Leo Messi reckons this season’s Champions League Final will be a much more closely contested game than the 2009 Rome final. Messi also believes there are no favourites for the game, but that Barça are going into it full of expectation.
Congratulations to Cristiano Ronaldo
Messi has been fighting with Cristiano Ronaldo for the “Pitxitxi trophy as the Spanish
League’s leading scorer, but finally it was the ex-United man who scored the most goals and
Messi took the opportunity to congratulate him: “it’s true that I prefer team titles to
individual awards, but I can’t hide the fact that being so close to getting the Pitxitxi, I
would really have liked to win it. Congratulations to Cristiano though, who has scored a lot of
goals in the last few games”.
Messi knows that the final of two years ago remains a great day for the Club, but insisted:
“the good memories of Rome are in the past now. The Wembley final will be completely
different “.
The Argentinean opened the Open Media Day press conferences by insisting the Rome final
shouldn’t be taken as a pointer to this Saturday’s game: “we are up against a
great team in a game that will be completely different. I don’t know if United are stronger
than two years ago, but I am clear that this will be a very even final”.
United’s good points
Messi praised United, who he claims: “are a team who like us, want to play
with the ball, attack and create chances”, whilst pointing out the United defence: “are
tough, with great players who have a lot of experience and have played together for a long time.
They have a lot of good points and we will spend this week looking for their weak points, if they
have any, and look how to exploit them”.
Messi also stressed that : “I don’t see United as being any weaker than in Rome
–they’ve just won the Premier League and they are in the Champions League final. They
have an attack with a lot of quality in players like Rooney, Chicharito and Valencia. I see them as
a very tough team – a very difficult team to beat”.
Confidence high
Messi, who admitted he would have preferred to take part in the last few league
games, is really looking forward to the final: “I’ll go out, like I always do, as if it
was my last game ever . I always think we will win every game. I trust my team mates. We are all
very excited and up for the game and if we play as we always do and do things right , we will
win”.