Guardiola lauds "outrageous" Messi
Reuters - Wednesday 27 April 2011, 22:43
MADRID - Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola
described Lionel Messi's achievements as "outrageous" after the
World Player of the Year produced another masterclass in
Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League win at Real Madrid.
The Argentina forward's two goals in the semi-final first
leg at the Bernabeu, which gave Barca a huge advantage for next
week's second leg, took his tally for the Catalan club to 179
and put him ahead of Josep Samitier on their list of all-time
top scorers.
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The 23-year-old has 52 goals in all competitions this season
and 11 in 11 games in the Champions League, putting him three
clear on the scoring chart he also topped in the last two
editions of Europe's elite club competition.
"That's the good fortune that we have, to be able to be a
colleague of his," Guardiola said.
"It's not the first time he has done it," he added of
Messi's second goal on Wednesday, a trademark weaving run that
left several defenders trailing in his wake followed by a
clinical finish.
"At the age of just 23 he is the third highest scorer in the
history of Barca. It's outrageous.
"But that's the beauty of our football and our game."
Messi now has Ladislao Kubala and Cesar Rodriguez in his
sights who have 194 and 235 goals for Barca respectively.