Barcelona megastar Lionel Messi has a long list of names he could reel off as being his greatest ever competitors. Tearing up defences across Europe will do that for a player, but there is one name that he regards over all else as the toughest he’s ever faced.
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Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster isn’t the first name you’d think of, but that’s who the diminutive Argentine has pinpointed as his toughest opponent.
Forster famously got the better of Messi and his Barcelona teammates back in 2012 when Celtic beat them 2-1 in the Champions League thanks to goals from Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt.
However, aside from the goals, it was Forster that was the hero that night as he produced a string of fine saves to keep the La Liga giants at bay.
And Messi insisted that Forster’s performance was talked about for a long time in the Barcelona dressing room.
“There was one game in Scotland where he was not human, it is the best goalkeeping performance I have seen,” he said.
Messi also went on to express how much he loves playing European football at Celtic Park, citing it as one of the best grounds he’s ever played in.
“The games against Celtic were special and I want to remember them.
“We know we would get a tough game if we drew them in the Champions League, but everybody involved in those Barcelona v Celtic games wants to go and play there again.
“It is the best atmosphere in Europe and we all want to experience that again.”