Mexico relishes playing in Russia

Messi offers to pay added fine

KAZAN, Russia — The game against host nation Russia will mean more to Mexico than just a spot in the Confederations Cup semifinal.

Coach Juan Carlos Osorio says it will be the perfect opportunity to show that Mexican soccer has matured and reached a level at which it can succeed under the most difficult circumstances.

“I honestly think that this is the perfect scenario for Mexican football,” Osorio said Friday. “We play away from home, against the host team, with a lot of support from their fans, and fighting for the qualification. We need to control the game and to show to ourselves, especially, that we can compete under such difficult circumstances.”

Mexico needs at least a draw in today’s game in Kazan to secure a spot in the semifinals of the eight-nation tournament that serves as a warm up for next year’s World Cup. Mexico and Portugal have four points each after two rounds of games in Group A. Russia has three points and New Zealand zero. The top two teams advance to the semifinals.

Osorio said Mexico has been waiting for this type of game.

“It’s an extraordinary scenario because it gives Mexican football and this group of players the possibility of showing that we have the capacity to take on this responsibility, that we have the talent and the determination to play in this scenario. If we do well, we will take a step forward, and we keep growing as team capable of playing against any team.”

MESSI: Lionel Messi has offered to pay an additional fine of $558,000 to ensure he avoids a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud that a judge is expected to suspend, a Spanish state prosecutor said Friday.

State prosecutor Isabel Lopez Riera told The Associated Press the fine-for-time deal was presented by Messi’s lawyers to the judge who will rule on whether to suspend Messi’s sentence — as is widely expected. Lopez Riera said she has told the judge that her office is not opposed to the deal.