Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has offered an insight on facing Barcelona star Lionel Messi. Scholes wrote in the London Evening Standard: "There have been so many superlatives to describe Messi's career that you find yourself just adding to the pile of words about him.
"So these are some of the little things that you learn when you play against the man himself which you might not see on the television. First off, he never speaks on the pitch. In fact, I don't think I ever heard him say a word. Second, you won't believe how strong he is for a little man.
"I am not ashamed to admit that in the games against Barcelona I spent a lot of the time just hoping he would take up positions as far away from me as possible.
"Elusive is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi's style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then - blink - he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball. When you try to face up to him and make a tackle you know what it is he is going to do with the ball. The problem is staying with him.
"He avoids the highs and lows of football. You rarely see him go over the top in a goal celebration, just as he never gets too downhearted. That's a quality I think that I shared when I was a player. The game changes so quickly and you have to get yourself in a position mentally where you can deal with whatever is thrown at you."
