics.

Messi hasn't taken to Paris in the same way. There is a prevailing sense that he is a mercenary who never wanted to leave his first love Barcelona — and will likely return if it's indeed possible. Messi is a World Cup and seven-time Ballon d'Or winner first. Playing for PSG is almost a side hustle.

And PSG can't merely accept that. Clubs are supposed to try to feign some kind of control over their superstars. The Parisians, by signing Messi, advertising him and selling millions of his shirts, take on that responsibility. They own Messi as a player, commodity and marketing tool.

But that mass appeal, the clicks and kits that his move to Paris brought in, was perhaps always going to be slightly at odds with his actions on the pitch. This week, PSG, despite promising otherwise, have succumbed to the marketing appeal.

AdvertisementGettyWhat they've done

And there's no real reason to bring Messi back now. PSG have had Ligue 1 sewn up for a few weeks now — admittedly, with Messi playing his part to secure the title. This should be the time to put in a few solid performances as the league comes to a close. In an ideal world, manager Christophe Galtier would be handing minutes to youngsters Warre Zaire-Emery and El-Chadaille Bitshiabu.

There are some players who are in the mix for new contracts — Sergio Ramos, for example — who would like to be on the pitch. But at this point, PSG should have made their decisions based on a body of work.

That's made even more clear with a look at PSG's fixture list. The Parisians have to play Ajaccio, Auxerre, Strasbourg and Clermont Foot to close out the campaign. All four sides are in the bottom half of the table. On sporting merit, then, it's better for PSG, and perhaps Messi himself, for the club to keep their Argentine out of the picture.

GettyAll a show

And they have tried. PSG were in a position where they needed to make an example of someone. The Ligue 1 leaders have endured a miserable 2023, falling short in the Champions League and Coupe de France, while also stumbling over the line to win the league title.

The team has lacked bite and aggression. Whether it was Messi or any other member of the squad who had jetted off when they were meant to be in training, the Parisians were obligated to punish such actions in a serious manner.

This was all taken very seriously, too. Messi was banned unceremoniously by the club without further comment. Christophe Galtier offered no insight when asked about it at a press conference last Thursday. The wider world was told that Messi would not be allowed to play, train or even step foot on club property. We were to believe that Messi was, effectively, sitting on his sofa, rueing his missed opportunity.

Then on Monday, a picture appeared of him at training, clad in full PSG gear. The club themselves have not commented, but it is clear that Messi is back. All signs point towards him playing on Sunday.

And perhaps he was always going to. Indeed, if his antics had happened before a Champions League clash or title decider, his flight to collect hundreds of millions would perhaps be met with a disapproving look, or maybe even a fine. Momentarily, though, PSG hinted that they had finally done something concrete. Then, very suddenly, they admitted their act was up.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesFan appeasement?

And the fans had their role to play here, too. Messi's trip triggered a wave of protests from PSG ultras. A group gathered in front of the club headquarters in Paris in protest. They called for Messi's exit using some rather colourful language, politely encouraged Neymar to leave the club, and also took aim at chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Tensions have been bubbling for some time within Parc des Princes. Fans have booed and jeered Messi since February, while Neymar has not been without criticism either. The source of most of their protestations has stemmed from the lack of integrity of the club, and its inability to quell the gripes of frustrated superstars.

Apparently appeasing Messi doesn't make things any easier. If anything, this will only further antagonises a disillusioned fan base. PSG took a surprise step by canceling half of their ultras' tickets for the Parisians clash with Troyes last weekend. This already irritated group does not need further reason to be angry with their club.

There is, indeed, something to be said for limiting the impact of the supposedly damning protests before they actually happen. But giving the angry group six days to fine-tune how they react to this latest decision will likely do little to quieten their complaints.

Jurgen KIopp's side missed the chance to boost their Champions League qualification hopes after a miserable performance at the Vitality Stadium

Liverpool blew the chance to move into the Premier League top four as they were beaten 1-0 by relegation-threatened Bournemouth on Saturday.

🏆 TOP STORY: 'Liar!' – Angry Benzema destroys Deschamps📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Who should sign Harry Kane this summer?🚨 MUST READ: Rashford & the players PSG should target

Philip Billing's first-half goal gave the Cherries, who started the weekend bottom of the table, a priceless victory, the midfielder slotting home Dango Outtara's low cross after 29 minutes.

Mohamed Salah missed a glorious chance to equalise after the break for Liverpool, firing a penalty off target after Adam Smith had been penalised for handball, as the Reds slumped to their eighth league defeat of an infuriating campaign.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from the Vitality Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (6/10):

Helpless for the goal. Not much to do besides.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):

Needed to react quicker as Bournemouth took the lead. Taken off not long after the hour mark.

Ibrahima Konate (5/10):

Culpable for the opener as he played Ouattara onside and then failed to stop the cutback. Booked.

Virgil van Dijk (5/10):

Sluggish as Bournemouth opened the scoring. Missed two good headed chances in the first half. Far from assured throughout.

Andy Robertson (6/10):

Prominent early on but had his work cut out with Ouattara's pace.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Fabinho (5/10):

Regressed after a couple of better performances. Too slow and too sloppy, too often.

Stefan Bajcetic (5/10):

Struggled physically at times and his distribution was not good enough.

Harvey Elliott (5/10):

Struggled to build on last week's impressive performance against United, and was taken off at half-time.

Getty ImagesAttack

Mohamed Salah (4/10):

On the periphery of things until Liverpool were awarded a 68th-minute penalty. Then blazed it off target. Definitely not his day.

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

Looked good when turning and driving with the ball, without finding a killer pass. Blasted a late chance off target.

Darwin Nunez (5/10):

Faded after a promising start. Made some poor decisions with and without the ball and was replaced early in the second half.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Diogo Jota (7/10):

On at half-time and immediately tested Neto. Won the penalty and played with purpose.

Roberto Firmino (5/10):

No impact off the bench this week.

Jordan Henderson (6/10):

Brought a little more control than Fabinho.

James Milner (7/10):

Helped create the penalty and defended well.

Fabio Carvalho (N/A):

Surprise late arrival.

Jurgen Klopp (5/10):

Took a risk pairing two teenagers in midfield and it didn't work.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has reportedly been blown away by Darren Fletcher's son Jack after training with the first-team.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ten Hag 'wowed' by Fletcher's son, JackUnited midfielder, 16, trained with first-teamTipped for big future at the Red DevilsGetty WHAT HAPPENED?

The teenager, who is the son of Red Devils' technical director Darren Fletcher, was promoted by Ten Hag to train with the first team ahead of their Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday – a game they drew 3-3.

Now, the Sun claims the Dutch manager is keen to 'fast-track' Fletcher's progress, is likely to go out on loan next season, and that he has a 'massive' future at United after watching him for several months.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Jack joined United from rivals Manchester City earlier this year to link up with twin brother Tyler. While Jack was not selected as part of the travelling party to Istanbul, he was the only under-18 representative to be involved in the first-team training session. There may be another young Fletcher going onto be a hit at United in the future.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Jack's father, Darren, spent 20 years at United as a player, progressing through their academy to play 342 times for the first team. The former Scottish international also won nine major trophies at the club, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. He also won the Community Shield on four occasions.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

United are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they travel to Newcastle United in a battle between the sixth-placed Red Devils and the seventh-positioned Magpies.

Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan offspinner, has said Saeed Ajmal has a ‘realistic possibility’ of returning to international cricket

Umar Farooq15-Oct-2014Saqlain approached to help Narine

Saqlain Mushtaq has also been approached, by Sunil Narine’s manager*, to assist in rectifying the bowler’s action, which was reported twice during the Champions League T20. Saqlain has told the manager that he will be available after his contract with the PCB ends
*15.50GMT, October 15: This piece had previously incorrectly said that Saqlain was approached by West Indies’ manager

Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan offspinner, has said Saeed Ajmal has a ‘realistic possibility’ of returning to international cricket. The PCB signed a one-month contract with Saqlain, ending on October 24, to work with Ajmal in an effort to correct his action, which was deemed illegal by the ICC. The one-month term, according to Saqlain, was ‘ample enough’ time to work on the technical aspects of Ajmal’s action.”There is a realistic chance Ajmal can return with a legitimate action and once I finish I am sure he will be in good shape,” Saqlain told ESPNcricinfo. “He will be ready in the next two weeks to undergo an unofficial assessment in a biomechanical laboratory. I am hopeful and more importantly he [Ajmal] himself is very optimistic and has done everything that is required.”Over the last 22 days, Saqlain has been working on extensively to get Ajmal to reduce the straightening of his arm to within the 15-degree limit allowed by the ICC. The PCB intends to send Ajmal to England to undergo an unofficial independent assessment at its own expense before applying to the ICC for an official retesting.Ajmal has a realistic chance of clearing the test, according to the Saqlain, and he said the ICC should also consider Ajmal’s medical history while assessing his action. Ajmal has had chronic issues with his wrist, shoulder, hand and elbow following a road accident in 2004. He underwent a detailed medical assessment on Monday at the Shaukat Khanum hospital in Lahore and the MRI reports are awaited.”If you look at Ajmal’s history with injuries, he might have recovered but there are certain things he might not able to achieve,” Saqlain said. “He is working so hard to get it fixed and bring it within the 15-degree limit. And I can see with my naked eye that he has done a lot work to reduce his flex so far and this is the important part.”With fresh medial reports we can put our heads together to look at what we can do further. I think ICC should also consider his medical history since no one wants to break the law intentionally. Even Ajmal, when he saw his videos, admitted his action was not fair. So he understands exactly what he needs to do. He is a quick learner and a fighter and is working so hard to achieve his targets.”Saqlain said his work with Ajmal so far had mostly been confined to his offbreak, and that the next step would be to work on his doosra.”We just want to ensure that everything should be perfect before we apply for an official assessment,” he said. “We took a month to work on various elements. So I am satisfied with the improvement in the last two weeks. But undergoing an assessment through a proper biomechanics system can further iron out the kinks. In case there is some problem we can sort it out instantly and the idea is to go into the ICC testing without any flaw.”We have done most of the work so far on conventional offspin, but we are now focusing on his strength as well. So we are working on the overall package, including his doosra.”Saqlain, 37, was perhaps the first offspinner to master the doosra, a delivery that spins away from the batsman even though it is delivered with a similar action to the offbreak. The variation spread around the world even after he retired from international cricket, and a few bowlers have mastered it in the last 15 years even though the delivery remains shrouded in controversy, with critics contending it cannot be bowled without straightening the elbow beyond 15 degrees.”I have always believed you can definitely bowl it with a legitimate action, working on various aspects of your body,” Saqlain said. “You can bowl the doosra with your fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder and you can even get it right with your foot positioning. Every individual has his own physique. If you don’t have strong shoulders you can execute it through you wrist and fingers and use elbow to bowl a faster one. In either case you have to have strong control over your wrist and ensure it doesn’t collapse. And without the kink you can safely bowl a doosra within the permitted flex.”Saqlain was asked whether it was possible for there to be another new variation or invention added to the art of off spin bowling and he offered a mystical reply, “Why not? A person is made of this earth, which has not been discovered completely yet. So when you start thinking and start experiencing deeply, then you start experimenting. And then what you produce, that is a real invention.”

It took six excellent victories to get the Adelaide Strikers to the semi-finals of the Big Bash League, but it took just one bad performance for their season to be ended

The Report by Freddie Wilde24-Jan-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNic Maddinson’s 48-ball 85 included seven fours and five sixes•Getty ImagesIt took six excellent victories to get the Adelaide Strikers to the semi-finals of the Big Bash League, but it took just one bad performance for their season to be ended. In front of a watershed and record-breaking Adelaide Oval crowd of 52,633, the Strikers crashed to an 87-run defeat, heavier than any of those they have inflicted this season, at the hands of the Sydney Sixers.The Sixers, who won the toss and chose to bat, scored a challenging 181, which the Strikers never once threatened as they lost wickets on regular occasions, crumbling to 94 all out. The Sydney side progress to next Wednesday’s final and await the winner of Perth Scorchers-Melbourne Stars tomorrow.The Sixers opted to change their opening partnership of Nic Maddinson and Michael Lumb in an attempt to upset the Strikers’ planning. Lumb kickstarted the innings with some pugnacious and punchy stroke-play, hitting six fours and a six before he was run out in the fifth over for a 19-ball 32. At the other end Riki Wessels played second fiddle to Lumb before he was tied down, as the Strikers deployed their spinners, before falling for a run-a-ball 24.The match was set up however, by Maddinson, who has this season walked the tight rope of batting bravado, but today batted with caution and pragmatism as the situation demanded. In his first 30 balls he hit just a six and a four in his 31 before exploding into action. A six over the midwicket boundary was the touch paper for his following 18 balls which were clubbed, slogged, heaved, carved and slashed to the boundary nine times as he raced past 50, through the 60s and beyond. More than a couple of the boundaries flew of thick edges but the Strikers, so adept this season at taking wickets on regular occasions to puncture momentum couldn’t do so. It seemed fortune favoured the brave.Maddinson was assisted in his assault by Moises Henriques after Jordan Silk managed just 3 from five before he was trapped lbw by Ben Laughlin. Henriques too accelerated once Maddinson’s onslaught was ended by Kane Richardson for 85.Lumb, Wessels and Henriques played little more than assisting roles to Maddinson, whose innings single-handedly propelled the Sixers to 181, a total 19 more than the average first innings score at the Adelaide Oval.The Strikers’ highest score this season was 6 for 182 in an earlier encounter with the Sixers, but batting second they hadn’t been asked to chase more than 153, and they did seem overawed by the target, in front of more than 50,000 fans – a record crowd for a BBL match.Craig Simmons fell in the second over when an expansive drive produced nothing more than a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Ryan Carters. Travis Head was the next to go, falling for 8 to Doug Bollinger. Tim Ludeman also departed before the end of the Powerplay which they exited at 3 for 38.The Strikers have, with Head and Alex Ross down the order, rebuilt from such starts this season, but today, with Ross dropped down to make room for Hodge, who has been short of time in the middle, and Ryan ten Doeschate, who hasn’t made more than 26 for the Strikers, they caved into the pressure of a spiralling run rate and no in-form batsmen to call upon.Bollinger took three wickets, while Sean Abbott, Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon picked up two apiece as the Strikers run chase imploded. The Sixers did bowl well also, which only added to the pressure for the Strikers.For the second season running, the team to finish top of the ladder has been eliminated in the semi-finals. The result will no doubt lend credence to the argument that the BBL should adopt a different knockout structure, rewarding the top-placed team more than merely a home semi-final and perhaps, like the Indian Premier League, two opportunities at final qualification.An hour after the match was completed as litter blew around the empty stadium, Ludeman, one of the stars of the season for the Strikers could be seen signing autographs for a group of kids. The Strikers may have lost today, but this season they have at least won the hearts and minds of their city. They built a momentum to their season and connected with their public in a way sporting teams should. It’s hard to not look at the massive crowd today for a  match and see it as something of a seminal day for domestic cricket not only in Australia, but around the world.

South Africa spinner Aaron Phangiso’s bowling action has been determined as illegal, following independent tests conducted at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, an ICC accredited laboratory

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-20161:42

Moonda: South Africa not giving up on Phangiso

South Africa spinner Aaron Phangiso’s bowling action has been determined as illegal, following independent tests conducted at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, an ICC accredited laboratory. The assessment revealed that all of Phangiso’s deliveries exceeded the permissible 15-degree limit.In accordance with the CSA Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions, Phangiso has been suspended from bowling in domestic cricket, with the board also confirming that the bowler will not be selected for the first two home T20Is against Australia, starting March 4. Phangiso will, however, remain with the squad to work alongside South Africa’s spin bowling coach Claude Henderson and CSA’s high performance manager Vinnie Barnes in an effort to remedy his action.Phangiso’s chances of being retained in the squad for the World Twenty20 in India hinge on a second round of independent tests next week.”The timing of this issue for Aaron and for our World T20 squad is clearly inopportune but we need to deal with it. We will work hard to remedy Aaron’s action and have him retested as soon as practically possible,” Haroon Lorgat, CSA’s chief executive, said. “We are fortunate to have an ICC accredited Laboratory in South Africa and this will certainly make a quick turnaround possible.”Phangiso had been reported for a suspect action following his team Lions’ win against Warriors in the semi-final of the Momentum One Day Cup. It was the third time this year that Phangiso had made headlines for the wrong reasons.In January, it emerged that Phangiso had been prevented from boarding an international flight following South Africa’s ODI series win in India because he was drunk and disorderly, forcing CSA to subsequently hand him an unknown sanction. Last week, Phangiso had to apologise for being caught on camera pretending to sniff an unknown substance off his leg during a T20I against England at the Wanderers. Phangiso was in the dug out and his gesture took place when South Africa were batting. He said it was a lighthearted joke but understood that in a country with a drug problem, it was inappropriateShould Phangiso fail to make the squad for the World T20, South Africa’s selectors have time till March 8 to find another back-up spinner for Imran Tahir. Eddie Leie, the likeliest replacement for Phangiso, suffered a hamstring injury during the Momentum Cup final and was forced to leave the field.

David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodriguez, Lionel Messi, Antonela Roccuzzo and Wayne Rooney all figure on football’s richest couples list.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Superstar performers pulling the cashPower couples starring on & off the fieldOrder could change in the near futureWHAT HAPPENED?

It should come as no surprise to find that the Beckham family top that chart, which has been pieced together by , with David penning several lucrative contracts during his playing days – including a lifetime deal with adidas – before becoming co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami. His pop star wife Victoria also continues to pull in millions every year as a former Spice Girl that boasts her own clothing range.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Beckhams just edge out Portuguese superstar Ronaldo and his model partner Georgina, with even the biggest contract in world football – which was penned when joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr – not enough to carry CR7 to the No.1 spot. He does, however, sit above eternal rival Messi, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or and his wife Antonela now calling Florida home alongside Beckham and Co.

Getty/GOALDID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United legend Rooney, who is now in charge of Birmingham City, and his wife Coleen are closing in on Messi and have – like the Beckhams – starred in their own documentary. The top five is completed by Real Madrid icon Sergio Ramos and his partner Pilar Rubio, with Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski and his wife Anna next on the list, just ahead of ex-Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and former tennis world No.1 Ana Ivanovic.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT?

The respective stars of Ronaldo and Messi are unlikely to wane any time soon, with their global appeal as prominent as ever, while Beckham also stands to benefit from Inter Miami’s blossoming reputation – as they compete for recognition in America alongside established franchises from the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.

Son Heung-min was the table-toppers' other star performer on a remarkably comfortable day at the office

It's rare that a transfer is a perfect fit for both parties. However, in James Maddison, Tottenham possess the ideal poster boy for Ange Postecoglou's footballing revolution. Maddison himself is thoroughly enjoying it in North London too, and he provided further evidence of his genius in Tottenham's 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday evening.

Right from the off, the England international was directing traffic from his ultra-fluid No. 10 role, but despite plenty of pressure, it would take a mistake from the visitors for the game's first goal.

Calvin Bassey was the guilty party, passing straight down Micky van der Ven's throat, with the ball eventually finding Son Heung-min unmarked in the box – who was hardly going to miss in his current form. Son would turn provider early in the second half, teeing up the talisman, Maddison, for a deserved first goal in front of his home fans.

A combination of good goalkeeping, heroic defending and poor finishing meant those would be the only two goals Spurs scored, but the result never looked in jeopardy.

The Postecoglou hype train trundles on for another week, with the three points returning Tottenham back to the top of the Premier League table. They can even go five points clear if they beat Crystal Palace on Friday.

Here's how Spurs' players rated from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Guglielmo Vicario (6/10):

One poor piece of distribution gave Fulham a half chance before the break. Looked assured other than that, making a big save to deny Jimenez late on.

Pedro Porro (6/10):

Sometimes a little show to shape up when Spurs lost the ball, but so helpful in possession when he stepped into midfield.

Micky van de Ven (8/10):

Dominant. Bullied Carlos Vinicius in the first half and had similar success against his replacement, Raul Jimenez. His interception also helped create the first goal.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Split the midfield with some excellent passes and wound up Vinicius.

Destiny Udogie (7/10):

What a talent. Irresistible going forward while not neglecting his defensive duties.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (6/10):

Game seemed a little quick for him at times and he booked in the first half. Read Bassey's clearance well to help create Spurs' second.

Pape Matar Sarr (6/10):

A couple of sloppy moments, but nothing disastrous. Suffered a knock on the hour that Postecoglou will hope isn't too bad.

James Maddison (8/10):

Completely ran the game from midfield. He is so well suited to leading this new-look, exciting Spurs side in the absence of Harry Kane. Deserved his goal.

GettyAttack

Dejan Kulusevski (6/10):

Needed to be more selfish in front of goal at times, but would have finished with an assist if Richarlison brought his shooting boots.

Son Heung-min (8/10):

Finished well for the opener before turning provider for Maddison. Continues to grow in impress as a No.9.

Richarlison (6/10):

A delightful bundle of chaos. Was a little wasteful in the opening stages but found Son for the first goal.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Emerson Royal (6/10):

Definitely a bit of a downgrade on Udogie, but made a good block late on.

Oliver Skipp (6/10):

Crunched into former Arsenal and Chelsea man Willian – which the crowd absolutely loved.

Brennan Johnson (N/A):

A short cameo in the closing stages.

Alejo Veliz (N/A):

Thought he had a sight of goal near the end, but was flagged offside.

Giovani Lo Celso (N/A):

Not much time to make an impact.

Ange Postecoglou (8/10):

Yves Bissouma's suspension had the potential to unsettle his side, but Hojbjerg fared just fine, showing how well-coached Spurs are. Tottenham did get a little disjointed as he rung the changes late on, though.

The Mexican star sat down with GOAL to discuss his team's season, why he still has hope and what he wants to see from the next generation.

One of the phrases most associated with Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez is "imaginemos cosas chingonas", or "imagine beautiful things". It's his outlook on life. Even when things get ugly, you can always imagine something beautiful. You can always work towards something better.

This season, it's been hard to find much beauty about the LA Galaxy, and Chicharito is quick to admit it. This campaign has arguably been the darkest in the club's history, and it's not even halfway over.

But, true to character, Chicharito is imagining beautiful things. Somehow, despite the club's struggles, he sees a way out. He's still imagining this team lifting a trophy at the end of it. What a story that would be, he says.

The LA Galaxy star, though, is a realist. It'll take a lot of work and a lot of change to get there. What the club has done so far hasn't worked, but Chicharito isn't giving up hope.

As he gears up for a busy summer with his club, Chicharito sat down with GOAL to discuss his hopes for the LA Galaxy, why he's still imagining beautiful things, the rise of his teammate Riqui Puig and why he never wants to stop learning.

Getty ImagesA tough start to the season

Chicharito is the first to admit that this season has been rocky, and he's also the first to admit that it really, really bothers him.

As things stand, the Galaxy sit bottom of the Western Conference, although they do have games in hand. They also head into the summer facing a transfer ban, meaning that there will be no reinforcements coming in to elevate this team.

No matter what the scenario, that's inexcusable for a club the size of this. There's really no precedent for how bad the Galaxy have been this season. This is a team that was once the marquee team in MLS; now, based on recent history, they're no longer the marquee team in their own city.

It all came to a head recently when the club finally moved on from president Chris Klein amid fan backlash. The atmosphere in Carson has grown somewhat toxic, as fans, players, coaches and executives all look to lift this team out of the Western Conference's basement.

"It's about trusting, man," the Mexican star says. "Just trusting, because, look, I've always said it: when you are playing pretty well, when everything looks positive, you feel that everything is clicking, you feel that you're putting into practice all of the beliefs and everything that you say or you preach, but now, when you don't have complete certainty, now that it doesn't feel very good, now when even the results are not coming, now is when you need to practice it even more.

"The trust, the belief, the sticking together. Sticking together is not just saying all of this; sticking together is like trusting in that process, trusting in your teammates first, in the whole organization because, to be honest, it's not a matter of putting in the work, it's not a matter that this organization is not putting the work or giving everything."

He continued: "It's just simple: we need to believe, we need to be more accountable, we need to take more seriously every moment, every opportunity. Speaking as players, and I'm the first one, I'll come here with you and other people speaking about it.

"I'm the first one trying to do it because for me, I told my teammates in recent meetings that we did because we want to overcome all of this, like 'Guys, the last two years, they were great, they were amazing, and you can even, say, I scored plenty of goals, you could even debate if I was one of the best players of the team, but that wasn't enough! We didn't get the trophies. It's not about me being the best just for getting the praise for me; I want to be the best so I can help you be the best'."

AdvertisementGettyImagining beautiful things, but not daydreaming

Chicharito is the team's Designated Player, the team's star, the team's top goalscorer. Any Galaxy revival will have to start with him and, when asked about the team's season so far, the Mexican star is guaranteeing that there will be a revival.

It's tough to imagine now, for sure, and he admits that, for some, it will feel like he's being too optimistic. But, in a league as crazy as MLS, he does have a point: anything can happen over the next few months. It may be ugly in Los Angeles now, but who knows what will come next?

"I want to continue to be contagious with everyone," he begins, "because we deserve to be champions, but for that, we need to take this adversity and transform it, man. That's an opportunity. That's the beauty of writing a story. Imagine if we finish, I won't even say a treble, but the double, you know? Imagine we win the U.S. Open Cup and then we go to the playoffs and you never know! In the playoffs, you never know!

"That's how we we finished last season as well, when we had a very good streak of 12 games with just one loss, four draws, and I think the rest were wins, so we're still that in these competitions but, as well, we are realistic that the results haven't happened in the way that we want. Right now, we are in the bottom of the of the conference. We are not like just daydreaming over here. We're going to put the work for the results. That's going to happen and we are seven points away from the playoff spots, and to get to the championship, we need to get in playoffs.

"Of course, we would love to be the top seed of the conference, obviously, but right now, it seems very difficult, but we're gonna get as high as we can for sure. And if we get into the playoffs, man, we're gonna be one of the most dangerous teams, for sure."

For Chicharito's lofty goals to become a reality, the Galaxy will need just about everything to go right, which seems like a big ask considering, so far, just about everything has gone wrong.

Chicharito himself missed the start of the season due to injury and was not available for the club's recent 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake due to a red card suspension. Douglas Costa has, largely, been a non-factor. The lineup has been inconsistent due to some of those injury issues, with Greg Vanney unable to really crack the code of what has gone wrong.

"We haven't had a full team for three months, man," he says. "We haven't played like the starting XI that Greg is going to choose for five games in a row. We haven't so far and it's June, you know? That's a fact. Does that that affect us? Of course, but we're not going to stay the victim and we're just going to give excuses. We're going to overcome all of that."

GettySuperstar Riqui Puig

While Chicharito may remain the face of the Galaxy, there is another player alongside him that certainly has the quality to be among the best in MLS.

Riqui Puig has made headlines in recent weeks, having earned the ire of Giorgio Chiellini for a recent Lionel Messi-inspired celebration. The Italian icon called Puig "payaso", or clown, but there's nothing funny about how good the ex-Barcelona man can be on his day.

The young midfielder was once a star at La Masia, but, with playing time tough to come by in Barcelona, Puig arrived in Los Angeles last year looking for a fresh start. And, despite the Galaxy's struggles, he's shown glimpses of the star he can be.

Chicharito, who has at times taken Puig under his wing, has nothing but rave reviews for his teammate, a player he believes has unbelievable potential.

"I think he is one of the most talented players in this continent right now," Chicharito said. "He's so talented. I think living in LA is not that difficult to get used to because it's a great city and a great atmosphere and, over here, the club will treat you in a very warm way. I think I could speak for that and say he's very happy. He's enjoying it a lot."

He continued: "Riqui is an amazing teammate and amazing player. He's going to help us a lot."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

The importance of learning

Youth soccer is still very much fragmented in the U.S., with the pay-for-play system still a key fixture in the American soccer landscape.

Because of that, there are many different schools of thought when it comes to developing talent. And, while Chicharito is no expert in youth development, he has seen enough to have some ideas.

For him, the most important thing for any player to have is hunger and a desire to learn. As someone that has reached the highest levels of this sport, there's no point where you "beat" the game, he says. To truly succeed at a high level, you have to be willing to admit what you don't know.

One player that he says understood that was Julian Araujo, who signed with Barcelona in January after starring for the LA Galaxy as well as the U.S. men's national team and Mexico's national team. What impressed the striker most about his now-former teammate was his passion for learning, and he says that passion will take him a long way.

"Even though he has talent, even though he's a great player, and even though everyone can say that he will have very positive like outcomes in his profession, what he has is this true passion for learning, man," Chicharito said of Araujo. "I felt that, not only personally because it's not that he was talking every single time with me and asking me a lot of stuff, but he did and then he was doing that with everyone. He was always observing and always listening, being very humble to accept that, regardless of if he had a very good game, there's always something to keep learning.

"When you are very young, 20 years old, you're playing in MLS, the right back of this amazing club and you have an amazing game or you had, for example, an assist and a clean sheet, everyone is speaking about you and you go to the MLS All Star Game and everything. It's tough man to to keep learning."

Always the philosopher, Chicharito says that mindset is also one he applies to himself. Even at 35, he knows that it's vital to be introspective, on and off the field, if he wants to keep growing as a player and a person.

"I think that will be the most important thing, in my opinion, about the youth and about even myself nowadays," he says. "I think in life, you need to never stop. You need to be humble enough to know that you always can learn from anybody, whatever it is. You never can feel that you've already done it or you already made it, right? There's always something that you can learn."

Cristiano Ronaldo demands the best of himself and those around him, but Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez insists he is not “difficult or complicated”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Portuguese superstar now a historic greatWants to be the best at all times Does not make life difficult for colleaguesWHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has broken countless records down the years – while collecting league titles in England, Spain and Italy alongside five Champions League crowns – as a result of his pursuit of perfection. Ronaldo has strived for continuous improvement over the course of his remarkable career.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mexican frontman Hernandez briefly worked alongside the Portuguese superstar at Real Madrid in 2014-15 – as Ronaldo posted a personal best goal return of 61 that season – and has been in awe of the all-time great before, during and after that stint at Santiago Bernabeu.

WHAT THEY SAID

Hernandez has told of his time in Spain working alongside one of the very best to have ever played the game: “I always divided it as the first six months being very complicated because I played practically nothing. Some unfortunate injuries arose and I was given an opportunity in the second part, which was extraordinary and unique. Cristiano was phenomenal in the locker room and also in his way of being. I don’t think I have met or seen a player, who has come out to say that Cristiano is a difficult or complicated person. Cris is Cris. We know his personality and competitiveness, but as a team-mate that is one of the things you cannot take away.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ronaldo and Hernandez are now plying their trade outside of Europe, with the former in Saudi Arabia at Al-Nassr while the latter is enjoying a fourth season with the LA Galaxy in MLS – with Lionel Messi now a direct rival for major honours in the United States.