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Ronaldo, Messi take aim at Raul’s CL goal record

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The Champions League returns Tuesday and Wednesday with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi competing for yet another prize as the rival stars take aim at the tournament’s all-time scoring record.

While the world’s top two players continue their individual battle, three of England’s four teams seek their first win, and the Spanish and Italian champions clash this week in Europe’s top-tier competition.

Here are the things to know about this week’s Champions League group games:

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RAUL’S RECORD

Ronaldo and Messi are neck-and-neck in a race to become the Champions League’s all-time leading scorer by breaking the record held by Raul Gonzalez.

Ronaldo has 68 goals in Europe’s top club competition, one more than Messi. Raul scored 71.

Ronaldo may have a better chance of getting there first as Real Madrid plays at Bulgaria’s Ludogorets in Group B on Wednesday, a day after Messi’s Barcelona has a tougher trip to Paris Saint-Germain in Group F.

The Portugal forward looks primed to increase his goal haul in Sofia after scoring 10 goals in his last six matches, including one four-goal performance and a hat trick.

Messi, meanwhile, scored his 400th and 401st goals for club and country in Barcelona’s 6-0 rout of Granada on Saturday.

Their latest two-man contest comes after they have divvied up the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player for the past six years and have taken turns leading the Champions League in scoring for the past seven seasons.

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IBRA DOUBTFUL

PSG not only has the problem of stopping Messi. It may have to do so without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

When Ibrahimovic has been sidelined, the team has won only 40 percent of its matches. And coach Laurent Blanc is sweating on his fitness after Ibrahimovic missed the last two games because of a left heel injury.

“I don’t know which attacking players I will have available against Barcelona,” Blanc said. “We don’t play the same way when Ibra’s here and when he isn’t. For the time being there is still a question mark. The medical staff will do everything to try and heal him.”

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ENGLISH NEED TO WIN

Liverpool was the only English team to open the Champions League with a win, and only with a last-gasp goal against newcomer Ludogorets. Basel will present a far tougher challenge on Wednesday with striker Daniel Sturridge out injured as Liverpool looks to keep pace with Madrid in Group B.

Chelsea’s reliance on Diego Costa for goals seemed clear when the striker sat out the 1-1 draw against Schalke in the Group G opener. And ongoing problems with Costa’s left thigh are likely to force him to miss Tuesday’s game at Sporting Lisbon.

“He’s doing almost nothing (in training),” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. “He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has. Every time he accumulates fatigue.”

Mourinho, who worked at Sporting as assistant to Bobby Robson between 1992 and 1993, is out to end Sporting’s 16-match unbeaten home run in Europe.

Manchester City faces a formidable test Tuesday with the visit of a Roma side which has made a perfect start to the season at home and in Europe. It’s been a patchy beginning to the campaign for City, which opened Group E with a loss at Bayern Munich.

In Group D, Arsenal hosts Galatasaray on Wednesday with both Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey out injured.

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RUNNER-UP AT RISK

Atletico Madrid was minutes away from winning the European Cup last May before the title slipped away to Madrid.

Now after losing this season’s opener, the Spanish league champions face a crucial game on Wednesday when Serie A champion Juventus comes to town.

A loss to Juventus, combined with an Olympiakos win at Swedish side Malmo, would leave Atletico six points adrift in Group A.

Atletico will be boosted by the return of coach Diego Simeone to the sidelines after he missed the first game due to suspension.

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XABI TAKES CONTROL

Bayern travels to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday in Group E with midfielder Xabi Alonso firmly in control of his new team.

The Spaniard was only signed at the end of the transfer period after several players went down with long-term injuries.

But Alonso stepped right in and has been impressive in directing Bayern’s attack.

On Saturday, Alonso set a Bundesliga record by touching the ball 206 times in a 2-0 win at Cologne.

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AP writers Rob Harris in London, Jerome Pugmire in Paris, and Nesha Starcevic in Berlin contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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