Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini believes “the only way” to limit Barcelona's Lionel Messi is with teamwork – “if you try to anticipate his moves, you’re dead”.
The Bianconeri face their second Champions League group match against Barcelona next week, and the Argentine scored twice in a 3-0 win at Camp Nou.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini believes “the only way” to limit Barcelona's Lionel Messi is with teamwork – “if you try to anticipate his moves, you’re dead”.
The Bianconeri face their second Champions League group match against Barcelona next week, and the Argentine scored twice in a 3-0 win at Camp Nou.
“The moment you try to anticipate his moves you’re dead, because he reads things so quickly that you can’t touch him,” Chiellini told Corriere della Sera when asked what it’s like to face Messi.
“The only way to limit him is with teamwork. You could be the best in the world, but if you think you can nick it off him alone there’s no hope with him.”
Gianluigi Buffon has played his last game for Italy, will it be strange without him?
“It’ll be the same for Juve soon too, and it’s strange and difficult. I’ve been lucky to have him with me, both on the pitch and off it.
“Gigi is a real person, whose words you really take on board when he talks to you. He’s always been an example in so many difficult moments, he’s always found the right ways and words.
“He can work with the national team, Juve, FIFA, UEFA… He’s on such a level he can do whatever he wants. Knowing him, he’ll choose something he’s passionate about.
“My international retirement? I never decide things in the heat of the moment. I had cooly thought about stopping after this World Cup to better conserve my energies.
“It’s better to evaluate things with less emotion than there is now, but at San Siro I saluted my teammates, not knowing if there’d be another chance.
“We veterans hope we’ve left something that can help.
“There is a generational replacement, this national team has to restart with Marco Verratti, [Ciro] Immobile, [Alessandro] Florenzi and [Lorenzo] Insigne: they’ll be the heart of 2020.”