Lionel Messi breaks Spanish football hat-trick record with 32nd treble for Barcelona

The Argentine struck three times against Rayo Vallecano to take his season tally to 41 as the Catalan giants ran riot in the Nou Camp

 

Record breaker: Messi bagged three more goals against Rayo

Lionel Messi has broken the record for the number of hat-tricks for a single club in Spanish football.
He struck three times as Barcelona demolished Rayo Vallecano 6-1 in the Nou Camp, which took his number of trebles to 32 - one more than Zarra managed for Athletic Bilbao.
It also took him to 24 hat-tricks in La Liga - more than any other player has managed in Spain's top flight.
The goals took him to 41 for the season, and 30 in La Liga, which draws him level with great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

David Ramos

Double trouble: Messi combined brilliantly with Luis Suarez

And as if those numbers aren't enough - he is also the first person to score 40 goals in SIX different Spanish seasons.
Luis Suarez scored twice for Barca with Gerard Pique adding another in the rout.
The result takes them to the top of La Liga, after Real Madrid's surprise defeat to Bilbao yesterday.

 

Manchester United eye Lars Bender transfer after Kevin Strootman injury forces them to look elsewhere

The Germany midfielder has shot up LvG's wanted list after his No. 1 target broke down again

 

Knows his Lars from his elbow: Bender is now a top United objective

Lars Bender is now a target for Louis van Gaal, writes Neil Moxley in the Sunday People, after Kevin Strootman’s latest injury setback.
Germany star Bender is on the Manchester United radar ­following a ­recurrence of knee problems for Roma’s Dutch midfielder Strootman.
But Old Trafford’s Van Gaal will have to go head-to-head with Arsenal , as boss Arsene Wenger has been a long-term fan of Bender and United’s move will be a serious blow to the London club in their hunt for a defensive midfielder.
United’s chief scout Jim Lawlor was at last week’s Champions League clash between Bender’s Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid. And United again had their top spies at the game with Freiburg.
Former PSV midfielder Strootman, 25, is a long-standing target of Van Gaal’s but has been sidelined since last March after rupturing ligaments in his left knee.

Stroot of contention: Kevin was Van Gaal's priority, but can't get fit

Last month he broke down again – and although he has said he remains on course to begin playing again in the summer – United are looking for insurance.
Leverkusen are able to sell Bender this summer as they have cover themselves in the shape of Christoph Kramer.
They loaned Kramer to Borussia Moenchengladbach this season and will take him back, leaving them free to sell 25-year-old Bender.

 

Lionel Messi superfan gets his face tattooed across her chest

One Ukrainian actress went to extreme lengths to prove that she is the greatest Lionel Messi fan and the results are quite horrific 

 

Actress Nataliya Kozhenova has hit the headlines in her native Ukraine for being that person to get Lionel Messi tattooed across her chest.

We conducted an in depth investigation to find out some information about Nataliya - a quick Google search - to find IMBb credit her for one film, 2013's Super Model.
Two years on an the actress has unfortunately been unable to add to her acknowledge film lists and has decided to become famous for a different, weirder reason.
You know by now that Row Zed love a good fan tattoo. We've had that Spurs supporter with a head tattoo, then you gave us the full back print and of course we've got Zlatan.
Even with that in mind we have a very, very strong feeling that Nataliya is going to regret her latest addition and to be honest, it's not even a recent picture of him.
What do you think Iker?

 

Is this Cristiano Ronaldo's new girlfriend? Meet Mexican TV presenter Vanessa Huppenkothen

The FIFA Ballon d'Or winner is apparently dating Ms Huppenkothen, Mexico's football presenter, just months after confirming his split with Irina Shayk

 Remember THAT Mexican TV presenter from the World Cup? Well, it appears Cristiano Ronaldo definitely does.

Social media went into meltdown during last summer's showpiece event when a photograph of Vanessa Huppenkothen wearing her nation's football shirt went viral across Twitter.
And now FIFA Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo is apparently dating the football presenter, just months after breaking up with Irina Shayk.
According to reports in Spain, the pair fell for each other when Vanessa recently visited the country on business.
Ronaldo, 30, split with Shayk in January after five years together, after which he said: "After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end.
"We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now. I wish Irina the greatest happiness."