“The players’ levels were very high”

Lionel Messi has mentioned that he watched the UEFA Champions League remaining between Manchester Metropolis and Inter Milan on Saturday (June 10).

The Argentine icon endured a disappointing European marketing campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, with the Ligue 1 champions crashing out within the final 16. He final gained the competitors in 2015 with Barcelona.

Nevertheless, Messi watched this yr’s Champions League remaining, which led to a 1-0 win to Manchester Metropolis. His former Barca boss Pep Guardiola turned the primary supervisor to win trebles with a number of golf equipment.

The 35-year-old touched on the sport between the 2 European heavyweights, calling it a basic (through Albiceleste Discuss):

“Champions League remaining? Sure, I watched it. It was a basic and really troublesome remaining match, and the gamers’ ranges have been very excessive.”

Manchester Metropolis got here away with the European title after Rodri’s 68th-minute strike proved decisive. It marked the primary time the Cityzens gained the trophy, capping off a exceptional marketing campaign through which additionally they gained the Premier League and FA Cup.

Messi is not going to be collaborating in subsequent season’s Champions League, because the legendary ahead will likely be leaving PSG and heading to MLS facet Inter Miami. His Parisians facet exited the event in opposition to Bayern Munich within the final 16. Messi managed 4 targets and as many assists in seven video games in Europe’s elite membership competitors this season.

Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola compares Lionel Messi with Erling Haaland

Manchester Metropolis’s treble-winning marketing campaign has coincided with a record-breaking debut season for Erling Haaland on the Etihad. The Norweigan arrived on the Premier League champions from Borussia Dortmund final summer season and bagged 52 targets in 53 video games throughout competitions.

Haaland broke the file for many targets in a 38-game Premier League marketing campaign, netting 36 occasions in 35 video games. He was Europe’s in-form frontman this season and has earned comparisons with Lionel Messi.

Guardiola was requested whether or not Haaland shares the identical goalscoring need as his former Blaugrana attacker Messi. He mentioned (through The Guardian):

“By way of targets and mentality, yeah. However Messi has achieved it each season within the final 10-15. Erling since he began at Salzburg has acquired to the identical stage when it comes to targets. It’s virtually each recreation, he scores a objective.”

The Manchester Metropolis boss continued by lavishing reward on Lionel Messi as probably the most full participant he has ever seen:

“One or two each recreation, he had the probabilities to do it, however Messi is probably the most full participant I’ve seen when it comes to imaginative and prescient, dribbles, passes, competitiveness, in lots of issues which can be troublesome. Hopefully Erling might be so shut (to) Leo – that will likely be nice for us and him.”

Lionel Messi has scored 710 targets in 875 membership soccer video games throughout his illustrious profession. He managed 211 of them in 219 video games underneath Guardiola. In the meantime, Haaland has bagged 187 targets in 236 video games, so the Norweigan has some method to go in reaching Messi’s goalscoring feats.