YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Lionel Messi scored two wonder goals as European champions Barcelona thrashed Brazil’s Santos 4-0 to win their second Club World Cup in swashbuckling style on Sunday.

Argentine wizard Messi put Barcelona ahead in the 17th minute, exquisitely clipping a left-foot shot over goalkeeper Rafael Cabral after a clever ball from Xavi.

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Lionel Messi
scored two wonder goals as European champions Barcelona thrashed
Brazil’s Santos 4-0 to win their second Club World Cup in
swashbuckling style on Sunday.

Argentine wizard Messi put Barcelona ahead in the 17th
minute, exquisitely clipping a left-foot shot over goalkeeper
Rafael Cabral after a clever ball from Xavi.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Barcelona have had their thunder stolen before Sunday’s Club World Cup final in Japan, with endless questions about hot-shot Santos striker Neymar rammed down their throats daily.

The Spanish and European champions, bidding to win the seven-team competition for the second time in three years, boast arguably the world’s best player in Lionel Messi.

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Dec 17 (Reuters) – Barcelona have had
their thunder stolen before Sunday’s Club World Cup final in
Japan, with endless questions about hot-shot Santos striker
Neymar rammed down their throats daily.

The Spanish and European champions, bidding to win the
seven-team competition for the second time in three years, boast
arguably the world’s best player in Lionel Messi.

TOKYO (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Saturday that he had “regrets” following a scandal-tainted year in which football’s governing body lurched from one crisis to another.

Blatter again defended the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar but said announcing the choices at the same time may have been a mistake.

TOKYO, Dec 17 (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter
said on Saturday that he had “regrets” following a
scandal-tainted year in which soccer’s governing body lurched
from one crisis to another.

Blatter again defended the decision to award the 2018 and
2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar but said announcing the
choices at the same time may have been a mistake.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – European champions Barcelona have pledged to capture the Club World Cup for striker David Villa, who suffered a sickening leg break in Thursday’s semi-final in Japan.

The Spanish giants crushed Qatar’s Al Sadd 4-0 in Yokohama, hardly breaking sweat, but the victory was marred by the injury to Villa, who snapped his left shin in the first half.

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Dec 16 (Reuters) – European champions
Barcelona have pledged to capture the Club World Cup for striker
David Villa, who suffered a sickening leg break in Thursday’s
semi-final in Japan.

The Spanish giants crushed Qatar’s Al Sadd 4-0 in Yokohama,
hardly breaking sweat, but the victory was marred by the injury
to Villa, who snapped his left shin in the first half.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Striker David Villa will be out for up to five months after breaking his left leg in Barcelona’s 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al Sadd of Qatar Thursday.

The news is also a setback for Spain as they prepare to defend their European Championship title in Poland and Ukraine next year.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) – Barcelona forward David Villa broke his left leg during his side’s 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al Sadd of Qatar in Japan on Thursday.

“David has fractured his leg and will return to Barcelona for an operation as soon as possible,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola told reporters.