An evening with Lionel Messi
By Ahmed Bilal
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Barcelona's best player--and possibly the greatest player on the planet--has a knack for the spectacular. Since making his debut for the club in 2004, Messi has gone on to scoop up almost every individual award while leading Barcelona to the brink of an unprecedented triple this season.
On the verge of his showdown with Manchester United, Barcelona's biggest hope for Champions League glory sat down for an exclusive interview to discuss everything from his opinion of Sir Alex Ferguson, his showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo in Rome, the loss of Dani Alves, Eric Abidal and Rafael Marques and the key to beating Manchester United.
FC Barcelona versus Manchester United FC, is it the perfect final?
I don’t know if it is perfect but it is a really nice match up. Both teams play very good football and they always play each game to win it. Playing the final against Manchester United is something that we dreamed of earlier this season because they, just like us, always try to play great football.
What’s the key to beating Manchester United?
It’s clear that there is not only one way of winning a game. The key will be to focus on our way of playing and to be the main protagonists. We will have to play as we usually do, without leaving aside our natural style just because it is a final. I think Pep Guardiola is going to tell us that and a lot more. We may talk about specific things related to Manchester United, but Barcelona will impose its style. I am positive.
How is Pep Guardiola’s team different from Frank Rijkaard’s line-up that lost 1-0 to Manchester United last season
Well, I don’t know if Guardiola’s Barca is that different from the Rijkaard team. The thing is that players usually have ups and downs, and today many of Barca’s players are going through a very good spell of form. This team always tries to play well and to score as many goals as possible. It was the same last season.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi Fernandez were excellent against Chelsea FC. Are they the best midfield pairing in the world?
Playing next to Iniesta and Xavi makes everything easy for the rest of us. People often talk about Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and me, but they are great players too and were amazing against Chelsea. They maintain the team balance and tell us how to proceed according to what is going on in the game.
How much will the team miss Dani Alves, Eric Abidal and Rafael Marques?
Of course we’ll miss the three of them, but Puyol is coming back and that is a good thing. This team is very complete, and if we want to be champions we will have to work together. We cannot worry about the absence of one team-mate, instead we have to think that the player that takes his place will be a great substitute.
Chelsea did a very good job in stopping Barcelona score for 180 minutes. Do you fear United will use similar defensive tactics?
Get Messi's answer and the full interview over at Soccerlens.com.