Bayern Munich missed the chance to wrap up the Bundesliga title, but Ajax bounced back to close in on the Dutch crown, while Neymar offered a timely reminder of his quality at the weekend.
Here, AFP Sport takes a look at five main talking points from Europe as the end of the season approaches:
– Bundesliga title race still crazy – Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac called the Bundesliga title race “crazy” two weeks ago, and it got even crazier on Saturday.
Kovac’s side missed the chance to wrap up the title a week early as they were held 0-0 at RB Leipzig, and rivals Borussia Dortmund battled to a 3-2 win over Fortuna Duesseldorf.
After returning to within two points of the leaders on Saturday, Dortmund are now convinced they can pull off a mini-miracle on the last day.
“Everything is to play for, we firmly believe we can do it,” team director Sebastian Kehl told Sky.
Dortmund needs to beat Borussia Moenchengladbach next Saturday and hope that Bayern slips up at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
– Barcelona fans vote with feet – Barcelona’s first game after being knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool came at home to Getafe. Supporters welcomed their team back with a scattering of whistles before kick-off at the Camp Nou, where there were swathes of empty seats.
A crowd of 57,000 was one of the lowest of the campaign for Barca, although the fact they have already wrapped up the Spanish title was partly to blame for that.
Arturo Vidal’s finish and a late own-goal gave Barcelona a 2-0 win, with the defeat for Getafe seriously damaging their hopes of Champions League qualification as they dropped out of the top four to be replaced by Valencia.
“It was a difficult game for all of us,” said Sergio Busquets. “We are trying to heal a wound that isn’t small.”
– Ajax show resolve – After the agony of their Champions League semi-final defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax fans may have feared that the inevitable hangover would damage their team’s chances of winning the Dutch title.
Erik ten Hag’s side duly fell behind inside the opening minute at home to Utrecht on Sunday, but they bounced back to win 4-1 with Dusan Tadic scoring twice.
That, combined with a 1-0 defeat for rivals PSV Eindhoven at AZ Alkmaar, means a record 34th league title, and a first since 2014, looks to be in the bag.
Ajax is three points clear of PSV and have a far superior goal difference ahead of the final round of games. The Amsterdam side goes to second-bottom De Graafschap on Wednesday while PSV host Heracles.
– Neymar back in mood – It has been a frustrating few months for Neymar but the Brazilian was back to something like his best for Paris Saint-Germain.
The world’s most expensive player scored one goal — unusually with his head — and set up another as PSG won 2-1 at Anger, a return to form for a side who had won just once in their previous seven outings.
He can now look forward to the Copa America on home soil next month, with his club season over. Neymar is suspended for the last two games of the campaign and finishes with 15 goals in only 17 league appearances in PSG’s run to the title.
– Pistol Piatek misses mark – AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek’s sharp-shooting skills were missing again as he went a fifth game without scoring in a 1-0 win at Fiorentina.
A goal in Tuscany would have seen the player dubbed the “Pistol” and “Robocop” match a feat achieved by Juventus’s John Charles in 1957-58 and Brazilian Ronaldo with Inter in 1997-98 by scoring against 15 different teams in his first Serie A season.
Piatek was plying his trade in Poland with Cracovia last year, but after a record-breaking start to the season with Genoa, he joined Milan during the winter transfer window for 35 million euros.
The 23-year-old has eight goals for Milan, added to his 13 for Genoa. That leaves him equal with Cristiano Ronaldo on 21 overall, five behind Serie A top scorer Fabio Quagliarella of Sampdoria.
“Piatek shouldn’t worry about his goals, because he started the season so well at Genoa and then with us, he doesn’t need to worry,” insisted coach Gennaro Gattuso, whose side are fifth.
Manchester United are investigating vile racist abuse posted on Twitter about Ashley Young that appeared to come from the club’s own fans.
United suffered a convincing 3-0 defeat at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night, adding to the 1-0 loss at Old Trafford last week to send Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side crashing out of the quarter-finals.
In the wake of the defeat, racially abusive messages were posted on social media site Twitter from a series of anonymous accounts about England international Young, labelling him a “f****** n*****” and an “ape c***”.
1/25 Barcelona
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2/25 Player ratings: Barcelona vs Manchester United
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3/25 David De Gea - 5
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4/25 Victor Lindelof - 6
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5/25 Chris Smalling - 6
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6/25 Phil Jones - 5
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7/25 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen - 7 out of 10
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8/25 Jordi Alba - 8
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9/25 Clement Lenglet - 7
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10/25 Gerard Pique - 7
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11/25 Arthur - 7
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12/25 Luis Suarez - 7
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13/25 Marcus Rashford - 6
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14/25 Paul Pogba - 5
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15/25 Jesse Lingard - 6
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16/25 Fred - 5
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17/25 Scott McTominay - 6
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18/25 Ashley Young - 4
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19/25 Ivan Rakitic - 7
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20/25 Lionel Messi - 9
Man of the Match.
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21/25 Manchester United
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22/25 Sergi Roberto - 7
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23/25 Sergio Busquets - 7
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24/25 Anthony Martial - 6
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25/25 Philippe Coutinho - 8
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United have said that they “will take the strongest possible action” that is available to them and that it “utterly condemns” the “racist social media comments”.
Furthermore, the club are “working to identify individuals involved”.
Anti-racism group Kick It Out issued a statement to highlight the abuse to Twitter, and called on the social media giants to “take serious action to tackle the rampant discrimination” across the social media network.
“Yet another black player, this time Ashley Young, targeted with racist abuse on social media after tonight’s Champions League game,” the Kick It Out Twitter account posted on Tuesday night.
“Again, we’re left asking @TwitterUK the same question - when will you take serious action to tackle the rampant discrimination on your platform?”
But a Twitter spokesman refused to comment on the specific abuse posted about Young. "We do not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons," a Twitter spokesperson said.
"Our abusive behaviour policy prohibits behaviour which attempts to harass, intimidate or silence another person's voice and we take strong enforcement action if violations are found. Ashley Young was targeted with vile racist abuse on Twitter (Reuters)"Progress in this space is tough, but we are deeply committed to improving the health of the conversation on the platform.
"To this end, we are now suspending three times more abusive accounts within 24 hours after receiving a report than this time last year. We'll continue building on this work to prioritise the safety of our users."
Young started the second leg in Barcelona at left-back in the absence of the suspended Luke Shaw and found himself targeted by Lionel Messi, who prospered from United’s defensive troubles by scoring twice in the first half.
But the match has been overshadowed by this latest incident of abuse, which follows a series of issues across England as well as racist chanting aimed as England internationals including Danny Rose and Raheem Sterling during the Euro 2020 qualifier victory over Montenegro last March.
Gerard Deulofeu starred for Watford as they roared back from two goals down on Sunday to beat Wolves 3-2 and set up an FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Javi Gracia’s side looked down and out late in the game before a moment of magic from substitute Deulofeu and a last-gasp penalty from Troy Deeney pulled them level.
Earlier, a goal from Matt Doherty in the first half and a second-half strike from Raul Jimenez looked like sending Wolves into their first FA Cup final since 1960 in a full-blooded cup tie.
Shellshocked Wolves settled the quicker at the start of extra time but Watford took the lead for the first time in the match after more brilliance from Spaniard Deulofeu, who rolled the ball past John Ruddy from a tight angle after holding off Conor Coady.
Both sides are battling to be the “best of the rest” in the Premier League behind the so-called ‘big six’ but on Sunday the focus of both clubs switched to the chance to win rare silverware.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves, who reached the semi-final courtesy of a victory against Manchester United, nearly snatched the lead immediately, with Jonny Otto narrowly missing from the edge of the area.
But both sides struggled to find their rhythm during a scrappy opening spell with little in the way of clear-cut openings.
Wolverhampton-born Andre Gray wasted the clearest chance of the game just after the half-hour mark, lifting Deeney’s cross over the crossbar from six yards after escaping the Wolves defence.
Minutes later Heurelho Gomes did well to tip over a drive from Leander Dendoncker as Wolves poured forward.
From the resulting corner, the ball was played short to Diogo Jota, who sent over an inviting cross which Doherty headed in to give Wolves a 36th-minute lead.
Wolves, now able to play on the break, suddenly looked dangerous and Jota nearly doubled the lead minutes later, sprinting down the left before cutting inside and curling a shot just wide.
Watford chances Gray had another glorious chance to equalise on the stroke of half-time but Wolves captain Coady threw himself in front of a powerful shot to ensure his side went into the break in front.
Wolves gave Watford a mountain to climb when Jimenez — the club’s new record signing — hooked the ball past Gomes after controlling a deep cross from Doherty in the 62nd minute.
The Mexico international donned a yellow-and-black wrestling mask as the Wolves fans celebrated wildly.
Watford huffed and puffed as they battled to get back into the game but Deulofeu produced a moment of pure inspiration in the 79th minute.
The ball fell to him in the area and he picked his spot, curling delicately over the head of Ruddy into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Suddenly the dynamic of the match shifted and Watford were camped inside the Wolves box but they were unable to grab an equaliser despite intense pressure.
But with seconds to go Dendoncker was adjudged to have brought down Deeney in the penalty box and the spot-kick was confirmed by VAR.
Deeney held his nerve and blasted the ball down the middle, with Ruddy unable to keep it out.
That took the game to extra time and Deulofeu applied the killer touch to send Watford through to the final.
Everton manager Marco Silva has been fined £12,000 ($16,000, 14,000 euros) for confronting match officials on the pitch following his side’s 3-2 defeat at Newcastle earlier this month, the Football Association announced Tuesday.
“The Everton manager accepted an improper conduct charge from the FA, which resulted from his behaviour on the field of play at the end of the Premier League fixture against Newcastle United on March 9,” the FA said in a statement.
The Portuguese was furious at Newcastle’s winning goal being allowed to stand despite what he saw as “five Newcastle players in the same line in offside positions”, and confronted referee Lee Mason on the pitch before angrily questioning the linesman who had not raised his flag.
After the match — lost after Everton threw away a 2-0 half-time lead — Silva tore into the officials, saying that for “the third goal it was a big mistake by the assistant, it was a clear offside…”
But it was his move onto the pitch that led to the charge by the FA, English football’s governing body, and the fine by an independent regulatory commission.
Everton are 11th in the Premier League after responding to the Newcastle defeat by beating Chelsea 2-0 at the weekend.
This would remain argue for many decades. Below are provided some of people's view on this matter. What is your own take on?
Ritwik Pal's view
Some say that they are not comparable because of their different playing style and playing positions. Legendary footballers will never say who is better because they want to be politically correct; like Pele who once said Ronaldo and then Messi.
But can CR7 dribble past 6 players and put the ball in the net?
Can he create chances as Messi does?
Can he provide assists or passes like Messi?
He is a great goalscorer who can score goals when he is fed. But he is not capable of scoring goals with individual brilliancy like Leo.
Ronaldo has some better attributes like heading, physique, use of both feet; but Messi has more impact over the game as he comes deep in the midfield and takes the ball that Ronaldo rarely does. Messi’s vision, passing and assists are legendary. Messi is more complete footballer than Ronaldo.
I don't believe in sayings like ‘Both are great players; just enjoy them’, or ‘they are not comparable’. Both are great players but know the truth - Messi is better than Ronaldo but respect both. Peace!
According to Karl Rossman
Significantly better dribbler. When I say significantly I mean it. He is best dribbler in the world by far, while Ronaldo isn't in top 5–6. Ronaldo goes 1 vs 1, usually gives ball back to his teammate, doesn't go through dribbling because he isn't sure he will make it. Also, I saw him few times he falls over a ball or does useless bicycle stepovers and then does nothing with it.
Better assist provider. I mean, if you have 151 match less in your career than Ronaldo, and you are younger player than Ronaldo, and you still have significant number more of assists, then there you go, a simple fact.
-He is better, but much better passer. Passes that Messi sends are defense splitting, homing passes. Nobody has more accurate pass than Lionel Messi. They can be simple, they can be extremely intricate and complex. Ronaldo has decent pass, but not even close to pass of Messi.
-Messi is far better creator. He will take ball in half of pitch, pass it through entire defense to Jordi Alba or someone else, or will take ball and start action and finish it with a goal.
-Messi in last 5 years is significantly better free kick taker. Ronaldo has few more scored, but it was long time ago, he took so many free kicks from all positions, and has had 151 match more to score them. Messi can score 2 free kicks sometimes at same match, and he has done it before also.
-Messi is more intelligent player on the ball. Simply more talented. Ronaldo’s talent (although he is talented player himself) cannot compare to natural talent of Messi. If somebody doesnt see this, they shouldnt watch football because they do not understand it.
It is important to say that in no way am I underestimating Ronaldo. He is monster player for all that consistency over years and goal scoring, his talent also. But simply, one player is above him, but that player is above all others in history of football, and that is Lionel Messi. Also people can have their opinions, no foul there. But some opinions matter more, and those are opinions of experts, professional footballers, ex footballers, coaches. They favor Messi. I can give you an analogy in physics. People can have opinion, but they are not experts, and lets say one person says: “I think our universe has Earth, Sun, few planets and thats it, end of universe”. Now there will come physicists, experts in astronomy also, and will prove you wrong. They will tell you are a meaningless speck in vast universe, insignificant one. So, would you rather believe some random beer drinking fan who prefer Ronaldo, or would you prefer opinion of for example Frank Lampard, Chelsea legend and a guy who has scored 155 IQ on proctored IQ test? Guy is extremely intelligent, and also was excellent footballer. I will take opinion of Lampard any day. Have a good day.
Edit: For people that have dyslexia obviously, I did not downplay Ronaldo or make him “look rubbish”. I just named you were Messi is significantly better. Is Ronaldo better dribbler than Messi? Hell no, not even close. Is he better creator? He isn't creator at all, he is scorer capable of assisting also, but not creator of game. Passer? Who is better? Ronaldo? Yes, in some parallel universe, but not in this one. Is he better scorer? Last 3 years, guess who was best scorer in the world? I will give you a hint: He scored 3 goals vs Sevilla few days ago, one with left foot volley, one with right foot, and one goal with chip over goalkeeper. And then he assisted fourth. They were loosing 2 times, 2 times he brought them back to life, and then he took lead, and then assisted fourth goal to secure the win. It is not Ronaldo, there you go. For me Ronaldo is second best of all times, because how football is evolved now and how that guy stays for 14 years in top with Messi. He is great player, but most experts will choose Messi. Opinions are great, you have right to choose from either of these 2 great players, but please, before you do, learn to read. I deleted comment from a guy who said that I claimed Ronaldo was rubbish. I never did that, I just prefer Messi. I value Ronaldo too. I have my opinion and have right to it, and in my book Messi is simply more talented and better player. If for you Jay Jay Okocha is best player of all times, by all means, do it, make a claim, you have right to do it. Just don't put words in my comment which I didn't say or even think of (that Ronaldo is rubbish-he clearly is world class and wouldn't win so many individual trophies and team ones if he wasn't world class). He is a machine, one of best of all times. Have a nice day.
Kiran Suryawanshi Opined that
It's a long one... there are certain reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo is a better player at the end of the day. 1) Ronaldo is a winger, not a striker So, Messi has scored more goals that Ronaldo in the 2011-12 season. But what one has to realise here is that Messi is a forward/striker where as Ronaldo is a winger and for a winger to score as many as 60 goals in 55 appearances in a season is no mean achievement. While with Manchester United, he also had the distinction of being the first ever to win the European Golden Boot award in the 2007-08 season – as a winger. With Real Madrid, Ronaldo also has the distinct achievement of being the second fastest La Liga player to score 100 goals in just 92 matches. He also became first player to reach 40 goals in a single season in two consecutive years in any of the top European leagues – all these achievements as a winger and not striker. And while Messi has score just 169 goals in 214 appearances for Barcelona as a striker, Ronaldo has score 112 goals in just 101 appearances for Real Madrid, a much faster scoring rate. 2) Move Messi out of Barcelona So far, Messi has played for just one club, Barcelona FC, thus proving his ability with one club. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has proved that he can play in any league across the world - Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), Manchester United (England) and now with Real Madrid (Spain), winning the leagues with Manchester and Real Madrid. Barcelona FC is no doubt, the best club in the world right now. But as many critics had said then, Barcelona is what Ronaldnho made it; prior his arrival Barcelona was distance away form Real Madrid. This means that Messi is enjoying the outcome of what Barcelona has turned out to be though his contribution cannot be denied either. Moreover, the support that Xavi Hernandez and Andrea Iniesta, considered the best midfielders in the world, are giving him is nothing like any in the world of football. Hence, many have wondered what would happen to Messi’s football without the support of these two players. Moreover, with Pep Guardiola having left the club, one never know how the Barcelona FC will perform. So, can we move Messi out of Barcelona FC and see what happens? It would be interesting indeed.
3) Ronaldo is from Portugal, not Argentina Messi is lucky to be born in the South American country of Argentina known for their football, while on the other hand Ronaldo is from Portugal, a country not as good and popular as Argentina in football. This means that while Messi has been almost genetically and ethnically gifted with the skills of football, Ronaldo has put himself in a place where he is today through sheer passion and hard working. Imagine Cristiano was from Brazil. Perhaps, the outcome would have been a different story. 4) Performances for country While Messi might have won the Olympics gold in football at the Beijing games in 2008, he has otherwise failed to impress in the national shirt. He failed again to help his country qualify for the London Olympics 2012 despite being the defending champions. Thus, when it comes to the senior side, Messi has failed to perform for the country – he was goalless at the FIFA World Cup 2010 held in 2010 while Argentina were knocked out by Germany 4-0 in the quarter finals. On the other, Ronaldo almost single handedly took Portugal to the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the quarter finals of the Euro Cup 2012. Thus, when it comes to performance for the nation at the highest level, Cristiano has performed better than Messi. 5)No. of Awards One might also argue that Ronaldo has just one FIFA Player of the Year award to Messi’s three, but the latter’s award in 2010 did not come without its share of controversy; many players and critics expected Wesley Sneijder of Holland to win it after having led the Orange to the finals of the of the FIFA World Cup 2010, winning the Bronze Boot award for five goals and the Silver Ball for being the 2nd best player of the tournament. He was also heavily instrumental in Inter Milan winning the EUFA Champions League in the same year. So, at the end of the day, Messi has higher number of awards, both group and individual. But that said again, Messi has been stuck with the same best club of the world. Had he moved out to other team, he might as well win so many awards. But that said and done, both these players are amazingly talented and the competition between the two will continue for few more years to come. Thus, at the end of the day, the debate of who is a better player will definitely continue. However, if one has to analyse every angle, situation and the likes, Cristiano takes the edge as the better player between the two.
Karthik Msroxx, Graduate Engineering Trainee at VA Tech Wabag (2016-present) Also contributed this
Well…. Because he is not..!
Both players have their own style of play. Messi is more of a playmaker. Ronaldo is more of a dynamic winger. Messi links up. With teammates and scores WHEREAS Ronaldo wants all the attacks to pass through him.
I see people choosing Messi because of his playmaking skills. But why? That is his style of play. He cannot play like lewa or ibra or Costa. Him…. Aguero…griezman…these type of players have to drop down playmake and score. That is their play style. Whereas player alike lewa, ibra, manzukic, Mueller can stay upfront and bulldoze defenders to score. That is their play style.
Overall what matters is the contribution for the team. It's not important who made more number of passes or who made more number of dribbles or who drops in more etc. Ronaldo during his prime used to cover the entire field on his own and his work was second to none. The advantage to ronaldo is his work ethic and mentality to handle pressure.
He can do both…. What Messi type players do as well as play target men like lewa, ibra etc which he plays now since 2015. Obviously Messi is better in that area…but Ronaldo can do both. So he is more complete.
Anyways…having more bandwidth than Messi is not the reason why Ronaldo is a better player. In that case Marcelo or hazard should be the Better player than them. Marcelo attacks, defends and also actively takes part in play making at the mid. And Hazard has more take ons than both of them.
What makes Ronaldo special is his insane ability to carry the team. He has carried Man u, real madrid, Portugal and now although 34, he has already made a significant impact at juventus. Messi has not been able to shine as much as he does when he is not around with quality players at barca. Also Ronaldos's mentality is what is giving him an edge over all the other players.
Messi has played majority of his career as a striker and Ronaldo played majority of his life a sa winger. But now Messi has started assuming a mod field role and ronaldo has evolved into a poacher. So Messi fans who say that he drops to mid whereas Ronaldo does not…like where are your football sense? Why should a striker drop back when he has amazing midfielders at the back to supply? And with the kind of striking abilities that Ronaldo possess, why should he fall back? It wouldn't be efficient. Messi has played majority of his career hopping around the 30 yards, during that time Ronaldo used to cover the entire field and still score as many goals as him. What about that? Sarfaraz Haque, I have been following the sport for over a decade now. A Red Devil by heart. commented this
Right at the outset, let me say this; both Leo and Cristiano are the two best players of our generation.
Coming to your question, I will list a few points to substantiate the claim that Messi is a better player than Ronaldo.
1. Lionel Messi is more versatile and dynamic. He has played as a right winger, as a CAM, as a False 9 and often drops very deep at the position of a CM for Barcelona and Argentina of late. He has been very successful in all of the aforementioned positions, vis a vis, controlling the game, creating chances, dribbling past several players with ease and scoring for fun. Cristiano on the other hand is a little one dimensional of late. Over the last two years, he has concentrated more on scoring goals, and is not seen involved in build up play as much as one would like him to. He preys on the supplies of his team mates. He is a prolific goalscorer.
2. Team player- Ronaldo and Messi are both the talisman for their respective teams . However, as a United supporter and follower of Ronaldo since 2003, I have noticed that Ronaldo is a tad bit selfish. Most strikers are selfish. But his recent expressions of exasperation at Bale and Arbeloa for not letting him score have pretty evidently reflected how he values personal goals over his team. Messi on the other hand is a perfect team player. Even when on the verge of a hattrick, recently against Cordoba, he let Neymar take the penalty. It was a great show of sportsmanship spirit and the kind of bonding and understanding he shares with his team mates. He values teams performance over personal achievements.
3. Success with National Team- Leo Messi is a clear winner in this aspect. He won an Olympic Gold with Argentina, has taken his team to the final of last years World Cup, even when all the Argentine strikers put up a horror show and misfired left right and centre. Ronaldo hasn't been poor with Portugal, but his performances have not been exceptional either.
4. Play acting- One huge quality Messi possesses is that he never goes down easily on the field when tackled. He never play acts. I have hardly ever seen him diving. Ronaldo on the other hand has a terrible reputation of diving. He has been booked several time for simulation and often times he gets away with dives to earn penalties. He used to do this at United as well. Statistics- Messi has 452 goals for club and country in 575 appearances. Ronaldo has 481 in 739. Quite clearly, Messi is ahead, statistically.
Aside from all these points most pundits, former players and coaches, who understand the game better keep Messi ahead of Ronaldo. Also, from this generation, Messi time and again has been hailed as the all time greatest(which is very debatable).
Ronaldo at United was dynamic winger who could score and get past players at will. However at Real, with his quest for Ballon D'or he has become more of a great goalscorer. Nothing more, nothing less.
Messi, indeed is the better player and the greatest of this generation. Arek Baronyan
One of the ways Messi is better than Ronaldo is the difference in their ball control and dribbling. Messi has surgically precise ball control when he dribbles. No one comes close to how well he is able to dribble the ball at high speeds and still being able to change direction or come to a standstill with the ball glued to the feet.
He has incredible control over his body where it allows him to play in a composed manner and never make any unnecessary movements. He has no need for tricks and deceit, he just does not allow you to take the ball away from him and he will twist and turn you into submission. He will fight you directly for dangerous positions and he is very persistent and driven when he turns on the switch. Whenever that happens no one can stop him, not even the best defenders in the world. They tried and failed, all of them.
Ronaldo would more often need his teammates to get the better of worldclass defenders. He has his own way.
But Messi cuts through entire defenses without mercy. He makes everyone look bad and some of them don’t take kindly to that. *cough* ramos *cough*
All in all, you could make a case for Ronaldo, but Messi is more impressive to me.
p.s. edited in some pictures of Ramos taking his frustration out on Messi. Note: Some of the comments or the analyses or statistics are not recent.
Kindly, let us know your view on this two arguable best in this 21st century by making use of comment box provided below.
As a teen, Tom Justice dreamt of glory in the velodrome - but it was crime that gave him his ultimate buzz
Tom Justice – his surname is just one of many aspects of the tale that grab your attention – was aged 13 when he discovered track racing in 1983, going to watch racing at a velodrome in Northbrook, Illinois with a girl he had a crush on, reports Chicago magazine in a lengthy feature that is well worth reading in full.
He was soon hooked on cycling and winning races, and just four years later was one of 40 aspiring riders invited to a training camp for the US Olympic team in Colorado Springs.
Elected senior class president in his final year of high school, his goal was to keep cycling during college before aiming for the Olympics in his late 20s, when he believed he would be at his peak as a track sprinter.
The wheels soon started to come off his long-term plans, however. Switching courses more than once, he took six years to graduate college.
During that time, he kept cycling, but despite founding a student cycling club while there, his motivation seemed to wane.
Post-graduation, he still harboured dreams of glory on the track, moving to Los Angeles to train alongside the US Olympic team, although it seems clear from what a contemporary said that his sparkle had gone as he failed to apply himself, at a point in his life when he also seemed to be drifting between various plans for his non-sporting future.
After toying with the idea of entering a seminary to train as a priest, in another of the bizarre twists that characterise this tale, he joined the French Foreign Legion. It wouldn’t be too long before he returned to the US, where in late 1998 he settled on becoming a bank robber.
It seems he was in it for the buzz rather than the money – most of which, it seems, he either put in bins or left lying around where homeless people were likely to find it – but his modus operandi was striking.
He’d enter a bank dressed in clothes that wouldn’t mark him out from the crowd – a blue blazer, an Oxford shirt, khakis – and show an index card to the teller informing them that a robbery was in progress and to put the till contents into the shopping bag he had with him.
He didn’t threaten bank staff with firearms, but it seems that more often than not they would comply and he would be quickly in and out of the bank within a minute or so – and then, straight to where his bike was hidden and, a minute later, riding out on his bike in Lycra, the money and the clothes he had committed the robbery in safely stashed in his messenger bag.
In other words, he’d become the last person that police hunting someone of the description the bank teller had given would be looking for.
He would have one last – and unsurprisingly, unsuccessful – tilt at the US Olympic trials in California, but by now it was the thrill from his criminal career that pushed him forward, and his bank-robbing spree escalated, whether in California or Illinois.
By 2001, he was actually spending the money he was getting through his robberies – on crack cocaine, and on a second-hand, hand-built Steelman frame, painted bright orange, that would ultimately prove his undoing.
The following year, he was back in California, and robbed a bank in Walnut Creek, near San Francisco in the north of the state.
Police were alerted and one officer – with almost two decades’ service – saw something that aroused his suspicions, a cyclist on a bright orange bike, dressed in Lycra, which was nothing unusual in itself other than the fact that in contrast to the others he would see round there, this one had a messenger bag.
The officer stopped Justice, who pulled over and explained he would need a few seconds to unclip – and then sped off, confirming suspicions.
Six hours later, having abandoned the bike and hidden in an animal’s burrow as police used dogs to try and find him, he knew they were off the scent.
But the officer who had originally spotted him knew it was an unusual bike and, after speaking to the wife of frame-maker Brent Steelman, matched it with one that had been sold six years earlier in a shop in Chicago called Higher Gear.
While that was the shop where Justice had bought it, the bike had changed hands several times before he purchased it, so the trail went dead.
But at the same time, the FBI was investigating and had linked a number of bank robberies to a suspect they nicknamed ‘The Choirboy,’ whom they thought was using public transport to flee.
Once they heard of the orange bike though, they quickly made the link to Justice via the Chicago bike shop.
At this point, he was in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border, trying to obtain a fake passport, and while there agreed to courier marijuana worth $500 into the US – but fled when a knife was pulled on him.
Back in California, he stayed with a friend just as the FBI had worked out who he was and who his parents were. He was arrested shortly after returning home to Chicago, and was sentenced to 11 years in jail.
His bank robberies – more than two dozen in all – netted him almost $130,000, although it seems clear that until he needed to finance his crack cocaine habit, the money wasn’t the issue.
Since his release in 2011, he’s now back cycling regularly at the velodrome in Northbrook where his Olympic dreams were kindled.
As we said at the outset, it’s an extraordinary story, and one that merits reading in full; you’ll find it here
Born in Scotland, Simon moved to London aged seven and now lives in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds with his miniature schnauzer, Elodie. He fell in love with cycling one Saturday morning in 1994 while living in Italy when Milan-San Remo went past his front door. A daily cycle commuter in London back before riding to work started to boom, he's been news editor at road.cc since 2009. Handily for work, he speaks French and Italian. He doesn't get to ride his Colnago as often as he'd like, and freely admits he's much more adept at cooking than fettling with bikes.
Zinedine Zidane has made a surprise return to coach Real Madrid less than a year after leaving the Spanish giants in the wake of one of its great European successes.
The 46-year-old Frenchman led Real to three consecutive Champions League trophies during his first spell in charge at the Bernabeu, but then stepped down in May 2018. READ:How Premier League's fourth-placed team may miss Champions League qualification
READ: Messi's trump card: Why Dembele is key to Barcelona winning the Champions League
Zidane replaces former teammate Santiago Solari, who was promoted to the role of Real coach after Julen Lopetegui was dismissed following a poor run of form in October.
"Real Madrid appreciates the work done by Santiago Solari and the commitment and loyalty he has always shown to this house," said a Real Madrid statement on Monday.
"The Board of Directors has also agreed the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the new coach of Real Madrid with immediate incorporation for the remainder of the season and the next three, until June 30, 2022.
"Zidane was already a Real legend thanks to an illustrious five-year-period as a player at the club between 2001 and 2006.
He took over as Real Madrid coach in January 2016 and made a near immediate impact, winning the Champions League later that season.
Two more European titles followed before he abruptly left in May 2018, a matter of days after securing the hat-trick of Champions League titles as Real defeated Liverpool in Kiev.
No team had won three Champions League or European Cups in succession since Bayern Munich between 1973 and 1975.
Upon announcing his departure, Zidane said the team needed "a change after three years, another voice, another method of working." Zinedine Zidane announced his resignation as Real boss in May 2018 before returning nine months later.
A popular figure among Real's star players, Zidane lost just 16 times in his 149 games in charge. He also averaged a trophy every 16 games, with Real picking up two FIFA Club World Cups, two UEFA Supercups, a La Liga title and a Spanish Supercup alongside the Champions League crowns. Real have toiled in the period since. They are currently 12 points behind La Liga leaders and arch rivals Barcelona.
They also suffered a surprise Champions League exit at the hands of Ajax last week. Spanish newspaper Marca labeled that defeat as the "failure of the century." READ: How Euro-kings Real lost crown READ: Amazing Ajax humble Real Madrid
Zidane will take over with Real having little to play for except ensuring it qualifies for next season's Champions League.Real is currently placed third in La Liga with the top three teams qualifying automatically to next season's group phase. Barcelona also eliminated Real from the Copa del Rey, Spain's domestic cup competition, last month.Prior to Solari's appointment as Real coach earlier this season, the Argentine had managed the club's youth team and the Champions League holders said they were talking to him about a new role at the Bernabeu.
Young Nigerian women rescued from human traffickers gather in a shelter
They were under the strict supervision of a madam, also a Nigerian, who confiscated the passport of the victims and forced them to work to pay off certain debts. In Obuson’s case, she had to work to pay off a debt of $50,000.
“I cried really hard. But what choice did I have?” were the words on 19-year-old Blessing Obuson, a Nigerian ‘Super Eagles fan’, forced into prostitution in Russia.
Another 21-year-old woman said: “They don’t give you food for days, they slap you, they beat you, they spit in your face... It’s like a cage.”
In roughly three months, it’ll make it one full year thousands of fans flew across countries to cheer the Super Eagles as they participated in the World Cup which took place in Russia in June 2018.
However, contrary to expectations, not only are thousands of supposed Super Eagles fans missing, it turned out some members of the Nigerian fan base were sold into prostitution.
One of such victims is 19-year-old Obuson, who went to Russia in the hope of finding a job.
Blessing Obuson from Nigeria, 19, rescued from human traffickers, poses for a portrait in a shelter on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia February 21, 2019. Picture taken February 21, 2019.
Blessing Obuson from Nigeria, 19, rescued from human traffickers, poses for a portrait in a shelter on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia February 21, 2019. Picture taken February 21, 2019.REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
According to a report by Reuters, Obuson had nursed dreams of working as a shop assistant to help with her two-year-old daughter and younger siblings resident in Edo State, but she ended up locked up in an apartment in the outskirts of Moscow and forced into becoming a sex slave alongside 11 other Nigerian women.
They were under the strict supervision of a madam, also a Nigerian, who confiscated the passport of the victims and forced them to work to pay off certain debts. In Obuson’s case, she had to work to pay off a debt of $50,000.
Reprieve, however, came the way od Obuson and other victims when she told her story to a client, who spoke English and involved anti-slavery activists, leading to a raid on the apartment.
According to the case, which is still under investigation, a police officer had posed as an interested client willing to buy off Obuson for 2million rubles (around $30,000), which led to the arrest of two Nigerians.
Momoh Alifat Omotese who was killed in September 2018 in a shelter on the outskirt of Moscow
Momoh Alifat Omotese who was killed in September 2018 in a shelter on the outskirt of MoscowREUTERS/Maxim ShemetovEight other Nigerian women, between the ages of 16 and 22, also told Reuters how they were victims of violence and also came into the country as Super Eagles’ fans. The fan identity cards grant them access to the country without necessarily needing visas.
According to the Police in Russia, 1,863 Nigerians had not left the country as of January 1, 2019 — six months after they came into the country for the World Cup, and at the time the IDs expired.
In September 2018, 22-year-old Alifat Momoh was said to be the victim of murder by a man who refused to pay for sex.
Kenny Kehindo, an anti-slavery activist who works with non governmental organisations in Moscow, puts the figure of women who came into the country as fans at more than 2,000.
Arsenal are fourth while Manchester United are fifth in the Premier League with eight games remaining - with both teams still fighting in European competitions
The team that finishes fourth in the Premier League at the end of the season may miss out on Champions League qualification, says UEFA.
Two English teams would need to finish outside of the Premier League top four doubled with them winning both European competitions in 2018/19 for that scenario to happen.
For example, Manchester United finishing fifth and winning the Champions League and Arsenal finishing sixth and lifting the Europa League - which would result in the fourth-placed team being entered into the latter tournament instead.
Tottenham were demoted to the Europa League in 2012 despite finishing fourth after sixth-placed Chelsea won the Champions League.
Regardless of who wins the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup, England can only have seven clubs representing them across the two European competitions.
If the teams that finish fifth and sixth in the top-flight win the Champions League and Europa League respectively, the top three will qualify for the Champions League alongside the two European tournament winners.
Arsenal seized the initiative in the race for the top four with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United that inflicted the first league defeat of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tenure.
Granit Xhaka forced an uncharacteristic goalkeeping error from David de Gea as his swerving shot fired the Gunners in ahead inside 12 minutes before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's penalty made sure of the victory midway through the second half.
United hit the woodwork twice in the first half but there was a clear hangover from Wednesday's Champions League heroics in Paris as they suffered their first Premier League defeat December 16.
Arsenal leapfrog United into fourth as a result of their ninth-successive home victory and move to within a point of third-place Tottenham as the top-four race intensifies with eight games to play.
Man Utd: De Gea (4), Young (5), Smalling (5), Lindelof (5), Shaw (6), Dalot (6), Matic (5), Fred (5), Pogba (6), Rashford (6), Lukaku (6).
Subs: Martial (5), Greenwood (5).
Man of the Match: Aaron Ramsey.
Arsenal had United under the cosh early on, registering three attempts, all of which were off target, inside the opening nine minutes, but United's first effort nearly yielded the opener.
Luke Shaw strode down the left flank and picked out Romelu Lukaku in the Arsenal area, but the Belgian could only divert the ball onto the crossbar before Paul Pogba's attempted rebound was blocked.
Arsenal then took a deserved lead, albeit in bizarre circumstances, as Xhaka swerving shot from 25 yards wrong-footed De Gea on its way into the middle of the United goal.
Granit Xhaka celebrates his opener Despite seeing little of the ball, United almost drew themselves level on 19 minutes as Fred took aim from the edge of the area and beat the outstretched arm of Bernd Leno, only to see his effort clip the post.
Arsenal continued to pepper the United goal but lacked the killer touch, and they nearly paid the price on 36 minutes when Lukaku tried to round Leno, but the Arsenal goalkeeper made contact with the ball, forcing the striker to swipe at a shot which flashed across the face of goal.
Team news
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil all started in an attacking Arsenal line-up. Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac also returned alongside Aubameyang and Ozil as Unai Emery made four changes from the draw with Tottenham. Paul Pogba, Diogo Dalot and Nemanja Matic returned for Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made three changes from the victory at PSG.
United almost drew level on the stroke of half-time as Pogba, Shaw, Lukaku and Dalot combined at pace on the counter and rolled the ball into the path of Rashford in the Arsenal area, but Xhaka intervened with a crucial block to preserve the Gunners' lead.
Leno then came to Arsenal's rescue six minutes after the interval, racing off his line to confront Lukaku after Rashford's superb side-rule pass presented the Belgian with the chance to equalise, but the German diverted it onto the roof of the net.
Aubameyang converted from the spot just over a week after missing a penalty against Tottenham It looked as though United had settled into a rhythm that would cause Arsenal problems but, instead, the Gunners doubled their lead as Aubameyang - eight days on from his missed north London derby penalty - converted from 12 yards after Fred had bundled Alexandre Lacazette to ground. On a day where Aston Villa's Jack Grealish was attacked by a Birmingham fan running onto the field of play, an Arsenal supporter appeared to run into Chris Smalling as he invaded the pitch after Aubameyang's goal.
A steward removes the fan who confronted Smalling off the pitch as he celebrates Aubameyang's penalty with the Arsenal players Lacazette should have put the game out of sight on 71 minutes with Arsenal's third but he fired wide after Victor Lindelof's misreading of the ball presented him with a clear route to goal, though it did not cost the Gunners as they saw out a comfortable victory.
Opta stats
Arsenal have won 12 points from their 10 games against fellow 'big six' sides in the Premier League this season, double the amount they won in such games last term.
Manchester United suffered their first Premier League defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (W10 D2 L1), and also ended a run of nine successive away wins in all competitions.
Arsenal have beaten Manchester United 10 times in Premier League games played on Sundays, the most United have lost against an opponent on a specific day of the week in the competition.
Arsenal have won their last nine Premier League home games, their joint-longest winning run at the Emirates within a single season (also nine in 2014-15).
Manchester United failed to score for the first time in 22 away games in all competitions this season, last failing to find the net on the road in May 2018 at West Ham.
Six of Granit Xhaka's seven Premier League goals for Arsenal have come from outside the box, including both of his strikes against Manchester United.
Man Utd keeper David de Gea has made two errors leading to a goal in the Premier League this season - both of them against Arsenal.
Unai Emery says he is very proud of his team and hopes Arsenal will take confidence from their 2-0 win against Manchester United into their next game. Unai Emery: "I'm very proud of our supporters, they pushed us a lot and this is a big result and they created a big atmosphere for our players. United were in a good moment after one result against PSG but we had a big performance and we are in a good moment in the Premier League. To take three points and get a good position for our target is very good and I'm happy for the players."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United created some great chances but did not take them in their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "We started slowly, maybe a backlash from Wednesday night, but we created chances and when they get the first goal it becomes a different game. We created so many more chances than when we beat them in the FA Cup. Sometimes it happens, we hit the woodwork twice and had five very big chances ourselves. We just had to go for it towards the end, but we were not really at it and it is one of those days where you have to dust yourselves down from."
Everton manager Marco Silva has been fined £12,000 ($16,000, 14,000 euros) for confronting match officials on the pitch following his side’s 3-2 defeat at Newcastle earlier this month, the Football Association announced Tuesday.
Simon MacMichael
