Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers believes Luis Suarez deserves to win the Ballon dOr this year ahead of Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi.Suarez has been included on the 30-man shortlist for the award and is one of the favourites to take the title after scoring 59 goals in 53 games for the La Liga champions last season. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! Rodgers, who managed Suarez during his time in charge of Liverpool, is set to face his former player on Wednesday night when Celtic take on Barcelona in the Champions League. And the former Reds boss believes the Uruguayan deserves to win footballs top individual prize for the first time, ahead of previous winners Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Suarez is one of the favourites to win the award along with team-mates Neymar and Lionel Messi and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo If youre talking about the Ballon dOr and the last year then I dont think theres been any player better than Luis Suarez, said Rodgers. Rodgers worked with Suarez during his time in charge of Liverpool In terms of that award, I think he would be very deserving of it in terms of how hes played, what hes given the team, how hes carried the team and the level that hes played at consistently. But listen, Lionel Messi is a player that Ive admired since I saw him as a young player, a teenager. Ive seen him come into the team at 16,17 and the last ten years hes been remarkable. Celtic face Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night His quality and just the things hes done in the game are magical. Ive had the fortune to work with Luis so I know first-hand his qualities but theyre both brilliant players.Barcelona visit Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday night. See Luis Suarez play as a goalkeeper while training with Uruguay... but he still manages to score The Hoops need to record a shock victory over the five-time European champions in order to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage of the competition.Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4!Also See:Rodgers: No repeat of 7-0 lossSinclair: No fear of BarcelonaCharlies CL predictionsMessi fit for Celtic tripYonny Chirinos Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Willy Adames Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/1326i-emilio-pagan-jersey-rays.html . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Don Zimmer Jersey . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Guillermo Heredia Rays Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss.HIROSHIMA, Japan -- Former New York Yankees infielder Brandon Laird hit a grand slam in the eighth inning on Saturday as the Nippon Ham Fighters beat the Hiroshima Carp 10-4 to win the Japan Series in six games.The Fighters scored two runs in the top of the eighth to break a 4-4 tie and Laird connected off Hiroshima reliever Jay Jackson to put the game out of reach.Laird, who was named series MVP, led the Pacific League this seeason with 39 homers and hit three home runs in the six-game series.ddddddddddddThe Pacific League champion Fighters won their third Nippon Professional Baseball championship and their first in 10 years.The Central League champion Carp were bidding for their first Japan Series championship since 1984. ' ' '