Let’s hope Mr Beckham is taking notes…

We’ll leave it to the girls over at Kickette to explain this one…

Jinking Barca winger isn’t looking forward to tonight’s clash in Russia…

Google Translate provides more unintentional japery …

The Spoiler attempts to explain the Argentinian’s inconsistency

A strange thing tends to happen when Lionel Messi pulls on an Argentina shirt - generally speaking, he loses the dazzling talent that made him the centre piece in Barcelona’s triple-winning season. But why does this happen? As the Albicelestes prepare for a vital clash with Peru on Saturday, Spoiler correspondent Sam Williams gives five possible reasons for his inconsistent form on the international stage…

The manager
Comparisons with Maradona are inescapable, particularly when the manager forces the iconic number 10 shirt on Messi. Before the recent World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Paraguay, Maradona said of his star player: “We’ve been heaping responsibility onto him. He’s fast, concentrated, totally committed. He knows the chance he has.” Argentina duly lost both games.

Messi is consistently outstanding for Barcelona because he plays in a liberated, care-free manner. He knows how good he is, and if Maradona lets him get on with it, he could help dig Argentina out of the World Cup Qualification hole they find themselves in.

The formation
In the aforementioned defeat to Paraguay in Asuncion, Messi was deployed up-front in a 4-4-2 formation. For all his attacking qualities, five-foot-seven Messi isn’t an out-and-out striker and he couldn’t impose himself against the big, physical Paraguayan centre-backs. Alongside a target-man

Barcelona stars get lost in the moment in Malaga

Thanks to the zillions of you who emailed this picture in

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Highlights of the best international game this weekend

The Spoiler’s decision to stay up until 3.30am on Sunday morning to watch Argentina’s highly anticipated clash with Brazil was a good one. Thanks to some unrelenting attacking football and a blatant disregard for defending on the part of both teams, the crucial World Cup qualifier turned out to be one of the best games we’ve seen in ages. Our highlight was Jesus Datolo’s superb long range effort (above), which ultimately failed to get Argentina back into a match where they were always second best.

Even though the South American World Cup qualification system is designed to virtually ensure Brazil and Argentina cruise through, the Albicelestes could slip out of the automatic qualification spots if they stuff it up against Paraguay on Wednesday. The Argentinean press has yet to turn on Diego Maradona (they were rather more concerned with why Leo Messi doesn’t play for his country like he plays for his club) but the hallowed coach could be knocked from his pedestal very shortly.

Check out extended highlights from Rosario after the jump…

Ariel Pugliese passes the AFA’s strict recruitment policy

As Lionel Messi prepares for Argentina’s World Cup Qualifier with Brazil this weekend, he will be under the watchful eye of a burly chap named Ariel Pugliese. He may look like run-of-the-mill muscle for hire, but the brave soles at Argentinean newspaper Ole have exposed him as a leading figure in one of the country’s most violent football holigan factions.

Nicknamed ‘The Worm’, Pugliese is a senior member of terribly scary hooligan organisation Los Perales de Nueva Chicago, and he has a lengthy criminal record. He was investigated in the murder of Marcelo Cejas, a Tigre fan who was assassinated after a game in 2007.

To make matters worse, Pugliese might have trouble following Messi through airport security, as he has a bullet lodged in his body from one of his many football-related acts of violence. How fun!

The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies

Lionel Messi to Manchester City
According to our Spanish friends at Marca, City have not given up on their quest to bring the Argentinean to Eastlands. They have already shown their willingness to cover his €150m contract release clause, and will offer the player a blank cheque for his services.

The Spoiler truth-o-meter: Ain’t never gonna happen.

Stephen Warnock to Aston Villa
The Mirror believe Blackburn are offended by Aston Villa’s “derisory” £4m bid for their star defender. Martin O’Neill has been told to treble the offer to £12m or forgeddabouddit.

The Spoiler truth-o-meter: It’s seems that

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