Paulo Dybala admits a dislike to comparisons with Lionel Messi, admitting the pair don't enjoy a great relationship.
After having revealed that his Juventus side have learned from the mistakes of PSG in the previous round, the 23-year-old talked about a desire to earn a Champions League winners medal of his own.
Paulo Dybala admits a dislike to comparisons with Lionel Messi, admitting the pair don't enjoy a great relationship.
After having revealed that his Juventus side have learned from the mistakes of PSG in the previous round, the 23-year-old talked about a desire to earn a Champions League winners medal of his own.
"I really admire and respect Messi," the Argentine told La Repubblica. "He has won the Champions League many times, and I’m only dreaming about the first. I play for Juve and I want to win. On the pitch we are equal and I will do everything to beat him.
"In Argentina they only said that if I had not come to Turin, they would not be angry with me. But Barcelona is not just Messi: Neymar is at the top too.
"Am I the new Messi? People need to understand that I am Paulo Dybala and I want to continue to be so. I understand the comparisons and expectations on me from the Argentinians, but I do not want to be the new Messi or the Messi of the future.
"He is unique, like [Diego] Maradona. It was never said that I am his heir.
"But he does not talk so much, he keeps himself to himself, we haven't had a great relationship.
"Three years ago I was at Palermo in Serie B and it was hard to imagine this, however tomorrow will the most special game of my career.
"When I arrived, I was playing as a striker and [Massimiliano] Allegri has transformed me. But here I also had to change as a person because you have to have a different life beyond training and the games.
I have around me people who have won it all, and I'm trying to become one of them."