Barcelona star Lionel Messi admits he's a big fan of Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.

Messi said: "We know they have a great squad that contains some of the best players in Europe, but I particularly admire Frank Lampard.

"To have a midfield player who consistently scores so many goals at the top level is a rare thing. It is something we need to look out for in the two matches. For sure, Frank is a big threat.

"I admire the way he plays the game and the way he conducts himself on the pitch.

"He always seems to be in the running or talked about when World Player of the Year comes along and that says a lot about him as a player.

"He can score great goals but he also makes them and puts in a lot of work in midfield as well.

"He is one of the best central midfield players in the world, for sure. With the quality of our midfield I am sure it will be a great battle full of great players for the fans to watch."