Messi sees things others don’t: Valverde
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has heaped praise on Lionel Messi's start to the Spanish season after the Argentinian bounced back from a disappointing World Cup with two goals against Alaves.
Messi sent an audacious second-half free-kick under the jumping wall and into the net for the opener, and Barca's 6,000th La Liga goal, at the Nou Camp yesterday morning (Singapore time) 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."
Despite playing with Messi since they were in Barcelona's youth ranks, Sergio Busquets is still surprised by the things the 31-year-old can conjure up.
On Messi's free-kick goal, the Spanish international midfielder said: "I had no idea he was going to shoot like that, for us it's spectacular that he has such a range of options."
"Sometimes in games like this, you have to just wait for Leo to go and do his thing," added Sergi Roberto.
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 by eventual winners France. - AFP, REUTERS
YESTERDAY'S OTHER RESULTS
- Celta Vigo 1 Espanyol 1
- Villarreal 1 Real Sociedad 2
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