Messi is the MVP pick as MLS voting opens, and he arrives in Oviedo at 7 p.m. Shanghai time

Major League Soccer opened voting for its year-end awards on Wednesday. Both analysts writing on the league's own website put Lionel Messi first for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award. 12

A year ago Messi became the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons. A third straight would extend that record. 3

Oviedo is the other half of his week, where he collects Spain's Princess of Asturias Award for Sports on Friday. The Princess of Asturias Foundation has announced that he will be at the Hotel Eurostars de la Reconquista, in the centre of the city, at 1 p.m. local time. That is 7 p.m. in Shanghai. 4

Bradley Wright-Phillips, a former New York Red Bulls forward who now works MLS broadcasts, opened with the numbers: 25 goals and 15 assists, five clear in the Golden Boot race, level with Son Heung-Min at the top of the assist chart. 2

MLS credits him with 15 assists. ESPN's table logs only the final pass and lists him, and Son, on 14. 5

Joseph Lowery, writing the league's data-based case, starts with 40 goal contributions, the most in MLS. He adds that Messi leads the league in expected goals plus expected assists and in American Soccer Analysis's goals added. 3

Wright-Phillips names Hany Mukhtar of Nashville, on 16 goals and eight assists, as the next candidate. Both men list Petar Musa of FC Dallas, on 20 goals. 23

Voting closes on Monday 9 November at 8 p.m. ET, and the finalists in each category are announced on Thursday 12 November. 1

Media, club technical staff and active players each hold a third of the vote. Club staff and players cannot vote for their own team. 1 An MVP candidate must have played at least 1,000 minutes this season. 1

Inter Miami have a second name on a ballot. Telasco Segovia is one of five finalists for Humanitarian of the Year. 1

The Golden Boot is settled after the last matches on Decision Day, Saturday 7 November. A tie goes first to the player with more assists, then to the one with fewer minutes played. 1

Messi has 25 goals in 27 appearances. Musa has 20 in 26, and Milan Iloski 19 in 30. 5 Four league games remain, starting on Saturday. 6

AS reports that no interviews or special arrangements for the press are planned at the hotel. 7

At 5:30 p.m. local, 11:30 p.m. in Shanghai, he meets schoolchildren and members of the public at the Palacio de los Deportes. 7

The hall holds 6,200 people. Of those seats, 1,500 went to pupils taking part in El juego del 10, the schools programme behind the event, and 4,700 were offered free to the public, four to a registration. 7

Friday's ceremony at the Teatro Campoamor begins at 6:30 p.m. local, which is 12:30 a.m. on Saturday in Shanghai. 8

Teresa Sanjurjo, the Foundation's director, told COPE radio that he has a game on Saturday and will have to leave for the United States right after the gala. 9

Inter Miami play at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET, which is 5:30 a.m. on Sunday in Shanghai. 6

The Red Bulls are eighth in the Eastern Conference on 36 points from 30 games. 10 Miami are second on 55, three clear of New England on 52. 10