Back to the Soccer Newsfeed

Coach of Barcelona’s next opponent: “If I give Messi 10 balls outside the area, he’ll score 11”

Leganés’s manager, Javier Aguirre, has a lot to think about. They’re playing Barcelona next, and Lionel Messi is in red-hot form, especially in deadball situations. The Argentine scored a hat-trick of two free kicks and one penalty in the previous match.

Speaking to Cadena SER, the Mexican coach was asked how to stop Messi.

“Well, I have no idea, because every team that I have faced him with, I could never stop him, that I remember. A small draw here and there, perhaps,” the manager said, noting later that he was amazed that to Messi, a free kick was almost like a penalty shot.