Due to a certain ArgentinianâÂÂs rather impressive performances over the past eight days, the Spanish sports media has been Messier than Ever BanegaâÂÂs monitor... except for one pathetically predictable part of the press.
Monday eveningâÂÂs TV sports reports let their graphic departments go nuts with the Barcelona player depicted both as an Incredible and the Bionic Man - but without the bionic bit - with his second goal against Real Zaragoza being replayed a hundred times from every imaginable angle.
A day later and little LeoâÂÂs cheeky grin is still dominating the agenda with Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo calling the forward a âÂÂSuperior Beingâ on their front page before going off to flog a Barça-backed sofa cushion, no doubt, whilst Sport stick with a simple âÂÂSuper Messiâ as their headline.
Everyone vaguely related to football who dared to stick their nose outside their front door on Monday was asked their opinion on the man of the moment, so TuesdayâÂÂs papers sees Deportivo boss Miguel Angel Lotina praising Messi as âÂÂthe most complete player I have ever seen â and better than Maradona.âÂÂ
Former Spain manager and professional big-mouth Javier Clemente writes in his Marca column that sâÂÂIâÂÂve not seen a player like him for a long time. And when I say a long time, I mean a long time.â (Perhaps he's paid by the word.)
MallorcaâÂÂs Gregorio Manzano has come up with a new way of stopping the pocket rocket when the two sides meet at the Ono Estadi next weekend. However, it may be against one or two FA norms, although handball now appears to have been allowed into the sport if you happen to be both Real Madrid and in a tight spot.
âÂÂYou need to bring a shotgun,â announced the Mallorca boss. âÂÂBang-bang and thatâÂÂs it.âÂÂ
Messi: Rather good
The Madridista AS have taken it on their chins and lead with MessiâÂÂs memorable week; editor Alfredo Relaño even claims that the footballer âÂÂis on the way to becoming the greatest in history.âÂÂ
The paper also picks up on Real MadridâÂÂs response to the Messi affair with a quote from Jorge Valdano on the front page claiming that âÂÂMessi is not a problem, heâÂÂs an incentive.âÂÂ
A swift word of advice, no doubt, from Marca's acting editor-in-chief Florentino Pérez has seen Messi largely ignored until page 26 of their edition on Tuesday, aside from a tiny photo of the player with a caption claiming that Pelé had won more by his age, alongside a big advert advertising a cure for (ahem) gentlemenâÂÂs downstairs issues.
Instead, Marca lead with the seemingly made-up quote from Manuel Pellegrini of âÂÂGuti, I need youâÂÂ. It trails a story claiming that âÂÂevery time MadridâÂÂs No.14 doesnâÂÂt play, their football suffers a big dropâ â the most insane thing the blog has heard for some time, considering Guti was present and correct for the memorable matches of Lyon at home and Alcorcón away (until he stropped off at half-time).
Actually, thatâÂÂs not entirely true. The most insane thing LLL has really heard for some time was a question put to Ezequiel Garay by a Spanish radio reporter after the Sporting win that asked the bemused and confused Madrid defender if âÂÂhaving a three-point advantage over Barcelona was a good or bad thing.âÂÂ
Madrid's key man. And Kaka
Although MarcaâÂÂs editorial bigwigs have just returned from a jolly to the USA and Argentina, the latter part of which âÂÂattracted the attention of the whole of Argentinian football journalismâÂÂ, there's nothing from their fact-finding mission that could perhaps give a fresh perspective on the Messi club v Messi country issue.
But the paper did find time to grind an axe against Dani Alves - and then bury it in his back - with the complaint that the full-back âÂÂstill refuses to admit that Real Madrid are leaders [by goal difference, which wonâÂÂt count at the end of the season] despite what the league table says.âÂÂ
The Spanish sporting press has found some time to dip their beaks into the first of the midweek fixtures in la Primera - a rare beast, indeed - with the uninspiring clash between Sporting and Deportivo kicking things off.
However, the real fun is to be found at 22.00 in the Sánchez Pizjuán, with Sevilla manager Manolo Jiménez facing both an irate home support and near-neighbours Xerez.
The home side are set to be without the newly crocked Jesús Navas and Diego Capel for the encounter, along with Luis Fabiano who LLL saw dramatically limp to his car on TV on Monday with a 'World Cup around the corner move to Manchester United donâÂÂt think IâÂÂm going to try against frackinâ Xerez do you?' gait to his stride.
And the word on the Andalusian street is that anything less than a decent win against their bottom-dwelling opponents will see Jiménez out by Wednesday, rather than June.
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