FC Barcelona locked horns with Liverpool in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League last season in what was one of the most exciting two-legged affair we’ve seen in a while.
FC Barcelona took initiative of the tie by grabbing a three-goal advantage at the Nou Camp. However, Liverpool would not go down without a fight as they produced an absolutely remarkable comeback to book a place in the final with a 4-3 aggregate win.
Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has opened up on how ‘frightening’ facing Lionel Messi was.
He sad: “In the Nou Camp I thought I’d dealt with him as well as I could have, but he walks off with two goals, it’s 3-0, and all everyone’s talking about is Messi!”
“When you test yourself against the best you want to try and come out well, and he is the best player that’s ever played in my opinion. Being directly up against him was as tough as it is.
“When you come up against him you always think ‘it’s ok, we’re professional footballers, we can [handle this].’
“But I think he knocked it by two of our midfielders early on in the Nou Camp, and he was running directly at me and I was like ‘oh right, this guy’s serious, f***ing hell! He’s coming at me now!
“The stuff he does with his feet are just frightening, you need to guess at times to defend against him.
“I remember he was at the byline at one point, and I thought ‘he’s just playing for a throw-in here, no problem…’
“But he’s like dinked it inside somehow, and off he went inside of the park, switched the play, and I was like… no other human can do that!”
Robertson was caught in the second leg placing his hands on Messi’s head which clearly upset the Barcelona star.
“Me and Fabinho were both tracking him back, and we both ended up on the ground, and… yeah I just ruffled his hair a wee bit,” he said.
“He wasn’t too happy, but it’s something I wouldn’t do again that’s for sure!
“It’s a bit disrespectful to the best player that’s ever played this game.
“He was on the ground and I was on the ground, and I do regret it. But it’s something that everyone relates to me now, which isn’t the best!”
