The Athenaeum Forum

BARCELONA, Spain - Lionel Messi has another scoring record in sight when Barcelona visits Almeria on Saturday looking to bounce back from consecutive losses that have cost it the Spanish league lead.Messi scored his 70th and 71st goals in the Champions League in a 2-0 win at Ajax on Wednesday to equal Raul Gonzalezs all-time record in Europes top-tier club competition.The Argentina forward can now match the Spanish leagues scoring milestone as he is just one goal short of Telmo Zarras mark of 251, a record the Athletic Bilbao great established in 1955.Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, will try to extend his club-record run of scoring in eight straight league appearances when the leaders hosts crosstown minnow Rayo Vallecano.Madrid leads Valencia and Atletico Madrid by one point, with Barcelona and Sevilla another point behind.Here are some things to know about round 11 of the Spanish league:___BALE BACK: Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has been facing questions about whether Gareth Bale, the winger Madrid bought for a world-record 100-million euros (then $132-million) last season, has a place in his starting 11.While Bale nursed a muscle injury, Madrid didnt skip a beat and won all five games, including a 3-1 victory over Barcelona.And with the Santiago Bernabeu crowd chanting the name of midfielder Francisco Isco Alarcon and thrilled with James Rodriguez, some have questioned whether Bale shouldnt be left on the bench.Ancelotti is not having any of it and said Bale will start against Rayo after coming on as a substitute against Liverpool.I see Bale is fine, Ancelotti said. I didnt start him because he is just back from injury. He felt fine. He will start on Saturday.___SUAREZ SEARCHING: While Messi dazzled in Amsterdam with his goals and incisive playmaking, new teammate Luis Suarez was left scoreless against his former club to remain without a goal in three games since returning from his four-month biting ban.Messi is not worried and expects the goals to come for Suarez once he settles in and learns Barcelonas possession-based style.We are happy Luis is with us and he is adapting to our philosophy, Messi said. This was his third game and we expect more from him given the class of striker he is.Suarez will have a good opportunity to get on track against an Almeria team that has lost three straight and is winless in all five games played at its Juegos Mediterraneos Stadium this season.___WINNING VALENCIA: Valencia has had a remarkable turnaround under new Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo and new owner Peter Lim, the Singaporean investor.The team looks like it is halting years of decline after losing only once in the first 10 rounds.Valencia is in second place before hosting struggling Athletic Bilbao. The Basques have won two straight in the league, but are in 12th place and coming off a 2-0 loss to FC Porto on Wednesday that ended their chances of advancing in the Champions League.___TROUBLE AT ANOETA: Atletico visits a Real Sociedad side that is still trying to find a replacement for fired coach Jagoba Arrasate.Sociedad let Arrasate go with the team having won just once in 10 rounds. The club president said former Manchester United boss David Moyes is one of four candidates to take over.Antoine Griezmann will make his return to San Sebastian, where he played for five seasons before transferring to the defending champions in the off-season.___STEADY SEVILLA: Sevilla has won four straight home games in the league and welcomes relegation-threatened Levante.Coach Unai Emery has melded new arrivals Denis Suarez, Aleix Vidal and Gerard Deulofeu into a side led by Colombia striker Carlos Bacca to produce one of the leagues most versatile attacks.Levante, meanwhile, is tied with Granada for the fewest goals scored in the 20-team league with just six.Sevilla hosts Standard Liege in the Europa League on Thursday. Michal Kempny Jersey .com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12. Niklas Hjalmarsson Jersey . Vincent Lamar Carter is no longer the lean, athletic dynamo who dazzled Raptors fans with eye-popping dunks that posterized even the leagues best defenders. http://www.officialblackhawksauthority. ... ey-c-42/.Y. -- In a span of three days, Shabazz Napier and Connecticut knocked out both Philadelphia schools in the NCAA tournament. Duncan Keith Jersey . An offseason trade acquisition from Kansas City, Greinkes National League debut was delayed by a non-baseball injury in the spring, and he was 0-1 after dropping an 8-0 decision at Atlanta in his initial appearance with the Brewers on May 4. Richard Panik Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks.Neil Lennon is interested in becoming the next Hibernian manager, but is seeking assurances over the clubs budget, according to Sky sources. Lennon and his representatives met with Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster and the clubs head of football operations George Craig on Friday to discuss the vacant managerial position at Easter Road. Sky sources understand Lennon was impressed by the vision sold to him by Dempster and Craig, but is keen to know what resources will be at his disposal if he does decide to take up the role at the Scottish Championship club. Scottish Championship Player of the Season John McGinn thinks Neil Lennon could be the man to guide Hibernian back to the Scottish Premierrship.dddddddddddd The former Celtic and Bolton manager has also made it clear that he would want to bring his own backroom team to the club. Lennon won the Scottish Premiership title three times during his four-year spell at Celtic Sky sources understand Lennon would want Gary Parker, his assistant at Celtic and Bolton, to join him at Hibs if he agrees to take on the job.Hibs have been searching for a new manager since Alan Stubbs left to join English Championship side Rotherham on a three-year deal. Alan Stubbs will take charge at the New York Stadium (pic from @OfficialRUFC) Sky sources understand there are three other candidates under consideration, including Malky Mackay and former Hibs boss Alex McLeish.McLeish joined Hibs in 1998 and lead them to the Scottish First Division title in his first season at the club. He kept them in the top-flight for the following two seasons before leaving to become Rangers manager in 2001. 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