Gennaro Gattuso believes Milan have a chance against Barcelona in the Champions League, although he admits Lionel Messi is from another world.
The two teams will meet in the first leg of their last 16 clash this week and the Spanish giants will be favourites to progress.
Gennaro Gattuso believes Milan have a chance against Barcelona in the Champions League, although he admits Lionel Messi is from another world.
The two teams will meet in the first leg of their last 16 clash this week and the Spanish giants will be favourites to progress.
“In football you never know,” the Sion midfielder, who left the Diavolo in the summer, told Mundo Deportivo. “Football is not a logic that is written down, football is played.
“In principle, Barca are much stronger, but last year Nocerino made it 1-1 on the scoreboard…Football is strange.
“Is Messi the best ever? Yes, and I hate to say that for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also an incredible player. But Messi is from another planet.
“A player who scores 90 goals in a year cannot be real. He is from the PlayStation. And when I see Messi he seems to play with the other players. He is faster, has more class and scores when he wants to.”
Milan are at the start of a new era after lowering the average age and the cost of their squad in recent times.
“Today there is much difference between Milan and Barcelona,” he added. “They are the best team in the world, the team to beat.
“They have completed a dramatic transformation and now everyone wants to copy their football and their work with their youth team. Everything began with Cruyff and is now taking off.
“Are Milan taking the same direction? Yes it is the path to follow when there is no money, as in the case of Milan.
“But the youth set-up is not done in a day. It takes time. And patience. As they had in Barcelona.
“I remember in 2000 when we won at Camp Nou with goals from Coco and Bierhoff, their fans complained that the team was not competitive and Real Madrid won the titles.
“Now the tune has changed. This is what can happen to Milan. After 25 years of success, they must wait two or three to return to the top.”
The Wednesday fixture will be a significant tie for Bojan, who is currently on loan at the Rossoneri from Barcelona.
“He has played some good matches, but the modern game has a problem – no-one respects what you have done, you always have to prove yourself.
“He has talent and he needs to be patient, as must the fans.”