Barca players laud menacing Messi
Reuters - Monday 15 March 2010, 07:35
MADRID - Lionel Messi's Barcelona team-mates lavished extravagant praise on the Argentina forward
after his sublime hat-trick fired the champions to a 3-0 win
over third-placed Valencia in La Liga on Sunday.
The 22-year-old FIFA World Player of the Year broke the
deadlock in the 56th minute at the Nou Camp with a trademark
weaving run and clinical finish and struck two more late on to
take his league tally for the season to 22.
"Messi seems to have no limit and we hope he carries on
like this," Barca's Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told
reporters.
"We are finding it hard to score goals and getting forward
with a player like Leo can be the deciding factor in the
match," he added. "Hopefully we'll be able to continue speaking
so well about Messi."
Barca's Argentine central defender Gabriel Milito said: "In
tight matches Messi pops up and does what only he can." Forward
Pedro added: "Leo played a great match and scored three
magnificent goals."
Messi's triple came on the same day as his Argentina team
mate Gonzalo Higuain bagged a hat-trick for Real Madrid that
kept them above Barca at the top of the standings on goal
difference and the pair's superb form bodes well for Diego
Maradona's side at the World Cup in South Africa.
"I am very pleased with the triumph and for the way the
team played in the second half and also for the three goals,"
Messi told reporters, adding that he dedicated one of the goals
to the daughter of his cousin who was born recently.
"I am focusing on continuing like this for the good of the
team and not for individual awards," he said.
"The whole team played well, especially in the second half
when we pressured them and kept the ball."
Holders Barca play Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart in their
Champions League last-16 second-leg on Wednesday after the
first leg in Germany ended 1-1.
NEWS: Barca president hails Messi magic
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