Despite Cristiano Ronaldo's impressive form which is seeing him lead the top scorer's list in the Spanish La Liga, it is looking very likely that Messi will win the FIFA Ballon d'Or for a 3rd consecutive year when the gala takes places on Monday.

Ronaldo's muted celebrations against Granada yesterday are fueling a lot of rumours that the Portuguese star could be on the verge of a break down especially with the constant comparisons to Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

Milan started off their Champions League campaign in truly inspirational form after stealing a point away to Barcelona on the opening match day. Their next two games ended according to expectation, with routine victories over BATE Borisov and Viktoria Plzen. However, following their 2-0 win over BATE Borisov on matchday three, the Rossoneri failed [.

Next time, rake the cleats, Rooney my boy.

And as Matchday 6 of the Champions League separated the wheat from the chaff, the next eight into the Europa League knockouts are:

Valencia
Olympiakos
Porto
Victoria
Plzen
Manchester United
Manchester City
Lyon FC Basel
Trabzonspor

Manchester United failed to beat Basel, so MUFC goes to Europa while the Swiss progress to the knockouts.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE final Group matches with Tuesday night action with 50% of the Clubs playing it out. Two SPANISH FOOTBALL representatives went to work with a good & bad result that will now be summarized below with the final results & the scorers. FC Barcelona FC BARCELONA hosted BATE BORISOV with the top spot of Group H theirs & their minds already on Real Madrid for this Saturdays LIGA

There are lots of things which are either rigged, not taken seriously or both in football. FIFA qualifies in general. So too does the electoral process in Bulgaria. (The footballing variety, obviously.)

The Bulgarian Player of the Year is something of a travshamockery, given that it's Berba's year after year, and justifiably so.

By Alan Duffy

"It was a game of two halves, but the boys done good"

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has won the Bulgarian Player of the Year award after polling 44% of the votes in the fans' poll. The 52-year-old, who occasionally plays for third tier team Vitosha Bistritsa, comfortably beat Dimitar Berbatov into second place, with the Man Utd striker polling 24% of the votes.

Alexis looks to continue form against Levante (Photo: JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images)

On Saturday FC Barcelona look to get back on track following their suprising loss to Getafe last weekend. Though they put up an impressive performance mid-week against Rayo Vallecano winning easily 4-0 it will be imporant to keep the momentum rolling going into a midweek Champions League match up against BATE Borisov followed by the monsterous clash against Real Madrid.

With many of Europe's top leagues now well under way it is at this time of year that we look back at those championships which take place through the summer months. In this two-part special we focus on twelve countries ranging from Armenia to Kazakhstan, Latvia to the Republic of Ireland and from Iceland to Belarus and highlight those who are celebrating title success, cup final triumphs or in despair following relegation.

Milan: Un punto che sa di beffa Di Davide Biscaro Alzi la mano chi, prima del match B.A.T.E. Borisov-Milan avrebbe puntato un soldo bucato sul pari in rimonta di padroni di casa. Pochi, probabilmente nessuno, ma, anche a causa di un arbitraggio non particolarmente favorevole, le cose stanno così. Niente vittoria da dedicare al ricoverato Cassano (domani si opera, in bocca al lupo Fantantonio), e

BATE vs AC Milan 1-1 Highlights Video Champions League 2011 is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

BATE vs AC Milan 1-1 Highlights Video Champions League 2011 is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter BATE vs Milan 2011 ( BATE Borisov vs AC Milan 2011) Final score:- BATE vs AC Milan 1-1 ( Renan/ Z.

The Rossoneri were held tonight against BATE Borisov away from home in Minsk but despite the disappointment still managed to secure qualification to the next phase. During the first half which the Italians dominated Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring with a nicely taken goal for the red and blacks in the 22nd minute.

The UEFA Champions League group stage has hit the halfway point and is headed toward the home stretch, and a number of teams can cement places in the knockout stage if results go a certain way on Tuesday.

Should Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen both win their Group E matches they'd both advance to the knockout stage.

By Chris Wright

I must admit that it was news to me, but apparently Antonio Cassano has been in hospital after suffering a stroke ( according to initial reports) after Milan's 3-2 victory over Roma on Saturday.

Cassano developed problems with his vision, speech and co-ordination after the match which was reported by the Italian news agency Ansa as a stroke, with doctors at the Milan Polyclinic reported to have diagnosed it as a mild Transient Ischemic Attack or a 'mini-stroke'.

Rumours doing the rounds that AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano suffered a stroke on Saturday after Milan's 3-2 win over AS Roma in Rome have been rubbished by the club.

According to Italian news agency Ansa a medical examination carried out on the 29 year old diagnosed him as having had a stroke although the extent of the damage has not been identified.

Saturday's win over Roma on the weekend made it five wins from five in all competitions. On Tuesday night Milan travel to Minsk for the return tie with BATE Borisov and I fully expect the team to make it six from six. The Belarussian side may have just claimed another domestic title built on a [...]

Milan head into this fixture in confident mood after finding their feet and form this past week. Two impressive victories, first against Palermo and then BATE Borisov in the Champions League, have shown that the Italian champions are back, finally. Max Allegri's men will be hoping to add another win to their form book in [.

In The Stands' Goal of The Week comes from Kevin Prince Boateng whose blockbuster strike against BATE Borisov helped Milan grab a 2-0 win and remain joint top of Group H. The strike had a Tony Yeboah-type-feel to it although the Leeds striker was more renowned for striking the ball sweetly from a volley.

In about eight hours Milan will take to the field to face Belarussian side BATE Borisov in the Champions League. Here is a glance at the squad Max Allegri has opted to select. Originally it was mentioned that Alexandre Pato would make his return to action for the match. However, the Brazilian is not 100 [.

Champions League football resumes this week as Milan entertain Belarussian side BATE Borisov at the San Siro on Wednesday night. Max Allegri's side enter this match on the up after their impressive 3-0 win over Palermo last weekend. Robinho's return seemed to help dispense with the lethargic and predictable side we had seen in the [.

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga after a hard fought 1-0 win over Sporting Gijon at the Estadio Molinon courtesy of a first half strike by Adriano. The champions were far from their imperious best after a superb 5-0 midweek thrashing of BATE Borisov, but managed to squeeze past a determined Sporting Gijon [.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has kept faith with Chelsea striker Fernando Torres for the Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Czech Republic and Scotland.

Torres did not make the matchday squad for Spain's previous match and his place was under threat from inform Valencia striker Roberto Soldado, who has scored six goals this season.

Barcelona notched their second 5-0 win in the last five days with their UEFA Champions League trouncing of BATE Borisov in Belarus on Wednesday night. The Catalan giants went ahead via through Aleksandr Volodko's own goal in the 19th before Pedro headed in a second for the visitors in the 38th. Lionel Messi scored on [.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Lionel Messi's case as the best Barcelona player of all time got a little bit stronger with a brace in a 5-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov in Belarus in a UEFA Champions League group match.

The Argentinian captain moved into a tie for second place with Ladislau Kubala on Barcelona's all-time goalscorer list with 194 goals scored for the club.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that the UEFA Champions League far exceeds the global reach of FIFA World Cup due to the overall higher level of quality within the squads of top European clubs.

The Gunners, who are yet to hit top gear this season, are still clearly a better side than many national teams that compete in the World Cup and based on that logic, Wenger insists that there are no peers on the national team level for clubs like Champions League holders Barcelona.

Ah, would you just look at THAT! If it isn't Chelsea's resident Spaniards in Valencia wearing Los Che's traditional colours, Orange! You can't get any cheesier than that in a strangely endearing way, of course. Anyway, Juan Mata is all set to face his former side tonight when Valencia host Chelsea at the Mestalla.

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has sent out an encouraging message to all of their hopeful opponents that the reigning European Champions are not invincible.

The Catalans have won the Spanish La Liga for three consecutive years and although their recent 8-0 dismantling of Osasuna as well as yesterday's 5-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid suggests continued dominance, Guardiola has pointed out to the club's vulnerabilities as well.

Thiago Silva scored Milan's crucial equalizer in Barcelona on Tuesday

Concerns over FC Barcelona's defence continued after the first of this season's UEFA Champions League matches were played throughout Europe last night.

The defending Spanish and European champions had home advantage in their Group H encounter against AC Milan but were behind after just 25 seconds with Alexandre Pato scoring the fastest goal ever scored in the competition.

There's not much to say about this beauty from Artem Gomelko of Torpedo Zhodino, who is now charge with bringing exposure to the Belarusian Premier League for reasons which do not involve BATE Borisov and inappropriately wonderful use of headline power.

A very casual and indifferent attitude to goalkeeping.

Mais um jogo da Champions League 2011/2012, foi realizado no dia 19/07/2011, na cidade de Borisvo-BLR, onde jogaram os clubes Bate Borisov-BLR e Linfield-NIR.
O árbitro desse jogo, foi: Libor Kovařik (CZE)

Northern Irish champions Linfield have been drawn against BATE Borisov of Belarus in the second-round qualifying of the Champions League.
The IFA Premiership winners face a two-legged affair against BATE, who are the only Belarusian side to reach the group stages of Europe's top club competition and made the last-32 of the Europa League last season.

Germany won the last tournament in 2009. Who will win this year?

Germany may have won the most recent edition of the UEFA U-21 Championships, easily beating England 4-0 in Sweden two years ago, but that will now count for nothing as their current crop of youngsters failed to qualify for this year's tournament in Denmark which begins on Saturday.