“Players like Messi come along once every 50 years”, Conte said after the game.
Advertisement
“It was a fantasy player who has pushed Barcelona through to the next round. I made some good saves too but we go out with conceding four goals from four mistakes”.
“They gave everything. We have to continue this in this way, with this will to fight, with this desire to play together”.
Ousmane Dembele, who arrived at the beginning of the season under high expectations as Neymar’s replacement, is finally starting to show his worth, becoming an important piece for the Messi-led Barcelona attack.
“Now we have this possibility to reach for another time the semi-final”. Messi started the move and finished it, with Dembele, Luis Suarez and a deflection off Alonso, helping him find the space to fire through the legs of Thibaut Courtois for the fastest goal of his career. Since then, his work under the goalposts saw the Blues having enough confidence to move legendary keeper Petr Cech to rivals Arsenal as Courtois became an integral piece to our squad. There were spells at the Camp Nou on Wednesday when Messi seemed to be playing within himself.
“We are still a young team with a long way to go and we need to gain experience to be competitive all the way in the Champions League”.
On the other hand, Roma director of football Monchi minced no words when he said that his side had got the most hard draw possible.
Four years ago in Brazil, he was named Player of the Tournament but in the final, against Germany, he flashed wide of the far post with only Manuel Neuer to beat and the score goalless in the second half.
It remains to be seen if there will ever be a time when two phenomenal talents like Messi and Ronaldo play in the same era, and their battle for supremacy has been no more apparent than in the Champions League.
“He is not bothered about being on the halfway line and the rhythm of the game, he wants to be on the knife edge of the game”.
“He did well in the game getting forward but if you notice he had a lot to worry with Andres Iniesta and Messi always drifting to his position”.
“He’s involved in the rhythm of the game constantly”. Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Roma, Real Madrid or Sevilla are the seven potential opponents they could face.
Advertisement
But there is only one Messi.
