Sports

Messi sees things others don’t – Barca coach

Published

6 years ago

August 20, 2018

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has heaped praise on Lionel Messi ’ s start to the Liga season after the Argentine bounced back from a disappointing World Cup with two goals against Alaves , AFP reports .
Messi sent an audacious second – half free -kick under the jumping wall and into the net for the opener , and Barca ’ s 6 , 000 th La Liga goal , at the Camp Nou on Saturday before slotting in his second in injury – time after Philippe Coutinho had also scored in the 3 – 0 win.

“ With Messi , you can expect absolutely anything , ” Valverde said . “ He sees things that others don’ t see on the pitch.

“ Sometimes we get too used to seeing it , he does things like he did today and we want him to pull a rabbit of the hat every time .

“ He ’ s a genius and we ’ re lucky to be able to see him play every day . ”

Messi has been left out of Argentina ’ s squad for the first post- World Cup friendlies following reports that the five -time Ballon d ’ Or winner asked to be excused from the four games .

He was unable to prevent a shambolic Argentina side from being knocked out of the World Cup in the last 16 stage in a 4 – 3 defeat to eventual winners France .

Midfielders Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets added their voices to Valverde ’ s praise of Messi , with Rakitic explaining the game had been “ quite hard , until Messi appeared with his work of art , ” while Busquets commented that “ Leo makes the difference all the time . He hits perfection every year. We ’ ll never see another like him , ” said the Spain international.