In case you were wondering, Lionel Messi can play in goal too

Lionel Messi has already scored 50 goals this season (you can see them all crammed into three minutes and 21 seconds right here), so he obviously needs to find a new challenge. So, during Barcelona’s training session on Monday, Messi put on the gloves and tried his hand at stopping shots.

You might think he’s a bit too short to be a goalkeeper, but as you can see in this picture Carles Puyol posted on his Facebook wall, when you can fly it just doesn’t matter how tall you are.

Anyway, we’re getting closer to the day Messi wins La Liga playing all 11 positions by himself.

Picture via @emcardenas

DTotD: Sergio Busquets gets stomped on

Since Sergio Busquets was actually booked for diving back in November, it’s all gone a bit haywire for him. Barcelona are 10 points behind Real Madrid in the table, he suffered a real injury that looked pretty nasty and during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Racing Santander, he almost had his ankle snapped in the 23rd minute when Khouma Babacar stomped on it.

Babacar earned one of Racing’s six yellow cards for that and Busquets did play the rest of the match, but that’s two legitimate reasons for falling down and clutching himself in one season. We may have entered another dimension.

Lukas Podolski demonstrates why he received his first Bundesliga red card on his manager

Lu-Lu-Lu Lukas Podolski was sent off for the first time in his Bundesliga career during Cologne’s 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday. The reason for his red card was questionable at best, though. When Hertha’s Levan Kobiashvili grabbed him by the back of the neck, Podolski put his head down and pushed Kobiashvili off of him. But the ref sent both players off and Podolski laughed off his frustration as he walked towards the touchline.

As he passed, Podolski demonstrated for manager Stale Solbakken what the referee mistakenly saw him do and gingerly grabbed Solbakken by the throat, allowing photographers to snap this shot that appears far more menacing than the moment actually was.

Anyway, if Podolski’s heavily rumored move to Arsenal is eventually finalized, he won’t be able to do this to Arsene Wenger since Wenger would just retreat into his protective puffy coat like a slender turtle. You might think it looks silly, but it serves its purpose.

Ireland 32 Scotland 14: Jones injury compounds Robinson’s misery – Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Ireland 32 Scotland 14: Jones injury compounds Robinson's misery Daily Mail By Sportsmail Reporter Ireland inflicted a sixth successive Test defeat on Scotland as the Celtic rivals served-up a five-try RBS 6 Nations thriller at the Aviva Stadium. It was an all-too familiar scenario for the Scots, who contributed fully to a … Ireland dispatch Scotland in five-try classicReuters UK Skipper Rory Best pleased as Ireland beat ScotlandBBC Sport Ireland 32-14 ScotlandThe Guardian Sportinglife.com -The Press Association -Telegraph.co.uk all 268 news articles »

Leo Messi’s older brother has a tattoo of Leo Messi

Lionel Messi’s older brother Matias, who recently had his house in Argentina targeted by a drive-by shooting, describes himself as the Barcelona star’s “number one fan.” Matias not only proves that by sharing similar DNA, but with the tattoo he has on his arm of Lionel in an Albiceleste shirt.

Matias told radio station Mega 98.3 (via Sport):

“After every game I send a message, whether the outcome is good or bad. But lately I just say that I do not know what to put.”

“He’s from another planet. I always say it.”

While Leo’s 48 goals in all competitions this season may have left his older brother speechless, he has set the bar for footballer sibling support. Now one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s older sisters has to get a full back tattoo of him just to keep up.

Man charged with vandalizing St James’ Park, Newcastle fans offer to pay his fine

When Mike Ashley honored the 120-year heritage of St James’ Park by changing its name to the Sports Direct Arena in February this year, a number of Magpies fans were angered by the sportswear-selling antics of their club owner.

Supporter Michal Atkinson was so angry that he spray-painted “St James” on the wall where the stadium’s famous moniker was once emblazoned. Although he wasn’t the only fan to graffiti the wall, he was stupid enough to get caught, and was today slapped with a criminal damage charge by a Newcastle magistrate. Reports the BBC:

Magistrates handed him a conditional discharge and told him to pay £100 [$160] towards the £187 [$300] clean-up costs after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

The court heard Atkinson had drunk eight cans of lager and had read messages on Facebook about the name change.

Since Atkinson is unemployed, a fans’ group has kindly stepped in and offered to pay his fine — without even questioning why he could afford eight cans of lager before committing his crime. The 30-year-old has also been banned from attending Newcastle games, which, once again, shouldn’t be a problem for a man with no income to pay for tickets.

Six Nations 2012: England’s ‘world-class’ centre Brad Barritt will be key to … – Telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph.co.uk

Six Nations 2012: England's 'world-class' centre Brad Barritt will be key to … Telegraph.co.uk England assistant coach Andy Farrell has labelled Brad Barritt as the "cornerstone" of Stuart Lancaster's new-look team, who head into Sunday's clash with France believing they can still win the Six Nations title. By Telegraph staff and agencies If … Barritt is world class – FarrellThe Press Association Farrell tempted to prolong 'brilliant' England ventureThe Independent Andy Farrell: World-class Brad Barritt is cornerstone of new-look EnglandSports Mole all 25 news articles »

Mario Balotelli sorry for breaking Man City curfew, mostly because his girlfriend was angry

Mario Balotelli was caught at a Liverpool strip club early last Friday morning ahead of Man City’s home match against Bolton on Saturday. And though Balotelli started and scored a goal in the 2-0 win for his side, he was still reportedly fined £250,000 for breaking the club’s curfew policy.

Mario now realizes that he made a mistake that night, but more because he would’ve been angry if his girlfriend went to a strip club than because he violated curfew.

From the PA:

“I didn’t do anything wrong at the [strip] club,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “But I understand that if she [his girlfriend Raffaella Fico] had gone with her friends to a strip club, I would have been very angry.

“If you love a woman, you can avoid causing that pain. That was my first mistake. The second was to go two days before a game.”

On whether he has received a £250,000 fine by City for breaking the curfew, Balotelli said: “I still don’t know. I must talk with [the manager Roberto] Mancini.”

So, to clarify, the fact that Raffaella Fico was one of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s “bunga bunga girls” and that she reportedly tried to auction off her virginity for €1 million doesn’t seem all that upsetting to Balotelli (or Fico for that matter), but going to a strip club with friends is something to get very angry about.

But as for the suggestion that Balotelli might consider marriage as a means of settling down, he says he’s ready.

“For me it’s not too soon,” he said. “When you find the right person, the timing could be right. Raffaella is the most beautiful thing that has happened to me. She gives me calmness.

“She is very understanding when I do something wrong. We have spoken about marriage a few times but that doesn’t mean that we will do it tomorrow.”

Yes, this has been Mario being “calm.”

70-year-old equestrian’s Olympic ‘miracle’

Four years ago, Japanese equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu was the oldest Olympian to compete in the Beijing Olympics. On Saturday, the 70-year-old rider made a bid to become the oldest competitor in London too.

Hoketsu qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics this weekend by winning an international dressage meet in France. He was aboard the 15-year-old Whisper.

“To put it pompously,” he told reporters, “it was a miracle.” Last summer, I thought it would be impossible to make London, so it fills me with deep emotions.”

Japanese officials have yet to announce whether Hoketsu, who will be 71 by the time of the Opening Ceremony, will compete.

Hoketsu made his Olympic debut in his his native Japan in 1964, finishing 40th in show jumping. He qualified again in 1988 but was unable to compete when his horse was quarantined. In Beijing, Hoketsu finished 35th out of 47 competitors in the individual dressage event.

The oldest Olympian in history was Oscar Swahn, who competed in the 1920 Antwerp Games at the age of 72. He earned a silver that year as part of the Swedish double-shot running deer team. Swahn won an individual gold medal in his first Olympics in 1908 at the tender age of 60. He won a team gold four years later in Stockholm. Though he was defending champion in the running deer shooting, single shot competition, Swahn only managed fifth place in those 1912 Games. The winner was a 32-year-old named Alfred. He was Oscar’s son.

Clinical Manchester United show Tottenham that only goals win games – The Guardian

The Guardian

Clinical Manchester United show Tottenham that only goals win games The Guardian Harry Redknapp more than held his own in any tactical battle with Sir Alex Ferguson. His rejigged team, shorn of three major players, dictated the play but were swept aside by three incisive goals at crucial times. To United's credit they were alert … Steely United show how to win uglyYahoo! Eurosport UK Ruthless United pick off Spurs, Newcastle heldReuters UK Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson upbeat over title chanceBBC Sport ESPN -Goal.com -Telegraph.co.uk all 639 news articles »