Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has admitted his huge admiration for the talent and achievements of Barcelona star Lionel Messi ahead of this season’s Champions League final.
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Messi’s Barca side take on Juventus in Berlin on Saturday evening, with Henry expecting the Argentine to make a big impact in this huge game, as he is one of the most competitive players he has ever played with.
Henry was at Barcelona for three seasons between 2007 and 2010, and starred alongside Messi in that famous 2008/09 treble-winning side, while the Frenchman also had a spell with Juventus earlier in his career.
The Gunners great expects a tough time for the Italian giants against treble-chasing Barcelona, and has given some insight into what it is that makes Messi so great.
Although he admits the 27-year-old is a quiet and nice guy off the pitch, he possesses a burning desire to win that, along with his immense natural ability, makes him an incredibly difficult opponent to deal with.
In his colum for The Sun, Henry said: “Think of the most competitive opponent you could ever face and then times that by a million. You are then facing Lionel Messi.
“He wants to score all the time. In matches, in training in his back garden. Probably kicking the ball about in his kitchen.
“Although a nice, quiet guy, once he passes that white line of the football pitch, it is a different story. He is something out of the ordinary, both physically and mentally. He is not normal.”
On the final, he added: “It is a clash of two styles as Juve will come to stop Barca and Messi.
“Pogba will be fresh to play and Vidal will be the key as we know the Italians can defend for 90 minutes.
“Their big problem is how do you stop Lionel Messi? Sometimes, you just can’t.”