NEU » Guard Jackie Young returned from a

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona has drawn widespread criticism for its campaign to support Lionel Messi after a court found the Argentine forward and his father guilty of tax fraud.Barcelona launched its social media campaign following last weeks court verdict that found Messi and his father guilty of defrauding the Spanish state of 4.1 million euros ($4.6 million). Neither man is expected to go to jail despite being sentenced to 21 months in prison because courts in Spain often suspend sentences under two years for first-time offenders.The slogan We Are All Leo Messi is a play on the public awareness campaign by Spains tax authorities We Are All The Tax Office. That is meant to encourage people to pay their due in a country still struggling to recover from an economic recession that has left unemployment at more than 20 percent.The campaign invites all of Barcelonas fans to show the best player in the world their unconditional support, Barcelona said. We want to transmit to Leo that he isnt alone.The club also posted a video of several dozen of its employees gathered together with hands raised in a show of support for Messi.Widely panned in Spanish newspapers and online, Barcelonas campaign has earned a rebuke from Spains government.I am not Leo Messi. I havent committed a fiscal crime, acting Justice Minister Rafael Catala said Thursday.The president of Spains Higher Sports Council, the countrys leading sports authority, has also blasted the league champions for their rally call.If the campaign intends to make a complaint of some type against the judicial ruling, then it is completely incorrect, council president Miguel Cardenal said. We have to respect and honor the (courts) decision. You cant have campaigns of this type in order to disagree with a court ruling.A workers union that represents Spanish tax inspectors has asked Barcelona to end the campaign, calling it irresponsible.The best thing for the club and the player would have been to accept the ruling and move on, said Carlos Cruzado, the president of the union Gestha. But this campaign . is destroying the educational work that must be carried out to make citizens conscientious (of their fiscal responsibilities.)Messi and his father deny any wrongdoing and have said they will appeal the verdict to a higher court in Madrid.While his club has launched its campaign to back him, photos of Messi spending his vacation on a yacht have appeared this week in Spanish newspapers. Those photos of Messi soaking up the sun in a bathing suit have spawned several jokes on social media about how he must be suffering.The spokesman for Barcelonas board of directors, Josep Vives, has defended both Messi and the clubs campaign.In similar cases, we havent seen attacks like those Leo Messi is receiving, Vives said. Its obvious that we cant tolerate this derision of our player.We have found ourselves in a controversy because it appears that FC Barcelona is defending tax fraud. What we are defending is a person that is being treated unjustly.Besides his club, the Spanish leagues president has also said he believes Messi is innocent.I hope that the Supreme Court revokes the ruling because Messi is not a delinquent and shouldnt be found guilty, league president Javier Tebas said. I have interpreted the campaign as meaning that Messi shouldnt worry, and so he knows that his club is with him.Messi is not the only player to have gotten into trouble over taxes.Also this year, Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherno was handed a suspended one-year sentence for tax fraud; teammate Adriano is being investigated for allegedly not paying all he owes; and former Real Madrid player Xabi Alonso has been accused of tax fraud. Alonso and Adriano deny any wrongdoing.In June, Barcelona paid a fine of 5.5 million euros ($6.21 million) to settle a case brought against the club by Spains tax authorities regarding the signing of Brazil striker Neymar. In that agreement, the club acknowledged it had made an error in the fiscal planning of the players transfer. Soccer Jerseys For Sale . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. 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Fighting Irish coach Muffet McGraw believes this stretch of the season will pay off later this season and into the postseason.Brianna Turner had 19 points, seven rebounds and five blocks, leading Notre Dame to a businesslike 79-61 win over Michigan State on Tuesday night.The Fighting Irish (11-1) have won three straight, against then-No. 16 DePaul, Toledo and Michigan State. They will stay on the road for three more games before finally playing at home Jan. 5 against Wake Forest.Its going to prepare us for the ACC, and the NCAA Tournament, McGraw said. Its great for us.Notre Dames Marina Mabrey had 19 points and five assists, one of three players on her team with at least five assists. Kathryn Westbeld scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Reserve Arike Ogunbowale added 11 points. The Irish never trailed and led by as much as 13 in the first half and by 19 points in the second half.The Spartans (10-3) had won four straight since getting beat by No. 19 Syracuse.Michigan States Tori Jankoska had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but didnt get much help from her overmatched teammates.Shes trying to put this team on her back, Spartans coach Suzy Merchant said. Shes done a pretty good job of that.The only other player to score in double figures for Michigan State was reserve Victoria Gaines, who had 12 points.BIG PICTURENotre Dame: With poise, Notre Dame made 3-pointers on ensuing possessions after giving up 3-pointers to the Spartans early in the game to prevent them from keeping the game closer and quieting their fans that filled much of the lower level at the Breslin Center. After the Spartans made consecutive shots to pull within 10 to get their crowd fired up early in the fourth, Turner responded with a basket on tthe next trip down the floor to put Notre Dame back ahead by 12 points.dddddddddddd.We hung around but couldnt get over the hump, Merchant said.Michigan State: The Spartans saw up close how good an elite team is, and confirmed how far away they are from that level. If Aerial Powers was playing for them, instead of sitting in the stands after skipping her senior season to play in the WNBA, they wouldve likely been one of the top teams in the Big Ten and perhaps in the country. The Dallas Wings drafted Powers No. 5 overall and she averaged 10.4 points as a rookie.If they had her, she would have made a huge difference, McGraw said. They would be really unstoppable.Merchant said Powers wouldve likely scored 20 much-needed points against Notre Dame.We were one scorer away, she said.INJURY REPORTNotre Dame: Guard Jackie Young returned from a two-game absence because of an ankle injury, but aggravated it again after playing just 2 minutes at Michigan State. Its still not healed, McGraw said. Guard Ali Patberg has played sparingly in two games, 1 minute against the Spartans and 3 minutes at Toledo after missing eight games with a virus and being out last season with a knee injury.Michigan State: Forward Jenna Allen, who ranks third on the team in scoring, scored two points in 14 minutes despite having the flu.SPARTAN SUPPORTMembers of Michigan States mens basketball team, including Miles Bridges , who isnt wearing a walking boot on his injured left ankle, watched the first half of the game behind the Spartans bench.UP NEXTNotre Dame: The Irish play at Chattanooga on Dec. 27, their final nonconference game before opening ACC play Dec. 29 at North Carolina State.Michigan State: The Spartans have a long break before their next game on Jan. 1 at home against Illinois. ' ' '