Paul Scholes has warned Manchester City that they will be coming up against one of the all-time greats of the game.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has claimed that Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is a genius. in his column in The Independent.
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“Elusive is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi’s style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then – blink – he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball,” he said.
Scholes came up against Messi four times throughout his career – losing twice in Champions League finals – and has admitted that he was often hopeful that it wouldn’t be his job to mark the Argentinian.
“I am not ashamed to admit that in the games against Barcelona I spent a lot of the time just hoping he would take up positions as far away from me as possible,” said the former England international.
Messi’s Barcelona side will travel to the Etihad on Tuesday to play against Manchester City in their Champions League last 16 tie, and Scholes has warned Manuel Pellegrini’s side that the playmaker has the ability to take the game away from City before the second leg at the Nou Camp.
“If City want a result then their concentration and focus will have to be as good as it has ever been to make sure they are in the right place at the right time for 90 minutes. It only takes a second for that little No 10 to trick you into doing something daft,” Scholes added.