Barcelona captain Lionel Messi surprisingly snubbed Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos in his pick for the toughest opponent in his illustrious playing career.
The 34-year-old Argentine forward enjoyed a fierce on-pitch rivalry with Ramos during heated El Clasicos between Barcelona and Madrid.
However, Messi and Ramos’ El Clasico battles have finally come to an end after the former Madrid captain signed for Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner claimed that his toughest man-marker came in the form of Stuttgart right-back Pablo Maffeo, who had three loan spells at Girona.
During his time with Girona, Maffeo earned high praise from Messi for his “intense” man-marking.
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Messi told DAZN “Man-marking doesn’t bother me — you know that there will be tough matches and it can be strange to always have someone around you.
“In truth, it hasn’t happened to me that often. It doesn’t bother me, but it is strange. “Pablo Maffeo of Girona [was the toughest man-marker]. That was intense!
“I’ve never been one who complains. I think physical contact and kicks are part of the game.
“I get more annoyed when I play bad and I get a little more angry. But if I’m not [playing bad], it’s not a problem, it’s part of the game and I don’t take it personally.”
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Ramos enjoyed a prolific 16-year spell at Madrid and lifted five La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 35-year-old Spaniard previously snubbed Messi when he opened up about his choice for the toughest opponent he came across on the pitch.
Ramos claimed that Brazil legend Ronaldinho was “virtually unstoppable,” but he also praised Samuel Eto’o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for their respective abilities on the pitch. “There’ve been many. Ronaldinho was virtually unstoppable at his best, as a forward or a playmaker,” he admitted. “Samuel Eto’o, on his day, or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a striker who was a lot of trouble with his size, holds the ball up well, plays great with his back to goal and was fast.” Featured Image Credit: PA |