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Neymar to lead Barcelona in Spanish league title race

By The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi is reeling after getting a four-match suspension from international play. Luis Suarez is lamenting a pair of losses with Uruguay. And Neymar is full of confidence after helping Brazil become the first team to qualify for the World Cup.

With the Spanish league returning this weekend, it will likely be the Brazilian leading the way for Barcelona in its pursuit of Real Madrid.

“You are happy when things are going your way, when you are playing well,” the 25-year-old Neymar said. “Everything is falling into place and that makes us happy.”

Messi was handed the four-match suspension after insulting a linesman. Without him, Argentina lost to Bolivia and is now in danger of not making it to the World Cup. Uruguay is still in position to qualify, but two losses to Brazil and Peru didn’t help.

Neymar, however, is thriving both at home and with Barcelona. The striker has scored six goals in his last six matches, four played with Barcelona and two with Brazil.

Barcelona, seeking its third consecutive title, is two points behind Real Madrid after 28 matches. Madrid, which hasn’t won the league since 2012, still has a game in hand.

Messi will not play this weekend because of a yellow-card suspension, but Neymar is set to start on Sunday when Barcelona plays at Granada, an opponent it has beaten 10 times in the 11 matches. Granada’s only win over Barcelona was in a league match three years ago.

If Neymar manages to score, it will be his 100th goal with Barcelona since joining the club in 2013.

The Brazilian’s good run started with his superb performance in Barcelona’s historic 6-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Neymar scored two goals and set up the injury-time clincher by Sergi Roberto, which allowed the Catalan club to overturn a 4-0 first-leg loss and reach the quarterfinals.

His two goals with Brazil in South American qualifying were impressive — a lob shot over the goalkeeper in the 4-1 win against Uruguay in Montevideo and a close-range shot that followed a remarkable run of nearly 70 meters (yards) that started near Brazil’s own penalty area.

Neymar has already matched the 52 goals that Pele had with the national team by the same age. He is four goals shy of Romario’s all-time tally of 56, which is the fourth-best for Brazil. Pele ended with 95 goals, ahead of Ronaldo (67) and Zico (66).

Madrid also plays Sunday, hosting surprising Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The leaders have won eight of their last 10 matches, including the last three.

Alaves, which will play the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona in May, is 10th in the standings with only one loss in its last six matches.

Third-place Sevilla, six points off the lead, will try to end a three-game winless streak in the league when it hosts relegation-wary Sporting Gijon on Sunday. Fourth-place Atletico Madrid, two points behind Sevilla and coming off three straight victories, plays at Malaga on Saturday.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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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