Messi: "It's good that LaLiga is tight; I hope it stays that way"
The Barcelona forward picked up his awards for best player and top scorer of 2017-18 on Monday and spoke about the LaLiga season so far.
Leo Messi picked up his Pichichi award as the top scorer of the 2017-18 LaLiga season, as well as the prize for best player, at a ceremony in Barcelona on Monday and spoke afterwards to reporters about the league season so far, which has thrown up a fair number of surprising results including Barça’s 4-3 defeat by Betis at Camp Nou a day earlier.
“It’s good that the league is tight and competitive this season. Nothing is easy and anybody can beat anybody else. I hope it stays that way, it’s good for everybody. That said, I hope we can get a bit of an advantage over the teams chasing us,” Messi, who along with teammate Luis Suárez is leading the scoring stakes this season with nine.
Messi: "I was eager to get back on the pitch"
Messi made his return to action in the game against Betis and scored twice, but admitted he had been a little anxious about a possible fresh injury after recovering from a broken arm sustained against Sevilla three weeks ago. “I felt good, although at the start I was a little worried about a fall. But as the game went on I loosened up. I was eager to get back on the pitch.”
The annual Marca awards also recognized the work of Marcelino, who was named best manager for leading Valencia to the Champions League last season. Atlético keeper Jan Oblak picked up his third consecutive Zamora trophy after conceding only 22 times in the league in 2017-18 while Celta striker Iago Aspas was also among the silverware as the highest Spanish scorer last season. Carlos del Cerro Grande was named the league’s best referee in 2017-18.
